Superhero RPG suggestions?

[Mournblade94]

I enjoy Mutants and MAstermind 3rd edition...

But I have to go with MARVEL SUPERHEROES. If you don't want to get bogged down in rules and simulationism like I do, it is the best out there.

PLUS you can get alot of the powers books online. MSH I thought was one of the best RPG's I ever played. I played it recently, as a get together, and it was loads of fun. I played it exclusively for about 2 years in the 80's.

I am an RPG'er and a comic fan. And a scientist. SO, it is a difficult barrier for me to get over when I realize COMIC book characters have no REAL MEANINGFUL RPG statistics.

When I claim THOR can beat HULK in a fight (And don't anyone else Dare to think otherwise!) I would like RPG statistics to go: SEE we can play it out.

If I want to know if Elminster can beat Khelben, it is a simple matter of Playing them and seeing who wins, or maybe draws.

Thor and Hulk argument does not have that luxury. There are no REAL stats to judge. This hurts my gamer brain. I want to be able to take THOR stats, and HULK stats and pit them against each other. While Thor would UNDOUBTEDLY win, I have no RPG stats to prove that empirical fact

Marvel Superheroes was great, because it seemed to be a system acknowledging that we just don't know. The stats were all set up like power levels. You could tweak it how you thought it correct.

Thor would just about always beat the Hulk.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

When I claim THOR can beat HULK in a fight (And don't anyone else Dare to think otherwise!) I would like RPG statistics to go: SEE we can play it out.

I dare!

Thor and Hulk argument does not have that luxury. There are no REAL stats to judge. This hurts my gamer brain. I want to be able to take THOR stats, and HULK stats and pit them against each other. While Thor would UNDOUBTEDLY win, I have no RPG stats to prove that empirical fact

It depends on who is doing the writing and whose title the conflict takes place in. As defined in Marvel's own sourcebooks, Hulk has no known upper limit to his strength- they really meant it when they wrote "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets" all those years ago. Also as from Marvel's own sourcebooks, Thor's powers have gone through several periods of expansion (as in, he's able to do more and more over time).

Basically, it works out like this: if Thor takes his time taking down the Hulk, he will lose. If Thor goes full-bore from moment one, he'll win.

 

[jaerdaph]

I highly recommend Steve Kenson's ENnie Nominated ICONS Superpowered Roleplaying from Adamant Entertainment. It is very rules-lite and easy to learn and be up and running. You can do both random or point buy chargen, and there is some phenomenal support from Adamant and third party publishers like Vigilance Press and Melior Via.

 

[edemaitre]

Free superhero rpgs

As much as I like Mutants & Masterminds/DC Adventures or Icons, they're not quite free. The advantage of truly free games is that you can easily download them and find one that suits your preferences for tone, crunch, and length.

Free RPG List Entries: superhero
Scifi 411 - List of Free Roleplaying Games
The Free RPG Compendium
Which is the best rules-lite Superhero RPG for an extended campaign?? - Page 3
Old-school Superhero RPG Bonanza Steve Lopez's Big Blog o'Fun
Free RPG List Entries: rules-lite
RPG Library - Games

I'd recommend starting with a relatively rules-light game (several are in the lists above, as well a some old-school style ones) to see what your players like. It's always easier to convert a character from a less-complex system into a more-complex rules set if that's what the group eventually moves to. I myself like BASH Ultimate Edition. Happy gaming!

 

[jaerdaph]

I myself like BASH Ultimate Edition.

Full Disclosure: Also not quite free.

 

[Umbran]

And FWIW, Champions also predates Marvel Superheroes- 1981 as opposed to 1984.

As does Villains and Vigilantes - 1st edition in 1979. 2nd edition in 1982.

My memory must be slipping. I coulda sworn MSH had come out in '82, and the others had come out just after. I guess I better start enjoying life before I go entirely senile...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Perhaps you should see the Nile and see Nile before you go senile!

Besides, you're not alone: until about 2000, I thought Champions was the first supers RPG.

 

[pming]

Hiya.

Marvel Super Heroes Advanced ( Classic Marvel Forever - MSH Classic RPG | Home Page ) As far as I know, TSR/WotC did specifically give them the ok waaaaay back when it was TSR (at the end of their days, before the big buy-out). Anyway...

The MSHA system is fast and easy to grasp. It allows for a HUGE range of power levels...from Forbush Man and Aunt May to the Beyonder and Living Tribunal. Powers are almost never narrowly defined if they do more than one thing in the first place (re: "Water Breathing" is pretty specific, but "Gravity Control" is pretty wide open). With the 'power stunt' system, you can pretty much try and use your power however you want. We always thought it was a bit expensive to do, so we did some house ruling on it. Which is another bonus; you can house-rule the hell out of that game and it doesn't break. Plus...it uses the Marvel universe.

So...yeah. MSHA for the win. Easy, quick, versitile and free.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Hiya.

Marvel Super Heroes Advanced ( Classic Marvel Forever - MSH Classic RPG | Home Page ) As far as I know, TSR/WotC did specifically give them the ok waaaaay back when it was TSR (at the end of their days, before the big buy-out). Anyway...

The MSHA system is fast and easy to grasp. It allows for a HUGE range of power levels...from Forbush Man and Aunt May to the Beyonder and Living Tribunal. Powers are almost never narrowly defined if they do more than one thing in the first place (re: "Water Breathing" is pretty specific, but "Gravity Control" is pretty wide open). With the 'power stunt' system, you can pretty much try and use your power however you want. We always thought it was a bit expensive to do, so we did some house ruling on it. Which is another bonus; you can house-rule the hell out of that game and it doesn't break. Plus...it uses the Marvel universe.

So...yeah. MSHA for the win. Easy, quick, versitile and free.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

I do think this version of MSHRP is a really good bet. Fast flowing, easy for everyone to catch on to quickly and so on. Much as I love all versions of M&M, Marvel always has a place in my heart as that was likely the first supers game my group ever played, regularly and we had some great times with it.

 

[teitan]

4C is a recreation of the old Marvel rules and the pdf IS free... 4C System by Public Domain in Games

It is a 32 page book with all the rules you need to run the game, including powers etc.