Basic Action Super Heroes!

Hey folks,

I've chatted with my normal (D&D3.5) game-gang, since one of our players is out this week we will be picking up a one-shot campaign (for when a player is out) to run with the gang.
The campaign is one that 2 of the 5 were in with me awhile back, so I've got alot of the style covered (I'll probably post about it for ideas later in another thread).

Having NOT game-mastered BASH! before, I'd love your advice and expertise on some things....
My questions:


1. Character Creation. Two players may be converting from old characters in M&M2e to BASH! the others will be making new. Do you have any suggestions for making Character Creation easy, fun and streamlined? Should I have any pages or references printed for them, etc... (I could print single pages from the PDF for them - which ones?) Any suggestions on making character creation easier in a group setting?

2. RULES: How would you best describe the BASE rule of BASH! in a sentence or two? (to give the players a good hold on the core rule concept)

3. RULES: What rules should I reread, what give stumbling blocks for a first time group?

4. RULES: What rules SHOULD I look to incorporate for the first session? Which rules are just too fun? Which rules and things in BASH! "show off" the system the best?

5. RULES: What rules should I look to AVOID for the first session? What rules are more advanced that I can avoid and get away with NOT using, to streamline?

6. Overall: What are MUST "do's" for the one-shot game (rules and adventure). What are MUST "don't's" for the one-shot?



I appreciate the thoughts?
I figure THIS post (hopefully the answers) could be a GREAT "primer" for the BASH! system as well, for new Narrators!

thoughts??
-kev-

What kind of style game are you going for?
1) It may be easier, especially for a one shot, to just make the characters for them rather than waste precious gaming time building a character.

2) 2d6 X a modifier (not trying to be flippant; that's all I told one guy and we got through the whole game that way)

3) I've not run a traditional supers game yet, so I've ignored knock-back, some of the over-the-top minions bashing rules, and whatnot. If you're wanting to use those rules, those are the ones I'd expect my Narrator to have a firm grasp of because as a first time player, I probably won't bother.

4&5) Once again, depends on the feel of the game you're going for. Really, there aren't too many rules to get hung up on. You could probably ignore Hero Points/Hero Dice, and I'd avoid linked and multi powers; just too much detail to get hung up on as a player.

6) Keep the story light, character development to a minimum, and the game fast paced! Nothing sucks more for a one shot than to NOT have a conclusion!

Good luck and have fun!

I always have the sections on Martial Arts Mastery, wrestling, multiplication table, and what you can do with a hero die printed out for each player, for ease of reference.

I described it as 2d6 times a multiplier either opposed or versus a difficulty, that's really all there is to it.

I would make sure that you have a firm grasp on the terminology of the game, scene, panel, page, etc. such that you could explain it to somebody else without reference.

I would try to work in a Monologue (explain how it works first, so if they punch the guy before he's finished they know what's going to happen) and Knockback.

I would try to avoid any sort of variable special attack, that still gives me a headache.

Make your adventure memorable this is more important for a one shot than it is for a campaign. If you have a fight, make sure you have some cool terrain for it thought out. For instance I use a lot of varying height rooftops and alleyways. Bystanders are always nice to keep things in perspective. Keep things mobile, make sure it doesn't devolve into a standing slug-fest.

Dustland wrote:What kind of style game are you going for?

Here's a thread I just started on the idea. It's a "parody" one-shot game. Think "the Tick" or "Mystery Men" or "Venture Bros". Fun, semi-comical, and SMASH-MOUTH action!!
http://bashtalk.org/modules.php?name=Fo ... =5780#5780

Dustland wrote: 1) It may be easier, especially for a one shot, to just make the characters for them rather than waste precious gaming time building a character.

Yes, and I would do this normally for a one-shot. However, I think this group will grasp the rules better if they build. Plus they like doing that, and we'll have time...

Also... I'll get to see what THEY come up with, which might be different than my own.

Dustland wrote: 2) 2d6 X a modifier (not trying to be flippant; that's all I told one guy and we got through the whole game that way)

Yup. Just wondering if there's any more detail or ideas to add.

Dustland wrote: 3) I've not run a traditional supers game yet, so I've ignored knock-back, some of the over-the-top minions bashing rules, and whatnot. If you're wanting to use those rules, those are the ones I'd expect my Narrator to have a firm grasp of because as a first time player, I probably won't bother.

Yup.
I'm positive I WANT the knock-back and over-the-top rules. Just gotta figure out what to "shine".

Dustland wrote: 4&5) Once again, depends on the feel of the game you're going for. Really, there aren't too many rules to get hung up on. You could probably ignore Hero Points/Hero Dice, and I'd avoid linked and multi powers; just too much detail to get hung up on as a player.

Avoiding linked/multi powers might be an idea.
I think avoiding Hero Points/Dice would take away from the core of the system.

Dustland wrote: 6) Keep the story light, character development to a minimum, and the game fast paced! Nothing sucks more for a one shot than to NOT have a conclusion!

good point.
I'll really consider that!

thanks?
any more?
-kev-

For character creation, I'd suggest having the pages with stat benchmarks readily available, and maybe add your own examples based on characters your players will recognize (Marvel, DC, movies, whatever). I also can't say enough about the archetypes in the back of the book - having them available to look over for inspiration may help significantly if a player isn't sure how to build a certain concept in Bash. "What's a whip do in Bash?" - Just check the Amazon archetype. "How do I make something like Batman's utility belt?" - check the Master Crime Fighter archetype.

For things to reread, I'd suggest the rules for hero points/dice, the section on Special Combat Rules (especially Wrestling), Pushing, and the minion combat rules in the Narrator's chapter.

In particular, I'd suggest giving some thought to when players are allowed to declare a Push. It isn't explicitly stated in the book (that I've noticed, anyway), and the advice on the forum has been that it is basically a narrator decision. For my game, based on some comments in the Transparency sidebar on page 15, I've allowed them to declare a push after they roll, just like a hero point/hero die. That's worked well for us, but I think it is very player/narrator dependent.

On the things to avoid, I'd probably avoid some of the more "meta-power" powers, things that let you mimic / manifest other powers: Conjuration, Summoning, Omnipotence, etc. Until the players are familiar with the system, those powers can really slow down the game as the player tries to figure out what powers to manifest on the fly.

Good luck!