I know that many folks consider high level D&D characters to be super-heroic in a power level context, but I am talking about D&D adventurers acting as super-heroes or at least superhero analogs. This as opposed to acting as tomb raiders, murder hobos, or explorers.
In most standard settings, D&D adventurers share a lot of features with comic book super-heroes. First, they have powers and abilities largely unavailable to the average person in the setting. Second, they have a freedom to act that most people, even people in power, do not. They also generally face threats that are beyond the scope of the normal authorities.
Most of what is different are motivation (D&D adventurers are often motivated by money, but there are other motives) and how their heroic activities are couched in the setting.
I have always enjoyed treating D&D heroes more like superheroes: their adventures are about protecting a city or a world, their opponents are super-villains in dragon, lich or Dark Lord form, and so on. D&D adventurers do tend to be a bit more pro-active than most super-heroes, but that is okay. The Authority went out looking to punch evil, too.
What do you think? Can D&D adventurers fill the super-hero niche in your world? If so, at what level does it make sense? And how are your BBEG's more like super-villains than monsters?
In most standard settings, D&D adventurers share a lot of features with comic book super-heroes. First, they have powers and abilities largely unavailable to the average person in the setting. Second, they have a freedom to act that most people, even people in power, do not. They also generally face threats that are beyond the scope of the normal authorities.
Most of what is different are motivation (D&D adventurers are often motivated by money, but there are other motives) and how their heroic activities are couched in the setting.
I have always enjoyed treating D&D heroes more like superheroes: their adventures are about protecting a city or a world, their opponents are super-villains in dragon, lich or Dark Lord form, and so on. D&D adventurers do tend to be a bit more pro-active than most super-heroes, but that is okay. The Authority went out looking to punch evil, too.
What do you think? Can D&D adventurers fill the super-hero niche in your world? If so, at what level does it make sense? And how are your BBEG's more like super-villains than monsters?