$100 Champions 6E Recommendation
Jun 22 2023
I played Marvel Super Heroes and Champions a bit when I was a teen. I ran a DC Heroes campaign after college and a DC Adventures (Mutants & Masterminds 3E rules) campaign a few years ago. Because they're licensed properties you can't buy any of the old Marvel or DC Comics based RPGs.
That leaves Champions (Hero System) and Mutants & Masterminds as super-hero RPGs at the detail level that I want (ok, GURPS too especially with GURPS Powers but support in terms of book of villains is lacking). In the end I wasn't so into M&M. I kind of like having hit points and M&M abstracts it out. So if I were to run a new super-hero campaign I think I'd try Champions in which case let's stick with the latest edition. All these books are on DriveThruRPG
Champions Complete ($20 PDF) A complete super-hero system in 240 pages. Not a cut-down version of Hero System 6E rules but, like Dungeon Fantasy RPG does for GURPS, the full rules minus everything you don't need for a supers campaign (which I'm not exactly sure what that entails since supers can encompass everything).
Heroes in a Hurry ($10 PDF) One of the coolest M&M 3E products was the GM's screen which included a rapid heroes booklet that let you roll (or pick) a hero archetype then subtype and get a fairly custom super-hero without designing from the ground up. Heroes in a Hurry sort of does that, presenting a bunch of modules you can pick and choose to design a hero without going into a lot of math.
Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains ($20) Thirty Big Bads of the Champions Universe, often with their top supervillain and normal henchmen.
Champions Villains Volume Two: Villain Teams ($20) Eighteen villain teams of 2 to 8 members.
Champions Villains Volume Three: Solo Villains ($28.50) 130+ super villains.
No adventures instead I'm concentrating on pre-made super villains. I was running my DC Adventures campaign by randomly picking a villain or two then figuring out what kind of crime they'd be committing and I'd probably do the same with Champions. Eventually you build up a history of adventures that you can start linking into a bigger plot.
Total: $98.50.
That leaves Champions (Hero System) and Mutants & Masterminds as super-hero RPGs at the detail level that I want (ok, GURPS too especially with GURPS Powers but support in terms of book of villains is lacking). In the end I wasn't so into M&M. I kind of like having hit points and M&M abstracts it out. So if I were to run a new super-hero campaign I think I'd try Champions in which case let's stick with the latest edition. All these books are on DriveThruRPG
Champions Complete ($20 PDF) A complete super-hero system in 240 pages. Not a cut-down version of Hero System 6E rules but, like Dungeon Fantasy RPG does for GURPS, the full rules minus everything you don't need for a supers campaign (which I'm not exactly sure what that entails since supers can encompass everything).
Heroes in a Hurry ($10 PDF) One of the coolest M&M 3E products was the GM's screen which included a rapid heroes booklet that let you roll (or pick) a hero archetype then subtype and get a fairly custom super-hero without designing from the ground up. Heroes in a Hurry sort of does that, presenting a bunch of modules you can pick and choose to design a hero without going into a lot of math.
Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains ($20) Thirty Big Bads of the Champions Universe, often with their top supervillain and normal henchmen.
Champions Villains Volume Two: Villain Teams ($20) Eighteen villain teams of 2 to 8 members.
Champions Villains Volume Three: Solo Villains ($28.50) 130+ super villains.
No adventures instead I'm concentrating on pre-made super villains. I was running my DC Adventures campaign by randomly picking a villain or two then figuring out what kind of crime they'd be committing and I'd probably do the same with Champions. Eventually you build up a history of adventures that you can start linking into a bigger plot.
Total: $98.50.