What makes a successful superhero game?

[GrimCo]

I know I'm weird but I'm someone who likes to play the BW-type character

Not weird. In first post on this topic, i said my own preference are street level heroes. Hell, my favorite "hero" was and still is Punisher (and i like to play that type of characters). So power levels around peak human to low level superhuman (fe WW2 era Cap in First avenger as upper limit power wise). Guys and gals that can still be taken out by more capable regular Joe human criminals. I only implied that, at least in my personal experience, in games, teams of heroes with vastly different power levels just don't mesh well, specially in more action oriented games. And from GM perspective, for that kind of team, it's hard finding suitable challenge where everyone can contribute in a fight. Throw regular human criminals, big guns walk over them. Throw superpowered mooks that can challenge big guns, they stomp low level heroes.

 

[overgeeked]

Problem with big name mainstream supers is that they are inconsistent with their portrayal when it comes to their abilities. Some of them are very old and went trough numerous changes over the years and different writers.

To me that’s a feature not a bug. Don’t like one version of the character? Wait 12-18 months. A new version will arrive.

Another thing is that some stuff that works in comics or movies, doesn't work in ttrpgs. Avengers work in comics/movies. But in tttrpgs, it falls apart cause no one want's to play Hawkeye or BW when playing big guns is much more fun, specially if it's more action oriented game.

I do and I have. I literally played a Green Arrow clone in M&M 2E when some of the other PCs were Superman and Batman clones.

 

[overgeeked]

Not weird. In first post on this topic, i said my own preference are street level heroes. Hell, my favorite "hero" was and still is Punisher (and i like to play that type of characters). So power levels around peak human to low level superhuman (fe WW2 era Cap in First avenger as upper limit power wise). Guys and gals that can still be taken out by more capable regular Joe human criminals. I only implied that, at least in my personal experience, in games, teams of heroes with vastly different power levels just don't mesh well, specially in more action oriented games. And from GM perspective, for that kind of team, it's hard finding suitable challenge where everyone can contribute in a fight. Throw regular human criminals, big guns walk over them. Throw superpowered mooks that can challenge big guns, they stomp low level heroes.

As I said up thread, it’s not hard at all. You have a mixed group of PCs so throw a mixed challenge at them. Put things in that only Batman can handle alongside things only Superman can handle alongside things only Plastic Man can handle, etc. This is also why superheroes have a nemesis and why those villains so often team up. The Joker isn’t a challenge to Superman, but is to Batman. Mongol isn’t someone Batman has any hope of facing, but he’s a challenge to Superman, etc.

All it takes is thinking like a comic book writer instead of a wargame player.

 

[MichaelSomething]

As I said up thread, it’s not hard at all. You have a mixed group of PCs so throw a mixed challenge at them. Put things in that only Batman can handle alongside things only Superman can handle alongside things only Plastic Man can handle, etc. This is also why superheroes have a nemesis and why those villains so often team up. The Joker isn’t a challenge to Superman, but is to Batman. Mongol isn’t someone Batman has any hope of facing, but he’s a challenge to Superman, etc.

All it takes is thinking like a comic book writer instead of a wargame player.

Your character can fight a tank but can they track down Carmen Sandeigo? And yes, I literally did throw a "where in the world is Carmen Sandeigo?" type adventure at my M&M group.