Category Archives: What if comic book fights?

Dungeons and Dragrons vs. Marvel

I like Marvel characters more than D&D characters.  I grew up on Marvel and was only introduced to D&D because all my buddies were playing this weird minis D&D game that I got addicted to. I do like the D&D miniatures system much more than the HeroClix system. 

 

I have thought of porting some of the Marvel characters into the D&D system but am way too lazy and I haven’t been able to come up with good conceptual system to make this happen but this got me to thinking about how these two universes compare.  As much as possible I tried to create battle scenarios between characters that are similar in a manner similar to the DC vs. Marvel Mini-series (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_vs._DC)  For example Aquaman vs. Namor the submariner.

 

D&D vs. Marvel 1: Avengers Assemble

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

Colossal Red Dragon vs. Hulk

Tordek vs. Captain America  

Storm Archer vs. Hawkeye

Blackguard on Nightmare vs. Black Knight

D&D vs. Marvel 2: The Big Boys

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

RPG stats for the D&D side since no minis for the characters listed

Nerul vs. Galactus

Night Walker vs. Marvel Thor

Hextor vs. Marvel Odin

Tiamat vs. Marvel Hercules

Kord vs. Marvel Zeus

 

 

D&D vs. Marvel 3: Battle of the Elements

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

Fire Elemental vs. Human Torch

Ice Elemental vs. Ice Man

Earth Elemental vs. Sandman

Water Elemental vs. Hydro-Man

Iron Golem vs. Iron Man

 

D&D vs. Marvel 4: Battle of the Mages

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

Elminster of Shadowdale vs. Doctor Strange

Mordenkainen the Mage vs. Doctor Strange

 

D&D vs. Marvel 5: Creatures of the Night

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

Count Strahd Von Zarovich vs. Blade

Count Strahd Von Zarovich vs. Marvel Dracula

Average D&D Werewolf vs. Average Marvel Werewolf. 

Average D&D Zombie vs. Average Marvel Zombie 

Average D&D Vampire vs. Average Marvel Vampire  

 

D&D vs. Marvel 6: Others

There is no preparation.

Both opponents have been suddenly teleported to a gladiatorial amphitheater surrounded by a force field.

Storm Rage Shambler vs. Man Thing

Wolverine vs. Troll.  Both can regenerate and are brawlers with sharp claws

Ghostly Consort vs. Invisible Girl

 

All the D&D characters mentioned are minis and their picture and stats can be easily found at:

http://www.vesivus.com/minis/All.htm

My other website at:

Fox Superpower List

 

 

Superheroic Abilities in d20 Terms

            This paper was found on the internet minus authorship, that I will be more than happy to give credit to, if I am contacted, and  is a brief primer in how d20 (D&D 3rd Edition) statistics can be used to describe wildly inhuman abilities, such as would be seen in comic-book type superheroes or, presumably, deity-level entities.

            Fortunately, the D&D Player’s Handbook provides an excellent starting place on p. 142 with Table 9-1, “Carrying Capacity”, which shows a geometrically increasing maximum load as the Strength ability increases (the text notes that maximum load is the same as maximum dead-lift, the amount a character can lift over his or her head). Each +10 Strength connotes a x4 increase in maximum load; so, each +5 Strength indicates a x2 increase in max. load; and for a perfectly smooth interpolation, each +1 Strength means a x1.1487 increase in max. load. Note that this progression breaks down at the lowest level; if it were perfectly consistent, the max. loads at the bottom end would be something like Str 0 = 25 lb./ Str 1 = 30 lb./ Str 2 = 35 lb./ Str 3 = 40 lb./ Str 4 = 45 lb. (as opposed to Str x10 lb. as it officially stands). Further note that the actual carrying capacity is also proportional to a creature’s size, according to the text; for example, a Colossal creature can lift x16 the weight that a man-sized creature with the exact same Strength ability score could.

 

Conversion from Marvel Super Heroes to D&D

            The abbreviated table for d20 Strength below includes the Marvel Super Heroes game rank indicated for each approximate block of Strength scores. (Keep in mind that very large creatures listed with a certain lift capacity will in reality have a lower actual Strength score, as noted above.) Using this as a basis allows us to convert any of the Marvel Super Heroes abilities into approximate D&D-style statistics. It seems sensible to convert MSH abilities in the following way: Fighting = Base Attack Bonus (according to “modifier” on the table below); Strength = Strength; Agility = Dexterity; Endurance = Constitution; Reason = Intelligence; Intuition = Wisdom; and Psyche = Charisma. The notable systemic changes in this regard would be that in MSH, Agility is the basis for ranged attacks (in D&D, BAB modified by Dex), and Intuition provides the modifier to initiative rolls (in D&D, it’s Dex, not Wis).

(Note also that the chart below has had some smoothing performed on it, since the official MSH strength categories are quite irregular. By the book, the categories would convert to the following Strength values: Feeble:5, Poor:10, Typical:15, Good:20, Excellent:25, Remarkable:32, Incredible:48, Amazing:60, Monstrous:63, Unearthly:65.)

            Superheroic characters, of course, will also have a variety of Special Abilities as listed in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide p. 71-83. Of particular note will be things like rays, regeneration, resistance to energy, cold and fire, incorporeality, invisibility, and so forth. Damage reduction (“body armor” in the MSH system) should be analyzed with an eye toward being able to protect against a blow with a Strength modifier of the same rank (as shown below). Most MSH-style magicians will be Sorcerers in the D&D system.

 

 

	D&D Tremendous Strength (Abbreviated)
	As per D&D 3rd Edition PH p. 142 (Table 9-12)
			Dead Lift/	Marvel Super Heroes
	Strength	Modifier	Max. Load	Equivalent Rank
	10	0	100 lb.
	15	+2	200 lb.	Typical
	20	+5	400 lb.	Good
	25	+7	800 lb.
	30	+10	1,600 lb.	Excellent
	35	+12	1½ tons	Remarkable
	40	+15	3 tons
	45	+17	6 tons	Incredible
	50	+20	12 tons	Amazing
	55	+22	25 tons
	60	+25	50 tons	Monstrous
	65	+27	100 tons	Unearthly
	70	+30	200 tons
	75	+32	400 tons	Shift X
	80	+35	800 tons	Shift Y
	85	+37	1,600 tons
	90	+40	3,200 tons	Shift Z
	95	+42	6,400 tons	Class 1000
	100	+45	12,800 tons

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