From: [Guy Hoyle] at [october.com] (Guy Hoyle)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: HERO: Pulp Heroic Campaign
Date: 28 Mar 96 10:40:36

PULP CAMPAIGN GROUND RULES SHEET

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:  This is a late-Pulp Era campaign, set in June of 1938. 
The mysterious Thaddeus Rose assembles a secret group of allies with
exceptional skills and talents (the PCs) to oppose the sinister forces
converging upon San Frederico.  Together, they will battle mad scientists, evil
cults, mysterious conspiracies,  ghastly monsters, and would-be conquerors of a
world poised on the brink of war.  They are more like Doc Savage or The Shadow
than comic-book superheroes.

IMPORTANCE OF THE PCs: Important. The PCs are the only ones capable of
thwarting many of the menaces they encounter.  They are often sent on missions
by Thaddeus Rose, but many times the PCs are the first ones to discover the
menace.  

CAMPAIGN TONE
Morality: Good vs Bad is mostly black-and-white.
Realism: Very Romantic.
Outlook: Almost everything works out.
Grimness: Typical action-adventure.
Continuity: Mostly serial, some enforcement of campaign continuity.

PHYSICAL WORLD (DESCRIPTION): This is the world of the Pulps of the late
1930's.  It is the "real" world of the Great Depression, organized crime, and
the looming threat of World War II, with the addition of secret conspiracies,
occult menaces, weird science, alien schemes, and lost worlds.  Quite often,
the world will diverge from current scientific theory; the world might be
hollow, for instance, or Venus might be a cloud-covered tropical jungle instead
of an acidic hell.

CHARACTER BUILDING GUIDELINES
Starting Points for PCs: 100 points
Maximum Points from Disadvantages: 100 points
     Maximum Points from one Disadvantage Category: 50 points Characters
automatically have Characteristic Maxima Disadvantage at no point value: YES
Characters can carry normal technology (weapons, vehicles, etc.) at no point
cost: YES Characters can buy Vehicles & Bases with points: YES
Combat Hit Locations Chart: YES
Long-Term END Rules Used: NO
Knockdown Rules Used: YES
Critical Hits Rules Used: YES
Pushing: EGO Roll +5, +1/1
Negative Characteristics (see HSA 1): YES

Power Levels: 
Damage (DC): 6-8 Average, 10 Max
Defense  (PD/ED): 6-8 Average, 10 Max
Powers (Active Pts): 30-40 Average, 50 Max
Skill Rolls: 13- to 14- Average, 16- Max
OCV (DEX + Skill Levels or Maneuvers): 9-12 Average, 13 Max DCV (DEX + Skill
Levels or Maneuvers): 15-20 Average, 23 Max SPD: 2-4 Average, 5 Max

Note: Characters may exceed  the listed levels in ONE category by up to two
levels: for instance, to 12 DC in one attack, 12 PD OR ED, 60 points in a
power, one Skill at 18-, or SPD 7.

CHARACTER CREATION
     Many currently-available Hero System sourcebooks contain a lot of
information that is useful in this campaign.  Rather than reproducing entire
tables or sections, however, I will simply supply page references to the
following works: HORROR HERO; GOLDEN AGE CHAMPIONS; DARK CHAMPIONS; and HERO
SYSTEM ALMANACS 1 & 2.  These are available from both James and myself.

SKILLS
     Most skills are appropriate for the Pulp Campaign.  However, the following
skills deserve some comment. Also, the Base Times for Skills chart from
ADVENTURER'S CLUB #23 will be used.

Bribery
     Very useful to world travellers such as the PCs.

Bugging
     Given the cumbersome state of electronics gear, electronic bugs will
probably be about the size of a modern hand mike, with wires that can be traced
to a listening post or transmitter.   Alternately, Bugging can be bought as
Eavesdropping, which enables the PC to find the best possible place to overhear
a conversation without being seen; of course, Hearing PER rolls and Stealth or
Concealment rolls will still be needed to actually listen without being seen.

Computer Programming
     Not available.

Disguise
     Actors and makeup artists would possess this skill; KS: Makeup Artist is a
complementary skill.

Languages
     The Language Similarity Table will be used, to enhance the flavor of the
era.

Martial Arts 
     (Use the Martial Arts styles from NINJA HERO, and any real-world martial
arts from THE ULTIMATE MARTIAL ARTIST)
     Extra Damage Classes may be purchased as long as the campaign limits are
not exceeded.
     Boxing, Fencing, Football, Jiu-jitsu, and Wrestling styles are commonly
available.  
     Savate is known mainly in France, but it is available to anybody who wants
it.
     Dirty Infighting is available, but mostly known by thugs and hoodlums;
most PCs will not know it unless they have a "mean streets" background.
     Classic Comic Book/Generic Martial Arts is not a style, but nothing
prevents any character from learning its maneuvers.
     Pro Wrestling is in its infancy as a style.
     Most other styles are available if the character's background justifies
it.

Security Systems
     Mostly consisted of various kinds of locks; electrical alarms were used
mainly by the wealthy.  Lockpicking is more useful than this skill.

Systems Operator
     Mainly applies to telephone and telegraph operators, radio operators, and
(late in the period) radar and sonar operators.

PERKS

     Contacts are very appropriate for this time period, and can provide
valuable support and information when necessary.  Scientists, the police, the
Mayor, military officers, crime lieutenants, magicians, professors, gang
members, and wealthy industrialists are just a few examples of the possible
kinds of Contacts.  Once play begins, however, the GM should determine which
Contacts may be added.

     Favors may be taken by the PCs when first designed, but should be approved
by the GM.

     Most Fringe Benefits appropriate to the time period are available except
for "License to Kill".

     Followers are also traditional for Pulp-era games, serving a multitude of
plot functions, most of which should be obvious.  Followers may occasionally be
disposable.  Players should supply a rough outline to the GM, who may add his
own twists to the character.

     The Money Perk should be purchased to reflect the character's available
resources, for such things as equipment, vehicles, and bases. For an idea of
the value of money in the time period, see the "Perks" section in GOLDEN AGE
CHAMPIONS, p. 16.

TALENTS
     Danger Sense, Find weakness, and Universal Translator are not available;
all other Talents may be taken by characters.

POWERS
     Power Effects may be purchased in several ways in the Pulp Campaign. 
There are several different types of Powers available: Extended Skills, Psychic
Powers, Magic, Gadgets, and true Super Powers.
     Players should remember that Powers are not to be the main focus of their
characters; they should not take any Powers at all if their Background doesn't
justify it. If you have used more than 1/3 of your total Character Points in
Real Points worth of Powers Effects, you have probably spent too many; most
characters should have far fewer than that.  Remember, too, that normal weapons
and vehicles are available at no point cost.
     Psychics and Magicians are permitted to use the optional Spirit Powers
rules from HERO SYSTEM ALMANAC 1, pp. 36-66) (reprinted in edited form in
HORROR HERO, pp. 12-22).

Extended Skills
     Many characters have trained so extensively that their skills resemble
power effects.  Most of these can be achieved by buying the appropriate Power
with the Limitation "Requires Skill Roll" (-1/2).  Examples of this include
Invisibility which requires a successful Stealth Roll, or Mind Control which
requires a Seduction Roll.  Note that any situations that prevents the
character from making a skill roll will prevent the use of such a power; you
can't use Stealth in a brightly-lit room with alert guards, for example.  HERO
SYSTEM ALMANAC 2 has an extensive section on this topic in Steven S. Long's
"Requires a Skill Roll" chapter (pp. 19-24), though I don't choose to use most
of his variant rules modifications.  DARK CHAMPIONS, pp. 30-40, also has some
useful examples of this type of power. (I have heard that many of the DARK
CHAMPIONS supplements such as "AN EYE FOR AN EYE have other examples, but I
don't own them.)


    Any of the powers from NINJA HERO's Heroic and Heroic Martial Arts sections
(pp. 36-44) can also be used.  I prefer that you also follow their suggested
limitations on  point costs.

Psychic Powers
     Psychic Powers are inborn magical abilities.  They are often unreliable
and stressful to use, and are subject to such things as astrological
influences. HORROR HERO (pp. 42-44) has a geat section on Psychic Powers, as
does HERO SYSTEM ALMANAC 1, pp. 8-11.  Note that most Psychic Powers should top
out at 30 active points each; also, Psychics can only use EGO*5 active points
worth of powers at a time (instead of the INT/10 # of spells recommended in
HH).  The Spirit Powers can be considered Psychic Powers.
     
Magic
     Magic differs from psychic abilities in that Magic can be learned; it is
not an innate ability, though many psychics go on to learn magic.  There are
four types of spells in this campaign: Ritual Magic (often miscalled Black
Magic), Ceremonial Magic (similarly miscalled White Magic), Alchemy, and
Magic-Wielding (which I prefer to call Thaumaturgy).  Please use the Magic
rules for the Pulp era in HORROR HERO, pp. 33-41, with the following
modifications:
     Wizards may use up to INT*5 in Active Points worth of spells
simultaneously instead of INT/10 # of spells.  Wizards may buy extra INT with
the Limitation, "Only to Increase Spell Capacity"      (-1/2).  In other words,
this INT does not affect INT-based Skill or PER rolls.

Gadgets
     These include any equipment that the character has to pay points for, be
they amulets, batarangs, specially-designed guns, etc.  All Gadgets must buy
the Focus Limitation, but beyond that there are few guidelines.  Gadgets must
obey the campaign's Power Level restrictions.
     Weapon-like Gadgets require appropriate Weapon Familiarities to be used
without an OCV penalty.

Super(Natural) Powers
    Some beings possess powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. 
The powers could be natural for his  race if the being is not human; they could
be of a mystical origin or scientific origin as well.  Some examples of
superbeings include a conveniently-humanoid alien stranded on Earth, a boy
given magical powers by a godlike being, or the survivor of a one-in-a-million
lab accident.

VEHICLES, WEAPONS, and NORMAL EQUIPMENT
     Please use the tables in HORROR HERO, pp. 142-143, and GOLDEN AGE
CHAMPIONS, pp. 71-76, for vehicles, equipment, and weapons appropriate to the
time period.  The section "Golden Age versus Modern Day" in GOLDEN AGE
CHAMPIONS (p. 13) gives another useful perspective on Pulp-era technology.    
Please do not buy any items not available before the current year, 1938 (duh!).
     Use the Encumbrance chart (HERO SYSTEM RULEBOOK, p. 250) to determine how
much equipment you can carry.  
     You must have an appropriate Weapon Familiarity to use an ordinary weapon
without a penalty.

PACKAGE DEALS
     The use of Package Deals is encouraged but not required. However, PCs
should study the following Packages if they plan on playing one of the
following types of characters.
     HORROR HERO, pp. 51-60: Policeman, Soldier, Intelligence Agent, Aviator,
Sailor, Scientist, Inventor, Bounty Hunter, Reporter, Doctor, Private
Investigator, Occult Investigator, Psychic, Sorceror, Magic-Wielder
(Thaumaturge).  Many of these archetypes are slanted toward a horror campaign;
while horror plays a part in this campaign, many of the darker elements are not
appropriate.
     GOLDEN AGE CHAMPIONS, pp. 17-18: Policeman, Police Detective, Private
Investigator, FBI Special Agent.  Military Package Deals, pp. 22-23: Enlisted
Man, Non-Commissioned Officer, Warrant Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer; see
also the sections on Military Rank and Military Occupation Skills, pp. 25-27. 
Bear in mind that the US won't be entering the war until December of 1941, if
history repeats itself.
     
CHARACTER BIO
Please provide the following information about your character.  This adventure
starts in June of 1938, so you might want to find out about the major
historical events of the last couple of decades to get a feel for the time
period.  The real-world timelines in GOLDEN AGE CHAMPIONS (pp. 47-50) should be
very helpful.  HORROR HERO has a good overview of the time period on pp.
144-145.

Player's Name:

Character Name:

Secret ID (if appropriate):

Group Affiliations:

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Age:_____ Sex: M / F     Height:_____ Weight or Build:__________
Skin:__________Hair :__________

Distinguishing Features:

Appearance:

Outward Attitude:

Ambitions/Goals:

Routine Activities:

Financial Status:

Friends/Family (if none, what happened to them?):


Enemies (and why):


Physical Problems:


Psychological Quirks & Problems:


BACKGROUND: