Champions RPG
Champions
is the oldest superhero roleplaying game still in print. The game
was originally released in 1981, and was written by several authors,
including:
- George MacDonald
- Steve Peterson
- Bruce Harlick
- Ray Greer
The most recent version of the game is the fifth edition of what is now called The Hero System. Champions is a superhero sourcebook for that system. The Hero System was written by Steve Long and Aaron Allston.
How to Play Champions
You can't learn how to play Champions from a web page. And Champions isn't really one game anyway, not anymore. The game has been through five editions now, some of which are radically different from previous editions. And the current rules are actually now called The Hero System, which is a 592 page book.
But I can cover some of the basics here for someone who's never played, and you might be able to make a decision about whether or not you want to play Champions.
Character Creation
Champions characters are created using a points-based system. In 1981, when Champions was first released, this was an innovative way to approach character design. At that time, most roleplaying games used a random method to generate characters.
Champions characters use their character points to buy characteristics, skills, talents, and powers. They can also take disadvantages which increase the number of points the character has to spend. Most powers are bought with modifiers which further define what the power can do.
Unlike games like Villains and Vigilantes, which describes very specifically what different powers do, Champions offers generic powers with certain effects that are defined, but the actual look of the power can vary dramatically. A character in Champions can buy an energy blast power to simulate being able to throw fireballs, while another Champions character might also take energy blast but use it to project sonic blasts or ice blasts.
Champions Math
Players who are familiar with the Champions system can manipulate the point-costs of their powers with judicious use of various modifiers to design a character much more powerful than a similar point character designed by a new player. A large amount of math is done during character creation too. If you don't mind math, and you have the commitment and willingness to learn a game system that's somewhat complex compared to other systems, Champions and The Hero System might be perfect for you.
While the math might be intimidating to some players, most of it's actually pretty basic. And the game system actually provides a lot of flexibility for players to be able to create exactly the character that she wants to play.
Combat and Task Resolution
One of my favorite aspects of the Champions rules system is their turn based combat system. In many games, initiative is determined almost completely randomly, but in Champions, each turn is divided into 12 segments. Each segment corresponds to one second. Each character has a speed attribute which denotes how many segments a character gets to act on each turn. For example, a character with a speed of 6 would get to act on 6 segments each turn. Taking an action on a segment costs a certain number of phases, from 0 phases to 1/4 a phase to 1 full phase. Most combat actions take 1/2 phase. Various combat maneuvers are available, and the effects of everything that happens in combat are very specific.
Champions uses d6's to the exclusion of all other polyhedral dice. Rolls of 3d6 plus and minus modifiers determine success or failure, and damage is handled by rolling a certain number of d6. Some powerful characters get to roll a LOT of d6's, which is another fun aspect of the game (to me). Some people prefer fewer dice. Mutants and Masterminds might be a better choice for that type of player.
Champions Editions
Champions 1st Edition
The first edition of Champions seems small compared to the 592 page current edition of The Hero System, but at 64 pages, it was one of the more complete superhero roleplaying books available at the time. The first edition became available in 1981, but a boxed edition was released in 1982 which included a mini scenario called "Viper's Nest". That rulebook had been expanded to 80 pages and included character sheets. The box also included a map of a street.
Between 1981 and 1987, Champions saw three editions. In 1987, Hero Games and ICE teamed up to offer a new version of Champions.
Early Champions Supplements
The earliest Champions supplement was Enemies: Supervillains for Champions. The book was 24 pages long and included details of about 24 villains. Enemies 2 was released in 1982, was also 24 pages long, and included more villains.
Champions II was a super supplement for Champions with 80 pages of new rules, player and GM advice, and other supplemental material for the game. Champions II was published in 1982 and was followed by Champions III in 1984.
One of the earliest Champions adventures was called Escape from Stronghold. This was another 24 page long supplement which included details of a prison designed to hold superpowered criminals. The book included six supervillains and several scenario ideas. This was followed by Deathstroke, which featured a team of supervillains called the Destroyers. (Not to be confused with the Destroyers from Villains and Vigilantes.) It was also 24 pages and included two related scenarios. The third big adventure in this scenario was The Great Supervillain Contest, which included stats for eight new supervillains and ideas for several adventures focused around the Crimson Claw and his supervillain contest. This adventure was compatible with and dual-statted for Chaosium's superhero RPG, Superworld.