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Hey guys, I think I discussed this on another thread at some point, but I have sort of rebooted this RPG and I want to get some ideas and input.

Basically, my friend Punitive_Damages and I have together created a Superheroes RPG that is based on the mechanics of the 1st ed White Wolf world. PD did most of the work, and I have since expanded on his original ideas.

We use Vampire the Masquerade as the basis for most of what we do. Heroes take half bashing, they can soak lethal damage, and they get disciplines. They aren't undead, but they have something which recharges them, and each has something against which they are weak (take aggravated damage). Instead of blood points, they get hero points. Instead of Humanity they have Hero/Villainy.

The dice rolling and character creation works almost identically to the VTM sourcebook style.

Even generation... there are some heroes which have greater potential than others. Think of the level rating of mutants in X-Men (class 2, class 1, or Omega Class mutants). Well similarly I have revamped generation, flipping it around so that higher is better. So there are 8th Generation (highest) characters which are more of the class of Jean Grey, Superman, Professor X, or the Flash, and then there are the generation 5 guys... think Captain America, Wolverine, all the way down to the Generation 1 or 0 guys like Punisher, Batman.

Remember that in a system where you buy your advancements with XP, a guy like Batman or Punisher can still hack it with some of the higher generation guys. And no one becomes invincible like Superman. Although 8 fortitude comes close.

Anyway, I am looking for any input. The current setting is in the year 2636, think Cowboy Bebop for a setting. I have a ton of Superpowers which I have already laid out, but I am looking for more. What I was hoping for here was that people could list out some superpowers that they know and then put in a mechanic for them. If you are familiar with Vampire the Masquerade they work similar to Disciplines. So similar in fact that if there is a super power which already has a like Discipline, I am probably going to just use the Discipline so you could skip it. I.E. Mind Control would be Dominate. I go on a 1-8 scale in terms of what powers can do. Level 1 are minor, Level 8 are earth shaking. (Literaly, Level 8 shockwave causes a huge earthquake).

If you don't know White Wolf, go nuts. Don't worry, if you list something I already have, and give a good mechanic for it that I like better I will use that. ALL ideas are welcome.


Thanks guys, I look forward to seeing what you can do.


Tiger

Sure TSD,

I have my game in full posted online

I have every super power know through DC and Marvel. All listed in order.

The only thing I never got done was the actual descriptions, but they wouldn't help you anyway as I use my own combat system etc.

You can find my Super Hero RPG here;

http://www.riseofheroes.net

have fun Download the PDF and you can read everything from races, to hundreds of skills etc.

Thanks Cole, I appreciate the list. It is pretty comprehensive, now all I need are some ideas implementing it into the WW system.

And hey, who knows, the other posters of PADND might think of something else as well.

I have found that many powers can be simplified into more basic versions, and that most super heroes have powers which are merely extrapolations or flavor differences away from being identical.

Tiger

yeah, that's what most Supers do, take one of those powers and make it into 2 unique powers.... tons of those examples in Marvel, but my list there covers all the main categories of powers (I grabbed em all from wikipedia and from the Marvel encyclopedia I own

Sorry about no comments on WW or the like as I've never used or played those systems.

It really provided an interesting framework because vampires are essentially superpowered. There were so many mechanics already in place for many of the thematic ideas I wanted. The greatest example was the actual powers. In VtM, each clan of vampire has access to certain "Disciplines", these are supernatural powers ranging from magic, mind control to super strength and super speed.

As well, because Vampires are undead, they are naturally tougher. They can take 2x as much bashing damage as mortals, and they have the opportunity to soak lethal damage (whereas mortals didn't).

And when you think about it, that fits super heroes too. Even Jubilee was pretty tough. She could take some pretty hard knocks and keep kicking. Sure, she wasn't immortal. And hit her enough and she dies, and even most tough regulars could take her one on one without powers involved. But she could take a beating. And this is something you see consistently across the Super Hero spectrum. I mean sheesh... how many times has Batman been shot? And the guy just won't stop.

So right there, I have a thematic element perfect for superheroes.

There were a few others almost as fitting, but those were the first two that came to mind.



Tiger

Yeah no doubt,

Batman for example is considered super tough though because of his extreme physical training... same with many other heroes. This is why on my lists you see all my powers separated into many categories ... thus mundane ones are Batman like ones, has a belt, insanely rich etc

We also had a dif between hitpoints in RoH. We have standard damage and critical damage. Everything like bats, clubs, swords etc do normal damage while things like grenades, missiles, bombs, lightning bolts etc do C.D.C. damage. We gave all the heros in our game C.D.C. hit-points.

However all heroes/villains do C.D.C. damage even with a punch.... so similar idea there to your vampires in VtM

I'm going to just start throwing out ideas that pop into my head.


- An ability to predict the future, not in the sense that a prophet can, but more in the fashion of a chess master. The holder of this "power" gains an insight bonus to appropriate skills when he uses his power. Perhaps he uses his power to work the stock market. Or maybe he's a master at the sword or gun.

- The ability to channel energy through the body. The greater the level of the power, the more energy that can be channeled. I've never played VtM, but I have a little experience with nWod and nMage. The more dots, the more "damage" worth the player could channel. So maybe the person could grab a power line, and then grab a person or something else he needed to power.

Or he could jumpstart his car with his bare hands. Whatever.

This goes for almost any kind of energy. Maybe at the higher levels of the power he might gain some ability to store and later release limited amounts of energy.

- The ability to cause plant life to grow. At lower levels this ability would be limited, but eventually the character could cause entire ecosytems to spring up at his command.

- The ability to understand and create complex patterns. This character could crack a government cipher by looking at it long enough. He would also be useful for being able to create similar patterns.

- The ability to calm emotions. By touching another, this character can turn rage into anger, or anger into irritation. The stronger the power, the greater the mood swings. Perhaps this power could work both ways, making for potential abuse. However I think it might be better to have two separate versions, one good, the other evil.

- The ability to manipulate technology. In sort of the same fashion as the allspark can screw with technology in transformers.

- The ability to breath underwater.

- The ability to withstand various degrees of heat and cold. The stronger the power, the more heat and cold withstood.

- The ability to farsee, similar to having a crystal ball. The stronger the power, the further the character can farsee.

- I'm trying to think of a power that would allow a character to live on the bottom of an ocean, and withstand intense pressure.

- The ability to sing an opponent to sleep.

- The ability to summon demons.

- The ability to do strange things with mirrors. Perhaps the character can walk in and out of mirrors like a teleporter or see things in mirrors in some odd way, reflections of the present or future.

- The ability to see and speak with ghosts and the undead.

- The ability to auto locate in the fashion of a GPS. The character always knows where they are and can intuit how areas are laid out that they've never been to.

- The ability to understand and speak any language. The more dots, the more fluency.

- The ability to manipulate gravity.

- The ability to eat anything, literally. The character can digest radioactive material if they like.



Well. That's a start for some weird powers that I'd never heard of before. I can't say how many of them would be useful. I think some of these powers could have showed up in Mystery Men.

If you like any of the powers, I'll think about how they might stat out. I'll also come back and throw out a few more at some point.