Capes (role-playing game)

Capes

Designers| Tony Lower-Basch
Publishers| Muse of Fire Games
Publication| 2005
Genres| Indie, Superhero
Systems| Custom

Capes is a role-playing game by Tony Lower-Basch, independently published by Muse of Fire Games.

## Gameplay

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Capes is one of the role-playing game systems published in the early 2000s to not require a gamemaster.[1][2][3] Capes was designed with the question in mind of whether 'Power is fun-but do you deserve it?'; its game mechanics were designed for players to explore that theme during play.[4][5] Capes is a superhero storytelling game where all players play all of the characters in common to tell a comic book story rather than play the adventures of one character per player.[6]

It is a superhero role-playing game played in "scenes", in which players choose what character to play before each new scene. The game is a competitive storytelling game without a GM. Players create and play the villains who oppose other players' heroes.

Characters are generally co-owned, but controlled by one player at a time. Losers in conflicts can earn "story tokens" that can be used to influence the game, so it's sometimes beneficial to play a supervillain that gets beaten to get more story tokens.

The game also has a "gloating rule" that emulates situations where (for example) the villain can easily kill the heroes.

The only known module for the system is "Invasion from Earth Prime"

## Reception

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Jeremy Reaban for RPGnet reviewed the game and stated that "Capes is a very unusual new role-playing game from Muse of Fire Studio, available through the good folks at Indie Press Revolution. At first glance, it's a super-hero game, but in reality, it's almost a completely different sort of role-playing game. Role-playing games generally separate the game part from the role-playing. Capes actually makes a game out of the role-playing itself."[7]

The reviewer from the online second volume of Pyramid said that "In this era of thick and heavy superhero rulebooks, a slim little volume like Capes seems downright casual and cute. Don't be fooled. Capes offers a challenge unlike any in the comic book gaming niche, one which some players will take up with glee."[8]

The reviewer from superherorpgs.com said that "For players who value role-playing over 'roll-playing,' Capes offers a fresh alternative to the glut of superhero games already on the market. Longtime players accustomed to stringent rules and tables may have some initial difficulty adjusting to the open-ended gameplay, but first-time gamers should adapt quickly. While most superhero role-playing sessions are considered disappointing if the good guys lose, Capes allows you to win regardless of who comes out on top."[9]

Capes was nominated for Best Game and Best Rules at the 2005 ENnie Awards.[10][11]

## References

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1. ^ "The role-playing society : essays on the cultural influence of RPGs". Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. August 17, 2016 - via Internet Archive.
2. ^ "Interview with the Creator of 'Capes,' A Super-Hero RPG". October 6, 2008.
3. ^ Reed, Aaron A. (June 2017). Changeful Tales: Design-Driven Approaches Toward More Expressive Storygames (PhD thesis). University of California, Santa Cruz. p. 311\. ProQuest 1946181263.
4. ^ White, William J. (2020). Tabletop RPG Design in Theory and Practice at the Forge, 2001–2012: Designs and Discussions. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 130\. ISBN 978-3-030-52818-8. Retrieved August 11, 2024 - via Google Books.
5. ^ "RPG Design Patterns". September 13, 2009 - via Internet Archive.
6. ^ Meadows, Chris (August 23, 2007). "PDF bundling in role-playing games: Spirit of the Century and Capes".
7. ^ Reaban, Jeremy (March 25, 2005). "Review of Capes". RPGnet. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
8. ^ "Pyramid Review: Capes. Designed, Written, & Art by Tony Lower-Basch". Pyramid. October 21, 2005. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
9. ^ RPGs, Superhero (June 10, 2012). "Capes RPG Review".
10. ^ "Capes - RPGnet RPG Game Index". index.rpg.net.
11. ^ "Capes | RPG | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com.

## External links

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* Official homepage of Capes
* Discussion forum for Capes at The Forge