Superheroes are a hot commodity -- why aren't superhero RPG's?

Virgo

Explorer

• May 28, 2017

• #1

Hello, all!

The title pretty much sums up my question. Superheroes are enjoying the biggest popularity in years. Films, television shows, video games -- comic book heroes and heroines are everywhere. You would think that superhero RPG's would be red-hot as well right now but that's apparently not the case...and frankly, that has me mystified.

I cut my RPG teeth on "Champions" during the 1980's and almost 40 (!) years later I still treasure the memories of our group "The Protectors" making sure our home city of Tampa, Florida was safe from any and all threats.

I'd love to hear from fellow superhero RPG'ers and get your take on why the interest just doesn't seem to be there. Thank you for your input!

 

Last edited: Feb 14, 2021

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Argyle King

Legend

• May 28, 2017

• #2

I think it is difficult to design superheroes in a way which are true to the source material while also providing some semblance of balanced play. While supers of different power levels regularly work together in comics or movies, those mediums are typically governed by plot devices and a linear narrative which are typically not part of an enjoyable tabletop gaming experience. In comic books, Batman and Superman are equals; in a game where the players are free to make their own choices, someone like Superman is a god compared to a lot of other characters.

Personally, I've had success running superhero games at the "street level." By that I mean that heroes are definitely beyond ordinary and normal, but they aren't invincible or godlike. I like to use a system in which even the gonzo powers of a superhero can be made to kinda make sense, and by "make sense" I mean define them in a way which is tangible and measurable rather than simply being a plot device. I enjoy that and prefer that because I believe it makes for a better gaming experience, but it also seems to be a style that not many other people I've met are on-board with because "superheroes" usually conjures images of characters at the higher end of the spectrum.

 

Virgo

Explorer

• May 28, 2017

• #3

Thank you for your post, Johnny3D3D.

In comics terms, the heroes in our "Champions" campaign were considered experienced but nowhere near big-leaguers like Batman and Superman. I enjoyed it because it gave our group the ability to use our different powers/skills to work together. Progression could be slow but again, I preferred it that way since the HERO system allowed xp to be used to buy off disadvantages as well as acquire new skills and/or powers.

I'm wondering the reason supers rpg's aren't as popular as they should be might be because of the source material. There are plenty of superhero fans and plenty of Gamemasters. But superhero fans who are also gamemasters? I want to believe there are plenty of them too but maybe that's not the case.

 

MarkB

Legend

• May 28, 2017

• #4

There have been a number of systems over the years that have done moderately well with the concept, but given the very wide range of potential powers, systems risk being either very broad-strokes in order to accommodate whatever abilities the players make up, or very complicated and rules-laden if they try to actually quantify and balance every potential superpower.

One thing that's common to a few systems I've seen is that specialisation is king. If you try to create a character with a broad base of abilities, or even a range of applications for a single power, then the resources you can devote to any single aspect of that character will be outclassed by anyone going with a more focused build - often to the extent that the less focused character is completely outclassed by any opponent capable of going toe-to-toe with the specialist.

That is, of course, potentially an issue for any game system, but it seems to be a particular stumbling block for the superhero genre.

 

Virgo

Explorer

• May 28, 2017

• #5

Thank you MarkB for your post.

I totally agree with you on the complexity. "Champions" did give the player the ability to come up with just about any archetype but boy howdy, it wasn't easy. Back then I could never have generated a character on my own. Thankfully a few players in our group were very familiar with the system. The 4th edition rules for "Champions" contained "HeroMaker", a computer program that made it easier to generate characters. it was even on cutting-edge technology for its day -- a 3.5 disk!

 

Last edited: May 28, 2017

pogre

Legend

• May 28, 2017

• #6

Whenever I've tried to run a super heroes campaign I have had a difficult time with adventure design. I have a tough time even running some of the modules and prepared materials.

I think MarkB hit part of my problem on the head. Super Hero systems reward specialization and you almost have to tailor adventures to that - it seems like I always had one PC dominating the action.

 

Virgo

Explorer

• May 28, 2017

• #7

Thank you for your post, Pogre.

Let me ask you this, then: when you ran your campaign were the archetypes (brick, energy blaster, mentalist, magic-user, gadgeteer) all represented? Or were the players pretty much one type?

 

KahlessNestor

Adventurer

• May 28, 2017

• #8

I have been playing Mutants and Masterminds 3e here on the forum. Still haven't quite gotten the hang of character creation, but it seems to run fine.

Marvel had an awesome system several years ago in Marvel Heroic RPG with Margaret Weiss Studio, but then they jacked up their licensing fee and the company couldn't afford it. Bit it was a great system and got great reviews.

Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app

 

Virgo

Explorer

• May 28, 2017

• #9

Thank you for responding, KahlessNestor.

I'm a big Superman fan myself so I recently picked up a copy of DC Adventures "Hero's Handbook", which likewise uses the Mutants and Masterminds system. I'd like to get the other three books in the series but since they are out of print I have to keep an eye out for online sales since they can get pretty pricey.

There is a gaming social club here in Tampa and one of their events looks to be a weekly Champions game. I've been meaning to contact the club and ask them about dues/fees as well as the campaign but naturally real-life events have a nasty way of bumping everything else out of its way.

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• May 28, 2017

• #10

I bought Champions as soon as it hit the shelves. Eventually renamed HERO, it quickly became my favorite RPG system, bar none. I've used it to run all kinds of things, but supers most often.

Mutants & Masterminds is my #2 supers system, and I have the books for Aberrant, Brave New World, Heroes Unlimited, Godlike, Underground, Silver Age Sentinels, and some others I've probably forgotten.* But HERO is what I prefer to run.




* never bought the DC or Marvel games, though.