Using the old school program for a Superhero game?

[Atomic Ray]

That is the basic idea...classic style gaming...old school mentality...applied to the theme of superhero gaming.

Have you tried it?

Reason I ask is that I did, way back when...Villains and Vigilantes came out and then Champions...but back in the day I used the core of what I will say is available as Labyrinth Lord to run several versions of Superhero games...everyone was familiar with the system so it made the introduction of a new theme that much easier.

The most successful one, started in 1982...yeah I know, before you were born lol...ended up being quite close to Heroes or Alphas TV shows...

The characters started as mundanes...regular folks, usually it was us...kids in High School or just out of school...normal stats...we came up with a series of tests to build stats rather than rolling for them...that was one of the fun parts...any disagreement was voted on...

everyone started with baseline 11's and then took tests for more points...so no there was little chance of an 18 before considering powers/talents

STR...we did not have access to a gym so we used two 5 pound weights...held out at arms length to either side, four quarters were put on each hand...if a coin fell off either hand the test was complete (no rounding up)...1pt for each full minute...example: Joe held the weights up for 3 minutes and 59 seconds, +3 STR...so a 14 STR...an 18 would mean both arms out for 7 minutes without dropping a single coin

INT...we used GPA lol...4.0 +3pts, 3.5-3.99 +2pts, 3.0-3.49 +1pts...later we had a short IQ test with 10 questions and used this as +1pt for every 2 answers right (but this only works once because you would know the answers) so you would need a new one...but it was a speed test as well, no computer, no google...could even use the tough answers from Jeopardy lol

DEX...we had a series of tests...juggle 3 balls +1pt for 30secs without dropping any...balance a yard stick on finger tip straight up or on nose, +1pt for 30secs without dropping it...the coin snatch, place a single stack of quarters on elbow with palm on shoulder and in a single sweep down catch the coins, this was a one time test +1pt for every 2 quarters caught (an 18 DEX would mean +7pts or 14 quarters caught)...just one test or another not a combined score

CON...8 count body builders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQT-wZdP28 +1pt for each 10 reps...22 reps +2 CON...an 18 would be 70 reps

WIS...answer a series of philosophy questions...answer a handful of riddles...etc. most of us only got a couple right...15 seemed impossible much less 18

CHA...this was always a tough one...we actually usually accepted the 11 or rolled for it

(we had a couple cases were the person was unable to do a certain test...one guy was blind so he rolled his DEX)

After all this we would randomly roll for one power...just one.

The powers were grouped, so one power had options...for example

Flight...wings...twice character weight...x4 running speed
Flight...self +STR in pounds...x6 running speed
Flight...equal to running speed...endless use
Flight...life support while flying...x2 running speed
etc.

We had a large list of basic powers with the like extras...Strong, Tough, Fast, Fly, etc.

*****

Anyway I was curious if anyone else considered a Superhero game with old school rules?

[kjc]

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/76387/Hid ... 00_0_0_0_0

I thought of the above when I read your post, but to answer your question, no I've never played that way. I have played many supers games including V&V and CHAMPIONS...good times!

[Atomic Ray]

I was digging through my huge collection of notes and materials from my gaming efforts and could not find the powers chart...but in my defense it was a couple of years ago.

Basically it work out to this

Smart...gadget guys, inventors, gimmick types, etc.
Psionic...telepathy, telekinesis, empathy, mental blast,etc.
Strong...growth, stronger, strength tricks like super punch or stomp, etc.
Tough...armored, density increase, regeneration, etc.
Movement...flight, super speed, teleport, etc.
Energy...beams, blasts, bombs, drains, transfers, etc.
Exotic...shapechange, shrinking, intangible, etc.

*****

One of the tricks I used for the power curve was to allow them to use as much power as they wanted to...but each time they exceeded a set value there was a chance to never go back...

Example:

Muscle Man...17yr old with great strength...24 STR, 7', 300lbs...he pushes his strength to catch an oncoming train, to slow it down...he pushes his strength to a 30 and succeeds...but now his minimum strength is a 6...the smallest pressure he can apply is a 6 STR, which doesn't sound like much...until you try to eat, pet a dog, pick up a baby.

It turned out interesting in the end with several characters loosing touch with reality, with their humanity, and becoming bad guys...

Manimal could absorb animal DNA and use aspects of the same...horns, poison stinger, strength, speed, toughness, etc. but he exceeded his allowed library and kept going...then each use left a portion behind...so he became Chimera.

Muscle Man became Ogre.

Fire Ball became a fire elemental, always burning with intensity...but he never went bad...just mad, insane...could never touch anyone or even approach living plants or animals...lived at a volcano for a while...suspect he jumped in...(actually he jumped in the nearby ocean, sank deep, and finally extinguished his flame)

[Vlark]

http://matt-landofnod.blogspot.com/p/mystery-men.html

[gentleman john]

Considered it, but never really got round to it.

The problem that we had was, at the time, the heroes presented in the comics were static in terms of their powers and abilities. D&D was very much a game of advancement and achievement to us. Your character did adventures, gained experience, went up in levels. Simple. In the comics (or at least the ones we could get in Belfast in the early 80s), the characters were at a level of power and very rarely changed from the basics.

We did play SHRPGs, though. We played V&V, Champions, MSH, DCH, HU, TMNTAOS, Golden Heroes ... All good stuff that we managed to get through Modeller's Nook/The Dungeon or by mail order from GW. While we never thought of using D&D to run superhero games, we did use superhero games to run D&D style adventures. This may seem strange, but we did enjoy Savage Sword of Conan, Red Sonja, tales set in the Savage Land, the Warlord - all sorts of sword and sorcery goodness. Given that it just seemed natural that we used SHRPGs to run fantasy-style games. This was especially bizarre when V&V and HU worked on levels (although not to increase powers!).

I suppose I didn't give using D&D for superheroics a thought until M&M came out. There had been some previous attempts to do superheroes using the D20 OGL, but all of them fell into the trap of going up levels and increasing powers. M&M didn't, and it just felt right. Now, there are a number of OSR-based games that fill the niche. Mystery Men is closer to Golden Age superheroics and takes a similar attitude to levels as does M&M. Hideouts and Hoodlums is interesting in that it treats powers like spells and you do go up in ability as your level increases. However, it's sensibilities are closer to pulp and the "funny books" than superheroes. Surprisingly, it does work.

Haven't run a game of it yet, though. Unfortunately, the regular gaming group I'm in isn't that interested in OSR games; they prefer horror games and so-called "edgy" settings. All my OSR gaming atm only happens at cons, and I've yet to figure out a good superhero scenario for a 4 hour slot!

[Atomic Ray]

The idea of levels and advancement is still viable for Superheroes IMO, but it does require some thought.

Perhaps the characters are starting levels where as most comic book types are established, as most characters are in fantasy books.

So with each level of advancement would come skill increases, an extra bonus in power level or effect or duration, and extra abilities to compliment the existing power profile...flier could gain some extra speed, carry more weight, combat skills while flying, or even other aspects like additional powers.

Good responses guys!

It was just a random thought...I usually just use a home brewed version of 4th ed Champions, but thought I would throw it out there

[3llense'g]

Most superheroes are defined by their abilities, so advancement in that regard is rare in comics. I don't know how the above mentioned games handle advancement, but getting gadgets, hideouts, contacts, standing (fame) and/or status seems more in line with the tropes.

[gentleman john]

The OSR games (Mystery Men and Hideouts & Hoodlums) have different mechanisms for dealing with experience and powers. Mystery Men sets its powers by level - pretty much the same way that M&M does. When generating a character, you get so many XP to buy your powers with. XP can also be put into pools to buy gadgets and magic for use in an adventure. Apart from that, Mystery Men does not bother with character advancement.

H&H works differently. The system treats powers as spells. Before going on an adventure, you select powers that your character can use that day. As your character advances in level, your character can access more powers of increasing strength. H&H is more like traditional OSR games in this respect.

Now, if you want to know about the other games mentioned ... (I've covered this territory before, but here goes)

The original FASERIP Marvel Superheroes and DC Superheroes did not really allow for advancement of characters. The amount of Karma/Hero Points you needed to collect in order to increase your abilities and skills was huge. Normally you would spend all the Karma/Hero Points you had in scenarios.

Golden Heroes had no mechanisms for character advancement beyond GM fiat. However, it did have a wonderful system for dealing with normal life and public reaction. Character development (as opposed to character advancement) was the keystone of that game.

Champions allowed (I gave up after 5e) experience to be turned directly into abilities. In my experience, though, most players would use it to build up their characters skills, buy off disadvantages and buy extra modifications to their skills. A few players did save up their XP for complete character rewrites, aka "radiation accidents" in the system.

V&V allowed characters to improve in their skills and gain inventions and gadgets as they improved in level. Powers did not increase in level, just the ability to wield them.

Other SHRPGs have variation on these systems, but this just about covers the basics.

[Eldrad]

I have recently rewrote my Hero's Mag RPG from back in 86 or so. I will share it soon. It basically has 10d6 hp and power points to coustomise. AC and MAC roll 20 to hit with more powerful powers having a higher to hit.

[Eldrad]

This is a random no points buy version of my old game.

Superions Super Hero RPG
Are you sick of Super Powered games that take hours and
hours to make a character and huge amounts of work running
a Supers RPG? Then fear not for here is Superions! A rules
lite Supers RPG that is easy to run and easy to play.

Hero's Mag: Superions RPG

In the ancient times far out beyond space and time the
Superions were born. Not of one race but from a strange
mutating energy. The Energy Force called Superion. The
force can manifest in technology or in powers of great help
or destruction. Their battle is ancient. They have been on
our world for millions of years. Every planet Superion
touches is forever changed. Such as the story of the
reality of earth know as Earth Superion! It is because of
them that our technology is far greater than it is Earth
Prime. Also the influence of Superion Energy has allowed
the solar system and the galaxy to be far more populated.
There are the Superions known as the Infernals. They are
the ones that cause great evil upon the world. They come in
many forms yet unlike the Surpurnals they are twisted and
dark! Whenever they meet a battle is sure to happen for the
Infernals believe that all of reality is theirs to rule and
subjugate.


All Superion Players start out with 10D6 HD AC 10, MAC 10,
+1 to hit, 1d4 punch, 10 MPH and 4 + 1d6 Power Points.

Your Power Point score is how many times you roll on the D200 chart.

That's all there is on creating a totally random Superion Character so you can start playing in minutes.

You will see that there may be strange combinations of powers, skills, and devices.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYaSv ... sp=sharing