Superhero systems?

[Pramas]

Mutants & Masterminds

I don't know why Green Ronin chose to go with levels when they had already come so close to eliminating all that was bad about the d20 system. Unlike a level system, where your character sits through long periods of stagnation punctuated by instantaneous increases in ability, knowledge, or power, HERO is a point system where you, as a player, can control your character's growth.

You will like the way we do levels in Mutants & Masterminds. Power level controls your maximums in things like attack bonus and the like. However, your experience points are power points and it takes 15 power points to go up a level. Now you can spend those power points as soon as you get them, if there are new powers or add ons that you want immediately. If you want to bump up your attack bonus, defense, or powers that are already maxed out though, you'll need to save a few points so that when you hit the next level you can buy them up to your new maximum.

So basically, power levels in M&M are a control device, but you have a lot of flexibility in when and how you spend your power points.

I admire GR for how they fiddled with hit points; it's very nifty. However, using what I've heard of M&M, I'd have to say that it misses out on being system-compatible.

Our design goal with Mutants & Masterminds was to make a great d20 supers game. We started with the d20 core rules and tried to optimize them for superhero play. When we had to choose between being 100% compatible with D&D or doing what would make a better supers game, we chose the latter. That said, we also tried to provide options. For instance, we provide alternate rules for using hit points instead of the Damage Check mechanic and indeed some of our playtest groups preferred hit points and ran all their playtest under that system.

 

[Synicism]

Re: Mutants & Masterminds

Originally posted by Pramas You will like the way we do levels in Mutants & Masterminds. Power level controls your maximums in things like attack bonus and the like. However, your experience points are power points and it takes 15 power points to go up a level. Now you can spend those power points as soon as you get them, if there are new powers or add ons that you want immediately. If you want to bump up your attack bonus, defense, or powers that are already maxed out though, you'll need to save a few points so that when you hit the next level you can buy them up to your new maximum.

So basically, power levels in M&M are a control device, but you have a lot of flexibility in when and how you spend your power points.

Hmmm. Reminds me a little bit of the system Godlike used for its d20 rules - you spend your EXP to raise things, but you also track it to find out what "level" you are.

So basically, saying that someone is a 150 point character is the same thing as calling someone a 10th level character.

Makes sense to me. I like it!

 

[mmadsen]

Re: Mutants & Masterminds

You will like the way we do levels in Mutants & Masterminds. Power level controls your maximums in things like attack bonus and the like. However, your experience points are power points and it takes 15 power points to go up a level. Now you can spend those power points as soon as you get them, if there are new powers or add ons that you want immediately. If you want to bump up your attack bonus, defense, or powers that are already maxed out though, you'll need to save a few points so that when you hit the next level you can buy them up to your new maximum.

So is it as if all powers belong in one big Hero-style multipower with the active points in your power pool determined by your character level?