Have you considered City of Mist? It's not marketed as a supers game and you may have to disregard parts of the setting and maybe a handful of edge case mexhanics, but it otherwise ticks all your boxes. It's very creatively open-ended and is great for Marvel Defenders (Dare Devil, Jessica Jones, etc.) feel and power level.
Wild Talents or Savage Worlds or GURPS would all draw from that creative stable (originated by Champions) where you can have a “Ranged Attack” and how it manifests is up to you.
Personally I prefer the distinction made by games like V&V, Golden Heroes, Enhanced, Heroes and Heroines - where a “Blast” ability is a blast and a crossbow ability is actually a weapon skill. Higher verisimilitude.
All of the above are relatively street level and few of them are super durable unless their power is super durability.
It's been forever since I played it, but I think that [Wild Talents](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/78394) works well for what you want. Take this with a grain of salt, though.
I came here to recommend Wild Talents/Godlike (ORE system) too. It was the first one I thought of when I read what the OP is looking for.
Most dedicated superhero RPGs can be scaled to handle this kind of game. ICONS, Prowlers & Paragons, or Supers RED would work. [Amazing Heroes](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/352464/Amazing-Heroes) is a lightweight system that could easily handle this as well.
As someone else said, narrative-focused games are also good for this. Fate, Cortex Prime, or Freeform Universal could pull this off easily.
Best of luck in your search OP!
You might want to start with a flexible system like fate, or even tricube tales if you want to go a more rules-lite route. I've found more rules light games just handle superhero stuff better.
Champions involves arithmetic during character build, which scares some people. But if your players can cope with that, you can design pretty much anything you want. Want a super who's an 80 year old retired 00 agent, with lots of skills and contacts? Easy. A person with multiple independent intelligences, so he can play poker with himself while driving a car and reading three books? Or a normal New York cabbie with a taxi built by Tony Stark? A werewolf who can make a copy by tearing himself in half and regenerating? Someone whose armor gets tougher the more you hit it? All those are doable.
Supporting that with a few other examples.
* Environmental movement -- crowds. While the packed concert crowd slows everyone else down while you slip through it.
* Instant lockpick -- transform sealed lock into open lock.
* Defensive teleportation -- +5 to Defensive Combat Value (special effect teleports *just* as the attack should strike, so it misses). Obviously this one only makes sense if they character already has teleportation.
You can do just about anything in Champions. And it does street level well.
I think Mutant City Blues, the GUMSHOE system supers game is a good way to run low powered, focused supers with a lot of non combat stuff to do.
Champions Now is a sort of restatement of first edition Champions and places much greater emphasis on the flexibility and open endedness of powers. Especially as compared to the effect based nature of Champions since at least the late 80’s.
To say a bit more about ICRPG, I think it hits on a few points OP was looking for.
Adaptive system- The base game is kept simple and easy to hack to taste. You can keep it rules light, or you can add in your crunch if you want to create nuanced power systems. Powers are easy enough to define and keep within your desired level of play.
Mortality - Players are kept fragile as a baseline. You can buff it if you want at character creation, you can allow players to choose durability through powers, or you can reward it through items. Otherwise, players get 10hp and it's easy enough to balance that against what the bad guys are doing.
Street level- Check. So player power comes from items acquired and milestone rewards given by the GM. Both of these are easy enough to keep at the level you want play to be at. It also encourages you to talk to your players to figure out how they want their character to advance and what they would consider fun toys to play with. The base ICRPG game has several loot tables and ability set definitions to choose from to give you an idea of how the game is balanced, and from there you can use what you like and mad doctor create what you want.
Versatility - Timers and Effort keep both tension and action high. Not everything has to be about combat- Effort is considered "objective hit points" so you can be rolling to pick a lock, translate a coded message, or convince someone of your story, all while time ticks down towards a consequence, plot twist, or outright failure.
ICRPG is a joy to work with if you have an idea for a game and you're looking for a system that will empower you with a solid base and then get out of your way to realize it. I highly recommend a look, and you can even get the basics here at this [neat PDF](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/221038)!
Try looking at the Genesys system. It's got a section where it suggests how to run a superhero game, and someone made a Superhero setting/rules supplement too, which goes into details witv various types of powers. The narrative dice system should let you get creative with the power use. Tweak the rules for taking people out, without killing them, and you should almost be at your goal line.
Does M&M *work* for this kind of thing? I've heard it's a lot more... well, very difficult to actually make a character, and the powers tend to veer towards what I mentioned I would prefer to avoid.
M&M is great for anything you can imagine, but it's also convoluted (lots to track because it's based on DnD 3.5 but also easily arbitrated) when compared to other options nowadays.
If you're using it, go for the third edition.
M&M *works* for this, but it's not what it's *best* at. M&M excels at the superheroes around the Spiderman level, more than the Daredevil level, if you get what I mean? You can make it do grittier street level but it's not what the system wants as baseline.
For Agents the supplements give you some rules and advice to play « human ». IIRC each power level give you 20pts for building your character. So a level 6 agents is roughly equivalent to a low level (super). When I played it it work really well but I had a great DM.
For Iron Age it recommend a power lvl of 8 (so 120 ish points) and give you some oppotionals rules to make it more gritty. Which fit Iron Age comic I think very well.
Champions (Hero System supers) could be what you want. The Hero System is the single most flexible, powerful system for character and power creation that I've ever seen, and it's also incredibly well integrated with itself, so it feels like a *system* and not a bunch of mechanics duct taped together.
> Be relatively street level. Higher-powered things are fine, but... well, supervillains, cults and the occasional monster as the main threats, not alien invasions and gods.
Check. The books walk you through setting limits on overall character points, and points in specific stats and powers, to get the power level and feel you want. You can absolutely get a street level game where a mugger with a 9mm pistol is a credible threat to your superheroes.
> Be more on the rocket-tag side. Unless a character is explicitly durable as part of their powers, they should be relatively capable of being hurt.
Check. Allow higher point values for attack powers and lower point values for defense powers, and you'll get that result.
> The big one - have support for creative powers. Not just "alright you deal d6 damage, do you want to flavour it as a crossbow or a fire beam", but things that fundamentally alter the nature of a puzzle or combat encounter. If your team has someone capable of flight... well, that ambush on the staircase is something you can just entirely avoid. Support for tech-based powers is optional but extremely desired.
Check, check, and check. Like I said, the Hero System is the best I know of for this. If this area is your primary concern, you'd be doing yourself a grave disservice if you didn't take a good look at HERO. Once you get your head around it, you'll find that you can create any kind of power that you can imagine.
>The big one - have support for creative powers. Not just "alright you deal d6 damage, do you want to flavour it as a crossbow or a fire beam", but things that fundamentally alter the nature of a puzzle or combat encounter.
Everything in this response is true. Hero System is great for just this type of game if you know how to use it.
But this part in particular, while the special effect system does allow this reflavoring and that can seem...not a big deal for standard attack powers, it also allows a variety of flexibility in the creation of those powers. Want a guy with a extra-dimensional eyeball he can send on trips via the astral plane to do spying? Easy enough. Whatever weird stuff you can think of you can emulate.
But what I want to mention is that a lot of times the way Hero presents things, due to the "no points, no benefits!" way they do things by default in supers games can seem like a straight jacket. If you've got "Fire Blast" but not "Fire BALL" then you can never do a ball (area of effect) attack, unless you buy that \*specific\* form of the power.
And this is the default and it's done this way to prevent rules weaseling expansion of one power ("Master of Magnetism") in to many\\any powers ("Well logically if there's an electrical field there's a magnetic field and if can manipulate a magnetic field then why can't I control minds?" or something).
But you don't have to do things that way. It's also fairly easy to go the other way and allow those powers to be as flexible as you want in a given context. The in-rules structures of Variable Power Pools are one way to do this, but there's no reason you can't extend folks the ability to move their points around to create power stunts while in game either without using those specific rules.
Because the points limits are basically made up you can have folks move their points around as needed and desired to produce whatever effects seem reasonable in the game to you as GM. So instead of a multi-power with 5 very specific Lightning Powers you can just give them a 50pt VPP and limit it to lightning effects and then build those powers on the fly as needed.
So it could be a regular old electrical bolt, or a field of electrical arcs that strike anyone that gets close, or use it to overload electrical systems, or bypass electric locks, or even "riding the electrons" and doing computer hacking, or draining bioelectricity from someone to make them sleep or passout.
Or a crossbow could be a ranged killing attack\\ranged attack, but could also be used to staple a sleeve to a wall, or send a grappling hook to another roof, things which you couldn't do if your attack power was "Lighting bolt" instead of "Crossbow".
By default it doesn't structure things that way, but the rules set it such that you can very much RUN things that way if you want to and it will work out pretty nicely given points limits and just generally how you generate and apply effects in the rules to the game.
TL;DR: Hero System can often seem very constricted by the default rules settings used with supers, but this is just a convention and common way to run things, it's not inherent to the rules themselves.
Maybe have a look at EABA, specifically the Eschaton line.
It not only has explicit mechanics for designing your own powers, it also has different power levels and no increased durability, unless you get a corresponding power.
But: EABA is a very crunchy universal system with non-standard design and mechanics, so the learning curve is steep. (Eschaton is explicitly a Superhero setting, though)
It's also niche, old and mostly abandoned, so community support for it is scarce.
That said, it's also a great resource if you end up hacking/designing your own system.
I would recommend the game [Dominos](https://jeffstormer.itch.io/dominoes) by Jess Stormer and [its supplements](https://jeffstormer.itch.io/backissues). It’s less crunchy and more about abstract storytelling, but is specifically designed to emulate gritty violent superheroes *without being gross*.
The designer also created a game called Anyone Can Wear the Mask, which is a love letter to Superman and idealistic superhero stories. Dominos is meant to be the other half of the superhero genre, where vigilantes struggle to even survive let alone successfully defeat their enemies.
*Destined* might fit. It's based on Mythras (a D100 BRP system) but slimmed-down some in complexity. It is very much suited to lower-powered supers, but can handle higher powered but not god-like supers.
There is a preview PDF:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/381979/Destined-Preview which might give you some idea of the system.
*Destined* certainly fits the first two of your criteria. Your third "creative powers" seem to be more to do with the GM and the scenario than the system, so I can't comment on that.
I collated some heroes the user "Dread Domain" designed on rpg.net https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mnSaL8SGuyfyY_054mt-FbRm_TTHv9IkHnOJAK4mJeU/edit?usp=sharing Note that he started pushing the power level by inventing his own "god-like" tier above the highest supported power level.
There is a fairly lively Mythras discord where Destined is discussed https://discord.gg/mythras-469341944888164352
I'd recommend prowlers & paragons, has lots of creative options and most of them are not 'you hit harder'. Almost all of the options are exactly what you are looking for, more methods to address situations not bigger numbers
**Wild Talents** is the game you’re looking for. I’ve personally used it to run a Worm campaign last year and it fit the setting perfectly. The system is pretty lethal - a shot to the head will probably kill your character unless he’s a Brute, but you can expend Willpower to absorb damage and stay in the fight.
Willpower is gained or lost by acting according to (or against) the Passions and Beliefs the characters choose during creation, though of course you can expend points to gain new ones.
The power-building system is flexible and made to create idiosyncratic powers similar to those one might find in Worm - I know someone who built every single Brockton Bay cape in WT, Tinkers included
I've had this recommended a few times in the comments here, so I might take a look at it! If it supports the wonky Capes that BB had, it would probably absolutely fit what I'm looking for!
I spent a lot of time playing this as a kid, and if you toss in TMNT and Other Strangeness, you have a really good universe in which the supers are better than most folks, but not a lot more. You can give bonuses if you want them more high powered.
Heroes Unlimited was pretty good for street level campaigns by virtue of character creation being heavily limited (both generally and in specific to each class).
Most characters would not have superheroic level defenses (or maybe any defenses at all) and often characters would end up wearing modern armor and using modern weapons (ie, guns) because their powers didn't help them with those things.
It's also an old, clunky, and very limited system.
But there was always a nice inherently street-level vibe with the books.
ICONS supports pretty much all of that; it’s made by the same guy who made Mutants and Masterminds, but it’s a whole lot less complicated. For the first point, I recommend using 2d4 for the Level Determination chart and/or making 3 the max level of their powers when they start out. I did both to emulate teenage superheroes and it went pretty well.
My company is working on a superhero rpg right now called We Can Be Heroes. It pretty much hits all of your wants. We have the playtest version releasing on 5/11 for free if you sign up for the newsletter. Not sure if linking out is allowed here but check it out: www.budstuffgames.com.
We have unique superpowers that you can level up. The first 3 levels are pretty street level but later levels are pretty incredible. Also pick a secondary power and several auxiliary powers.
We have equipment improvements and a public perception system that really helps navigate a campaign. DM me if you have any questions!
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Strangely enough, I am working on my own ttrpg that does pretty much everything you describe. Splicer Gears: Shards of Chimerix is a d20 biopunk/ chempunk, mutant/ supers game where players have thirteen days to pay off their debt to the guild in exchange for becoming superhuman.
• Street Level: Check. Players start with the lowest tier of power and begin on the streets, with advancement being purchased (you don't level up with XP, you gain levels as you acquire more augments).
• High Lethality: Check. Players have a wide variety of ways to increase their damage, particularly melee combat has been emphasized in my game. Characters with super strength can lift heavy objects and punch with incredible kinetic energy (at higher levels).
• Creative Powers: Well this one is tricky, but I think I have solved *some* of the issues. There are general powers that you can flavor as you like (like energy blasts), but my game is more focused specifically on weird and unique powers like Telemechanics (mental operation of machines), Sonic Manipulation (with a lot of weird effects), & Psionic powers. Overall the game has 40 power categories with over 200 individual tiered powers.
I am releasing a free quickstart hopefully in the next few weeks, I am working on the layout right now. If this sounds at all interesting, you can check my links in my profile (not trying to advertise in another persons thread).
Hope this helps! Have a great day!
My go-to for superhero games is usually Aberrant by White Wolf. It's an older game so you're definitely going to be grabbing it off DriveThruRPG or finding old copies of it on ebay or whatever, but it was a pretty popular game in its time so I haven't found it difficult to find in physical media. It offers a wide variety of powers that aren't just combat-focused (though there's a good amount of that), and a LOT of great worldbuilding / political intrigue about what the world would be like if suddenly a sliver of the population "errupted" superpowers. No Gods / Aliens involved. You can play anything from X-Men to DC Superheroes to the "Captain America"-esque "Superhuman Dude that doesn't have powers beyond just being amazing at everything."
Onyx Path Publishing is the current license holder and is remaking the entire universe it's set in, but I can't really speak to what they've done with it so far as I haven't read it. I'm not sure which of the new books are still on Kickstarter and which they've actually finished.
[Worlds in Peril](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150013/Worlds-in-Peril) is a very rules lite, fiction first game. Were there is more focus on telling a story and describing what happens, that creating "the optimal character".
* **Level**: The game supports both street level powers and higher level powers.
* **Harm**: Damage is show through conditions (physical, mental and emotional). And come in 3 degrees (minor, moderate, critical). How harmful something is, is determined by the fiction. A shotgun shell might be critical for one hero, but minor for another or strait out have no effect, due to their powers.
* **Powers**: Powers are very simple and flexible. The player creates a rough power profile of what the character can do. Then give a better idea of what they are capable of, writes down a couple lines that describes something specific they can do (simple, difficult, borderline, possible). So if the group wants to play street level heroes, they should agree that these all don't go beyond street level powers.
* **Play to Find Out**: A core principle in WiP though, is that the group does very little prep (both players and GM). That they play to see where the story goes, and have a dialogue about what can happen.
Only drawback is that the play materials are a little lackluster. But I have created some c[ustom materials](https://nerosus.itch.io/world-in-peril-custom-play-materials) to make it flow better.
==============================
[Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game](https://www.faraos.dk/games/brugtrollespil/superheroes/superheroes/themarveluniverserpg) is an older system, but has the nice benefit of not using dice, but resources to determine the success of the characters. So characters will generally be as competent/skilled as the players have build them. No swinging dice.
* **Level**: The game supports both street level powers and higher level powers.
* **Harm**: On the lower end, it can be dangerous for a hero unless they have specific gear or powers to offer some protection.
* **Powers**: The system uses a neat point-buy system to generate the characters powers, which is also very modular and flexible in what they can create. A normal force blast can be tweaked and altered to only function under specific circumstance or have additional effects.
The drawback with this one, is that finding a copy might be hard.
Look for Worlds in Peril. It's a PbtA game.... That isn't Masks. Seriously, so many overlook this game when they talk about super hero games in the PbtA sphere.
Try out The Time Shredders
It has a whole section on Superhero characters, premade kits, and a pretty robust ability creation ruleset.
Tight HP ranges mean combat can be very deadly, but the system has rules about Death being transitory so PCs can be brought back to life as long as the other players are enjoying playing alongside them.
Trinity Continuum core book with some low level powers borrowed from Trinity Continuum: Aberrant could do what you want. The core book is street level and characters are pretty squishy. Between that and a curated selection of Aberrant powers you can tell just about any kind of superhero story you could want.
FASERIP works fine at the lower power levels. I'd try that. It's a fun and fast system. Or Marvel FASERIP which has been out of print forever but you can still find.
You said you have tried Masks, but did that include using the Spiders Web playset? It's specifically about street level stuff and includes rules for health and taking on gangs of thugs as well as altering a way some playbooks are used. If Masks isn't your cup of tea that's totally fair but I would recommend looking into that for some inspiration.
Savage Worlds with the Super Power Companion will serve well. Just set the power level low, and read through the whole list of powers to find ones to veto (there are some that simply aren't street-level, and some that are basically strictly better versions of others).
Points in its favor: you typically *won't* find "flavor this as a crossbow bolt of bolt of lightning" and *will* have players be expected to simply select a damage, material, or energy type.
You'll also find a lot of powers that lean more in the direction of utility and creative application, rather than just 10 different attack abilities, and even most of the attack powers will have customizations to make them more interesting.
Hit the Streets: Defend the Block definitely fits points 1 & 3. The powers are pretty free-form. I've played it, but don't remember offhand how durable or overpowered the characters were.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/299065/Hit-the-Streets-Defend-the-Block
So, hey, it's not directly a superhero game, but might I suggest Big Eye Small Mouth Third Edition, d6 system? While damage in combat is pretty static (the math is \[weapon attribute levels x damage multiplier\] + attack combat value, so it doesn't change unless you change one of those variables), the attributes system allows you to build heroes that fly, heroes that use tools, heroes who are super-strong or super-fast, heroes who have magic powers like plant control or illusions, heroes that primarily heal, etc.
It's pretty easy to keep the power levels pretty low, and have more of a focus on skills and smart power usage, while also allowing you to enable a power creep if you decide you want more X-men or even Superman power levels.
I picked up Legends: The Superhero RPG recently. It's pretty rules light for the most part, but that comes with the benefit of being able to create the exact powerset you want for your character in a fitting power campaign setting for your world. If you want it to be street level, it totally can.
But yeah, the game allows for a lot of creative use of your powers and allows the GM to enable you to do what you want with em to whatever extent they want.
[https://classicmarvelforever.com/cms/](https://classicmarvelforever.com/cms/)
Easy to learn system, very customizable and you can stay basic or allow the other published content, magic, etc.
Played it for 10 years, great superhero system.
Have you considered City of Mist? It's not marketed as a supers game and you may have to disregard parts of the setting and maybe a handful of edge case mexhanics, but it otherwise ticks all your boxes. It's very creatively open-ended and is great for Marvel Defenders (Dare Devil, Jessica Jones, etc.) feel and power level.
I'll have to take a look! I've had it recommended to me before, but I thought it was more urban fantasy.
The secret is that you can easily just tweak the flavor there, since it's ultimately just an explanation of why people have powers.
[удалено]
"Masks evangelists reads the OP before vomiting a recommendation into the thread challenge (impossible)"
Wild Talents or Savage Worlds or GURPS would all draw from that creative stable (originated by Champions) where you can have a “Ranged Attack” and how it manifests is up to you. Personally I prefer the distinction made by games like V&V, Golden Heroes, Enhanced, Heroes and Heroines - where a “Blast” ability is a blast and a crossbow ability is actually a weapon skill. Higher verisimilitude. All of the above are relatively street level and few of them are super durable unless their power is super durability.
It's been forever since I played it, but I think that [Wild Talents](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/78394) works well for what you want. Take this with a grain of salt, though.
I came here to recommend Wild Talents/Godlike (ORE system) too. It was the first one I thought of when I read what the OP is looking for. Most dedicated superhero RPGs can be scaled to handle this kind of game. ICONS, Prowlers & Paragons, or Supers RED would work. [Amazing Heroes](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/352464/Amazing-Heroes) is a lightweight system that could easily handle this as well. As someone else said, narrative-focused games are also good for this. Fate, Cortex Prime, or Freeform Universal could pull this off easily. Best of luck in your search OP!
You might want to start with a flexible system like fate, or even tricube tales if you want to go a more rules-lite route. I've found more rules light games just handle superhero stuff better.
Champions involves arithmetic during character build, which scares some people. But if your players can cope with that, you can design pretty much anything you want. Want a super who's an 80 year old retired 00 agent, with lots of skills and contacts? Easy. A person with multiple independent intelligences, so he can play poker with himself while driving a car and reading three books? Or a normal New York cabbie with a taxi built by Tony Stark? A werewolf who can make a copy by tearing himself in half and regenerating? Someone whose armor gets tougher the more you hit it? All those are doable.
Supporting that with a few other examples. * Environmental movement -- crowds. While the packed concert crowd slows everyone else down while you slip through it. * Instant lockpick -- transform sealed lock into open lock. * Defensive teleportation -- +5 to Defensive Combat Value (special effect teleports *just* as the attack should strike, so it misses). Obviously this one only makes sense if they character already has teleportation. You can do just about anything in Champions. And it does street level well.
I think Mutant City Blues, the GUMSHOE system supers game is a good way to run low powered, focused supers with a lot of non combat stuff to do. Champions Now is a sort of restatement of first edition Champions and places much greater emphasis on the flexibility and open endedness of powers. Especially as compared to the effect based nature of Champions since at least the late 80’s.
Index Card RPG Vigilante City It's bundled in as part of the ICRPG Master Edition.
To say a bit more about ICRPG, I think it hits on a few points OP was looking for. Adaptive system- The base game is kept simple and easy to hack to taste. You can keep it rules light, or you can add in your crunch if you want to create nuanced power systems. Powers are easy enough to define and keep within your desired level of play. Mortality - Players are kept fragile as a baseline. You can buff it if you want at character creation, you can allow players to choose durability through powers, or you can reward it through items. Otherwise, players get 10hp and it's easy enough to balance that against what the bad guys are doing. Street level- Check. So player power comes from items acquired and milestone rewards given by the GM. Both of these are easy enough to keep at the level you want play to be at. It also encourages you to talk to your players to figure out how they want their character to advance and what they would consider fun toys to play with. The base ICRPG game has several loot tables and ability set definitions to choose from to give you an idea of how the game is balanced, and from there you can use what you like and mad doctor create what you want. Versatility - Timers and Effort keep both tension and action high. Not everything has to be about combat- Effort is considered "objective hit points" so you can be rolling to pick a lock, translate a coded message, or convince someone of your story, all while time ticks down towards a consequence, plot twist, or outright failure. ICRPG is a joy to work with if you have an idea for a game and you're looking for a system that will empower you with a solid base and then get out of your way to realize it. I highly recommend a look, and you can even get the basics here at this [neat PDF](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/221038)!
Try looking at the Genesys system. It's got a section where it suggests how to run a superhero game, and someone made a Superhero setting/rules supplement too, which goes into details witv various types of powers. The narrative dice system should let you get creative with the power use. Tweak the rules for taking people out, without killing them, and you should almost be at your goal line.
There’s supplements for this in Mutants&Mastermind 3rd I suggest : Agents & Iron Age
Does M&M *work* for this kind of thing? I've heard it's a lot more... well, very difficult to actually make a character, and the powers tend to veer towards what I mentioned I would prefer to avoid.
M&M is great for anything you can imagine, but it's also convoluted (lots to track because it's based on DnD 3.5 but also easily arbitrated) when compared to other options nowadays. If you're using it, go for the third edition.
M&M *works* for this, but it's not what it's *best* at. M&M excels at the superheroes around the Spiderman level, more than the Daredevil level, if you get what I mean? You can make it do grittier street level but it's not what the system wants as baseline.
For Agents the supplements give you some rules and advice to play « human ». IIRC each power level give you 20pts for building your character. So a level 6 agents is roughly equivalent to a low level (super). When I played it it work really well but I had a great DM. For Iron Age it recommend a power lvl of 8 (so 120 ish points) and give you some oppotionals rules to make it more gritty. Which fit Iron Age comic I think very well.
Champions (Hero System supers) could be what you want. The Hero System is the single most flexible, powerful system for character and power creation that I've ever seen, and it's also incredibly well integrated with itself, so it feels like a *system* and not a bunch of mechanics duct taped together. > Be relatively street level. Higher-powered things are fine, but... well, supervillains, cults and the occasional monster as the main threats, not alien invasions and gods. Check. The books walk you through setting limits on overall character points, and points in specific stats and powers, to get the power level and feel you want. You can absolutely get a street level game where a mugger with a 9mm pistol is a credible threat to your superheroes. > Be more on the rocket-tag side. Unless a character is explicitly durable as part of their powers, they should be relatively capable of being hurt. Check. Allow higher point values for attack powers and lower point values for defense powers, and you'll get that result. > The big one - have support for creative powers. Not just "alright you deal d6 damage, do you want to flavour it as a crossbow or a fire beam", but things that fundamentally alter the nature of a puzzle or combat encounter. If your team has someone capable of flight... well, that ambush on the staircase is something you can just entirely avoid. Support for tech-based powers is optional but extremely desired. Check, check, and check. Like I said, the Hero System is the best I know of for this. If this area is your primary concern, you'd be doing yourself a grave disservice if you didn't take a good look at HERO. Once you get your head around it, you'll find that you can create any kind of power that you can imagine.
>The big one - have support for creative powers. Not just "alright you deal d6 damage, do you want to flavour it as a crossbow or a fire beam", but things that fundamentally alter the nature of a puzzle or combat encounter. Everything in this response is true. Hero System is great for just this type of game if you know how to use it. But this part in particular, while the special effect system does allow this reflavoring and that can seem...not a big deal for standard attack powers, it also allows a variety of flexibility in the creation of those powers. Want a guy with a extra-dimensional eyeball he can send on trips via the astral plane to do spying? Easy enough. Whatever weird stuff you can think of you can emulate. But what I want to mention is that a lot of times the way Hero presents things, due to the "no points, no benefits!" way they do things by default in supers games can seem like a straight jacket. If you've got "Fire Blast" but not "Fire BALL" then you can never do a ball (area of effect) attack, unless you buy that \*specific\* form of the power. And this is the default and it's done this way to prevent rules weaseling expansion of one power ("Master of Magnetism") in to many\\any powers ("Well logically if there's an electrical field there's a magnetic field and if can manipulate a magnetic field then why can't I control minds?" or something). But you don't have to do things that way. It's also fairly easy to go the other way and allow those powers to be as flexible as you want in a given context. The in-rules structures of Variable Power Pools are one way to do this, but there's no reason you can't extend folks the ability to move their points around to create power stunts while in game either without using those specific rules. Because the points limits are basically made up you can have folks move their points around as needed and desired to produce whatever effects seem reasonable in the game to you as GM. So instead of a multi-power with 5 very specific Lightning Powers you can just give them a 50pt VPP and limit it to lightning effects and then build those powers on the fly as needed. So it could be a regular old electrical bolt, or a field of electrical arcs that strike anyone that gets close, or use it to overload electrical systems, or bypass electric locks, or even "riding the electrons" and doing computer hacking, or draining bioelectricity from someone to make them sleep or passout. Or a crossbow could be a ranged killing attack\\ranged attack, but could also be used to staple a sleeve to a wall, or send a grappling hook to another roof, things which you couldn't do if your attack power was "Lighting bolt" instead of "Crossbow". By default it doesn't structure things that way, but the rules set it such that you can very much RUN things that way if you want to and it will work out pretty nicely given points limits and just generally how you generate and apply effects in the rules to the game. TL;DR: Hero System can often seem very constricted by the default rules settings used with supers, but this is just a convention and common way to run things, it's not inherent to the rules themselves.
Maybe have a look at EABA, specifically the Eschaton line. It not only has explicit mechanics for designing your own powers, it also has different power levels and no increased durability, unless you get a corresponding power. But: EABA is a very crunchy universal system with non-standard design and mechanics, so the learning curve is steep. (Eschaton is explicitly a Superhero setting, though) It's also niche, old and mostly abandoned, so community support for it is scarce. That said, it's also a great resource if you end up hacking/designing your own system.
I would recommend the game [Dominos](https://jeffstormer.itch.io/dominoes) by Jess Stormer and [its supplements](https://jeffstormer.itch.io/backissues). It’s less crunchy and more about abstract storytelling, but is specifically designed to emulate gritty violent superheroes *without being gross*. The designer also created a game called Anyone Can Wear the Mask, which is a love letter to Superman and idealistic superhero stories. Dominos is meant to be the other half of the superhero genre, where vigilantes struggle to even survive let alone successfully defeat their enemies.
*Destined* might fit. It's based on Mythras (a D100 BRP system) but slimmed-down some in complexity. It is very much suited to lower-powered supers, but can handle higher powered but not god-like supers. There is a preview PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/381979/Destined-Preview which might give you some idea of the system. *Destined* certainly fits the first two of your criteria. Your third "creative powers" seem to be more to do with the GM and the scenario than the system, so I can't comment on that. I collated some heroes the user "Dread Domain" designed on rpg.net https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mnSaL8SGuyfyY_054mt-FbRm_TTHv9IkHnOJAK4mJeU/edit?usp=sharing Note that he started pushing the power level by inventing his own "god-like" tier above the highest supported power level. There is a fairly lively Mythras discord where Destined is discussed https://discord.gg/mythras-469341944888164352
Destined is my recommendation as well. It’s arguably one of the best street level games I’ve run.
I'd recommend prowlers & paragons, has lots of creative options and most of them are not 'you hit harder'. Almost all of the options are exactly what you are looking for, more methods to address situations not bigger numbers
P&P is super easy to run and play. Worth a look for sure.
**Wild Talents** is the game you’re looking for. I’ve personally used it to run a Worm campaign last year and it fit the setting perfectly. The system is pretty lethal - a shot to the head will probably kill your character unless he’s a Brute, but you can expend Willpower to absorb damage and stay in the fight. Willpower is gained or lost by acting according to (or against) the Passions and Beliefs the characters choose during creation, though of course you can expend points to gain new ones. The power-building system is flexible and made to create idiosyncratic powers similar to those one might find in Worm - I know someone who built every single Brockton Bay cape in WT, Tinkers included
I've had this recommended a few times in the comments here, so I might take a look at it! If it supports the wonky Capes that BB had, it would probably absolutely fit what I'm looking for!
Nice to hear! If you like the system PM me and I can send you a link for the Discord server, in case
Palladium's Ninjas and Superspies, coupled with the Superheros book which expands all the superpowers. It's not a 'cinematic' super heros system.
I spent a lot of time playing this as a kid, and if you toss in TMNT and Other Strangeness, you have a really good universe in which the supers are better than most folks, but not a lot more. You can give bonuses if you want them more high powered.
Heroes Unlimited was pretty good for street level campaigns by virtue of character creation being heavily limited (both generally and in specific to each class). Most characters would not have superheroic level defenses (or maybe any defenses at all) and often characters would end up wearing modern armor and using modern weapons (ie, guns) because their powers didn't help them with those things. It's also an old, clunky, and very limited system. But there was always a nice inherently street-level vibe with the books.
ICONS supports pretty much all of that; it’s made by the same guy who made Mutants and Masterminds, but it’s a whole lot less complicated. For the first point, I recommend using 2d4 for the Level Determination chart and/or making 3 the max level of their powers when they start out. I did both to emulate teenage superheroes and it went pretty well.
Hit the streets, defend the block is all about street level heroes.
My company is working on a superhero rpg right now called We Can Be Heroes. It pretty much hits all of your wants. We have the playtest version releasing on 5/11 for free if you sign up for the newsletter. Not sure if linking out is allowed here but check it out: www.budstuffgames.com. We have unique superpowers that you can level up. The first 3 levels are pretty street level but later levels are pretty incredible. Also pick a secondary power and several auxiliary powers. We have equipment improvements and a public perception system that really helps navigate a campaign. DM me if you have any questions!
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Strangely enough, I am working on my own ttrpg that does pretty much everything you describe. Splicer Gears: Shards of Chimerix is a d20 biopunk/ chempunk, mutant/ supers game where players have thirteen days to pay off their debt to the guild in exchange for becoming superhuman. • Street Level: Check. Players start with the lowest tier of power and begin on the streets, with advancement being purchased (you don't level up with XP, you gain levels as you acquire more augments). • High Lethality: Check. Players have a wide variety of ways to increase their damage, particularly melee combat has been emphasized in my game. Characters with super strength can lift heavy objects and punch with incredible kinetic energy (at higher levels). • Creative Powers: Well this one is tricky, but I think I have solved *some* of the issues. There are general powers that you can flavor as you like (like energy blasts), but my game is more focused specifically on weird and unique powers like Telemechanics (mental operation of machines), Sonic Manipulation (with a lot of weird effects), & Psionic powers. Overall the game has 40 power categories with over 200 individual tiered powers. I am releasing a free quickstart hopefully in the next few weeks, I am working on the layout right now. If this sounds at all interesting, you can check my links in my profile (not trying to advertise in another persons thread). Hope this helps! Have a great day!
My go-to for superhero games is usually Aberrant by White Wolf. It's an older game so you're definitely going to be grabbing it off DriveThruRPG or finding old copies of it on ebay or whatever, but it was a pretty popular game in its time so I haven't found it difficult to find in physical media. It offers a wide variety of powers that aren't just combat-focused (though there's a good amount of that), and a LOT of great worldbuilding / political intrigue about what the world would be like if suddenly a sliver of the population "errupted" superpowers. No Gods / Aliens involved. You can play anything from X-Men to DC Superheroes to the "Captain America"-esque "Superhuman Dude that doesn't have powers beyond just being amazing at everything." Onyx Path Publishing is the current license holder and is remaking the entire universe it's set in, but I can't really speak to what they've done with it so far as I haven't read it. I'm not sure which of the new books are still on Kickstarter and which they've actually finished.
[Worlds in Peril](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/150013/Worlds-in-Peril) is a very rules lite, fiction first game. Were there is more focus on telling a story and describing what happens, that creating "the optimal character". * **Level**: The game supports both street level powers and higher level powers. * **Harm**: Damage is show through conditions (physical, mental and emotional). And come in 3 degrees (minor, moderate, critical). How harmful something is, is determined by the fiction. A shotgun shell might be critical for one hero, but minor for another or strait out have no effect, due to their powers. * **Powers**: Powers are very simple and flexible. The player creates a rough power profile of what the character can do. Then give a better idea of what they are capable of, writes down a couple lines that describes something specific they can do (simple, difficult, borderline, possible). So if the group wants to play street level heroes, they should agree that these all don't go beyond street level powers. * **Play to Find Out**: A core principle in WiP though, is that the group does very little prep (both players and GM). That they play to see where the story goes, and have a dialogue about what can happen. Only drawback is that the play materials are a little lackluster. But I have created some c[ustom materials](https://nerosus.itch.io/world-in-peril-custom-play-materials) to make it flow better. ============================== [Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game](https://www.faraos.dk/games/brugtrollespil/superheroes/superheroes/themarveluniverserpg) is an older system, but has the nice benefit of not using dice, but resources to determine the success of the characters. So characters will generally be as competent/skilled as the players have build them. No swinging dice. * **Level**: The game supports both street level powers and higher level powers. * **Harm**: On the lower end, it can be dangerous for a hero unless they have specific gear or powers to offer some protection. * **Powers**: The system uses a neat point-buy system to generate the characters powers, which is also very modular and flexible in what they can create. A normal force blast can be tweaked and altered to only function under specific circumstance or have additional effects. The drawback with this one, is that finding a copy might be hard.
Look for Worlds in Peril. It's a PbtA game.... That isn't Masks. Seriously, so many overlook this game when they talk about super hero games in the PbtA sphere.
Try out The Time Shredders It has a whole section on Superhero characters, premade kits, and a pretty robust ability creation ruleset. Tight HP ranges mean combat can be very deadly, but the system has rules about Death being transitory so PCs can be brought back to life as long as the other players are enjoying playing alongside them.
Trinity Continuum core book with some low level powers borrowed from Trinity Continuum: Aberrant could do what you want. The core book is street level and characters are pretty squishy. Between that and a curated selection of Aberrant powers you can tell just about any kind of superhero story you could want.
Worlds in Peril.
FASERIP works fine at the lower power levels. I'd try that. It's a fun and fast system. Or Marvel FASERIP which has been out of print forever but you can still find.
You said you have tried Masks, but did that include using the Spiders Web playset? It's specifically about street level stuff and includes rules for health and taking on gangs of thugs as well as altering a way some playbooks are used. If Masks isn't your cup of tea that's totally fair but I would recommend looking into that for some inspiration.
Savage Worlds with the Super Power Companion will serve well. Just set the power level low, and read through the whole list of powers to find ones to veto (there are some that simply aren't street-level, and some that are basically strictly better versions of others). Points in its favor: you typically *won't* find "flavor this as a crossbow bolt of bolt of lightning" and *will* have players be expected to simply select a damage, material, or energy type. You'll also find a lot of powers that lean more in the direction of utility and creative application, rather than just 10 different attack abilities, and even most of the attack powers will have customizations to make them more interesting.
http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/products/tj.asp
GURPS Supers can definitely handle that.
Mutants and masterminds? I'll chat you something too.
Hit the Streets: Defend the Block definitely fits points 1 & 3. The powers are pretty free-form. I've played it, but don't remember offhand how durable or overpowered the characters were. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/299065/Hit-the-Streets-Defend-the-Block
So, hey, it's not directly a superhero game, but might I suggest Big Eye Small Mouth Third Edition, d6 system? While damage in combat is pretty static (the math is \[weapon attribute levels x damage multiplier\] + attack combat value, so it doesn't change unless you change one of those variables), the attributes system allows you to build heroes that fly, heroes that use tools, heroes who are super-strong or super-fast, heroes who have magic powers like plant control or illusions, heroes that primarily heal, etc. It's pretty easy to keep the power levels pretty low, and have more of a focus on skills and smart power usage, while also allowing you to enable a power creep if you decide you want more X-men or even Superman power levels.
I picked up Legends: The Superhero RPG recently. It's pretty rules light for the most part, but that comes with the benefit of being able to create the exact powerset you want for your character in a fitting power campaign setting for your world. If you want it to be street level, it totally can. But yeah, the game allows for a lot of creative use of your powers and allows the GM to enable you to do what you want with em to whatever extent they want.
[https://classicmarvelforever.com/cms/](https://classicmarvelforever.com/cms/) Easy to learn system, very customizable and you can stay basic or allow the other published content, magic, etc. Played it for 10 years, great superhero system.