"The Boys meets The Black Company" System Recommendations


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Ovinomancer

No flips for you!
The problem with 4E is I don't know it well enough to run it smoothly, and it is pretty dense, rule and exception wise. If I were going to do it with D&D, I would honestly either use B/X or 5E, depending on which sort of players I wanted to court.
??? You're looking for recommendations for a system to do what you want, presumably because the ones you know don't, but you shoot down recommendations because you're not familiar with them? I am confused. I was going to recommend Blades in the Dark straight up, as I think it actually has a better structure than Bands for what you're doing (the score/downtime/entanglements loop fits very nicely, as does the way magnitude and tier works with action resolutions, and you can run scores to get the things needed to offset Supes abilities though higher tier/magnitude equipment and things). But reading your responses, I'm not sure what would constitute a valid suggestion, now!
 

Reynard

Legend
??? You're looking for recommendations for a system to do what you want, presumably because the ones you know don't, but you shoot down recommendations because you're not familiar with them? I am confused.
perhaps I wasn't clear: some things that I am not familiar with will take a lot more than the time I have to get comfortable and familiar with. Rules heavy, or exception heavy, in the case of 4E, is not a game that I think i could use effectively for this purpose in the time I am given. I wasn't aware that in asking for potential options I was signing on to agree to them all.
I was going to recommend Blades in the Dark straight up, as I think it actually has a better structure than Bands for what you're doing (the score/downtime/entanglements loop fits very nicely, as does the way magnitude and tier works with action resolutions, and you can run scores to get the things needed to offset Supes abilities though higher tier/magnitude equipment and things). But reading your responses, I'm not sure what would constitute a valid suggestion, now!
I was pretty clear upthread about FitD not being a good fit for me, given that I have failed to grasp its design intent in multiple threads -- threads, I might add, that you participated in.
 

Ovinomancer

No flips for you!
perhaps I wasn't clear: some things that I am not familiar with will take a lot more than the time I have to get comfortable and familiar with. Rules heavy, or exception heavy, in the case of 4E, is not a game that I think i could use effectively for this purpose in the time I am given. I wasn't aware that in asking for potential options I was signing on to agree to them all.
Well, that's fine, but you should indicate what you're accepting rather than the general request. So far, people have offered things in good faith and you've discarded them because they didn't meet your unstated requirements. Maybe state your requirements?
I was pretty clear upthread about FitD not being a good fit for me, given that I have failed to grasp its design intent in multiple threads -- threads, I might add, that you participated in.
Yes, I know, which is why I was going to recommend it but didn't because I saw your response. Then I read more of your responses, and they're all pretty similar. So, maybe, provide the bounds with which you are familiar? If it's D&D 5e and Savage Worlds, I really don't see a way to make this work without heavy GM modification of the systems. Your premise is too far away from what those systems do.
 

Reynard

Legend
Well, that's fine, but you should indicate what you're accepting rather than the general request. So far, people have offered things in good faith and you've discarded them because they didn't meet your unstated requirements. Maybe state your requirements?
I didn't "discard" them, I responded to the suggestion as a way to be polite.

I don't have a list of requirements. This isn't a formal request filled out in triplicate. It's a discussion. Moreover, it is entirely possible that someone else will get something out of a suggestion made here that won't work for me. That's okay -- great even.

It's not necessary to constrain these discussions to just giving and receiving advice.
 

Darth Solo

Explorer
"Normies vs. Capes" really doesn't scale well with most systems. FATE or RISUS maybe? You need a system where highly-experienced NPCs don't easily curbstomp the newb PCs. If you go after that "definite gulf of power" the confrontation of the two groups will end faster than you expect. With the lesser characters demolished. "Truth and Justice" is a more narrative-based supers RPG that might handle it because it's NARRATIVE rather than SIMULATIONIST. Maybe Monster of the Week making the powerful bad guys the monsters? Last ditch effort: Cortex Prime.
 

MattW

Explorer
This may sound a little unusual...
How about Traveller? It's usually a Science Fiction setting, but it has rules for swords, spears, brawling, etcetera (the new Mongoose Traveller even has platemail)
Advantages
1. It's a very simple mechanic (roll 2D6, add or subtract a few numbers, try to score a number set by GM).
2. "Hit points" have a fairly limited range
3. Magic (aka psionics) can be quite powerful but not overwhelming
4. Give your "supers" something like Battledress (aka Powered Armour) and they'll be stronger/faster, able to communicate across vast distances, shoot lightning (lasers) and even fly
 

Reynard

Legend
"Normies vs. Capes" really doesn't scale well with most systems. FATE or RISUS maybe? You need a system where highly-experienced NPCs don't easily curbstomp the newb PCs. If you go after that "definite gulf of power" the confrontation of the two groups will end faster than you expect. With the lesser characters demolished. "Truth and Justice" is a more narrative-based supers RPG that might handle it because it's NARRATIVE rather than SIMULATIONIST. Maybe Monster of the Week making the powerful bad guys the monsters? Last ditch effort: Cortex Prime.
The disparity in power and "curbstomp" ability is a feature in this case, not a bug. The point will be "how can we take this overpowered [bleep] out?" The answer might be deal with a demon, or use his own mythic sword, or put rot grubs in his feast wine. I don't want a system where the PCs have much of a chance in a stand up fight.
 

Fenris-77

Small God of the Dozens
Supporter
Mutants and Masterminds might be a good fit. Lots of room to build supers and theres and fantasy companion.
 

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