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