The Four Color Hack Gets Updated
The Four Color Hack is enduring a series of major edits. All in all, I think these are some positive changes, some resulting from player feedback and others resulting from me being displeased with how some things were playing out during sessions. I need to do another read-through or two over the next couple of days or so to root out inconsistencies, errors, et cetera. After that, the new playtest iteration of the rules should be made available via the usual suspects. Huzzah. Here’s a list of the major changes:
1. Changed Body to Hit Points. Back to basics, so to speak. This necessitated small changes throughout the rules that previously referred to Body and/or Spirit.
2. Changed Spirit to Fortune, which is no longer a capacity for damage but instead represent a way to exert narrative control for point cost. Fortune is spent and earned during play.
3. Changed base protection to Vigor. Both CON and CHA add to Vigor, which works like temporary Hit Points.
4. Merged Skills and Idioms, which are now just called Idioms. Idioms can be narrow or broad, and they let the player roll with Advantage.
5. Simplified odd and even mechanic, limiting it to failures. Simplified how Idioms affect this mechanic.
6. Expanded and clarified how Hero Dice are used. The major additions are using Hero Dice for multiple attacks and to create lasting effects.
7. Fortune has replaced the Bonus Hero Die. Fortune is earned and spent during play. It functions somewhat like Karma did way back when with TSR’s Marvel Super Heroes.
8. Changed Hero Die Benchmarks to reflect alterations to STR and Super-Strength previously blogged about at my site.
9. Changed how XP is earned. The Bonus Hero Die is gone. Fortune now becomes part of XP awards.
10. Retooled villain creation a bit.
