Introduction
What is Grey Hero?
Grey Hero is roleplaying in the World of GREYhawk fantasy setting using the HERO System Rules.
"Smedger the Elder created mathematical models, or games, that he used with his students at the university to recreate and examine historical events and political interactions described by the" Savant-Sage in his Guide to the World of Greyhawk ... "While Smedger's scholarly game-model was considerably different from AD&D game, his representations of magic and combat have been translated approximately into AD&D terms." by Gary Gygax (Glossography to the Guide to the World of Greyhawk p.2)
Likewise, I now endeavour to translate Smedger's "mathematical game-model" of the Savant-Sage's version of the World of Greyhawk into Fantasy Hero System terms. Even though most modern Greyhawk scholars still use the AD&D approximation model (or it's current derivitive), I hope that my fellow Greyhawk scholars find some small value in my own model.
Why Grey Hero?
Two key elements to any roleplaying game are the setting and the rules. I found the most flexible game I could (Hero) and the world that I could related to the fans through nostalgia (Greyhawk).
The ideal game takes place in a world of the GM's own creation, using the GM's own rules. However, this takes a tremendous amount of time and effort on the GM's part.
The next best thing is using an established setting with the most customizable rules system. The setting should have enough detail to save the GM time and to allow him to share with other GMs but not so much detail that it inhibits the GM's creative freedom for his own campaigns -- the World of Greyhawk is just such a setting. The rules system should allow an accurate simulation of the source material for the setting as well as allowing the GM to expand in any way that he sees fit without being hampered by limiting rules -- HERO is just such as a rules system.
I've thought long and hard about what I want out of a roleplaying game. I've come to the conclusion that the best thing is to have a rich setting which I can draw upon and contribute to the shared background along with other fans and to be able to use completely customizable rules system that lets me do anything that I can imagine.
Why the World of Greyhawk Setting?
An established setting has two great advantages over a GMs own creation: 1) It saves the GM a tremendous amount of time and effort because the world is already partially detailed, and 2) it allows the GM to draw upon the work of other fans and to give back and share with other fans as well, creating something greater than the GM would have had the time to create on their own.
Why the Hero System Rules?
The advantage to using an established rules system over the GMs is similar in that the GM doesn't have to come up with all of the rules himself; he can use what has already been worked out and share with other fans.
I just want to make sure it jives with what other fans are doing so that we can share stuff and not have to do it all alone.
"... think of the Hero System as a Game Construction Set, where each GM can create his own unique campaign world. Perhaps it's based on a favorite novel or movie, or a combination of several sources, or a completely original vision. In any case, the Hero System lets you customize it. ... The HERO system is intended to be a tool for you to use in designing your own campaign game." (Hero System Rulesbook, 1990, p.208)
"I want building blocks to make my own campaign. Don't give me a world and then tell me what it's future developments are -- give me a rich world and freeze the history. Let my players decide the future history!" (Jefferson Krogh, Oct 19, 1999)
"RPGs suffer the fate of Lego, the kids' game company. In the beginning, Lego was supposed to be a tool of imagination: kids would buy boxes of lego and design their own toys. Eventually, Lego understood two things: it would make more money selling boxes of pre-designed toys to be built with the included lego because most people simply didn't have the imagination, time, or will to think up their own toys. The same goes with RPGs" (Sergio Mascarenhas, Oct 19, 1999).
I've already bought many boxes of 'RPG Lego', such as the World of Greyhawk Setting and the HERO System Rules with which I'm building my own Grey Hero game; thus am I freed from the constraints of prefabricated RPG kits. (Hierax 1999)
I like to make things my way and Hero is the only thing flexible enough to satisfy.
I want to make my game my way. I want to run my game the way I want in the setting that I want with the rules that let me do what I want.
HERO lets me make up what I want and not have to worry about buying too much more. Everything that is essential should be contained in the core rules; everything else is merely prefabricated constructs from these core rules.
I just wanted to standardize on something comprehensive and share it with others for years to come. Just the pieces to put my own things together.
Parts of Grey Hero:
There are thousands of xD&D monsters, magic items, and spells; thus the rules which comprise Grey Hero System are volumnious:
Player's Handbook: Races, Classes, Archetypes, Skills
Wizard's Spell Book: Arcane Magic
Priests Prayer Book: Divine Magic
Psionic Scrolls: Mental Magic
Dungeon Master's Guide:
Encyclopedia Magica: Magic Items
Monster Manual: Monsters
Character Codex: PCs & NPCs
Deities and Demi-Gods: Immortals & Priesthoods