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Ichneumon
2010-10-17, 07:43 AM
I'm currently thinking of running a superhero game and although I of course consider running it with M&M, I'd like to know if there are any rule-light systems that would work too, as me and my group prefer rule-light systems.

I'm actually just searching for a system that's requires a bit less book-keeping than M&M.

Yora
2010-10-17, 07:59 AM
Maybe BESM is something for you (though not that weird d20 version). It takes a bit of work at character creation, as you have to cutom build your characters abilities from a set of basic attributes, but once you're familiar with the rules it's really not that complicated. It probably works best for campaigns in which the characters have only a very limited set of special abilities, like superheroes in your case. Most really have only two or three special abilities, unlike other games in which spellcasters have access to dozens of spells.
Combat is quite simple, and there are no prerequsites for learning new abilities like in most d20 systems. There are almost no abilities that grant temporary bonuses or penalties to the rolls of other characters or NPCs, and the game doesn't bother with circumstantial modifiers because of non-standard environments.

If you REALLY want it rules light, you might spend 5 minutes learning Risus. Probably one of the most simple RPGs there are. :smallbiggrin:

Scarey Nerd
2010-10-17, 08:05 AM
This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19877974/Phoenix:_free_superhero_add-on_for_d20M?pg=1) isn't exactly rule-light, but if you're familiar with d20 modern it's easy enough to get the hang of it.

Edit: The handbook is here (http://www.ualberta.ca/~okidder/Phoenix.beta.10.Ultimate.pdf).

Kaldrin
2010-10-17, 08:34 AM
BESM is what I would recommend if you want rules lite with a feeling of over-the-topness. Yes, that's a word now.

I also talked to a guy when I was looking at some Exalted books who said it worked really well as a supers game and was easy to learn. I've never played it or even done more than browse the book, so you'll have to take that with a grain of salt.

Felirc
2010-10-17, 08:38 AM
I'm going to agree with Yora and recommend BESM as well. It's one of my favorite systems, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but it should work very well for what you're looking for. There's even better news! While BESM 3e is out of print, and a used copy can get quite expensive, Tri-Stat dX (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=368&it=1) was released before the company went under (and White-Wolf bought it after that), and is still freely available today. It's a slightly modified version of BESM 2nd edition Revised, but the changes shouldn't have any effect on anything you're trying to do (the most prominent change was for building Mecha, where I personally think BESM did a much better job).

From what I've heard, it's similar to the power building mechanics of the Hero system and GURPS, while avoiding pretty much all of the complex rules that come with those systems after the characters are built. As a word of warning, I should tell you that while it is pretty well balanced, a few Attributes may prove to be problematic. I would avoid or severely limit the Multiple Attacks(or is it Extra Attacks? Ah well, that one =P) Attribute, as it can quickly scale the power of one player compared to the rest of the party.

As for the rest, I'd just be careful of infinite loops and you should be fine (taking certain attributes for extra points, which you use to buy the attributes that give you extra points, etc). It's generally not an issue, and most people aren't likely to even try it at an actual table, but I've heard of a few stories on the Internet. =P

The only other thing to consider, is it doesn't really have any pre-made characters/enemies for you to use. This tends to put a lot of people off, as they have to stat out all of their own enemies, but I can't really think of a rules light system that doesn't do that anyway.

If you're just in it for a good romp, I also highly recommend Wushu (http://wiki.saberpunk.net/Wushu/WushuOpenRules). It's another free system, and counting the License, it's a total of 5 pages long. It works off of descriptions providing bonus dice, and seems like it would be a total blast to play for something intended to be a little more "one shot" (a beer and pretzels game, if you prefer). The nice thing about the way it's handled, is you're guaranteed to have all of the characters balanced against each other, no matter what outlandish powers or normally devastatingly destructive moves they unleash on the poor henchmen (plus, it's one of the few systems the not only provides a balanced bonus for punching your enemies through a wall, it also gives bonuses for terrible one liners that you use as well). =P

-Felirc-

Yora
2010-10-17, 08:46 AM
You can buy BESM 3rd Ed. as pdf online for $20 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=24482&it=1). And it's also a real good quality, full color pdf, probably the best I've ever bought online. At 250 pages it's not the cheapest to have printed, but I'm going to do just that tomorrow when I finaly get back to university.

The Rose Dragon
2010-10-17, 09:04 AM
You can buy BESM 3rd Ed. as pdf online for $20 (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=24482&it=1). And it's also a real good quality, full color pdf, probably the best I've ever bought online. At 250 pages it's not the cheapest to have printed, but I'm going to do just that tomorrow when I finaly get back to university.

Or you can get the base Tri-Stat dX for free! (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=368&it=1)

It's not really a good system, but you can't beat free.

Tengu_temp
2010-10-17, 09:18 AM
How exactly is BESM more rules-light than M&M? If anything, it's more rules-heavy, requiring much more math during combat and checks, with less standardized powers and worse game balance. A system where you calculate damage from this equation: X*Y+Z-A, with each one of them being a variable that can change, is not rules-light.

prufock
2010-10-17, 09:33 AM
The d6 system has become my favourite "simple" system. Four stats, 12 points to spread, min 1, max 5. Str, Dex, Int, Cha. Give them 6 extra points and 2 more stats to be "powers" or something. Or even have them choose some extra specialties for the 4 existing stats, so the specialty for dex could be "flight."

Dogmantra
2010-10-17, 09:35 AM
Risus (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm) with the Funky Dice variant is specifically called out as being the sort of thing you might want for a Superhero game in the rulebook. It's free. It also has funny pictures of stick figures.

Raum
2010-10-17, 10:02 AM
As others said, Risus is good if you want a truly light system. If you want something a bit closer to traditional supers systems while keeping the quick play, I'll suggest Wild Talents (ORE). That will give you a complete power building system while keeping play quick with little accounting.

Ichneumon
2010-10-17, 03:46 PM
I'm looking at Tri-Stat dX now and it looks rather good. Anyone tried "Silver Age Sentinels" before? The rules seem to be mostly the same, but it seems to be specifically aimed at the superhero genre.

randomhero00
2010-10-17, 03:53 PM
You could also try Villains and Vigilantes

Knaight
2010-10-17, 04:03 PM
As others said, Risus is good if you want a truly light system. If you want something a bit closer to traditional supers systems while keeping the quick play, I'll suggest Wild Talents (ORE). That will give you a complete power building system while keeping play quick with little accounting.

This more or less covers my points, however the free game Spirit of the Century, while originally made for pulp, can turn into a superhero game very easily.

Kaldrin
2010-10-17, 04:52 PM
Actually, it occurs to me another fairly rules light system is Savage Worlds.

Kaldrin
2010-10-17, 04:53 PM
How exactly is BESM more rules-light than M&M? If anything, it's more rules-heavy, requiring much more math during combat and checks, with less standardized powers and worse game balance. A system where you calculate damage from this equation: X*Y+Z-A, with each one of them being a variable that can change, is not rules-light.

Simple math (and yes, that is simple math) is not rules.

Zaydos
2010-10-17, 04:59 PM
The Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game (or the one released in 2003 since there are 2 older game systems) is a fairly rules light, diceless, super-hero rpg system. Only 3 books were ever published for it.

Knaight
2010-10-17, 05:02 PM
Actually, it occurs to me another fairly rules light system is Savage Worlds.

Yes, but Savage Worlds isn't really generic, it just claims to be. It doesn't do superheroes or supervillains well until you bring in Necessary Evil, and even then the definition of well needs to be stretched to accommodate.

Tengu_temp
2010-10-17, 05:05 PM
Simple math (and yes, that is simple math) is not rules.

I know this is simple math, but it's still more counting than you will ever do in M&M. And a rules-light game means three things to me: there's not a lot of things you need to keep track of, there's very little math involved in the actual gameplay, and character creation is fast and simple. BESM does not fulfill any of these conditions.

Malfunctioned
2010-10-17, 07:11 PM
I've heard good things about Hi-Lo Heroes. But I've never played it myself. It's free though, and somewhere online, I'm just not sure where.

EDIT: Found the PDF. :smallbiggrin: (http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/HiLo_Heroes.pdf)

VirOath
2010-10-17, 07:14 PM
Well, under the Tri-stat D10 there is Silver Age Sentinels. I mention that because it uses the basic rules for BESM built to the super hero design you are after, and has a character generator as well. Just google it :smallbiggrin:

vartan
2010-10-18, 08:36 AM
I might suggest this system. One set of dice. One target number. It even includes optional rules addressing super-powers and is designed to be as rules lite as possible.

http://www.mimgames.com/window/rules/competency.html

http://www.mimgames.com/window/optionals/superpowers.html

Dizlag
2010-10-18, 08:44 AM
Yeah, Savage Worlds is the way to go for a rules light Supers game. Necessary Evil is a pretty kewl campaign setting, though there's also the Super Powers Companion book if you don't want a campaign setting for the super powers. In my opinion though, if you get Necessary Evil you'll have a campaign setting and the super powers ... win - win. =)

Knaight, Savage Worlds not generic? I disagree completely. I've played D&D-like Fantasy, Swashbuckling Pirates, Supers, and currently running an alternative WWII era campaign in The Day After Ragnarok. I could do all of this with just the main Explorer's Guide Core rulebook that costs a measly $10. Yeah, Savage Worlds claims to be generic and is.

Dizlag

The Big Dice
2010-10-18, 09:50 AM
You could try Godlike (http://www.arcdream.com/godlike/). It uses the One Roll Engine, but also comes with a conversion to OGL.

CarpeGuitarrem
2010-10-18, 10:14 AM
If you're just in it for a good romp, I also highly recommend Wushu (http://wiki.saberpunk.net/Wushu/WushuOpenRules). It's another free system, and counting the License, it's a total of 5 pages long. It works off of descriptions providing bonus dice, and seems like it would be a total blast to play for something intended to be a little more "one shot" (a beer and pretzels game, if you prefer). The nice thing about the way it's handled, is you're guaranteed to have all of the characters balanced against each other, no matter what outlandish powers or normally devastatingly destructive moves they unleash on the poor henchmen (plus, it's one of the few systems the not only provides a balanced bonus for punching your enemies through a wall, it also gives bonuses for terrible one liners that you use as well). =P

This. Wushu is easily meant for the supers genre, among other things. And I think it can hold up to campaign play, you just don't have game mechanic advancement. However, you do have story advancement, and if you work it well, that can be what you need.