Superpowered vs Vampire: The Masquerade
Compare Superpowered and Vampire: The Masquerade side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Superpowered | Vampire: The Masquerade | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Modern, Superhero | Horror, Modern |
| Play Style | Rules-Light, Superhero, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Character-Driven | Social Intrigue, Faction Play, Urban Fantasy, Corruption, Drama, Investigation, Lore-Heavy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + skill level vs. a difficulty number (4+ easy to 10+ formidable). Characters have 7 broad skills, Endurance (stamina), and Lifeblood (health). Superpowers are defined by a Power source (from 36 options like Fire, Cosmic, or Speed) that grants themed Abilities. Weaknesses grant bonus Abilities. D66 tables generate random powers and origins. | Roll a pool of d10s (attribute + skill), count successes (6+). Hunger dice replace regular dice in the pool: their 10s trigger Messy Criticals and their 1s trigger Bestial Failures, making the Beast an ever-present threat. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d10 dice pool |
| Complexity | Very Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | High | Very High |
| License | OGL 1.0a | Proprietary |
| Cost | $ | $$ |
| Publisher | Stellagama Publishing | Renegade Game Studios |
| Year | 2020 | 2018 |
| Best For | Quick superhero campaigns with a simple 2d6 engine: build any hero from 36 power sources, take a weakness, and leap into four-color action without heavy rules. | Drama-heavy campaigns exploring themes of addiction, power, and losing your humanity. |
| Highlights | Simple 2d6 rules, 36 diverse power sources with unique ability lists, quick character creation, OGL-compatible with Cepheus Engine material, includes heroes, villains, and creatures ready to play | Hunger system mechanically integrates the vampire's predatory nature into every dice roll. Clan membership and sect politics structure who a character allies with and opposes, giving the social game mechanical weight. Humanity and Stains system tracks moral erosion with narrative consequences. |
| Considerations | Very niche, limited advancement system, superhero genre only, lacks the depth of crunchier supers games | Hunger dice inject swingy results at the worst moments, since a Bestial Failure can surface on a critical roll. Play leans heavily on social and political maneuvering, so groups expecting frequent combat will find that side of the system thin. Choosing a clan and predator type at creation assumes setting knowledge the player may not have yet. |