The Hero Within RPG 5: Shaping Your Legend Through the Skill Tree

How do skills define a hero? And what makes a skill tree truly fun and engaging?

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When you create a character in The Hero Within, your class gives you a foundation—but it’s your skills that make you truly unique.

Your Skill Tree is a roadmap, guiding how your hero evolves and adapts. Unlike static classes with predefined paths, our system allows you to build your version of a warrior, a mage, a hunter, or whatever hero you envision.

But here’s the real question: What makes a great skill system? How much structure should it have? Should skills be entirely open-ended, or should they require careful planning and mastery? We’re opening up the conversation to you, the community, to shape this system before it’s finalized!

🔹 How The Skill Tree Works

Instead of simply leveling up and gaining abilities automatically, The Hero Within uses a progression-based skill system where your choices define your growth. Here’s how it works:

1. Each class has a unique skill tree divided into multiple categories, such as combat techniques, magical mastery, or technological expertise.

2. Skills are unlocked gradually—some requiring prerequisite abilities, others earned through in-game achievements.

3. Your choices matter—each skill investment changes the way your character plays, forcing you to strategize how you evolve.

4. Skills grow over time—early skills set the foundation for advanced techniques, allowing heroes to master their craft through experience.

This system ensures no two heroes are the same, and every character’s growth feels natural and rewarding.

Community Question:

1. Do you prefer structured skill trees where progression is clear, or open-ended systems where players have full freedom to mix and match skills?

🎭 The Art of Skill Choice – Customization vs. Specialization

A well-designed skill tree balances customization (freedom to choose skills) and specialization (ensuring characters still feel distinct in their roles). We’re considering two possible approaches:

1. Focused Skill Paths: Players follow set skill paths, unlocking abilities in a structured manner based on their class.

2. Mix-and-Match Skills: Players can pick skills across multiple paths, allowing for hybrid character builds.

Each approach has pros and cons. A structured path ensures clarity, but mixing skills allows for more unique playstyles.

Community Question:

1. Should The Hero Within skill trees be strictly structured or allow mixing between paths for hybrid character builds?

2. How much freedom should players have when choosing skills?

🛠️ Skill Unlocking: Should It Be XP-Based or Story-Based?

Currently, skill progression in The Hero Within is designed to be earned through gameplay rather than simple XP spending. Players must complete Trials—specific challenges that prove their mastery of a skill—to unlock new abilities. This could include:

• A Warrior proving their strength in battle before learning advanced combat techniques.

• A Mägo unlocking deeper magical secrets by uncovering ancient knowledge.

• A Tinkerer crafting a groundbreaking invention before mastering engineering skills.

This system makes skill progression feel earned through roleplay and story moments rather than just leveling up mechanically.

Community Question:

1. Should skills be unlocked through story-based achievements (Trials) or XP-based spending?

2. Would you like hybrid progression—where some skills require XP, while others require in-game actions?

⚖️ Balancing Power – Should There Be Limits?

A common concern with skill-based progression is balance—ensuring that characters remain powerful without becoming overpowered. To keep things fair, we’re considering a few balancing mechanics:

1. Skill Caps Per Stage: Heroes can only invest in a certain number of skills per stage before advancing to the next tier.

2. Class-Locked Abilities: Some high-tier skills may be exclusive to specific classes to maintain their unique roles.

3. Mastery Trade-Offs: Mastering one skill tree might lock access to certain other advanced techniques, encouraging strategic decision-making.

Community Question:

1. Should skill progression have limits (like caps or restrictions), or should players have complete freedom?

2. Should there be exclusive, class-specific skills that only dedicated specialists can unlock?

🏆 Help Us Shape the Skill System of The Hero Within!

We want The Hero Within’s skill tree to be deep, rewarding, and exciting to explore. This is your chance to help shape the final design!

• How should skills be unlocked—through XP, story-based progression, or both?

• Should skill trees be structured or open-ended?

• What types of skills would you love to see added?

Drop your thoughts in the comments at LifeOfFiction.com and let us know what you think! Together, let’s build a progression system that truly reflects the hero’s journey! ⚔️🔮🔧

Want to support this project?

You can help fund this project by becoming a yearly subscriber (best), buy Jaime a coffee, or even buy a book!

Want to get a taste of the world we’re creating?

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Would you like to participate in the live discussions?

We are developing a growing section of the The Fiction HUB for the TTRPG part of Life of Fiction. A place where we can meet in real time, via video and chat, and discuss these aspects together.

This is available to supporters of Life of Fiction.

If you’d like to be included, please send me a private message and I’ll keep you in the loop. We don’t have an established time yet and have to play it by ear…for now.

Thank you for your time and insights—your feedback is what helps bring The Hero Within to life!