Game Control
First Post
Superhero D20 games are on the way, and after seeing the Spiderman movie, I’m psyched.
So how should it be done?
Here are some of my thoughts;
No class. Each level would grant a certain number of Character Points (CP).
These points would be used to buy skills, vitality points, attack bonus, saving throws etc. I would keep superpowers separate have them bought at creation. A hero could swap some or all superpowers in order to get a lot more CP each level. This would allow room for Punisher, Elektra or Daredevil styles of heroes who have little to no superpowers but are very skilled at what they do.
No class skill. No AC. I’d use defense bonus and DR for armor and while we’re at it initiative bonus as in Spycraft. I would use VP and WP. Vitality is a very heroic concept. They just keep fighting ‘till there is no fight left in them, no matter what you hit them with.
The trick would be to balance the cost in CP of various aspect of the character. Spycraft has a good thing going with its character design; each of the statistic of the various agent classes came in three variety; weak, average or strong. If you have Spycraft, you’ll know what I mean.
So let's look at the unmodified statistic of a 20th level agent from Spycraft with average (for a hero) progession everywhere. Let’s not consider 1st level here (X4 skills and more HP than average)
BAB +15
VP 110 (D10 which means 5.5 each level)
Total saving throw; +27 (+9 for each save)
Defense bonus: +12
Initiative bonus: +12
Total skills: 120 (20 X 6)
Let’s split BAB into Ranged BAB and Melee BAB. Superheroes often display a wide disparity between Ranged and Melee skill. EX; the Punisher might know how to fight Hand to Hand but he’s a LOT better with guns.
So that’s 30 (15 + 15) points of BAB.
Some statistics are more useful than others.
Let’s say a Skill point is worth 1 CP. From there, I’m estimating that;
Saving throw: 2 CP
Attack bonus: 3 CP.
Defense bonus: 4 CP
Initiative bonus: 2 CP
Ranged BAB: 45 CP
Melee BAB: 45 CP
Saving throws: 54 CP
Skills: 120 CP
Defense: 48 CP
Initiative: 24 CP
Total: 336.
336/20 = 16.8
Since Players will optimize, let’s round down to 16. At level 1, skills would cost 1/4 CP and you,d get a flat 4 VP bonus.
Intelligence would grant bonus CP that have to be spent in skills.
CON would add to HP normally every level.
That’s a start. But it doesn’t account for class features such as bonus feats, uncanny dodge and I’m not even at the superpowers stage yet.
I'd need to come up with a list of class abilities and their coast as well as of course the superpowers and their cost.
Any ideas/comment?
So how should it be done?
Here are some of my thoughts;
No class. Each level would grant a certain number of Character Points (CP).
These points would be used to buy skills, vitality points, attack bonus, saving throws etc. I would keep superpowers separate have them bought at creation. A hero could swap some or all superpowers in order to get a lot more CP each level. This would allow room for Punisher, Elektra or Daredevil styles of heroes who have little to no superpowers but are very skilled at what they do.
No class skill. No AC. I’d use defense bonus and DR for armor and while we’re at it initiative bonus as in Spycraft. I would use VP and WP. Vitality is a very heroic concept. They just keep fighting ‘till there is no fight left in them, no matter what you hit them with.
The trick would be to balance the cost in CP of various aspect of the character. Spycraft has a good thing going with its character design; each of the statistic of the various agent classes came in three variety; weak, average or strong. If you have Spycraft, you’ll know what I mean.
So let's look at the unmodified statistic of a 20th level agent from Spycraft with average (for a hero) progession everywhere. Let’s not consider 1st level here (X4 skills and more HP than average)
BAB +15
VP 110 (D10 which means 5.5 each level)
Total saving throw; +27 (+9 for each save)
Defense bonus: +12
Initiative bonus: +12
Total skills: 120 (20 X 6)
Let’s split BAB into Ranged BAB and Melee BAB. Superheroes often display a wide disparity between Ranged and Melee skill. EX; the Punisher might know how to fight Hand to Hand but he’s a LOT better with guns.
So that’s 30 (15 + 15) points of BAB.
Some statistics are more useful than others.
Let’s say a Skill point is worth 1 CP. From there, I’m estimating that;
Saving throw: 2 CP
Attack bonus: 3 CP.
Defense bonus: 4 CP
Initiative bonus: 2 CP
Ranged BAB: 45 CP
Melee BAB: 45 CP
Saving throws: 54 CP
Skills: 120 CP
Defense: 48 CP
Initiative: 24 CP
Total: 336.
336/20 = 16.8
Since Players will optimize, let’s round down to 16. At level 1, skills would cost 1/4 CP and you,d get a flat 4 VP bonus.
Intelligence would grant bonus CP that have to be spent in skills.
CON would add to HP normally every level.
That’s a start. But it doesn’t account for class features such as bonus feats, uncanny dodge and I’m not even at the superpowers stage yet.
I'd need to come up with a list of class abilities and their coast as well as of course the superpowers and their cost.
Any ideas/comment?
