Lancer vs Tiny Supers
Compare Lancer and Tiny Supers side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Lancer | Tiny Supers | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Superhero, Modern, Scifi |
| Play Style | Tactical, Mecha, Character Building, Heroic, Crunchy | Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Character Building, Superhero, Heroic, Low-Prep |
| Core Mechanic | Narrative scenes use d20 roll-over (10+ succeeds), with backgrounds granting advantage and triggers adding flat bonuses. Mech combat is grid-based and tactical: no initiative, players and NPCs alternate turns. Pilots progress through License Levels (LL0–LL12), unlocking new chassis, weapons, and systems across five manufacturers with 30+ mech frames. | Roll 2d6 for a Test; any 5 or 6 succeeds. Advantage raises the pool to 3d6, while Disadvantage lowers it to 1d6 and normally takes precedence. |
| Dice | d20 + d6 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | High | Low |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Runnability | Very High | Very Low |
| License | Lancer Third Party License | All Rights Reserved |
| Cost | Free (PDF) / $$ | $ |
| Publisher | Massif Press | Gallant Knight Games |
| Year | 2019 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want deep tactical mech combat with meaningful customization layered on top of accessible narrative play: giant robot enthusiasts seeking a modern alternative to BattleTech. | Groups who want quick four-color superhero campaigns with flexible power levels and a GM comfortable making consistent rulings. |
| Highlights | Free core PDF, extensive mech customization with 30+ frames, clean split between rules-light narrative and crunchy tactical combat, alternating activations remove initiative so both sides stay engaged | Tiered Power Traits let the same ability grow in potency without a separate point-buy system. Two-action combat makes Focus and Evade compete with movement and attacks. The GallantVerse and eight micro-verses supply campaign frames for city teams, cosmic defenders, and teen heroes. |
| Considerations | Mech combat dominates: narrative half feels thin by comparison, steep learning curve from sheer volume of mech options, genre-locked to sci-fi mech fiction, requires grid/VTT for combat | The game assigns uncovered situations to consistent GM rulings rather than detailed procedures. Power concepts outside the fixed trait list depend on reskinning or GM-created effects. Advancement is optional and offers a small menu of upgrades. |