TTRPGs Balanced by GM Instead of XP

[HMS Invincible]

And the problem with different power levels is thereby solved. You can even do it with just two characters (a very common trope in the comics) and have, for example, Green Lantern keep Sinestro occupied, while Green Arrow sneaks in, takes out Sinestro's minions, and disables Sinestro's Macguffin of Ultimate Doom. They're both doing something cool and important, so the power disparity doesn't matter.

It's the GM rules, I just play in it. BTW, it's not guaranteed that a hero fights an equal power level. Sometimes it's a guy who shoots trick arrows gets thrown up against a god while the super disables the mcguffin. Not always pretty for the underdog.

I think even with the the GM adjustments, it's still a work in progress. I'm not sure who's the strongest character yet in my game, everyone is keeping the details of their power hidden. My bet is on the mage, though ripoff Spider-Man looks pretty strong.

[JoeJ]

It's the GM rules, I just play in it. BTW, it's not guaranteed that a hero fights an equal power level. Sometimes it's a guy who shoots trick arrows gets thrown up against a god while the super disables the mcguffin. Not always pretty for the underdog.

I think even with the the GM adjustments, it's still a work in progress. I'm not sure who's the strongest character yet in my game, everyone is keeping the details of their power hidden. My bet is on the mage, though ripoff Spider-Man looks pretty strong.

Yeah, if the adventures are not designed in a way that allows matching characters with appropriate challenges, then the characters need to be much more interchangeable.

[Quertus]

PS I disagree with the guy who says a player who builds Thor in a average level supers game shouldn't be nerfed.

Now, that's a horse of a different color. It's fine to have Thor on a team of otherwise average (or even weak) superheroes - if that's what the group enjoys. It is not fine to bring Thor to a game labeled as "average level supers".

For example, I would never play a monk in 3.5 or a Strength based character in Gurps/WoD etc etc because you use up all your points to be worse at a job as an optimized PC, who has points to spare for utility/fluff.

Yes, there are builds that are suboptimal. Would you have no interest in playing a suboptimal character?

Also, would you have no interest in, say, anything but an optimal driver if someone else on the team was an expert safe cracker?

Personally, I have no problem with everyone getting to individually set the difficulty of their own personal minigame in a heist / shadow run / otherwise maximized niche protection style of game, for example.

With a promise from the GM that all characters are equalish, I can build something close to what I want confident that nobody will be overshadowed.

Though I also agree it's more work on the GM. Having a system that's already Balanced is better, but not always possible.

I guess my general lack of confidence in the GM to balance the game is showing.

Still, I think that the game is best when everyone works to make the game balanced.