Heroes Unlimited

Last updated

Heroes Unlimited
Heroes Unlimited 2nd ed RPG 1998.jpg
Front cover of Heroes Unlimited, Revised Second Edition, illustrated by Jim Steranko
Designers Kevin Siembieda, Carmen Bellaire, Wayne Breaux Jr., Bill Coffin, Kevin Long, et al.
Publishers Palladium Books
PublicationAugust 1984 (1984-08) (1st edition)
April 1987 (1987-04) (Rev. edition)
January 1993 (1993-01) (rev. 9th print)
March 1998 (1998-03) (2nd edition)
Years active1984–present
Genres Superhero
Languages English
Systems Megaversal
Website palladiumbooks.com

Heroes Unlimited is a superhero role-playing game written by Kevin Siembieda and first published by Palladium Books in 1984. The game is based upon the Palladium Books Megaversal system and is compatible with other games that use the Palladium system.

Contents

Description

Heroes Unlimited features superheroes fighting supervillains in a comic book-like world. The game's introduction states that the game was designed to be a "thinking man's" superhero role-playing game where the characters were vulnerable and could not amass an incredible number of skills or abilities. [1] The experience point-system of the game allowed users to defeat one's enemies with heroic sacrifice. Characters in the game are defined by "the eight attributes", skills (dependent on education level), and class, which allows the selection of certain powers or enhanced skills or equipment. The classes include super-powered beings to aliens to technology-based or special-training-based characters. Some classes and super-powers (such as the ancient master class or invulnerability powers) start powerful but do not mature, while other classes and powers have effects strongly tied to character level.

The second edition of the game added updates to the previous supplements, in addition to the new play options, along with several new supplements produced by Palladium Books. This edition added new powers and minor rule changes which allowed users to expand play options by adding superpowers to classes, the introduction of the "crazy" heroes option, and added magic-powered characters to the game at the request of the players. The revised edition also included a short rules summary of the Palladium game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness , adding mutant animal character rules and a shortened selection of animals for character creation. The mutant animal characters are generally weaker than standard heroes as the TMNT supplement Turtles Go Hollywood noted.

Publication history

Heroes Unlimited was first published by Palladium Books in 1984 and revised in 1987. A second edition was published in 1998.

Sourcebooks

  1. The Justice Machine — first printing in 1985
  2. Villains Unlimited — first printing in 1992 (revised for Heroes Unlimited, 2nd Edition, 1999)
  3. Aliens Unlimited — first printing in 1994 (revised for Heroes Unlimited, 2nd Edition, 1999)
  4. Gamemaster's Guide — first printing June 1999
  5. Century Station — first printing February 2000
  6. Gramercy Island — first printing November 2000
  7. Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide — first printing May 2001
  8. Mutant Underground — first printing February 2003
  9. Powers Unlimited — first printing June 2003
  10. Powers Unlimited 2 — first printing February 2004
  11. Powers Unlimited 3 — first printing August 2006
  12. Armageddon Unlimited — first printing February 2011 (ties in with the Megaverse-wide Minion War)

Reception

William A. Barton reviewed Heroes Unlimited in Space Gamer No. 72. [2] Barton commented that "if you desire hero-types like Batman, Captain America, Robotman, or Wolverine, Heroes Unlimited is a superbuy, even if you use it as nothing more than a sourcebook for an existing game". [2]

In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games , game critic Rick Swan thought this game had "an appealing, versatile system, though it's also unfocused and a little bland." Swan noted that mutant and alien heroes had a large advantage over heroes from Earth, and commented, "it makes for an unbalanced role-playing game." Swan concluded by giving the game a rating of 2.5 out of 4, saying, "It's an excellent source of ideas, however, especially the sections on robotics and equipment, and makes a nice supplement for any of the other superhero games." [3]

In a 1996 readers' poll by British games magazine Arcane to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time, Heroes Unlimited was ranked 40th. Editor Paul Pettengale commented: "Superhero roleplaying for the Palladium player, but not all that easy to pick up". [4]

Other reviews and commentary

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Heroes</span> 1984 superhero role-playing game

Golden Heroes is a British superhero role-playing game that was originally written and published on an amateur basis in 1981, and then republished in a more complete and professional form by Games Workshop in 1984.

<i>GURPS Supers</i>

GURPS Supers is a superhero roleplaying game written by Loyd Blankenship and published by Steve Jackson Games. The first edition was published in 1989.

<i>Villains and Vigilantes</i> Tabletop superhero role-playing game

Villains and Vigilantes is a superhero-themed role-playing game which competed primarily with Champions and Superworld in the early to mid-1980s.

<i>Champions</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop superhero role-playing game

Champions is a role-playing game published by Hero Games designed to simulate a superhero comic book world. It was originally created by George MacDonald and Steve Peterson in collaboration with Rob Bell, Bruce Harlick and Ray Greer. The latest edition of the game uses the sixth edition of the Hero System, as revised by Steve Long, and was written by Aaron Allston. It was released in early 2010.

<i>Castle Falkenstein</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop role-playing game

Castle Falkenstein is a steampunk-themed fantasy role-playing game (RPG) designed by Mike Pondsmith and originally published by R. Talsorian Games in 1994. The game is named for a legendary unbuilt castle in the Bavarian Alps. Players play the roles of gallant adventurers who take on quests of intrigue and derring-do in the spirit of Victorian adventures such as The Prisoner of Zenda.

<i>Rifts</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop role-playing game

Rifts is a multi-genre role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in August 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books since then. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, deriving elements from cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, mythology and many other genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palladium Books</span> Game publisher

Palladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games (RPGs) best known for its Rifts series (1990–present). Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan, by current president and lead game designer Kevin Siembieda, and is now based in Westland, Michigan. The company enjoys the support of a small but dedicated fanbase who praise its various game series for their innovative settings and ease of adaptability to various personal preferences, play styles, and power levels.

Erick A. Wujcik was an American designer of both pen-and-paper and computer role-playing games, and co-founder of Palladium Books.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness</i> Role-playing game based on the comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness is a role-playing game based on the comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The core rulebook was first published by Palladium Books in September 1985 – before the Turtles franchise achieved mass popularity – and featured original comic strips and illustrations by Eastman and Laird. The rules and gameplay are based on Palladium's Megaversal system.

<i>Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a fantasy role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ninjas & Superspies</span> Tabletop role-playing game

Ninjas & Superspies is a modern-day espionage role-playing game published in 1988 by Palladium Books that delves into martial arts as a form of combat.

Bill Coffin is a writer of novels and role-playing games in the fantasy and science fiction genres. Perhaps best known for his work at Palladium Books from July 1998 through May 2002, he made significant contributions to several of Palladium's game series, most notably Palladium Fantasy, but also Heroes Unlimited and Rifts, and created his own game, Systems Failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightbane</span> Tabletop role-playing game and campaign setting

Nightbane is a dark fantasy role-playing game and setting created by C. J. Carella and published by Palladium Books.

<i>Beyond the Supernatural</i> Horror role-playing game

Beyond the Supernatural is a horror role-playing game published by Palladium Books. It has seen two editions released, both of which have introduced innovations to Palladium's standard mechanics. A versatile horror-themed game, it lends itself well to wildly different play styles and narrative tones, from schlock splatter-horror to intense psychological horror, with an entire spectrum of terror in between. Beyond the Supernatural is implicitly set in the modern day, wherein magic and psychic powers are real and monsters and demonic cults exist, but out of the public eye. This, however, is not set in stone, and most of the character classes are flexible enough to account for variant settings or time periods.

<i>Conspiracy X</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Conspiracy X is a role-playing game (RPG) originally released by New Millennium Entertainment in 1996, and since revised and released by several publishers including Steve Jackson Games and Eden Studios, Inc. In all versions, the setting posits that aliens are insiduously taking over the world, reminiscent of The X-Files.

<i>The Mechanoid Invasion</i> 1981 science fiction role-playing game

The Mechanoid Invasion was the first role-playing game from Palladium Books, published in 1981. The science fiction setting places human settlers at odds with a deadly cybernetic invasion force.

<i>Recon</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop modern military role-playing game

Recon is a military role-playing game where players assume the role of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. The first edition featured a wargame with role-playing elements, somewhat like Behind Enemy Lines and Twilight 2000, then gradually evolved into a full role-playing game.

Old Ones is a book written by Kevin Siembieda and published by Palladium Books in 1984 for the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game. The book outlines the Old Ones, a fictional race of Alien Intelligences within the megaverse setting of the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game system. After the second edition of the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game was published in 1996, an updated edition of Old Ones was released in 1997.

Kevin Long is an American graphic artist best known for his airbrush paintings and black-and-white illustrations in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. He was a principal artist at Palladium Books from 1986 until 1995 and served as one of the original contributors to the Rifts role-playing game (RPG) series.

<i>Palladium Fantasy RPG Book 3: Adventures on the High Seas</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Palladium Fantasy RPG Book 3: Adventures on the High Seas is a role-playing game supplement for Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game published by Palladium Books in 1987. An updated edition was published in 1996.

References

  1. ↑ Siembieda, Kevin (1984). Heroes Unlimited. Detroit, MI.: Palladium Book.
  2. 1 2 Barton, William A. (Jan–Feb 1985). "Capsule Reviews". Space Gamer (72). Steve Jackson Games: 35.
  3. ↑ Swan, Rick (1990). The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games . New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 101.
  4. ↑ Pettengale, Paul (Christmas 1996). "Arcane Presents the Top 50 Roleplaying Games 1996". Arcane (14). Future Publishing: 25–35.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.