MightySixApril22.pdf

Super Powered Role-Playing using Mini Six Bare Bones Edition Copyright 2013 Paul Hosek

Cover Art by Paul Hosek Interior Art by Paul Hosek, Written by Paul Hosek

Table of Contents What is MightySix? Dice Rolling Limits Complement (Skill Synergy, Helping Others) Hero Points and Character Points

4 5 5 6

Combat, Action and Movement Timing Initiative and Declaration Fast Static Combat Wound Levels Knockout Damage Shrugging It Off Healing Pace Velocity and Collision

7 8 11 12 12 13 13 14

Characters Basic Character Generation Attributes Might Skills Moves Skills Mind Skills Mojo Skills

15 15 16 20 22 25

Perks and Complications Perk-fessions Combat Perks Physical Perks Mental Perks Social Perks Misc. Perks Complications

27 27 32 37 37 40 41 43

Super Hero Construction 101 Fun With Super Powers Amplification Powerks Adaptation Added Limbs Anatomic Separation Animal Control Animation Awareness Burrow Confuse Commune

49 50 51 51 52 52 52 53 54 54 54 55

Corrosive Create Matter Dark Vision Dazzle Destroy Matter Dimension Walk Emotion Control Empathy EM Vision Energy Blast ESP Far Sensing Flight FTL Gestalt Glide Insanity Illusion Inception Insubstantial Invisible Machine Control Mind Blast Mind Control Mind Shield Mind Swap Minion Natural Weaponry Negation Passive Defense Possession Power Mimic Precognition/Postcognition Radio Regeneration Shape Change Siphon Sonar Stretch Sublimination Super Damage Super Fast Super Health Super Hearing Super/Infra Scale Super Leap Super Lift Super Might Super Mind Super Moves Super Mojo Super Pace Super Sight

55 56 56 57 57 57 58 58 58 59 60 60 61 61 61 62 62 62 63 63 64 65 65 66 66 66 67 67 68 69 69 69 70 71 71 71 72 72 73 73 74 74 75 75 75 76 77 77 77 77 78 78 78

Super Scent Super Soak Super Swing Super Taste Super Touch Telekinesis Telepathy Teleportation Toxic Transmute Transform Trap Wall Walking X-Ray Vision

78 79 79 80 80 80 81 81 81 82 82 83 83 83

Power Themes PowerSource Invention

83 83 84

Powerk Complications Character Advancement Superhero Archetypes

86 88 88

Resources Firearms Explosives Missiles Melee Protective Gear Vehicles

91 93 94 95 95 96 96

Encumbrance and Fatigue

97

You Against the World Destroying Objects Natural Hazards and Extreme Environments Cold/Heat Corrosion Deep Sea Deep Space Disease Drowning and Asphyxiation Electricity Falling Fire High Altitude Thirst and Starvation Toxins

99 99 99 100 100 100 101 101 101 101 102 102 102

End Note

103

98

What is “MightySix”? MightySix is a set of rules for super powered roleplaying intended to be compatible with the fabulous Mini Six rule set from the good people at Antipaladin Games. Mini Six is a trademark of AntiPaladin Games. Amazingly, at least at the time of this writing, those rules are available on line, for free at www.antipaladingames.com. Since the basic engine driving MightySix is so elegantly and eloquently described in “Mini Six Bare Bones Edition”, these pages contain only the additions and alterations needed to play MightySix. As a convention, capitalized words are either proper names or specific game related terms that may be easily confused with the word’s non-game meaning. A number of ideas, apart from Mini Six Bare Bones Edition, are presented here. Complementary Rolls, Powerks (Super Powered Perks), Environmental Hazards and so on, as well as a few old ones with a slightly different twist were created. For the most part, I think I’ve stayed as true to the Mini Six canon as I can, please forgive me if I’ve trampled on any dearly held conventions or scrapped someone’s favorite rule. In the spirit of Mini Six, please feel free to change, disregard or tweak these rules to your heart’s content. I won’t mind. Much.

The Wild Die In MightySix, a 1 on the Wild Die has negative consequences. On a rolled 1, the Wild Die and the highest die result are excluded from the roll’s total. Also on a 1 the GM may invoke a Complication if the player has one that’s appropriate, or make up a Situational Complication on her own, regardless the success of the roll. Either the roll fails spectacularly, or the success is tainted by some Complication. If the GM imposes a situational Complication, the player gets a Character Point. Rolling a 6 on the Wild Die means you roll another die and add it to the result. You keep rolling and adding until your result is anything but a 6. Rolling a 1 on a bonus roll has no ill effect.

Dice Rolling Limit With all the superhuman Skills, Attributes and Perks and their corresponding double digit die codes, there’s going to be a lot of dice tossed around, bouncing into the onion dip, or skittering off the table and under the couch never to be seen again. I like rolling lots of dice but it gets annoying after a while. I recommend the Dice Rolling Limit rules in Mini Six, with the cut-off at rolling a maximum of 5D. Each D beyond 5D becomes 3 pips with integer bonuses added. Thus 6D becomes 5D+3, 6D+2 becomes 5D+5 and so on. 412D+1 becomes 5D+1222.

4

This method saves a lot of table time, and speeds up combat. But recognize that this method underestimates the outcomes and limits the variability of results, particularly with higher die codes. The mean of a D roll is 3.5 not 3, thus a die code of 10D would average 35 if rolled individually. Under the Dice Rolling Limit it would be reduced to 5D+15, and an average of 33. Also, extreme lows and highs are far less likely when using the Dice Rolling Limit. It becomes much more improbable for lower powered opponents to get a “lucky shot” when their damage roll is way above their average while their opponent’s defense roll far below their average. Players should always have the option of rolling the full number of dice in their die codes if they choose, and can demand the same of any NPCs they encounter. The rolled results must be kept even if the result is lower than if you’d used the Dice Rolling Limits.

Complement (Skill Synergy and Helping Out) Sometimes more than one ability (Skill, Attribute, Powerk etc) can be used for the task at hand. Sometimes an Action becomes easier with the help of others. Is there a game mechanic for this? Yes, it’s called Complement. Skills, Attributes or abilities that have overlapping applications are considered Complementary. The efforts of two or more people on the same task may also be considered Complementary. Not every situation benefits from Complement, this is the discretion of the GM. One roll acts as the primary. This might be the Skill with the highest die code, or the most closely related to the effort given the circumstances, it’s the GM’s call. The Complementary Skill bonuses are then added to it. To determine this bonus the Complement Skill dice are rolled, each result of 6 counts as a +1 pip towards the outcome of the primary roll. Furthermore, when a 6 is rolled on the Complement pool’s Wild Die, this counts as an additional D or 3 pips. Rolling a 1 one the Wild Die on Complement rolls has no negative consequences. The maximum number of Complement bonuses to a particular Action is limited by what the GM deems reasonable. An individual can use whatever knowledge or abilities may he possesses to potentially Complement a roll. Likewise a team of individuals can combine their efforts into Complement bonus to the primary roll. Large Complement pools can be simplified by converting each block of 5D to +1 pip, the remaining dice rolled as described above. Examples might look like this.

5

Three heroes attempt to redirect an asteroid on a crash course with the Earth. The strongest of the three uses her Might score (20D) as the primary, the others use their Telekinesis (16D) and Ion Blast (18D) Powerks to Complement the effort. The Complement bonus would be 33D (16D plus 18D), becoming + 6 (+1 for every 5D), with one of them rolling the remaining 3D. He rolls a 1, a 6 and a Wild Die 6, yielding an additional +4 (+1 and then a +3 for the Wild Die 6) for a total of +10 (+4 added to the +6) to the primary’s 20D Might roll. A lone scientist attempts to find an antidote to the deadly virus decimating the ranks of Earth’s super-powered. He might use his Science/Biology (12D) as the primary but perhaps applies Technology/Computer (6D) as a Complementary roll after his Player declares that he writes a computer program designed to decrypt the alien DNA sequences using transmogrific hyperregressionalized disanalysis. The 6D converts to an automatic +1 bonus, and then he rolls a 1 on the remaining D. No 6, but no penalty either. He now tackles the problem with a roll of 12D+1.

Hero Points and Character Points In MightySix the Hero Point rules are the same as the Mini Six Bare Bones Edition with a small difference. A Hero Point may be spent to renew any and all of your “once per session” Perks, so that they can be used again within the same session. Character Points are the currency of character advancement, it’s what you use to improve Skills, Attributes, buy additional Powerks and so on. In MightySix they can also be spent to influence rolls. After any roll is made you can spend as many CPs as you wish to increase the result by one pip for each point spent. They can even be used to boost static scores like Dodge and Soak, against a single attack. There is no limit on the number of CPs that can be spent this way although the GM may impose any restrictions she sees fit. Once the Character Points are spent they are gone. Character Points cannot be spent on any roll in which Hero Points have also been spent. They may not be spent on other characters or NPCs (unless you have the appropriate Perks). How do you earn Character Points? 1) As an award for completing an adventure or achieving goals set within that adventure. 2) Whenever a player voluntarily role-plays their Complication resulting in a bona fide disadvantage. The GM is the final arbiter on what’s considered detrimental enough to qualify for a CP. Typically Complications can only be used this way once per game session, maybe twice if the second instance is more deserving than the first. 3) Whenever the GM imposes a Situational Complication on a Character as a result of a Wild Die 1. 4) Ad Hoc. The GM or group can dole out CPs however they see fit. It might be for good role-playing, for contributing to the overall campaign indirectly (baking cookies, using their place as the venue, massaging the GM) or just simply for showing up.

6

Combat, Action and Movement The default mode for the high adrenaline fast paced action in MightySix is the Fast Static Combat system presented in Mini Six Bare Bones Edition. Those who wish to use the more Traditional method of task resolution may do so, both modes are compatible with MightySix. In MightySix and Mini Six Bare Bones Edition, the Rounds are 10 seconds long, and characters get one Action in that time. Additional Actions create Action Penalties (–1D) that apply to every Action in that Round. Shoot twice and each shot is penalized by one die. Damage, Soak, or any passive defense or resistance rolls, are not penalized. Actions penalized to less than one D cannot be carried out. An Ad Hoc Action Penalty of –2D is applied when a player adds to or strays from his declared Actions for the Round. This penalty is in addition to any other Action Penalties and is applied against all remaining Actions in that Round. Going “Full Defense”, meaning doing nothing on your Turn but Dodging/Parrying/Blocking and moving no faster than half your Pace (see below) adds 10 to all Defenses. Attempting to disengage from combat doesn’t create any “attacks of opportunity” but results in an Action Penalty if movement beyond half your Pace rating is required, or Ad Hoc penalty if the retreat wasn’t a declared Action.

Timing, Initiative and Declaration The sequence of combat is as follows: 1) Roll Initiative 2) Declare Actions from lowest to highest Initiative rolls. 3) Resolve individual Actions in Turns, counting down from highest to lowest Initiative, one Action per combatant at a time. Those with Initiatives high enough may act at multiple points within the Turn’s countdown, otherwise only one Action per character per Turn is allowed. 4) When all Declared and Ad Hoc Actions are resolved, return to the top of the Initiative ranking for the next Turn and repeat steps 2 to 4. When there are no more Actions, the Round is over and a new Round begins.

Initiative is rolled using Moves plus any modifications from Skills, Perks, Powerks or Complications. The result is kept during the entire combat. Characters may elect to re-roll Initiative if another combatant enters the fray or their situation significantly changes to permit such a roll (GM is the final arbiter on this).

7

After Initiative is determined the next phase of combat is Declaration. Everyone states what Actions they will take over the next Round. This Declaration proceeds from lowest to highest Initiative, slowest declaring first, fastest declaring last. This allows faster characters to anticipate the slower ones. All Actions must include a target in the statement, it doesn’t suffice to say “I attack somebody”. Stating that you are attacking Dr Boom with your laser, or even pounding the first person that walks through the door, or the closest Slamdroid, suffices. Actions are then resolved from highest to lowest Initiative, one Action per Character per Turn, until everyone has had a Turn. Once everyone has had an Action, the first Turn is complete. The next Turn resolves additional Actions following the same order, from highest to lowest, one Action per Character at a time until all the Actions, both Declared and Ad Hoc have been performed. Those without remaining Actions do not get to act unless they suddenly declare an Ad Hoc Action with its accompanying penalty. Those whose Initiative roll is 20 or more may perform two Actions on their turn, one at the rolled Initiative, and then again in their Turn, ten points lower within the countdown. Initiative rolls of 30 or more permit three Actions per turn, additional Actions occurring at ten and then twenty points below the in Initiative countdown. 40 or more permits 4, with additional Actions at 10, 20 and 30 points below their rolled Initiative and so on. So, Captain Lightning who rolled a 41 Initiative not only acts on 41, but also on 31, 21 and 11 of each countdown, if he chooses. Each additional Action beyond the first still creates an Action Penalty, as do Ad Hoc Actions.

Fast Static Combat A recap of the Fast Static rules from Mini Six is presented below, with modifications for MightySix. Attacking a Target The Target Number, or TN, is the number needed to successfully hit the target. The TN is based on the target’s static defense score. Defenders that are not Dodging, Parrying or Blocking usually have a TN of 1 to be hit. This occurs most often when a character is surprised or helpless. The usual range and cover modifiers still apply.

Range: Add the range modifier to the Dodge score in all cases (Point Blank/ Hand-to-Hand +0, Short +5 Medium +10, Long +15).

Cover: If the target is behind at least 50% cover, add +5 to the Target Number. Add +10 for 75% cover. It’s impossible to hit a target behind 100% cover. Darkness can also be considered as cover at the GM’s whim.

8

Fighting Prone: a number of maneuvers can knock an opponent off their feet. When on the ground, they get a –1D penalty to all Melee and Brawl attacks, all physical actions and static defenses. An Action is required get up. Static Defenses In the simplified combat system characters pre-calculate their Dodge, Block, and Parry prior to the game. This static number becomes the attacker’s TN modified as noted above. To calculate each simply multiply the number of dice a character has in the relevant skill by 3 and add any pips to the total. Then note it down on the character sheet. For example, The Samuroid has a Sword skill of 9D+1. His static Parry score would become 28 ((9 x 3)+1). The Static method tends to underestimate potential rolled results, especially as the die codes get higher. Also, outcome variability is limited: the potential lows aren’t as low and the highs not so high. Players should always be allowed the option to roll their static values if they choose, and can request that an NPC do the same. However, once the dice are rolled the results must be kept. For example, your enemy, the Crimson Crusader, rolls a low Soak, you get a 6 on your Wild Die and you choose to blow all the CPs you’ve got on one desperate shot to punch through a tiny seam in the Crimson Crusader’s nigh impenetrable armor. If the Crusader’s Soak was a high static value and your damage die code significantly lower, you’d never penetrate his Soak. However if he rolled his Soak instead, statistically speaking his average might be higher, but the possibility of the Crusader getting a very low result becomes possible, permitting your hero a lucky shot, otherwise he’d never have a chance. Block is equal to (Brawling Skill dice x 3) + pips. When using Block as your defensive TN, you are interposing a less vital part of your body (not a weapon, shield or object) between a more vital part of your body and the attack. This doesn’t work well against ranged attacks or against melee weapons. Against a melee weapon (other than brass knuckles) Block is reduced by 5, against slow missiles (thrown weapons and arrows etc) Block is reduced by 10, and against firearms Block is reduced by 20. You can’t Block attacks you can’t see or don’t know about. The GM may rule that certain attacks (fire, explosions, area effects and such) cannot be Blocked. Dodge is equal to (Dodge Skill dice x 3) + pips. When using Dodge as your Defense TN, if the attacker doesn’t beat the TN, he simply misses, inflicting no harm. The only down side to Dodge is that you must have freedom and mobility, thus being trapped, entangled or unable to move negates Dodge. Whether Dodging a chair swung in melee or a bullet fired at range, your Dodge TN remains the same. You cannot use Dodge against an attack you don’t know is coming, but you can use Dodge on an attacker you are aware of, even if you can’t see precisely where he is.

9

Parry is equal to (Weapon Skill dice x 3) + pips. When using Parry as one’s defensive TN, if the attacker misses it is assumed that the parrying object deflected the blow. However, if the attacker hits you, using Parry as your Defense gives you three options. 1) Match the damage against your Soak and apply any resulting Wounds. 2) Sacrifice the weapon or parrying object instead of taking the damage yourself. The attacker rolls his damage normally but instead of matching your Soak, the damage is matched against the parrying object’s Durability. Durability for weapons usually equals their damage modifier in pips. Thus a Bowie knife might be 4, a spear 6 and so on. This is adjusted if the weapon is exceptionally well or poorly made, or in already damaged condition. Any other object’s Durability may be calculated based roughly on the sum of its size and composition. Usually hand held things are a Lift TN of 1 to 4, plus the inherent Durability of the object (wood 4, iron 6 and so on). Thus a wooden chair might be a Lift TN of 3, plus a Wood durability of 4, yielding a value of 7. If a pistol or rifle is used to Parry, consider their Durabilities to be 6 and 8 respectively. If the attacker’s damage exceeds the parrying weapon/object’s Durability, each point above reduces the object’s Durability by one. If Durability reaches zero, the object is destroyed and any excess damage is pitted against your Soak. For complicated items such as technology and magical devices, the GM may arbitrarily assign a temporary malfunction in place of a Stun result, or permanent malfunction if it is Wounded, which will require repair. Anything greater than a Wound is obviously more serious. A Dead result meaning that the object is out of commission whether its Durability is reduced to zero or not. A weapon/object that isn’t damaged when using Parrying option 2 is automatically subject to option 3. 3) Lose the weapon/object; it gets knocked out of hand or bashed aside such that an Action is required to use it again, either to pick it up or to readjust it. Your Parry is reduced by 10 for slow moving missiles (thrown objects or arrows) and by 20 for firearms. If you’re unaware of an attack, or can’t see your attacker you can’t parry it. The GM may rule that certain attacks (fire, explosions, area effects and such) cannot be Parried. Soak is equal to (Might attribute dice x 3) + pips plus armor value + any magical, super-tech Perks or Powerk effects. Full Defense: If the character does nothing except dodge, parry or block until his next Turn they will add 10 to their Dodge, Parry and Block scores, and apply range and cover as usual. This result is useful against any number of attacks.

10

Basic Damage: The damage a character can inflict unarmed equals their Might Attribute. Every D in Lift above one’s Might Attribute adds an additional +1 to their Damage with muscle powered attacks like unarmed combat, melee and thrown missile weapons. Muscle powered weapons, both melee and ranged, add their weapon’s damage to the character’s Basic Damage. Weapons that don’t rely on the wielder’s brawn (firearms for example) do not add to the wielder’s Basic Damage. For every 10 you exceed your Target Number on an attack roll, you add +1D to the damage. Resisting Damage When a target has been hit, the attacker rolls damage and the target’s Soak score is subtracted from the damage. The player or GM then checks the Wound Level chart below to see how badly the target was wounded. Wound Level Unharmed Stunned** Wounded Severely Wounded*** Incapacitated Mortally Wounded Dead Destroyed

Damage* Exceeds Soak by: 0 or less 1–3 4–8 4–8 9 – 12 13 – 15 16 - 19 20+

*Note: Any additional damage (other than Stuns) less than or equal to the character’s current Wound Level moves him up by one level. **Note: A character may endure a number of Stuns equal to the number of D in his Might before passing out for 2D minutes. ***Note: A character is Severely Wounded if the result is between 4 and 8 and he already has the Wounded level.

Wound Levels Wound Levels, not Body Points, are used as the default injury system for this game. It wouldn’t take much to convert back to Body Points if that’s what you prefer. Wound Level Effects Stunned: -1D for all remaining Actions this Scene. If you amass an amount of Stuns equal to the D in your Might Attribute, you pass out for 2D minutes. Wounded: -1D to all Actions until healed.

11

Severely Wounded: -2D on all Actions until healed. Incapacitated: As a free Action before losing consciousness, the character may try to stay up with a Moderate (15) Stamina roll. If successful, he may continue to act, but with a -3D penalty. If he fails, he is knocked out for 10D minutes. Mortally Wounded: The character is near death and knocked unconscious with no chance to keep up. Roll the character’s Might each round, the character finally dies if the roll is less than the number of minutes he’s been at this level. Dead: The character has perished. Destroyed: The character is utterly and totally obliterated, red mist, a pile of ash, a haze of charged particles, a smear on the pavement. Good luck putting Humpty back together again.

Knockout Damage A character can declare before or after rolling their damage, that they are attempting a Knockout. Thereafter any damage inflicted is taken in Stuns rather than Wounds. So any Stun or Wound result is taken as a Stun. The number of Stuns exceeding the number of D in Might results in a Knockout, or loss of consciousness for 2D minutes. Incapacitation, Mortal Wound or Dead count as automatic Knockouts for 2D minutes, hours and days respectively. A GM may rule that a rolled Complication (Wild Die 1) on a Knockout attack, the damage is Wounding instead.

Shrugging It Off or “Did Anyone Get the Number of That Truck?” Each Wound Level can be reduced by one if you accept a Stun for each level reduced. Thus reducing a Wound to a Stun will add another Stun, Severely Wounded to Wounded creates a Stun. You can reduce Wound Levels by more than one, thus going from Incapacitated to Stunned would cost three additional Stuns, and Mortal would cost four. You can’t Shrug off a Dead of Destroyed result however, but you can use a Hero Point (see Mini Six Bare Bones Edition pg 6). Once the number of Stuns equals the number of D in your Might Attribute, you’re unconscious for 2D minutes. You can’t Shrug It Off beyond the number of D in your Might Attribute. Shrugging It Off applies only to blunt or blast types of injury, not the more lethal slashing or penetrating kind. What can and can’t be Shrugged is entirely up to your GM. In grittier campaigns, nothing gets Shrugged, in campy four-color style campaigns, it’s a regular occurrence to walk away from a hail of automatic gunfire.

12

Healing Natural Healing: If a wounded character rests he is allowed a Might check and if successful heals a wound level. The frequency of the check depends on the severity of the character’s wounds.

Assisted Healing: Characters with the Medicine skill can attempt to help others heal more quickly. A skill check may be made once per day for each patient treated. On a successful roll, the patient heals one wound level. Wound Level

Frequency (N.Healing)

Might Diffculty

Assisted Healing Difficulty

Stunned Wounded Severely Wounded Incapacitated Mortally Wounded

1 Scene 3 days 3 days 2 weeks 5 weeks

automatic 6 6 8 9

Easy (10) Moderate (15) Moderate (15) Difficult (20) Very Difficult (25)

Pace: how slow can you go? A normal human’s Pace is 10m per round. If a character wishes to run faster she rolls her Athletics skill and adds it to her Pace, this is called a Run. If the only Action taken in a Round is moving as fast as she can, her running Pace doubles. This is called a Sprint. A penalty of –1D is applied to any Actions performed while walking, -2D while at a Run and – 3D while Sprinting. This includes attacks of any kind. Climbing and swimming Pace is usually half of Walking, while natural flying is often twice that or more. A Character may move up to one half of her walking Pace (usually 5m or three standard grid squares) during an entire combat Round without triggering an Action Penalty. At that Pace, no penalties from movement apply. Moving even a centimeter further triggers an Action Penalty. Moving at high speeds around obstacles isn’t easy, and even seemingly easy routes at walking speeds can become difficult when sprinting. Failing a Moves or Athletics roll might cause a character to crash, injuring herself and maybe others. Velocity and Collisions They make seat belts and helmets for a reason. Speed kills, well, actually it doesn’t, the sudden stops do.

13

Speed (km/h) Up to 10km/h Up to 100 km/h Up to 1000km/h Up to 10k km/h Up to 100k km/h

Speed (meters/Round) 28 m/R 280 m/R 2 800 m/R 28 000 m/R 280 000 m/R

Damage Up to +2D Up to +4D Up to +8D Up to +16D Up to +32D+

Comments Normal person running Ground vehicle speeds Speed of sound (bullets) Speed of orbital objects Speed of interstellar objects

To the Velocity damage you add the Scale of the object traveling that fast. So a character sized object would take/impart only the Velocity damage. A Vehicle Scale object would take its own Velocity damage (ignoring its Scale damage), but impart its velocity plus 2D (its Scale) to whatever it hits. Relative Velocity is the sum of the two Velocity damages if they are traveling in opposite directions, or the difference if headed in the same direction. For objects colliding, each imparts its relative Velocity + Scale against the other. So a Buick traveling at 100km/h would inflict its Velocity (+4D) and its Scale (+2D) for a total of 6D against a pedestrian. The pedestrian in turn would impart his relative Velocity (100km/h relative to the car) of +4D and Scale (character, thus 0) to the car. The pedestrian will be lucky if he survives the impact, the Buick will be lucky if the paint gets scratched. If the object collides with something that takes no damage from the impact (ie its Soak negates it), then the Velocity and Scale damage of both parties in the collision is inflicted upon the other. So in the above example, if the pedestrian had been the Menacing Mass with a Might of 20D+2 and a Scale of +2D, which easily Soaks the 6D of imparted damage, then the Buick might need more than an new point job since it now takes 8D of damage (its Velocity damage + its Scale + the Menacing Mass’s Scale). Had the Menacing Mass been traveling in the opposite direction, he’d add his Velocity damage as well. Anything dropped from a height adds Falling damage (max 10D) to Scale effects as the final result (see Falling Damage). Anything thrown uses the thrower’s Base Damage as the damage inflicted by the hurtling object (see Throw Skill).

Characters So who are the characters? They are costumed super powered vigilantes, righting wrongs and fighting crime in a world filled with super powered villains and malevolent organizations bearing ridiculous acronyms, often bent on world domination and/or destruction. Players might be lone street level avengers or world/universe saving paragons of truth and justice, but wherever evil-doers do their evil, your characters will be there. Character creation is a two step process.

14

The first step is basic character creation, essentially making a Mini Six character following a nearly identical process as the Bare Bones Edition (see Basic Character Creation below). The second step is to make that character superhuman by selecting super powered Perks (Powerks) and their associated Complications see Super Hero Construction 101, pg 48).

Basic Character Creation The first step is to create the basic character, the alter ego, the “human” in the superhuman: the platform for your superhero. Similar to Mini Six Bare Bones Edition, characters are assigned 12D to distribute amongst their Attributes. They cannot be more than 4D and no less than 1D initially, without GM permission. You also have 7 Skill Dice for buying Skills and Perks. No Skill or Specialization can be greater than 6D above its base Attribute. When buying a Specialization, a single Skill Die is worth 3D towards that Specialization. So spending a Skill Die on Fighting would increase Fighting Skill by one D. Spending it on the Specialization Fighting/Fencing would increase Fighting/Fencing by 3D, but not increase Fighting Skill at all. You don’t have to spend all 3D in Specialization on the same specialty, you could just as easily have spent that Skill Die and gotten an additional D in Fighting/Fencing, Fighting/Nunchuks and Fighting/Frozen Tuna. Once a Skill specialty has been increased outside of its parent Skill, it no longer advances with the parent Skill. So spending Character Points later to advance one will not advance the other. Specializations advanced at half the Character Point cost of regular Skills (see Character Advancement). Attribute Dice can be exchanged for 6 additional Skill Dice.

Attributes The four Attributes (in alliterative glory) are:

Might: Physical strength, stamina, health and durability. Moves: Agility, speed, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Mind: Intellect, creativity, perception and problem solving. Mojo: Charisma, willpower and luck. Each Attribute has a normal upper range of 4D representing the peak of normal human ability and a lower range of 1D (the threshold of enfeeblement) although lower values are theoretically possible, expressed as 1D-1 (or 2 pips as a static score) etc. The “average” person has 2D in each Attribute.

15

In order to have Attribute scores greater than 4D, the character must have the appropriate Powerks.

Skills A Skill is an approximation of training, experience or innate talent. The boundaries of what a Skill covers often overlaps another and in many circumstances multiple Skills could be applied with equal appropriateness to a given situation. Which Skill to use requires some common sense, and if appropriate, many Skills will Complement each other. Skills and Specializations follow the guidelines set out in Mini Six for the most part. Specializations are purchased at 1/3 cost at Character generation, then advanced at 1/2 the cost of unspecialized skills. The Specialization and the parent Skill must thereafter advance separately, thus spending CPs on either the Skill or the Specialization does not advance the other. All Skills default to their parent Attribute in the absence of any training or experience. Ratings are always listed as the total of the Attribute plus any Skill dice. Skills may never initially be higher than 6D above their parent Attribute. With GM permission, they may increase beyond this through experience and by spending Character Points (see Character Points and Character Advancement).

Might Skills These include Brawling, Lift, Melee and Stamina. Brawling: This is the Skill for empty handed (and sometimes empty headed) combat. Also used for Grappling and determining your Block static defense. Because of the preponderance of muscle bound freaks with superhuman Might scores, no matter how high a character’s Might is the Attribute’s contribution to Brawling Skill never exceeds 4D. Thus Captain Andromeda whose Might is a planet shattering 26D can still only throw a punch at 4D plus his Brawl Skill dice. The Skill ceiling of 6D above the Skill’s parent Attribute refers to the character’s actual Might Attribute, not the 4D contribution. So Captain Andromeda could still potentially achieve a peak Brawl Skill rating of 32D (yikes!). Damage inflicted with a Brawl attack equals Might plus any applicable bonuses from Perks, Superks, Lift etc. There are no Specializations in Brawl. Players may want to attempt fancy moves while Brawling, let them. A Player might get bonuses of +1 to attack or damage for good descriptions. Performing complicated maneuvers to achieve some non-damaging effect such as restraining an opponent, knocking them down

16

or disarming them may add 5 to 10 to the TN, and instead of doing damage may knock them prone, disarm them, put them in a joint lock, distract them and so on. Encourage creative combat, slugfests get boring after a while. Lift: lifting heavy stuff, moving heavy stuff, and other feats of strength such as bending bars, tearing phone books in half and crushing lumps of coal into diamond with your glutes all fall under this Skill. Due to limitations inherent to the physical form Lift can never exceed Might by more than 3D without taking the appropriate Powerk. In order to lift 10 tons, your body has to have the structural integrity to support it. Every D of Lift above your Might attribute adds +1 pip to Basic Damage.

Lift Capacity Target Number 1

Mass Up to 1kg

Scale Tiny

2

3kg

Tiny

3 4 5 8 10 15 20

5kg 12kg 25kg 50kg 75kg 125kg 250kg

Small Small Small Character Character Character Character

25 30 35

500kg 1000kg 2000kg

Character Vehicle Vehicle

40 45

4 tons 8 tons

Vehicle Vehicle

48 49 51 52 53 54 65

21 tons 26 tons 46 tons 50 tons 70 tons 93 tons 2000 tons

Tank Tank Tank Tank Tank Transport Transport

70

8.5 kT

Transport

Example Pistol/small melee weapon Rifle/large melee weapon Infant Toddler Child Average woman Average man Large Man Lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) Horse Compact car Average car/ four seater Cessna Large SUV Limousine/African Elephant/Lear Jet/school bus F-16 Fighter Jet 18 wheeler (empty) 18 wheeler (loaded) Loaded 747 Abrams tank The Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle with loaded booster rockets and payload Eiffel Tower

17

74 75

30 kT 39 kT

Transport Transport

76 77 78 79

52 kT 70 kT 92 kT 123 kT

Transport Transport Transport Capital

81 83

214 kT 370 kT

Capital Capital

86

870 kT

Capital

89 93 101 113 125 126 127 137 149

2 Megatons 6.2 Megatons 70 megatons 2 Gt 70 Gt 92 Gt 123 Gt 2000 Gt 7x10^4 Gt

Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Capital Planetary

161 173 182 183 185 201 207 208 209 213 217 225 232 237 249 261 Each +1

2x10^6 Gt 7x10^7 Gt 7x10^8 Gt 1.3x10^9 Gt 2x10^9 Gt 7x10^10 Gt 3.3x10^11 Gt 4.8x10^11 Gt 6.4x10^11 Gt 2x10^12 Gt 6x10^12 Gt 7x10^13 Gt 5.2x10^14Gt 2x10^15 Gt 7x10^16 Gt 2x10^18 Gt Approx 1.33x previous value

“ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ Stellar

429

1.4x10^34 Gt

Galactic

Exxon Valdez (empty) Typhoon class Soviet Nuclear Submarine The Titanic US Naval Destroyer The CN Tower, US Navy Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier fully armed and crewed Exxon Valdez (full) The Empire State Building The Golden Gate Bridge The Pyramids of Egypt

Mt Everest The Chicxulub KT Extinction Asteroid

Ceres Pluto The Moon Mercury Venus Mars The Earth Uranus/Neptune Saturn Jupiter The Sun

The Milky Way Galaxy

18

Melee: this skill describes the use of weapons like knives, swords, axes, clubs and just about anything else hanging on the walls of a Medieval dinner theater, plus other items such as chainsaws, lampposts and motor vehicles. Just like Brawl, the maximum Attribute contribution to this Skill from Might is capped at 4D, so when the Menacing Mass with a Might of 20D+2 swings a 747 fuselage at you, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that his Melee Skill will only be 4D plus any Melee dice he has purchased in addition. Specialization is by weapon type. The Skill ceiling of 6D above the Skill’s parent Attribute refers to the actual Attribute rating, not the maximum contribution of 4D. So the Menacing Mass could still one day achieve a peak Melee Skill of 26D+2. Specialization is by specific weapon types (swords, axes, knives, spears etc). Attempting fancy moves like feinting, lunging, disarming an opponent, tripping them up should add +5 to +10 to the attack TN. A successful feint may knock 10 off your opponent’s next static defense. A lunge may add +1D damage or increase range by a meter or two. Disarming an opponent may, well, disarm them if they fail a Lift against your attack roll. Tripping them causes them to fall prone if they fail a Moves check against your attack roll, forcing them to expending an Action to get up or suffer a –1D penalty on all physical Actions. Creative attacks and entertaining descriptions by players should get small bonuses such as +1 on attack or damage rolls at the GMs pleasure. Natural Weaponry this Skill is used for attacks and Blocks when using weapons attached to you as some sort of biological adaptation (claws, horns, biting etc). Each type of natural weapon is its own Specialization. Stamina this skill describes a character’s physical endurance and overall health. You use this skill to determine resistance to pain, fatigue, exposure to the elements, deprivation of food and water and resistance to toxins and infectious diseases. Specializations include any of the conditions mentioned above plus any other you can think of.

Moves Skills Among others, Moves skills include Athletics, Archery, Dodge, Drive, Guns, Legerdemain, Pilot, Stealth, and Throw. Athletics: This is a broad skill covering everything that you may have encountered in gym class (except for wedgies). Acrobatics, Climbing, Jumping, Running, Skiing, Swimming and various sports such as Soccer, Baseball and Basketball are included in this. Martial sports (boxing, fencing, biathlon, wrestling, judo, lawn darts etc) are not included in this.

19

Archery: Covers the use of tension fired missile weapons like bows and crossbows. Types of bows are considered Specialties, such as crossbows, compound bows, short bows etc. Dodge: This skill covers getting out of the way. A successful Dodge will negate most attacks or at least mitigate their effects (explosions or area effects). Acrobatics and Jumping are not substitutes for Dodge although they may Complement. There are no Specializations of Dodge. Dodge may be used against thrown and ballistic missiles if the target is aware of the attack at a –10 and –20 penalties respectively. Drive: This skill covers the operation of land-based motor vehicles. Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks, Vans are examples of Specializations, as are fancy maneuvers like bootleg turns, jumps, Tokyo gliding, wheelies and whatnot. Guns: covers the operation of handheld firearms appropriate to your society’s level of technological advancement. Muskets, Flintlocks, Wheel-locks, Pistols, Rifles, BFGs (Big Freaking Guns like M-60s), RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades), laser carbines all fall under Guns. Specializations are by type of gun. Fancy tricks can be attempted with corresponding additions to the attack TN. Shooting for the hand, or head, or kneecap may have a corresponding benefit besides damage (perhaps disarming, adding 2D of damage, or hobbling an opponent respectively) but should suffer from a +5 to +10 increase in the TN. Legerdemain: Meaning literally “light of hands” en Francais, encompasses tasks requiring a certain light touch. Picking pockets, palming small items, cheating at cards, magic and sleight of hand, juggling and so on. Each of these can be Specialties as well. Pilot: taking off, landing and controlling any vehicle that flies. Specializations include gliders, prop planes, jets, helicopters, spacecraft and hovercraft. Stealth: involves remaining undetected. Hiding, sneaking around, ambushing, camouflage all falls under Stealth. Target: you can use Powerks that are ranged weapons. You must successfully hit a target in order to have an effect. Each Powerk is considered its own Specialization of Target skill. Powerks associated with another form of attack (Brawl, Natural Weaponry, Gun, Throw) need to use those Skills to direct them. Throw: Grenades, knives, spears, grappling hooks, rocks, baseballs, asteroids, you name it. If you can lift it, you can throw it. Anything heavier than twice the number of D in your Lift skill on the Lift Table you need to make a Lift roll to successfully pick up. How far can you Throw something? For ranged weapons, ranges are listed in three increments: short (TN +5 to hit), medium (TN +10), long (TN +15). Point blank is usually 3m or less and adds no bonus to the TN. Each distance listed in the Throwing Distance Table is actually the Short range. Medium and Long would be two and three times that distance.

20

Throwing Distance Table Lift Skill (static or rolled) minus Lift TN of Projectile Up to 5 Up to 10 Up to 15 Up to 20 Up to 25 Up to 30 Up to 35 Up to 40 Up to 45 To 50 To 55 To 60 To 65 To 70 To 75 To 80 To 85 To 90 To 95 To 100

Horizontal Distance (1/2 this for Vertical Distance) as a range increment 5m 10m 20m 40m 100m 200m 400m 1000m 2km 4km 10km 20km 40km 100km 200km 400km 1000km 2000km 4000km (Low Earth Orbit) 10000km

Throw Skill also modifies what the effective range of an object is. For every 10 you roll double the previous range. Thus rolling a 10 on Throw doubles the range, a 23 quadruples it, a 39 octuples it, 41 multiplies it by 16 and so on. So Captain Andromeda with a Lift of 29D and a Throw of 6D would like to know if he can toss an annoying BMW convertible into Earth’s orbit. The BMW’s Lift TN is 35, the Captain rolls an astonishing 116 on his Lift, a difference of 81, thus a distance of approximately 400km. But wait, he also rolls an amazing 34 on his Throw, thus multiplying the range by 8, still not enough. Cap decides to spend a Hero point on it adding the necessary 6 points to the Throw result making it an even 40, thus multiplying the range by 16 and parking the car in Earth’s orbit. Move over Sputnik.

Mind Skills All Mind Skills denoted with a “ * ” have an “untrained” limit at 4D regardless of how high your Mind Attribute might be. Once the Skill has advanced by spending Character Points or Skill Dice, this limitation disappears. For example, Mr. Know-It-All with a Mind Attribute of 6D wants to land the 747 after the pilots were vaporized by a stray plasma blast. As smart

21

as he is, without training, the highest he can roll without help is 4D. Later, he takes a few flying lessons, represented by an expenditure of 4 Character Points and goes from a Pilot of 4D (his untrained maximum) to 6D+1 (his Attribute plus one pip). Many Mind Skills are employed unconsciously, affecting our understanding of the world without us knowing it. Passive use of such Skills is equal to their rating minus 3 pips. For example, to sneak past a guard will require the defeat of his Passive Perception. If his Perception Skill is 3D, TN would be 6 (9 pips minus 3). Similar applications could exist for Intuition or perhaps other Skills that are not actively in use. However, if a character is actively using it, the Skill’s full rating always applies. Arcana*: represents the Eldritch, the Occult, and covers what humanity knows about the Supernatural. It may cover folklore, astrology, I-Ching, Tarot, Phrenology, Divining and such but in a theoretical sense. Having Skill in Arcana doesn’t make you a Witch, Sorceror or practitioner of magic, nor does it make you an expert on That Which Mankind Was Not Meant To Know Without Losing A Ton Of Sanity Points. Arts: this covers the non-performing arts such as Drawing, Painting, Sculpting, Writing, Poetry etc. Business: includes all the skills required to successfully operate and administrate an organization intent on turning a profit or creating value for stakeholders. Specializations might include types of Business such as Resource Extraction and Refining, Automotive Assembly, Advertising, Banking, Trading, Import/Export etc. Other Specializations could include the Skills required to run a Business: Investment, Bureaucracy, Leadership, Organization, Accounting, Grandiose Entitlement, Conspicuous Consumption and Outraging The Ninety-Nine Percent and so on. Crime: this skill describes knowledge of the criminal underworld and its workings. Who’s who, how to do something illegally, where to get certain services not otherwise obtainable in legal circles and others. It’s also the business of crime: how to make a profit running rackets like drug smuggling, prostitution, gambling, extortion etc. Crime is also a catchall Skill for stuff that isn’t best covered under another skill set: how to break and enter, steal a car, how to spot an undercover cop etc. Specializations can be by geographical location (by city or district), types of criminal enterprise (smuggling, narcotics, confidence scams, fencing stolen goods, prostitution) or by particular skill sets (boosting cars, breaking and entering, forgery and counterfeiting, gambling). Espionage*: this Skill covers knowledge about covert operations such as Surveillance, Security, Infiltration (undercover operations), Intrusion (quasi-legal burglary), Interrogation, Intelligence Analysis and so on. These are Skills most often employed by

22

governments, law-enforcement agencies and corporations for their own ends, either within or outside the confines of the law. Forensics*: sometimes referred to as Criminology or Criminalistics is the expertise associated with developing evidence to aid in the identification and subsequent prosecution of the perpetrator of a crime. Crime Scene analysis, Ballistics, Finger Prints, Blood Spatter are all elements of Forensics and examples of Specializations. Other skills will often be Complementary to or Complemented by forensics, for example Forensic Psychology, Forensic Medicine, Forensic Accounting, Forensic Entymology and many others. Intuition: represents your ability to decipher hidden meanings buried in contexts as well as within social interactions. This represents one’s “hunch” skill. Use this to sense the motives of another person, to see if they’re lying to you, to detect if they’re hiding anything or if a particularly odd event might have any salient implications. Investigation: is the skill for finding stuff out and can be employed in many settings. Research involves digging through databases, looking up literature, talking to experts, to answer a question or test a hypothesis. Interview is a form of Investigation using conversation and what a witness or source is prepared to tell you, and perhaps just as importantly what they are not telling you. Search is used to physically uncover information intimately associated with a location or on someone’s person. Each of Interview, Research and Search can be treated as Specializations of Investigation. This skill can also be Specialized along lines of subject matter, or geographical location. Knowledge*: is the skill that represents expertise in areas typically thought of as “book learning” but don’t fall under the Sciences. Philosophy, History, Geography, Economics, Tactics and so on are good examples of Knowledge (and also Specialties), but may only be used in a strictly theoretical sense. Languages*: operates a little differently from the other Skills. A language can be learned in three levels: Familiar, Conversant and Fluent. Each of these levels requires a pip in Languages. Familiarity costs 1 pip, Conversant 2 pips and Fluency in a particular language costs a D (3 pips). Characters at a Familiar level of understanding can recognize the language when it is spoken and probably communicate very basic messages. They operate with a –2D penalty to all communication Actions dependant on that language. Conversant characters can relay and understand more complicated messages and hold their own in most day-to-day conversation. They function with a –1D penalty in that language. A Fluent character can understand and speak the language without difficulty, although it may be heavily accented depending on their native tongue. They suffer no effective penalties when communicating in that language. Additional levels are possible and represent additional eloquence, elimination of an accent, or understanding of remote, regional dialects or ancient forms. Each pip in Languages confers a level in any specified language. Everyone with a Mind of 1D or more is considered fluent in their native tongue. Since Languages defaults to Mind, every

23

pip beyond 1D that a character possesses in Mind may be counted towards additional languages. These languages must be specified along with their individual level of understanding. So for example, an average person with 2D Mind may only be Fluent in English, but perhaps understands a smattering of other languages she is exposed to in her environment (say one pip each in Italian, Spanish and Yiddish if you grew up in the Bronx, and perhaps Spanish, Japanese and Chinese if you grew up on the West Coast). Purchasing further pips in Languages assumes either improving one’s understanding in currently known languages or acquiring new ones. These languages and their corresponding level of understanding must be specified at the time of purchase. Thus Captain Freedom with a Mind of 3D+1 has 10 pips available for languages, for free. His first 3 are assumed to be English (his native tongue), he decides he’d like to learn German, Russian and Japanese since these were significant languages during his illustrious Cold War career. He spends 3 in German, 2 in Russian and 2 in Japanese making him Fluent, Conversant and Conversant respectively. When he spends Character Points on Languages he will have to decide whether to improve his existing languages, or to buy knowledge in a new one. If having an additional language is not consistent with your character concept, just ignore it. Perhaps later, when your character evolves, she may use those unused Language pips towards the rapid accumulation of another tongue if it becomes necessary. There are no Specialties in Language Skill. Law*: you understand the rules by which yours or other societies’ live, how to operate within in them, and to turn them to your advantage. Knowledge of the Law is the bread and butter of lawyers, judges and paralegals but must also be understood by members of law enforcement, diplomats, criminals and others. Specialties include fields within the Law such as Criminal, Civil, Corporate, Family, International etc but also applications such as Law Enforcement (the rules by which the police operate) and Bureaucracy (navigating the maze of administrative and clerical procedure within any large organization). Medicine*: covers the fields of healing and includes Medical, First Aid, Surgery, Obstetrics/Midwifery, Nursing, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychiatry and so on. These are also some of Medicine’s specialties. Medicine is most often used to look after the injured or to diagnose illness, but it can also be used for other purposes such as Torture, Cybernetics, or Autopsy. Each of these may be Specialties also. Perception*: this skill represents the five senses and how well you use them. Specializations include Seeing, Hearing, Touch, Taste and Smell. Without Powerks, Touch Taste and Smell can never exceed 4D, representing humanity’s limited sensory capacity.

24

Science*: covers the stuff that can be studied through measurement and experimentation. Biology, Physics, Astronomy, Botany, Theoretical Mathematics, Chemistry and such. Each of these fields is considered Specialties of Science. Survival*: this Skill covers the knowledge required to exist safely in hostile environments, making fires, finding food and water, making simple tools and weapons. Specialty is by specific task (Tracking, Fire-Making, Primitive Tools) or by environment. These might include Arctic, Desert, Jungle, High Altitude, Marine, Vacuum and the planet Kurg, just to name a few. Technology*: is applied science and its practical everyday uses. Computers, Robotics, Demolitions, Electronics, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical), Surveillance, Security Systems to name a few, are examples of Specializations. This skill covers the design, construction and repair of items related to the above fields. Trades*: refers to crafts and skills you often see in a highschool shop class or tradeschool. Carpentry, Locksmith, Metal Work, Wiring, Plumbing, Automotive Repair and so on.

Mojo Skills Gambling: is the ability to play games of chance and win. Specializations are by game: poker, faro, roulette, bingo, craps, ma jong, the ponies and so on. Influence: is the ability to make others do what you want through communication. Appeal, Command, Deceive, Intimidate, Negotiate , Persuade, Seduce and Taunt are all Specialties of Influence. Appeal is the “first impressions” skill, and what is used to see if someone likes you, and how one reacts to you when they meet you. It’s how likeable and personable you are, how well you can dissemble, carouse and get along with others. Command is the skill you use when attempting to get one or more people to do what you tell them based on your authority over them, real or imagined. When in charge of a group of people, you may roll Command to get them to overcome their fears and act as a team. Also, for every 10 you roll, the group under your command has 1 temporary Hero Point that anyone may used toward the pursuit of their common goal. These HPs vanish once that goal is either achieved or lost, or at end of the session, whichever comes first. Deceive is the ability to manipulate another person using lies and innuendo. Intimidate is the skill used when trying to threaten someone or influence them through implied violence, physical or otherwise. Staring down an opponent, psyching them out or simply hurling threats might force them to make a Courage check against your Intimidation. Failing causes your opponent to suffer a –1D penalty on their next Action, by 10 or more

25

saddles them with a –1D penalty to all Actions and Skills for a Round, 20 or more, the Scene. They may even soil themselves or just run away if they fail by a significantly greater amount or get a Complication, GM’s call. Negotiate is used when an exchange is being made, whether it’s physical goods, information or favors. Two parties must roll against each other’s Negotiate Skill. The winner may choose to either double or half the opening price for every 10 he beats his opponent. Otherwise the loser’s offer is changed by 50% in favor of the winner. Persuade is the skill used when relying upon truthful, rational argument or common sense as the means for getting someone to do or believe what you want. Seduce is the skill used when trying to manipulate someone using sexual wiles. Taunt can be used to ridicule an opponent or draw them out by inciting anger or insecurity. Winning a Taunt versus Resolve roll by 10 or more can cause a –1D penalty to an opponent’s Action and Skill rolls, or alternately cause them to want to attack their tormenter when they otherwise wouldn’t have. Performing Arts: covers anything that requires an audience. Singing, Musical Instruments, Acting, Oratory, Dancing (although dancing could arguably fall under Athletics). Will: the ability to maintain the “self” against psychological forces such as fear, temptation, pain, and insanity. Courage, Resolve, and Stability are Specialties of Will. Courage is the ability to overcome one’s fear and act or think clearly in the presence of that threat. Failing a Courage creates a –1D penalty on your next Action, failing by 10 or more yields a –1D penalty for an entire Round, by 20 then entire Scene. A Complication may result in flight from the source of your fear. Resolve could also be described as self-discipline. It’s what you use to continue to do what may be inimical to your best interests, to resist temptation or to endure suffering and hardship. Stability represents your ability to keep your sense of reality together in situations where it may be threatened: mind blowing revelations, meeting monstrous Alien Gods, manipulation and persuasion through propaganda, mind control or even supernatural means.

Perks and Complications Perks Perks often take the form of doubling a single Skill roll, usually once per game session. Sometimes they provide a more consistent benefit, a bonus under the right circumstances.

26

In MightySix, by spending a Hero Point, any “once per session” Perks used up to that point can be renewed and available to use again in the same session. Perks that double rolls don’t stack. That is, you may have two Perks that allow you to double your Dodge Skill, for example. This doesn’t mean you can combine them to triple or quadruple that Dodge roll. You may only use one Perk to double a particular Skill roll at a time. Some Perks impart a constant bonus to Skills rolls involving a particular activity or circumstance. These kinds of bonuses may stack with, and also be doubled by, other Perks. In this section, Perks are loosely classified into groups of occupational Perks (Perkfessions), combat, physical, mental, social, and miscellaneous. Some Perks are primarily associated with super powers and are described in Super Hero Construction 101.

Perk-fessions These Perks represent the experiences your character has acquired in their line of work. Besides picking up certain skill sets, Perk-fessions impart status, contacts and perspectives that can be useful, but they often have certain Complications associated with them as well. Typically these Perks cannot be bought after Character Creation because they represent a character’s past experiences. You can’t suddenly become a brain surgeon unless something has happened in the campaign to make it so (medical school and several years of internship and residency make for a pretty dreary campaign). Perk-fessions also serve as a handy template for NPCs or characters generated on the fly. Since the average person is based on 8 to 10 Attribute Dice and maybe 5 to 7 Skill Dice, slapping a Perk-fession on an average NPC creates an instant EMT, or cop, or kindergarten teacher. There’s really no limit on the number of Perk-fessions a character may have, after all, on average we will each have about seven different “jobs” in our lifetime. But for game purposes, one or two should suffice, three is pushing it and you’d better have a good reason for four. Characters don’t need to take one at all. Acrobat(4) your character has received training in the use of his body to perform feats of agility or maybe he’s just naturally talented. Perhaps she was in the circus, or on the cheerleading squad. Maybe you just had a trampoline in your backyard as a kid. Add 3D to Athletics. Once per session you may double any roll to perform some astounding acrobatic maneuver, most likely this will involve either Athletics or Dodge. You also have the Perk Flexible. You must have a Moves Attribute of at least 2D for this Perk.

27

Agent (5) your boss is an acronym, CIA, FBI, KGB, ATF, MI-5, MAJIC and so on. Some people think your life is the stuff of thriller novels found in airport bookstores. It ain’t. Mostly it’s drudgery and paperwork. Disperse 5D among any of Athletics, Brawl, Business, Crime, Forensics, Guns, Influence, Intuition, Investigation, Knowledge, Language, Law, Science, Technology and any of their Specializations. You Know Somebody in the organization or an affiliated organization. Capitalist (6) you make a lot of money. You’re in the top one percent--of the top one percent. Maybe you’re a banker, or a hedge fund manager, maybe your start-up went viral or your industrial process has taken off and now you have more money than some nations. But somehow this just doesn’t float your boat. You tried the meditative retreats and the holistic cleanses, flirted with giving it all away, but then it came to you. You decided to make the world a better place and have a smashing good time while doing it. You decided to become a costumed crime fighter! You automatically start with 5D in Resources. Now divide up 4D among Athletics, Business, Crime, Knowledge, Law, Languages, Science, Technology, Influence and any of their Specialties. Also, you start with the Perk “Base” at 2. You also have at least two of the following Complications: Addiction, Arrogant, Brash, Competitive, Elderly, Enemy, Greedy, Obstinate, Public Persona, Wanted (by the IRS), Young. Celebrity (5) you’re famous. Maybe you’re an actor, musician, rap artist, politician, athlete or whatever, the whole world (at least the part that matters) knows you. But not the real you, the you that needs to don the cape and mask and leap out into the night to right the wrongs and do battle with evil, just to feel clean. Decide what you’re so freakin’ good at and throw 4D at it. Pick from one of Athletics, Brawl, Influence, Perform and any of their Specializations. Pick at least two of Attractive, Charisma, Explosive Speed, Fleet-Footed, Flexible, Funny, Know Somebody, Perfect Pitch, Winning Smile. Add 2D to your Resources and once per session double an Influence roll due to your notoriety. Take Public Persona as a Complication and one of Addiction, Arrogant, Enemy, Obstinate and Secret. Cop (5) you enforce the law. You are the thin blue line separating normal society from degenerate scum. It’s a dirty, thankless job, but somebody’s gotta do it. That somebody is you. You get a +1D to Athletics, Brawling, Crime, Drive, Guns, Law/Law Enforcement, Medicine/First Aid, Melee/Nightstick. You Know Somebody either in the Force or on the Street. Cops also gain the Complications Obligation/Obey the Law and Obligation/Code of Silence. They must also choose at least one of Addiction, Always the Hero, Bad Temper, Dependants, Enemy, Surly, Vicious, or any other appropriate Complications. Criminal (5) you are a career felon and are no stranger to “The Life”. You may add +1D to any three of Trades, Legerdemain, Intuition, Influence, Brawl and Guns (or Melee depending on the tech level of your environment). Add +2D to Crime Skill. You Know Somebody in the criminal element in your city and you have a Reputation. You also have any two of the

28

following Complications: Wanted, Surly, Vicious, Addiction, Illiterate/Innumerate, Enemy, or Secret. Once per session you may double any roll directly related to your criminal endeavor. Detective (5) whether you work with the police or do “private” consulting work, you uncover the truth, or at least someone else’s dirty secrets, for a living. Add +2D to Investigation. You may distribute 3D amongst Influence, Intuition, Investigation, Perception, Law, Crime, Guns and their Specializations. You Know Somebody among legal, law enforcement or the criminal element. Once per session you may double a single Investigate roll. You must have Investigation at 4D to qualify for this Perk. EMT (4) you help people out there on the street, where it’s still real. Add +3D to Medicine/First Aid, and distribute another 4D among Drive, Intuition, Knowledge, Medicine, Influence. You Know Somebody either in Law Enforcement, Medical Profession or Social Services. Engineer (5) no you don’t drive a train. You design and build technological solutions to real world problems for a living. Add 2D to Technology and distribute another 3D to Science, Technology, Trades and any of their Specializations. You have Know Somebody in your Industry, and can add +1D to your Resources because unlike so many other university graduates these days, you actually found a good job. Once per session you can double any roll that pertains to your profession. Hacker (5) by day you’re a cubical jockey, or a basement dweller. By night you are an electronic revolutionary, sticking it to the establishment any way you can and maybe making a few bucks along the way. Add 3D to Technology/Computer Programming. Spread another 4D among Technology, Investigate, Crime, Influence, Knowledge, Science and their Specializations. You have Know Somebody in the Hacker community and once per session can double any Technology roll related to computers. Journalist (4) whether it’s electronic or print, you get the truth out to the people, or at least a version of it that sells or won’t upset your advertisers. Add +3D to Art/Journalism, and distribute 4D among Influence, Intuition, Investigate and Knowledge. You Know Somebody related to whatever story you’re chasing, and once per session can double any roll that relates directly to an ongoing investigation. Kid (5) you’re young, no older than a teenager, maybe even in grade school. Maybe you still live with your parents, maybe you’re an orphan. You have zits, crushes and anxieties about fitting in. Of course nobody understands you. Divide 5D among Athletics, Crime, Knowledge, Science, Technology, Trades and any of their Specializations. Once per session you can double any Will roll, as well as any Stamina roll. You automatically get the Young Complication, and have to pick at least one of Addiction, Brash, Cautious, Competitive, Dependant, Surly or Temper. Lawyer (5) you may be a ruthless shyster or a sterling defender of public trust. Either way you’ve passed the bar and can hang a shingle anywhere in town. You know your way around legal circles, you’re good at logical thinking and constructing arguments. Add +1 to Influence,

29

Investigation and Knowledge. Add +1D to your Resources since the legal profession is so lucrative. Once per session you may double any Law roll. You automatically Know Somebody in the Legal Profession or Law Enforcement. Add 3D to Law or any of its Specializations. Physician (5) you are a trained medical professional of good standing with a slew of letters after your name. You may add +3D to Medicine. You may add an additional +1D to Resources due to your exorbitant salary. Because people tend to trust you, add +1 to Influence. Also add +1 to Investigation and Science. Once per session you may double any Medicine roll. You automatically Know Somebody in the medical profession. Your Mind Attribute must be at least 2D to qualify for Physician. Pilot (5): you fly planes, choppers, or the space shuttle for a living. Maybe you flew in the war, maybe you came up as a civilian. Regardless, you fly the friendly skies now. Add +3D to Pilot and any of its Specializations. Distribute another 2D among Knowledge, Language, Science, Technology, Trades and any of their Specializations. Once per session you may double any roll pertaining to operating an aircraft. Pick any one of Arrogant, Brash, Cautious, Competitive or Lecherous. Professor (5) you have a PhD, maybe more than one. You’ve been published in all the relevant journals in your field, have tenure at some ivory tower university, give lectures, do research and so on. You are a respected member of academia. Add +1 to Investigation, Intuition and Influence. Once per session you may double any roll pertaining to your field of expertise. You Know Somebody in academia and add +1D to your Resources. You have 3 Skill Dice to divide amongst Arcane, Knowledge, Language, Science, Technology and any of their Specializations. Scientist (5) whether it’s for academia, industry or just for kicks, you are involved in some serious scientific inquiry. You wear the lab coat and speak the jargon. Add +2D to Science, add +1 to Intuition, Investigation and Technology. Divide another 3D among Technology, Science, Trades and their Specializations. You must take one of the following Complications: Curious, Bad Vision, Enemy, Competitive, or any other that you feel may be appropriate. Once per session you can double any roll pertaining to your primary area of interest. Soldier (5) you’ve seen war, and it sucks. Or, maybe you’ve never felt so alive in your entire life and just can’t wait to get back to the front, your call. Add +1D to Guns/Rifle, Technology/Demolitions, Medicine/First Aid, Will/Courage, Drive and Brawl. Distribute 4D among at least 3 of Athletics, Brawl, Dodge, Drive, Guns, Melee, Language, Pilot, Technology, Will and their Specializations. You Know Somebody in the Forces, but you must pick at least one of the following Complications: Addiction, Enemy, PTSD, Lame, Surly, Vicious, or any other Complication you feel is appropriate.

30

Student (5) you’re in the process of obtaining a higher education, in between bouts of debauchery and abject poverty. You Know Somebody in academia. You may pick two of the following Perks: Well Read, Speed Reader, Scholar, Quick Study, Scavenger, Math Whiz, Logical Thinker. You may also add +1D to any three of the following: Knowledge, Language, Law, Medicine, Science, Technology or any of their Specializations. Thief (4) in whatever culture and whatever time and setting you live, you steal stuff, that’s your job. You might be a pickpocket, a flimflam artist, a burglar or perhaps you’re just a kleptomaniac. You get a +1 to Stealth, Intuition, Crime, and Athletics. You also Know Somebody in your local criminal underworld. Once per session you can double any Skill roll related to thievery when trying to steal something. You may distribute 3D among Athletics, Business, Crime, Stealth, Legerdemain, Trades, Technology, Influence and their respective Specializations. Vagrant (5) you are a member of the bottom one percent. Jobless, Homeless and out of options, but you are not out of hope, no sir, not you. You still believe in humanity, in the American Dream, in the Grace of God/Allah/Buddha, in yourself. Something keeps you going. You Know Somebody on the street. Divide 5D among at least 3 of Brawl, Crime, Legerdemain, Influence, Perform, Stamina, Stealth, Survival and any of their Specializations. You have two of Charismatic, Danger Sense, Fearsome Countenance, Funny, Hard To Kill, or Scavenger. You must take at least one of Addiction, Bad Luck, Blind, Delusion, Lame, Marginalized, One-arm, One-eye, One-leg, or Ugly. Worker (5) you are a member of the backbone of society, the working class. You are Johnny Six-Pack, Jenny Night-Shift. Maybe you work in a factory, nurse the sick, teach kids, drive truck, build condos, but whatever it is that you do, it just ain’t enough. You have to fight the injustice that you see all around you, and dammit, if just a few more people would stand up and do the same, the world would be a helluva lot better, wouldn’t it? Divide 5D among at least 3 of Business, Drive, Knowledge, Medicine, Technology, Trades, Influence and any of their Specializations. Pick two of Brave, Conviction, Determined, Handy, Jack-of-all-Trades, Iron-grip, I’ve Got Just The Thing. Take one of Addiction, Bad Luck, Cautious, Debt, Dependants, Marginalized, Obese, or Elderly.

Combat Perks These Perks primarily improve a character’s ability to kick ass, or to at least do it with style. Bend It Like Angelina (1) this is the astonishing ability to curve the trajectory of a bullet to either hit something around a corner or behind another object. Your Skill must be 7D or more. Add 20 to the TN.

31

Bend It Like Robin Hood (1) a feat of archery requiring astonishing skill: spin is placed upon the arrow causing it to skirt around one object and hit another behind it, or to hit a target around a corner. You must have Archery at 7D or more. Add 20 to the TN. Berserk (1) once per session, after being Wounded or Stunned you may add +2D to Might, -3 from all static defenses. A 1 on the Wild Die to hit means you strike the next closest target (friend or foe) on a backswing or overreach. You may also double any rolls against Fear or Intimidation while Berserk. The duration of this state is a single Scene. Blindshot (1) literally shooting at stuff you can’t see. The target must be within range (penalties apply) and you must be able to detect them somehow (Perception skill). You must have at least 5D in Skill with your missile weapon. Bind (1) you can trap your foe’s weapon or weapon arm, leaving him effectively unarmed and unable to retreat. You must have at least 5D with the weapon you are using and beat the opponent’s Defense +10. Your opponent can break free as an Action by pitting his Lift or Melee Skill against your attack roll or Lift. Counterattack (1) allows you to attack an opponent immediately with a non-ranged attack after they’ve hit you (whether they do damage or not). The Counterattack creates no additional Action Penalties nor does it use up any Actions. You must have at least 5D Skill. Dead Shot (1) adds +1 to any ranged attack’s damage. It also allows you to double your attack roll with a ranged weapon once per session. You must have at least 5D Skill with the ranged weapon you are using. Dirty Fighter (1) the best defense is a good offense, especially when the other guy ain’t lookin’. Once per game session you can double a single attack roll by pullin’ some low down dirty trick. The Dirty Trick must be adequately and entertainingly described to the GM’s satisfaction however. Draw Cut (2) this Perk allows you to do damage twice. Any weapon that impales and cuts (swords, daggers, rapiers, bladed spears) can be used with this Perk. Essentially after impaling your blade in the opponent (it need not exceed his Soak) you draw it across or through him, inflicting additional injury. Upon a hit exceeding the TN +10, you roll Damage, and on the same Action, do so again without rolling to attack or acquiring an Action Penalty. No static defense against the second Damage is possible. Even Harder to Kill (1) like Hard to Kill and Harder to Kill but turns a Dead injury result into Incapacitated once per session. Must have Harder to Kill. Fencing (1) you’ve studied European fencing techniques using rapier, foil, epee, main gauche and cutlass. Once per session you may double any attack or static defense while using one of these weapons.

32

Flying Move (1) allows you to increase the damage of any attack using Brawl or Melee by an additional +1D by leaping into the air. It decreases your Dodge, Block and Parry by 5 on the Turn it is used. Stacks with Spinning Move. Frenzy (1) once per session, after receiving a Stun or worse, you may add one additional attack per round without incurring an Action Penalty. This effect lasts for an entire Scene. A miss when rolling a 1 on the Wild Die means you’ve hit the closest ally within range. Hammer Fan (1) can only be used with revolvers. Basically the gunman, rather than pull the trigger, rapidly and repeatedly draws his opposite hand over the pistol’s hammer achieving an astonishing rate of fire. Adding 10 to the TN of your shot allows you to fire an additional bullet. Missing your TN means you’ve missed your target but still fired off the intended number of rounds. Hard to Kill (1) you may double the Might component of your Soak roll once per session. Harder to Kill (1) like Hard to Kill, but turns a single Dead injury result into Mortal Wound once per session. Must have Hard to Kill. Heavy Hitter (1) you punch above your weight class. Add +1 to your Basic Damage. I…Have…Had…Just…About...Enough...Of…YOU! (1) after receiving at least a Wound from an opponent who has fought you before, you must utter (or paraphrase) these words in a brief Stanislovskian monologue and may double the damage of your next successful attack, once per session. Iaiutsu (1) allows you to draw your weapon and attack without using up an Action. The attack may be defended against normally. You must have Quick Draw and Kata. In-Yer-Face Fighter (1) you are good at fighting up close and personal. Double any combat Skill when within extremely close range (grappling, entangled etc) once per session. Instant Load (1) allows you to chamber a single bullet, nock a single arrow, slap in a magazine after releasing the empty one, without using up an Action. Instant Stand (1) if knocked prone, you may stand up immediately without requiring an Action or Action penalties. Kata (1) through repetitive practice and discipline, you can combine various maneuvers into a single Action without incurring Action Penalties. All Kata Actions occur on the same Action. Each additional move in the Kata increases the attack TN by 10. Thus a two move Kata adds 10, three moves adds 20 and so on. You need only roll attack once, if any single attack fails they all do. Requires Martial Artist.

33

Lightning Reflexes (1) sometimes you’re astonishingly fast, much faster than you look. Once per session you can double a Dodge, Parry or Block, or any test of speed (but not Pace). In addition you add +1D to all Initiative rolls. Lightning Reload (1) allows you to fill a multi round (bullet) chamber or magazine in a single Action instead of the usual Action/bullet. This assumes no more than six bullets. If the weapon uses a preloaded magazine, you can release the empty and slap in the re-up without using an Action. Must have Instant Load. In the age of black powder weapons, you may load your weapon in a third of the time usually required. Marksman (1) may double a single ranged attack Skill roll per session if you are not moving and you take a round to aim. Martial Artist (3) self-defense is a discipline and an art. You have trained hard and achieved a considerable degree of skill in the ways of unarmed and armed combat. Divide 3D among Brawling, Melee, and Dodge Skills. You may double any Brawling, Melee or Dodge roll once per session. You may use either Moves, Mind or Mojo as the base Attribute for Brawling, Dodge and Melee Skill if you wish. You are not restricted to the 4D maximum Attribute contribution to Brawling or Melee Skill when using one of these as the Skill’s parent Attribute. You may also double any Will or Stamina roll once per session. Mighty Blow (1) once per session you may add +2D to the Damage of any one melee or unarmed attack. Musashi (3) you may fight with two weapons simultaneously, essentially using both each Action without incurring an Action penalty for the second weapon. Each weapon must have a skill of at least 7D. You still incur an offhand penalty of –1D for the weapon in the nondominant hand unless you’ve also taken Ambidexterity. Natural Born Killer (1) you’ve got a knack for killing. Add +1 to your damage on any attack, and once per session you can double any attack roll. Nerves of Steel (1) ignore 1D of Wound penalties (not Stun however) for one Scene, once per session. Powerblock (2) You ignore the –5 penalty to Block against melee weapons. Also you inflict your Basic Damage against the weapon you’ve Blocked or against the opponent if you’ve Blocked an unarmed attack.

34

If the attack got past your Block then you may substitute your Brawling Skill in pips for your Soak. Requires Martial Artist. Powerstrike (3) for every 5 points you add to the TN of your attack, you may add +1D to the damage. You need Martial Artist for this Perk and Skill of at least 7D in the attack you are using. This does not apply to non-muscle powered weapons. Quick Draw (1) allows you to draw your weapon without using an Action. You must have at least 5D Skill in that weapon. Rapidstrike (1) for every 10 points you add to the TN of your attacks, you may increase the Initiative rating of by 10. Thus if your Initiative had been rolled as 8, if you add 10 to your TN for all attacks on this round, you may increase your Initiative to 18, but this Initiative increase affects that attack only, not other Actions in the round. Once that attack is carried out, your Initiative drops back down to 8 for the rest of the round. Initiative results greater than 20 receive the same benefits (extra attacks 10 ranks later, dropping Action Penalties) for the Rapidstrike attack only. Every other Action acts on the rolled Initiative not the Rapidstrike Initiative. You need Martial Artist for this Perk as well as a Skill rating of at least 5D in the attack. Reversal (1) whenever you successfully defend against a restraining maneuver such as being grappled you can slip out and apply your own without spending an Action or acquiring an Action Penalty. Must have a Brawl Skill at 5D or more. Riposte (1) any time your parry succeeds, this Perk allows you to attack immediately with the parrying weapon without incurring any additional Action Penalty or using up an Action. You must have a Skill with the Riposting weapon of at least 5D. Say Hallo to My Li’Friend (1) you have an individual weapon that you love, and it loves you back. You clean it, oil it, sleep with it and probably a few other things that we don’t need to know about. It even has a name. Whenever using this particular weapon you can add +1D skill and +1 damage. But once you lose that weapon, it’s gone, as are the points you spent to get this Perk. You must have the Trademark Weapon Perk with this weapon to use this Perk. Shick-Shick! (1) once per session, when chambering a round or pumping a shell into the breach of a firearm (rifle, shotgun, assault rifle etc) with dramatic authority, the next shot may add +2D damage, because doing that makes the bullets fly harder don’t you know (at least in the movies). Skip Shot (1) you can ricochet a bullet or other projectile off adjacent surfaces to negate the effects of cover. By taking a –1D penalty to rolled damage, you can diminish any of your target’s hard cover bonuses by 10.

35

Slippery Fighter (1) Double any defense against entangling or restraining attacks, once per session. Spike (1) allows your arrow or other impaling projectile (not bullets) to act as a pinion, trapping your target against a nearby surface. The target may make a Lift roll against the damage of the Spike. Each subsequent arrow Spiking the target Complements the first versus the target’s attempts to break free. You must exceed your opponent’s TN +10 in order to Spike. Spinning Move (1) allows you to add +1D to any Brawl or Melee damage roll but lowers your Dodge, Block and Parry by 5 on the Turn it is used. Stacks with Flying Move. The Bigger They Come (1) against opponents of greater size than you, you may add +1 to all damage rolls, and may double a single attack roll per session. The Costner Split (1) allows the archer to fire two arrows simultaneously at an additional TN of +20, three at +30, four at +40 and so on. The arrows don’t need to be fired at the same target but the targets do need to be within a few meters of each other. The World is My Arsenal (1) once per session you can double an attack roll when using an improvised weapon, a rock, a beer bottle, a fire hydrant, whatever is handy at the moment and isn’t an actual “weapon” per se. Through and Through (1) allows you to hit someone else behind your primary target for every 10 you exceed your attack TN by, provided the shot exceeds the target’s Soak. That damage is then applied against the next target and so on. Targets must be behind one another and within range of the weapon. This Perk may be applied to any melee or missile weapon that impales and in which the character has at least 5D Skill. Trademark Weapon (1) you love using this specific type and make of weapon, whether it’s the Walther PPK or the Turanian battle cleaver, something about you and it just click. Once per game session you can double a Skill roll with this weapon.

Physical Perks Ambidextrous (3) your writing with either hand is equally poor. Oh yeah, and you ignore the off-hand penalty of –1D. This does not mean you can do two things simultaneously. You still have Action Penalties. You must have Moves of at least 3D for this Perk. Fast Healer (1) doubles any natural or assisted healing roll once per session. Fleet-Footed (1) you may increase your running Pace by 10m.

36

Flexible (1) you’re double-jointed. It might be natural or trained, but you can bend in ways that make some people want to lose their lunch (or get your phone number). Once per session double any rolls that benefit from flexibility such as Dodge, Grappling, Climbing, escaping bonds and so on. Explosive Speed (1) once per session double any Sprint speed for the first Round. High Pain Tolerance (1) once per session double any roll required to resist the effects of pain. Iron Grip (1) You’re hands are like vices. Once per session double any roll that might benefit from a powerful grip such as Climbing, Grappling, Pin, Choke, Intimidate (with a handshake). Steady Hands (1) you have hands like a statue. You never take penalties from manual tasks while running or in a moving vehicle, mount etc. Once per session you can double any roll where having Steady Hands would be an asset (neurosurgery, picking pockets, shooting from horseback, building a ship-in-a-bottle). Tough (2) once per session you may double any one Stamina, Soak (only the Might component), or Will roll. This may also act as a Complication if your gruff exterior puts people off.

Mental Perks Alertness (2) once per session you may double any rolls that represent your senses. Your Mind Skill checks are never Passive. Born To The Saddle/ The Wheel/ The Stick/ The Console (1) you have an uncanny knack for Riding, Driving, Motorcycling, Boating, Piloting etc. Pick one. Once per session you may double any Skill roll for your chosen mode of transport. This Perk must be taken separately for each type of transportation. Brave (1) once per session you may double a Courage roll. Conviction (1) you have a deeply held belief or set of beliefs. It could be a religion, a certain ethical or moral code. Once per session you may double any roll to resist being persuaded or manipulated if it violates that Conviction. Cunning Linguist (1) can become Familiar with any language you’ve been exposed to within days, increasing your Languages by 1 pip without spending Character Points. This may not happen any more frequently than once per session. Also, you purchase Languages at half the cost (rounded up).

37

Danger Sense (1) once per session you can double any Intuition or Perception rolls to sense danger, or Dodge. This also allows you to ignore the Passive penalty on Perception or Intuition. Determined (1) very little distracts you from your goal once you’ve set it. Double any roll required to achieve that goal once per session. Direction Sense (1) regardless of where you are, you know what direction you face. This works whether you’re underground or blindfolded and stuffed in the trunk of a Cadillac. Double the dice of any attempt at navigation once per session. Gadgeteer (1) May double any roll required to “jury-rig” a device once per session. Handy (1) you’re good with tools and fixing stuff. Once per session you can double any roll pertaining to repairing something. I Love It When A Plan Comes Together (1) whenever you’re in a leadership role orchestrating a complicated plan of action for your team, roll any pertinent Mind or Mojo Skill. For every 10, your team receives a single temporary Hero Point that any member can use but only on rolls related to the plan. When the operation is over, the Points disappear. Investigator (1) whether you’re a cop or a reporter or a scientific researcher you have a knack when it comes to uncovering the truth, double any Investigate roll once per session. I’ve Got Just The Thing (1) you are always thinking one step ahead, planning for contingencies others don’t even consider. Once per game session you can pull from your pocket or backpack “just the thing” needed for a given situation. The item must be plausible, thus no fragmentation grenades after passing through security at LAX, or katanas out of your Speedos. Jack-of-All-Trades (1) once per session you can double the roll of any Skill that you haven’t spent either Power or Character Points on. Killer Instinct (1) may double any Skill roll when competing with an individual in a life or death struggle, once per session. Level Headed (1) may double any resistance roll against fear or insanity once per session. Liquid Courage (1) after a number of alcoholic beverages equal to the number of D in your Might, once per session you may double any roll against fear or intimidation. Also you may add +1 to your Soak while under the influence. Logical Thinker (1) you are very good at putting ideas together and making plans that work. You’re also good at solving problems and figuring things out. Whenever this is an advantage, double the pertinent Skill roll, once per session.

38

Math Whiz (1) you’re a walking calculator, for you theoretical mathematics is your idea of a good time. Whenever being good at math is an advantage (gambling, computer programming, science and technology, sudoku etc.) double that roll, once per session. Natural Born Healer (1) you are a gifted healer, once per session you may double a roll when trying to use Medicine or Healing Magic or Technology to treat someone who is injured. Quick Study (1) you learn quickly, but the knowledge gained by such intense study fades rapidly. To simulate this, you may add +1D to any Skill you’ve closely observed or studied, even for a short period of time. This bonus only lasts for one Scene, and cannot be repeated on the same Skill, in the same session. Scavenger (1) you’re good at finding useful stuff where others might only see junk. Double any roll used to scrounge for tools, weapons, food and water, supplies etc once per session. Scholar (1) you spend a lot of time studying, you may double any roll in either Knowledge or Science once per session. Speed Reader (1) you can read and remember large volumes of information in no time flat. Once per session you can double any relevant Language, Knowledge, Science or Technology roll specific to the source you’ve just Speed Read. Telepathic Link (1) you and one specific being can communicate without words at a range in kilometers equal to your Mojo Attribute in pips. Time Compass (1) regardless where you are in the time stream, you know when it is. This Perk is often associated with time travelers. Universal Translator (6) you can understand any known language, and given a few interactions can become at least Familiar (See Language Skill) with any language not known. Usually this is because you are embedded with some sort of linguistic device or you are some kind of savant. Double any rolls to decrypt codes and puzzles of a linguistic nature once per session. Well Read (1) you may double any Knowledge roll once per game session because of something very interesting you just finished reading…

Social Perks Attractive (1) you’re sexy and you know it. Once per game session you may double any roll where flirting may be helpful. Add +1D to Resources. Charismatic (1) you have a way with people. Once per session you may double any Influence roll. Add +1D to Resources.

39

Fearsome Countenance (1) when you want to, you can scare people with a glare. Double any Influence roll when looking scary might be beneficial. Fervor (1) allows all troops under your command and within visual or auditory range to add +1 to their Basic Damage and Soak. Funny (1) you have a great sense of timing and wit. You’re likeable because you make them laugh. Double any Influence roll due to a well timed quip or bon mot. Gain a Character Point once per session if you make the GM laugh. Inspire (1) once per session, by using an appropriate Skill such as Influence or Perform, you can create additional temporary Hero Points that can be used by your audience for the particular challenge at hand. Each 10 on your Skill roll creates one phantom Hero Point available to any person in your group to use for your cause. You still have to win them over using this Skill if they are not favorably disposed to you. The Hero Points will vanish by the end of the session. Know Somebody (1) you have a contact who will give you information or pull some strings. They will not put themselves at risk for you and occasionally might try to angle for a little somethin’ in return. Once per game session this person can be called upon to help you out. The Somebody need not be specified when you buy the Perk, but the organization or context under which you know them must be specified, eg: I Know Somebody in Hollywood, or I Know Somebody in the CIA and so on. Large And In Charge (1) allows people under your command to add +1 to their checks against fear and intimidation when you are in visual or auditory contact. Once per session you may bark an order so vehemently that you can double your Command skill. Leader of Men (1) may double any leadership related Influence roll once per session. Natural Leader (1) once per session you may double a Command roll. Owes Me One (2) an extension of Knows Somebody, one time you helped this person out so much that they would risk a lot to help you out, maybe even placing them self in danger. Maybe you saved their life, maybe you covered for them while they were having an affair, or on a bender. Who knows, you decide. However this marker can only be called in once, so make it count, thereafter they are still a Somebody you Know (as in the Perk) Reputation (1) among the circles you walk in you are well known (but not necessarily famous) for something that is beneficial to you. Once per session you may double any Influence roll affected by that Reputation. The specifics of that Reputation must be made in advance. The same thing that gives you a Reputation may also make you Notorious depending on the circumstances and can be treated as a Complication.

40

Winning Smile (1) there’s just something about a set of perfectly straight, ivory white chompers that make people all mushy. Once per session you can double any social skill roll by flashing those pearly whites.

Miscellaneous Perks Base (variable) you have a lair, headquarters, sanctum sanctorum, a hideout, a place where you can lay low and recuperate. It might be a cave underneath your mansion, an office building in downtown Manhattan, a school for gifted youth, the boiler room of an old cathedral, an orbital space station, a skull shaped volcanic island absent from any modern maps. It could be your parents’ basement or the back of a van. The first level of Base gives you 10 Power Points to spend on the features of your Base. Every level thereafter doubles the previous amount, 2 equals 20, 3 equals 40 and so on. Your Base’s Power points cannot be spent on you or any other character outside of the Base. They are not portable, and cannot be used as a surrogate character, nor can they be used as a weapon or device outside of the Base. The only exception might be as a pick up and drop off vehicle of some kind. Bases have a Resources code equal to 1D per level. Items purchased with these Resources may be used outside of the base given that they are not augmented with Power Points and are acceptable to the GM. These dice can Complement Invention. Bases typically have security systems (Awareness), trained or robotic staff (Minions), camouflage (Invisibility), medical facilities (Regenerate), a lab or workshop (Invent), arsenal and so on. Go to town, make a cool crib for you and your bespandexed homies to crash in. Players may combine their Bases into a larger Base, but the levels don’t stack, only the Base total Power Points do. Chutzpah (1) you got some nerve kid. You may double one Skill roll once per session if performed under ridiculously risky circumstances. Escape Artist (1) you have training or a knack for getting out of bonds and lock-ups. Once per session double any rolls to do so. Impersonator (1) you have a talent for emulating other people, their mannerisms, their speech and so on. It’s great at parties or part of a stand up act, it also allows you to double any attempt to disguise yourself as somebody else. Just Won’t Die! (6) you can come back from the dead. Once. This Perk is for those characters that keep coming back after their death scene with some cheesy excuse like “You fools! It wasn’t me, but an android imposter”, or “I made a pact with the devil” or “it was all a clever illusion”. You decide what the rationale is. Once you use this Perk it’s gone, as are the points you spent to get it.

41

Just Won’t Die can be purchased any number of times and kept in storage just in case. It can also be purchased with Character Points as an advancement. Karmic Bond (1) allows you to donate your Character Points and Hero Points to the individual named in your Karmic Bond. They do not necessarily have to have a Karmic Bond to you however. Lightsleeper (1) even while sleeping, you make a normal Perception check to see if noises (and things trying to creep up on you) wake you up. Lucky B$%#*! (3) Once per session you can repeat one roll and choose the best result. Add +1D to your Resources. Magimmune (1) allows you to double any resistance roll against Magical effects once per session. Magimmunity means that you suffer a –1D penalty against any beneficial applications of Magic upon you, or you can Take A Fail on your own magic use or beneficial magic when used on you, with a CP award as if it were a Complication. Perfect Pitch (1) you have an ear for sounds and music. Once per session you can double any Skill roll pertaining to this ability (music, singing, bird calls). Play Dead (1) whether you’ve undergone secret ninja training or intense yogic meditation, you can slow your metabolic functions down to the point that your vital signs are barely detectable. Once per session you can fool someone into thinking you’re dead by pitting either your Stamina or Will against their Medicine or Perception Skill rolls. Also, you can double such Skill rolls when attempting to hold your breath or survive in extreme environments. Wealthy (1 to infinity) you have more money than most. Each level of Wealthy adds +1D to Resources.

Complications As in fiction, the purpose of a Complication is to add depth to your story and dimension to your characters. Protagonists that can do everything well or who have no flaws aren’t much fun to read about, nor are they fun to play. While not every character has Complications, most do, and are more interesting for it. It’s not an oversight that there is no payback for taking on a Complication. That’s right, you don’t get any extra Power Points or Skill Dice for taking some kind of drawback. What you do get is a way of making your character more fun to play while earning Character Points. Play up your Complication, earn a Character Point, it’s that simple.

42

Character Points are awarded only if the Complication results in actual harm to the character or another party member or has significantly hampered the goals of either the character or his party. Mere inconveniences or cosmetic problems should not yield any CPs. The exception is if the Complication has generated a moment of hilarity or entertainment for the group, or has significantly added to the game somehow. The GM is the final arbiter on this. Complications come into play in a variety of ways. The GM can evoke a Complication whenever she sees fit. Complications should never be used punitively but if the situation calls for it, the GM should never shy away from using a character’s Complication against him, just make sure the character gets a CP in the process. A 1 on the Wild Die can evoke a Complication whenever the GM can think of one. It doesn’t have to happen every time the Wild Die 1 is rolled, only when it adds something to the game. The player can be helpful in suggesting possible adverse events related to the roll, but the result should be a dilemma worthy of a Character Point. If the Character has no worthy Complications pertaining to the Action, then the GM should feel free to just manufacture a problem on the spot, a Situational Complication. It doesn’t have to be huge, but if it’s more than an annoyance for the player, then the player should be awarded a Character Point. Players can also invoke a Complication. If it results in a worthy disadvantage, the GM should award the player with a Character Point. Voluntarily failing a Skill roll or some crucial test should earn a Character Point if the failure is the result of a Complication. This is called Taking A Fail. Taking A Fail involves voluntarily failing a roll that a Character might normally succeed at, due to their Complication. The roll being failed should have significant gravitas, and should not be used for trivial or relatively minor things (unless failing such a roll provides entertainment for the rest of the party). Some Complications just add to the TN of certain tasks, when a significant failure occurs due to the Complication, a CP award should be considered. Character Points from Complications should rarely be awarded more than once per game session. If they do, it should be because the consequence of the subsequent Complication is much worse or more entertaining than its previous use. This is sometimes called the “once, maybe twice” provision for Complication awarded Character Points. Repetitive use of the same Complication with the same old consequences should not earn a Character additional Character Points (unless of course it’s funny or entertaining in some way). Good role-playing around a Complication should earn CPs whenever possible because that’s what Complications are all about. However the GM has the right to subtract or withhold Character Points if a player is NOT living up to his Complication. For example, a Pacifist wouldn’t gun down a room full of nuns (unless maybe they were all possessed by Satan). As a

43

GM you may subtract a CP or withhold the next one unless the player can adequately rationalize it or at least do penance (maybe a –1D penalty on everything for the next session due to her existential suffering and what not). Hopefully this won’t be necessary very often. Addiction: you’ve got a problem. It could be alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, the internet, you name it. When under its influence you’re messed up, when you’re without it you go into withdrawal, and it’s hard to tell which is worse. Take A Fail on just about anything. All Thumbs: your hands are deadly weapons to all devices, fine pieces of equipment, and delicate objets d’art of all varieties. You tend to drop, crack, strain or induce a major malfunction in just about any item you get into. Take A Fail on attempts to repair things, or to use complicated gadgetry like computers and screwdrivers. And drop your keys down a sewer grate while you’re at it. Always The Hero: you risk your neck to help others all the time. One of these days it’ll be the end of you. The sad part is, most of the time no one cares. Anachronism: you’re from another time, past or future. Earn Character Points by not knowing how a doorknob works, or generally not understanding the local technology or social context. Really outdated attitudes and mannerisms will also yield hilarious results. Anemic: your bone marrow sucks. You’re often weak and lethargic. Take A Fail on tests of endurance or strength. Arrogant: aren’t you just God’s gift to everything? You turn people against you and piss them off because they just don’t see how great you are, and hey, they’re jealous anyway so who gives a shit. Take A Fail on any social interactions, or just be a jerk. Bad Vision: self-explanatory, you get to add 10 to the TN of any roll involving visual acuity; missile weapons, driving, piloting, searching for stuff etc. Also, you can Take A Fail on these tasks as well. Bad Luck: if something crappy is going to happen, it’ll probably happen to you. No matter what your Mojo is, when in a contest of chance, you always lose. Between two characters with Bad Luck, the one with the lowest Mojo loses. Take A Fail on anything where chance is a major determinant of success. Blabber Mouth: you just can’t keep it shut. When God handed out prefrontal cortexes, you were at the back of the line. You can’t keep a secret and you often just blurt out the first thing that pops into your head. Take A Fail on social rolls or anything else requiring tact or discretion. Blind: you’re pretty much always in the dark, and that stuff about blind people having keen senses to compensate is just crap. Add 20 to the TN of any task requiring vision, or Take the Fail for a CP.

44

Brash: you tend to dangerously overestimate your own abilities, often placing you in difficult situations. Cautious: something will always go wrong unless you can examine the plan from every conceivable angle. Because of your careful attitude your more foolhardy companions tend to hate your guts. The fools, don’t they realize what you do for them? ChickenS&!t: you are a yellow-bellied coward. Add 10 to any fear or intimidation TNs, you can Take A Fail on such checks as well. Clueless: little things like current events, your location and what the hell the plan was tend to slip beneath your radar. Take A Fail whenever something like that suddenly becomes crucial. Clutz: you tend to drop things or trip over yourself at the worst possible time. Take A Fail on any Moves based test. Code of Honor: you’ve got a set of rules you’ve got to follow or else you’ll feel bad, also, the other folks who follow those rules might get mad at you. Or worse. You’ve got to outline for the GM what these rules are at the time you take on this Complication, but common themes tend to be the The Hippocratic Oath, Gentleman’s Code, the Pirate’s Code, the Laaaaaaaw of the West, the Phi Gamma Delta Pledge code and so on. Competitive: no one, but no one, can beat you at this one thing, or heck, at anything. You take crazy risks to win at all costs. When you don’t win the you-know-what hits the fan. Curiosity: not only does it kill the cat, but also you and the rest of the party. Death Wish: you don’t care whether you live or die, and neither does anyone else. So you take ridiculous chances for no good reason. Is it the rush? Is it the attention? Maybe you’re just freakin’ crazy or maybe you’ve got some secret agenda you’re not letting anyone in on. You decide. Delusional: you whole-heartedly believe something that no one else seems to believe. Is everyone else just whacked, crazy, can’t they see it? What are they, blind? Or maybe they’re just in on it… Dependants: the character has an aging aunt, children, or a hapless love interest that keeps getting into harm’s way. Sometimes one’s Enemy gets a hold of them and hilarity ensues (play your cards right and you might get two CPs for that one). Regardless, they’re weaker than you and you are compelled to rush to their rescue. Distinctive: you are memorable for some reason, no one ever forgets you. Elderly: you are undeniably old. You can Take A Fail on anything that an aged person might find challenging. This ground is fertile for all sorts of offensive cliché’s. Start planting.

45

Enemy: the character has a nemesis, someone who may be another superhuman, may be an organization or may be the entire planet. The enemy means to do the character harm, and it may not even be physical harm. They may be trying to discredit the character, or steal his girl (boy), or ruin them financially. Whenever this becomes a significant problem, award the character a CP. Greedy: you’ll do anything for a quick buck. Anything. Hearing Impaired: you’ve got auditory problems! Add 10 to the TN of any hearing based actions! Add 20 if you are deaf! This includes attempts at communication and social skills! Take A Fail on any of the above! Illiterate: can’t read or write this. Innumerate: can’t do math (don’t worry, neither can I). Jealous: it might be around a specific object (your girl, your car, your status) or it may just be a general “if you got it better than I do, I want it”. Regardless, you’ve got a little green monster inside you itching to get out. When it does, and it’s a problem, grab a Character Point. Lame: cut your Pace in half, and Take A Fail on tests of Running, Jumping and Athletics. Lecherous: you just can’t leave the ladies (or boys) alone can you? Whenever you see an opportunity to turn up the Barry White and get down, you take it. If this causes a problem, you get a Character Point. Marginalized: you belong to a group of people looked upon with disfavor or even outright hatred by society at large. Add 5 to 10 to the TN of any social roll when this becomes an issue. Take A Fail on the above, earn extra CPs when the ignorant masses come to lynch or ethnically cleanse you. Murderous: you’re not a psychopath, it’s just that well, your enemies all deserve to die. If they beg for mercy you clamp your ears and sing “la la la la la” while you stomp on their throat. You may never voluntarily change your Wounding damage to Knockout, ever. Notorious: you are well known for something and it isn’t good. Take a Fail whenever your Notoriety is a problem. The nature of your notoriety must be specified at the time of purchase. Obese: you are more than a little overweight, and it’s not your bones or your glands, unless they’ve mutated and started secreting lard. Add 10 to any TN where your weight might be an issue (Athletics, Running, Jumping, Climbing, Swimming, Getting Her Phone Number etc) or just Take A Fail.

46

Obligation: whether it’s related to your job, religion, culture or just something your momma drilled into you from a young age, there’s something that you feel compelled to do even at your own risk. Protect the weak, uphold the law, heal the sick, obey the Word of God, never eat bratwurst on a Tuesday, that sort of thing. Obstinate: you must have your own way. Earn a CP by being a stubborn prick. One Arm: add 10 to 20 to the TN of any task usually requiring two arms (climbing, driving, playing piano etc.) or Take A Fail on the same. One Eye: add 10 to the TN of any action requiring depth perception or Take The Fail. One Leg: Take A Fail or add 10 to 20 to the TN of any task normally requiring two legs (running, climbing, swimming). Cut your Pace in half. Pacifist: you will not fight, maybe in self-defense, but maybe not. Far from being a coward, you would rather come to harm than harm another. Poverty: you’re poor. Your Resources are 0 and they’ll always be so. You decide why. When your poverty is an issue, gain a Character Point. Phobia: add 10 to all TNs when in the presence of your irrational fear. Or Take A Fail under the same circumstances. PTSD: or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder comes from extremely stressful experiences such as childhood trauma, exposure to extreme violence and hardship. Survivors of war-zones, people in law enforcement, acute care medicine and those who have endured physical or mental abuse often suffer from this. Difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, emotional lability and relationship difficulties are key symptoms. Public Persona: yeah it’s great to be famous. The stalkers, the paparazzi, the paternity suits. What’s not to like? Rustic: you’re from the boonies, but that doesn’t make you mentally retarded. So why does everybody talk to you so slowly? Skeptical: you don’t believe in anything without hardcore empirical proof. Even then it’s likely to be the product of sampling error or investigator bias. UFOs, lost civilizations, forgotten gods dancing at the center of the galaxy? Yeah right. Get a grip pal, no one’s pulling the wool over your…hey why did your head just turn into an eyeball-covered tentacle? AAAAAAAAA! Stranger In A Strange Land: you just don’t grok (trans: understand) these Hu-MANs. You’re from waaaaay out of town, and you fail to grasp many of the nuances of human interactions.

47

Surly: you are mean-spirited and ill-tempered, it’s easy not to like you. Add 10 to social tests where meanness is a drawback, or just Take A Fail. Temper: you lose it. A lot. In a big way. It’s a problem, collect CPs when it becomes significant, and get some help. Ugly: your were born with an ill favored look. Take A Fail on any roll where this becomes an issue, as it is, add 10 to the TN of any social skill roll. Vengeful: you tend to hold grudges. Revenge is a dish best served raw and bloody with a side of your enemy’s own entrails, figuratively speaking of course. Vicious: you’re a mean mother-so-and-so. If there’s a cheap shot to be taken, you’ll take it. And sparing prisoners, forget it, you’d rather just kill them, or at least maim them to prevent any acts of revenge. This tends to get you in a lot of trouble. Wanted: you’re either on the lamb or a “person of interest” to some law enforcement body. When they find you they’ll take you away. Earn a CP whenever this becomes a problem. Young: you’re noticeably younger than your peers, which wouldn’t be a problem except no one seems to think you’re even toilet trained yet. Golly gee whiz, you’ll show them.

Super Hero Construction 101 Once you’ve finished designing your basic character, you are now ready to move on to phase 2, selecting Powerks and their Complications. The GM will assign each player a number of Power Points. The amount depends on the power level of the story your GM wants to tell. Less than 50 PPs is consistent with a Pulp, or Golden Age style campaign, or perhaps a Steam Punk Victorian Era setting where the characters are part of an “Association of Amazing Individuals”. The heroes are more or less regular people but with one or two incredible but not mind blowing abilities. Up to 100 PPs would allow players to create either fledgling modern heroes, just coming into their power, or street-level vigilantes who are probably still normal people who can be killed by a well-placed bullet. Between 100 and 200 PPs and you’ll likely have a group of named heroes, known to the public or about to be, with significant powers, worthy of any modern comic book. They usually get involved with local matters affecting a large metropolitan area, with occasional forays into space, or alternate dimensions.

48

Between 200 and 300 PPs and you’ve got world class, high-level heroes, dealing with problems that threaten the very existence of mankind. These are the Big Names of most super powered universes. Beyond 300 and you’re likely dealing with Characters that have interstellar influence, might be the manifestations of universal concepts like Time, Death, War and so on. Or they might be Gods or beings of such incalculable might that they may as well be. Power Points can only be spent on Powerks, nothing else. Only Power Points and later, Character Points buy Powerks. With GM permission, unused Skill Dice from the first phase of basic character generation can be used as Power Points, but Power Points cannot be used as Skill Dice.

Fun With Super Powers Super Powered Perks, or Powerks describe the superhuman abilities seen in the genre of the superheroic. They differ from regular Perks in a number of ways. First, they can be used multiple times per session without spending Hero Points. Second, they can be Amplified (Amped), that is, certain dimensions of the Powerk (Potency, Radius, Range and others) can be increased by buying additional levels. Powerks are the tinker toys used to build super powers, and are described as blandly as possible. The “Look” of these abilities, or their appearance, manifestation, special effects and associated Complications are up to the player and to some extent the GM. For each Powerk, the individual Look needs to be fleshed out before the character enters play. Each Powerk has a basic cost in Power Points (in parenthesis). Amplification beyond the initial parameters described in the Powerk’s entry will increase this cost by a multiple of this same basic price. After a character is created, the cost of advancing a Powerk through experience is equal to the Power point cost to obtain that next level multiplied by 10 Character Points. Also included in each Powerk’s description are its basic parameters: Range, Duration and Radius, as well as some Suggested Complications and Looks. The Look and Complications provided are not mandatory nor are they intended to be an exhaustive list of possibilities, merely suggestions. You’ll probably come up with better ones of your own. Any Powerk used as an attack requires targeting with the appropriate Skill roll. Touch or contact requires a Brawl, Natural Weaponry or Melee roll, ranged attacks require rolls using Targeting, Guns, Throw, Archery or whatever is appropriate given the nature of the attack. The subject gets a static defense to avoid the attack. Powerks delivered using a Radius effect like Energy Burst, Blast or Zone still require an attack roll, but usually the target’s static defenses are reduced or eliminated.

49

After a successful “hit”, the effect’s Potency is matched against an appropriate resistance roll such as Soak or Will. For inanimate objects, often it’s their rating on the Lift Capacity table, plus Durability. All Powerks have a default setting of “On”. That means they are freely available, requiring no additional effort to use, unless you’ve taken the Complications Activation or Delay. The Duration listed describes the approximate length of time the Powerk’s effect will last or stay on once initiated. Beyond that period, a conscious decision is required to reactivate the Powerk, and dead or incapacitated characters will not be able to do so. Amping Duration will increase this period of time.

Amplification Powerk limits can be extended beyond their basic descriptions by Amplifying or “Amping” their parameters: Duration, Potency, Radius, and Range. In addition one can buy the ability to Share the Powerk with someone else or Add Targets to the Powerk. The cost of Amplification for any parameter equals the base cost of the Powerk itself in Power points with a few exceptions. Radius and Range may both be expressed as either Self or Contact. Self implies that the Powerk affects only you, and any non-sentient vestments you are wearing. Stuffing your pockets with Infra Scaled compatriots or Inventions is a one-way ticket to Pissed-Off-GMville, so don’t get any bright ideas. Be thankful you don’t have to show up naked every time you Teleport or turn Invisible. Contact means you have to touch your target to affect them, meaning a probable Brawl roll. Amping to either a 10m Range or 2m Radius may obviate both of these concerns. Caution: Amplification is a Munchkin’s wet dream. Sometimes the combinations and new abilities generated are creative, powerful, and very entertaining, but the potential for abuse is huge. The GM has final say over what can be Amplified, Shared, Target Added and to what degree. Anything the GM feels is game unbalancing should be disallowed. Add Target: this Amp allows you to simultaneously affect another single unwilling subject within range of your Powerk. Each Added Target is an additional Amp. Duration: extends the effects of a Powerk beyond the listed Duration by one step per level along the following progression; Action, Round, Scene, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Years, Decades, Centuries, Millennia, Eons. Potency: increases the intensity of a Powerk’s primary effect. If that effect is expressed as a die code, then it usually adds a D for each level of Amplification. Radius: extends the effects of a Powerk across an area or volume with a 2m radius or doubles the previous radius for each level of this Amplification.

50

Range: extends the effect of a Powerk that doesn’t normally have a ranged effect over a straight-line distance of 10m or multiplies the previous range by a factor of 2. This distance is considered the “short” range, medium and long range are multiples of this distance by two and three respectively and have the appropriate Range penalties when used to attack an opponent. Share: this Amp allows you to imbue another single willing subject with your Powerk for the Duration of the Powerk’s effect. Each level allows you to imbue an additional willing subject. The Powerk’s Complications must also be Shared with the subject.

Powerks Listed below are several Powerks. By no stretch of the imagination is this list exhaustive. Please feel free to make up your own. Each Powerk entry has its Power Point cost in parenthesis, which is also its Amplification cost. Duration, Radius, Range entries are for the initial level for the Powerk and can almost always be Amplified. The Suggested Complications and Look listed are only suggestions, please feel free to ignore them or make up your own. Adaptation (1) Duration: Hours Potency: Per environment Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: SuperFreak, Bundle, Exclusive, Vulnerable Item, Activation Look: a funky suit, gills, inhuman anatomy. You can survive in environmental conditions normally hostile to humans. Examples include Cold, Heat, Marine, High Pressure, Low Pressure, Vacuum, No food/water, Infection, Corrosion, Radiation and many others. This Powerk will not act as Soak, only proof against ambient environmental conditions. Added Limbs (1) Duration: Permanent Potency: Per limb Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: SuperFreak, Vulnerable Item, Obvious Look: an extra arm, or prehensile tail or a bunch of robotic tentacles fused to your midsection. You have an extra functional limb. It allows one additional non-combat Action per round without additional Action Penalty. Each limb adds +1 pip to Skill rolls where such an appendage may be useful (Climbing, Swimming, Melee, Brawl, Jump, Run, Bingo, Play Accordion).

51

Anatomic Separation (1) Duration: Scene Potency: Per appendage Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Uncontrollable, SuperFreak, Vulnerable Item Look: robotic bits, animal powers (starfish, salamanders, amoebae), alien or undead creepiness. You can detach a body part and it will still function as it does when attached to you. It still needs Bundled Powerks to do things like fly (Flight), operate remotely (FarSense) and so on. The body part is considered one Scale smaller than the parent for the purposes of combat. Injury taken by the appendage is transferred to the parent upon reattachment, but at one step smaller (Wounds become Stuns, Severe Wounds becomes Wounds and so on). The only exception is Dead or Destroyed. In that situation the appendage is no longer functioning and the hero may need to accept a new Complication as a result (one-arm, one-leg etc). Animal Control (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level or an additional taxonomic step Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences, Vulnerable, Concentration, Out of Control Look: concentric circles emanating from your forehead as you instruct your aquatic buddies to attack your foes, a pheromone emitting device that permits control over your insect friends. You can control a single member of a single species. Additional levels of Potency adds a D to your Mind roll against resistance to control animals or increases the breadth of your control but not both. The breadth of control follows this taxonomic progression: Individual, Species, Genus, Family, Order, Class, Phylum, and Kingdom, ascending one step per level. For example, at one level you can control a single wolf. At second you can control a Species: Wolves (Canis lupus), next level is all dogs (Genus: Canis). Fourth level is all dog-like (Family: Canidae) such as coyotes, foxes, jackals. Next is all carnivores, then all mammals, then all vertebrates, then chordates, and finally at eight levels you can control all animals. At seven levels you can also control animals separated by geography or theme: all sea creatures, all flying creatures, all nocturnal creatures and so on. It’s similar to Mind Control except it only works on beings that aren’t self-aware or cogito ergo sum. Intelligent animals that can communicate complex ideas do not qualify.

52

Instead of resisting with Mind, animals resist with bulk. Thus an animal’s Might is matched against your Potency. Scale modifiers apply. Controlling herds and swarms is the same as controlling a larger beast, but you must use Radius. Add any Scale modifiers of the herd/swarm to the group’s resistance. TN modifiers for inimical and suicidal acts are the same as for Mind Control, as is the Range and Duration. Animals will not perform commands they cannot understand. Telling a bee to “push the self destruct button” will produce no results, however, telling a bee that “you and your sisters must swarm on that shiny red rock over there” might work. Trying to use animal swarms to perform tasks best described by other Powerks (Trap, Energy Blast, SuperSoak etc) requires either bundling those Powerks with Animal Control or including it as part of a PowerSource with those Powerks in it. For the purposes of this Powerk it’s assumed the hero can command his servants telepathically, but they cannot communicate with him. Animation (4) Duration: Scene Potency: Mind +1D per additional level Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Concentration, Out of Control, Danger to Self/Others, Missing Effect, Obvious. Look: furniture that moves itself, attacking boulders, killer cars, carnivorous buildings, that sort of thing. You can cause otherwise inanimate objects to move around and do stuff like give you a piggy-back and attack your opponents. You may Animate as much mass as your Potency in pips on the Lift table. While animated the object will have a Might equal to its Durability plus its Lift rating mass in pips, and a Moves equal to the Animator’s Potency. Objects will not be able to fly unless able to do so normally. Powerks and abilities you feel the Animated object might have must be bought and Bundled with this Powerk, or included with it in a PowerSource. Objects will be able to move at a normal human Pace. Animated objects obey the animator but cannot make decisions, and will blindly follow the last uttered command.

Awareness (1) Duration: Round Potency: +1pip to appropriate Skills OR adds an additional subject per additional level Radius: 2m Range: Self Suggested Complications: Activation, Burnout, Conditional Use, Missing Effect

53

Look: a certain wall-crawler’s danger-sense, part of a security system’s proximity alert, a magical alarm that triggers every time another member of a certain immortal group of whom there may “be only one” comes too close, a high tech tracking device. Creates a radius within which a certain target subject (person, place, thing or condition) alerts the hero to its presence and general whereabouts. The subject of the Awareness must be specified at the time of purchase. Examples include Movement, Danger, Robots, Ghosts, Invisible, Disturbances in the Force and so on. Each level also adds a pip to Skills like Intuition or Search when trying to locate the subject of his Awareness, but can’t be used to augment attack rolls. Burrow (3) Duration: Round Potency: Might + 1D per additional level to overcome the Durability of burrowed medium or doubles the previous Pace. Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Activation, Conditional Use (can only Burrow through certain substance), Obvious. Look: a burrowing vehicle, big-ass claws, a drill on top of your head, swimming through the earth like a fish. You can tunnel through solid objects at normal human Pace. You must overcome the Durability of whatever you are Burrowing through with your Potency to get through it. Confuse (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level. Radius: Target Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences, Obvious, Vulnerable Item Look: a spell, psychic power, chemical attack You can befuddle an opponent, causing him to stop doing what he’s doing while he tries to figure out what the heck is going on and who the heck he is. Target must match his Will or Mind against the hero’s Potency or stand stunned, unable to do anything except movement or static defense as necessary. *The cost to Amp the Potency of this Powerk is double the previous level’s cost. Thus to go from first to second costs 10 Power points, second to third 20 Power points, third to fourth 40 and so on. Commune (3) Duration: Round Potency: Per type of inanimate object.

54

Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: SuperFreak Look: spiritual link with nature, direct neural interface via a funky ponytail, a special sense for “such things”. Commune allows you to communicate with things normally unable to communicate. Examples include animals, plants, rocks, machines and so on. Each “thing” must be specified and purchased separately. Things can only discuss what may be available to their perspective (a dandelion can’t tell you what color the creature was that stomped by, but maybe how heavy). Corrosive (5) Duration: 1D Rounds Potency*: 1D Radius: Target Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Missing Effect/ineffective against certain substances, Conditional Use/Acid Blooded character must be Wounded to use, SuperFreak. Look: acid-for-blood, corrosive gas, digestive enzyme spit This horrific Powerk allows the hero to secrete a corrosive agent (acid, alkali or digestive enzyme) that exerts its effect for 1D rounds before fizzling out. Each round the Corrosive does damage equal to its Potency. You may choose instead to allow the corrosive to destroy any armor your target is wearing before it harms them. Most armor’s Durability is equal to its Armor Value. Damage to armor’s Durability has a corresponding effect on the Armor Value. It has a similar effect on Powerks and Inventions that are Vulnerable Items. Each Point of damage reduces the Power point value of the Item until it can be repaired or a suitable amount of time has elapsed (end of the adventure, next Session etc). Repeated attacks by Corrosive do not add more damage, only extends the Duration by another 1D rounds. Corrosive Damage is resisted by Soak, but can also be neutralized by the appropriate Adaptation. Use of Science or Chemistry will allow a character to neutralize the agent provided there are materials around to do this. A Skill roll exceeding the Corrosive’s Damage is required. Corrosive may be treated as an Energy Blast and still maintain its characteristics, however its Potency will always remain 1D per level rather than Energy Blast’s 4D starting Potency. Amping Duration adds another D Rounds per level, or extends the availability of the Powerk up the Duration ladder.

55

*When Amping Potency, the Power point cost of the next level is equal to double the previous, thus to go from first to second costs 10, second to third 20, to fourth 40 and so on. Create Matter (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level OR Create a different type of matter Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Bundle, Obvious, Unintended Consequences Look: rollercoaster slides of ice, piles of earth appearing out of nowhere, your own weight in gold. You can make a specified kind of non-sentient matter appear out of nowhere. It won’t exhibit any Powerk effects unless you Bundle it with other Powerks or insert it into a PowerSource along with the Powerks you want it to simulate. It can act as a barrier or obstacle with a Mass equal to it’s Potency on the Lift Capacity table. The Matter disappears at the end of its Duration. If liquid or solid the amount Created is equal to your Potency in pips on the Lift Capacity Table. If the matter is gaseous, a 1 on the Lift table creates a cubic meter, volume doubling each level thereafter. Buying ten levels allows you to create any non-sentient matter you wish. Darkvision (3) Duration: Scene Potency: n/a Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Missing Effect/works only as low light, not total darkness, Obvious, Kryptonate/susceptible to light attacks. Look: nightvision goggles, large or glowing eyes. You can see through darkness, but not other forms of obscuration (smoke, illusions etc). Dazzle (5) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level OR an additional sense affected Radius: Target Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences, Harm to Others, Obvious Look: Flash of light, blast of sound, overwhelming stench, flash-bang explosion You can overwhelm the sensory input of your opponent if they fail to match their Will or Stamina (determined at time of purchase) against your Potency. If they fail, their senses

56

are impaired and thus add your Potency in pips to the TN of any task requiring use of that sense for the Duration. Destroy Matter (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level OR Destroy another type of Matter. Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: the neighbors now expect you to clear their driveway of snow. Look: disintegration ray, magic spell, psionic power The opposite of Create Matter, you can make a specified kind of non-sentient matter vanish temporarily. Such a disappearance has no game effects unless Bundled with other Powerks describing those effects or as part of a PowerSource including those Powerks. The volume/mass of gases, liquids and solids Destroyed is proportional to your Potency on the Lift Capacity table, similar to Create Matter. After purchasing ten levels you can make any non-sentient matter go away. The Matter will return to existence once the Duration expires. Dimension Walk (6) Duration: Scene Potency: per alternate reality Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences/when the duration expires, the Dimensional pathway closes, stranding you on the other side, Vulnerable Item, Delay. Look: a gateway, a wormhole, a magical key, a subtle knife. You can step into another reality. When the Duration is over you return to your dimension of origin. Emotion Control (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level OR per emotional state. Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Difficult Change-back, Obvious, Burnout, Unintended Consequences Look: love potion number nine, psychic power, a bliss field You can make people feel one specific emotion; fear, revulsion, hatred, rage, sadness, jealousy, love, joy, laughter, lust and maybe a few others. Match your Mind against their Will (or Courage for Fear), whichever is most appropriate. Modifiers up to +/- 10 for the subject’s pre-existing emotional state.

57

Inciting someone to inherently inimical behavior adds +10 to 20 to the TN you need to beat. Suicidal behavior adds +30. *When Amping the Powerk’s Potency against resistance, the Power Point cost to go to the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd 20 points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Empathy (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences (maybe you feel a connection with your subject?), Concentration, Vulnerable Look: a psychic power, sensitivity to emotions through highly developed senses, reading an aura. You can read people’s emotions. How does that make you feel? You are now qualified to be the least useful, but best decolletaged, member of the starship’s crew. Unwilling targets get to resist with their Will. You may add your Potency to any attempts to use Intuition, or perhaps to Influence someone after successfully Empathizing with them. EM Vision (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D OR another wavelength Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Obvious, Vulnerable Item Look: funky visor, glowing eyes, some cool gadget Allows vision in other electromagnetic spectrums that may be used to enhance the detection of the unseen or to acquire information about an object or person (identifying types of radiation, spotting weaknesses in structures or understanding complex electronic devices). Each level allows a +1D bonus when used for such analyses. Complications might include being blinded by attacks in the non-visible light spectrum. Suggested wavelengths include ultraviolet, infrared, radio, microwave and so on. Energy Blast (5) Duration: Action Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level Radius: Target Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Burnout, Exhausting, Danger to Others, Unintended Consequences Look: laser eye beams, high velocity ice balls, heat rays, lightning bolts ejected from fingertips, cone of cold.

58

You can launch beams or bolts of pure Energy at your target inflicting your Potency as either Wounding or Knockout Damage. Potency starts at 4D. You usually use Target Skill to hit, but you can also use Throw, Guns, Archery and so on, depending on the characteristics of your Energy Blast. For simplicity, consider any non-contact force that you apply to the world as “Energy”. This could be freezing rays, ionizing radiation, gusts of wind, hails of stone shrapnel, whirling vortices of tiddly-winks, you name it. Give some consideration to the nature of your Energy. What does it Look like? What are its weaknesses? Fire or heat tend to ignite things but don’t work under water, electricity and magnetism play havoc with electronics, sonics don’t work in vacuum and shatter fragile things like glass and ceramics. You should be able to come up with at least two Complications for your Energy, probably more. By Amplifying Energy Blast’s Duration, your Energy Blast becomes an Energy Gatling Gun or Energy Fire-Hose, adding one additional Energy Blast per Action, per Amp. The maximum number of targets equals its levels of Duration. You don’t however roll for each additional attack. For each Amp of Duration add +1 to your attack and damage roll. This bonus is split up among all of your targets equally, rounding down any fractions. For example, the Red Beam Amps his Blast Duration by 10 levels. This adds +10 to both attack and damage rolls against a single opponent. Against 3 opponents he would add +3 to attack and damage to each target, against 6 opponents +1 and 10 opponents (maximum number) +1. Only one attack roll and one damage roll is made and then compared against each target’s static defense and resistance, not multiple rolls. All targets must be in a 90-degree arc in front of you, a Wild Die 1 means you caused collateral damage (hit an innocent bystander, damaged property with a stray shot and so on). An Energy Burst is created by Amplifying Radius. Everyone in the radius is subject to the Energy Blast’s Damage. All targets have their Dodge decreased by 5 per Amp of Radius. Parry and Block may be completely ineffective at the GM’s whim. The Burst can take the form of an explosion (radiating from any point within the Blast’s Range) or a ray (the beam’s terminus affecting an area equal to the Amped Radius, in a cone or a fan), your choice. You still have to roll to hit your target. An Energy Zone can be created anywhere within your Range when both Radius and Duration are Amped together. The Zone inflicts the Energy Blast per Round to all within the Radius for as long as they are in there, or for the Duration whichever comes first. All static defenses are reduced by 5 per Amp of Radius. Parry or Block may be completely ineffective depending on the circumstances and GMs whim. Some heroes create melee weapons composed of Energy that they wield using their Melee Skill. Such weapons can inflict either their Energy Blast Potency, or their Basic Damage plus 1D of Energy, whichever is greater.

59

Energy Blast allows you to create a construct of Energy. Any shape you can imagine is possible as long as it fits within your Radius and Range. Such a construct has no additional Powerks at its disposal unless you Bundle them with your Energy Blast Powerk or include them in a PowerSource along with Energy Blast. So you could not make an Energy container to hold your enemy if you didn’t also have the Powerk Trap either Bundled with Energy Blast, or both together in a PowerSource. You could place an Energy barrier in front of a doorway though, or provide cover. Constructs and weapons are assumed to have a Durability equal to their Potency in pips. Damaging a construct reduces its Potency accordingly, and reducing it to 0 destroys it. ESP (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Vulnerable Item Look: a mind reading helmet, psychic power, a magic spell You can read minds. Targets resist using their Will vs. your Mind if aware of your attempt, otherwise they do it Passively with a –3 pip penalty. In combat, success allows you to anticipate your opponent’s next move, giving you a +5 advantage on all attack rolls or static defense against your target. Far Sensing (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Additional sensory modality Radius: Self Range: 100m Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Exclusive Look: psychic power, crystal ball scrying Allows you to cast one of your senses somewhere else and observe what is happening there. Flight (4) Duration: Round Potency: doubles previous Flight’s Pace Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Look: The Look might be wings, or jets, or just levitating through the air, or a flash of blue and red with people pointing and shouting “Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a…” You can fly at a Pace of 20m/round. You can fly faster by rolling an Athletics/Fly Skill roll and adding it to your Pace. This rate doubles if “sprinting” is the only Action taken in the

60

Round. While Flying, a hero may carry what they could normally carry while on the ground. Encumbrance and fatigue penalties still apply. Flying faster than 2500m/Round (sprinting at 7 levels of Potency) breaks the sound barrier, creating a deafening boom and maybe other effects. When Flying underwater, reduce Pace by 1/2. FTL (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Doubles previous distance Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Exclusive, Unintended Consequences, Vulnerable Item Look: a starship, a portal in the back of your van, streaking through space on your silver surfboard. Einstein be damned, you can move at the speed of light. In fact you can move one light year in a single scene (put that in your pipe and smoke it Hawking). Subsequent levels double the previous velocity. FTL can only occur in the cold vacuum of space, and can’t be used in combat. Gestalt (6) Duration: Scene Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Touch Range: Touch Suggested Complications: Delay, Difficult Change-back, Danger to Self Look: you become another cool super-being, you become a freakish monster composed of all the bits of your co-Gestaltees. Gestalt allows two or more beings to co-exist as a single, often more powerful being. Each level allows an additional being to be combined with the first, or increases the Potency with which the Gestalting character can compel another to join the Gestalt. Potency must defeat either the subject’s Will or Might (which is decided at the time of purchase) if they are unwilling to join up. The new Gestalt-being is an amalgam of the two beings, sharing the Skills, Perks, Powerks and memories of both. The new being can then select the best characteristics of either Gestalted being. Often their Complications also become part of the mix. Gestalted beings can always Complement the abilities of their co-Gestaltees. Glide (3) Duration: Round Potency: double previous Glide Pace Radius: Self

61

Range: Self Suggested Complications: Out of Control, Danger to Self, Vulnerable Item, Conditional Use (requires an atmosphere) Look: membranes between your limbs, a large black cape, a backpack that breaks out into glider wings You travel through the air at 20m/R without an internal power source. You have to start from some elevation, and make a difficult Athletics Skill roll to gain any altitude. You cannot travel faster than 100m/R unless the prevailing air currents allow it. You must have a medium to glide in (atmosphere, solar wind etc). Insanity (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional Potency Radius: Self Range: Touch Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Exclusive, Unintended Consequences Look: a psionic ability, a gas emitted from a device, your freaky appearance You drive people crazy, literally. Pit your Mind against your target’s Stability. The damage is Knockout, or if your GM chooses, may take the form of some permanent of long lasting psychological derangement or Complication. A Death or Destruction result means a long lasting mental illness or catatonia. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Illusion (6) Duration: Round Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level OR adds additional sensory modality. Radius: 2m Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration (mandatory; see below), Vulnerable Item Look: a series of brilliant special effects, light control You can create an illusion in a single sensory modality (see Invisibility for the list). The Illusion is not a delusion, that is, it does actually exist to some extent in the real world, not just in the mind of the viewer. The Illusion starts with a potency of 4D versus the viewers’ passive Perception, active Perception if the viewer has reason to disbelieve the Illusion. Amplification either adds a D against this resistance or adds another sensory modality. Illusion can also be used to become Invisible as per the Powerk of the same name.

62

Dynamic Illusions, those that move and speak and so forth gives the target a +10 on a roll to disbelieve. Such Illusions require Concentration on the part of the Illusionist and requires an Action to operate. In combat, Illusions that attack may do actual damage, but this is Knockout only (although at the time the viewer will behave as if Wounded, Killed etc. but will only be Stunned or Knocked Out if “killed”). Illusionary Actions that require a Skill are rolled using either the Illusionist’s Mind or the Illusion’s Potency or the Illusionist’s own Skill (whichever is greater). Initiative is based on either the Illusionist’s Mind or the Potency of the Illusion. The Illusionist’s own Skills may be used to Complement the Potency of an Illusion if the GM deems appropriate. Inception (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Delay Look: you have a group of fanatical followers, suddenly your enemies believe they are your friends and help you, these are not the droids you’re looking for You make people believe things they wouldn’t normally believe. You don’t necessarily command them to do stuff (that’s Mind Control) you just make them change the way they perceive the world. Pit your Mind against their Stability. Planting thoughts that are inimical add 10 to the subject’s resistance, suicidal thoughts add 30. Removing core memories such as identity adds 10 to the subject’s resistance, carving out actual Skills or the ability to fend for one self adds 20. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Insubstantial (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Another force Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Difficult Change-back, Out of Control SuperFreak, Unintended Consequences. Look: turning into smoke, looking like a phantom, vibrating your molecules at the same wavelength of the solid surface you’re phasing through. You are intangible and essentially invulnerable to a particular force. The list of what one may be intangible to includes Physical, Heat, Cold, Light, Electricity, Magnetism, Gravity, Plasma/Radiation and Sonics. You cannot buy Insubstantial against vapor, magic or psionics (including Telekinesis).

63

Physical Insubstantiality is the most common form. While Physically Insubstantial you cannot attack or corporeally interact with the solid world. Grabbing or touching something while Insubstantial requires a Heroic (30) Targeting check, and trying to perform a physical Action adds 20 to the TN as you try to solidify your hands or feet while keeping your body Insubstantial. A Complication should be merciless, such as amputating the offending limb/digits or perhaps a receiving a Mortal Wound. Physically Insubstantial characters are still subject to gravity, but cannot ascend up a solid surface without the above penalties and potential consequences (solidifying their feet). They will simply maintain the altitude they were at the time they became Insubstantial and walk into the hill, stairs or pass through the elevator floor as it rises. They can still fall though, and keep falling until they hit the center of gravity for whatever object they happen to be on. Suddenly coming out of Physical Insubstantiality while encased in a solid object pits the Durability plus the mass of a you-sized chunk of your surrounding medium as per its Lift Capacity rating against your Soak. You take the excess as Wounding Damage. If you were traveling at appreciable velocity, add that too. Thus if an average sized hero were traveling through solid granite (say a Durability of 6) and they became substantial again, they would face 6 plus the mass of a human sized granite statue (let’s say 20), for a total of 26 points against their Soak. Being intangible to Heat, Cold, Light, Sonics might have other effects such as being invisible to thermal sensors, or the visible spectrum and sonar respectively, if so such Powerks need to be Bundled or included as part of a PowerSource. If interested, in order to survive a trip through the Sun, you’d need Insubstantiality to Physical, Heat, Light, Plasma/Radiation and probably Electricity, Magnetism and Gravity as well. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Invisible (3) Duration: Round Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level OR adds additional sensory modality Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Missing Effect/only certain subjects (you, only living tissue etc) can become Invisible, or the Invisibility doesn’t fool electronics. Unintended Consequences or Harm to Self/you can’t see yourself so you take penalties when performing physical Actions. Look: It may Look like a cloud of mist, or shroud of darkness, or an area of silence, or perhaps the subject disappears, becoming completely invisible.

64

You can make yourself harder to detect in a single sensory mode (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, sonar, radar, X-ray Vision, EM Vision, Awareness). Attempts to find you must roll against the Powerk’s Potency, added to your Stealth Skill if actively hiding. During combat if visually Invisible, your Dodge is increased by your Potency in pips. This is negated by area attacks and if your attacker has expended an Action and successfully located you prior to his attack. Machine Control (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Vulnerable Item Look: A modem jack to your brainstem, control of magnetic fields, communing with machine spirits Like Animal Control, the machine is not considered sentient for the purposes of this Powerk. Self-aware computers and robots would be affected by Mind Control instead. The Controller pits her Potency against the machine’s mass as per the Lift Capacity table or using applicable Scale bonuses/penalties. Machines don’t have any sense of self-preservation and so do not have any modifiers for inimical or suicidal acts. However they can only obey commands within their operational limits; you can’t tell a station wagon to toast your bagel, and you can’t tell your toaster to red-line down the highway and turn left on to the turnpike. Mind Blast (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Target Range: Contact Complications: Activation, Concentration, Look: eyes melt, heads explode, everybody dead! You can attack people’s minds rather than their bodies. Instead of rolling damage against Soak, you roll against your target’s Will. The damage can be Knockout or Wound. This attack works against organic minds but may be Amped to affect Artificial Intelligences. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Mind Control (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Contact Range: Contact (with GM approval may be Amplified indefinitely as long as the subject can be communicated with from a distance, over the phone, internet etc).

65

Suggested Complications: rampant abuse by players, flagrant misuse by GMs. Other Complications include a Missing Effect/only works on organic minds, Conditional Use/must speak the same language, Burnout, Unintended Consequences Look: It might Look like hypnotism, psychic energy emanating from someone’s vein covered mega-cranium, a potion, a high tech head band and so on. You can tell people to do all kinds of stuff: “you and you fight, you eat that gum, you shake your junk” and they’ll do it. It’s your Mind versus their Will. Amplifying potency adds a D to your Control attempts. Instructing someone to do something inimical (harmful or abhorrent to themselves or something/someone they care about) adds 10 to 20 to their Will. Asking something suicidal would add 30. You need to communicate your instructions and be understood by the subject. This Powerk works on all “minds” that are sentient and self-aware including AI’s, aliens, hive minds and so on. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Mind Shield (2) Duration: Scene Potency: 1 per level Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Exhaustion Look: a device, a mystical ability, intense self discipline It’s like Soak for your brain. You may add your Potency to any roll resisting attacks against your mind, emotions, or perceptions. MindShield doesn’t work against indirect effects of psionic abilities such as telekinetic projectiles or physical attacks made by the Mind Controlled. Mind Swap (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Concentration, Burn-out, Exhaustion Look: Freaky Friday, a magic spell, a brain transplantatron 2000 You can exchange bodies, forcing your consciousness into the target’s body, and their consciousness into yours. If the target is unwilling, your Potency must beat their Will to succeed. The displaced consciousnesses retain all their Skills, and Perks/Powerks not tied to

66

their physical form, but gain the Attributes and physical Perks and Powerks of their host body. If your host body is Wounded, you will experience that damage as Knockout damage. If your own body is killed you must make a Potency roll against the original owner or be displaced and die. This happens each Duration interval as you combat the host for control. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Minion (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 3 per additional level OR one additional Minion per level, not both Radius: n/a Range: n/a Suggested Complications: Out of Control, SuperFreak, Unintended Consequences, Danger to Others, Danger to Self, Concentration. Look: a shambling corpse, a giant golem of garbage, a robot, an intelligent vehicle, a summoned demon, or a trusty sidekick, clone(s) of yourself. You have a sentient being that serves you, kind of like the Sidekick Perk in Mini Six. It’s a temporary character with 12D in Attributes and 7 Skill Dice and as many Power Points as you have in Potency. Each of their base Attribute D can be exchanged for 6 Skill Dice, as in Base Character Generation. Every level of Potency adds either 3 Power Points or Skill Dice or permits the creation of another Minion of equal value. The Minion disappears after the Duration expires. Minions must have a die code in all four Attributes, unless they represent something immaterial such as a spirit or AI. In that case such a Minion cannot interact physically with the corporeal world and their total initial number of Attribute D drops by 3 for each “missing” Attribute. Your Minion always obeys your commands to the best of its understanding, so don’t skimp on those Mind scores. Natural Weaponry (3) Duration: Permanent (retractable?) Potency: adds 1D to damage OR 3 to Durability Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: SuperFreak, Obvious, Vulnerable Item, Delay. Look: “These claws are pure unbreakium, bub.” You have pointy bits that hurt; fangs, claws, horns, quills etc. each level allows an additional +1D to its Damage, to a maximum of +3D. Additional damage can be added using other Powerks. Natural Weaponry is its own Skill, under Might. When Parrying with a Natural

67

Weapon, each level acts as a Durability of 3. Durability may be increased by 3 by Amplifying Potency, instead of adding additional damage. There is no Amplification limit on the Durability of Natural Weaponry. Destroyed Natural Weapons grow back in a week (or one hour with Regeneration). Natural Weaponry designed to act as a missile may add Range and Radius as applicable through Amplification. This Powerk is not intended to describe biochemical weaponry such as musks or venom, nor does it describe webbing or trapping. See the appropriate Powerks for those effects. Negation (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind or Mojo Attribute + 1D per additional level OR another 2 Power Point of a specified negated Powerk per additional level. Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Super Freak, Out of Control, Vulnerable Item Look: a negative energy field, a spell, a mutant ability. You can cancel out another character’s Powerk on contact. Each level of Potency allows you to Negate a total of 2 Power Points worth of a single specified Powerk for one Round if you beat your target’s Will or Might (you choose at time of Powerk purchase). Alternately each level adds +1D to your ability to overcome your target’s resistance. You can Negate Base Character Attributes, Perks and Skills too. Base character Attributes are worth 6 Power Points per D, and otherwise Skill Dice and Power Point value are equivalent. How you Negate a Powerk is up to you. A Powerk’s Potency and any of its Amps are fair game. You must be able to Negate entire levels, fractions of levels or Perks cannot be Negated. You cannot Negate more Power Points at any given time than your Potency allows. Each type of Powerk, Attribute, Skill or Perk Negaated must be purchased as a separate Powerk. Example Negate/Super Mind, or Negate/Might Attribute, or Negate/Super Might. Passive Defense (5) Duration: Round Potency*: +1D to Dodge Radius: Self Range: Self Complications: SuperFreak, Concentration, Activation Look: you’re blurry, or obscured by debris, or surrounded by mystic vapors or just a streak of bright colors as you zoom by.

68

You are harder to hit for some reason, and it requires little to no effort on your part. Potency adds 1D to your Dodge. This is not negated by entrapment, surprise or immobility and may exceed your Skill cap of 6D above parent Attribute. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Posession (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Target Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Difficult Change-back, Concentration, Exclusive Look: a magic spell, a mutant ability, a high tech device. Allows you to take over someone’s body while yours lies in a comatose state. You must beat your target’s Might or Will with your Potency. You gain any of the new body’s physical Attributes and Perks/Powerks, but retain your own Skills and memories. You’re still aware of your own body and take Stunning damage if any harm comes to it. When you return to your own body that damage becomes regular damage. If your body is killed or destroyed while you inhabit another, you too will die at the end of the Possession’s duration, or as long as you continue to beat the host’s Will with your Potency with each passing Duration. Harm taken by your host body is experienced as Knockout damage to you while you’re in it, and upon the host body’s death, you must return to your own, but Knocked-Out. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Power Mimic (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind or Mojo + 1D per additional level OR 2 additional Power Points in Mimicked Powerks. Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Activation, Delay, Harm to Others Look: you copy other Powerks, you walk on the beach and suddenly turn to sand. Power Mimic allows you to emulate 2 Power Points worth of abilities you encounter if you overcome your target with your Potency. These abilities are usually Powerks, but can be Perks, Skills, or other characteristics as the GM allows. If emulating Perks or Skills, treat the Power Point and Skill Dice cost as equivalent.

69

The maximum number of Power Points Mimicked is equal to 2, with a possible 2 per additional level of Power Mimic. You cannot Amplify abilities that you Mimic beyond those of the object/person you are imitating. You must also accept any Complications associated with those abilities. The maximum quantity of Power Points you can Mimic at any given time is limited by your Potency’s Power Point rating. If Mimicking non-sentient material, such as increasing your Soak by mimicking a steel girder’s Durability, develop Insubstantial and Invisibility on contact with air and so on, no resistance roll is required. Precognition/Postcognition (5) Duration: Round Potency*: adds additional sensory modality, or +1 pip to specific abilities (see below) Radius: Self Range: Round Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Exhaustion, Burnout, SuperFreak Look: you’re skinny, pale and bald and live in a water tank predicting crimes for the government, perhaps it’s a psionic ability or a magical one (crystal balls, tarot cards, chicken entrails). Allows you to cast one of your senses forward (Precognition) or backward (Postcognition) in time at your location or one occupied by one of your senses (see FarSensing). Amplifying Potency either permits another sensory modality or adds +1 pip to the “effects” of peering into the time-stream. Amplifying Range increases the time range by one step, from the whole Round to the Scene, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, millennia, or eons in the past or future. Precognition and Postcognition are entirely separate and distinct Powerks that must be purchased and Amped separately. In the interest of simplicity, the past is fairly static and doesn’t change, whereas the future is elastic and changes as events unfold. Thus looking into the future only glimpses a single potential future, looking into the future at a later time may reveal a completely different one than what was seen only seconds before. The bonuses available with Potency are added to abilities that might benefit from peering into the past or future. For example, each Precognition bonus adds to static defenses, Intuition, Gambling, attacks and certain Athletics tests. Postcognition gives you benefits to Intuition, Search, Research, Forensics and so on. Talk to your GM about what he or she is comfortable with. Obviously this Powerk has the potential to wreck their carefully crafted storyline. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on.

70

Radio (1) Duration: Scene Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: 100m Suggested Complications: Vulnerable to attack by Radio waves, Vulnerable Item Look: you’ve got a radio antenna on your head. You can receive and transmit radio signals. You can jam them as well by pitting your Potency against the transmitting source. Regeneration (3) Duration: n/a Potency: heal one Wound per hour per level. Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Activation, Concentration, Burnout, Exhaustion Look: your wounds close remarkably fast making you nearly impossible to kill. You heal one Wound per hour per level. Healing an incapacitated Wound requires double the time, healing a Mortal Wound requires quadruple the time. Regeneration does not affect recovery from Stuns or Knockout attacks, nor does it give any protection against poisons, infections and such, just heals any injuries they may produce. You may not Regenerate back from death (unless you have Just Won’t Die). Shape Change (2) Duration: Round Potency: Each shape Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Difficult Change Back, Uncontrollable, SuperFreak Look: you can turn into furniture, a beach ball, fun polygons Allows you to change your shape, but not your outward appearance. Each level permits a different shape. You have the shape but not the outward appearance of the shape you’ve taken, so if you change into a chair, you’ll still look like you but as a chair. You also don’t have any of the Scale changes or special abilities that go along with that shape unless you Bundle them with Shape Change or make Shape Change part of a PowerSource that includes those abilities. Each shape you change into must be purchased as a separate Powerk. Siphon (4) Duration: Round

71

Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level against target’s resistance, OR 2 additional Power Points Siphoned. Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Conditional Use, SuperFreak, Obvious Look: fangs, sparkly skin and cheesy dialogue, blood-sucking tentacles, devitalizing ray gun, your ability is to “borrow” powers. You can diminish someone else by 2 Power Points and gain 2 temporary Power Points for the Duration of this Powerk. The Siphoned Attribute, Perk, Powerk, or Skill must be specified at purchase, as well as the specific benefit you gain, usually a Powerk. Your benefit can even be identical to the ability you Siphon. The Potency starts at 4D, the victim defends with either Will or Might (you specify at time of purchase). When the Duration is up, the victim receives their Siphoned points back and your benefit disappears. You can Siphon abilities that are not Powerks, such as Perks, Skills or the initial Attribute Dice of base character generation. The worth of each Attribute D is 6 Power Points, each Skill Die is the equivalent of 1 Power Point. For example Siphoning a D of the Super Might Powerk would require 5 levels of Siphon (a level of Super Might is worth 10 Power Points). Siphoning the same victim’s base Might Attribute by one D would require 3 levels of Siphon (an Attribute D is worth 6 Power Points). For Powerks with escalating Amp costs, you Siphon the lowest cost first, then follow the escalated cost progression. For example Siphoning the first D of Super Mind would require 5 levels of Siphon (10 Power Points), 2D would require 15 levels of Siphon (an additional 20 Power Points for a total of 30 Siphoned Power Points), 3D of Super Mind would require 35 Siphon levels and so on. Amplifying Potency either Siphons an additional 2 Siphoned Power Points or adds a D to overcoming the victim’s resistance, you must choose at time of purchase. You cannot benefit from more Siphoned Power Points during its Duration than your purchased capacity allows. Powerks must be Siphoned in complete levels, as do Perks. Fractions of Powerk Amps isn’t possible, same with Perks. Each ability Siphoned is considered its own Powerk and must be purchased separately. Examples include Siphon/Might Attribute to Super Soak (each D of Attribute yields you 6 Power Points worth of Super Soak), or Siphon/Energy Blast to Energy Blast (each level of Energy Blast yields you a level of the same Energy Blast). Sonar (1) Duration: Round Radius: Self Range: 10m

72

Suggested Complications: you must emit sound to use Sonar, you might be blind in the rain or in the midst of loud noises, or sensitive to sonic attacks. Look: a mutant with large ears and sound sensitive structures on its face, an innate ability that compensates for your blindness after an accident with radioactive goo. Allows you to see in sound. Each level adds +1D to any Action deemed to benefit from a sonar sense (Search, See etc). Spatial Control (1) Duration: Scene Potency: doubles/halves previous volume/distance Radius: Target Range: Touch Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences, Vulnerable Item, Look: you warp space and time, a smart car with thousands of square meters of laboratory inside. You can alter the dimensions of 3 dimensional space by a factor of two. To do things like Trap, inflict damage, shrink or grow objects or people, you’d need to buy the appropriate Powerks and Bundle them with Spatial Control or include them all in the same PowerSource. Stretch (2) Duration: Round Potency: Doubles previous Range. Radius: Self Range: 2m Complications: SuperFreak, Vulnerable Item, Concentration Look: elastic body, robotic tentacles, animated body hair Allows you to reach out and grasp or physically interact with objects beyond your normal reach. Sublimation (3) Duration: Round Potency: 1 point of damage/Potency Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Activation, Burnout, Exclusive Look: Electricity Blasts make you larger, kinetic energy feeds your SuperSoak, you can bounce your opponent’s heat blasts right back at him. Allows you to absorb damage or Potency and convert it to a form beneficial to you at a 1 to 1 ratio of damage /potency to Power Points. These can be used to buy or increase a Powerk of your choice. Damage in excess of the Sublimation’s level is still matched against your Soak or other resistance rolls against the effect.

73

Sublimation lasts for a Round. The amount of damage/effect that can be Sublimated is limited by the number of levels you have in Sublimation. Once that level is exceeded, further Sublimation is impossible until the previous Sublimation effects expire or are used. The type of energy Sublimated must be specified at the time of purchase. Examples might include but are not limited to kinetic, magnetic, electricity, heat, cold, mind control and so on. The benefit you derive from the Sublimated damage/effect must also be specified at purchase. Your opponent does not get a roll to resist your Sublimation, nor do you need to Target them to Sublimate their attack on you. Each type of damage/potency-to-benefit Sublimation must be purchased as a separate Powerk. Super Damage (5) Duration: Round Potency*: Adds +1D damage Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Missing Effect/doesn’t work on certain armor types, Conditional Use/only works with specific weapon, Vulnerable Item. Look: the result of martial arts training, mystical energy surrounding your weapon, you’ve a knack for killing people with throwing cards. Increases a hero’s Damage for a specific attack. Each level increases the Damage by +1D. Super Damage must be purchased separately for each of the following attack types (Throw, Archery, Guns, Brawl, Natural Weaponry, and Melee). Super Damage cannot be used with Energy Blast. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Super Fast (5) Duration: Round Potency*: adds 5 to Initiative, +1 to static defenses, one extra non-combat Action/round, and a flurry of activity, doubles all previous Paces. Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Burnout, Exhausting, Super Freak Look: you are a blur of activity Each level increases your Initiative roll by 5. Also, each level allows you to perform an extra non-combat Action per round without penalty. Additionally you can add +1 to static defenses per level of Potency.

74

To simulate the flurry of attacks that a Super Fast character can perform, she may divide 1D per level among any attack rolls per Round. This represents multiple rapidly successive attempts to bypass an opponent’s defenses. The same bonus may be applied instead to any non-combat task (diffusing a bomb, decoding a password, providing first aid etc). Your Paces double for each level of Potency as do any additions to them from Athletics rolls or Powerks like Flight, FTL, Burrow, and Super Pace. So, let’s say Speedstar has five levels of Super Fast (cost= 155 Power Points). She can add 25 to her Initiative rolls, +5 to all her static defenses, every Round she can flurry for an additional +5D bonus divided amongst all her Actions. She has five additional non-penalized non-combat Actions per Round. Her Pace is 320m/Round, allowing her to run at over 100km/h, or sprint at almost 250 km/h. If she buys Super Pace/Run, that bonus would also be doubled for each level, and added to her Pace. *When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Super Health (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D to health related rolls Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: good hair, shiny white teeth, washboard abs. Look: mutant regenerative powers, a healthy lifestyle, years of intense ascetic existence in a Martial Arts monastery Your natural healing rolls improve, as well as resistance to disease and toxins and most other such Stamina related rolls by +1D per level. This doesn’t decrease the amount of time required to heal, only the likelihood of succeeding a natural healing roll. Super Hearing (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D Radius: Self Range: 100m Suggested Complications: Kryptonate/sonic attacks, Look: big floppy ears, one of your animal powers Adds +1D to any hearing related Actions (countering penalties from darkness and blindness, increasing Perception/Hearing beyond human limits of 6D beyond Mind Attribute). Super and Infra Scale (5) Duration: Scene Potency*: increase or decrease by one Scale rank, or Mind +1D/additional level against target’s resistance to shrink/growth.

75

Radius: Self or Contact Range: Self or Contact Suggested Complications: Super Freak, Unintended Consequences. Vulnerable Item Look: you get really big or really small. Hopefully your costume does as well. You can grow really big (Super) or really small (Infra). Super Scale and Infra Scale are separate Powerks and must be purchased separately, even though they share the same entry. Changing the scale of others involves targeting and resistance rolls against their Might, or Lift Capacity rating for inanimate objects. You’d need to have Share, Radius, or Add Target Amps to do this. The rules for Scale changes are nearly identical to Mini Six. When dealing damage to a smaller scaled target or resisting damage inflicted by it, the larger adds the difference in modifiers to their die rolls or static defenses. Smaller scaled targets attempting to dodge attacks from or actually attempting to attack a larger scale opponent add the difference to their dodge and attack rolls. Scale Molecules, Atoms, Ions Cells, Bacterium, Viruses Microscopic critters, Dust, Pollen Insects, Grains of rice, Head of a pin Cats, rodents, snakes Character, Animals Air Cycle, Car, Little Dragon, Wagon Big Dragon, Galley, Mecha, Tank Fighter, Lt. Transport, Heavy Mecha Capital Ship, Elder God, Space Station Mega Space Station, Planets

Modifier –24D/-72 to Dodge & Soak –12D/-36 to Dodge & Soak –6D/-18 to Dodge & Soak –4D/-12 to Dodge & Soak –2D/-6 to Dodge & Soak None +2D /+6 to Dodge & Soak +4D/+12 to Dodge & Soak +6D/+18 to Dodge & Soak +12D/+36 to Dodge & Soak +24D/+72 to Dodge & Soak

*When increasing Potency, the cost of the next level is double the previous. Thus going from 1st to 2nd costs 10 Power Points, 2nd to 3rd costs 20 Points, 3rd to 4th 40 and so on. Super Leap (3) Duration: Round Potency: Double previous distance Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Out of Control, Exclusive, Bundled Look: hydraulic springs on your boots, a mystical kung-fu move (the ten league two-step), or ridiculous lower body muscular development. Normally a human would be able to leap 1m vertical and 2m horizontal, a Jump roll will increase that by 50% again for every 10. Might or Lift could arguably Complement this roll. Each level of Super Leap doubles the previous level’s distances. Leaping requires an Action.

76

Super Lift (3) Duration: Scene Potency: adds 1D to Lift beyond physical maximum of Might+3D. Adds +1 to Basic Damage per level. Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Vulnerable Item, Exhausting, Activation Look: big muscles, mechanical exoskeleton, telekinetic augmentation, gauntlets of troll power Allows you to increase your Lift skill by 1D per level over and above the normal human 3D limit beyond the Might Attribute. Each level also increases Basic Damage by +1. You’re basically much stronger than you look, but not bigger or tougher. Super Might (10) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D to your Might Attribute Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: SuperFreak, Burnout, Vulnerable Device. Look: you could be a muscle bound brute, or encased in an exoskeleton or come from a place with a much denser gravity. Each level increases your Might by 1D making you stronger, tougher and more likely to recover from your injuries. Super Might does not necessarily make you larger, though it can if you choose, but not beyond Character Scale (that requires Super Scale). Super Mind (10) Duration: Scene Potency*: +1D to Mind Attribute Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: no one understands your jokes, you feel pressure to do everyone’s homework. Look: You have an insanely large cranium, you scored nine million on your SATs, NASA was recruiting you in kindergarten. Each level adds +1D to your Mind Attribute. *Amping Potency costs double the previous level. Thus to increase from +1D to +2D would cost 20 Power Points, from +2D to +3D 40 Power Points, +3D to +4D 80 and so on. Super Moves (10) Duration: Scene Potency*: +1D to Moves Attribute

77

Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: no downside here. Look: you’re one fast, agile dexterous hero Improves your Moves Attribute. You’re fast, agile, flexible and coordinated. *Amping Potency costs double the previous level. Thus to increase from +1D to +2D would cost 20 Power Points, from +2D to +3D 40 Power Points, +3D to +4D 80 and so on. Super Mojo (10) Duration: Scene Potency*: +1D to Mojo Attribute Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Unintended Consequences, Vulnerable Item Look: you’re one charming, strong-willed, lucky hero Adds +1D to your Mojo Attribute. *Amping Potency costs double the previous level. Thus to increase from +1D to +2D would cost 20 Power Points, from +2D to +3D 40 Power Points, +3D to +4D 80 and so on. Super Pace (3) Duration: Round Potency: multiplies Pace Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Harm to Others/Sonic Boom at 2500m/round, Harm to Self/Velocity damage on impacts. Look: a vehicle, you’re a really fast runner, swimmer, climber and so on. Each level multiplies the Pace of a single mode of movement such as running, swimming and climbing. Thus a level of Super Pace/Run would double one’s running Pace, two levels would triple it, three levels quadruple and so on. Each mode of travel must be purchased as a separate Powerk. Super Sight (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D to vision dependant skills. Radius: Self Range: 100m Suggested Complications: Kryponate/vision based attacks, bright lights Look: fancy goggles, cybernetic implants, eagle-eyes (literally)

78

Adds +1D to any non-combat vision related Actions (See, Search, Finding Waldo etc) over and above the Attribute plus 6D Skill ceiling Super Scent (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Kryptonate/vulnerable to vapor attacks Look: Not your own body odor, but your sense of scent. Adds +1D to scent analysis and any normal human Actions that might benefit from the additional information that hyperosmia might provide (Intuition, Interrogation, Tracking, Search, overcoming the penalties of fighting blind or in the dark etc.). You can also increase your Scent Perception Specialization to greater than 4D. Super Scent allows the sense of smell to have a range similar to sight (100m). This can be increased by extending its Range. Super Soak (2) Duration: Scene Potency: adds 1 to Soak Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Vulnerable Item, Activation, Conditional Use Look: suit of armor, tough skin and tissues, a force field. You can withstand more damage. Each level adds 1 to Soak. Super Swing (3) Duration: Round Potency: 10m Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Vulnerable Item, Obvious, Conditional Use Look: string-shooters, grappling hook gun, extruding stronger-than-steel polymer from your nether regions. This Powerk has nothing to do with illicit liaisons or antiquated dance moves. You can travel by swinging from a tether of some kind, attached to something higher up. There must be an anchor point at higher elevation for Swing to be effective, and you must have gravity (you can’t Swing in outer space). You can carry any mass that you’d normally be able to carry. Athletics/Swing is the applicable Skill check.

79

Each level of Potency/Range permits a Swing of 10m per level, covering that distance as a single Action (distances greater then 100m may take an entire Round or more). Super Taste (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Look: No, you are not a snappy dresser. You add +1D to any gustatory Actions (wine tasting, chemical analysis to detect toxins etc.). Anything beyond normal human perception would require matching a TN of at least 25 (such as detecting a toxin in the city’s water supply, maybe 30 to 40 to distinguish what it is. In this anthropocentric game, Taste Skill is limited to a maximum of 4D, unless you possess Super Taste. Super Touch (3) Duration: Scene Potency: +1D Radius: Self Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Kryptonate/vulnerability to pain or sonics Look: You add +1D to any touch specific Actions (countering penalties from blindness or darkness, Search, disarming mechanical devices, “listening” for enemies via contact with solid surfaces. Permits the Touch Skill to exceed the human maximum of 4D. Telekinesis (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Burnout, Out of Control, “Mr. Magee, Don’t Make Me Angry…” Look: you use your mind, or your Energy or your Constructs of ice or stone to move things around. You can move stuff with your mind. Treat Potency as the Lift skill. People resist using their Might, objects with their mass. You can use Telekinesis to Throw or attack with objects using any applicable Skill you have but with Potency as your base Attribute. Fine manipulation like turning doorknobs, picking locks, operating a firearm or motor vehicle can be done at a penalty of –2D.

80

Creating Telekinetic Blasts and force fields requires Bundling, or involving Telekinesis in a PowerSource with Energy Blast and Super Soak. Telepathy (2) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Kryptonate/you’re vulnerable to psionic attacks, Concentration, Burnout Look: You can speak directly to someone’s mind, and they can reply, bypassing the need for language. Unwilling subjects must resist against your Potency. Teleportation (5) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Contact Range: 10m Suggested Complications: Danger to Self, Danger to Others, Unintended Consequences Look: a door opens in the air, a rainbow colored psychedelic wormhole, an alien technology. Bamf! You’re there. You must be able to see or be intimately familiar with the destination. You can Teleport yourself and any non-sentient stuff on you or in contact with you up to a mass equal to your Teleportation Potency on the Lift Table. Teleporting other objects and people requires Amping Radius, or Share, or Add Target. Unwilling subjects may make a Will or Might roll and add it to their rating on the Lift Table, or add their Scale increase, against your Teleport attempt. Range is both the distance from you that you can Teleport a target, and how far away from you that the target can be Teleported. Toxic (5) Duration: Round Potency: Might + 1D per additional level Radius: Target Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Vulnerable Item, Delay, Conditional Use Look: deadly radiation, venomous bite, poison gas. You inflict Wound or Stun damage against Stamina instead of Soak. Toxins only affect what is conventionally considered “living” entities. Machines, the undead, beings of pure energy or whose physiology is so foreign to humanity as to be unrecognizable are unaffected by Toxins. However once the physiology of such beings is understood, Toxic can be purchased

81

specifically against such beings, each group requiring its own toxin. Your toxin may take the form of any one of the following with the corresponding limitations. 1) Aerosol- your toxin is delivered via inhalation. Such a toxin is useless against someone who doesn’t breathe or has an appropriate environmental Adaptation. 2) Insinuated- your toxin must be introduced into the circulatory system of your target. A bite, sting, puncture by an envenomed weapon are typical methods. For this, your physical attack needs to bypass the target’s Soak. This mode is often Bundled with Negation/Soak. 3) Ingested- your toxin must be consumed by the target. Good luck with that. 4) Radiated- your toxin takes the form of some sort of poisonous energy. This energy can be stopped completely by the appropriate Adaptation (Deep Space, Radiation etc), but otherwise bypasses Soak and can only be resisted by Stamina. Amplifying Duration only increases the amount of time it takes before the damage is inflicted. Toxin can be treated exactly like an Energy Field, using Blast, Burst, Zone and so on, for the same costs. Transmute (3) Duration: Round Potency: Mind + 1D per additional level Radius: Contact Range: Contact Suggested Complications: Difficult Change-back, Delay, Conditional Use Look: Medusa’s glare, King Midas’s touch, You can change the composition of matter. Each type of Transmutation must be purchased individually for each Transmuted substance as a separate Powerk. For example, turning anything to stone would be an acceptable Transmute, as is turning anything into glass, or gold or wood. The mass of matter Transmuted at any time is equal to the Transmutor’s Potency on the Lift Table. If only a single part of that object is to be Transmuted, then the mass of that portion is the TN. For sentient beings, the entire form must be overcome even if only changing a small portion. Unwilling targets may resist Transmutation by pitting their Will or Might against the Transmutor’s Potency. The subject of the Transmutation gains no Powerks for the change, any game effects desired must be Bundled or included as part of a PowerSource with Transmutation. The object returns to its prior state at the Duration’s end. Sentient beings “destroyed” while Transformed are reformed whole and alive at the Duration’s end, but with a Mortal Wound. Non-sentient objects are simply destroyed. Transform (3) Duration: Round

82

Potency: Each form, and adds a D to the verisimilitude of your form. Radius: Self Range: Self Suggested Complications: Difficult Change Back, Uncontrollable, Conditional Use Look: you can change your appearance, you can turn into a toad, you can look just like that guard you just knocked out (Impersonation). Each level of Potency allows you to take on the shape and outward appearance of a single form. You do not have any of the characteristics or special abilities or Scale effects of that form unless you have Bundled certain Powerks with it. Alternately Transform can be part of a PowerSource with the various abilities in it. Each form requires a separate purchase of Transform. A variant of Transform called Impersonate may be purchased instead at the same cost. Impersonate allows you to change your appearance (face, hair, within-scale size etc) into someone else’s appearance. You must have seen this person to Impersonate them. The believability of your Transformation or Impersonation is equal to your Mind +1D per level of Potency versus an examiner’s Perception. Trap (5) Duration: Round Potency: 4D + 1D per additional level Radius: Target Range: Contact Complications: Delay, Concentration, Vulnerable Item Look: spider webs, glue bombs, entangling robotic coils You entangle, imprison or otherwise prevent someone from moving or taking a physical Action. Your starting potency is 4D. Depending on the Trap’s Look, Potency may need to match against Lift, Stamina or Will. Wall Walking (3) Duration: Scene Potency: Might + 1D per additional level Radius: Self Range: Self Complications: Vulnerable Item, Concentration, Conditional Use Look: suction cups, mutant animal powers, Wuxia kung fu powers You stick to walls and ceilings like a gecko. You can move at a Pace of 10m. You may carry what you can normally carry while walking on the ground. Attempts to knock you off the wall are resisted by your Potency. All climbing Skill rolls are increased by your Potency as well. X-ray Vision (3) Duration: Round

83

Potency: penetrate 1m of solid matter, doubles previous penetration. Radius: Self Range: 10m Complications: Missing Effect/Certain materials such as lead, wood, organics, all metals, are impenetrable to X-ray Vision. Look: special goggles, mutant or alien ability Allows your vision to penetrate 1m of solid matter. Each additional level doubles the previous distance (thus level 3 allows penetration of 4m). The range of this vision is equal to whatever the hero’s normal visual range might be.

Power Themes Many heroes have powers linked by a common theme. PowerSource and Invention are two ways that thematically connect Powerks giving players greater flexibility in designing their heroes. PowerSource and Inventions can interact with Powerks and abilities outside of their configurations and can even augment one another. The only way to Amp PowerSource or Invention is to buy more levels, they don’t have parameters like Duration and Range, but the Powerks within them do. Powerks within PowerSource and Invention can be Amped as long as the total Power Point cost doesn’t exceed their respective Power Point pools. PowerSource (6) Each level of PowerSource creates a floating fund of Power points that can be shared by a number of Powerks possessing a common origin, idea or theme. Each level adds 3 Power points to the fund, and creates a slot for a Powerk to share in that fund. It’s not necessary to declare a Powerk for every PowerSource slot. Some can be declared later. Once declared though, a Powerk cannot be dropped to make way for a different Powerk. Powerks sharing the PowerSource must be consistent with the PowerSource’s theme, and be approved by the GM. Each Powerk in the PowerSource is assigned a proportion of the Power points in the fund by the player. The total amount among the Powerks cannot exceed the number of Power points in the PowerSource fund. Power points can be redistributed whenever the player wants, but the new configuration doesn’t take effect until the following Round. For example, a 10 level PowerSource called “Gravity Control” will cost 60 Power points, and create a fund of 30 PowerSource Points to distribute among ten potential Powerks. Gravity Lad declares that his PowerSource will have Telekinesis, Energy Blast, Flight, Trap, SuperSoak, SuperLift, and Awareness as his declared Powerks, leaving three open slots.

84

During his first session he decides to take Flight (4 Points), three levels of Energy Blast (15 Points) and the rest in SuperSoak. He gets into a fight with the Menacing Mass and finds his Gravity Blasts ineffectual against the blue behemoth’s hide, so he shuffles all the points he had in SuperSoak and beefs up his Energy Blast. This won’t happen until the following Round though. Another ineffective Blast later he decides its time to beat a hasty retreat and barely makes it out alive. He figures that in future he would like to have an effective escape strategy and wants to declare Teleportation as one of his PowerSource slots. His GM doesn’t allow it because it isn’t consistent with his whole “Gravity Control” theme, and Gravity Lad’s player has to come up with another option. Although, later on in the campaign he successfully argues that Teleportation is feasible since he can create a temporary distortion in the time/space continuum with Gravity Control, causing a temporary wormhole to appear between his location and where he wants to be. The GM agrees to this but only if he’ll also accept the following Complications for that Powerk…

Invention (2) Creates a Power Point pool you can use to construct almost any Powerk combination you wish. The Invention must be suitable given the nature of your hero, and must have GM approval. Each level contributes 1 Power point to the Invention pool. Changing your Invention, be it a minor modification or a complete overhaul, requires an entire non-combat Scene devoted to the research, design and construction. When you reconfigure your Invention, you may add Complement bonuses from appropriate Skills, Resources, Perks and Powerks as if they were additional Invention Points. When you reconfigure your Invention points again, the previous Complement bonuses vanish, and new ones must be determined depending on what disciplines and materials the new Invention will require. Others may assist as well, providing their Complement bonuses in the same manner. The Complement bonuses cannot exceed the number of points in the initial Invention pool. For example, Tony Spark, a.k.a. Armor Man, has built a battle suit out of 100 Invention points (100 levels of Invention costing 200 Power points). He wants to boost his SuperSoak for an upcoming confrontation with the Menacing Mass so he goes back to the drawing board with his astronaut buddy Brodie. Spark has Technology at 10D, Science at 6D, Trades 4D, and being a billionaire industrialist a Resources of 10D. Brodie, kicks in his Technology of 4D. This creates a total Complement pool of 34D. Each full 5D collapse into a +1 bonus making the Complement at least +6 and the results of the roll of the remaining 4D. Tony rolls a 2, 4, 5 and a 6 on the Wild Die,

85

achieving another +3 for a total of +9 Invention points to the 100 points he has in his Invention pool, making that a total of 109. Multiple Inventions can coexist but the total amount of Invention points in play can never exceed the amount in the current Invention pool. Any Invention that is useable by another character or NPC automatically has the Vulnerable Item Complication. So Armor Man can make a second suit for his buddy Brodie worth 40 Invention points, his own can be worth 69. If Brodie got captured, Armor Man would have to go after his trusty sidekick and his stolen tech, but with a suit worth only 69 Invention points. In such situations, lost Invention points can be returned only with significant drama, or if a suitable period of time has elapsed, say a session or two. Inventions can be jury rigged during combat scenes, but doing so costs a Hero Point and takes an entire Round. Also, the new configuration can’t benefit from Complement bonuses. Although Invention was conceived with technologically oriented characters in mind, it could work just as well with scientific or mystical Inventions. Richard Reed a.k.a. Dr Fantastic needs to build a gateway to the Nether Zone. Wesley Weird, the dimension’s Sorceror Superior must consult the Text of Ramun Ka for a spell that will gird him against the slimy tentacles of Krtuulu.

Powerk Complications These are Complications most likely to afflict the super powered. They work the same way as regular Complications. Activation: the default state for the affected Powerk is “Off”. That means it won’t be there for you unless you consciously activate it, requiring an Action and an Action penalty. Likewise, it needs to be specifically turned off as well, if it isn’t, usually some kind of Complication must occur (Burnout, Super Freak etc). Average Joe/Jill: outside your superhero persona you’re just a normal person with no Powerks whatsoever. In order to get superpowered you need to speak a magic word (unless you’re gagged), don your high tech armor (unless it’s stolen), get really, really, really mad (unless you’ve been drugged) and so on. You have no Attributes beyond 4D, and no Powerks in your alternate identity. Whenever this significantly complicates your life, earn a Character Point. Bundle: a Powerk is inextricably linked to another Powerk and cannot be used without the other. That same Powerk can be purchased separately, outside of the Bundle, and used freely.

86

Burnout: for some reason, fatigue, out of ammo, technical glitch, your Powerk ceases to function entirely. This lasts for the rest of the Scene or until the stated reason for your Burnout is corrected. With GM permission you may bring your Powerk back on line by spending a Character Point before then. If your Burnout takes the form of a limited number of “charges”, running out creates a Complication. If your Powerk’s Burnout potential is unpredictable, perhaps on a Wild Die 1 it shuts down. Alternately, Taking a Fail is also an option. Concentration: the Powerk requires constant attention and triggers an additional Action Penalty every Round it is in use. This isn’t only a Complication for Powerks that normally require Concentration, like dynamic Illusions for example. Conditional Use: your Powerk is only effective under certain circumstances. Examples include full moon, after saying a prayer/intoning a ritual, on a planet with a yellow sun. Danger to Others: the use of this Powerk hurts others somehow. When it becomes a significant problem for your hero, you get a Character Point. Danger to Yourself: using the Powerk hurts you somehow: whether it’s your reputation or self-esteem, or actual physical injury, whenever it becomes a problem you get a Character Point. Delay: When more than an Action is required between uses of Powerk, it creates a potential Complication. The longer the Delay, the greater is the likelihood that the Complication will be significantly problematic. Difficult Change-back: sometimes abilities require you to change your form. If you can’t change back easily (ie it requires more than a Scene to do so or requires the use of Skills or Resources) and remaining in that form creates difficulty for your character, you gain a Character Point. Exclusive: the Powerk can only be used by itself, it precludes the use of other Powerks (all or just a few) possessed by the character. When this becomes an issue gain a Character Point. Exhausting: your Powerk really takes it out of you. Whenever you use it you just want to go home and hit the sack because you’re pooped. Take a Stun when you use your Powerk and you gain a Character Point (once per session). Pass out from fatigue and you might earn another. Kryptonate: (I know, I know, but someone has the copyright) something somewhere is a fatal weakness for you. Maybe it negates your Powerks, maybe it does you actual harm or can even kill you. You decide. You and the GM should work out the nature of this cliché and how it manifests in game mechanics. When it results in a significant problem (Wounds, Negating a Powerk etc) for your character, gain a Character Point.

87

Missing Effect: whenever your Powerk is missing an element of its basic description and this becomes an issue, you gain a CP. Example: perhaps you’ve purchased SuperSoak, but you specified that it doesn’t work against cold attacks. If you get hit by Dr Frosty’s dreaded Snow Cone, and you get injured, you also gain a Character Point my friend. “Mr. Magee, Don’t Make Me Angry…”: you suddenly transform into another person/thing at the worst possible moments, at the movies, parent/teacher night, at the drive-thru, and you have little to no control over it. When it creates a problem, it’s a Complication. With your GM, determine if you have any specific triggers. Heck, just make it totally random. For a real good time, make it so you don’t know when you’ll turn back to your normal, non-super self (tee hee hee). Obvious: this ability draws attention to you and makes it impossible for you to hide, or to hide the fact that you are using that power. This is only a Complication for Powerks that aren’t necessarily obvious such as Mind Control. Crackling Kirby-dot Energy Fields and growing to ten stories tall wouldn’t apply. When stealth or subterfuge is required and this Complication makes your life difficult, gain a Character Point. Out of Control: on a Complication, or if you Take a Fail, you lose control of your Powerk, it runs amok, doesn’t do what you want it to do and generally makes everyone unhappy about being near you or knowing you. SuperFreak: you can no longer live a normal life due to your Powerk. Maybe you’re ten stories tall, maybe you incinerate everything you touch, maybe you’re just so damn scary lookin’ that no one will go out with you (except for other damn scary lookin’ folks, and that’s no good). Whenever it’s a problem, you get a Character Point. Unintended Consequences: your Powerk often results in stuff you didn’t expect, and it’s never a pleasant surprise. Maybe you break stuff, screw up people’s electronics, make their pet kangaroo pee on the carpet and eat the geraniums, whatever. It almost always ends in tears, or at least foul language and huge cleaning bills. Vulnerable Item: your Powerk is dependant on some object that can be taken away or destroyed. Examples include rings, amulets, suits of armor, vehicles and so forth. Loss of the Vulnerable Item means the loss of the Powerks tied to it. Total Destruction of the Vulnerable Item causes the loss of the Powerks for at least the rest of the Session and likely much longer, until it can be reasonably replaced within the parameters of the GM’s storyline.

Character Advancement Character Points can be used to advance your Attributes, Skills, Perks, and Powerks as well as buy off Complications. One never needs to buy a Complication, they’re free as long as it fits with the story.

88

The Character Point cost for advancing Skills by one pip is equal the number of D in the Skill’s die code. If the Skill is a Specialization, the cost is half. Attributes cost 10 times the number of D in the Attribute’s die code to advance one pip. Remember there is a 4D maximum. Perks cost 10 Character Points per initial Skill Dice cost. Not every Perk will necessarily be available, there has to be an acceptable reason to suddenly develop a Perk. Run it by your GM. The Character Point cost to advance Powerks by one Amp is 10 times its Power Point cost. And finally, with GM permission a Complication can be bought off at a suggested price of at least 20 Character Points for each Complication.

Common Superhero Archetypes or “How do I build a…” The old chestnut that there’s nothing new under the sun is particularly true about the superhero genre. Archetypes tend to recur with sometimes nauseating regularity. Despite this, they are awfully good fun to role-play and can help to stimulate ideas and give some direction to those lost for a character concept. Few superheroes are described by a single Archetype. Most are a combination of at least two, with variations. Below are just a few of those Archetypes and how one might simulate them using MightySix. Alien: Super Attributes, Transform, Telepathy, Flight, FTL, PowerSource. Complications like Cautious, Stranger In A Strange Land, Pacifist. Android/Robot: Adaptations (no food/drink, non-breathing, no sleep etc), PowerSource also useful. Super Attributes except Mojo. Super Soak, Energy Blast, Flight. Animal Powered: Commune (Animals), Animal Control, Super Senses, Natural Weaponry, Minion, Super Lift, Super Might, Super Moves, Super Fast, Regeneration, Adaptation, Flight, WallWalking, Toxic. Archer: Super Moves, PowerSource or Invention, Mad Skills in Archery with accompanying combat Perks. Battlesuit: Adaptation, Flight, PowerSource, SuperSoak/Might/Lift/Mind, Repulsor, er, um, I mean Energy Blast. Perks like Capitalist, Gadgeteer, Celebrity. Complications like Addiction, Arrogant, Burnout, Competitive. Blaster: Energy Blast, Flight, SuperSoak, Brick: Super Might, Super Lift, Super Soak, Super Leap, Energy Blast (shockwave) Cartoon Come to Life: SuperSoak, Stretchy, Regeneration, PowerSource.

89

Elastic Band: Stretchy, Super Soak (Kinetic Damage only), Trap, Super Leap (Bounce), Super Swing, PowerSource, Shape Change. Folklore Figure: a Vampire might have Siphon, Intangible, Transform, Regeneration, Kryptonate (garlic, crosses, true faith, a stake through the heart), a Werewolf might have Super Might/Soak, Natural Weaponry, Tranform, Kryptonate (silver Negates Soak), and so on. Santa Claus might have Base, Minions (Reindeer, Elves), Teleportation, Flight (Vulnerable Item/Sleigh), FarSensing (he sees you when you’re sleeping), Super Fast, PowerSource like you wouldn’t believe. Don’t mess with the Cringle, dude. Gadgeteer: PowerSource and Invention. Definitely Invention. Super Mind, Handy, mad Skills, Base. God/Goddess/Mythological Figure: Super Attributes, Energy Blast, PowerSource, but consider taking Complications like Anachronism, Arrogant, Competitive, Enemy, Stranger In A Strange Land. Intelligent Animal/Gorillis Maximus: Super Might/Moves/Mind, Natural Weaponry, Super Leap, Super Swing, Invention, Mind Control, Animal Control. Magus Maximus: Energy Blast, Teleportation, Flight, Minion, perhaps others as per Psychic. Skills in Arcane, Knowledge, Legerdemaine, Influence. Martial Artiste: Super Might/Lift/Moves/Health/Damage/Soak. Skilled in Athletics, Brawl, Dodge, Melee, Throw, Oriental Philosophy. Lots of Physical and Combat Perks with Martial Artist an essential. Master of Weather/Element/Energy/Plants/Animals etc.: Adaptation, Animate, Transform, Transmute, Commune, Energy Blast, Flight, PowerSource, Super Soak, Trap, Telekinesis. Patriot: Super Might/Lift/Soak/Regeneration/Moves/Fast. A Vulnerable Item like a magical sword or a nigh indestructible shield, coupled with sick amounts of Athletics, Brawl, Dodge, Guns, Melee, Throw. Add Perks like Martial Artist and Complications like Obligation, Code of Honor and Anachronism. Power-asite: Siphon, PowerMimic, Sublimation, and intimacy issues. Psychic: Mind Blast, Mind Control, Animal Control, Inception, FarSensing, Illusion, ESP, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Emotion Control, Empathy, Awareness. Savage/Feral: Natural Weaponry, Super Senses/Attributes/Soak, Adaptation. Seigel-esque Paragon: Flight, Super Might, Super Lift, Super Soak, Energy Blast, Super Fast, X-ray Vision.

90

Shapeshifter: Transform, Shape Change, PowerSource Size Changer: Super Scale/Infra Scale, PowerSource. Speedster: Super Pace, Super Fast, Passive Defense, Super Leap, Energy Blast for whirlwinds and sonic booms. Street Level Vigilante: Super Damage, Super Leap, Super Lift, Super Might, Super Moves, Super Swing, Invention, Skills like Brawl, Crime, Melee, Guns, Technology, Science, Trades, Athletics, Dodge, Stealth, and Intimidate. Weapon Master: Martial Arts, lots of weapon Skills and combat Perks, Super Fast, Super Moves

Resources Instead of getting hung up on nickels and dimes and turning gaming sessions into shopping expeditions I prefer to keep wealth and monetary values abstract. The core D6 rules have a pretty good system where a character’s wealth is expressed in D codes, and if an item or service is required, just roll against a TN to see if you can get it. D6 Adventure has a pretty good list of items and vehicles and such. Certain Perks can be used to increase a Character’s wealth, and indeed Character Points can be spent to increase Resources if so desired (see Wealthy Perk). Cash can still be represented in dollars and cents. An easy rule to follow to determine actual cash on hand is to take 1D6 x $10 to the power of the number of D in your resources. This is what might be in your wallet, or on your person at any given time (jewelry, wristwatch, personal electronics etc). Multiply this by 10 again to get the value of your assets that could be accessed with an ATM or credit card. If you’re employed or have a source of income, multiply this number by ten again to yield an annual salary, and for most people their net worth, or what could be converted to cash in 1D weeks. STARTING RESOURCES MODIFIERS Starting Resources Less than 2D in Mojo -1D Less than 2D in Mind 3D or more in Mojo 3D or more in Mind 5D or more in Business 5D or more in Crime 5D or more in Influence 5D or more in Negotiate Attractive Perk

2D -1D +2D +1D +1D +1D +1D +1D +1D

91

Charismatic Perk Lucky B@$&@*% Perk Wealthy Perk Addiction Bad Luck Illiterate/Innumerate Marginalized Poverty

+1D +1D +1D per point –1D –1D –1D –1D Resources always = 0.

After Character creation, your Resources can be raised by buying off Poverty (if you have it) and or buying the Wealthy Perk. A story-based reason must exist for your sudden good fortune. There is no limit on how high your Resources can be raised. To determine if you can afford to buy a particular item, roll your Resources score verses the item’s Price Difficulty. Success indicates that you are able to purchase the item. If the price is lower than twice the D in your Resources score, then no roll is required. For more information on Resources and equipment prices, see chapter 14 of the D6 Adventure (available free on-line, just Google it) rulebook (note that in D6 Adventure, “Resources” is synonymous with “funds” Item or Service Level Cheap (less than $20) Inexpensive (less than $200) Nominally expensive (hundreds of dollars) Somewhat expensive (a few thousand dollars) Expensive (several thousand dollars) Very Expensive (tens of thousands of dollars) Costly (hundreds of thousands of dollars) Minimum Item or Service Is...  Common; average quality  Very common; local market is flooded; of slightly lower technological complexity than commonly available  In high demand; limited availability; of slightly higher technological complexity than commonly available  Not generally available to the public; of significantly higher technological complexity than commonly available  Unusually high quality  Damaged or low quality Relationship with Seller Has dealt with rarely or never Pays on time; frequent customer; No complaints by seller

Resources TN Very Easy (1-4) Easy (5-8) Moderate (9-14) Difficult (15-19) V. Difficult (20-24) Heroic (25-29) Legendary (30+)

Modifier 0

-5

+5

+15 +5 -5 Modifier 0 -1 or more

92

Rarely pays on time; problem buyer

+1 or more

Item (Availability*) Price Alarm clock (A) VE Archaeologist’s tool kit (U) E Art supplies (C) E Backpack (A) VE Basic clothing (A) E Basic field rations, few days’ worth (A) VE Binoculars (C) E Blanket (A) VE Camera, basic point and shoot (C) E Film, basic color or B&W (C) VE Carpenter’s/construction tool kit (A) E Compass (C) VE Crowbar (A) VE Daily newspaper, weekly magazine (A) VE Disguise kit (C) E Duct tape, 10 meters (C) VE Duffel bag (A) VE Eating utensils (A) VE Electrician’s tool kit (C) E Evidence kit (U) M Field radio (U) E First-aid kit (C) VE Fishing gear (A) VE Flashlight, large (C) VE Gas mask (U) E Gas stove (C) E Geiger counter (U) E Handcuffs (U) E Holster (C) VE Jungle adventurer’s pack (U) E

Iron spikes (8) and piton (A) VE Kerosene heater (C) VE Lantern (A) VE Lighter (A) VE Lockpicking tools (U) VE Marbles (A) VE Mechanic’s tool kit (C) E Movie camera, small (U) M Movie camera film or tape (U) VE Parachute (U) E Personal hygiene kit (A) VE PDA (C/N) M Quick-draw holster (C) E Radio, portable (A) VE Rifle scope (C) E Rope, hemp, 50 meters (A) VE Rope, cotton, 50 meters (A) VE Sewing machine, small (A) VE Shovel (A) VE Signal locator (U/N) D Sleeping bag or bedroll (A) E Steamer trunk (A) VE Tape recorder (A) E Tapes for recorder (A) VE Telescope (C) E Tent, 1-person (A) VE Tent, 3-person (A) E Tracking device (C/N) M Typewriter (C) E Torch (A) VE Watch (A) VE–E Wood stove (A) E

*Availability Key: A = almost anywhere / C = cities or mail order only / U = unusual or rare / N = not available prior to the 1990s

Firearms Damage Ammo Handguns .30 M1 Carbine

5D+1

8

Short/Med/Long 45/450/600

Price (Ammo Price) M (E)

93

Colt Snub .38 revolver 4D Colt .45 Peacemaker 5D+1 Glock 17 9mm pistol 4D Luger P08 9mm 4D Derringer .45 pistol 4D S & W .38 revolver 4D S & W .357 Magnum 5D Walter PPK 9mm 4D Rifles Blunderbuss* 5D Flintlock musket* 4D+2 Springfield M1903 Rifle (.30-06) 7D Remington Mod 30 5D+1 Winchester 94 lever action (30-30) 6D+1 Shotguns Mossberg M500 (12-guage pump) 6D Remington 30 (12-guage side by side) 6D Sawed-off (12-guage) 6D

6 6 16 8 2 6 6 7

5/10/15 15/30/45 8/16/24 10/20/30 10/20/30 15/30/45 20/35/50 7/14/21

E (VE) E (VE) D (E) E (VE) E (VE) E (VE) E (VE) M (E)

1 1

12/20/30 25/40/100

M (E) M (E)

5 6

40/80/160 20/75/200

E (VE) E (VE)

6

30/60/120

M (E)

5

20/40/60

M (E)

2 2

20/40/60 15/20/30

E (VE) E (VE)

*Requires eight Rounds to reload or a Guns roll of 25 to reload in one Round. Assault Rifle† M-16 or Kalashnikov AK-47 (7.62x39mm) 6D 30 Submachine Guns Bergmann MP18 (9mm) 4D 12 Schmeisser MP38/40 (9mm) 4D 32 TEC-9 machine pistol (9mm) 4D 30 Thompson M1928/M1 (.45ACP) 5D 30/100 Israeli Uzi (9mm)† 4D 30 Machine Guns MG42 “Spandau” (7.92x57mm) 8D+2 500 Vickers MK.1 (.303) 7D+1 250

45/85/170

D (E)

15/30/60

E (VE)

30/60/90

E (VE)

15/30/45

M (E)

25/50/75 20/40/60

E (VE) M (E)

300/600/1.2K 150/300/900

M (VE) M (VE)

Short/Med/Long

Price

Explosives* Type

Damage

94

81mm mortar 8D 400/750/1k M Dynamite (per stick) 5D** See Throw Skill VE Fragmentation grenade 6D See Throw Skill E Plastique (per kg) 6D** E Smoke grenade, tear gas*** See Throw Skill E *All explosive damage diminishes by 1D for each meter away from ground zero. **Add 1D to damage per unit (stick or kg respectively) ***Target needs to make Stamina against 20 or suffer –1D to all Actions.

Missile and Thrown Weapons — Type Damage Missile Blowgun and dart +1* Bow,Composite +3D+1** Long +2D+2** Short +1D+2** Crossbow, Light 4D*** Heavy 4D+1*** Wrist-mounted 3D+2*** Thrown Weapons Boomerang, heavy +1D+1 Dart +1 Gasoline bomb 6D+2 Javelin +2D Rock, fist-sized +1 Throwing dagger +1D Throwing star(shuriken) +1D

Short/Med/Long

Price

10/ 40/ 100 10/ 60/ 250 10/ 100/ 250 10/ 100/ 250 10/ 100/ 200 10/ 100/ 300 10/ 25/ 50

VE M M M M M M

5/ 40/ 100 See Throw Skill See Throw Skill 5/ 25/ 40 See Throw Skill 5/ 10/ 15 5/ 10/ 15

E VE VE E n/a E VE

*Blowguns commonly shoot poison darts and bypass 3 points of Soak; poison damage is inflicted instead of rolled damage ** Requires one full Action to reload ***Requires one full Round to reload

Melee Weapons Type Awl, ice pick, household scissors, pocket knife, screwdriver, stake Arrow, crossbow bolt, dart Axe (large) Ball and chain Baton, night stick, fire iron Blackjack Brass knuckles

Damage

Durability

Price

+2 +1 +3D +2D +1D+1 +2 +1

2 2 9 6 4 2 1

VE VE E E VE–E VE VE

95

Bullwhip +2 Club, baseball bat, large stick, walking stick +1D+1 Hatchet +1D+1 Hedge clippers, garden shears +1D Katana +3D Knife (survival, large kitchen), dagger, bayonet +1D Mace +1D+1 Machete +1D+2 Manrikigusari +1D+2 Nunchaku +1D+2 Quarterstaff +1D+2 Rapier +2D Sai +1D+1 Sap, hammer (tool) +1D Sword, broad +2D+2 Sword, short +1D+2 Sword, two-handed +3D+1 Tonfa +1D+2

2

E

4 4 3 10

VE VE VE M

3 4 5 5 5 5 6 8 3 8 5 10 5

VE–E E E E VE E E E VE E E E E

Protective Gear Type Woven metal fabric (light) Hides and fur Soft leather, canvas, heavy khaki Bone and hide Padded leather, flying jacket Bulletproof vest Reflec (against energy only) Flak Suit (with plates) Light Kevlar Heavy Kevlar Ceramic armor

Soak +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +7/2 vs. melee +9 +7 +7/3 vs. melee +9/5 vs. melee +10

Price E n/a VE–E n/a E M L M D D H

To determine the effect of armor on Moves based Actions and Initiative, divide armor’s lower rating by 2 and round up. This is the negative modifier in pips on all Moves based Actions.

Vehicles Vehicle Type

Move* Passengers

Durability

Maneuverability

Price

Land

96

Bicycle Wagon stage coach Motorcycle, small Motorcycle, large Car, small Car, mid-size Car, large Car, sports Minivan Van, full-size Truck, pickup Truck, delivery Bus, between city Tractor trailer cab and trailer

See note

1–2

6

+2D+2

E–M

Pace x50% 168 (60 kph) 196 (70 kph) 98 (35 kph) 140 (50 kph) 140 (50 kph) 214 (75 kph) 126 (45 kph) 126 (45 kph) 126 (45 kph) 126(45 kph) 98(35 kph)

5–8 1–2 1–2 3–4 5–6 6–8 2–4 7 15 3 (cab) 2–3 (cab) 43

13 11 +scale 13 +scale 15 +scale 16 +scale 18 +scale 16 +scale 16 +scale 18+scale 17 +scale 22 +scale 23 +scale

0 +3D +2D +2D 1D+1 +1D +3D +1D 0 0 -1D -4D

D D D D VD VD VD H H H H L

2 (cab)

25 +scale

-6D

L

+1D 0 +2D +1D +1D

E–M E D VD H

+3D +1D 0 0

L L L L

98 (35 kph)

Water Canoe 2xAthletics or Drive Canoe roll 4 6 Rowboat 2xAthletics or Drive Boat roll 6 11 Sailboat,small 2xWind+25% of Boat roll 2 14+scale Sailboat, large 2xWind+50% of Boat 6–18 (2 crew) 18+scale Powerboat, medium 84 (30 kph) 9 14+scale

Air Helicopter, civilian Prop plane, small Prop plane, medium Small jet

252 (90 kph) 196 (70 kph) 266 (95 kph) 616 (220 kph)

5 4–8 (1–2 crew) 6–20 (2 crew) 8–20 (2 crew)

18+scale 15+scale 22+scale 22+scale

*First value is in meters per Round. Encumbrance and Fatigue Superheroes rarely seem to be troubled by encumbrance. In most modern settings there’s usually someplace to store your stuff “off-screen”. But if encumbrance is important to your campaign, here’s a simple rule system that represent Fatigue. First of all, a character is not considered Encumbered until they are carrying a weight in excess of twice the number of D in their Lift skill as per the Lift Capacity Table. Beyond that point she enjoys a –1D penalty to all physical Actions requiring Moves Attribute including Initiative. For every point on the Lift Capacity Table of additional weight the character carries, they suffer an additional –1D penalty to all Moves Actions.

97

So, the average man (Might 2D) can carry an equivalent of 4 on the Lift Table (greater than 12 kg) before he is Encumbered (-1D penalty to Moves Actions). If he carries more weight, say up to 5 on the Lift Table (more than 25kg), he will acquire an additional –1D of penalty, at 6 (50kg) another –1D for a total of –3D penalty to Moves Actions. His Pace also drops by 2m for each level of Encumbrance he bears. If he were carrying 50kg his Pace would drop by 6m to 4m/round. If Pace drops below 0, he cannot move any further. Fatigue uses the Stamina skill. Failing a Fatigue roll gives you Stun damage (penalty lasts until you rest, 10 minutes of rest removes one Stun). The TN for a Fatigue roll is calculated as 1 for each round of extreme exertion (Combat, Sprinting, role-playing game design). Thus ten rounds of fighting (or a single combat Scene say) would require everyone to roll their Stamina against 10 Fatigue. Whether you make your Fatigue roll or not, the Fatigue clock keeps ticking and if exertion continues for another ten Rounds the next Stamina roll will be against 20, and so on. Each minute of rest erases a single point from the next Fatigue TN. Hard exertion (running, swimming, climbing etc) accumulates Fatigue at one point per minute (six Rounds). Moderate exertion (walking, treading water, easy riding, driving, most people’s jobs) accumulates Fatigue at 1 per hour.

You Against The World Destroying Objects Smashing through stuff is great fun. Trashing parked cars and breaking through armor plating is a core element of the genre. To figure out how much damage you need to inflict or what kind of Lift roll you need to make to tear through something or reduce it to rubble add the Substance’s Durability to its rating on the Lift Capacity Table. Substance Durability Paper 0 Soil 0 Glass 1 Ice 1 Rope 1 Wood 3

Stone 5 Iron 8 Steel 10 Titanium 15 Super-Alloys 20+

If all you’re trying to do is make a human sized hole in an object that is much larger than you, use the estimated mass of the segment you’re trying to get through. So an inch of steel plating on the side of an aircraft carrier might weigh 100 kg in a man-sized hole, add it’s Lift rating (12) plus its Substance Durability (10) gets you 22. This is the segment’s Durability. To blast through it in one shot you’d need to do 44 points of damage, to tear through it you’d need to overcome a TN of 44 with Lift, or Telekinesis or something along those lines.

98

Destroying complex objects, devices or vehicles, use the vehicle combat rules in Mini Six Bare Bones Edition or you can treat the object as if it were an NPC, with it’s Durability + Scale effect acting as its Soak. Stuns and Wounds create penalties against its proper function, Incapacitation as cessation of function, Death or Destruction as the destruction of the object.

Natural Hazards and Extreme Environments The world is a dangerous place. If some costumed sociopath doesn’t get you, Murphy will. Look both ways and get your tetanus shots. Cold/Heat The ambient temperature extremes can cause accumulating damage any where from 1 pip to 1D per hour of exposure depending on degree unless protected by the appropriate clothing, equipment or Adaptations. A Stamina roll against this damage, Complemented or replaced by Survival Skill is made every hour. Degree of failure determines the amount of Wound Damage taken. The Wounds take the form of frostbite and hypothermia, or heatstroke and hyperthermia. Each of these can be fatal. Characters with the appropriate Adaptation need not worry, nor do those with the right equipment or medical know-how. Characters may substitute their Survival Skills, or Complement their Stamina checks when under such harsh conditions. Corrosion: Acid, Enzymes and Caustics Little is more horrifying than the thought of being painfully scorched by acids, caustics or digestive enzymes. High concentration Sulfuric Acid, Lye, the spattered blood of large chitinous aliens, those are some good times. Each corrosive agent has its properties and antidotes. Certain Adaptations can be taken to prevent against such injuries otherwise corrosives are treated like other burns. Each agent will have a potency against which a Soak roll can be made. Failure indicates Wound Damage. However, the character receiving the Wound may decide to allow the corrosive to destroy his armor instead (if he has any). Armor typically has a Durability equal to its Armor Value. Reduction in Durability has a corresponding effect of reducing Armor Value by an equal amount. Corrosives usually exert their effects for 1D rounds, doing their damage each round, before they fizzle out. Splashing additional corrosives on a character only increases the duration of corrosive effect, not the damage per round.

99

Acids and alkalis (caustics) can neutralize each other. A Character with Science or Chemistry might be able to stop the damage caused by corrosives with a Skill roll exceeding the rolled damage. That is if a neutralizing agent is available. Deep Sea This is yet another locale inimical to human survival. Every round spent in the deep causes 1 point of Wound per additional Atmospheric Pressure. Every 10m or so adds an Atmosphere Pressure against which one must make this roll. So at a Depth of 70m, you must Soak against 7 points of Wound Damage per round. Rapidly ascending creates a condition called “The Bends”. Nitrogen comes out of solution in your blood and causes all sorts of merriment including heart attacks, strokes, paralysis, and excruciating pain in all of your joints. Plus all of the gas containing pockets in your body may suddenly expand and rip open: lungs burst, sinuses and eardrums rupture, bowels perforate. So for each Atmosphere you ascend without acclimatizing causes the diver 1D cumulative against Stamina, degree of failure determining Wound damage. Adaptation to Extreme Pressure negates this. You must also have some means of respiration if your physiology requires, otherwise you asphyxiate (See drowning and asphyxiation). It’s also pretty cold down there, so Adaptation versus Extreme Cold is necessary. Deep Space Space is fun. Where else can you boil and freeze at the same time? The extreme cold turns you into an instant human-sicle, while the vacuum (absence of barometric pressure) causes all the gases in your blood to bubble out of solution, and your blood to want to turn to vapor, all at once, while still in your veins. Joy! Add to this the explosive decompression and expansion of any gas pockets in your body (think about it), and then there’s the powerful ionizing cosmic radiation to worry about. And if you’re on the wrong side of the heat shield, you might actually crispy fry, rather than turning into a smoothy of bodily fluids. All of this combines into a fun experience where you magically turn into a Jackson Pollock painting. Luckily, with the right equipment or Adaptations, all of this can be avoided. Adaptation to Deep Space requires Extreme Cold, Extreme Heat, Vacuum, No Atmosphere and Radiation Adaptations. Without any of the aforementioned, every round you spend in the blissful embrace of the void causes 2D Wound Damage versus Stamina every Round, increasing by 2D each Round. Disease Infectious diseases present in a myriad forms, from the common cold to the Ebola virus. Typically a disease will have a Virulence score, or a TN to match Stamina against or else

100

suffer the effects. Some diseases like flesh eating bacteria and necrotizing fasciitis act almost immediately. Others, like tertiary syphilis don’t show symptoms for years, and have a long, latent phase. Effects can be damage, or debility represented as reduced Attributes, or other effects such as somnolence, delirium, wracking pain and so on. The duration is disease dependant and may last for a single day or persist chronically for the rest of the character’s days. Drowning and Asphyxiation Every round spent unable to breathe adds to the TN of an asphyxia (Stamina) roll, made each round after twice the number of rounds equal to the number of D in Stamina. The margin of Failure for such a roll is applied to the Injury chart and the drowning hero takes that Injury. Electricity Electricity burns and messes with biological (and technological) conduction systems that most of us rely on for our continued existence. Besides fire and burns, a jolt of electricity can result in cardiac arrest, and massive tissue destruction resulting in delayed multi-organ system failure that is probably beyond the scope of this game (who the heck wants to roleplay their time on life support). Plain old household current causes 2D damage per round. Industrial current 4D, lightning anywhere from 10D to 20D. If the target is immersed in or even in contact with an enclosed container of water, double these damages. Alternating current (most man-made forms of it) will cause tetanic paralysis (convulsions) while in contact with the source, preventing the victim from moving away. Anyone touching the victim becomes subject themselves to the same damage that the first was (and still is) subjected to. A Stamina check against this damage will prevent this paralysis. Direct current (naturally occurring forms) tend to cause fires, and should be treated as an open flame. Falling For every 3m you fall, you take 1D of damage. So falling 50 feet (15m), you take 5D. This maxes out at 10D (terminal velocity) plus Scale effects. Fire Fires burn. The amount of energy imparted by a campfire after an Action’s worth of exposure might be anywhere from 1to 2D, A large bonfire maybe 3D. Larger fires will generate more energy and thus impart greater amounts of damage.

101

The real risk of fires, especially in enclosed spaces is asphyxiation from oxygen depletion and poisonous gases such as cyanide and carbon monoxide. See Asphyxia above. High Altitude High altitude is a little like Deep Space but slower, the higher you go, the closer to Deep Space it gets. At high-ish altitudes, say Everest Base Camp (3 to 5km above sea level), the low atmospheric pressure creates a situation where you must match your Stamina against 1D accumulating Stun damage each day, for 1D days until you’ve acclimatized. You may substitute your Survival Skill or let it Complement your Stamina check. A Dead result on this Stun damage still causes death, from cerebral and pulmonary edema. And then there’s the cold. See Extreme Cold/Heat. Survival or Medicine can substitute or Complement these Stamina rolls. At High Altitude, like at the top of Everest or outside a cruising 747 (5 to 10km above sea level) cold, vacuum and hypoxia predominate. See rules on Extreme Cold (except now we’re talking every minute instead of hour), see Deep Space for vacuum effects (except we’re talking minutes to hours, not Rounds), and see Drowning rules (except we’re talking minutes to hours here, not Rounds). Outside of the appropriate equipment or Adaptations, there isn’t much that can be done except to pray you make your Stamina rolls. Thirst and Starvation Every day spent without hydration, or every three days spent without nutrition, creates an accumulating D of potential Injury resisted by your Stamina check made each day. Any Fatigue penalties accumulated that day act as penalties against these Stamina checks, such that the highest Fatigue penalty applies, even if you’ve rested. Survival Skill can be substituted for or Complement Stamina. Toxins Toxins affect biological systems, wreaking physiologic havoc at the cellular or molecular level. Each toxin will have its own effects, and may not necessarily be lethal in small quantities (alcohol is a toxin). The specific effects of each toxin must be individualized, as is their route of ingestion and Potency. Potency is what provides the TN against a Stamina roll to avoid the toxin’s effects. Specific Adaptations may immunize a character against certain toxins. Effects of toxins may include damage, unconsciousness, hallucinations, Attribute decrease, paralysis and so on. We leave the specifics up to your imagination.

102

Examples of toxins and their effects include cyanide (potency 20, 8D damage), sodium pentothal (truth serum, potency 20, causes truthfulness and suggestibility), rattlesnake venom (potency 10, damage 4D) and so on. End Notes MightySix hopefully allows you to describe an experience in a world of super powered heroes and villains. Here, the possibilities are for all intents and purposes endless. As such the rules are intended to encourage flexible, open-ended play and to permit descriptive freedom, not to provide a procedure for every possible situation. A lot is left up to the GM. Because of this, the rules can (and probably will) be abused and broken. The remedy is simple: don’t abuse or break them. Creative players have been outsmarting GMs for as long as RPGs have been around. It’s par for the course. If something feels like rules abuse, or has the potential to disrupt the game, disallow it. Period. You’re the GM. If you need someone to blame, tell your players it was me that told you so, and it’s all my fault. Have them call me at 555- GETALIFE and then move on with the game. Admittedly the rules are flawed and will lead to some conflicts and discrepancies. So what? If you find some, make up solutions and patches of your own, stick them on and see if they work out. I betcha they will.

103