Heartbeats in Perfect Sync vs Masks: A New Generation
Compare Heartbeats in Perfect Sync and Masks: A New Generation side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Heartbeats in Perfect Sync | Masks: A New Generation | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern, Fantasy | Modern, Superhero |
| Tags | Anime, Character-Driven, Cinematic, Collaborative, Drama, Fast-Paced, Rules-Light, Superpowers, Tag-Based, Urban Fantasy | Narrative, Rules-Light, Character-Driven, Drama, Beginner-Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules, Superpowers |
| Core Mechanic | When an outcome is uncertain, the GM sets a target number of hits. The player rolls a d6 pool equal to their current Heart Rate, and each 5 or 6 counts as a hit. Meeting or beating the target succeeds and lets the player shift their own Heart Rate by one. Beating the target by two or more also lets the player shift other characters' Heart Rates by one per extra hit. Before rolling, a player can invoke an aspect to add two dice, once per session per aspect. | PbtA moves: roll 2d6 + Label. 10+ = strong hit, 7–9 = hit with complications, 6− = miss (GM makes a move). Five shifting Labels (Danger, Freak, Savior, Superior, Mundane) represent how the hero sees themselves, and others can shift them. Influence and team mechanics drive interpersonal drama. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | 2d6 |
| Complexity | Low | Low |
| Availability | Paid | Paid |
| Runnability | 3 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | Proprietary | CC BY 4.0 |
| Third-Party Publishing | No verified route found | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Nathan Blades | Magpie Games |
| Year | 2024 | 2016 |
| Languages | English | English, French, German |
| Best For | Groups who want episodic urban-fantasy action centered on emotional escalation, relationship drama, and coordinated anime-style set pieces. | Teen superhero drama where identity, relationships, and emotional stakes matter more than punching villains. |
| Highlights | Heart Rate is both the dice pool and an emotional track, so every roll can change how many dice a character brings to the next one. Perfect Sync lets characters on the same Heart Rate combine their pools into one roll, at the cost of their spotlight turns for that round. Heartbreak turns a character into a dark version with a reusable fighting-style aspect that lasts until their Heart Rate climbs back above the maximum. | Labels system makes identity the core conflict, 10 distinct playbooks, low prep for GM, encourages drama and character growth |
| Considerations | The default City is deliberately sparse, so groups build most setting detail themselves or begin from the included scenario. The GM sets target hits and decides when a roll is called, so difficulty comes from table judgment rather than a fixed ladder. Perfect Sync requires matching Heart Rates, though optional special moves can align or bypass that requirement. | Labels shifting can frustrate players who want a stable character identity, Influence mechanic requires careful tracking, adult moves can overshadow teen PCs, limited mechanical growth beyond Label shifts |