Adventure! RPG - Secret Supers...

[Captether]

First off let me say; that I LOVE super oriented stories!

That said, I have been working on a gritty, "dirty streets" Aberrant setting set in the near future. I dont want nearly as many supers kicking around as in Aberrant, as I think this detracts from the gritty feel that I want. Not to say that there wont be some terrifyingly dangerous elements, but I want most foes of the heroes to be mysterious and hard to quantify (ahem).

In the setting, Governments, Corporations and other groups will be bigger, scarier, and more monolithic. Pollution and social injustices will be a grim reflection of our world, with people suffering from dreadful apathy. Supers in this setting will almost always be stooges for one or another power group, existing as PR reps as well as defenders/enforcers of their groups agenda. Mutant cults, and other nasties will be plentiful, but in the grit and grim of the lower wards etc.

My question, is whether or not I should use Aberrant, or maybe even Adventure. The over the top powers of aberrant as well as the Taint mechanic is appealing, but Adventures lower yeild supers are interesting. Adventure would allow for normal people to deny the existence of supers, while with novas... well, theyd have to be seriously uninformed and/or sheltered.

I was also wondering if, to keep the feel that I want, if I should have the supers created as Trinity era Aberrants (Beginning Quantum/Taint of 3, Cannot but powers or Mega Attributes Tainted), and take it from there. Obviously, only Aberrants of lower power would remain human enough for public life, with those of greater power likely to go "super villain".

Just some thought.

[BlueNinja]

My question, is whether or not I should use Aberrant, or maybe even Adventure. The over the top powers of aberrant as well as the Taint mechanic is appealing, but Adventures lower yeild supers are interesting. Adventure would allow for normal people to deny the existence of supers, while with novas... well, theyd have to be seriously uninformed and/or sheltered.

It sounds like you should use Aberrant - with a different experience table. Make it more expensive (by far) to buy level 3 powers and up your Q, but have it still not too hard to have low levels of megas and level 1&2 powers.

[Captether]

It sounds like you should use Aberrant - with a different experience table. Make it more expensive (by far) to buy level 3 powers and up your Q, but have it still not too hard to have low levels of megas and level 1&2 powers.

Hmmm, perhaps. I could just have it that experience points can only be spent on raising Quantum and existing powers/enhancements.True, evolving supers is neat, but I think it gets in the way of the human/person elements of the character. I want the characters to focus on their existing powers, and develope their other skills to aid in their use, rather than just using powers all the time.

That said, could a novas exp cost for raising base Attributes and Abilities be lowered by being bought tainted? A person who learns something too fast could get pretty weird, and have a hard time relating...

[Finbar]

1) Evolving powers actually enhance role-playing, as the charater needs to debate how they affect the character, an they show breakthroughs in the person's excepting of their powers.

2) Tainted Abilities/Attributes: That sounds...interesting.

3) I wouldn't worry so much about the character's power use; why use a uper-powered setting if you don't want to see power use? Just limit the powers available, an go for it from there.

Also, you'll find that quantum costs stop a lot of power use, especially for combat tweaks...

FR

[Captether]

1) Evolving powers actually enhance role-playing, as the charater needs to debate how they affect the character, an they show breakthroughs in the person's excepting of their powers.

2) Tainted Abilities/Attributes: That sounds...interesting.

3) I wouldn't worry so much about the character's power use; why use a uper-powered setting if you don't want to see power use? Just limit the powers available, an go for it from there.

Also, you'll find that quantum costs stop a lot of power use, especially for combat tweaks...

FR

All true enough. Ive just seen alot of games that devolved into the powers and not the people, and I have a pretty focussed and imaginative gaming group! Perhaps I should outline a few character archetypes outside of mere Natures. These wouldnt be anything that gains the character Willpower points, but might help sqweeze exp out of me, Some examples are:

Goody Two-Shoes

Too nice of a guy, stands up to challenges and volunteers far too quickly for everyones good. Usually is completely useless with the opposite sex, but is admired by many. Seems unaware of his own appeal.

Cool Black Guy

Black guy that always has a come-back, and answer, and never seems to get worked up. These guys ALWAYS have alot of hot women hanging around, and tend to make white guys look stupid. They also are the first characters to die in any movie, or if they hang around, die awful, sticky deaths.

Complete Bitch

Beautiful, tough, and meaner than a rattle snake. This sort of character gets off on showing everyone (especially men) just how tough they are. Most are extremely attractive, but even less appealing than the goody tw0-shoes above due to their cold or just plain mean attitude.

Criminal

Either repentant, not-so repentant, or just hiding out, the criminal is a mainstay of comic books. These guys (or gals) really deserve to be behind bars or hanging from a gallows. Killing comes REALLY easy to the criminal, though he often has to keep it under wraps if he indulges in this messy habit.

Just some thoughts...

[madcat82]

I have just started to attend a forum called The Forge and they usualy ask three questions to roleplaying designers. Since Im a copycat, I will repeat them here as well (in a changed form):

1. What is your modification of the abberant setting about?

And this is not the backstory. To give an example: The original abberant setting where (arguably) about players playing ordinary people having been given the power of gods and there choices as how to use that power.

2. How is your modification about that?

3. How does your modification enforce/reinforce what it’s about?

I have realised that if these three questions can be answered, then the rest of the design process is usualy much more smoother, both for those who try to help and the one designing the game/modification.