''Hero System Rulesbook'' is a supplement published by

Hero Games Hero Games (''DOJ, Inc dba Hero Games'') is the publisher of the Hero System, a generic roleplaying rules set that can be used to simulate many different genres, and was the co-developer of the ''Fuzion'' system. History In 1981, George MacDon ...

Iron Crown Enterprises Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) is a publishing company that has produced role playing, board, miniature, and collectible card games since 1980. Many of ICE's better-known products were related to J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, but the ''Ro ...

in 1990 for role-playing games using the ''

Hero System The ''Hero System'' is a generic role-playing game system that was developed from the superhero RPG ''Champions''. After ''Champions'' fourth edition was released in 1989, a stripped-down version of its ruleset with no superhero or other genre ...

'' rules.

''Hero System Rulesbook'' is the basic rulebook for a universal role-playing system used by all Hero Game products. It uses a simplified game mechanic using primarily six-sided dice to main attributes and skill challenges, a

hex grid A hex map, hex board, or hex grid is a game board design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into a hexagonal tiling, small regular hexagons of identical size. Advantages and disadvantages The primary advantage of a h ...

for maps, and a "point-buy" system for buying skills and powers.

Publication history

In 1981, Hero Games published the superhero role-playing game (RPG) ''

Champions A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the Victory, victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and w ...

'' that used the "Hero System" set of rules. Hero Games subsequently published a second- and third-edition of ''Champions'', as well as a number of role-playing games in other genres that used the same Hero System rules, including the pulp-inspired '' Justice Inc.'' (1984), espionage RPG ''

Danger International ''Danger International'' is a role-playing game published by Hero Games in 1985. Description ''Danger International'' is a contemporary adventure system with rules for characters such as spies, detectives, investigative reporters, and paramilitar ...

'' (1985), and fantasy RPG ''

Fantasy Hero ''Fantasy Hero'' is a role-playing game book originally published by Hero Games in 1985 that allows gamemasters to plan and present fantasy role-playing games using the Hero System rules. Several revised editions of the book have subsequently bee ...

'' (1986). By this time, Hero Games was in financial difficulty, and was eventually taken over as a subsidiary of

(I.C.E.). In 1989, Hero Games/I.C.E. published a fourth edition of ''Champions'' that included the latest version of the Hero System rules. Seeing the commercial success of the stand-alone ''

GURPS The ''Generic Universal RolePlaying System'', or ''GURPS'', is a tabletop role-playing game system designed to allow for play in any game setting. It was created by Steve Jackson Games and first published in 1986 at a time when most such systems w ...

'' (''Generic Universal Role-Playing System'') rules by

Steve Jackson Games Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and (until 2019) the gaming magazine ''Pyramid''. History Founded in 1980, six years after the cr ...

, Hero Games broke out the rules from the fourth edition of ''Champions'' and published them as ''Hero System Rulesbook'' in 1990. In the 2014 book ''Designers & Dragons: The '80s'', game historian Shannon Appelcline noted that "Now ''GURPS'' (1986) was gaining steam, and the benefits of a truly universal system were becoming more obvious. Therefore,

Rob Bell Robert Holmes Bell Jr. (born August 23, 1970) is an American author, speaker and former pastor. Bell founded Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, and pastored it until 2012. Under his leadership, Mars Hill was one of the fastest-g ...

f Hero Gamesunified the ''Hero System''. With the release of ''Champions'' fourth edition (1989), the ''Hero System Rulesbook'' (1990), and Fantasy Hero (1990), there was a second (mostly) universal game system on the market." ''Hero System Rulesbook'', a 220-page softcover, was written by

George MacDonald George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll. I ...

, Steve Peterson, and Rob Bell, with a cover by

George Pérez George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' and ''The Avengers (co ...

and John Stracuzzi.

Reception

In the October 1990 edition of ''

Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

'' (Issue #162),

Allen Varney Allen Varney (born 1958) is an American writer and game designer. Varney has produced numerous books, role-playing game supplements, technical manuals, articles, reviews, columns, and stories, as well as the fantasy novel ''Cast of Fate'' ( TSR, ...

liked the fact that this book included "the most neglected of rulebook virtues: an index." He concluded with a recommendation, saying, "This book provides an economical introduction to the ''Hero System'' rules and is a handy reference for those times (such as the last hours of gaming conventions) when the hardcover is just too heavy to carry."

Other reviews

*''

Alarums & Excursions ''Alarums and Excursions'' (''A&E'') is an amateur press association (APA) started in June 1975 by Lee Gold; publication continues to the present day. It was one of the first publications to focus solely on role-playing games. History In 1964, B ...

'' #177 (May 1990, p.68))

References

{{reflist Hero System Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1990

Contents

Publication history

Reception

Other reviews

References