Ideally my super hero game would be based on something like true20, but any fast-paced, rules-lite system could work, with the following caveats. One, it needs to feel like choices made during character creation are mechanically meaningful while being completely customizable. Two, the system needs to be designed such that story is never sacrificed at the expense of rules lawyering or number crunching (I'm looking at you, 3E prestige classes). Three, when dice are rolled, outcomes need to be variable, fun and fulfilling regardless of success or failure; after a school year of playing
Marvel Super Heroes, rolls on the FASRIP chart became repetitive and dull. And, finally, it's a super hero game! The system needs to be equally fulfilling at street level and among the cosmos.
In sum, the system needs to have some gravitas without being overly complex. Anyone know a super hero RPG like that?
Yes.
BASH! Ultimate Edition.
It is a fast-play simple supers game. It is a toolkit type system, but there are around 50 powers, not hundreds. You build a character with 20-60 points, not 250+.
The core mechanic is roll 2d6 and multiply by stat/skill/power. This is usually a multiplier between x1 and x10. If the dice rolls match, roll another d6. If that matches, keep rolling and adding more d6 before multiplying. This way, exploding dice make it possible for an underdog to beat someone with a large multiplier advantage. Some people don't like to multiply, so there are some alternatives given in the appendix, including Fudge dice among others. Obviously, you must have seen the dice-roll-chart from the back cover if you saw the preview-- so if you like colored charts, it has it. You simply roll the 2d6, see what you rolled, slide over to what your multiplier is, and find out your result. The color code will tell you if scored a typical, tough, heroic, etc result on your roll. The colored chart isn't needed, just something that I thought would appeal to the people that don't like the multiplying part, or fans of old-school.
All Heroes & Villains have 100 Hits, which work like hit points. Lesser characters (Minions) have between 10-50 Hits, and Heroes can plow through them several at a time. This keeps the action fast & furious. The difference between a big tough brick and a skinny mentalist isn't how many Hits they have, it's how much damage they soak with each hit.
There are 3 stats. Brawn, Agility, and Mind, rated 0-5. 0 is something far below normal parameters, while 2 is usually peak-human, and 5 is top tier for superheroes. Brawn is how strong & tough you are, Agility is how fast & coordinated, and Mind is how intelligent/magically gifted/psychic you are.
If you want more info, there is a preview
here. There is an in-depth review
here and some shorter reviews
here. There is also my interview on
The Rpg Haven podcast and
Meanwhile... The Super Gaming Podcast that give some more in-depth info about the game. The first printing is sold out, but the second print run should be shipping out to the warehouse tomorrow.
If you want, I think a pretty easy way to get to understand the game would be for me to show how to build a character with it. Do you have an idea of a sort of character you'd want to make, or see made? The game does everything from Pulp Mystery Men to Cosmic Beings- so please, be creative.
PS- there is a "Dice Roll Chart" but it isn't needed to play- it is just to help people with the multiplying.
All i could think while running the game was how badly I wanted to divorce the system from "old" d20, but I will stop now before M&M fans break down my door and beat me up.
