Since people are talking about Champions of late, I was wondering if anyone here still plays V&V at all? The game has seen a slight resurgence, and quite a bit of new releases have come out in the last two years.

I started playing it again about 2 years ago with a local group that has played on and off for over 20 years, and have been having a blast. The GM has a set of house rules he implemented, but I'm finding out once more how much fun this game was. It was my first supers game before Champions, and I have find memories of playing/running both games in my younger years.

The game is pretty solid even now. Which is why I fear 3E's upcoming "modernization" there are issues it has, but none that need to be really scourged. Just improved by tweaking. (Jumping being one of the whacky rules that doesn't quite work well without houserules.)


I love V&V, but not as much as more free flowing games like MSH, Marvel Saga, H&S, Truth & Justice.

Still I've pages of NPC's, and based off me PC's as well as randomly rolled ones.

Its a good game.

I guess I'm in the other camp.  It's okay but needs some serious modernization.

I'd like to see the first edition origin types back as a power type filter.  I'd like a cleaner stat based method of figuring carrying capacity and hit points.  A benchmark table for playing yourself would be nice too.  And of course a bit of a skill system.

In principle I really like the game but I think it could be a lot better with a little tweaking.

What I don't want to see is Living Legends or whatever it was.  Keep it clean and simpler, just clean it up a bit around the corners.  I keep saying that for some reason...I feel...compelled...to suggest a big box of vinyl figures and some cardboard sky scrapers....strange...

Quote from: David Johansen;567708What I don't want to see is Living Legends or whatever it was.  Keep it clean and simpler, just clean it up a bit around the corners.  I keep saying that for some reason...I feel...compelled...to suggest a big box of vinyl figures and some cardboard sky scrapers....strange...

That would be cool too. Especially with generic versions in the game we can paint/color from the old chits and Dee/Herman art..

For me, the game is a great spot between the complexity of Champions and the simple nature of twerps. The game really is not complex and you are encouraged to modify powers to suit the group and game. I recommend a calculator during character creation, but afterward no need for one. And you only need it for 2 calculations then.

The game is a lot of fun during play and runs quite fast with familiarity.

A few minor tweaks here and there, but eventually, I am sure there will be revision.
It's a great game with plenty of staying power that has the best GM/Player flexibility out there.
Love this game.

only bad thing is the agility break if agility gets out of control due to multiple attacks and additional damage.

Wow V&V, haven't played that in ages.

Running an occasional V&V campaign for the last 5 years or so.  Players like the game (flaws & all) because its entertaining.
Current roster:

The Stove:  Super-endurance & able to shoot a jet of fire.
Body Check:  High-Flying Hockey player w/ Titanium goalie stick.
Loosewire:  Power Blast, 'nuff said.
Oblivion:  Flies using wings made from dark-energy, energized talons too.
Doc Snooze:  Able to fire a beam that puts the target to sleep instantly.
Mace-n-Dixon:  Good ol' boy w/ an energized flail.
Zamboni:  Master of Cold.

Having played V&V on-and-off for the last 25+ years, I like the game's overall ease of character generation (10 minutes for most characters, 30 minutes for the occasional complex ones).  The original concept of playing "yourself, but in super-hero form" is novel and useful for players that have never played RPGs before (OK, Dave...what would YOU do in this situation), but the novelty wears off after the first hero.  Making up my own comic-style universe is more entertaining and allows for a broader character base.  

Combat is a little tricky for people that are used to the standard d20 mechanic.  In V&V the object is to roll low.  So much for that lucky 'always rolls 20s' die.  Each power has an attack type with a base target number that you have to roll beneath.  There are defense types that can alter that target number.  As long as you remember to apply all modifiers to the target number instead of the die roll, you should be good to go.  

While on the subject of combat an important, but often neglected, part is the level-vs.-level table.  If you are squaring off against a hero of the same level as you, there is a -1 modifier to the attack.  If you are more experienced, this penalty becomes a bonus, based on your level.  The opposite is true as well; experienced villains know how to dodge your attacks.

The game world in V&V is our world with a few tweaks...but it is mostly left wide open for the game master to develop.  If you want a world similar to the "X-Men", "Judge Dredd" or "Justice League" it is all easily done.  The high-tech government organization known as C.H.E.S.S. gives the heroes an ally & information source similar to S.H.I.E.L.D. while the villainous group known as "Intercrime" runs in the shadows, a mega-corporation of criminal industry.  How you use these organizations is also open for interpretation.

Overall, the game can be a little math heavy with certain powers, but nothing a player with a simple calculator can't handle.  The idea of 'game balance' didn't exist when V&V came out, so some characters may be grossly overpowered while others are veritable weaklings, and I find this can make for some interesting interactions.  One player rolled a high Agility character that wiped the walls with all villains before the next hero could act...and then rolled an empath with only 6 hit points.  These tend to be extremes, but both were entertaining to watch in action.  And that's really the point of these games, isn't it?

I've never actually played Villains & Vigilantes, but I do have the comic book from... I think it was the 80's, but it could have been _very_ yearly 90's.  The plot involved two new superheros, a pair of friends, who are attempting to join the big name supergroup only to find that they've been captured by, I believe, Dr. Destroyer.

Quote from: jcfiala;568419I've never actually played Villains & Vigilantes, but I do have the comic book from... I think it was the 80's, but it could have been _very_ yearly 90's.  The plot involved two new superheros, a pair of friends, who are attempting to join the big name supergroup only to find that they've been captured by, I believe, Dr. Destroyer.

Nope. Mimic and the Crushers. I've got the set of comics.

Quote from: Silverlion;568544Nope. Mimic and the Crushers. I've got the set of comics.

As do I. The comic actually emulated the storyline of the module "Crisis at Crusader Citadel", which came with the box set.

I still run my V&V campaign. It's one of my 'fill in' games. Everyone has characters so if we are between games we play a couple of night of V&V. My current gaming group comprise the team The Valiants working out of Lakeside City (thinly veiled Chicago). They are the 5th team of players to form up in my campaign world over the years. The Valiants' roster is:

Nightmare (Fear projection, Super strength and Intangibility)
Mr. Carnival (Telepathy, Illusion Creation, Light Manipulation)
Peregrin (Flight, super speed, high agility)
High Priestess (Telepathy, Telekinesis, Astral Projection, Emotion Projection: Awe)
Dark Space (Darkness Projection, Disintegration Ray)
Vox (Sonic Powers, Force Fields)
Honeysuckle (Super Strength, Super Con. Entangling Vines and a Pollen projection power that attacks a victims power score)

I'm running V&V 2nd ed. currently. Though I would pick up the version just out of curiosity. If it was too difficult to translate the characters over I would probably not use it.The world has been running for so long it would just be too much of a headache if they did a complete re-write.

Quote from: urbwar;568559As do I. The comic actually emulated the storyline of the module "Crisis at Crusader Citadel", which came with the box set.

Indeed it does, with a few changes (level ups) on most characters parts, and the few swapouts--Hauntress the ghostly villain who was once the Shrew.