Champions (RPG)

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Champions
The Super Role-Playing Game!
publication
Author (s) George MacDonald, Steve Peterson,
Rob Bell and Aaron Allston
Original publisher Hero Games
Original publication 1981 -
original language English
World and system
genre Superhero
Game world Various
Ascent Distribute EP among properties
cube 3D6 / X W6

Champions is a pen and paper role-playing game in the superhero genre originally released by Hero Games in 1981. The first edition was designed by George MacDonald and Steve Peterson, and was revised several times by various other authors in subsequent editions. It takes a generic approach within the genre to the superpowers that are common here ( see below ).

The original champion is the forerunner of the so-called hero system . Initially, the rules of champions formed the basic framework for other role-playing games from Hero Games (including Fantasy Hero, Star Hero, etc.), but each of which was released as a separate role-playing game with complete rules. Like champions, these also pursued a genre- internal generic approach, so they essentially have no description of the world of their own.

history

The individual editions of champions essentially revise the number of superpowers available to the players, as well as their evaluation and customization options ( see below ).

  • First to third editions: 1981, 1982, 1984 (Hero Games) by George MacDonald, Steve Peterson
  • Fourth edition: 1989 (Hero Games and ICE) revised by Rob Bell
  • Champions: New Millennium : 1997 (Hero Games and R. Talsorian Games / Cybergames.com) - This variant uses the newly created rules from Fuzion , which, however, are similar in many respects to the Hero system.
  • Champions: Superpowered Roleplaying : 2002 (Hero Games) by Aaron Allston and is effectively the superhero genre book on the universal hero system (fifth edition).
  • Champions: Online - Free for all : 2011 (Hero Games and Cryptic Studios) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).

regulate

All characteristics of characters (attributes, skills and superpowers) are bought from champions with a number of points (CP = Character Points ), of which each player receives the same amount. This amount can be increased with disadvantages for the figure in order to have more points available for properties. The determination of success uses 3d6, which indicate success if they add up to be equal to or less than a certain number (depending on quality and difficulty). The effect is determined in different ways, but mostly with a property-dependent number of D6 that add up to the effect (e.g. damage or an effect description given in a table).

Champions, while specifically made for the superhero genre, takes a generic approach to character superpowers:

Only general effects of forces are described. There are also a number of advantages and disadvantages that can be applied to the effect. In addition, the description of the effect is left to the players, especially the description of the form of energy (if applicable) that occurs. The more precise description, including the occurring form of energy, is called a special effect.

So there are For example, the Power Blast simply has the ability to cause damage from a distance.

  • Together with the advantage concerns a radius , the disadvantage: no range and the special effect: sound this can be a deafening scream .
  • With the disadvantage: focus (the force an object needs to be able to be used), and the special effect: heat, it can also be a laser gun .

So a jet of fire is basically the same as a jet of cold and only differs in the special effect.

Awards

  • Origins Gamer's Choice Awards (Best Other Category Role-Playing Game, 1990)
  • Origins Awards ( Hall of Fame , 1999)
  • Pen & Paper (RPG Hall of Fame Runner-Up, 2002)
  • Pen & Paper (RPG Hall of Fame, 2003)

Comic

In 1986, a group of characters from the Champions RPG formed the basis for a comic that was printed and published by Eclipse Comics . The title of the comic was Champions , sometimes under Tales of the Champions or League of Champions . In some cases, the comic contained property values ​​for the characters that appeared so that they could be used in role play. Champions is currently being published by Heroic Publishing .

Web links

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  1. ^ A Brief history of Heroic Publishing's Champions Comic Books