Free League's Invincible RPG Brings 'Visceral Violence' to Superhero Games

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Today, we take a deep look at Invincible, the newly created TTRPG from Free League inspired by Robert Kirkman’s iconic and bloody violent superhero comic and television show.

Invincible, a comic penned by Robert Kirkman, is a subversive take on the superhero genre that forces readers and palyers to ask the consequences of what superpowered beings’ presence on Earth might have. The comic was award-winning and inspired a 144-issue comic run and currently has three seasons of the animated series on Amazon Prime. The show has become iconic, to the point of JK Simmons’ Nolan Grayson earning a cameo in the most recent Mortal Kombat. So what inspired Free League (best known for its TTRPG adaptations of Alien, Lord of the Rings and Blade Runner) to adapt the property into a TTRPG?

TTRPG Insider got a chance to interview lead game designer and D&D Beyond founder Adam Bradford about the game and what it brings to the superhero genre.

What’s the story around how you got access to the IP of Invincible? How closely did you work with the teams when it comes to accuracy or story?

Adam Bradford: Tomas and I were having lunch at Gen Con a few years ago, and I asked him if there were any plans for a Year Zero Engine superhero game. He said he would love to make one, but the right property hadn’t come along yet. I said that I thought I had the perfect one in mind – Invincible, my favorite comic series. I shared the setting has everything we love about superheroes, but it is full of surprises, and it tells a single story over a long run that lends itself really well to tabletop roleplaying games. He wasn’t too familiar at the time, but a year or two later, he told me he had seen the animated series and he loved it, so we reached out to [Invincible publisher Skybound] soon after – and Tomas quickly read the entire comic series within a week or so. He was hooked!

How will the story and mechanics contrast with other superhero TTRPGs? What will make this version of the game pop?

Bradford: After all these years, the best superhero tabletop roleplaying games I've played (and I've played them all) have been the original TSR Marvel titles. I’ve chased that mix of rules scope and fun at the table ever since. With Invincible, we’ve asked ourselves what factors made those games work so well and taken inspiration from them while also updating things and leveraging the Year Zero Engine’s strengths to make something that we hope captures that magic. Especially with the "scope" of what the mechanics chose to cover, as we want the game to explain just enough and cover the iconic abilities of superheroes, but without trying to over-explain or taking away the possibility of the GM ruling that something is or isn't possible that the rules don’t specifically cover. We like that balance.

How lethal or violent should players expect INVINCIBLE to be considering the show and comic’s approach to storytelling?

Bradford: The Invincible series is known for its visceral violence that might seem surprising set against its bright four-color visuals. We absolutely want to capture that tone with the game and provide mechanics to support it. Fans of other Free League games have already mentioned that the Year Zero system is well-suited for delivering brutal, high-stakes action. If your group prefers a more family-friendly game, we also provide guidance for that.

What role will canon characters play in this? Will players be able to play as their favorite comic characters or will they be telling their own story?

With one of the recently-unlocked stretch goals for the Kickstarter campaign, we will end up with over 60 characters from the Invincible universe in the core book, and all of them would be ready to play if you choose to do so. The Starter Set will feature pregenerated character sheets for popular characters like Atom Eve, Bulletproof, and Monster Girl. We also provide full character creation rules so that players can make their own superhero that fits whatever concept they have in their heads!

What is something that you think will especially excite fans of the show or comics that you included?

Bradford: For decades, tabletop roleplaying games have been a great way to dive deep into the lore of a setting. We have a chapter titled “The Invincible Universe” that gives a cross-section of key locations and organizations that will be a good refresher for ardent fans and a solid introduction for new fans. We also have made social scenes an important part of the flow of the game that take place between the fast, hard-hitting action scenes to capture those moments where the superheroes still have their day-to-day relationships and responsibilities they prioritize. Invincible weaves those into the series so well, so I think fans will appreciate the mechanics in the game that bring that to life.

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How Invincible Attempts to Make Superhero Combat ‘Bloody’

The Invincible RPG is built on the Year Zero Engine, a system designed by Free League and used in the majority of its best-selling games like Alien, and Blade Runner alongside Need Games’ upcoming Attack on Titan TTRPG (scheduled to launch in 2026.)

Gameplay has you rolling a number of d6 dice based on relevant attributes. If you want to succeed at a task, you must roll at least one 6 to succeed. Getting more than one 6 lets you do stunts. Players can also push a roll, attaching greater risks in exchange for better chances at success.

Players also have talents that give then relevant advantages based on a character’s history alongside powers, the preternatural abilities and elements that distinguish the heroes from their mortal compatriots. Powers are rated on a level system, which is reflective of the character’s power levels in-game (IE the super strength of Superman is likely different than that of Wonder Woman, etc).

The game leans into its combat mechanics, offering options to go toe to toe with villains in the bloody and pulpy style that defined the comic and television show. That includes details for aggressive and blood-filled combat, detailed charts about how critical rolls might cause long-term damage to your character as well as rules about how the characters’ actions might affect the environment around them; something often unaddressed in other superhero games.

While we will have to wait to see the finalized product, the current quickstart attaches an innate sense of grimness to its rules and narrative that should help contrast it from the more emotionally oriented Masks or the crunchier Mutants and Masterminds.

Invincible is available on Kickstarter now.

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