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Old 10-26-2008, 01:44 PM   #1
pyratejohn
 
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Default GURPS Sky High

Ok, so I watched Sky High with the family last night and everyone loved it. My wife went so far as to comment how much fun that would be as an rpg. I, of course, agreed.

If you were going to do GURPS Sky High, which books would you use? I've never used GURPS for supers (in fact, I haven't played superheroes since Superhero 2044), so I'm not too familiar with what has been published for the genre.
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Old 10-26-2008, 02:26 PM   #2
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Powers and Supers would give you everything you need.
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Old 10-26-2008, 07:03 PM   #3
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

I'd skip Supers. The 3e GURPS IOU however has been a bible through a few school-based games.
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Old 10-26-2008, 07:15 PM   #4
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Quote:
Originally Posted by pyratejohn

If you were going to do GURPS Sky High, which books would you use? I've never used GURPS for supers (in fact, I haven't played superheroes since Superhero 2044), so I'm not too familiar with what has been published for the genre.
Gurps Supers + Powers is actually viable for thsi instance. Many of the Sky High kids didn't have any viable powers and few had a good combination of offense, defense and movement. No battlesuiters either which helps.

Posting on this board means it's probably your favorite system too.

Despite what other people might say do get Supers as well as Powers. Even if Powers had all the raw game mechanics (which it doesn't quite) Supers has much good advce on how to handle 4-color things in Gurps mechanics.

Champions/Hero system is always a good choice. It's perfect for knocking people out without killing them as a core strength.

Mutants & Masterminds is also quite viable (and D20 based so there's some bonus of familiarity there). 1st ed is also appealingly simple.

I think that's most of what's actually in current release.If you got to older games there's a lot of stuff, much of it dubious.
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Old 10-26-2008, 07:29 PM   #5
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

For a Sky High game using GURPS, I'd recommend the following:

GURPS Powers, for obvious reasons

GURPS Supers, ditto

GURPS IOU (3E) As someone said above, even though it's university-based, it's a great example for both school gaming and comedy gaming.

Teen Hero -- Release for the Hero System that focuses specifically on teenage supers and their world and issues. Invaluable.
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Old 10-26-2008, 07:51 PM   #6
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Brackin
Despite what other people might say do get Supers as well as Powers. Even if Powers had all the raw game mechanics (which it doesn't quite) Supers has much good advce on how to handle 4-color things in Gurps mechanics.

Champions/Hero system is always a good choice. It's perfect for knocking people out without killing them as a core strength.

Mutants & Masterminds is also quite viable (and D20 based so there's some bonus of familiarity there). 1st ed is also appealingly simple.
FUDGE is still in print, and if you want a strong storytelling focus and less tactics, it's a good alternative; I've used it for a supers campaign. The current edition even has a few pages of mine on FUDGE supers!

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Old 10-26-2008, 07:52 PM   #7
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket Man
Teen Hero -- Release for the Hero System that focuses specifically on teenage supers and their world and issues. Invaluable.
There's a decent Mutants and Masterminds supplement about a superheroic high school, as well. In fact, it's called Hero High.

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Old 10-26-2008, 08:28 PM   #8
Ze'Manel Cunha
 
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Quote:
Originally Posted by pyratejohn
Ok, so I watched Sky High with the family last night and everyone loved it. My wife went so far as to comment how much fun that would be as an rpg. I, of course, agreed.

If you were going to do GURPS Sky High, which books would you use? I've never used GURPS for supers (in fact, I haven't played superheroes since Superhero 2044), so I'm not too familiar with what has been published for the genre.
Gurps Supers is worth it, Powers is good though it doesn't really have a lot of examples. There's also some good threads on the forum and people will easily volunteer you examples if you ask.

Oh, and if you have an old Teenagers From Outer Space book around it can be good inspiration. *grin*
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Old 10-26-2008, 09:56 PM   #9
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

I definitely suggest staying away from Mutants and Masterminds 1st edition. It had a whole bunch of bugs and errors, and M&M2E is so much better it's ludicrous. Plus, by now I think 2E has more things in print than 1E ever did. It's a great system - definitely the best d20 system I've ever seen. Much better than D&D, especially with the whole point-based instead of level-based mechanic.

In running a Supers campaign, I'd probably vote for M&M2E - it fits better with the genre, as it was specifically made for Supers gaming. GURPS is great and all, and can still work really well for a Supers campaign, but it's also slightly more difficult to get a game that 'feels' the right. Too much realism in default GURPS (something I generally love about it);)
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Old 10-27-2008, 07:21 PM   #10
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Default Re: GURPS Sky High

Quote:
Originally Posted by jspade
I'd skip Supers.
I must strongly disagree with this statement. Supers has an impressive amount of wordcount devoted to genre treatment (including several "genre assumptions -> rules" transmutations that drastically affect how "super-y" a campaign feels). I think a Sky High game would suffer without it.

Quote:
The 3e GURPS IOU however has been a bible through a few school-based games.
And strong agreement here. IOU will give you a great grasp on "silly school" settings in general, and presents one which can be used pretty much as-is for supers. In fact, someone did a great Pyramid article on just that subject; if I weren't so lazy, I'd find it and link to it.
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