NINJA HERO Errata
Version 1.2: August, 1991
by Aaron Allston
[Genie A.ALLSTON / CompuServe 73257,1717]
[Red October (512-834-2548, N-8-1) Aaron Allston]
=================================================================
This file is copyright (c) 1991 by Aaron Allston. You may
freely distribute this file in electronic form so long as you do
not modify its contents in any way.
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INTRODUCTION
NINJA HERO was written, playtested, rewritten, edited, and
put into production at a ferocious rate. Mostly due to that
unavoidable haste, some errors made their way into the text.
Here, we'll try to correct the worst of the errors. We're
not going to correct typos, but we'll try to get all the
substantial mistakes.
In the following text, Part One addresses mistakes made in
the printed text of NINJA HERO, or provides clarifications to the
text; Part Two provides answers to commonly-asked questions.
PART ONE: CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
PAGE 1, CREDITS, UNDER "COMMENTATORS FROM THE RED OCTOBER BBS":
Stephen Beeman's name was misspelled. (While that's arguably
only a typo, Steve shouldn't have to go into Hero Games history
as "Stephen Beerman.")
PAGE 11, MARTIAL ARTS MANEUVER TABLE:
The maneuver called the "Shove Takeaway" should actually be
the "Takeaway."
PAGE 12, AFTER THE PARAGRAPH ON NND(2):
Add the following paragraph. (This elaboration was made
elsewhere in the book, but not everybody finds it there.)
============================================================
NOTE: NND Maneuvers are NOT increased by a character's
STR. If the maneuver description says the maneuver does 2d6
NND, that's what it does, regardless of the character's STR.
Extra DC, on the other hand, DOES increase maneuver damage.
============================================================
PAGE 13, MANEUVER TYPE CHART:
A couple of errors crept into this table. The listing for
Nerve Strike through Passing Strike should read as follows:
============================================================
Nerve Strike * (See below), but only normal-damage
weapons
Offensive Strike * (See below)
Passing Strike * (See below)
============================================================
Also, the listing for Takedown and Bind, at the end of the chart,
should instead read:
============================================================
Takedown Staves, Polearm Shafts, Nets, Whips,
Chain & Rope Weapons
Weapon Bind All Melee Weapons, Shields
============================================================
PAGE 13, MARTIAL ARTS STYLES SECTION:
In this section, many of the "Elements" boxes of the style
writeups were mangled. Corrections for them appear below.
PAGE 14, ARNIS/KALI/ESCRIMA BOX:
The "Elements" box should read as follows:
============================================================
ELEMENTS
Weapons +1 Use Art with Swords
+1 Use Art with Karate Weapons
Barehanded +1 Use Art Barehanded
============================================================
PAGE 18, VARIANT FORM: KOBUJUTSU BOX:
The "Elements" box should read as follows:
============================================================
ELEMENTS
Weapons +1 Use Art with Staff
Barehanded +1 Use Art Barehanded
============================================================
PAGE 19, KENJUTSU BOX:
The lines for the Bind and Bind Block maneuvers are
incorrect, and should read:
============================================================
Bind 1/2 4 +1 +0 STR +10; Bind
Block 1/2 4 +2 +2 Block, Abort
============================================================
PAGE 20, FIFTH PARAGRAPH UNDER "KUNG FU (WU SHU)" HEADLINE:
There's a reference in this paragraph to the Grappling
Punch. This is an error; it refers to a maneuver that was deleted
from the final draft of NINJA HERO.
PAGE 23, NINJUTSU BOX:
The last line in the "Skills" box should read:
============================================================
See the Ninja Package Deal in the PACKAGE DEALS section.
============================================================
PAGE 24, SAVATE BOX:
The "Elements" box is incorrect; instead of saying "Use Art
with Swords Weapons," it should merely read "Use Art with
Swords."
PAGE 25, TAE KWON DO BOX:
The "Elements" box is incorrect, and should instead read:
============================================================
Weapons +1 Use Art with Swords
+1 Use Art with Clubs
+1 Use Art with Karate Weapons
+1 Use Art with Staves
============================================================
PAGE 25, SECOND PARAGRAPH UNDER "WRESTLING" HEADLINE:
This paragraph shouldn't make any reference to Professional
Wrestling, since Professional Wrestling was eventually added as
its own style.
PAGE 25, WRESTLING BOX:
The skill "KS: Wrestling" should be added to the "Skills"
box.
PAGE 26, WRESTLING, PROFESSIONAL BOX:
The Elements box should now read:
============================================================
Weapons +1 Use Art with Clubs (Fist/Forearm
Smash Only)
============================================================
PAGE 41, "EXAMPLE" PARAGRAPH:
The cost for this example of Dim Mak was grossly
miscalculated, since Drain is 10 pts. per 1d6, not 5 pts.
Therefore, the power has 560 active points, not 280, and the
Total Cost is 83 pts.
PAGE 49, UNDER "STREET-LEVEL SUPERHERO CAMPAIGNS" HEADLINE:
The following paragraphs were accidentally deleted from the
first draft of NINJA HERO and then forgotten. They need to appear
at the end of the text beneath the headline.
============================================================
CARRYING MULTIPLES OF ONE GADGET
If a character in a superhero-level campaign wishes to
carry two identical examples of one gadget, he should follow
the precedent set in the Hero System "Followers" and
"Vehicles and Bases" rules: Spend +5 pts to carry 2x the
number of gadgets.
This does NOT apply to gadgets which are already bought
on Charges or under an END battery, which already defines
the number of gadgets being carried. For example, if you
have an EB/EX, 8 charges, to simulate grenades, you can't
spend 5 pts to have 16. But if you have a sai and want to
carry two, you could spend +5 pts.
This is also not license for a character to carry
multiple weapons so that all his friends can have one when
combat arrives. If the GM sees a player trying this stunt,
he should put a stop to it.
============================================================
PAGE 49, UNDER "NORMAL SUPERHERO CAMPAIGNS" HEADLINE:
Following up on the previous correction, the following
paragraph should be inserted at the end of the text under this
headline.
============================================================
CARRYING MULTIPLES OF ONE GADGET
In a normal superhero campaign, follow the multiple-
weapon guidelines described just above for Street-Level
Superhero Campaigns.
============================================================
PAGE 57, CHINESE MASTER BOX:
Under "Optional Disadvantages," the entry for "Disadvantage:
Kung Fu" should actually read "Style Disadvantage: Kung Fu."
PAGE 60, HELPFUL ELEMENTS BOX:
The lines for N-Damage through NND OCV + are messed up, and
should read as follows:
============================================================
N-Damage +1 pt per +1/2d6 NND up to +1d6,
+2 pts per additional +1/2d6 NND 2d6 NND
OCV + +1 pt per +1 OCV up to +2 +2 OCV
============================================================
PAGE 60, RESTRICTIVE ELEMENTS BOX:
The lines for OCV - through OCV STR are messed up, and
should read as follows:
============================================================
OCV - -1 pt per -1 OCV up to -2 -2 OCV
STR - -1 pt if maneuver is at half STR,
-2 pts if maneuver uses no STR No STR
============================================================
PAGE 66, MONGOOSE STYLE BOX:
The "Elements" box should be corrected to read:
============================================================
Weapons +1 Use Art with Short Blades
+1 Use Art with Shuko
============================================================
STYLE DISADVANTAGE -10
============================================================
PAGE 71, CLARIFICATIONS SECTION:
Add the following paragraph to the very end. (It wasn't
accidentally left out of the manuscript: The question didn't even
come up until NINJA HERO was already in print.)
============================================================
UNARMED COMBAT RANGE
Characters in hand-to-hand combat with one another can
be considered to be in separate, adjacent hexes unless one
of the following conditions applies:
(1) One says he is moving into the other's hex; or
(2) One performs a maneuver requiring that he move into the
other's hex (Flying Tackle, Move-Through, some Grabs,
and any other maneuver at the GM's discretion).
============================================================
PAGE 78, UNDER "DENSITY INCREASE" HEADLINE:
The text says, "If the attacker's pushed STR (whether he is
currently using it pushed or not) is inadequate to pick up the
target, then his attack cannot throw the target down."
This has been incompletely understood by several NINJA HERO
readers. The rule was introduced to keep human-strength
characters from Martial Throwing 700-ton mecha, for instance, but
has been interpreted as a dire limitation on martial artists'
throwing abilities.
First, it applies to all situations using Martial Throw
maneuvers, not just those where Density Increase is being
employed.
Second, note the phrase "... the attacker's pushed STR
(whether he is currently using it pushed or not)..." What this
means is that a character can Martial Throw anything he could
pick up with his fully-Pushed STR, and it doesn't matter how much
STR he is currently using. For instance, a STR 5 character could
Push his STR to 15 and pick up 200 kg; therefore, a STR 5
character could Martial Throw any target weighing up to 200 kg. A
STR 10 (i.e., normal) character could Martial Throw something
weighing in at 400 kg -- 880 pounds! This isn't much of a
disadvantage to characters; I would hope that it's a reasonable
limitation.
It's been suggested that, if a Martial Throw maneuver is
built with a STR bonus, then that STR bonus also apply to the
character's Throwing strength. By extrapolation, we might also
conclude that Extra DC bought with the martial art in question
would give him extra Throwing strength, at a rate of +5 STR per
+1 DC. I personally have no objection to that approach, but I
don't think it's something we should have a "ruling" on: Rather,
individual GMs should decide on this question for their
individual campaigns.
PAGE 80, UNDER "DAMAGE PENALTIES" HEADLINE:
Instead of -1d6, substitute -1 DC. The penalty applies to
killing attacks and NND attacks as well as normal-damage Strikes.
PAGES 88-89, OPTIONAL MARTIAL ARTS DESIGN RULES:
There is an error in the point-costing for these rules. The
following paragraph should be added just before the "Multiple
Bases and Rolls to Hit" headline on page 89:
============================================================
MULTIPLE BASES AND BLOCK
In normal maneuvers, the Block basis is free (costs 0
points) and brings with it the Abort element for free. This
isn't true of these Optional Martial Arts Design Rules.
When a maneuver has a Block element and some other
element, the Block basis costs 1 point and the Abort basis,
if included (yes, it's possible to have a Block you don't
abort to!) costs an additional 1 point.
============================================================
In case you're curious, this makes the Sample Maneuvers cost
out in this fashion:
============================================================
MANEUVER OCV/DCV/PHASE/DMG/EFFECT COST TOTAL
Bind/Strike 1/2 Phase 1
Bind 1
STR Strike 0 2 (3) *
Block/Disarm 1/2 Phase 1
Block 1
Disarm 2
Abort 1 5
Block/Strike 1/2 Phase 1
STR Strike 0
Block 1
Abort 1 3
Block/Takeaway 1/2 Phase 1
Block 1
Grab Weapon 3
Abort 1 6 **
Disarm/Strike 1/2 Phase 1
Disarm 2
STR Strike 0 3
Improved Throw 1/2 Phase 1
STR Strike 0
Damage +v/5 1
Throw 1
Block 1
Abort 1 5
Takeaway Throw 1/2 Phase 1
Grab Weapon 3
Throw 1 5
* As in the normal rules, no maneuver can cost less
than 3 points.
** The cost for this maneuver in NINJA HERO is 5, but
should now be 6.
============================================================
PAGE 89:
Add the following paragraphs just before the "Abort"
headline:
============================================================
MULTIPLE BASES AND EXCLUSIVITY
If you're building a maneuver which has one Exclusive
maneuver basis and one Non-Exclusive maneuver basis, but one
of these bases will be used against the target himself and
the other will be used against something he is carrying,
then both are considered Exclusive bases.
For instance, the Takeaway Throw maneuver described
later, under "Sample Maneuvers" includes a Grab Weapon
element (an exclusive basis) and a Throw (a non-exclusive
basis). However, the Grab Weapon is applied to the target's
weapon, and the Throw is applied to the target himself.
Therefore, in this maneuver, both maneuver bases are
considered Exclusive.
============================================================
PAGE 92, RANGED WEAPONS (HEROIC CAMPAIGNS) CHART:
In the section on different types of Shuriken, "Bo" should
read "Bo Shuriken," even though that's a bit redundant. Some
readers were confusing the entry for the Bo Shuriken with the
entry, under the "Melee Weapons" chart, for the Bo Staff.
PAGE 95, UNDER THE "RAWHIDE HAND-WRAPPINGS" PARAGRAPH:
A second paragraph was unintentionally deleted. It reads:
============================================================
With each punch that successfully hits a target, the
character with rawhide hand-wrappings should make a 3d6
roll. On an 8-, the rawhide will do 1 pt of killing damage
in addition to the normal damage of the attack. If the
character has rawhide wrappings but using some sort of NND
or killing-damage attack, then the rawhide adds nothing.
============================================================
PAGE 102, UNDER "OCV BONUSES AND PENALTIES" HEADLINE:
The last sentence under this headline should say, "Weapons
may NOT take 2-pt skill levels for Strike maneuvers." I'd
accidentally repeated "3-pt skill levels" from the previous
paragraph.
PAGE 102, UNDER "OCV BONUSES AND PENALTIES" HEADLINE:
Despite the headline, this section doesn't get around to
talking about OCV penalties.
Just as OCV Bonuses (be they from 5-pt, 3-pt, 2-pt Combat
Skill Levels, or Range Skill Levels) are ADDED to the weapon's
Active Point Total after weapon damage and advantages have been
calculated, DCV Penalties (also based on 5-pt, 3-pt, or 2-pt
Combat Skill Levels or Range Skill Levels) are SUBTRACTED from
the weapon's Active Point Total after weapon damage and
advantages have been calculated.
For example, a 2d6K weapon which has a +1 STUN and which has
a -1 OCV is calculated this way: HKA 2d6 (30 active), +1 STUN
(+1/2, for 45 active); -1 Combat Skill Level (-5 pts, for 40
active).
Internal evidence in the FANTASY HERO (2nd Edition) weapons
lists indicates that OCV penalties DO affect STR Minima.
Therefore, in the example immediately above, the weapon would
have a STR Min of 20 (Active Pts/2) rather than a STR Min of 22
(from the Active Points of just the damage power plus
advantages).
Powers such as Stretching (used to give extra "reach" to
weapons) do NOT contribute to the Active Point value used to
calculate STR Minima. In campaigns where you keep track of weapon
point-costs, such powers do add to the COST, of course.
PAGE 102, UNDER "ARMOR CREATION" HEADLINE:
The "Armor Coverage and Weight" chart was introduced to give
players the opportunity to build pieces of armor for any specific
set of locations... and to know what those pieces of armor
weighed.
CHAMPIONS and the HERO SYSTEM RULESBOOK hadn't fully
addressed this need by the time of NINJA HERO. But after NINJA
HERO was released, the 2nd Edition of FANTASY HERO tackled the
same subject; see the chart on page 99 of FH.
You'll find it simpler to use the weights from FANTASY HERO,
but the two sets of weight values are not so different as to be
grossly incompatible.
PAGE 103, IN THE "NEW LIMITATIONS" BOX:
The NO NONCOMBAT STRETCH limitation (-1/4), which is used on
Stretching when Stretching is included in a weapon to give it
extra reach, does intrinsically limit the Stretching power to the
weapon itself. The wielder of the weapon does not Stretch. (Yes,
it's silly, but someone will inevitably ask.)
I've been asked why the use of Stretching in weapons does
not include an "Always On" value. I did it this way because such
weapons do not always have to be used at their full reach; the
wielders can usually "choke up" on the weapon shafts to strike at
a closer opponent, for instance. Other rules in the supplement
provide disadvantages for characters using long weapons in short
spaces; the weapon construction guidelines didn't have to add to
that.
PAGE 106, UNDER "RANGED WEAPONS" HEADLINE:
Immediately under this headline, there is an "Important
Note" in italics. Unfortunately, this "Important Note" is just a
rephrasing of the paragraph which immediately precedes the
"Ranged Weapons" headline. This isn't exactly the way things were
supposed to be presented. (The mistake was the author's rather
than ICE's.)
The last paragraph before "Ranged Weapons" should have been
deleted, and the following "Important Note" should have been
added after the first "Important Note":
============================================================
IMPORTANT NOTE II: On the charts below, "Nl" stands for
"Normal" and "Cn" stands for "Concealed." Normal weapons
look like weapons; Concealed weapons may look like something
else.
============================================================
PAGE 106, RANGED WEAPONS (HEROIC CAMPAIGNS) CHART:
See above for page 92; the situation is the same.
PAGE 109, UNDER THE "UNUSUAL WEAPONS" HEADLINE:
I've been asked why I built Marbles as a Continuous,
Uncontrolled, Two Charges attack, and why I didn't use Trigger.
I'll plead haste. The power structure as written isn't
precisely what I wanted; with a power this complicated, I'm not
sure any structure will be perfect.
An alternate way to build this power would be via Transform.
Now, one hex of dirt has 16 BODY, but this Transform doesn't have
to change the entire volume of the hex -- just the top surface.
So it could be built this way:
============================================================
Transform 3d6 (Minor Transformation, 10 pts/1d6),
Walking Surface to Slippery, Marble-Infested Tripping
Surface; Area Effect One Hex (+1/2), 2 Recoverable Charges
(-1), IAF (-1/2). Cost: 18.
============================================================
The common effect to return the surface to its normal form
would be sweeping the marbles aside -- which is a "power" that is
very commonly available!
This approach, unlike the version in print, puts the duty of
defining the marbles' effects onto the GM rather than quantifying
the slipperiness as a specific STR of Telekinesis with a specific
set of powers and abilities which will counter it.
It might be argued that "Walking Surfaces" is pretty broad
to include so many surfaces: dirt, asphalt, concrete, linoleum,
tile, etc. Considering that the power isn't really affecting the
surface material anyway, I tend to disagree, but people with this
opinion need only add a Variable Special Effects advantage (+1/4
for limited group) to accommodate the power's flexibility.
PAGE 110, UNDER THE "HAND-TO-HAND VS. KILLING DAMAGE" HEADLINE:
The whole sentence reading "In superheroic campaigns,
normal-damage weapons just ADD THEIR DAMAGE TO THE CHARACTER'S
STR OR MANEUVER DAMAGE." should be shown in bold-face type, or
boxed, or celebrated with fireworks. It's VERY important, but
it's very easy to miss, and many NINJA HERO readers are not
noticing it.
PAGE 173:
There should have been a separate headline, "SIPRISTI," just
above her character sheet. The way it is now, it looks for a
moment as though Sipristi were a member of the Yooso team, when
in fact her writeup is a completely separate section of this
chapter.
Jens-Arthur Leirbakk