Super Heroic

   I wish I had more time and a group of players that were

interested in a variety of games.

Recently I acquired a copy of Marvel Heroic Roleplaying.

This game is very cool. Its all about collective storytelling and dramatic tension.

I adore the initiative in this game. The first person to react usually goes first. Its really isn't that important as that person chooses who goes next and so forth. Don't get caught with letting all the bad guys go last!

Players essentially build dice pools based on their powers (and other stats) in combination with their description of the action(s) they are describing. Dice pools are made up of d4 to d12. Stats are described as having a die value. Ones are discarded and the two (or more if you spend plot points) highest (usually) dice are totalled up. You choose your effect die from any left over. Its not the number on the die that counts toward effect but the size of the die.

I haven't played a game yet but it looks interesting. I'd like to give it a whirl at/on ConstantCon sometime.

I understand that this game is based on the Cortex System also by Margaret Weiss Productions. This rules set looks like a universal system to build whatever type of game you want around it.  I might have to take a look at this sometime and build some kind of warped fantasy thing out of it.

The supers thing has made me take a look back at the old TSR Marvel Super Heroes game. I still think this game holds up, however I do think that Marvel Heroic suits my tastes as an experienced and adult player much more than the older system. If your never had a chance to play MSH (FASERIP) or you don't have your old edition anymore you can get the 4C System (Four Colors System) here for free.

At the time Marvel Super Heroes was excellent. The universal table was a great way to express the powers of the heroes being played. I don't think that translated into 3rd edition Gamma World very well and wasn't quite what was required for Adventures of Indiana Jones. TSR Conan somehow worked well with this though I'm not sure why.

I also looked into the BASH Superhero RPG this looks like something in between Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel Heroic.

Marvel heroic is $19.99 Print – $12.99 PDF
4C System is $6.30 Print – FREE PDF both at Lulu
BASH Ultimate Edition is £23.99 at Cubicle Seven  
$9.99 PDF at RPGNow

Mostly all a great value. I'm especially fond of Marvel Heroic being a new game at a great price. Its even printed like a comic book graphic novel collection.