Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

Product– Marvel Multiverse RPG Core Rule Book

System– Marvel Multiverse RPG

Producer– Marvel

Price– $19.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/535688/marvel-multiverse-rpg-core-rule-book?affiliate_id=658618

TL; DR– Solid heroism, but some fumbles on execution. 92%

Basics- AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Marvel Multiverse RPG is the latest RPG featuring Marvel comics. Will the heroes be successful, or will evil triumph?

Basic mechanics and stats: This is a 3d6 system, kind of. The basics are roll 3d6, add a modifier from their base stats, and see if it hits a different modifier. But one of the dice is the Marvel die. This die does not have a one, but a second six on the logo. If you roll that logo its a fantastic result. It can be a fantastic success or a fantastic failure, but it can also be something better than expected. After the roll and addition, if you roll the DC, you succeed. Below, and you fail.

Trouble and Edge: Good and bad situations affect the roll. Good situations or spending a character resource called karma give the character an edge. Edge allows a character to reroll the lowest die on a roll. Bad situations or spending karma give trouble. Trouble forces a character to reroll the highest result and take a worse result. Trouble and edge cancel, and a situation can have multiple edge or trouble resulting in multiple rerolls.

Combat: Combat is the same we all know and love in RPGs. Players roll initiative, and any character getting a fantastic result gets a bonus round. Each round, a character can move and do an action. Actions are grabs, attacks, or other things that take about six seconds. Attacking is the bulk of those actions, and it functions just like all other RPGs. You declare who you are attacking and how. Melee is simple, and weapons work like all other RPGs. You are aiming for a DC based on the stats the other character has. The big change is damage. Damage is based on the Marvel die and multiple multipliers. Characters add their rank and their base stat together. This is the multiplier for the Marvel die. Then, if it’s a melee attack, you add your strength again to damage. Damage reduction is also interesting. It reduces the multiplier, and if the multiplier falls to 0 or below, the attack does no damage!

Powers- It wouldn’t be superheroes if they didn’t have powers. Power is like feats and magic spells in any other system. Each one tells you exactly how to use it. Some require the use of focus. You can think of focus like magic points in other systems. You can use focus to power your powers while you have some, and resting gives you some back.

Ok superheroes, let’s get to the breakdown!

Mechanics or Crunch: This is an interesting twist on a 3d6-based system. I’ve played multiple d6 systems, and while this has heavy GURPS vibes, that’s ok. It’s inspired by, not stolen from, that system. It does enough of its own thing with the Marvel die to keep things interesting. Also, 3d6 keeps the system from being too swingy as d20 systems can be. I love me some DnD, but the d20 can crush you. 3d6 does a nice job of keeping the 9-11 average. I don’t necessarily love the add-then-multiply-by-a-different-thing approach, but it’s ok. It does make the more powerful characters MUCH more powerful than the rabble! 5/5

Theme or Fluff– Do you like Marvel comics and movies? That’s the single answer if you like this RPG. If not, then you won’t like this theme. The book has a lot of background on the universe and provides multiple heroes, villains, and universes to play in. Considering that Spider-Ham gets a shoutout, it’s deep enough for most casual fans to learn stuff. This book is solid enough for an intro to the world of Marvel Comics. 5/5

Execution: Here is where I have some issues. The book is well written and easy to read quickly. But there are no hyperlinks. It’s a big book, and there is a lot to flip through with no linking in 2026. Also, the book features multiple heroes and villains, but it lacks an adventure. The company gives away an adventure and characters to play with, but it doesn’t link to them on Drive Thru on the game’s main page. It’s on a second page that you have to search for. Help me run this system for my friends! Don’t make me search extra! 3.75/5

Summary– This is a good book with some smaller problems. I like the mechanics and the theme. Those are solid and will get you playing quickly. But the lack of modern conveniences hurts the production. Also, the lack of a simple adventure and characters to play as hurts, too. It’s not enough to keep me away, but be aware that there are those things, and they have them ready, but not linked on the page where you buy the book. That’s a forgivable issue, but something you need to be aware off. 92%

Product– Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Games Playtest Rulebook

System- d616

Producer– Marvel

Price– $9.99 here https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Multiverse-Role-Playing-Game-Playtest/dp/1302934244 

TL; DR-A solid evolution of GURPS 93%

Basics– AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! The Multiverse Role-Playing Game is the newest version of Marvel role-playing game. Let’s look at the game play, theme, and execution in our break down of the Marvel Multiverse role-playing game.

Basic mechanics/d616 system- Like most other RPGs, this system is roll dice, add number, see if successful. What sets this system apart is the basic mechanic of 2d6 and a separate d6. The separate d6 is your Marvel die where the six is a six, but a one is used as a six. Thus you have two normal dice and a die with two sixes increasing the likelihood of higher rolls.

Edge, trouble and Karma– Like most other modern RPGs, this system has reroll abilities. If your character has advantages like equipment or special powers, you can reroll dice, taking the higher roll. Trouble is the opposite of edge where the game master, called the narrator, can make you reroll dice and take the lower value. Karma is a resource you can spend when you choose to reroll a single die on any check.

Character Generation- Character generation is relatively easy. Your group chooses a rank between 0, basic human, to 25, god-like power, a concept, archetype, basically a class, spend ability points, pick backstory elements that function as traits, choose powers,and calculate final scores. This is a very class-based system, so you choose a class and that’s what you do. Right now you can’t blend classes, but this is a playtest. The archetype you choose determines how your different character attributes change as you level up and spend points to advance. Interestingly, each attribute also has a corresponding defense value similar to DnD 5e for saving throws.

Powers- Powers are the equivalent of feats in DnD. Your backstory, rank and concept affect what powers you have access too. Also interestingly, there are the equivalent of feat trees as you can become more powerful in a particular area.

Combat-Combat is similar to most other RPGs. You start with initiative and on your turn you can take different actions like easy actions, actions like talking quickly, standard actions, attacking or doing something complicated, movement, and off turn actions like reactions. Attacks are against specific defenses, and success means you do damage according to your archetype. Damage is reduced by specific damage resistances which give a specific value.

Ok, let’s see our thoughts on it.

Mechanics or Crunch– This system feels like an interesting evolution of the GURPS system mixed with modern ideas. The system works decently well, but the system makes a few strange steps to make the d616 system happen. The idea of a die having two sixes is interesting but it’s done because the basic universe for the Marvel comics is the 616 universe ( for reference we live in the universe 1218). That said, the basic ideas are things most RPG players will know and love and pick up quickly. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff– There isn’t much to say except this is done well. You have the Marvel comics people doing the Marvel Comics RPG. They know their characters so what you see here feels like the Marvel comics. 5/5

Execution– I love everything I see here with one exception. The book has a great layout, solid writing, and good pictures. It has several premade characters and a whole adventure all for under 10 bucks! What I don’t like is I can’t just buy a PDF. I can buy digital via roll20, but I can’t just go to drive thru RPG and buy a PDF. This is good for the comic shops, but I want to read this via my tablet or phone via PDF. This is strange as I can buy via Kindle, so why not the usual places? 4.5/5

Summary– Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Games is a good evolution of game design and production. The system is good despite the quaint use of the die that breaks down to two sixes on it. The story is solid as solid stories and theme is what Marvel does. The execution is great, but I am annoyed that I can’t buy this where I get most of my RPGs. Overall, this is a solid game that, if you or your fellow true believers want a comic book adventure oneshot, is well worth picking up. 93%

Tag: Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

Ring Side Report: RPG Review of Marvel Multiverse RPG Core Rule Book

Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game