What heroes games are there?

[Stormborn]

The perfect game is Mayfair Games DC Heroes (3rd Edition). It's out of print BUT its underlying rules are available in the Blood of Heroes RPG.

Don't let the horrendous art throw you off because the game is great... by far my favorite "supers" RPG.

There was even a Watchmen supplement for the DC Heroes game, which works seamlessly with Blood of Heroes. Sadly it is out of print a pricey on Amazon.com.

Noble Knight Games has Blood of Heroes for a reasonable price and all versions of the DC Heroes games at unreasonable prices.

However, I once ran a pretty good Pulp Heroes game with d20 Modern, some Thirlling Tales, GR's Psychic Handbook, and some odds and ends. Powers were all low level but it was pretty fun.

 

[brehobit]

Champions can work well here, but it takes some effort. The skill system is cool because you really can make a "batman" like character that's fairly balanced with actual "supers". This makes having one-or-two supers mixed in with a group of highly skilled "normals" viable. Keep it around 75-100 points and don't allow power frameworks (multi-powers, elemental controls) other than a gadget pool and you should be okay.

 

[sfgiants]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have been giving it more thought and think I will go with Mutants and Masterminds. It isn't perfect for what I want but I think it is the best bet. A couple further questions:

a) How well do the HP rules in the Masterminds Manual work?
b) Is there a way to have equipment be more like d20 modern and not part of a character? (as in m&m)
c) I am looking for some minis. There are a lot of heroclix out there. What sets/where should I look for thugs, policemen, bystanders etc?

Thanks again

 

[ValhallaGH]

a) How well do the HP rules in the Masterminds Manual work?
b) Is there a way to have equipment be more like d20 modern and not part of a character? (as in m&m)
c) I am looking for some minis. There are a lot of heroclix out there. What sets/where should I look for thugs, policemen, bystanders etc?

Thanks again

a) Not a clue. I've never used them.

b) The Equipment feat is like d20 Modern's spending of Wealth. The gear isn't permanent (like a Device), it's just some stuff you have currently. It's more like a resource pool than a permanent acquisition. Equipment can be broken, stolen, destroyed, lost, or simply run out of power. Once that happens, they need to be repaired / replaced and availability is up to the GM. However, the character should be able to acquire other useful equipment of up to the same value. They still invested in the feat, meaning they should get some benefit from it; the player may just have to get used to no longer having laser rifles around.

c) A few of the very early sets (making them expensive), as well as the most recent DC set Arkham Asylum.

You're welcome, and I wish you great fortune in getting your game running.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Savage Worlds is a pretty solid rule set, and it's much more flexible than d20M. But unless you use special character building rules, SW heroes just aren't that unique combination of broadly capable and expertly skillful that the Watchmen were. SW can do a great job with Silk Specter or even Rorschach, but it falls short of Nite Owl and Ozymandius (who did get hurt by catching that bullet). And miles short of Dr. Manhattan.

It's been a while since I read Watchmen, but isn't Nite Owl just a regular (albeit intelligent) guy with gadgets?

I don't see most of the costumed heroes using the Necessary Evil rules; everyone but Ozymandias and Dr. Manhattan would just be a regular (but experienced and tough) wild card. Ozymandias would have AB (superpowers) from NE, mostly using his points for stat and skill boosts. Manhattan...I think that he'd have to be more nebulous. I agree that SW, even with NE, wouldn't be able to model him well, but I don't think he needs to be built. He's more a plot device, anyways. DEFINITELY an NPC.


EDIT: Unless NE was what you were referring to by special character building rules...Yeah, base SW would not work well for Ozymandias unless he was strictly an NPC; he's just better than everyone else. I think the bullet-catching was just him blowing all his bennies to soak that gunshot and the GM describing it in an appropriately superhuman manner

 

[ValhallaGH]

It's been a while since I read Watchmen, but isn't Nite Owl just a regular (albeit intelligent) guy with gadgets?

Gadgets that he built (showcasing his remarkable technical skills), that provided the equivalent of super sensory powers (thermal vision, bat sonar, etc), concealment powers (smoke clouds, etc), and impressive protective powers (fire and weapon resistances, etc). Yes.

Since I'm unfamiliar with Necessary Evil (Really? That's the Savage Worlds supers-supplement?), it does qualify as "special rules" in my statements.

 

[jdrakeh]

. . . and all versions of the DC Heroes games at unreasonable prices.

Much to my frustration, those prices reflect the current collectible nature of the game. DC Heroes (in any edition) is pretty hard to find in a 'complete' state. It's one of those systems that was apparently good enough that most people won't or don't part with it once they own it (this is especially true of the two later editions).

I've seen exactly one complete, used, copy of DC Heroes 2e in acceptable condition, for a reasonable price*, outside of Noble Knight in my ten years of actively looking for one. I have never seen a complete, used, copy of DC Heroes 3e outside of Noble Knight in that same period of time. This Christmas, I'm finally biting the bullet

*Less than $100 US.

 

[M.L. Martin]

Much to my frustration, those prices reflect the current collectible nature of the game. DC Heroes (in any edition) is pretty hard to find in a 'complete' state. It's one of those systems that was apparently good enough that most people won't or don't part with it once they own it (this is especially true of the two later editions).

I've seen exactly one complete, used, copy of DC Heroes 2e in acceptable condition, for a reasonable price*, outside of Noble Knight in my ten years of actively looking for one. I have never seen a complete, used, copy of DC Heroes 3e outside of Noble Knight in that same period of time. This Christmas, I'm finally biting the bullet

*Less than $100 US.

jdrakeh--I have a used copy of DC Heroes 3E that I would be willing to find a good home, since I'm unlikely to ever make any real use of it. Contact me and we'll see if we can arrange something.

 

[TheWyrd]

There are a number of sites out there that sell Hero Clix by the individual piece. They are generally priced by usefulness in the game which makes Police and Swat teams pretty reasonable... like $0.22 cents each particularly if you look for rookie level pieces.

I'm a big fan of Mutants and Masterminds but agree that the rules for character creation can be a little arcane. Honestly, a lot of systems would probably be pretty good. Savage Worlds and D6 adventure would both probably do what you need.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Gadgets that he built (showcasing his remarkable technical skills), that provided the equivalent of super sensory powers (thermal vision, bat sonar, etc), concealment powers (smoke clouds, etc), and impressive protective powers (fire and weapon resistances, etc). Yes.

So, he's pretty much got infrared night vision, sonar, smoke bombs, and a fire-resistant bulletproof suit, then? That still doesn't seem gadget-level, except as a convenience. You can find rules for all that (except MAYBE sonar) in modern RPGs, like d20 Modern. Savage Worlds has all of it except sonar as purchasable equipment.

Since I'm unfamiliar with Necessary Evil (Really? That's the Savage Worlds supers-supplement?)

It's both a Supers rules supplement and a campaign setting/plot point campaign, like a cross between a rules supplement, a setting, and an adventure path. The setting is that most of the world's superheroes died in an alien invasion, but the supervillains are sure as HELL not going to let some other evil super-things take over THEIR EARTH! So, a lot of them band together to fight the aliens. It's fun stuff. The Player's Guide (which includes all the rules) is only $7, IIRC. I've used it to run White Wolf's Scion setting.