One of the classic D&Disms is that players are never too powerful for the setting.  There are always higher-level monsters to fight.  But what about a system where there aren't always more monsters to crush?  Are there any systems where the PCs are more powerful than what the setting throws at them?

Barbarians of Lemuria - Sword & Sorcery RPG lets you start out as a major badass akin to Conan or Red Sonja.

Honor + Intrigue - my swashbuckling adaptation of BoL, you can start out as a master duelist.  Not an apprentice.  A master.

That said, there will always be someone who's more skilled/stronger, etc.  Both systems leave room for growth for the characters.

GURPS I believe had "Cinematic" rules that let you play "action movie" style characters.  

I think that Feng Shui the characters are also supposed to be badasses from day 1.

Exalted?  Isn't that the premise the setting (but I've never played it, so I don't speak from experience on this or Feng Shui).

I doubt any game will truly fit that concept. Even the much lauded Exalted has many beings way out of power levels of the PC's.


I was going to suggest High Valor based on the topic heading, but while High Valor's heroes can start out effective and powerful, they also have a bit of a way to go to be legendary or mythic. They'll challenge most people and many monsters, but there are some "world reshaping beings" that it takes concerted effort, teamwork, guile, and sometimes special spells/weapons to take out for good.



I'm not even sure superhero games fit your criteria, as I'm pretty sure their are beings like Darkseid and Galactus and so on that are out of most superheroes batting range.

Of course I wonder why you bring this up, because frankly the whole point of having things more powerful than the heroes is to challenge their abilities--the abilities they created and want to test.  If they don't want to test them why bother at all?


After all, without challenging those abilities, you can simply say "you beat them back with your might!" and be done with it, no game rules required.

Amber.

I even run amber with no elders so the PCs replace Corwin, Brand etc

I also put all characters, PCs and NPCs on the same sprectrum (as opposed to spliting it by generation as the book kind of hints) .

So in that game a PC can effectively be the best warrior in the universe.

By the way I have no fear of PCs being far more powerful than everyone else in any game. Its why I often have kings and captains and arch bishops in my D&D games at 0 level. There are many more interesting things to do in an RPG than just kill things and take their stuff.

Quote from: jibbajibba;535208There are many more interesting things to do in an RPG than just kill things and take their stuff.

Indeed, but I lump temporal, social, etc power in there. Killing them is the most boring aspect of game play for me.

Quote from: Silverlion;535212Indeed, but I lump temporal, social, etc power in there. Killing them is the most boring aspect of game play for me.

Yeah but I can use a 4 year old girl with no powers or skills at all to socially manipulate the God like PCs

Spirit of the Century.

The players are playing bad ass Pulp Action heroes and they know it.

One of the best things about the Amber Diceless RPG is that there is not much in the universe to oppose you...except your family...and other players. (Duh-duh-duh). The GM can come up with an "unexpectedly" powerful whatever (although it's not very unexpected), but the assumption of an Amberite from the get-go is badassery.

//Panjumanju

Quote from: jibbajibba;535275Yeah but I can use a 4 year old girl with no powers or skills at all to socially manipulate the God like PCs

Heck yes--that's still power. (I use a 7 year old plant girl on a supehero who could punch the Hulk out, to good effect, all the time.)

It's adorable to watch them contort to her. She's probably slightly more powerful than the average seven year old but she is in a superhero game. (First: She's a plant, Second: She's good at predicting stock market trends, which the players have never used )

Quote(First: She's a plant, Second: She's good at predicting stock market trends, which the players have never used )

Why is she good a predicting the stock market as a plant and 7 year old, or have you been watching those ETrade commercials too much?

Quote from: B.T.;535103One of the classic D&Disms is that plauers are never too powerful for the setting.  There ate always higher-level monsters to fight.  But what about a system where there aren't always more monsters to crush?  Are there any systems where the PCs are more powerful than what the setting throws at them?

Isn't this more of a question of the GM style than the system? Aren't characters as powerful as the GM lets them be? i.e. If a GM lets you start off at level 20 in AD&D and never uses any monsters over level 20, then aren't you top of the food chain?

um... Rifts. or Ninjas and Superspies. or Heroes Unlimited. Palladium has the lock on starting characters strong as fuck... because they don't really grow much as they go up in levels.

Quote from: Silverlion;535363Heck yes--that's still power. (I use a 7 year old plant girl on a supehero who could punch the Hulk out, to good effect, all the time.)

It's adorable to watch them contort to her. She's probably slightly more powerful than the average seven year old but she is in a superhero game. (First: She's a plant, Second: She's good at predicting stock market trends, which the players have never used )

Well if you are going to include the ability of NPCs to manipulate the PCs into doing stuff then the answer to the OP is no.
A decent GM can use the world to manipulate any player/PCs emotions and get them to do whatever they like.

Quote from: jibbajibba;535412Well if you are going to include the ability of NPCs to manipulate the PCs into doing stuff then the answer to the OP is no.
A decent GM can use the world to manipulate any player/PCs emotions and get them to do whatever they like.

I consider all sources of power important, manipulation is just another tool in the box.

I've noticed an unnatural tendency though for players to adopt any young stray that comes along and needs help in my games. I wonder why?

Quote from: B.T.;535103One of the classic D&Disms is that players are never too powerful for the setting.  There are always higher-level monsters to fight.  But what about a system where there aren't always more monsters to crush?  Are there any systems where the PCs are more powerful than what the setting throws at them?

GURPS.