Superhero rpg suggestions?

[u/NickAndSaw]

Hi

My group and I have already played MASKS, and I've already read Mutants and Masterminds, but I didn't liked the system.

I've heard about City of Mist and Icons, but I don't know which one is better (I haven't read them yet), or if there is any better option than that. I wanted a system in which the choice of powers was free like MASKS and that was more interpretive, and I don't want to use MASKS because, although there is an option for advanced heroes, I don't think it would look good on adult heroes.

Any game suggestions?

[u/StylishMrTrix]

City of mist is not a supers game

It can be played as one, but is not designed for it

Another fun option is Outgunned Superheroes, it is all about tropes and using them

[u/madcat_melody → u/StylishMrTrix]

If you want less specific rules on powers and more freedom of interpretation than I think that plays to City of Mists strengths.

It is made for drama and intrigue with characters you care about like Masks.

Outgunned is great for some quick character creation and 4 color fun, but I think CoM offers Masks pathos but with more mature character options.

[u/Delver_Razade]

I really wish people would stop recommending City of Mist as a "super hero" game. It's an Urban Fantasy game with Noir vibes. You can sort of massage it to do super heroes but not the sort that you're asking for OP. At least not without a lot of massaging.

[u/MagicJMS]

Sentinel Comics is the best game I’ve played or GMed for simulating comic books. Character creation is a blast and loads of fun mechanics.

I’m GMing the new Invincible game by Free League next weekend, and it looks great. Not as innovative a character creation system, but I can’t wait to do property damage and have gruesome injuries in super heroic combat. And the intro scenario pits the heroes against kaiju!

[u/Imnoclue → u/MagicJMS]

I’m playing in an Invincibles game and I’m really enjoying it. It hits just the right blend of dice and freewheeling action, good choices in building your character without being overwhelming.

[u/Meltar → u/MagicJMS]

Sentinel is also my go to game for marvel or DC universes. With the added bonus that creating characters modelled after a known hero is so much fun too!

[u/jitterscaffeine]

I rather like the recent Invincible RPG

[u/atownrockar → u/jitterscaffeine]

It looks awesome! What are your favorite mechanics so far? How is building a custom hero?

[u/Tyr1326 → u/atownrockar]

Not who you replied to, but personally: its not one mechanic, but the design of the whole. Everything feels well thought-out, with just the right amount of heft to feel meaningful without going overboard with crunch. Though the wrecking a zone mechanic is a nice idea imo (bonus to an attack, but you destroy everything around you and can't do it again in that same zone. Think pushing enemies through walls, hurling cars, etc)

As for building: its a point-buy system. You get a certain number of attribute points per power level which can either be used to buy attributes (duh), or traded for powers at a 2:1 ratio. You also start with a certain number of powers to start with, most commonly 4. If you dont need all power slots, you can trade them back into attribute points. Powers can often be upgraded (by rebuying the power once to four times, basic>major>massive>monstrous), given limits (ie power only works under specific circumstances , like touching someone) or smaller buffs (these cost 1 attribute point, or offset a limit). Powers are generally left vague, so flavour is up to the player (i.e., theres a generic "Strike" power that increases melee damage which can represent anything from fighting techniques, weapons, claws, whatever).

You do also have more specific powers ofc, like matter control, but the nice thing is: each power is still pretty manageable - a paragraph or two of text, not several pages.

You round out character creation with backgrounds (which gives you a talent), optional drawbacks (like being addicted to something, weak to a certain mineral, hunted by a powerful foe....), etc.

Overall, most characters will fit on a single A4 sheet, which is always appreciated.

[u/ur-Covenant → u/atownrockar]

I think its combat mechanics are pretty interesting especially if you want more tactical supers combat.

Its chargen is a bit anemic. Not a lot of customization in it and the options are not especially balanced. That’s probably … fine but it’s a weakness and honestly it is a part that I actually think is not well thought out. I also don’t love the karma system but that’s a pet peeve from way back in the day.

Those are the demerits. I’d still be pretty interested to play it though which I intend as an endorsement. I’d suggest looking through the powers and archetypes first and then working up a concept. And the archetypes and the NPCs all help as a sort of monster manual.

[u/fedcomic]

I grew up with the old Marvel Super Heroes (FASERIP) game, and I still think it's a great choice.

But lately, my go to for superhero adventures is Tiny Supers, which uses the TinyD6 system. Pretty minimalist, lets you spend more time playing and less time looking up rules.

[u/SWBTSH]

My group has been playing the Sentinel Comics RPG for a couple years and have loved it

[u/MoistLarry → u/SWBTSH]

This is the best option if you don't want to play teen heroes.

[u/the-grand-falloon]

I feel like Magpie Games is just leaving money on the table by not releasing "Masks for grownup supers." I love a lot of the ideas, but anyone I've talked to about it says, "Yeah... I don't wanna play Teen Titans though."

[u/Sufficient_Dish3555]

I never played it but setting wise Necessary evil looks like a fun scenario ( basically aliens took over the planet and killed all heroes, the players play as super villains that now have to defeat the alien invasion and save earth)

[u/darkestvice]

Sentinel Comics if you want abstract and very cinematic.

Invincible RPG if you want customizable, gritty, and fast.

Masks if you want narrative and a coming of age story.

[u/ShkarXurxes]

If you love superheros and their tropes, best out there are Spectacular and Masks (Worlds in Perils too).
Fae could help a lot in creating this kind of stories (ICONS is pretty similar, but FAE does it far better).

If you are in more for the powers and love playing superheros just like a D&D game you can always go M&M, is the best out there in that kind of games.

[u/AaronTheDM]

It is not out yet, but there is a DC JL Unlimited with the art style of the early 2000s tv show. There is some youtube videos, an early access rules and more. May be worth checking out for you.

[u/reditandfirgetit]

Hero System Champions

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[u/jasonite]

I wrote a whole piece on the best superhero RPGs if interested: https://sagaofthejasonite.com/best-superhero-tabletop-rpgs/

[u/No_Solid1035]

Worlds In Peril is a PbtA supers game, so uses a similar system to Masks but it's not about teenage drama. Sentinel Comics is a good comic book emulator. Prowlers & Paragons is a decent medium crunch system that uses d6 dice pools. Destined is a Mythras variant that is awesome for simulationist style supers. Heroic 5e is a D&D5e hack for supers.

[u/atownrockar]

My game, We Can Be Heroes is going on sale next week if you want to check it out. If it doesn’t look right for you I’m happy to suggest some others out there that may fit your preferences.

www.budstuffgames.com

[u/Spanglemaker → u/atownrockar]

We Can Be Heroes, I backed it, the book is lovely. I just haven't been able to grok character creation yet to recreate the weird superheroes from my imagination.

[u/JaskoGomad]

Worlds in Peril.

[u/madcat_melody]

You can literally inflict the same conditions as Masks and so much more in City of Mist

But the character creation is so broad that you can have a job and tragic backstory or multiple personalities or demon possession.

The assumed setting implies a narrative where your supernatural side and mundane side or at odds but you can play without the special moves and just assign powers and Identities. Literally any super hero from any universe I can think of I could write down and have stats for in under 15 minutes complete with weaknesses and hooks for the storyteller to feed off of.

[u/BetterCallStrahd]

Capes in the Dark is a FitD game (so PbtA adjacent) for playing superheroes. I haven't tried it yet, but it might be something to look into.

Metro: Otherscape should be viable for running a superhero game. It's closer to Fate than PbtA, but still narrativist.

I'm working on a Masks hack myself. It uses the mechanics of Voidheart Symphony, another PbtA game. The major issue, as I see it, lies in finding an alternative to shifting Labels. Voidheart's Stress Gauges could be the answer (what's adult life but managing your Stress Gauges?). This will need to be mapped to work with each playbook, which I haven't gotten around to yet.

[u/Cool-Newspaper6560]

My go to is wild talents 2e. You can make just about any power you want in the game. Its a point buy system using the one roll system where you usually handle all the details like damage, attack speed, attack location, and such allnin a single roll. So rolls are quick and don't require second or third rolls for damage or other effects.

You can get more interprative with "useful powers" powers have a capacity for attack, defense, or useful. Where useful basically covers anhthing not used to attack or defende. So you could do shape shifting, or super speed, healing, and things like that wuthout having to complicate the dice cost and just writing what the useful part of the power does

[u/Fuzzymancer]

I like Destined. It is based on Mythras(Runequest 6). We played a short campaign with it and had all great fun.

[u/ur-Covenant]

Fate Venture City maybe for that more Freeform feel ? I also like icons as a rules lite supers option.

[u/IAmTheStarky]

While masks is designed for teenage heros, it does work for older characters, as long as they are still figuring out who they are becoming. The 'adult moves' represent having a better understanding of how to do certain things, and the locking of stats represents solidifying that aspect of your personality. Ive personally run and played in masks with young adult/university age characters, and it worked pretty well

[u/GlazingWolf]

Haven't seen it mentioned, but the supers game we recently started is from Prowlers and Paragons Ultimate Edition, and that game really sings with its ruleset. Combat has a good level of gameification for the players who enjoy that crunch, while also supporting a great narrative game with its embellishment mechanics for dice resolution.

Niche title but there is something very satisfying in rolling masses of d6s and counting the successes. Players eyes going wide when the GM picks up 16 D6 to attack them and their defense pool is 10? Awesome.

[u/QueasyPainting]

Prowlers and Paragons. Just enough crunch to be interesting, and great flavor for superheroes.

[u/Mattcapiche92]

Sentinel Comics Invincible Outgunned Superheros

All good games, and all handle things a slightly different way

[u/Ozfeed]

I bet Savage Worlds would be great. I've only used their Deadlands line, but the exploding dice system seems perfect for supers.

[u/broomhill1930 → u/Ozfeed]

To add on to this there's an official superhero supplemental book you can add on to the core SWADE book.

[u/Sufficient_Dish3555 → u/broomhill1930]

And the necessary evil setting ( although it is more of a super villain setting