Super Siege

[Megamanfan]

I was digging around my files and came up with this interesting little gem I must have wrote about a year or two ago. There's not a whole lot here but the idea is still rather intriguing and could be a nice SIEGE-based alternative to Mutants & Masterminds, if developed correctly. If any genre could benefit from a rules-light system it would be superheros.
For the SIEGE Supers game:

All powers have Primary and Secondary "Functions". For example, Super Speed would have the Primary (prime for checks) Function of Movement and a Secondary Function of Defense. Powers may also very likely have different special attributes tied to them, like Super Speed granting extra attacks when it's Primary Function reaches a certain level.
Super Speed
Primary: Movement (Level 0)
Secondary: Defense (Level 0)
Special: Super Speed grants an extra attack for every 5 levels in it's Primary Function.

This way naturally indicates SOME kind of point-buy. Starting "Tokens" should be considered to be the power level of the game. Additional Functions should also be able to be purchased. Also, characters might not have levels per-say, but instead they are considered a level equal to their Primary power.

A Gadgets power would be a special power that has only a primary function that allows the hero to create tools for fighting crime. There may be a minimum Intelligence score needed to take it.
Functions: Accuracy, Animation, Charisma, Constitution, Control, Damage, Defense, Dexterity, Extra Sensory, Healing, Hearing, Intelligence, Manipulation, Movement, Psychic, Sight, Size, Smell, Strength, Taste, Touch, Weight, Wisdom.

OR

Players could make up a power/device's NAME, then choose 2-3 Functions (GMs discretion) to roughly define the power.

Example:
Dr. X's Discombobulater Ray
Primary: Manipulation
Secondary: Size
Tertiary: Weight

The Discombobulater Ray is a classic ray gun used by the nefarious Dr. X, genius robotics maker extraordinaire. The gun does no actual damage and all effects wear off after an hour, but it can be used to change the physical attributes of anything it hits, including it's size and mass. Dr. X's favorite trick is to multiply the mass of a pursuing foe by 1000 and laughing as they're unable to move. This doesn't work so well, as he has learned the hard way, when his foe just so happens to have super strength.

[CharlieRock]

You could develop this without point buy. Picture this: every character gets two powers. Each power has a primary and secondary effect (for SIEGE checks). As you gain XP you can either spend them to level up powers or purchase new powers. Okay, I guess this is point buy. But it is experience point buy. And if you ramp the level-up chart enough people will likely purchase newer powers after a certain point or face not advancing for several sessions. This would curb the likelihood of superman popping up .
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The Rock says ...

Know your roll!

[AslanC]

I was thinking about this recently as I was rereading V&V, they have a system of levels starting at 1 and going up to 24 in the book (more can be achieved) and the way that they do it is having predefined powers that can sometimes allow for choices to be made, etc...

I think a marriage between the two might work well for Super Siege!

I would be most interested in discussing this further if anyone else wants.

It would certainly get rid of the whole mentality of point-buy and I am certain there could even be classes (Brick, Mentalist, Mystic, Scapper, Speedster, etc...)

Yeah I think this can be developed well actually.
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