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GURPS Supers is a sourcebook for those who would like to run a superhero game using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS game system. The book covers the basics of superhero character creation, a list of common superpowers, and hints and instructions for combining a superheroic campaign with "the realism of the GURPS system." However, GURPS Supers is not a complete game: you need to buy at least the GURPS Basic Set in addition to GURPS Supers to play a superheroic campaign. In addition, if you want to create psychic characters you need to buy GURPS Psionics, and if you want to play a magician you need to buy GURPS Magic: GURPS Supers doesn't cover these kinds of characters.

Unfortunately, GURPS and superheroes do not mesh well. The author has tried valiantly to adapt the world of comics to the "realistic" GURPS system, but the inherent flaws in GURPS are only exacerbated by trying to expand it to cover the near-infinite number of powers and abilities in the superheroic genre. Some powers are described using a "special-effect" paradigm (e.g. "Speak with Plants," "Speak with Animals," and "Speak with Fish" are all distict, separate powers), while other powers are described based on the effect (e.g. "Insubstantiality" is described based on its effect in the game, leaving the "special-effect" of the power up to the player). The lack of an underlying rationale for the costs of powers in GURPS results in a long, internally inconsistent list of powers from which the players pick their character's abilities like entrees at a cafeteria.

However, the book does have its good points. Approximately the last twenty percent of the book is devoted to the creation of a campaign world, with a sample background setting that is both interesting and ripe with adventure seeds. The sidebar material scattered randomly through the book in typical GURPS fashion also has some interesting and useful suggestions for superheroic characters and campaigns, and although the placement of this material in the book has little rhyme or reason, the excellent index makes it easy to find something once you know what you're looking for.

If you already use GURPS and have no interest in learning anything else, and if you already own the GURPS Basic Set, GURPS Psionics, and GURPS Magic, then you would find GURPS Supers a worthy addition to your collection. It has much to recommend it from that standpoint. However, if you are not already devoted to GURPS, you would be better off avoiding GURPS Supers and buying instead one of the several stand-alone superhero role-playing games (I prefer Champions, but you might prefer the less complex Marvel Role-Playing or DC Heroes, if you can find them), all of which have better mechanics for superpowers and do not require the purchase of three additional books to run a game.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 3 (Average)

GURPS Supers (Second Edition)
Author: Loyd Blankenship Category: game Company/Publisher: Steve Jackson Games Cost: US$17.95 Page count: 127 pages Playtest Review by Brandon Blackmoor on 07/31/98. Genre tags: none	GURPS Supers is a sourcebook for those who would like to run a superhero game using Steve Jackson Games' GURPS game system. The book covers the basics of superhero character creation, a list of common superpowers, and hints and instructions for combining a superheroic campaign with "the realism of the GURPS system." However, GURPS Supers is not a complete game: you need to buy at least the GURPS Basic Set in addition to GURPS Supers to play a superheroic campaign. In addition, if you want to create psychic characters you need to buy GURPS Psionics, and if you want to play a magician you need to buy GURPS Magic: GURPS Supers doesn't cover these kinds of characters. Unfortunately, GURPS and superheroes do not mesh well. The author has tried valiantly to adapt the world of comics to the "realistic" GURPS system, but the inherent flaws in GURPS are only exacerbated by trying to expand it to cover the near-infinite number of powers and abilities in the superheroic genre. Some powers are described using a "special-effect" paradigm (e.g. "Speak with Plants," "Speak with Animals," and "Speak with Fish" are all distict, separate powers), while other powers are described based on the effect (e.g. "Insubstantiality" is described based on its effect in the game, leaving the "special-effect" of the power up to the player). The lack of an underlying rationale for the costs of powers in GURPS results in a long, internally inconsistent list of powers from which the players pick their character's abilities like entrees at a cafeteria. However, the book does have its good points. Approximately the last twenty percent of the book is devoted to the creation of a campaign world, with a sample background setting that is both interesting and ripe with adventure seeds. The sidebar material scattered randomly through the book in typical GURPS fashion also has some interesting and useful suggestions for superheroic characters and campaigns, and although the placement of this material in the book has little rhyme or reason, the excellent index makes it easy to find something once you know what you're looking for. If you already use GURPS and have no interest in learning anything else, and if you already own the GURPS Basic Set, GURPS Psionics, and GURPS Magic, then you would find GURPS Supers a worthy addition to your collection. It has much to recommend it from that standpoint. However, if you are not already devoted to GURPS, you would be better off avoiding GURPS Supers and buying instead one of the several stand-alone superhero role-playing games (I prefer Champions, but you might prefer the less complex Marvel Role-Playing or DC Heroes, if you can find them), all of which have better mechanics for superpowers and do not require the purchase of three additional books to run a game. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 3 (Average)

GURPS Supers (Second Edition)