Superhero games...

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Got a possible hankering to run a superhero game. Wondering what's out there and any good?

D20 or not, it doesn't really matter! However, the less books needed the better.

 

[Dominic]

Champions is my all-time favorite superhero RPG. Options, Options, Options.

 

[Thanee]

Both Champions and Mutants & Masterminds require only one book (tho, there are a few others, i.e. Freedom City for M&M is said to be quite good). They are both great games. Champions is more complex and certainly requires more time to get a grasp for the rules.

There are a few others, but those are the ones I know, which are recommendable.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hjorimir]

I never really cared for Champions. While the mechanics are all there, the system feels too sluggish in play to really evince the free form high action of the comic genre.

I'd probably wait for Mutants and Masterminds, 2nd. ed. (which I think it in layout or already at the printers; check Green Ronin's site).

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I'm a big proponent of Champions and its HERO System. The "light" version of the game, HERO Sidekick, is cheap and fairly quick to learn, and has enough material to last you a long time.

 

[Morrus]

Got a possible hankering to run a superhero game. Wondering what's out there and any good?

D20 or not, it doesn't really matter! However, the less books needed the better.

​

 

[diaglo]

OD&D(1974)

do a one-shot for a group of higher level "superheroes".

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Ah, Mutants and Masterminds... heard a lot of good things about that. Might be time for an extended browse in my local FLGS...

Champions also sounds worth a look. Being used to 3.X D20, I'm not scared of a complicated ruleset! What's the schtick for that game?

Superhero toolkit... very tempting. Can't believe I forgot about that one either!

Diaglo - high level. Is that 3+? Always found higher levels (in all the editions I've played) come across more like a supers game than anything else.

 

[JimAde]

I never really cared for Champions. While the mechanics are all there, the system feels too sluggish in play to really evince the free form high action of the comic genre.

I'd probably wait for Mutants and Masterminds, 2nd. ed. (which I think it in layout or already at the printers; check Green Ronin's site).

Steve Kenson just posted in another thread that it has been sent to the printers. I was cursing him for taking time to proofread it.

I am planning to get M&M (obviously) but I have played Champions for years and really enjoy it. My 2 reasons for switching are:

1) My group includes people who are not rules-heads. It will be easier on them to have all our games share a similar system. So D&D, M&M and d20 Modern it is (formerly D&D, Champions and GURPS).

2) M&M Superlink. The OGL and 3rd-party products are the way to go. Hero just isn't putting out the stuff I want and nobody else is allowed to.

But having said all that, Champions will definitely let you build exactly the characters you want. It's a great system.

 

[Voadam]

d20 abberant is free at http://www.drivethrurpg.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=47_68&products_id=747&affiliate_id=17596 for a pdf d20 dark supers game.

Four color to fantasy toolkit uses d20 modern and the older one uses 3.0 D&D for its rules.

There is also Vigilance at www.rpgnow.com and blood and vigilance and deeds not words.

At rpgnow.com there is also a whole superheroes category and a separate subcategory in the d20 modern section for d20 superheroes.

for non-d20 there is Living Legends which recently came out by Jeff Dee who used to do Villains and Vigilantes.

In print there are stuff like Mutants and Masterminds, Silver Age Sentinels, BESM and BESM d20, Champions, Heroes Unlimited, and others.