GI JOE RPG Launch
  1. #1

    Advice on balancing combat.

    Hi forum,

    This is yet another thread in my inane attempt at totally dominating this forum (loljk). Seriously though, Either I am doing something wrong or the system hadn't thought through super hero combat. A perfect example is that I had my players fight Blacklash (A villain from Superworld) who has armour to the effect of 15K/15E/15R. Now this was perfectly fine against the lightning, lasers (Kinetic/Radiation), and punches because only a few HP were being lost at a time but as soon as the psychic blasted him with mental force he lost 17HP and died. Like -6Hp died. The fight was over...... The same was with the players. Two of my players have taken Defence 70% (I have allowed such a high defence because I have allowed skills to go above 100%) which is fine when the bad guys roll low to average but as soon as a hit went through BLAM! 4d6 to the face and a player down. I can't help but feel like the combat is all soap bubbles with sledge hammers barring a few situational defence abilities. Is there a way to balance this out, preferably without making my NPC attacks and defences revolve around the player's powers (as they have a good mix of energy types in there). Or perhaps at the very least point me in the direction of a forum or group that can offer advice. I'll keep looking myself but it seems this issue hasn't been given a lot of attention on teh webz.

    Cheers all!
    ..... now where is my hat?

  2. #2
    I can't help but feel like the combat is all soap bubbles with sledge hammers...
    I really like that analogy. I need to use that in a conversation one of these days.

    JPG

  3. #3
    Basic Roleplaying is NOT the best option for superhero gaming, as repeated countless times on the Internet - even before the www was invented. The game is designed so that any character can be killed in a single blow by a critical hit, so the only way you can be sure that you will not die is avoiding being hit.

    Possible solution: use the fate point option on page 176 of the basic manual, and remind your characters that they MUST plan actions so that they can Dodge attacks. This will somehow emulate Karma points in the old Marverl Superheroes FASERIP, a game that did handle superheroes better.

  4. #4
    damned's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RosenMcStern View Post
    Basic Roleplaying is NOT the best option for superhero gaming, as repeated countless times on the Internet - even before the www was invented. The game is designed so that any character can be killed in a single blow by a critical hit, so the only way you can be sure that you will not die is avoiding being hit.
    I think that about sums it up.

  5. #5
    Well damn. What system in FG will handle supers well? Which would you suggest?
    ..... now where is my hat?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fizban View Post
    What system in FG will handle supers well? Which would you suggest?
    Mutants and Masterminds: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store...id=GRR5501eFG2

    Blackfoot's working on a Champions/Hero system: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...Ruleset-FG-3-0

    Or Savage Worlds: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store...id=S2P10501FG2
    Private Messages: My inbox is forever filling up with PMs. Please don't send me PMs unless they are actually private/personal messages. General FG questions should be asked in the forums - don't be afraid, the FG community don't bite and you're giving everyone the chance to respond and learn!

  7. #7
    Champions?! Awesome. I have never liked M&M, I just don't get on with it. Usually Hero 5th and Cortex are my go to systems so I've always preferred 'open' systems.

    I have solved the problem with some simple story telling. I'll use the hit locations so players are (more often than not) incapacitated before killed. Given the reason that superpowers have spontaneously developed over the past 6 months (in game) it's easy to say that 'supers' can't die unless they are killed by a specific means or material (TBD). That also helps with the PC's killing the bad guys and losing sanity.
    Last edited by Fizban; March 26th, 2014 at 13:17.
    ..... now where is my hat?

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