[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

I look at it as an art, not a science. I did the original heroes in somewhat of a rush, and as I look at some of the choices I made I don't think I made the right ones.

Basically, though, I want to keep 15 as the maximum DX/IQ/HT stat without a superhuman boost, using Talents and other Advantages to increase an effective stat higher. This allows me to keep the maximum stat even for those who are said to have "superhuman agility" or "superhuman intelligence" at 20.

It may not be the best method, and will often fly in the face of some fanboys' ideas of what their favorite character should be able to do (no offense intended to any said fanboys), but overall I find it balanced.

(Note that I am not a Stat Normalizer! I do not subscribe to the Cult of Stat Normalization. I've made "normal human" characters with DX 16 or IQ 18 in the past, and had fun playing them. As some have no doubt noticed, I am also not a min-maxing optimizer. I have changed my opinions on Super ST now that I have it grokked; many of the super-strong tanks and scrappers are picking up the trait, instead of awkward levels of Striking and Lifting ST.)

Clear as mud?

Thanks for the feedback. I'd say DX and IQ maxes of 15 are appropriate for a realistic campaign. I'd even agree that a lot of comic book characters are best represented by a fairly modest IQ or DX plus a high appropriate Talent or Bang skill. That said, a lot of "normal human" superheroes demonstrate a broad range of expertise that is simply not realistic for a normal human. Captain America by most versions is a. one of the best fighters alive b. an Olympic gold medal level gymnast c. can match the strongest weight lifters etc. To simulate such a broad range ability I think it best to go with a higher DX. Likewise a higher combat skill leaves more room underneath for lesser superheroes.

Of course I've also noticed you're keeping "thug" level opponents at a modest level of skill so the supers still outshine them.

As for stat normalization, I'm in favor of it for a realistic campaign. For other kinds it's grossly inappropriate and interferes with the genre.

I can understand why Super ST was designed the way it is but I'm not a big fan of it. It still creates a zone around 30-70 where ST is really overpriced and the design just feels more complex than necessary. In the unlikely event I ever ran a GURPS Supers game, I'd probably just go with a "Genre Pact" limitation - -40% for all ST, -50% for Striking, Lifting or Enhanced Muscle.

Have you considered using the Move! skill for Spiderman? That would seem to fit his abilities well.

How do you handle guns? Do you have a genre rule limiting their effectiveness? A lot of the builds look like they'd be pretty vulnerable to ordinary guns.