Tag: Champions

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The Shrinking Variations

Going through my superhero games list – or the ones that were readable – Gurps 4 and Champions 6 apparently not by Notebook LM – but I can just this as a jump start to doing the human analysis of this I was going to do – but may as well post the robot version before I check it.

This is a source-by-source list detailing how the shrinking power is handled in each of the provided game books:

4C System – Core Rules – Phil Reed.pdf

  • Power Name: Growth/Shrinking.
  • Effect/Control: The character can grow larger or smaller, selecting one option.
  • Minimum Height: The maximum/minimum height is based on the character’s Rank Value, ranging from 5 feet (Rank 1-4) down to 1/16 inch (Rank 1000).
  • Mechanics: When using Shrinking, the character’s Brawn Rank Value is unaffected.
  • Combat: Opponents attacking the shrunken character suffer a -1 RS penalty, and the character gains a +1 RS bonus to attacks.

AMP Year One – Eloy Lasanta.pdf

  • Power Name: Sizing (categorized under Shifters).
  • Core Ability: An AMP with Sizing can alter their body size, including shrinking smaller.
  • Activation & Duration: To start shrinking, the AMP spends 1 Juice to shrink as small as 50% their current size. The effect lasts for (Sizing + Fortitude) Rounds. Personal items change shape with them (if worn for long enough), but outside objects do not.
  • Mechanics (Shrinking): The AMP retains their Integrity score. The character adds (Sizing) to Dodging, Stealth, and Movement. However, their attacks deal half damage in shrunken form.
  • Enhancements (Augments):
    • Fast – Shrink (E1): Raises the bonus to Movement to (Sizing x2).
    • Hidden – Shrink (E1): Raises the bonus to Stealth to (Sizing x2).
    • Insect Size – Shrink (E3): Shrinks the character down to insect-size, raising Movement, Dodge, and Stealth bonuses to (Sizing x2), and they do not suffer the normal damage penalty. If combined with Fast or Hidden, those bonuses increase to (Sizing x3).
  • Talents:
    • Growing Punch – Shrink (T2): Allows the character to shrink momentarily only to immediately grow, launching an attack with increased momentum, inflicting 3 damage with AP 2.

BASH – Chris Rutkowsky.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Cost: 1-3 points.
  • Effect: Allows the character to decrease size to ½, ¼, or 1/8 of normal.
  • Mechanics: The character gains one point to their effective Agility for each size difference while remaining shrunk. They move at a speed equal to their size fraction.
  • Drawbacks: The character takes double, quadruple, or octuple knock-back respectively.
  • Advantages: Allows the character to easily fit into small areas normally inaccessible.

BRP – Superworld (box set) – Steve Perrin.pdf

  • Power Name: Micro Siz.
  • Cost: 1 Size Point per level.
  • Effect: Gives the ability to shrink in size, reducing the character’s Size.
  • Mechanics: For each point of Micro Siz, the hero suffers a -1 penalty for ground movement and a -1 penalty to damage bonus.
  • Combat: The shrunken hero is harder to hit and see. Opponents attacking the hero suffer a -1 penalty to hit, and the hero gains a +1 RS bonus to attacks.
  • Movement: The hero takes 1 less point of ground movement reduction per level, after the initial halving.

Bif Bam Pow! – Stephen Fuellerman.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Change (must choose either growing larger or shrinking smaller, but not both).
  • Mechanics: A half-size character finds their Strength, Constitution (CON), and Vitality cut in half. Attack powers inflict half damage, and their cost and range are also cut in half.
  • Cost: One point of Vitality per round, multiplied by the difference in size (rounded off).
  • Combat Example (Microbe at 1/12 normal size): Strength is reduced from 12 to 1, CON from 24 to 2, and Vitality from 60 to 5. Force Beams do only 1/12 normal damage. She gains a +22 bonus to hit any normal size person and they are at -22 to hit her. Her weight is severely reduced. Area affect attacks ignore combat modifiers for size.
  • Unaffected Powers: Telekinesis, Invulnerability, Mind Control, and the Enhanced Defense of Absorption do not vary with size.

Brave New World – Brave New Wor – Matt Forbeck.pdf

  • Trait: SLIGHT -5.
  • Effect: This describes a character who is naturally skinny, short, or petite.
  • Mechanics: The hero takes -1 from their Size. This makes the character harder to hit, but they take it hard when hit.

Bulletproof Blues – Bulletproof – Brandon Blackmoor.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Cost: 1 character point per rank.
  • Effect: Allows the character to become smaller than normal. Each rank grants x½ height and x1/8 mass.
  • Mechanics: The character suffers -1 Brawn per rank. The character is granted a +1 defense bonus for each rank of Shrinking. Base running speed and swimming speed are reduced proportionally to height. Jumping distance and power-based movement are unaffected.
  • Limits: The character can choose to use less than their full power rank. At rank 14, the character is about as tall as the diameter of a human hair.

Cold Steel Wardens – A. P. Klosky.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Change (the character must choose between having the ability to grow or having the ability to shrink when taking this power, unless the Optional Effect is taken).
  • Cost: 12 Vital: Nerve.
  • Action: Using Size Change is an Action; a character can move only one benchmark in size per Action.
  • Minimum Size Benchmarks: Determined by the character’s Power Rating, ranging from 1 yard (Rating 1) down to Microscopic (Rating 15).
  • Mechanics (Shrunken): At each Rating benchmark, a shrunken character adds 2 to their effective Agility and Defense Values, while subtracting 2 from their Pace and Force. Decreased Vitals Ratings will only go as low as 1.
  • Optional Effect: Grow and Shrink: Allows the character to decrease their size as easily as they increase it.
  • Drawbacks: Shrunken characters may be attacked by creatures that would normally be innocuous, which now treat them as food. Failure to deliberately resume normal size within a set time causes the hero to revert and take Physical Strain.

FATE – ICONS Assembled – Steve Kenson.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Effect: Lets the hero become smaller at will, with each level roughly halving their size. The hero gains the “Small” quality.
  • Combat: The character gains a bonus to attack and defense tests against normal-sized opponents: +1 at levels 1–4, +2 at levels 5–6, and +3 at levels 7–8.
  • Microscopic Size: At Shrinking 9–10, the hero can reach microscopic, atomic, or subatomic levels. The hero is “off the scale” and can only interact directly with things at the same scale, but can slip through tiny openings.

FATE – ICONS hi-res – Steve Kenson.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Mechanics: The character’s Strength level is unaffected. The character gains a modifier (listed on a table) as a bonus to defense and attack tests against normal-sized opponents.
  • Size Limits: Minimum height ranges from 4 feet (Level 1) down to insect size (Level 8).
  • Microscopic Size: At Shrinking 9+, the character exists in a separate “world” on another scale and their Strength is limited to interacting with things at that scale.
  • Bonus Power: Growth Momentum: Allows the hero to enlarge rapidly during an attack, adding the Shrinking level modifier (up to +3) as a bonus to unarmed damage.
  • Related Power: The Alteration Ray can be used as a Shrinking Ray to shrink a target.

FUDGE – Marvelous Superheroes – Eddy Webb.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Minimum Height: Heights range from 5 feet (Terrible Level) down to ½ inch (Monumental Level). Every higher level halves the size.
  • Mechanics: The level of the character’s Brawn is unaffected.
  • Combat: Anyone attacking the shrunken character suffers a -1 RS penalty, and the character gains a +1 RS bonus to attacks.
  • Related Power: A character using Shapeshift retains their original size unless they also possess the Shrinking power.

GURPS – 2e Supers – Lloyd Blankenship.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Cost: Variable (from 20 points for Level 1 to 200 points for Level 7).
  • Effect: Decreases size up to half normal height at Level 1.
  • Mechanics: For each level of Shrinking, the hero gains +1 to their Defense and suffers -2 to be hit.
  • Limitations: The character cannot carry any equipment. Movement speed is proportionally reduced. The hero’s attacks (punches, weapons, ranged attacks) deal less damage due to Damage Multipliers.

Golden Heroes – Players Book – Simon Burley.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink (usually used to reduce the size of an opponent, and is usually unstable and reversible).
  • Combat: When shrunk, enemy attacks suffer a -1 Skill Modifier per 3 against the character. Opponents gain a +1 Stun Modifier against the hero due to their small size.
  • Drawbacks: The character’s Push-back threshold is reduced by 10. The minimum damage dealt by any attack is reduced to 1 per 3 metre/square of movement reduction.

Golden Heroes – Squadron UK 2nd – Simon Burley.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink (Reduction, Minimisation, Shrivel).
  • Level 1 (Half size): The character moves at half normal rate. Gains a Dodge modifier of +3. Knockback score is halved.
  • Level 2 (Insect size): Movement is restricted to a maximum of one square per panel. People striking the character suffer a -5 modifier on their strike roll, and the character gains a +5 Dodge modifier. The character’s knockback score is zero, and they are sent flying by any successful attack.
  • Level 3 (Microscopic): Ordinary combat rules cease to apply.
  • Level 4 (Atomic): All normal rules cease to apply (Quantum).
  • Gimmick: The ability to gain a charge bonus of +5 damage per level if growing into an attack.

HERO – Champions Now – Ron Edwards.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking.
  • Cost (Power Points): 10/+ [½ size, 1/8 mass, ½” Running, +3 hexes Knockback].
  • Endurance: Required for the shift or reversal, but not for maintaining a size.
  • Reversion: If Stunned or knocked out, the hero returns to normal size by default.
  • Scale Shift: At or below level 8, the hero’s own movement and ranged attack Powers shift to inhumanly small scales of effect.
  • Attack: A return to ordinary size can augment an attack, adding 1d6 damage for each un-shrinking level, gaining a surprise bonus.

HERO System – 1E Champions Core – George MacDonald.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING.
  • Cost: +5 points for every ½ size.
  • Mechanics: Character gains +2 to Defensive Combat Value (DCV). Other characters suffer -2 to sight Perception Rolls against the hero. The character suffers -2″ ground movement and gains +3″ to any knockback received. Mass is 1/8 normal.
  • Example: A 25-point Shrinking power results in 1/32 size, +10 DCV, -10 Perception Rolls, -5″ Ground Movement, +15″ Knockback, and 1/32768 mass.

HERO System – 3E Champions Box – George MacDonald.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING.
  • Cost: 10 Power Points for every x½ size.
  • Mechanics: Halves the Range Modifier of any attack or Perception Roll against the hero (rounding up), with no modifier applied for the first 1″ of range. The hero has x½ inches of Running and 1/8 normal mass. The hero takes +3 to any Knockback.
  • Combat: Shrunk heroes are as easy to hit as normal in hand-to-hand combat. Heroes with two or more levels must enter the same hex as their target in HTH due to reach limits.
  • Attack: A Shrunk hero may add +1d6 of damage to their punch for every level of Shrinking (Growth Momentum) by growing up under the opponent’s jaw.

HERO System – 4E Champions Core – George MacDonald.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking (Size Power).
  • Cost: 10 Character Points grants x½ Height, x1/8 Mass, +2 DCV, and -2 to all PER Rolls made against the character.
  • Mechanics: The character takes +3″ of Knockback (modifies distance traveled, not damage taken).
  • Attack: The character may add +1d6 of damage to his punch per point of DCV (Growth Momentum) by growing up under the opponent’s jaw.

Hero System – Champions Comple – Derek Hiemforth.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING (Body-Affecting Power / Size Power).
  • Cost: 6 Character Points for every x½ Height, x1/8 Mass, +2 DCV, +6m Knockback distance, and -2 to PER Rolls against the character.
  • Mechanics: Shrinking halves the character’s normal Reach. It has no effect on Strength (STR) or movement rates. The Knockback modifier only increases the distance traveled, not the damage taken. The PER Roll penalty only applies when the character actively tries to remain unperceived.
  • Adders: Normal Mass (+½ or +1): Allows the character to retain mass and avoid the Knockback modifier.
  • Limitations: Reduced By Shrinking (-¼ or -0): Causes another Power/Characteristic to decrease in effectiveness based on the degree of Shrinking used.

d20 – M&M 1e Core Rules – Steve Kenson.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING.
  • Cost: 2 points per rank.
  • Effect: Decreases size category by one for every three ranks.
  • Limits: At rank 18, the character is Infinitesimal size (too small to interact with larger creatures). Ranks 19 and 20 can reach molecular or atomic size.
  • Extra: Microverse: Allows the character to shrink into a “microverse,” gaining Growth equal to their Shrinking rank while inside. Mighty Mite: The character’s lifting ability (Strength and carrying capacity) is unaffected, and they retain normal jumping distances.

d20 – M&M 2e Mutants & Mastermi – Steve Kenson.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING.
  • Cost: 1 point per rank.
  • Mechanics: Reduces Strength by 1 per rank (minimum Str 1). Reduces size category by one for every four ranks. Loses 5 feet of movement speed per size category shrunk (minimum speed 5 ft).
  • Power Feats: Atomic Size (Rank 20): Shrink to atomic scale, pass through solid objects, and become immune to higher scale attacks. Growth Strike: Adds +1 damage bonus per size category enlarged (when enlarging under an opponent’s jaw). Microverse (Rank 20): Enters microverse, where the character loses Shrinking but gains Growth equal to their Shrinking rank.
  • Extras: Normal Strength (+1): No reduction in Strength, carrying capacity, or movement speed when shrinking.

d20 – M&M 3e Deluxe Hero’s Hand – Steve Kenson.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking (Effect).
  • Cost: 2 points per rank.
  • Mechanics: Every 4 ranks reduces size rank by 1. Each size rank reduction subtracts 1 from Strength and 1 from ground speed rank per two reductions. Adds half Shrinking rank (rounded down) to active defenses and full rank bonus to Stealth checks, but applies half rank penalty to Intimidation checks.
  • Example: Shrinking 12 results in a size rank of –5 (about 6 inches tall), giving +6 active defenses and +12 Stealth, but –3 Strength, –1 speed, and –6 Intimidation penalties.
  • Extras: Atomic (Flat +1 point): Requires Shrinking 20 (size rank –7); allows shrinking to molecular/atomic level, becoming effectively immune to damage/effects from outside that scale. Normal Strength (+1 cost per rank): Retains full Strength, Speed, and Intimidation while shrunk.

d20 – Deeds Not Words – Scott Lynch.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINK SELF.
  • Cost: 8 EPs (Base Cost); 1 PP per level shrunk (Activation).
  • Activation: Standard action to shift size or revert to normal size.
  • Size Effects: As size decreases (Small down to Microscopic), characters gain size bonuses to AC, attack rolls, and Hide checks. Lift/Carry capacity diminishes significantly.
  • Combat Limitations: Diminutive or smaller characters may only use powers, psionic skills, and spells against targets one step larger at most. Microscopic characters may not enter combat against larger characters. Halve all damage dealt by super-powers for Tiny characters.
  • Enhancements: Enhanced Speed: Shrink or return to larger size as a free action. Reflexive Shift: Defensively decrease size once per round to avoid physical attacks (Reflex Save DC 15); costs 1 PP.

d20 – Guardians – David Pulver.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking (S2).
  • Effect: Character shrinks to tiny (mouse or doll) size with proportionate reduction in mass but no loss of HP.
  • Mechanics: Moves at 1/10 speed and has 1/10 Strength. Gains -4 to be hit by ranged attacks or normal-sized melee weapons (but not unarmed attacks/stomps). If motionless, only a 10% chance of being spotted.
  • Scale: Shrinking further (insect size, microbe size) increases AC, To Hit/Damage modifiers, Range, Radius, and Regeneration, but also increases saving throw penalties.

d20 – Paragon (d20 Supers) – D. Jon Mattson.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking (Transmutation).
  • Activation/Duration: Activation time varies by level (1 full round for Standard, 1 action for Improved/Ultra).
  • Mechanics: Decreases Strength and base movement speed. Provides the option to use the Dexterity modifier instead of Strength for melee attack rolls.
  • Size Limits: Ranges from Small (Standard: Height/2, Weight/8) up to Diminutive (Ultra: Height/8, Weight/512). Strength is reduced (min 1) based on size.
  • Amplifier: Density Increase: Allows shrinking without losing mass, weight, or Strength, and provides Damage Reduction (2, 4, or 6 based on level) against non-mental attacks. Shrink Others: Allows using the power on other people at Close range (unwilling targets get a Fortitude Save).

d20 – Sentinels of Echo City – Michael T. Design.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrinking (self).
  • Activation: Uses 1 action to shrink.
  • Mechanics: The character keeps all attributes and traits.
  • Size/Movement: Up to PWR 13, the character shrinks to a few inches (movement measured in inches). PWR 14+ shrinks to microscopic size (movement measured in millimeters).
  • Reversion: The character returns to full size at will or when reduced to 0 hp.

d6 – Open d6 Mighty Six – Ray Nolan.pdf

  • Power Name: Infra Scale (A specific Powerk, distinct from Super Scale).
  • Cost: 20 Character Points (thereafter 50), half if Permanent.
  • Potency: Increases or decreases size by one Scale rank, or adds +1D/additional level against target’s resistance.
  • Mechanics: Smaller scaled targets gain the difference in modifiers to their Dodge and attack rolls when dealing with larger opponents. Altering someone else’s Scale requires the use of the Share Powerk ability.

d6 – Powers – Nikola Vrtis.pdf

  • Power Name: SIZE MANIPULATION.
  • Cost: 6 Per Rank.
  • Mechanics (Diminutive Effect): Every rank alters size up to 2 scale ranks. For every 4 ranks, the hero’s Physique decreases by –1 pip, and movement rate is scaled down accordingly. Hide skill rolls become easier.
  • Limitations/Enhancements: Only one power aspect (-3 per rank): Character must choose to only increase OR decrease size. Scale does not affect Attributes (+or – 3 Per Rank): This is an enhancement for shrinking, meaning the character’s size doesn’t affect their damage dice or attributes.

ORE – GODLIKE Superhero Rolepla – Dennis Detwiller.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Shift.
  • Cost: 1 Will point per die thrown (2 per Hard Die, 4 per Wiggle Die).
  • Duration: Remains in new size state for Width in minutes.
  • Mechanics (Minimized): The character loses the Width of the success from Body and Coordination, and all physical skills except Stealth. Attacks against characters reduced to 1/8 size or smaller hit all hit locations simultaneously, and Shock damage is automatically counted as Killing damage (damage remains when the target reverts to normal size). The Width of the shift is added to the character’s Coordination+Stealth dice pools and applied as a Difficulty for attacks against them.
  • Flaws: One or the Other (-2/-4/-8): Can only Size Shift in one direction (up or down). Self Only (-2/-4/-8 or -1/-2/-4 variant): Can only shift oneself (and possibly clothes/weapons, depending on variant).

ORE – Wild Talents 2nd Edition – Dennis Detwiller.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Shift (D U; 5 per die).
  • Effect: Allows the character to either increase or decrease their size; doing both requires taking them as separate Useful qualities.
  • Mechanics: Activation halves mass; each point of width beyond 2 halves mass again. Height halves for every eight times mass goes down. Being smaller makes the character harder to hit, which is reflected in the Permanent Defends quality.

ORE – Wild Talents Essential Ed – Greg Stolze.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Shift (D U; 5 per die).
  • Effect: Allows the character to either increase or decrease their size; must choose one direction (take as separate Useful qualities to do both).
  • Mechanics: Activation halves mass; each point of width beyond 2 halves mass again. Height halves for every eight times mass goes down. Smaller size makes the character harder to hit, reflected in Permanent Defends quality.

PDQ – Truth and Justice – Chad Underkoffler.pdf

  • Power Name: SIZESHIFTING (Shrinking).
  • Mechanics: Any action benefiting from decreased size or weight—such as sneaking, dodging attacks, or falling—permits the hero to add Upshifts equal to their Power’s Modifier (minimum 1) to the roll.
  • Limitations: When small size is a handicap (e.g., resisting heavy winds, lifting heavy objects), the opponent or task Difficulty Ranks gain Upshifts against the character, or the hero takes Downshifts.

Palladium – Heroes Unlimited 1. – Kevin Siembieda.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink.
  • Control: The character has total control over shrinking and can stop at any size, but cannot grow giant.
  • Minimum Size: Determined by percentile roll, ranging from six inches to 1/8 of an inch, or full range.
  • Mass Determination: Determined by percentile roll: 1-50 (Mass reduced with size), 51-00 (Mass is constant/unchanged).
  • Reduced Mass (1-50): Physical strength is reduced (e.g., half at 6 inches tall, 1/4 at 1/8 inch). S.D.C. is reduced by half. Speed is converted from feet/yards to inches per minute.
  • Constant Mass (51-00): Retains ALL original weight/mass and physical strength. Does full normal damage plus any P.S. attribute bonuses.
  • Combat/General: +6 to dodge. Disadvantages include -5 to strike large opponents and -10 to parry large objects/opponents.

Palladium – Heroes Unlimited 2n – Kevin Siembieda.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink.
  • Control/Size: Total control over shrinking, minimum size determined by roll (down to Minute speck). Cannot reverse the process to grow giant-size.
  • Mass Determination: 01-50 Mass reduced with size; 51-00 Mass is constant/unchanged.
  • Reduced Mass (1-50): Hit Points are unchanged, but S.D.C. is half. Physical strength is reduced significantly (e.g., 1/4 at one eighth of an inch). Minimal damage is taken from stomping/striking when 1 inch or smaller (roughly one point of damage for every 1d6 or six points normally inflicted).
  • Constant Mass (51-00): Retains ALL original weight/mass and physical strength. Can hold doors closed or overturn tables due to retained weight.
  • Combat/General: +6 to dodge. At maximum miniaturization, attackers suffer -6 to strike with a gun/energy blast, -3 with punch, and -4 with kick/stomp.

Prowlers & Paragons Core Rules – Leonard A. Pimental.pdf

  • Power Name: SHRINKING (x2).
  • Effect/Size: The rank determines how small the character can be, from 4 feet (3d) down to flea-sized (12d). The character weighs much less.
  • Mechanics: The character can substitute their current Shrinking rank for Athletics and Stealth ranks.
  • Drawback: Proportional Strength (-2d): Lowers Might rank by 1d at 3d Shrinking rank, plus an extra 1d per additional rank in effect.
  • Advantage: Micro-Universe (+1d): Allows the character to shrink down to a subatomic micro-universe.

Savage Worlds – Super Powers Co – Shane Hensley.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink (3 Power Points).
  • Effect: Allows the hero to become much smaller, down to 1” in height.
  • Mechanics: Inflicts attack penalties (e.g., –4 for medium-sized foes). Foes suffer –4 to Notice rolls versus the hero’s Stealth. The hero loses one step of Strength and Toughness for every quarter of their original size they shrink.
  • Modifiers:
    • Density (+4): Prevents Strength and Toughness from being reduced.
    • Microscopic (+4): Allows shrinking to the size of a germ, where the hero cannot generally affect or be affected by the normal world (e.g., unaffected by poison gas).

Superbabes Corebook – Marc Cezzini.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink.
  • Cost: 200 CP, personal, 0 PP per shrinking level to use.
  • Effect: Allows the character to get SMALL, shrinking down to roughly six inches tall.
  • Mechanics: The character’s MUSCLES and HEALTH scores remain unaffected. The character’s Movement score is multiplied by ten.

Tri-Stat – Silver Age Sentinels – Mark C. McKinnon.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink.
  • Cost: 1 Point/Level.
  • Mechanics: Reduces the penalty applied to hit and reduces the attack of the character. The character suffers penalty to hit and takes reduced damage. The power halves Pushback Value and halves damage taken.
  • Size Effects: The Shrink table details size reduction from Child Dog down to Bug, with corresponding penalties to damage and bonuses to the enemy’s chance to hit. Shrinking usually makes an object harder to grab.

V&V – 3 Mighty Protectors – Jeff Dee.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Change: Smaller.
  • Activation/Duration: Persistent Ability (PR=0 per hour). Changing size takes the character’s entire movement phase.
  • Minimum Size: Determined by Character Points (CPs), ranging from 5 feet (2.5 CPs) down to 50 nm (nanometers) (50 CPs).
  • Mechanics: Modifiers are applied to height, profile, weight, Strength (ST), and Endurance (EN). Movement rates are multiplied by the character’s Profile while small.
  • Drawbacks: Once ST or EN reach 0, further penalties must be deducted from the character’s Intelligence (IN).

V&V – Villains and Vigilantes – Jeff Dee.pdf

  • Power Name: Shrink.
  • Micro-Sizes: The character can shrink down to Microscopic (size of a single cell), Atomic (size of a single atom), or Subatomic (where single atoms become entire solar systems).
  • Mechanics: At the Microscopic size (size of a single cell), the character is unable to contend with unshrunken opponents, so it is unnecessary to modify their statistics.

V&V – Villains and Vigilantes R – Jeff Dee.pdf

  • Power Name: Size Change: Smaller.
  • Chance: 20% chance the character can change size both up and down, otherwise they must choose one direction.
  • Size Limits: Determined by roll (1d6), ranging from 3 feet down to Subatomic.
  • Mechanics: Character’s movement rates and super power ranges/areas of effect are divided by the Height Factor. Effective ranges of attacks against the character are multiplied by the Height Factor.
  • Microscopic Size: At Microscopic size (size of a single cell), it is unnecessary to modify the character’s statistics.
  • Scaling Rule: When changing size, damage taken and power spent must remain proportionally equal based on the character’s adjusted stats at different sizes.
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Capes, Cowls, and Character Points: An Encyclopedic History of Superhero Tabletop Role-Playing Games

Capes, Cowls, and Character Points: An Encyclopedic History of Superhero Tabletop Role-Playing Games

Introduction: The Birth of the Four-Color Multiverse

The emergence of the superhero tabletop role-playing game (RPG) in the late 1970s occurred at the confluence of two distinct cultural streams: the nascent tabletop RPG hobby, dominated by the fantasy wargaming legacy of Dungeons & Dragons, and the American superhero comic book industry, then in its “Bronze Age” of storytelling. This period in comics saw a shift toward more complex character motivations and socially relevant themes, creating an audience receptive to more interactive and personalized heroic narratives. However, the very nature of the superhero genre presented a unique and formidable challenge to early game designers. Unlike fantasy, which could draw from a diffuse collection of myths and legends, the superhero genre was a highly codified, visually-driven medium with its own specific narrative conventions: secret identities, non-lethal combat, dramatic monologues, and reality-defying powers.

This inherent tension between the established RPG framework and the unique demands of the superhero narrative gave rise to a fundamental design dichotomy that has defined the genre’s evolution: the conflict between simulationism and narrativism. Early RPGs, born from tactical wargames, were inherently simulationist; their mechanics sought to model a consistent, physics-based reality, however fantastical. Applying this model to superheroes immediately raised difficult questions: What is Superman’s Armor Class? How many hit points does the Hulk have? How can rules simulate powers that rewrite the laws of physics? The attempts to answer these questions led to two divergent paths. One path, exemplified by games like Champions, pursued a deep, granular simulation, creating complex rules engines to model the “physics” of a comic book universe. The other path, epitomized by games like TSR’s Marvel Super Heroes, prioritized emulating the feel and story structure of a comic book, employing simpler, more abstract mechanics that favored narrative convention over physical simulation. This foundational tension—simulating the world versus simulating the story—has been the primary engine of innovation in superhero RPGs, with every significant title finding its place along this spectrum.

Chapter 1: The First Wave (1977–1984) – Forging the Genre

The initial wave of superhero RPGs was a period of bold experimentation, as designers grappled with how to translate the four-color page to the gaming table. These early efforts established the core mechanical and philosophical debates that would shape the genre for decades to come.

1.1 Superhero: 2044 (1977): The Abstract Progenitor

Widely recognized as the first professionally published superhero RPG, Superhero: 2044 was designed by Donald Saxman and released first by Saxman himself and later in a revised edition by Lou Zocchi of Gamescience.1 The game’s setting was a post-holocaust future on the fictional island of Inguria, a new center of civilization off the American west coast.1 Its mechanics were heavily influenced by the wargaming traditions of the era, featuring an abstract system for resolving a hero’s weekly activities, such as patrolling, research, and crime prevention, often through the use of extensive tables.2

The game introduced three character types: the “ubermensch” (enhanced physical combatant), the “unique” (mutant with extraordinary abilities), and the “toolmaster” (technological expert).1 Its most forward-thinking feature was a point-buy system for character creation, where players allocated 140 points among seven characteristics—a significant departure from the random-roll generation dominant at the time.1 However, in a move that highlights the design challenges of the period, the game provided no specific rules for superpowers, leaving their creation and adjudication entirely to the players and the referee for “copyright reasons”.2 This abstract, simulation-focused approach, combined with its lack of defined power mechanics, made the game difficult to access and it never achieved widespread popularity.1

Publication Status: Superhero: 2044 is long out of print. Physical copies are exceedingly rare and considered collector’s items, occasionally appearing on second-hand markets like Noble Knight Games.4 It has never been officially released in a digital format.5

1.2 Villains and Vigilantes (1979): The D&D Lineage

Designed by Jeff Dee and Jack Herman and published by Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU), Villains and Vigilantes (V&V) represented a more direct adaptation of existing RPG conventions.7 Heavily influenced by

Dungeons & Dragons, the game featured character levels, hit points, and classes (based on power origin, such as “Mutant” or “Sponsored”).7 Its two most distinctive features were the premise that players create super-powered versions of themselves to serve as their secret identities and a character creation system based entirely on random die rolls to determine a character’s powers.7

This reliance on randomness stood in stark opposition to the controlled design of point-buy systems. It often resulted in bizarre and mechanically unbalanced characters, a quality that was embraced by its player base as part of the game’s charm but criticized by others for its lack of conceptual cohesion.7 The first edition appeared in 1979, followed by a significantly revised and expanded second edition in 1982.7 The game’s ownership was the subject of a lengthy legal dispute, which ultimately resulted in the rights reverting to the original creators, who now publish a 2.1 edition through Monkey House Games.7

Publication Status: The 2.1 edition of Villains and Vigilantes is available in PDF from DriveThruRPG.10 Original printings from FGU are common on the second-hand market through retailers like Noble Knight Games.11

1.3 Champions (1981): The Point-Buy Paradigm Shift

If V&V followed the D&D model, Champions from Hero Games represented a radical break. Created by George MacDonald and Steve Peterson, it was the first superhero RPG built entirely around a comprehensive point-buy system, granting players unprecedented control over character creation.13 This approach treated character creation like a budget; players received a pool of Character Points (CP) to purchase everything from core characteristics to skills and powers.13

The game’s most profound and lasting innovation was its effects-based power system. Instead of providing a list of specific powers like “Laser Vision,” Champions offered generic effects like “Energy Blast”.13 Players would purchase the core effect and then customize it with a vast menu of Advantages (e.g., Armor Piercing, Area of Effect) and Limitations (e.g., Requires a Gesture, Limited Charges), each modifying the power’s final point cost.14 This toolkit approach allowed for the simulation of virtually any power imaginable and became the gold standard for crunchy, simulationist superhero game design. This complexity, however, came at a cost: a notoriously steep learning curve and a character creation process that could be as mathematically intensive as filing a tax return.15 The robust core mechanics of

Champions would eventually be spun off into the universal Hero System.16

Publication Status: Champions has gone through six editions. The 4th Edition, often considered a fan favorite, is available as a PDF and Print-on-Demand book on DriveThruRPG, though early scans suffered from quality issues.18 Later editions and the full

Hero System rulebooks are also available digitally.19 Physical copies of all editions are widely available on the second-hand market.20

1.4 Other Foundational Titles

The fertile ground of the early 1980s produced several other notable titles that explored different facets of the genre.

  • Supergame (1980): Published by DAG Productions, this title predates Champions and is credited by some as the first RPG to give players complete control over character creation via a point-based system.23 A second edition was released in 1982, and the game is now published by Precis Intermedia, which offers classic reprints of the first two editions as well as a new third edition.23 It is available in PDF and print on DriveThruRPG and Noble Knight Games.26
  • The Official Superhero Adventure Game (1981): A combat-centric game by Brian Phillips that was unique for its lack of a character creation system, instead providing dozens of pre-generated heroes and villains.28 Its rules were heavily reliant on mathematical formulas, requiring a calculator for play.28 It is long out of print and extremely rare.29
  • Crimefighters (1981): Written by David “Zeb” Cook, this pulp-adventure game was published within the pages of TSR’s Dragon Magazine #47.30 It focused on non-powered, street-level heroes in the vein of The Shadow or Doc Savage, representing an early attempt to cater to a specific sub-genre of heroic action.30 It is available via second-hand copies of the magazine or the
    Dragon Magazine Archive compilation.32
  • Superworld (1983): Chaosium’s entry into the genre, Superworld adapted the company’s house system, Basic Role-Playing (BRP), which uses percentile dice for resolution.33 Originally part of the
    Worlds of Wonder multi-genre boxed set, it was released as a standalone game but struggled to gain market share against its more established rivals and was supported by only three supplements.33 It is available as a PDF from Chaosium and on DriveThruRPG.34
  • Golden Heroes (1981/1984): A British game first self-published by Simon Burley and Peter Haines, then professionally released by Games Workshop.35 It featured a random character generation system but required players to create a plausible origin story to justify their collection of powers.35 Its combat system was notable for being structured in terms of comic book “frames,” encouraging a more narrative visualization of action.2 The game is out of print, though a spiritual successor,
    Squadron UK, is available digitally.35
  • Super Squadron (1983): An Australian RPG from Adventure Simulations, this game offered a hybrid character creation system that blended random rolls with point-buy options.37 It was notable for its refreshing emphasis on the hero’s private life, including mechanics for romance and family, a level of detail uncommon for the time.37 It is long out of print and considered a collector’s item.39

Chapter 2: The Licensed Age and the Universal System (Mid-1980s – 1990s)

The mid-1980s marked a significant shift in the superhero RPG landscape. The success of the foundational games proved the genre’s viability, attracting major publishers and, crucially, the owners of the most recognizable intellectual properties (IPs) in comics. This era was defined by the commercial power of licensed settings and the concurrent development of universal, genre-agnostic game systems.

2.1 The Rise of the IPs: Emulating the Greats

The ability to play as established, beloved characters proved to be a powerful market driver, leading to the creation of some of the most popular and fondly remembered games in the genre’s history.

  • Marvel Super Heroes (1984): Published by TSR, the creators of Dungeons & Dragons, this game was a massive commercial success that introduced countless comic fans to role-playing.40 Designed by Jeff Grubb, it utilized the elegant and highly accessible FASERIP system, named for the character’s core attributes: Fighting, Agility, Strength, Endurance, Reason, Intuition, and Psyche. All actions were resolved by cross-referencing an ability rank with a percentile dice roll on a single, color-coded “Universal Table”.40 This design choice prioritized ease of play and the emulation of the Marvel Comics “feel” over granular simulation, making it a direct philosophical counterpoint to the complexity of
    Champions. TSR supported the game extensively with supplements and adventures, and released an expanded Marvel Superheroes Advanced Game in 1986.40
  • DC Heroes (1985): Mayfair Games’ licensed RPG for the DC Universe was the mechanical antithesis of TSR’s Marvel game. It employed the Mayfair Exponential Game System (MEGS), a highly mathematical engine designed to handle the vast, cosmic power scales of characters like Superman and the Green Lantern.41 The system was built around Attribute Points (APs), where each integer increase represented a doubling of real-world capacity (e.g., lifting weight, speed).43 While MEGS was praised by some for its ambition and power in modeling a comic book universe, it was notoriously difficult to learn and use, earning a reputation for its intimidating complexity.41 The system’s legacy was later carried on by Pulsar Games’
    Blood of Heroes.41
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness (1985): Capitalizing on the breakout success of the independent comic, Palladium Books published this RPG developed by Erick Wujcik.44 It used Palladium’s house “Megaversal” system and perfectly captured the gritty, street-level tone of the original black-and-white comics.44 Its most celebrated feature was a detailed and imaginative character creation system where players could generate a vast array of mutant animal characters by spending BIO-E points on anthropomorphic traits and animal-specific abilities.45 The game was a huge hit, spawning numerous supplements and the popular post-apocalyptic spin-off game,
    After the Bomb.44

The success of these licensed games demonstrated a crucial market reality: for a large segment of the audience, the appeal of playing in a familiar, beloved universe with accessible rules outweighed the desire for the mechanical precision and creative freedom offered by more complex, generic systems. This established a powerful commercial incentive for publishers to pursue high-profile licenses, a trend that continues to shape the industry.

2.2 The Universal Systems: One System to Rule Them All

Concurrent with the rise of licensed games, several publishers refined their mechanics into generic, universal systems designed to handle any genre, with superhero gaming being a key pillar.

  • Hero System: The rules engine powering Champions was formally spun off into a universal system with the release of the 4th Edition in 1989.16 This allowed the same detailed, effects-based, point-buy mechanics to be applied to other genres through dedicated sourcebooks like
    Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, and the pulp-themed Justice, Inc..16
  • GURPS Supers (1989): Steve Jackson Games released GURPS Supers as a core genre book for its Generic Universal RolePlaying System.47 Like the
    Hero System, GURPS is a point-buy toolkit that allows for detailed character customization. GURPS Supers provided a framework of advantages, disadvantages, and skills tailored to the genre, along with a default campaign setting known as the “IST World,” centered on a UN-sponsored super-team.47
  • Palladium’s Megaversal System: Palladium Books built its entire product line around a single, cross-compatible ruleset. Heroes Unlimited, first published in 1984, was the company’s dedicated generic superhero game.49 It featured a class-and-level-based system with random power generation, and its rules were designed to be fully compatible with
    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness, the post-apocalyptic Rifts, and dozens of other titles, encouraging a “kitchen sink” style of crossover play.44

2.3 The “Grim and Gritty” Trend: Reflecting a Darker Age of Comics

The late 1980s and 1990s saw a dramatic shift in the tone of mainstream superhero comics, spurred by landmark works like Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. This “Dark Age of Comics” embraced moral ambiguity, psychological complexity, and often brutal violence. The RPG market quickly followed suit, producing games that deconstructed the classic four-color tropes.

  • Dark Champions (1993): Originally a supplement for the 4th edition of Champions, this book provided rules and setting material for playing morally ambiguous vigilantes in the vein of The Punisher.52 It introduced optional rules for more lethal combat and focused on street-level crime, criminal organizations, and the legal ramifications of vigilantism, all centered on the fictional Hudson City.53
  • Underground (1993): Published by Mayfair Games, Underground was a satirical and deeply political game set in a dystopian 2021 America.55 Players took on the roles of genetically-engineered, super-powered veterans of corporate wars who are discharged into a society that fears and despises them.55 The game was a direct commentary on 1990s society and drew heavy inspiration from deconstructionist comics like
    Marshal Law.55
  • Brave New World (1999): From Pinnacle Entertainment Group, this game presented an alternate history where the assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy was thwarted by a superhero, leading to Kennedy declaring martial law and establishing a neo-fascist American government.58 Players portray “Deltas” (superhumans) who are part of the “Defiance,” a resistance movement fighting the oppressive regime.58

These games represented a significant maturation of the genre. They moved beyond simple power fantasies to explore complex ethical and political themes, introducing mechanics that engaged with moral consequence and the societal impact of superhumans in a way their four-color predecessors had not.

Chapter 3: The d20 Revolution and the Indie Renaissance (Late 1990s – 2010s)

The turn of the millennium brought two transformative forces to the tabletop RPG industry: the d20 System Open Game License (OGL), which standardized a core mechanic for a generation of gamers, and the rise of a vibrant independent design scene, which challenged the very definition of what a role-playing game could be.

3.1 The d20 Phenomenon and the Rise of Mutants & Masterminds

The release of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and its d20 System under the OGL in 2000 allowed third-party publishers to create compatible content, leading to a market boom. Green Ronin Publishing’s Mutants & Masterminds (M&M), first published in 2002, masterfully capitalized on this moment to become the dominant superhero RPG of its era.61

Designed by Steve Kenson, M&M used the familiar d20 framework—rolling a 20-sided die and adding modifiers—but heavily adapted it for the superhero genre. It did away with character classes and levels, instead using a flexible point-buy system governed by a “Power Level” (PL) that set caps on a character’s combat abilities to ensure balance.61 Its most significant mechanical innovation was the replacement of hit points with a “Toughness Save.” Instead of tracking accumulating damage, characters would make a save against the rank of an incoming attack; the degree of failure determined the severity of the consequences, from a minor penalty to being knocked out.61 This elegantly modeled the way comic book characters could shrug off massive blows yet still be taken down by a single, well-placed punch. By offering a “middle ground” of complexity—more customizable than

Marvel Super Heroes but less mathematically intensive than Champions—within a familiar d20 context, M&M attracted a massive audience and has remained a market leader through three editions.61

Publication Status: Mutants & Masterminds is currently in its 3rd edition and is widely available in print and as a PDF from Green Ronin Publishing and DriveThruRPG.64 A playtest for a 4th edition was released in 2025.64

3.2 Other d20 and Storyteller Era Games

While M&M dominated the d20 space, other notable games of the period explored different systems and settings.

  • Aberrant (1999): White Wolf Publishing’s entry into the genre was a prequel to its sci-fi game Trinity.67 Using the house Storyteller System (which uses pools of ten-sided dice),
    Aberrant presented a dark, high-powered setting where superhumans, called “Novas,” were global celebrities whose powers inevitably corrupted them, transforming them into monstrous Aberrants.67 The game was known for its deep world-building and its exploration of power’s corrupting influence. A d20 version was released in 2004, and the line was rebooted in 2021 by Onyx Path Publishing using the new Storypath System.69
  • Silver Age Sentinels (2002): Published by Guardians of Order, this game was uniquely released in two parallel editions: one using the company’s proprietary d10-based Tri-Stat System, and another using the d20 System.71 It featured an original setting, Empire City, designed to evoke the classic “four-color” feel of Silver Age comics but updated with modern sensibilities.71 The game is now out of print, but a spiritual successor,
    Absolute Power, was recently released by Dyskami Publishing.73
  • Godlike (2001): This groundbreaking game from creators Dennis Detwiller and Greg Stolze presented a gritty, alternate-history World War II where super-powered “Talents” emerge on all sides of the conflict.74 Its most significant contribution was the introduction of the One-Roll Engine (O.R.E.), a dice pool system where players roll multiple ten-sided dice and look for matching sets. The number of matching dice (the “width”) determines the speed of the action, while the number showing on the dice (the “height”) determines its quality, allowing initiative, success, and hit location to be resolved in a single roll.74 The game was lauded for its lethal combat and meticulously researched setting.75

3.3 The Indie Counter-Movement: Narrative First

The market dominance of the d20 system, with its focus on tactical, simulation-style play, spurred a counter-movement among independent designers. These creators focused on “story games,” which prioritized narrative structure and thematic emulation over mechanical simulation.

  • Truth & Justice (2005): Designed by Chad Underkoffler, this award-winning indie game used the rules-light Prose Descriptive Qualities (PDQ) system.78 Characters were defined by freeform traits (Qualities) rather than numerical attributes, and the mechanics were designed to be simple and flexible, focusing on story outcomes rather than tactical minutiae.79
  • Capes (2005): A radical experiment in game design by Tony Lower-Basch, Capes was a competitive, GM-less storytelling game.81 All players collaboratively told a story, taking on the roles of both heroes and villains in different scenes. The mechanics incentivized playing a compelling antagonist; players whose characters were defeated in a conflict would earn “story tokens,” a meta-currency that could be used to influence the narrative later.81
  • With Great Power… (2005): Created by Michael S. Miller, this game used a standard deck of playing cards to emulate the melodrama and moral choices central to Silver Age comics, particularly Spider-Man.83 The game’s core mechanic rewarded players for putting their characters through personal “suffering,” granting them more cards (and thus more narrative control) when their hero’s personal life was jeopardized by their heroics.83

This era firmly established the two poles of superhero RPG design. On one end were the market-leading d20 systems, representing a refined form of simulationism. On the other were the indie games, which explicitly rejected simulation to build mechanics that directly engaged with the narrative tropes and themes of the genre, paving the way for the story-game revolution of the next decade.

Chapter 4: The Modern Era – Narrative, Niche, and Nostalgia (2010s – Present)

The contemporary era of superhero RPGs is characterized by fragmentation and specialization. The monolithic dominance of a single system like d20 has given way to a diverse marketplace where games are often designed to emulate specific sub-genres and tones. This “best tool for the job” approach reflects a mature hobby and a player base with a sophisticated understanding of how game mechanics shape the play experience.

4.1 The Rise of Story Games: PbtA and its Kin

The design principles pioneered by the indie games of the 2000s became mainstream in the 2010s, largely through the influence of games “Powered by the Apocalypse” (PbtA), based on the engine from Vincent and Meguey Baker’s Apocalypse World.

  • Masks: A New Generation: Published by Magpie Games, Masks is a PbtA game that focuses specifically on the lives of teenage superheroes.85 It is not a game about tactical combat, but about identity, drama, and the struggle of young heroes to define themselves against the expectations of their mentors and peers. Its core mechanics brilliantly reflect this theme; instead of traditional attributes, characters have “Labels” (like Savior, Freak, or Mundane) that shift up and down based on how they interact with adult authority figures and their teammates, directly tying character development to the narrative.86
  • City of Mist: This game blends the superhero genre with film noir and mythology. It uses a unique tag-based system, drawing inspiration from both PbtA and FATE, where players describe their characters with evocative “themes” and “power tags” that they invoke to perform actions.85 The system encourages descriptive, collaborative play to solve mysteries in a rain-slicked, modern-day city inhabited by avatars of myths and legends.

4.2 The Return of the Titans: New Licensed Games & Universal Systems

While narrative games gained prominence, the market for licensed properties and flexible universal systems remained strong, with new entries seeking to capture the massive audience created by the cinematic superhero boom.

  • Marvel Heroic Roleplaying (2012): Published by Margaret Weis Productions, this game used the Cortex Plus system. It was critically acclaimed for its narrative-focused mechanics, which used dice pools of varying sizes to create a “plot point” economy that perfectly captured the high-stakes, event-driven feel of modern Marvel comics.86 Despite its positive reception, the game had a short and troubled publication history and was discontinued after only a year.
  • Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game (2023): Marvel’s most recent foray into the RPG market features a new, bespoke engine called the “d616 System”.64 The system uses a roll of three six-sided dice, one of which is a special “Marvel Die” that can trigger spectacular successes or other narrative effects. Its design aims for accessibility, hoping to draw in the vast audience of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.64
  • Generic Systems: Universal toolkits continue to thrive by offering streamlined alternatives to the crunchier systems of the past. The Savage Worlds Adventure Edition with its Super Powers Companion provides a framework for “fast, furious, fun” tactical gameplay.64 Monte Cook Games’
    Cypher System, with supplements like Claim the Sky, offers another robust, narrative-leaning option that is less complex than traditional point-buy systems.89

4.3 The Indie Digital Marketplace

The modern RPG landscape is heavily shaped by digital distribution platforms like DriveThruRPG. This has enabled a “long tail” market where hundreds of small-press and self-published superhero games can find a niche audience. This includes rules-light systems like BASH! (Basic Action Super Heroes), which uses a simple 2d6 multiplier mechanic 88; games that blend traditional and narrative elements like

Hearts & Souls 86; and games with unique premises like

My Superhero Life!, which frames the superhero experience as a reality TV show.86 This vibrant digital ecosystem ensures a constant flow of innovation and variety within the genre.

Appendix: A Definitive Catalog of Superhero Tabletop Role-Playing Games

The following table provides a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, catalog of superhero tabletop role-playing games identified during this report’s research. It is organized chronologically by the initial publication date of each game’s first edition to illustrate the historical evolution of the genre.

Game Title Original Publisher Initial Publication Year Core Mechanic Category Setting Type Current Status & Publisher Availability
Superhero: 2044 Donald Saxman / Gamescience 1977 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original Out of Print OOP 91
Villains and Vigilantes Fantasy Games Unlimited 1979 Level-Based Original In Print (v2.1); Monkey House Games 93 PDF, Print (Used) 94
Supergame DAG Productions 1980 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original In Print (3E); Precis Intermedia 17 PDF, Print 98
Crimefighters TSR, Inc. (in Dragon #47) 1981 Bespoke / Unique Original Out of Print OOP (in magazine) 100
Golden Heroes Self-Published / Games Workshop 1981 Random-Roll / Bespoke Original Out of Print OOP 101
The Official Superhero Adventure Game Brian Phillips 1981 Bespoke / Unique Original Out of Print OOP 102
Champions Hero Games 1981 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original In Print (6E); Hero Games 13 PDF, Print 40
Supervillains Task Force Games 1982 Bespoke / Unique Original Out of Print OOP 106
Super Squadron Adventure Simulations 1983 Random-Roll / Hybrid Original Out of Print OOP 39
Superworld Chaosium 1983 BRP (Percentile) Original In Print (PDF); Chaosium 108 PDF 45
Heroes Unlimited Palladium Books 1984 Class/Level-Based Original In Print (2E); Palladium Books 49 PDF, Print 109
Marvel Super Heroes TSR, Inc. 1984 Bespoke / Unique (FASERIP) Licensed (Marvel) Out of Print OOP 40
Justice, Inc. Hero Games 1984 Point-Buy / Simulationist Licensed (The Avenger) Out of Print OOP 16
Challengers Ragnarok Enterprises 1985 Bespoke / Unique Original Out of Print OOP 111
DC Heroes Mayfair Games 1985 Bespoke / Unique (MEGS) Licensed (DC) Out of Print OOP 112
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Palladium Books 1985 Class/Level-Based Licensed (TMNT) In Print (Redux); Palladium 44 PDF, Print 44
After The Bomb Palladium Books 1986 Class/Level-Based Licensed (TMNT Spin-off) In Print; Palladium Books PDF, Print 44
Enforcers 21st Century Games 1987 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original Out of Print OOP 115
GURPS Supers Steve Jackson Games 1989 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original In Print (4E); SJ Games 47 PDF, Print 117
ACE Agents! Stellar Games 1992 Bespoke / Unique Original Out of Print OOP 108
Underground Mayfair Games 1993 Bespoke / Unique (MEGS variant) Original In Print (PDF); Mayfair Games 119 PDF 121
3DeT (Defensores de Tóquio) Editora Trama 1994 Point-Buy / Rules-Light Original In Print (Victory); Jambô Editora 108 Print (Portuguese) 123
Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game TSR, Inc. 1998 Bespoke / Unique (SAGA System) Licensed (Marvel) Out of Print OOP 40
Blood of Heroes Pulsar Games 1998 Bespoke / Unique (MEGS) Original Out of Print OOP 41
Aberrant White Wolf Publishing 1999 Dice Pool / Storyteller Original In Print (Storypath); Onyx Path 70 PDF, Print 126
Brave New World Pinnacle Entertainment Group 1999 Dice Pool / Bespoke Original In Print (PDF); Full Moon Ent. 58 PDF, Print 128
Dragon Ball Z: The Anime Adventure Game R. Talsorian Games 1999 Bespoke / Unique (Fuzion) Licensed (Dragon Ball Z) Out of Print OOP 92
Godlike Hobgoblynn Press / Arc Dream 2001 Dice Pool / O.R.E. Original In Print; Arc Dream Publishing 74 PDF, Print 130
Mutants & Masterminds Green Ronin Publishing 2002 d20-Based Original In Print (3E); Green Ronin 61 PDF, Print 65
Silver Age Sentinels Guardians of Order 2002 Tri-Stat / d20-Based Original Out of Print PDF 71
Cartoon Action Hour Spectrum Games 2002 Bespoke / Unique Original In Print (S3); Spectrum Games 133 PDF, Print 135
Omlevex Z-Man Games / Spectrum Games 2003 Multi-System Supplement Original Out of Print OOP 137
Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game Marvel 2003 Diceless / Narrative Licensed (Marvel) Out of Print OOP 139
The Authority Role-Playing Game Guardians of Order 2004 Bespoke / Unique (Tri-Stat dX) Licensed (The Authority) Out of Print OOP 143
Dark Champions Hero Games 2004 Point-Buy / Simulationist Original In Print (PDF); Hero Games 52 PDF 145
Necessary Evil Pinnacle Entertainment Group 2004 Savage Worlds Original In Print PDF, Print
Godsend Agenda Khepera Publishing 2004 D6 System Original In Print PDF, Print 146
BASH! (Basic Action Super Heroes) Basic Action Games 2005 Bespoke / Unique Original In Print (UE); Basic Action Games 147 PDF, Print 90
Capes Muse of Fire Games 2005 Narrative / GM-less Original Out of Print OOP 81
Truth & Justice Atomic Sock Monkey Press 2005 Narrative / PDQ Original In Print (PDF); Atomic Sock Monkey 78 PDF 149
With Great Power… Incarnadine Press 2005 Narrative / Card-Based Original In Print (Master Ed.); Incarnadine 83 PDF, Print 152
Big Bang Comics RPG Pisces All Media 2006 d20-Based Licensed (Big Bang) Out of Print OOP 154
Wild Talents Arc Dream Publishing 2006 Dice Pool / O.R.E. Original In Print (2E); Arc Dream 156 PDF, Print 157
Four-Color System Seraphim Guard 2007 Bespoke / Unique (FASERIP) Original In Print (PDF) PDF 159
Supercrew Kaleidoskop 2007 Narrative / Dice Pool Original In Print (PDF); Kaleidoskop PDF
Mutant City Blues Pelgrane Press 2009 GUMSHOE / Narrative Original In Print (2E); Pelgrane Press 161 PDF, Print 162
Capes, Cowls & Villains Foul Spectrum Games 2010 Narrative / Bespoke Original In Print; Spectrum Games 164 PDF, Print 165
Smallville Roleplaying Game Margaret Weis Productions 2010 Narrative / Cortex Plus Licensed (Smallville) Out of Print OOP 167
Icons Superpowered Roleplaying Ad Infinitum / Green Ronin 2010 Narrative / FATE-like Original In Print; Ad Infinitum Adventures PDF, Print
SUPERS! HAZARD Studio 2010 Bespoke / Unique Original In Print (Revised Ed.) PDF, Print 140
Cold Steel Wardens Blackfall Press 2011 Bespoke / Unique Original In Print (PDF) PDF 169
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Margaret Weis Productions 2012 Dice Pool / Cortex Plus Licensed (Marvel) Out of Print OOP 139
Prowlers & Paragons Mobius Worlds Publishing 2013 Narrative / Dice Pool Original In Print (Ultimate Ed.); Evil Beagle Games PDF, Print
Rotten Capes Paradigm Concepts, Inc. 2013 Bespoke / 2d10-based Original In Print (PDF); Paradigm Concepts, Inc. PDF
Valiant Universe Roleplaying Game Catalyst Game Labs 2014 Narrative / Cue System Licensed (Valiant) Out of Print OOP
Base Raiders RPGObjects 2014 Narrative / FATE Original In Print PDF, Print 169
AMP: Year One Third Eye Games 2014 Bespoke / DGS-Combo Original In Print; Third Eye Games PDF, Print 170
Worlds in Peril Samjoko Publishing 2015 Narrative / PbtA Original In Print (PDF); Samjoko Publishing PDF 86
Atomic Robo: The Roleplaying Game Evil Hat Productions 2015 Narrative / FATE Licensed (Atomic Robo) Out of Print OOP
FASERIP Gurbintroll Games 2016 Bespoke / Unique (FASERIP) Original In Print (PDF); Gurbintroll Games PDF
The Super Hack Simon Burley Productions 2016 Rules-Light / OSR Original In Print (POD); Lulu Press, Inc. Print
Venture City Evil Hat Productions 2016 Narrative / FATE Original In Print PDF, Print
The Four Color Hack Spes Magna Games 2016 Rules-Light / OSR Original In Print (PDF) PDF
Era: The Empowered Shades of Vengeance 2016 Bespoke / Era d10 Original In Print (5th Anniv. Ed.) PDF, Print
City of Mist Son of Oak Game Studio 2017 Narrative / Hybrid Original In Print; Son of Oak Game Studio PDF, Print 85
Masks: A New Generation Magpie Games 2017 Narrative / PbtA Original In Print; Magpie Games PDF, Print 85
Capers NerdBurger Games 2018 Bespoke / Card-Based Original In Print; NerdBurger Games PDF, Print
Tiny Supers Gallant Knight Games 2020 Rules-Light / TinyD6 Original In Print; Gallant Knight Games PDF, Print
Vigilante City Bloat Games 2020 Rules-Light / OSR Original In Print; Bloat Games PDF, Print
Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game Greater Than Games 2021 Dice Pool / Narrative Licensed (Sentinel) In Print; Greater Than Games 173 PDF, Print 174
Power Rangers Roleplaying Game Renegade Game Studios 2021 Bespoke / Essence20 Licensed (Power Rangers) In Print; Renegade Game Studios 85 PDF, Print
Absolute Power Dyskami Publishing 2022 Tri-Stat Original In Print PDF, Print 86
Destined Aeon Games 2022 Bespoke / d100 Original In Print; Aeon Games Print 177
Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game Marvel 2023 Bespoke / Unique (d616) Licensed (Marvel) In Print; Marvel PDF, Print 85
We Can Be Heroes Budstuff Games 2024 d20-Based Original In Print PDF, Print
Valiant Adventures Roleplaying Game Green Ronin Publishing 2024 d20-Based (M&M 3E) Licensed (Valiant) In Print PDF, Print
Invincible Roleplaying Game Free League Publishing 2025 Bespoke / Year Zero Engine Licensed (Invincible) In Print; Free League Publishing 179 PDF, Print

Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy and Future of Superhero Gaming

The history of superhero tabletop role-playing games is a dynamic narrative of adaptation and innovation. From the abstract, wargame-derived simulations of the 1970s to the narrative-first story games of the modern era, the genre has consistently evolved to meet the unique challenges of its source material. The initial design tension between simulating a comic book’s physics and emulating its story structure has driven decades of creativity, producing everything from complex, effects-based toolkits like Champions to accessible, trope-driven systems like Marvel Super Heroes and emotionally focused games like Masks.

Throughout its history, the genre has served as a mirror to the broader trends in both comic books and the RPG hobby. The grim-and-gritty RPGs of the 1990s directly reflected the Dark Age of comics, while the d20 boom of the 2000s saw superhero games adopt the market’s dominant mechanical language. Today, the rise of specialized, narrative-focused games reflects both the fragmentation of the superhero genre into myriad sub-genres (from cinematic blockbusters to deconstructionist television) and the maturation of a player base that seeks specific, tailored experiences.

Looking forward, the genre’s trajectory will likely be shaped by the continued cultural dominance of superhero media and the growing influence of online actual play. The massive, shared cultural literacy provided by properties like the Marvel Cinematic Universe creates a fertile ground for games that are highly accessible, cinematic in scope, and capable of supporting long-form, multi-arc campaign play. Systems that are visually clear and produce dramatic, easily understood results with minimal off-screen calculation may find greater success in a streaming-focused environment. Far from being a monolithic category, the superhero RPG remains one of the most vibrant and inventive spaces in the tabletop hobby, a testament to the enduring appeal of its central question: what does it truly mean to be a hero?

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USA-50: Book of the West – One a state, one side only good and bad

Got this in a bundle a while back. The premise is that each USA state should have a hero and people have collaborated to make them up. I don’t know if East exists.

Anyway it has multi-page hero and villain writeups with some campaign setting, hooks, hero interviews etc.

$3.42 – http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/86910/USA-50-West

Azure, Armored Waste Disposal Unit [Hector, Cassandra,],
Big Sky,
Captain California, Centennial,
— Doctor Mojave,
Estrella, Eco-Ranger,
— Fire-Bomb, Frost-Bite Baines,
Gem Stone, — Green-Tech, Grey-Snare,
Honey-Bee, — Hanford FX,
Miss Bison, — Kyle Millenion,
Orka Mortale,
— Purple Ox, Prairie Fire,
Silver Line, — Stone-Devil, Serpentyna, Sonora-X, Sorcera Madre,
Wild-Catter, Wind-Talker,

0.12 Character Cost
0.24 Character Density

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Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains – Very powerful and lengthy Big Bad writeups

The first of these :- Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains is $28.46 at http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/84330/Champions-Villai…

These are the big bads..and Doctor Destroyer and Mechanon are still kicking it, it seems. With epic double page writeups for all the things they can no and their super minions to boot. A lazy 3669 points for Destroyer, apparently. Lots of backstory and different flavours of low level minion detailed in this one with short characteristic differences.

Borealis [Augury, Landsman,],
Doctor Destroyer [Destroyer Soldier, Black Talon Agent, Destroid, Gigaton, Rakshasa, Falchion, Meteor, Spectra, Tarantula, ],
Gravitar,
Holocaust,
Interface [Guardbot,],
Invictus,
Istvatha V’han [D-Soldier, Hovertank, Starship],
Kigatilik [Tilingkoot,] , Kinematik [Blindside, Fossil, Overdrive,] , King Cobra [Ouroboros, Boomslang, Gorgon, Krait, Slither, Coil [Agent,],],
Mechanon [Head, Avar-7, Mechana, Subeda, Victrian Walker, Type I-37, Type Delta,], Menton, Doctor Phillipe Moreau,
Necrull [Necrullitician,], Baron Nihil [Storm Knights,],
Joseph Otanga,
Professor Paradigm [Avant Guard, Displacer, Tesseract,],
Shadow Destroyer [Terror, Corundum, Oubliette, Shadow, Colossus, Karkaradon Guard, Thresher, Channeler, Disciple, Corrupt One,], Shadow Queen [Dragon, Human,], Skarn the Shaper [Arthon, Torvost, Brell, Hussar,], Slug [Elder Worm,], Slun, Franklin Stone, Sunburst [Helios, Nuke, Phaze, Radium,],
Takofanes, Teleiois [Soldier,], Tezcatlipoca [Jaguar, Cultist,], Tyrannon [Tree Throne, Lesser Throne, Viceroy, Emissary, Signifier, Thulkos,]
Warlord [Warbird, Warcry, Warhead, Warmonger, Warpath, Soldier, Flying Fortress,], Doctor Yin Wu [Copper Spear, Golden Axe, Iron Whirlwind, Silver Hand,]

0.27 Character Cost
0.37 Character Density

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Enemies of San Angelo – Supporting cast is strong and cosmopolitan

Most of the bad guys here have a significant associated normal that they tie into the background and possible uses, so I will count all those…they all get stats etc as well as writeups. Nicely done and a little more cosmopolitan than some it seems.

Blaze, Blight [Ebony Clarke, Frederick Mason,],
Covert, Chill [Takashi Nomura,], Chrome [Thomas Spinelli,],
Deadweight [Sheila Buckman,],
Eradicator [Patricia Fitzgerald,],
Ferret [Max Heffler], Firefly [Derrick Garwood,],
Glamour [Sasha],
Harpy [Margaret Taylor,], Haze,
Impulse [Ryan Gardner,], Inazuna [Tosabo,],
Jaunt [Christine Washam,],
Mastermind [Steve Willet,],
Professor Klein, Kaleidoscope [Barbara Sun,]
Panacea [Jennifer Matthews,], Pelegro [Miguel Perreira,], Prometheus, Phosphorus [Daniel Chen,],
Quartz [Timothy Connor,], Quick [Jay Brenner],
Ram [Kevin Rockhauer,], Reflec [Kelly Norcross], Riptide,
Seer [William Sutherton,], Salvo [Zachary Belmont,], Senora Del Oro [Wanda Seitz,], Shatter [Pietri Stanovich,], Speed Freak [Sharon Westmore,],
Dr. Talos [Charlie Regan,],
Vamp [David Roberts],
Wisp,

0.60 Character Density

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Enemies – Short but packing in the boxes

This is the one I saw :-

Champions – Enemies Revised 1982 Enemies

26 Pages of boxes

Ankylosaur, Avar-7,
Binder, Black Mamba, Blackstar, Blowtorch,
Charger, Cobra,
Dragon Master,
Fox, Frisbee, Firewing,
Herculan, Hideous,
Leech, Lazer, Ladybug, Lightning, Lady Blue,
Minuteman MK-V, Mongoose, Mindslayer,
Panda, Plasmoid,
Raccoon, Ray,
Slick, Shamrock, Sunburst, Sledge,
Thok, Thunder,
Utility,
Vibron,
Wyvern,

1.35 Character Density

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Alien Enemies – Solid They Come to Earth Supplement

Champions 4

This is of the ‘they come to Earth’ flavour, with organisations and an adventure. Complete with a Starjammers style group.

Aquarian Sea Beasts, Aquarians,
Cerebraeum, Champ, Case 39,
Delarr,
Exterminators,
Specs [Gizmo, Slick, Bruiser, Trekkie,],
Infinite Man,
Ever-Eating Karrg,
Galactic Marauders [Star Galleon, Captain Richaal, Synthre, Chaikayan, Phinress, Doctor Zeinert, Tarchoss, Masq,],
Midnight Society [Org: Automaton Shell, Orb: AI “Computer” Brain, Arcane, Leatherwings, Gremlins,]
Orion the Hunter,
Pantheon [Jupiter, Neptune, Mars, Luna, Mercury, Bacchus,]
Puppeteers,
Spores From Space,
T’Yaks,
E’Crotians,
Tyrixx [Warrior, Worker, Thinker, Warship,],
METE [Orrad, Marie Dumont, Diana Ingraham, Dr Bill Elam, Lyle Harrison, Dr Ellen Robinson, Otto Wyndham, Howard Esterhaus,]

0.80 Character Density

This is solid.

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Trouble for Havoc!

A Superworld supplement and a rarity in gaming in that it has stats for Champions and Villains & Vigilantes as well.

First there are some rules clarifications with mea culpas and some because I decided so justifications, so those are a little odd. Never been much of a Superworld rules fan…I’d pick Champions instead going that point buy way. I still like to read superhero games though.

Three adventures therein:

A nuclear reactor problem
An underground psychic lost race (which has campaign possibilities)
A downed alien spacecraft with crew that becomes a tug of war between American heroes, Russian heroes and American villains.

So pretty interesting. It was worth getting cheapish on ebay as definitely usable.

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FASERIP Conversions

Want to use other games with FASERIP/4CS?  Here is a quick rough and ready conversion chart for you to get you started or give you ideas.

Table document download here :- https://docs.google.com/document/d/12OYrC6JC08SAAGXepfiJIhDvy1AP7_G4t7gjxYVKlgA/edit

 

4CS M&M V&V Icons Fudge Bash Traveller GORE OSRIC BB Hero MEGS
Fb <= -4 2 1 -2 0 2,3 <=5 <= 5 1 0-3 0
Pr -2,-1 3-8 2 -1 0 4-5 6-8 6-8 2 4-9 1
Ty 0,1 9-11 3 +0 1 6-8 9-11 9-12 3 10-14 2
Gd 2,3 12-14 4 +1 2 9-A 12-24 13-16 4 15-19 3
Ex 4,5 15-17 5 +2 2 B-E 25-35 17-18 5 20-27 4
Rm 6,7 18-23 6 +3 3 F 36-60 19-20 6 28-44 5,6
In 8,9 24-29 7 +4 3 61-80 21-22 7 45-54 7-9
Am 10-12 30-49 8 +5 4 81-90 23 7 55-57 10
Mn 13,14 50-59 9 +6 4 91-100 24 7 58-59 11
Un 15 60-69 10 +7 5 101-119 24 8 60-79 12
ShX 16 70-79 10 +8 5 120-149 25 9-10 80-99 13-19
ShY 17,18 80-89 10 +9 5 150-199 25 11-12 100-119 20-24
ShZ 19+ 90+ 10 +10 5 200+ 25 13-14 120+ 25+

 

V&V = Villains & Vigilantes, M&M = Mutants & Masterminds 3rd, BB = Bulletproof Blues

Use the Fudge column for Fate, of course.

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The Fires of War: The Algernon Files Volume 2 – Excellent Golden Age BlackWyrm universe value

A BlackWyrm Golden Age supplement – with the moment chosen as being 1942. It includes a timeline and several pages of optional rules and what happened to some of the characters, where appropriate, postwar.

This is of similar quality and value to the first.

Anthem, Amadeus, American Eagles [Angelo “Jackie” Benzetti, Cassandra “Cassie” Jennings, Samuel Lincoln, Percy Tidwell,], — Abraxas, Alchemist, Amazon, Atlanteans,
— Blut [Eisen,], Baron Brass,
Cagliostro, Cogito,
Doc Steel, Doc Epoch, — Donner, Dagon, Dr Diablo, Dr Prometheus, Dr Scarab,
— Element of Crime, Emperor of Heaven, Evergreen,
Fearless Five [Malachite the Magician, Pathwork Man, Queen of Hearts, Tommy Triumph, El Toro,], — Falken, Feuerzahn, Dr Veronika Von Frankenstein [Die Shocktruppen,], Fantasia,
Glorianna, Gryphon, Gunslinger, — Grendel, Gilgamesh,
Quincy Harkness, Avery “Red” Hawkins, — Hachiman, Hag,
— Iron Skull,
Jack B. Quick, John Bull, — Jaegerin, Jotun,
Kid Galahad, — Kamikaze,
Quentin “Kid Congo” McKenzie, — Madrigal, Malice Afterthought, Maximus Rex, Morpheus,
— Needle, Nic Time,
Old Glory, Orphans [Juliet, Hans, Otto, Ferdinan, Andrew,], — Oni
Pendragon, — Parzifal
— Requiem, Rex Mundi,
Silent Knight, Sea Devil, Scorpion, — Schreckmaker, Schwarzenritter, Spinne, Saurian Dominion [Shocktroops, Counselors,], Salamanca, See Hexe, Simple Simon,
Thunderbird, Tom Thumb, Timesavers [Archimedes Jones, Samson Smith, Matthew Tangent, Folding Dragon, Zara the Dinosaur Slayer,], — Dr Ernst Thule [Valkyrie, Acolytes,], Tetsujin, Terrible Triumvirate [Esmerelda Griffith, Harcourt Jeykll, Etienne Moreau, Beast Men,],
Ultranaut, — Ungeneur
Watchman, Jackson Wilde, Laurel Wilde, — Wunderkind
— Zeitgeist, Zavier Zodiac,

Both the M&M and Hero versions are $14.95 – http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/19852/The-Fires-of-War…

0.14 Character Cost
0.81 Character Density

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