No Hulk

Okay, so Superworld can’t really duplicate the Emerald Goliath…well, not anyway I can find that models the comic book character.

See, SW is a pretty darn good, but it still has a modicum of balance…and a bit of realism…that, while I like it, manages to stick itself in the eye. Regarding the Hulk we have two issues that torpedo the Jolly Green Giant…one technical and one practical.

The technical one is the real heartbreaker: boosting a character’s Super Strength or Super Size (remember, this is a Chaosium/BRP game so we have that nice little 7th attribute: Size) is limited by a character’s initial ROLLED attributes. Yes, Superworld combines random attributes with picked/chosen powers…a little combination I was using in my own super design.

So if one WANTS a character with a Size of 34 and a Strength of 80-something (this would model the Hulk of the Ultimates comic universe) your character’s combined STARTING strength and size would need to be in the 16 and 16 range. Since a Size of 16 is equivalent to someone that’s 220lbs (and Banner is about 120) that doesn’t work. Of course, you could put the Size down to 10 and still get the same limit on Super Strength/Super Size…if you were able to roll a 26 for your strength.

Now it is possible to purchase handicaps that reduce one’s ability scores…but by rule you are unable to apply a Super ability to an ability that has been reduced. Likewise, the handicap “non-super i.d.” seems custom-made for the Banner/Hulk…except that taking away the super-abs still leaves you with a 200+ pound weight-lifter as opposed to the skinny scientist (again, assuming you stick with the rule book's power level limits).

[as I said I LIKE the limitations in the game as they DO prevent the “breaking” of chargen found in certain other point-buy supers games (*ahem*). They just don't work for my Hulk-man]

Next we have the PRACTICAL limitations, specifically regarding energy expenditure. Similar to Villains & Vigilantes, Superworld gives every character an “Energy” stat that is a reflection of the characters’ spirit and fatigue level and acting as the battery juicing their powers. UNlike V&V, this applies to most every type of action a character takes, including lifting heavy objects and using one’s natural damage bonus.

Okay, I can get that actually…it should tire out behemoths to throw cars around and put their full force into those super-haymakers. Unfortunately the amount of energy required is determined by the amount of Strength being used…and the amount of energy available is NOT related to the amount of strength one has.

So, for example, if my Hulk character wants to throw a “full strength” punch (assuming size 34 and a strength of 85…strong enough that he has a 50% chance of lifting a medium tank without straining) his total damage bonus is +10D6 at a cost of 30 energy. Base energy is determined by one’s POW + CON. Now both these abilities have a “rolled” maximum of 18 and increasing them with levels of Super Power or Super Constitution has limits determined by their initial rolled amount (though slightly different from the STR and SIZ limits). The absolute maximum raise would be 24 and 36 respectively, making for a total energy supply of 60…giving the Hulk a two punch limit before he needs to sit down and take a breather. Most characters can make at least two punches in a single melee round.

Pretty lame.

Same holds true for any Mighty Thor-equivalent or Superman type character. Yes, you can give characters the power “Energy Source” which increases the amount of “juice” in their batteries…but all of these things (Super POW, Super CON, Energy Source) eat into the total number of points available for building a character’s super powers (we haven’t even considered how to do the damage resistance, bonus hit points, armor, leaping, regeneration, speed, etc.) all of which come from the finite limits set by the character’s initial, rolled characteristics.

Which in Banner’s case should be fairly limited (assuming you want to have the puny scientist alter-ego).

Superworld cautions against using the rules to create an “all powerful” character, but the limitations engrained in the system seem to preclude the building of any such character…at least, if one is trying to accurately model certain iconic comic creations.

Ah, well…I said EARLIER that I didn’t think Superworld was a “perfect” game. And by perfect I mean, “meeting the ideals I personally hold dear for any RPG involving the superhero genre.” But it’s definitely “up there.”

In fact, after semi-careful consideration, I think I need a new Top Ten list.

TOP TEN SUPERHERO RPGS
(ranked in order I’d be willing to play ‘em)

1. Superworld
2. Heroes Unlimited
3. Godlike/Wild Talents
4. Marvel (TSR edition)
5. Villains & Vigilantes
6. Mutants & Masterminds
7. Adventure!
8. Capes
9. Aberrant
10. With Great Power…

A couple caveats: Heroes Unlimited only gets played with a couple modifications, specifically my Karma rules converted from Marvel (not posted because, well, you know how Palladium is), and the junking of pretty much the entire skill system. Superworld might (repeat: MIGHT) need some modification if you want to model specific game universes.

Not considered: DC Heroes/Blood of Heroes, BASH, Silver Age Sentinels, and Truth & Justice…I’m just not familiar enough with these rules to make a judgment.

Waaaay out of the running: Guardians, Sketch!, GURPS Supers, and Champions (any edition).

***EDIT: Damn! Completely forgot about Mutant City Blues by Pelgrane Press. That game rocks and I haven't had a chance to play it yet. I'd slot it in at #3, #4, or #5 on the list above, depending on my mood (it definitely steps over V&V, but I'm not sure about Marvel or Godlike). Man...I forget that one too often!***

A Slow Evening...

...in other words, relaxing.

As I commented elsewhere, folks all over the internet are going through an angsty, self-analyzing period.  I ain't immune to it myself, though I'm doing my best to sit tight and "fogeddaboutit."

Tonight is TV night (what night isn't really?)...nothing like a little Top Chef, a couple beers, a (slightly large) lap dog or two.

However, PRIOR to the same-old same-old the wife and I were watching a Spanish telvision show (well, technically "HBO Ole," whatever the F that is) called Epitafios ("Epitaphs"). Quite interesting...a cop drama, with a connecting mystery/antagonist through several episodes. I'd never seen in before, but I was able to watch a couple/three episodes.

Here's the thing...I found it entertaining, which is NOT a word I associate with cop shows. Actually, I don't watch "police drama" of any type: no Law & Order, no The Shield, no Dark Blue, no CSI.  Hell, I never watched Miami Vice, T.J. Hooker, or Hill Street Blues either (though the last one was a little old for me at the time it was on...my parents sure dug it). 

I don't know why people love law enforcement dramas...but this Epitafios show is pretty compelling. Perhaps because it's not episodic in nature (you know, one "situational scenario" every week). Come to think of it, I was a big fan of Twin Peaks which certainly had some law enforcement themes (I realize that one's actually kind of a stretch)...mmm, the first season or two of 24 was good, too.

I guess, similar to role-playing, people enjoy the vicarious escapism that comes from these shows...you get to put yourself in the shoes of a police officer (for most people, the closest thing to a hero in most folks' minds) and see the world through his/her eyes.

'Course I like the Epitafios show because the main characters aren't very pretty...to my stereotyped mind, they look and act much more like what I might expect. They're dumpy and frumpy, but competent. They never shoot, strong arm, or beat up folks and mainly they're simply tracking down leads and investigating scenes.

Anyway, it REALLY makes me want to play a little RPG I picked up a few months back (see? I fully intended to tie this to an actual game): Mutant City Blues. 

Now I know that I just lost two-thirds+ of my readers, but I'll tell you this: I would never have got into the Old School gaming thing (i.e. I would still be hiding my own light) if wasn't for Pelgrane Press's GUMSHOE game system. I was researching Ken Hite on the 'Net when I ran into an interview between him and James Maliszewski, which led me to Grognardia, which led me to everything else (of course).

Mutant City Blues is the best "police drama" RPG I've ever seen. Hell, it's the only one I've ever found that I wanted to play (as I said...not much into cop drama). But for an investigative role-playing system it has a lot to recommend it (in my opinion).

- the rules are such that investigations never stagnate because of a failed die roll; all clues are provided, they simply need to be interpreted.

- the ability scores/skills set during character generation do more than simply determine in-game character effectiveness; they set-up to specifically share "spotlight" time between PCs (giving every player's character a chance to shine)

- it's well-written...it actually makes police paperwork interesting (just what I need...an RPG where I'm pushing MORE paper!)

- it has what I think is a very cool premise: cops (and criminals) with (minor) super powers. In the game world something like 1% or .1% of the population spontaneously developed super powers a few years before the start of the game. People got freaked out a little...and then everyone went back to their daily lives.  Most people don't talk about their mutant powers if they have 'em...there's a little discrimination against people with powers but not like Marvel's war on mutants (more like certain types of modern day bigotry; it varies by region). Some of the powered folks are, of course, malcontents/criminals...and your "special unit" of the police force is as much a PR move for the mutant public as is the minority police commissioner. 

- there's no specific setting...well, there is (kind of): your home town! Whatever the town wher you and your gaming group reside is supposed to be used as the default setting (the place everyone calls "Mutant City" because of its higher than normal prevalence of powered individuals). This is cool on a lot of levels, but for me, it makes me find out more about my city...like the location of police stations, local city politicians, etc. You're encouraged to draw scenarios from local news items or set them around actual businesses and civic interests. Quite cool, in my opinion.

Anyway, I'd strongly recommend anyone check it out. I know I know...we all have tough schedules and it's tough enough to find a night to play B/X Dungeons and Dragons. But it IS cool...it's been sitting on my shelf long enough; it's time to take it for a test drive; perhaps with an Epitafios knock-off campaign?

Now if only my home-town was in Argentina....

: )

Ciao!