Arrow

[finarvyn]

My wife bought me the first two seasons of the TV series "Arrow" and we've been watching it together. As I watch, what runs through my head is that this would make an awesome ADRP campaign.

I've occasionally thought about running a superhero campaign with the ADRP rules set, but this one is the first to really get me thinking seriously about it. Most superhero settings seem to revolve around folks with mutations and cool powers, but Arrow has mostly regular folks who have undergone extensive training and hardship to get where they are. So what makes this setting different?

First of all, pretty much every character has secrets and has some sort of agenda. The NPCs aren't just sitting around waiting to interact with Green Arrow, but instead they are all doing stuff. Keeping track of who knows which secret almost requires a scorecard.

Also, it seems like it would be easy to fit the ADRP stats to the setting.
* Most characters seem to have some degree of martial arts training, and there is a decent amount of non-weapon combat. (Strength)
* There are plenty of folks who use weapons, mostly guns and bows. (Warfare)
* While we haven't encountered magic or mental powers yet, seems like there are many instances where a character has to try to shrug off the effects of a drug like sodium pentathol. (Psyche?)
* Who lasts the longest is often key to combat. (Endurance)

So ... if you've seen Arrow do you agree with my assessemt, or if you have run a superhero campaign with ADRP tell me how it worked out.

[Croaker]

There's an idea, yes.

The main problems coming, IMO, from Psyche (drug resistance would, IMO, be endurance) and the lack of powers., meaning everything gets into attributes, maybe some artifacts.

Secondary problem: It's not very appropriate for backstabbing intrigue between PCs, not unless some are willing to be more or less bad guys.

So I think I'd include some minor magics and powers.

And I'd try, either to suppress the "superhero" vibe in favor of a more "throne war" approach towards control of the city, or to give PCs both reasons to collaborate and divergent objectives.

JUst out of my sleepy ass, can't do much more now

[finarvyn]

Nice thoughts, Croaker. My big comment would be that I was trying to look at the setting as it's presented in the show, not the way I'd do it.

(1) As to the drug resistant thing, I agree that Endurance makes more sense. The problem is that I can't come up with a real use for Psyche, and I'm a firm believer that all four stats need to have somewhat equal value. I suppose I could stretch a little and let Psyche become something more like Charisma so that it could influence persuasion and similar actions.

(2) Agreed that putting some powers and/or magic into the setting would be really worthwhile and I'd have to put some of that into a campaign. Again, I was trying to look at the setting as it was done in the show.

Nice ideas, though!

[sir brad]

lots of villains (and a few of the Heroes) don't shy away from "Enhanced Intergeneration" and Head Games Psyche can be used to counter that, there are stare-downs and Shock & Awe moments as well.

edit: then there is the whole Mental & Emotional fatigue, high Psyche means shorter and less oftern down time from burnout.

[RPGPundit]

Yeah, I could see how you could do this.

Frankly, the ADRPG rules are not something that works for a lot of genres, but the one that's most likely to work other than "godlings" is "superheroes".

[jibbajibba]

I played a Fables game with ADRPG end of last year, it was great.

The trouble with a Suprhero game is that there isn't a lot of conflict and intrigue.
Croker hits the nail on the head.

If you were to use Amber to build superheroes who were all vying for power it would be great just like it works really well for Highlander, VTES, Musketeers, etc

Arrow is an interesting idea as its not trad superhero its more superspy/martial artist type deal.

I think you would need to differentiate Strength - lift a bus, throw a car - from martial arts more.

Personally I would change up the stats and go with

Strength
Psyche
Endurance
Tactics
Warfare
Agility

I would use a power tree for the various power types

Senses
Speed
Flight
Energy
Mental
Resistance
Magic
Shapeshift
etc

[finarvyn]

The trouble with a Suprhero game is that there isn't a lot of conflict and intrigue.

That's what I found so interesting about Arrow. I typically associate superhero settings with repeated combat sequences, but this one had a lot of character interaction and intrigue. Not quite soap opera levels, but you get the idea. Each character seems to have some sort of goal and is trying to keep at least one secret, and through interaction they all bump heads with one another and we find that one goal directly counteracts a different character's goal.

And there were continual flashback scenes designed to flesh out some of the details and clue in the audience as to some of the secrets and how they affect the current plotline. And they tied it all together at the end.

Much more complex than what I typically associate with superhero fiction.

[finarvyn]

I assume that some of your comments are directed to a typical superhero setting, and not specific to Arrow.

Personally I would change up the stats and go with

Strength
Psyche
Endurance
Tactics
Warfare
Agility

I was hoping to keep the core four Amber stats.

I would use a power tree for the various power types

Senses
Speed
Flight
Energy
Mental
Resistance
Magic
Shapeshift
etc

I haven't seen any sign that a character can fly, and no sign of magic yet, but overall your list is solid. Special abilites become a powers list.

[finarvyn]

Frankly, the ADRPG rules are not something that works for a lot of genres, but the one that's most likely to work other than "godlings" is "superheroes".

I think that the ADRP rules work better as the setting becomes more cinematic. I've used them pretty well for Star Wars and Dresden Files and Barsoonm and other settings like that.

[Panjumanju]

I was hoping to keep the core four Amber stats.

Honestly, I wouldn't keep Psyche. As a fan of Arrow, I don't see that it would do anything in the setting not covered by Endurance.

Maybe: Strength / Endurance / Acrobatics / Weapons ? I think that's a pretty fair run down of Arrow and Flash, assuming everything on Flash (and the few super powers that show up in Arrow) are covered by Powers.

//Panjumanju

[jibbajibba]

I played a Fables game with ADRPG end of last year, it was great.

The trouble with a Suprhero game is that there isn't a lot of conflict and intrigue between the heroes themselves.
Croker hits the nail on the head in this regard.

If you were to use Amber to build superheroes who were all vying for power it would be great just like it works really well for Highlander, VTES, Musketeers, etc

Arrow is an interesting idea as its not trad superhero its more superspy/martial artist type deal but I think that a more traditional Superhero pantheon is probably "better" for the amber system.

I think you would need to differentiate Strength - lift a bus, throw a car - from martial arts more.

Personally I would change up the stats and go with

Strength
Psyche
Endurance
Tactics
Warfare
Agility

I would use a power tree for the various power types

Senses
Speed
Flight
Energy
Mental
Resistance
Magic
Shapeshift
etc

Alan Moore's abandoned Twilight of the Superheroes would be a perfect setting (the world is ruled by Superhero houses - the House of Steel -Superman & Wonder Woman- , The House of Thunder -Captain Marvel -  etc etc  )
etc

[RPGPundit]

There isn't usually a lot of conflict and intrigue in a Justice League type setting but there can be a lot of other types of supers games where there certainly could be a lot of conflict and intrigue.

Less JLA and more Squadron Supreme...

[Panjumanju]

Please let us know what you decide to do, finarvyn. I would love to hear how Amber as Arrow turns out.

//Panjumanju