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Author Topic: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations  (Read 2120 times)

Minotaurians

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2022, 04:29:27 AM »
You could also check out the all-new CRUSADERS, the RPG of superheroic action!

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/400193/CRUSADERS?src=fp_u5

It combines the feel of 80s games like Golden Heroes and V&V with a much simpler system!

A short preview:

http://storygame.free.fr/CRUSADERSpreview.pdf

You may also want to take a look at the character record sheet, which reflects the elegant simplicity of the system:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/400194/CRUSADERS-Character-Record-Sheets?src=also_purchased

Tubesock Army
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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #16 on: June 22, 2022, 12:37:34 PM »
Codename Spandex is free and a clone of the Golden Heroes RPG. Firmly based in street to mid level level you won't find much in the way of Justice League level stuff but depends what you're looking for.

If you want something a bit more modern there's Destined which is by the Mythras guys. D100 based.

Agree what you say about Mutants and Masterminds. Bought every version of the game and my mind shuts down with character creation. Game plays ok.

+1 for Codename: Spandex. I's free in PDF and sold at cost in print. A very faithful clone of Golden Heroes with maybe one or two minor changes. OSR adjacent, since Golden Heroes was basically 1e Gamma World houseruled for supers. Like Golden Heroes, it has strict, but not complex, rules for time and distance, giving it a surprising tactical depth without a lot of crunch. A solid "medium" in the crunch category.


Orphan81

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #17 on: June 22, 2022, 02:03:05 PM »
Savage World's newest Superpowered companion is what you want. It's a great middle point between something like Hero and something like ICONS.

My personal favorite Superhero system is Mutants and Masterminds 3rd edition, as I look at it as having all the granularity of Hero/Champions but with much easier math... But Savage Worlds Super Powered companion takes it a step further in terms of an easy to handle and fast system, while still giving you lots of customization.
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3. I work in a Prison, your tough guy act is boring.

ChaosCowboy

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #18 on: June 22, 2022, 02:11:15 PM »
I am certainly leaning towards Savage Worlds. Especially given the foundry support. As soon as they make the foundry mod for it I'll get it.

weirdguy564

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2022, 07:21:05 PM »
Codename: Spandex.  What a nice little game.  I never pass up anything that is literally free.  And downloadable from its own website so I don’t have to “buy” it for $0 from DrivethruRPG. 

Thanks. 
I’m glad for you if you like the top selling game of the genre.  Me, I like the road less travelled, and will be the player asking we try a game you’ve never heard of.

weirdguy564

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #20 on: June 22, 2022, 07:32:26 PM »
I am certainly leaning towards Savage Worlds. Especially given the foundry support. As soon as they make the foundry mod for it I'll get it.

You don’t need the genre specific supplements for Savage Worlds.  The base rulebook is capable of running what you want. 

You once asked if it had a free sample rulebook, and it does.  However, there seem to be multiple free sample rulebooks.  One is set on the Deadlands Weird West world of gunslingers vs supernatural. 

But, this “Test Drive” rulebook is more generic.  Have a look. 

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/peg-freebies/TD06.pdf

I’m glad for you if you like the top selling game of the genre.  Me, I like the road less travelled, and will be the player asking we try a game you’ve never heard of.

amacris

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #21 on: June 22, 2022, 08:12:10 PM »
You're not wrong, sure, but the last DC RPG I know of is the MM3 rebrand which was well before DC went full gay. I've never given a shit about Marvel so wouldn't use their system unless it was really, really good and I'd just run it with DC or non-specific superheroes.

I recall Champions being a bit too complicated for my taste, at least when I made a character. Granted if I learned Mutants and Masterminds character creation system (and have since forgotten it), I'm sure I could learn it.

Villains and Vigilantes I've never played but I'll take a look.

I will recommend my own game Ascendant to you with one caveat. It is medium crunch in play, but the character creation and scenario set-up is high crunch (Champions / MM3E level). I'm working on an online character creation tool that will be hugely helpful but until then it definitely takes some math to make characters, inventions, etc.

We run regular games online on my Discord if you'd like to see the game in action.
https://discord.gg/4yXdNuK3

And here's the link to the rulebook:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/350750/Ascendant?src=hottest_filtered
 

Orphan81

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #22 on: June 22, 2022, 08:52:41 PM »
I am certainly leaning towards Savage Worlds. Especially given the foundry support. As soon as they make the foundry mod for it I'll get it.

You don’t need the genre specific supplements for Savage Worlds.  The base rulebook is capable of running what you want. 



This isn't true at all. I've been playing Savage Worlds since the beginning. Savage Worlds out of the box can run "Pulp" Heroes with one or two out of the box... But if you want any real Superhero experience or gaming you're going to NEED the Superpowered companion. That's always been the case.
1. Some of you culture warriors are so committed to the bit you'll throw out any nuance or common sense in fear it's 'giving in' to the other side.

2. I'm a married homeowner with a career and a child. I won life. You can't insult me.

3. I work in a Prison, your tough guy act is boring.

ChaosCowboy

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #23 on: June 22, 2022, 09:39:40 PM »
I will recommend my own game Ascendant to you with one caveat. It is medium crunch in play, but the character creation and scenario set-up is high crunch (Champions / MM3E level). I'm working on an online character creation tool that will be hugely helpful but until then it definitely takes some math to make characters, inventions, etc.

We run regular games online on my Discord if you'd like to see the game in action.
https://discord.gg/4yXdNuK3

And here's the link to the rulebook:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/350750/Ascendant?src=hottest_filtered

Looking at the preview, I don't think it's for me. Thanks for the suggestion though!

the crypt keeper

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Re: Superhero RPGs - Looking For Mid-Crunch Recommendations
« Reply #24 on: July 03, 2022, 06:52:33 PM »
Nothing says mid-crunch for me than DC Heroes from Mayfair. Solid definition of mid-crunch.
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