The Style Points FAQ

The Hollow Earth Expedition (HEX) roleplaying game has been in existence for about five months now officially, and there are many elements of the game system that have aspects to them that make the players, and GMs, think a little bit. This Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page is designed to answer some of the commonly asked questions about one of the more unique HEX game elements - Style Points.

Style Points Frequently Asked Questions

I'm a little confused about the issue of maximum Style Points. The HEX rulebook says there's no limit on how many you can get, but then in another section, imposes a limit of 5 per session. Please clarify this for me.

Jeff Combos had this to say on the subject: "There is no limit to the number of Style points a character can have in the bank, but we suggest limiting each player to earning 5 Style points per session to keep it from getting out of hand. With that being said, we broke our own rule at Gen Con and handed them out willy-nilly and that worked out just fine.

"So find the balance that works for you and your players. One of the cool things about Style points is that they let you encourage the style of play that you want your game to have. Don't be shy about ignoring the Style rules if they get in the way of the game play you enjoy."

One of the biggest problems I see with Style points is something that occurs in many systems with such concepts as Fate Points, Luck Points, and Drama Points. What prevents players from hoarding Style points in HEX?

Jeff Combos wrote on this subject as follows: "Hoarding Fate, Luck, and Drama points can definitely be a problem.

"I tried to mitigate this with the way Style points are used in a couple of ways. First of all, you can't spend more than 10 on any one roll anyway, so saving up to 40 doesn't give you a nuclear attack.

"Also, while many players will hold onto their points to avoid damage, they have to balance that out with their desire to boost Talents. Sometimes they'll have to spend some to get the job done.

"In addition, I let players spend Style points on each other's behalf, so there can be social pressure within the party if one person is hoarding chips and someone else needs some to resist damage or boost a Talent.

"Finally, since players earn Style points through role playing and driving the plot, the characters that hang back and don't participate won't get as much Style as those that earn and spend constantly. I tend to give out more points to the latter characters because they are helping to make the game more fun for everyone.

"With all that being said, your mileage may vary with Style. You may still run into the same problems with Style as you do with similar types of Luck and Fate points, but hopefully to a lesser extent."

Special thanks to Jeff Combos, Melissa McNally, M. Sechin Tower, and the folks on the Hollow Earth Expedition (HEX) forums for their help in the compiling of this FAQ information.

Hollow Earth Expedition is a trademark and copyright of Exile Game Studio, LLC. The Hollow Earth Expedition Logo and other graphics are copyright of Exile Game Studio, LLC, and are used with their permission. The Ubiquity game mechanics are copyright of Exile Game Studio, LLC, and are mentioned and used with their permission. All distinctive Hollow Earth Expedition logos and terms are trademarks of Exile Game Studio, LLC. No attempt is being made here to supercede any of the copyrights and trademarks mentioned above. The HEX Compass graphic was created by Daniel Potter, and the permission of John M. Kahane and Daniel Potter is required for use of this Logo by any other persons.