Marvel Shares Sabretooth's Stats

The Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game is launching next years and Marvel has shared Sabretooth's statistics. They previously previewed Spider-man and others here.

 

[Ghal Maraz]

For what it’s worth, I’m at a point in my gaming career where “straight out of mid 80s mechanics” is a compliment. There was a lot more willingness to try new mechanics back then, compared to now when folks seem to complain if a game isn’t either 5E or PbtA.

There are many, many systems out there which aren't 5E, nor PbtA. Most of them pretty good. Or exceptional.

And most people have always said that they wouldn't play anything else outside of D&D. That's quite an historical trend in rpg circles.

Having said that... the list of powers and traits is eye-watering and painful to read. And it's not the only issue with this system, as far as I can tell.

 

[Jer]

No. We tried it. It made our eyes bleed. It looks straight out of mid 80s mechanics

IMO it looks a lot more 3rd edition D&D to me than anything 80s. So maybe more 90s design than 80s.

 

[Jahydin]

The original FASERIP system is actually a really solid system. The charts make it feel a little dated but they work well once you get used to them

Is that where Ascendant got it's table from?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Is that where Ascendant got it's table from?
View attachment 251377

It was definitely inspired by FASERIP, according to the designer.

 

[JEB]

IMO it looks a lot more 3rd edition D&D to me than anything 80s. So maybe more 90s design than 80s.

Only partway through reading the book, but the core mechanics feel to me like 5E - with a lot of terms changed using a thesaurus - while the approach to bonuses and conditions is closer to 3E or even 4E. Honestly feel like someone's attempt at a homebrew hybrid system. Though there are some new mechanics in there, mainly on the side of superhero tropes.

 

[doctorhook]

There are many, many systems out there which aren't 5E, nor PbtA. Most of them pretty good. Or exceptional.

I know, I love some of them.

Though I would never go so far as “most systems that’s aren’t 5E or PbtA are pretty good or exceptional”. That’s not likely to be true, and it’s super subjective.

And most people have always said that they wouldn't play anything else outside of D&D. That's quite an historical trend in rpg circles.

And D&D (5E currently) remains the elephant in the hobby—most players still won’t play anything else… or perhaps the narrativists will drag them into whatever the PbtA flavour-of-the-day is.

I appreciate anyone who’s trying to write new crunch. There’s far too many stubborn naysayers and cynical spoilsports in the hobby.

Having said that... the list of powers and traits is eye-watering and painful to read. And it's not the only issue with this system, as far as I can tell.

This is surely an exaggeration, otherwise I recommend you consult an ophthalmologist. Yeah it could be more descriptive, but idk man, it’s really not that bad. As for the rest of the system, all I can see is this character sheet and the Spider-Man sheet, and it still looks fine.

I’ll judge it once I see it whole and try to play it. Y’all seem ready to dump it already.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Looking at this character sheet reinforces my feeling of how elegant Marvel Heroic is.

 

[TrippyHippy]

As has been pointed out already, but 1980s design includes things like Faserip and Ghostbusters D6 system which are actually pretty classic designs - which still significantly influence current game systems.

This new Marvel system is more like out of the 80s dustbin, by contrast. I know whenever there is a new game, there will always be somebody who will support it, but honestly, this is just awful. The stats are a meaningless, bizarrely scaled jumble of stats and the traits and powers likewise. It’s not just about ‘crunch’ or ‘narrative’ - it’s just a mess.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Why 3d6+42+8 instead of 3d6+50? I haven't been following the design and am curious.

And how weird that the variable amount averages only 20% of the fixed amount.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I know, I love some of them.

Though I would never go so far as “most systems that’s aren’t 5E or PbtA are pretty good or exceptional”. That’s not likely to be true, and it’s super subjective.

And D&D (5E currently) remains the elephant in the hobby—most players still won’t play anything else… or perhaps the narrativists will drag them into whatever the PbtA flavour-of-the-day is.

I appreciate anyone who’s trying to write new crunch. There’s far too many stubborn naysayers and cynical spoilsports in the hobby.

This is surely an exaggeration, otherwise I recommend you consult an ophthalmologist. Yeah it could be more descriptive, but idk man, it’s really not that bad. As for the rest of the system, all I can see is this character sheet and the Spider-Man sheet, and it still looks fine.

I’ll judge it once I see it while and try to play it. Y’all seem ready to dump it already.

I'm assuming what is shown here is the equivalent of a character sheet mixed with a monster entry in DnD based on Sabertooth being a villain.

From a GM perspective this page doesn't seem like it gives me a lot of up front information in terms of playing this character in combat, rather it would require me having to memorize or look up what the 12 or so listed powers mean in the context of the game. This would be a pretty daunting task for a new GM running a Sinister Six battle and having to do this with multiple distinct characters.