After a couple month break, I'm back to finish out this list series. In these posts I trace the history of Superhero rpgs- one of my favorite genres. I hope to do the rest of these lists bi-weekly until I finish them out. If you're interested in other genres, I'd also covered Horror, Samurai, and Victoriana & Steampunk. The full list of lists in this superhero series can be found below.
Usually I offer introductory comments, but I'll keep this short to move things along. I will say this is an amazing couple of years in superhero gaming. Important lines stayed strong and kept evolving, publishers released interesting and risky products, and more indie developers offered new takes on the genre. Plus, as you'll see below, my game of choice arrived...
Events: Identity
Crisis (yeech), Avengers Disassembled,
Infinite Crisis, House of M, Captain Atom: Armageddon.
Television: Astro Boy, Danny Phantom, The
Batman, Power Rangers SPD, Justice League Unlimited, Power Rangers Dino
Thunder, Venture Brothers, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, Ben 10
Films: Spider Man II, The Incredibles, Hellboy,
The Punisher, Catwoman, Blade: Trinity, Batman Begins, Elektra, Constantine,
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Fantastic Four, Sky High (!)
These lists cover a smaller slice of time than my past rpg
lists. I hope this makes them easier to read. I include mostly core books, but
also significant setting or sourcebooks. Given the number of great things published I haven't included everything I wanted to (for example I left off Dark Champions: The Animated Series!). I list revised editions which
significantly changed a line. Generally I only include published material-
print or electronic. I leave out freebie or self-published games. I'm sure
I've left something off without adequate reason; feel free to add a comment
about a line I missed (if published from 2004-2005). I've arranged these in by
year and then alphabetically within that year.
On this list you’ll see some interesting new worlds published
by emerging companies or done as reskins of existing systems. The
Algernon Files came out originally for M&M 1e. Like the best
fantasy bestiaries, it offers enemies with a linked theme. In this case the enemies
(and allies) emerge from the solid and world the designers created. That approach
doesn't always work. I've read other supervillain collections based on half-baked
settings. This one avoids that trap. Each character has full stats plus enough
character background to make them work. It also avoids the trap of characters
falling into just a few types. Blackwyrn went on to publish a version of this
for HERO 5 and a revised 2.0 version for HERO and for M&M 2e. They also
published a WW2-centered sourcebook in the same universe, The Fires of War: The Algernon Files Volume 2. That’s a must-have for
anyone doing Golden Age games.
This is a crazy game for several reasons. If you're familiar
with The Authority comic,
you can see why. If not...well, that's a little hard to explain. In the late
1990's Warren Ellis spun off The
Authority from his work on Stormwatch. Through these titles he
helped to refocus the Wildstorm comic line. The
Authority offered a "wide-screen" approach to massively powerful
superbeings changing the world. It was a hit. But then things shifted with a
change of writers, a shift in tone, and the events of 9/11 pushing DC to limit
and censor the comic’s over the top destruction and violence. The post-Ellis
books become dark, strange, and kind of awful in places. The Authority RPG only covers up to through the Ellis run. I can't
even imagine how they'd deal with the later material which includes significant
rape and sexual abuse.
The Authority comic’s popularity had diminished by the time this book hit the market. IIRC Guardians of Order intended this as the first of a series of games covering the Wildstorm Universe. That would have included Ellis' other big success Planetary, as well as WildCATS, Gen 13, and Wetworks. Guardians of Order ceased operations under a cloud in early 2006- so nothing came of the other games.
The book itself is smartly done- a full color hardback with strong layout. As with many GOO products it offers a complete game and a sourcebook for the material (up through Ellis' issues and the awful Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority mini-series). The system itself is a modified and higher powered version of the Tri-Stat rules seen in other products, especially Silver Age Sentinels. There's a nice discussion of the differences in the text- something I appreciate in games. Players can build a character or use random generation to assemble one on the fly. I've seen copies of this fairly cheap so if you like seeing interesting supers rpgs, dig The Authority, or enjoy the Tri-Stat system, you should pick it up. Point Buy. Various Dice for Resolution.
The Authority comic’s popularity had diminished by the time this book hit the market. IIRC Guardians of Order intended this as the first of a series of games covering the Wildstorm Universe. That would have included Ellis' other big success Planetary, as well as WildCATS, Gen 13, and Wetworks. Guardians of Order ceased operations under a cloud in early 2006- so nothing came of the other games.
The book itself is smartly done- a full color hardback with strong layout. As with many GOO products it offers a complete game and a sourcebook for the material (up through Ellis' issues and the awful Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority mini-series). The system itself is a modified and higher powered version of the Tri-Stat rules seen in other products, especially Silver Age Sentinels. There's a nice discussion of the differences in the text- something I appreciate in games. Players can build a character or use random generation to assemble one on the fly. I've seen copies of this fairly cheap so if you like seeing interesting supers rpgs, dig The Authority, or enjoy the Tri-Stat system, you should pick it up. Point Buy. Various Dice for Resolution.
Early Savage Worlds
took a radical approach to campaign and setting building. They blended world
sourcebooks and campaigns together to craft extended "Plot Point
campaigns." Like classic campaign modules or series (The Enemy Within, Horror
on the Orient Express) these offer a mostly linear through-spine to the
story. But PPC’s break these multiple incidents, open scenes, and optional
bits. They still have a beginning, middle, and end, but give GMs more options
with a minimal presentation. Necessary
Evil was the first "supers" book for the Savage Worlds line. I
read through it when it came out but didn't get how it worked. All I could see
at the time was that it wasn't the kind of sourcebook I knew.
The premise is a solid one. The PCs are supervillains and the last line of resistance against an alien invasion. The invaders have killed nearly all the superheroes. That's a neat twist- and one which gives players a different set of motivations and conflicts. I've always found bad guy games tough- even when the PCs have a shared goal or motivation. Every time I've seen them blow up due to interparty conflict and recrimination. Necessary Evil doesn't offer much advice on that point, a major weakness. When it came out it was the only source of superpower rules for Savage Worlds, but new products cover that for the present edition. Pinnacle published a version of this for Explorers Edition as well as the useful Necessary Evil Figure Flats. Point Buy. Various Dice for Resolution.
The premise is a solid one. The PCs are supervillains and the last line of resistance against an alien invasion. The invaders have killed nearly all the superheroes. That's a neat twist- and one which gives players a different set of motivations and conflicts. I've always found bad guy games tough- even when the PCs have a shared goal or motivation. Every time I've seen them blow up due to interparty conflict and recrimination. Necessary Evil doesn't offer much advice on that point, a major weakness. When it came out it was the only source of superpower rules for Savage Worlds, but new products cover that for the present edition. Pinnacle published a version of this for Explorers Edition as well as the useful Necessary Evil Figure Flats. Point Buy. Various Dice for Resolution.
4. Nocturnals: A Midnight Companion
(2004)
I've knocked companies for licensing niche or obscure series
(GURPS Humanx springs
to mind). When this came out I had no idea who the Nocturnals were.
Only a couple of people in our area had heard or even read the series. And yet
Green Ronin went with a massive, full-color hardback sourcebook. What was the
deal? The deal is that the Nocturnals are awesome- a creative mix of noir,
monster hunting, supernatural conspiracy, soap opera, and weird fantasy. I love Daniel Brereton's
art and reading through this book made me fall in love with the setting and
characters. Like the best core licensed products, this is as much a series fanbook
as a game product. The art is lavish, there's an original story, and tons of
background material and secrets.
Game utility's another question. It was written for Mutants & Masterminds 1e. Later M&M editions took radically different approaches to some of the core mechanics. The additional rules presented here feel more like a d20 throwback. The later M&M supplement Noir has the same problem). It goes for crunchier, street-level options fitting the setting. That would require some serious retooling for other games and editions. That aside the Nocturnals offers an excellent resource for series fans and supers gamers who enjoy things like Hellboy, Buffy, or Mr. Monster. Worth picking up if you can find a copy. That used to be easy, but they're a little rarer now.
Game utility's another question. It was written for Mutants & Masterminds 1e. Later M&M editions took radically different approaches to some of the core mechanics. The additional rules presented here feel more like a d20 throwback. The later M&M supplement Noir has the same problem). It goes for crunchier, street-level options fitting the setting. That would require some serious retooling for other games and editions. That aside the Nocturnals offers an excellent resource for series fans and supers gamers who enjoy things like Hellboy, Buffy, or Mr. Monster. Worth picking up if you can find a copy. That used to be easy, but they're a little rarer now.
Omlevex is the greatest Silver-Age comic series
never written. This book presents the imaginary characters and stories of that
line- featuring Drake Einstein, The American Gargoyle, Freedom's Trio and
others. It writing manages to capture the feel of the era without being completely
derivative. You can see some of the inspirations, but they live on their own.
The book's a super-fun read, but perhaps most useful for GMs running a lighter
or more retro game. The coherence of the material means that it could be an
awesome alternate dimension to play with. Omlevex
came with stats for HERO 5, Silver Age Sentinels, and M&M 1e. Z-Man gave up
on rpgs and this ended up in bargain bins for years. There were rumors that Omlevex would reappear as a new
stand-alone supers rpg, but nothing has come of that.
6. Power Grrrl (2004)
Like Omlevex, Power
Grrrl offers a setting sourcebook for an made-up line of comic books
(not to be confused with the webcomic Grrl Power). The only
sourcebook for the POW! generic
system it presents a very, very 1980's style comic book world. The always excellent Shanya Almafeta has a solid review of Power Grrrl posted on RPG.Net. I think that says just about everything you need to know. Point buy. d6 Pool Resolution.
This is another odd one from Green Ronin. Like The
Nocturnals, I'd never heard of the Red Star comic series.
Strangely this product isn’t a supplement for Mutants & Masterminds, but instead for d20 Modern.
Green Ronin once again gives us a beautiful product; the hardcover's well-laid out
and presented. Red Star offers a
science fantasy spin on the Soviet Union. It seems almost more anime- a
combination of shamanistic magic, high-tech suits & armor, and characters
as singular heroes. It might be considered a corner case superhero product, but
the character design and story arc of the original material seem closer to that
than anything else. The unique setting works for and against it. If you're
looking for a mythotechnic Soviet campaign frame or love the original comics,
then this is for you. Otherwise it is so tied into that material GMs will have
a hard time digging out useful bits. Class
and Level based. Various dice for Resolution.
8. Capes (2005)
2005- What a great year for new approaches to superhero
games! Capes is a GM-less player-driven supers game. The
shared narration gets passed around, with players trying to twist and tweak
their compatriots’ stories. Those tales go around with freeform play until there's a
conflict, at which point it shifts to the rules for arbitration. It also has a
token-based resource system, used as a currency for buying control. Capes focuses on a particular supers
question: "Power is fun, but do you deserve it?." To play off that,
characters accumulate Debt, which measures the difference between how much
they've proved their worth and how much they've actually done so. As loose as
that may feel, the game actually offers an interesting character creation
system. Players select a Power Set and a Persona. These cleverly fit together with
the player making a few additional selections, resulting in a final set of
stats. If you're a fan of supers and like indie or GM-less games, you should
pick up a copy of this. Having gone back through it again, I realize I really
need run a Play-by-VoiP session of this. Set-Pick
Character Creation. d6 Resolution.
Disclaimer: I was
sort of involved with this game at a distance. I had a friend who worked for
Eden Studios when they got the City of Heroes license. That made sense
as the zombie baddies in the game took their name from one of the AFMBE
creators. CoH seemed like a smart fit as the MMO had broken the mold and
grabbed players’ attention. My friend asked me to sit on a couple of play
sessions to get ready for con demonstrations. The game worked OK- in part
because we only worked with the end results: character sheets with clear power
explanations. We'd also played a chunk of Unisystem and so got the basics
quickly. When we looked at the demo module- included in the quick-start pack-
we decided it wouldn't work well for conventions. So I came up with a new
concept built on a fight-investigation-death trap-final fight structure. I
wrote that up, he massaged it, and Eden used it at Origins, GenCon, and other
conventions.
Mind you, I had never played the City of Heroes MMO when I wrote the adventure. Plus we didn't have access to a version of the final rpg rules. Still things went off well. But the full game never appeared. All we got was a demo pack some time later. Again, the excellent Shanya Almafeta has a really spot-on review of it you can read here: City of Heroes: A Compare-And-Contrast Review. Eventually I did see a nearly finished version of the CoH tabletop rules. These were faithful to a fault- an incredibly literal and mechanical translation of the computer game's mechanics to Unisystem. I wouldn't have been my supers game of choice, but it never saw full publication. Another piece of Eden Studios vaporware, Beyond Human, originally seemed to be the supers sourcebook for Unisystem. However while it covered parahuman powers, it wasn’t a superhero game. Instead the settings and details offered went in completely different directions. Beyond Human still hasn't been published, but the nearly complete version I saw years ago was an interesting and worthwhile addition to Unisystem...and nothing like City of Heroes. Various dice resolution.
Mind you, I had never played the City of Heroes MMO when I wrote the adventure. Plus we didn't have access to a version of the final rpg rules. Still things went off well. But the full game never appeared. All we got was a demo pack some time later. Again, the excellent Shanya Almafeta has a really spot-on review of it you can read here: City of Heroes: A Compare-And-Contrast Review. Eventually I did see a nearly finished version of the CoH tabletop rules. These were faithful to a fault- an incredibly literal and mechanical translation of the computer game's mechanics to Unisystem. I wouldn't have been my supers game of choice, but it never saw full publication. Another piece of Eden Studios vaporware, Beyond Human, originally seemed to be the supers sourcebook for Unisystem. However while it covered parahuman powers, it wasn’t a superhero game. Instead the settings and details offered went in completely different directions. Beyond Human still hasn't been published, but the nearly complete version I saw years ago was an interesting and worthwhile addition to Unisystem...and nothing like City of Heroes. Various dice resolution.
10. GODSEND Agenda (2005)
GODSEND Agenda
doesn't do the greatest job of selling its unique setting. Check the publisher website
and RPGNow blurbs yields only part of the story- a supers game with some
mystical characters perhaps? BTW there will be some modest spoilers in this
overview. The secrets of the setting may be why Khepera Publishing doesn't go
into too much details. They want GMs to have the chance to slowly reveal the
metaplot. In GSA modern super battles reflect an age-old battle between aliens
and heroes with ancient historical links and legacies (think Nephilim or Fireborn). The history and
background is crazy wild- and as one RPG Net review points out, can be used in any time period. If you're looking for a complete supers setting
with a heavy weird mystical bent, GODSEND's
a pretty good choice.
The game itself uses the D6 system (of D6 Powers and Star Wars (WEG 2nd Edition)). If you're comfortable with those mechanics, you may like this game. It ends up a reasonably light game, probably closest to Savage Worlds. Khepera also published a GODSEND Agenda Superlink Conversion and GODSEND Agenda d20 Modern Conversion, so if you're intrigued by the setting but not the system, you have some options. There's also a Quick Start version of the rules you can download. Point buy. d6 Pool Resolution.
The game itself uses the D6 system (of D6 Powers and Star Wars (WEG 2nd Edition)). If you're comfortable with those mechanics, you may like this game. It ends up a reasonably light game, probably closest to Savage Worlds. Khepera also published a GODSEND Agenda Superlink Conversion and GODSEND Agenda d20 Modern Conversion, so if you're intrigued by the setting but not the system, you have some options. There's also a Quick Start version of the rules you can download. Point buy. d6 Pool Resolution.
Despite Fantasy Games Unlimited folding in 1991, Villains & Vigilantes managed to
retain a significant following among superhero gamers. In the 1990’s I knew of
several groups who had stuck with the system, sometimes returning to it after
trying Champions. V&V co-creator
(and legendary rpg artist) Jeff Dee took his experiences with that system and
created Living Legends. It borrows
some concepts from the earlier system, but elaborates on key mechanics
including resolution, the power lists, and effect measures. Living Legends
provides mechanics for point-buy character generation as well as random. Early
editions of LL had some problems, but the most recent (v1.2) seems cleaned up. The
publisher, Monkey House Games, would later issue a revised version of V&V.
They’ve worked hard to make support products compatible between both games. As
a result, Living Legends has a deep
backlist of modules and organization books. Point
buy or random character generation. Various dice for resolution.
12. Mutants & Masterminds
(2005)
I came to M&M 1e late in the product cycle. When I did, I
picked up everything for it and ran two different campaigns. M&M wasn't
perfect, but it did what I wanted and you could find a decent Excel-based
character generator for it. Then Green Ronin published the second edition...not
too long after releasing a major sourcebook for 1e- Gimmick's Guide To Gadgets- which the new rules completely invalidated. I was a
little irritated. I'd invested in the whole line and M&M Superlink pdf
products as well. That put me off buying into the 2e for a little while. But I wanted
to see what changes they'd made and I eventually broke down. So yeah, I liked
it. In fact I kind of loved it. M&M 2e cleaned up the mechanics and moved
it further away from the original d20 sources. Now it felt like a game which
stood on its own.
Not that it doesn't have problems. Some powers don’t match cost to actual power at the table (some Immunities, Possession, Obscure). My friend Gene objects to the Strength table values and the sheer number of possible conditions. The time/distance system can be wonky and using it with a tactical map often doesn't work. But despite that creakiness, I like the way it plays. I like the looseness and balance. Overall I like the feel and speed. I talk more extensively about that in this post from a couple years back. M&M 2e remains my go-to superhero game- just so you know my bias in these lists. I'm currently running a Roll 20 online campaign with it. I did buy a copy of the 3rd edition and I traded it away...but that's a story for a later list. Point buy with level limits. d20 Resolution.
Not that it doesn't have problems. Some powers don’t match cost to actual power at the table (some Immunities, Possession, Obscure). My friend Gene objects to the Strength table values and the sheer number of possible conditions. The time/distance system can be wonky and using it with a tactical map often doesn't work. But despite that creakiness, I like the way it plays. I like the looseness and balance. Overall I like the feel and speed. I talk more extensively about that in this post from a couple years back. M&M 2e remains my go-to superhero game- just so you know my bias in these lists. I'm currently running a Roll 20 online campaign with it. I did buy a copy of the 3rd edition and I traded it away...but that's a story for a later list. Point buy with level limits. d20 Resolution.
Truth & Justice uses the PDQ or Prose
Descriptive Qualities system. I've written about other games with those
mechanics: Zorcerer of Zo and Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies. The simple system
lends itself to a story focus and T&J game plays on that. The core book
begins with an extensive discussion of the tone, scale, and style of supers
campaigns. It's a useful discussion- but veteran supers GMs may find themselves
skimming through.
The game uses a pick system with players choosing character elements including powers. Most of these connect to a Quality which has a value added to die roll checks. T&J includes a list of superpowers, nicely done and open-ended. The power rules straddle the middle ground between restrictive and completely abstract. The system also uses a Hero Points mechanic- with connections to successful heroic actions and playing out character conflicts. Overall gamers will find a light approach to superheroes. I'd say Truth & Justice is closest to the difficulty of any of the Marvel Supers systems. The core book includes a number of interesting campaign frames as well. Truth & Justice has gotten decent support, with a couple of supplemental books (Truth & Justice: More Power, Dial S for Superhumans). As well other companies have published T&J versions of existing supers products- Legends Walk! (Truth & Justice Edition) and Adventures into Darkness (Truth & Justice / PDQ).
The game uses a pick system with players choosing character elements including powers. Most of these connect to a Quality which has a value added to die roll checks. T&J includes a list of superpowers, nicely done and open-ended. The power rules straddle the middle ground between restrictive and completely abstract. The system also uses a Hero Points mechanic- with connections to successful heroic actions and playing out character conflicts. Overall gamers will find a light approach to superheroes. I'd say Truth & Justice is closest to the difficulty of any of the Marvel Supers systems. The core book includes a number of interesting campaign frames as well. Truth & Justice has gotten decent support, with a couple of supplemental books (Truth & Justice: More Power, Dial S for Superhumans). As well other companies have published T&J versions of existing supers products- Legends Walk! (Truth & Justice Edition) and Adventures into Darkness (Truth & Justice / PDQ).
14. Villainy Amok (2005)
It may be just another supplement for Champions 5, but I have to call out Villainy Amok on
this list. If you run superhero campaigns, you ought to buy a copy of this. VA is
a sourcebook for crimes, capers, adventures, and campaigns. Each of the early
chapters takes a classic supers trope (Natural Disasters, Superhero Wedding,
Shrunken Characters) and examines how to run them, offers twists & turns,
and shows how to link to other stories. While sometimes it goes off into dense Hero
system mechanics, the base ideas are system agnostic enough to make it hugely
useful. The end chapters give lists of
hooks and ways to muck around with the PCs' limitations and disadvantages. I'd
like to see more books like this for supers and other genres. I've seen a few fantasy supplements covering narrow topics, but those more often end up offering
specific adventures rather than a toolbox for gamemasters. I think a modern or
sci-fi book of classic plots re-examined would work. I've written a little more extensively about Villainy Amok in this post.
Characters begin by defining a key character conflict (authority vs. freedom;
justice vs. vengeance, etc). Players then explain what they excel in (which can
include powers); define their character's motive; and sketch out their
relationships. These make up aspects which serve as the basis of Enrichment
scenes. A series of additional questions fleshes out the characters’ background
and focus. The system's loose and highly narrative. For all that, I wouldn't
call this a light system. It offers some challenging structures- both in terms
of rules systems and play structures. If you're interested in unusual
storytelling games or want to see an unusual drama focused superhero game, you
should check this one out. Question-based
character generation. Card-based resolution.
History of Superhero RPGs (Part One: 1978-1982)
History of Superhero RPGs (Part One: 1978-1982)
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