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BASH! Ultimate Edition $34.95 $9.99
Average Rating:4.6 / 5
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by YANN E. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/18/2018 05:55:28

Hello,

This review is based on reading only. I have not yet played the game.

Bash does not seems to be a complicated RPG. The basic book contains all what is needed to play and run the game : character creation with small and not overwhelming budget, easy rules to play (if you know multiplications), a lot of powers to choose, good advice for the game master, a setting chapter who describes 10 of the most used comics settings and how to implement them in play and a lot of already made heroes and villains for all power levels covered by the game.

It is a game I could run somehow in the future. My only small gripes are : Hit Points, I don’t think Hit Points is a good thing in a superhero RPG and the tactical aspect of the game which, I think is playable without a battlegrid but seems to requires one anyway.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Christopher B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/03/2014 11:34:02

A simple but deep Superhero game, not played it but having looked through it and converted characters from another system I like it. Looking forward to running it.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Christian F. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/19/2013 22:48:25

I haven't enjoyed reading a game this much since my Champions boxed set in 1982. In fact, I was having flashbacks. I got so excited, I dug up all my old characters and started writing them up for BASH! UE.

The system has a lot of variety but is a pretty simple point-buy process. Some of the powers could use a little more explanation, and there are some typos, but for the most part, it's great fun.

A great part of the appeal is the layout and the illustrations. Large type, easy to read; simple animation style images that really capture the feel of super-hero animation shows like Justice League and Avengers. I'd say this would be a great starter game for kids 12 and up. Probably younger with some guidance.

For an old school gamer like me, it was a breath of fresh air.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Matthew K. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/26/2012 11:06:55

Very nice game! The rules tend to fall more into the quick-and-easy side for character creation and game play. It actually strikes me a little as "Hero or GURPS Light." Players have the ability to tailor their powers and skills but without the mind-numbing detail that many Supers game systems go into. Distinctions between superhuman and normal human attribute levels is included as well. For my taste, this game has enough detail without having too much. The presentation of the book is quite good as well I think, with simple and attractive artwork. There is also clear mechanisms for creating characters for different levels of superpowers from pulp low-powered heroes all the way up to Cosmic.

My only criticism is that there is not much in the way of a traditional character improvement system, and even at the lowest levels of power characters can start with a maximum point cost spent in several of what I would consider to be the "foundational" powers, like flight, armor, energy blast, etc. The author is honest however in stating that the game play favored by this system is one where the characters, just like in the comics, change little from issue to issue and only change after numerous adventures. Therefore in my opinion the system favors character change, growth, and development more from what happens during adventures, rather than accumulating and spending experience points. There is an experience point system in the rules, but you can tell that this is not a significant part of the game from the author's point of view. In some ways, frankly, I found it refreshing, especially in terms of a supers game.

All in all I really liked this product and found it to be EASILY worth the $9.99 I spent on it. I hope to see more supportive material for the system in the future. I would actually rate this as 4.5.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Emma M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/14/2012 19:13:06

At just over 140 pages, you'd be forgiven for thinking BASH was a beer-&-pretzels, no-brainer kind of game. Don't be fooled for a second. The writing is tight & concise, the artwork fun (while a bit too DC Animated for my taste), and above all, the system is player -and- GM-friendly, a rare thing in an ever-increasing market of superhero titles. Character creation is effortless, and encourages the player to think in terms of the character as a person, not just a set of numbers. There are some critics who say the game lacks 'granularity', but let's be honest, when you've just picked up an M1 Abrams tank, do you care whether you can throw it 45 meters or 50? No, me neither. In the end, the game does exactly what it sets out to: Presents a fast, fun, adaptable & wide-open superhero game with none of the bean-counting of certain other titles. I've played most of the superhero games out there, but when you (and your players) read a new book and ask yourself 'How can I create insert your regular character here in these rules?', you know you've found a keeper. 'Basic' doesn't have to mean 'dumbed-down', and this is one case where it definitely doesn't! Stop reading now & go buy this. Really. You'll be so glad you did.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Timothy B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 02/08/2012 21:24:31

BASH! is a fantastic little game of Super Heroes. Instead of a huge book of powers or effects, BASH instead focuses on "What do you want to do?" and "What kind of hero are you?", Simple, but powerful questions. The game achieves the near miraculous feat of being simple to use and learn and yet powerful enough to keep you interested and coming back to the game. The mechanic is kind of an odd one with multipliers (but I think it works for supers) and exploding doubles on 2d6, which I admit I like. It also has a cool FASRIP-looking chart for die results, so it gives it an old school feel (something all old school supers games had were charts, lots of them!). I like that the main Abilities have been reduced to just three; reminiscent of Tri-Stat, but these a Brawn, Agility Mind (BAM!), which appeals to me. Everything after that are skills and powers. It has it's legions of fans and I can see why.

BASH is a nice alternative to M&M or Icons, both very fine games, but BASH is easier to get going in. Yes, even compared to Icons. In addition to all of that BASH has a great power leveling system to play everything from Street Level Mystery Men to Cosmic "New Gods".

It's not perfect. BUT just like like the comics would sometimes have huge cross-over events, so can games. If you are happy with your current Supers RPG, great, but maybe the characters fall into a wormhole-spacetimebridge-cosmicsink and end up in a BASH universe. At under 10 bucks it is totally worth it.

I have a quibble with the "Bruce Timm" inspired-art. I am not really sure how they got away with that. Now mind you, I like the art. I like Supers games to looks like comics or supers cartoons, but this seems a bit odd to me.

No matter. Bottom line. Great game. Great fun. Great Respons...er sorry, Great Price. If you like supers games then get this.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Ryan S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/08/2011 11:27:56

I have been a loooonnnggg time FASERIP fan since the Yellow Box came out. The advanced set rules were the best representation of fast and fluid supers combat/action ever. Sure, I had a few issues that I would try to house rule (movement was always a mess, an Incredible ranked attack ALWAYS does 40 damage, lack of opposed rolls) but all in all it was my boo. Bought M&M (way too much bean counting) and downloaded Icons (too loosey goosey) but nothing ever could replace MSH FASERIP. I see the appeal of M&M and Icons to others, but they didn't work for me.

For months I'd read up on BASH! UE and came close to buying it but always worried about the simplicity of it. I want simplicity but it seemed too simple. I finally took the plunge over the weekend (9.99 on sale) and am so glad I did. It makes me look at FASERIP and think "what was I waiting for?".

It simple and also very deep and versatile, no small feat. You can make any character you want and they can co-exist with any other power level type of character in your campaign. Sure, Superman will win most of the time but Captain America can make it interesting...just like he would in the world of comics. I love the rules for combat, quick simple, but thanks to hero points/dice any character can surprise (just like the comics!). One thing that drove me crazy in FASERIP and M&M is that Superman/Juggernaut/Magneto/Wolverine could kill almost any other hero in 1-2 actions and that's that. Sure that CAN happen in the comics but it doesn't. BASH! UE gets that. Supers is not a genre where hard core, rigid rules apply. Jubilee and Hawkeye should have the ability to make a real difference once in awhile and BASH! UE allows that with a very solid system.

The thing I keep thinking as I read the rules and make characters is, "this reminds me of when (insert hero) did (insert epic action) and saved the day". BASH! UE captures supers in a way no other game does. For the first time in 30 years I have mothballed all my FASERIP stuff. It's in the closet and BASH! UE is on the shelf.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Gerry S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/21/2010 12:22:10

Much improved over the original edition, BASH UE gives you the tools to run fast paced, comic book style super hero adventures. Rules are not too crunchy, but not too light either.

Includes a GM's section that covers running various genres, from pulp to cosmic level games.

well worth purchasing if you want an alternative to games like M&M/Champions



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Justin P. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 08/24/2010 21:08:11

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of superhero games. The first RPG I ever got my hands on was Champions, which I picked up from a used book store when I was nine years old simply because it had something to do with comic books. Because of that, Hero will always have a place in my heart but I always looked for the supers game that really lets me mimic what I see in the comics without putting a lot of work on anyone. Then I found BASH.

BASH Ultimate Edition quickly moved to the top of my list for superhero games because of simple, fast-paced mechanics, a flexible character creation system and, most importantly, the ability to handle heroes of vastly different power levels without a hitch. This is a game where you can have Dazzler and Thor standing side-by-side and neither one of them is out of place. This is the first game I've played where I can accurately play out the team-ups we see in comics all the time. How is this possible? Hero Points and Hero Dice.

It is a clean, simple system that emulates comic book action. The basic mechanic has you roll 2d6 and multiply it by a number, which is decided by what you are trying to do. Do you want to punch someone? Roll 2d6 times your Agility. Are you shooting someone? Roll 2d6 and multiply it by your Mind. If you roll doubles your dice explode, allowing you to throw another d6 and add it to your roll before multiplying. Hero Points allow a player to modify rolls while Hero Dice can be used to add an additional die to your roll or temporarily gain the use of a new power. Yes, you read that right.

If you are a fan of comic book action I strongly suggest you give BASH Ultimate Edition a try.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Ryan G. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/17/2010 09:58:32

In the 20+ years I've been role-playing this is the best game I've ever had the privilege of playing. It is a simple yet incredibly flexible system, I've yet to find anything I can't do with it. I have used it to simulate everything from Call of Cthulu to Star Wars. If you have one game on your shelf it should be this one.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Ronald B. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 07/11/2010 10:23:25

BASH! Ultimate Edition feels like an indie game and an old school game at the same time. The rules are simple and straightforward: roll 2d6, multiply by stat. There are tables for those averse to math. Just about every power I could think of is in there, and the game seems like it scales well, allowing for play at any level in the comic book super hero genre.

My only gripe is there is advice given in the front of the book about transparency with players, but there are key mechanics buried in the narrator's section. Aside from this foible, BASH! fires on all cylinders.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Timothy S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/03/2010 18:26:54

Like many others interested in BASH!, I've played my share of SuperHero RPG's over the years; dozens of different systems and paradigms. BASH! is easily one of the most fluid for the genre; I mean that the game mechanics flow smoothly, the rules are simple to comprehend in a short time with very no overwhelming amount of detail, yet it covers the use of superpowers and skills very well. The book is well written, although I found it a bit vague at first... it's very important that you review the key terms near the beginning to "get" how the system works; if you don't you'll do what I did and keep looking in vain for definitions of some terms (especially Dice Bonus and Defense). If you take the time to review them (yes, that means you, mister experienced RPG'er), you'll get right into the heart of the system much quicker and enjoy it that much more.

I'm starting a BASH! game next week with my regular group, and so I've decided to make a large pool of characters for them to choose through, and character generation is unbelievably quick. It almost seems too quick to be useable, but it's just an illusion. The characters in BASH! are plenty full of what you need to play a superhero: Powers (many defined, and many more possible with options), skills (a good selection) and advantages/disadvantages (all the rage in many RPG's now-a-days).

I can't recommend BASH! UE enough. It's heresy, but I gotta say it. Give up on FASERIP, and go BASHing!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Creator Reply:
Thanks for your review! That's high praise indeed. Don't forget that for doing a quick pick-up game that you can always use the Sample Archetypes from the back of the book to generate some quickly.
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Thomas B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/03/2010 22:51:50

Pros: The best modern superhero game I have read. The math isn't intimidating, and the gameplay feels like Marvel FASERIP and Marvel SAGA had a baby and this was the result. Characters built under a campaign's power level have Character Points to even the score, and exploding dice mean that breaking mortal limits is entirely possible. As well, a wealth of options are included for task resolution and adjusting genres so you can use BASH UE for Silver Age wackiness or Street Level grittiness.

Cons: The cartoony art isn't going to be to everybody's tastes, and it isn't going to invoke every genre well. Yeah...I'm kinda nitpicking at this point. The biggest "Con" is that I don't have a game going right now, to be honest.

Conclusion: I saw the author promoting the original BASH shamelessly for years, but Bash UE was the one that hooked my attention. I'm glad it did. It combines the flexibility of a Mutants & Masterminds with the user friendliness of the first two Marvel games, and that's a GREAT thing in my book.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by David H. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/30/2010 14:06:57

This is a solid game for those looking for a simple but heroic super-system. It has a wealth of ideas, rules, and suggestions to give your games that super-powered feel.

Likes: The base mechanic (roll 2d6, multiply by character stuff, compare to difficulty) is simple, fast, and a brilliant way to provide a range of results from "untrained joe" to "cosmic super-being" with one system that still allows the occasional surprise (including underdogs winning and super-beings failing). The 100 hit mechanic makes all characters equally healthy, allowing Cyclops to actually be in the same scenes as Thor without breaking the suspension of disbelief. Thor's ability to soak damage without harm is greater, but they both drop after the same amount of damage taken. It uses an intuitive tri-stat system to grant base multipliers. Each power point of character creation feels powerful. This means the 15 point difference between Mystery Men and World-Class Heroes is a gulf that feels nearly insurmountable, making more potent heroes feel more potent.

Dislikes: Layout - the basic layout is attractive (in an austere way) but not helpful when looking for rules. For example, I spent 12 minutes perusing the combat section trying to find the base roll for dealing damage; I finally started reading through the whole chapter from the first line and found it in the opening (descriptive) paragraphs, with no repeated mention and no highlighting to help locate such a key rule of the game. It's 2d6, by the way, multiplied by Brawn (unarmed), weapon value (ranged attacks), or other formula (varies by attack type). The skill system is simple enough (and coincidentally similar to that of the Dragon Age RPG) but there seems to be no way to start with additional skills beyond the slots provided by abilities. So the only way to get certain skillful characters is to raise their Agility and Mind stats well above and beyond what the character deserves to have. Needs more Bookmarks or hypertext cross-indexing. There's too many spots where I wonder how to find a rules that was referenced but not explained. There's very little setting guidance. I freely admit that this is usually wasted on me, but it'd be nice to see more. Though, according to a comment for one of the previous reviews, setting books will be forthcoming.

Value: Very Good. There's a lot of system for a very reasonable price. Not quite enough to make it worth picking up without ever playing the game, but enough to make it worth while when deciding what system to use for a supers campaign.

Quality: Good. The interior art is on par with the cover, the page layout is easily read, and the organization is tolerable. The rules text is clear, when you can find it.

Overall: A good supers game, especially for groups that want something simpler and lighter than most alternatives (M&M, HERO, Savage Worlds) without being hand-waved (Truth & Justice, many others).



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Creator Reply:
Thank you, I appreciate the review. I would like to address two of your points: About damage- after the beginning of Chapter 2, it is also mentioned twice under a heading: there is a heading labeled "Attacks" on page 18 that explains the various types of attacks, how to hit and damage is rolled. On page 19, there is a Heading labeled "Damage and Soak" that also explains it. There is a way to start with more skills- there is an "Intense Training Power" called "Skillful". Each point you put into it gives you 2 additional skill slots. Also, if you want to make a character who is a complete Polyglot, there is an Advantage called "Jack of All Trades" that lets you default with skills at a much smaller penalty. However, these could have been mentioned in the Skills section of Chapter 1, I suppose.
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BASH! Ultimate Edition
Publisher: Basic Action Games
by Alan L. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/03/2010 19:33:26

I have recently had the pleasure of purchasing this PDF and reading it cover to cover twice!

I also have been building NPCs for my upcoming campaign, as well as watching my players build their characters.

We all disliked Mutants & Masterminds immensely as being overly complicated and math heavy, for us.

We are all old school Marvel Super Heroes (FASERIP) players who didn't like 4C.

This game is proving to be just fantastic!

The character creation is fun and thought provoking. If the combat plays half as well as it reads, then it should prove to be loads of fun!

I highly recommend this product!

Now if we could get some setting books like the Italian version has ;)



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Creator Reply:
Thank you for the review. And don't worry, there will be more Setting books to come. Megapolis: Year Two is in the planning stages now.
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