Author: richard

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Children of the Atom – Fabulous Mutant Numbers value

The Marvel Super Heroes Advanced Set version of Project Wideawake, Children of the Atom called itself the official guidebook to mutants. That means the good and the bad. And there is a lot of bad in this one.

Angel, Avalanche, El Aguila, Aurora, — Ariel, Annalee, Ape, Apocalypse, Arcade, Amphibus, Acanti, Astra,
Banshee, Beast, Binary, — Black Bishop, Black King, Black Queen [Selene], Black Rook, Blob, Beautiful Dreamer, Burner, Black Tom, Barbarus, Brainchild, Brood,
Changeling, Colossus, Cyclops, Rusty Collins, Cannonball, Cypher, Lila Cheney, Dr Valerie Cooper, Peter Corbeau, Corsair, Ch’Od — Catseye, Chance, Callisto, Caliban, Joseph “Licorice” Calhoun, Mr Chambers,
Dazzler, — Destiny, Devil Dinosaur, Darkstar, Diamond Lil, Deathbird,
— Empath, Erg, Willie Evans Jr, Equilibrius, Earthquake, Electron,
Firestar, Forge, Sharon Friedlander, — Alexander Flynn, Frenzy, Flashback, Fenris [Andrea/Andreas Strucker], Fang,
Peter Henry Gyrich, — Gremlin, Gypsy Moth, Gaza, Gladiators, Gladiator,
Havok, Stevie Hunter, Hepzibah, — Healer, Cameron Hodge, Hobgoblin, Hussar,
Iceman, — Imperial Guard, Impulse,
Karma,
— Jetstream, Juggernaut,
Lockheed, Lilandra, — Lorelei, Leech, Link, Lifter, Legion, Miss Locke, Lady Deathstrike, Living Monolith, Lupo,
Magneto, Mimic, Marvel Girl, Arthur Maddicks, Magik, Magma, Mirage, Moira MacTaggert, — Mastermind, Mystique, Madrox, Moon Boy, Masque, Mandrill, Mesmero, Magus, Morlocks, Magic, Manta, Mentor, Midget,
Nightcrawler, Northstar, — Michael Nowlan, Nekra, Nuklo, Nightshade, Nimrod
Phoenix [original], Phoenix [current], Polaris, Professor X, — Pyro, Piper [Morlock, Plague, Poltergeist, Peeper, Proteus, Piper [Savage Land],
Quicksilver,
Oracle,
Quasar,
Rogue, Judith Rassendyll, Raza, — Roulette,
Shadowcat, Storm, Sunfire, Skids, Sunspot, Scarlet Witch, Amanda Sefton, Sikorsky, — Spider-Woman, Spiral, Siryn, Sunder, Slither, Shocker, Sabertooth, Silver Samurai, Sauron, Smasher, Starbolt, Sidri, Sentinels [Mark I-VI, X, Alpha, Omega,],
Thunderbird (original), Tattletale, — Tessa, Tarot, Thunderbird [current], Toad, Time Bomb, Tar Baby, Timeshadow, Taskmaster, Larry Trask, Tempest, Titan,
— Unus, Ursa Major,
— Vanisher, Vanguard, Viper [and agents,],
Mariko Yashida,
Wolverine, Warlock, Wolfsbane, Waldo — White Bishop, White King, White Queen, Whirlwind, Warstar,

Compare 100 pages of this to 200+ of Champions Worldwide. Great value character density thanks to the triple column format and simple but descriptive game stats of MSH. Best value monster manual style supplement I ever came across that wasn’t a GHOTMU.

It wasn’t just my imagination over the years how good a deal this one was :-

1.84 Character Density [Otherwise know as The Leader]

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The Belle Reve Sourcebook – No good guys at the time

This features the Suicide Squad…and their opposition. So pretty much all villains with a little antihero flavour occasionally.

Plus support staff, etc.

Agni,
Black Orchid, Bronze Tiger, Blockbuster, Brimstone, Bernadeth, Badb, Bolshoi,
Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Chronos,
Deadshot, Duchess, Djinn,
Enchantress,
Rick Flag,
Glorious Godfrey,
Hammer,
Ifrit,
Javelin, Jaculi I, Jaculi II,
Killer Frost, Koschei the Deathless,
Lashina,
Mindboggler, Mr. 104, Multiplex, Mad Harriet, Manticore I, Manticore II, Manhunters,
Nemesis, Nightshade,
Penguin, Parasite, Plastique, Privateer, Psi, Pravda,
Ravan, Rustam,
Shade the Changing Man, Slipknot, Speedy, Stompa, Sickle,
Thinker,
Vixen,
Weasel, William Hell,

background on the support staff, but no stats

Character Density = 1.16

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Batman Sourcebook – Wayne Manor Detailed

In the first edition one at least, Batman may have had a higher bad guy to good guy ratio than most.

Alfred,
Batman, Batgirl, Harvey Bullock, Black Lightning,
Catwoman — Clayface II, Croc, Cat Man, Crazy Quilt,
— Deadshot,
Lucius Fox,
Commissioner Gordon, Geo-Force,
— Joker,
Katana,
Halo,
Metamorpho — Mr. Freeze, Man Bat, Mad Hatter,
Nightwing, Nocturna, — Night-Slayer,
— Penguin, Poison Ivy,
Robin, Julia Remarque, — Riddler, R’as Al Ghul,
— Hugo Strange, Scarecrow,
Talia, Two Face,
Vicki Vale,

There’s an extensive map of the various levels of Batman’s joint, too.

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Batman Sourcebook: Second Edition = Less Map, more characters

Mr Atom,
Batman, Batgirl/Oracle, — Black Spider, Bonecrusher,
Commissioner Gordon, Catwoman, — Cat-Man, Cavalier, Clayface II, Clayface III, Crazy Quilt, Calvin & Clifford Clate, Brain Taylor, Elton Craig,
— Deacon Blackfire, Deadshot, John Dolan, Joe Dolan,
Lucius Fox, Fay “Ma” Gunn,
Sergeant Harvey Hainer,
— Joker, Shorty Jackson,
— KGBeast, Killer Moth,
— Mad Hatter, Man-Bat, Mister Freeze,
Nightwing,
— Penguin, Poison Ivy, Alfred Pennyworth,
Robin, — Reaper, Riddler, R’as Al Ghul,
— Hugo Strange, Scarecrow, Charley Stark, Eddie Stark,
Dr. Leslie Thompkins — Two Face, Talia, Tweedledee, Tweedledum,
Vicki Vale,
Warhead,

The second edition has some adventure, Batcave and Utility Belt diagrams

CD = 0.47

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Adventures into Darkness – Public Domain and Horrors

Heroes — Villains

The American Eagle, Ace Buckley, — Arsenath the Body Snatcher,
— Baron von Jundt: The Black Scholar, Blitz,
Captain Future, The Cavalier,
“Doc” Strange, The Dreammaster, — Dagon, Devilfish,
The Fighting Yank, — Professor Fenton,
The Ghost,
— Henry Akeley,
Kara: Jungle Princess, — Keziah the Witch,
The Liberator, — Lucifuge,
The Mask, Mystico: the Wonder Man,
The Night Terror, Nodens,
The Oracle, — Outer Ones, The Ooze,
Pyroman,
The Scarab,
— The Yellow Lama,

So some Public Domain fun and games here. I have the PDQ version.

CC = 0.34 CD = 0.63

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Another 13 Shades of Darkness – Double Century Campaign Sized

Average PDI Agent, Elijah Al-Alim [Commando X],
Black Phantom, Borderers,
Code Name Wifebeater, Cretin [Captain Valiant], Cryptic Star, Mr Chiang,
Discarded, Delirium, Angelica De Lynn, Malcolm Deckerd, Dr Moloch PHD,
Goop, Generic Security Goon,
Horrible Thing, Donna Hopewell, Heavy Brother,
Jet-Metal,
Eileen Kowalski-Wright, Epsilon,
Longing Dead, Lash Lightning,
Mary Blood [Mary’s Brood, Van Helsing Foundation Vampire Killer], Misery [The Black Skull, Army of the Black Skull, Lady Justice,], M’aal’iss’ha, Maiden,
Dr Natalia Noble, Eric Noble [Project Paragon MK],
Out-Warder,
Penitent, Professor Purgatory, Neco-Wyrms
Rage Angels [Megan, Taylor,], Regiment [Dr Groovy, Vile Frog Monster From 30 Million AD,],
Sweet Adeline, Sister Tranquility, Sister Splendor, Hector Sandovar, Dr Shock, Stink-Wortle the Imp, Scrivener Demon,
Violator Red, Vore Dogs, Voracious Legion, Captain Valiant,
X-Hort the Converted,

This supplement says 13 villains…but it is 233 pages, which does cause you to wonder.

As you can see, a lot of other characters included under there. The major thirteen get several pages of backstory writeup, plus there are adventures, spells, gear and assorted supporting characters, aliens and monsters

You could do a campaign with this book.

So call it 50 odd characters of so for $14.99.

How about character cost CC is price per character and character density CD = characters per page.

The lower the density the more other material there is, or other formatting.

CC = 0.28 CD = 0.23

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G-Core Deluxe Superhero Roleplaying Breakdown Review

G-Core Deluxe Superhero Roleplaying Breakdown Review – Jay Libby

71 Pages

Table of Contents – Page 2

Foreword – Page 4 – Reminiscences by Bob Cram

What is a Game – Page 5 – Some general advice

Character Creation Flow – Page 7 – Steps to Follow

1: Type
2: Origin
3: Assign Points to Physical and Mental stats
4: Pick your powers and assign points
5: Pick your Special Focus…assign points to careers and Power Stunts
6: Pick Flaws or Weaknesses
7: Determine your Resources
8: Buy any extras. Armor, gear, weapons.
9: Personal description.

Then a sample character generation, Mr Tinker.

HERO TYPES – Page 8

There are several, from Cop to Student to Genius and some Cosmic Hero types that have varying point totals to assign to Physical and Mental Abilities in 10 point blocks. They have different Special Focus and Flaws.

Modelling Nightblack again we’ll take Vigilante, Physical pool 60 and Mental Pool 50, Special Focus, Martial Arts or Weapon +10. So that works.

The FASERIP abilities here are Rumble, Agility, Might, Moxie, Smarts, Perception, Spirit. Doubling adjective start letters not so good perhaps.
RAMMSPS.

R: 20
A: 10
M: 20
M: 10
S: 20
P: 10
S: 10

ORIGINS – Page 11

Alien, Android, Demi-God, Experiment, Cosmic, Evolutionary, Sentient Robot, Human, Human: Accident, Human: Cursed, Human: Cyborg, Human: Experiment, Human: High Tech, Human: Psychic.

Make him Evolutionary. 50 Power Points, 10 Gear Points, 30 Free Points. Starting Popularity is -10. 1d10 free points of 3 for 30.

R: 50
A: 20
M: 20
M: 30
S: 20
P: 10
S: 10

Darkness Generation: 50
Health = 120
Wild = 40

GAME MECHANICS – Page 15

1d10 * 10 is the roll used to add to statistics and compare to Static Difficulties or Opponent rolls. Easy task is 25 and a Super Task is 100.

Wild – Page 16 – can be added to rolls in multiples of 10. It refreshes between sessions.

Damage – Page 17 – also Stacking two people’s.

Finally some tables. Popularity, statistic benchmarks, and then descriptions following.

POWERS DEFINED – Page 22

Cosmic Powers – Page 39 – with ranks – Cosmic 2 Terraform can affect a Whole Planet.

Magic – Page 43 – with tables for necessary Spirit and Intelligence.

Vehicles, Armour and Weapons – Page 46+

With the relevant statistics and point costs.

GENERICS – Page 49

A list of NPC statistics for use. Cops, crooks, kids, alligators, sharks, rats, etc. Also an environmental effects table for breathing, fire, radiation, weather and that sort of thing.

Experience – Page 56

How to get it.

Villains and how to use them.

Levels of Game Play –

Street – Abilities up to 30
Classic Comic – Abilities up to 50
Super – Abilities up to 100 with a Major Weakness
Pulp – Only one over 30

Power Failure – Page 60 – Overloading and what happens when you do it.

Character Worksheets – Page 61

Genre Suitability: Any. Street level is perhaps the weakest point for FASERIP games and would need the most tweaking, but this point buy version might handle those slightly better. Colourful heroics are fine. There are rules in here for the really Cosmic as well. So should be able to take a crack at that.
Artwork: Poor computer modelled variety.

0 0ut of 10 Price (lower is cheaper per page)
3 out of 10 Length (lower is shorter)
5 out of 10 Complexity (lower is easier)
6 out of 10 Playability
1 out of 10 Artwork

5 out of 10 Overall

This takes the Marvel Super Heroes FASERIP game and gives it a 4CS inspired redo. With point-buy by character and origin type which is an interesting mix and match idea.

With eye-battering fluro green borders and somewhat messy layout raising the decipher the difficulty level. Using a d10+Ability opposition or target difficulty check to do away with the Universal Table, further diverging from the source. For an amateur production is understandably written and you can definitely play it. It could use some early table summary use when some game concepts are introduced and also perhaps as included handout/printout separate pages at the end. There is only one included character for use.

A playable game, but it isn’t easy being bright green when reading, so have to mark it down for layout.

2.5 out of 5

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4C System Breakdown Review

4C System Breakdown Review – Phil Reed

Public Domain, Free from Multiple places in multiple formats

e.g. there are character sheets, Master Tables etc., look for those too

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/50837/Four-Color-Syste…
https://archive.org/details/4cSystemSuperheroRoleplayinglibr…

4C SYSTEM – Page 1

A toolkit rather than a complete game system. Notes for gamers and publishers, emphasising the public domain aspect.

Hall of Heroes – Page 2

The Really Cool People that donated several years ago so that Phil could take the time to write this. Notes on Dice and Advanced breakouts.

Contents – Page 3 – Table of

Text is public domain, not the artwork.

CHARACTERS – Page 4

Character Origin – Robot, Alien, Skilled Human, Changed Human, Mutant, Technologically Enhanced – with Advanced Options that modify Traits.

Let’s create an example while going through:

Roll 54 = Superhuman.

Traits – Page 5

Primary – Melee, Coordination, Brawn, Fortitude, Intellect, Awareness, Willpower. MCBFIAW = FASERIP
Secondary – Damage, Fortune, Lifestyle, Repute = Health, Karma, Resources, Popularity

9 Rolls = 80, 25, 22, 39, 56, 41, 63, 33, 56 and 54

M: Incredible (40)
C: Good (10)
B: Good (10)
F: Good (10)
I: Excellent (20)
A: Remarkable (30)
W: Good (10)

D: 70
F: 60
L: Excellent (20)
R: 18

Rank Values – Page 7

Giving several examples…e.g. Extraordinary, Remarkable, Super for 30-39.
Points out that Advanced game uses 18 different ranks counting 0 compared with 12 for the Basic.

Skills – Page 7 – Number of and their use.

Roll 78 = 3 Skills

Contacts – Advanced option to replace a Skill with a Contact

Powers – Page 8 – Number of

Roll 32 = 3 Powers

Power Types – Page 9 – Includes Description

There are Basic and Advanced Power Selection Tables

Using the Basic Table

3 Rolls = 69, 67, 11

Shapeshift, Regeneration and Claws

PLAYING THE GAME – Page 20

Details how to use the Master Table and the results for various colours.
Black = Failed, Red = Minor Success, Blue = Success, Yellow = Major Success.
Then the Advanced Table and Row Steps for when you get bonuses and penalties to actions.

Altering the Dice – Spending Fortune – 25 points moves the result one colour for one roll.

Combat turns and Initiative which is optional…the side’s highest Awareness is a bonus to the roll. Melee attack description.

Movement – Page 21

Governed by Coordination rank – Advanced options on Page 22 with Swimming and Exhaustion.

Combat Tables – Page 23

What the colours mean for Melee, Slashing, Ranged, Rushing, Wrestlng, Dodging Attacks.

Multiple Attacks – Page 25

For Melee attacks – get a Yellow and affect everyone as if a Red was rolled. That is a Minor Success on everybody needs a Major Success roll.

Damage – Page 25

Explains damage and the additions from small and large weapons of +5 and +10.
Pulling punches – you can reduce damage or the result. e.g. aiming for someone’s leg with a gun so you won’t kill them by accident.

Advanced Combat – Page 26

Block, Evade, Catching and Waiting

Material Substances – Page 27

How hard it is to break things and Combat results from the above.

GAMEMASTERING – Page 29

A toolkit, so no lengthy digressions. Advice on using the table, character Health/Vitality, Fortunes/Karma and Lifestyle/Resources and how they are gained and lost. Tables and modifiers for Repute/Popularity interactions and modifiers.

Vehicles – Page 30

Handling, Durability and Combat. e.g. what happens if a character with Body Armour runs into your vehicle? Also a very short sample list.

Character Advancement – Page 32

A slightly out-of-genre thing for superheroes, it notes. The spending of Fortune to increase Traits, Powers and Skills. Even gain a new power at random with 1000 points if something happened in game to warrant it.

Master Table – Page 34 – A one page colour version to print.

Genre Suitability: Any. Street level is perhaps the weakest point for FASERIP games and would need the most tweaking. Colourful heroics are fine.
Artwork: Very basic minimal black and white.

0 0ut of 10 Price (lower is cheaper per page)
1 out of 10 Length (lower is shorter)
3 out of 10 Complexity (lower is easier)
6 out of 10 Playability
5 out of 10 Artwork

6.5 out of 10 Overall

A free public domain gaming toolkit is an excellent thing for the community to have available. So bonus points there. Even more so when it is from one of my favourite games. For such a short game it covers the basics in old school fashion. None of the lengthier playing the game or gamemaster sections exist.

A very simple descriptive percentile dice Universal Table mechanic with great freedom of action that can easily be taught to people as an introduction. The table enhances superheroic flavour in its nomenclature. An admirable thing. The game plays quickly. There’s a nice free character sheet available that actually has the table on the Character Sheet as well.

One day soon hopefully I can do a fleshed out version and have 4CSERIP and FATERIP mirroring each other. Genre rules a la DC Heroes is something I have in mind.

There is of course all the http://classicmarvelforever.com for all the old gaming material.

4CS is simpler than MSH so it is definitely in the lower complexity range while offering some tactical type options for those that like that sort of thing. Games in this moderate range appeal to me most as far as ratings bias goes. Plus I was a backer.

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Capes, Cowls And Villains Foul Breakdown Review

Capes, Cowls And Villains Foul Breakdown Review – Barak Blackburn

$5.99 – http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/104477/Capes-Cowls-and…

163 pages

Opens with a comic page or two.

Chapter 0

Introduction – Page 5

Genre, Nuts and Bolts.

First! – A resource based game with traits diminishing over time. Declare action with a trait and link others to the Primary Trait for a higher value before rolling. You have to record when one is used, power, skill or whatever. Bookkeeping alert. Characters will likely have 5-12 traits. Traits refresh between scenes.

Second! – Setback tokens, not hit points. They represent taking a girder to the chin and wincing in pain!? Yes, you have detected that the designer’s grasp of English is a bit shaky. They are fatigue, hit points!? and exhaustion and frustration.

Chapter 1

Character Design

Traits, Complications, Editorial Control, Factoids.

One way – write down all the traits they might have in a big list. Then narrow.
No, not my ideal way to do things, really. Obviously very open-ended and descriptive this game.

Editorial Control? That’s from the Energy Supply school of naming boredom.

Suggested Design Points 100 for street and beginners to 200 for Big Guns.

Three tiers of Ranks: Human 1-4, Superhuman 5-8, Cosmic 9-12. Page 12 has the Trait Cost table. 1 for Human, 2 for Superhuman, 4 for Cosmic.

Modifiers – bonuses like Hint and Auto-Defend, Incapacitate, Link and Power-Up. Also Restrictions like Situational Setback.

Page 22 gives a cost table with some of these.

Page 23-25 Has a few Trait suggestions and Trait design hints.

Editorial Control – Page 27 – the use of the Hero Points in this game. Includes a Random Table for stuff that can happen.

Complications – Page 32 – Archenemies, weaknesses, etc.

Factoids – Page 36 – Character Quirks

Sample Characater Design – Page 38 – Afterburn

Plus and Play Templates – Page 42 – for 100, 150 and 200 points characters.

HEROES & VILLAINS – Page 48 – Hero and Villain color coded examples. Very good.

Americana,
Boy Frog, [Frog-Man could have a sidekick? ]
Breaker,
Deathstalker, Doctor Moonlight, — Deadeye, Death Star,
G33k Girl,
— Lillith,
Monolith, Moon Girl, Muse, — Mathemagician, Mime,
— Professor Prestige,
Red Phoenix, — Rat King,
Superball, — Scarab, Slavedriver, Supermodel,
Terrapin Man, Tiger Lord,
Vector,

CHAPTER 2 – Page 72

The System

CC&VF In Action

d12 exclusively. Apparently they don’t get enough love. Roll d12 and add Trait and compared to opposed Trait Roll or difficulty. Apparently no kickbacks from d12 manufacturers to these guys, either. Ties give players the advantage.

When you use a Trait, mark it off. You get Detriment Dice and they get less effective.

Combat example – Page 75 and 76 has a Combat Synopsis

Scenes – Page 77 – Three types, Action, Extended, Contested.
Initiative – Page 80
Difficulties and Penalties – Page 83 – from fastball specials to multi-attacks.

CHAPTER 3 – Page 92

Villains

They get Editorial Control from the Narrator – 6 plus the number of players.

Traps, speeches, C-Listers.

CHAPTER 4 – Page 98

Options

Editorial, Fleeing, Team-Ups, Training, Injuries, LARPing.

Too Many Dice – Page 109 – As written, CC & VF is guilty of the Death Spiral Effect. Yes, we know that when Traits were defined as getting worse by use…so options to avoid this and bookkeeping is that they only ever get 1 Detriment Die worse.

Experience gaining ideas.

CHAPTER 5 – Page 114

Example of play

CHAPTER 6 – Page 140

Creating Issues

Adventure design and pacing and construction, with some samples.

APPENDIX – Page 152

Afterword

Another superhero game?

A longtime superhero rpg fan and GM decided that the others weren’t working exactly how he wanted and were too absolute.

GLOSSARY – Page 153

CHARACTER CREATION CHEAT SHEET – Page 155
EDITORIAL CONTROL CHEAT SHEET – Page 156
MISCELLANEOUS CHEAT SHEET – Page 157 – Combat options
BLANK CHARACTER SHEET – Page 158-159 – second page is for Usage

INDEX – Page 160

Genre Suitability: Good guys win heroics of the lighter four-colour variety is the designer’s intent. That would be my opinion, too. Doc Savage types or Silver Surfers should be ok as long as that is the aim.
Artwork: Colour, quite reasonable tending to the top heavy.

3 0ut of 10 Price (lower is cheaper per page)
6 out of 10 Length (lower is shorter)
5 out of 10 Complexity (lower is easier)
5 out of 10 Playability
7 out of 10 Artwork

5.5 out of 10 Overall

The layout is attractive, the writing isn’t but is understandable. Needs some editing. Not sure what comics the author reads where heroes get continually less effective with all their abilities as they are used? Sounds more boardgamey, that one.

The design your own approach is one some will like, but needs more space on character creation guidance and less on play examples given it is a bit different. Creating a couple as these rules went step by step would have been helpful. I am the complete opposite of a novice to this and I probably wouldn’t have done one on first readthrough. Some more templates, too. Experienced genre fans or players will cope, but not a game for new players as a first go I suggest. Editorial control, factoids, detriment, not really superhero fun Hulk Smash flavour abounding in that lot.

Fans and experienced players of a more narrative ad-libbing style or those with an experienced GM guide may find this one useful.

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