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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 4560746" data-attributes="member: 21169">Here are some reasons why 4e is less, or no more, supers focused than previous editions:1) Party power levels are far less divergent than they used to be. Casters no longer rule as was the case from OD&D->3e and PCs in the same party are now expected to be the same level which wasn't the case in 1e. Hugely differing power levels are common in superhero comics. For example Triplicate Girl (who, as the name suggests, could split into three) and Superboy were both members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.2) The notion that everyone having superpowers is a distinctively superhero-y feature is incorrect. In comics, many teams have non-powered members alongside the super-types. For example Green Arrow of the JLA and Wildcat (who was just a boxer) of the JSA.3) Magic items grant superpowers and the vast majority of D&D PCs in previous editions had those. In fact the Xmas tree has been somewhat reduced in 4e. If it is claimed that a power that comes from an item isn't super, then that would make Green Lantern and Iron Man not super also.4) A lack of altruism was only a feature of Gygaxian era 1e D&D PCs. From the time of Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms (late 1e) onwards, the PCs were expected to be good guys. So you can't claim that heroic PCs are a distinctively 4e feature. OD&D and early 1e are the outliers here.5) Although some superhero-esque powers are granted early in 4e - clerics that go pew pew all day long - others, such as flight, come much later than they did in previous editions. Nothing's more superhero-y than the flying, invulnerable (protection from normal missiles), fireball launching wizard that was available at 5th level prior to 4e.6) No comic book superhero style art. Check out the Bill Willingham and Jeff Dee art in 1e adventures and B/X.7) 3e had a class, the soulknife, based entirely on a comic book superhero - Psylocke of the X-Men. In fact it appeared in the Expanded Psionics Handbook which I believe was regarded as core or near core. While aspects of 4e may happen to resemble some aspects of superhero comics, it doesn't contain any out-and-out ripoffs, unless you count the Shambling Mound, which has been around forever.</blockquote>

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