Favorite Superhero TTRPG

That's a good approach that works when everyone is at the same level. However, comicbook RPGs have always had the scaling problem of 'what if a street-level hero meets a cosmic-level villain?' The answer, of course, is: 'don't be dumb and do that, GM!' But in games attached to strong IP, like the Marvel Multiverse Roleplay Game, it's always a danger.

That's kind of the point. The scaling problem goes away when you don't have an exterior reference. The die types are not fixed in the rules to specific known measures. They are simply "chance of success".

Batman normally runs around in Gotham, mucking about with Penguin's goons and the Riddler. But, when he steps up to work with Superman, he isn't suddenly overwhelmed. He just continues to succeed because the die types aren't changed.

In effect, the game pushes the scaling out of the rules, and into the narrative description.

This is backed up by how the game handles character stats. D&D, has Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha. Most other games have some similar shared set that defines a character. And then you can compare - Jimmy Olsen has a Strength stat, Superman has a Strength stat, and you can directly compare them on a scale.

This game does not have that shared set of stats across all characters. Each character has their own set of Powers and Qualities that define them, so that you generally can't directly compare.
 

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Its why I understood, even if I didn't perfectly appreciate, the approach Marvel Heroic Roleplaying took.

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying had some really interesting things going for it. I particularly enjoyed ratings that were more based on how the character functioned (for example, solo, or in a team). However, I ran aground on the shoals of the dice pool mechanic. Perhaps this is a crossover with the 'ageing TTRPGers' thread, but I find all dice pool systems too much for my ancient brane. They add an interrupt to the process of rolling and determining outcomes. This extra bit of fiddliness is one of the reasons I haven't adopted the Sentinels Comics game, even though there are so many good ideas in it.
 

Tiny Supers has been my supers go to game. Very adaptable and fun to play. Really like the Fallen Justice vigilante supplement too.
Its minion rules allow for a very close approach to City of Heroes masterminds, who are my favorite supers to play.
 

Marvel Heroic Roleplaying had some really interesting things going for it. I particularly enjoyed ratings that were more based on how the character functioned (for example, solo, or in a team). However, I ran aground on the shoals of the dice pool mechanic. Perhaps this is a crossover with the 'ageing TTRPGers' thread, but I find all dice pool systems too much for my ancient brane. They add an interrupt to the process of rolling and determining outcomes. This extra bit of fiddliness is one of the reasons I haven't adopted the Sentinels Comics game, even though there are so many good ideas in it.

Out of curiosity, were you exposed to any earlier in your life? I find I actually find dice pool systems preferable, but I hit them quite early on. I can't even say I find them fiddly, since they often end up rolling multiple sub-resolutions into one roll.

Of course if your preference leans into lightweight systems hard enough, none of that will matter, since the sub-resolutions probably don't feel worth doing anyway. But as die pool systems go, Cortex is pretty lightweight.
 

For me, the problem is less: 'can the points system create balanced characters?' I assume you can. It's more: 'can you herd your player-group of system-novices to a place where they have viable characters?'
Sentinel Comics is good for that. Char gen does need some handholding - it's a process - and whether using random or choice for table selection in the process, there are lots of choices being made, but in the end, it's hard to nerf one's character in the process.

Further, the adventure design guidelines give the GM a reasonably good idea of what is suitable for a given party. It's not perfect, but it works rather well. And if you do have a total party down, they're only dead if they choose to be dead - tho' the setting's denizens may never forgive them in certain kinds of failure. Since the overall power level in mechanics is pretty narrow across the generated characters,

Note that, for the most part, all action scenes are timers to a bad outcome.
And, as noted by Umbran, no direct ties to real world units in mechanics.
 


My favorites are Icons: Assembled Edition (with Great Power Supplement), BASH! Ultimate Edition (with Awesome Powers supplement), Mutants & Masterminds 3e (with Power Profiles supplement), Mutants & Masterminds 2e ( with Ultimate Power supplement)

Honorable mentions are DC Heroes 2e/3e, Marvel Heroic
 
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Out of curiosity, were you exposed to any earlier in your life? I find I actually find dice pool systems preferable, but I hit them quite early on. I can't even say I find them fiddly, since they often end up rolling multiple sub-resolutions into one roll.

Of course if your preference leans into lightweight systems hard enough, none of that will matter, since the sub-resolutions probably don't feel worth doing anyway. But as die pool systems go, Cortex is pretty lightweight.

I didn't really run into dice pools until around 13 or 14 years ago. My issue has always been that they sound great on paper, and in principle, but don't pass the 'post-10pm-with-a-drink-inside' play test. They require just a teensy bit more brainpower and thought than some groups have, particularly towards the end of a session when everyone is starting to get fuddled.

And please do not get me on to the subject of games that are both dice pools and bespoke dice. I have STRONG VIEWS about those! Few of them complimentary.
 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Aberrant 2nd edition.

Masks is a very good game but it is fundamentally focused on the sidekick/young hero/legacy Inheritor comic story.

Steve Kenson who wrote on M&M, also wrote on Aberrant. There's a lot of similar DNA in terms of power building but to my mind in a far less crunchy way than M&M does things.

Trinity Continuum Aberrant (Aberrant 2e)

The games premise is what would superheroes be like in the real world. It's like a mix of Invincible, the Boys, and X-Men.

What I like about it is that it gives you rules for things that most superhero games just hand wave. There's mechanics that radically change the tone of the game depending on if you want a four color golden age story or an ultraviolet deconstruction. There's mechanics for things like collateral damage, superhero celebrity, changing the world with technological innovation.

It has a good mix of simple narrative tools and complexity without overwhelming lists of powers and has a very good stand alone setting. If you played the original white-wolf 1990s version this is more of a cinematic post marvel cinematic universe take on the setting (not as edgy and doom and gloom), expanding on play options, and keeping what makes the game unique.
 

IIRC Wild Talents went for a similar level of grit as Aberrant. The system was a little too crunchy for my taste, but the book did have some great material on worldbuilding a supers setting and is recommended just for that material.
 

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