Looking for a super hero system recommendation.
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
West End Games’ DC Superheros is a good place to start, but then, I’m a fan of most of what WEG used to do. You can get the pdf fairly cheaply, or pick up the core book.
Then you have mutants and masterminds, the grandaddy of superhero systems, which works really well, and scales a bit better than DC Superheroes, and the third edition pdf is available fairly easily, and they produces a DC Superheros skin for the game, and that’s even easier to find. This system works really well for both dark and light superheroe games.
Then there’s Brave New World, and iconic superhero RPG. Difficult to find these days, but the setting is fun with a leaning towards a Watchmen feel.
If you’re looking for less super, more hero, then something like The Laundry is fun, and a very fun upbeat setting. Then you’ve got 'Is It A Plane’s, an unusual system, but really story driven and leans into the comic-book approach.
An honourable mention to GURPS, because you can play pretty much anything in it, including superheroes and you can get that dirt cheap on the internet.
Hope that helps!
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
I know nothing about masks, but it is by Magpie games, which means it is a Powered by the Apocalypse game. I personally do not care for those games at all. YMMV.
When I run superhero games I either use Palladium Games’ Heroes Unlimited, or TSR’s Marvel Superheroes.
Marvel also has a new RPG system called the 616 system. It utilizes 3d6 one of which is a different color. The upside to using this system, is it is currently in print… unlike the TSR Marvel system.
Heroes Unlimited may still be in print too. I know Palladium just reprinted TMNT & Other Strangeness. That is a spin off of HU and the two work well together.
Back in the late 80s into 90s there was a DC Superhero game too. I do not remember much about it, I think at only played a session or two of it. And I cannot remember who published it.
Mutants and Masterminds is another superhero game, I have never played it myself though.
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West End Games’ DC Superheros is a good place to start, but then, I’m a fan of most of what WEG used to do. You can get the pdf fairly cheaply, or pick up the core book.
Then you have mutants and masterminds, the grandaddy of superhero systems, which works really well, and scales a bit better than DC Superheroes, and the third edition pdf is available fairly easily, and they produces a DC Superheros skin for the game, and that’s even easier to find. This system works really well for both dark and light superheroe games.
Then there’s Brave New World, and iconic superhero RPG. Difficult to find these days, but the setting is fun with a leaning towards a Watchmen feel.
If you’re looking for less super, more hero, then something like The Laundry is fun, and a very fun upbeat setting. Then you’ve got 'Is It A Plane’s, an unusual system, but really story driven and leans into the comic-book approach.
An honourable mention to GURPS, because you can play pretty much anything in it, including superheroes and you can get that dirt cheap on the internet.
Hope that helps!
West End Games’ DC Superheros
I never would have guessed that was a WEG game. But I played DC years (well kids years, which seemed like an eternity) before I played d6 Star Wars.
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
Champions
I used to play some previous editions. It’s extremely flexible. It’s a point buy system. It has, for example, ways of defining a power that requires something external (which makes it cheaper in points), e.g. flight using a jet pack, and if that thing can be taken away. So you could build a Spider-Man that has web shooters that require ammo or you can make the one that spurts ropes right from his wrists.
It’s also flexible in that there are two types of damage. The first is more for a more brawly combat where you get them down to 0 stamina (or whatever it’s called) and they’re unconscious. Then there’s killing attacks that go for hp with an eye for making the other character dead. This makes it very easy for codes of conduct (e.g. no killing, which is also done with points) to easily be defined mechanically. Attacks can also be defined by what they can get through, like a psychic attack won’t be dampened by physical defense (but might have a weakness against unobtainium).
There’s also ways to build plot into characters. You can buy things like people important to your character ( that you may have to rescue), sidekicks, information contacts, nemesis, superior officers, organizations, etc.
My group managed to make great knock offs of Superman, the Flash, Iron Man, etc., but also had no problem with making a Sentai squad or a character that could copy abilities by absorbing them (which I suppose both MegaMan and Rogue do, but in different ways which you could define with this system).
And depending upon how many points you play with can determine if you’re doing Daredevil keeping the streets clean type things or Avengers save the multiverses type thing.
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I know nothing about masks, but it is by Magpie games, which means it is a Powered by the Apocalypse game. I personally do not care for those games at all. YMMV.
When I run superhero games I either use Palladium Games’ Heroes Unlimited, or TSR’s Marvel Superheroes.
Marvel also has a new RPG system called the 616 system. It utilizes 3d6 one of which is a different color. The upside to using this system, is it is currently in print… unlike the TSR Marvel system.
Heroes Unlimited may still be in print too. I know Palladium just reprinted TMNT & Other Strangeness. That is a spin off of HU and the two work well together.
Back in the late 80s into 90s there was a DC Superhero game too. I do not remember much about it, I think at only played a session or two of it. And I cannot remember who published it.
Mutants and Masterminds is another superhero game, I have never played it myself though.
Mutants and Masterminds is fun but making a character is a nightmare. It took several hours even with a computer app that theoretically had every book and option in it. And that’s like hour per player at least.
Buuuuut once it’s done you’re mostly just rolling a single d20 so things are much simpler in game.
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Champions
I used to play some previous editions. It’s extremely flexible. It’s a point buy system. It has, for example, ways of defining a power that requires something external (which makes it cheaper in points), e.g. flight using a jet pack, and if that thing can be taken away. So you could build a Spider-Man that has web shooters that require ammo or you can make the one that spurts ropes right from his wrists.
It’s also flexible in that there are two types of damage. The first is more for a more brawly combat where you get them down to 0 stamina (or whatever it’s called) and they’re unconscious. Then there’s killing attacks that go for hp with an eye for making the other character dead. This makes it very easy for codes of conduct (e.g. no killing, which is also done with points) to easily be defined mechanically. Attacks can also be defined by what they can get through, like a psychic attack won’t be dampened by physical defense (but might have a weakness against unobtainium).
There’s also ways to build plot into characters. You can buy things like people important to your character ( that you may have to rescue), sidekicks, information contacts, nemesis, superior officers, organizations, etc.
My group managed to make great knock offs of Superman, the Flash, Iron Man, etc., but also had no problem with making a Sentai squad or a character that could copy abilities by absorbing them (which I suppose both MegaMan and Rogue do, but in different ways which you could define with this system).
And depending upon how many points you play with can determine if you’re doing Daredevil keeping the streets clean type things or Avengers save the multiverses type thing.
I’ve heard that champions was really deep rules wise. How true is that? Like it’s too deep so it’s hard to onboard new players.
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
Outgunned has an upcoming supes game that’s cool!
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I’ve heard that champions was really deep rules wise. How true is that? Like it’s too deep so it’s hard to onboard new players.
You’ll want a character builder, but otherwise it’s 3d6 for most skill checks and a variable number of d6 for damage. You can check it out here. Most of it is about how to build powers, but once that’s done, gameplay goes pretty quickly.
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
I really like the sentinels comics rpg - https://www.greaterthangames.com/pages/sentinel-comics
It’s based on the sentinels of the multiverse card game, and has a really unique system. Basic low down - every roll you have die based on a “stat”, a power, and your (or the scene’s) status (green, yellow, red).
On a basic roll, you always take the middle die as your results. Powers might alter this or do something extra.
So for example, let’s say you have super strength as a stat for a d8, a power die of a d6 for the power you’re using, and a d6 for your current status (green). You’d roll all three of these and take whatever value is the “middle” result (so like d8 - 2, d6 - 4, d6- 5, you’d get a 4).
Powers might do something like “deal damage equal to the lowest die, but heal an ally for the middle die” or “deal damage with the highest die, but take a penalty equal to the lowest die”
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Outgunned has an upcoming supes game that’s cool!
I’ll look into this one. What is the rest of the outgunned rule set like?
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West End Games’ DC Superheros is a good place to start, but then, I’m a fan of most of what WEG used to do. You can get the pdf fairly cheaply, or pick up the core book.
Then you have mutants and masterminds, the grandaddy of superhero systems, which works really well, and scales a bit better than DC Superheroes, and the third edition pdf is available fairly easily, and they produces a DC Superheros skin for the game, and that’s even easier to find. This system works really well for both dark and light superheroe games.
Then there’s Brave New World, and iconic superhero RPG. Difficult to find these days, but the setting is fun with a leaning towards a Watchmen feel.
If you’re looking for less super, more hero, then something like The Laundry is fun, and a very fun upbeat setting. Then you’ve got 'Is It A Plane’s, an unusual system, but really story driven and leans into the comic-book approach.
An honourable mention to GURPS, because you can play pretty much anything in it, including superheroes and you can get that dirt cheap on the internet.
Hope that helps!
I actually played the west end DC game in college in ‘04. I remember it being crazy good at the time.
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I’ll look into this one. What is the rest of the outgunned rule set like?
The quickstart guide is free, just scope it out!
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Mutants and Masterminds is fun but making a character is a nightmare. It took several hours even with a computer app that theoretically had every book and option in it. And that’s like hour per player at least.
Buuuuut once it’s done you’re mostly just rolling a single d20 so things are much simpler in game.
Mutants and Masterminds is like, the ultimate trust fall for players and DMs. If everyone is being cool, then it literally has everything. There are a ton of options but its basically OGL 3.x with all the limiters turned off, with all the flexibility and power that implies.
If people aren’t being cool, well then, unrestricted time travel only costs 6 (of your default 150) build points.
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Mutants and Masterminds is like, the ultimate trust fall for players and DMs. If everyone is being cool, then it literally has everything. There are a ton of options but its basically OGL 3.x with all the limiters turned off, with all the flexibility and power that implies.
If people aren’t being cool, well then, unrestricted time travel only costs 6 (of your default 150) build points.
Yeah, my character was a private detective type whose only real power was ability to teleport things to his hands (mostly useful for disarming people). He also was untouchable in regards to various powers, but no real flashy ones other than the teleporting thing. Except, in the system, one could do…something, I forget what, and use a power in a different way for a bit? So he did. And used that to teleport a hive mind around.
He hated hive minds.
We also had the walking tank. Really easy to mind control though. You’d think
Supermanrandom alien man would really level up his anti mind control lol. -
Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
We are using Prowlers and Paragons Ultimate edition for our Super Hero game. It is a pretty good system; I am enjoying it.
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Howdy. So I’ve been running a 5e D&D game live at a table and another one on foundry. Both groups kind of collapsed over the holidays and that’s fine. I want to try a super hero RPG. I’ve been looking at Masks but it seems kind of teen focused which I’m not into. Does anyone know if this system is more adaptable than I’m giving it credit or if there is a better system they could recommend?
…the cypher system offers a superhero sourcebook which is pretty mechanically breezy (not unlike TSR’s old FASERIP system that regard) but what i especially love is how effortlessly it can drop in elements from other genres in the grand comic-book tradition…
