Which superhero system is best for a newbie?
- Thread starter Morbidity
- Start date
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
The biggest one is no hit points. Damage is another saving throw. You fail badly enough, you're seriously hurt.
And you have to pretty much BUY with points everything from BAB to Saves, etc etc.
Other than that, the rules are very similar to d20 Modern. In fact, half the feats are the same, and the feats from Nocturnals seem to be mostly converted d20 Modern feats, as well.
Oh, and you buy feats with power points, too.
--fje
And you have to pretty much BUY with points everything from BAB to Saves, etc etc.
Other than that, the rules are very similar to d20 Modern. In fact, half the feats are the same, and the feats from Nocturnals seem to be mostly converted d20 Modern feats, as well.
Oh, and you buy feats with power points, too.
--fje
Ranger REG
Explorer
Okay, you'll notice certain familiar terms from D&D.C. Baize said:
Steve Kenson took the SRD and turn it into a different yet playable ruleset.C. Baize said:
Morbidity said:
For just a one-off, I'd poke around Google and look for a free set of rules. Or perhaps pick up Hero's Sidekick rules (I believe they're about 10 bucks US) and find some writeups on the web to use as characters. Much as I think M&M and SAS are both pretty cool, they're on the pricy side for a single session of use - I'd only recommend picking them up if you thought there was a decent chance your group would play 'em for a while.
First, to allay any fears you might have, a superhero game is not unlike a high-level FRPG. The PCs are much more powerful than the average joe, but there are still challenges that require their immense power.
So, short answer- in order, I reccomend HERO System, Mutants & Masterminds or Godlike if you are a fairly experienced gamer, M&M, Godlike or HERO if you are relatively new to the hobby.
Why:
HERO is a point based system, and is my personal favorite (both the system in general and for supers in particular). Nothing quite matches it in flexibility and cross-genre consistency- there is absolutely no problem mixing superheroes, giant monsters, sorcerers, aliens or anything else. However, that flexibility comes at a cost- it is VERY rules/number crunching intensive. If you're a rules lawyer/PC tweeker or master thespian of any kind, your PC generation process can bog down in the myriad details that the system allows. Calculators are strongly advised, both for PC generation and game play. The main die used is the D6, and the more, the better.
However, Mutants & Masterminds, another point-based system, has quickly become my all-time #2 fave Supers game, vaulting ahead of others I've played & owned, like SAS D20, Brave New World, Heroes Unlimited/Cosmic Enforcers, Underworld, Aberrant/Aberrant D20 and Godlike.
Its nearly as flexible as HERO, but it has a lot flatter learning curve, esp. if you already have experience with any other D20 game (technically, its not D20, but its so close it doesn't matter). Plus, the setting is well done- Steve Kenson obviously took his time. HERO may simulate the comics better, but M&M's PC generation and combat systems are SO much more streamlined that a less experienced gamer cannot be scared off/disgusted by the game's complexity, a potential hazard with HERO.
My #3 favorite supers game is Godlike, and it has only 2 flaws as far as I'm concerned. There is a general lack of support publications available relative to other systems, and it is (so far) irrevocably tied to a WWII setting...although it handles that MAGNIFICENTLY. There are a lot of powers available, and this game is FLAVOR-RICH! Bonus: as far as I know, it is one of the only WWII RPG settings out there (I think GURPS has one). Its a D10 based game, with mechanics similar to Vampire, the Masquerade and the rest of the White Wolf Storyteller RPGs. There are also aspects of it that are similar to M&M, like Stunts and Extras that modify powers (called Talents) for example.
So, short answer- in order, I reccomend HERO System, Mutants & Masterminds or Godlike if you are a fairly experienced gamer, M&M, Godlike or HERO if you are relatively new to the hobby.
Why:
HERO is a point based system, and is my personal favorite (both the system in general and for supers in particular). Nothing quite matches it in flexibility and cross-genre consistency- there is absolutely no problem mixing superheroes, giant monsters, sorcerers, aliens or anything else. However, that flexibility comes at a cost- it is VERY rules/number crunching intensive. If you're a rules lawyer/PC tweeker or master thespian of any kind, your PC generation process can bog down in the myriad details that the system allows. Calculators are strongly advised, both for PC generation and game play. The main die used is the D6, and the more, the better.
However, Mutants & Masterminds, another point-based system, has quickly become my all-time #2 fave Supers game, vaulting ahead of others I've played & owned, like SAS D20, Brave New World, Heroes Unlimited/Cosmic Enforcers, Underworld, Aberrant/Aberrant D20 and Godlike.
Its nearly as flexible as HERO, but it has a lot flatter learning curve, esp. if you already have experience with any other D20 game (technically, its not D20, but its so close it doesn't matter). Plus, the setting is well done- Steve Kenson obviously took his time. HERO may simulate the comics better, but M&M's PC generation and combat systems are SO much more streamlined that a less experienced gamer cannot be scared off/disgusted by the game's complexity, a potential hazard with HERO.
My #3 favorite supers game is Godlike, and it has only 2 flaws as far as I'm concerned. There is a general lack of support publications available relative to other systems, and it is (so far) irrevocably tied to a WWII setting...although it handles that MAGNIFICENTLY. There are a lot of powers available, and this game is FLAVOR-RICH! Bonus: as far as I know, it is one of the only WWII RPG settings out there (I think GURPS has one). Its a D10 based game, with mechanics similar to Vampire, the Masquerade and the rest of the White Wolf Storyteller RPGs. There are also aspects of it that are similar to M&M, like Stunts and Extras that modify powers (called Talents) for example.
Malin Genie
First Post
Morbidity forgot to mention that one of the major requirements of the system is that it not facilitate the DM playing cruelly with the characters like a particularly sadistic cat given the run of the rabbit-hutch.
Not that I don't trust her completely....
Not that I don't trust her completely....
Well, just to add a me too.
Mutants and Masterminds. While I can't judge SAS, I can say HERO is way too much for someone with little experience with it. It /can/ be done, but it just always seemed bogged down to me.
M&M looks, at least, much simpler. And as a bonus (Heh, on this board it can be called a bonus, at least) it is d20.
Mutants and Masterminds. While I can't judge SAS, I can say HERO is way too much for someone with little experience with it. It /can/ be done, but it just always seemed bogged down to me.
M&M looks, at least, much simpler. And as a bonus (Heh, on this board it can be called a bonus, at least) it is d20.
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
If you REALLY want a "One Shot" and don't want to invest a bunch of money in something ...
I think M&M Headquarters has a downloadable PDF of the brochure handout from the Gen Con when M&M was announced ... inside is a pretty short "How To" section explaining the combat rules, along with two characters (good guy/bad guy).
You might download that and get somebody who has the book to pre-generate you some characters and badguys.
Take the quickplay rules, do a little one-night adventure and Supers slugfest ... see if you like it.
I mean, a book is mostly rules for generating characters and clarifying combat, etc etc. You don't need all of that if you're never going to play the game past a single session ... get enough stuff to run a single session, run that session, see if people like it.
If they do and want to play more, THEN pick up a copy and roll with it. I'm sure there's some helpful people somewhere with M&M rules that wouldn't mind whipping you up a few varied characters for a one-shot.
EDIT: Or "Blood and Vigilance". Get somebody to make up some characters for "Blood and Vigilance" and tell you quickly how to play it. See if your group likes it. If they do, buy it.
The golden thing about gaming is that other gamers are usually helpful. Sometimes too helpful. You can usually walk into a comics store and ask to learn how to play something, and people will sit down and tell you. Don't see why the internet should be any different.
--fje
I think M&M Headquarters has a downloadable PDF of the brochure handout from the Gen Con when M&M was announced ... inside is a pretty short "How To" section explaining the combat rules, along with two characters (good guy/bad guy).
You might download that and get somebody who has the book to pre-generate you some characters and badguys.
Take the quickplay rules, do a little one-night adventure and Supers slugfest ... see if you like it.
I mean, a book is mostly rules for generating characters and clarifying combat, etc etc. You don't need all of that if you're never going to play the game past a single session ... get enough stuff to run a single session, run that session, see if people like it.
If they do and want to play more, THEN pick up a copy and roll with it. I'm sure there's some helpful people somewhere with M&M rules that wouldn't mind whipping you up a few varied characters for a one-shot.
EDIT: Or "Blood and Vigilance". Get somebody to make up some characters for "Blood and Vigilance" and tell you quickly how to play it. See if your group likes it. If they do, buy it.
The golden thing about gaming is that other gamers are usually helpful. Sometimes too helpful. You can usually walk into a comics store and ask to learn how to play something, and people will sit down and tell you. Don't see why the internet should be any different.
--fje
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Another vote for Mutants and Masterminds - combat's streamlined yet does a good job of recreating comic book (or Justice League cartoon) actions.
Creating a character's a snap, even without d20 experience. Half of my players had never played a d20 game prior to M&M.
I've gotten to the point where I don't need to write anything down in combat - no hit points to keep track of, I just use various colored poker chips under the miniatures to represent various states of well-being.
Of course, if you don't use miniatures, you'd have to write those things down, but it's simpler than the way D&D does combat.
Creating a character's a snap, even without d20 experience. Half of my players had never played a d20 game prior to M&M.
I've gotten to the point where I don't need to write anything down in combat - no hit points to keep track of, I just use various colored poker chips under the miniatures to represent various states of well-being.
Of course, if you don't use miniatures, you'd have to write those things down, but it's simpler than the way D&D does combat.
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