Emulating Epic Superhero Combat Scenes

[Stan Shinn]

I'm wanting to emulate climactic 'boss fight' scenes like you might see in an Avengers movie. When running the Marvel Heroic roleplaying game, you would run such combat in rounds, and then take consequences (a damage die that steps up), often giving the consequence a name like 'Weakened' or 'Out of Energy'.

I'm wondering how to best emulate this in QuestWorlds. I suspect using an extended contest (scored, wagered, or chained sequences, to use QuestWorlds parlance). I'm not sure which of those technique would feel best. I also wonder how quickly I should reach for giving out -5 consequences in QuestWorlds. It seems like with just one or two of those you're quickly ineffective, and I don't want to nerf the big bad evil enemy prematurely.

Anyway, any advice that anyone has on how to approach creating an epic superhero combat is greatly appreciated!

 

[JonL]

You can find a work through I did of the climax of the first Avengers film in HQ2 terms in this post over on rpg.net.

You're on the right track in terms of using an extended contest, though a simple group contest can work in a pinch. As to which one is best, that really depends on how you're wanting things to feel and how interested your players are in the ebb and flow of detailed exchanges. More tactically minded players might find wagered's crunchy (by QW standards) risk vs benefits choices rewarding, while for others the extra math is a chore. Scored deferring consequences until the end can heighten tension as points scored against you hang over your character until overall victory/defeat emerges, and assisting another party member to escape looming peril (clear some of their hanging points) is a very super-hero battle move. Chained is great for situations where characters are participating in very different ways, or where you want a grittier death-spiral dynamic.

The move from +/-3 results steps in HQ to +/-5 steps in QW is indeed intended to make results feel significant more quickly. While this is a good change for regular contests, if you're wanting to zoom-in to discrete chained exchanges to stretch out a climactic set-piece notching back to +/-3 steps might make sense.  Again, the right choice is the one that matches your players' level of interest and engagement in the situation (and how much time you've got).

Edited October 21, 2022 by JonL

[jajagappa]

On 10/20/2022 at 4:09 PM, Stan Shinn said:

I suspect using an extended contest (scored, wagered, or chained sequences, to use QuestWorlds parlance). I'm not sure which of those technique would feel best

I use the group extended contest (scored method, I believe, is what was used in HQG - i.e. first to 5 points in each instance).  While it takes longer to play out, I've found it has a climactic feel to it.  The difficulty is usually very high, you've got to commit Hero Points (or something extra) to get a push when needed, or take advantage of certain features (someone taking on multiple foes so that others can combine attacks against the villain) to achieve group victory.

[soltakss]

Extended Contests are probably what you need, as they reflect the blow by blow nature of those duels.

If others are involved, make them Group Contests.

I'd freewheel them a bit, making them more flexible and dynamic. How to do that, I can't say, however. 

[Stan Shinn]

On 10/21/2022 at 11:31 AM, JonL said:

You can find a work through I did of the climax of the first Avengers film in HQ2 terms in this post over on rpg.net.

...

This is awesome! Exactly what I was looking for.

[Stan Shinn]

On 10/21/2022 at 11:31 AM, JonL said:

The move from +/-3 results steps in HQ to +/-5 steps in QW is indeed intended to make results feel significant more quickly. While this is a good change for regular contests, if you're wanting to zoom-in to discrete chained exchanges to stretch out a climactic set-piece notching back to +/-3 steps might make sense.  

This is great advice! Thanks!

[Ian Cooper]

I tend to recommend wagered for superheroes, because it tends to push folks towards describing risky actions for the fictional justification for their wager. YMMV.