Keyleth of the Ashari - 6th Edition Hero System Stats

People apparently liked the Grog write up, so here's Keyleth.

So this proved a bit easier than I thought it would be (though part of that was due to cheating and not designing pretty much any spell. Once I read how Endurance Reserve functions when the Charges limitation is applied to it, then the Druidic magic proved very easy to recreate. Though it certainly was costly. Clerical and Wizard magic would operate in similar manner.

This is still not how I would come at building the concept from scratch, but the most efficient method of creating powers in Hero System creates characters with a pulp or comic book flavor rather than a Dungeons and Dragons flavor. While Hero System can obviously reproduce the mechanics of other systems with enough knowledge of the system, it is not ever going to be the most efficient and simple use of the system. 

Recreating other systems like this results in diving straight into the deeper tiers of complexity you can reach in Hero System. For reference, my personal view on the tiers of complexity works like this:

First Tier - Regarding powers as discrete abilities.

Second Tier - Moderate use of Limitations and Advantages

Third Tier - Use of Multipowers, Complex powers like Duplication, Summon or Multiform

The first three tiers come fairly quickly.

Fourth Tier - Advanced use of Limitations and Advantages. Base use of Linking.

Fifth Tier - Variable Power Pools...just...Variable Power Pools

Sixth Tier - Viewing the base powers as ingredients that combine into creating more complex effects rather than as universally discrete effects on their own. For example, the Fire Bolt spell is like an apple, it is simple and ready to eat with a bit of washing. The Prismatic Spray spell is six different Blasts bundled with an Extradimensional Movement usable as attack in the way a taco is meat, tomato, bread, lettuce, cheese and olives mixed together with a few spices.

Also, meant to include this with the Grog page, you'll likely have to click on it to view the original. It shows the characteristics for Hero System and what the levels represent. Hero System operates similarly to D&D in some ways where the first 6 stats are often ranked 1-20 with abilities past 20 being once in a millennium type legendary individuals.

Keyleth's Wiki Page

Critical Role Page on Geek & Sundry

Grog's Hero System Stats

Keyleth of the Ashari

14           Str          4
15           Dex        10
14           Con        4
15           Int          5
20(22)    Ego         10
10           Pre        

6              OCV       15
6              DCV       15
6              OMCV   9
6              DMCV   9
2              Spd       

5              PD        3
5              ED        3
8              Rec       4
40           End        4
15           Body      5
40           Stun       10

                Total      110

5              Bonus Actions: +2 Spd, Only to use “Bonus Actions” (-1/4)

·         (0) Bonus Action: Use off-hand weapon

·         (5) Bonus Action: Spend a Spell Slot to heal self while in Wild Shape

5              Reactions: Trigger for up to 120 active points of powers. Trigger: Various (+1/4), Resets as Zero-Phase Action (+1/4). Result: Various

·         (0)Trigger: Enemy tries to move out of Keyleth’s reach. Reaction: Melee Attack

·         (5)Reaction: Cast a Spell on the triggering opponent.

Note: The base bit of Reactions and Bonus Actions cost 0 because every being in the campaign setting has access to the same capability. I homebrewed the cost of adding more Triggers and Bonus Actions). Spells that can be cast as bonus actions will cost 5 pts more to build. Spells that can be cast as a reaction will cost 15 pts more to build.

Half-Elf and Languages

5              Nightvision

2              Fey Ancestry: Life-Support Immune to Sleep, Only to prevent unnatural sleep spells, Keyleth still needs natural sleep and is affected by chemical sedatives. (-1/2)

29           Fey Ancestry: Mental Defense 50, only against Mind Control (-1/2), does not work against Possession (-1/4)

0              Native Language: Druidic

3              Language: Elvish, completely fluent with accent

3              Language: Common, completely fluent with accent

4              Language: Primordial, completely fluent, no accent

4              Language: Sylvan, completely fluent, no accent

Spellcasting

139           Druid Magic: Variable Power Pool: 30 Pool, 160 Control, Change on a zero phase action (+1), Change with no skill Roll (+1), Can only draw from a list of 22 druid spells chosen after 8 hour rest + Healing powers only usable in animal or elemental form (-1),Cannot cast spells as an animal or elemental (-1/4), Cannot be used if wearing metal armor (-1/4), If bought to 0 End the spell must have Extra Time of at least 10 minutes or else have no more than 40 active points. (-1/4)

A Pool of 30 points and Control Cost of 160 means that spells can have Active Points (base effect modified by advantages) of up 160 pts but the end power must have Real Cost (cost after limitations are applied) of 30 points or less. This encourages taking a lot of limitations like Extra Time, Gestures, Incantations and the like for each spell. Since Hero System Concentration and D&D Concentration work in different ways, D&D Concentration would be recreated via a Limited Power limitation which I'd call "Spell Concentration" (You may see it below in the recreated versions of Alter Self) to represent the effects of D&D Concentration. The limitation of what spells can be bought to 0 End is meant to reproduce rituals and cantrips.

1              1^st Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 2 End, 4 Charges (-1)

1              2^nd Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 4 End, 3 Charges (-1 ¼)

1              3^rd Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 6 End, 3 Charges (-1 ¼)

1              4^th Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 8 End, 3 Charges (-1 ¼)

1              5^th Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 10 End, 2 Charges (-1 ½)

1              6^th Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 12 End, 1 Charge (-2)

1              7^th Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 14 End, 1 Charge (-2)

1              8^th Level Spell Slots: Endurance Reserve: 16 End, 1 Charge (-2)

When each charge is used it generates the noted amount of Endurance. If that Endurance is not used immediately then it is lost. This is the standard way Endurance Reserve works if you give it Charges. Typically, a power costs 1 Endurance for every 10 Active Points it has. The Reduced Endurance: Half-End Advantage changes this to 1 Endurance for every 20 Active Points. This means that the 1st Level Spell slot can power 20 active pts worth of standard power or 40 active pts worth reduced endurance powers. The 8th Level spell slot can power 160 active pts worth of power, which is mostly encouragement to take the Increased Endurance cost to reduce the real cost of spells crafted for the VPP. I could note that only one charge could be used per phase, but it really wouldn't reduce the cost anymore.

Wild Shape and Alter Self

93   Wild Shape: Variable Power Pool: 80 Pool, 30 Control, Change as a half-phase action (+1/2),Change with no skill roll (+1), Only to reproduce powers of an animal or elemental form taken with shape shift. (-1) Can only change powers twice per day. (-1)

14   Wild Shape/Thousand Forms: Shape Shift: Any animal, elemental, or humanoid. Endurance to activate. Can only take animal form twice per day, Can only take elemental form once per day (-1/2) Can’t take elemental form if has already taken animal form once today (-1/4) Sight, Hearing, Touch, Scent/Taste, Endurance only to Activate (+1/4), Limited Power: Spell Concentration (-1/2)

20    Natural Weapons: Killing Attack: 2d6 HKA, Linked to Wild Shape/Thousand Forms (-1/2)

10    Aquatic Adaptation: Swimming +20m, Jointly Linked to Aquatic Adaptation: Life Support (-1/4), Spell Concentration (-1/2)

6              Aquatic Adaptation: Life Support: Breathe Underwater, Immune High Pressure, Jointly Linked to Aquatic Adaptation: Swimming (-1/2), Non-Persistent (-1/4)

Skills

3              PS: Herbalism 12-

3              PS: Alchemist 12-

3              Survival 12-

3              KS: Nature 12-

3              Interrogation 11-

3              Persuasion 11-

3              Animal Handling 11-

3              Climbing 12-

9              Druid Magic: 16- (Rolled to maintain concentration)

12           Intimidation: +15 Presence, only for intimidating people (-1/4)

Items and Blessings

10     Spire of Conflux: +4 Combat Levels with Druid Magic, Obvious Accessible Focus (-1)

25   Spire of Conflux: The following count as Druid Spells when cast via the staff, 50 pt Pool Multipower, Obvious Accessible Focus (-1)

• (5) Chain Lightning: 12d6 Lightning Damage, Autofire up to 4 shots (+1/2), Cost Half-End (+1/2), No target can be hit more than once by the spell (-1/2), OAF (-1) (48 Real Cost/120 Active Points) 6 End per shot
• (4) Conjure Elemental: Summon 400 pt Elemental, Amicable: Loyal (+1/2), Expanded Class: Any Elemental (+1/4), Costs Half End (+1/4), Time Limit: 1 Minute (-2), OAF (-1), (40 Real Cost/160 Active Points), End 7
• (4) Fireball: AoE: 4m Radius (+1/4), 10d6 Fire damage, Costs Half-End (+1/4), OAF (-1) (38 Real Cost/75 Active Points), 3 End
• (4) Fire Storm: AoE: Any Area, up to 10 2m areas (+1), 8d6 Fire, OAF (-1) (40 Real Cost/80 Active Points), 8 End
• (4) Ice Storm: AoE Radius 4m (+1/4), 8d6 Ice, 4d6 Crushing damage, Costs Half-End (+1/4), OAF (-1) (45 Real Cost/90 Active Points), 4 End

6   Spire of Conflux: Endurance Reserve: 40, Recover 15, Slow Recovery: 1 Day (-6), Obvious Accessible Focus (-1)

Note that none of the Spire versions of these spells go below 30 Real Cost, this is because I did not apply things like Increased Endurance (to make it require a higher level slot) or even things like Gestures or Incantations. In fact I bought Reduced Endurance in a futile attempt to get the Endurance cost to get close to the charge cost of the D&D item's stats. A lot of this is because these are magic-item abilities instead of cast spells and thus don't have the same limitations.

13   Fire Hands: Hand to Hand Attack, +4d6 Fire Damage only with claws or fists (-1/4), only to add to Physical Melee Attacks, (-1/4) 

2     Antlers of Wisdom: +2 Ego, Inobvious Inaccessible Focus (-1/4)

I should note that the 2 Ego bought via an IIF reduces the cost from 2 to 1.6 which rounds back up to 2. I could try to work my way to consider it an Obvious Inaccessible Focus (-1/2) which would bring the cost to 1.3333 which would round down to 1. But, while the Antlers are obvious, it's not immediately obvious that they increase her Wisdom.

472   Total

582   Grand Total

Complications (Amounts in parentheses represent true value of the complications the values were reduced because they went over the limits for a Standard Heroic power level game)

10           Psychological Limitation: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Uncommon, Strong

15           Psychological Limitation: Guilty Conscience: Common, Strong

0(20)      Psychological Limitation: In Love with Vax’ildan Vessar: Very Common, Strong

0(15)      Psychological Limitation: Child Like Sense of Wonder: Common, Strong

0(15)      Psychological Limitation: Chooses spells based on cool-factor over efficiency: Common, Strong

15           Social Limitation: Obligations of the Aramente: Infrequently, Severe Risk/Restrictions

10           Unluck 2d6

407         Experience Spent

457         Complications and Experience Total

Keyleth has spent a whole 2 pts more experience than Grog.