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Big Eyes, Small Mouth... Question...
- Thread starter Cevalic
- Start date
I have the game and what yo get out of it depend on what you are looking for. It is a solid rules set but the base set has no setting.
Like other point buy games (ie Hero) characters can be unbalanced it the GM is not careful. If the players go with a character concept rather than trying to min/max, then the results can be very diverse and dynamic.
I have also picked up the setting of Centurai Knights. Very interesting setting and well done book. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it was very well done none the less.
I will be starting a robotech game shortly which I will either be using BESM or the d20 Mecha rules that are going to be put out by the same company (Guardians of Order).
Like other point buy games (ie Hero) characters can be unbalanced it the GM is not careful. If the players go with a character concept rather than trying to min/max, then the results can be very diverse and dynamic.
I have also picked up the setting of Centurai Knights. Very interesting setting and well done book. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it was very well done none the less.
I will be starting a robotech game shortly which I will either be using BESM or the d20 Mecha rules that are going to be put out by the same company (Guardians of Order).
I like BESM a lot. It's very quick, easy to play, and unlike GURPS and HERO, it's pretty simple. It can handle just about any game with a minimum of difficulty. It is subject to min/maxing, but optional rules involving scaled ability score costs help with that.
Anyway, it's handy and it's certainly portable. I tried converting my Oathbound campaign to BESM, but my players are generally d20-only gamers who don't have to carry around a stack of books two feet thick. <g>
Next time...
Anyway, it's handy and it's certainly portable. I tried converting my Oathbound campaign to BESM, but my players are generally d20-only gamers who don't have to carry around a stack of books two feet thick. <g>
Next time...
Laslo Tremaine
Explorer
I think BESM is okay...
It's pretty rules-light, and combats are pretty quick and fun. Character creation is very free form and can take a bit of time. I think it's a tad too granular for my taste though (only three stats and a scale that ranges from 2-12 with all actions resolved on 2d6).
But honestly, I can't think of a single genre that I wouldn't rather use Mutants & Masterminds rather than BESM.
M&M is just way more elegant, and a true pleasure to play. For me it has less rules quirkyness than BESM (ever try to make a perception check in BESM?).
It's pretty rules-light, and combats are pretty quick and fun. Character creation is very free form and can take a bit of time. I think it's a tad too granular for my taste though (only three stats and a scale that ranges from 2-12 with all actions resolved on 2d6).
But honestly, I can't think of a single genre that I wouldn't rather use Mutants & Masterminds rather than BESM.
M&M is just way more elegant, and a true pleasure to play. For me it has less rules quirkyness than BESM (ever try to make a perception check in BESM?).
Another issue with the game as written, and indeed the only problem that I have with it, is the lack of Armor Class (for lack of a better term.)
In BESM, the chance of an attack succeeding is entirely dependant on the character's Attack Combat Value. If the character rolls below the ACV on 2d6 his attack hit successfully. Characters normally get one attack per round.
The character who is hit has the option of defending. To defend, the character rolls 2d6 and compares it to his Defense Combat Value (which is normally ACV-2). Characters also normally get one defense per round, beyond that they take a penalty to the roll of +2 per attack, for each additional attack that they wish to defend against (+2 for the first, +4 for the second, etc.)
Now this would normally be fine, it reflects two characters in a duel attacking each other and defending from the others attacks.
And that's where the problem comes in. The two in that sentence.
Because characters normally get only one defense per round, in a situation where the two sides of a combat are uneven in some way (say a group of 10 Hobgoblin raiders vs. 4-5 PCs or those same 4-5 PCs against the big bad Evil Knight Overlord) the smaller side ends up getting roundly thrashed by a number or attacks equal to the difference in the numbers on a side.
The situation is only exacerbated by the inclusion of extra attacks into the equation. Silver Age Sentinels (Tri-Stat version) attempts to correct this by splitting Extra Attacks and Extra Defenses into two seperate attributes and costing them differently. This helps, but not by enough.
My feeling with point based games has always been that if there is one power or skill that is so vital to have that every character ends up taking it, there is probably a problem with the system. So it is with BESM and Extra Attacks/Defenses.
In BESM, the chance of an attack succeeding is entirely dependant on the character's Attack Combat Value. If the character rolls below the ACV on 2d6 his attack hit successfully. Characters normally get one attack per round.
The character who is hit has the option of defending. To defend, the character rolls 2d6 and compares it to his Defense Combat Value (which is normally ACV-2). Characters also normally get one defense per round, beyond that they take a penalty to the roll of +2 per attack, for each additional attack that they wish to defend against (+2 for the first, +4 for the second, etc.)
Now this would normally be fine, it reflects two characters in a duel attacking each other and defending from the others attacks.
And that's where the problem comes in. The two in that sentence.
Because characters normally get only one defense per round, in a situation where the two sides of a combat are uneven in some way (say a group of 10 Hobgoblin raiders vs. 4-5 PCs or those same 4-5 PCs against the big bad Evil Knight Overlord) the smaller side ends up getting roundly thrashed by a number or attacks equal to the difference in the numbers on a side.
The situation is only exacerbated by the inclusion of extra attacks into the equation. Silver Age Sentinels (Tri-Stat version) attempts to correct this by splitting Extra Attacks and Extra Defenses into two seperate attributes and costing them differently. This helps, but not by enough.
My feeling with point based games has always been that if there is one power or skill that is so vital to have that every character ends up taking it, there is probably a problem with the system. So it is with BESM and Extra Attacks/Defenses.
Thain
First Post
By other settings I'm going to assume you mean "published specifically for BESM" because you can adapt this gem of a game to run anything and everything... Offical GoO settigns include the following, which presently set on my desk... They've got many, many more:
Centauri Knights
BESM Dungeon (think anime DnD)
Cute and Fuzzy Seizure Monsters (Pokemon type shows)
Hot Rods, and Gun Bunnies
Sailor Moon RPG&SB
Tenshi Muyo (OAV RPG&SB and both TV series UFG)
Demon City Shinjuku RPG&SB
Dominion Tank Police RPG&SB
Trigun UFG
Cowboy Bebop UFG
Hellsing UFG
Serial Experiments Lain UFG (although, I wouldn't try to run one)
The UFGs Ultimate Fan Guides, are basically rule-lite sourcebooks and info for various series that include a bit of game info. Normally stats for main characters, one or two new attributes, and a few pages of (normalyl well written) guidlines and suggestions.
The Roleplaying Game and Source Books (RPG&SB) were all standalone products published after the release of 1st Ed. and prior to 2nd Ed. BESM. They contain a heaping helping of sourcematerial, all the rules you need to play that game in BESM, and advice, guidelines and such.
GoO and the BESM started as a very, very small and low budget publisher and game. Although the core ruels have always been good, they've improved in quality a hundred-fold with the passage of time and with more money ^-^,
BESM 2nd Edition, Revisied (aka 2.5E) is a wonderful gem of a system. Yes, the problems addressed above are real, but the engine is incredibly easy to modify to suit your needs, and the fan base is strong, as is costomer support.
Centauri Knights
BESM Dungeon (think anime DnD)
Cute and Fuzzy Seizure Monsters (Pokemon type shows)
Hot Rods, and Gun Bunnies
Sailor Moon RPG&SB
Tenshi Muyo (OAV RPG&SB and both TV series UFG)
Demon City Shinjuku RPG&SB
Dominion Tank Police RPG&SB
Trigun UFG
Cowboy Bebop UFG
Hellsing UFG
Serial Experiments Lain UFG (although, I wouldn't try to run one)
The UFGs Ultimate Fan Guides, are basically rule-lite sourcebooks and info for various series that include a bit of game info. Normally stats for main characters, one or two new attributes, and a few pages of (normalyl well written) guidlines and suggestions.
The Roleplaying Game and Source Books (RPG&SB) were all standalone products published after the release of 1st Ed. and prior to 2nd Ed. BESM. They contain a heaping helping of sourcematerial, all the rules you need to play that game in BESM, and advice, guidelines and such.
GoO and the BESM started as a very, very small and low budget publisher and game. Although the core ruels have always been good, they've improved in quality a hundred-fold with the passage of time and with more money ^-^,
BESM 2nd Edition, Revisied (aka 2.5E) is a wonderful gem of a system. Yes, the problems addressed above are real, but the engine is incredibly easy to modify to suit your needs, and the fan base is strong, as is costomer support.
JDeMobray said:
OTOH, BESM deals with this by having armor powers that reduce the amount of damage that a character takes, so it's possible to make a super-tank character who may take a lot of hits, but is so armored up that he doesn't take a lot of damage and then really lets his target have it.
EdwardForrester
First Post
Beebop UFG !!!???!?!
Thain,
Has GOO really done an Cowboy Beebop UFG. Just checked our there site and they didnt have anything on it. Say its so please. Or a link would also be nice. When I went to the site it has not been updated since December. Thank you for any info.
Also to answer the original question I think BESM is worth the pick up price if you like anime and want to run your favorite series. You could use it for a non anime game but it is based off of every thing anime so there you go. Also the Ultimate Fan Guides are really good because they have a synopsis of every episode of the series. And character Stats of the main characters.
All in all I would say they are very good and also BESM corerules are going to be D20 soon so there ya go.
Thain,
Has GOO really done an Cowboy Beebop UFG. Just checked our there site and they didnt have anything on it. Say its so please. Or a link would also be nice. When I went to the site it has not been updated since December. Thank you for any info.
Also to answer the original question I think BESM is worth the pick up price if you like anime and want to run your favorite series. You could use it for a non anime game but it is based off of every thing anime so there you go. Also the Ultimate Fan Guides are really good because they have a synopsis of every episode of the series. And character Stats of the main characters.
All in all I would say they are very good and also BESM corerules are going to be D20 soon so there ya go.
