Masks: A New Generation vs Smallville Roleplaying Game
Compare Masks: A New Generation and Smallville Roleplaying Game side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Masks: A New Generation | Smallville Roleplaying Game | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern, Superhero | Superhero, Modern |
| Tags | Narrative, Rules-Light, Character-Driven, Drama, Beginner-Friendly, CC-Licensed Rules, Superpowers | Licensed IP, Superpowers, Character-Driven, Drama, Narrative, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Roleplay-Heavy, Fear & Stress Mechanics, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | Roll a d4–d12 pool built from one Value and one Relationship, with an Asset die if applicable. Add the two highest dice. Dice showing 1 are Complications and never count. Plot Points can add dice to the pool before the roll or include more rolled dice in the total afterward. Tests normally pit your roll against the GM's Trouble pool. Ties go to the GM. Contests exchange action and reaction rolls until someone Gives In or fails to beat the previous total and takes Stress. Giving In concedes the opponent's demand but avoids Stress. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d4–d12 dice pool |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Availability | Paid | Out of print |
| Runnability | 4 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | CC BY 4.0 | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Magpie Games | Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd. |
| Year | 2016 | 2010 |
| Languages | English, French, German | English |
| Best For | Teen superhero drama where identity, relationships, and emotional stakes matter more than punching villains. | Groups who want superhero stories driven by relationship drama, where the player characters' convictions and loyalties clash with each other as often as they face villains. |
| Highlights | Labels system makes identity the core conflict, 10 distinct playbooks, low prep for GM, encourages drama and character growth | Challenging a Drive triples its die for one roll but steps it back for the episode, turning a crisis of conviction into Growth. Group character creation builds a shared map of people and places that supplies material for later episodes. When an opponent fails to beat your action result, they take Stress rather than concede your demand, making Giving In a separate choice. |
| Considerations | 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 | Creating an original cast through Pathways takes a few hours of group work before the first episode. Episode preparation centers on conflicts between player characters rather than a unified party's shared objective. Winning a Contest cannot kill a character by itself, because killing in a Contest requires that character's player to Give In and accept death. |