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Superhero RPG
- Thread starter LcKedovan
- Start date
HERO is my preferred system, so naturally, I'm going to reccomend it. Its the most flexible game out there. That flexibility comes with a price- PC gen can be time consuming because of all the options and some math...but once past that point, the game runs fairly smoothly.
However, that said, I find M&M to be an excellent substitute for it, especially since it plays like a combo of the D20 Modern Feats/Skills system with 95% of the flexibility of HERO, and is slightly simpler than either (there are some Marvel Super Heroes elements in its combat system). Your players who are familiar with either HERO or D20 should have no problem picking it up.
I would also say that there really is no reason why you couldn't use Marvel or V&V if you still have the books. The advantage there is that you- the GM- will be familiar with the system, which can help a lot when running a campaign.
SAS is pretty decent...and there is a D20 version as well. Ditto Aberrant. Brave New World has some good things about it, but AFAIK, there is no version of it currently in print.
If you want something darker, track down the Underground from Mayfair games (http://www.mayfairgames.com/mfg-shop/rpgs/underground/qps/ug350.html).
However, that said, I find M&M to be an excellent substitute for it, especially since it plays like a combo of the D20 Modern Feats/Skills system with 95% of the flexibility of HERO, and is slightly simpler than either (there are some Marvel Super Heroes elements in its combat system). Your players who are familiar with either HERO or D20 should have no problem picking it up.
I would also say that there really is no reason why you couldn't use Marvel or V&V if you still have the books. The advantage there is that you- the GM- will be familiar with the system, which can help a lot when running a campaign.
SAS is pretty decent...and there is a D20 version as well. Ditto Aberrant. Brave New World has some good things about it, but AFAIK, there is no version of it currently in print.
If you want something darker, track down the Underground from Mayfair games (http://www.mayfairgames.com/mfg-shop/rpgs/underground/qps/ug350.html).
jmucchiello
Hero
And a good portion of those books are 300+ pages and penned entirely by Steven Long. The man must never sleep.Lord Mhoram said:As my pocketbook can attest to.
DOJ incorporated in Dec '01 and have been publishing since April '02. So approximately 62 months. They have 66 book (IIRC). Just a bit more than a book a month. Not to shabby for a small company like HERO.
The Green Adam
First Post
Mutants and Masterminds by a landslide. Basic as d20, Flexible as Hero and much simpler and faster for the GM. One of my all time favorite RPGs.
AD
AD
Ranger REG
Explorer
Not so clumsy by the consensus.Kheti sa-Menik said:
Pramas
Explorer
If you are interested in checking out Mutants & Masterminds, you can download the entire first chapter of the core rulebook here:
http://64.17.155.164/2e_files/MM2eCh1.pdf
There's also an intro product, the Mutants & Masterminds Beginner's Guide. This 32-page book is designed to ease you into the game and includes a solo adventure. You can grab the PDF for $4 here:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=21153&
A print version is also available for $7.95 and you can find that in stores or order off the Green Ronin website.
http://64.17.155.164/2e_files/MM2eCh1.pdf
There's also an intro product, the Mutants & Masterminds Beginner's Guide. This 32-page book is designed to ease you into the game and includes a solo adventure. You can grab the PDF for $4 here:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=21153&
A print version is also available for $7.95 and you can find that in stores or order off the Green Ronin website.
Laslo Tremaine
Explorer
Another vote for M&M.
I would also suggest getting Freedom City. Not only is it one of the best superhero city books ever done, but it also has many pre-made heroes and villains that should get you pointed in the right direction.
I would also suggest getting Freedom City. Not only is it one of the best superhero city books ever done, but it also has many pre-made heroes and villains that should get you pointed in the right direction.
BASHMAN
Basic Action Games
Since you did say you were open to Non-d20 suggestions, I will take this opportunity to plug Basic Action Super Heroes, aka, BASH!
It is a very simple supers system. The rules are 30 pages long. It is available as a pdf ($5) or as a dead-tree product (10 bucks) as well, both through rpgnow.com.
The gist of the system is that you have 3 stats, rated 1-5. Brawn, Agility, and Mind. For an example of scaling, a 1 Brawn would be a typical person, a 2 would be peak-human, ala Batman/Captain America, a 3 would be some super strength, like Spiderman, a 4 would be a typical brick, able to lift a dozen tons or more like the Thing, and a 5 would be practically limitless strength, like the Hulk, Thor, or Superman. A typical "street level" character has 7 points to spread among these stats.
In addition to stats, you have powers. Typically 9 points worth, and they also rank at 1-5 points each.
Thus, you avoid some of the complexities of other systems that may require a calculator to build your character. You are dealing with 7 or 9 points-- not 250 like in some systems, where you must apply fractions to figure point costs of individual powers.
Play is as simple as character creation. Everything uses 2d6, multiplied by the stat or power being used. If you roll doubles, your dice "explode", allowing you to roll another die and add it before multiplying.
It is a very fast paced game. You can run an entire adventure in 4 hours. In some hero systems, 4 hours would be one combat.
Here is a link to it that will support ENworld:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_18&products_id=4657&
Also, it encourages ways of winning without having to knock stuff down to 0 hit points. If you are fighting an enemy like Sabertooth, for example, who keeps regenerating all the damage as fast as you can dish it, perhaps the way to win isn't by doing damage! Finding ways to immobilize or stymie villains are just as viable, and as we see in comics, often used in preference to "I hit it till it stops moving". The x-men don't always blow up sentinels (wolverine may not be there). Beast might jump on its back and hack into its computer system, for example-- something that could not happen in many other RPGs.
Fun things I have ran with this system include: Teen Titans and X-Men. When I ran the x-men game at a con, one of the players really wanted to be Kitty Pryde, even though I did not have a pre-gen for her. He made her in 20 minutes with the book and a piece of paper & no help from me. [I liked the build so much I made her a pregen for the next time I run it].
There is a sourcebook available as well, called Megapolis: A City of Supers, which has plenty of super heroes, villains, neighborhoods, a magical realm, and story-arcs that take place throughout an entire year.
It is a very simple supers system. The rules are 30 pages long. It is available as a pdf ($5) or as a dead-tree product (10 bucks) as well, both through rpgnow.com.
The gist of the system is that you have 3 stats, rated 1-5. Brawn, Agility, and Mind. For an example of scaling, a 1 Brawn would be a typical person, a 2 would be peak-human, ala Batman/Captain America, a 3 would be some super strength, like Spiderman, a 4 would be a typical brick, able to lift a dozen tons or more like the Thing, and a 5 would be practically limitless strength, like the Hulk, Thor, or Superman. A typical "street level" character has 7 points to spread among these stats.
In addition to stats, you have powers. Typically 9 points worth, and they also rank at 1-5 points each.
Thus, you avoid some of the complexities of other systems that may require a calculator to build your character. You are dealing with 7 or 9 points-- not 250 like in some systems, where you must apply fractions to figure point costs of individual powers.
Play is as simple as character creation. Everything uses 2d6, multiplied by the stat or power being used. If you roll doubles, your dice "explode", allowing you to roll another die and add it before multiplying.
It is a very fast paced game. You can run an entire adventure in 4 hours. In some hero systems, 4 hours would be one combat.
Here is a link to it that will support ENworld:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_18&products_id=4657&
Also, it encourages ways of winning without having to knock stuff down to 0 hit points. If you are fighting an enemy like Sabertooth, for example, who keeps regenerating all the damage as fast as you can dish it, perhaps the way to win isn't by doing damage! Finding ways to immobilize or stymie villains are just as viable, and as we see in comics, often used in preference to "I hit it till it stops moving". The x-men don't always blow up sentinels (wolverine may not be there). Beast might jump on its back and hack into its computer system, for example-- something that could not happen in many other RPGs.
Fun things I have ran with this system include: Teen Titans and X-Men. When I ran the x-men game at a con, one of the players really wanted to be Kitty Pryde, even though I did not have a pre-gen for her. He made her in 20 minutes with the book and a piece of paper & no help from me. [I liked the build so much I made her a pregen for the next time I run it].
There is a sourcebook available as well, called Megapolis: A City of Supers, which has plenty of super heroes, villains, neighborhoods, a magical realm, and story-arcs that take place throughout an entire year.
Relique du Madde
Adventurer
If you have hours to spend on making one character and like having serious headaches from doing alot of math, I'd say go for Hero. Otherwise,use M&M*.
*Be warned that making characters for M&M can also take alot of time.
*Be warned that making characters for M&M can also take alot of time.
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