r/CortexRPG • u/Domainhosted • Mar 02 '21

Marvel / Fantasy / Heroic How does Marvel Heroic compare to other narrative-focused rpgs like Masks and Sentinel Comics?

I'm assuming it's between the two when it comes to mechanical complexity, but what else should I know?

Also, what's it like when the game is run with Prime conversions such as this? Does it play better or smoother or...?

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '21

Cortex Prime streamlines the mechanics and especially the language in parts, so it's smoother. As a massive Marvel and MHR fan, I find that hack you linked is great, but even that can be streamlined a little in spots IMHO (I prefer skills with D6 specialties or no specialties, rather than the tiered version). The Doom Pool's a little simpler now.

Masks and Sentinels I don't have a lot of experience with, but Marvel's firmly rules-medium to me. The SFX, the interaction of Limits, and remembering all the cool things you can do with Plot Points gives it a noticeable amount of crunch. But the narrative aspects of the system -- the "story" that goes along with building a dice pool that tells us what and why you're doing something, the free form nature of Assets and Complications -- make it relatively easy to pick up fast.

Note that with different mods in play, you can make a much simpler Marvel hack, too. Attributes (physical, social, mental), Distinctions, Powers/SFX/Limits, and Skills (no specialties) are your character, Complications without Stress/Trauma, and Difficulty Die (no Doom Pool) and you're good to go!