Sell me on BASH! !

[AngryGhost]

Hi, I'm very interested in a Super Hero Lite game...err with a little crunch! (First time posting too so please be kind!)

That sounds a little contradictory, but what I mean is I'm after a game that's easy for the kids but also caters for older gamers in terms of portraying their favourite superhero - and all said abilities.

So I'm asking people to sell me on BASH! rather than another superhero lite game.

I know this is the rules section, but I do have a rule type question as I've only looked at the preview (liked what I saw) but before I make a purchase I'd also like to know the following:

If non-super powered hero like Batman kept on getting exploding dice - is there anything in the rules to actually stop him gaining enough power to knock out someone as strong as Superman or even the Silver Surfer etc?

I know it's a bit of an odd question but it's really because before I make my decision I want to be able to have character like Batman who can play nicely in a game with Superman but allowing for over the top action that isn't actually ridiculous! - i.e super heroes are over the top, but lets face it Batman is never going to knock out Superman unless he's wearing his Kryptonite boxing gloves!

Anyone that can help me, or has any idea what I'm talking about will be greatly rewarded by some magical beans.

(p.s. Kudos on the forum font mr forum man/woman/beast - it makes it a pleasure to type here)

[BASHMAN]

Well, with *insane* dice luck, anything is possible. He could roll a pair of sixes, and then a 6 and a 6 and a 6 and a 6, etc.

However, a character like Superman would have x8 Soak! It wouldn't be easy to happen- far less than a 1% chance.

[BASHMAN]

Okay, here are the odds.

Batman does x2 Dmg with a punch.

Superman has x8 Soak.

*If* Superman rolled a 3 (1,2) that's 24 Soak. To knock out superman, Batman would have to do 124 dmg with that punch. Since he does x2 dmg, he'd have to roll 62 on 2d6. That means he'd have to roll 10 sixes and a 2.

So Batman rolls a pair of sixes, then eight more sixes in a row! and then a 2 or more. And this is *IF* Superman rolled only a 3 (worst possible roll) on his soak...

The Chance of rolling a 3 is 1/18
The Chance of rolling a 72 on exploding 2d6 is 1/60,466,176 give or take a few thousand.
The Chance of *both* occurring is 1/1,088,391,168

[AngryGhost]

Yeah okay, that's fair!

sold

will be purchasing me some BASH!

as long as my kid can play Ice Man

she likes ice cream and slides you see

[BASHMAN]

Well, you should see this thread on rpg.net (Ice build is on the first page)

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=494921

But here is my build for it:

Brawn 1 Agility 1 Mind 2

Damaging Weakness: Heat and Fire do double damage
Negating Weakness: Must have moisture in the Air to use powers.

Powers:
Boost 3 Mind w/ Ice Powers, 3pts
Boost 2 Agility w/ Ice Powers, 2pts
Immunity 1 (Cold) 1pt
Icy Shell: Armor 2 (x3 Soak) 2pts
Ice Sled: Flight 4 (8 squares) [Limitation: must be within 10 squares of a surface] 3pts
Ice Generation Multi-Power 9pts
o Ice Blasts/Touch: Special Attack 3 [enhancement: Variable] 4pts
o Ice Mastery 4 (Narrow Focus)
o Ice Sculptures: Conjuring 3 [Limitation: Items are always made of Ice (no moving parts)]
o Ice Block: Immobilize 2 (Difficulty 20), Mid Range
o Ice Slick: Slow (Agility): Medium Burst, Mid Range [Limit: Only affects people standing]
o Ice Walls: Force Field 4 [Enhancement: Variable, Limitation: x2 Dmg from Heat & Flame]

Skills: Althetics x3/Aerobatics, Social Science/Economics

Advantages: Versatile
Disadvantages: Freak (made out of ice)

22 Pts (8 Stats, 18 Powers, -4 Weakness)

Sample Ice Walls
 Cage: Range 5, 130 Hits
 Big Cage: Range 5, Rad 2, 70 Hits
 Large Wall: 6x6, 100 Hits
 Small Wall: 3x3, 130 Hits
 Jagged Wall: 3x3, x3 Dmg, 40 Hits

Sample Ice Attacks
 Absolute Zero Burst: Small Burst, x6 Dmg
 Stalagmite SMG: Mid Range, Small Burst, x4 Dmg
 Frozen Aura: Large Burst, x3 Dmg

[AngryGhost]

I think this is exactly what I am looking for so I think I'll give it a whirl - I believe I can get a copy to the uk from Lulu or somewhere similar.

Love your iceman!

[BASHMAN]

Leisure Games of London has it, I believe.

[AslanC]

Welcome to the madness and fun AngryGhost, this game is just plain Aces!

[AngryGhost]

Thanks

Unfortunately can't buy the game from the indie rpg shop which comes with PDF because the shipping to the UK is twice the amount of the bundle...

but I'm getting it from leisure games as we speak and will just have to stalk the forums for a few days (and purchase the pdf one day when I have some more cash [insert tiny tim sob story here])

[Ratix]

Nice summary of Batman vs. Superman, BASHMAN. ^_^

Though Batman does have ways of dealing more than x2 damage. Weapon Technique, for instance, would let him deal up to x4 damage unarmed. Still pales compared to Superman, but the odds are no longer astronomical for a 1 hit K.O. Adding in the static soak rule would probably bring the odds back up to pretty high.

[AngryGhost]

Nice summary of Batman vs. Superman, BASHMAN. ^_^

Though Batman does have ways of dealing more than x2 damage. Weapon Technique, for instance, would let him deal up to x4 damage unarmed. Still pales compared to Superman, but the odds are no longer astronomical for a 1 hit K.O. Adding in the static soak rule would probably bring the odds back up to pretty high.

I imagine wearing Kryptonite boxing glove (well gauntlets) and saying "get out my batcave" whilst suckerpunching Supes would also do some damage...

unfortunately I have to wait for my rule book to arrive in a few days to find out.

[Ratix]

I imagine wearing Kryptonite boxing glove (well gauntlets) and saying "get out my batcave" whilst suckerpunching Supes would also do some damage...

unfortunately I have to wait for my rule book to arrive in a few days to find out.

That is another thing... Weaknesses, specifically Negating Weaknesses, are ri-donk-ulously crippling, basically taking away the entire character sheet for the Negating's duration. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet, but it's something any character with a Weakness needs to watch out for, and to get as far away from as quickly as possible. Considering Batman has beaten Superman before as you've described, I suppose it's appropriate.

[AngryGhost]

To be honest (but without seeing the rules yet, but going on general rpg GM/DM/ST principles) I wouldn't say it would be too much of a problem.

As long as Players are aware that if they take for example weakness to Heat that they are going to really have to avoid Heat or hide behind their buddies once and awhile and that GM's on the other hand present the players with their weaknesses sensibly and don't go out of their way to take said Heat weakness player on a chronicle to the World of Fire, in the Heat System that in the Galaxy of Mind Numbing Indian Summer.

[AngryGhost]

Just thought I'd say that I was sold on BASH!

bought it, read it, had a great conversation with BASHMAN and am ready(ish) to play my first game. Sort of.

Exceedingly impressed with such mechanics as Boost and found myself going "Oh yeah, well that's a good idea" more often than not.

A little disappointed in the b&w and softcover of the book which looks well read already, but that doesn't distract from the quality of the mechanics and the ingenious of the writing. I wasn't really expecting a full colour hard back edition from a small company and probably their first run.

I think there is an excellent balance between the game being quick and fun (even with having attack, defence and soak rolls) and having enough crunch to make things interesting.

The multiplication isn't an issue - because there are tables, and well, I don't suck at mathematics. But really, the only people who could complain are the same people who though adding up the pips in D6 was difficult.

What I really loved was the chapter on different comic ages which not only gave an excellent overview of the settings and flavour but great possibilities in the different rules that could be applied to any given age.

That being said, I've still one half a chapter to read - looking forward to the alternative rules and what there is on experience (my players will want experience).

Right, that was more a review than anything, but I wanted to shout out that I bought the product based on the people of the forums and a big shout out to BASHMAN for being awesome.

Now

Who out there can build me Gambit?

[BASHMAN]

Kinetic Energy Mutant Thief

Brawn 2 Agility 3 Mind 2
Powers
• Kinetic Energy Manipulation: Special Attack 5 [Enhancement: Variable, Limitation: must charge up physical objects to detonate] 5pts
• Retractable Steel Bo-Staff: +2DM (x4 dmg), [Limit: Easily Taken] 1pt
• Padded Suit: Armor 1 (x3 soak) 1pt
• Boost 2: Mind (When using Kinetic Energy Manipulation) 2pts
Skills: Stealth/Palming, Athlete/Acrobatics, Escapology/Cuffs, Deception/Manipulation, Security/Picking Locks
Advantage: Appeal
Disadvantage: Freak (Red on Black eyes)
Mental Malfunction: Overconfident
23 Pts (14 Stats, 9 Powers)