Hero Points aren’t just a tool for personal glory; they’re a powerful resource for enhancing group dynamics, fostering teamwork, and driving collective storytelling. When used thoughtfully, Hero Points can bring the whole group together, creating memorable moments that resonate with everyone involved. Here’s how you can leverage Hero Points to strengthen the bonds between players and enhance the story:

Hero Points can carry over between adventures, but the game encourages you to spend them to create memorable moments rather than hoarding them. If you choose to bank them, they can be used later for character advancement.

Hero Points can be spent in a variety of ways, giving you the flexibility to influence the game before, during, or after a roll, and even when it’s not your turn. The key is to ensure that the points are used in a way that’s relevant to the current scene.

Hero Points aren’t just handed out for nothing; they’re earned through actions that align with the setting’s genre, themes, and your character’s concept. The more you engage with the story and stay true to your character’s role, the more Hero Points you’ll accumulate. Gamemasters can award Hero Points to players for particularly great roleplaying, clever ideas, or actions that enhance the narrative. Players can also give Hero Points from their own pool to other players, fostering teamwork and collaboration.

Every action has consequences, whether you succeed or fail. These consequences are called outcome ratings, and they determine what happens next in the story:

When your character attempts something challenging, here’s how to handle it step by step:

The difficulty of tasks can change as the story progresses. As tension builds and the challenges become more intense, your character will face increasingly difficult tasks.

Difficulty isn’t just a static number—it can change based on the circumstances surrounding the task. The environment, time pressure, or emotional state of the character can all influence how hard something is to accomplish.

Every challenge or task your character faces has a difficulty rating, indicating how hard it is to succeed. Just like trait ratings, difficulty ratings are scaled from 1 to 5, with each level representing a different degree of challenge:

This rating system helps clarify what your character is capable of, providing both players and gamemasters with a clear framework for understanding the character’s strengths and challenges. Each level invites different narrative opportunities, from the struggles of a Beginner to the confidence and influence of an Authority.

Traits are essential elements in roleplaying that define and shape how characters, objects, and the broader world interact within the narrative. A character trait is more than just a description; it's a key element that influences decisions, actions, and the story’s direction. For example, a character might have the trait "Unyielding Determination," which suggests they won’t back down from challenges, even in the face of overwhelming odds. This trait isn’t just a label; it actively drives the character’s behavior and impacts the unfolding events.

Balance, in our view, isn’t about making sure every character is equally good at combat. It’s about giving each character meaningful things to do that align with their strengths. This approach requires creativity from the gamemaster and critical thinking from the player. Thieves steal, healers heal, bards perform. It’s all about letting characters shine in their respective roles. The old wargame-derived paradigm demands everyone to be a fighter, turning wizards, druids, and clerics into just another form of combatant.

We understand that our vision might not align with everyone’s style of play, and that’s perfectly fine. We’re not here to say that your way is wrong or that our way is the only way; we’re simply exploring and embracing different possibilities that resonate with us. The roleplaying industry is vast and diverse, offering a wide array of games that cater to many tastes, and we respect that completely. There’s a place for every kind of game, every kind of story, and every kind of player in this hobby. But for those of us searching for something outside the mainstream, we’re creating the games that reflect our vision, our interests, and our approach to storytelling.

We’re all about story and character, not tactics or rules-lawyering. In our games, players are encouraged to work together, share ideas, and actively shape the story as a group. The gamemaster isn’t a dictator, intent on controlling every element of the game, nor a character-killer lurking behind the screen to catch you off guard. Instead, the gamemaster acts as a facilitator, guiding the narrative while giving players the freedom to explore and contribute. We believe in a collaborative approach that makes everyone at the table feel like they’re part of something special and meaningful, creating a story that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Let’s be real—hypotheticals are pointless if they don’t translate into actual roleplaying. What really matters is what happens at the table, not what looks good on paper. Our entire focus is on creating content that not only works in real-world play but also enhances your experience and makes your game sessions something you’ll remember for years. We’re not interested in flashy ideas that never make it past the discussion stage; we’re all about practical, usable content that truly improves your game.

At Lightspress, we’re not just filling a niche—we’re reshaping what roleplaying can be, challenging conventions, and setting a new standard for creativity in the industry. We cater to those who are hungry for something different, something that defies the traditional and surpasses the expected. Our creative agenda is built on a foundation of variety, inspiration, and depth, offering a range of experiences that engage the mind and stir the soul.

The

Lightspress Handbook