Intro to Hero Builder

WHAT IS THIS LITTLE BOOK?

Welcome, Hero. This book, though modest, is the foundation for the extraordinary, limited only by your imagination. Within these pages lies the framework for a grand adventure, which you can shape to suit your sensibilities.

The Core Set of rules ensures fairness for both Heroes and Hero Masters — no shortcuts, no sly moves — just honest play, whether under candlelight or the midday sun. Read carefully, use your wits, and you'll master this system with ease.

Hero Builder passes no judgment. Play as you see fit, and let your creativity shine.

I am The Candle, your humble guide. This is Hero Builder — your next great adventure awaits.

WHAT IS A ROLE-PLAYING GAME?

If you're new to Role-Playing Games (RPGs), here's a quick rundown. A tabletop RPG is a collaborative game where players take on the roles of Heroes or Heroines, telling a story through their characters' actions. Typically, these games are guided by a Game Master, or in this case, a Hero Master, who creates the world and steers the adventure. They are the architect of the journey, ensuring the story unfolds.

What do you need? This book, a few friends, and a world of your choosing. Whether you draw inspiration from a favorite game, book, comic, or something entirely your own, Hero Builder supports it all. The possibilities are, of course, endless.

Getting Started

Hero Builder prides itself on providing the mechanics — a framework for you and your friends to explore and enjoy. If you're a seasoned RPG gamer, you're already a step ahead. However, there are a few key points to consider when running or playing a game of Hero Builder that will ensure your experience is as smooth as it is engaging.

Unlimited Power, Unseen Limits

Whether you are new to running or playing in an RPG, or a seasoned hand at the table, Hero Builder's boundless possibilities can prove overwhelming for both Hero Masters and Heroes. The greatest challenge often lies in a project with no clear boundaries, so before you begin, take the time to properly consider the world in which your Heroes will operate. Set your rules, establish your boundaries, and recognize that sometimes, a firm no is necessary, whether you're crafting the story or navigating within it.

With great power comes responsibility, and in this case, that burden falls on both Heroes and Hero Masters. It is the duty of everyone at the table to ensure that the game remains enjoyable. Heroes, in their ambition, will push the limits, and rightly so. But they must also recognize that not every suggestion will fit neatly into the world, nor work flawlessly with the Hero Builder system. Both Heroes and Hero Masters would do well to read carefully and agree where necessary to establish BANS (prohibited elements) or LIMITS (modified allowances). The balance is key: Keep it Fair, Keep it Fun.

Whether you're embodying a Hero or steering the adventure as the Hero Master, the task is one of collaboration. Heroes bring life to the world through their choices, while the Hero Master provides the challenges and characters to meet them. For tips on running the game as a Hero Master, see Chapter 9. For insights on crafting enemies and obstacles, look to Chapter 8.

Setting the Stage

Once you've established the rules and boundaries of your world, it's time to choose the type of campaign your Heroes will undertake. Hero Builder offers three types: Commoner, Heroic, and Godly. Each is suited to a different style of play and comes with its own advancement chart, found at the back of the book, outlining the experience needed for your Heroes to level up.

All Heroes begin at level one in a new campaign. In ongoing campaigns, any new Hero should start at the same level as the others. Below, you'll find the campaign types and their ideal genres.

Commoner

Heroic

Godly

Scaling Your Party Size

Party size is determined by the number of players, excluding the Hero Master. The more players you have, the trickier it becomes to keep things running smoothly. Six Heroes is a comfortable cap.

While players may control more than one Hero, the party size should ideally stay at six. For smaller groups — one or two players — the campaign should be more personal, tailored to their specific needs rather than the dynamics of a larger group.

Essential Tools for Play

Now that you've built your world, planned a campaign, and gathered your Heroes, a few items will make things smoother and more enjoyable. These can be easily found online or at your local hobby shop:

• A Gridded Play Mat, Gridded Paper, or a Battle Grid Wet Erase Markers and Pencils Miniature Figures or Flat Beads
• A set of Polyhedral Dice, they system uses 3d8.
• (d# = Die & Number of Sides: d3, d4, d6, 3d8, d10, d12, d20, d24, d30, d50, d60, d100) Character Sheets (available on our site at
• www.thetablecandle.com)

You can also visit ttcmatt.com and ttcdice.com to use our Online Battle Mat and Dice Roller, available to you for free!

IT'S YOUR WORLD

As you explore these pages, you'll notice the absence of illustrations or artwork. Instead, you will find blank spaces marked Homebrew, alongside prompts for drawing. These are yours to fill. This book, after all, is meant to be yours in the truest sense — so sketch in it, expand upon the rules, and tailor it to your own needs.

Make it a repository of memories. Craft worlds, spin stories, and let every note and drawing be a testament to the adventures shared with your companions. In years to come, when you pull this volume from the shelf, those marks will speak of the journeys undertaken and the stories lived.

It is the journey, after all, that makes the game worthwhile — and those memories, I assure you, will endure.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With your supplies, friends, snacks, and a world defined by BANS and LIMITS, you're almost ready.

But what's missing? Ah, of course — the Heroes need their character sheets. In the next chapters, we'll walk you through crafting your Heroes: Roles, Abilities, Skills, Flairs, Flaws, Epic Powers, Weapons, Armor, and items to

face what lies ahead. Character creation may seem daunting, but fear not — we'll guide you through it, step by step. As your Hero grows, so will your mastery of the game. Take your time — this is Hero Builder, and you are

the Hero!