The Coming of the Metagene!

Now that Invulnerable RPG: Vigilante Edition is out, I’m ready to announce that I’ve been working on a lighter, faster, kid- and con-friendly super hero game called Metagene.

The Metagene RPG is also based in the Earth-Omega universe, but it will be a smaller product, both in page count (a little over 130 pages right now) and shelf size (6″ x 9″ format).

Players of Invulnerable will find lots of Metagene familiar. If you add on all the rules in Metagene‘s Appendices, it will play a lot like Invulnerable. The main differences are:

  • Resolution mechanic is 2d12 + Attribute, with option to spend points to add a Knowledge (talent/skill), instead of 3d6 + Attribute + Basic Talent.
  • Powers are simpler and more streamlined. There are no Power Enhancement; instead, some Powers, like Elemental Control, give you points to spend on a limited list of related Powers (Elemental Control (Fire) gives you points to divide between Blast and Flight, Elemental Control (Ice) gives you Armor and Snare, etc.).
  • Simplified damage mechanic.
  • Attributes are rated from -5 to +5, with -2 as human average and +0 as heroic average. Talents and Powers are rated Amateur, Trained, Veteran, Global, or Cosmic.
  • Four Attributes: Body, Mind, Brains, and Aura, kind of like how Capsule Mooks work in this Invulnerablog article: http://invulnerablog.imperfekt-industrees.com/?p=791 .
  • Health and Life Force become justĀ Vigor, CDEF and RDEF become just Dodge.
  • To control how crazy and overpowered Hyper-Agility can get, instead of just granting a +1 per Level to all Moves applications, instead it (and other Powers) gives you “Maneuver Points” that can be spent to increase either attack rolls, Dodge, or initiative. Ever wonder why villains can ever manage to hit the Flash? He has to focus on what he’s doing!

The book is written, save for a few fixes and tweaks, and it’s in playtesting now. I have no projections on how long that process will take, but Metagene has been pretty well received so far. It’s been a heckuva lot of fun to write, that’s for sure!

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