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View Full Version : Xiaolin Showdown-What system would you use and why?



Philemonite
2014-09-10, 09:59 AM
For those of you who are not familiar with it, it's a very interesting show about a group of monks that are collecting Shen Gong Wu, mystical artifact, each one weirder then the other. Changing Chopsticks (used to shrink objects), Tangle Web Comb (pretty much what it sounds like), Tongue of Saiping (animal speak)... and many more.

Specifically, how would you emulate the use of Shen Gong Wu and various battlefields, that are usually affected by Shen Gong Wu?

Maryring
2014-09-10, 10:14 AM
I would use Mutants and Masterminds. The Shen Gong Wu are easily emulated as Easy to Lose Devices, fitted with powers of... well, whatever that particular Shen Gong Wu does. The system is very modular, and it treats movement and combat arenas with a somewhat light touch, so you can easily set up Shen Gong Wu arenas out of the blue.

Philemonite
2014-09-10, 10:19 AM
I would use Mutants and Masterminds. The Shen Gong Wu are easily emulated as Easy to Lose Devices, fitted with powers of... well, whatever that particular Shen Gong Wu does. The system is very modular, and it treats movement and combat arenas with a somewhat light touch, so you can easily set up Shen Gong Wu arenas out of the blue.

I should have know that would be the first suggestion. Is M&M really that good that people use it for everything? I never actually used it.

Maryring
2014-09-10, 10:26 AM
It's extremely flexible. Which also means that it is easily broken. If you hand a character sheet to each member of your group and give them a 150 PP budget, you might end up with one guy who can beat superman 9 out of 10 times, and another guy who is really, really good at cooking. So it does require a bit more active balancing from the DM's side.

However, it is still undeniably adaptable. I've made Pokemon, DnD characters, TCG anime heroes and my guild from Etrian Odyssey with the system, and for the most part, it works. And since this is a quest to gather the Shen Gong Wu, then you, as the DM, should already have the responsibility to create most of the power that the player characters will have available, so your party members won't be too unbalanced from one another, as long as the Shen Gong Wu are spread wisely.

Philemonite
2014-09-10, 10:30 AM
It's extremely flexible. Which also means that it is easily broken. If you hand a character sheet to each member of your group and give them a 150 PP budget, you might end up with one guy who can beat superman 9 out of 10 times, and another guy who is really, really good at cooking. So it does require a bit more active balancing from the DM's side.

However, it is still undeniably adaptable. I've made Pokemon, DnD characters, TCG anime heroes and my guild from Etrian Odyssey with the system, and for the most part, it works. And since this is a quest to gather the Shen Gong Wu, then you, as the DM, should already have the responsibility to create most of the power that the player characters will have available, so your party members won't be too unbalanced from one another, as long as the Shen Gong Wu are spread wisely.

I should probably give it another try, but the last time I tried to read the rules I was so bored. Plus, I'm not really big on d20 variations.

And now I want to make an Etrian Odyssey tabletop. I could probably do that with my Persona system. I'll just put that on the list.

Kid Jake
2014-09-10, 11:26 AM
Is M&M really that good that people use it for everything?

So far, I've ran oneshots of Pokemon, Full Metal Alchemist, General Sword and Sorcery, Fallout and Shadowrun with no problem at all; it might take a little tinkering to get exactly the feel you want out of it, but it can do about anything you set your mind to.

Maryring
2014-09-10, 12:11 PM
As an example on how to make some Shen Gong Wu, I've made five devices inspired by the Five Impossible Requests from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Perhaps it'll be inspiring?

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=25122

Beige
2014-09-10, 12:32 PM
I should have know that would be the first suggestion. Is M&M really that good that people use it for everything? I never actually used it.

Mutants and masterminds was designed to be one of the most flexible systems the world has ever seen -you get points to spend, and you can use those points to build practically anything. The system is quick and fun, but the main selling points is its adaptability. unlike say, DnD where you need to go out your way to make it work for other genre's, M&M can do it eaisly right out the box

this is down to have you build powers - you pick an effect (say damage, protection, status ifflictions, transformation etc), you pick a descriptor (what type of thing it is/resists against etc - eg: fire,physical, ice, mental) and then you can pick up advantages (better range, AoE, uses a different save to normal etc) and disadvantages (tiring, comes from an object, dosen't work on people wearing the color yellow etc) in almost any combination to make the power exactly how you want it - so if you have an idea, the system lets you build it.

I'd recomend it especially for Xiaolin showdown due to it being the only system I can really think of that supports the fluid gaining and loosing of funky artifacts - which is 90% of the series premise :smallamused:

it does have the problem every system that loose has - it's easy to get a little bit silly in your power levels, but so long as you keep your eyes open it's easy to stop.

Kid Jake
2014-09-10, 12:56 PM
it does have the problem every system that loose has - it's easy to get a little bit silly in your power levels, but so long as you keep your eyes open it's easy to stop.

Yeah, the trick to designing a good M&M character is to focus on making him flavorful rather than powerful. For 10pts you can build an infinite loop Groundhog's Day style attack power that removes your target from the time stream for eternity, no save. It's just assumed that the player or GM won't pull stuff like that because they actually want to play the game instead of trying to one-up each other.

Yuki Akuma
2014-09-10, 12:59 PM
The obvious choice is Risus (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm).

Metahuman1
2014-09-10, 04:34 PM
I'll throw in for M&M. It takes a bit of getting used to (I recommend Hero Lab to help learn the system.) but it's amazing.

I am beginning to phase out 3.5 D&D form my gaming rotation. One of four things is gonna take it's place. 5e D&D, Pathfinder with 3rd party access, Fantasy Craft, and Mutants and Masterminds 3rd edition.

At the same time, I weighting weather I want to spend the time and money to get and learn shadow run, or just use Mutants and Masterminds for my Cyber punk needs with and with out magic.

At the same time I'm using it for all my star wars, sci-fi, and pulp adventure needs, and all my super hero needs.

As a topper, it is my dominant system for Anime/Manga themed games, with Legends of Wulin being the only system that's even in the running, and even then only for Wuxia games (it does what it specializes in REALLY well.) and certain types of Anime.


It's that versatile once you get the hang of it.



And yes, The Shen Gong Wu are just Power Devices with the Removable or Easily Removable flaws (depending on the object in question.) and different powers built into them, and maybe a house rule that they don't count toward the characters in the party's actual power level caps.