Review of Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game by Margaret Weis Productions

Felon · May 11, 2012

Astrosicebear said:
The system handles this well. Basically, lower powered characters keep up quite well with even the "strong" characters. The main mechanic is Plot Points here. Plot Points, like Hero points, allow you to add dice to your pool, increase theme etc. Lower powered characters are rolling lower dice, and therefore through the system getting more plot points on average, allowing them to do many many things.

That's cool. So, it's gote FATEsque traits, like the way Dresden Files gives more fate points to mortals. I've been working on my own homebrewed Supers FATE game, and it does something similar.

In general, superhero games tend to be pretty lame, because they devote way to much energy building characters rather than playing them. In actual gameplay, most players just wind up mashing the attack power button every turn.

As to shortchanging the game--hell, this review does more to advocate it than the Margaret Weiss website does. "This game exists now, feel free to buy it". Sorry to harp on that, but really the question in my mind is "why aren't more harping about that?"

Cam Banks · May 11, 2012

What else would you like to see on our site, Felon? We do a great deal of social network communication thru our Facebook page, Twitter, and with my own accounts in those places, as well as host our own forums. I've also started up a blog on the MWP site. Always keen to hear other suggestions.

Also, PP aren't used like Dresden's Fate Point refresh limits to balance out heroes of different levels. Instead, the game play itself provides most of the screen time balance, chiefly because no matter how many dice you roll in your pool, you only start out with 2 dice added together for your total. This brings all characters together at a comic book narrative baseline.

Cheers,
Cam

TreChriron · May 12, 2012

BSG and Serenity use the classic Cortex rules (also available in a generic format), not the Cortex+ rules. Leverage and Supernatural are Cortex+. :-D Just a minor nit pic.

Allensh · May 13, 2012

Not even remotely accurate. Villains and Vigilantes 1st edition predates the release of Champions (V&V in 1979, Champions in 1981) and Superhero 2044, while bad, predates both of those.

Allen

Allensh · May 13, 2012

The lack of a point-based munckinizing system in MHR is a feature, not a bug. All it takes is for the player to bring his idea to the Watcher/GM. Then you cut down most of the D12's they want to D10's and D8's and you're good to go

Allen

Jared Rascher · May 14, 2012

As someone that was actually critical of the game in my blog, once I sat down and read through the Operations Manual, I have to say that I'm often confused by comments about the game being hard to learn or understand. I honestly think that some of that might be "unlearning what you have learned," and taking the rules at face value instead of reading more into them than what is actually there.

Having read through the actual rules and really trying to reset my expectations, I don't have any problems with how the game would run, or how well it would model a comic book narrative. I think it will do an excellent job doing that.

The only real misgivings I still have after reading the rules is about players that want a longer term campaign than what a single event, no matter how long, might provide. I think it is a valid concern, but at the same time, I think (as I haven't gotten to play it yet) that the game delivers what it promises . . . a viable RPG that is paced to tell a comic book style story for "event" length story arcs.

Greg K · May 14, 2012

TreChriron said:
BSG and Serenity use the classic Cortex rules (also available in a generic format), not the Cortex+ rules. Leverage and Supernatural are Cortex+. :-D Just a minor nit pic.

Lol. Not quite. I think you meant Smallville is Cortex + rather Supernatural. Supernatural uses classic Cortex (although someone did a Cortex+ hack for Leverage for Supernatural).

TreChriron · May 15, 2012

Greg K said:
Lol. Not quite. I think you meant Smallville is Cortex + rather Supernatural. Supernatural uses classic Cortex (although someone did a Cortex+ hack for Leverage for Supernatural).

Thanks for clarifying. It's important to realize there are two flavors of Cortex. I don't think C+ enthusiasts will be as enamored with classic, but it seems like conversions are not too complicated.

Greg K · May 15, 2012

TreChriron said:
Thanks for clarifying. It's important to realize there are two flavors of Cortex. I don't think C+ enthusiasts will be as enamored with classic, but it seems like conversions are not too complicated.

I don't know that I would consider it a conversion of the Classic Cortex version of Supernatural.

Anyone interested, can look here
Some Space to Think: Superage (or maybe Levernatural)

It is the first of five(?) entries from January 2011 (to help make it easy to find the remaining entries).

Shoe · May 15, 2012

Curse you MARVEL!

Why couldn't you just follow DC's lead and sell the liscence to the best superhero RPG out there!? Every other good comic related game (heroclix and VS system CCG) all had rights from both companies, it's not like they are trying to start a competiton or anything!

GAHHHH!

I love Marvel comics, but whoever is in charge of their non-digital games needs to be shot!

Review of Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Game by Margaret Weis Productions

Felon

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Cam Banks

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TreChriron

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Allensh

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Allensh

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Jared Rascher

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Greg K

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TreChriron

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Greg K

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Shoe

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