So, what would you use to run a campaign inspired by the (netflix version) of Marvel's Defenders?
Also, would you have the PCs play the official characters? Or would you have them make new characters along those lines?
ICONS for me. It's not necesarily and ideal fit for exclusively street-level heroes and there would have to be some ad-hoc restirctions to powers and ranks at character generation, but I know, it works well and I think that counts for a lot.
Definitely go for original characters. I could try pitching the Defender as the inspiration but I'm pretty once the game start it would mutate in its own thing and find its own tone and flavour. If I were to pitch a Defenders inspired game it will somehow turn into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, a Turtles inspired game will somehow turn into Agents of Shield, a Shield game would evolve into The Defender. That's just how gaming goes.
Supers! Revised. Works pretty well for street level.
Heroes Unlimited because at least combat would be exciting and you'd get some funky lower-powered vigilante types, which I understand the new Defenders are. You could certainly do Daredevil and Power Man & Iron Fist from the old comics with HU, maybe give Iron Fist some stuff from Ninjas & Superspies.
Haven't seen the actual TV show.
Quote from: Dumarest;962012Heroes Unlimited because at least combat would be exciting and you'd get some funky lower-powered vigilante types, which I understand the new Defenders are. You could certainly do Daredevil and Power Man & Iron Fist from the old comics with HU, maybe give Iron Fist some stuff from Ninjas & Superspies.
Haven't seen the actual TV show.
This pretty much describes my groups game in 1993.:)
TSR's Marvel Superheroes.
Champions. However the secret sauce is how you set up the campaign. For the most part the rules are irrelevant except as a preference.
Champions, natch. But practically any Supers games could probably handle it. Campaign set up, mood and atmosphere would be key.
Quote from: Ronin;962017This pretty much describes my groups game in 1993.:)
Well, if you ever restart let me know! I'll dust off my knockoffs: STEEL PANTHER & INVISIBLE HAND!
Quote from: RPGPundit;961986So, what would you use to run a campaign inspired by the (netflix version) of Marvel's Defenders?
Mutants and Masterminds 3e (because I know it well) or ICONs.
Quote from: RPGPundit;961986Also, would you have the PCs play the official characters? Or would you have them make new characters along those lines?
Whatever my players want, I'm flexible. Also, the street-level vigilante tone is right up my wheelhouse, as the saying gets mangled, so I'm on board with the idea.
My own Triumphant! - I say that because I'm playing in in and/or running 3 face-to-face games and one pbp game using it.
If I wasn't going to use my own system, I'd probably give V&V or BASH! a go.
Heroes Unlimited, to hit that nice street style, and because I keep coming back to that system. TSR's Advanced Marvel Super Heroes would be appropriate as well.
Quote from: Simon W;962070My own Triumphant! - I say that because I'm playing in in and/or running 3 face-to-face games and one pbp game using it.
If I wasn't going to use my own system, I'd probably give V&V or BASH! a go.
I was going to add this one, too.:-) It's nice and swingy, so you get some exciting fights.
AMP:Year One
It is a Street Level superhero game.
M&M 3e
I'm running a PL 10 Avenger/JLA/Fantastic Four type of game set in Emerald City, but I am finding I am bypassing a lot of (good) setting material because it seems like it is geared more towards a street-level supers game.
This is the first M&M campaign I've GMed. It's been a good run and a good place to start the game, but I feel like starting at a "street level" would open up more possibilities.
Ova revised. Perfect fit.
Supers! Revised. I don't really like having players play existing characters so not sure if it would still justifiably be a Defenders game, though.
I'm currently really grooving on Revolution D100, so I'd use that. It's a BRP-derivative game, with a few nice new additions to it. It's got some basic rules plugins for superpowers, and they'd work great for that style of game. Reminds me of playing SuperWorld back in the day, actually. SW was great for low-level supers, or guys with one or two really awesome powers. But it fell apart trying to do Justice League/Avengers level of powered people.
Marvel Heroic using my own hack which replaces Affiliations with the Approaches from Fate Accelerated because I can run that system with my eyes closed and unlike Fate it can feel more crunchy. I prefer it to M+M 3e because it handles power level disparity better.
Hero System. 5E Dark Champions was built for it.
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/19520/Dark-Champions-5th-Edition?it=1&filters=0_0_10010_0_0
Mostly due to it's robust martial arts mechanics and psychological complications. Those two elements seem to be the focus of all 4 shows. Actually I've only seen 1 episode of JJ, so I am not sure what her power set is (kinda strong?) Iron Fist will be the hardest to stat up due to the Qi powers, which I'd make a Multipower:
- blast with no range and extra KB
- missle deflection
- healing
- blast with no range and explosion area of effect
That list will probably expand as the series goes on.
I'd let the players create their own characters, maybe as students, allies, or rivals to one of the 4. Probably use the standard Dark Champions CP budget of 100 CP with 50 extra from complications. I would not use The Hand as the villains, but some other conspiracy.
Quote from: Omega;962039TSR's Marvel Superheroes.
This. Or Marvel Super Heroes (SAGA Edition).
Or Savage Worlds. SW works great for street level supers.
Wasn't there someone here promoting their street level supers game like a year ago. Dark steel, or Iron heroes or something like that?
Quote from: Ronin;962296Wasn't there someone here promoting their street level supers game like a year ago. Dark steel, or Iron heroes or something like that?
Cold Steel Wardens, IIRC
Do I need to even say it? FASERIP.
There. I said it.
As an aside - I'd make the players make their own characters to ease into the issues of the Defenders - and obviously spur their own problems which the Defenders may/may not be involved as well. This is a ridiculously easy kind of game for me to run.
Ive read that ICONs point buy system is aweful. Is that true?
I would use my son's game, Look! Up In The Sky!
I would probably say ICONS.
Though I could be tempted to use something like Ninjas and Superspies.
I'd use GURPS, just like I do for most stuff. I'd never use it for anything more powerful than street-level supers but I think this would be right in the sweet spot.
Quote from: RPGPundit;963188I would probably say ICONS.
Though I could be tempted to use something like Ninjas and Superspies.
Ninjas & Superspies with a dash of Heroes Unlimited or the other way around would work well, especially if you want the fight scenes to be exciting. The reason I say Heroes Unlimited is you would want Power Man's super strength and bulletproof skin. I haven't seen the TV version but I assume his abilities still reflect the comic books. I wouldn't mind playing a Power Man & Iron Fist game! They even had a crossover with Daredevil back during the Frank Miller DD era. I don't know who the girl is supposed to be, though, or what her abilities are.
Quote from: Dumarest;963224I don't know who the girl is supposed to be, though, or what her abilities are.
She's based on the character Jessica Jones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Jones)
On the show she's demonstrated: Superhuman strength (seems stronger than Cage), super leaping (borders on flight), seems to have some degree of injury resistance and enhanced fortitude but not to the same extent as Cage and isn't bulletproof, detective skills, world weary outwardly cynical attitude.
Quote from: Dumarest;963224Ninjas & Superspies with a dash of Heroes Unlimited or the other way around would work well, especially if you want the fight scenes to be exciting. The reason I say Heroes Unlimited is you would want Power Man's super strength and bulletproof skin. I haven't seen the TV version but I assume his abilities still reflect the comic books. I wouldn't mind playing a Power Man & Iron Fist game! They even had a crossover with Daredevil back during the Frank Miller DD era. I don't know who the girl is supposed to be, though, or what her abilities are.
Yes, you could easily crib the necessary powers from Heroes Unlimited.
There's that Marvel cortex game and venture city for fate.
I haven't played either but I understand Marvel Cortex allows for good games despite varying power levels.
And Fate games are constantly being touted as pulp game of choice.
Quote from: HorusArisen;963456There's that Marvel cortex game and venture city for fate.
I haven't played either but I understand Marvel Cortex allows for good games despite varying power levels.
And Fate games are constantly being touted as pulp game of choice.
It depends on what you're looking for. The issue I have with the Marvel Heroes Cortex game and Fate, as I stated in another thread I can't remember is that they add a layer of abstraction between the player and the world, making everyone at the table something of a TV director.
They're great games to play comic books, et al, not so much at being superheroes.
Quote from: Nexus;962298Cold Steel Wardens, IIRC
Yes. It's a bit more crunchy than say
Icons or
Supers and pretty gritty.
Quote from: Nexus;962298Cold Steel Wardens, IIRC
Yup, Cold Steel Wardens, hands down. It's custom-made for gritty, street-level supers.
Quote from: 3rik;963659Yes. It's a bit more crunchy than say Icons or Supers and pretty gritty.
You'd have to chop out quite a bit, like the crippling wounds, both physical and mental. You'd have to beef up the supers section to mimic Power Man.
It's so weird thinking of the Defenders as Street-Level when they started out as God-Level. Dr. Strange, The Hulk, Namor, and Silver Surfer. Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage are pretty damn far from that.
Were any of the TV Defenders actually ever a Comic Defender? I know Luke Cage was.
Quote from: Dan Davenport;963719Yup, Cold Steel Wardens, hands down. It's custom-made for gritty, street-level supers.
I've been meaning to take a closer look at this.
Quote from: CRKrueger;963731It's so weird thinking of the Defenders as Street-Level when they started out as God-Level. Dr. Strange, The Hulk, Namor, and Silver Surfer. Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage are pretty damn far from that.
Were any of the TV Defenders actually ever a Comic Defender? I know Luke Cage was.
I as thinking the same thing. Original Defenders lineup was powerful. Of course, they had some weird lineups later on (who didn't, in the Marvel Universe?).
According to this (http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Defenders_(Earth-616)) Cage was a member, short-term, and Daredevil. The success of the shows has the cart pulling the horse, as Marvel will roll out the current lineup in comic book form, beginning in August (to tie in with the miniseries, no doubt).
You could also potentially do this sort of thing with Two-Fisted Tales.
Quote from: Nexus;963757I've been meaning to take a closer look at this.
I own it, and have read through it extensively. I love the built in world, the mechanics... Not so much.
Iron Fist was also a member in the most recent series (by Fraction) along with Namor, Surfer, Strange, and Red She-Hulk. So I guess these street levelers can take the name "Defenders", for the MCU, which I don't mind... what I do mind, is that the Marvel comic book universe is being lead by the Comics/TV (and these are being done better- particularly the movies, than the current crop of Marvel comics!)