BESM d20 and SAS

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

Two questions. The first is about BESM d20. Has anyone come up with
home rule additions to the game? New classes, abilities, etc.?

The second concerns SAS. Has anyone purchased it? What is it like?
Worth the money to buy?

TIA.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

Yendor Hawke <YendorHawk@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:18ckb0pameudbiap5r3nn8s5jnq8lkaumi@4ax.com:

> The second concerns SAS. Has anyone purchased it? What is it like?
> Worth the money to buy?
>
>

Yes, some people have purchased it. It resembles a big hard
cover book. With lots of lettering and graphics in it. It has a spine
binding also. As for the worth of it, depends.

Okay, seriously? I didn't buy one, but a friend did and lent it
to me so I could run the game. He got the Tristat version, not the
D20 version though. It seems rather well done to me and worth the
money.

--
Marc
http://www.marcmywords.com

- The most dangerous thing in a combat zone is an officer with a map.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

I have both versions being the total superhero geek that I am. I like the
section on the history of superhero RPGs. It listed a few I don't have and
must now obtain.

The system is OK. I prefer HERO but can appreciate the more free-form powers
of SAS. I'll have to get Reality Storm to see how the characters really
compare.

The source material in the book seems a little skimpy IMHO. /the timeline is
two pages long and doesn't really go into a lot of detail.

The default setting is basically New York City with a name change. With little
effort, it would be easy to put the Marvel heroes and villains here.

The characters provided are interesting and you can get a better idea of the
the world by reading their histories.

They've come out with two books of characters (the Roll Call sereis) with a
third on the way. Each one has stats for both systems. Surprisingly, these
books are among the cheapest ont he market. they're $9.95 American each.
They've also put out two adventures (Reality Storm is for HERO AND SAS with a
section on converting) and have another on the way. They've also published a
book on being a hero and one on being a villain.

I think they should put out a book on Empire City that goes into a little more
detail on the world history.

If you like BESM and want to do supers, buy SAS. It doesn't really matter if
you use TriStat or D20.

Captain Geek

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

Detryxtyr wrote:

> I like the
> section on the history of superhero RPGs.

It's old news to devoted comics fans.
But it's a fair overview for people newer to the genre.
I could have done with out it, but I won't fault them for including it.
Though I bough the Stingy Gamer Edition, so I'd submit that it
wasn't needed there. Shave off a little more of the price tag.

> The system is OK.

I was annoyed that the D20 version is really just the Tri-Tac
version with minimal D20 grafted in. OTOH, the mechanism of
considering 10 pts. to equal a level makes it useful for grafting
powers onto D20 chracters and creatures.

> I prefer HERO but can appreciate the more free-form powers
> of SAS.

I normally prefer powers that are actually defined these days.
I felt SAS leaves way too much open for the GM to decide on.
I also think for most purposes I prefer teh lower power levels in
BESM D20.
But for comics style supers you really need the higher scale from SAS.


> The source material in the book seems a little skimpy IMHO. /the timeline is
> two pages long and doesn't really go into a lot of detail.

I can see that if you liked it, it would seem skimpy.
All I really wanted from the source material was examples of
character builds so I couls see how that comes together.
It's a little light on that even.
But the world background stuff I found mostly useless.

> The default setting is basically New York City with a name change. With little
> effort, it would be easy to put the Marvel heroes and villains here.

IIRC, TSR had put out a New York map for their Marvel game.
That would be real useful for doing what you propose.

> The characters provided are interesting and you can get a better idea of the
> the world by reading their histories.

I had trouble getting past the names.
Although some of those names are rather clever once you see why they
got them.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

Sorcier <sNoErMcOier@cavtel.net> wrote in news:5Bxxc.600$N07.155209
@news.uswest.net:

> I normally prefer powers that are actually defined these days.
> I felt SAS leaves way too much open for the GM to decide on.
> I also think for most purposes I prefer teh lower power levels in
> BESM D20.
>

This seems, to me, caused by your not looking at it the right
way. The attributes don't define the powers, you use them to reflect
them. In other words, figure out what effect you want and choose the
attribute that reflects this. You choose the attribute for cost
purposes rather than anything else.

--
Marc
http://www.marcmywords.com

- Anything you say will be misquoted & used against you.

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 01:52:30 -0400, Sorcier <sNoErMcOier@cavtel.net>
wrote:

>> The source material in the book seems a little skimpy IMHO. /the timeline is
>> two pages long and doesn't really go into a lot of detail.
>
>I can see that if you liked it, it would seem skimpy.
>All I really wanted from the source material was examples of
>character builds so I couls see how that comes together.
>It's a little light on that even.
>But the world background stuff I found mostly useless.

In particular, a couple of their characters seem like odd builds; what
does Slipstream actually _do_ in a battle, for example?

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

Marc L. wrote:

> Sorcier <sNoErMcOier@cavtel.net> wrote in news:5Bxxc.600$N07.155209
> @news.uswest.net:
>
>
>>I normally prefer powers that are actually defined these days.
>>I felt SAS leaves way too much open for the GM to decide on.
>>I also think for most purposes I prefer the lower power levels in
>>BESM D20.
>
> This seems, to me, caused by your not looking at it the right
> way.

Nah, the problem is the speed of the jumps in the SAS version and
the lack of mid points.

The way you phrase it I just need to make my less powerful
characters take lower SAS stats, but that leaves little room
for differentiation.

Though by using BESM for supers, I'm, in effect, charging more for
the same power level, thus putting lower limits on how powerful
the characters will likely be.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes (More info?)

as a d20 rules book it seems ok,me Im looking to purchase the besm sas anytime
soon.