Stormraven

Been looking at it more. There are some elements of what could be a decent, fast-paced game. Of course, having spent so long with effects based rules, it's a little tough getting back into picking from lists, and the game is definitely very heavily combat centred. Overall, I'll keep an eye on it, and it may wind up in my RPG collection.

I have the playtest. You can generate characters of your own design. Obviously, being a playtest, it's incomplete. It's a little fiddly and I don't fully agree with all the choices - and I haven't read it thoroughly enough yet to fully grok it - but I'm cautiously optimistic. I could see using it to play What If in the Marvel Universe so you can get the same feel.

Yeah, M&M does pretty good for character creation, but trying to keep track of all the conditions, when they clear, and the like is a pain and a half.

I've gotten into other Superhero games since - DC Heroes, Mutants & Masterminds, even various versions of Fate. But I still very much prefer Hero, and given the option, it will always be my go to game.

I've played V&V, and also Superhero 2044 - also the original Marvel RPG. But once I ran across Champions, I never really looked back.

It's got some good ideas that often get buried in a very dense, idiosyncratic writing style. BITS - Beliefs, Instincts, Traits are a great thing - especially Beliefs and Instincts. The first are ways for a player to define what is truly important to their character. It's a good guide for a GM to know where to push plots. Instincts, on the other hand, are a good short cut for furthering communication between player and GM, indicating things that are automatic for a character. One the one hand, it helps the player ensure that certain things will always be their character's first action unless overruled. On the other hand, they give the GM a way to get the character into dicey situations in a way that stays true to the player's desires for their character. And, of course, as noted, they can be overruled - but do it often enough and it's no longer an instinct. Then there's the one that I think should be explicitly called out for every single game out there. Let it Ride. When you've made a roll, good or bad, the roll's outcome remains unless and until the circumstances change. (Combat is always changing, of course.) An example would be picking a lock. If your character fails, just trying again and again won't change anything. But getting ahold of different tools, taking some time to learn more about the lock itself, etc., would change the circumstances enough to give another roll.

That's how I've done it in the past, and how I would do it in future, if my players wanted Critical Hits.

I've generally been partial to Dr. Strange, but usually as one of a rotating top 5, including Spidey, She-Hulk, various versions of Batman, some versions of Supergirl and Kitty Pryde.

I have Mythic D6. I'm struggling with it a bit, mostly because it lacks any real benchmarks - it's tough to calibrate what a given character should look like at a given power level.

Although there's not a big Hero presence there, if you drop by Black Diamond Games in Concord, you'll definitely find other RPG players.

Time stands still in canterville For ages this curse lays upon Pass the night walking for four hundred years longing for this liaison The barren almond once shed the leaves The splendour has crumbled away This harm was done and the green-eyed one Once it had led him astray (pre-chorus) Here in the absence of light Het a willing ear roam And far into the night A ray of hope will lead you home (chorus) So will you stand beside Among those evil-eyed Voices will whisper into your ear So believe you`re immune So will you beg and pray To leave this endless gray Once of his age he was boast The canterville ghost Bathing in tears and swim in delight Yearning for feelings long gone One sorry sight, one fly by night As this girl in her prime came on But love will be stronger, than life and death When cupid`s dart has hit you As if by magic the almond will bloom The beginning of something new (pre-chorus) (chorus) Tears for my sins I have no more Now pray for me I know what for Angel will you Have mercy now And the house shall be still (chorus)

Re: Spell Casters are Lucky, not Skilled Let's see - in the first sentence, you say 'this applies to NPC and PC spell-casters alike', then in your vision statement, you say your vision is that the world doesn't have any PC spell-casters. So just say 'No PC spell-casters, because trying to cast magic is the definition of insanity in this world, and I won't allow insane PCs.' Job done. You can rule for the NPCs however you want.

Re: Things You'd See in a World Full of Supers... In keeping with the idea of low level supers getting paying jobs, Super-Temps. A Temporary agency for super / para humans, to fit your every need.

Re: Mind Scan vs. The Detective It's always such a bother coming into threads like this late. Everything I wanted to say is said already. That said, I suddenly got a really fun idea. Build a detective without any skills at all. Just Post-Cognition, Telepathy and Mind Scan, all built with IPE, and with the TP and MS being cumulative. Put them on an Int roll if you like. You have a nearly infallible detective, as long as he has enough time.

Re: The Practice Effect Trouble with that, CT, is, as Maelstrom pointed out, that requires keeping track of XPs for literally everything. With the aid idea, you don't. You just have to keep track of what's being practiced. A bit easier, IMO.