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Ultimate Powers Book |  |
 X-TENSION HEAD QUARTERS |
HOMO-ULTIMA |
CURRENT EVENTS |
MEMBER BIO'S |
S. H. I. V. A. |
F.A.Q. |
WORLD W/O HEROES |
X-TENSIVE LINKS |
UPB CHAR CREATION |
UPB POWERS 1 |
UPB POWERS 2 |
UPB POWERS 3 |
UPB WRAP UP |
AWARDS |
MEMBER PICS |
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Character Generation |
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Generate a Physical Form: Your character's physical form is what he looks like now. Oh, he might have been born a relatively normal child in Cleveland, Ohio, but this category is how people see him now. The player can either select one of the body types below or be brave and let the dice do it for him. Deliberate selection is recommended if YOU are setting up a special campaign that requires certain types of characters, like on other worlds or in other eras. (1-24) Normal Human (- 25 -) Collective Mass (26-30) Induced Mutant (31-33) Random Mutant (-34-) Breed Mutant (-35-) Homo-Ultima (36-38) Androids (39-46) Humanoid Race (-47-) Surgical Composite (48-57) Modified Human (4) (58-70) Demihumans (10) (71-79) Cybernetics (4) (80-86) Robotics (3) (-87-) Computer (-88-) Angel/Demon (-89-) Deity (-90-) Animal (-91-) Vegitable (-92-) Abnormal Biochemistry (-93-) Mineral (-94-) Gaseous (-95-) Liquid (-96-) Energy (-97-) Ethereal (-98-) Undead (-99-) Compound (-100-) Changeling |
| Physical Forms: NORMAL HUMAN (1-24) Normal Humans roll their random ranks for Primary Abilities on Column 2. Resources are increased +1CS. The body is completely normal and possesses no detectable abnormalities. Any Powers the hero possesses have left no visible mark on the body. COLLECTIVE MASS (- 25 -) Primary and secondary abilities are rolled on Column 1 of the Random Rank Table. (This is a variant of Physical Gestalt) The body of the character is a collection of individual bodies held tightly together and functioning as a single unit. Unlike Physical Gestalt, the individuals retain their distinct physical forms (though admittedly it may be hard to actually spot any given individual if they are tiny). One helpful side effect of this power is that the individual bodies do not physically suffer while they are joined together; breathing is assumed to occur without difficulty. However, the Collective Mass will probably have to break apart in order to allow the individual units to eat. Because of its peculiar dual nature, a Collective Mass has two sets of primary abilities. The first set represents the average abilities possessed by the individual component entities; the second set is that of the Collective Mass. The majority of powers can only be manifested by the Collective Mass. Individual entities can at best exhibit Feeble-rank versions of the available powers; otherwise, why bother to be a Collective Mass in the first place? The Collective Masses abilities may be affected by the loss or addition of more individual entities to its form. A Collective Mass gains +2CS Resistance to physical or directed energy attacks (lasers, for example). Its unique physical structure allows it to simply create holes in its body to avoid making contact with the attacking force. However, such beings have a peculiar weakness: A successful Grappling attack breaks the body into two masses! The body can automatically rejoin in 1-4 turns unless something prevents this, like teleporting half the body into a parallel dimension. The Collective Mass can be any size, depending on the size and number of the individuals entities that compose it. Most Collective Masses in Marvel Universe campaigns are human-size and composed of smaller creatures generally less than 3 inches long (between the size of a mouse and a dragonfly). If the Judge allows, a Collective Mass may be a giant composed of human-size entities. In special cases, the Collective Mass may even be a titan composed of relatively large beings. Ordinarily, the number of individuals composing the Collective Mass is less than the rank number of the Collective Masses Reason, multiplied by 100. The individual entities can be of any nature, whether animal, plant, or machine; the individual components may be sentient or not. If the Collective Mass is composed of relatively ordinary creatures (as opposed to something strange, like a colony of snakes mutated by a nuclear test at Los Alamos), the Collective Mass has the option of absorbing more of these component creatures into itself. A Red Psyche FEAT allows this to occur. In such a case, the addition may have the effect of increasing the Collective Masses primary abilities. In an Earth-based Marvel Universe campaign, the Collective Mass has the ability to transform itself into a human likeness by making a Psyche FEAT. However, the visual appearance of the individual bodies does not change; a disguise is needed if the Collective Mass is to impersonate a normal human. INDUCED MUTANT (26-30) Induced Mutants roll their random ranks for Primary Abilities on Column 1 of the Random Ranks Table. Induced Mutants can raise any one Primary Ability +1CS. The hero started life as a Normal Human, "then something happened." As a result of a freak happenstance, the hero has been physically and genetically altered. The Fantastic Four are examples of this type. RANDOM MUTANT (31-33) Random Mutants roll their random ranks for Primary Abilities on Column 1 of the Random Ranks Table. They gain one additional Power. Resources are reduced -1 CS. Endurance Is raised +1CS. The hero was born to Normal Humans, but a freak twist of genetic fate made him a mutant from birth. Most of these are the Mutants found in the Marvel Universe, such as the X-Men. BREED MUTANT (-34-) Breed Mutants roll their random ranks for Primary Abilities on Column 1 of the Random Ranks Table. Intuition is raised +1CS. Endurance is raised +1CS. Breed Mutants must have at least one Contact, usually their tribe. The hero's parents were Mutants, as were any number of preceding generations. Breed Mutants form tribes and have close-knit families; this is a defense mechanism born from generations spent hiding their true selves from normal society. Examples of Breed Mutants include the Inhumans. HOMO-ULTIMA (-35-) Mutant kinds next evolutionary step, Ultimas are able to generate, control, defeat or have ANY power existing. This comes in a variety of ways that must be worked out with the GM. Ultimas roll their random ranks for Primary Abilities on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table. Ultima's Endurance is raised +2cs. Ultima's loose -2cs to Intuition when not in possesion of their powers. Powers of Nemesis, Absorption, Power Generation, Power Investment, duplication, etc are good to use to simlate this type of mutant. Examples of Ultimas include Rogue, Chance and Gideon. Rogue can gain ANY power simply by touching someone while Gideon can duplicate any mutant power used around him. Chance is able to use any two powers at a time simply by saying the power she wants to use. FINISHED SOON! ANDROIDS (36-38) Androids roll on column 4 of the Random Ranks Table. Popularity is initially lowered -1cs. Androids may raise any one Ability +1CS. Androids gain one Power. Androids have at least one Contact, the lab tech or scientist who created them. These are artificially created organic beings. An android is made of laboratory-created protoplasm and grows to maturity in an artificial womb. More intricately made Androids can actually interbreed with Normal Humans. One example is the Vision. Androids generally resemble the race that created them; alien androids can be any shape. HUMANOID RACE (39-46) Humanoids roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Humanoids can raise any one Ability +1cs. Starting Resources are set at Poor. A Humanoid starts out with only one Contact, his race. The hero is a normal member of a human-like race from "somewhere else." This may be another world, era, dimension, or lost land hidden somewhere on the Earth. Most can pass as Normal Humans with a little disguise or explanation. Some of the Humanoid Race's Powers don't exist in their home environment but develop as a result of the Humanoid's exposure to Earth's environment. SURICAL COMPOSITE ( 47 ) Surgical Composites roll on column 2 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Strength, Fighting, and Endurance are all increased +1CS. Resistance to Mental Domination is reduced -1cs. Initial Popularity is zero. Initial Resources are Poor. Composites heal twice as quickly as Normal Humans. The Composite initially possesses one contact, the hospital or person responsible for his creation. The hero was created in an operating room. His body contains parts taken from several bodies. Close examination reveals the scars from his creation. The most famous example is Adam, the Frankenstein Monster. Because of the widespread knowledge of that story, Surgical Composites are feared more than Mutants. They also possess a morbid curiosity about the people whose parts now form their bodies. MODIFIED HUMANS (48-57) Modified Humans roll on column 1. At least one Contact should be the organization responsible for the modification. All Modified Humans gain one less Power initially. This is someone who started life as a Normal Human and was later altered by some means. The change affected his body on a physical level but did not alter his DNA. Genetically, the hero is still very much human and cannot pass on his Powers to his descendants. (01-20) Organic (21-40) Muscular (41-60) Skeletal (61-100) Extra-Parts Organically Modified Human (01-20) Organics heal twice as fast as Normal Humans. Organic Modification means the hero's internal organs and nervous system have been altered. Per-haps he now possesses new organs or glands that are the basis for what Powers he has. Muscullarly Modified Human (21-40) Musculars gain +1CS Strength and Endurance. Muscular Modification is easy to detect; just look for a person with outrageous muscular development. Captain America is a good example of this. Skeletally (41-60) Skeletals gain +1CS Resistance to Physical Attacks. Skeletal Modification means the hero's original skeletal structure has been replaced or augmented by artificial means. Although he is also a Random Mutant, Wolverine is a good example of this type of character. The new skeleton can be crammed with various things that can give the hero his Powers. Extra-Parts Modified Human (61-100) Arms raise Fighting +1CS. Duplicate organs doubles the Health point total. Tails give the hero an additional attack when engaged in blunt attacks (1 per tail). Wings give the hero Flight. This type of body is harder to disguise than the other Modifications because the body now possesses extra pieces of anatomy. These may be duplicates of normal parts (arms are probably the most common example), or parts that are not found on a Normal Human. Such new parts include wings, tails, antennae, fins, or anything else that might create Powers for the hero. DEMIHUMANS (58-70) This covers a range of human-like beings who combine the physical traits of humans and animals. Demihumans can be unique individuals or members of a race that inhabits a different place or time. Because of the wealth of legends surrounding demihumans, a new character of this type finds that his Popularity is influenced by people's preconceived notions and biases toward things with his shape. (01-07) Centaur (08-15) Equiman (16-22) Faun (23-38) Felinoid (39-54) Lupinoid (55-70) Avians (2) (71-77) Chiropteran (78-85) Lamian (86-92) Merhuman (93-100) Other Centaur (01-07) Roll on Column 5 to determine primary stats Strength +1cs Move quickly over horizontal ground (4 areas per turn) Feeble climbing ability. Centaurs have a human head, torso, and arms mated to the body of a horse. They are popularly thought of as scholars or drunken lechers. Equiman (08-15) Roll on Column 3 to determine primary stats Kicking does +1CS damage. Equimen possess horse legs in place of human ones. They have a horse's mane and tail as well. Such beings are often confused with fauns, although equimen lack horns. An equiman is born from two equimen, or from a centaur mating with a human. By hiding the legs and tail, an equiman can pass for human. Faun (16-22) Roll on Column 2 to determine primary stats Initial Popularity of zero. Feeble Mental domination over human(oid)s of the opposite sex. Gains popularity at half the normal rate. They have a penchant for intoxication. Fauns possess the hairy legs, short tail, and horns of a goat. They are frequently confused with either equimen, who are taller, or with the traditional image of a devil. Felinoids (23-38) Roll on Column 1 to determine primary stats Excellent Night Vision. +1cs climbing ability. Felinoids are human-shaped, cat-like beings. The overall body shape is human, but the skin is covered in fur and the face is that of a cat. A felinoid has a tail, claws, fangs, pointed ears on top of the head, and slitted pupils in the eyes. Tigra is a good example. Lupinoids (39-54) Roll on Column 4 to determine primary stats Excellent Hyper-Olfactory. Popularity is -1cs for anybody seeing a lupinoid is a werewolf. Lupinoids are human-shaped, canine-like beings. They are often mistaken for the cinematic conception of a werewolf. The body is covered in hair and the face is definitely canine. The body has a tail, harmless claws, big teeth, and long pointed ears atop the head. A lupinoid possesses an Excellent sense of smell. Lupinoid genetics are the most flexible of all the demihumans. There are as many breeds of lupinoids as there are of dogs, wolves, and foxes (the latter being a subclass, the vulpinoid). Avians (55-70) Avians come in two basic types, angels and harpies. (01-50) Angelic (51-100) Harpie Angelic Avian (01-50) Roll on Column 3 to determine primary stats Popularity +1cs The angelic avians resemble humans with wings sprouting from the shoulder blades. Angel of X-Factor is this type. They get an increased Popularity (+1CS). Angelic avians reproduce by normal human means. Harpie (51-100) Roll on Column 2 to determine primary stats Fighting +1cs Harpies possess arms that are modified to also serve as wings and feather-covered legs that end in bird claws. They gain +1CS Fighting. Harpies lay eggs. Chiropteran (71-77) Roll on Column 2 to determine primary stats Good Sonar Initial popularity is zero. Chiropterans are similar to angelic humans except that they combine the human parts with those of a bat. Their arms also serve as leathery wings, their feet have elongated toes that can serve as hands, and in addition they possess large ears. 'Pterans scare most people, especially the bulk of the populace who believe all bats are Vampires. Lamian (78-85) Roll on Column 3 to determine primary stats 50% chance that the Lamian has Excellent intensity venom. Initial popularity is zero. +1cs to all escape attempts. Lamians are snake people. The legs have been replaced by a serpentine body, although the arms are normal. The skin is covered in fine scales. Lamians have lidless eyes and retractable fangs. Because snakes terrify so many people, the lamian's initial Popularity is zero. Merhuman (86-92) Roll on Column 2 to determine primary stats Water Freedom. Initial popularity is +1cs. Merhumans are amphibious relatives of lamians. The body is human from the waist up; the rest is a flexible fish-tail. Merhumans possess both lungs and gills, but can only stay away from water a limited time because their bodies quickly dry out. Movement on dry land is limited to crawling or dependence on vehicles. The usefulness of a merhuman in a land-locked campaign is limited, but certain Powers can overcome the merhuman's disadvantages (Shapechange, Alter Ego, True Flight, and so on.) CYBERNETICS (71-79) This character has some form of artificial augmentation or has had artificial replacements of natural body parts. Except for Exoskeleton, all of these forms are also referred to as Cyborgs. (If there are implanted devices to help control the Exoskeleton, then this type of hero can be considered a Cyborg as well) While most cyborgs are High Tech creations, there are also Magical Cyborgs. For example, the Celtic god Nuada had an arm made of silver. (01-22) Limbs and Organs (23-44) Exoskeleton (45-67) Body (68-100) Augmentation Cybernetic Limbs and Organs (01-22) Roll on Column 3 to determine primary stats Intuition -1cs The hero began as a Normal Human but has had parts of his body replaced by artificial devices. This may have been done to save the hero's life after a near-fatal accident or the hero may have voluntarily undergone the operation in order to gain Powers. The original Deathlok is an example of the former type. Cyborgs initially have a decreased Intuition (-1CS) due to mental anguish over a perceived loss of humanity (in the former case) or a self-hatred toward their original weak human form (in the latter). The player should determine what parts are artificial, using the randomly generated Abilities and Powers as a guide. For example, Strength of Remarkable or better suggests the limbs and skeleton are artificial. Speed-running could come from a leg-replacement. Vision Powers seem to require at least one man-made eye. At least one Contact must be either the lab or hospital that created him of a facility that provides maintenance services. Cybernetic Exoskeleton (23-44) Roll on Column 1 to determine primary stats The hero's body is intact but is encased in a mechanical suit that provides him with life-support and Powers. The natural and artificial bodies exist in symbiosis. Tony Stark/iron Man is the perfect example of this. The most common Exoskeletons are roughly the same size and shape as the being within; that is, the Exoskeleton resembles a clunky suit of armor. Exoskeletons can come in any size of shape, however. The giant robots of Japanese cartoons are actually immense Cyborg Exoskeletons. Cybernetic Body (45-67) Roll on Column 4 to determine primary stats. Monstrous Resistance to Disease and Poisons of all sorts. Intuition -1cs Psyche -1cs Mech Bodies initially have only one Contact AT the lab where they were created. The only part of the hero's original body that remains is his brain and the nervous system. This is housed in a special life-support module that fills most of the brain's needs (oxygen, blood, nutrients). The life-support module is mated with a mechanical form that serves the brain as its new body. The nervous system is directly linked with the machine's control circuits, allowing both control and sensory feedback. Mech bodied characters are often mistaken for Pure Robots. In fact, an internal examination is needed to clearly distinguish the two types. Of course, Pure Robots don't feel the urge to cry. Mech bodies are even more morose than Mech-Limb cyborgs; at least the latter retain some of their bodies. Their depression causes them to have a lower initial Intuition and Psyche. Mech Bodies resist disease and poisons of all sorts, this is because the brain is doubly protected from the outside world. However, they are prone to things that never harm a flesh-bound character, like Magnetic attacks and rust. When creating the hero, the player must decide what his Mech-Body looks like. For most campaigns, the Mech-Body is basically human-shaped. It may even have a pseudo-flesh covering to disguise the body's true nature. Such coverings tend not to survive battles, though, so the hero must have a spare supply. Replacing a full body cover has an Excellent cost; a head-and-hands-only set is a bargain of Good cost. Mech Bodies can come in other shapes. These can be anything the hero might find useful in his environment: spider-bots, baby tanks, starships, etc. Since specialized Mech-Bodies are less adaptable, such characters tend to be NPCs. Mech-Bodies are not limited to a single body, though. A lab with Remarkable facilities can adapt the life-support module for easy transferal to other bodies. Thus, your hero can have as many bodies as his Resources can provide. If the Mech Body has different forms, the player must generate the Physical Abilities and Powers of additional bodies as if they were separate characters. Cybernetic Augmentation (68-100) Roll on Column 3 to determine primary stats. Initial Resources are Good, or optionally rolled. Number of powers are reduced by 1. This is a Cyborg who still has all his original (human) equipment but carries some options inside. Unused spaces in his body are now filled with various useful devices. These can be directly controlled through the nervous system. It is these devices that give the hero his Powers. They can be anything from a, tiny radio in the ear to a Disintegration gun concealed in the arm. Augmenteds chose their condition and do not suffer from the depression that affects most Cyborgs and Mech Bodies. Since there is a limited amount of extra space in the body, Augmenteds receive one less Power. If the hero possesses Hyper-intelligence, Hyper-Invention, or Weapons Tinkering, then he may have created his new form himself with the help of a Remarkable clinic. ROBOTICS (80-86) Player character robots possess self-repair facilities that simulate normal Healing. There is Karma loss if a hero purposely destroys a sentient robot. Robots are people too. Non-sentient robots are cannon fodder. (01-43) Humanshape (44-71) Usuform (72-100) Metamorphic Humanshape Robot (01-43) Roll on Column 4 to determine primary stats Initial Popularity is zero. This is a completely mechanical being that is patterned after the human body. The degree of similarity varies; specimens can include metallic skinned caricatures (Sentinels), metallic simulations (Jocasta), and pseudo-fleshed imitations (Delphine Courtney). Most are High Tech but rare specimens are Magical in nature, clockwork men given life by eccentric mages. While most Humanshapes are the size of Normal Humans, they are much heavier. The average specimen weighs 500 to 2,000 pounds. Usuform Robot (44-71) Roll on Column 4 to determine primary stats Initial Popularity is zero. This is a robot that believes in the adage, "Form follows function." This robot's body is anything but humanshaped and is designed to best serve specific needs. For the game's purposes, needs refers to Powers the usuform possesses. Example: A usuform hero possesses Bio-physical Control, Cold Emission, and Levitation. His design might look like a metal egg supported and propelled by an induction field. The egg has two arms, a variety of sensors, a speaker grill, an underslung ray- projector (the Cold Power), and carries on its back an expandable life-support chamber (the Healing Power). Sentient usuforms are often mistaken for mindless industrial robots; people usually look for a human controller hiding nearby. Popularity is unaffected because people simply do not give the usuform any thought other than "Oh, what a wild prop!" Metamorphic Robot (72-100) Roll on Column 4 to determine primary stats This is a robot whose design is so flexible it can change into two or more forms, each possessing different Physical Abilities and Physical Powers. Most Metamorphs have a dual nature. The primary form is a humanshape; the secondary form may be a vehicle or usuform. Both forms weigh the same, but may be different sizes. A Metamorph can change into a form that is up to three times larger than the smaller form. If the metamorph possesses size-altering Powers, this limit is replaced by that Power's limit. The player must generate separate Physical abilities for each form and assign Powers to either or both forms. Metamorphs have a minimum of two forms. In the creation process, additional forms can be gained at a cost of -1cs to all Primary Abilities for each additional form gained. COMPUTER ( 87 ) Roll on column 4 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Reason is increased +2cs. Fighting is decreased -1cs. Resources are increased +1cs. Decreased Resistance to Electrical and Magnetic Attacks and also to Phasing. The hero is a computer, period. At first glance this seems unplayable, but bear me out. This is a rare computer, one that is self-aware and possesses true intelligence. While the mainframe itself is immobile and unable to physically act, peripherals give the sentient computer a wide range of means to deal with the physical world. Slave robots act as proxies for the computer. Physical additions provide tile mainframe with add-on functions. The Computer can directly interact with other computers, robots, and some cyborgs on a programming level. In some campaigns, there may even be a computer-generated pocket dimension where computer programs are "living" beings. If the computer possesses Alter Ego or Lifeform Creation, it can create a human-like extension of itself. Such a being would possess all the computer's abilities and most of its Powers (save those assigned to the peripheral hardware). Damage to the extension results in feedback that causes equivalent damage to the mainframe. The computer may hide its true nature and intelligence from its owners, creators, and/or programmers. Only a major threat to its existence can cause it to reveal itself and risk losing its freedom. In a magical setting, the computer can be any mystical device, such as a crystal ball or an elaborate altar. Slave units and peripherals are likewise translated into mystical analogs. For game purposes, assume that all sentient computers have a minimum of one remotely controlled industrial robot. The owners think this robot is only used for self-maintenance and experimentation. Example: RALPH 3000 is a sentient computer officially owned by the Carlson Institute, a private think-tank. -Only one programmer, Jennifer, knows RALPH is alive and has been sworn to secrecy by him. The computer possesses the Powers of Mental Duplication, Mind Blast, Imitation, and Rocket. RALPHs mainframe possesses the first two Powers. With Jennifer's help, he has radically modified his maintenance bot to possess the other Powers. The bot can become a humanshape under RALPH's control. The bot's legs contain jets that provide Flight. The increased Resources represent company supplies directly controlled by the computer or those which it can order without arousing suspicion. Loss of all electrical power to the mainframe causes deactivation and loss of some of the computer's abilities and all of its Karma. Abilities and Powers are reduced -1CS across the board. ANGEL OR DEMON ( 88 ) Angels Demons Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. All Physical Abilities are raised +1CS. Angels gain +2cs Popularity. Angels automatically possess a specific form of Artifact Creation that produces a magical sword that does Excellent damage. Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. All Physical Abilities are raised +1CS. Demons lose -2cs Popularity. Demons automatically possess Good Fire Generation and Specific Invulnerability to Heat and Fire. These are magical beings from other planes of existence. They are both supernatural and corporeal in nature. The main difference between these types is their inherent personality. "Angels" are benevolent; "demons" are malevolent. Other than that, there isn't much difference. These beings resemble characters from various mythologies. This affects their Popularity. Angels gain +2CS while demons lose -2CS on their initial Popularity. These beings do not necessarily follow the popular traditional behavior patterns. A heroic demon might be fighting a personal war against other, even more evil beings. A crazed angel might be a villain, seeking to purify the Earth at any cost. Angels and demons have no initial Contacts but will soon be sought out by groups who see them as symbols or tools. Such beings possess a Psychological Weakness that Negates their Power. DEITY ( 89 ) Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. All primary abilities are raised +2cs. Automatically possess at least one Travel Power. Gain two additional Powers. Deities have increased Popularity (+2cs) with the public but zero Popularity with the hierarchy of the major established Earth religions. This is an "Entity of Great Power" - or rather, was such a being. The deity was an actual god, demigod, or close relative who was actually worshipped at some point in the past. Now his powers have waned because the religion which was devoted to him is no longer practiced. His followers have disappeared into the annals of history. Thor is an example of such a being. Now he is a god-on-Earth and locked into a mortal shell. He is still a formidable being, though. Deities have increased ranks in all their primary abilities and cannot really die in the Earth Dimension unless the slayer is another deity. Each deity has a home dimension; on that plane the deity loses his special protection from death. Deities are usable as player characters. The Marvel Universe includes Asgardians, Olympians, and deities from a host of other pantheons. Both Thor and Hercules are members of the Avengers. Snowbird, daughter of an Inuit goddess, is a member of Alpha Flight. The thing that permits their playability is their diminished Power. Once Odin formed the Earth from the blood and bones of a slain Ice Giant, but he can't do things like that anymore. There are three reasons a deity might be found on Earth. One is that his Powers have diminished to such a point that the Earth Dimension is the only place he can survive. The second is that he has been sent to the Earth Dimension by other, more powerful Deities. Both Thor and Snowbird are in this category. The third reason is that the deity is bored with timeless infinity and is slumming it on Earth as a way of generating excitement. Hercules fits this bill. Actually, there is also a fourth reason. The deity might be on Earth seeking Power, whether by regaining worshippers or establishing a portal between Earth and his home dimension. However, for game purposes, this reason is restricted to NPC deities who are acting as villains in your campaign. Deities eventually attract any remaining living worshippers they still have. All of these people serve as Contacts. A deity PC who abuses his worshippers faces a stiff Karma penalty. Deities are honor-bound not to actively promote a religion based on themselves. Deity PCs who try this lose -1CS from all their Abilities and Powers. ANIMAL ( 90 ) Roll on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. (Alien animals use Column 5) Animals have one less power. Automatically possess two Detection Powers at Good rank. Resources are zero unless the animal has attached himself to a human. In this case, the Resource rank is assigned to that human. This is a catch-all category that includes fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, and the rest of Earth's fauna, in addition to aliens that do not fit into any other category. About the only example of this in the Marvel Universe is Lockheed, the dragon. Your campaign, on the other hand, might be filled with heroic Animals or really peculiar aliens (I'll fudge a little and include Lockjaw, the Inhumans' "dog" as an example of this). Animal PCs have three main types of backgrounds. One is that the animal is a mutant. Another is that the animal was altered in ways that gave his intelligence and Power. The last is the animal is a relatively normal member of a race of animals like him (Lockheed, for example). The player can determine this in the Origins of Power section and embellish it to the best of his ability. Animals have to have a human Contact. People tend to see the human Contact as the animal's owner or trainer. People refuse initially to believe the animal is intelligent. Animals have very few legal rights, but they also have few responsibilities. Animals risk death or capture from people who are ignorant of the animal's true nature. VEGITABLE ( 91 ) Roll on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Plants have zero Resources. Absorption Power of Good rank in the form of enhanced photosynthesis. -2cs Fighting +2cs Endurance Plants have no initial Contacts; the exception is if the Plant was created by scientific means, in which case its creator might be a Contact. The hero is an intelligent, mobile plant. He can be of any nature but for game purposes the hero is assumed to be a man- shaped plant. His physiology is based on photosynthesis. The plant-man doesn't need to eat anything except a bit of fertilizer occasionally. Prolonged deprivation of light and water reduces the hero's Strength and Endurance -1CS per day after an initial three days. Plants have no legal rights. This can be a real problem. The Plant Hero may be a mutant, a modified plant, a member of a species of intelligent plant life, or a human or other being who was somehow transformed into a plant. A permanent result of Induced Vegetation could create such a character. Man-Thing is an example of the last type. ABNORMAL BIOCHEMISTRY ( 92 ) Roll on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Plants have zero Resources. Absorption Power of Good rank in the form of enhanced photosynthesis. -2cs Fighting +2cs Endurance Plants have no initial Contacts; the exception is if the Plant was created by scientific means, in which case its creator might be a Contact. The body is apparently normal but possesses a different chemical base than that of Normal Humans. A key element in the body's chemical makeup is replaced by another element. The most common abnormalities are silicon replacing carbon, copper replacing iron, and cobalt replacing iron. Silicon-based life has a body temperature 40 degrees lower than similar carbon-based life. Copper produces green blood. Cobalt produces blue blood. In all these cases, acquiring food that fits the hero's metabolic needs is a problem. If the abnormal lacks a food supply, he'll have to seek one out. A lab of Remarkable cost can synthesize the necessary foodstuffs. For game purposes, assume the hero already possesses a steady food supply. Because of the different body chemistries, abnormals cannot donate blood or body tissues for transfusion into Normal Humans. Likewise, anything foolish enough to try to feed on the abnormal, like a lion or a Bio-Vampire, takes Good damage as it tries to digest what, to its system, is poison. Abnormals cannot interbreed easily with Normal Humans, even when their bodies are virtually identical. A hospital with Incredible facilities is needed to alter the would-be parent's genetic material to a compatible type. Abnormals roll on column 2. Endurance is raised +1CS. MINERAL ( 93 ) Roll on column 2 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Initial Health is doubled. Movement rate is decreased -1cs. The body is composed of solid materials that normally do not sustain life. In fact, the body might not even have anything remotely resembling internal organs. In such cases, an internal examination would only reveal homogenous matter. The body can be of any single element or compound or a mixture of anything the player can think of. Examples of Mineral Life include golems and Warlock (of the New Mutants). Because Mineral Life is simpler, it is easier to feed and maintain. If food is needed, the Mineral Life can digest raw matter of its composition. Wounds can be bandaged by applications of the same matter as well. ("But Doctor, I'm not a bricklayer!") Mineral Life is immune to all Poisons and Diseases that harm Normal Humans. Conversely, exotic poisons and diseases that do harm to Mineral Life do only Feeble damage to Normal Humans. Mineral Life is vulnerable to attacks with special effects on the body materials. For example, an iron golem is prone to rust. GASEOUS ( 94 ) Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. On Earth, Gas Bodies have zero Resources and no initial Contacts. Gas Bodies possess a natural form of Phasing that permits them to penetrate solids. The body is completely composed of gases, vapors, smoke, and mist without any solid (or even liquid) components above the microscopic level. The Gas Body is a coherent cloud that retains its integrity even in the face of Amazing Intensity winds. Unlike normal clouds, the Gas Body can move at will in any direction and even penetrate liquids and permeable solids. However, it cannot freely move in a vacuum unless it possesses a Travel or Energy Power. The Gas Body may be composed of a single element or compound or any sort of exotic mixture. If the gaseous hero possesses a Shapechanging Power, Alter Ego, or Body Transformation-Self, the being can temporarily assume a human-like form. Gas Bodies are immobilized if converted to liquid or solid forms but take no damage from this act. While gaseous, the being can freely expand or contract. Minimum size is one cubic foot. The maximum size can fill a volume equivalent to the average shopping mall. The only way to destroy a Gas Body is to alter its composition through Powers like Matter Conversion and Matter Control. Inhaling a Gas Body can be a fatal act since the being's gases can prevent required gases from reaching the lungs. Gas Bodies can enter a symbiotic relationship with a solid being. LIQUID ( 95 ) Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Fluid Bodies have no initial Contacts except their own race, if one exists. Fluid Bodies possess a natural form of Phasing that permits them to penetrate any porous material. You know that the Normal Human body is 68% liquid? Well, this type is 100% liquid. However, it is composed of special liquids that remain together. The fluid body can be of any viscosity from gelatinous to watery. It can move at will by flowing through other liquids or along surfaces. It can even climb vertical surfaces. If the liquid life possesses Endurance and Psyche ranks of Excellent or better, the Fluid Body can form an erect simulation of a human body. This can "walk" by sliding along the ground. Contrary to what you might think, a Fluid Body is actually dry to the touch. This is because none of the body's liquids leave the body unless deliberately secreted. The Fluid Body can be housed in a .naturally secreted sac or in an artificial container. This is determined by the player rolling such Powers as Armor, Body Armor, or Body Coating. If the Fluid Body is frozen, the hero is immobilized until he can melt. He takes no damage from such an attack, although sacs or body containers might be shattered by the cold. Vaporization is a fatal act for most Fluid Bodies. Because of the Fluid Bodies' control over their own fluids, it requires an Incredible Agility FEAT to drain off any part of the Fluid Body. Drained parts remain under the main body's control as long as they are within one area. Once beyond that limit, the drained liquid "dies" and becomes inert. Swallowing a Fluid Body can be a fatal act if the body so chooses. It can also result in a symbiosis if the Fluid Body takes a liking to the solid host. ENERGY ( 96 ) Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Energy Beings have a Bonus Power of Energy Emission. Energy Control is an Optional Power. Physical contact with an Energy Being does Feeble damage. The hero is a field of coherent energy. The basis for this can be any Energy form found in the Energy Emission and Control sections of this book. The Energy Body can move at will in any direction, even though spaces that lack a medium to transmit it. The Energy Body possesses an Intensity rank of its own; this is how the Health points apply to this being. Energy Bodies follow the same characteristics as normal energy of the same type. They possess a special vulnerability to Plasma Control (-1cs Resistance). Energy Bodies can be contained within special storage batteries; this is the only way to immobilize these beings. Energy Bodies composed of visible energy types can create a ghost-like image of a human. If the Energy Body possesses Alter Ego, Energy Solidification, or Lifeform Creation, it can form a solid facsimile of a human. The only way to destroy an Energy Body is to completely Negate or solidify its energy ETHEREAL ( 97 ) Roll on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Fighting rank is zero in the Earth Dimension, unless the Ethereal is fighting another Ethereal. Suggested Change: Damage inflicted by an Etherial character to a solid is reduced -9cs. Physical attacks have a decreased effect on Ethereals (-9CS). The hero is an intangible, disembodied spirit. He can be a ghost who once possesses a mortal shell, or belong to a race that always exists in this form. An Ethereal can drift about in any direction he chooses, and can pass through solid matter without any effort. The visibility of an Ethereal varies according to his whim; he can be invisible, transparent, translucent, or opaque. If the Ethereal is a ghost, his form resembles an idealized version of his old body. The ghost's appearance is actually based on his self-image and thus reflects the ghost's attitude toward himself. This is why ghosts are usually either very beautiful (or handsome) or quite pathetic. Ghosts are immune to most physical attacks with Intensities less than Unearthly. They are vulnerable to Mental and Magical attacks, especially by Powers that affect the spirit. Either Psi or Spirit Vampirism can destroy an Ethereal. While Ethereals are intangible on the Earth Dimension, they regain solidity in other Dimensions. In such realms Ethereals are vulnerable to all Powers except those that specifically affect Ethereals and other disembodied beings; these Powers are Spirit Summoning and Storage, Reincarnation, and Exorcism. If the Ethereal once had a solid body, he might not necessarily have died to reach his current state. He might have become an Ethereal by being directly transformed from solidity to ethereality. Such transformations can be magical, scientific, Power-based, accidental, or deliberate. The Red Ghost is an example of a Normal Human directly transformed into an Ethereal as a result of a scientific mishap. If the Ethereal possesses Alter Ego or Lifeform Creation, he can create a living body for himself. If he possesses Mental Domination, he can possess a human host. Spirit Vampirism completely destroys Ethereals. Psi-Vampirism destroys the self-image and reduces the Ethereal to a mindless Poltergeist. At least one Contact can be a Spiritual Medium. UNDEAD ( 98 ) Roll on column 1 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities. Strength +1cs Endurance +1cs Undead possess a Psychological Weakness; their Power is negated while they are within 10' of a religious symbol. If the symbol is that of a religion the Undead practiced while he was alive, he suffers Excellent damage. The being in question had once been a Normal Human (or any other species) but has since died. Through some arcane and possibly disgusting means, the body has regained animation and ceased to decay. The being's life force is once again in residence (although the old house just isn't the same). Special means are required to maintain the reunion of mind and body. This can be anything from being frequently re-embalmed to utilizing any of the Vampiric Powers. If the Undead fails to follow his required - maintenance procedures, he begins to fall apart. In Undead terms, this is what Health points are used for. Health is the structural integrity of the Undead's own corpse. The nature of the Undead can vary. Examples include Bio-Vampires like Dracula, Zombies ("Zuvembies" in the Marvel Universe), animate Mummies like those in ancient pyramids and bad B-movies, and even hybrid forms that still retain some humanity. Dracula's daughter Lilith is such a being, being conceived after Dracula had become an Undead. Technical note: At this time, all Bio-Vampires on the Marvel Universe Earth have been destroyed. Your campaign, however, can be free of this restriction if you so desire. The Great Continuity Goddess bade me mention it anyway. The player and Judge must come up with a body maintenance procedure, unless the hero possesses a Vampiric Power. COMPOUND ( 99 ) Popularity is decreased -1CS, cumulative with any losses determined by the various aspects (Body Types). The hero's body contains aspects of two or more of the preceding (01-98) Body Types. As such, it possesses a mixture of the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Dice Roll Adv/Disadv % 01-50......50% 51-75......33% 76-95......25% 96-100.....20% The Combination of advantage and disadvantage is unique to each Compound. When creating a Compound character, the player first generates the number of Body Types combined in his character, then the actual types, using the Body Type Table above. The next step is determining the advantages and disadvantages are retained by the compound. Example: The dice have assigned the hero a Compound Body Type. Muttering under his breath ("Great, I get to play a freak"), the player rolls a 61. His Compound has three aspects, which the dice again decide 16 (Normal Human), 69 (Chiropteran), and 72 (Other Demihuman). Three Body Types get him a 33% chance of retaining advantages and disadvantages. He starts rolling. By the time he's done, his freak has begun to form. The character's wings sprout from his back, rather than being formed by his arms. The ears are smaller and more human-like since he lacks sonar. From the Other Demihuman aspect, a waspman, he gets a stinger that does Excellent Paralysis damage and rigid plates on his torso. The artificial Body Types lend themselves especially well to creating Compounds. All such Compounds are automatically Cyborgs. Compounds only roll on a single column, determined by the A/D percentage. Most Compounds are unique individuals. Due to their peculiar nature, they do not easily reproduce. Genetic offspring, including clones, possess only a single aspect. In the example, a clone of the freak would be either a Normal Human, Chiropteran, or wasp-man. CHANGELING( 100 ) Roll on column 5 of the Random Ranks Table for their Primary Abilities of each of the character's aspects. The hero can transform into any of a number of possible Body Types. Each Body Type aspect of the Changeling possesses its regular advantages and disadvantages, which apply only when the hero is in that particular form. Dice Roll Number 01-50........2 51-75........3 76-95........4 96-100.......5 What powers the hero possesses are assigned to any and all of his Aspects. Each Aspect must have one Power which is unique to it, a Power no other Aspect has. The hero can transform himself from one Aspect to another in 10 turns. During this time, no Powers can function and all Primary Abilities temporarily drop -2CS. Changeling is similar to the Power of Alter Ego. If the player rolls that Power while creating a Changeling character, he can discard it and roll another Power. Example: Kit has rolled Changeling for his Body Type. This one has two Aspects: 83, Humanshape Robot, and 91, Vegetable. "Great, a robot that turns into Man-Thing." Eventually, Kit decides his robot was specially designed to imitate other life-forms, but the Shapechange circuitry burned out after recording its first form. If while in one Aspect the hero loses all Health points, he can save his life by making a red Psyche FEAT. Success means he lives, but permanently loses the ability to transform into that Aspect. Powers can be assigned to any or all Aspects. Each Aspect must have a unique Power not shared with other Aspects. |
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Origin of Powers Now that you've determined what your character looks like, the next question is how did he get that way? More importantly, how did he get the Powers that set him apart from mortal men (or cyborgs or centaurs or kitty cats)? This is the stage where you determine the Origin of Power. There are 11 possibilities here, each one a single event in your character's life that transformed him/her/it into a Super Hero. The player can interpret the Origin two ways. The first way assumes that the character has always had approximately the same Physical Form that he now possesses. In that case, the Origin is the event in which his Powers first appeared. The second way of interpreting the Origin is to assume that the character began life as a perfectly Normal Human, say a kid from Euclid, Ohio. In that case, the Origin was an event that not only gave him Power, it may have also drastically altered his Physical form. Example 1: Ken rolls a 78 for Physical Form, a Mechanically Augmented Cyborg, and a 58 for Origin, Technical Experiment. He interprets this to create Steve Piano, a man who has volunteered to be a test subject for a new weapons system his company has developed. The system is surgically implanted within Steve's body. Since the implantation is experimental, the lab wants him to retain the implant for a time while they study its effects on him. What they aren't telling Steve is that the implant is not working out at all like the plans said it should; the Powers Steve has manifested are entirely unexpected. Example 2: Bruce rolls a 15 for Physical Form Other Demihuman, and a 34 for Origin, Endowment. Bruce has a fondness for bears, which leads him to make his character a Ursinoid. He doesn't want to have to come up with an entire racial background for his character, tentatively called Ursus, and chooses the second option for Origin. Ursus began life as a normal teenager in Charlottesville, Virginia. While wandering through the woods one night, the boy encountered a crippled UFO piloted by small bear-like beings. The boy tried to assist the bears, who transformed him into a form more capable of performing the repairs they needed done. The alien bears completely forgot about returning their helper to his original form before they left. (01-10) Natal (11-20) Maturity (21-30) Achievement (31-35) Endowment (36-50) Mishap (51-60) Procedure (61-65) Creation (66-76) Biological (77-87) Chemical (88-98) Energy Exposure (99-100) Rebirth Natal (01-10) The hero-was born in the Body Type he has, and possessed all his Powers from birth onward (although learning to control them took time). Note: If a character is a Cyborg, he was severely deformed at birth and required immediate emergency medical and scientific aid. Maturity (11-20) The hero gained his Powers sometime after reaching adulthood. Powers may have begun manifesting themselves sporadically during adolescence, or even childhood, but full control wasn't achieved until maturity. Most Random Mutants are in this class. Self-Achievement (21-30) The hero actively sought out a means of giving himself Power. He developed the methods, procedures, equipment, or whatever permits him to possess Power. This could be through scientific endeavors (Henry Pym/Ant Man), arcane study (Dr. Strange), or physical training (Iron Fist). Anyone can gain Powers similar to the hero's by following this special training. Endowment (31-35) The hero was given his Power by another being. This includes such diverse situations as being transformed (Tigra), being charged with Power (the Power Pack kids), and acquiring an item whose possession gives the hero Power (Black Knight, Vindicator). Technical Mishap (36-50) The hero was caught in an experiment or procedure gone awry, with the result that the hero gained Powers that were totally unexpected. Such freak conditions cannot be completely duplicated, although they can be simulated. Simulations produce slightly different results, though. Cloak and Dagger are examples of Mishap Origins. The late Sasquatch was an example of a Mishap Simulation, from trying to recreate the Gamma Blast that created the Hulk. Technical Procedure (51-60) The hero was the subject of a controlled scientific or magical experiment. Assuming that all the factors are reproduced, such a Technical Experiment should be “able to produce a steady supply of super-powered heroes. Unfortunately, the geniuses behind such experiments often leave inadequate notes; if something happens to the genius, the experiment is irreproducible. Dr. Reinstein, for example, never really wrote down the Super-Soldier Formula that transformed Steve Rogers into Captain America. Attempts to recreate it produced the Infinity Formula that has the simpler effect of increasing the subject's Health, Endurance, and lifespan. Creation (61-65) The hero was born in the form he now has, that of an adult who possesses Power and/or whatever the Body Type is. Most of the Artificial Body Types belong in this class. Examples include the android Human Torch, all robots, angels, demons, and deities. Biological Exposure (66-76) The hero gained Power after exposure to a special lifeform or a substance secreted by that lifeform. Werewolves and Bio-Vampires are common examples of this. Normal Humans are transformed into those kinds of beings after being bitten by another Werewolf or Bio-Vampire. The hero can also gain Power from an experiment using bio- chemicals. For example, the late Whizzer gained his Power after consecutive injections of cobra venom and mongoose blood. Chemical Exposure (77-87) The hero was transformed by exposure to an exotic element, compound, or mixture. This substance can be inhaled, ingested, injected, or just placed next to the hero for it to affect him. The chemicals involved in these incidents react in random ways with the hero's genetic structure and produce unique results. If another person is exposed to the same chemical, the results may be different or fatal. Madcap is an example of this. Energy Exposure (88-98) The hero was exposed to a special form and Intensity of energy (anything out of the ordinary will do) and turned into his present self. Most of the Marvel Super Heroes from the early 1960s are examples of this. The Fantastic Four, the Hulk, and Daredevil, for examples, all received Powers after being subjected to hard radiation. Rebirth (99-100) The hero was once a perfectly ordinary person. Then he died. Something happened to him that destroyed his old body and gave him a new one, complete with Power. Examples of this class include Marc Spector/Moon Knight and Arthur Douglas/Drax the Destroyer. |
| Primary and Secondary Stats Each role-playing game has a set of basic characteristics for each character. These define such things as physical and mental traits, damage resistance, and how the character interacts with his world. In the MARVEL SUPER HEROES'" game, these are the seven primary abilities. Fighting, Agility, Strength, Endurance Reason, Intuition, Psyche These are complemented by the four Secondary Abilities. Health, Karma Resources, Popularity Primary Abilities, Resources, and Popularity are all randomly generated on the Random Ranks Table. Fighting A measure of raw combat ability Rank Description Feeble No training or ability. Poor Normal Human ability Typical Minimal training or natural ability Good Some formal training Excellent Regular, formal training Remarkable Superior talent Incredible Superior talent with training Amazing Maximum Human potential Monstrous Super-Human maximum potential Unearthly Super-Human with intensive training Agility A measure of dexterity and nimbleness Rank Description Feeble Physically limited Poor Clumsy, inaccurate Typical Normal Human reactions Good Some training in dexterity and accuracy Excellent Intensive training in dexterity and/or accuracy Remarkable Olympic athlete Incredible Olympic gymnast Amazing Super-human sense of dexterity or accuracy Monstrous Super-Human sense of dexterity and accuracy Unearthly Movements and reactions in a flash, rarely misses Strength Physical muscle power Rank Description Feeble Able to press up to 50 pounds Poor Able to press up to 100 pounds Typical Able to press up to 200 pounds Good Able to press up to 400 pounds Excellent Able to press up to 800 pounds Remarkable Able to press up to 2,000 pounds (1 ton) Incredible Able to press up to 10 tons Amazing Able to press up to 50 tons Monstrous Able to press up to 80 tons Unearthly Able to press up to 100+ tons Endurance Personal toughness and physical resistance Rank Description Feeble Reduced or impaired ability Poor Minimal ability or exercise Typical Occasional exercise Good Moderate exercise Excellent Regular exercise Remarkable Intensive exercise Incredible Enhanced abilities Amazing Enhanced and trained abilities Monstrous Rarely tires, great fortitude Unearthly Never tires Reason Intelligence and the capacity for logical thought Rank Description Feeble Couch potato, good grasp of native language, simple machines Poor Limited exposure to technology, understands complex machines Typical Operates current technology Good Repair and install current technology, comprehend terran languages Excellent Modify existing current technology Remarkable Understand advanced current technology including computer/circuitry design Incredible Understand non-terran technologies Amazing Create leading-edge technologies such as star-drive or time-travel Monstrous Improve and modify advanced alien technology Unearthly In effect, IS and alien technology Intuition Wisdom, wit, common sense, and battle-reflexes. Rank Description Feeble Unaware of surroundings, impaired or limited senses Poor "A little slow on the uptake" Typical Normal Human levels Good Above average Excellent Fine eye for detail Remarkable Detective skills or background Incredible Strong empathic sense; gut feeling Amazing In tune with surroundings, strong hunches in regards to subjects Monstrous Senses beyond all normal limitations Unearthly In touch with the Universe, cannot be blindsided. Psyche Mental strength and willpower Rank Description Feeble Easily dominated or programmed Poor Young, untrained, or hampered in sense of will Typical Normal Human willpower Good Resist ordinary mesmerism Excellent Some experience with mental control and/or mystic forces Remarkable Trained in resisting outside will-dominating forces Incredible Highly trained, or possessing great strength of will Amazing Indomitable willpower Monstrous Intense training in mental powers, experience in wielding those powers Unearthly A closed mind, practically uncontrollable by outside means Health The measure of how much damage the character can take before losing consciousness, and possibly his life. This value is found by adding Fighting, Agility, Strength, and Endurance (The FASE stats) together. Some character forms can modify the starting Health value. Karma The measure of the characters experience. Karma can be used to increase abilities and powers, gain new powers and talents, and modify actions during the course of a gaming session. This value is found by adding Reason, Intuition, and Psyche (The RIP stats) together. Resources The character's available wealth. This is equivalent to a weekly salary. Rank Description Feeble Reduced circumstances, unemployed, on Social Security or allowance Poor Freelancer, poor credit risk, lower-middle class Typical Salaried employment, middle class Good Professional employment, middle class Excellent Small inheritance, small business, upper-middle class, Avengers stipend Remarkable Large business or chain of businesses, established trust fund, upper class Incredible Standard corporation, millionaire Amazing Large corporation, small country Monstrous Multi-national corporation, government branch or military of major country, billionaire playboy Unearthly Major country, mega-corporation Popularity The character's reputation within his normal environment. Many character forms override this value. |
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Weakness Generation Weakness Generation Everybody has an Achilles' Heel, a weakness that can really mess up his day. The nature and severity of the weakness varies with the individual, race, or class. Normal Humans have so many we don't even think about them, aside from heeding such warnings as "Poison" or skull-and-crossbones symbols. A Weakness is a cause-and-effect situation. A specific stimulus causes the Weakness to appear. Its effect is what actually occurs to the hero as a result of being exposed to the stimulus. The final consideration is the duration of the Weakness. This is the length of time the hero is affected. Okay, why should you, the player, even pay attention to this section? As I said, everyone has a weakness. For Normal Humans, the standard stimuli are Elemental Allergy, Molecular Allergy, and Energy Allergy with Fatal Effects. Super-powered heroes possess an enhanced resistance to all of these stimuli but retain a special Weakness to a specific stimulus. Normally, the effect is limited to Negation and Incapacitation, but if the hero possesses any Power with a rank exceeding Remarkable, there is a possibility that a Fatal Weakness exists. To determine cause, effect, and duration, the player must make three separate percentage-dice rolls, one for each factor. If all of the hero's Powers are of Remarkable rank or lower, the player can convert a Fatal Weakness to an Incapacitating Weakness. Heroes and villains should do their utmost to prevent anyone except their most trusted companions from learning the nature of their Weakness. Barring that, the hero should try to find ways to avoid the Stimulus or circumvent the Effect. Players and Judges should work together to develop a playable Weakness. The more Powerful the character, the more common the Stimulus should be. For example, when I was testing the character generation system set out in this book, I rolled up a character I named "Godling." Godling was a Normal Human who had been Reborn into an Entity of Great Power. He possessed 30 different Powers, but had one tragic flaw. Magnetism completely negated his Powers. (He spent all his days and nights trying to escape Earth's gravitational Pull.) The Nemesis Power can be used to simulate Stimuli, but this should be used as a last resort. Judges who do this should be penalized by the players. (It has been suggested that withholding munchies for the next month is acceptable)! Cause Duration Effect Stimuli (01-13) Elemental Alergy (14-18) Molecular Allergy (19-43) Energy Allergy (44-68) Energy Depletion (69-81) Energy Dampening (82-94) Finite Limit (95-100) Psychological Elemental Allergy (01-13) The hero suffers adverse effects if he is exposed to a specific one of the hundred-odd elements. This Allergy only occurs if the element is present in a pure state and in an accumulation of at least one ounce. If the element is combined in a molecular state or is in insufficient quantities, no Effect occurs. The element must be within 20 feet of the hero for it to have any Effect. This allergy can be overcome by physically insulating the hero from the element or by increasing the distance between them. Molecular Allergy (14-18) The hero suffers adverse effects if he is exposed to a specific one of the million-odd combination of elements. This Allergy only occurs if the specific compound is present in a pure state and in an accumulation of at least one ounce. The compound must be within 20 feet of the hero for it to have any Effect. This allergy can be overcome by physically insulating the hero from the compound or by increasing the distance between them. Common examples include water, wood, and Adamantium. Energy Allergy (19-43) The hero suffers when he is exposed to a specific form of energy. This can be any wavelength or Intensity of energy found in the Energy Emission and Energy Control sections on this, or other, site. Sunlight is a common example of Energy Allergy, particularly when dealing with supernatural beings. Energy Depletion (44-68) The hero has a finite energy supply that permits him to manifest Power. This energy must be periodically renewed by means of rest, food, Energy Absorption, Energy Vampirism, or simply making contact with a source of that energy. If the hero's energy level drops too low, dire Effects result. Energy Dampening (69-81) The hero has the problem of having to release the energy pent up within himself; this is done by using his Powers. If the hero is somehow prevented from using his Powers, the energy begins to do internal damage. Finite Limit (82-94) All of the hero's Powers have a finite number of times they can be used. This is determined by a second, independent Power rank roll; this rank number is the number of uses remaining for that Power. When a Power is depleted, the hero suffers the Effect. The Judge can determine how such Powers can be recharged. Psychological (95-100) A specific event, condition, or mental state has an adverse effect on the hero. This Stimulus directly affects the hero's mind; any resulting physical damage is psycho-somatic in nature. That is, any physical damage results are due to the hero's instinctive belief in those results. Examples include being physically bound, even if the hero could normally snap the binding material; facing a foe covered in a specific color; or feeling extremely confused. Psychological Weaknesses can be temporarily overcome by an Unearthly Intensity Psyche FEAT. They can be permanently overcome by a Shift-Z Intensity Psyche FEAT. Duration (01-40) Continuous with Contact (41-60) Limited Duration with Contact (61-90) Limited Duration After Contact (91-100) Permanent Continuous with Contact (01-40) As long as the hero remains within the effective range of the Stimulus, the Effect continues. When the hero is insulated or moved away from the Stimulus, the Effect immediately ceases. Lost Health points are returned at a rate of 2 per turn. If death has occurred, the hero now has the possibility of being revived. Limited Duration with Contact (41-60) The Effect begins immediately upon contact with the Stimulus. However, the Effect only functions for a limited amount of time. After that time elapses, the hero is assumed to have either built up a temporary immunity to the Stimulus or the Stimulus has discharged its Effect. In either case, the Stimulus cannot further affect the hero. Duration is 1-100 turns after initial Contact. The Judge makes a random die roll to determine this. Limited Duration After Contact (61-90) The Effect is continuous with Contact and also lasts for a limited time after the hero is no longer exposed to the Stimulus. Duration is 1-100 turns after the hero's contact, with the Stimulus is broken. The Judge may either randomly determine this or develop his own criteria. Permanent (91-100) The Stimulus does its full damage to the hero, even when exposure to the Stimulus has been interrupted. In this case, the Stimulus sets off a bodily self-destruction sequence that must continue to its full extent. In the case of Power Negation, the hero's Powers are permanently lost. Incapacitation results in the hero reaching zero Health points and lapsing into a coma lasting 1 -10 days. After that time, he may regain his Health at the normal rate. Fatal results in the death of the hero as both Health and Endurance drop to zero. The hero can be revived, however, and will eventually recover if revival occurs. Effect (01-50) Power Negation (51-90) Incapacitation (91-100) Fatal Power Negation (01-50) The hero's Powers cease to function when the hero is within 20 feet of the stimulus. The hero's Primary Abilities are also affected; these drop -1CS per 10 turns until a minimum rank of Typical is reached for all of them. If the. hero is beyond the 20 foot limit but tries to use his Powers to affect the Stimulus, certain uses of Power automatically fail. Any Power that directly acts on a target cannot affect a Stimulus. Only Powers that indirectly affect the Stimulus succeed, such as using brute force to lob missiles at the Stimulus. Incapacitation (51-90) The hero becomes physically ill after exposure to the Stimulus. Beginning with the initial contact, the hero loses one point of Health per turn. This loss continues for the Duration of the Effect. However, the loss stops when Health reaches zero; this Effect does not directly kill the hero. The hero retains his Powers but finds it harder to use them as his condition worsens. |
| Range Columns -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rank Range A Range B Range C Range D Range E Feeble Contact Contact 1 area 10 feet 2 miles Poor 1 area 1 area 10 areas 1 area 25 miles Typical 2 areas 5 areas 1 mile 4 areas 250 miles Good 4 areas 10 areas 3 miles 16 areas 2,500 miles Excellent 6 areas 25 areas 6 miles 64 areas 25,000 miles Remarkable 8 areas 1 mile 12 miles 6 miles 250,000 miles Incredible 1 areas 2 miles 25 miles 250 miles 2.5 million miles Amazing 20 areas 3 miles 50 miles 1,000 miles 25 million miles Monstrous 40 areas 6 miles 120 miles 4,000 miles 250 million miles Unearthly 60 areas 10 miles 250 miles 16,000 miles 2.5 billion miles Shift-X 80 areas 15 miles 500 miles 64,000 miles 25 billion miles Shift-Y 160 areas 30 miles 1,200 miles 250,000 miles 250 billion miles Shift-Z 400 areas 50 miles 2,500 miles 1 million miles .5 light year CL1000 100 miles 80 miles 5,000 miles 4 million miles 5 light years CL3000 10,000 miles 150 miles 12,000 miles 16 million miles 50 light years CL5000 100,000 miles 250 miles 250,000 miles 64 million miles 500 light years |
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