superhero game ideas
- Thread starter bolen
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Most of the same plots that don't translate well for most games. The kiddnapping of one PC who is held hostage while the others look for him is tough to pull off, yet common in comic book plots.
The temporary loss of a heroes special gadget or doodad tends to happen more often in comics than in DnD. (heck, I have never seen any GM steal a wizard's spell book.) On the other hand, if you use a game system where a PC paid points for their gadget, you can promise them that the loss is temporary and that they will get it back, or get refund in their points, which mullifies them.
On the other hand, comics open up more variations of the old plots, sure some could say that an alien invasion in a comic rpg is just a retread of a demonic invasion, but that isn't true.
In the comics, you could have either a demonic or an alien invasion, or even a demonic alien invasion!!! (sorry, I just had to add those three exclamition points.)
Can't think of any other "tough" plot points off the top of my head.
The temporary loss of a heroes special gadget or doodad tends to happen more often in comics than in DnD. (heck, I have never seen any GM steal a wizard's spell book.) On the other hand, if you use a game system where a PC paid points for their gadget, you can promise them that the loss is temporary and that they will get it back, or get refund in their points, which mullifies them.
On the other hand, comics open up more variations of the old plots, sure some could say that an alien invasion in a comic rpg is just a retread of a demonic invasion, but that isn't true.
In the comics, you could have either a demonic or an alien invasion, or even a demonic alien invasion!!! (sorry, I just had to add those three exclamition points.)
Can't think of any other "tough" plot points off the top of my head.
Sagan Darkside
First Post
Salutations,
I am tempted to run a campeign due to a story I read in the Book of Flesh (the All Flesh Must Be Eaten rpg's anthology)- one of the stories is about superheroes dealing with the zombie menace. It has some very clever ideas in it.
I particularly like the idea of tricking the players into thinking they are playing a superhero game that turns into a horror game.
SD
I am tempted to run a campeign due to a story I read in the Book of Flesh (the All Flesh Must Be Eaten rpg's anthology)- one of the stories is about superheroes dealing with the zombie menace. It has some very clever ideas in it.
I particularly like the idea of tricking the players into thinking they are playing a superhero game that turns into a horror game.
SD
Darkness
Hand and Eye of Piratecat [Moderator]
Me neither.Voneth said:
I can't count the number of times that NPCs under my control did exactly this in 2e, though.
Usually after having defeated the wizard in battle and taken them prisoner, that is.
Also, some of these wizards managed to get their books back later.
Eben
First Post
I've been looking into this lately. Too bad my players aren't interested in a long-term superhero campaign.
I was actually thinking about using a call of Cthulu campaign and boosting it somewhat. Masks of Nyarlathotep would work I think. Of course, it would be less doom and more boom. On the other hand, done right, it would empasize a major theme in comics: superheroes have weaknesses. Mythos monsters might be to hard te chew for them...
I was actually thinking about using a call of Cthulu campaign and boosting it somewhat. Masks of Nyarlathotep would work I think. Of course, it would be less doom and more boom. On the other hand, done right, it would empasize a major theme in comics: superheroes have weaknesses. Mythos monsters might be to hard te chew for them...
A LOT of people have been chatting about how they are using lower powered PCs to do pulp or cinema action with their favorite supes rpg compared to a full blown "comic book" campaign.
... Get past the pictures of the tights and see how versitile super hero rpg game engines are!!
Currently, I am playing a Farscape game using Mutants and Masterminds.
... Get past the pictures of the tights and see how versitile super hero rpg game engines are!!
Currently, I am playing a Farscape game using Mutants and Masterminds.
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Mr Fidgit
First Post
i think any plot could potentially translate to a super-hero game, it just depends on the type of game you want to run, and/or the type of group the PCs have createdbolen said:
for example: a D&D-type plot could be:"the PCs discover a plot to kidnap the king (queen, princess, prince, what-have-you) and the PCs must prevent it!"
in a superhero game, the member of the royal family to-be-kidnapped could be anyone of influence or power (President, Senator, pop star...). how the group handles the situation may depend on what type of group they have. a government-sponsored super group (like the Avengers, let's say) could stand out in the open and dare the villains to take action. an outlaw or unsanctioned group (X-Men), would have to wait in the shadows for the villains to take action, and then react
some more examples from the DMG (pgs 138-9):
55 - Adventurers exploring a dungeon have not returned in a week (the 'major' super group in town has gone missing, and it's up to the PCs to rescue them (this is the basis for the first V&V mod!))
77 - a sorrowful bard tells a tavern tale of his imprisoned companions (other supers unjustly accused - PCs must aquire the evidence to free them! or, creature from another planet/dimension needs help fighting off bad guy who has imprisioned his people!)
10 - a blackguard is organizing monsters in an area (a powerful super-villain is recruiting other super-villains in the city)
22 - a mirror of opposition has created an evil duplicate of a hero (okay, this one's too easy
)I've had one idea rolling around in my head for months, kind of a grim story, but one with some potential nonetheless.
It would take place during Vietnam (those uncomfortable with that could possibly use a different conflict or create a fictional one), and the players would be part of a military organization who have secretly been given superpowers, and sent in as part of a cleanup operation.
That's about the extent to which I've thought through it. Maybe it'll give you some inspiration for a story of your own.
It would take place during Vietnam (those uncomfortable with that could possibly use a different conflict or create a fictional one), and the players would be part of a military organization who have secretly been given superpowers, and sent in as part of a cleanup operation.
That's about the extent to which I've thought through it. Maybe it'll give you some inspiration for a story of your own.
Kenpo Wolf
First Post
Neowolf said:
Coolness. Thats what I'm basing my Star Gate campaign on. The unit, SGE, are all meta humans and operates on worst case scenarios rather then a first contact or exporer missions like the other SG units.
Moe Ronalds
First Post
The first adventure I ever made for Deeds Not Words (which my poohead players STILL haven't played) went something like this: Some strange object (according to witnesses all they could see was a round bluish flame) has crashed into a broken-down apartment that a rather violent gang currently uses as a hide out. Police have tried to patrol the area but were fought off by what appeared to be teenagers with completely white eyes, fangs, and claws. The Super-team's employer asked them to check things out while the police sit outside the area, waiting for something to happen with pistols poised.
What happened: The falling thing was actually a space ship containing a dangerous galactic criminal (I know. I simply REEK of originality, don't I?
). The alien (who was being escorted by a couple of smaller aliens) used some strange power to turn the gang members into mindless killing machine. The PCs have to explore the appartment complex, making their way towards the source of the trouble, and slowly figure out from the few not taken over gang members what's going on and perhaps what the villains powers are.
It's not really all that original but I figure it's a decent introductory thing, since you can still keep the dungeon environment. Or something.
What happened: The falling thing was actually a space ship containing a dangerous galactic criminal (I know. I simply REEK of originality, don't I?
). The alien (who was being escorted by a couple of smaller aliens) used some strange power to turn the gang members into mindless killing machine. The PCs have to explore the appartment complex, making their way towards the source of the trouble, and slowly figure out from the few not taken over gang members what's going on and perhaps what the villains powers are.It's not really all that original but I figure it's a decent introductory thing, since you can still keep the dungeon environment. Or something.
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