Heroica RPG General Discussion

[Jedi master Brick]

Only if Atramor was on quest 27...

[Zepher]

I'm travelling tomorrow and will be on regularly after that. Bd is free to control Lawrence until that time if the need arises!

[Tamamono]

Finally a Magical Vortex! God, I love being a Sage!

[Bricksandparts]

Finally a Magical Vortex! God, I love being a Sage!

too bad it didn't heal at all... But it reminds me of Necromancer on ROTMG.

[Palathadric]

Wow, the three Dastan quests sound really interesting. I wish I could go on one of them, but I think Capt.JohnPaul's quest is much more suited to my level. Glad we have a couple of experienced dudes with us though, otherwise we'd be chicken fodder.

[Masked Builder]

Wow, the three Dastan quests sound really interesting. I wish I could go on one of them, but I think Capt.JohnPaul's quest is much more suited to my level. Glad we have a couple of experienced dudes with us though, otherwise we'd be chicken fodder.

Was that intended? Or did it just happen?

[Palathadric]

Was that intended? Or did it just happen?

McCafferey will kill us all!

[Flipz]

We've been PMing each other to decide fight over who gets which players you. Zeph hasn't PMed his list of players signed up for Q30, but comparing JimBee's and my lists, it looks like there should be enough.

Fix'd. I jest.

Sandy, if you've got a second, should I post my class guide here in R&D, or should I start a new topic?

[CMP]

McCafferey will kill us all!

Dammit Capt. John Paul, I said you couldn't use her in that plot twist Get back to your quest.

[Palathadric]

Fix'd. I jest.

Sandy, if you've got a second, should I post my class guide here in R&D, or should I start a new topic?

Sandy is not online presently, as far as I can see. So I would think that he/she doesn't have a second at the moment.

[Flipz]

Aaaargh! I always miss Sandy by like one minute...

Oh, well, lemme type it up and put it here.

Also, Arthur was standing right next to Cronk and Skrall, shouldn't Cronk have overheard Arthur's speech?

[Kadabra]

Aaaargh! I always miss Sandy by like one minute...

Oh, well, lemme type it up and put it here.

Also, Arthur was standing right next to Cronk and Skrall, shouldn't Cronk have overheard Arthur's speech?

Oooh, can't wait! Your analyses are always excellent!

[RPGer]

Aaaargh! I always miss Sandy by like one minute...

Oh, well, lemme type it up and put it here.

Also, Arthur was standing right next to Cronk and Skrall, shouldn't Cronk have overheard Arthur's speech?

Yay! Flipz speech!

[The Legonater]

Out of curiosity, Doc, aproximently how long will your Quest be? Another long one?

[Capt.JohnPaul]

I don't mean to be a bother, Sandy! But there's quite a big typo. On the first page of the Hall, it says I completed Quest 17 at level 19. I'm 9.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Capt.JohnPaul

[K-Nut]

I don't mean to be a bother, Sandy! But there's quite a big typo. On the first page of the Hall, it says I completed Quest 17 at level 19. I'm 9.

How much instructing did you do?

[Brickdoctor]

Out of curiosity, Doc, aproximently how long will your Quest be? Another long one?

No, this one should be normal-length.

[K-Nut]

No, this one should be normal-length.

Hah! Wasn't this one supposed to be normal length?

[Brickdoctor]

Hah! Wasn't this one supposed to be normal length?

It was supposed to be. Turned out even longer than Q4.

[Capt.JohnPaul]

How much instructing did you do?

I did lots of instructing! I deserve level 19!

[Flipz]

Heroica: The (Un)Official Strategy Guide

Introduction

Heroica is a deep and complex role-playing game, despite the deceptively simple appearance of the rules. Even setting aside the secrets and intrigue and labyrinthine loyalties within the world itself, the system of battle itself has hidden complexities that can trip up the unwary, and put even seasoned veterans in peril when they fail to recognize the limitations of their class. The Heroica battle system is like a child's kiddie pool connected to the Pacific Ocean; as you move further and further out into the world, the system becomes deeper and deeper. Some players will stop quickly, mastering only a few basic skills and relying on luck and their questmates to get them through, but for those who persevere and dive into the greatest depths of the system, an entirely different experience awaits. This guide, like a child's water wings, will help you stay afloat through some of the most basic--but also most game-changing--choices of your character's career: choosing a class.

Of course, this guide is not only for newcomers; for those Heroes who have already picked a class and have no desire to change it, this guide will also provide tips and strategies for best utilizing the strengths and weaknesses of your class, and that of your allies, until you make the decision of your Advanced Class. For QMs, the later chapters of this Guide will provide a view of the different classes from the perspective of a quest creator, showing the challenges they will pose you and providing a starting point for tailoring challenges to fit your chosen Heroes.

Now, together, let us begin our journey into the world...of Heroica!

Part 1: Basic Classes (for players)

The Barbarian--DPR (Damage-Per-Round)

The mighty Barbarian is basically the combat strength of a whole party of NPC thugs rolled into one Hero. They generally get excellent special abilities on dropped swords, Extra Critical hit does 3x WP in damage, Frenzy gets AoE (Area of Effect), and Natural Respite means they don't need a Cleric. On the other hand, they are inflexible compared to some other classes, can easily get stonewalled at elemental rock-paper-scissors, and roleplay-wise can be difficult to play due to the "primitive, unkempt" archetype.

As a Barbarian, you want three things: better swords, Meads (or sometimes Nostrum), and elemental gems. Better swords let you deal more damage, which is basically your entire job; Meads are useful for the same reason. Nostrum can be semi-helpful, but keep in mind that your Shield, while it hits more enemies, does less damage than your Critical Hit; if you're fighting an army, take a Nostrum, if you're fighting a boss, leave it in your pack. Getting at least one elemental gem to add to your weapon should be your number-one priority; without a gem, you can't even touch undead, and your QM WILL pick up on that, leading to your imminent K.O. (See Quest 24.), which means you won't gain experience and you may have to take on extra Quests to hit Level 15. (Elemental bombs are too much of a splurge, since unlike Rogues you don't have a consistent source of Gold.) With an elemental weapon, you can still be walled by some enemies, so pick up a backup blade on the cheap if/when you can.

Analysis:

AoE: Yes (Shield, normal damage)

Damage Ratio: 3/6

Plays Well With: Rogues (a Barbarian in the front row can soak up damage for Rogues), Knights (both hit hard and have plenty of HP)

Poor Partners: Cleric (Natural Respite + a heal in the last Round of battle = Ether waste), Mage (competes for gems)

Weaknesses: Blind effect, elemental mis-match

The Knight--Tank

The armored Knight is all about defense--Snetinel defends against damage, while high HP keeps you around even when the enemy DOES hit you. More important, however, is the SP--every single point of SP is worth 5-10 times as much in HP, or more if you take a lot of hits in battle; a Level 1 Knight can take 10 hits from a Level 3 monster, while a Level 7 Barbarian can only take 5. Knights also pack a punch, as they can use many of the same (generally good WP) swords that Barbarians can. On the other hand, Diplomacy has no direct battle benefeit and can be hard to roleplay (and some Quests don't allow for it), and Knights are somewhat let down in Advanced Classes--almost all native Knights will want Paladin (or possibly Black Knight for roleplaying purposes), as the other Knight ACs seem to be there so other classes can multiclass into Knight.

As a Knight, your job is to stay alive. To that end, your Gold should go primarily to Shields, potions, and Remedies. The Shield upgrades are self-explanitory, as are potions, but remedies? Aren't those for Clerics? Answer: no. Clerics have Special Guard, which, combined with the relative rareness of them even being targetted for a negative Effect (since they will usually be healing the party instead of attacking) makes Remedies a waste of money for them. On the other hand, Knights' defensive abilities mean they will be alive to use/administer Remedies when other classes won't be. For the same reason, a responsible Knight will always have at least one Phoenix Essence on hand to revive their allies who will almost always fall before they do. As one final tip: keep ONE Nostrum in your bag, and never use it unless the entire party can be taken out in one hit; Luck just locks you into a semi-permanent Sentinel, which is a waste of money against weak foes.

Analysis:

AoE: No

Damage Ratio: 2/6 (Shield roll does no damage)

Plays Well With: Clerics (clerics allow you to stay alive even longer than you can alone, and they're useful for dealing with pesky undead)

Poor Partners: Other Knights (double Sentinel is annoyingly superfluous)

Weaknesses: Nostrum, low damage ratio, enemies that ignore SP, Advanced Class choices, weak roleplaying

The Cleric--Healer

The nurturing Cleric is a healer, a support class, plain and simple. That said, the use of Scrolls can greatly aid a Cleric's flexibility, giving them multiple attack options. Clerics also get really cool Advanced Class choices, and Special Guard (a.k.a. the thing-QMs-hate-only-slightly-less-than-Sentinel) is awesome, and keeps you alive far longer than a support class has any right to.

As a Cleric, you want to spend your Gold on Tonics, Grand Tonics, Elixrs, and other restorative items (not Remedies, though, as Special Guard renders them less useful for yourself and Knights are just as capable of administering them to the rest of the party as you are). Unless your name is Haldor, weapon upgrades are a secondary concern; if a Mage in your party finds a better staff for themselves, ask them if you can have their old one; problem solved. Prudent Clerics will also invest in a Phoenix Essence or two, as they can keep themselves alive long enough to use it on their friends. Don't waste money on Smelling Salts; the Hastened effect is only truly useful for offensive classes, on Clerics you will either run out of targets to heal and have to sit around doing nothing (thus wasting the Smelling Salts) or attack physically (putting yourself at risk, and, if you end the battle quickly, again wasting the Smelling Salts), or, worse yet, if you don't run out of allies to heal you'll drain yourself dry of Ether. If your allies always seem to be on the brink of death, buy a Nostrum instead to increase the odds of a Miracle.

Analysis:

AoE: No (attack), Yes (heal, Shield, same amount as Heal More)

Damage Ratio: 2/6 attack (Shield roll does no damage), 4/6 heal (Miss becomes Heal Less)

Plays Well With: Knights (Special Guard + Sentinel makes you nigh-invincible)

Poor Partners: Mages (require lots of healing, tempt QMs to make enemies that can Seal), Rogues (require lots of healing), other Clerics (mostly superfluous, tempt QMs to make enemies that can Seal).

Weaknesses: Low Ether, Sealed effect

The Ranger--Physical Sweeper

Sharp-eyed Rangers, when they're well-equipped and on a roll, can deal an immense amount of damage. Between the crushing power of Tripleshot and constant Aims draining enemies' Health faster than Venom, they rival Barbarians in terms of damage output. However, if an enemy's Special ignores the damage reduction of the Back Row and/or drags the Ranger to the Front Row, they become incredibly fragile glass cannons; Mages alone have less HP. Also, like Barbarians, they are easily walled by elemental mismatches, and unlike Barbarian swords, bows and crossbows are uncommon drops, meaning backup weapons are harder to come by. While Animal Talk can be amusing, not many Quests use it to its full potential, and their Advanced Class choices, while by no means underpowered, are somewhat low-key compared to those of other Classes; the Heroes who have chosen Ranger ACs define their Advanced Classes, rather than the Class framing the Hero as, say, Black Knight or Sage or Sorcerer does. The exception to this rule is Assassin, but it embodies the spirit of the Rogue slightly more than that of the Ranger.

As a Ranger, you need to spend money on your bow. That's...pretty much it. Artifacts can be very important to Rangers, but that's up to the QM's generosity (or lack thereof). Smelling Salts are an excellent investment, as is Mead, but Nostrum is a bit of a waste with such a high attack ratio. Very few Rangers take the time or gold to put Venom on their bows. This is a mistake, as an envenomed bow is a potent force; Poisoning (or better yet, Severe Poisoning from Deadly Venom) drains an enemy's health constantly, a natural complement to the constant drain Aim is on enemy HP. (It's also a good idea to entrust the Poisoned weapon to your care because you are the only basic class that hits the enemy 4/6 of the time.) Invest in a few potions and/or a Soma (Clerics and most other Heroes have an unfortunate habit of paying undue attention to Barbarians when it comes to choosing who to heal, something this Guide will hopefully change), and you'll be ready for anything. If you get anything else, go for a Smoke Bomb in case a clever QM drags you to the front row with an enemy Special.

Analysis:

AoE: Yes (Shield roll, normal damage to 3 targets)

Damage Ratio: 4/6 (Miss becomes Aim)

Plays Well With: Knights (Sentinel mitigates some of the low HP issues), Clerics (for healing on the go)

Poor Partners: Anything with Back Row capacity (tempts QMs to drag you all to the Front Row with a Special), Mages/Rogues (compete for Artifacts and other loot)

Weaknesses: The Front Row, elemental mismatch, being played by someone who is NOT a minmaxer/munchkin

The Rogue--Jack of All Trades

The sneaky Rogue is one of the more satisfying classes to play, as it is one of the most flexible; they can attack from the Front Row or the Back Row (though retrieving thrown weapons takes valuable time), they can steal gold from the enemy (and deal obscene amounts of damage) with Mug, and, if the going gets tough, a Rogue is like an infinite-use Smoke Bomb, albeit one that can only save himself. Let's also not forget that Rogues have some of the coolest available Advanced classes; one has a 1/6 chance of an instant kill, one auto-poisons enemies, one can sacrifice Health for extra damage, one steals gold even on a Miss, and one stuns and mugs on a Shield, Confuses on a Miss, and counterattacks when Damaged. To top it off, Rogues are some of the most fun characters to role-play. To sum up: Rogues are demonic money Spider Jockeys, so be glad they're on your side--for now.

As a Rogue, you need to decide your Advanced Class early on, so you have time to go after the relevant loot. Angling for Assassin? Start stockpiling Venoms, Nostrums, and Somas. Looking at Sorcerer or Witch? Buy some Scrolls, and in the case of Sorcerer, gems. Because of Mug, Rogues can generally buy things they want, the trick is to figure out what you want early and buy it while it's cheap. In terms of what to spend gold on while you're still a Rogue, you'll want several throwing weapons available to you so you can retrieve all of them at once, preferably ones with decent special effects. Don't bother imbuing a throwing weapon with a gem, it'll be a waste of time and money, grab a chain or dagger you won't throw and imbue that. Depending on your luck and your total Power, Nostrum may be a good investment; at the very least, wait until you can make back the cost of the Nostrum in one or two Mugs.

Author's note: The author reserves the right to modify this section when his analysis of all the Advanced Classes is complete.

Analysis:

AoE: No

Damage Ratio: 3/6

Plays Well With: Knights (Sentinel and Mug synergize beautifully, and from a roleplaying perspective, a Knight's Diplomacy is an way to minimize the damage caused by typical Rogue behavior), Other Rogues and Rogue-based classes (multi-Mug FTW!)

Poor Partners: Rangers (back row abuse will tempt QMs to drag you both to the front row), Wardens (Wardens carry the same dangers as Rangers, but an enemy appropriate for a Warden will murder Rogues)

Weaknesses: Stingy QM loot drops, authentic Rogue-like roleplaying (protip: if your own party is thinking of attacking you, you're doing it wrong too well. Unless they're all Rogues, too, in which case it's nothing personal, they're just doing it for their character development and your hard-earned stolen loot.

The Mage--Mixed Sweeper

With access to scrolls, gems, great artifacts, AND great weapons, mystical Mages are by far the most flexible class at basic level. Gear is expensive, so team up with a Rogue to ease the pain. Also be sure to carefully study the Elemental strangths and weaknesses and the battle rules--you'll need them. Remember, like most fictional magic-users, you are indeed quite squishy; one good hit can often take you out. Play smart, and you'll do fine.

As a Mage, you are there for one reason and one reason only: to play elemental rock-paper-scissors with the QMs when they decide to throw elemental monsters at the party. However, if you have one or more Scrolls (or a staff, wand, or dagger that have a Status Effect tied to it), you can play the "annoyer" role by statusing up the enemies, allowing you to disable certain parts of the enemy strategy. Artifacts and weapons with special abilities are also quite helpful; since staves and daggers often have special abilities attached to them, you'll likely be able to find or buy something at least moderately "different", putting other options and strategies on the table. Take elemental gems whenever you can--you never know when a particular elemental matchup will come in handy--and focus on staying alive. Amethyst is going to be your number one most useful gem, but don't rely on it--your QM will bring in Demonic enemies just to thwart you. Have at least three elemental gems at your disposal, preferably four, and you should be able to handle anything.

Analysis:

AoE: Yes (Shield roll, normal damage with a random available Element)

Damage Ratio: 3/6

Plays Well With: Rogues (bodyguard a Rogue for pay, gear shall flow freely. Rogue gets a free ride against undead.)

Poor Partners: Other Mages/Barbarians (gem competition), Rangers (back row abuse will tempt QMs to drag you both to the front row)

Weaknesses: Low Ether, failing at elemental rock-paper-scissors, high-level enemies that ignore Row and/or are immune to your spells.

Coming soon: Part 2--Advanced Classes (for players)

[CMP]

Awesome guide, Flipz. The detail and thinking behind it is very deep and analytical. For the most part, it's accurate, but I think there are a few areas that are a little off.

As the system is based on independent dice rolls, Barbarians can't really soak up damage for Rogues. In the case of free hits, Rogues should arguably be the ones to take the hits, as Barbarians risk a lot constantly on the front row, but of course you'd have to convince them in-character to do so. They also make a very interesting role-playing combination.

Also, Afraid should definitely be added to their weaknesses. They're based on offensive, so it completely halves their usefulness.

I really have to disagree with the poor advanced class choices for knights, since Mystic Knights are pretty much built for a more offensive-based knight, not to mention it'd likely be quite expensive for Mages to take on the class, what with buying shields and tonics for enchantments. Berserkers are also more Knightly than Barbaric, obviously not role-playing wise, but combat wise, with the still support-based Shield and the defended counter.

The only thing I can think to suggest for Clerics is adding (to weaknesses) Special Damages that affect the entire party, as well as mobs of enemies. In the big battle on Quest 23, Rufindel was working his megablocks and Ether off to keep us all alive due to free hits, and the lack of targeting an enemy just adds another one. As for the party-wise Special Damages, a Cleric can die even while he/she is only healing his teammates, an extreme danger.

Rangers pretty much own any advanced classes they're in, though, again, stat-wise: it would be an utter waste for another class to take a Ranger's advanced class, because it renders any weapons up to that point obsolete.

Really fantastic in-depth analysis. If you want a second opinion on Advanced Classes I'd be happy to help.

Edited April 13, 2012 by CallMePieOrDie

[The_Customizer]

You did an outstanding job explaining how to use each class! I feel much better now as a Ranger.

Even though my odds should be 4/6, it seems I have a greater tendency to get that 2/6 a lot.

[Waterbrick Down]

This is great Flipz. Plenty to chew on, and it gives me ideas for how to best handle some of my current PC's in my quest. Now I can't wait for the advanced classes.

[Scorpiox]

Awesome guide Flipz, nice reference.