Several New Powers added. I may start putting up the weakness description. Still trying to work out a mechanic on how to have them in play.
Are they set in stone at character creation? Do they gain power as the character grows?
Here's what I am thinking of so far. Powers and the associated weaknesses must have a relationship of some sort.
Option 1- A base character at creation gets say 5 points to put into powers. He can take upto another 10 points if he take an equivalent amount of weaknesses. With a maximum starting power rank of 3. After he gains some exp he can then buy more powers etc.
Option 2 - A Character get 10 points in powers at start . Any power over 3 must have an associated weakness worth power level -3. The character must have a number/level weakness for each power beyond the third. As powers grow they must add weaknesses or have their existing weaknesses grow in power also.
Option3 - ??? a mix of the above?
Dunno yet. Any input?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
How much power?
How much power should a new character start with?
A couple of powers at low level? A few powers at mediun level? Phenomonal cosmic power?
A side note to this is what/ are weaknesses going to work into this?
All heroes above a certain pwoer level need a weakness or weaknesses. So far some of the powers have associated weaknesses that will work with that power. What benefit does this give beyond the fact that having wweaknesses may allow you access to more power? Does there need to be more?
A couple of powers at low level? A few powers at mediun level? Phenomonal cosmic power?
A side note to this is what/ are weaknesses going to work into this?
All heroes above a certain pwoer level need a weakness or weaknesses. So far some of the powers have associated weaknesses that will work with that power. What benefit does this give beyond the fact that having wweaknesses may allow you access to more power? Does there need to be more?
New Here?
Hopefully my posts on Giantitp.com will generate some more input. If you are here from there, or somewhere else. Welcome and please comment and help me get this system growing.
First Set of Powers complete
Here's the first drop of powers A-Armory.
Yes I'm going through the list alphabetically.
Yes I'm going through the list alphabetically.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Power Mechanics
The basics of the power mechanics is up. I am going to be working on building the individual powers and how they work.
The question now becomes - How much power does a character start with?
The question now becomes - How much power does a character start with?
Powers
A basic list of 290 some powers culled from about 5 different lists of power has been posted to the right. Take a look and see what I'm missing and what needs changing. Its just a list for now. I am in the process of builing the complete power system. It will need some help that's for sure.
I'm still trying to work out how to do weaknesses. Heros need weaknesses, in my mind at least. And the more powerful the hero the bigger more entertaining the weakness.
Superman is allergic to Kryptonite. Some of it kills him, some helps him, some just saps his strength. While it is supposed to be rare...every villain seems to be able to get their hands on some. It also seems like every villain out there knows of that weakness too. That sounds like a good weakness.
I'm still trying to work out how to do weaknesses. Heros need weaknesses, in my mind at least. And the more powerful the hero the bigger more entertaining the weakness.
Superman is allergic to Kryptonite. Some of it kills him, some helps him, some just saps his strength. While it is supposed to be rare...every villain seems to be able to get their hands on some. It also seems like every villain out there knows of that weakness too. That sounds like a good weakness.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Power break down
So...powers and how to break them down into meaning ful ideals that can be expressed as numbers and dice. The hard part in other words.
(I do feel like I'm talking to my self in this blog, and I largely am, but it helps anyways.)
Most of the power systems I have seen have treated powers like sets. For example one of the worst and most powergaming systems Palladium...If you have "energy control" you get 5 little powers that fall under that heading. Same with Aberrant (one of my favorite systems but least favorite worlds). Looking at the comic books and other systems I think breaking it all down into individual powers that can be bought at a cheap rate but only do 1 thing might be more effective.
Lets look at the body transformation guys out there.
Iceman- Icebody, Ice generation, ice shaping, ice blast, ice enhanced movement modes. He pretty much gets it all at once.
Johnny Storm - Fire body, fire blasts, fire based flight. I'm not a huge fan but he down't have the fire control powers of Pyro. But then again Pyro doesn't generate flames like Johnny (Pyro has flame throwers for that).
Collossus - Metal Body, enhanced strenth in metal form ( a weakenss based upon another power being active simuteneously) but no control powers or blasts. Leaping maybe.
All of the above transform into an inorganic (something). They all get s suite of powers that compliment their transformation but the set isn't as complete in some as it is in others.
So if we break it down- what we are really looking at is several different powers with different fluff.
Body Transformation - turns your body into another substance
Enhance movement mode - fly/ice surfing/extra strength leaping
Manipulate element - allows to shape/animate a substance
Generate element - produce an element in quantity
elemental blast - shoot element X for appropriate damage
Now the real question lies in how to break down the manipulation powers- is each separate shape a power? - this would make Green Lantern extremely expensive to make, even with his numerous weaknesses to counter that.
Or are there some basic shapes that can be used as separate powers? ie- wall, hand, etc. Or would that come down to a power control skill roll?
(I do feel like I'm talking to my self in this blog, and I largely am, but it helps anyways.)
Most of the power systems I have seen have treated powers like sets. For example one of the worst and most powergaming systems Palladium...If you have "energy control" you get 5 little powers that fall under that heading. Same with Aberrant (one of my favorite systems but least favorite worlds). Looking at the comic books and other systems I think breaking it all down into individual powers that can be bought at a cheap rate but only do 1 thing might be more effective.
Lets look at the body transformation guys out there.
Iceman- Icebody, Ice generation, ice shaping, ice blast, ice enhanced movement modes. He pretty much gets it all at once.
Johnny Storm - Fire body, fire blasts, fire based flight. I'm not a huge fan but he down't have the fire control powers of Pyro. But then again Pyro doesn't generate flames like Johnny (Pyro has flame throwers for that).
Collossus - Metal Body, enhanced strenth in metal form ( a weakenss based upon another power being active simuteneously) but no control powers or blasts. Leaping maybe.
All of the above transform into an inorganic (something). They all get s suite of powers that compliment their transformation but the set isn't as complete in some as it is in others.
So if we break it down- what we are really looking at is several different powers with different fluff.
Body Transformation - turns your body into another substance
Enhance movement mode - fly/ice surfing/extra strength leaping
Manipulate element - allows to shape/animate a substance
Generate element - produce an element in quantity
elemental blast - shoot element X for appropriate damage
Now the real question lies in how to break down the manipulation powers- is each separate shape a power? - this would make Green Lantern extremely expensive to make, even with his numerous weaknesses to counter that.
Or are there some basic shapes that can be used as separate powers? ie- wall, hand, etc. Or would that come down to a power control skill roll?
Powers and associated skill
Something I have been thinking of is having a power control skill associated with a specific power. This would be rolled as an attack or for specific fin control situation.
For example: Cyclops is attempting to blast Pyro - he rolls his Eye Beam skill vs. Pyro's dodge to hit.
or someone playing a telekinesis (TK) based character is attempting to pick a lock using TK from across the room. He would roll his TK skill in addition to a lock picking roll for a fine manipulation effect.
This stems from a few situation but can lead to some fun as character are learning their powers they can have some great oops situations as they bazooka blast something they wanted to hit with a small beam.
It also comes from a great old story line involving the White Queen and Iceman. Iceman had little control over his powers but a huge amount of power available. The White Queen possessed him and since she had a much greater grasp of this skill was able to use Iceman's powers far better than he was able to. In the realm of this game that would equate to having a high rating in the power but a low skill (Iceman) being taken over by the someone who had high skill in the same power set.
What do you think?
For example: Cyclops is attempting to blast Pyro - he rolls his Eye Beam skill vs. Pyro's dodge to hit.
or someone playing a telekinesis (TK) based character is attempting to pick a lock using TK from across the room. He would roll his TK skill in addition to a lock picking roll for a fine manipulation effect.
This stems from a few situation but can lead to some fun as character are learning their powers they can have some great oops situations as they bazooka blast something they wanted to hit with a small beam.
It also comes from a great old story line involving the White Queen and Iceman. Iceman had little control over his powers but a huge amount of power available. The White Queen possessed him and since she had a much greater grasp of this skill was able to use Iceman's powers far better than he was able to. In the realm of this game that would equate to having a high rating in the power but a low skill (Iceman) being taken over by the someone who had high skill in the same power set.
What do you think?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Superpowers
What are your favorite power groupings? Individual powers?
Do you favor heroes having weaknesses or not?
What weaknesses would you like to see in a supers game?
Do you favor heroes having weaknesses or not?
What weaknesses would you like to see in a supers game?
First Update
On the left hand side you will find the beginnings of the System.
All of this is still in drafting stages and needs some more polish. Still to come within the next few days - Some gear, bonus/negative traits, more system basics.
All of this is still in drafting stages and needs some more polish. Still to come within the next few days - Some gear, bonus/negative traits, more system basics.
The beginning and why I do this.
I have played a great many games from too many different systems. Fantasy, horror, humor, sci-fi, space opera, cartoons, anime, you name it I've probably played the genre in more than one system.
I like superhero games. They are more fun to me than most other genre's. I have a few problems with playing them though. Most are overly complex (Champions, the original Marvel RPG), or too simplified (Aberrant, Marvel Card Game RPG). Sometimes the characters are godlike, other times they simply suck (Almost anything d20, or Palladium).
I want to make a new system. Remove most of the fluff and focus on the system. Something anyone can use and is realistic with out being overly math heavy. Complex enough to be able to articulate the bulk of reality in numbers but squishy enough to allow the GM and players to insert it into nearly any world.
So far I am building it for a modern/near future time frame. This can easily be altered with some changes to skills/gear/powers to replicate nearly any human based population.
I'll start posting updates and changes as I go.
PS: Thanks to those who helped me get the basics down a few years back: Jim, Phil, Wolf.
I like superhero games. They are more fun to me than most other genre's. I have a few problems with playing them though. Most are overly complex (Champions, the original Marvel RPG), or too simplified (Aberrant, Marvel Card Game RPG). Sometimes the characters are godlike, other times they simply suck (Almost anything d20, or Palladium).
I want to make a new system. Remove most of the fluff and focus on the system. Something anyone can use and is realistic with out being overly math heavy. Complex enough to be able to articulate the bulk of reality in numbers but squishy enough to allow the GM and players to insert it into nearly any world.
So far I am building it for a modern/near future time frame. This can easily be altered with some changes to skills/gear/powers to replicate nearly any human based population.
I'll start posting updates and changes as I go.
PS: Thanks to those who helped me get the basics down a few years back: Jim, Phil, Wolf.
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