HackMaster? Anyone?

[kesher]

I would like to hear about anyone's experiences actually playing HackMaster.

Please.

Thank you.

[Sean Michael Kelly]

Not I. I've only recently become acquainted with it after stumbling upon a stash of it. Still haven't spent enough time to figure out where it's coming from...

[Finarvyn]

HackMaster was wonderful in the KoDT comic as a parody of AD&D, but as a full-out RPG I found it to be too rules-heavy and not as funny as I'd hoped. Rather than write an AD&D clone, I wish Kenzer&Co would have used the basic AD&D rule system to create an RPG which was totally over-the-top min/max or something like that. I have most of the books and read them sometimes, but I prefer AD&D as a rules set and HM just wasn't that funny.

[geoffrey]

I GMed a few games of HackMaster in 2002. We played HM in what can only be described as "AD&D-style". While fun to read, many of the things in HM I just didn't have time for (skills, quirks, armor hp, crits, fumbles, social status, honor, etc).

We basically ignored these uniquely HackMaster things and our games were like AD&D but played using the HM versions of races, classes, spells, magic items, and monsters.

It was basically like AD&D with the gonzo element turned up.

[kesher]

Whoo, okay, I stumbled across this awesome take on HM, something that would NEVER have occurred to me. You may recognize the Original Poster...

Fair Warning: This link leads to The Forge. If you are allergic to said Forge, please don't click on it or, at least take your medicine first.

Jargon aside, it's a fascinating idea. I think.

[kesher]

I GMed a few games of HackMaster in 2002. We played HM in what can only be described as "AD&D-style". While fun to read, many of the things in HM I just didn't have time for (skills, quirks, armor hp, crits, fumbles, social status, honor, etc).

Reading it, I find myself going back and forth with that. I kinda like the honor stuff, and the skills are far more entertaining than I thought they'd be---Feats before Feats; everything from Play Brass Instrument (and I have one longtime friend and fellow gamer who would immediately take that so his Half Ogre could play a French Horn) to Groin Punch.

I don't think I could keep track of ALL of that, but some seems like it'd be fun.

[Max_Writer]

Everyone here is talking about Hackmaster 4th Edition (which was the parody game that came out based on 1st and 2nd Ed AD&D). However, Hackmaster Basic came out two years ago. This one is completely it's own game engine with vs. rolls for attacks (attacker vs. defender), armor reducing damage, and rules for shields that actually work. Three or four scenarios have already come out for the game.

As an introductory game, it came with four races and four classes, as well as plenty of examples and the like.

Hackmaster (or Advanced Hackmaster) is in the works with the new Hacklopedia of Beasts already published (hardback, leather-covered, beautiful) and plans on the way for a new Player's Guide and GM's Guide, all completely compatible with Hackmaster Basic, but with more advanced rules.

This is a totally different Hackmaster from those published in the late 90s/early 00s.

[kesher]

Right, and I was asking about 4e, though I should've known enough to make that explicit!

I've seen some pictures of the new Hacklopedia, and it looks pretty awesome...

[Deleted]

Hi! I play HackMaster 4th Edition. I've got a game that I've been GMing since the summer of 2006. I've had 2 TPKs but the current batch of PCs has lasted for about 4 years now. I also play in a HM4 game that's been going on for about 3 years now. Both games are played ever other week on opposite weeks so basically our group plays every week.

Yes, the game is heavy on crunchy rules. Basically what I've found is that you can use what you want and ignore what you don't like. However, I tend to use just about all of it. I also know of a few other groups that have played it for several years and love it. It's like any other game, once the players learn it, it flows pretty good.

So, coming from someone with a lot of experience with it, mostly as a GM, what do you want to know?

[killianred]

Greetings! I have just started reading these boards, came across this and had to go ahead and chime in.

I have been running HM4 since it came out in August 2001. Yes, it can be rules heavy but you can also ignore rules you don't like, as with any game. It is basically AD&D 2nd edition but revved up with rules for how armor affects hit locations, how armor is broken down while being used, honor which involves lots of things like how your characters interact with NPC's, critical hits with locations and severity levels based on several different things like the size of the attacker and defender and what armor the defender is wearing at the hit location. Yes, a more serious game than WOTC wanted people to think it was, but overall a good game with a good grounding in AD&D.
Having said all that, if anyone is still reading you really should take a look at the new Hackmaster. It has done away with turns, everything takes a certain amount of time and you do whatever you want and it just takes an amount of time to do it. There are opposed rolls for many things like attacking and defending, and has been said before shield rules that make sense. Also rules for armor making you actually easier to hit but reducing damage, which is what armor really does. They also have rules for missile weapons with factors including to-hit modifiers for targets being smaller or larger, as well as how far away they are. The new edition has a players book and monster manual that are truly awesome books, and no I am not an employee

[Deleted]

Welcome, Killian Red. Love your beer, dude.

[killianred]

Thank you, I do my best to make people happy

[bat]

Can you explain to me what Hackmaster Basic Plus is? I was curious, downloaded the free KM basic and see that there are three core Hackmaster books, then the Beast book. Is HM Basic Plus not something to worry about?

Best!
bät

[killianred]

Hackmaster basic is the "grass roots level" of the game. In Basic you have a (more or less ) simplified character creation system, just the core races (human, elf, dwarf, and halfling) and character classes (fighter, cleric, mage and thief). It is a streamlined version, whereas the hardcover book has more classes and races, more options for creating your character, more details and choices for things. The basic book also includes GM info, details about monsters and magic items. Just in case anyone wants to check out HM basic, it is now a free download from Kenzer and company. I hope it is ok to put the link here, in case anyone wants to check it out. www.kenzerco.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_94&products_id=862

[killianred]

I forgot to mention, Basic has rules to take characters to fifth level. The hardback book has rules to go to 20th level, although I don't know of anyone getting that high yet. The Hacklopedia of beasts is a seperate hardback book, and the Game Masters Guide is not released yet.

[killianred]

Just went looking on the Kenzerco boards and found a list of the differences between basic and basic plus. This is all brand new, but here is a summary of the differences. Basic plus has everything Basic has and: rules to go to 10th level (fifth for
Basic), special combat rules (special meaning more than the normal swinging a sword type stuff), expaned death and dying rules, more character generation options, and it's $9.99 instead of free

[bat]

Thank you for the reply. So I can skip those and just get the Player's Book? It has all of the former information in it?

[ravenheart87]

Yes, it has everything. The others are lighter "entry versions".

[bat]

Thank you, ravenheart87!