DC Adventures RPG

[rando1000]

The dirty little secret of M&M is that the power system is basically DC Heroes adapted for d20.

And where the heck were you when I first joined these boards and pointed that out, only to be told I was a complete fool?

I, too, felt the M&M system was "informed" by the DC Heroes system, though I was never really able to quantify it. I feel that MEGS was MUCH easier for some things, like determining exactly how far a hero could throw a tank (unlike a lot of you here, I kind of stink at math; having a chart to answer those questions was useful). That said, there's a level of granularity in D20 games that MEGS could not match. AP are great if you're a 900 or up based hero, but your low level heroes were all the same in MEGS. And normal humans even more so. In M&M, you can make each individual truly unique no matter the power level. I haven't played at very high power levels to know how well your Superman types work, though.

[daniel_ream]

The dirty little secret of M&M is that the power system is basically DC Heroes adapted for d20.

And where the heck were you when I first joined these boards and pointed that out, only to be told I was a complete fool?

[/quote]

2004? I was noodling around with Blood of Heroes, IIRC

That said, there's a level of granularity in D20 games that MEGS could not match. AP are great if you're a 900 or up based hero, but your low level heroes were all the same in MEGS. And normal humans even more so. In M&M, you can make each individual truly unique no matter the power level. I haven't played at very high power levels to know how well your Superman types work, though.

Every superhero game has its "sweet spot", that place on the power spectrum between Robin and Galactus where the mechanics nicely dovetail with the setting and everything hums along the way it's supposed. For D&D it's generally been around levels 5-8, for MEGS it was 1000-2000 HP heroes, and for M&M it's PL10. M&M compresses a much greater range of ability into PL 10-20 than it does into PL1-10, so many people (including me) are not impressed with the odd things that start happening at higher PLs.

[rando1000]

M&M compresses a much greater range of ability into PL 10-20 than it does into PL1-10, so many people (including me) are not impressed with the odd things that start happening at higher PLs.

Thanks for the info. I was wondering if that might be the case.

[Foreshadow]

And thank you for breaking it up like that. I may be the only person on the board who doesn't really care all that much about using the DC universe in my games (not a slam on the DC universe; it's just that I always run original settings rather than copies of fictional settings) and knowing that I can buy just the rulebook without having to pay for page count dedicated to things I won't use is appreciated.

One thing I do enjoy about stats for existing characters is seeing how other people chose to represent a particular power or stunt in M&M's mechanics, but for that I'd rather have seven different writeups for the same character for comparison purposes anyway, rather than a single "official" writeup.

Which is why you Daniel should NOT buy DC Adventures, but instead either stick with MnM2e or go with MnM3e if you like the previews and perhaps flip through a copy at the store.

You already have those many different write ups of the same character on Roll Call. Thus you do not need an entire book of someone's official take on Batman or Superman.

For you, spend 100 dollars on something else (as that is close to what you might spend investing in DCA)

Best advise, go to a local game store and flip through a copy of these books as they come out. If you find you see things you like. Buy it. Otherwise, wait either a few months to 3+ years and go to a half price books and pick up a copy cheaply. For example, I might sell off some of my 2e books and this would give someone like you a good deal.

I remember when Vampire: The Requiem came out and a month and a half later I found the core book at 1/2 price books. Why? Someone bought it and said "Nope". That was savings for me as I bought that book.

[Horsenhero]

Well, I'm probably...no, definitely going to pick up DCA, as opposed to M&M 3e, because it is due out in hardback, where M&M 3e is softback only. I like books better than pdf's and I prefer my rulebooks to be hardbound.

[Alcatraz]

Well, I'm probably...no, definitely going to pick up DCA, as opposed to M&M 3e, because it is due out in hardback, where M&M 3e is softback only. I like books better than pdf's and I prefer my rulebooks to be hardbound.

I'm also in the group of people that enjoys having a book to hold in my hand as opposed to having a computer screen with the text that I want to read on it. Pdf's are great for reference but for reading and learning a new set of rules etc. an actual physical rulebook in paper cannot be beat in my opinion.

[dirkgentry2000]

This weekend, on the Vigilance Press podcast, I am interviewing Jon Leitheusser, the Developer for M&M 3e and DCA.

Please let me know if you have any questions about DCA you'd like me to ask him.

I'll post a link in this thread when the interview podcast goes live.

[dirkgentry2000]

Just posted this podcast interview with Jon Leitheusser, where he delves a little bit into the Green Lantern statblock and into some of the changes in 3E

[JoshuaDunlow]

Just posted this podcast interview with Jon Leitheusser, where he delves a little bit into the Green Lantern statblock and into some of the changes in 3E

I don't know if there is something wrong with my browser, but i cannot get that link to work. It wont play, or allow me to download that podcast.

[dirkgentry2000]

Just posted this podcast interview with Jon Leitheusser, where he delves a little bit into the Green Lantern statblock and into some of the changes in 3E

I don't know if there is something wrong with my browser, but i cannot get that link to work. It wont play, or allow me to download that podcast.

well -it's worked for a lot of other folks.

maybe just try
http://mikelaff.podbean.com/

[CENTINULL]

The strength of DCA over M&M3, like DC over BOH, is the setting is familiar, and more appealing, to a wider range of people.

If you've never played City of Heroes, you won't give a toot about seeing Statesman's and Back Alley Brawlers stats, or the ins and outs of Paragon City. The same can be said with M&M setting. Most people will want a famliar setting, while some thrive on the new fiction.

There are strengths to both arguments, but the smart money is on the big name "DC" setting out selling it's "house brand" M&M3 counterpart.

That's not bad news at all for M&M. Every new DC player will be one more convert to the M&M3 engine, and some of those people will be happy to compatible M&M Superlink products to enhance their DC gaming.