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[Powers] Experience with them, using the BGB?


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Like the title says, I'd like to hear folks that have used the powers rules in the BGB, and how they went. The magic and sorcery rules I don't think need too much discussion, since many other BRP products use them (or variants), like CoC, Magic World, Elric, and so on.

I'm very interested in hearing about mutations, psionics, and superhero powers, however. Used them for a game? How'd players react to them? How easy/hard to adjudicate as a GM? What do you wish went better? What worked like a charm?

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Like the title says, I'd like to hear folks that have used the powers rules in the BGB, and how they went. The magic and sorcery rules I don't think need too much discussion, since many other BRP products use them (or variants), like CoC, Magic World, Elric, and so on.

I'm very interested in hearing about mutations, psionics, and superhero powers, however. Used them for a game? How'd players react to them? How easy/hard to adjudicate as a GM? What do you wish went better? What worked like a charm?

I've used mutations and superhero powers in their parent game systems (Hawkmoon, WoW Superworld, and the stand alone Superworld box set) and none worked as a charm. Now they were all pretty easy to adjudicate - they work just fine rule wise. But they can and do lead to characters that can be overpowering. They alsomake the game less forgiving. As the characters get more powerful and thier attacks do more damage, there is less and less of a "safety margin" and a greater chance of overkill. It not much of a surprise that in an RPG where the average person has 12 hit points, someone who can throw lighting that does 6D6 damage is going to be killing a lot of character with one hit.

Mutations should be used sparringly, and thought should be given to the pros and cons of any particular mutation. Superpowers either need to be kept at low power levels, or some sort of way to mitigate the damage is needed -otherwise one good punch from the Hulk will kill off most hero PCs. The Superworld boxed set had something to do just that, and there are some options in BRP that can help.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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I've used mutations and superhero powers in their parent game systems (Hawkmoon, WoW Superworld, and the stand alone Superworld box set) and none worked as a charm. Now they were all pretty easy to adjudicate - they work just fine rule wise. But they can and do lead to characters that can be overpowering. They alsomake the game less forgiving. As the characters get more powerful and thier attacks do more damage, there is less and less of a "safety margin" and a greater chance of overkill. It not much of a surprise that in an RPG where the average person has 12 hit points, someone who can throw lighting that does 6D6 damage is going to be killing a lot of character with one hit.

Mutations should be used sparringly, and thought should be given to the pros and cons of any particular mutation. Superpowers either need to be kept at low power levels, or some sort of way to mitigate the damage is needed -otherwise one good punch from the Hulk will kill off most hero PCs. The Superworld boxed set had something to do just that, and there are some options in BRP that can help.

That's good to know, thank you.

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I have one thing to add, though. Super Powers are not too devastating. Atgxtg might have different experience due to his use of the parent systems. But as they are written in the BRP book there is nothing wrong with it.

For example at Normal Power level a character can get about 10 Character Points to buy Super Powers. That will result in an Energy Projection power of level 1, doing 1d6 damage. At higher Power Levels characters should think about buying Ablation and Armor powers, so they can withstand some more powerful hits.

Not saying it is a waterproof system, but it works most of the time without problems.

I ran the Fractured Hopes campaign some years ago which makes use of all powers of the BRP book without any dramas.

So, just be bold, use the systems as they are and se what happens. If you thing it goes into the wrong direction, let us know and I bet there will be an easy fix for any problems encountered ;)

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I have one thing to add, though. Super Powers are not too devastating. Atgxtg might have different experience due to his use of the parent systems. But as they are written in the BRP book there is nothing wrong with it.

For example at Normal Power level a character can get about 10 Character Points to buy Super Powers. That will result in an Energy Projection power of level 1, doing 1d6 damage. At higher Power Levels characters should think about buying Ablation and Armor powers, so they can withstand some more powerful hits.

Not saying it is a waterproof system, but it works most of the time without problems.

I ran the Fractured Hopes campaign some years ago which makes use of all powers of the BRP book without any dramas.

So, just be bold, use the systems as they are and se what happens. If you thing it goes into the wrong direction, let us know and I bet there will be an easy fix for any problems encountered ;)

Oh, aye, I'm always bold. BRP is new for most of the group, after all (except one die-hard CoCer). But never with superpowers.

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We have an on-going homebrew world where we use all the power types. Never had any problems, you can check it out in the downloads section, it's called Project R/S. After all Marvel and DC comics always had magic, mutants, psychics and everything else. So it worked out just fine. All out of the BGB.

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We have an on-going homebrew world where we use all the power types. Never had any problems, you can check it out in the downloads section, it's called Project R/S. After all Marvel and DC comics always had magic, mutants, psychics and everything else. So it worked out just fine. All out of the BGB.

I will check that out, thanks! And that's very good to know. I should have mentioned, I've got powers/supers on the brain, and I've got several supers systems, but they just seem to complicated to get the story end result. Thus my looking at BRP.

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Like the title says, I'd like to hear folks that have used the powers rules in the BGB, and how they went. The magic and sorcery rules I don't think need too much discussion, since many other BRP products use them (or variants), like CoC, Magic World, Elric, and so on.

I'm very interested in hearing about mutations, psionics, and superhero powers, however. Used them for a game? How'd players react to them? How easy/hard to adjudicate as a GM? What do you wish went better? What worked like a charm?

Look at the City of Heroes Quickplay Pack:

http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=60

The author has refined the BRP powers system.

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Mixing and matching can lead to a sense of differing scale of power IMHO.

Also, defenses in the Super Powers category are ultimately very expensive as written, and I felt there was a disconnect with the attack power costs.

Very slowly working towards completing my monograph.

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