Second Best Game System ?

[Andrew_A]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Sample of play for the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game

 

 

 

Sounds interesting but geez, they say Hero System is too complicated?

 

The original thread:

 

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?615607-Sell-me-on-Marvel-Heroic-Roleplaying

 

I tried to read the post you quoted and my brain would not allow it. Is this supposed to be simpler/better than Hero? This seems massively anal and boring.

 

Don't think I'll be making mine Marvel.

[Kap]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Sample of play for the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying game

 

 

 

Sounds interesting but geez, they say Hero System is too complicated?

 

The original thread:

 

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?615607-Sell-me-on-Marvel-Heroic-Roleplaying

 

Holy moley! I read that through twice and I'm still not sure I understand the basic mechanics. Plus I am not a fan of having to use so many different dice...count me out unless I hear some really good reviews.

-Kap

[csyphrett]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

That's way more complicated than I want to deal with in a game. You just roll twenties for palladium, add your bonus, roll damage, next attack.

 

Also the original star wars, 30 is your target number, roll d6 in this skill.

 

In that sample there were about 7 different types of dice, five skill modifiers, and a plot point burning all at the same time and I still don't know how much damage was inflicted to knock man ape out

CES

[phoenix240]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Here's another example from the thread

 

I'd also like to note I purposefully used a complex example to showcase the tactical play elements I mentioned.

 

You could also just go like this:

 

Peter Player: I'm playing Spider-Man and I need to lift a car...

Watcher: "Okay."

Peter Player: So what do I roll?

Watcher: Spidey's strong enough to lift a car right?

PP: Well, yeah.

Watcher: then you do. Do you want to do anything important with it?

PP: I was planning on hitting Scorpion with it...

Watcher: Okay now we need to roll something.

PP: Okay, so I'm on my own and that's Solo. And my Friendly Neighborhood Hero seems appropriate since I'm trying to stop a villain. And then Superhuman Strength and can I use Combat Expert?

Watcher: you're trying to hit him with what's basically a volvo sized club so...sure.

PP: Okay so that's 3d8s and a d10. Do I get anything for the car itself?

Watcher: Well you can spend a plot point on it if you like. We call that a stunt and it's worth another d8.

PP: Okay, let's do that. So...rolls 4d8 and a d10. Two dice and then one for effect, right?

Watcher: Yep.

PP: Okay I've got a 13 on two dice and I'm gonna use this d10 for effect since it rolled low. No 1s so nothing special happens, right?

Watcher: Yep. Let's see (rolls for Scorpion). Yeah that hits. d10 Effect and that's gotta be physical stress right?

PP: Oh yeah.

Watcher: Cool, now it's his turn...

[Starcloud]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Ngh. That's a little excessive.

[Pattern Ghost]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Seems like you spend a lot of energy thinking about your dice pool and translating that into narrative. Probably a much faster process once you get used to it, though.

[Guest dan2448]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I agree with these sentiments. That being said, the hobby has to attract 'new blood' in order to have a long-term future. And a game based on universally-loved characters like Spider-Man, which is available on Amazon (so no need to go to a game store) for $13, may be the last, best hope.

[Zen Archer]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Perhaps. But those same universally-loved characters are going to be licensed for all sorts of other things that compete, like computer games.

[phoenix240]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Another example of play

 

Gonna give an example of how assists work. And also hitting more than one person with one action, effect die wise. Since folks have asked about both before.

 

So say Luke Cage comes across two costumed thugs, Chemistro and Hydroman, beating on Spider-Man (hey, webhead's clearly having a bad day). Hydroman's got Spidey held in his watery grasp and Chemistro is leveling his transmutation blasters at Spidey and talking about they're gonna be paid extra for making the hero suffer.

 

Luke looks at the heroes and says "What in the hell do you two fools think you're doing."

 

Chemistro turns to say something, leveling his other blaster at Cage. Before he can do anything Cage says "Really Calvin? You know what I'm gonna do to you if you even think of pulling that trigger, right? That foot your brother lost is gonna look like sweet christmas by comparison."

 

With that, he decides to start his action. He's going to try and intimidate the two into backing off and letting Spidey go.*

 

Spidey decides to assist Cage rather than act, especially since he's being held and has already taken some hits. He whistles and says under his breath but still so the two can hear him "Oh, you two are gonna geeeettttt it." He's trying to help Cage so he's gonna roll first.

 

Spidey is just rolling against the Doom Pool here to see if circumstances favor his assistance being..well, assistful. He rolls his d10 Buddy Affiliation (cause he's helping Cage), his Wisecracker Distinction (here as a d4 for a plot point, because Spidey's player felt his insult was a bit weak and given his position at the moment it might not have much impact). He also uses his Psych Expert as 2d6 (it could be that or a d8). His powersets really don't factor in here so they aren't included.

 

The Doom Pool is only 3d6 right now. The Doom Pool rolls 4, 6, and 5. That's an 11 with a d6 effect. Spidey rolls against that: a d10, d4, and 2d6. He gets 9, 2, 6, and 2. He can beat the 11 with the 9 and 6, leaving a d6 for his effect, which creates an Asset. He calls it "Really thought this through, didn't you?" and hands it to Cage.

 

So Cage gets an extra d6 to roll. Its not great, but it's better than nothing.

 

Now Cage goes. He's rolling d10 Buddy too, and his Come Get Some! Distinction at d8. Now Cage is gonna get to use his d10 Superhuman Strength, because it's what he's basically threatening these losers with. He's also a Menace Master which can be either another d10, 2d8, or 3d6. He decides to take 2d8. He asks the Watcher if Luke's Area Attack SFX could work here and the Watcher says she doesn't think so. But that's cool, it'll all work out for the street smart brother with a skin of steel.

 

So Luke has 2d10, 3d8, and the d6 Spidey gave him by helping. He rolls and gets 8, 9, 2, 4, 4, and 5. Luke decides to make the 8 and 9 his total for 17, adding a plot point to keep an additional die: that 5 (from the d6 Spidey gave, btw) for a whopping 22.

 

He takes one of the d8s as an Effect for the roll, which he defines as emotional stress on Chemistro defined as making this fool thing long and hard about Luke's threat. He then decides to spend a plot point he has to pick another effect die and include it in this action. He takes another d8, which he defines as emotional stress on Hydro-Man for much the same reasons as Chemistro.

 

Chemistro rolls his reaction (it's 3d8 and a d6, figured based on Buddy, a Distinction, his own Menace Expert, and his weapon's attack since it's making him feel brave) He gets a 2,4,4,2...which kinda sucks. The best he can do is a 8...which means Luke beat him by 14 or more. This basically steps up that stress twice (one for each extra 5 over the roll), this puts the d8 effect up to d12. He's rattled as hell, and Cage can roll that d12 stress against him for future actions.

 

Now Hydro-Man goes. Hydro-Man has 1d4 (Buddy) and 2d8 from a Distinction and an appropriate power. Except that's not going to happen as he rolls 1, 1, and 4. And he can't even count the 1s so...yeah. That's a 4. Those 1s also generate opportunities, which can be used for various things by spending a plot point but really? Probably not gonna need it...

 

Hydro-man looks to his partner, takes a look at Cage, then down at Spider-Man who he's still holding. He mumbles "sorry" to Spidey and turns into water and flows away. Chemistro now stands there facing two heroes, shaken and very much alone.

 

*as an aside, he might also grab an 1 XP for declaring Chemistro an old foe if he wants to hit his "Settle the Score" Milestone and make that a thing- he also might decide Chemistro is too much of a yutz to even bother having a grudge

 

Watcher: Ok, Buffy is in the Arena facing Orcus. The rest of you are in the bleachers with the guards watching you. What do you do?

Giles: I'll start. I want to create an asset where i have a flashback, remembering that this afternoon i read to Buffy in the library. I told her all about Orcus from the Book of Secret Weaknesses. She was bored, but she remembers. I roll vs the doom pool and i win, my effect die is a d8. i create a d8 asset called "Flashback, secret weakness" and hand it to Buffy. Willow is next.

Willow: I close my eyes and mumble a spell of good luck - I roll vs the doom pool and my effect die is a d6. I make a d6 asset called "spell of good luck" and I hand it to Buffy. Xander's up.

Xander: Well, I'm still full of Orcus poison right? I roll vs the doom pool to create an asset called "Hurry, Xander is gonna die!" and... Sucess! my effect die is a d10! Buffy is up.

Buffy: I take the d8, the d6, and the d10. I smile and say "Hey Orcus, want to see my impression of Ghandi? It isn't very good."

 

 

It seems odd that there isn't a character generation system per se either. As far as I can gather characters are modeled using loose guidelines and the published character sheets (data files) as examples.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

>>>> I agree with these sentiments. That being said, the hobby has to attract 'new blood' in order to have a long-term future.

 

Champions Universe Heroclix

 

usable for RPGs or the Clix games. Amirite?

[Pattern Ghost]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I preordered the Marvel thingie on Amazon. Doubt I'll play it, but probably worth a read.

[Guest dan2448]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I preordered the Marvel thingie on Amazon. Doubt I'll play it' date=' but probably worth a read.[/quote']

 

My sentiments exactly. I did the same. I'll likely never play it either. But, for what I perceive as the long-term good of the hobby, I want to encourage more publications like this.

[RexMundi]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

My Top Ten, Best to worse.

 

HERO 6

Fuzion

Interlok

Basic Role Playing (BRP)

Savage Worlds

WEGS D6

Tri Stat

Phoenix Command

GURPS

FATE/FUDGE

 

There's a few other games I can toss up there but they're more Genre specific. Trying to keep it Universal.

 

~Rex

[Escafarc]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Keeping it universal;

HERO

Rolemaster/Spacemaster(the only genre they didn't have was supers)

WEGS D6

GURPS

BPR

[Pattern Ghost]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I preordered the Marvel thingie on Amazon. Doubt I'll play it' date=' but probably worth a read.[/quote']

 

It just got here today. Nice-looking book, graphic novel format. Lots of color, glossy pages, but the rules are in black text on a white background, which is a plus. (Save for the character writeups, which are white on a dark background, made worse by the font size, but at least the bulk of the reading in done correctly.)

 

Haven't gotten around to reading it, will post impressions later.

[Guest dan2448]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I just received my copy of the Marvel Heroic Basic Game Book in the mail today. I had pre-ordered it on Amazon months ago. I paid $13. It's 225 pages in full color.

 

I haven't read it yet and am not familiar with the system. But as someone who has played Champions since the early 1980s, and who owns every edition from 2nd up through 6th, the "value for money" proposition (and the potential attractiveness to new players) has to give one pause when compared to, say, 6e Champions (i.e the page length, retail cost, and distribution channel).

[RexMundi]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I picked up the Marvel heroic Basic Game at Garycon. It's Pretty. But it lacks a LOT to be considered a complete role playing game. You can play the characters provided in the book. There is no Generation system etc (Though you can with a bit of a headache reverse engineer it if you have the Cortex Rules). It doesn't play bad, it gets clunky at the top end like all Cortex Material does. I'll be honest so far this is the Worst of the "Marvel" games to date. It IS Pretty though, and if it were a complete unto itself system, would have had potential.

 

~Rex....Basically what you get is a Card Game, with a small starter Deck and some Dice throwing for random effect. Missed the RPG mark by a bit.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I've been enjoying 3e Mutants & Masterminds ... IMHO, it kind of feels like the old Hero System mixed with MEGS/DC Heroes I didn't mind 2e either, though 1e was a work a progress ... In addition, I really love Hollow Earth Expeditions/Ubiquity and Pathfinder (particularly the Pathfinder world ). HEX is easy to pick up, great for all kinds of adventures and can be used with any dice. Pathfinder, on the other hand, is just my chosen flavor of fantasy, which is weird because I'm not a huge fantasy fan.

[Pattern Ghost]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

There is no Generation system etc (Though you can with a bit of a headache reverse engineer it if you have the Cortex Rules).

 

Page 110. It's short, and very narrative-leaning, so may not appeal to Herophiles. But it's there. Reminds me a bit of character modeling method in FASERIP.

[phoenix240]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

There's also a random generation system available as a free download.

[RexMundi]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Page 110. It's short' date=' and very narrative-leaning, so may not appeal to Herophiles. But it's there. Reminds me a bit of character modeling method in FASERIP.[/quote']

 

Doesn't even come close to FASERIP, though if you had to character model FASERIP was an insanely easy system to do it with. The stuff from 110 forward is just the basics that can be summed up as Pick a Die, put it here. Even compared to the core rules for the system that's uber bland. Sure it's the Basic system and an introductory book, but you got Far Far Far more out of the Previous Marvel RPG that Marvel did themselves, with way less pages.

 

I didn't hate it. I've got every super hero RPG ever published. But It could have been a crowd silencing Home Run and they went for a Bunt.

 

~Rex

[phoenix240]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Doesn't even come close to FASERIP, though if you had to character model FASERIP was an insanely easy system to do it with. The stuff from 110 forward is just the basics that can be summed up as Pick a Die, put it here. Even compared to the core rules for the system that's uber bland. Sure it's the Basic system and an introductory book, but you got Far Far Far more out of the Previous Marvel RPG that Marvel did themselves, with way less pages.

 

I didn't hate it. I've got every super hero RPG ever published. But It could have been a crowd silencing Home Run and they went for a Bunt.

 

~Rex

 

Its not really my cuppa but its been a pretty big hit with "Narrativist" crowd on rpg.net or there's a very vocal enthusiastic minority that love it. It supposed to feel allot like scripting/writing a comic book in play.

[csyphrett]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

Its not really my cuppa but its been a pretty big hit with "Narrativist" crowd on rpg.net or there's a very vocal enthusiastic minority that love it. It supposed to feel allot like scripting/writing a comic book in play.

 

i dont want to write while i'm playing, or play while i'm writing. i don't want to game a story. I have had too many of those turn out bad.

CES

[Ndreare]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

I feel there are times for either. When I want a rules heavy system I play HERO, if I want rules light I play Fuzion. I do not care for the Cortex system, but I do like allot of what they have done.

 

Even though I will not be playing the game, I what they have done and will finish reading the book. The only sad part is their is no write up for the Hulk.

[phoenix240]

Re: Second Best Game System ?

 

i dont want to write while i'm playing, or play while i'm writing. i don't want to game a story. I have had too many of those turn out bad.

CES

 

I largely agree but the narrative/story gaming style seems to be all the rage with the "kids" nowadays. ...need to get them off my lawn...