Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)
THE WORLD NEEDS

HEROES
Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition includes everything you need to create
unique superheroes and play exciting stories right out of comic books and movies.
Within these pages you’ll find countless powers and power options, extensive
rules for gear, vehicles, and even headquarters, a massive assortment of animals
and non-player characters, and extensive guidance to help gamemasters run the
most engaging superhero games possible. Last but not least, this book includes
38 ready-to-play characters, heroes and villains.
Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition was designed to be highly flexible, allowing
you to play anything from street-level vigilantes to high-flying paragons with
godlike abilities, from gritty hard-boiled detective stories to four-color cartoon
adventures. This edition expands the original to allow for many more options
while also streamlining the rules and making the game even faster and easier to
run. Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition is the only roleplaying game you need
to run any kind of superhero adventure you can imagine.
In 2013, when the world needed heroes, you answered the call. You and your allies
were all that stood between light and darkness, good and evil, right and wrong.
You fought valiantly and sacrificed dearly. And you saved the day. But ignorance,
greed, and tyranny never sleep. Once again, the world is in peril, Hero. Once again,
the world needs you to…
TAKE A STAND! JOIN THE FIGHT! BE A HERO!

CREDITS
DESIGN & WRITING
Leonard A. Pimentel
ADDITIONAL DESIGN
Sean Patrick Fannon
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL & ASSISTANCE

Raymond Bruels III, Josh Hoade, Bill Keyes, Juliet Meyer,
Jeff Oberg, Nestor D. Rodriguez, Jorge Sepulveda, Michael Surbrook
EDITING
Carol Darnell, Josh Hoade, Carinn Seabolt, Jennifer Shinefeld
LAYOUT
Thomas Shook, Leonard A. Pimentel
COVER ART
Luis G. Figueredo
INTERIOR ART
Koko Amboro, Muhammad Ichsan Ansori, Edward Philip Bola, Silvio César Costa, Sean Forney, Jerry Gaylord,
Jesse “Cadre” Hansen, Chahine Ladjouze, Bryan Arfel Magnaye, Moonee, Paulo Ricardo Oliveira, Gregory Ottaviani,
William Allan Reyes, Krishner Angelo “Jimbo” C. Salgado, Magno Silva, Iwan Joko Triyono, Marco Ortiz Walters
TITLES/LOGOS
Jesse “Cadre” Hansen
CHARACTER SHEET DESIGN

Karl Keesler
PLAYTESTING & SUPPORT

Brett “Ch4m3l30n” Baker, Ben Bequer, Raymond “Valor” Bruels III, Jonathan “Psy” Catbagan,Scott “No Show”
Crosson, Ed “Colossal” Doolittle, Ben Dyer, Dave “Past Life” Forby, Josh Hoade, Chuck “The Middle Man” Jones, Lee
“Darkness” Kamberos, Bill “Rumblebee” Keyes, Tammy “Auspex” Keyes, Sam Khan, Robert “Beatha” Losinski, Mike
Anthony “Galahad” Lythgoe, George “The Golden Swordsman” MacDonald, Jeff Makant, Michael J. “Fusillade” Merrell,
Juliet “Orchid” Meyer, Kim “Ingenue” Meyers, Chris “Stormcaller” Parks, Ron “The Saint” Ringenbach, Nestor D. “Agent
Vega” Rodriguez, Alfredo Sanchez, Donavin “The Redeemer” Santini, Matthew Schoen, Carinn “Digital Lotus” Seabolt,
Samantha “Opal” Seabolt, Jorge Sepulveda, Jennifer “Peregrine” Shinefeld, Katherine “Soifra” Strasser, Michael “All
Black” Surbrook, Edgar Velarde, Ross “Psi Titan” Watson, Cory “Seraphim” Williamsen, Daniel “Tesseract” Wong.
© 2013–2021 LakeSide Games, Inc. Prowlers & Paragons, Prowlers & Paragons Unlimited Edition, Prowlers &
Paragons Unlimited Edition Quickstart, Pinnacle City’s Most Wanted, Pinnacle City, the Pinnacle City Universe,
LakeSide Games, and all related marks and logos are trademarks of LakeSide Games, Inc. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 5
Introduction�� 5 Resolve and Adversity �� 83
Welcome Back!�� 6 Resolve �� 83
What is Roleplaying�� 6 Earning Resolve�� 83
Glossary�� 7 Spending Resolve �� 84
Adversity�� 85
Earning Adversity �� 85
CHAPTER 1 Spending Adversity�� 85
Basics�� 9
Characters�� 9
Challenge Rolls �� 9
CHAPTER 6
Equipment �� 87
Combat��11
Resources �� 87
Resolve and Adversity��11
Gear Limits �� 87
Armor ��88
CHAPTER 2 Weapons��88
Equipment�� 91
Characters �� 13 Custom Gear�� 92
Character Types�� 13 Gadgets�� 94
Character Creation �� 14 Vehicles�� 94
Abilities�� 17 Headquarters ��100
Talents��18
Powers��19
Pros and Cons��48 CHAPTER 7
Perks�� 54 Environment�� 105
Flaws�� 55 Disasters��105
Derived Characteristics ��60 Energy��105
Finishing Touches��60 Falling ��105
Advancement�� 62 Hostile Environments ��106
Random Hero Generator�� 63 Leaping��106
Lifting��106
Scorching�� 107
CHAPTER 3 Smashing�� 107
Action�� 67 Toxins��108
Challenge Rolls �� 67
Assisting��69
Contests �� 70 CHAPTER 8
Defining Moments�� 70 Friends and Foes �� 111
Judging Thresholds�� 71 Non-Player Characters ��111
Animals��111
Extras ��120
CHAPTER 4 Heroes and Villains ��126
Combat�� 73
Edge �� 73
Actions�� 73
CHAPTER 9
Superhero Gaming�� 167
Range �� 73 Creating Villains��167
Movement�� 74 Creating Stories��170
Attacks and Defenses �� 75 Creating Series ��180
Damage�� 75 Narrative Techniques��183
Special Effects��76 Gamemaster Tips ��185
Instant Recovery��76 Player Tips��187
Grappling��76
Combat Stunts�� 77
Minions in Combat �� 77 BACKERS��190
Special Cases��78
Gritty Combat Rules ��79
Example of Combat�� 81 INDEX�� 191

FORWARD
HANDFULS OF DICE
That was the superhero game I was going to design, develop, and Editor-in-Chief); the poor woman endured countless iterations,
publish. Len Pimentel killed that idea with a 20d Penetrating reboots, and reconfigurations, and more than a few attempts to
Blast right through the chest. I’m oddly okay with that. hack existing rules. Nothing ever quite got where I wanted to go.
Let me explain… You have to understand what I was looking for — a superhero
RPG rules system that somehow evoked all the great things
January 2014 – Sean furiously scratches out all kinds of notes, I remembered fondly about Champions (specifically the 4th
talks to friends, makes more notes, plays with outlines and Edition era, which is when I wrote extensively for it) while also
structures… comes up with the following “manifesto” for his fulfilling the promise of easier-access, fast-play gaming that is
Design Goals: the hallmark of current game design. Having a bit more narrative
impetus as part of the experience was another element of 21st
• Strong Thematic Builds encouraged Century RPG thinking I wanted to incorporate.
• Flexibility with Powers

That’s where the work on Handfuls of Dice started, and when I
• Fun to play, fun to run had to put it aside, I went looking one more time to see if there
was any game that might get close to what I’d hoped for. I took a
• Fun to create characters
look at a couple of Top Five, Top Ten, and Best Of lists online that
• Quick build for last-minute characters talked about superhero games. Then, I started looking at quite
a few more, noticing a game I’d not really paid any attention to
Ultimately, I am trying to combine newer design ideas (with an before showing up time-and-time again.
emphasis on narrative influence and fast-and-easy gaming) with
some very retro stuff (huge handfuls of dice, crunchy hit-then- Prowlers & Paragons.
damage resolutions). I want to create the game that my friends
wish to play, and that I will truly enjoy running. Hopefully that I grabbed it, read it, and realized with abject shame that I had
will translate to something lots of other folks enjoy as well. seen it before, and had summarily dismissed it as “one of those
frou-frou narrative games that didn’t try to be a real game.”
May 2015 – Sean’s playtesting this bad boy, getting all kinds
of feedback. He adds in more and more stuff to fill everything Let me explain! When I first encountered it, I was in a crotchety,
out. Campaign Scale Chart. Categories for the different levels of grognard kind of headspace about light, narrative games. I got
abilities, the different ways characters are designed, so much over it — and myself — but my first encounter with the game
stuff! Then the word is given — Savage Rifts® is a reality, and was in light of that preconception, so I didn’t really give it the
Sean’s life will brook no other game design on anything else. attention it deserved.
But… Sean wants to play supers! Worse, it was something a dear friend had shown me, a guy
named Leonard Pimentel, who I met at Gen Con a few years
So, yeah, I had to shelve HoD, but I couldn’t dump my desire to ago and, in the moment of that meeting, discovered one of
run a supers campaign in my Modern Gods setting. I needed those human beings that you just know you are going to be best
a good system for it, something that at least got close to my friends forever with.
specific ideas, so I went looking.
(As always, he and I have Carinn to thank for that; he played in
Again. a game she ran, and she somehow knew she had to introduce
us. Thank you, Love!)
I’d already tried running Modern Gods (and my other supers
world, Unending War) in just about every single superhero RPG But… I just didn’t grasp it then, put it aside, and continued my
rules set there is. Ask my Belovedest, Carinn (Evil Beagle’s search, which eventually led me to Handfuls of Dice, and then
Savage Rifts® had to be done, so I had to find a system to fill in
and… you’ve read this part already, right?
2
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Right. No need. Took my best ideas, married them to this extraordinary
engine, and made something so very much better.
So here I am, re-encountering this game that’s getting all kinds
of new love, and I am really reading it this time. Ten minutes Len Pimentel is one of the most talented game designers in this
later, I am dialing Len’s mobile. His voicemail picks up, and I industry that you probably don’t know about. I believe this is
practically scream into it “Pimentel, you magnificent bastard, I the game that changes that. I am honored and thrilled to have
read your book!” had a part in making this better, but it was already pretty damn
good, because he’s just that clever and that talented. I might
(If you didn’t hear that in George C. Scott’s voice, you’ve missed have added a few good things here and there; if so, you’re the
out on one of the greatest character studies disguised as a war beneficiary of that combined effort. We started from an amazing
movie of all time. Fix that.) foundation of Len’s crafting.
A few minutes later, he calls me back. We laugh, we cry, we Go forth, tell amazing superhero stories, and know that I am
completely redevelop the entire thing, and now you have what genuinely looking forward to you telling me about your character
I predict will go down in RPG history as one of the greatest at the next convention we see each other.
superhero RPG systems of all time.
Now where’s my giant bag of d6s?
What happened to HoD? Will I ever finish it?
Sean Patrick Fannon

PROWLERS PARAGONS 3
INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION
Introduction
I want to be a superhero. You want to be a superhero. Everyone wants to be a superhero. Or at least everyone
would like to have superpowers. Ever since we learned to tell stories, we’ve told stories of people who could do
things we could only dream of: stories that empowered us, stories that motivated us, stories that entertained
us. We told these stories for countless generations, repeating some so often that they evolved into myths
and legends, becoming an integral part of our cultural fabric. These stories were important. We understand
this, rationally and intuitively. We know that our myths and legends are an essential part of who we were, who
we are, and who we may become. That’s why we collect these stories, catalog them, and study them in the
halls of academia. And yet, we often fail to acknowledge the myths and legends of the present: superheroes.
Having grown out of the wild assortment of escapist genres collectively referred to as pulp, the superhero
genre is the latest iteration of our never-ending fascination with the idea that we can be more than we are.
It’s a genre with a long and venerable history, one more important than we often care to admit.
For a long time, all we did was tell stories. Then we started acting them out, first around fires, then on stage,
in sound studios, and eventually on screen. But actually pretending to live those stories out for the sheer
joy of it, or for the emotional catharsis of it? That kind of make-believe was deemed frivolous, an activity
reserved for children. Or at least that was the case until not too long ago, when a pair of mad geniuses in the
magical land of Wisconsin collaborated on a game that allowed players to actually step into the roles of heroic
adventurers. That game deservedly went on to become the world’s most popular roleplaying game, and the
idea of letting players participate as heroes in the telling of these epic stories took the world by storm, laying
the groundwork for whole industries that had yet to be developed. This game was written while balancing
on the shoulders of those Wisconsin giants and the pioneers who applied their ideas to the superhero genre.
Without them, we wouldn’t be here.
If you’re reading this, you probably have an interest in superheroes and roleplaying games. Good for you. You
have a long line of humans behind you, stretching all the way back to those scattered groups of preliterate
beings whose amazing brains gave them the capacity to wonder, to imagine, and to tell stories of what might
be. Our ancestors sitting around their campfires would have loved the idea of participating in the stories they
told rather than just telling them, but that would be a while in coming. It’s here now, though, thanks in part to
them. That long line of humans is standing over your shoulder, marveling at the stories you and your friends
create every time you play, so make them proud.
Thank you for your interest in Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition. It warms our hearts and humbles us
more than we can express. Now go create some myths of your own.

PROWLERS PARAGONS 5
WELCOME BACK!
Introduction
Or for those who are joining us for the first time, welcome
aboard! Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition (or P&P), is the
revised, expanded, and much-improved edition of the original
Prowlers & Paragons. P&P is a tabletop roleplaying game with
a rules-light engine that blends narrative task resolution and
concrete combat rules to create a unique system designed to
emulate four-color superhero comics.
Great, so what does that mean to you?
P&P is a tabletop roleplaying game. If that one threw you for

a loop, you’re in for a treat. Skip to the next section, What is
Roleplaying, to see what you’ve gotten yourself into.
P&P is rules-light. As far as roleplaying games go, P&P is a

simple game with streamlined rules. Once you know how things
work, you should be able to play without ever opening the
book. Although simple rules might not work for every genre,
this is a game about superheroes, and light rules are less
troublesome when mimicking comic-book action rather than
real-world physics.
P&P blends narrative task resolution and concrete combat rules.

For the most part, P&P relies on what’s become a signature
element in many narrative game systems; rather than telling
you what happens, the rules help you figure out who gets to
describe what happens. However, P&P isn’t a purely narrative
game, especially not when it comes to combat. The combat
rules are more defined, adding a tactical element to ensure that
players feel like superheroes rather than comic book writers.
Last, P&P is designed to emulate four-color superhero comics.

This game tries to capture the reality of the superhero genre
rather than simulate the real world and its pesky physical laws.
P&P is a game about superheroes, about the heroic things they
do, and the heroic burdens they shoulder. Mundane matters
get little to no attention. While the game includes elements
designed to encourage good roleplaying, the focus isn’t on the
emotionality or psychology of being a superhero. To be perfectly
clear, P&P isn’t a deep and cerebral game. It’s a game designed
to let you play stories about superheroes who save the world
and beat the snot out of supervillains who richly deserve it. Like
so much of the genre, P&P is a gleefully unapologetic exercise
in escapism and heroic wish fulfillment.
WHAT IS ROLEPLAYING
If you’re reading this, you probably already know the answer to
that question. Nowadays, many people have played or watched
someone else play a tabletop roleplaying game, whether live
or online. And many more have been introduced to the basic
idea of roleplaying games through video games and massively
multiplayer online roleplaying games such as the sadly defunct
and still sorely missed City of Heroes (we promised ourselves
we wouldn’t cry).
6
PROWLERS PARAGONS
A tabletop roleplaying game is one in which a group of people Half: Whenever we refer to half of an odd number (or half of an
collectively create a story. When you play P&P, you take on the role odd number of dice), always round up, regardless of the context.
Introduction
of a superhero (a Hero) in the imaginary world in which the game For example, half of 3d is 2d and half of 1d is 1d.
takes place. You and your fellow players create your own Heroes
and control them in the game. You’re usually cooperating with rather Hero: A character — presumably a superhero — run by a player.
than competing against your fellow players because there’s no A player may occasionally control other characters, but only
winning or losing. You play for the fun of it rather than to beat your their main character is considered a Hero.
opponents or win the game. Again, this should be familiar to anyone
who’s ever played a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game. Issue: A single session of gameplay. Just like every issue of a
well-written comic, every issue of P&P should start with a bang
While most of the people playing P&P — or any tabletop and end with something that leaves the players hungry for more.
roleplaying game — play a specific Hero, one person takes on the
role of the gamemaster (or GM). The GM has three responsibilities. Minion: Minions are generic enemies like gang members, killer
First, the GM comes up with the stories in which the Heroes robots, ninjas, or toughs, characters who only pose a threat to
become involved and creates the supervillains and other the Heroes in groups. Like all enemy characters, Minions are
characters with whom the Heroes interact. Second, the GM acts run by the GM.
as the narrator of the story and plays these non-player characters
(or NPCs) during the game. Third, the GM acts as the moderator NPC: Short for non-player character, this is any character run
of the game and decides when and how to apply the rules. by the GM.
P&P takes place in the minds of the people playing the game. Page: Often called a round or a turn in other roleplaying games,
There are no pieces to move around a board, no cards to shuffle a page is a brief unit of in-game time that represents a few
and hand out, nothing like that. Instead, when the game begins, seconds of combat or any other fast-moving scene. It represents
the GM sets the stage by telling the players where their Heroes roughly one page of a comic book or a few moments of an action
are and what’s happening around them. The players imagine sequence in a movie or show.
themselves in that situation and tell the GM what they do in
return. The GM describes what happens in response, the players Scene: A variable unit of in-game time roughly equivalent to one
react to that, and so on. There are times when you have to roll chapter of a book or one scene of a movie or show. Scenes normally
dice and consult the rules, but most of the time, the game involves revolve around a specific action, event, goal, location, or task.
nothing more than this back-and-forth conversation between the
GM and the players as they make their way through the story. Series: Often called a campaign in other roleplaying games, a
series is a collection of stories that typically involve the same
Games usually last three to six hours, but some folks enjoy Heroes and unfold in chronological order. While this term usually
longer sessions. A game session normally ends when the story refers to an ongoing campaign that can last months or even
concludes, but many stories take more than a single session to years, that doesn’t have to be the case. As in the comics, you
finish. As a result, game sessions often end when GM feels the can instead have a one-shot series, which is really just a single
group has reached a logical stopping point. story, or a mini-series that involves a limited number of stories
connected by an overarching metaplot.
GLOSSARY Story: Often called an adventure in other roleplaying games, a

story is a single tale that involves the Heroes and has a distinct
In the spirit of the source material that inspired this game, we
beginning, middle, and end. Unlike in a traditional story, however,
sometimes use comic-book lingo in place of common roleplaying
the collaborative nature of roleplaying makes it entirely possible
terms. Other times, we stick with traditional roleplaying game
that the story that gets told over the course of the game turns
terminology, or we use everyday words to mean something
out to be very different than what the GM originally had in mind.
specific. Here’s what we mean by the following terms.
Travel Power: A type of Power that lets you move faster than
Extra: A character run by the GM who isn’t a Villain, Foe, or
a normal person.
Minion. Extras can be mundane civilians of any stripe, good,
evil, or anywhere in between. They can also be characters
Villain: A competent, dangerous, or important enemy who is
with powers who aren’t enemies, such as other superheroes or
at least as powerful as the Heroes if not much more so. Like all
neutral parties who just happen to have superpowers.
enemy characters, Villains are run by the GM.
Foe: A henchman, lieutenant, or minor enemy who poses more

Xd: This indicates a number of ordinary 6-sided dice. For
of a threat than a Minion but isn’t as competent or dangerous
example, when you roll 8d, you roll 8 dice of the ordinary
as a Villain. Like all enemy characters, Foes are run by the GM.
6-sided variety. Modifiers of +Xd or -Xd require you to add or
subtract that many dice before rolling them. For example, a −2d
GM: An abbreviation for gamemaster, the person who runs the
penalty means you roll 2 fewer dice than normal.
game.

PROWLERS PARAGONS 7
CHAPTER 1
BASICS
Basics
This chapter provides a summary of the game’s core mechanics. We discuss everything below in greater detail and expand upon these
rules in later chapters. As mentioned before, P&P is a rules-light roleplaying game. The basic rules are simple and intuitive enough
that you should be able to play without ever having to open the book. Although we packed this book with everything we thought you
might need to run the best superhero game possible and then some, you can probably ignore much of this material and still run a
great game. When you get down to it, the rules in this chapter are all you really need.
CHARACTERS CHALLENGE ROLLS

Characters are the beings who populate the game world. Any time you attempt to perform an action whose outcome
They include the Heroes run by the players and the non- is uncertain, you must make a challenge roll to see how well
player characters or NPCs run by the GM. NPCs fall into two you do. Your challenge roll determines who earns narrative
categories: enemies and other characters. Enemies are your bad control and gets to describe what happens in the game world.
guys, classified as Villains, Foes, or Minions, depending on how Things work a little differently in combat, but when you aren’t in
powerful they are. All other GM characters are Extras. combat, challenge rolls generally determine who narrates the
outcome of an action.
CHARACTERISTICS When making a challenge roll, you roll a number of 6-sided

Putting descriptions and other narrative elements aside, dice equal to the Trait that applies to whatever your character
characters are defined by a number of mechanical characteristics, is doing. You get one success for every 2 or 4 rolled and two
namely Abilities, Talents, Powers, Perks, and Flaws. Abilities successes for every 6 rolled. Total your successes and then
represent inherent physical and mental characteristics, and subtract the action’s threshold from that number.
include Agility, Intellect, Might, Perception, Toughness and
Willpower. Talents represent aptitudes and skills, and include When acting against an opponent, they first make their own
Academics, Charm, Command, Covert, Investigation, Medicine, challenge roll against you, and your threshold equals their
Professional, Science, Streetwise, Survival, Technology, and successes. If you aren’t acting against an opponent, the GM
Vehicles. Powers represent unusual or truly superhuman abilities. assigns a threshold (see below).
Because they work similarly, Abilities, Talents, and Powers
collectively are Traits. Perks are social or societal advantages Once you subtract the action’s threshold from your successes,
like fame and wealth. Flaws are weaknesses; physical, mental, or the result is your net successes. This value determines who
social hindrances of some kind. Unlike most characters, Minions describes what happens, as indicated on the Challenge Rolls
don’t have these characteristics. As lesser enemies who don’t table. As used on this table, the Actor is the person making the
merit that much detail, Minions have only a single characteristic, roll and the Opponent is the person resisting it. If the challenge
Threat, which they use for everything. roll is not being opposed by another player, the GM acts as
the Opponent.
TRAIT RANKS CHALLENGE ROLLS

All Abilities, all Talents, and many Powers have a rank that NET SUCCESSES NARRATIVE CONTROL
indicates how developed they are or how they compare to other −2 or less Opponent
Traits. Although not technically a Trait, the Threat characteristic −1 to 0 Opponent with Embellishment
possessed by Minions also has a rank that works the same way. 1 to 2 Actor with Embellishment
Trait ranks are measured in dice. The greater the rank, the more 3 or more Actor
dice a character has in that Trait. For example, a character with
4d Might is stronger than one with 3d Might, who is stronger
than one with 2d Might, and so on. Ordinary people have
Ability and Talent ranks of 1d to 6d, but supers often have higher
Trait ranks.

PROWLERS PARAGONS 9
Chapter 1
THRESHOLDS EMBELLISHMENTS
Whenever you perform an action opposed by another character, Whenever an embellishment is allowed, the party who doesn’t
your opponent makes a challenge roll to resist your efforts have narrative control can add to the other person’s narration
and their successes become the threshold for your roll. If in some small but meaningful way. An embellishment should be
another character is not resisting your efforts, the GM assigns a a clarification or additional detail that expands on the original
threshold based on the difficulty of your action. The GM should narration without contradicting it. Embellishments can’t render
consider both the difficulty of the action and the conditions the original narration untrue or true but effectively meaningless.
under which you are operating when assigning a threshold, using
the Thresholds table as a guide.
COMPROMISES
THRESHOLDS When someone else has the right to embellish your narration,
DIFFICULTY THRESHOLD you can offer a compromise. This means you agree to describe
Easy 0 a less-than-perfect outcome for your action in exchange for
Average 1 them giving up their embellishment. Both sides must agree on
Hard 2 the final narration to have a compromise.
Daunting 3
Brutal 4
Inhuman 5
Superhuman 6 to 8
Legendary 9 to 11
Godlike 12 or more
10
PROWLERS PARAGONS
COMBAT Unlike ordinary challenge rolls, successful attack rolls have
specific effects. Damaging attacks inflict 1 point of damage
per net success rolled. Damage reduces the target’s Health,
In combat, time is broken down into pages. A page equals a
which usually equals the average of their Toughness and Might
few seconds of time passing in the game world. Every character
or the average of their Toughness and Willpower — use whichever
Basics
involved in combat gets a turn to act on each page. Characters
option yields a greater value. Once a target’s Health has falls to
act in order of their Edge, which equals their Perception plus
0, they’re defeated and out of the fight.
Agility or Perception plus Intellect — use whichever is greater.
On their turn to act, characters can move and perform one or
Attacks that inflict special effects, on the other hand, last 1
more actions. Being that this is combat, attacks are the most
page for every 2 net successes rolled (rounding up as usual). For
common type of action. Characters are also free to defend
example, if you roll 3 or 4 net successes when attacking a target
themselves and perform other minor actions, called free
with the Stun Power, your target is stunned for 2 pages. If the
actions, as desired.
duration of a special effect ever equals or exceeds the target’s
current Health, the target is “defeated” by the special effect,
RANGE AND MOVEMENT which then lasts for the rest of the scene. An arachnid-themed
Hero, for example, might defeat criminals without hurting them
Range and movement are handled abstractly in P&P. Rather
by means of an ensnaring special effect that leaves them bound
than measure distances precisely, three range classes are used
in sticky webbing.
to approximate distances. Close Range covers anything from
physical contact to the distance an ordinary person can move
Minions are the exception to these rules. You ordinarily defeat
in one page. Distant Range covers anything beyond Close
1 Minion per net success rolled on your attack, no matter what
Range but within range of most weapons and Powers. Extreme
kind of attack you’re using.
Range covers anything beyond Distant Range but close enough
to see (within limits — the Moon, for example, is well beyond
Extreme Range).
RESOLVE AND ADVERSITY
Moving takes time but doesn’t count as an action or prevent you Heroes begin every issue (game session) with a certain amount
from taking actions. Moving up to or away from someone within of Resolve. Generally, the more powerful you are, the less
Close Range can be done in 1 page. Moving one range class Resolve you have at the start of every issue. However, there are
closer to or farther away from someone takes 2 pages, unless various ways to earn extra Resolve, most of which involve making
you have a Travel Power that lets you move faster than normal, heroic sacrifices or roleplaying some of the more superheroic
in which case you can cross one range class per page. Chases elements of your character. You can also earn Resolve by
are resolved with challenge rolls using Agility or Travel Powers. letting your character’s Flaws get the better of you. Resolve is
Characters on foot use half their Agility when rolling against the game’s narrative currency. It can be spent to do things like
characters using Travel Powers because Travel Powers let you add extra dice to challenge rolls or reroll them completely, buy
move faster than normal. lucky breaks, and recover from attacks. Although enemy NPCs
don’t use Resolve, the GM has something called Adversity that
works much the same way. GMs begin every issue with 1 point
ATTACKS AND DEFENSES of Adversity per Hero, and like players, they can gain more over
Attacks are resolved like any other challenge roll. You make a roll the course of the game, depending on the players’ actions and
using one of your Traits to attack, and your target makes a roll other factors.
using one of their Traits to defend themselves. The target’s roll
determines the attack’s threshold. These rolls are called attack
rolls and defense rolls to distinguish them from ordinary
challenge rolls. Attack rolls are often made using Powers like
Blast or Strike, unless you’re wielding a mundane weapon, SUPER TIP!
in which case you use Attributes like Might or Agility plus a You’ll find Super Tips like this one scattered
modifier called a Weapon Bonus that varies depending on the
throughout this book. Super Tips are just
weapon. Your target can use an active defense like Agility to
avoid your attack or a passive defense like Armor to resist your that: advice, options, and suggestions to
attack — always use the option that provides the best defense help make your games even better.
(the Trait with the highest rank). Some Powers inflict conditions
or effects other than damage, called special effects. These
Powers always specify the Traits used to resist them.

PROWLERS PARAGONS 11
CHAPTER 2
CHARACTERS
Characters
Characters include all beings in the game world, from the Heroes run by the players to the Villains, Foes, Minions, and Extras run by
the GM. They include not only sentient beings but also animals, monsters, mindless undead, unthinking robots, career politicians,
and so on. This chapter discusses the kinds of characters in the game and the characteristics used to describe them. It also provides
rules for creating Heroes and having them develop and become more capable over time.
CHARACTER TYPES FOES

Foes are lesser enemies that often serve as henchmen,
There are five types of characters: Heroes, Villains, Foes, Minions, lieutenants, and elite soldiers. They’re created just like Villains
and Extras. Heroes are the characters run by the players. The and defined by the same characteristics and narrative elements.
GM runs all other characters, so they’re sometimes called non- However, because these characters haven’t quite made it to the
player characters or NPCs. Villains are the super-powered big leagues, Foes have only half as much Health as ordinary
adversaries whose diabolical schemes the Heroes spend their Heroes and Villains, making them more vulnerable to damage
time trying to thwart. Foes are lesser enemies, characters and special effects.
important or powerful enough to merit individualized attention,
but not enough to make them true Villains. They typically serve
archvillains as henchmen and henchwomen, but usually report MINIONS
to the archvillain’s lieutenants, who are often Villains in their own As nameless foot soldiers whose primary role is to fight the
right. Minions are the nameless foot soldiers who attack Heroes Heroes en masse, Minions have only one characteristic: Threat.
in groups and get knocked around like tenpins when the Heroes Threat indicates how dangerous these characters are, and is
run out of bubblegum. Last are Extras, characters who could be used when making attack rolls, defense rolls, and other combat-
allies, enemies, or something else entirely. related challenge rolls. Minions use only half their Threat when
making challenge rolls to detect something, figure something
out, or otherwise deal with situations beyond their usual purview.
HEROES Although some Minions carry special gear or possess unique
Heroes are defined by the following characteristics: Abilities, abilities, these things are always handled narratively.
Talents, Powers, Perks, and Flaws. These characteristics are more
than just descriptive. Each plays a mechanical role in the game Creating Minions is as easy as it gets. All the GM has to do is
and is discussed in greater detail later in this chapter. Heroes assign a Threat rank, determine how many Minions there are,
also possess narrative elements that help turn a collection of and note any unique characteristics they possess. When dealing
stats into a three-dimensional character. Most of this chapter with Minions, every member of the group has the same Threat.
discusses the process of creating Heroes (and other characters) That’s why they’re Minions. Use the Threat Ranks table and the
and the options available when doing so. unique characteristics that follow as guidelines when creating
these characters.
VILLAINS THREAT RANKS

Most Villains are defined by the same characteristics as Heroes: DESCRIPTION THREAT
Abilities, Talents, Powers, Perks, and Flaws. Some Villains aren’t Civilians 2d
important or intelligent enough to have Talents, but otherwise Bruisers 3d
Villains and Heroes have identical characteristics. As discussed Professionals 4d
later in this chapter, Villains are created much like Heroes, but Elites 5d
the process is easier because it doesn’t involve any bookkeeping. Enhanced 6d
Like Heroes, Villains have their own narrative elements that Super 7d or More
describe who they are, what they want, and so on. However,
these elements differ from those used for Heroes. This is covered
The following unique characteristics are common among comic
in Chapter 9.
book Minions. As noted above, they’re just guidelines. Feel free
to create your own shorthand for your Minions.

CHARACTER CREATION
Animals: The Minions are animals. They have enhanced senses,
can move faster than ordinary human beings, and/or possess
whatever other special abilities make sense for that animal.
The steps to creating characters other than Minions are provided
Chapter 2
below. Steps 2, 5, and 6 vary depending on whether you are

Automatons: The Minions possess the Inanimate (Mindless) Power.
creating a Hero, Villain, Foe, or Extra. As noted above, Minions
are simple characters who only have a Threat rank, so these
Shooters: The Minions can attack enemies within Distant Range.
rules don’t apply to them.
Unique: The Minions have unique abilities like enhanced senses

Step 1: Concept. Come up with a basic idea for the character.
or flight that would be represented by separate Powers if these
If you can’t think of anything, try the time-honored tradition of
characters were Heroes or Villains. In this case, simply describe
stealing your idea. There are enough out there that finding one
what they can do.
you like shouldn’t be too difficult. You can create a carbon copy
or mine what you find for inspiration.
EXTRAS Step 2: Characteristics. When creating a Hero, spend Hero
Any character run by the GM who isn’t a Villain, Foe, or Minion
Points to buy your Abilities, Talents, Powers, and Perks. The
is an Extra. These characters cover a wide range in terms of
GM will tell you how many Hero Points you can spend and the
who they are and how important they are to the game. Extras
maximum Trait rank you can have, depending on the game’s
expected to get involved in the action — whether as allies,
power level (as discussed below). You should also select Flaws;
enemies, or unaffiliated third parties — should be created and
you must have at least one Flaw and can have as many as
handled like Villains or Foes, depending on how powerful you
three to start.
want them to be. On the other hand, Extras who only serve
a narrative role in the game only need to be described in
When creating a Villain, Foe, or Extra, simply give them whatever
narrative terms. You don’t need stat blocks for a Hero’s boss
Abilities, Talents, Powers, Perks, and Flaws you consider
or their spouse, much less for the nameless civilians who act as
appropriate. GMs don’t have to worry about spending Hero
window dressing for the game world and victim-fodder for the
Points or staying within the game’s power level and can give
Villains. If an unimportant nobody of an Extra suddenly becomes
these characters as many Flaws as they wish.
important in the middle of a game because the situation
demands it or the players took a shine to them, the GM can stat
Step 3: Gear. Pick the character’s mundane gear. Heroes can
the character up at that time.
begin with anything their players want them to have, provided
the GM considers it reasonable. Villains, Foes, and Extras, of
course, will have whatever gear the GM thinks they should have.
You can find mundane gear in Chapter 6.
Step 4: Derived Characteristics. Calculate your Edge, Health,

and Resolve. Remember that Foes (and Extras who work like
Foes) have half the usual amount of Health, and only Heroes
have Resolve.
Step 5: Finishing Touches. Create the details and roleplaying

elements that make up your finishing touches. These elements
are described later in this chapter. As NPCs, Villains, Foes,
and Extras have a different set of finishing touches, found in
Chapter 9.
Step 6: Review. Review your Hero with the GM to make sure

your character concept and abilities fit the game. If they don’t,
discuss how you can tweak your Hero to resolve any issues.
When creating an NPC, the GM should always review them to
be sure they haven’t missed anything.
RULE UNO
If you want to break this game, you can. This is a superhero
game, one that lets you play anything from an ordinary guy
with a serious crime grudge and low impulse control to what can
only be described as a demigod. Although we’ve done our best
14
PROWLERS PARAGONS
to balance everything, P&P offers an almost infinite number of All characters have twelve Talents: Academics, Charm,
Power combinations and permutations. That’s a lot of ground to Command, Covert, Investigation, Medicine, Professional, Science,
cover. As a result, we have Rule Uno: Streetwise, Survival, Technology, and Vehicles. Each costs 1 Hero
Characters
Point per rank. For example, 6d Charm costs 6 Hero Points. No
GMs are the final arbiter of what is allowed in their games, Talent can have a rank lower than 1d or higher than the game’s
and they can restrict or completely disallow any Power or Trait Cap. Ordinary people have 2d in every Talent.
combination of Powers for any reason whatsoever.
Most characters — and certainly all Heroes — have one or more
Powers. Most Powers cost a number of Hero Points per rank.
POWER LEVEL For example, Flight costs 1 Hero Point per rank, so 10d Flight
Because superheroes can range from skilled humans to cosmic costs 10 Hero Points. Mind Control, on the other hand, costs 2
entities, every series has a power level set by the GM. A game’s Hero Points per rank, so 10d Mind Control costs 20 Hero Points.
power level determines how many Hero Points you have to Some Powers cost 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks. For example, Blind
create your Hero, and the maximum rank you can have in any costs that much, so 10d Blind costs 5 Hero Points. When buying
Trait (the Trait Cap). The Power Levels table provides starting Powers that cost 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks, you don’t have to
Hero Points and Trait Caps for the basic power levels. Remember, take both ranks in the same Power. For example, you can spend
this only applies to Heroes. The 200 Hero Points listed for Iconic 1 Hero Point to buy 1 rank of Evasion and 1 rank of Swimming,
Heroes is a bare minimum for characters of that power level. two Powers that cost 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks.
POWER LEVELS Some Powers don’t have ranks. Powers like these cost a flat
POWER LEVEL HERO POINTS TRAIT CAP number of Hero Points rather than a number of points per rank.
Street Level 75 8d For example, Communications costs 3 Hero Points. There are
Low Level 100 10d also Powers that use one of your other Traits as their baseline
Standard 125 12d rank. When you buy one of these baseline rank Powers, add
High Level 150 16d your baseline rank to however many ranks of the Power you
Legendary 175 20d purchase to determine your final rank. For example, Evasion
Iconic 200+ 24d uses Agility as its baseline rank. If you have 5d Agility and you
buy 6 ranks of Evasion, you end up with 11d Evasion. Remember,
even when dealing with Powers like these, no Trait can have
You spend Hero Points to purchase your Abilities, Talents,
a rank higher than the game’s Trait Cap (subject to optional
Powers, and Perks, as discussed below. Note that Heroes with
exceptions discussed in Chapter 9).
lower Ability and Power ranks begin play with more Resolve, an
essential resource in the game. As a result, you may want to
PACKAGES
keep your Ability and Power ranks below the game’s Trait Cap
If you want to expedite character creation and save yourself a
to increase your starting Resolve. Resolve is discussed in more
few Hero Points as well, you can purchase one of the following
detail in Chapter 5.
packages. These packages provide you starting Ability and
Talents ranks at a small discount. The Civilian Package gives
Additionally, while there aren’t many of them, be careful about
you 2d in all Abilities and Talents. The Hero Package gives you
Powers that can push otherwise legal Traits above the game’s
3d in all Abilities and 2d in all Talents. The Superhero Package
Trait Cap. For example, when using Growth, your Might rank
gives you 3d in all Abilities and Talents. If you buy one of these
usually increases to match your Growth rank. However, if your
packages, you can’t lower any of these Traits below these values,
Might rank equals or exceeds your Growth rank, your Might rank
but you can raise them as high as you like (subject to the game’s
increases by 1d instead. That isn’t normally a problem, unless
Trait Cap) by spending extra Hero Points.
your Might is maxed out at the game’s Trait Cap. If you already
have the maximum Might rank allowed, then Growth will push
HERO PACKAGES
you over the edge. Some GMs will allow this; others won’t. Each
PACKAGE BASE RANK COST
GM is free to decide whether to allow edge cases like these in
Abilities 2d
their games, so check with yours if this is relevant to you. Civilian Package 35 Hero Points
Talents 2d
Abilities 3d
Hero Package 40 Hero Points
ABILITIES, TALENTS AND POWERS Talents 2d
Abilities 3d
All characters have six Abilities: Agility, Intellect, Might, Superhero Package 50 Hero Points
Talents 3d
Perception, Toughness, and Willpower. Each costs 1 Hero Point
per rank. For example, 3d Agility costs 3 Hero Points. No Ability
can have a rank lower than 1d or higher than the game’s Trait PROS AND CONS
Cap. Ordinary people have 2d in every Ability. Abilities, Talents, and Powers can be modified with options
called Pros and Cons. Pros are options that make a Trait more
effective or powerful, but they cost extra Hero Points. Cons, on
the other hand, are options that make a Trait less effective or

powerful, so they save you Hero Points. Pros and Cons usually
cost or save you a flat number of points, but a few change a
FINISHING UP
The last part of creating your Hero is just bookkeeping. First,
Power’s cost per rank. Regardless of Pros and Cons, no Trait can
select whatever mundane gear you want to carry around with
Chapter 2
ever cost less than 1 Hero Point (or 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks).
you. Second, calculate your Edge, Health, and Resolve. Third,
complete your finishing touches, the narrative details that turn
SOURCES
you into a living, breathing character. And fourth, let the GM
Because Traits can represent so many different things, every
review your Hero.
Ability, Talent, and Power has a Source that indicates what it’s
supposed to be: a natural ability, a learned skill, a superpower, a
Darlene is going to create a Hero to play in Danny’s game. As
magic spell, etc. The basic Sources are described on the Sources
the GM, Danny informs her that this is going to be a Low Level
table. Abilities are usually Innate, and Talents are usually Trained,
game. That means Darlene has 100 Hero Points to create
at least when dealing with ordinary people. When dealing with
her Hero, and the game’s Trait Cap is 10d. Darlene already
supers and characters who aren’t human, however, anything
has an idea for the Hero she wants to play, one inspired by a
goes. For example, a robotic character’s Abilities, Talents, and
hard-drinking hot mess of a super-powered detective.
Powers would probably have a Tech Source.
Darlene spends 50 Hero Points right off the bat to buy the
SOURCES
Superhero Package, giving her 3d in all her Abilities and Traits.
SOURCE DEFAULT RANK DESCRIPTION
She spends 14 more Hero Points on her Abilities: 3 to raise
Shared by all members
Innate Toughness her Agility to 6d, 5 to raise her Might to 8d, 3 to raise her
of a race or species
Perception to 6d, and 3 to raise her Toughness to 6d. She
Magical, divine, infernal,
Magic Willpower also puts 16 more Hero Points into her Talents: 3 to raise
or otherworldly in nature
her Command to 6d, 3 to raise her Covert to 6d, 7 to raise
Originating from a mental
Psychic Willpower her Investigation to 10d, and 3 to raise her Streetwise to 6d.
or mystical inner source
Darlene decides that, like most normal people, her Abilities
Caused by a unique
Super Toughness are Innate, and her Talents are Trained. The only exceptions
alteration or mutation
are her Might and Toughness, both of which are Super, the
Mechanical or
Tech Toughness result of a freak accident in her early teens.
technological in nature
Developed through practice,
Trained Willpower With only 20 Hero Points left, Darlene spends 16 of them
study, or training
on her Powers: 5 for 8d Armor (Armor has a baseline rank
equal to half her 6d Toughness, or 3d, so she only need to
As noted earlier, some Powers are all-or-nothing abilities that buy 5 ranks of Armor for a final rank of 8d), 5 for one point of
don’t have a rank. Your character either has these abilities or Determination, and 6 for Regeneration. Darlene decides that
they don’t. Because these Powers have no rank, they use a like her Might and Toughness, her Armor and Regeneration
default rank in place of their rank when dealing with Powers Powers are also Super. Determination is a special Power that
that affect other Powers (such as Power Absorption and Power doesn’t have a Source.
Mimicry). A Power’s default rank varies depending on its Source,
as shown on the Sources table. Darlene spends her last 4 Hero Points on Contacts, giving
her well-connected Hero 4 contacts: a journalist, someone in
law enforcement, a local politician, and one lowlife criminal.
PERKS
Most Perks cost a flat number of Hero Points. For example, With her characteristics out of the way, Darlene doesn’t
Contacts cost 1 Hero Point apiece, while Fame costs 3 Hero waste a moment coming up with her Flaws, which is what she
Points. A few Perks cost a variable number of Hero Points, finds most interesting about this character anyway. Scanning
depending on how much you want to get out of them. For the Flaws, she quickly settles on a Compulsion (drinking), a
example, every Hero Point you spend on Headquarters grants Quirk (being obnoxious and sarcastic), and a Relationship
you 3 Base Points to spend on your base of operations. (with her best friend, someone she’s known since high school).
At this point, Darlene chooses her mundane gear, which is

FLAWS easy because she only carries her keys, wallet, and phone
As a starting Hero, you can select up to 3 Flaws. You must around with her (assuming she doesn’t forget them at home).
select one immediately, but you can leave the other slots open She then calculates her Edge, Health, and Resolve and begins
if you prefer, selecting your additional Flaws as ideas come to work on her finishing touches. Once she’s done, she’ll
to you. Although you can have fewer than 3 Flaws, this isn’t review everything with Danny the GM to make sure her Hero
recommended. Not only do Flaws make your character more will work for the game he has planned.
interesting, they’re also one of the easiest ways to earn Resolve.
You can spend Hero Points to purchase additional Flaws over
time, but you can’t have more than 3 at the start.
16
PROWLERS PARAGONS
WEIGHT
ABILITIES RANK WEIGHT RANK WEIGHT
1d 50 pounds 13d 250 tons
Characters
Abilities represent basic physical and mental characteristics. All
2d 100 pounds 14d 500 tons
characters have six Abilities: Agility, Intellect, Might, Perception,
3d 250 pounds 15d 1 kiloton
Toughness, and Willpower. The Ability Ranks table provides a
4d 500 pounds 16d 2 kilotons
rough guideline of the relative power levels of Ability ranks 1d
5d 1,000 pounds 17d 5 kilotons
to 6d. Ordinary human beings have Ability ranks in this range,
6d 1 ton 18d 10 kilotons
with 2d being the average and 6d being the blurry line between
7d 2 tons 19d 25 kilotons
exceptional and superhuman. Of course, since comic books are
full of supposedly ordinary people with extraordinary abilities,
this is more of a rough guideline than a hard cap for ordinary
human characters. Even so, ordinary humans almost never have
more than 6d Might or Toughness.
12d 100 tons 24d 1 megaton
ABILITY RANKS
ABILITY RANK THE BRUTE OPTION
Impaired 1d Some characters are much stronger than they are skilled in
Undeveloped 2d combat. If that describes you, you can apply the Overkill Con
Developed 3d to Might. This unique Con lets you buy Might at half price: you
Noteworthy 4d pay 1 Hero Point for every 2 ranks of Might. However, when
Exceptional 5d ever an opponent uses an active defense against your close
Peak 6d combat attacks (armed or unarmed), their successes are
doubled. Additionally, if you select this option, you use only
half your Might rather than your full Might when determining
AGILITY your baseline rank for Powers like Martial Arts and Strike.
Agility covers coordination, dexterity, nimbleness, reflexes, and

speed. It is used to perform acrobatic or athletic activities like
balancing, climbing, diving, jumping, and running. Agility also
PERCEPTION
Perception covers your sensory acuity, empathy, intuition, and
applies when firing mundane ranged weapons and defending
overall level of awareness. It’s used any time you need to detect
against attacks. Last, you can substitute half your Agility for
or discern hidden things, from assailants to clues to intentions.
your Covert when making challenge rolls to hide, move quietly,
It also indicates how quickly you can detect, process, and react
or avoid detection.
to new information.
INTELLECT TOUGHNESS
Intellect represents your intelligence, knowledge, memory,
Toughness combines your constitution, endurance, and physical
shrewdness, and overall level of education. Use this Trait to make
resilience. It’s used to resist Powers that affect you physically,
intelligence-based challenge rolls that don’t fall under any of
as well as physical agents or toxins like diseases, drugs, and
your Talents. In fact, you can substitute half your Intellect for any
poisons. Last, Toughness helps determine how much Health you
Talent when making challenge rolls to determine what you know
have and how quickly you recover from injuries.
about something (but not when trying to actually do anything —
knowing how to perform a heart transplant, for example, is very
different from actually performing one).
WILLPOWER
Willpower represents your courage, determination, and self-
MIGHT discipline. It also indicates the power of your spirit or psyche.
It’s used to defend against Powers that affect the mind or soul,
Might is your sheer physical strength. It is used to perform
and to resist negative emotions and impulses. It can also come
armed and unarmed close combat attacks and feats of strength
into play when determining your Health.
like lifting heavy objects or tearing things apart. The Weight
table indicates the maximum amount of weight you can lift,
depending on your Might. When not referring to Might, the
rank that corresponds to an object’s weight on this table is
sometimes called its weight rank. Last, Might can also come
into play when determining your Health.

TALENTS COMMAND
Command concerns getting others to do what you want through
Talents represent natural aptitudes and skills picked up through force of will. Use this Talent whenever you try to command,
Chapter 2
experience or training. All characters have twelve Talents: frighten, intimidate, interrogate, motivate, or order people
Academics, Charm, Command, Covert, Investigation, Medicine, around. Apart from that, Command also covers establishing and
Professional, Science, Streetwise, Survival, Technology, and understanding command structures and protocols.
Vehicles. Simply possessing these Talents doesn’t mean you
have actual training or experience, not unless you have a rank of
3d or better (and maybe not even then). The Talent Ranks table COVERT
provides a rough guideline of the relative level of experience, Covert applies to intrusion, larceny, shadowing, stealth, and
knowledge, or proficiency represented by Talent ranks 1d to 6d. surveillance. It’s used whenever you need to hide, move quietly,
Generally speaking, ordinary human beings have Talent ranks follow someone, conduct covert surveillance, or otherwise
within this range, with 2d being the untrained average, 4d being avoid detection. Covert also helps defeat security measures
the average for someone with training or experience, and 6d like alarms, cameras, locks, and traps, as well as to palm items,
being the blurry line between exceptional and superhuman. As pick pockets, and perform other acts of nimble-fingered larceny.
with Abilities, this is more a rough guideline than a hard cap for
ordinary human characters.
INVESTIGATION
TALENT RANKS Investigation concerns the ability to conduct investigations,
TALENT RANK uncover clues, perform research, interrogate witnesses, analyze
Clueless 1d data, and make deductive or intuitive leaps. If you have at least
Unskilled 2d 4d in this Talent, you are well-versed in police procedures and
Proficient 3d your investigations may be admissible in court.
Advanced 4d
Expert 5d
Master 6d MEDICINE
Medicine covers academic and clinical knowledge of medicine
and psychology. Assuming you have medical supplies on
Talents are supposed to be unrealistically broad, covering a huge
hand, you can treat wounded characters by making a Hard
variety of disciplines and skills. If you want to tamp this down,
(2) Medicine roll, healing them of 1 point of damage per net
you can assume that a Talent’s rank also determines the breadth
success rolled. Raise the difficulty to Daunting (3) when treating
of your expertise. As a general rule, a rank of 1d to 3d means
yourself. You can only do this once per patient per day (or once
you have everyday knowledge and expertise, a rank of 4d to 6d
per patient per week if using the Gritty Combat Rules in Chapter
indicates uncommon knowledge and expertise, and a rank of
4). If you have at least 4d in this Talent, you are probably a
7d or higher represents esoteric knowledge and expertise. For
trained doctor. Your parents must be very proud.
example, it’s reasonable to assume you know how to drive a
car with a Vehicles rank of 1d to 3d, a helicopter or an airplane
with a Vehicles rank of 4d to 6d, and an experimental prototype
starfighter with a Vehicles rank of 7d or higher.
PROFESSIONAL
Professional reflects your knowledge of the professional
world and covers topics like business, economics, and finance.
ACADEMICS While you may also have a basic understanding of more
specific professional areas such as accounting, journalism, law,
Academics represents knowledge of scholarly subjects like
marketing, politics, or public relations, the Expertise Power
anthropology, archaeology, art, cultures, history, linguistics,
represents in-depth knowledge of a specific professional career.
philosophy, psychology, and sociology. It also covers esoteric
and fantastical topics like dimensional geography, interplanetary
news, magic, the occult, mythical beings, creatures, and places,
and so on. If you have at least 4d in this Talent, you are highly
SCIENCE
Science covers your knowledge of scientific topics including
educated or well-read.
disciplines like astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology,
genetics, geology, metallurgy, oceanography, physics, and
CHARM quantum mechanics. It also covers esoteric or fantastical
science like paranormal biology or the unique laws of physics
Charm reflects attractiveness, empathy, social skills, and force
in Dimension X! If you have at least 4d in this Talent, you are
of personality. You use this Talent whenever you try to bluff,
probably a trained scientist.
charm, deceive, negotiate with, persuade, or seduce someone.
Acting also falls under Charm, even when you aren’t using it to
deceive anyone.
18
PROWLERS PARAGONS
STREETWISE or objects within Distant Range. Zone is the only range option
that incorporates an area of effect, and means the Power always
Streetwise represents your knowledge of important locations,
affects everyone and/or everything within 5 to 25 feet of you —
Characters
personalities, and happenings in the criminal underworld, as
you decide how far to extend the Zone each time you use the
well as your ability to interact with them. If you have at least 4d
Power. Last, a few Powers with a range of Special work in some
in this Talent, your parents probably aren’t nearly as proud as
unique way discussed in their descriptions.
they would have been if you’d gone to med school.
Rank: This indicates whether the Power has a rank. Power
SURVIVAL Rank means it does. Baseline Rank (X) also means the Power
has a rank, but in this case, the Trait used to determine the
Survival concerns your ability to survive in the wild. It’s used
Power’s baseline rank is noted in parentheses. When you buy
when building fires, finding food and water, securing shelter,
a Power with a baseline rank, add the baseline rank to the
setting traps and snares, tracking, and so on. It also covers
number of ranks you purchase to determine the Power’s final
practical information about plants and animals found in the wild.
rank. Default Rank means the power doesn’t have a rank. You
Last, this Talent applies when handling animals or riding mounts.
use your Toughness or Willpower (it varies by Source) in place
If you have at least 4d in this Talent, you may also know how to
of the Power’s rank when dealing with Powers that affect other
care for, tame, and train animals.
Powers. Last, a few Powers with a rank of Special work in some
unique way discussed in their descriptions.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology deals with the creation, modification, and repair
of mechanical and technological devices of every kind. This
includes computers, electronics, machines, robots, steampunk
technology, vehicles, weapons, and anything else you can think
of. It also covers the use (and misuse) of high-tech systems
like computers and computer networks, as well as equipment
like communications and sensor systems. Assuming you have
the right tools, you can repair damaged
objects by making a Hard (2) Technology
roll, repairing 1 point of damage per net
success rolled. You can only do this once per
object per day.
VEHICLES
Vehicles covers the ability to operate all sorts of vehicles. It
applies not only to piloting, but also to gunnery, navigation,
operations, and even basic maintenance. As mentioned earlier,
it might be reasonable to assume you can only drive ordinary
vehicles like cars and motorcycles unless you have at least 4d in
this Talent, but the GM always has the final say on this.
POWERS
Powers are unique special abilities. Some are rather generic,
while others are quite specific. This is by design. The generic
Powers are there to let you create any ability you can imagine.
The specific ones are there so you don’t have to jump through
hoops to create an iconic superpower that everyone recognizes.
Whether generic or specific, each Power’s entry includes its
range, rank, cost, and description. Many also include specific
Pros and Cons applicable only to that Power.
Range: Powers have a range of Self, Touch, Ranged, Zone, or

Special. Self means the Power affects you. Touch means the
Power affects beings and/or objects you touch, so they have to
be adjacent to you or at least within Close Range so you can
move up to them. Ranged means the Power affects beings and/

POWERS
Chapter 2
Adaptation Flight Psychometry

Alternate Form Force Field Quick Change
Animal Control Form Radar
Animal Empathy Gestalt Regeneration
Animal Mimicry Growth Resistance
Animation Hard to Kill Running
Armor Healing Separation
Astral Projection Hibernation Shockwave
Attuned Hyper Breath Shrinking
Aura Illusions Slay
Banish Immortality Slick
Blast Immunity Speak with Dead
Blending Inanimate Specialty
Blind Invisibility Spinning
Blind Fighting Irritant Star Gate
Blink Languages Stretching
Boost Leadership Strike
Buff Leaping Stun
Clairvoyance Life Drain Summoning
Cloud Minds Light/Effect Super Senses
Communications Lightning Reflexes Super Speed
Constructs Luck Swimming
Danger Sense Machine Control Swing Line
Darkness Martial Arts Telekinesis
Dazzle Master of Disguise Telepathy
Deflection Matter Chameleon Teleportation
Density Mind Blast Time Stop
Detection Mind Control Time Travel
Determination Nullify Total Recall
Dimensional Travel Omni-Power Tracer
Dispel Phasing Transformation
Drain Plasticity Transmutation
Duplication Polymorph Tunneling
Elemental Control Portable Storehouse Two-Dimensional
Emotion Control Possession Two-Fisted
Energy Absorption Power Absorption Vanish
Ensnare Power Mimicry Variant
Evasion Precognition Ventriloquism
Expertise Preparation Wall-Crawling
Extra Limbs Psi-Screen Weakness Detection
SUPER TIP!
Remember that the best superhero stories aren’t
about having superpowers. They’re about doing the
right thing, especially when that thing is dangerous,
hard, scary, or requires sacrifice. Don’t let all these
superpowers distract you; your games should be
about people who are also superheroes rather
than about superheroes who are also people.
20
PROWLERS PARAGONS
A Power’s rank is normally used to make challenge rolls. It also
helps determine what or how much you can do with a Power.
ALTERNATE FORM
Self • Default Rank • 4 Hero Points per power level
For example, Powers that can move physical objects can usually
Characters
affect up to the amount you could lift with a Might equal to You can turn into a different form. Create this form as a separate
your Power rank. Unless a Power’s description says otherwise, Hero (see below). Your alternate form can be of any power
don’t apply its rank to anything other than what the Power does. level up to but not higher than yours. For example, if you are a
For example, neither Flight nor Teleportation specify that your Standard Hero, your other form can be Street Level, Low Level,
Power rank determines how much you can carry while using or Standard. This Power’s cost varies depending on your other
those Powers, so that amount is determined as usual (i.e., by form’s power level, as indicated on the Alternate Form table.
your Might). Your other form’s power level only affects the number of Hero
Points you have to create it, not its Trait Cap. Both forms must
If you have a Power that lets you move faster than normal or pay for this Power. As you gain extra Hero Points, you can spend
in ways an ordinary person can’t (a Travel Power), your Power them differently for each form. Buy this Power multiple times if
rank usually indicates your maximum speed, as shown on you want multiple forms, but each form must pay this Power’s
the Speed table. Ordinary people move at 3d speed, sound total cost. For example, if you buy this Power twice to gain 2
travels at 9d, and light clocks in at a brisk 27d. The rank that alternate Standard forms, all three forms will have to pay the
corresponds to an object’s speed on this table is sometimes 24 Hero Points.
called its speed rank.
When creating alternate forms, you must give them their own
SPEED their Abilities, Talents, and Powers, although some of these Traits
RANK MPH RANK MPH may share the same rank across multiple forms. Your various
1d 2 13d 25,000 forms may share Perks and Flaws, or they might have their own.
2d 5 14d 50,000 This varies by character. No matter how many forms you can
3d 10 15d 100,000 assume, you only have one pool of Resolve: use the lowest
4d 25 16d 250,000 Resolve among your various forms as your actual Resolve. For
5d 50 17d 500,000 example, if you have two forms, one that would have 6 Resolve
6d 100 18d 1 million as a separate character and one that would have 1 Resolve as
7d 250 19d 2 million a separate character, you have 1 Resolve.
8d 500 20d 5 million
9d 1,000 21d 10 million ALTERNATE FORM
10d 2,500 22d 25 million POWER LEVEL COST
11d 5,000 23d 50 million Street Level 4
12d 10,000 24d 100 million Low Level 8
Standard 12
High Level 16
Cost: This indicates how much the Power costs, whether a flat
Legendary 20
amount or a cost per rank. No Power can ever cost less than 1
Iconic 24
Hero Point (or 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks) regardless of its Cons.
A few Powers with a cost of Special work in some unique way
discussed in their descriptions. CON Independent Forms (−1 per power level): Each
of your forms has a separate identity, memory, and
Description: This describes what the Power does and how it personality, and your various forms may or may not
works. If a Power can be used to attack or affect other characters, get along very well.
its description indicates the Traits that may be used to resist
such efforts. The defender always uses whichever Trait offers
them the best chance of success when making challenge rolls ANIMAL CONTROL
to resist a Power. Occasionally, a Power’s description may also Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
include notes concerning its use and suggestions to the GM
Whether through mind control or friendly communication, you
regarding what effect it may have on the game.
can make animals do what you want for the Power’s duration by
making an Animal Control roll against their Willpower.
ADAPTATION PRO Calling (+2): You can call out to distant animals,
Self • Default Rank • 12 Hero Points
which lets you use this Power on creatures within
Your body instantly adapts to your surroundings, letting you Extreme Range (basically as far as your call can be
breathe, move around, sense things, and survive in alien or heard). Controlled animals race to your location,
hostile environments. For example, you might grow gills, fins, and the Power’s duration doesn’t begin to run until
and a membrane over your eyes while underwater, plus you’d they arrive.
become immune to undersea pressure and temperature.

CON Only X (−2 or −4): You can only control a specific
category, group, or type of animal specified when
ANIMATION
Ranged • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
you buy this Power. This is normally a −2 Con, but
Chapter 2
if the group of animals is very narrow or of limited You can animate images and objects, bringing them to life until
utility (such as aquatic animals), this becomes a −4 the end of the scene or until you dismiss them. Animated images
Con instead. step off the page, screen, wall, or surface on which you found
them and grow to their actual real-world size. Animated objects,
meanwhile, begin moving in whatever way seems most natural:
ANIMAL EMPATHY statues twist and bend as if their joints were real, flexible
Self • Default Rank • 1 Hero Point objects move like snakes, solid objects gain a cartoonish level
of flexibility that allows them to move around, weapons leap into
You share an empathic understanding with animals. Animals are
the air as if wielded by invisible enemies, and so on.
unlikely to attack you without good reason, such as if they’re
injured or protecting their young, and even then, you may be
Animated beings have three Abilities, Agility, Might, and
able to dissuade them (especially if you have snacks because,
Toughness, plus whatever Powers they should reasonably
well, because snacks).
possess. For example, an animated image of a winged dragon
should probably have Blast (Fire) and Flight (whether or not the
PRO Speech (+2): You can communicate with animals.
image was breathing fire or flying), while an animated marble
GMs determine how intelligent mundane animals are
statue should probably have Solid Form. One of your creation’s
in their games and how they react to this. One could
Traits shares this Power’s rank; the rest have a rank equal to
reasonably assume that domesticated animals and
half your Animation rank. You determine which Trait uses your
those comfortable with humans are usually friendly
full Power rank on a case-by-case basis. Animated beings are
unless trained to be otherwise, but wild animals are
inanimate objects that lack mental faculties and act only in
likely much more cautious.
response to your mental commands. You can animate more than
one thing at a time, but this lowers your effective Animation
ANIMAL MIMICRY rank by 1d per extra object. You can’t animate a physical object
whose Structure exceeds your Power rank.
Self • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
You can mimic animals, gaining their Powers at the lower of their
Power rank or your Power rank. When mimicking an animal, you ARMOR
gain all their Powers, even ones that would seem to rely on body Self • Baseline Rank (½ Toughness) • 1 Hero Point per rank
parts you lack (claws, gills, wings, etc.). You also gain the animal’s
You have armor or a personal force field that repels damage. You
Agility, Might, Perception, and Toughness at the lesser of their
can use this Power as a passive defense against physical attacks
respective Ability ranks or your Power rank, but only if their
and energy attacks, regardless of the type of damage they inflict.
Ability ranks exceed yours. If any of your Abilities are greater,
You are completely immune to such attacks if their attack rank
they aren’t affected. You can mimic any natural animal you are
is less than or equal to half your Armor rank (unless they have
familiar with, whether alive or extinct. As for magical creatures
the Penetrating Pro). When dealing with Minions, use their
like dragons and unicorns, that’s up to the GM. If you are an
unmodified Threat rank as their attack rank when determining
alien, you mimic alien animals. For the sake of game balance
if you are immune to their attacks.
(and everyone’s sanity), these alien animals look different but
have the same characteristics as the Earth animals described in
CON Activated (−1): This Power represents a defense you
Chapter 8. Mimicking an animal or changing your selection is a
must activate, like a personal force shield or body
free action, but you can only do so once per page, twice if you
coating. Although you can do this as a free action,
forego your next turn to act.
the Power stops working if you are knocked out or
otherwise rendered unconscious.
PRO Enhanced (+4): Whenever you mimic an animal, you
can use your Power rank in place of its highest ranked CON Reactive (−2): This Power represents something like
Trait. You can do this for only one Trait per animal bracers or a shield that you use to block or deflect
(pick one if several Traits have the same rank). For incoming attacks. Accordingly, it’s considered an
example, gorillas have 6d Might and Toughness. If you active defense.
use 10d Animal Mimicry to mimic a gorilla, you can
give yourself 10d in one of those Abilities.
PRO Selection (+4): You can mimic more than one animal
at a time, using the best Traits from among all the
animals you are mimicking, but this lowers your
effective Power rank by 1d per extra animal being
mimicked at the same time.
22
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Characters
ASTRAL PROJECTION AURA
Self • Default Rank • 12 Hero Points Self • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
Your astral form can leave your physical body. You gain Invisible, Your body inflicts a specific type of energy damage on contact
Phasing (Intangible), and Super Senses (Astral Sight) while in (pick one). Anyone who touches you suffers an attack using your
astral form, although you can make yourself visible if you wish. Aura rank that can only be resisted with passive defenses. This
You can also fly in this form, as if you had Flight at your Willpower also applies to anyone who strikes you in unarmed combat (if
rank. As long as you are using this Power, your physical body you resist an unarmed attack with a passive defense, assume
lies dormant, although you will know instantly if it gets moved the attacker strikes you, even if you suffer no damage). You can
or harmed. also use Aura to perform close combat attacks that inflict energy
damage. If you already have a close combat attack at an equal
or greater rank, use its rank +1d instead. Physical objects tend
ATTUNED to burn, dissolve, or melt near you, so you suffer no damage
Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points from mundane physical objects with a Structure lower than your
Aura rank. Wooden weapons usually have 6d Structure, while
You are attuned to some aspect of nature like currents and tides,
bullets and metal weapons usually have 9d Structure.
plate tectonics, or weather patterns, to a particular geographic
area like a city, forest, jungle, or sacred grove, or to the larger
CON Spines (−2): Your body has a covering of quills
cosmos in general. You can tell when dramatic or unusual
or spines that inflict physical damage rather than
disturbances or phenomenon are imminent within your area
energy damage. As a result, this Power provides no
of attunement. If attuned to a geographic area, you can also
protection against physical attacks.
tell when powerful beings enter or leave, possibly even when
they’re born and when they die, depending on how powerful
they are. Your level of sensitivity varies depending on the scope
of your attunement. For example, a magician attuned to the
BANISH
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
mansion that serves as her sanctum sanctorum is keenly aware
of everything that happens in her home, while a cosmically You can banish a target to another time, place, or dimension
attuned galactic guardian is only sensitive to cosmic beings, (pick one) by making a Banish roll against their Willpower or
events, and forces. This Power automatically provides you with one of their active defenses. If you wish, you can specify that
basic information, but you can spend 1 Resolve to ask the GM your version of the Power is resisted with Toughness instead of
for more in-depth information, assuming there’s any to be had. Willpower, but active defenses always apply as well. You can’t
The information you receive may sometimes be incomplete or send targets anywhere that would be harmful or from which
misleading, but it is always truthful. they can’t return, but characters run by an evil GM have no

such restrictions, and all GMs are evil. Even though a banished
target isn’t actually present, you can keep using this Power on
BLIND
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
them until they’ve been defeated — in this case, you aren’t so
Chapter 2
much attacking as concentrating on keeping them away — but You can blind a living target for the Power’s duration by making a
the effect is the same. Blind roll against their Toughness or one of their active defenses.
Targets affected by this Power suffer a −3d penalty to their
When Heroes get banished, they often wind up in dangerous attack and active defense rolls in combat unless they have a
or at least interesting locales. Banished Heroes still get their Power like Blind Fighting or Radar that compensates for this.
actions, which they can use to fight off hungry monsters, explore You can have a version of Blind that affects a sense other than
strange alien vistas, or do whatever else is appropriate for the vision, but you and the GM will have to determine whether this
place in which they find themselves. has any mechanical effect in combat.
BLAST BLIND FIGHTING

Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
You can fire a damaging ranged attack. You must specify the kind You don’t rely on vision in combat. As a result, you suffer no
of damage inflicted when you buy this Power (unless you apply penalties or adverse effects when fighting in the dark or against
the Weapons Con discussed below). opponents you can’t see, whatever the reason.
PRO Block (+2): You can use the Power as an active

defense against ranged physical and energy attacks BLINK
(but not against area attacks) by shooting them Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
down. If you forego your next action, this turns the
You use your Powers to blink in and out of reality during combat.
attack into a blast duel, a 3-exchange contest, with
This can mean any number of things: phasing in and out of the
each character using their Blast Power against the
physical world, rapidly changing your size and/or shape, sliding
other. The first exchange happens immediately. The
through dimensional portals, teleporting around opponents, or
second happens on your next turn to act. The third
anything else you can image. Use Blink instead of Might when
and final exchange happens on your opponent’s
making close combat attack rolls and instead of Agility when
next turn to act. Whoever wins the contest hits their
making active defense rolls and movement rolls (although this
opponent with a number of successes equal to their
isn’t a Travel Power and doesn’t actually let you move any faster
Blast rank, and this attack can only be resisted with
than normal). If you have these Traits or other applicable Powers
passive defenses.
(such as Evasion, Martial Arts, or Strike) at an equal or greater
PRO Melee (+2): You can use the Power as an active rank, use their ranks +1d instead.
defense against close combat attacks. The Power may
look different when used in this fashion. For example,
your fire Blast might take on the appearance of a BOOST
flaming sword whenever you get into close combat. Self • Baseline Rank (Special) • Special
CON Subdual (−1): The Power inflicts subdual damage. You can raise the rank of one specific Ability, Talent, or Power
(pick one) up to this Power’s rank. This Power costs as many
CON Weapons (−1): This Power represents mastery of a
Hero Points per rank as the Trait it affects and uses that Trait as
group of weapons as broad or narrow as you like —
its baseline rank. Cons must be applied to this Power to indicate
the level of specificity doesn’t matter. You have to be
how and when it operates; otherwise it’s meaningless.
armed with that type of weapon to use the Power.
This lets you use your Blast rank (instead of your
CON Rage (−2): The Power activates when you get really
Ability plus Weapon Bonus) to make attack rolls while
mad. However, your Intellect and all your Talents
so armed. Otherwise, the weapon works as usual and
drop to 1d as long as you remain angry enough to
deals whatever type of damage it normally inflicts.
use this Power. Your rage always subsides by the end
of a scene. You should also consider the Quirk (Bad
BLENDING Temper) Flaw.
Your coloring can change to match your environment, granting

you a +3d bonus on Covert rolls to avoid being seen. If you
remain still, you can also make a Covert roll at half your rank
(after taking the +3d bonus into account) to avoid being seen
when you would otherwise be in plain view.
24
PROWLERS PARAGONS
BUFF CONSTRUCTS
Zone • Default Rank • 12 Hero Points Ranged • Power Rank • 3 Hero Points per rank
Characters
You can spend 1 point of Resolve to bolster yourself and all You can create and manipulate constructs of solid force. You
allies within range, granting you all a +1d bonus on all challenge can create simple geometric shapes and physical objects like
rolls for the rest of the scene. Your allies must remain within the airfoils, balls, bars, cages, columns, crowbars, hammers, hands,
Power’s area of effect to get this bonus. You must use an action nets, parachutes, ramps, ropes, walls, wedges, and so on. Your
to activate this Power, but once you do, you can sustain it as a constructs have a Structure equal to your Power rank and can be
free action. This Power always expires at the end of a scene, if as rigid or as flexible as you like. You can use them to grab, lift, or
not sooner. Buff can’t be stacked, not even if multiple characters exert force with an effective Might equal to your Constructs rank.
have it from different Sources. You have complete control over your constructs, and can alter
their size, shape, and rigidity as desired. You can use this Power
PRO Greater (6): You can increase the bonus provided to attack targets in any number of ways such as by creating
by this Power by +1d per extra point of Resolve constructs in the air above them and letting them drop, flinging
spent, up to a maximum of 3 points of Resolve for a them at your targets like projectiles, and so on. You can also
+3d bonus. Certain NPCs may be able to push this defend yourself against physical and energy attacks by creating
envelope, but that’s within the GM’s purview. momentary shields and walls. Your constructs last for the rest of
the scene, until you dispel them, or until they’re destroyed. You
can create and control multiple constructs at one time, but this
CLAIRVOYANCE lowers your effective rank by 1d per extra construct and you still
Self • Default Rank • 9 Hero Points suffer the usual multiple action penalties if you perform more
than one action per page.
You can see things at distant locations as if you were there. If
the location is somehow shielded from you, you must make
PRO Devices (+2 per rank): You can create complex
a Willpower roll against the shielding rank to use this Power.
machines and intricate shapes that can imitate
Clairvoyance works at any distance. You can even peer into
other Powers. This works like a broad version of
other dimensions by making a Superhuman (6) Willpower roll.
Omni-Power.
Although you normally observe locations, you can instead focus
on a specific person or object. To do this, you must be familiar
with the subject or have some meaningful item or fetish that
connects you. This won’t tell you where that subject is located
DANGER SENSE
Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 1 Hero Point per rank
unless something you see gives that away.
You have the uncanny ability to detect immediate physical
danger, even from sources you have no way of sensing, like a
CLOUD MINDS bomb under the floor. Use this Power instead of Perception
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank when making rolls to detect danger and when determining your
Edge. Additionally, you can make active defense rolls even when
You can cloud the minds of living beings, effectively making
caught by surprise, using the lesser of your active defense rank
yourself invisible to everyone within Distant Range. Characters
or your Danger Sense rank.
affected by this Power can’t see, hear, or otherwise detect you
in any way unless they make a successful Willpower roll against
your Cloud Minds. Characters cannot attempt to resist this
Power unless you move within Close Range of them or take some
DARKNESS
Zone • Default Rank • 6 Hero Points
action that would make your presence evident. You must spend
1 action per page to maintain this Power. You can fill the space around you with darkness, dust, fog,
smoke, or some other obscuring element through which only
you and those unaffected by the obscuring element can see.
COMMUNICATIONS Make up the specifics when you select this Power. For example,
Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points Super Senses (Night Vision or Thermal Vision) might let you see
through darkness, while Super Senses (Thermal Vision or Ultra
You can detect, receive, store, and transmit communications
Vision) might let you see through fog or smoke. Targets affected
and information across whatever networks exist in your game.
by this Power suffer a −3d penalty to their attack and active
Your range is worldwide or farther if it makes sense in the game
defense rolls in combat unless they have a Power like Blind
world. Although you can interface with mundane communication
Fighting or Radar that compensates for this.
systems, you don’t require physical infrastructure like cell towers
or communication satellites. This Power works automatically, but
you may have to make Technology rolls to do things like tap into
secure networks or channels.

DAZZLE DETECTION
Zone • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
Chapter 2
You can emit a blinding flash that overwhelms the senses of You can detect the presence and pinpoint the location of
all living beings within range, friend and foe alike, by making a something: a particular type of energy or matter, a certain
Dazzle roll against their Willpower or one of their active defenses. kind of being or object, a specific emotion or mental state, life,
Targets affected by this Power are stunned for one page (until death, taxes, or whatever else you want. This Power normally
after your next turn to act) and then blinded for whatever’s left of works automatically, but you may have to make challenge rolls
the Power’s duration. Stunned targets cannot move or perform using your Power rank to detect things that are faint, hidden, or
actions. Blinded targets are affected as per Blind. Unlike most otherwise hard to notice. Unlike most ranged Powers, Detection
Powers, you can’t use this on a target already suffering from its works out to Extreme Range.
effects, so you can’t stack the duration by attacking the same
target multiple times. PRO Long Range (+1): The Power works at incredible and
possibly interplanetary distances. In effect, it extends
CON Deafen (−1): The Power leaves targets deafened as far as the Heroes need, out to the very limits of
rather than blinded after the stun effect wears off. Plot Device Range.
Although preferable to being blinded, deafened
characters are disoriented and suffer a −1d penalty
on all challenge rolls for the rest of the Power’s DETERMINATION
duration. The GM will have to decide if characters Self • Special • 5 Hero Points per 1 Resolve
with Powers like Blind Fighting or Radar can ignore
Your determination is legendary, even for a Hero. You begin
this penalty.
every issue with 1 extra point of Resolve for every 5 Hero Points
you put into Determination. This Power has no rank and can’t
DEFLECTION be absorbed, drained, mimicked, or affected by other abilities.
Only Heroes can make use of this power.
Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
You can deflect and redirect ranged attacks (but not area
attacks). Decide whether you can deflect physical attacks or DIMENSIONAL TRAVEL
energy attacks when you select this Power. You can use your Self • Default Rank • 6 Hero Points
Deflection rank as an active defense against that type of attack.
You can travel to other dimensions. Although it involves travel,
Whenever such an attack fails to harm you, you can spend a
you must spend an action to use this Power. The first time
free action to immediately redirect it using the lesser of the
you travel to an unfamiliar dimension, you arrive at a random
attack’s rank or your Deflection rank to make your attack roll.
location determined by the GM. After that, you return to where
You can deflect any number of attacks without penalty, but you
you were when you left, or you can spend 1 Resolve to arrive
suffer a cumulative −2d penalty on your rolls to redirect these
at another familiar location of your choosing. You can use this
attacks if you try to redirect two or more on the same page. If
Power a number of times per issue equal to your Willpower
you wish, you can double the cost of this Power and spend 2
without paying anything. Each use after that costs 1 Resolve.
Hero Points per rank to be able to deflect both physical attacks
and energy attacks.
PRO Portal (+2): You can create portals through which
others can travel.
CON Only X (−4): You can only deflect one specific type
of object or energy (pick one).
DISPEL
DENSITY Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank You can free a being or object within range from the effect of
any Power that has an ongoing duration by making a Dispel roll
You can increase your density. While dense, you can substitute
against that Power’s rank. You can only dispel Powers from one
your current Density rank for your Might and Toughness, and
Source (pick one). This doesn’t prevent a Power from working; it
you gain Armor at that rank as well. If you already have any of
merely ends the Power’s duration. However, you can use Dispel
these Traits at an equal or greater rank, use their ranks +1d
as an active defense against Powers that inflict special effects.
instead. You also become heavier when using this Power: at rank
3d or higher, your weight rank equals your current Density rank.
PRO Also X (Special): You can dispel Powers from more
Most ordinary floors will have trouble supporting your weight
than one Source. Every additional Source increases
much past 6d Density.
this Power’s cost by 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks. For
example, this Power costs 1 Hero Point per rank if
you can dispel Magic and Psychic Powers.
26
PROWLERS PARAGONS
DRAIN You can buy this Power multiple times if you want to be able to
create multiple duplicates. Because this Power effectively gives
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
you an extra character to control, GMs should feel free to limit
Characters
You can drain a character’s Abilities, Talents, and Powers from or prohibit its use.
a specific Source (pick one) by making a Drain roll against their
highest-ranked Trait that shares this Source. Drained Abilities
and Talents drop to 1d for the Power’s duration, while drained ELEMENTAL CONTROL
Powers completely stop working. Abilities, Talents, and Powers Ranged • Power Rank • 3 Hero Points per rank
from other Sources are unaffected and can’t be used to resist
You can create and control one type of energy, matter, or
this Power.
phenomenon (called an element). Common elements include
air, cold, earth and stone, electricity, fire, friction, garbage,
PRO Also X (Special): You can affect Traits from more
gravity, heat, ice, light, magnetism, metal, plants, plasma,
radiation, sand, sound, vibrations, water, weather, and wood.
this Power’s cost by 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks. For
By manipulating this element, you can create effects that
example, this Power costs 3 Hero Points per 2 ranks
imitate other Powers at this Power’s rank, provided what you are
if you can affect Innate, Super, and Trained Traits.
doing makes comic book sense. In effect, this Power works like
CON Only X (−2 or −4): You can only affect one type Constructs and/or a narrow version of Omni-Power, depending
of Trait. This is usually a −2 Con and means you can on what you can control.
only affect Abilities, Talents, or Powers (pick one). If
you can only affect one specific Ability, Talent, or PRO Matter Creation (+1 per rank): Matter created
Power (again, pick one), this is a −4 Con instead. with this power is normally unstable, dissolving or
dissipating by the end of the scene (as per Constructs).
However, you can create stable matter that will last
DUPLICATION as long as ordinary matter of its type by spending
Self • Default Rank • 25 Hero Points an amount of Resolve equal to the weight rank of
the stable matter you wish to create (minimum 1
You can spend an action to create a duplicate of yourself. Your
point). You must be able to control a type of matter
duplicate is an exact copy of you but lacks this Power. This
to select this Pro.
doesn’t grant you extra uses of Powers with limited uses like
Dimensional Travel or Healing. Although you can both use these CON Only Control (−1 per rank): You can control the
Powers, each use is tallied against their limit. Your duplicate element, but you can’t create it. Instead, you must
lacks Resolve, but you can spend yours on their behalf. Your rely on whatever is available within range.
duplicate vanishes when either of you is defeated. Once they
vanish, a duplicate can’t be summoned again in the same scene.

EMOTION CONTROL ENSNARE
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
Chapter 2
You can cause anyone within range to experience an You can ensnare an opponent in something like ice, vines, or
overwhelming emotion or mental state such as anger, confusion, webbing that prevents them from taking physical actions for the
fear, love, lust, or sadness by making an Emotion Control roll Power’s duration by making an Ensnare roll against their Might
against their Willpower. The GM determines how the target or one of their active defenses. Targets can also use Aura as a
reacts based on the circumstances and the feeling generated, passive defense against this attack.
but the emotion can run from mild to overwhelming and the
reaction is often powerful and irrational. PRO Line (+2): This power involves some sort of line or
tether that lets you pull an ensnared target to you
CON Only X (−2): You can only generate one emotion or as long as their weight rank doesn’t exceed your
mental state (pick one). Ensnare rank. If your target weighs more than you
can lift, however, you may be the one moving.
CON Pheromones (−2): Your Power is chemical in nature.
Characters use the greater of their Toughness or CON Immobilize (−2): You only glue targets to one spot.
Willpower to resist it. Additionally, characters who Targets can’t move from their current location, but
don’t breathe are immune to this Power, as are they remain free to take whatever other physical
those protected by life support systems or immune actions they wish.
to toxins.
EVASION
ENERGY ABSORPTION Self • Baseline Rank (Agility) • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
Self • Power Rank • 1 or 3 Hero Points per rank
You are a nimble combatant who’s always in motion. You can
You can absorb one type of energy (pick one) by siphoning it use Evasion instead of Agility when making active defense
from a nearby source or getting struck by an attack. You absorb rolls and movement rolls (although this isn’t a Travel Power and
a number of ranks equal to the lesser of the energy’s rank or doesn’t actually let you move any faster than normal). You can
your Power rank. You are immune to energy attacks with a rank also use Evasion in place of Agility when performing or resisting
less than or equal to your Power rank, and you can use this combat stunts.
Power as a passive defense against energy attacks with a greater
rank. Absorbed energy must be spent immediately in one of the
following ways. It can boost your Agility, Might, or Toughness to EXPERTISE
the rank of the absorbed energy until the end of the following Self • Baseline Rank (Special) • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
page. It can grant you a +1d bonus to all rolls until the end of the
You have a specialization of some kind, often a specific area
following page. It can be fired out as a Blast at the rank of the
of knowledge, proficiency, or skill. Your specialization must fall
absorbed energy. Or it can heal one point of damage for every
under one of your Abilities or Talents. Make up the specialization
2 full ranks absorbed. Energy Absorption costs 1 Hero Point
and specify which Trait it falls under when you select this Power.
per rank unless you can absorb kinetic energy (i.e., all physical
For example, you could have Expertise (Agility: Firearms) or
attacks), in which case it costs 3 Hero Points per rank and is
Expertise (Technology: Robotics). The same specialization
subject to the GM’s approval.
may fall under more than one Trait (for example, a military
science specialty could reasonably fall under Academics or
PRO Also X (+2): You can absorb one extra type of energy
Professional). Use this Power’s rank in place of the Trait your
(other than kinetic energy) each time you select this
Expertise falls under whenever your specialization applies. This
Pro. This Pro cannot be used to add kinetic energy to
Power’s baseline rank equals the rank of the Ability or Talent it
this Power after the fact.
falls under.
EXTRA LIMBS
SUPER TIP! Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
You have extra arms, prehensile hair, a prehensile tail, tentacles,

P&P is not a granular, skill-based game, but or something similar. Aside from the numerous advantages of
you can use Expertise to much the same having extra manipulative limbs, you gain a +2d bonus to your
effect by ruling that characters must have an attack and defense rolls when grappling. The GM may also let
you apply this bonus to other actions that could reasonably
appropriate Expertise in certain instances. benefit from having extra limbs, such as climbing and swimming.
28
PROWLERS PARAGONS
FLIGHT
Characters
This Travel Power lets you fly like a bird, or a plane, or a cow with
jet engines strapped onto its terrified back. You get the idea.
Flight requires more room to maneuver than most Travel Powers,
so you must halve your effective Flight rank indoors unless you
are operating in an exceptionally large space.
PRO Spaceflight (+2): You can move faster than light

in outer space, allowing you to cross interstellar
distances, assuming you can survive out there.
CON Gliding (−2): You glide rather than fly, so you must
descend at least one story (about 15 feet) per page
unless you can catch a rising current of air.
CON Levitation (−4): You can only move up and down or

hover in place.
CON Slides (−2): You surf on slides of matter or energy

that you create as you travel, so you have to stay
within Distant Range of the ground, buildings, or
other large solid objects.
CON Wings (−2): You need room to spread your wings,

so you can’t fly in cramped spaces (including most
indoor locations), thin atmospheres, or the vacuum
of space.
FORCE FIELD
You can project a force field that repels damage. Characters

protected by the force field can use your Power rank as a passive
defense against both physical attacks and energy attacks, and
are completely immune to such attacks if their attack rank is less
than or equal to half your Force Field rank. When dealing with
Minions, use their unmodified Threat rank as their attack rank
when determining if protected characters are immune to their
attacks. This Power blocks physical objects and energy attacks.
It does not affect ambient energy that isn’t intense enough to
inflict harm (ordinary sounds, room temperate, visible light, etc.),
nor does it block indirect Power effects. For example, someone
with Darkness could affect the environment across a force field.
This Power does not affect mental attacks in any way.
You can shape your force field however you wish, anything from
a flat plane to a bubble that protects you and everyone adjacent
to you. Apply the Zone Pro to shield large areas, the Ranged
Pro to shield things at a distance, or the Area Pro to shield large
areas at a distance. You must spend an action to activate this
Power, but you can then maintain it as a free action. You can
maintain multiple force fields at the same time, but this lowers
your effective Power rank by 1d per extra force field.

PRO Inviolate (+1 per rank): Whenever you raise a force enough to manipulate objects and perform physical attacks.
field, you can spend 1 Resolve to have the field repel Although you are immune to physical attacks, your body is still
not only direct attacks, but also all Power effects of a physical object that can be contained, moved, shoved, and
Chapter 2
equal or lesser rank. An inviolate force field can even otherwise affected by force fields and anything too large to pass
be used as a passive defense against mental attacks. through you.
PRO Permeable (+6): If you wish, you can allow attacks

SOLID FORM
to pass unhindered through the force field in one
direction, letting you and your allies attack normally
while protected by the field. An inviolate force field You can turn into solid matter (ice, metal, stone, and wood are
(as described above) can’t also be permeable. always in fashion). While in this form, you can substitute your
Power rank for your Might and Toughness, and you gain Armor
CON Collapsible (−2): Your force field collapses when
at that rank as well. If you already have any of these Traits at an
struck by an attack whose rank exceeds your Power
equal or greater rank, use their ranks +1d instead.
rank. Although the Power still acts as a passive
defense against that attack, you will have to spend
an action if you wish to reactivate your force field.
GESTALT
CON Ward (−1): Your Power protects against mental Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
attacks and effects rather than physical ones. This is
You must have the Alter Ego Flaw to select this Power. Assuming
the only kind of force field that can hold a character
you do, your empowered form is the product of two people
using Phasing (Intangible).
merging. You have two separate alter egos, each of which is a
separate character with their own unique Abilities, Talents, and
FORM maybe even Powers. You can have more than two alter egos, but
each additional alter ego costs another 3 Hero Points.
This Power lets you turn yourself into something other than flesh
and blood. The details vary depending on what you can turn
yourself into.
GROWTH
ENERGY FORM
Self • Power Rank • 3 Hero Points per rank You can grow as large as shown on the Growth table. At rank
4d or higher, your weight rank equals your current Growth rank.
You can turn into one type of energy (pick one), gaining Aura and
You can substitute your current Growth rank for your Might and
Flight at this Power’s rank. In this form, you are weightless and
Toughness. You also gain Armor at your current Growth rank.
immune to physical and energy attacks and effects. While you
Last, you gain Running at half your Growth rank thanks to the
can’t carry or touch anything, you aren’t truly intangible: objects
length of your stride. If you already have any of these Traits at
and force fields can contain you. You also become vulnerable
an equal or greater rank, use their ranks +1d instead.
to things that can affect the energy that forms your body. For
example, if you are composed of electricity, things that can
GROWTH
absorb electricity may be able to harm you.
RANK HEIGHT RANK HEIGHT
1d 7 feet 13d 75 feet
PRO Also X (+2): You can turn into one additional type 2d 8 feet 14d 100 feet
of energy for every 2 extra Hero Points. 3d 9 feet 15d 125 feet
GASEOUS FORM 5d 12 feet 17d 200 feet
Self • Default Rank • 6 Hero Points 6d 15 feet 18d 250 feet
You can turn into a gas, gaining 1d Flight. In this form you are 8d 25 feet 20d 400 feet
weightless and immune to physical attacks and effects (including 9d 30 feet 21d 500 feet
energy attacks), and you can move through any opening through 10d 40 feet 22d 600 feet
which gases can pass. You can’t carry, touch, or affect anything 11d 50 feet 23d 800 feet
physical while in this form, but you become vulnerable to things 12d 60 feet 24d 1,000 feet
that can affect gases.
LIQUID FORM
HARD TO KILL
Self • Default Rank • 1 Hero Point
You can turn into a liquid or a collection of fine particles like
You are hard to kill. You can be killed, but it would take
dust or sand, making you immune to physical attacks (but
something extreme, like being beheaded, dissolved in acid, or
not energy attacks) and letting you pass through any opening
tossed into a volcano. Although Heroes can’t die in standard
liquids can pass through. You can nevertheless solidify yourself
P&P, characters with this power know they’re hard to kill and can
30
PROWLERS PARAGONS
be roleplayed that way. When playing a game in which Heroes to touch your illusions will pass right through and immediately
can die, GMs should charge more for this power (anywhere from realize they aren’t real. If you place an illusion over a physical
3 to 6 Hero Points). object, however, merely touching it won’t give anything away
Characters
because the observer will touch the object underneath.
HEALING PRO Mental (+2 per rank): You create illusions in the
Touch • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank minds of living beings. Observers who have a reason
to believe your illusions aren’t real use Willpower
You can heal the injuries of anyone you touch. Your Power rank
rather than Perception when trying to see through
equals the maximum number of points of damage you can heal
them. Although your illusions can’t be detected by
per day. The GM may also let this Power cure diseases with a
inanimate objects like cameras and microphones,
successful Healing roll or perhaps by spending Resolve.
they are more effective on living beings, who can
be made to believe they have been blinded, bound,
CON Repair (−2): Your touch repairs inanimate objects
gagged, harmed, incapacitated, immobilized, or
rather than heals living beings. It can heal damage
otherwise affected by some part of the illusion.
inflicted on androids, cyborgs, machines, robots,
Whatever the trappings, these illusory special effects
vehicles, and most other technology.
all basically work like the Stun Power, but using your
Illusions rank against the target’s Willpower. Although
HIBERNATION your illusions can cover a large area, as described
above, you can only target single individuals with
illusory special effects like these unless you apply
You can enter a state of suspended animation and remain that the Zone Pro.
way as long as you wish. You barely age and don’t need to
breathe, eat, or drink anything while hibernating. You remain
fully aware of your surroundings in this state and can revive IMMORTALITY
yourself anytime you wish. Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
You can’t die or you don’t stay dead. Maybe you always come
HYPER BREATH back to life, maybe your consciousness gets transferred into
a clone or duplicate body, etc. However it works, killing you
Special • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
doesn’t stick. What’s more, you won’t grow old or die of old age,
You can inhale and exhale gale-force winds that can pull things at least not within any time frame that matters. Although Heroes
toward you or push them away from you. This requires a can’t die in standard P&P, characters with this power know they
successful Hyper Breath roll against the greater of each target’s can’t die and can be roleplayed that way. When playing a game
Might or weight rank. With 1 or 2 net successes, a target can be in which Heroes can die, GMs should charge more for this power
pulled to you or pushed out to Distant Range. With 3 or more (anywhere from 6 to 12 Hero Points).
net successes, the target also falls prone and loses their next
turn to act. This power can either affect all targets within Close CON Vulnerable (−1): You can be killed, but it’s not an
Range or a single target within Distant Range. You can also use easy thing to do. Describe how.
Hyper Breath to disperse gasses or inhale and hold them as
long as you can hold your breath, but this doesn’t grant you any
special immunity to caustic or toxic gasses. IMMUNITY
Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points per immunity
PRO Freezing (+1 per rank): You can also use your
You are immune to certain attacks, conditions, effects, energies,
breath to freeze targets, mimicking the effects of
hazards, or Powers. Select one or more of the following
Blast (cold) or Ensnare, but only within Close Range.
immunities or make up your own.
ILLUSIONS • Attack X: You are immune to a specific type of physical

attack or weapon.
Zone • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
• Energy X: You are immune to a specific type of energy
You can create illusions. Your illusions can be as small as you like,
other than kinetic/physical energy.
or they can fill the Power’s area of effect with illusory sights and
sounds. Your illusions exist in the real world and can be perceived • Environmental: You are immune to environmental hazards
by both living beings and inanimate objects like cameras and like pressure, radiation, and temperature.
microphones. Observers will believe your illusions are real unless
• Fatigue: You never tire or get mentally fatigued and you
they have a reason to think otherwise, in which case they can
don’t need to rest or sleep.
make a Perception roll against your Power rank to see through
them. Whether or not they believe them, anyone who attempts

• Life Support: You don’t need to breathe, eat, or drink, and PRO Cloaking (+3): When you turn invisible, you also
you are immune to airborne toxins. become undetectable to Radar and all Super
Senses that involve vision. Additionally, you become
• Mental States: You are immune to negative emotions and
Chapter 2
undetectable to sensors and other equipment

mental states like fear and confusion.
(magical, technological, or otherwise) that operates
• Sensory: You are immune to the Dazzle Power and similar like these Powers.
sensory overload effects.
CON Jamming (−3): You can’t turn invisible, but you can
• Toxins: You are immune to diseases, drugs, and poisons. render yourself undetectable to Radar and all Super
Senses that involve vision. Additionally, you become
undetectable to sensors and other equipment
INANIMATE (magical, technological, or otherwise) that operates
like these Powers.
Self • Special • 9 Hero Points
You aren’t alive, at least not in the usual sense. You might be a
construct, a robot, undead, or something else. You are immune IRRITANT
to physical attacks and Powers that only affect living beings, Zone • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
whether those Powers are harmful or helpful. Additionally, you
You can fill the area around you with an effect like a blinding
effectively have Immunity (Life Support, Toxins). You still have a
sandstorm, hurricane force winds, noxious gas, or a swarm of
mind or spirit, so you remain vulnerable to mental attacks and
insects. Everyone in the area other than you suffers a −2d
Powers. This Power has no rank and can’t be absorbed, drained,
penalty to all challenge rolls (other than passive defense rolls)
mimicked, or affected by other abilities. It does have a Source
unless their Toughness exceeds your Power rank. If you wish,
(other than Trained) which suggests what kind of being you are,
you can specify that your version of the Power is resisted with
as follows:
Willpower instead of Toughness. You must use an action to
activate this Power, but once you do, you can maintain it as a
• Innate: you are a living being, but not in any way that
free action.
resembles life on Earth.
• Magic: you are a supernatural being like an angel, devil,

elemental, faery, golem, or undead. LANGUAGES
• Psychic: you are an astral or ectoplasmic being like a ghost
or spirit and are likely incorporeal. All characters can speak one or two languages, but you speak a
number of extra languages equal to your Intellect. You can select
• Super: you are inorganic matter or energy brought to life
these languages ahead of time or during play.
by some inexplicable phenomenon.
• Tech: you are an artificial construct like a clockwork being, PRO Hyper Translation (+2): You are instantly
nanoswarm, robot, or sentient program. fluent in any language you encounter. You can’t
speak languages your vocal cords can’t mimic, or
PRO Mindless (+9): You are also immune to mental understand ones your senses can’t perceive.
attacks and Powers because you lack both mind and
PRO Polyglot (+1): You have a natural talent for languages.
spirit, as in the case of a true robot or a magically
You can master new languages in about a week or so
animated skeleton or zombie.
and can normally learn enough to get by within a
day or two.
INVISIBILITY
Self • Default Rank • 9 Hero Points LEADERSHIP
You can turn invisible. You can still be detected by other senses, Self • Default Rank • 6 Hero Points
by Powers like Attuned, Radar, and Super Senses, and by how
You lead your team in battle. As long as you can see and
you affect the environment (footprints in mud or snow, the
communicate with them, you can spend a free action to let each
movement of fog or rain, etc.). Enemies who can’t see you
of your allies reroll one challenge roll per combat scene.
suffer a −3d penalty to their attack rolls and active defense
rolls against you unless they have a Power like Blind Fighting or
Radar that compensates for this. Lower this penalty to −2d for
enemies that can detect you as described above, even if they
LEAPING
Self • Baseline Rank (½ Might) • 1 Hero Point per rank
can’t see you.
This Travel Power lets you jump incredible distances, as shown
on the Leaping table. Subtract 1d from your Power rank to
determine how high you can jump straight up. Leaping can
32
PROWLERS PARAGONS
be used to travel long distances like any other Travel Power. instead represent the ability to generate some other innocuous
This Power works best outdoors because it requires overhead but useful environmental effect (in which case it’s called Effect
clearance. As a result, your Leaping rank is capped at your to avoid confusion).
Characters
Agility when making movement rolls indoors. Last, you can also
use Leaping as an active defense against falling damage.
LIGHTNING REFLEXES
LEAPING Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
RANK JUMP RANK JUMP
You have incredible reflexes. Increase your Edge by 6. Also,
1d 5 feet 13d 10 miles
while this is mostly for narrative flair, you can draw, holster, or
sheathe any weapon you carry in an instant. If using the Gritty
Combat Rules in Chapter 4, this makes it impossible for anyone
to get the drop on you.
CON Fighting/Marksmanship (−1): This Power only
7d 500 feet 19d 1,000 miles
applies when performing close combat attacks or
8d 1,000 feet 20d 2,500 miles
ranged combat attacks, respectively, and you can
9d 2,500 feet 21d 5,000 miles
only quick draw those types of weapons.
10d 1 mile 22d Planetary
11d 2 miles 23d Orbital
12d 5 miles 24d Lunar
LUCK
LIFE DRAIN You are incredibly lucky or so skilled that you make everything
look easy. You gain a number of Luck dice equal to your Luck
Touch • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
rank at the start of every issue. Luck dice can be added to either
You can drain the life of any living being you touch by making side of any challenge roll that involves you. For example, you can
a Life Drain roll against their Toughness or one of their active spend 3 Luck dice to add +3d to one of your challenge rolls. You
defenses. If you wish, you can specify that your version of the can also spend 3 Luck dice to oppose the roll of someone acting
Power is resisted with Willpower instead of Toughness, but active against you. In that case, you roll the dice, count your successes,
defenses will always apply as well. You inflict 1 point of damage and subtract them from the other person’s roll. Much like when
per net success rolled. If you are wounded, you also heal 1 you spend Resolve, this happens automatically, without you
point of damage for every 2 full points of damage inflicted. For needing to do anything.
example, you heal 1 point of damage whenever you inflict 2
or 3 points of damage. You don’t have to be wounded to use PRO Control (+4): Rather than just being lucky, this
this Power. Power represents your ability to consciously alter
probability fields. This lets you use Luck on yourself
PRO Vampirism (+1): Rather than merely draining life and anyone you wish within Distant Range. Although
energy, the Power inflicts actual physical damage so you have to be conscious and aware, using this Power
targets resist this Power like they would any ordinary is considered a free action, and you can do so at any
attack that inflicts physical damage (using Armor, time — you don’t have to wait for your turn to act.
half their Toughness, or an active defense). Because
PRO Unbelievable (+1 per rank): You can also spend
the Power inflicts physical damage, it can be used to
Luck dice to buy yourself lucky breaks, as described
attack inanimate objects and beings. Nevertheless,
in Chapter 5. Lucky breaks purchased with Luck dice
you only heal damage when the Power is used on
are often more extreme, spectacular, and unlikely
living targets.
than those purchased with Resolve. Of course, they’re
still subject to the GM’s approval and can’t be used
LIGHT/EFFECT to break the game.
Special • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
You can generate light, normally visible light but you can MACHINE CONTROL
generate ultraviolet light if you prefer. This is effortless and Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
always considered a free action. Your light can fill the Zone
You can control machines and electronic devices at up to Distant
around you, or you can focus it down to a beam or a harmless
Range. For example, you can use this Power to hack into a
laser that extents to Distant Range. The light can be as bright as
computer, deactivate a security camera, or remotely control a
you like, but not so bright that it incapacitates others like Dazzle.
car. You can also substitute your Power rank for whatever Trait
That said, suddenly going from total darkness to bright light will
you’d normally use to operate the machine or device. You can
probably stun just about anyone, if only for a moment. Although
control multiple machines at the same time, but every extra
Light is the most common version of this ability, this Power can

machine controlled lowers your effective Power rank by 1d, and PRO Deflect (+4): You can deflect ranged attacks. This
you still suffer the usual −2d penalty if you use the Power to lets you use Martial Arts as an active defense against
perform multiple attacks or actions in combat. ranged physical and energy attacks, but not against
Chapter 2
area attacks.
CON Interface (−2): You can only control computers.
PRO Deflect Missiles (+2): You can deflect ranged
However, this also lets you control any machine or
attacks. This lets you use Martial Arts as an active
device controlled by a computer, which covers a lot
defense against ranged physical attacks, but not
of ground.
against area attacks.
MARTIAL ARTS MASTER OF DISGUISE

Touch • Baseline Rank (Might) • 1 Hero Point per rank
You are a master of unarmed combat. You can use this Power to
You are a master of disguise. You can create extremely realistic
perform and defend yourself against close combat attacks. You
disguises in one short scene or less, assuming you have on hand
can also substitute your Martial Arts rank for your Might when
whatever materials and supplies you need (and in a pinch, you
performing and resisting grabs, holds, escapes, and combat
can do wonders with ordinary household goods). You are also a
stunts. You’ve also trained with weapons and can substitute your
master of mimicry, able to imitate the voice and mannerisms of
Martial Arts rank for your Ability ranks when using mundane
others. Use Charm when making challenge rolls for this ability,
melee weapons to attack or defend yourself (although the Gear
typically opposed by your target’s Perception. When the Item
Limit for mundane weapons still applies, as discussed in Chapter
Con is applied to this Power, it must mean something more
6). Unlike most attack Powers, Martial Arts inflicts subdual
than just needing materials and supplies to craft your disguises
damage (although you still inflict lethal damage when armed
because that is assumed.
with a melee weapon that inflicts such damage).
34
PROWLERS PARAGONS
MATTER CHAMELEON ability — you can only move at half speed, and you can’t attack,
use active defenses, or perform other actions while this Power
is active unless you spend 1 point of Resolve to do so. A target
Characters
You can take on the properties of objects you touch for the affected by this Power may spend Resolve to muscle their way
rest of the scene. This works like Solid Form, but your effective through and use a nullified Trait, but each page or use of a
Power rank equals the lesser of your Matter Chameleon rank nullified Trait will cost them 1 point of Resolve.
or the Structure of the object. You also take on the energetic
properties of objects you touch, such as the heat of lava, gaining PRO Also X (Special): You can affect Traits from more than
Aura at the lesser of your Matter Chameleon rank or the rank one Source. Every additional Source increases this
of the energy coming off the object. You suffer no damage from Power’s cost by 1 Hero Point per rank. For example,
this unless the energy’s rank exceeds your Power rank, and even this Power costs 4 Hero Points per rank if you can
then, this Power acts as a passive defense against energetic nullify Innate, Super, and Trained Traits.
damage inflicted by touching objects.
OMNI-POWER
MIND BLAST Special • Power Rank • 3 or 5 Hero Points per rank
You possess a versatile ability that lets you mimic other Powers
You can fire a mental attack that targets the mind or spirit, at this Power’s rank. You can mimic any number of Powers per
inflicting psychic damage on living beings by making a Mind page, and you can switch between them in an instant, but each
Blast roll against your target’s Willpower. This Power has no use of this Power after the first on the same page lowers your
effect on inanimate objects and in fact goes right through them effective Omni-Power rank by 1d for the rest of that page. For
unless they have a psychic presence. these purposes, a “use” is any action, movement, or challenge
roll involving this Power.
MIND CONTROL Pandora is using her 12d Omni-Power to fly over the city
Ranged • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank (mimicking Flight). The demon she’s hunting bursts out from
the clouds above her, shrieking as it dives in her direction, so
You can make any living being within Distant Range do what
she blasts it with a bolt of arcane energy (mimicking Blast).
you wish for the Power’s duration by making a Mind Control roll
This is the second use of Omni-Power on the same page, so
against their Willpower. You can control your target immediately,
Pandora rolls only 11d for her attack roll. She defeats the
or you can spend 1 Resolve to implant suggestions that will
creature, but it wasn’t alone. Two lesser fiends appear out
be triggered at some point in the future (possibly months or
of nowhere and attack Pandora on the same page. Pandora
even years later, in which case the duration won’t begin to run
raises an arcane shield to protect herself (mimicking Armor).
until the suggestion is triggered). Targets get a +2d bonus to
These are the third and fourth uses of Omni-Power on the
resist commands that are totally against their natures or self-
same page, so Pandora rolls only 10d and 9d for her defense
destructive.
rolls against the two attacks.
CON Hypnosis (−2): You need to have a calm, face-to-

face conversation with anyone whose mind you want This reduction concerns how often you use this Power in one
to control, making this ability useless in combat. page; it has nothing to do with how many actions you perform.
Accordingly, if you use this Power to perform 2 or more attacks
CON Pheromones (−2): Your Power is chemical in nature.
on the same page, you also suffer the usual multiple action
Characters use the greater of their Toughness or
penalty on your attack rolls (see Chapter 4).
Willpower to resist it. Additionally, characters who
don’t breathe are immune to this Power, as are
Powers with a default rank can only be mimicked if your current
those protected by life support systems or immune
Omni-Power rank equals or exceeds their cost in Hero Points.
to toxins.
For example, you need at least 3d Omni-Power to mimic Light
because that Power costs 3 Hero Points. Omni-Power cannot
NULLIFY be used to mimic Alternate Form, Determination, Inanimate,
Life Drain, Luck, Nullify, Power Absorption, Power Mimicry,
Zone • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
Preparation, Slay, or Time Stop.
You can create a dampening field that nullifies the Abilities,
Talents, and Powers of all characters within range, friend and You can apply Pros to the Powers you mimic by spending
foe alike. Nullified Abilities and Talents drop to 1d, while nullified 1 Resolve per Pro, or 2 Resolve for Pros that cost at least 4
Powers completely stop working. You can only nullify Traits if Hero Points. If you spend Hero Points to apply a Pro to this
your Power rank equals or exceeds their rank, but this happens Power overall, you can apply it to any Power you mimic without
automatically: no roll is required. This Power only affects Traits spending Resolve. Cons can only be applied to this Power overall,
from one Source (pick one). You have to concentrate to use this

and affect all Powers you mimic. For example, if you apply the
Signature Con to this Power, every Power you mimic will have
PLASTICITY
the Signature Con.
Chapter 2
Your body is rubbery and elastic, allowing you to mold yourself

There are two types of Omni-Powers: narrow and broad. Narrow into different shapes and squeeze through the tightest openings.
Omni-Powers can imitate a limited set of abilities, and cost 3 You can create different effects at your Plasticity rank by
Hero Points per rank. Broad Omni-Powers can imitate a wide shaping yourself into different forms. For example, you can
array of abilities, and cost 5 Hero Points per rank. You must imitate Leaping by shaping yourself into a ball, you can use
describe what your Omni-Power does when you select it so that Plasticity instead of Might to hold something in place by winding
both you and your GM understand what it can and can’t do. This or wrapping yourself around it, or you can use yourself as a
is especially important for broad Omni-Powers, which often do parachute for anything with a weight rank less than or equal to
many things but should never let you do everything. Use the your Power rank. In combat, you can use Plasticity as a passive
examples below as a guide. GMs are free to limit or prohibit defense against physical attacks, but not against energy attacks,
this Power. and you can substitute Plasticity for Might when grappling or
performing close combat attacks. If your Might exceeds your
• Arsenal (narrow): You carry a collection of arrows, Power rank, use Might +1d instead.
boomerangs, bullets, grenades, shuriken, etc., that let you
imitate Powers that inflict damage and special effects.
• Gadgets (broad): You carry an assortment of technological

POLYMORPH
wonders that you can use to imitate the effects of a wide
variety of Powers. You can turn living beings into some harmless or helpless form
(a frog, a sheep, a statue, whatever) by making a Polymorph roll
• Gizmos (narrow): You wear a utility belt or pack, or
against their Toughness or one of their active defenses. If you
perhaps you have items built into your body. This lets you
wish, you can specify that your version of the Power is resisted
imitate Powers that represent a wide variety of mundane
with Willpower instead of Toughness, but active defenses will
tools and miscellaneous equipment.
always apply as well. The target transforms for the Power’s
• Quantum Control (broad): You can control matter and duration. Some Villains and Foes may have versions of this Power
energy at the quantum level, and probably have some that last much longer, even permanently!
control over time and space as well.
• Sensors (narrow): Common among high-tech characters,

you have an advanced sensor suite that can imitate the
PORTABLE STOREHOUSE
effects of most Super Senses involving hearing or vision.
You can access a storehouse of mundane weapons, armor, gear,
• Sorcery (broad): You are a practitioner of the arcane
and even vehicles from wherever you are. This might involve
arts who uses your vast magical knowledge to create an
teleporting these things to and from a secret warehouse,
assortment of magical effects that are somehow related.
pulling them out of a magic bag or hat, carrying them around in
shrunken form, creating them out of thin air, or something else
entirely. These items only last until the end of the scene, unless
PHASING you have Resources or Wealth, in which case you may very well
Self • Default Rank • 9 Hero Points be using this Power to grab your own items out of storage.
You can shift your body out of phase with the physical world.
This makes you immune to physical attacks and effects (including
energy attacks), but not to mental ones. It also allows you to
POSSESSION
pass through solid objects, but not through force fields. You can’t
carry, touch, or affect anything physical while phased. Activating You can possess the body of living beings within Distant Range
or deactivating this Power is a free action, but you cannot do by making a Possession roll against your target’s Willpower.
both on the same turn to act (use Blink to represent the ability While possessing someone, you use their physical Abilities,
to quickly activate and deactivate this Power in combat). Talents, and Powers and your mental Abilities, Talents, and
Powers (it’s the GM’s call). While you are using this Power, your
PRO Intangible (+3): Normal force fields can’t hold physical body lies dormant, but you will instantly know if it gets
you, but those with the Ward Con can, unless your moved or harmed. You automatically jump back to your own
Willpower exceeds their Power rank. body if the person you are possessing gets knocked out or killed.
PRO Meld (+4): Your body melds into that of anyone you
possess for the power’s duration.
36
PROWLERS PARAGONS
POWER ABSORPTION PRECOGNITION
Touch • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank Self • Default Rank • 12 Hero Points
Characters
You can steal a character’s Abilities, Talents, and Powers from You can rewrite events that have already happened, perhaps
a specific Source (pick one) by making a Power Absorption because you can see into the future, predict the most likely
roll against their highest-ranked Trait that shares this Source outcome of any course of action, or actually turn back time.
or one of their active defenses. If successful, your target falls However this works, you can spend Resolve to negate something
unconscious and you gain the stolen Traits at their rank for the that just happened in the game. In combat, this erases a
Power’s duration. If you already have a stolen Trait at an equal character’s turn and lets you skip your normal place in the
or greater rank, your Trait is unaffected. You can possess the action sequence and immediately take your next turn to act
Traits of multiple characters at the same time, but this lowers before they repeat theirs. You must declare this as soon as a
your effective Power rank by 1d per extra character. If used character finishes their turn to act, if not sooner. Once another
on a Minion whose abilities come from the correct Source (it’s character begins to act, you can’t go back any farther than the
the GM’s call), you gain an attack and defense rank equal to start of the acting character’s turn. This costs 1 Resolve the first
their Threat if that’s better than what you would normally use. time you use this Power in a scene, 2 Resolve the second time,
This Power requires physical contact, so it can’t affect anyone 3 Resolve the third time, and so on. Characters are not refunded
completely hidden behind artificial armor or a force field. Resolve or Adversity spent during an erased turn. GMs should
feel free to disallow this Power.
PRO Also X (Special): You can absorb Traits from more
this Power’s cost by 1 Hero Point per rank. For
example, this Power costs 4 Hero Points per rank if
you can absorb Innate, Super, and Trained Traits.
CON Only X (−2 or −4): You can only absorb one type
of Trait. This is usually a −2 Con and means you can
you can only absorb one specific Ability, Talent, or
Power (again, pick one), this is a −4 Con instead.
POWER MIMICRY
You can mimic a character’s Abilities, Talents, and Powers from

a specific Source (pick one) by making a Power Mimicry roll
against their highest-ranked Trait that shares this Source or one
of their active defenses. If successful, you gain the mimicked
Traits at their rank for the Power’s duration. If you already
have a mimicked Trait at an equal or greater rank, your Trait is
unaffected. This does not affect your target in any way. You can
possess the Traits of multiple characters at the same time, but
this lowers your effective Power rank by 1d per extra character. If
used on a Minion whose abilities come from the correct Source
(it’s the GM’s call), you gain an attack and defense rank equal to
their Threat if that’s better than what you would normally use.
This Power requires physical contact, so it can’t affect anyone
completely hidden behind artificial armor or a force field.
PRO Also X (Special): You can mimic Traits from more

this Power’s cost by 1 Hero Point per rank. For
example, this Power costs 4 Hero Points per rank if
you can mimic Innate, Super, and Trained Traits.
CON Only X (−2 or −4): You can only absorb one type
of Trait. This is usually a −2 Con and means you can
you can only absorb one specific Ability, Talent, or
Power (again, pick one), this is a −4 Con instead.

PREPARATION PSYCHOMETRY
Self • Special • 6 Hero Points Touch • Default Rank • 9 Hero Points
Chapter 2
Thanks to your penchant for meticulous research and planning, You can pick up psychic impressions and glean information from
you tend to be prepared for any situation. As discussed in physical objects. You can ask the GM about the basic history of
Chapter 5, all Heroes can spend 1 Resolve to make up some any inanimate object you touch. If you spend 1 Resolve, you can
minor detail about the game world, often a lucky break that ask for in-depth information about a specific person or event
works in their favor. This Power lets you take that one step connected to the object, assuming there’s any information to be
further, making these narrations much more effective if they had. The information received may sometimes be incomplete or
can be explained by your research and planning. This allows misleading, but it is always truthful and must address the subject
you to declare that you are carrying the perfect item, tool, or of your question.
mundane weapon (assuming your gear hasn’t been taken from
you), that you planted something in or otherwise prepared your
current location ahead of time, that you already know or have QUICK CHANGE
access to information you need, or that you know or have pull Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
with some Extra. Preparation isn’t an instant win button you can
You can change your attire and/or grooming (hairstyle, makeup,
use to narrate your way around every challenge or obstacle the
etc.) in an instant. Describe how this works. Using this Power
GM throws your way. Even with this Power, the GM can veto any
takes an action.
narration they consider unreasonable or game-breaking. This
Power has no rank and can’t be absorbed, drained, mimicked,
CON Costume (−1): You can only change into your
or affected by other abilities.
costume or into what you were wearing (if anything)
when you last changed into your costume.
Vigilant has this Power. While chasing the crystalline
supervillain Shard through the city’s sewer system, Vigilant
spends 1 Resolve to say that he memorized the layout of
the city’s sewers long ago. Knowing this, he manages to get
RADAR
ahead of Shard, who rounds a bend to find the city’s dark
protector waiting for him. Massively strong and impervious You have some kind of radar sense that provides a three-
to most weapons, Shard isn’t impressed. After all, Vigilant’s dimensional image of your surroundings. This doesn’t let you
just a guy in a costume. Shard charges at him, expecting see flat images like print, pictures, or video displays.
to pound him into jelly. Our hero spends 1 more Resolve to
declare that he’s done his research on Shard and knows all CON Sonar (−1): This Power only works underwater.
there is to know about him. Since Shard’s been in and out
CON Tremor Sense (−1): Rather than using radar, you
of jail a few times, the GM agrees, and she discloses that
are sensitive to vibrations in the ground. You can only
Shard is vulnerable to sonic and vibratory attacks. Vigilant
detect beings and objects that are in contact with the
spends 1 final point of Resolve to declare that, having
ground or causing the ground to vibrate, as might be
discovered this, he temporarily added vibrating knuckles
the case with low-flying helicopters or VTOL jets.
to his costume’s armored gauntlets. For the duration of this
scene, his unarmed attacks will inflict vibratory damage. One
well-placed uppercut later and Shard is on his back, knocked
unconscious by just a guy in a costume.
REGENERATION
You recover from injuries very quickly: you heal 1 point of

PSI-SCREEN damage per hour. If you get knocked unconscious, you awaken
as soon as you heal 1 point of damage (if not revived sooner).
Self • Baseline Rank (Willpower) • 1 Hero Point per rank
You’ve honed your mental and spiritual defenses. Use Psi-Screen PRO Fast (+6): You heal 1 point of damage per minute
instead of Willpower when defending yourself against mental instead of per hour.
attacks and resisting mental damage and effects. Also, you
PRO Instant (+18): You heal 1 point of damage per page
know when someone tries to use Telepathy to read your surface
instead of per hour.
thoughts, and you can use this Power to resist such attempts. You
can also use this Power to resist attempts to probe your mind.
PRO Cloak Mind (+2): You can hide your mental presence
from telepaths. Anyone who wants to use Telepathy
to detect you must make a successful Telepathy roll
against your Psi-Screen rank.
38
PROWLERS PARAGONS
RESISTANCE Traits at an equal or greater rank, use their ranks +1d instead.
As discussed in Chapter 4, your size may also make it easier to
Self • Baseline Rank (Toughness) • 1 Hero Point per 2
hit others and avoid the attacks of human-sized enemies.
Characters
ranks
You are resistant to radiation, temperature extremes, and SHRINKING

toxins (diseases, drugs, and poisons). Use this Power instead of RANK HEIGHT RANK HEIGHT
Toughness when rolling to resist hazards like these. 1d to 2d 3 feet 13d to 14d ½ inch
3d to 4d 2 feet 15d to 16d ¼ inch
5d to 6d 1 foot 17d to 18d ⅛ inch
RUNNING 7d to 8d 6 inches 19d to 20d Flea-sized
Self • Baseline Rank (3d) • 1 Hero Point per rank 9d to 10d 3 inches 21d to 22d Mite-sized
11d to 12d 1 inch 23d to 24d Microscopic
This Travel Power lets you run faster than normal. This can also
represent rolling on wheels, skating, or even bouncing like a
ball. This Power’s 3d baseline rank reflects standard human
running speed. SLAY
PRO Hover (+2): You hover up to 1 foot above the ground
You can harm living targets you touch by making a Slay roll
when using this Power. This allows you to ignore
against their Toughness or one of their active defenses. If you
caltrops, pressure plates, squeaky floors, tripwires,
wish, you can specify that your version of the Power is resisted
uneven ground, and so on.
with Willpower instead of Toughness, but active defenses will
always apply as well. You inflict 2 points of damage per net
SEPARATION success rolled. Armor has no effect on this Power.
You can detach your body parts without the usual side effects SLICK
like screaming and bleeding to death. Your detached parts act Zone • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
independently and can generally do whatever a detached but
You can make all or any portion of the ground within range
otherwise healthy body part might reasonably be able to do,
slippery for the rest of the scene or until you dispel this effect.
taking your other Powers into account. For example, a detached
Anyone attempting to cross the slick must make an Agility roll
hand can crawl around on the ground, manipulate objects, and
against your Power rank to avoid falling. Characters who fail
scare the hell out of people. If you can fly, then your hand
this roll fall prone. Attempting to stand requires an action and
probably can too.
another Agility roll against your Power rank. Until they make this
roll, characters caught in the slick can’t leave the area, at least
SHOCKWAVE not on foot, and suffer a −2d penalty to their attack rolls and
active defense rolls. A character driving a ground vehicle over
Zone • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks
the slick must make a Vehicles roll against your Power rank to
You can generate a concussive wave that targets everyone within keep from sliding out of control and crashing into something.
range, friend and foe alike. This requires a successful Shockwave
roll against the greater of each target’s Might or weight rank.
With 1 or 2 net successes, a target is pushed away from you and SPEAK WITH DEAD
suffers a −1d penalty to all challenge rolls until after your next Self • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
turn to act. The target remains within Close Range of you, but
You can momentarily animate the bodies of the dead to speak
they’re no longer adjacent to you if they were beforehand. With
with them. This lets you ask the deceased your Power rank
3 or more net successes, the target is also knocked prone and
number of questions which must be answered truthfully. The
loses their next turn to act. This Power shatters fragile materials
dead will know only what they did while they were alive and
like ordinary glass and ice in its area of effect.
can only communicate in a language they knew. As you might
imagine, you need a dead body (or at least a head) to use
SHRINKING this Power.
You can shrink, becoming as small as shown on the Shrinking

table and lowering your weight rank by your current Shrinking
rank until it reaches 0d. You can substitute your current Shrinking
rank for your Agility. You also gain Leaping and Strike at half
your current Shrinking rank. If you already have any of these

SPECIALTY • Driver/Pilot: You get a +1d bonus to Charm rolls and
Vehicles rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
Self • Special • 0 Hero Points
your 6s explode when making these rolls.
Chapter 2
This Power is only available in Street Level and Low Level games,
• Executive: You get a +1d bonus to Command rolls and
typically ones involving Heroes who lack true superpowers and
Professional rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to
share similar backgrounds, characteristics, and/or training. It
have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
provides niche protection that helps differentiate characters who
might otherwise be too similar, such as a group of adolescent • Explorer: You get a +1d bonus to Academics rolls and
mutant ninja critters or a paramilitary group of True American Survival rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
Heroes. This Power allows each Hero to excel at something your 6s explode when making these rolls.
unique to them. The basic combat and non-combat Specialties
• Face: You get a +1d bonus to Charm rolls and Professional
are described below, but you are encouraged to create your
rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your 6s
own. This Power has no rank and can’t be absorbed, drained,
explode when making these rolls.
mimicked, or affected by other abilities.
• Infiltrator: You get a +1d bonus to Covert rolls and
When playing a game using Specialties, each Hero selects one Investigation rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve
Specialty for free (notice that this Power costs 0 Hero Points). to have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
No Hero can have more than one Specialty, and each Hero must
• Journalist: You get a +1d bonus to Charm rolls and
have their own. In some games, GMs may let Heroes select
Investigation rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve
two Specialties, one combat Specialty and one non-combat
to have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
Specialty (again, no two Heroes can have the same Specialty).
Your Specialty does two things. First, you get a +1d bonus to • Mechanic: You get a +1d bonus to Technology rolls and
certain types of challenge rolls, even if this bonus effectively Vehicles rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
pushes you over the game’s Trait Cap. Second, when making your 6s explode when making these rolls.
these rolls, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your 6s explode.
• Medic: You get a +1d bonus to Medicine rolls and Science
That means you get to roll those dice again to try generating
extra successes, and you get to keep rerolling them as long as
you keep rolling 6s.
• Scholar: You get a +1d bonus to Academics rolls and
COMBAT SPECIALTIES Investigation rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve
• Acrobat: You get a +1d bonus to movement rolls and active to have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
defense rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
• Scientist: You get a +1d bonus to Investigation rolls and
your 6s explode when making these rolls.
Science rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
• Blaster: You get a +1d bonus to ranged attack rolls. your 6s explode when making these rolls.
Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your 6s
• Scout: You get a +1d bonus to Covert rolls and Survival
rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your
• Grappler: You get a +1d bonus to grappling rolls of any 6s explode when making these rolls.
kind. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your
• Soldier: You get a +1d bonus to Command rolls and
6s explode when making these rolls.
Survival rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have
• Striker: You get a +1d bonus to close combat attack rolls. your 6s explode when making these rolls.
Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to have your 6s
• Techie: You get a +1d bonus to Science rolls and Technology
• Support: You get a +1d bonus to rolls made to perform explode when making these rolls.
combat stunts (see Chapter4). Additionally, you can spend
• Thief: You get a +1d bonus to Covert rolls and Streetwise
1 Resolve to have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
• Tank: You get a +1d bonus to Toughness rolls, Willpower explode when making these rolls.
rolls, and passive defense rolls. Additionally, you can spend
1 Resolve to have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
SPINNING
NON-COMBAT SPECIALTIES Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
• Detective: You get a +1d bonus to Investigation rolls and
You can spin along your axis at superhuman speed. This lets you
Streetwise rolls. Additionally, you can spend 1 Resolve to
use Spinning in place of Might when performing and defending
have your 6s explode when making these rolls.
yourself against close combat attacks, grabs, holds, escapes,
and combat stunts. You can also use Spinning in place of Agility
40
PROWLERS PARAGONS
when defending yourself against physical attacks, but not
against energy attacks. If your Abilities are of equal or greater
rank, use their rank +1d instead. You can move, speak, and
Characters
interact with others normally while spinning.
STAR GATE
You can instantly transport yourself to distant worlds. Although

it involves travel, you must spend an action to use this Power.
The first time you travel to an unfamiliar world, you arrive at a
random location determined by the GM. After that, you return
to where you were when you left, or you can spend 1 Resolve to
arrive at another familiar location of your choosing. You can use
this Power a number of times per issue equal to your Willpower
without paying anything. Each use after that costs 1 Resolve.

others (including ships) can travel.
STRETCHING
Self • Default Rank • 1, 3 or 6 Hero Points
You can stretch, telescope, or extend your body, or maybe you

have long reach. You can perform close combat attacks and
grappling attacks against targets that aren’t adjacent to you.
The 1-point version of this Power lets you reach targets within
Close Range. The 3-point version lets you reach targets within
Distant Range. The 6-point version lets you reach targets within
Extreme Range. Out of combat, these distances indicate about
how far you can reach or stretch yourself.
CON Long Reach (−1): You have long reach but can’t
stretch your whole body.
STRIKE
Touch • Baseline Rank (Might) or (Martial Arts) • 1 Hero
Point per rank
You have some kind of damaging close combat attack like

claws, energized fists, or a unique melee weapon. You can use
this Power to both perform and defend yourself against close
combat attacks. You must specify the kind of damage inflicted
when you buy this Power (unless you apply the Weapons Con
(discussed below). Occasionally, a more descriptive term may
be used when the Power inflicts physical damage. For example,
Strike (Bite) or Strike (Claws) may be used in place of Strike
(Physical). This is purely for flavor and has no mechanical effect.
PRO Deflect (+4): You can deflect ranged attacks. This

lets you use Strike as an active defense against
ranged physical and energy attacks, but not against
area attacks.

PRO Deflect Missiles (+2): You can deflect ranged your Minions (round up as always). For example, if your Minions
attacks. This lets you use Strike as an active defense have 5d or 6d Threat, this Power costs 3 Hero Points per rank.
against ranged physical attacks, but not against Summoned Minions are close combat fighters unless you apply
Chapter 2
area attacks. the Shooters Pro (see below). Summoning Minions is an action,
but your Minions can act on the page in which they appear.
PRO Reach/Throw (+2): The Power can be used against
opponents who aren’t adjacent to you, as long as
SUMMONING
they’re within Close Range. Either the Power has
RANK MINIONS
unusually long reach (Reach) or you can somehow
1d to 2d 2
throw whatever you use to attack enemies in close
3d to 5d 5
combat (Throw).
6d to 8d 10
PRO Sweep (+4): The Power can be used as an area 9d to 11d 25
attack that targets all characters in a 90-degree arc 12d to 14d 50
within 5 to 25 feet of you. Like all area attacks, this 15d to 17d 100
targets both friend and foe within the area of effect. 18d to 20d 250
If the Power also has Reach, you can affect targets 21d to 23d 500
up to 50 feet away. You decide how far the attack 24d to 26d 1,000
reaches each time you use this Pro.
CON Subdual (−1): This Power inflicts subdual damage. PRO Animals (+1 or +2 per rank): Your Minions
are animals, so they possess special abilities like
CON Weapons (−1): This Power represents mastery
enhanced senses and the ability to move faster than
of a group of weapons as broad or narrow as you
ordinary human beings. Work with your GM to make
like — the level of specificity doesn’t matter. You must
up the specifics depending on the kind of animals
be armed with that type of weapon to use the Power.
you can summon. This Pro costs +1 per rank if you
This lets you use your Strike rank (instead of your
can summon a narrow selection of animals or +2 per
Ability plus Weapon Bonus) to make attack rolls and
rank if you can summon a wide variety of animals
defense rolls against close combat attacks while so
with different special abilities.
armed. Otherwise, the weapon works as usual and
deals whatever type of damage it normally inflicts. PRO Automatons (+1 per rank): Your Minions have the
Inanimate (Mindless) Power.
STUN PRO Duplicates (+2 per rank): Your Minions are

duplicates of you. Although they work like ordinary
Minions and use their Threat for all attacks, defenses,
You can incapacitate a living opponent by disabling them, and other challenge rolls, your duplicates share your
stunning them, paralyzing them, putting them to sleep, or doing unique abilities and can do things other Minions can’t.
anything else that takes them out of the action by making a Stun For example, if you can fly, phase through walls, or
roll against their Toughness or one of their active defenses. If you shoot energy beams out of your eyes, your duplicates
wish, you can specify that your version of the Power is resisted can do so as well. Having a large number of duplicates
with Willpower instead of Toughness, but active defenses always can have significant narrative benefits (shortening
apply as well. the time of a long project considerably; searching an
entire building in moments; highly efficient disaster
CON EMP (−2): The Power affects characters with the relief; etc.) so discuss expectations with your GM
Inanimate Power from a Tech Source instead of before selecting this Pro.
living beings. It can also disable most devices with
PRO Shooters (+1 per rank): Your Minions can also
electronic components.
attack enemies within Distant Range.
PRO Unique (+1 to +4 per rank): Your Minions have

SUMMONING unique abilities that would be represented by Powers
Self • Power Rank • Special if they weren’t Minions, things like acute senses, flight,
or the ability to walk through walls. Work with your
You can animate, call, or summon Minions to do your bidding.
GM to describe what your Minions can do. This Pro
Your Power rank determines how many Minions you can summon
costs +1 per rank if it gives your Minions a minor
per scene, as shown on the Summoning table. You determine
advantage, +2 per rank if it gives them a moderate
your Minions’ Threat rank when you purchase this Power. You
advantage, or +4 per rank if it gives them a major
can select any rank up to the game’s Trait Cap - 6d, unless you
advantage. This Pro is subject to the GM’s approval.
can summon no more than 10 Minions per scene, in which case
you can select any rank up to the game’s Trait Cap - 3d. This
Power costs 1 Hero Point per rank for every 2d Threat you give
42
PROWLERS PARAGONS
SUPER SENSES MICROSCOPIC VISION
Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 1 Hero Point
Your senses are enhanced in some way. Select all the following
Characters
that apply. Regardless of the options you select, Super Senses If you concentrate, you can see microscopic details, maybe even
is always considered a single Power with an effective rank equal down to the atomic, subatomic, or quantum level. In short, you
to your Perception or your Acute X rank, whichever is greater. can achieve whatever level of magnification the story requires.
ACUTE X NIGHT VISION

Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 1 Hero Point per 2 Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 3 Hero Points
ranks
Through whatever means, you can see in absolute darkness.
One of your senses is hyper acute (pick one). Substitute your
Acute X rank for you Perception when making challenge rolls RADIO HEARING
involving that sense (but not when determining your Edge). Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 1 Hero Point
You can hear radio frequencies and intercept radio transmissions.

ANALYTIC X
TELESCOPIC VISION
You can use one of your senses (pick one) to determine the basic Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 1 Hero Point
physical properties of anything you concentrate on, including
You can make out small details at extremely long distances. As
chemical composition and whether something is organic or
with Microscopic Vision, you can basically see as far as you need
inorganic.
to for purposes of the story.
ASTRAL SIGHT
THERMAL VISION
Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 2 Hero Points
You can see into the astral realm, the realm of psychic energy
You can see heat patterns, allowing you to see through thin
tied to the physical world. Among other things, this lets you
objects and follow even the faintest traces of residual thermal
interact with invisible spirits and characters using Astral
energy. This also lets you see in the dark, but it can be foiled by
Projection. It also lets you detect camouflaged living beings who
things like extreme ambient temperatures and beings whose
are using Powers like Blending or Invisibility.
body temperatures match their surroundings precisely.
CIRCULAR VISION
TRACKING SCENT
You effectively have a 360-degree field of view.
You can identify, recognize, track others, and even determine
their emotional state by scent. These feats require Perception
ENHANCED HEARING
rolls at a threshold of 4 to 6 under optimal conditions.
You can detect extremely faint, distant, or muffled sounds TRUE SIGHT
impossible for ordinary humans to hear by making a Perception Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 6 Hero Points
roll at a threshold of 4 or higher, as determined by the GM
If you concentrate, you can see a being’s true form, penetrating
depending on the circumstances. Additionally, you can hear
disguises, illusions, and transformations of any kind, including
infrasound and ultrasound.
Powers like Blending and Invisibility. You might need to make
a Perception roll if the person is somehow shielded from this
HYPERSENSITIVE TOUCH
effect, but otherwise this is automatic.
Your sense of touch is sensitive enough to read print with your ULTRA VISION
fingertips or discern what’s happening in an adjacent room by Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 2 Hero Points
feeling the vibrations through a door or wall.
You can see in ultraviolet light, which is normally invisible to the
human eye. You also have low-light vision, allowing you to see in
LIE DETECTION
lighting as dim as starlight, but not in absolute darkness.
Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 3 Hero Points
You can detect when someone within Close Range is lying. You X-RAY VISION
might need to make a Perception roll if the person is somehow Self • Baseline Rank (Perception) • 6 Hero Points
protected from this Power, but otherwise this is automatic.
If you concentrate, you can see through solid objects.

SUPER SPEED
Chapter 2
You move at superhuman speed. This works like

any other Travel Power and then some. You can
run at Power rank speed, your Agility effectively
equals your Super Speed rank, and your Edge
equals your Super Speed rank times 3. You can use this
Power to perform and defend yourself against close
combat attacks. You can also substitute Super Speed
for Might when defending yourself in grappling
combat. If you have Super Speed at 9d or greater,
you gain a number of benefits: you can cross 2
range classes per page in combat, you can run
across water and up walls, you defeat 2 Minions
per net success when targeting them in close
combat, and you effectively gain the Quick
Change and Vanish Powers. You can compare
your speed to the 10 mile-per-hour speed of an
ordinary person to gauge how fast you really are
and how quickly you can perform mundane tasks.
For example, 9d Super Speed lets you run 1,000
miles per hour, making you roughly 100 times
faster than an ordinary human being.
SWIMMING
Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2
ranks
This Travel Power lets you move through water

at great speeds. Additionally, you can breathe
water, you move as freely underwater as you
do through air, your senses are not impaired
underwater, and you are immune to oceanic
pressure and temperature.
CON Lungs (−1): You can’t breathe water, but you can
hold your breath for a long time.
TELEKINESIS
Ranged • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
SWING LINE You can move objects at up to Distant Range with your mind.
Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks Use your Telekinesis rank as your effective Might when doing so.
You can use this Power to attack, immobilize, lift, and toss beings
This Travel Power allows you to ascend, descend, and swing from
and objects around. Telekinesis can also be used as an active
place to place. It only works outdoors or in large indoor areas
defense against ranged attacks. Ranged physical attacks can be
with enough overhead space for you to swing around. You must
affected directly, but ranged energy attacks have to be blocked
remain within Distant Range of buildings, tall trees, or other
with physical objects — use the lesser of your Telekinesis rank or
stable objects to which you can tether your swing lines. Your
the Structure of the shielding object (or the Body of the shielding
lines have a Structure equal to half your Power rank. If you have
vehicle) when using this Power to defend yourself against energy
Swing Line at 7d or greater, something more than simple gravity
attacks. You can control multiple objects at one time, but this
is propelling you from place to place.
lowers your effective rank by 1d per extra object controlled, and
you still suffer the usual multiple action penalties if you perform
CON Natural (−2): You can’t create your own swing
more than one action per page.
lines, so this Power only works in jungles and other
environments that provide you with natural lines
CON Impel (−4): You can move objects in a straight line or
such as vines.
hold them in place, but fine manipulation and subtle
control is beyond you.
44
PROWLERS PARAGONS
TELEPATHY TELEPORTATION
Ranged • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per rank
Characters
You can read minds and transmit your thoughts to anyone You can instantly travel as far as shown on the Teleportation
within Distant Range. You can sense sentient minds within table. You can teleport through solid objects, but not through
range, but other telepaths can cloak their mental presence if force fields. You have no trouble reaching places you can see or
they wish. You must make an opposed Telepathy roll against a locations whose layout you know well. If you try teleporting to
cloaked telepath to sense them. You can also read a person’s an unfamiliar place, roll two dice. A result of 6 or less means you
surface thoughts by making a Telepathy roll against the higher almost teleport into a solid object, so the Power fails. When that
of their Willpower or Telepathy rank, although telepaths can happens, you reappear in your original location and the shock
sense this. Last, you can probe a person’s memories for specific knocks you unconscious for the rest of the scene (you can spend
information by making a Telepathy roll against the higher of 1 Resolve to remain conscious). Each use of this Power is a move,
their Willpower or Telepathy rank. This takes a few minutes of no matter how far you travel. However, you can spend 1 Resolve
absolute concentration, and even non-telepaths can feel when to teleport twice in one page, provided you use 1 action and the
someone is digging through their memories. A successful mind total distance covered doesn’t exceed the maximum distance
probe reveals regular memories, repressed memories, and even you can teleport.
original memories that have been altered in some way and can
be restored if desired. TELEPORTATION
RANK DISTANCE
PRO Alter Memories (+6): Whenever you roll 3 or more 1d to 2d 50 feet
net successes while performing a mind probe, you 3d to 5d 500 feet
can alter a subject’s memories however you wish. 6d to 8d 1 mile
These alterations are temporary, lasting the rest of 9d to 11d 10 miles
the scene, but if you spend 1 Resolve, you can make 12d to 14d 100 miles
them permanent. 15d to 17d 1,000 miles
18d to 20d Planetary
PRO Cloak Others (+2): You can cloak the mental
21d to 23d Orbital
presence of everyone within Close Range of you,
24d to 26d Lunar
making their minds undetectable to this Power (as
described above).
PRO Dream Travel (+2): You can enter, observe, and
others can travel.
participate in the dreams of others. While in a dream,
your physical Traits are replaced by the greater of CON Medium (−2): You can only teleport along or
your Willpower or Telepathy rank. through a medium such as along power lines, through
shadows, or into and out of reflective surfaces.
PRO Mind Link (+2): You can link a number of minds
equal to your Power rank so that everyone can
telepathically communicate with everyone else.
Linked characters must remain within Extreme Range
TIME STOP
Zone • Power Rank • 3 Hero Points per rank
of you to access the mind link.
You can stop the flow of time in the Power’s area of effect for a
CON Empathy (−2): Your telepathic abilities are limited
number of pages equal to your Power rank or until you dispel
to sensing, reading, and transmitting emotions and
this effect. This costs 1 Resolve the first time you use this Power
mental states, but stop short of concrete things like
in a scene, 2 Resolve the second time, 3 Resolve the third time,
words and images.
and so on. While this Power is active, everyone and everything
in the area is frozen, stuck in time. You can move around freely
while this Power is in effect, and you can move objects and
people around (assuming you are strong enough to do so),
SUPER TIP! but you can’t otherwise affect or harm anything stuck in time.
Although energy and forces affect you while this Power is active,
Time Stop and Time Travel can be excellent in they don’t affect anyone or anything else. For example, you can’t
certain players’ hands and absolutely game- defy gravity or walk across lava while this Power is active, but
you can place an object in mid-air or in a fire, and the object will
breaking in others. We include them for the sit there, hovering in the air or untouched by the flames, until
sake of being complete, but urge GMs to think time begins moving again. You can also do something like place
carefully before letting Heroes have either ability. a live grenade at someone’s feet and then dispel the Power. This
is another Power GMs should feel free to disallow if they don’t
want to deal with the potential for abuse.

TIME TRAVEL your Power rank. You can turn into any natural animal you are
familiar with, whether alive or extinct. As for magical creatures
like dragons and unicorns, that’s up to the GM. If you are an
Chapter 2
You can travel through time, forward or backward, as far as you alien, you turn into alien animals. For the sake of game balance
like. Although it involves travel, you must spend an action to use (and everyone’s sanity), these alien animals look different but
this Power. Time Travel can be a major headache, so discuss this have the same characteristics as the Earth animals described
Power with your GM ahead of time. If the GM approves, they’ll in Chapter 8.
have to determine how time travel works, including the age-old
question of whether you can change the present by altering the PRO Enhanced (+4): Whenever you turn into an animal,
past (we highly recommend Kevin Kulp’s amazing TimeWatch you can use your Power rank in place of its highest
roleplaying game published by Pelgrane Press for some great ranked Trait. You can do this for only one Trait per
ideas on all things time travel). GMs are free to impose whatever animal (pick one if several Traits have the same rank).
restrictions they wish on this Power. For example, gorillas have 6d Might and Toughness. If
you use 10d Animal Forms to turn into a gorilla, you
PRO Portal (+2): You can create portals through which can give yourself 10d in one of those Abilities.
others can travel.
CON Only X (−2 or −4): You can only turn into a
specific category, group, or type of animal specified
TOTAL RECALL when you buy this Power. This is normally a −2 Con,
but if you can only turn into a single animal or an
extremely limited group of animals, this becomes a
You automatically remember anything you pay attention to, and −4 Con instead.
you can make an Intellect roll against whatever threshold the GM
decides to see if you noticed specific background details as well. DOPPELGANGER
PRO Playback (+1): Typically found among cyborgs and
You can turn into an exact duplicate of anyone you’ve ever seen,
robots, your memories can be transferred, stored,
even aliens, as long as they’re roughly humanoid in shape and
copied, and displayed for others.
not too much larger or smaller than you. You can fool biometric
scanners and even DNA analysis, but you don’t gain any of the
TRACER subject’s Abilities, Talents, or Powers.
Touch • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points

OBJECT FORMS
You can tag objects you touch with a tracer. Once tagged, you Self • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank
can follow objects anywhere in the world for the rest of the story.
You can turn into objects, from simple geometric shapes to
You might need to make an Intellect roll if the object moves
mundane tools and weapons to complex machines and vehicles.
to a location that somehow blocks this Power, but otherwise
By turning into simple shapes, you can exert Power rank force
this is automatic. A person who suspects they’ve been tagged
or resistance. By turning into tools and weapons, you can add
can search for your tracer, but finding it requires a Daunting (3)
half your Power rank to the challenge rolls of anyone using you
Perception roll.
as a tool or the attack rolls of anyone using you as a weapon,
up to a maximum rank equal to your Power rank. By turning
PRO Tracking (+3): If you have an object that recently
into machines and vehicles, you gain their characteristics at the
belonged to a subject or you visit a location the
lesser of their rank or your Power rank. Although this doesn’t
subject visited within the last day or so, you can track
affect your Traits, you can alter your size significantly when using
them as if they’d been tagged.
this power, making yourself as large or as small as if you had the
Growth and Shrinking Powers at this Power’s rank.
TRANSFORMATION SHAPESHIFTING
This Power lets you turn yourself into other things. The
details vary depending on which version of this Power you
have. Regardless of which Transformation Power you possess, You can reshape your gross physical form however you like. You
changing form is always a free action, but you can only do so on have a number of Hero Points equal to your Power rank that can
your turn to act unless you forego you next turn to act. be used to temporarily raise your physical Abilities (Agility, Might,
and Toughness) and to buy Powers that represent things like
ANIMAL FORMS claws, extra limbs, fins, gills, spines, tentacles, tough hide, wings,
Self • Power Rank • 2 Hero Points per rank and so on. No Trait can have a rank that exceeds the game’s Trait
Cap. For purposes of determining your Resolve (as discussed in
You can turn into animals, gaining their appearance, form,
Chapter 5), this Power’s effective rank equals your Shapeshifting
size, and weight. You also gain their Agility, Might, Perception,
rank plus the greatest of your Agility, Might, or Toughness ranks.
and Toughness and their Powers at the lesser of their rank or
46
PROWLERS PARAGONS
TRANSMUTATION CON Fighting/Marksmanship (−1): This Power only
applies in close combat and the bonus to mundane
weapons applies only to melee weapons (Fighting),
Characters
You can alter the chemical composition of inanimate matter or it only applies in ranged combat and the bonus to
that you touch. You can automatically affect gas within Close mundane weapons applies only to ranged weapons
Range of you. To affect liquids or solids, you must make a (Marksmanship).
Transmutation roll against the greater of their Structure or weight
rank. By transforming elements and compounds, you can raise
their Structure up to your Power rank or lower it as much as you VANISH
wish, going as far as turning solids into liquids or gases, and vice Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points
versa. If you create energetic or harmful substances like chlorine
You can vanish from sight in the blink of an eye and move as far
gas, lava, or uranium, use your Power rank as their effect rank.
as you can in one page without anyone seeing where you went.
These effects last for the rest of the scene or until you dispel
This often happens under the cover of a blinding flash or a puff
them, but you can spend 1 Resolve to make them permanent if
of smoke. Using this Power requires both 1 action (to vanish) and
you wish. You also have to spend 1 Resolve to create elements
movement (to move elsewhere).
and compounds that are unique to the game world or that
have unique effects, such as magical metals or incredibly rare
minerals that render a mighty superhero powerless because
they’re fragments of his home planet that exploded long ago.
TUNNELING
This Travel Power lets you travel by digging your way through
the ground. You can collapse your tunnels behind you or leave
them open for others to follow. You don’t give any indication of
your passage to those above ground, making this a great way
to surprise your enemies.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL
You can become two-dimensional, like a shadow (whether you

take on the appearance of a black silhouette is up to you). This
renders you weightless and silent, but you can still affect and
be affected by the three-dimensional world as usual. In addition
to moving normally through three-dimensional space, you can
also slide along any surface, ignoring gravity while doing so, and
slip through any crack wide enough to fit your form while using
this Power.
TWO-FISTED
You use both hands in combat. You can spend 1 Resolve to

defeat twice as many Minions as usual (2 per net success
rolled) when making a physical attack. You can decide whether
to spend the Resolve after making your attack roll. This Power
applies to all physical attacks, but it provides no additional
benefit to attacks that already work this way (i.e., area attacks,
Super Speed attacks, and attacks involving the Ricochet Pro).
If you happen to be dual wielding mundane weapons, you
can also increase their Weapon Bonus by +1d. This bonus
applies only to mundane weapons, not to Powers with Cons
like Item or Weapons. To be clear, this Power does not grant
extra attacks.

VARIANT PROS AND CONS
Special • Special • 3 Hero Points
The following section includes generic Pros and Cons. You can
Chapter 2
This Power grants you a different version of another power you

apply these options to existing Powers to create a wide variety
already have. Although you only spend 3 Hero Points to buy a
of superpowers and unique abilities. Although the descriptions
Variant Power, it must be worth the same number of Hero Points
below generally refer to Powers, many Pros and Cons can also
as the original. For example, if you have Blast (Ice) 8d, you could
apply to Abilities, and some can even apply to Talents. The
also have a Blast Variant (Fire) 10d (Charges 3): the 8d Blast
Pros and Cons provided below are not intended to cover every
costs 8 Hero Points, while the Blast Variant is also worth 8 Hero
possible option, so feel free to make up your own.
Points because the Charges Con saves you the 2 extra Hero
Points you would normally have to spend to buy the power at
10d instead of 8d. You can’t have a Variant of Alternate Form,
Boost, Drain, Elemental Control, Nullify, Omni-Power, Power
AFFECT INANIMATE
PRO +1 Hero Point
Absorption, Power Mimicry, or any other Power that affects
other Traits. This Pro applies to Powers that affect only living beings. It
means the Power can also affect one type of inanimate being;
in other words, characters with the Inanimate Power from one
VENTRILOQUISM Source (pick one). You can apply this Pro multiple times to affect
Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points different types of inanimate beings.
You are a master of mimicry and ventriloquism. You can mimic

almost any sound, imitate others effectively, and make your
voice seem to come from another location. Use Charm when
AREA OF EFFECT
PRO +1 to +4 Hero Points
making challenge rolls for this ability, typically opposed by your
target’s Perception. These Pros apply to Powers that only affect individual targets,
turning them into Powers that target an area of effect. When
targeting an area instead of an individual character in combat,
WALL-CRAWLING you make a single attack roll and everyone in the area (whether
Self • Power Rank • 1 Hero Point per 2 ranks friend or foe) makes their own defense roll. Area attacks are
hard to evade, so active defense ranks are halved against them
You can stick to walls and ceilings and can move along them
unless the defender foregoes their next turn to act leaping away
at your normal speed. If your Power rank is lower than your
or behind cover. The Pros are as follows.
Might, use your Power rank to determine how much weight you
can carry while wall-crawling. You might need to make a Wall-
Area/Burst: These Pros apply to Ranged Powers. Area gives you
Crawling roll to stick to unusually slick or slippery surfaces.
the option of targeting an area or an individual character, while
Burst means the power always targets an area. Either way, the
WEAKNESS DETECTION area of effect can be anywhere from 10 to 50 feet in diameter.
Area lets you vary the size of the area of effect each time you
use the Power, but Burst requires you to specify the size of the
You can find the weak points of any person or object you observe area when you create the Power. Area costs +2 Hero Points and
in person. If you spend 1 Resolve, your physical and energy Burst costs +1 Hero Point.
attacks effectively gain the Penetrating Pro against that person
or object for the rest of the scene. Additionally, this Power can Zone/Nova: These Pros apply to Ranged Powers and Touch
also provide you with narrative information about the structural Powers. Zone gives you the option of targeting the area within
integrity, flaws, and stress points of any object you study (this 5 to 25 feet of you or an individual character. Nova means the
doesn’t cost Resolve). power always targets the area within 5 to 25 feet of you. Zone
lets you vary the size of the area of effect each time you use
the Power, but Nova requires you to specify the size of the area
SUPER TIP! when you create the Power. When applied to Ranged Powers,
Zone costs +2 Hero Points and Nova costs +1 Hero Point. When
A player who selects Weakness Detection has applied to Touch Powers, these Pros cost twice as much, or +4
Hero Points and +2 Hero Points, respectively.
given the GM a gift that lets them throw all
sorts of unique and otherwise unconquerable
Villains at the Heroes (consider the classic
video game Shadow of the Colossus).
48
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ARMOR PIERCING PROS AND CONS
PRO +2 Hero Points
Characters
This Pro applies to Powers that inflict physical or energy damage. Affect Inanimate Ongoing
It means the Power penetrates body armor with ease. Characters Area of Effect Only Inanimate
wearing mundane armor have their passive defenses halved Armor Piercing Overkill
against the Power. Active defenses are unaffected by this Pro. Build-Up Overload
No Power can have this Pro and the Weak Con. Burnout Penetrating
Carrier Attack Phase Shift
Charges Ranged
BUILD-UP Close Readied
CON −2 Hero Points Concentration Recharge
Conditional Resisted
The Power must build up over 2 pages before you can use it. You
Constant Ricochet
can’t use the Power on the first or second page of the action,
Contagious Selective
but you can use it on the third page and every page after that.
Costly Shutdown
Degrades Side Effect
BURNOUT Delay
Exclusive
Signature
Subtle/Undetectable
CON −4 Hero Points
Expansive Sustained
The Power is always at risk of burning out. Roll two dice every Fuse Touch
time you try to use it. A roll of 6 or less means the Power burns Harmful Toxin
out and can’t be used for the rest of the scene. Imbue Trap
Independent Two-Handed
Item Uncontrolled
CARRIER ATTACK Limited Unreliable
PRO +6 Hero Points Line of Sight Weak
This Pro applies to attack Powers. It means the attack Power

carries another Power on its heels, called a carrier attack. The
best real-world example of this is a poisoned weapon. Whenever CONCENTRATION
the Power inflicts at least 1 point of damage or 1 page worth of CON −4 Hero Points
a special effect, you can immediately make a second attack roll
The Power requires your complete attention. Once you use
against the same target using the carrier attack. Targets can only
the Power, you can’t perform other actions, move, or defend
use passive defenses against a carrier attack. Carrier attacks are
yourself until your next turn to act. If the Power’s effects last
expensive: you must buy this Pro and you must by the Power
or can be maintained for more than one page, you must keep
that will serve as the carrier attack. Carrier attacks can’t be used
concentrating or the Power will instantly expire.
independently. If you want to use a carrier attack by itself, you
must buy a second version of the carrier attack Power.
CONDITIONAL
CHARGES CON −1 to −4 Hero Points
CON −1 to −4 Hero Points The Power only works under certain conditions, in certain
situations, against certain targets, after meeting certain
The Power can only be used a few times per scene. This is a −1
requirements, etc. Considering how difficult it is to satisfy the
Con if you can use the Power 6 times per scene, a −2 Con if you
conditions, this is a −1 Con if the Power often works, a −2 Con
can use it 3 times per scene, or a −4 Con if you can use it once
if it occasionally works, or a −4 Con if it rarely works.
per scene. The Power is assumed to get recharged, reloaded,
or otherwise readied between scenes. Powers with sustained
effects like Invisibility or Phasing expend 1 use per page.
CONSTANT
CLOSE This Con applies to Powers that can be activated and deactivated
PRO +2 Hero Points or CON −2 Hero Points at will. It means the Power is always active and cannot be
switched off. This Con is only meaningful when this poses a
This option applies to Touch Powers and Ranged Powers. It
problem. For example, Aura, Blast, Density, Growth, Invisibility,
means the Power can target subjects within Close Range, even
and Shrinking are all good candidates for this Con.
if they are not adjacent to you. This unique option is a +2 Pro
when applied to Touch Powers, but a −2 Con when applied to
Ranged Powers.

Chapter 2
CONTAGIOUS DELAY
PRO +4 Hero Points CON −4 Hero Points
The Power affects not only your original target, but also anyone The Power doesn’t take effect immediately. Although the length
who comes into physical contact with them. As long as the of the delay is up to you (specify when you create the Power), it
original target is affected by the Power, you can make an must be too long for the Power to be of use in combat.
immediate attack roll against anyone who touches them, and
these new potential targets can only use passive defenses to
resist the Power. New targets affected by the Power also become EXCLUSIVE
contagious. This effect always expires at the end of the current CON −1 Hero Point
scene, at least for Heroes. NPCs have no such restrictions.
You can’t use or maintain the Power while you are using or
maintaining another Power with this Con, typically because
COSTLY these Powers come from or rely on the same device, energy,
source, etc. You must apply this Con to at least 2 of your Powers
(and you get the cost reduction for each).
You must spend 1 Resolve every time you use the Power. This
can represent a Power that takes a great deal out of you, one
you have yet to master, or one you are reluctant to use. EXPANSIVE
DEGRADES This Pro applies to Zone Powers, letting you increase their area
of effect dramatically. You can spend 1 Resolve to expand the
Power’s area of effect for the rest of the scene. This costs 6 Hero
This Con applies to Power Rank Powers and Baseline Rank Points if you can affect everything within Close Range (about 50
Powers. It means the Power gets weaker the more you use it. feet), 12 Hero Points if you can affect everything within Distant
Every use of the Power reduces its effective rank by 1d for the Range (about 500 feet), or 18 Hero Points if you can affect
rest of the scene. When this Con applies to ongoing Powers like everything within Extreme Range (about 5,000 feet). Although
Aura, every page or fraction of a page is considered one use. All not available to Heroes, NPCs can have a Geographic version
lost ranks are recovered between scenes. of this Pro that can affect as large an area as the GM deems
50
PROWLERS PARAGONS
appropriate. You cannot apply this Pro to Powers that affect or replaced without too much trouble. Unbreakable items
targets directly like Dazzle or Shockwave, but indirect Powers are almost impossible to damage or destroy, but they must
like Darkness, Illusions, Irritant, Light, Nullify, Slick, and Time be recovered if lost, stolen, or taken from you. You must also
Characters
Stop are perfectly valid. decide if others can use the item; there are advantages and
disadvantages either way. When this Con is applied to an Ability
or Talent, its rank drops to 2d if the item is taken away or stops
FUSE working, but you are free to spend Hero Points to raise the Trait’s
PRO +2 Hero Points default rank above this 2d baseline.
You can set the Power to take effect after a delay. This delay can
be as short or as long as you wish, but not longer than a number
of hours equal to your Willpower. You decide how long you want
LIMITED
CON −1 to −4 Hero Points
the delay to last each time you use the Power. As long as you
are within Extreme Range of where you set the Power to go off The Power is less effective, potent, or useful than usual. This
or take effect, you can deactivate it at will. is a −1 Con if the Power is somewhat limited, a −2 Con if it’s
significantly limited, or a −4 Con if it’s severely limited. Use this
Con as a catch-all when nothing else seems appropriate.
HARMFUL
You suffer damage every time you use the Power. This is a −1
LINE OF SIGHT
Con if the Power inflicts 1 point of damage per use, a −2 Con if
it inflicts 1–3 points of damage per use (roll one die and halve The Power can affect targets at Extreme Range. This is a +2 Pro
the result), or a −4 Con if it inflicts 1–6 points of damage per when applied to Powers that can be used at Distant Range, a +4
use. You are always free to spend 1 Resolve to avoid suffering Pro when applied to Powers that can be used at Close Range, or
this damage. This damage is considered subdual damage, but a +6 Pro when applied to Powers that require physical contact
it ignores the Regeneration Power and can’t be healed with (Touch Powers). This Pro can’t be applied to Martial Arts, but it
ordinary medical treatment. can be applied to Strike (Throw) as a +4 Pro. When this Pro is
applied to a Zone Power, the Power’s area of effect no longer
needs to be centered on the character using it.
IMBUE
PRO +4 Hero Points
This Pro applies to Powers that only affect you. It means you can
ONGOING
PRO +6 Hero Points
also use the Power on other characters and/or objects (whatever
makes sense for the Power). You must touch whatever you want This Pro applies to Powers that inflict damage. It means the
to imbue with the Power. Your Willpower equals the maximum Power keeps inflicting damage after the initial attack, doing 1
number of subjects you can affect at the same time. You can’t extra point of damage at the beginning of the following page and
affect anything with a weight rank greater than your Willpower. continuing for a number of pages equal to the damage inflicted
by the original attack. For example, if you hit a target with an
ongoing attack and inflict 3 points of damage, the target will
INDEPENDENT take 1 extra point of damage at the start of each of the next
PRO +6 Hero Points 3 pages. This effect isn’t cumulative over multiple attacks: you
always inflict only 1 point of damage per page, and you always
The Power has a mind of its own, like a homing missile or a
use only the longest effective duration. Targets can spend 1
mechanical tentacle that can act of its own accord. The Power
Resolve or forego their next turn to act to rid themselves of all
can operate like a separate character whenever you wish, acting
ongoing attacks affecting them.
when you do and using its rank to make any necessary challenge
rolls. Although this leaves you free to take other actions without
penalty, you can’t use the Power on any page in which it acts
independently.
ONLY INANIMATE
This Pro applies to Powers that only affect living beings. It means
ITEM the Power affects inanimate beings instead. This is a −1 Con if
CON −1 Hero Point you can affect characters with the Inanimate Power from any
Source, a −2 Con if you can affect characters with the Inanimate
The Power comes from an item you carry or wear. Objects
Power from 2 Sources (pick them), or a −4 Con if you can affect
implanted into your body are not considered items for these
characters with the Inanimate Power from one Source (pick one).
purposes. When you apply this Con to a Power, you must decide
whether the item is mundane or unbreakable. Mundane items
can be damaged or destroyed, but they can also be repaired

OVERKILL PHASE SHIFT
CON (Special) PRO +4 Hero Points
Chapter 2
The Power is more damaging or potent than it is accurate. As The Power affects insubstantial and incorporeal targets as if they
a result, targets double the total number of successes rolled were solid. For example, characters using Powers like Gaseous
when using an active defense to resist the Power in combat. This Form, Liquid Form, and Phasing are considered solid when
unusual Con reduces a Power’s base cost by 1 Hero Point per targeted by the Power. This also works in reverse, meaning that
rank (or changes its base cost from 1 Hero Point per rank to 1 characters who are incorporeal (those using Phasing) can use the
Hero Point per 2 ranks). As noted earlier, this Con can also be Power against ordinary solid targets. GMs are free to prohibit
applied to Might. Aside from being ordinary Cons, Overkill and Heroes who can become incorporeal from using this Pro since it
its opposite Weak (see below) are tools GMs can use to regulate allows them to affect the physical world while remaining immune
their games and balance characters of disparate power levels. to physical attacks and effects. Of course, NPCs are not subject
Consider the following examples: to this restriction.
GMs who want to expand how powerful Heroes can be without

raising the game’s Trait Cap may let Heroes have higher Trait RANGED
ranks if they use the Overkill or Weak Cons. When using this PRO +2 or +4 Hero Points
optional rule, a Trait with either Con can exceed the Trait Cap by
The Power can affect targets at Distant Range. This is a +2 Pro
up to 3 ranks in games with a Trait Cap of at least 9d or by up to
when applied to Powers that can be used at Close Range or a
6 ranks in games with a Trait Cap of at least 18d.
+4 Pro when applied to Powers that require physical contact
(Touch Powers). This Pro can’t be applied to Martial Arts, but
Conversely, GMs who want to limit how powerful Heroes can be
it can be applied to Strike (Throw) as a +2 Pro. When this Pro
without lowering the game’s Trait Cap may rule that all Traits of
is applied to a Zone Power, the Power’s area of effect no longer
a certain rank or higher must have either Overkill or Weak if they
needs to be centered on the character using it.
inflict damage. The rank that triggers this requirement is up to
the GM, but it should never be lower than 9d.
READIED
OVERLOAD CON −2 Hero Points
PRO +2 Hero Points The Power must be readied between each use. You must spend
1 page to ready the Power, but if you spend 1 Resolve, you can
You can overload the Power, increasing its effective rank but
do it in 1 action instead. Whether or not you spend Resolve, you
burning it out in the process. You can increase the Power’s rank
can move and perform free actions while readying the Power.
by 3d or 6d for one page. If you increase it by 3d, you lose the
Power for the rest of the scene. If you increase it by 6d, you
lose the Power for the rest of the issue. If this Pro is applied to
a Variant Power or to the original Power on which a Variant is
RECHARGE
based, it burns out the original Power and all Variants (whether
or not they have this Pro) when used. The Power must recharge between uses. It can only be used
once every 3 pages. In other words, once you use the Power, you
can’t use it again for the next 2 pages.
PENETRATING
PRO +4 Hero Points
This Pro applies to Powers that inflict physical or energy

RESISTED
PRO +6 Hero Points
damage, and means they cut through physical objects like a
hot knife through butter. Passive defenses are halved against This Pro applies to Powers that inflict special effects and can be
the Power. Force fields are the exception; a target protected by resisted with active defenses. It means the Power never misses
the Force Field Power is immune to this effect. Active defenses or doesn’t need to make contact. As a result, targets cannot use
are unaffected by this Pro. No Power can have this Pro and active defenses to resist the Power. This Pro is always subject to
the Weak Con. the GM’s approval.
RICOCHET
PRO +2 Hero Points
This Pro applies to ranged attack Powers. It means you can

bank the Power off multiple surfaces, letting you target enemies
around corners or behind cover without suffering a penalty to
your attack rolls. Additionally you can spend 1 Resolve to defeat
52
PROWLERS PARAGONS
twice as many as Minions usual, or 2 per net success rolled, Targets suffer a −3d penalty to their active defense rolls against
by bouncing the Power off multiple enemies — this provides no Undetectable physical and energy attacks unless they have a
additional benefit to attacks that already work this way (i.e., area Power like Blind Fighting that compensates for this. GMs are well
Characters
attacks, Super Speed attacks, and Two-Fisted attacks). You can within their rights to prohibit Heroes from using Undetectable.
decide whether to spend Resolve after making your attack roll.
SUSTAINED
SELECTIVE CON −2 Hero Points
PRO +4 Hero Points
This Con applies to Powers that last or can be maintained for
The Power will not harm or affect anyone you don’t want harmed some amount of time. It means you must spend 1 action per
or affected. If the Power can be used to perform area attacks or page sustaining the Power. If not, the Power instantly expires.
has an Area of Effect Pro, you can spend 1 Resolve whenever
you make an area attack to target only select individuals in the
area of effect. TOUCH
CON −2 or −4 Hero Points
SHUTDOWN The Power requires physical contact. This is a −2 Con when

applied to Powers that can be used at Close Range or a −4
Con when applied to Powers that can be used at Distant Range.
Either the Power can’t affect a person or object it should
be able to affect, or something can prevent the Power from
working and/or shut it down. Considering how often the Power TOXIN
is impaired, this is a −1 Con if the Power often works, a −2 Con CON −2 Hero Points
if it occasionally works, or a −4 Con if it rarely works.
The Power represents a disease, drug, or poison. It can’t affect
characters who are immune to toxins, and targets can use the
SIDE EFFECT Resistance Power as a passive defense against the Power.
The Power has a detrimental side effect such as causing TRAP

collateral damage, creating a terrible smell, killing nearby plant PRO +2 Hero Points
life, etc. The side effect must be more than the obvious effect of
You can trap an area or object with the Power. Once set, the trap
the Power. For example, all area attacks cause collateral damage,
is triggered by anyone who enters the area or handles the object
so that can’t be a side effect for a typical area attack Power. This
incorrectly (or at all). Powers that affect others use their rank to
is a −1 Con if the side effect is annoying or inconvenient, a −2
make any necessary attack rolls when triggered. Each trap can
Con if the side effect is detrimental or harmful, or a −4 Con if
run up to 15 feet long, cover an area up to 5 feet in diameter
the side effect is catastrophic or debilitating.
(or a single 5-foot by 5-foot square), or affect an object small
enough to fit into this space. You can always trap a small part
SIGNATURE of a large object. Your Willpower equals the maximum number
of traps you can have set at any time. Traps that have not been
CON −1 Hero Point
triggered vanish at the end of the current issue.
The Power leaves a residue, energy signature, or something
else that can be detected by anyone who knows what to look
for and traced back to you. Describe the specifics when you TWO-HANDED
apply this Con. CON −1 Hero Points
You need both hands free to use the Power. This often means
SUBTLE/UNDETECTABLE you must gesture with both hands or the Power comes from an
object or weapon you wield in both hands.
PRO +2 or +6 Hero Points
Subtle is a +2 Pro that means the Power creates no loud noise,

bright light, nor anything else that can easily be detected from a UNCONTROLLED
distance. Undetectable is a +6 Pro that means the Power can’t CON −2 Hero Points
be detected or traced back to you, at least not by ordinary
This Con applies to Powers that can be activated and deactivated
senses. It also means you give no indication when using the
at will. It means the Power always activates in certain situations.
Power. For example, you can use Telekinesis (Undetectable) to
You have no control over this and can’t stop it from happening.
grab a purse snatcher and hold them in the air until the police
This Con is only meaningful when the specific circumstances are
arrive while appearing to be nothing more than an ordinary
problematic.
person sitting at an outdoor café minding their own business.

UNRELIABLE PERKS
Perks are advantages that come from the world around you.
Chapter 2
The Power sometimes fails to work. Roll two dice every time you
Like many of the Powers, Perks are generic and need to be
try to use it. A roll of 6 or less means the Power doesn’t work and
fleshed out when selected. As social characteristics, Perks are
you waste your action. You can try again on the following page.
more narrative than mechanical in nature. Perks don’t have
ranks or Sources and don’t take Pros or Cons. Feel free to make
WEAK up your own Perks using the ones provided below as a guide.
CON (Special)
The Power is more accurate than it is damaging or potent. As AUTHORITY

a result, targets double the total number of successes rolled Perk • 3 Hero Points
when using a passive defense to resist the Power in combat.
You have more authority, rights, or social power than the
This unusual Con reduces a Power’s base cost by 1 Hero Point
average person. This could include things like access to secret
per rank (or changes its base cost from 1 Hero Point per rank to
government installations, diplomatic immunity, top secret
1 Hero Point per 2 ranks). No Power can have this Con and the
security clearance, authority to arrest and detain people, or just
Armor Piercing or Penetrating Pros.
being a member of the nobility or ruling class.
CONTACTS
Perk • 1 Hero Point per type of contact
You know people who can provide you with information and
the occasional favor. Common examples include academic,
business, criminal, legal, media, military, police, political, and
scientific contacts.
FAME
Perk • 3 Hero Points
You are famous. People who recognize you generally react

favorably, and some will fall all over themselves trying to get
your attention, an autograph, or a selfie with you. If you have
a secret identity, you must decide whether this Perk applies to
your civilian identity or your heroic alter ego.
FOURTH WALL
You believe you are a character in a comic book (and you might
be right). You often break the fourth wall to interact directly with
the audience. In game terms, any time you break the fourth wall
and crack a joke that gets everyone at the table laughing, you
earn 1 point of Resolve. But you can only do this once per scene.
This Perk is best reserved for comedic or lighthearted games.
HEADQUARTERS
Perk • 1 Hero Point per 3 Base Points
You have a base of operations or headquarters of some kind.

Every Hero Point you spend on this Perk gives you 3 Base Points
to spend on your headquarters. Multiple Heroes can apply their
Base Points to the same headquarters. You can find rules for
creating headquarters in Chapter 6.
54
PROWLERS PARAGONS
INFAMY PERKS
Characters
You are infamous among the criminal underworld, known as Authority Patron
a dangerous customer and someone to be feared. Ordinary Contacts Pet/Sidekick
criminals are afraid of you and may fall all over themselves trying Fame Reputation
to appease you, especially when you apply the right kind of Fourth Wall Resources
pressure. Supervillains are usually less impressed. Headquarters Unique Vehicle
Infamy Wealth/Great Wealth
PATRON
Perk • 3 Hero Points UNIQUE VEHICLE
You are connected to a person, group, or organization that Perk • 1 Hero Point per 25 Vehicle Points
provides you with information, equipment, funding, and support
You have one or more unique vehicles. Every Hero Point you
for your heroic activities. Common patrons include government
spend on this Perk gives you 25 Vehicle Points to spend on your
organizations, rebel groups, and wealthy humanitarians who just
vehicles. Rules for creating unique vehicles are in Chapter 6.
love adopting teenagers with superpowers.
PET/SIDEKICK WEALTH/GREAT WEALTH

Perk • 3 or 6 Hero Points
Perk • 1 Hero Point per 10 Hero Points
Wealth costs 3 Hero Points and means you are rich. You aren’t
You have a pet or a sidekick. Every Hero Point you spend on
just comfortably well-off; you are truly wealthy. You can buy
this Perk gives you 10 Hero Points to create this character. Your
almost anything you want, legal or otherwise. You probably own
companion can’t have more than half your Hero Points, and
several homes, have multiple vehicles, and employ at least a
they must abide by the game’s Trait Cap. Your companion earns
few domestic servants. If you happen to be a tech-based Hero,
1 Hero Point for every 2 that you earn. Pets and sidekicks are
you can easily fund your extracurricular activities out of your
considered Heroes. They lack Resolve, but you can spend your
own pocket.
Resolve on their behalf. If your companion has higher Trait ranks
than you, use their Traits when determining your Resolve (see
Great Wealth costs 6 Hero Points and means you are one of the
Chapter 5). If your companion has Flaws, you earn Resolve as if
wealthiest people in the world. At this level, money is almost
that character were a Hero. GMs who don’t want players running
meaningless. Not only can you buy whatever you want, but you
two (or more) characters should feel free to limit or prohibit
can spend 1 point of Resolve once per issue to make a truly
this Perk.
absurd purchase like buying an island or a major corporation.
While many Heroes are wealthy, GMs may want to restrict Great
REPUTATION Wealth because characters with this much money can spend
their way around most problems without batting an eye.
FLAWS
You have a reputation that works to your benefit. Unlike fame,
which makes people like you, this Perk means you have authority,
credibility, or respect in a particular arena. For example, in your
Flaws are physical, mental, and social hindrances. As noted
civilian life, you might be an attorney known to be an absolute
earlier, all Heroes can have up to 3 Flaws and must have at least
terror in the courtroom. If you have a secret identity, you must
one. The following section includes several Flaws common to
decide whether this Perk applies to your civilian identity or your
the superhero genre, but feel free to make up your own (after
heroic alter ego.
discussing them with your GM).
RESOURCES Flaws not only make your Hero more interesting; they also help
you earn Resolve. Whenever you find yourself in a situation
Perk • 1 Hero Point
where one of your Flaws could become an issue, you can bring
You have access to an impressive supply of equipment of it into play by describing what happens. If this makes things
one sort or another: military weapons, ninja gear, tricked-out more difficult for you or your fellow Heroes, you earn 1 point of
vehicles, etc. This often means you know someone who gets you Resolve. Your Flaws are always under your control and come into
these things or you stumbled across a hidden cache. It does not play only when you decide. No Flaw can generate more than 1
mean you are rich. For that, see Wealth. Resolve per scene.

Although most Flaws work as described above, there are two
exceptions. Some Flaws like Enemy and Relationship are plot
ALTER EGO
You have a mundane alter ego. Your alter ego is built with
hooks for GMs to use however they wish. Others like Blind and
50 Hero Points and earns 1 Hero Point for every 5 you earn.
Chapter 2
Vulnerability are persistent conditions that can’t be resisted

Decide how your transformation works and whether it has any
and are always in effect. These Flaws are sometimes called Plot
limitations when you select this Flaw. Any time this causes you
Hooks and Conditions, respectively, and they aren’t under your
trouble, you earn a point of Resolve.
control. You don’t bring Plot Hooks or Conditions into play to
earn Resolve. Instead, these Flaws grant you 1 extra point of
Resolve at the start of every issue, and that’s it. They come into
play whenever the GM decides or the situation demands, and
AMNESIA
You have no memory of your past, although you may be haunted
you don’t gain extra Resolve when that happens.
by fragments in dreams or visions. You don’t know who you
are or where you come from. People who know this can take
NPC FLAWS advantage of you, and your past will come back to haunt you
every so often. This Flaw is both a Plot Hook and a Condition, so
Flaws work differently for NPCs. NPCs often have less than 3
it grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start of every issue.
Flaws, and sometimes have none. That’s because, unlike Heroes,
NPCs always succumb to their Flaws. For example, a Villain
with the Fear (heights) Flaw will always avoid open balconies,
ledges, etc. The only way for an NPC to overcome a Flaw is
AVERSION/FEAR
You have an aversion to or fear of something, and you will do
with Adversity. Once per scene, the GM can spend 1 Adversity
whatever you can to avoid it. If you can’t, you may become
to have an NPC resist a Flaw for the rest of that scene (and no
hysterical, nauseated, violent, or worse. You may even pass out.
NPC can resist the same Flaw more than once per issue). This
However it works, you earn a point of Resolve whenever you
also applies to friendly NPCs, but in this case, it costs Resolve
succumb to this Flaw. Common fears include a fear of the dark,
instead of Adversity (a Hero must spend the Resolve).
enclosed spaces, fire, heights, insects, mice, public speaking,
snakes, spiders, and water.
For these reasons, NPCs usually have Flaws that are always in
effect or triggered by a particular person, object, situation, etc.,
and the specifics must be described in detail when the NPC is
created. Flaws that don’t have a concrete effect on a character’s
BEAST
Your mental faculties are about on par with a bright animal
interactions with Heroes are usually ignored or added purely
or a game designer. You act mostly on instinct, and complex
for descriptive purposes. The same goes for Flaws that don’t
reasoning is beyond you. You earn a point of Resolve any time
come up very often, mainly affect the character’s personal life,
you can’t figure out how to do things like open a door or get the
or take effect off-screen. Unless otherwise noted in a character’s
sheriff to understand that Billy fell down a well.
write-up, Flaws like these are merely descriptive when applied to
NPCs. While they may occasionally come up in play, their effects
are entirely up to the GM.
BLIND/DEAF
You are completely blind or deaf (pick one). If you are blind, you
The following Flaws are assumed to be merely descriptive when
may have to select at least one Power that compensates enough
applied to NPCs: Absentminded, Alter Ego, Amnesia, Broke,
to let you operate as a superhero (discuss this with your GM).
Clumsy, Color Blind, Creepy, Decorum, Emotionless, Enemy,
This Flaw is a Condition that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve
Finite Power, Frightening, Hidden Agenda, Illiterate, Impaired
at the start of every issue.
Sense, Insane, Light Sensitive, Nocturnal, Notoriety, Obligation,
Outsider, Quirk, Relationship, Restriction, Secret, Secret Identity,
Slow, Unlucky/Jinx, and Wanted. This isn’t to say these Flaws
aren’t real or have no effect on NPCs. It only means that their
BROKE
You are penniless, jobless, and possibly homeless. You can’t
impact is completely up to the GM. If the GM wants any of these
buy anything, so you have to beg, borrow, or steal what you
Flaws to have a specific mechanical effect, they have to describe
need. Every time this causes you problems, you earn a point
it in detail on a case-by-case basis.
of Resolve.
ABSENTMINDED CLUMSY
You tend to forget things. Usually, the things you forget aren’t
For whatever reason, you tend to break things. Your allies know
all that important. But sometimes they are. Whenever that
to keep the fragile stuff away from you. Nevertheless, accidents
happens, you earn a point of Resolve.
happen. When they do, you earn a point of Resolve.
56
PROWLERS PARAGONS
CODE FLAWS
You follow a rigid code of conduct, one that requires more of you
Characters
than just acting heroically. You earn a point of Resolve whenever
Absentminded Impaired Sense
following your code hurts you or your allies.
Alter Ego Insane
Amnesia Light Sensitive
COLOR BLIND Aversion/Fear
Beast
Mute
Night Blind
You see in black and white, or you have trouble distinguishing
Blind/Deaf Nocturnal
certain colors (reds and greens being the usual culprits). You
Broke Notoriety
earn a point of Resolve whenever this causes you problems.
Clumsy Obligation
Code Outsider
COMPULSION/SEVERE COMPULSION Color Blind
Compulsion (Severe)
Power Limits
Quirk
You have trouble resisting the urge to do something like
Creepy Reaction (Severe)
drinking, gambling, chasing potential romantic partners,
Curse Relationship
grandstanding, proving that your intellect is unmatched, or
Decorum Repair
working on that stupid roleplaying game all night long. You earn
Disabled Requirement (Severe)
a point of Resolve any time this works to your detriment. If
Emotionless Restriction
the compulsion is literally impossible to resist, then you have
Enemy Secret
a Severe Compulsion, which is a Condition that grants you 1
Finite Power Secret Identity
extra point of Resolve at the start of every issue. If you have a
Flashbacks/Guilt Slow
Severe Compulsion, you must describe the specific environment,
Frenzy Unlucky/Jinx
situation, etc. that triggers the compulsion.
Frightening Unusual Looks
Heavy/Very Heavy Unusual Shape
CREEPY Hidden Agenda
Illiterate
Vulnerability
Wanted
You give off a vibe that unnerves sensitive observers like young
children, psychics, and animals. Animals usually shy away from
you, unless they’re predators, in which case they attack you
first. You earn a point of Resolve whenever your unsettling aura EMOTIONLESS
causes you trouble. You lack human empathy. Unable to understand emotions, you
are often coldly logical in your interactions with others. As a
result, people tend to react poorly to even your most carefully
CURSE reasoned attempts at meaningful exchange. You earn a point of
You suffer from some supernatural burden. Make up the details Resolve any time this causes you problems.
and get your GM’s approval. You earn a point of Resolve
whenever your curse causes problems for you or your allies.
ENEMY
You have an enemy that wants you ruined, imprisoned, or dead.
DECORUM Make up whatever details you want and let your GM make up
You value propriety and feel compelled to follow social mores, the rest. Your enemy doesn’t necessarily have to be a single
even when others don’t. Manners maketh man, and all that. individual or a super-powered nemesis. It could instead be a
Whenever this makes life difficult, you earn a point of Resolve. group, an organization, or even an entire nation. This Flaw is a
Plot Hook that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start
of every issue.
DISABLED
You are disabled, possibly missing a limb or two, possibly
wheelchair-bound, possibly something else. Describe the FINITE POWER
specifics when you select this Flaw. You may have to select at One or more of your Powers requires ammo, energy, or some
least one Power that compensates enough to let you operate other depletable resource. You earn a point of Resolve whenever
as a superhero (discuss this with your GM). This Flaw is a you run out of this resource at the wrong time.
Condition that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start
of every issue.

FLASHBACKS/GUILT HEAVY/VERY HEAVY
You are haunted by some tragic event in your past. Whenever You weigh a good bit more than the average person. If you have
something triggers you, you suffer flashbacks or become a weight rank of 5d or 6d, you are Heavy. You can’t ride most
Chapter 2
overwhelmed with guilt, sorrow, etc. Flashbacks take you mounts, and you are probably a poor swimmer at best. You earn
completely out of the action and render you helpless for 1 a point of Resolve whenever your weight becomes an issue. If
page. Being overwhelmed with guilt causes you to suffer a −2d you have a weight rank of 7d or greater, you are Very Heavy,
penalty to all challenge rolls for 3 pages. Either way, you also heavy enough to damage floors and crash through ceilings. At
earn a point of Resolve. this level, you have a Condition that grants you 1 extra point of
Resolve at the start of every issue.
FRENZY
You tend to rush headlong into combat and often go dangerously HIDDEN AGENDA
berserk. You earn a point of Resolve whenever this gets the You sometimes have directives or goals you can’t/won’t discuss
better of you and makes you do something stupid like leap with your allies. Whenever your hidden agenda gets in the way
blindly into a fight, refuse to retreat with your allies, or kill or makes things difficult for you or your allies, you earn a point
someone in the heat of battle. of Resolve.
FRIGHTENING ILLITERATE
You look downright scary. Most people flee in terror when they You cannot read or write, at least not any language known on
see you, and those who don’t are often on edge in your presence. present-day Earth. You earn a point of Resolve whenever this
You earn a point of Resolve whenever this causes you problems. hampers you in a significant way.
IMPAIRED SENSE
Your hearing, smell, or vision is lousy — pick one or more,
whatever you prefer. You earn a point of Resolve whenever you
choose to automatically fail a Perception roll as a result of your
impairment and your failure has some adverse consequence for
you or your allies.
INSANE
You suffer from a persistent behavioral issue, delusion, or
disconnect with reality or you endure occasional psychotic
breaks in the form of hallucinations, bouts of paranoia, etc.
Whenever your illness causes you problems, you earn a point
of Resolve. If you take medication that keeps you in check,
consider taking Requirement instead.
LIGHT SENSITIVE
You are sensitive to bright light. You might be an albino, but that
doesn’t have to be the case. Simple daylight can be blinding,
and prolonged exposure can make you dizzy or incapacitate
you. You earn a point of Resolve any time you suffer an adverse
effect because of this condition.
MUTE
You can’t speak, won’t speak, or speak a language nobody else
understands (although maybe another Hero can translate for
you). Any time this creates challenges for your or your allies, you
earn 1 Resolve. This Flaw doesn’t prevent you from speaking to
your fellow players or the GM; it only prevents your Hero from
speaking to other characters in the game world.
58
PROWLERS PARAGONS
NIGHT BLIND REACTION/SEVERE REACTION
You have a hard time seeing in dim lighting, which is almost like You suffer an adverse reaction at certain times, in certain
Characters
darkness to you. You earn a point of Resolve any time you suffer situations, or when you touch or come within a certain distance
an adverse effect because of this condition. of a specific person, place, or thing. Make up the details
when you select this Flaw. However it works, you earn a point
of Resolve whenever you suffer a reaction, or when you do
NOCTURNAL something selfish or unheroic to avoid whatever causes your
You are wired to sleep during the day, or you have a form of reaction. If your reaction is especially severe and impossible to
narcolepsy. Either way, you tend to be tired and sluggish resist, like how sunlight burns vampires, then you have a Severe
during the day, and you sometimes doze off when things are Reaction, which is a Condition that grants you 1 extra point of
calm — shaving cream beards are all too familiar. Whenever this Resolve at the start of every issue.
becomes an issue, you earn a point of Resolve.
RELATIONSHIP
NOTORIETY You have important relationships in your life, often your friends
Whether deserved or not, you have a bad reputation. Maybe and family (and maybe even pets). These people and/or
you’ve become the target of a newspaper editor who hates animals require your attention and occasionally need your help,
“costumed freaks.” Perhaps you used to be a supervillain and sometimes to rescue them from the clutches of some Villain,
the public hasn’t forgiven or forgotten. Or you might be the and sometimes for other reasons. This common Flaw is a Plot
unfortunate subject of blind prejudice. Whatever the case, most Hook that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start of
people react unfavorably to you. Some may even flee or call the every issue.
police when you appear. When things like this happen, you sigh
and earn a point of Resolve.
REPAIR
You do not heal naturally. Whenever you suffer damage, you
OBLIGATION must be repaired to recover lost Health, whether that happens
You have a duty or responsibility that requires you to do certain magically, mechanically, or in some other way. This Flaw is a
things and prevents you from doing others. Being a student and Condition that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start
having a full-time job are common Obligations on present-day of every issue.
Earth. This Flaw is a Plot Hook that grants you 1 extra point of
Resolve at the start of every issue.
REQUIREMENT/SEVERE REQUIREMENT
You must satisfy a requirement every so often or you will suffer
OUTSIDER an adverse effect. Maybe you have to perform a nightly ritual
You come from somewhere else, often another time, world, or to maintain your powers, or you need regular doses of medicine
dimension. Your home is quite different from present-day Earth, to stay alive, or perhaps you are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or
so there are bound to be faux pas and missteps. You earn a gambling. Make up the details when you select this Flaw. You
point of Resolve any time you have trouble dealing with novel earn a point of Resolve whenever you do something selfish
objects or situations. or unheroic to satisfy the requirement, or when you suffer
an adverse effect from not satisfying the requirement. If the
requirement is desperate and immediate, like breathing water
POWER LIMITS instead of air, then you have a Severe Requirement, which is a
One or more of your Powers has certain limitations. Describe the Condition that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start
specifics. In effect, this works like a Con that you control, but of every issue.
instead of making the Power less expensive, this Flaw lets you
earn 1 point of Resolve whenever this works to your detriment
or to that of your allies. RESTRICTION
You have fewer rights than the average person, often because
you are a minor or an undocumented alien (maybe literally).
QUIRK This also applies if you are a second-class citizen, were deemed
You have an annoying, obnoxious, or unfortunate personality legally incompetent, etc. Whenever your restriction makes
trait that often gets the better of you at the worst of times. You things difficult, you earn a point of Resolve.
earn a point of Resolve whenever that happens.
SECRET
You have a secret that must be kept at all costs. You earn a point
of Resolve whenever your efforts to protect your secret work to
your detriment or to the detriment of your allies.

SECRET IDENTITY DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS
This is the iconic version of the Secret Flaw in most comic book
superhero settings. To avoid having to look these things up during the game, you
Chapter 2
should now determine your Edge, Health, and Resolve. Edge

and Health are described in Chapter 4. Resolve is discussed at
SLOW length in Chapter 5.
You move slowly. You earn a point of Resolve whenever you
choose to automatically fail an Agility roll involving speed or
movement and the failure has negative consequences for you or EDGE
your allies. This Flaw is almost meaningless if you have a Travel Your Edge equals your Perception plus the greater of your
Power that compensates for it. Agility or Intellect. Note that certain Powers like Danger Sense,
Lightning Reflexes, and Super Speed can affect your Edge.
UNLUCKY/JINX
If it weren’t for bad luck, you wouldn’t have any luck at all. HEALTH
Unlucky means the GM can inflict a misfortune on you once per Your Health equals the average of your Toughness and Might or
issue without needing to spend Adversity (for more on this, see the average of your Toughness and Willpower. Use whichever
Chapter 5). Jinx works the same way, but the misfortune affects option gives you the most Health. When creating a Foe, use
a fellow Hero or ally in your vicinity instead of you. This Flaw is half this value. As discussed later in these rules, this is more a
a Condition that grants you 1 extra point of Resolve at the start suggestion than a rule when dealing with NPCs.
of every issue.
RESOLVE
UNUSUAL LOOKS Your Resolve depends on how close your Ability ranks and
Your appearance is off-putting. You might look incredibly ugly, Power ranks come to the game’s Trait Cap. Turn to Chapter 5
unnaturally beautiful, or strange and uncanny in some other to determine your Resolve. Note that the Determination Power
way. Whatever the case, you earn a point of Resolve whenever and certain Flaws (Plot Hooks and Conditions) grant you extra
your appearance becomes an issue. This Flaw is redundant if starting Resolve. Only Heroes have Resolve.
you have Frightening.
UNUSUAL SHAPE
FINISHING TOUCHES
Now that you have your Abilities, Talents, Powers, Perks, and
You are not shaped like an ordinary human being. Describe
Flaws, you get to add your finishing touches. These are the
how you are shaped and how this affects you when you select
descriptive elements that turn a collection of game mechanics
this Flaw. Whenever this causes you problems, you earn a point
into a living, breathing character in the game world. Your
of Resolve.
finishing touches include your name and civilian identity, a
description, your motivation, a quote, three connections, three
VULNERABILITY details, and your origin.
You are vulnerable to one type of attack, effect, or weapon.

Describe it in detail when you select this Flaw. Your active and
passive defense ranks are halved against this attack, effect, or
NAME AND IDENTITY
Select your superhero name and your actual name, or at least
weapon. This Flaw is a Condition that grants you 1 extra point
the one you use in your civilian identity. Most Heroes, even
of Resolve at the start of every issue.
those with public identities, tend to use a heroic codename.
WANTED DESCRIPTION
On a steel horse you ride. You are being actively hunted by
Describe the three things people first notice about you when
authorities of some kind, so your hand is often forced in order
they meet you in costume, then describe the three things
to avoid being discovered, or to escape in those instances when
they first notice when they meet you in everyday civilian attire.
you are. This Flaw is a Plot Hook that grants you 1 extra point
Although your costume is obviously important, you can also
of Resolve at the start of every issue.
include things like your personality and demeanor, the way
you move or carry yourself, the way you speak (or don’t speak),
and so on.
60
PROWLERS PARAGONS
MOTIVATION MOTIVATIONS
Not everyone with superpowers would choose to be a superhero.
Characters
Most people would decide to lead normal lives, free of the
Adventure Knowledge
troubles and dangers that come with the whole hero gig. But
Altruism Nature
not you; you are different, and your motivation explains why.
Career Redemption
Although Heroes can have more than one motivation, there’s
Devotion Responsibility
always one that underlies everything else. Motivations are
Idealism Trouble
generic, so two vastly different Heroes can nevertheless share
Justice Virtue
the same motivation. As Heroes mature, their motivations
may change.
JUSTICE
ADVENTURE
The system is supposed to protect people, but that doesn’t
You are a superhero for the adventure and excitement of it. You
always happen. Some crimes are too big or too small. Some
may be young, going through a phase or a mid-life crisis, or one
criminals are too powerful or too slippery. And some victims are
of those people who need to live life on the edge. Of course,
too invisible or too unpopular. When the system fails, it’s up to
there are plenty of ways to get an adrenaline rush, and the fact
people like you to fill the gaps, protect the innocent, and right
that you choose to do it in a way that protects others says a
the wrongs. You fight to protect those you can, and to get justice
great deal about your good-hearted, heroic nature.
for those you can’t.
ALTRUISM
KNOWLEDGE
You are a superhero because it’s the only reasonable course of
You are on a quest for knowledge or spiritual enlightenment,
action for you and others like you, at least if you want the world
and your heroics arise out of helping those you encounter along
to have any kind of future. You’ve given this a lot of thought, and
the way. Maybe you seek to explore unknown frontiers, invent
while you may or may not be especially good or noble, you can’t
new technologies, or push science and human understanding
escape your conclusion. Some Heroes with this motivation have
to new horizons. Maybe you are looking inward, learning to tap
genius-level intelligence, but others are ordinary folks who sat
your infinite potential, or trying to understand yourself and your
down at the kitchen table trying to figure out what they were
place in the universe. You might even be an alien or a robot
going to do after discovering they had superhuman abilities.
trying to understand what it means to be human.
CAREER
NATURE
You work as a superhero for the government, military, police, or
You are a superhero because that’s what your instincts tell you
some other organization. Or maybe you are a hero-for-hire or a
to be — it’s in your DNA or hardwired into your programming.
private detective with powers, although it can be tough to make
You might be a noble beast whose natural instincts lead you to
ends meet since you can’t seem to turn away anyone who needs
acts of heroism. You could be insane, disconnected from reality,
your help, even if they can’t pay. You might even be chasing
but your actions always have you on the side of the angels. Or
the fame and wealth that comes with being a super-powered
you could be a construct of some kind, like a robot or clockwork
celebrity. Whatever the case, you try to balance a no-nonsense
soldier, programmed for heroism.
levelheadedness with your drive to serve and protect others.
REDEMPTION
DEVOTION
You have made mistakes, and now you are trying to redeem
You are a superhero because of someone else. Someone you
yourself. Your need for redemption might be internal, the desire
love is a superhero and you want to impress, protect, act as
to make amends for your past, or it might be external, a promise
a mentor, or keep them out of trouble. Or someone you care
offered in exchange for forgiveness or leniency. At least it might
about needs you to be a superhero, for whatever reason, so here
have started that way, with you coerced into this life, until you
you are. Although this motivation is less altruistic than most,
woke up one morning and realized this is who you were meant
many Heroes who start out with this motivation come to develop
to be all along.
an appreciation for doing the right thing and eventually drop this
motivation in favor of another.
RESPONSIBILITY
You have abilities and powers that most don’t, and you have a
IDEALISM
duty to use them for the good of others. Maybe this is how you
You are a superhero because you espouse or embody the
were raised, or maybe this was recently made clear to you. You
noblest ideals of a people, group, or nation. You live by your
could have a heroic obligation of some kind, a legacy to live up
ideals, and through your selfless heroics, you inspire others to do
to. Or maybe you just have a deep respect for the value of law
the same. This doesn’t make you a mindless follower, nationalist,
and order in a civil society. You act out of a sense of duty and
or zealot. You believe in the dream, first and foremost, so much
take being a superhero seriously.
so that if the people, group, or nation who once espoused your
ideals suddenly turns its back on them, you will be the first to
plant yourself firm and say, “No, you move.”

TROUBLE be used as the basis of a subplot or story. The GM must approve
You have a problem, one you can’t solve on your own, so you your details, and your fellow player must approve the detail
sought the assistance of other superheroes or their patron. about their Hero. Otherwise, the sky’s the limit.
Chapter 2
Maybe you developed powers you need to learn to control.

Perhaps you were dying, and your powers are the byproduct
of some magical or technological process that saved your life. ORIGIN
Maybe you need super-powered help to save someone you love, The last thing to do is describe how you became a superhero.
or to protect yourself from someone or something. Maybe you You don’t have to write a novel. In fact, a simple sentence or
were coerced into being a superhero, or at least you were at two that leaves a lot to the imagination can sometimes be more
first. Or perhaps you just want to find a place where you’ll be evocative than pages of backstory. And be prepared to read
accepted rather than seen as a freak or a monster. it, because the first thing that should happen once everyone
creates their Heroes is that each player should read their
VIRTUE origin to the rest of the group. The Heroes may not know one
You are a superhero because it’s the right thing to do. People are another’s backstories at the start of the game, but the players
supposed to do what they can to help each other. Your special usually should.
abilities let you do more than most, so you do. It’s that simple.
ADVANCEMENT
An optimist, you will never stop fighting for the dignity and
freedom of every human being. If you didn’t have superpowers,
you would find another way to work for the good of others.
Character advancement is not a major theme of the superhero
genre. Most well-known comic book characters are iconic,
QUOTE changing little over time. This reliable sameness is part of their
charm, and why they keep getting rebooted every few years. On
Whether a catchphrase you repeat constantly or a one-time
those rare occasions when superheroes do change, it often comes
zinger, your quote sums you up in a single phrase or sentence
as a sudden and dramatic transformation rather than slow and
that ties everything else together. If they ever make a movie
steady growth. Despite this, P&P includes rules for character
about you, the quote is the line everyone’s going to remember
advancement because that’s part of the fun of playing a roleplaying
long after leaving the theater. Feel free to leave this one blank
game. Players expect their Heroes to become more capable over
and come back to it after you’ve played a few games and gotten
time, and there’s a lot to be said for watching your creation go
to know your Hero a little better.
from rookie crime fighter to veteran superhero. As with everything
else, feel free to alter or ignore these rules to suit your game.
CONNECTIONS
Describe at least three people who play an important role in
your life. This doesn’t necessarily mean you like these folks, or
GAINING HERO POINTS
GMs should award each player 1 Hero Point roughly every
even know them. It just means they’re connected to you in some
3 issues. These points should be awarded after the Heroes
way. Connections can include family members, friends, pets,
complete a story. If your group tends to complete stories in
coworkers, rivals, and so on. If you have Perks like Contacts or
a single issue, you may want to award Hero Points every few
Patrons, these people don’t count as connections unless they’re
stories instead. Each Hero should also receive 1 Hero Point any
important to you on a personal level, in which case you can
time they accomplish something truly noteworthy. For example,
make them connections if you wish. You don’t have to actually
Heroes who defeat an archvillain or save an entire city (state,
create these Extras, leave that to your GM. Simply describe
country, planet, etc.) from imminent destruction should be
who they are and how they’re connected to you so the GM can
awarded an extra Hero Point.
bring these people into the game when they want to make a
story personal to you.
In addition to the above, Heroes are awarded 1 Hero Point
whenever they experience a major life event like a marriage, the
DETAILS birth of a child, the death of a loved one, or any other important
event in their personal life. At least some part of this event must
The second-to-last step is to make up at least three details: one
occur in the game rather than off screen. Although these life
about you, one about one of the other Heroes in the group that
events are driven by the players, GMs are always free to add
somehow relates to you, and one about someone or something
whatever potential drama and excitement they wish. Only one
out there in the game world that somehow relates to you. You
Hero can experience a major life event per story, so players are
can make up any details you want. They can be related to each
expected to take turns doing this over the course of a series.
other or not. They can involve the past, the present, or the
Occasionally, these events can involve the entire group, like
future. They can involve your backstory, your history, or your
when two Heroes get married and the rest are invited to the
fate. And whether you or anyone else knows or believes these
wedding. The GM is free to bar major life events from happening
things to be true is entirely up to you. The only requirement is
in certain issues or stories, as well as to limit how often they can
that each detail must provide the GM with a plot hook that can
happen at all, thereby dialing the game’s soap opera level up
or down as desired.
62
PROWLERS PARAGONS
SPENDING HERO POINTS RANDOM HERO GENERATOR
New Hero Points can be spent to buy new characteristics or
Characters
improve existing ones. Everything costs the same as during If you find yourself at a loss when trying to create a new Hero,
character creation. For example, raising your Might by 1d costs see if anything on the following tables sparks your imagination.
1 Hero Point, while raising your Super Speed by 1d costs 3 Hero If that doesn’t do it, roll randomly to see what kind of character
Points. If you raise a Trait that acts as a Power’s baseline rank, develops. Of course, this is just for ideas and inspiration — you
that Power increases in rank as well. For example, if you have 3d aren’t bound by these rolls.
Might and 9d Strike, raising Might to 4d will raise Strike to 10d
because Might is the baseline rank for Strike.
NATURE
Heroes can also spend Hero Points to buy extra Flaws. The first Your nature describes what kind of being you are. You can select
3 Flaws are always free, so characters with less than 3 can make your nature from the following options, or you can roll 2 dice
up the difference without spending Hero Points. The fourth, fifth, and check the Random Natures table to let fate decide. If
and sixth Flaws cost 3 Hero Points each. No Hero can have more you want to make things interesting, roll 3 dice instead of two,
than 6 Flaws (unless the GM approves). If you ever grow tired of making sure the third die is a different color. If you roll a 6 on the
a Flaw or feel like your Hero has outgrown or overcome it, you third die, it means you have two natures. Pick a second nature
can swap it out for a different Flaw between stories. This doesn’t or roll a second time (and you may as well add that third die to
cost Hero Points, but you need to explain how this happened. this roll as well, because why not)
Players shouldn’t do this too often, though, or Flaws will start
to feel meaningless. RANDOM NATURES
ROLL NATURE
2 Animal
TRAIT CAPS 3 Construct
Games can have a hard Trait Cap or a floating Trait Cap, as 4 Alien
determined by the GM. Hard Trait Caps never change, no matter 5–9 Human
how many Hero Points the characters earn. Floating Trait Caps, 10 Unearthly
on the other hand, increase over time. Ordinarily, a floating Trait 11 Mythic
Cap increases by +1d for every 10 Hero Points a Hero earns 12 Plant
through advancement. In other words, the game’s Trait Cap
increases by +1d once a Hero earns 10 Hero Points, by another
Alien: You are from another planet. You may be a new arrival to
+1d once they earn 20 Hero Points, and so on.
Earth, or you might have travelled here as a baby so that this
is the only home you know. If you look human, you might not
As an alternative, GMs are free to ignore the above and instead
even know about your alien heritage. The differences between
simply increase the game’s floating Trait Cap whenever they
you and ordinary humans may be invisible to the naked eye,
think it’s appropriate. In game terms, this might be after the
little more than cosmetic, or enough to grant you tremendous
Heroes defeat an archvillain or accomplish a major milestone
abilities under our yellow sun.
in the series. In comic book terms, this might be after each
Special Issue or Anniversary Issue. However they handle this,
Animal: You are an animal that has somehow become sentient,
GMs always have the absolute right to control the Trait Cap in
or maybe you were always that way. You might be an alien,
their games and raise it at whatever speed they wish, if at all.
mythic, or unearthly being who happens to be intelligent, or
you may have become sentient as a result of whatever event or
RETCONS process granted you your other special abilities.
Every so often, players should also be allowed to retcon their

Construct: You are an artificial being like an android, a magical
Heroes. In the comics, a retcon (short for retroactive continuity)
construct, a robot, or a vat-grown human simulacrum. While
is a dramatic change made to a character or another important
many constructs are inanimate, many others are as alive as any
element of a series, often one that rewrites established canon
living creature. Your special abilities are often inherent, part of
to some degree. In P&P, a retcon refers to letting players change
how you were designed or intended to function.
their Heroes however they wish. This can run from something as
small as swapping a few Ability and Talent ranks to something
Human: You are an ordinary human being. While you probably
as large as completely redesigning a Hero from the ground up.
come from present-day Earth, you may be from another time,
As long as the character costs the same number of Hero Points,
another dimension, or both. Regardless, you are just an ordinary
anything goes during a retcon, subject to the GM’s final approval.
person, or at least you were at some point before you gained or
As in the comics, retcons can be explained within the story of
developed your superhuman abilities.
the game or they can be hand-waved — do whatever works best
for your game.

Mythic: You are a magical creature or a member of a hidden Gifted: You were born with your special abilities, although they
culture or race like an amazon, centaur, dragon, dwarf, elf, faerie, may not have developed until later in life. Your abilities are not
ghost, ghoul, immortal, merman/mermaid, minotaur, mummy, shared by other members of your race or species; they are
Chapter 2
nymph, ogre, revenant, satyr, troll, vampire, werewolf, or zombie. unique to you. You are special: blessed or cursed, a genetic
anomaly, a mutant, the one, etc.
Plant: You are a sentient, plant-based life form. You may
always have been this way, or perhaps the same alteration Inherited: You were born with your special abilities or they
or enhancement that granted you your special abilities made developed naturally. Your special abilities are shared by other
you sentient as well. At least some of your special abilities are members of your race or species, so you probably aren’t human.
probably the result of your unique physiology. But you might be, in which case destiny, fate, prophecy, or a
unique bloodline may be the source of your powers.
Unearthly: You are a being from another dimension or plane
of existence, like an angel, demon, or demigod, or maybe Skilled: Most of your special abilities are the result of intense
you come from some otherworldly realm where such beings training, whether physical, mental, or mystical. The rest often
reside. Some or all your special abilities are attributable to your represent arms, armor, and equipment you have at your disposal.
inhuman or extradimensional nature.
BASIC ORIGIN
Your basic origin provides a general idea of how you developed
your special abilities. Although this may suggest what your
SUPER TIP!
special abilities represent (i.e., their Source) you always have Your origin isn’t about how you got your powers.
the final say and can give your Powers whatever Source you It’s about why you’re a superhero. A Hero’s origin
want. You can select your basic origin from the following options, is usually what cements their Motivation in place.
or you can roll 1 die and check the Random Origins table to
let fate decide. If you want to make things interesting, roll 2 dice
instead of one, making sure the second die is a different color.
If you roll a 6 on the second die, it means you have two basic
origins. Pick a second one or roll a second time (and while you’re SOURCES
at it go ahead and roll that extra die again as well). These are the Sources for your Powers and Abilities with a rank
of 7d or greater. Abilities of rank 6d or less are assumed to be
RANDOM ORIGINS Innate, and Talents are assumed to be Trained, regardless of their
ROLL BASIC ORIGIN rank, but these defaults aren’t mandatory. If you select or roll
1 Altered other Sources and would like to apply them to your Abilities
2 Designed and Talents, you are free to do so. Decide how many Sources
3 Equipped you want to use, then pick the ones you want or roll one die and
4 Gifted check the Random Sources table for each.
5 Inherited
6 Skilled RANDOM SOURCES
ROLL SOURCE
1 Innate
Altered: You were altered or transformed in some way. This might
2 Magic
have been the result of a random accident, event, or occurrence,
3 Psychic
or you may have been intentionally enhanced with biotech,
4 Super
cybernetic implants, experimental gene therapy, magical tattoos,
5 Tech
permanent spells, etc. If you are a construct, you were modified
6 Trained
or redesigned for something other than your original purpose.
Designed: You were created or designed to have your special

abilities. This basic origin is most applicable to Constructs, so ARCHETYPES
feel free to select this without rolling if you are a Construct or to In this context, your archetype refers to a type of character,
reroll this result if you are anything else (although you can make set of powers, or both. Select one or more of the following
this work for any nature). archetypes. If you prefer to do this randomly, roll 2 dice and use
the lower roll to determine the number of archetypes you will
Equipped: Your special abilities come from one or more objects use to create your character. Then roll 2 more dice and check
you acquired or made. These objects might be tools you actually the Random Archetypes table. In this case you are looking
use, like a high-tech suit of powered armor or a magic sword, or at the number rolled on each die separately, so use differently
they might instead be talismans or sources of power, like a ring colored dice and determine which to read first before rolling (or
charged with cosmic energy. decide after rolling, giving you 2 options per roll).
64
PROWLERS PARAGONS
RANDOM ARCHETYPES
ROLL ARCHETYPE
11 Acrobat: You are agile and can often leap great distances, climb walls, and use a swing line.
Characters
12 Archer or Gunslinger: You are a sharpshooter who may use trick arrows or ammo.
13 Battlesuit: You wear a suit of armor that grants you your special abilities.
14 Beast: You have animal or insect abilities, often natural attacks, and enhanced senses.
15 Blaster or Marksman: You are a ranged combatant who uses energy or physical attacks.
16 Brawler: You are a scrapper who specializes in armed or unarmed combat.
21 Controller: You can inflict some unique special effect or effects on your opponents.
22 Cyber-Soldier: You are an experienced soldier, often cybernetically enhanced.
23 Detective: You are an expert sleuth and a two-fisted crime fighter.
24 Dominator: You control or deceive others and make them see or do what you wish.
25 Duplicator: You create hordes of duplicates or summon hordes of minions
26 Energy Controller: You can project and control a type of energy.
31 Force Manipulator: You can generate force constructs or force fields, maybe both.
32 Gadgeteer: You rely on a variety of gadgets and gizmos.
33 Ghost: You can become insubstantial to one degree or another.
34 Life Drinker: You consume life energy, maybe even blood.
35 Lucky: You are extremely lucky, sometimes unbelievably so.
36 Magician: You have a power that lets you do almost anything you can imagine.
41 Malleable: You can deform and reshape your body to one degree or another.
42 Matter Manipulator: You have absolute control over a type of matter.
43 Mimic/Siphon: You mimic or absorb Traits from other characters.
44 Ninja/Spy/Thief: You are sneaky and can get into and out of places without being detected.
45 Nullifier: You can dampen or drain other characters’ Traits.
46 Powerhouse/Tank: You are super strong, tremendously resistant to harm, or both.
51 Psychic: You are psionically sensitive and can detect what others cannot.
52 Searo: You are aquatic, likely physically powerful, and may have other aquatic abilities.
53 Sensor: Your senses are incredibly acute, or you have senses normal humans lack.
54 Shapeshifter: You can turn into other forms or other things.
55 Size Changer: You can change your size, growing, shrinking, or both.
56 Speedster: You can move at superhuman speeds.
61 Technomancer: You can control technology.
62 Telekinetic: You can move physical objects with your mind.
63 Telepath: You can send thoughts, read minds, and engage in psychic combat.
64 Teleporter: You can instantly transport yourself from one place to another.
65 Weather Controller: You can control the weather and create powerful weather effects.
66 Winged Hero: You are a winged superhero and probably an agile combatant.
MOTIVATION RANDOM MOTIVATIONS

ROLL MOTIVATION
Last, if you’re having trouble deciding what makes your Hero
1 Adventure
tick, start with your motivation. After all, that’s what drives you
2 Altruism
to be a superhero in the first place. Your motivation may also
3 Career
suggest something about your background, especially when
4 Devotion
combined with your basic origin above. As usual, you can select
5 Idealism
one of the motivations from the Random Motivations table or
6 Justice
roll 2 dice and leave it up to fate. When rolling on this table, use
7 Knowledge
differently colored dice. If the first die is odd, use the number
8 Nature
rolled on the second die. If the first die is even, use the number
9 Redemption
rolled on the second die plus 6.
10 Responsibility
11 Trouble
12 Virtue

CHAPTER 3
ACTION
Action
A Hero’s life is full of action! But before you can focus on the important stuff like defeating nefarious villains, thwarting their diabolical
plots, and protecting innocent civilians, you need to know how to take action. To that end, this chapter discusses challenge rolls, the
core mechanic around which P&P is based. Everything else flows from here.
CHALLENGE ROLLS
CHALLENGE ROLLS NET SUCCESSES NARRATIVE CONTROL
−2 or less Opponent
You can automatically do anything a normal person can do
−1 to 0 Opponent with Embellishment
without difficulty. Simply tell the GM and describe what happens.
1 to 2 Actor with Embellishment
However, any time you try to perform an action whose outcome
3 or more Actor
is uncertain, you have to make a challenge roll to determine
who earns narrative control and gets to describe what happens
in the game world. Things work a little differently in combat, but Citizen Soldier and Gatecrasher are putting on an arm-
out of combat, challenge rolls generally determine who gets to wrestling exhibition for charity. Both have 12d Might. Citizen
narrate the outcome of an action. Soldier doesn’t roll, and instead takes 6 automatic successes
for his 12d. Gatecrasher, meanwhile, rolls 12 dice and gets a
When making a challenge roll, you roll a number of 6-sided dice 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, and 6, for a total of 7 successes
equal to the Trait that applies to the action attempted. If you (one for each 2 and two for each 6). Because both characters
aren’t sure which Trait to use, the GM can make the call. You are trying to do the same thing — win the contest — the one
earn one success for every 2 and 4 rolled, and two successes for who rolls more successes is now the Actor. That would be
every 6 rolled. If penalties ever leave you with less than one die, Gatecrasher. Subtracting the Soldier’s 6 successes, Gate
you nevertheless roll one die, and you must roll a 6 to earn just ends up with 1 net success. Gatecrasher gets to describe
one success. Anything else means you fail the roll completely. how the arm-wrestling contest plays out, but Citizen Soldier
To speed play, you are always free to take 1 automatic success can embellish his narration.
for every 2 dice you choose to not roll (although the GM can
veto this option).
You must then subtract the action’s threshold from your

THRESHOLDS
Whenever you perform an action opposed by another character,
successes to determine your net successes. If you are acting
they make a challenge roll to resist your efforts and their
against an opponent, they make their own roll and you use their
successes become your threshold. If no one is resisting your
successes as your threshold. The GM can apply a modifier of
efforts, the GM assigns a threshold based on the difficulty of your
anywhere from +4d to −4d to either or both rolls to account
action and the conditions under which you are operating. Use
for conditions like lousy weather, unstable footing, and so on. If
the Thresholds table below as a guide. Challenge rolls against a
you are not acting against an opponent, the GM assigns a static
static threshold are typically referred to by their difficulty and
threshold (see below).
threshold followed by the name of the Trait use. For example, an
Average (1) Might roll.
Once you determine your net successes, check the Challenge
Rolls table to see who describes what happens. As used on this
THRESHOLDS
table, the Actor is the person making the roll and the Opponent
DIFFICULTY THRESHOLD
is the one resisting it. If two or more characters are trying to
Easy 0
accomplish the same goal, whoever rolls the most successes
Average 1
is the Actor, and whoever rolls the next most successes is the
Hard 2
Opponent. Because actions like cracking a safe or scaling a wall
Daunting 3
do not involve an Opponent, the GM acts as the Opponent in
Brutal 4
cases like these (although GMs are encouraged to accept player
Inhuman 5
input when the Actor is an NPC).
Superhuman 6 to 8
Legendary 9 to 11
Godlike 12 or more

EMBELLISHMENTS
Whenever an embellishment is allowed, the party who doesn’t
have narrative control can add to the other person’s narration
Chapter 3
in some small but meaningful way. An embellishment should be

a clarification or additional detail that expands on the original
narration without contradicting it. Embellishments can’t render
the original narration untrue or true but effectively meaningless.
Assume you roll −1 net success when trying to leap across

rooftops, so the GM narrates you onto a scaffolding thirty feet
down. You can’t use your embellishment to say you make it
across after all, because that renders the original narration
untrue. You also can’t say you land on the scaffolding and
then bounce back up to the roof because that makes the
original narration meaningless.
COMPROMISES
When someone else has the right to embellish your narration,
you can offer a compromise. This means you describe a less-
than-perfect outcome for your action in exchange for them giving
up the right to embellish your narration. To have a compromise,
both sides must agree on the final narration. Opponents are
never obligated to accept a compromise.
DESCRIBING THE ACTION

The point of this system is to pave the way for creative and
unexpected outcomes. Players and GMs are expected to narrate
interesting results. Although we expect players to slant things
in their favor and GMs to slant things against them, narrations
should usually involve something more than a simple I win or
you lose. For example, if you fail a challenge roll while trying to
leap from one rooftop to another, the GM should come up with
something more interesting than just having you fall to your
death. Maybe you stop short at the edge of a building and drop
something you were carrying. Maybe you almost make it across
and end up dangling by your fingertips, ready to lose your grip
at any moment. Maybe you drop onto a scaffolding some 30
feet below, as described in the previous example. Be creative
and make your descriptions interesting.
Conversely, not every roll is created equal. While every challenge

roll should be important, some rolls will have a clear either/or
outcome. Don’t be afraid to narrate a simple success or failure if
that’s enough to keep the game moving. This system is supposed
to make the game more exciting, not to bring the action to a
crashing halt every time someone makes a challenge roll. If an
interesting or exciting result doesn’t immediately present itself
or isn’t necessarily appropriate for the roll, then let the dice tell
you whether you succeeded or failed and move on. Never let
this slow you down.
68
PROWLERS PARAGONS
TRADITIONAL RESULTS
Not everyone is comfortable narrating their actions. Some
players find this intimidating. Others feel it kills immersion by
making them think like an author or a narrator instead of a
Action
character. And there are players who don’t want to come up with
a narration for every challenge roll — when the dice hit the table,
all they want to know is whether or not they succeed. If this
describes you, that’s fine too. While these rules are designed
around the idea of rolling for narrative control, you can just as
easily apply a more traditional framework of rolling to determine
success or failure by using the Traditional Results table. When
using this table, the GM determines the nature of all silver linings
and complications. You can even mix and match these systems,
with some players using narrative results and others using
traditional results.
TRADITIONAL RESULTS
NET SUCCESSES RESULTS
−2 or Less Complete Failure
−1 to 0 Failure with Silver Lining
1 to 2 Success with Complication
3 or More Complete Success
CHECKING YOUR SWING

The game’s dice mechanics are meant to be swingy. An
especially good roll with lots of 6s can yield a surprising number
of successes, occasionally letting an underdog do much better
than expected. While that suits comic book style action perfectly,
you might want something more realistic or predictable when
playing a grittier game. If so, use this alternate rule when reading
the dice: all even numbers are worth one success; 6s don’t
provide extra successes but they explode if you spend 1 Resolve
(you decide whether or not to spend Resolve after rolling the
dice). Making 6s explode means you get to roll those dice again
to try for extra successes, and you can keep rerolling them as
long as you keep rolling 6s. Using this method, extreme results
are less common and often require you to spend Resolve. There
are a few other instances in these rules that allow you to spend
1 Resolve to make your 6s explode. When using this rule, those
situations provide no extra benefit.
ASSISTING
Some actions are easier to accomplish with help. In such cases,
the person helping you makes their own challenge roll against a
Hard (2) threshold and you gain a +1d bonus to your challenge
roll for every 2 net successes they roll (rounding up as always).
When working with multiple helpers, use the bonus provided by
the one who rolls best.
Occasionally, you and your allies must perform individual actions

as a group, like climbing a mountain or sneaking into a Villain’s
lair. In cases like these, everyone makes their own challenge
roll, but characters who earn more than 3 net successes can
distribute these extra net successes among their allies to help
them succeed as well.

CONTESTS DEFINING MOMENTS
Some challenges are more dramatic and interesting when Whether you’re a solo act or part of a team, there are times
Chapter 3
broken up over multiple rolls. These challenges are contests, when everything rests on your shoulders. When that happens,
and they’re broken down into a number of exchanges. Each you always have the option of declaring a Defining Moment.
exchange covers a separate part of the overall task and requires This does two things. First, any 6s you roll explode. As noted
its own challenge roll. Most contests should involve 3 exchanges, above, that means you get to roll those dice again to try for
but especially arduous ones can have 6 or more, assuming the extra successes, and you can keep rerolling them as long as you
GM can make each exchange interesting. For example, a foot keep rolling 6s (and each 6 still counts as 2 successes). Second,
race with 3 exchanges could be broken down into sprinting every point of Resolve you spend on that challenge roll earns
through darkened alleys, scrambling up building facades and you 3 extra dice instead of the usual 1 extra die (see Chapter 5).
fire escapes, and bounding across moonlit rooftops. The winner
of each exchange is allowed to describe something that happens Despite the name, Defining Moments can last longer than an
during that exchange — think of this as an embellishment — and instant. For example, a Hero with super strength might declare
earns a +2d bonus on their challenge roll in the next exchange. a Defining Moment when they need to hold up a collapsing
Whoever wins the final exchange gets to describe the overall building long enough for the civilians inside to escape, even
outcome of the contest. though the building would normally be much too heavy to lift.
Similarly, a Defining Moment could involve attempting to defuse
an impossibly complex alien bomb or negotiating a peace treaty
between militant factions that have been at war for centuries.
You can only declare one Defining Moment per story. Additionally,
because these are instances when everything rests on you, only
one Hero can declare a Defining Moment per scene (although
Heroes in different scenes — different locations, different times,
whatever — can declare Defining Moments that just happen to
occur at the same time). Most importantly, Defining Moments
take their toll on you. Once a Defining Moment is over, you must
permanently reduce one of your Abilities by 1d. If your Defining
Moment involved a physical task, you must reduce Agility, Might
or Toughness. If it involved a mental task, you must reduce
Intellect, Perception, or Willpower. Although the reduction is
permanent, this doesn’t prevent you from spending Hero Points
to raise that Ability in the future.
Putting these mechanical considerations aside, Defining

Moments should be rare and special. Don’t expect to have one
every issue, or even every story. Heroes are constantly fighting
the good fight, challenging supervillains, protecting civilians, and
doing what they can to make the world a better place. None of
that rises to the level of a Defining Moment. It’s only when you
find yourself in a truly critical situation that rests entirely on your
shoulders that a Defining Moment is appropriate.
ONE-SHOTS
When playing a convention game or any one-shot game where
you don’t expect to use your Hero again, the idea of reducing
one of your Abilities by 1d doesn’t mean very much. Accordingly,
Defining Moments are even more debilitating in one-shot games.
After you resolve your Defining Moment, your Health drops to 0
and you fall unconscious. You regain your wits at the end of the
scene, but you suffer a −2d penalty to all challenge rolls for the
rest of the story. GMs may let Heroes in ordinary games choose
this option instead of reducing one of their Abilities by 1d, but
that’s entirely optional.
70
PROWLERS PARAGONS
JUDGING THRESHOLDS
If you don’t know what threshold to make a particular action, remember this general guideline, which is especially applicable to
Standard Heroes: difficult actions are usually Hard (2), heroically difficult actions are usually Brutal (4), and super-heroically difficult
Action
actions are usually Superhuman (6). If that doesn’t help, review the examples on the Sample Thresholds table and remember that
it’s perfectly okay to just wing it and go with whatever feels right.
SAMPLE THRESHOLDS
THRESHOLD EXAMPLES
Easy bypass a simple interior lock • convince a security guard you’re lost • find a hidden clue • hack a
(0) home computer • sprint over uneven ground without tripping • stand on a narrow ledge
bypass a simple exterior lock • convince a bodyguard to let you pass • find a hidden clue a
Average
detective might miss • hack a typical office computer or server • perform simple gymnastic
(1)
maneuvers (flips, rolls, tumbles) • stand on a tightrope or walk across a narrow ledge
bypass a high-end home security system • convince a police officer you’re an officially sanctioned
Hard
consultant • find a hidden clue a forensics expert might miss • hack a cutting-edge computer system •
(2)
perform complex gymnastic maneuvers • run across a narrow ledge or walk across a tightrope
bypass a high-end government security system • convince a Secret Service agent you’re authorized to
Daunting
see the President • fight on a narrow ledge • find a hidden clue a master detective might miss • hack a
(3)
cutting-edge government computer system • perform complex acrobatics • run across a tightrope
bypass the world’s most advanced security system • convince the Joint Chiefs you belong in the Situation
Brutal
Room • find a hidden clue the world’s greatest detective might miss • fight on a tightrope • hack the
(4)
world’s most advanced computer system • perform acrobatics impossible for most humans
bypass a magical or ultra-tech security system • convince someone to dramatically change

Inhuman
political or religious beliefs • detect something beyond the ordinary human sensory range • hack
(5)
a magical or ultra-tech computer system • perform acrobatics like a monkey or squirrel
bypass the best magical or ultra-tech security system • convince a cosmic herald to not report back to their omnipotent
Superhuman
cosmic lord • detect something beyond the sensory range of most animals • hack the best magical or ultra-tech
(6 to 8)
computer system • perform superhuman acrobatics (remain standing atop tumbling boulders during a landslide)
bypass celestial or infernal security • convince a celestial or infernal being to change its very nature • detect
Legendary
something beyond the sensory range of advanced technology • hack the core of a sentient cyber-planet • perform
(9 to 11)
legendary acrobatics (leap your way up a trail of falling debris to reach the rooftop of a crumbling building)
convince an omnipotent cosmic being to change its very nature • deduce the past and predict the future using current
Godlike
information • outsmart or sneak past an omniscient cosmic being • perform impossible acrobatics (dodge raindrops
(12 or more)
to avoid getting wet during a storm; run across a spray of machinegun fire or a pressurized stream of liquid)

CHAPTER 4
COMBAT
Combat
P&P should be played with a strong narrative focus. The story that unfolds while playing the game is what matters most. However,
because super-powered slugfests are such an important part of the superhero genre, combat is one place where the rules get a bit
crunchier. This chapter expands on the idea of challenge rolls and explains how to use them — and a few other rules — to bring combat
and other action scenes to life in your games. Although this chapter includes some additional rules, GMs should feel free to ignore
anything they wish. This is your game, and as discussed in Chapter 1, it runs smoothly even if you ignore most of the rules and just
focus on the core concepts.
EDGE ACTIONS
Time is broken down into pages during combat. A page All characters get their turn to act on each page of combat.
represents a few seconds of time in the game world. Every When it’s your turn to act, you can move and perform 1 or more
character involved in combat gets a turn to act on each page of actions. An action is a brief act that requires a bit of attention.
the action. Characters act in order of their Edge, from highest Being that this is combat, attacks are the most common type
to lowest. Your Edge equals your Perception plus Agility or of action, so attacks and actions are often synonymous. You
your Perception plus Intellect — use whichever is greater. If you can also defend yourself and perform as many free actions as
prefer random initiative, have characters make Edge rolls when the GM considers reasonable. Free actions are minor actions,
combat begins and use their successes as their effective Edge things like drawing, sheathing, or dropping an item, opening or
for that battle. closing a door, or saying a few words to someone within Close
Range. Once everyone has taken their turn to act (or chosen to
When characters have the same Edge, action order is as follows: skip their turn), the current page ends and a new one begins.
Heroes, Villains, Foes, and Extras. If that doesn’t break the tie
(such as when Heroes fight other Heroes), the characters act
simultaneously, making it possible for them to knock each other MULTIPLE ACTIONS
out. Minions have no Edge, so they always act after everyone You can perform more than 1 action per page, but if you do,
else. If it ever matters, Minion good guys and Minion bad guys you suffer a −2d penalty to all challenge rolls per extra action
act simultaneously. taken. For example, if you perform 2 attacks on one page, you
suffer a −2d penalty to each. If you perform 3 attacks on one
You can always hold your action in reserve, waiting to act in page, you suffer a −4d penalty to each. And so on. You must
response to something that might happen later that page. If declare your multiple actions before making any challenge rolls.
whatever you were waiting for doesn’t happen, you lose This penalty applies only to your multiple actions; it doesn’t
your turn to act on that page. If two or more characters hold affect your defense rolls or other challenge rolls. Despite these
their actions waiting for something to happen and it finally rules, you can’t attack the same target more than once per page.
does, action order among those characters is determined by Actions and movement are different things, so you can’t use
their Edge. multiple actions to move farther than normal.
SEIZING INITIATIVE RANGE

You can spend 1 Resolve to jump ahead of everyone else in
Range is handled abstractly in P&P. Rather than measure
combat. From that point on, you act first on every page of the
distances precisely, three range classes are used to
action. When two or more characters seize the initiative, they go
approximate distances. Close Range covers anything from
before everyone else, but their Edge scores determine the order
physical contact to within the distance an ordinary person can
in which they act. Optionally, rather than allowing characters
move in one page. Distant Range covers anything beyond Close
to automatically act first, GMs may instead have this double a
Range but within range of most weapons and Powers. Extreme
character’s effective Edge, making it harder to seize the initiative
Range covers anything beyond Distant Range but close enough
when facing opponents with truly superhuman reflexes.
to see (within limits — the Moon is past Extreme Range). The GM
always determines the initial range class between combatants.

Most attacks are either close combat attacks or ranged attacks. Powermad needs to smash a machinegun turret at Distant
Close combat attacks can only be used on targets that are Range. He has no Travel Power, so it’ll take him 2 pages to
adjacent to you. As long as you can move around, you can use run up to the thing, letting him strike on the second page of
Chapter 4
a close combat attack on anyone within Close Range, but you the action. His ally, Flicker, is also at Distant Range, but she
have to move up to them if they aren’t already adjacent to you. has the Running Power at 9d, so she can move to within Close
Ranged attacks, on the other hand, can typically be used on Range of the turret and smash it in 1 page.
targets within Close Range or Distant Range. There are some
exceptions — for example, thrown weapons normally only work
Whenever there’s a question about how far or how fast you
within Close Range, while sniper rifles can often reach Extreme
can move in one page, or when you need to know who gets
Range — but not many.
somewhere first, have all characters involved in the action make
challenge rolls using their Agility or Travel Power to determine
who gets to describe what happens. Characters on foot use half
SUPER TIP!
their Agility when rolling against characters using Travel Powers
because Travel Powers let you move faster than normal.
It may help to think of Close Range as within
50 feet, Distant Range as within 500 feet, CHASES
and Extreme Range as within 5,000 feet, Chases through open terrain are usually won by whoever is
but these are just rough estimates. faster, which is why they’re boring. Luckily, most chases occur
in locations where maneuverability is just as important as speed,
places like crowded city streets, dark sewer tunnels, or the
cramped airspace between office buildings. Chases like these are
THROWING RANGE handled as contests, but with an unlimited number of exchanges.
Ordinary people can accurately throw weapons and light objects

Each exchange in a chase lasts one page. At the start of every
as far as Close Range. Of course, characters with superhuman
page, characters involved in the chase make challenge rolls
strength can often throw things much farther than that. If your
using their Agility or Travel Power (as usual, those on foot use
Might is greater than 6d, use the Throwing table to determine
only half their Agility when rolling against those using Travel
how far you can accurately throw things. Your throwing rank
Powers). This roll isn’t considered an action, so characters
equals your Might minus the object’s weight rank (minimum 0d).
involved in a chase can still attack or perform other actions
as usual. If you have multiple pursuers or quarries, each
THROWING
pursuer picks one quarry to chase (and roll against). As usual,
THROWING RANK THROWING RANGE
winning an exchange grants you a +2d bonus on the next
3d to 6d Close Range
exchange. More importantly, scoring at least 3 net successes
7d to 12d Distant Range
lets you close or expand the distance between you and your
13d to 24d Extreme Range
opponent by one range class. The chase ends if the parties
25d or more Past Extreme Range
move closer than Close Range or farther than Extreme Range.
At closer than Close Range, the quarry gets cornered or
MOVEMENT
outmaneuvered and can’t go any farther (although they can
still fight). At farther than Extreme Range, the quarry escapes.
Like range, movement is also handled abstractly. Moving up to

Flicker is chasing a car full of bank robbers. The car is at
or away from someone already within Close Range of you takes
Distant Range. Flicker, as you may recall, has 9d Running,
one page. Moving doesn’t prevent you from taking actions, so
which bodes well for her compared to the car’s 6d Speed.
you can move up to someone within Close Range and take a
Flicker wins the first exchange with 3 net successes. She
swing at them on the same page. Moving one range class closer
closes to within Close Range of the getaway car and gets a
to or farther away from someone takes 2 pages, unless you
+2d bonus on her next roll. Next page, she wins the exchange
have a power that lets you move faster than normal (a Travel
but scores only 1 net success. That’s enough to secure the
Power) at rank 6d or greater, in which case you can cross one
+2d bonus on her next roll, but not enough to close the
range class per page. This assumes you’re fighting in an ordinary
distance any further. When the third page comes around,
environment with terrain that limits how fast characters with
Flicker once again wins the exchange, this time scoring 4 net
Travel Powers can move. If the terrain is wide open, the GM is
successes and ending the chase. She takes the opportunity to
free to let characters with Travel Powers at high ranks cross 2 or
smash her way into the back seat of the car. If she’d wanted
even 3 range classes in a single page.
to be less flashy, Flicker could instead have ended the chase
by having the car turn into a dead end or come to a halt after
smashing into something.
74
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ATTACKS AND DEFENSES that inflict lethal damage. However, there are a few attacks —
notably unarmed attacks and those made with light clubbing
weapons — that inflict subdual damage instead. Targets can
Attacks are handled like any other challenge roll. When attacking,
use their full Toughness as a passive defense against attacks that
you make an attack roll using the Trait that corresponds to your
Combat
inflict subdual damage. Unless otherwise noted, always assume
attack, and your target makes a defense roll using the Trait that
physical damage is lethal. Psychic damage is neither lethal nor
corresponds to their defense to determine the threshold you
subdual and is resisted with Willpower in any case.
have to beat. If you roll more successes than your target, the
attack hits and inflicts damage or a special effect, as discussed
below. If you don’t beat the threshold, the attack either misses
or it hits the target but has no effect.
MODIFIERS
Although these rules are far from realistic, GMs may want
account for basic factors like cover, size, and visibility to keep
The Attack and Defense table indicates the Traits used to
things at least somewhat grounded. Use the modifiers below to
perform common attacks and defenses. P&P doesn’t distinguish
make combat scenes more interesting and tactical, but never let
between accuracy and damage or defense and damage
them bog the game down.
resistance. Attackers use one Trait that lumps accuracy and
damage together for their attack rolls, and defenders use one
Cover affects your attack rolls. You suffer a −1d penalty if your
Trait that represents either defense or damage resistance —
target has light cover, a −2d penalty if they have heavy cover,
whichever is better — for their defense rolls.
or a −3d penalty if they have almost full cover. You can’t hit
a target completely hidden behind cover, but if your attack
ATTACK AND DEFENSE
rank exceeds the cover’s Structure, you can attack through it. If
ATTACK ATTACK DEFENSE you do, your target can use the cover’s Structure as a passive
TYPE TRAIT TRAITS
defense against your attack.
Unarmed Might Agility or Toughness or Power
Melee Weapon Might Agility or ½ Toughness or Power
Size affects your active defense rolls. You get a +1d bonus if your
Ranged Weapon Agility Agility or ½ Toughness or Power
attacker is at least twice your size or a +2d bonus if they are at
Physical Power Power Agility or ½ Toughness or Power
least 5 times your size. Conversely, you suffer a −1d penalty if
Mental Power Power Willpower or Power
your attacker is no more than half your size or a −2d penalty if
they are no more than one-fifth your size.
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE DEFENSES Visibility affects your attack rolls and your active defense rolls.
There are two kinds of defenses: active and passive. Active You suffer a −1d penalty if the visibility is poor or a −3d penalty
defenses represent attempts to block, dodge, or parry attacks, if you have no visibility. Poor visibility includes dim lighting, fog,
while passive defenses represent the ability to resist or smoke, etc. No visibility is usually due to blindness or darkness.
withstand attacks. Agility is a common active defense, while You effectively have no visibility against an invisible opponent
Toughness, Willpower, and Powers like Armor and Force Field are unless you have a Power that compensates for this, like Blind
common passive defenses. The only distinction between active Fighting or Radar.
and passive defenses is that you can’t use active defenses if you
DAMAGE
are immobilized, surprised, unconscious, or otherwise unable
to actively defend yourself. As long as you can move, however,
neither being in a cramped or awkward position nor losing your
Every net success rolled on a damaging attack inflicts 1 point
next turn to act prevents you from using active defenses.
of damage. Damage reduces a target’s Health. Once a target’s
Health falls to 0, they are defeated and knocked out for the rest
No matter how many defenses you have available to you, you
of the scene. Because this game emulates a four-color comic
always use only one defense against each attack, normally the
book style, you don’t have to worry about killing or being killed
one with the greatest rank. Of course, this is an abstraction. You
in combat unless using the optional Gritty Combat Rules.
aren’t really choosing between dodging and resisting attacks
when you defend yourself. In the game world, you are probably
trying to avoid getting hit, and if you do get hit, your passive
defenses are there to protect you. As a result, you always use
HEALTH
A character’s Health determines how much punishment they
the best defense available to you when making defense rolls.
can withstand. Your Health equals the average of your Toughness
and Might or the average of your Toughness and Willpower —
LETHAL AND SUBDUAL ATTACKS use whichever option gives you a greater value. Villains and Foes
use the same formula to calculate their suggested Health, but
Attacks inflict one of two types of damage: lethal or subdual.
as mentioned earlier, this total is halved for Foes (suggested
Most physical attacks, hazards, weapons, and Powers inflict
because NPC Health is always determined by the GM, as
lethal damage, the more dangerous of the two. Targets can use
discussed in Chapter 8). Minions don’t use Health, as discussed
only half their Toughness as a passive defense against attacks
later in this chapter.

HEALING KEEPING HOLD
Once a fight ends, you can make a Hard (2) Toughness roll to Whenever you defeat a target with a special effect, you can
recover 1 point of Health for every net success rolled. You can spend 1 Resolve to extend the effect’s duration so that it lasts
Chapter 4
also do this after every night of rest (or every day of rest if you until the end of the following scene. You can keep extending a
happen to be living la vida nocturnal). If you spend a full 24 special effect’s duration from one scene to the next as long as
hours doing nothing but resting, the threshold for this roll drops you keep spending Resolve.
to Average (1). Once defeated and carted off to the authorities
INSTANT RECOVERY
or otherwise removed from the scene, NPCs recover from their
injuries as quickly as the plot requires.
Defeat doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the fight. If you
SPECIAL EFFECTS get defeated by an attack that inflicts damage, you can spend 1
point of Resolve on your next turn to act to regain consciousness
Powers like Ensnare, Mind Control, and Stun inflict conditions and recover 3 points of Health. Similarly, if you’re under the
and effects other than damage, called special effects. Special influence of a special effect Power, you can spend 1 point of
effects last a number of pages equal to half the net successes Resolve on your next turn to act to break free of it (notice you
rolled on your attack and expire at the end of your turn to act on don’t need to be defeated to use this option to free yourself of
that page. You can stack a special effect’s duration by attacking a special effect). Either way, you can then jump right back into
the same target multiple times. If the duration of a special effect the action. You can only use instant recovery once per scene.
ever equals or exceeds the target’s current Health, they are
GRAPPLING
defeated by the effect, which then lasts for the rest of the scene.
Parthian smiles as he watches Citizen Soldier and Gatecrasher

Grappling is often just another way of inflicting damage in close
arm-wrestle at his charity fundraiser. A tap on the shoulder
combat. You don’t need special rules for that. The rules below
gets his attention, and he turns to look into the eyes of the
apply when you try to perform a grab, hold, or escape. A grab
Villain, Heartbreaker. Unable to avert his gaze, Parthian
is any attempt to take a weapon or other handheld item away
feels his will slowly drain away as she attempts to use Mind
from your opponent. A hold is any attempt to control or restrain
Control on him. Heartbreaker rolls 8 successes on her Mind
your opponent. An escape is any attempt to break out of a hold.
Control attack roll, while Parthian rolls 3 successes on his
These moves all require a Might roll against your opponent’s
Willpower defense roll, leaving the Villain with 5 net successes.
Might. If you aren’t already grappling, your opponent can
Heartbreaker gains control of Parthian’s mind for 3 pages.
instead use an active defense against your roll. The possible
outcomes are described on the Grappling table.
BREAKING FREE GRAPPLING

If you are suffering from a special effect but have not been NET GRAB HOLD ESCAPE
defeated by it, you can try to free yourself of the effect when SUCCESSES RESULT RESULT RESULT
your turn to act comes along. Make a challenge roll using the 0 or Less No Effect No Effect No Effect
passive defense identified in the Power’s description (often 1 to 2 Partial Grab Partial Hold Partial Escape
Might, Toughness, or Willpower) against the Power’s rank. If 3 or More Full Grab Full Hold Full Escape
successful, the special effect’s duration is reduced by half your
net successes. If you reduce the duration to 0 or fewer pages,
you break free of the effect and can act on that same page.
GRAB
A partial grab means you and your opponent are fighting
On his turn to act, Parthian tries to break free of the Mind
over an item (often a weapon). They can’t use it, but neither
Control. The immortal archer’s Willpower isn’t nearly as well-
can you. As long as this continues, neither of you can perform
developed as Heartbreaker’s mental abilities, but Parthian
active defenses against anyone else, and you each get to make
gets lucky. He manages to roll 7 successes against a terrible
opposed Might rolls on your turn to act to try gaining control.
roll of 4 successes by Heartbreaker, earning him 3 net
You can exit grappling combat at any time by letting go of the
successes. This reduces the Mind Control duration by 2 pages,
object. A full grab means you gain control of the object and
so our Hero should be free after Heartbreaker’s next turn to
can use it or toss it aside on that same page without suffering
act. Sadly, Heartbreaker’s next turn to act doesn’t bode well
a multiple action penalty. In effect, a full grab is a free action.
for poor Parthian.
HOLD
A partial hold means you and your opponent start wrestling.
They can’t go anywhere or do anything else, but neither can you.
You have each other tied up, and neither of you can perform
76
PROWLERS PARAGONS
active defenses against anyone else. The only physical action Flashy Move: Performing a fighting technique like disarming
either of you can take on your turn to act is making an opposed or tripping an opponent. Use a regular attack roll against your
Might roll against the other to try for a full hold or an escape. opponent’s active defense or one of their physical Abilities;
A full hold means you gain control over your opponent. From the GM decides whether to use Agility, Might, or Toughness,
Combat
then on, the only physical action they can take is to try escaping, depending on what you’re trying to do.
but you can attack them on subsequent pages. You can inflict
damage on them by making a Might roll against the greater of Overpower: Knocking or shoving an opponent back, down, or
their Might or Toughness, or you can inflict pain to make them aside. Use Might or a Power that affects physical objects (like
give in, tap out, or surrender — if only for a moment — by making Hyper Breath or Telekinesis) against your opponent’s Might or
a Might roll against the greater of their Toughness or Willpower. any active defense they prefer.
The rules above don’t take Powers into account. Although unable Taunt: Angering, confusing, distracting, or unnerving an
to perform ordinary physical actions, characters in a partial hold opponent with banter, jokes, threats, wisecracks, and so on. Use
or a full hold remain free to use any Power they could reasonably Charm or Command against your opponent’s Willpower.
use despite being physically restrained. This varies greatly
MINIONS IN COMBAT
depending on what a particular Power represents, but a good
general rule is that Powers that need to be aimed (including most
attack Powers) or that require freedom of movement (including
Minions are unique characters. As a reminder, Minions only have
most Travel Powers) are probably not available while you are
a Threat characteristic, and they act in groups rather than as
held. Beyond that, the GM will have to adjudicate these matters
individual characters in combat. The rules for this are provided
on a case-by-case basis.
in this section. For your convenience, the Threat Ranks table
from Chapter 2 is reprinted here.
ESCAPE THREAT RANKS
A partial escape allows you to slip out of a partial hold. If your
DESCRIPTION THREAT
opponent has you in a full hold, a partial escape turns the full
Civilians 2d
hold into a partial hold. A full escape lets you slip out of any
Bruisers 3d
hold. Either way, if you slip out of a hold, you can also choose
Professionals 4d
to exit grappling combat completely.
Elites 5d
Enhanced 6d
COMBAT STUNTS Super 7d or More
A combat stunt is any attempt to outmaneuver, outsmart, or

gain an advantage over an opponent without harming them. This
makes them especially useful against enemies too tough to take
ATTACKING MINIONS
Minions don’t have Health scores. Whenever you hit a group
on directly. Combat stunts work like ordinary attacks, but the
of Minions in combat, you defeat 1 Minion per net success
Traits used to perform and resist them vary depending on what
rolled, or 2 Minions per net success rolled when using an area
you’re doing; the GM always determines this. If successful, you
attack (up to the number of Minions in the area of effect or
describe the effect your combat stunt has on your opponent.
within reach). No attack can defeat more than 2 Minions per
Use the examples on the Combat Stunts table as a guide,
net success rolled regardless of the situation (in other words,
depending on your net successes. The effect will last until the
you can’t stack effects that let you defeat 2 Minions per net
end of your next turn to act (you can’t make it last longer by
success rolled). If the attack inflicts damage, defeated Minions
delaying your next action). The penalties imposed by multiple
are knocked out. If it inflicts a special effect, defeated Minions
combat stunts are cumulative.
are subject to that effect for the rest of the scene.
COMBAT STUNTS
NET SUCCESSES
0 or Less
SAMPLE EFFECTS
no effect
MINIONS ATTACKING
As previously noted, Minions usually act in groups rather than
1 to 2 −1d to challenge rolls • speed halved
as individuals. Although a group of Minions can break into two
−2d to challenge rolls • drop
3 to 4 or more groups to attack multiple Heroes, each group acts like a
item or weapon • can’t move
single character. Each Minion group targets one enemy per page,
5 or More −3d to challenge rolls • lose next turn to act
making one attack roll opposed by one defense roll. Because
that one roll often represents multiple attackers armed with
Fancy Footwork: Outmaneuvering an opponent or getting them weapons (natural or handheld) Minions always get a bonus to
turned around, off balance, or exactly where you want them. their attack rolls. The bonus varies depending on the number
Use Agility or a Travel Power against your opponent’s Agility or of Minions in the group (even if it’s just one poor sap) as shown
Travel Power. on the Minion Group Attack table. Again, this bonus applies

only to attack rolls; it does not apply when determining whether active defense ranks are halved until after your next turn to act.
an attack can penetrate cover or harm characters using Powers If your target uses a passive defense against the charge, you
like Armor or Force Field. Up to 6 Minions can gang up on one have to make your own passive defense roll against the attack
Chapter 4
target in close combat, but up to 12 can attack the same target to see if you suffer damage from the impact. On the bright side,
in ranged combat. the damage you suffer is reduced by the amount you inflict on
your target.
MINION GROUP ATTACK
MINIONS BONUS
1 to 2 +2d CLOBBERING ATTACKS
3 to 5 +4d A clobbering attack is when you use one enemy to hit
6 to 8 +6d another, often by knocking one opponent into another or by
9 to 12 +8d using some poor slob as a club or a thrown weapon. When
performing a clobbering attack, you make a single attack roll
at a −2d penalty, and each target makes their own defense
SPECIAL CASES roll. Clobbering attacks always have a primary target and a
secondary target. The primary target is the one you’re pushing,
Comic book combat involves more than just smacking each throwing, or swinging into the other. If the primary target uses
other around. While it would be impossible to cover every an active defense and suffers no damage, the clobbering attack
possible option, the following section provides rules for some never makes it to the secondary target.
of the more common situations likely to arise in combat. Use
these rules as a guide when adjudicating the antics, edge cases,
and wild ideas that inevitably arise when supers throw down. DEFENDING OTHERS
You can forego your next turn to act to defend anyone within
Close Range of you, usually by shoving them out of the way
AMBUSHES or interposing yourself between them and the attack. This lets
Ambushing someone requires a successful challenge roll using you substitute your defense roll for theirs. You can use active or
your Covert against your target’s Perception. When using passive defenses when defending others. If you use an active
deception or seduction to catch a target off guard in a different defense and the attack inflicts damage, it harms the person you
way, roll Charm instead of Covert. If you succeed, your target were trying to protect. Or at least it might, because the original
is surprised and can’t act or use active defenses on the first target can still use a passive defense to resist the attack. On the
page of combat. Targets with embellishment rights can say they other hand, if you use a passive defense and the attack inflicts
were only partially surprised, which lets them use their active damage, it harms you.
defenses, but that’s about it. If you fail, your target isn’t surprised
and can act normally. When you have multiple ambushers, they
can make Covert rolls as a group, as discussed in Chapter 3, GOING ALL-OUT
or you can have specific ambushers roll against their targets When attacking or defending yourself is all that matters, you
individually. Either way, each target should be allowed their own can go all-out. All-out attacking grants you a +2d bonus to
Perception roll (although Minions should roll in groups). your attack rolls but halves your defense ranks (both active and
passive) until after your next turn to act. Despite this, opponents
who can’t harm you because they can’t penetrate your Armor,
AREA ATTACKS Force Field, or other passive defense remain unable to do so
Explosions, blasts of dragon fire, and other attacks that target when you all-out attack. All-out defending grants you a +2d
an area of effect are area attacks. Area attacks target everyone bonus to your defense rolls until your next turn to act comes
and everything in their area of effect. When performing an area around but prevents you from attacking or performing other
attack, you make a single attack roll and everyone in the area actions when it does. Although you can’t perform actions, you
makes their own defense roll. Area attacks are hard to evade; a can still move and perform free actions while all-out defending.
target using an active defense against an area attack must either In fact, when performing an all-out defense, you can use your
halve their defense rank or forfeit their next turn to act diving Travel Power or Speed to make active defense rolls.
out of the area or behind cover.
KNOCKBACK
CHARGE ATTACKS There are times you want to knock someone across the room,
A charge attack is any attack in which you slam into your target. the street, or the city, if only to make a point. That’s what
You can use any Trait you would normally use to make close knockback is for. Any time you hit a target with an attack that
combat attacks, but since weight and speed matter here, you inflicts subdual damage and inflicts at least 6 points of damage,
can also use Density, Growth, or any Travel Power to make your you can spend 1 point of Resolve to inflict knockback on them.
attack roll (obviously, you can’t use Swimming unless you’re A target that suffers knockback flies backwards as if they were
underwater). You get a +2d bonus to your attack roll, but your thrown by someone with a Might rank equal to your attack rank.
78
PROWLERS PARAGONS
They also fall prone, losing their next turn to act. If the target hits the same page, you make the first roll at no penalty, the second
a solid object, they suffer half as much damage as the original roll at a −1d penalty, and the third roll at a −2d penalty. This
attack inflicted, assuming the object they strike is tougher than rule does not affect your passive defenses in any way.
they are (if the target’s passive defense exceeds the object’s
Combat
Structure, they smash though unharmed).
CLOSE RANGE
Ranged attacks are difficult to avoid up close. You suffer a −2d
LURING penalty to your active defense rolls against ranged attacks when
Luring an enemy involves having them attack you and then you are within Close Range of your attacker. This applies only
moving out of the way at the last possible instant so they to attacks that can be used at Distant or Extreme Range. Ignore
strike what’s behind you. Whenever an enemy targets you with this rule when using active defenses against ordinary thrown
a physical or energy attack, you can declare you are luring weapons and other short-range attacks that can only be used
them before they make their attack roll. You must use an active at Close Range.
defense when luring. If your defense roll exceeds their attack roll
by 3 or more, you can spend 1 Resolve to have the attack strike
whatever lies directly behind you. You can lure an opponent THE DROP
into attacking someone else (rather than an inanimate object), When a character has a weapon or Power aimed and ready to
but you have to forego you next turn to act to do so, and the strike, they have the drop on everyone who doesn’t. For example,
new target is allowed to make their own defense roll against if some crook has a gun aimed at Siren while her sidearm is
the attack. holstered, he has the drop on her. It’s the same if the crook is
holding a knife to a hostage’s throat, again assuming Siren’s
weapon is holstered. Similarly, a character armed with a ranged
TEAM ATTACKS weapon or ranged attack Power has the drop on anyone moving
When characters coordinate their attacks against a single up to them to engage them in close combat. When someone
opponent, it’s called a team attack. This covers all classic team has the drop on you, their effective Edge is doubled against
attack tropes like hitting an opponent from opposite sides, you. Determining whether anyone has the drop on anyone
blasting the same spot on an opponent’s armor, or throwing else is easy when dealing with ordinary people and mundane
your ally at an opponent like a fastball. When performing a team weapons, but things get trickier when dealing with Powers, so
attack, you and your allies have to wait until the end of the page the GM always has the final say when deciding who has the
to take your actions, and you all have to target the same enemy. drop on whom.
This grants you a +2d bonus to your attack rolls and lets you
spend 1 Resolve to have your 6s explode. As mentioned earlier,
that means you get to roll those dice again to try generating FATAL DAMAGE
extra successes, and you can keep rerolling them as long as you Combat can be deadly, especially when lethal weapons are
keep rolling 6s. Team attacks are meant to be used sparingly, for involved. Damage can reduce your Health past 0 and into
dramatic effect. Unless the Heroes are clever about it or the GM negative numbers. If you ever reach the negative value of
rules otherwise, no character can be subject to more than one your full Health, you have been killed. You can always spend 1
team attack per battle. Resolve to reduce the damage you suffer or inflict on someone
else to 1 point below this fatal threshold. This also leaves you
GRITTY COMBAT RULES

stabilized if necessary (see below).
Clint Castle is a tough guy with 5 Health. Unfortunately for

These combat rules are not even slightly realistic. They reflect
him, he’s down to 1 Health after fighting a band of ninja. A
how combat works in superhero cartoons and to a lesser extent
ninja master then stabs him for 6 points of damage, taking
in comics and movies. But that four-color feel doesn’t necessarily
him down to −5 Health. Clint’s full Health is 5, so that’s just
fit every type of superhero story. If you want a grittier game
enough to kill him. Our hero spends 1 Resolve to prevent that
in which combat is serious business, use one or more of the
from happening, leaving him at −4 Health. Clint will be out
following Gritty Combat Rules. A number of these rules will
for a while, but at least he’s alive.
have a dramatic impact on the game; review them carefully
before deciding which ones you want to use, and allow yourself
a retcon or a do-over if you decide not to use a particular rule As mentioned above, attacks that inflict lethal damage are even
after testing it in play. more dangerous. If an attack that inflicts lethal damage reduces
you to −1 Health or less, you begin dying. You suffer 1 point of
damage every page until you are either stabilized or dead. You
ACTIVE DEFENSES can be stabilized with a Hard (2) Medicine roll or a Power like
Active defenses are minor actions. You suffer a cumulative −1d Healing. You can also spend 1 Resolve to immediately stabilize
penalty to all active defense rolls after the first on the same yourself or your target. You must be stable to use the Instant
page. For example, if you have to make 3 active defense rolls on Recovery rule discussed earlier in this chapter.

FRIENDLY FIRE a basic sword has a +2d Weapon Bonus, which means you roll
Might +2d when using a sword to attack. In a game with a 6d
Ranged attacks can sometimes hit unintended targets. You suffer
Gear Limit, your maximum effective rank with a sword is 8d.
a −4d penalty on your attack roll when firing a ranged attack
Chapter 4
Even if you have more than 6d Might, you can’t add more than
at a target engaged in close combat or otherwise bunched up
6d (the game’s Gear Limit) to the sword’s Weapon Bonus. While
with other characters. If you score 0 or fewer net successes, you
this imitates how things work in superhero comics, mundane
must make a second attack against another target involved in
gear is often more effective in grittier settings. In more realistic
the melee, this time at no penalty. The GM selects this second
games, the Gear Limit can be raised to 9d, 12d, or more, making
target randomly.
armor and weapons useful even to characters with superhuman
Ability ranks. For more on Gear Limits, see Chapter 6.
HARD TARGETS
In the real world, hard targets like machines, vehicles, and
thick, inanimate objects are sturdier than these rules suggest. To
SLOW HEALING
Natural healing takes time. You heal 1 point of damage per day
account for this, double a hard target’s passive defense rank, but
if your Toughness is 6d or less, 2 points per day (1 every 12
let attackers target the vulnerable parts of a complex machine or
hours) if your Toughness is 7d to 12d, 3 points per day (1 every
vehicle by accepting a −4d penalty to their attack rolls, thereby
8 hours) if your Toughness is 13d to 24d, or 4 points per day (1
negating this effect. When using this rule, large vehicle-scale
every 6 hours) if your Toughness is 25d or greater. You do not
weapons should have the Penetrating Pro, as should the physical
heal after each battle or when you regain consciousness after a
attacks of powerful superhuman characters.
defeat. As a result, you may be conscious while at 0 or negative
Health (if using the Fatal Damage rules); you are defeated if
RAISED GEAR LIMIT you take even a single point of damage in this condition. Last,
ordinary medical care is less effective. Although you can be
All games have a Gear Limit, which indicates the maximum
stabilized as often as necessary, you can only be healed with
effective Trait rank you can bring to bear when using mundane
the Medicine Talent once per week, and a successful Medicine
equipment. In most games, the Gear Limit is 6d. For example,
roll heals only 1 point of damage per 2 net successes rolled.
80
PROWLERS PARAGONS
TOUGH MINIONS WOUND PENALTIES
The idea of enemies who can be dispatched too easily may not Injuries impair your performance. Whenever you are down to
work in a gritty game. Accordingly, whenever you hit a group half your full Health or less, you suffer a −2d penalty to all
of Minions with an attack, you defeat 1 Minion for every 2 full challenge rolls. Whenever you are down to 0 Health or less
Combat
net successes rolled (note that you are rounding down in this (which is possible when using the Fatal Damage rules) you suffer
unique case). For example, if you roll 5 net successes when a −4d penalty to all challenge rolls. You can fight past your
attacking a group of Minions, you will only defeat 2 of them. injuries by spending Resolve: every point spent allows you to
When performing an area attack or other attack that normally ignore this penalty for 1 page.
affects 2 Minions per net successes rolled, you instead affect
only 1 Minion per net success rolled when using this rule. If
this still seems like too much, you can do away with the idea of
Minions entirely and use Foes in their place.
EXAMPLE OF COMBAT
Citizen Soldier and Gatecrasher are about to sign some autographs when a giant mecha and four robotic Minions smash their way
into the charity exhibition, gunning for our Heroes. The mecha has 13 Edge, Citizen Soldier has 12 Edge, and Gatecrasher has 9 Edge.
Being Minions, the robots don’t have Edge scores. As a result, on every page of this fight, the giant mecha acts first, Citizen Soldier
acts second, Gatecrasher acts third, and the robotic Minions act last.
On the first page of combat, the giant mecha tries to step on Gatecrasher. It rolls its 13d Might and gets 8 successes. Gate uses
his 12d Armor to defend himself and rolls 6 successes. With a total of 2 net successes, a giant mechanical foot stomps Gate into the
ground, inflicting 2 points of damage.
Citizen Soldier acts next. Wasting no time, he leaps at the robot Minions using his 12d Might, and they defend themselves with their 6d
Threat. The Soldier rolls 8 successes on his attack, and the robots roll 3 successes on their defense. Ouch! With 5 net successes, our
Hero could have defeated up to five of these robotic rogues, so the player describes how Citizen Soldier turns these four into scrap metal.
Not one to take this kind of thing lying down, Gatecrasher leaps up and charges at the giant mecha. Using his own 12d Might, he
rolls 9 successes. However, the mecha also gets 9 successes when it rolls its 15d Armor for defense. Gatecrasher’s attack has no
effect — that thing is tough!
Now that everyone has acted, a new page begins.
This time around, the mecha tries to grab Citizen Soldier. That’ll be a hold. Using its 13d Might, the mecha rolls 7 successes on its
attack. The Soldier uses his 12d Might to resist the attack, but only manages to score 4 successes (sometimes even patriots roll badly).
With 3 net successes, the mecha places our Hero in a full hold, leaving him unable to take any physical actions until he breaks free.
Citizen Soldier goes next and tries to break free of the mecha’s grip. He makes a Might roll and gets 6 successes, but the mecha
makes its own Might roll and also gets 6 successes. With no net successes, the Soldier remains trapped in those mighty metal mitts,
at least for now.
Gatecrasher has had enough! Knowing that this massive metal monstrosity can probably take a lot more punishment before going
down, the player asks the GM if Gate can try using an attack to intimidate the pilot rather than damage the mecha. The GM likes
this idea, but rules that the pilot will use the mecha’s 15d Armor to resist this attempt. No sweat: Gatecrasher fires his eyebeams (a
15d Blast) at the mecha and rolls 8 successes. The mecha uses its 15d Armor to make its defense roll and gets 7 successes. One net
success may not be much, but it’s enough for narrative control, so the player running Gatecrasher narrates that Gate’s eyebeams
carve a nice big hole in the mecha’s canopy, leaving the pilot exposed, understandably nervous, and ready to get the heck out of there.
“You know,” Gatecrasher calls up to the pilot, “If I were you, I’m thinking giving up would start looking real good right about now.”
But with only one net success, the GM gets an embellishment, which in this case takes the form of Gate’s buddy Parthian, now securely
under Heartbreaker’s mental control, who leaps onto the scene firing a volley of explosive arrows at his friends….

Resolve and Adversity
CHAPTER 5
RESOLVE AND ADVERSITY

Although Heroes have powers and abilities beyond the ken of normal men and women, that isn’t what makes them heroes. What
makes these characters heroes is that they have the courage to get out there and try to make the world a better place. They’re heroes
because they live by their ideals and stand by their principles, even when that’s hard to do. They’re heroes because they never give
up, despite the hardships they encounter and the dangers they face, sometimes at the hands of the people they’ve sworn to protect.
In short, they’re heroes because of their Resolve. This chapter explains how Heroes earn Resolve and how they use it to bend the
rules of the game or the game world itself in their favor. It also covers Adversity, which GMs use in much the same way.
RESOLVE CARRYOVER RESOLVE

Resolve doesn’t carry over between issues. When an issue ends,
You begin every issue — again, that’s every game session — with unspent Resolve is lost. This is to encourage players to spend
some amount of Resolve. Your starting Resolve depends on Resolve. However, GMs can occasionally allow Resolve to carry
your highest ranked Ability or Power (subject to the exceptions over between issues. For example, if a Hero with 3 Resolve ends
below): the lower the rank, the higher your Resolve. The less an issue with 5 points of Resolve, the GM can let them start
superhuman you are, the more determined you must be to put the next issue with 5 Resolve. This should be done sparingly,
on a mask and go fight crime. Or the crazier. Either way, Heroes however, as it encourages hoarding.
who are somewhat underpowered begin play with more Resolve
EARNING RESOLVE
than their mightier counterparts. The Resolve table indicates
how much Resolve you have at the start of every issue. If you can
increase the rank of an Ability or Power through other Powers
No matter how much Resolve you have when an issue begins,
like Boost or Shapeshifting, use your maximum possible rank
you’re going to want more. There are a variety of ways to earn
when checking this table. The best way to track Resolve is with
Resolve over the course of the game. Although some of the
something like poker chips or glass beads.
more common ways are set forth below, what these examples
really amount to is roleplaying an interesting superhero, doing
RESOLVE
cool things, and making dramatic choices that keep the game
HIGHEST ABILITY / STARTING
exciting for everyone. Thus, GMs should feel free to award
POWER RANK RESOLVE
Resolve whenever they see fit.
Trait Cap 0
Trait Cap −1d 2
Trait Cap −2d
Trait Cap −3d
4
6
DEFEATS
Suffering a brutal defeat and then coming back stronger than
Etc. Etc.
before is a classic comic book trope. Like everyone else, Heroes
sometimes fall. What makes them heroes is that they always get
back up again. That being the case, you earn 1 Resolve any time
EXCEPTIONS you suffer a significant defeat, failure, or setback, which may or
Talents do not affect Resolve. As mundane proficiencies may not involve combat. You can only earn this extra Resolve
and skills, Talents aren’t in the same league as Abilities and once per battle, even if you get defeated multiple times in the
Powers. Plus, the superhero genre is full of resolute Heroes who same encounter.
compensate for their lack of superpowers with a variety of finely-
honed skills. Likewise, Powers that cannot be used for attack,
defense, or to affect other characters or objects do not affect FLAWS
Resolve. For example, Powers like Danger Sense, Detection, As mentioned in Chapter 2, you earn 1 Resolve whenever you
Expertise (except for combat skills), Flight, Leaping, Running, bring one of your Flaws into play in a way that causes problems
Super Senses, Swimming, Swinging, Teleportation, and Tunneling for you or your allies. Of course, you can only do this when it
do not usually affect Resolve. Nevertheless, the GM has the final makes sense within the context of the game. For example, your
say when determining which Powers affect Resolve. fear of heights can’t suddenly rear its acrophobic head at the
beach just because you need that extra point of Resolve. Note
that certain Flaws work differently, granting you 1 extra point of
Resolve per issue instead.

INTERLUDES CHALLENGE ROLLS
You can earn Resolve by creating and playing out an interlude. You can spend Resolve to add extra dice to your challenge rolls
Like subplots and flashbacks, interludes are short scenes that on a one-for-one basis. You can spend as much Resolve as you
Chapter 5
involve the Heroes but aren’t directly related to the current story wish, and you can decide whether to do so after rolling the
of the game. For more information about what interludes are dice. You can also spend 1 Resolve to reroll a challenge roll
and how they work, see Chapter 9. completely. If you’ve already spent Resolve to add extra dice
to the roll, you can reroll those extra dice as well. Last, you can
spend 1 Resolve to reroll any other type of roll, such as the one
MOTIVATION made to determine if your Unreliable Power works.
You earn 1 Resolve whenever you do something unwise, out of
character, or detrimental to yourself or your allies because of
your motivation. Heroes generally stand by their convictions, COMBAT SPENDS
even when it’s difficult — which is the only time convictions really There are several ways to spend Resolve in combat. They
matter — and they should be rewarded for doing so. However, include (a) seizing the initiative to act first (or if the GM prefers,
this is not meant to encourage impulsiveness, stupidity, or to double your Edge) on every page of the action, (b) recovering
intentionally derailing a game. from a defeat or a special effect, (c) knocking a target backwards,
(d) luring an attacker into hitting something or someone other
than you, (e) enhancing your team attack by making your dice
ROLEPLAYING explode, and (f) reducing the impact or lethality of certain Gritty
You earn 1 Resolve whenever the GM feels you’ve done Combat Rules. For more on this, see Chapter 4, Combat.
something exceptionally clever, dramatic, funny, heroic, or just
plain cool. Great roleplaying, brilliant comedy, clever problem
solving, and strategic thinking could all merit this reward, as LUCKY BREAKS
could taking the time to help a new player. You can spend 1 Resolve to make up some minor detail about
the game world, usually a lucky break or incredible coincidence
that works in your favor. For example, if you get knocked off a
SACRIFICE rooftop, you can use this to say you land on a pile of discarded
If you find yourself in a pinch and out of Resolve, you can dig mattresses. This is always subject to the GM’s approval.
deep and push yourself. This grants you 1 point of Resolve you
have to use immediately (on that same page), but once you do,
you pass out from the strain of whatever you were doing and POWER STUNTS
you remain that way for the rest of the scene. You can spend 1 Resolve to use one of your Abilities or Powers
in a way that imitates another Power. If the stunt is even
SPENDING RESOLVE
remotely reasonable, the imitated Power has the same rank as
the Ability or Power used to imitate it. To be clear, this doesn’t
grant you a new Power. It lets you use an existing Ability or
As the narrative currency of the game, Resolve can be spent in
Power in a creative way that momentarily imitates the effect of
a few different ways. The basic uses for Resolve are set forth
another Power.
below. As with everything else, GMs should feel free to expand
how Resolve can be used in their games.
USING POWERS
ASSISTING ALLIES As discussed in Chapter 2, you may have to spend Resolve to
use certain Powers. Because only Heroes have Resolve, one of
You can share Resolve with your allies, giving them as many
the players must spend Resolve any time a friendly Extra uses a
points as you wish. You must describe how you’re assisting a
Power that requires it. If none of the players are willing to spend
character when you give them Resolve. This purely for the sake
the Resolve, the Extra can’t or won’t use the Power at that time.
of the narrative: your actions have no mechanical effect other
Mind you, this doesn’t affect how these characters use their
than letting you share Resolve. If you can’t actually assist your
Powers when they aren’t around the Heroes. But as long as they
ally (because you’re unconscious, not in the scene, otherwise
are, the players must spend Resolve if they want their allies to
occupied, etc.), you have to spend 2 points of Resolve for
use Powers that require it.
every point you want to share, and you have to narrate a brief
flashback or memory that involves your Heroes and relates to
the situation.
84
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Resolve and Adversity
ADVERSITY SPENDING ADVERSITY
Let the players have their pathetic little pools of Resolve. As Remember when we said Adversity is better than Resolve? Well
the GM, you have something even better, you have Adversity. here’s why: you can use Adversity to do anything players can
Adversity represents both villainous determination and the do with Resolve, and more. If the rules say you can use Resolve
cruel whims of fate that make the Heroes’ lives more difficult to do something, you can use Adversity to do the same thing.
and their stories more interesting. Like Resolve, the best way to Plus, you can spend Adversity on behalf of any NPC whether
track Adversity is with something like poker chips or glass beads, they’re Villains, Foes, Minions, or Extras. You don’t have to worry
but only because science has yet to devise a way to crystalize about sharing because all these characters have access to the
players’ tears. Ah, well… same pool of points. There are also three things you can do with
Adversity that Heroes can’t do with Resolve.
EARNING ADVERSITY FLAWS

The GM begins every issue with 1 point of Adversity for every
As discussed in Chapter 2, Flaws works differently for NPCs than
Hero in the game, and never carries Adversity over between
for Heroes. While Heroes use Flaws to earn Resolve whenever
issues. One point of Adversity per Hero is rarely enough to make
they wish, NPCs don’t have this luxury. For these characters,
those fools pay for their insolence, but there are ways to earn
Flaws operate more like actual weaknesses, coming into play
more, as discussed below. GMs should, of course, feel free to
and causing problems whenever the opportunity presents itself
add to this list as they see fit, but they shouldn’t earn Adversity
(which is why GMs should think carefully about the Flaws they give
as easily as Heroes earn Resolve. Adversity is supposed to be
their NPCs). GMs can spend 1 Adversity to prevent a Flaw from
more of a fixed resource than Resolve.
getting the better or a Villain, Foe, or Extra for the rest of a scene,
but no character can benefit from this more than once per issue.
CHALLENGE LEVEL
Some scenes are supposed to be especially challenging or
dangerous. One way to support this is to give these scenes a
MISFORTUNES
You can spend 1 Adversity to throw a misfortune at the Heroes.
Challenge Level, usually from 1 to 3. Scenes with a Challenge
Misfortunes are random problems, obstacles, and instances
Level are going to be more difficult for the Heroes because the
of bad luck that make the Heroes’ lives more difficult. They
GM earns extra Adversity when these scenes begin. Multiply a
include things like having a Hero’s weapon malfunction or run
scene’s Challenge Level by the number of Heroes in the game to
out of ammo, having a stray attack cause collateral damage
determine how much Adversity to award the GM. For example,
that endangers civilians, having a Hero lose their mask in a
in a game with 4 Heroes, a Challenge Level 2 scene drops 8
fight, and so on. Misfortunes should always be challenges and
Adversity into the GM’s evil clutches. GMs can use this extra
complications that make things more interesting and fun. Don’t
Adversity however they wish, spending it right away or saving it
use them as heavy-handed plot devices (for that, see Villainy
to torment the Heroes later that issue.
below) or to punish the Heroes for no reason.
Only a handful of scenes in any story should have a Challenge

Level. Most of these scenes will be Challenge Level 1, which is
suitable for high-stakes action scenes and ordinary fight scenes
VILLAINY
Once per story, you can spend 1 Adversity to have a Villain
involving super-powered enemies. Challenge Level 2 takes things
automatically perform an act of villainy, meaning anything
to another level (literally) and is best used for pivotal action
necessary to advance the story. This can be used to have Villains
scenes or climactic fight scenes against especially powerful
do things like throw switches, grab hostages, or escape so they
or recurring Villains. Challenge Level 3 (or greater) should be
can face the Heroes another time. Use this tool sparingly. If you
reserved for battles against nigh-unstoppable foes and other
do this too often, your players will start to feel powerless and the
truly epic scenes, the kind that conclude major story arcs or
game will stop being fun. Villainy applies only to Villains; Foes
entire series.
and Minions lack what it takes to use Adversity in this manner.
UNHEROIC ACTIONS
Heroes are expected to act heroically. Whenever a Hero
performs a cowardly, selfish, treacherous, or otherwise unheroic
action, the GM immediately earns 1 Adversity. The same applies
SUPER TIP!
Spending Resolve should never make things
whenever Heroes do anything contrary to their motivation. This
occurs even if they’ve been coerced, forced, or tricked into worse. If a player spends Resolve to reroll a
taking such actions. The universe cares little for excuses and roll, let them keep the first roll if the second
less for semantics. turns out to be worse than the original.

CHAPTER 6
EQUIPMENT
Equipment
A character’s signature weapons and special equipment are usually Powers with the Item Con, but Heroes also use mundane objects
like cars, computers, and cellphones. Any game that takes place in the modern world will necessarily be filled with humble but useful
everyday items, and this will be doubly true in tech-heavy sci-fi settings. These everyday items are gear. This chapter includes an
assortment of mundane gear for your games. It also provides rules for creating unique items called Gadgets, for creating and modifying
vehicles, and for designing headquarters.
RESOURCES
Trait Caps and Gear Limits are not the same thing. A game’s Trait
Cap is the maximum rank you can have in any Trait. A game’s
Gear Limit is the maximum Trait rank you can apply when using
Players don’t have to worry about buying mundane gear. Heroes
a piece of mundane gear. For example, most Standard power
are assumed to have any mundane items they want as long
level games have a 12d Trait Cap and a 6d Gear Limit. The 12d
as the GM thinks it’s reasonable, taking Perks like Contacts,
Trait Cap means you can have up to 12d Agility. The 6d Gear
Patron, Resources, and Wealth into account. Even Heroes who
Limit means that even if you do, you can only apply up to 6d
are completely broke tend to have what they need for their
when using a piece of mundane gear. Despite your 12d Agility
heroics, although they sometimes have to walk home afterwards.
(Trait Cap), you roll only 8d when firing a +2d Weapon Bonus
That same philosophy also applies to all mundane items Heroes
pistol (Gear Limit).
are assumed to own. For example, the average Hero probably
owns a car and has a place to live, while a wealthy one might
reasonably own several cars, plus a motorcycle or two and
maybe a jet, not to mention a few homes scattered around
EXCEPTION: CLOSE COMBAT
The one exception to this rule involves melee weapons. If your
the world. Unless a player goes way off the rails, none of this
unarmed attack or defense rank exceeds your effective rank
needs to be tracked. GMs should just use common sense when
while armed with a melee weapon, you can use your unarmed
determining what kind of mundane items a Hero owns or can
attack or defense rank instead. For example, assume you are
reasonably acquire when needed.
playing a game with a standard 6d Gear Limit. If you have 12d
Might and are wielding a battle axe with a +3d Weapon Bonus,
NPCs have whatever gear the GM wants them to have.
you can use your 12d Might in place of the axe’s 9d maximum
Remember, however, that Minions don’t use gear. When it
effective rank when making attack rolls. In this case, the benefit
comes to Minions, all that matters is their Threat. Although
of the axe is that it lets you inflict lethal damage rather than
Minions often carry or have access to mundane equipment not
subdual damage. Of course, no mundane axe is going to
reflected by their Threat — communicators, extra ammo, night
withstand too many of those super-powered swings.
vision goggles, and so on — these are just details for the GM.
GEAR LIMITS RAISING THE LIMIT

The default Gear Limit described above imitates superhero
All games have a Gear Limit that indicates the maximum Trait comics, where mundane gear is usually reserved for civilians
rank you can apply when using mundane equipment that boosts and low-powered Heroes. But that isn’t a universal rule. There
your Traits for a specific purpose (usually armor and weapons). are comics, notably grittier ones and those set in sci-fi or fantasy
The default Gear Limit in most games is 6d. That means the worlds, where obviously superhuman characters regularly use
maximum effective rank you can have when using a piece mundane equipment. Whether it’s battle axes and brigandine
of mundane gear is 6d plus whatever bonus it provides. For or pistols and polycarbon, gear matters in certain settings.
example, a pistol has a +2d Weapon Bonus; you roll Agility As mentioned in Chapter 4, GMs can raise the Gear Limit
+2d when using a pistol to attack. In a game with a 6d Gear to 9d, 12d, or more to make mundane weapons and armor
Limit, your maximum effective rank with a pistol is 8d. Even useful for characters with superhuman Ability ranks. GMs can
if your Agility is 7d or higher, you can’t add more than 6d (the even disregard Gear Limits completely if they want everyone
game’s Gear Limit) to the pistol’s Weapon Bonus. This makes to use gear.
mundane gear — especially armor and weapons — less useful for
characters with superhuman Ability ranks.

Note that mundane gear will overshadow Powers if the game’s BULKY
Trait Cap doesn’t exceed its Gear Limit by at least 3 points. Characters wearing this armor suffer a −1d penalty on challenge
Consider a Low Level game with a 10d Trait Cap and a 9d rolls involving acrobatics, speed, stealth, and swimming unless
Chapter 6
Gear Limit. In that game, attack Powers like Blast and Strike they have a Might of 4d or greater.
are capped at 10d, but characters armed with mundane
weapons can easily roll 11d or more to attack because many RIGID
weapons have a Weapon Bonus of +2d or better. This might Characters wearing this armor suffer a −1d penalty on challenge
not be an issue in your game-world, but if it is, consider the rolls involving acrobatics, speed, stealth, and swimming.
following options.
The first way to balance Powers and gear under these SHIELDS
circumstances is to give characters a +3d bonus when using Using a mundane shield in your off-hand grants you a +1d
Powers to inflict or resist physical damage (this doesn’t apply Shield Bonus to both active and passive defense rolls against
to mental/psychic damage unless the game setting includes physical and energy attacks. You can use a shield as an off-hand
mundane arms and armor that inflict and repel such damage). weapon if you wish (see Weapons below), but you then lose the
A second option is to let Heroes purchase Powers up to 3 defensive benefit provided by the shield until your next turn to
ranks above the game’s Trait Cap with the understanding that act. Shields provide no benefit when you are surprised or unable
these “illegal” ranks only apply when using the Power to inflict to defend yourself.
or resist physical damage (but not mental/psychic damage, as
WEAPONS
discussed above). And a third approach would be to create
special equipment that provides gear-equivalent bonuses for
Powers. For example, magic rods, staves, and wands could grant
All weapons have a Weapon Bonus. When wielding a melee
“Weapon Bonuses” to attack Powers that have a Magic Source.
weapon, you add its Weapon Bonus to your Might or Martial
These are just suggestions; feel free to come up with whatever
Arts rank when making close combat attacks, and you add
approach best suits your game world.
its Weapon Bonus to your Agility or Martial Arts rank when
defending yourself against close combat attacks. When wielding
ARMOR a ranged weapon, you add its Weapon Bonus to your Agility
when attacking in ranged combat.
Armor grants you the Armor Power at a rank equal to your
Toughness plus the Armor Bonus shown on the Armor table, Most weapons inflict lethal damage, but an “(s)” after the
depending on the armor worn. If you already have Armor, you Weapon Bonus means the weapon inflicts subdual damage.
can use it in place of Toughness when determining your effective Ancient and modern weapons inflict physical damage. Most
Armor rank while wearing artificial armor. Advanced suits of advanced weapons inflict energy damage, but “Stun” and “Vibro”
powered armor may include built-in weaponry and equipment weapons inflict physical damage. Ranged weapons can be used
like communications, life support, sensor systems, and servos at up to Distant Range unless they have a feature like Line of
that enhance your Abilities. Features like these should be Sight or Thrown.
considered Powers.
ARMOR WEAPON FEATURES

ARMOR ARMOR BONUS FEATURES The features listed on the weapons tables are described below.
Ancient, Leather +0d — Additional features may be added to weapons by customizing
Ancient, Mail +1d Bulky them, as discussed later in this chapter.
Ancient, Plate +2d Rigid
Modern, Armored Uniform +1d — Area/Burst: These features work like the Pros of the same name.
Modern, Tactical Gear +2d Bulky For ease of reference, you can assume that all Burst weapons
Modern, Military/Riot Gear +3d Rigid have a 30-foot diameter area of effect, except for Stun Grenades
Advanced, Light +2d — and Entangler Grenades, which have a 15-foot diameter area
Advanced, Medium +3d Bulky of effect.
Advanced, Heavy +4d Rigid
Armor Piercing: This feature works like the Pro of the same
name.
ARMOR FEATURES Binding: The weapon is used to capture targets rather than hurt
The features listed on the Armor table are described below.
them. Although the weapon doesn’t inflict damage, it can still be
Additional features may be added to armor by customizing it,
used to perform grabs, holds, and combat stunts.
as discussed later in this chapter.
88
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ANCIENT WEAPONS
WEAPON TYPE WEAPON BONUS FEATURES
Axe Melee +2d —
Equipment
Baton Melee +1d (s) Thrown
Battle Axe Melee +3d Two-Handed
Bolas Ranged +1d (s) Flexible, Thrown
Bow Ranged +2d Two-Handed
Cestus Melee +1d —
Club Melee +2d (s) —
Crossbow Ranged +3d Readied, Two-Handed
Dagger Melee +1d Thrown
Flail Melee +2d Flexible
Great Sword Melee +3d Two-Handed
Hand Axe Melee +2d Thrown
Katar Melee +2d —
Lasso or Net Ranged +2d Binding, Thrown
Mace Melee +2d —
Morningstar Melee +3d Two-Handed
Nunchucks Melee +2d (s) Flexible
Polearm Melee +3d Two-Handed
Shield Melee +1d (s) Shield
Shield, Spiked Melee +1d Shield
Sling Ranged +2d (s) —
Spear Melee +2d Thrown, Versatile
Staff Melee +3d (s) Two-Handed
Sword Melee +2d —
Three Section Staff Melee +3d (s) Flexible, Two-Handed
Throwing Star Ranged +0d Thrown
Whip Melee +1d (s) Flexible
MODERN WEAPONS
WEAPON TYPE WEAPON BONUS FEATURES
Assault Rifle Ranged +4d Area, Two-Handed
Baseball Bat Melee +1d (s) Versatile
Brass Knuckles Melee +1d (s) —
Combat Knife Melee +1d —
Grenade, Explosive Ranged +4d Burst, Thrown
Grenade, Stun Ranged +3d Burst, Dazzle, Thrown
Grenade, Tear Gas Ranged +3d Irritant, Thrown
Grenade Launcher Ranged — Launcher, Two-Handed
Heavy Machinegun Ranged +6d Braced, Burst
Pistol Ranged +2d —
Pistol, Snub Ranged +1d —
Rifle Ranged +3d Two-Handed
Rifle, Sniper Ranged +4d Line of Sight, Two-Handed
Riot Shield Melee +0d (s) Shield
Rocket Launcher Ranged +7d Burst, Readied, Two-Handed
Shotgun Ranged +3d Two-Handed
Shotgun, Automatic Ranged +4d Area, Two-Handed
Slingshot Ranged +1d (s) Two-Handed
Submachine Gun Ranged +2d Area, Versatile
Taser Pistol Ranged +2d Stun
Throwing Knife Ranged +1d Thrown

ADVANCED WEAPONS
WEAPON TYPE BONUS FEATURES
Blast Cannon Ranged +7d Burst, Two-Handed
Chapter 6
Blast Grenade Ranged +5d Burst, Thrown

Blast Pistol Ranged +3d —
Blast Rifle Ranged +4d Two-Handed
Blast Rifle, Military Ranged +5d Area, Two-Handed
Entangler Grenade Ranged +3d Burst, Ensnare, Thrown
Monomolecular Blade Melee +2d Armor Piercing, Versatile
Monomolecular Knife Melee +1d Armor Piercing
Monomolecular Whip Melee +4d Armor Piercing, Flexible
Plasma Sword Melee +4d Penetrating, Versatile
Stun Baton Melee +1d (s) Shock
Stun Staff Melee +3d (s) Shock, Two-Handed
Vibro Axe Melee +4d Armor Piercing, Two-Handed
Vibro Blade Melee +3d Armor Piercing, Versatile
Vibro Knife Melee +2d Armor Piercing
90
PROWLERS PARAGONS
EQUIPMENT
Braced: The weapon is too heavy to use effectively unless
braced or mounted on something. If you have at least 6d
Might, however, you’re perfectly capable of using this weapon
Heroes are assumed to carry whatever tools and other
Equipment
in two hands.
equipment they need to use their skills, meaning their Talents
with a rank of 4d or more. For example, if you have at least
Dazzle: The weapon works like a version of the Dazzle Power
4d Covert, you carry lock picks and whatever other tools that
with a Power rank equal to your attack rank (your Trait plus the
Talent might require (when in costume anyway). While that’s
item’s Weapon Bonus).
normally enough, you will sometimes need other equipment.
The following list should get you started.
Ensnare: The weapon delivers an attack that works like the
Ensnare Power with a Power rank equal to your attack rank (your
Binoculars: Grant you Super Senses (Telescopic Vision).
Trait plus the item’s Weapon Bonus).
Powered binoculars also grant Super Senses (Thermal Vision or
Ultra Vision) as well.
Flexible: The weapon is flexible, like a chain or whip, and can
be used to perform grabs, holds, and combat stunts as well as
Bug Detector: Detects active bugs and transmitters within
to inflict damage.
Close Range.
Irritant: The weapon works like a version of the Irritant Power

Caltrops: Floor spikes that can slow or stop pursuers. They are
with a Power rank of 3d plus your net successes on an Easy (0)
sometimes poisoned.
attack roll (using your Agility plus the item’s Weapon Bonus).
Camera: An advanced digital camera. Many also work like high-

Launcher: The weapon fires grenades. Select the grenades
tech binoculars, granting you Super Senses (Telescopic Vision
separately. Although they have identical statistics for game pur
and either Thermal Vision or Ultra Vision).
poses, these grenades aren’t the same as those tossed by hand.
Cell Phone: Ubiquitous means of communication and wasting

Line of Sight: This feature works like the Pro of the same name.
stupid amounts of time.
Penetrating: This feature works like the Pro of the same name.
Climbing Claws: Add +2d to challenge rolls made to climb
natural surfaces.
Readied: This feature works like the Con of the same name.
Climbing Gear, Ice: Makes climbing sheer ice possible for
Shield: The weapon serves as a shield and provides a +1d
ordinary human beings.
Shield Bonus.
Climbing Gear, Urban: Makes climbing sheer crystal or glass
Shock: The weapon inflicts damage and also delivers a carrier
surfaces possible for ordinary human beings. Advanced versions
attack that works like the Stun Power with a Power rank equal
might use magnets to let you climb sheer metal surfaces.
to your attack rank (your Trait plus the item’s Weapon Bonus).
Computer: Small, wireless, top-of-the-line, and highly encrypted
Stun: The weapon does not inflict damage, but it delivers an
portable computer.
attack that works like the Stun Power with a Power rank equal
to your attack rank (your Trait plus the item’s Weapon Bonus).
Communicator: High-tech version of a cell phone common in
sci-fi games.
Thrown: The weapon can be thrown at targets within Close
Range (or farther, depending on how strong you are, as discussed
Crowbar: Adds +4d to Might rolls when forcing things
in Chapter 4). When dealing with small ranged weapons like
open or apart.
grenades or throwing stars, you carry enough to avoid worrying
about running out in the middle of a scene.
Explosives: Material and detonators required for controlled
demolitions.
Two-Handed: This feature works like the Con of the same name.
Flashlight: A small but powerful flashlight with a variable-

Versatile: The weapon can be used in one or two hands.
width beam.
Increase the item’s Weapon Bonus by 1d when wielding the
weapon in two hands, as this affords you more power and
Gas Mask: Grants you the Immunity (Toxins) Power limited to
better control.
those that affect the eyes or are inhaled.
Geiger Counter: Detects and displays the level of radiation.

Handcuffs: Can be metal or plastic; Inhuman (5) threshold to Police Scanner: Allows you to listen in on local law enforcement
break but plastic ones are easily cut. communications. If you aren’t a police officer, owning one will
get you arrested.
Chapter 6
Lantern: Provides light in an area. Ancient ones burn oil and last
a few hours. Modern ones use regular batteries and last much Polyhedral Dice: Nothing to see here, so just move along.
longer. Some can recharge rings.
Radio: An advanced, multi-channel, and probably hands-free
Light Stick: Chemical stick that glows for a few hours when walkie-talkie. An earbud radio is a tiny version that you place
activated. in your ear, making it both hands-free and completely hidden.
Lockpick Gun: This device will quickly open most normal Rappelling Gear: Allows for rapid descent from heights with
mechanical locks. If you aren’t a police officer, it will also get an Easy (0) Agility roll.
you thrown in jail really quickly.
Scanner: A handheld device used to analyze matter and energy
Night Vision Goggles: Grants you Super Senses (Thermal in sci-fi games.
Vision or Ultra Vision).
Scuba Gear: Allows you to operate underwater for up to 1 hour.
Parabolic Microphone: Grants you Super Senses (Acute
Hearing 9d). Scope: Mounted on a firearm, modern versions often work just
like high-tech binoculars.
Parachute: Allows for safe falls from extreme heights and
provides limited gliding. Silencer: Also called a suppressor, it muffles the sound of a
firearm as well as its muzzle flare.
Space Suit: Sci-fi gear that lets you operate in outer space for
hours. Most come equipped with magnetic boots that let you
walk on the hull of a ship instead of flying off into space. Some
also come with pressurized gas jets that let you fly around in
vacuum, but that usually takes practice.
Telescope: Primitive means of granting the user a limited

version of Super Senses (Telescopic Vision).
Tracer Bug: Small transmitter that emits a periodic signal.
Transmitter: Transmits audible sounds to a predetermined

receiver.
Wiretap: A transmitter affixed to a phone line or optic cable to

tap calls and other communications.
Zip Tie: Can be used as handcuffs in a pinch; Brutal (4) threshold

to break but easily cut.
CUSTOM GEAR
Custom gear falls somewhere between the mundane armor,
weapons, and equipment used by ordinary characters and
the technological marvels and arcane artifacts represented by
Powers with the Item Con. You can customize your mundane
gear by adding unique elements, including Pros, Cons, and the
features below. You have to spend Hero Points to customize
gear. If you have the Two-Fisted power and you fight with paired
weapons, you can customize two identical weapons for the price
of one (you don’t have to pay for each weapon separately). As
with everything else, all gear customization is subject to the
GM’s review and approval.
92
PROWLERS PARAGONS
CUSTOM FEATURES HARDENED
2 Hero Points
The features below can be applied to different types of gear to
make them your own. While some of these features might be This feature is applied to armor to make it especially resilient.
Equipment
readily available on present-day Earth, others suggest advanced It counteracts the effects of the Armor Piercing Pro. The
technology, magical enhancement, or the kind of craftsmanship Penetrating Pro, however, works normally against this item.
that doesn’t come cheap (looking at you Bonded, Concealed,
Hardened, Masterpiece, Upgraded, Very Accurate, and Very MASTERPIECE
Powerful). The GM is free to make features like these and any 2 Hero Points
others they wish unavailable to Heroes unless they have Perks
An item with this feature is exceptionally well-crafted and
like Patron, Resources, or Wealth, or to prohibit certain features
constructed of high quality or materials or parts. This lets you
completely, so check with your GM before selecting any of the
reroll one challenge roll per scene when using the item.
features below. Having said that, if the GM approves, you should
also feel free to get creative and make up your own features
POWERFUL/VERY POWERFUL
using the examples below as a guide.
1 to 2 Hero Points
ACCURATE/VERY ACCURATE A personal weapon with this feature is more powerful than usual.
1 to 2 Hero Points This grants you a +1d bonus on your attack rolls when targeting
an enemy using a passive defense against your attack. If you
A personal weapon with this feature is more accurate than
spend 2 Hero Points on this feature, the weapon is Very Powerful,
usual. This grants you a +1d bonus on your attack rolls when
granting you a +2d bonus instead.
targeting an enemy using an active defense against your attack.
If you spend 2 Hero Points on this feature, the weapon is Very
REINFORCED
Accurate, granting you a +2d bonus instead.
2 Hero Points
BONDED This feature usually indicates that the armor is constructed of

1 Hero Point especially damage-resistant materials. It increases the Armor
Bonus provided by the item by 1d.
As a result of something like genetic coding or a mystical
evaluation of destiny, lineage, or worthiness, the item will only
SILENCED
work for you (or perhaps for you and a select few).
1 Hero Point
COLLAPSIBLE This feature is a version of the Subtle Pro that applies only to
1 Hero Point ranged weapons. It means the weapon makes much less noise
and lacks the usual visual signature like muzzle flare. This feature
The item can be collapsed into a small and easily portable form.
is more effective than ordinary silencers you can obtain as gear
(assuming you can find one for sale).
CONCEALED
1 Hero Point
UPGRADED
The item is concealed in another item or disguised to look like 2 Hero Points
something else.
This feature increases the Armor Bonus provided by armor, the
Shield Bonus provided by a shield, the Weapon Bonus provided
DEFLECTING
by a weapon, or the core bonus provided by any other item by
2 Hero Points
1d. This bonus stacks with that provided by other features.
This feature is applied to armor that uses hard, angled plates
or the equivalent to deflect attacks. Characters wearing this
armor can add half its Armor Bonus to their active defense rolls PROS AND CONS
(subject to the game’s Gear Limit). Characters armed with melee As physical objects, every piece of gear has the Item Con. Apart
weapons cannot apply both this bonus and a Weapon Bonus from that, many other Pros and Cons can be applied to a piece
to their active defense rolls, but they can select which of these of gear to make it unique. Pros and Cons cost the same when
bonuses to apply. This feature does not work against attacks applied to gear as when applied to Powers. Regardless of Cons,
that have the Armor Piercing or Penetrating Pros. no piece of gear can cost less than 0 Hero Points (in other words,
no piece of gear will end up granting you extra Hero Points).
FITTED Pros and Cons commonly applied to gear include Area of Effect,
2 Hero Points Armor Piercing, Build-Up, Burnout, Carrier Attack, Charges,
Delay, Fuse, Independent, Line of Sight, Ongoing, Overkill,
This feature is added to Bulky or Rigid armor to eliminate the
Overload, Penetrating, Phase Shift, Readied, Recharge, Selective,
penalty to challenge rolls involving acrobatics, stealth, and
Subtle, Toxin, Trap, Two-Handed, Unreliable, and Weak.
speed. The penalty still applies when swimming in the armor.

GADGETS VEHICLES
Heroes sometimes find themselves in need of a unique item in Not everyone can fly, swing from building to building, or teleport
Chapter 6
the middle of a story. While it normally takes a great deal of time from place to place. Some Heroes have to rely on ordinary (and
to design and manufacture complex devices and machines in the not-so-ordinary) vehicles to get around. Although mainly used
real world, Heroes with superhuman intelligence or technical as a means of transport, many vehicles also serve as powerful
skill can do this in almost no time when the situation demands tools in a Hero’s crime fighting arsenal. This section discusses
it. These hastily constructed items are Gadgets. To create a both mundane vehicles and the unique vehicles often employed
Gadget, you need to have at least 6d Technology. You also need by superheroes, their allies, and their enemies.
access to tools, materials, and facilities. Assuming you have
these things, the steps to creating a Gadget are as follows.
VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS
Step 1: Assign Complexity. Assign the Gadget a Complexity Most vehicles are defined by four characteristics: Body, Speed,
of anywhere from 3 to your Technology rank. A gadget’s Control, and Weapons. Each covers a specific aspect of the
Complexity determines how powerful it will be and how hard vehicle’s performance, as described below.
it will be to create.
BODY
Step 2: The Challenge Roll. Make a Technology roll using the This characteristic measures a vehicle’s durability, taking
gadget’s Complexity as the threshold. If successful, you build defenses like countermeasures and energy screens into account.
the Gadget. See step 3. If you succeed by only 1 or 2 points, Except as noted under Capital Ships later in this section, a
the gadget will have some unique flaw, quirk, or side-effect, the vehicle’s Body counts as both Armor and Health. A vehicle’s
nature of which is entirely up to the GM. Body also protects its passengers. Characters inside a vehicle
can use its Body as their passive defense against attacks coming
Step 3: Build the Gadget. If you make the roll, you gain a from outside the vehicle unless the vehicle has an open cockpit.
number of Hero Points equal to double the item’s Complexity Passengers in a vehicle with an open cockpit are exposed and
to buy Abilities, Talents, and Powers that represent your new unprotected.
Gadget. By default, all Gadgets have the Item Con. You get no
extra points for that. However, you can give your Gadget any SPEED
other Pros and Cons you wish. Optionally, you can also use This characteristic determines how fast a vehicle can move and
these Hero Points to modify mundane gear as discussed above — how long it takes to travel from one place to another. It’s the
in effect, the Gadget represents your special modifications. equivalent of a Travel Power for these purposes. If a vehicle has
more than one mode of movement, it should have a different
Whether or not you succeed, creating a Gadget takes one Speed rank for each.
scene that lasts about 10 minutes times the item’s Complexity.
Gadgets are inherently unstable and often temperamental. Roll CONTROL
one die each time you use one. When you roll less than the This characteristic is a modifier that reflects how well the vehicle
number of times you’ve used it, the Gadget stops working. The performs. It covers everything from handling and maneuverability
maximum number of Gadgets you can create per issue equals to targeting systems and fire controls. Whenever the rules call
half your Intellect. for a Control roll, you make a Vehicles roll modified by your
vehicle’s Control. Capital ships, discussed later in this section,
These rules cover the spur-of-the-moment, emergency kit- always have a Control of −3d for every 30 points of Health.
bashing that tech-savvy Heroes are notorious for. Characters
who always have at least a few gadgets at the ready will normally Like all mundane gear, vehicles are subject to the game’s Gear
have a Power like Omni-Power (Gadgets). However, if your GM Limit. However, if vehicles are going to play an important role in
allows it, you may be able to use these rules to create Gadgets a particular series, the GM may wish to raise the vehicular Gear
before an adventure begins. If so, these Gadgets will still count Limit to 9d, 12d, or more, allowing characters to take advantage
against the total number of Gadgets you can create per issue. of their full Vehicles rank.
You can also use Science to create Gadgets that represent WEAPONS
compounds and materials or Medicine to create Gadgets that This characteristic represents the vehicle’s weapon systems. It’s
represent drugs and medicines. If your GM allows it, you might an abstraction that covers everything from a single nose gun or
even be able to create magical or techno-magical Gadgets, turret to a vast array of weapon batteries and offensive systems.
depending on the game world. In that case, the GM will have
to determine which Talent applies to creating such things.
Regardless of what you create, the maximum number of Gadgets
you can create per issue always equals half your Intellect.
94
PROWLERS PARAGONS
VEHICLE COMBAT DAMAGE AND REPAIR
Like characters, vehicles suffer 1 point of damage per net success
Piloting a vehicle works like everything else in P&P. If you know
scored against them. Ram attacks inflict 1 point of damage per
what you’re doing, you can automatically operate a vehicle
Equipment
net success scored on the attack roll, but if the attacker’s Body
under ordinary conditions without trouble. If you find yourself
is less than or equal to the target’s Body, the attacker suffers the
doing something out of the ordinary, the GM may call for a
same amount of damage. For these purposes, characters have
challenge roll, which in this case is usually going to mean a
an effective Body equal to their Armor or half their Toughness.
Control roll. When operating a vehicle in combat, the following
rules also apply.
Most vehicles are disabled or destroyed after suffering a number
of points of damage equal to their Body. As discussed below,
EDGE
capital ships are the exception and can sustain more damage,
When operating a vehicle, your Edge equals your Vehicles as
but even capital ships are disabled or destroyed if they suffer
modified by the vehicle’s Control. Use your full Vehicles rank
damage that equals or exceeds their Body in one attack.
when determining your Edge, regardless of the game’s Gear
Limit. Capital ships always act after ordinary vehicles, but Edge
GMs may wish to let attackers target specific vehicle systems
determines action order among them.
by accepting a −2d penalty to their attack rolls. If the attack
succeeds, instead of inflicting damage, it disables one of the
CHASES
target’s systems. That can mean disabling one of the vehicle’s
Vehicular chases work just like those between characters, as
features (see below), its ability to move, or its weapons. Rolling
discussed in Chapter 4. When moving through clear and
1 or 2 net successes disables the system until the end of the
unobstructed terrain, you can use a vehicle’s Speed as its
attacker’s next turn to act. Rolling 3 or more net successes
Travel Power. When moving through winding terrain where
disables the system for the rest of the scene.
maneuverability matters, you make Control rolls instead.
Vehicles don’t heal themselves unless they have a very high
ATTACKS AND DEFENSES
creepy factor. Instead, they have to be repaired. As noted under
When firing a vehicle weapon at an enemy, make a Control roll
the description of Technology in Chapter 2, you can attempt
against your target’s active defense or a Weapons roll against
to perform field repairs on a damaged vehicle if you have the
their passive defense. Use whichever option favors the defender.
necessary tool and materials on hand.
If your vehicle has an attack Power, substitute its rank for your
Weapons rank when using that Power. If you’re trying to ram an
CAPITAL SHIPS
enemy instead of shooting them, substitute your vehicle’s Body
Massive vehicles like modern-day warships and their sci-fi
rank for its Weapons rank. Vehicles use Control rolls for active
equivalents are capital ships. Capital ships work differently
defense and Body rolls for passive defense.
than ordinary vehicles. A capital ship’s Edge equals its captain’s
Intellect, assuming the captain knows what they’re doing (this
To be clear, vehicle attacks make a distinction between accuracy
is up to the GM), or half the captain’s Intellect if they don’t. If
and damage. The Control roll represents the attack’s accuracy
capital ships are going to play an important role in your game,
and the Weapons roll represents how much damage it inflicts.
you may want to require that characters use the Expertise Power
You use whichever roll favors the defender because both factors
to indicate experience commanding capital ships.
are at work in the game world. Characters don’t have to worry
about this, even when they attack vehicles. When characters
Standard capital ship weapon attacks are always resolved
attack vehicles, it works like an ordinary attack, with the
using the ship’s Weapons, but they have the Overkill Con when
target — in this case the vehicle — using the greater of their
used against anything other than other capital ships or fixed
active defense (a Control roll) or their passive defense (a Body
locations. That means ordinary vehicles and characters double
roll) to resist the attack.
their successes when using active defenses against capital ship
attacks. As a result, capital ships often incorporate pinpoint
Your starfighter has a 14d Weapons characteristic that repre
defense weapons designed for use against smaller targets. These
sents its plasma cannons and a 12d Ensnare Power that
weapons have a rank 6d lower than the ship’s Weapons, but they
represents a tractor beam. Whenever you fire your plasma
don’t have the Overkill Con. Capital ships are usually armed with
cannons at an enemy ship, you either make a Control roll
enough pinpoint weapons to attack every ship within range once
against your target’s Control roll or a 14d Weapons roll
per page. Capital ships never perform active defenses.
against your target’s Body. Whenever you try capturing an
enemy ship with your tractor beam, you either make a Control
Ram attacks also work differently for capital ships. Capital ships
roll against your target’s Control roll or a 12d Ensnare roll
can only ram other capital ships and slow-moving or stationary
against your target’s Body. Either way, you use whichever
objects. These attacks are resolved with opposed Edge rolls
option favors the defender.
between the captains. If the vessels have different Control values,
the smaller one gets a bonus to this roll equal to the difference
between them. For example, a capital ship with 30 Health and
−3d Control gets a +6d bonus to ram or evade a capital ship

with 90 Health and −9d Control. If a ram attack succeeds, both
vessels suffer damage equal to the smaller ship’s full Health
STOCK VEHICLES
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of creating a unique
(even if that ship is damaged). If the attacker rolls 3 or more net
vehicle from scratch, you can purchase one of the stock vehicles
Chapter 6
successes, they can choose to suffer half damage. If the attacker

listed below and modify it. GMs who want to keep vehicles
rolls 5 or more net successes, they can instead choose to inflict
somewhat realistic may want to limit how much you can upgrade
double damage on the target vessel.
stock vehicles. If so, it would be reasonable to rule that you can
increase a stock vehicle’s Body by up to 6 ranks, Speed by up to
Unlike ordinary vehicles, capital ships don’t use their Body
4 ranks, and Control by up to 2 ranks. Again, this is completely
as their Health. Instead, these oversized vehicles have Health
optional and best reserved for more realistic games.
scores in multiples of 30 (30, 60, 90, etc.). There’s no magic
formula here: bigger capital ships should just have higher Health
HELICOPTER
scores. Even so, a capital ship struck by an attack that inflicts
25 Vehicle Points
at least its Body in damage in one shot is immediately disabled
Body 7d, Speed 7d, Control +3d, Weapons n/a
or destroyed.
Features: Com System, Flight, Passengers 4
FOE AND MINION PILOTS

JET FIGHTER
Foes and Minions bring their limitations with them when they
54 Vehicle Points
get behind the wheel. When Foes pilot vehicles, those vehicles
Body 8d, Speed 10d, Control +5d, Weapons 12d
can sustain only half as much damage as usual. For example,
Features: Com System, Flight, Sensors
an ordinary sedan with 7d Body is disabled or destroyed after
suffering only 4 points of damage (half of 7) when driven by a
MOTORCYCLE
Foe. When Minions pilot vehicles, they still act like Minions. They
18 Vehicle Points
use Threat in place of the Vehicles Talent. They attack in groups
and enjoy their usual attack roll bonuses (these bonuses apply
Features: Open Cockpit, Running, Small
to both the Control roll and the Weapons roll). And they fall
at the usual pace of 1 Minion — or in this case 1 vehicle — per
SPEEDBOAT
net success rolled against them. These rules don’t apply to
10 Vehicle Points
capital ships.
Features: Open Cockpit, Passengers 8, Swimming
MUNDANE VEHICLES SPORTS CAR
The tables on the next page include a variety of mundane (and
17 Vehicle Points
maybe some not so mundane) vehicles you can use in your
game. As with everything else, the vehicles below are only
Features: Running
generic examples. Feel free to modify these entries however you
wish to suit your game.
SUBMERSIBLE
14 Vehicle Points
UNIQUE VEHICLES Body 9d, Speed 5d, Control −2d, Weapons n/a
Features: Com System, Passengers 8, Rader (Sonar),
The Unique Vehicle Perk means you possess a vehicle with
Submersible, Swimming
unique properties. Every Hero Point you put into this Perk grants
you 25 Vehicle Points. You spend Vehicle Points to create
unique vehicles from scratch or to improve unique vehicles you
already possess. Multiple Heroes can pool their Vehicle Points
VEHICLE FEATURES
Vehicles can have any number of features. For unique vehicles,
together to create a single, seriously sweet ride if they wish.
these features are purchased with Vehicle Points. Some
undesirable features have a negative cost. Selecting these features
CHARACTERISTICS
lowers the cost of a unique vehicle by the amount indicated.
You spend Vehicle Points to buy or improve a unique vehicle’s
Common vehicle features are described below, but feel free to get
Body, Speed, Control, and Weapons. Body, Speed, and
creative and make up your own using the ones below as a guide.
Weapons cost 1 Vehicle Point per rank. Control costs 2 Vehicle
Points per rank and can’t exceed half the vehicle’s Speed. Giving
CARGO HOLD
your unique vehicle a negative Control value lowers its cost by
2 Vehicle Points
2 Vehicle Points per negative rank, down to a minimum of −3d
Control. When creating a unique vehicle from scratch, Body, The vehicle can store a great deal of cargo and includes lifts,
Speed, and Control have an initial rank of 0d, while Weapons ramps, and similar elements to facilitate loading and unloading.
has an initial rank of “n/a” (your unique vehicle isn’t armed The specifics are up to you and your GM. The storage space
unless you spend points on Weapons). provided by this feature is separate from that provided by
Hidden Compartments (see below).
96
PROWLERS PARAGONS
AIR / SPACE VEHICLES
VEHICLE BODY SPEED CONTROL WEAPONS
Airplane, Commercial Airliner 9d 8d 0d —
Equipment
Airplane, Jet Fighter 8d 10d +5d 12d
Airplane, Lear Jet 8d 8d +1d —
Airplane, Prop Plane 7d 7d +2d —
Airplane, WWI Biplane* 6d 6d +2d 8d
Airplane, WWII Bomber 8d 7d +1d 9d
Airplane, WWII Fighter 7d 8d +3d 9d
Flying Bike* 6d 7d +3d —
Flying Car* 7d 7d +2d —
Glider or Hang Glider* 3d or 1d 6d +2d —
Helicopter, Civilian 7d 7d +3d —
Helicopter, Military 8d 7d +4d 12d
Helicopter, Personal* 6d 7d +4d —
Jet Pack* 3d 7d +4d —
Space Shuttle 11d 10d −1d —
Starship, Destroyer (90)** 18d 10d −9d 22d
Starship, Dreadnaught (90)** 17d 10d −9d 21d
Starship, Frigate (60)** 16d 10d −6d 20d
Starship, Interdictor (30)** 15d 10d −3d 18d
Starship, Patrol Craft 14d 11d +2d 16d
Starship, Scout Ship 12d 11d +4d 14d
Starship, Star Fighter 11d 12d +6d 14d
Starship, Transport 12d 11d +4d —
Zeppelin 8d 5d −3d —
*Open Cockpit: The vehicle’s Body doesn’t protect its passengers against direct attacks.
**Capital Ship: The vehicle’s effective Health equals the number in parenthesis instead of its Body.
GROUND VEHICLES
Armored Car 9d 6d 0d —
Bus 9d 6d −1d —
Car, Limousine/SUV 8d 6d 0d —
Car, Sedan 7d 6d +1d —
Car, Sports 6d 7d +2d —
Chariot* 4d 5d −1d —
Dune Buggy* 6d 5d +1d —
Mecha 14d 6d +2d 14d
Military, APC 10d 5d +1d 9d
Military, Humvee 8d 6d +1d —
Military, Tank 12d 5d +1d 13d
Motorcycle* 5d 7d +3d —
Scooter* 4d 5d +1d —
Truck 9d 6d −1d —
Truck, Big Rig 10d 6d −2d —

WATER VEHICLES
Ancient, Galley/Ship (30)** 10d 3d −3d 10d
Chapter 6
Military, Aircraft Carrier (90)** 14d 5d −9d 16d

Military, Battleship (90)** 14d 5d −9d 18d
Military, Destroyer (60)** 13d 5d −6d 17d
Military, Frigate (30)** 13d 5d −3d 15d
Military, Nuclear Sub (90)** 14d 5d −9d 16d
Military, Patrol Boat 11d 6d 0d 10d
Military, Submarine (30)** 13d 4d −3d 15d
Ocean Liner (60)** 12d 5d −6d —
Sailboat* 7d 4d −1d —
Speedboat* 6d 6d +1d —
Submersible 9d 5d −2d —
Tanker (60)** 12d 4d −6d —
Wave Runner* 5d 5d +1d —
Yacht 9d 5d −2d —
**Capital Ship: The vehicle’s effective Health equals the number in parenthesis instead of its Body.
COM SYSTEM GUNNERY STATION

2 Vehicle Points 2 Vehicle Points per gunnery station
The vehicle incorporates some kind of long-range communi Vehicle weapons can be fired once per page by a pilot or gunner.
cation system, whatever is considered top-of-the-line in your Extra attacks are possible, but they suffer the usual multiple
setting. Being equipment, this feature isn’t as versatile as action penalty regardless of who makes them (the penalty
the Communications Power and requires a communications applies to the vehicle rather than to individual characters). This
infrastructure for long-distance transmissions. feature means the vehicle has one or more gunnery stations (1
per 2 Vehicle Points). Every gunnery station allows a different
DISGUISE character to use the vehicle’s weapons to perform one extra
2 Vehicle Points attack per page without suffering multiple action penalties.
Whether by means of an image projector, a magic spell, the

HIDDEN COMPARTMENTS
ability to actually transform, or something else, the vehicle
1 or 2 Vehicle Points
can make itself look like an entirely different vehicle (albeit
of the same type). If the vehicle has the Transforming feature The vehicle has hidden storage compartments. Small compart
(see below), this feature can apply to one of its configurations, ments only large enough to hide weapons and personal items
or it can mean you can’t tell that the different forms are cost 1 Vehicle Point, while large ones roomy enough to hide the
configurations of the same vehicle. vehicle’s crew and passengers, or a good deal of smuggled cargo
cost 2 Vehicle Points.
FLIGHT
2 Vehicle Points INTEGRATED AI
1 Vehicle Point per rank
The vehicle travels through the air, in space, or both. Vehicles
with this feature need room to maneuver and can’t travel The vehicle can operate independently with a Vehicles rank equal
indoors or move through extremely cramped quarters, at least to the number of Vehicle Points put into this feature. Although
not when moving through the air. If the vehicle also has the this usually means the vehicle is controlled by computer, it could
Running or Swimming features, you must buy separate Speed mean something completely different. For example, the vehicle
and Control values for each. might be magically animated, or it might be alive and sentient,
singing songs into the minds of those who visit its space dock.
GIANT
−6 Vehicle Points
The vehicle is much larger than an ordinary ground vehicle. It

takes up several lanes of traffic, cannot fit into most tunnels, and
will not be able to move through ordinary city streets without
causing significant collateral damage. Only ground vehicles can
have this feature (although any vehicle can be large).
98
PROWLERS PARAGONS
MECHA
1 Vehicle Point per Might rank
The vehicle is shaped like a person. It has at least two arms that
Equipment
end in hands (or the rough equivalent). It also has at least two
legs, allowing it to do things ordinary vehicles can’t, like move
laterally, peek over objects, hunker down behind cover, and so
on. The limbs have whatever Might rank you give them, but you
make Control rolls when using the hands for delicate work or
the legs for delicate maneuvers. When using the limbs to attack,
substitute the vehicle’s Might rank for its Weapons rank. Only
ground vehicles can have this feature. A vehicle’s Might must
equal at least half its Body.
This feature applies to vehicles that, while humanoid in shape,

still operate like vehicles. Giant robot vehicles that are as agile
as human beings should be treated like giant characters.
OPEN COCKPIT
−2 Vehicle Points
The vehicle has an open cockpit, so its crew and passengers

can be targeted directly and can’t use the vehicle’s Body when
making passive defense rolls against attacks.
PASSENGERS
1 Vehicle Point per 4 extra passengers
The default vehicle carries only two people, one driver or pilot
and one passenger. This feature means the vehicle can carry
more people (4 per Vehicle Point).
PERSONAL
2 Vehicle Points
For whatever reason (access codes, genetic tagging, inherent

worthiness, etc.), only a specific person or a specific group of
people can operate the vehicle.
REMOTE CONTROL
2 Vehicle Points
You can operate the vehicle remotely. Operating a vehicle by

remote requires just as much attention and focus as it would if
you were driving or piloting it.
RUNNING
0 Vehicle Points
The vehicle travels on land. If the vehicle also has the Flight or
Swimming features, you must buy separate Speed and Control
values for each.
SECURITY SYSTEMS
1 Vehicle Point
The vehicle has excellent security systems far above and beyond
the usual, making it extremely hard to steal. Any challenge rolls
made to attempt to steal it have a Superhuman (6) threshold.

SENSORS UNIQUE SYSTEMS
10 Vehicle Points 1 Vehicle Point per Hero Point
The vehicle has a full sensor suite that works like a combination You can spend Vehicle Points in place of Hero Points to buy
Chapter 6
of Radar and the following Super Senses: Circular Vision, Abilities, Talents, and Powers that represent unique vehicle
Telescopic Vision, Thermal Vision, and Ultra Vision. Sensor data systems. For example, you can spend 3 Vehicle Points to give
can be recorded and, if the vehicle has the Com System feature, your vehicle Radar (which costs 3 Hero Points). Unique vehicle
transmitted. Powers begin at 0d, even if they have a baseline rank. The
one exception is that a vehicle with the Mecha feature can
SMALL use its Might as the baseline rank for Strike. Common vehicle
2 Vehicle Points Powers include Aura, Blending, Darkness, Dazzle, Deflection,
Detection, Dimensional Travel, Ensnare, Force Field, Invisibility,
The vehicle is small, anywhere from as small as a surfboard to
Light, Machine Control, Radar, Shrinking, Slick, Strike, Stun,
as large as a motorcycle. It can get into and maneuver around
Teleportation, Time Travel, Total Recall, Tracer, Tunneling, and
in places inaccessible to ordinary vehicles. Notwithstanding this
Wall-Crawling.
feature, a small vehicle must still be a vehicle. If a “vehicle” is small
enough to be carried, worn, or taken anywhere a character can go,
then it should probably be treated like a Power with the Item Con.
HEADQUARTERS
SPACEFLIGHT Headquarters are as varied as the Heroes and Villains that use
4 Vehicle Points them: arctic fortresses, cave complexes, innocuous brownstones,
island compounds, orbiting satellites, sprawling mansions,
The vehicle can operate in the vacuum of space and includes life
undersea bases, and on and on. Although some groups prefer
support systems necessary to protect its crew and passengers in
to leave the creation of a team headquarters to their GM, others
this environment. It can also cross vast interstellar distances at
like to have a more direct hand in the design of their home base.
speeds far beyond that of light. The Flight feature is still required
For those groups, these rules provide guidelines for creating your
to fly in an atmosphere.
own unique base of operation.
SPACESHIP
2 Vehicle Points BASE FEATURES
The vehicle can operate in the vacuum of space and includes life The Headquarters Perk grants you a basic headquarters, a space
support systems necessary to protect its crew and passengers no larger than an average mansion or warehouse with whatever
in this environment. The Flight feature is still required to fly in basic rooms, equipment, and facilities you would like. At this
an atmosphere. stage of the process, your headquarters is a relatively mundane
affair. However, every Hero Point you put into the Headquarters
SUBMERSIBLE Perk also grants you 3 Base Points you can spend to improve
2 Vehicle Points your headquarters by adding the unique features described
below. As always, feel free to add any you think we missed.
The vehicle can operate underwater and includes life support
Multiple Heroes can pool their Base Points together to create
systems necessary to protect its crew and passengers in this
an even better headquarters.
environment. Only vehicles with Swimming can have this feature.
For the most part, features are described in narrative rather
SWIMMING
than mechanical terms. However, GMs may grant Heroes a +1d
−4 Vehicle Points
bonus to challenge rolls whenever they can take advantage of
The vehicle travels on water. If the vehicle also has the Flight or an advanced feature in their headquarters. For example, if your
Running features, you must buy separate Speed and Control base has the Advanced Science Labs feature, the GM may grant
values for each. you a +1d bonus to Investigation rolls if you can bring any clues
you find back to your headquarters for further analysis.
TRANSFORMING
−2 Vehicle Points ALTERNATE HEADQUARTERS
1 Base Point
This feature applies to vehicles with two or more of the following
features: Flight, Running, Submersible, and Swimming. It means Every Base Point you put into this feature grants you an extra
the vehicle must spend one page doing nothing but transforming headquarters, in case your primary base of operations gets
into a different configuration each time it switches from using compromised, destroyed, infested with termites, or otherwise
one of these features to another. In a pinch, you can spend 1 becomes undesirable. Your alternate headquarters can be
Resolve to do this as an action instead. identical to the primary one, or completely different, but it can’t
cost more Base Points than your primary headquarters.
100
PROWLERS PARAGONS
COMMUNICATIONS EMERGENCY SYSTEMS
1 to 2 Base Points 1 Base Point
You presumably have one or more dedicated computers, phone Your headquarters has back-up power and telecommunications
Equipment
lines, radios, and whatever other mundane telecommunications systems. As a result, it will be unaffected by downed phone lines,
equipment you want in your headquarters. This feature, however, power outages, and other events that would normally interrupt
means you have something more. One Base Point provides you these systems.
with standard communications roughly equivalent the best
modern-day telecommunications systems and includes, at the HIDDEN
very least, military grade encryption. Two Base Points provides 1 Base Point
you with a communications system that incorporates advanced
Your headquarters is hard to find, and often accessible only by
technology or magic. This system is all-but impossible to hack
a few secret routes. The best example of this kind of base would
into and allows you to interface with most global, interstellar,
be one hidden in an underground cave complex. Note that this
and possibly interdimensional communications systems.
is different from a base that’s hard to get to; for that, see the
Remote feature.
DATA STORE
1 to 2 Base Points
HOLDING CELLS
Anyone can access an incredible amount of information from 1 to 2 Base Points
anywhere in the world using only their smartphone. This feature,
Although you can always tie someone up and lock them in a
however, means your headquarters provides you with a wealth
room or chain them to a column, your headquarters will not
of accurate, relevant, and readily accessible data on countless
have dedicated holding cells unless you spend Base Points
topics. This could come in the form of a database, a library,
on this feature. One Base Point provides you with standard
advanced web technology, a magic mirror, or something else.
holding cells tough enough to hold mundane prisoners. Two
One Base Point gives you a standard data store filled with
Base Points provides you with holding cells that incorporate
information about our world, while two Base Points gives you
advanced technology or magic, allowing you to hold most super-
an advanced data store that provides information on a galactic
powered prisoners, often using power nullifiers. Having said that,
or interdimensional scale.
every once in a while, expect your GM to spend Adversity on
a misfortune that allows one or more of the prisoners in your
DEFENSES
holding cells to break free and cause you no end of grief.
1 to 2 Base Points
Your base includes personnel, systems, or both that actively LIVING AREAS
defend it against hostile intruders. One Base Point provides you 1 Base Point
with standard defenses in the form of human or animal guards
Your headquarters can house a number of individuals — exactly
and passive systems like gas dispensers and tasers that react
how many depends on the size of the place — and includes
when intruders attempt to perform certain actions or access
everything you would expect to find in a comfortable residence:
certain parts of the headquarters. Two Base Points provides
bathrooms, dining areas, kitchens, lounges, recreation areas,
you with next-level defenses that often incorporate advanced
private sleeping quarters, and so on.
technology or magic. Whether they’re elite troops, robot sentries,
bound spirits, magical wards, or something else, these defenses
MAINTENANCE BAYS
will actively hunt down hostile intruders and attempt to capture
1 to 2 Base Points
or otherwise pacify them. Whatever the case, your defenses
always use non-lethal force (although anything’s possible when Any headquarters is going to include a dock, garage, hangar,
the GM spends a point of Adversity on a misfortune). or helipad for whatever vehicles you may possess. This feature
means your base also includes maintenance bays that allow
DISGUISED you to perform repairs and even modify your vehicles. One
1 Base Point Base Point provides you with standard maintenance bays as
good as those found anywhere in the world. Two Base Points
Your headquarters is disguised to look like something else. For
provides you with maintenance bays that incorporate advanced
example, it might look like a regular barbershop, brownstone,
technology or magic and can be used to repair or modify
mansion, office building, or industrial laundry facility on the
vehicles that employ advanced, alien, or magical technology.
outside. Note that this is different from a base that’s hard to
find — for that, see the Hidden feature.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
1 to 2 Base Points
Any headquarters can have a room with cots and basic medical
equipment. If you spend Base Points on this feature, however,
your base includes true medical facilities. These facilities are
able to handle patients who need serious medical attention

and may be used to create drugs and medicines, as per the PERSONNEL
Gadgets rules. One Base Point provides you with standard 1 Base Point
medical facilities roughly equivalent to those found in the world’s
Your headquarters has a staff of some kind that keeps the place
Chapter 6
premier research hospitals. Two Base Points provides you with

up and running while you’re away doing your thing. Your staff
advanced medical facilities that can treat beings with alien or
can include mundane human employees or volunteers, robotic
bizarre physiologies and even supernatural creatures.
servants, captive spirits, a built-in AI that operates the whole
facility, or whatever else you want.
MOBILE
0 Base Points
REINFORCED
Your headquarters can travel from place to place. Although 1 to 2 Base Points
this feature is free, mobile bases are also unique vehicles, so
This feature means your headquarters is significantly tougher
you’ll have to spend Hero Points on the Unique Vehicles Perk to
than a normal building. One Base Point provides you with
purchase the base’s vehicular characteristics and unique vehicle
standard reinforcement roughly equivalent to a modern-day
features. Mobile headquarters are always capital ships: standard
bomb shelter or military bunker. While powerful supers and
bases have 30 Health, bases with the Large Size feature have
heavy-duty military ordnance can penetrate your headquarters,
60 Health, and those with the Sprawling Size feature have
little else can, at least not without a great deal of time and
120 Health. Headquarters with the Enormous Size feature are
effort. Two Base Points provides you with reinforcement that
completely off the scale and can’t be attacked or destroyed like
incorporates advanced technology or magic, making it all-but
normal capital ships.
impenetrable to anything except the most powerful of supers
and cosmic-scale events.
102
PROWLERS PARAGONS
REMOTE TESSERACT
1 Base Point 2 Base Points
Your headquarters is in a remote or hard-to-reach location such Whether due to advanced technology that can fold spacetime,
Equipment
as in the Arctic, on the ocean floor, in orbit, on the Moon, or in magic that alters the fabric of reality, or something else, your
another dimension. This feature doesn’t automatically provide headquarters is much larger on the inside than it appears on the
you with a way to travel to and from your base, but it does outside. With this feature, even something a small as a phone
assume your headquarters incorporates whatever life-support booth can hold a base as large as a giant space station.
systems may be required in that location.
TRAINING FACILITIES
SCIENCE LABS 2 Base Points
1 to 2 Base Points
Any headquarters can have an empty space where you spar, lift
This feature means your headquarters includes one or more weights, and shirtlessly salmon ladder your way to fame. This
dedicated science labs where you can study things you find in feature, however, means your base includes a sophisticated
the field. They are also where you can create substances and training facility that lets you and your teammates run simulations
materials, as per the Gadgets rules. One Base Point provides and practice drills. Often situated on large areas of open land or
you with standard science labs equivalent to those found in in massive rooms, training facilities are usually equipped with
the world’s leading-edge companies and institutions. Two Base advanced holographic “hard light” technology or something
Points provides you with science labs that incorporate advanced equally nonsensical that allows them to simulate any number
technology or magic and allow you to analyze even high-tech or of real world environments and situations. Many are even able to
magical materials and energies. simulate combat with known Villains. If you and your teammates
have a headquarters with this feature, you each gain 1 point
SECURITY SYSTEMS of Teamwork at the start of every issue. Teamwork works like
1 to 2 Base Points Resolve that can only be used to assist your allies in combat or
during action scenes. Also, know with absolute certainty that
Your headquarters is assumed to have mundane security
eventually your GM will spend Adversity to have your training
systems such as locks, alarms, and video cameras in place.
facilities go completely haywire and try to kill you.
This feature means your security systems go even further. One
Base Point provides you with standard security systems about
TRANSPORT
as good as you can find anywhere in the world, and all-but-
2 Base Points
impossible for anyone lacking superpowers to penetrate. Two
Base Points provides you with security systems that incorporate Especially useful for headquarters with the Remote feature,
advanced technology or magic, making them effective against this means your headquarters includes advanced or magical
almost every form of intrusion, even by supers. That said, no means of transportation to and from the base. For example,
security system is foolproof, especially not when the GM is your base may incorporate something like teleport pads, an
willing to spend Adversity on the occasional misfortune. interdimensional gateway, or a magic portal.
SIZE WORKSHOPS
1 to 3 Base Points 1 to 2 Base Points
Your headquarters is much larger than normal. One Base Point Your headquarters includes facilities for designing and
provides you with a large base, about the size of an industrial manufacturing things, from ordinary devices and machines to
complex, medieval castle, or office building. Two Base Points unique Gadgets. One Base Point provides you with a standard
provides you with a sprawling base, about the size of a city workshop, a top of the line facility that allows you create
block, an island complex, a moon base, an orbiting satellite, innovative devices and machines. Two Base Points provides
or a sizable estate. Three Base Points provides you with a truly you with a workshop that incorporates advanced technology
awe-inspiring base. Almost anything goes at this level, including or magic and allows you to create high-tech, magical, and
tiny eastern European nations and space stations the size of a otherwise fantastical objects.
small moon.

CHAPTER 7
ENVIRONMENT
Environment
This chapter rounds out the rules with guidelines for handling miscellany like disasters, hazards, hostile environments, and toxins. It
also includes rules concerning feats of superheroic strength and power. While we can’t address every possible scenario, the goal of
this chapter is to provide a frame of reference to help you adjudicate situations that aren’t in the rules.
DISASTERS ENERGY
Heroes don’t just fight evil. With your unique abilities, you are Although there are many different kinds of energy in the real
often called on to help the victims of natural and manufactured world, P&P lumps them into a few simple categories for game
disasters. Events like avalanches, broken dams, burning buildings, purposes — otherwise Powers that control or resist energy
collapsing structures, earthquakes, flash floods, mudslides, become too diluted. The basic types of energy are described
power plant failures, plummeting airplanes, rockslides, runaway on the Energy Types table. Because gravity and magnetism
trains, sinking ships, tidal waves, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanic are forces that affect physical objects directly, they should be
eruptions, and wildfires offer more than enough to worry about, represented with Powers like Elemental Control and Telekinesis.
even if the bad guys have taken the day off. If you must classify these forces as energy, treat them both as
force energy.
Battling a disaster is broken up into a number of goals. Minor
FALLING
disasters have 3 goals, while major ones have 9 goals. A goal
is anything you need to accomplish to improve the situation:
saving people, diverting floodwaters, fighting fires, supporting
Falls are treated like attacks that can only be resisted with
collapsing buildings, and so on. Most goals can be accomplished
passive defenses (unless you can come up with a creative way
with a good idea and a successful challenge roll. Occasionally,
to use an active defense instead). The attack rank of a fall
however, a goal might be important enough to demand its own
depends on the distance fallen, as shown on the Falling table.
scene. This is up to the GM. The GM usually comes up with
Increase the attack rank by 3d if you land on something like
2 of the goals in a minor disaster or 6 of the goals in a major
spikes or sharp rocks; lower it by 3d if you land on something
disaster, leaving you and your fellow Heroes to brainstorm the
like cushions, garbage, or water. Additionally, whenever you fall
others. Once all goals have been accomplished or failed, check
onto soft surfaces like these, you can use Agility as an active
the Disaster Results table to determine who narrates the
defense against falling damage.
resolution and aftermath of the disaster.
DISASTER RESULTS
MINOR MAJOR RESULTS
0 Goals Accomplished 0 or 1 Goal Accomplished GM
1 Goal Accomplished 2 to 4 Goals Accomplished GM with Embellishment
2 Goals Accomplished 5 to 7 Goals Accomplished Players with Embellishment
3 Goals Accomplished 8 or 9 Goals Accomplished Players
ENERGY TYPES
ENERGY DESCRIPTION
Acid/Corrosive Chemical energy that dissolves matter, usually in a physical medium.
Arcane/Otherworldly Pure magical energy of the physical (as opposed to mental) variety.
Cold/Frost/Ice Considered a unique kind of energy in most settings.
Electricity/Lightning If it looks like lightning, it probably falls under this category.
Energy/Laser Generic energy: light, lasers, and anything not otherwise covered.
Fire/Heat/Plasma Anything that involves heat; some overlap with generic energy above.
Force/Kinetic Physical force: attacks using this energy are considered physical attacks.
Cosmic Energy/Radiation Comic book radiation that works like energy, not the real stuff.
Sound/Thunder/Vibration* Sonic or vibratory energy, the energy of molecular motion.
*If you care, this kind of energy should be useless in a vacuum but at +3d when used underwater.

FALLING characters with Swimming ignore these penalties. Deep water is
DISTANCE RANK dark, very cold, and can expose characters to pressure extremes
Up to 10 Feet 4d and the risks associated with sudden changes in pressure, but
Chapter 7
Up to 25 Feet 6d those real world complexities are left for GMs to handle or
Up to 50 Feet 8d ignore as they see fit.
Up to 100 Feet 10d
LEAPING
Up to 250 Feet 11d
Any Farther 12d
Distances are intentionally abstract in P&P, but it can sometimes
HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS
be helpful to have a more concrete idea of how far you can jump.
All characters effectively have Leaping at half their Might for
purposes of determining how far they can jump. However, you
Hostile environments can subject you to hazards like extreme
need to have spent Hero Points on Leaping if you want to use
pressure and temperature, ionizing radiation, and toxic
the Power as a means of long-distance travel.
atmospheres. Pressure extremes can range from the crushing
pressure at the bottom of the ocean to the complete vacuum
of space. Ionizing radiation may be found in and around nuclear
power plants and blast sites, as well as in outer space. And toxic
LIFTING
atmospheres filled with corrosive or poisonous gases exist right The maximum amount of weight you can lift is normally a static
here on Earth, as well as on any number of alien worlds. value that depends on your Might, but this assumes optimal
conditions. Lifting a heavy object can be tricky when rushed
Environmental hazards are either minor or major. A minor or too distracted to get a good grip on the thing. That being
hazard might be a smoke-filled room, low-level radiation, the case, whenever you want to lift a heavy object in combat or
extreme temperatures, and so on. You can withstand exposure to during other fast-paced actions scenes, the GM may ask for a
minor hazards for a number of minutes equal to your Toughness; Might roll to see if you can manage it. The threshold for this roll
after that, you suffer 1 point of damage per minute of exposure. depends on the object’s weight, as shown on the Lifting table.
Major hazards include things like crushing undersea pressure,
high-level radiation, and the vacuum of outer space. Exposure LIFTING
to these conditions is measured in pages rather than minutes, WEIGHT EXAMPLES THRESHOLD
so even if you aren’t in combat you should track time in pages Under
Scooter, Wolf 1
when dealing with a major hazard. You can withstand exposure 100 Pounds
to major hazards for a number of pages equal to your Toughness; 100 Pounds to
Motorcycle, Lion 2
after that, you suffer 1 point of damage per page of exposure. 500 Pounds
Hazards can’t inflict more than 1 point of damage per page, 500 Pounds to
Car, Bear 3
even if you’re exposed to multiple hazards at the same time. 1 Ton
Certain Powers (notably Adaptation and Immunity) can protect 1 Ton to
Truck, Hippo 4
you against environmental hazards. 5 Tons
5 Tons to
Lear Jet, Elephant 5
25 Tons
SUFFOCATION 25 Tons to
Commercial Jet, Blue Whale 6
You can hold your breath for a number of minutes equal to your 100 Tons
Toughness. After that, you start suffering 1 point of damage 100 Tons to
Jumbo Jet 7
per page until you can breathe again. Once you can breathe 500 Tons
normally, all suffocation damage immediately goes away. As 500 Tons to
Small Freighter 8
usual, you’ll be defeated rather than killed if you suffer too much 2 Kilotons
damage unless you’re playing a game in which Heroes can die. 2 Kilotons to
Frigate 9
Assuming you aren’t, you and your GM are going to have to 10 Kilotons
figure out how you managed to survive. 10 Kilotons to
Battleship, Small Building 10
50 Kilotons
50 Kilotons to
SWIMMING 250 Kilotons
Aircraft Carrier, Tall Building 11
Characters travel only half as fast as normal and use half their 250 Kilotons to
Skyscraper 12
Agility when making movement-related challenge rolls while 1 Megaton
swimming. They also suffer a −3d penalty to Perception rolls
while underwater. A scuba mask lowers this penalty to −1d for
visual Perception rolls. When engaging in underwater combat,
characters use half their Edge and suffer a −3d penalty to their
physical attack and active defense rolls. As you might expect,
106
PROWLERS PARAGONS
SCORCHING
Environment
Heat and electricity are common sources of harm. Like falling,
whenever you are exposed to either energy, you suffer an attack
that can only be resisted with passive defenses (unless you can
come up with a creative way of using one of your active defenses
instead). Use the Scorching table as a guide when determining
the rank of such attacks.
SCORCHING
HEAT ELECTRICITY RANK
Campfire Wall Socket 4d
Building Fire Car Battery 6d
Chemical Fire Power Line 8d
Incinerator Power Main 10d
Lava Generator 11d
Blast Furnace Lightning 12d
SMASHING
What would this game be without rules for smashing things?
Depressing, that’s what. Luckily, we’re here for you. While
vehicles and complex machines have a Body characteristic,
simple objects like doors and walls have a Structure rank that
determines their durability. The Structure of common materials
is on the Smashing table. GMs can raise or lower an object’s
Structure by 1d to 4d depending on its condition, thickness, and
whatever other factors they deem relevant.
SMASHING
MATERIAL STRUCTURE
Cloth, Drywall, Glass, Ice, Rope 2d
Plastic, Rubber, Wood 4d
Brick, Bulletproof Glass, Hardwood 6d
Asphalt, Concrete, Machinery 8d
Iron, Stone 10d
Steel 12d
Diamond, Titanium 14d
Advanced Alloy, Magical Metal 18d
Ozymandium Alloy* 24d
*Most comic book worlds have at least one substance that’s

all but invulnerable to physical harm. In the Pinnacle City
Universe, that metal is Ozymandium — Metal of Metals! — and
it’s impervious only in its pure form. While not unbreakable,
Ozymandium alloys are incredibly strong and resilient.
Whenever you want to bend, break, or smash through an object,

make a challenge roll using Might or one of your Powers against
the object’s Structure. You can bend or make a small hole in an
object with 1 to 2 net successes, but big holes require 3 or more
net successes. You must do this all at once; you can’t combine
net successes over multiple attempts. In fact, if an object is
especially thick — like castle wall thick — the GM might make
you do this a few times in order to smash through it completely.

DAMAGING COVER MASSIVE OBJECTS
Attacks can penetrate objects used as cover if their attack rank If you can manage to heft a truly massive object and somehow
exceeds the object’s Structure. Any time you attack a target by keep it from falling apart under its own weight, it works as
Chapter 7
smashing or shooting through an object, the target can use the described above, only using the object’s weight rank instead of
object’s Structure as a passive defense. When combined with its Body or Structure. Unlike ordinary scenery, massive objects
the above rules for smashing objects, what this means is that always break apart after the first shot.
you have two options when attacking a target hiding behind
cover. If your attack rank exceeds the cover’s Structure, you MASSIVE OBJECTS
can shoot right through it. If not, you can try to smash a hole MASSIVE WEIGHT MAX ATTACK
in the object your target is hiding behind, after which they’ll OBJECT RANK RANK
presumably be more exposed. Statue of Liberty 14d 20d
Freight Train 16d 22d
Destroyer, Eiffel Tower, Freighter 18d 24d
SCENERY AS WEAPONS The London Eye 19d 25d
Super strong characters tend to use anything they can find as Aircraft Carrier, Ocean Liner 21d 27d
weapons. Can you blame them? If you use a heavy object or a Skyscraper 22d 28d
vehicle as a club, you get a +1d bonus to your close combat Empire State Building 23d 29d
attack rolls. If you use a heavy object or a vehicle as a thrown Burj Khalifa, Golden Gate Bridge 24d 30d
projectile, this allows you to use Might +1d to perform a ranged The Great Pyramid 26d 32d
attack, which is nice when you have superhuman strength. Mount Everest 40d 46d
Moon 63d 69d
Unfortunately, mundane objects can take only so much Earth 69d 75d
punishment before becoming confetti. Whenever you use a
mundane object as an improvised weapon, your attack rank
caps out at the object’s Body or Structure plus 6d. For example,
motorcycles have 5d Body, so you can’t roll more than 11d
TOXINS
when using one as an improvised weapon. Similarly, most Biological and chemical agents like diseases, drugs, and poisons
wooden telephone poles have 7d Structure (6d plus 1d for are toxins. Toxins work like Powers with an Innate Source. Once
thickness), so you can’t roll more than 13d when using one as a character is exposed to a toxin, they can only use their passive
an improvised weapon. defenses — normally Toughness or the Resistance Power — to
resist its effects. The following Pros and Cons apply only to
Because everyday objects like streetlights, telephone poles, mundane diseases, drugs, and poisons (unless the GM rules
and cars aren’t designed to be used as weapons, they don’t otherwise).
last long under this kind of punishment. For every page that
an everyday object is used as a weapon by a super strong
character, its effective Body or Structure is reduced by 2d for CAUSTIC
these purposes. Again, this only applies when super strong CON −2 Hero Points
characters use scenery and vehicles as weapons. A character
This applies only to the Stun Power. A character affected by the
with normal human strength can wield an iron crowbar until the
Power isn’t incapacitated, but instead suffers a −2d penalty to
cows come home without affecting the thing in any way. Edge
all challenge rolls for the Power’s duration. If the Power comes
cases are up to the GM’s discretion.
in the form of a gas, it attacks everyone in its area of effect at
the start of each page.
SCENERY
PIECE OF BODY / MAX ATTACK
SCENERY
Post Office Mailbox
STRUCTURE
4d
RANK
10d
LETHAL DISEASE
PRO +6 Hero Points
Heavy Door, Motorcycle 5d 11d
Brick Wall, Telephone Pole 6d 12d This applies only to the Slay Power. Any damage inflicted by
Metal Dumpster, Sedan, Statue 7d 13d the Power isn’t inflicted immediately. Instead, the character
Big Statue, Fighter Jet, Humvee 8d 14d is incapacitated until the end of the current issue, at which
747 Airliner, Bus, Huge Tree, Yacht 9d 15d time the damage is inflicted. The GM will have to determine
18-Wheeler, Giant Statue 10d 16d whether the character can be cured before then — and at what
Ferris Wheel, Tank 11d 17d threshold — on a case-by-case basis. Last, these symptoms may
Vault Door 12d 18d take days or weeks to appear.
108
PROWLERS PARAGONS
NON-LETHAL DISEASE DRUGS AND POISONS
TOXIN POWER
PRO +2 Hero Points
Environment
Alcohol, Too Much Stun 6d (Caustic, Toxin)
This applies only to the Stun Power. A character affected by the Alcohol, Way Too Much Stun 6d (Toxin)
Power isn’t incapacitated, but instead suffers a −2d penalty to Ancient Poison* Slay 5d (Toxin)
all challenge rolls for the rest of the current issue. The GM will Anesthesia Stun 10d (Toxin)
have to determine whether the character can be cured before Blowfish Toxin Slay 7d (Toxin)
then — and at what threshold — on a case-by-case basis. Last, Cyanide Slay 9d (Toxin)
these symptoms may take days or weeks to appear. Knockout Drops Stun 6d (Toxin)
Knockout Gas Stun 8d (Toxin)
DISEASES Laughing Gas Drain (Intellect, Willpower) 6d (Toxin)
TOXIN POWER Mustard Gas Slay 4d & Stun 8d (Caustic, Toxin)
Anthrax Slay 5d (Lethal Disease, Toxin) Nerve Gas Slay 11d (Toxin)
Bubonic Plague Slay 6d (Lethal Disease, Toxin) Pepper Spray Stun 6d (Caustic, Toxin)
Common Cold Stun 3d (Non-Lethal Disease, Toxin) Strychnine Slay 5d (Toxin)
Ebola Slay 7d (Lethal Disease, Toxin) Tear Gas Stun 6d (Caustic, Toxin)
Influenza Stun 5d (Non-Lethal Disease, Toxin) Tranquilizer Stun 6d (Toxin)
Malaria Stun 6d (Non-Lethal Disease, Toxin) Truth Serum Drain (Intellect, Willpower) 8d (Toxin)
Malaria, Severe Slay 2d (Lethal Disease, Toxin) Venom, Lethal Slay 3d to 7d (Toxin)
Smallpox Slay 3d (Lethal Disease, Toxin) Venom, Paralytic Stun 4d to 8d (Toxin)
Staph Infection* Slay 4d (Lethal Disease, Toxin)
*Includes various naturally derived poisons such as arsenic,
*Includes various bacterial infections, such as those resulting belladonna, hemlock, and curare.
from open wounds or untreated injuries.

CHAPTER 8
FRIENDS AND FOES
Friends and Foes

You and your fellow Heroes aren’t the only ones walking around the game world. The world is filled with ordinary and not-so-ordinary
people, animals, and of course enemies. This chapter includes rules for dealing with NPCs and provides entries for a variety of stock
characters. It also provides several fully fleshed-out Heroes and Villains. Feel free to use these characters as-is or modify them to suit
your needs, as discussed below. You can also reskin these entries as required, using the stat blocks as presented but calling them
something else. For example, if the Heroes get transported to a fantasy realm, there’s no reason you can’t use the Caveman as an
orc, ogre, or troll.
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS SUPER MOOKS

If you find yourself in a pinch as GM and don’t have the stat
As mentioned earlier, NPCs include all characters run by the block you need for a particular enemy, you can always use
GM, whether enemies, allies, or somewhere in between. As what we like to call Super Mooks. Super Mooks are simple
characters run the by GM, NPCs can bend or break the rules of characters you can create on the fly. To create a Super Mook,
the game. The GM has this leeway because, unlike Heroes, these give the character a Threat rank, just like you would for a Minion.
characters aren’t avatars for interacting with the game world. Use this Threat rank for most purposes and half this rank for
NPCs are tools GMs uses when running a game. They exist only anything the character isn’t supposed to be good at doing.
to interact with the Heroes, serving as encounters, obstacles, Then give the character one or more specialties (whatever the
puzzles, and dramatic foils. These characters are a means to an character does especially well) and give each a Trait rank. That’s
end, the end being having fun at the table. As a result, the GM it; your Super Mook is done.
has a great deal of flexibility when creating and running NPCs.
The following rules are specific examples of this. Jennifer needs to create a fire-wielding Villain on the fly while
running a game. Okay, no problem. She first gives him a
6d Threat rank, which means he effectively has 6d in most
HEALTH Traits and 3d in anything he isn’t particularly good at. She
The rules for calculating Health are guidelines rather than decides that means he has 9 Edge (splitting the difference
hard-and-fast rules when dealing with NPCs. Although the rules between the Abilities used to calculate Edge) and 6 Health.
provide a concrete idea of what each character’s Health should Last, she gives him one specific 10d Trait rank for his fire
be, GMs can change these numbers however they wish to suit powers, which he’ll use to make attack and defense rolls. And
their games. The distinction between Villains and Foes already a flame-wielding Super Mook is born.
highlights this flexibility, but GMs are well within their rights to
take things farther when dealing with specific characters. For
example, a GM may want to create a giant skyscraper-sized kaiju
with 20d Might, 20d Toughness, and 60 Health. Conversely, a
ANIMALS
GM might want to create a group of super-tough flunkies with The following section includes several common and not-so-
20d Might, 20d Toughness, and 5 Health. Both options are common animals. Feel free to reskin or modify them to create
perfectly valid. alien creatures, magical beasts, and whatever else you need. A
few notes about these entries: (a) animals don’t have Talents,
Perks, or gear, (b) all animals have the Beast and Unusual Shape
SPECIAL POWERS Flaws, (c) heavy animals have the Heavy or Very Heavy Flaw
NPCs will occasionally have Special Powers, unique abilities (whichever applies), and (d) aquatic animals have the Severe
that bend or break the rules of the game. Special Powers are Requirement (Aquatic) Flaw. Most animal Traits are Innate, but
often regular Powers that work in some unique way that would anything goes when it comes to magical or extradimensional
be unbalanced in the hands of a Hero. They can also represent critters. Last, these entries include suggested Threat ranks and
abilities that don’t exist in the game, things these characters other relevant information for using these characters as Minions.
can just do (with or without making a challenge roll). They also
sometimes represent special abilities that are easier to handle in
narrative terms than with rules. Whatever the case, GMs should
feel free to grant their NPCs whatever unique Special Powers
they deem appropriate.

ALLIGATOR BADGER
COMBAT COMBAT
Chapter 8
Edge 6 Health 5 Edge 8 Health 4

ABILITIES ABILITIES
Agility 2d Perception 4d Agility 2d Perception 6d
Intellect 1d Toughness 5d Intellect 2d Toughness 4d
Might 5d Willpower 2d Might 3d Willpower 4d
POWERS POWERS
Armor 5d Resistance 8d
Blending (Limited: swamp camouflage) Running 4d
Running 4d Strike (Physical) 5d
Strike (Physical) 7d Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
Super Senses (Ultra Vision) AS MINIONS
Swimming 3d (Lungs)
Threat 3d (Animals)
AS MINIONS
Threat 5d (Animals)
BAT
ALLOSAURUS COMBAT
Edge 11 Health 1
COMBAT ABILITIES
Edge 6 Health 8 Agility 7d Perception 4d
ABILITIES Intellect 0d Toughness 0d
Agility 2d Perception 4d Might 0d Willpower 2d
Intellect 2d Toughness 8d POWERS
Might 8d Willpower 3d Flight 4d (Wings)
POWERS Radar
Armor 5d Super Senses (Enhanced Hearing)
Running 4d Wall-Crawling 1d (Conditional: rough surfaces)
Strike (Physical) 10d AS MINIONS
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Threat n/a (Animals)
AS MINIONS
Threat 9d (Animals)
BEAR
APATOSAURUS COMBAT
Edge 8 Health 6
COMBAT ABILITIES
Might 12d Willpower 2d Running 4d
POWERS Strike (Physical) 8d
Armor 8d Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
Strike (Physical) 10d (Reach, Sweep) AS MINIONS
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d) Threat 6d (Animals)
AS MINIONS
Threat 10d (Animals)
112
PROWLERS PARAGONS
BEAR, GRIZZLY CHEETAH
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Running 5d
Strike (Physical) 9d Strike (Physical) 5d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Super Senses (Enhanced Hearing, Ultra Vision)
AS MINIONS AS MINIONS
Threat 7d (Animals) Threat 4d (Animals)
BUFFALO/BULL CROCODILE
COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Armor 6d
Strike (Physical) 8d Blending (Limited: river camouflage)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 8d) Running 4d
AS MINIONS Strike (Physical) 8d
Super Senses (Ultra Vision)
Threat 7d (Animals)
Swimming 3d (Lungs)
AS MINIONS
Threat 6d (Animals)
CAMEL
COMBAT
Edge 6 Health 6
DOLPHIN
ABILITIES COMBAT
Agility 2d Perception 4d Edge 11 Health 6
Intellect 2d Toughness 6d
ABILITIES
Might 5d Willpower 3d
Agility 5d Perception 6d
POWERS
Immunity (Life Support) (Limited: can go for long periods Might 5d Willpower 3d
without eating or drinking)
POWERS
Running 4d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d) Radar (Sonar)
Swimming 4d (Lungs)
AS MINIONS
AS MINIONS
Threat 2d (Animals)
Threat 2d (Animals)

EAGLE/HAWK GIRAFFE
COMBAT COMBAT
Chapter 8

ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Flight 5d (Wings) Running 4d
Strike (Physical) 5d (Weak) Super Senses (Acute Hearing 10d, Enhanced Hearing,
Super Senses (Acute Vision 10d, Telescopic Vision) Telescopic Vision)
ELEPHANT/MAMMOTH GORILLA
COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Armor 7d Strike (Physical) 6d
Running 4d AS MINIONS
Strike (Physical) 12d
Threat 5d (Animals)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 12d, Enhanced Hearing, Tracking
Scent)
AS MINIONS
114
PROWLERS PARAGONS
HIPPOPOTAMUS KILLER WHALE
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Armor 6d Radar (Sonar)
Strike (Physical) 9d Swimming 4d (Lungs)
Swimming 3d (Lungs) AS MINIONS
AS MINIONS Threat 9d (Animals)
Threat 7d (Animals)
HORSE KOMODO DRAGON

COMBAT
COMBAT
Edge 6 Health 4
Edge 8 Health 5
ABILITIES
ABILITIES
POWERS
POWERS
Armor 4d
Running 4d
Running 4d
Strike (Physical) 6d (Carrier Attack [Slay 6d (Delay, Toxin)])
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
AS MINIONS
AS MINIONS
Threat 3d (Animals)
Threat 4d (Animals)
HYENA LEOPARD/PANTHER
COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Enhanced Hearing, Tracking Super Senses (Enhanced Hearing, Ultra Vision)
Scent, Ultra Vision) AS MINIONS
AS MINIONS Threat 5d (Animals)
Threat 5d (Animals)

LION/TIGER OCTOPUS, GIANT
COMBAT COMBAT
Chapter 8

ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Blending
Strike (Physical) 8d Boost: Might 7d (Limited: only for grappling)
Super Senses (Enhanced Hearing, Ultra Vision) Darkness (Charges 1)
AS MINIONS Extra Limbs (Arms)
Threat 6d (Animals)
Swimming 4d
AS MINIONS
Threat 4d (Animals)
MONGOOSE
COMBAT
Edge 14 Health 1
PLESIOSAUR
ABILITIES COMBAT
ABILITIES
POWERS
Immunity (Toxins) (Limited: only venom) Might 7d Willpower 3d
Strike (Physical) 5d (Weak)
POWERS
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
Radar (Sonar)
AS MINIONS
Threat n/a (Animals) Swimming 4d (Lungs)
AS MINIONS
Threat 6d (Animals)
MONKEY
COMBAT
Edge 13 Health 1
PTERODACTYL
ABILITIES COMBAT
ABILITIES
POWERS
Extra Limbs (Tail) Might 4d Willpower 2d
Swing Line 4d (Natural)
POWERS
AS MINIONS
Flight 5d (Wings)
Threat n/a (Animals) Strike (Physical) 5d
Super Senses (Telescopic Vision)
AS MINIONS
Threat 3d (Animals)
116
PROWLERS PARAGONS
RAPTOR, DEINONYCHUS RHINOCEROS
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Armor 6d
Strike (Physical) 6d Running 4d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Strike (Physical) 10d
RAPTOR, UTAHRAPTOR SCORPION/SPIDER

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Blending
Strike (Physical) 8d Slay 6d (Toxin)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Wall-Crawling 1d
Threat 7d (Animals) Threat n/a (Animals)
RAPTOR, VELOCIRAPTOR SHARK

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Running 4d Blending (Limited: ocean camouflage)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Super Senses (Acute Smell 12d, Tracking Scent)
AS MINIONS Swimming 4d
Threat 3d (Animals) AS MINIONS
Threat 7d (Animals)

SHARK, GREAT WHITE SPINOSAURUS
COMBAT COMBAT
Chapter 8

ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Blending (Limited: ocean camouflage) Armor 7d
Strike (Physical) 10d Running 4d
Swimming 4d Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
SNAKE, CONSTRICTOR SQUIRREL

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Radar (Tremor Sense) Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Wall-Crawling 1d (Conditional: rough surfaces)
Threat 6d (Animals) Threat n/a (Animals)
SNAKE, VENOMOUS STEGOSAURUS

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Radar (Tremor Sense) Armor 7d
Slay 6d (Toxin) Running 4d
AS MINIONS Super Senses (Acute Smell 8d)
Threat 6d (Animals) AS MINIONS
Threat 9d (Animals)
118
PROWLERS PARAGONS
TRICERATOPS WOLF
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Armor 7d Running 4d
Strike (Physical) 11d Super Senses (Acute Smell 12d, Enhanced Hearing, Tracking
Super Senses (Acute Smell 8d) Scent, Ultra Vision)
TYRANNOSAURUS REX WOLVERINE

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Armor 6d Resistance 9d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent) Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d, Tracking Scent)
WHALE ZEBRA
COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
Swimming 4d (Lungs) Blending (Conditional: in tall grass)
AS MINIONS Running 4d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 10d)
AS MINIONS
Threat 2d (Animals)

EXTRAS
The following section includes a collection of generic Extras for your use and amusement. As with animals, feel free to modify or
Chapter 8
reskin these characters to suit your purposes. A few notes about these entries: (a) these characters lack Talents and Perks, (b) when
one of these characters needs to make a Talent roll, use whichever Ability is most appropriate instead, and (c) unless written as a
modifier, the ranks listed after armor and weapons are the final values; the math has already been done. These characters’ Abilities
are assumed to be Innate unless otherwise noted. Last, these entries include suggested Threat ranks and other relevant information
for using these characters as Minions.
ALIEN INVADER ATHLETE

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
None None
FLAWS FLAWS
None None
GEAR GEAR
Battle Armor: 6d Armor Smartphone, long-term injuries
Blast Rifle: 8d Ranged (Two-Handed) AS MINIONS
Communicator
Threat 3d
AS MINIONS
Threat 6d (Shooters)
CAVEMAN
ANIMATED SKELETON COMBAT
Edge 6 Health 5
COMBAT ABILITIES
Might 3d Willpower 2d None
POWERS FLAWS
MAGIC POWERS Outsider (primitive)
Abilities (All)
GEAR
Blind Fighting
Immortality Big Club: 8d (s) Melee (Two-Handed)
Inanimate (Mindless) AS MINIONS
Martial Arts 4d Threat 5d
FLAWS
Frightening, Mute
GEAR
Sword: 6d Melee
Chainmail: 4d Armor
Shield: +1d Defense
AS MINIONS
Threat 4d (Automatons)
120
PROWLERS PARAGONS
CIVILIAN COP
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
None None
FLAWS FLAWS
None None
GEAR GEAR
Smartphone, ennui Pistol: 5d Ranged
AS MINIONS Baton: 4d (s) Melee
Pepper Spray: Stun 6d (Close, Charges 3)
Threat 2d
Handcuffs, radio
AS MINIONS
COMMANDO
COMBAT
Edge 7 Health 4 COP, DETECTIVE
ABILITIES
COMBAT
Intellect 2d Toughness 4d Edge 8 Health 3
Might 4d Willpower 3d ABILITIES
POWERS Agility 3d Perception 4d
None Intellect 4d Toughness 3d
FLAWS
POWERS
None
None
GEAR
FLAWS
Assault Rifle: 8d Ranged (Area, Two-Handed)
Military Armor: 5d Armor None
Knife, pistol, night vision goggles, radio GEAR
AS MINIONS Pistol: 5d Ranged
Threat 5d (Shooters) Pepper Spray: Stun 6d (Close, Charges 3)
Handcuffs, radio
AS MINIONS
SUPER TIP!
Want to play a Vigilante who straddles the line
between good and evil? If the GM allows them,
Vigilantes are so driven that they neither gain
Resolve for their heroic actions nor grant the
GM Adversity for their unheroic actions if
those actions are driven by their Motivation.

Chapter 8
CRIME LORD DEMON

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
None MAGIC POWERS
FLAWS Abilities (All)
Armor 7d
Enemy (honest cops)
GEAR
FLAWS
Pistol: 5d Ranged
Frenzy, Frightening
Reinforced Cane: 5d (s) Melee (Versatile)
GEAR
AS MINIONS
None
AS MINIONS
Threat 6d
CULTIST
COMBAT KILLER ROBOT
Edge 4 Health 3
ABILITIES COMBAT

Intellect 2d Toughness 2d ABILITIES
Might 2d Willpower 3d Agility 2d Perception 6d
POWERS Intellect 2d Toughness 6d
TRAINED POWERS Might 6d Willpower 2d
Expertise (Academics: Occult) 4d POWERS
FLAWS TECH POWERS
Quirk (zealot) Abilities (All)
GEAR Armor 6d
Blast (Energy) 8d
Ceremonial Dagger: 3d Melee
Communications
AS MINIONS Inanimate
Threat 2d Super Senses (Thermal Vision)
FLAWS
Emotionless, Repair, Unusual Looks
GEAR
None
AS MINIONS
Threat 6d (Automatons, Shooters)
122
PROWLERS PARAGONS
LOST WORLD NATIVE NINJA
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
None TRAINED POWERS
FLAWS Martial Arts 5d
Vanish (Item: smoke bombs)
Outsider (primitive)
FLAWS
GEAR
Code (secretive)
Bow: 6d Ranged (Two-Handed)
Spear: 6d Melee (Thrown, Versatile) GEAR
Knife: 5d Melee Ninja Weapon: 8d Melee (Two-Handed)
AS MINIONS Shuriken: 5d Ranged (Thrown)
Bow: 7d Ranged (Two-Handed)
Miscellaneous ninja gear
AS MINIONS
MOOK
COMBAT
Edge 5 Health 4
NINJA, HIGH TECH
ABILITIES COMBAT
ABILITIES
POWERS
None Might 3d Willpower 4d
FLAWS POWERS
None TECH POWERS
GEAR Armor 5d (Item: suit)
Submachine Gun: 5d Ranged (Area, Versatile) Blending (Item: suit)
Pistol: 5d Ranged Super Senses (Night Vision) (Item: suit)
Brass Knuckles: 5d (s) Melee Vanish (Item: suit)
Wall-Crawling 4d (Item: suit)
AS MINIONS
TRAINED POWERS
Martial Arts 5d
Two-Fisted
FLAWS
Code (secretive)
GEAR
Dual Ninja Swords: 8d Melee
SUPER TIP! Dual Pistols: 8d Ranged (Silenced)

AS MINIONS
If you want to create more or less ordinary Threat 5d (Shooters)
people as characters (as Heroes), give them
50 Hero Points and a 5d Trait Cap.

SOLDIER
COMBAT
Chapter 8
Edge 6 Health 3
ABILITIES
POWERS
None
FLAWS
None
GEAR
Assault Rifle: 8d Ranged (Area, Two-Handed)
Military Armor: 5d Armor
Knife, pistol, night vision goggles, radio
AS MINIONS
SPY
COMBAT
Edge 8 Health 4
ABILITIES
POWERS
None
FLAWS
None
GEAR
Pistol: 6d (Ranged)
Concealed Knife: 6d Melee (Collapsible)
Various nifty spy gadgets
AS MINIONS
SUPER TIP!
If you want to create highly skilled but nevertheless
ordinary people as characters (as Heroes),
give them 60 Hero Points and a 6d Trait Cap.
124
PROWLERS PARAGONS
VAMPIRE WEREWOLF
Friends and Foes

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
MAGIC POWERS MAGIC POWERS
Abilities (All) Abilities (Agility, Might, Perception, Toughness)
Armor 12d (Shutdown: fire, holy, magic, and flaws below) Hard to Kill (Shutdown: fire, magic, silver)
Immortality (Vulnerable: fire, holy, magic, and flaws below) Regeneration (Fast)
Life Drain 7d (Carrier Attack [Special Power 12d (Can turn a Running 5d
defeated target into a vampire thrall; permanent unless a Strike (Physical) 8d (Carrier Attack [Special Power 9d (Turns
cure can be found)], Vampirism) a wounded or defeated target into a werewolf next full
Super Senses (Night Vision, Tracking Scent) moon; permanent unless a cure can be found)])
FLAWS Super Senses (Acute Smell 12d, Enhanced Hearing, Tracking
Scent, Ultra Vision)
Aversion (holy symbols)
Compulsion & Requirement (blood) FLAWS
Reaction (holy water: splash inflicts 1 damage, immersion Alter Ego
inflicts 1 damage per page) Compulsion (hunting, killing)
Reaction (sunlight: 2 damage per page) Frenzy
Reaction (paralyzed by a wooden stake through the heart (−2d Frightening
to attack roll to inflict) which allows death by decapitation) Vulnerability (silver)
GEAR GEAR
None None
Threat 6d (Unique: undead and immune to all damage Threat 7d (Unique: animal senses and immune to all damage
except fire, holy, and magic) except fire, silver, and magic)
ZOMBIE ZOMBIE, FAST

COMBAT COMBAT
ABILITIES ABILITIES
POWERS POWERS
MAGIC POWERS SUPER POWERS

Abilities (All) Abilities (All)
Armor 6d (Shutdown: Headshots (−2d penalty to inflict a Armor 6d (Shutdown: Headshots (−2d penalty to inflict a
headshot)) headshot))
Immortality (Shutdown: Headshots) Immortality (Shutdown: Headshots)
Inanimate (Mindless) Inanimate (Mindless)
Strike (Physical) 3d (Carrier Attack [Special Power 9d (Turns Strike (Physical) 3d (Carrier Attack [Special Power 9d (Turns
a wounded or defeated target into a zombie in 1d days; a wounded or defeated target into a zombie in 1d days;
permanent unless a cure can be found)]) permanent unless a cure can be found)])
FLAWS FLAWS
Frightening, Slow Frightening

GEAR GEAR
None None
Threat 3d (Automatons) Threat 3d (Automatons)

HEROES AND VILLAINS
The following section includes an assortment of fully fleshed-out
Chapter 8
Heroes and Villains for use in your game.
HEROES
Each of these characters was created using 125 Hero Points and
a 12d Trait Cap, making them suitable for Standard power level
games. They are perfect for when you want to sit down and play
or teach someone to play without creating a character. If you
find yourself in a pinch, they also make great NPCs (and maybe
even Villains if you ignore their backstories). As always, feel free
to use these characters as they are or tweak them to suit your
fancy. Unless otherwise noted in their entries, these characters
have Innate Abilities and Trained Talents. The Resolve listed for
each Hero includes that provided by the Determination Power
and by the asterisked Flaws that grant extra Resolve at the start
of each issue rather than during play.
VILLAINS
The Villains in this section cover a wide range of power levels,
from mundane to cosmic. As always, use them as they are,
change them however you wish, or reskin them however you
like. If you change their backstories, you can even use these
characters as superhero NPCs (I can actually feel some of them
glaring at me as I write this). Unless otherwise noted, assume
these characters have Innate Abilities and Trained Talents.
Like Heroes, Villains have a power level, but there are only
three options: Minor, Major, and Epic. Minor Villains are about
on par with Street Level or Low Level Heroes. Major Villains
are roughly equivalent to Standard or High Level Heroes. Epic
Villains are at least as powerful as Legendary or Iconic Heroes,
if not more so. Villain power levels aren’t as exacting as those
applied to Heroes. A Villain’s power level is a rough gauge of
how they compare to other Villains and how much of a threat
they pose to Heroes. Since every group of Heroes brings a
unique combination of strengths and weaknesses to the table,
this is at best an imprecise science. Use Villain power levels as
a rough benchmark, but don’t rely on them exclusively when
determining which Villains to throw against your Heroes and
whether to tweak their characteristics when you do.
126
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ALABAMA SLAMMER
Alabama Slammer
TAMMY JAMES
HERO “Y’all might wanna just go ahead and give up
Edge 36 Resolve 4 now, before I make you look bad. I know you boys
Health 6 Hero Points 125 are sensitive about that kind of thing.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Academics 3d Professional 3d
Charm 5d Science 3d
Command 3d Streetwise 3d
Covert 3d Survival 3d
Investigation 3d Technology 3d
Medicine 3d Vehicles 3d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
Determination (+3 Resolve)
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Perception, Toughness)
Phasing (Concentration)
Regeneration
Resistance 12d
Super Speed 12d
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Quirk (impulsive)
Relationship (see Connections)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MOTIVATION: Adventure ORIGIN: Tamara “Tammy” James is a bright, funny, and optimistic
CONNECTIONS young woman, maybe because she’s been though a lot. Raised by her
Amanda James: Tammy’s mother, who does not have the slightest clue mom in a small town in Alabama, Tammy’s family always skirted the line
that her daughter is a superhero. between working class and poor. Amanda James did what she could for
Billy Dee James: Tammy’s younger brother, now in college, who also her children, but everyone had to chip in, so Tammy began working at
doesn’t know that she is a superhero. the Bama-Gator Bar & Grill as soon as she was old enough. It was there,
Bubba Barton: Tammy’s former boss turned surrogate father. Bubba a few years later, that her powers blossomed. Bubba Barton, the former
owns the Bama-Gator Bar & Grill where Tammy worked for years. biker who owned the place, was getting ready to leave with the night’s
DETAILS cash receipts when a pair of armed men entered the bar and demanded
Tammy sees herself as almost invincible, and she’ll be shaken the first the money. Bubba handed it over, but when one of the gunmen took too
time that’s proven false. keen an interest in Tammy, Bubba broke a bar stool over his head. The
Still a few steps from mature and starstruck by superheroes, Tammy other man panicked and started shooting. Tammy screamed, but then
could easily develop a crush on another Hero. she realized that time had slowed to a crawl. Without understanding
Tammy has no idea who her father is, much less that he’s the reason she what was happening, she pulled Bubba out of the way of the bullets and
has her powers. disarmed both men in the blink of an eye. Since then, despite Bubba’s
worried attempts to talk her out of it, Tammy has been living the
superhero life and loving every minute of it.

BLACK DRAGON JOAQUIN PEREIRA
Black Dragon
HERO “You ever given any thought to all the lives

Edge 20 Resolve 6 you’ve destroyed? No, of course you haven’t.
Health 8 Hero Points 125 But you’re going to wish you had.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
PSYCHIC POWERS
Boost (Might) 9d (Charges 3)
Danger Sense 10d
Leaping 5d
Regeneration
Resistance 10d
Running 5d
Super Senses (True Sight)
TRAINED POWERS
Blind Fighting
Martial Arts 10d (Penetrating)
Two-Fisted
PERKS
Contacts (criminal, spirit realm)
FLAWS
Enemy (Jade Dragon)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Justice ORIGIN: An orphan who grew up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro,
CONNECTIONS Joaquin was well known in the city’s underground street fighting circuit
Sifu: Speaking to him from the spirit realm during his meditations, by the time he was 16. His life changed forever when his handler, Cano
Joaquin’s former master still guides him. Ventosa, lost his contract to an old man who challenged Joaquin in the
Cano Ventosa: Although by no means a good man, Cano is the only ring. The old man brought Joaquin to the Dragon Temple and explained
family Joaquin’s ever known. that his life hadn’t been so difficult by accident. Destiny had plans for
Bea Rubenstein: Joaquin’s widowed landlady basically adopted him him, but he needed to understand the plight of the less fortunate before
after he saved her from being mugged. Bea knows Joaquin isn’t Jewish he could become the Black Dragon. Joaquin spent several years in the
and doesn’t care — she expects him over for all the Jewish holidays. dragon temple with the man who would come to be his teacher, his Sifu,
DETAILS his first real friend. He learned to fight, and he learned to harness his chi,
Joaquin hates the noise and bustle of the city; he longs for the peace and the breath of the dragon. To his surprise, the restless young man also
quiet he experienced during his years of training at the dragon temple. found a peace he’d never known. But that ended the day the Jade Dragon
A Hero who isn’t a melee specialist may ask Joaquin to teach them some attacked the temple. Perhaps Sifu could have defeated him if he hadn’t
fighting moves; Joaquin may even offer. been distracted, but he was forced to sacrifice his life to save Joaquin.
Nothing can prepare Joaquin for how he will feel when he learns the Jade Left for dead with his training incomplete, Joaquin nevertheless took on
Dragon’s true identity. the mantle of the Black Dragon and swore he would find the Jade Dragon
and put an end to his evil.
128
PROWLERS PARAGONS
BLASTWAVE CLAYTON WRIKE
Blastwave
HERO “You’re not going to like how the story
Edge 16 Resolve 2 ends if you keep this up.”
Health 9 Hero Points 125
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 2d Science 2d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Toughness, Willpower)
Energy Absorption (Cold, Electricity, Energy,
Fire, Force/Kinetic, Sound) 12d (Side Effect:
collateral damage)
TRAINED POWERS
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 10d
Running 5d
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Secret Identity
Wanted (AEGIS)*
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Redemption ORIGIN: Not all heroes start out that way. Some learn what it means by
CONNECTIONS making a lot of serious mistakes along the way. Clayton Wrike began life
Adam and Clarice Wrike: They believe Clayton died in service to his as a young super with extraordinary powers and no clue what to do with
country, but he keeps close tabs on his folks to ensure their safety. them. One stupid moment of showing off was all it took to accidentally
Detective Clarence Wilson: A cousin whom Clayton trusts with his demolish a condemned building and get him locked up for what he
identity and his cause, he is a rising star in the local police department. assumed would be the rest of his life. But Clayton was offered a choice —
Talon: The superhero Talon knows Clayton as the hero he truly is serve his country or head to maximum security. Choosing service,
(although Clayton does not know Talon’s secret identity). Clayton found himself doing very questionable things supposedly in
DETAILS the name of justice and protecting humanity. Eventually, he came to
To this day, Clayton carries a great deal of guilt over the things he did understand he was working with a rogue agency operating within the
while working for the rogue agency. government. Knowing his ignorance wouldn’t stop them from locking
Clayton grew up with one of the Heroes, and he can see their true him up, Clayton arranged to disappear in a massive explosion. His family
identity right through the mask. was informed he died in service to his nation. Not long after, the stalwart
AEGIS wants Clayton for questioning, maybe to lock him away, maybe superhero Blastwave came on the scene, always ready to step up and
to use him as an asset, maybe for other reasons. play boy scout when people need his help. He just has to excuse himself,
and quickly, whenever AEGIS arrives on the scene.

CITIZEN SOLDIER HAMILTON SMITH
Citizen Soldier
HERO “Son, you’ve made enough mistakes today.

Edge 12 Resolve 4 But you can always make a better choice.
Health 12 Hero Points 125 Put down the gun and let’s talk.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 5d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Might, Toughness)
Armor 12d
Regeneration
TRAINED POWERS
Leadership
PERKS
Authority (top secret clearance)
Contacts (AEGIS, military)
FLAWS
Enemy (Doctor Berlin)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Idealism ORIGIN: Hamilton Smith was born a patriot. Despite how hard life
CONNECTIONS could be for African Americans, Hamilton had faith in the American
Colonel Jane Bailey: Hamilton’s AEGIS contact, Jane is one of his few dream. He volunteered for the army soon after the country entered
friends and sworn to keep his secret. the Second World War. Like so many young black soldiers at the time,
Janelle Bailey: Jane’s 8-year old daughter, she does not know that Hamilton wanted to be part of the Double-V Campaign, helping achieve
mom’s friend Hamilton is Citizen Soldier. democracy abroad and equality at home. A brilliant tactician, he was
Sam: Hamilton’s dog. Sam let himself into the house one day through soon assigned a squad of highly skilled irregulars called the Citizen Squad.
the back door and announced his arrival by parking himself on the couch In what would be their last mission, the Citizen Squad discovered a secret
next to Hamilton and promptly falling asleep. facility run by Dr. Maximilian von Graff (the man who would become the
DETAILS nefarious Doctor Berlin). Graff had been conducting bizarre experiments,
Hamilton regularly visits his parents’ graves. While he has no regrets, he trying to create the ultimate soldier. The Citizen Squad managed to
misses them and always strives to live up to their example. destroy the facility, but not before Hamilton took a bullet meant for one
One of the Heroes may have a living relative who was a member of the of his men. Not knowing what else to do, Hamilton’s men injected him
Citizen Squad during the Second World War. with a restorative serum they found in the lab. The serum put Hamilton
Poor Hamilton is not prepared for what Dr. Berlin has in store for him. into a coma, and in honor of his service, the U.S. government kept him
Honestly, no one could be. alive for the decades it took to do its work. The serum kept him young,
healed his injuries, and turned him into Citizen Soldier.
130
PROWLERS PARAGONS
COMBUSTION RAQUEL VERA
Combustion
HERO “Are you really trying to shoot me with a
Edge 7 Resolve 2 gun? Aye pobrecito. I’ll make sure my PR
Health 4 Hero Points 125 people do a better job in the future.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 2d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Aura (Fire) 9d
Elemental Control (Fire) 12d (Area)
Flight 8d (Signature: fiery trail)
Immunity (Fire/Heat)
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Professional: Fashion) 4d
Evasion 8d
PERKS
Contacts (fashion industry)
Wealth
FLAWS
Finite Power (fatigue)
Quirk (overconfident)
GEAR
None (although she loves expensive cars)
MOTIVATION: Virtue ORIGIN: Raquel Vera has always led a charmed life. She spent her
CONNECTIONS childhood travelling the world with her parents, being educated by
Nicolas Vera: Raquel’s father, owner and CEO of a large Latin American private tutors, and mingling with other children of privilege. Her beauty
mining conglomerate. got her noticed by a fashion designer in Milan who convinced her to
Rupert Ikpe: Former fashion designer, Rupert is one of Raquel’s closest model his spring line. She did, and Raquel took the fashion world by
friends, acts as her agent, and handles all her PR. storm. Once word got out that she was donating all her earnings to
Viola Vera: Raquel’s mother, she and Raquel have a somewhat rocky charity, her popularity exploded. And this was all before becoming the
relationship. world’s first real “super” model. That happened during a shoot on the
DETAILS observation deck of the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong. Halfway
Raquel has recently begun having recurring nightmares about burning through the session, an unexpected meteor shower lit up the night
people who upset her. sky, and one especially bright streak shot down to Earth and slammed
Raquel and her family are international movers and shakers; she may into Raquel. When she finally stopped screaming and opened her eyes,
well know other wealthy Heroes or their families. Raquel realized she was hovering in the air, many miles away from
Raquel’s powers are the result of a malignant alien entity that has Victoria Harbour…wreathed in flames. Raquel doesn’t know what fell
possessed her and is biding its time. from the sky or how it gave her powers, but she isn’t too concerned about
it. Like her modeling career, she sees this as just another adventure that
fell into her charmed lap.

DARKWOLF JACK DALTON
Darkwolf
HERO “Hey, scumbag, why don’t you come over here

Edge 20 Resolve 5 and try picking on someone your own size?”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Agility, Might, Perception, Toughness)
Animal Empathy
Hard to Kill
Leaping 6d
Regeneration (Fast)
Running 6d
Super Senses (Acute Smell 12d, Enhanced Hearing, Tracking
Scent, Ultra Vision)
Two-Fisted
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Restriction (on parole)
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Responsibility ORIGIN: Jonathan “Jack” Dalton came from a working-class family. He
CONNECTIONS and his twin brother Jim worked in the same factory where their father
Jason Pierce: Although Jack is more of a loner, the superhero Psidearm had, at least until it shut down. Jack found work in construction, but Jim
has become one of his closest friends. wasn’t so lucky. With a young family to support, Jim got involved with
Jenna and Jimmy Dalton: Jack’s niece and nephew, who of course have the wrong people and ended up driving the getaway car in a botched
no idea that Uncle Jack is a superhero. bank robbery. Knowing what would happen to Jim and his family, Jack
Jim and Sarah Dalton: Jack’s twin brother and his wife. Sarah thinks Jack took the rap for his brother. In prison, Jack volunteered to test an
is a bad influence. She doesn’t know Jack went to jail for his brother, and experimental medication in exchange for a reduced sentence. It was
neither she nor Jim knows that Jack is a superhero. only when the superhero Psidearm burst into the place and stopped the
DETAILS experiment that Jack learned the truth. He was a lab rat in an experiment
Jack is desperate to get back into his sister-in-law’s good graces so he run by some rogue black-book agency pursuing its own agenda. The
can be closer to his family. so-called experimental medication was designed to create enhanced
Jack knows something about another Hero, something he heard from a soldiers by rewriting a subject’s DNA, and it had killed everyone who’d
fellow inmate while in prison. been tested. By the time Psidearm explained this to him, the stuff was
Eventually, someone at the rogue agency is going to discover that the already pumping through Jack’s veins. For once in his life, though, Jack
one person who survived their serum has a genetically identical twin. got lucky. His body accepted the serum, and Jack Dalton became the
savage sentinel known as Darkwolf.
132
PROWLERS PARAGONS
EIDOLON LON
“Why did you do that? That wasn’t very nice.”
EIDOLON
HERO
Edge 14 Resolve 6
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 4d Science 4d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
Omni-Power (Fungal Powers) 10d* (Mind Link)
Light
*Eidolon’s control of his own fungal body and fungi around him
allows him enormous flexibility. By manipulating his own body,
he can imitate Powers like Blending, Doppelganger, Extra Limbs,
Healing, Plasticity, Separation, and Stretching. By releasing
spores, he can imitate attack Powers like Blast, Blind, Strike,
and Stun and mental Powers like Illusions (Mental), Languages
(Hyper Translation), Mind Control, Possession, and Telepathy,
but these spore-based Powers all have the Toxin Con and cannot
be used at any farther than Close Range.
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Enemy (Gaia Pharmaceuticals) *
Outsider (an alien, humans still baffle him)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Knowledge ORIGIN: A microbial being, Lon came to Earth on a comet that
CONNECTIONS crashed into the Blue Mountains of Oregon. The ensuing blast nearly
1) Machiko Okabe: A kindergarten teacher Lon often visits. Lon has killed Dr. Shin Beatty, a young mycologist looking for a previously
learned much about human behavior by watching her students interact. undiscovered fungus he had tracked to the area, one that could help
2) Monique Dumas: One of Ms. Okabe’s students, she suffers from him and his employer, Gaia Pharmaceuticals, unlock the next great
cerebral palsy. She is completely comfortable with Lon’s true appearance. medical revolution. Luckily for Shin, he was right, and Lon merged with
3) Shin Beatty: A biochemist and Lon’s first friend. Shin is currently in that fungus to become something more, something that could heal the
hiding from his former employer, living under an assumed name. terribly wounded scientist. The two became friends. It was Shin who
DETAILS would name him Eidolon and teach him about this strange new world.
Lon enjoys volunteering in schools. He finds children more direct and less Now a sentient fungal being, Lon agreed to help Shin with his research.
cynical, and thus more familiar, than adults. Unfortunately, not long after the accident, Shin’s lab was raided, all his
Science and medicine-oriented heroes will recognize Lon’s abilities as records were stolen, and Shin himself would have been killed had Lon
alien and fascinating, with incredible potential for humanity. not been there to save him. Unbelievably, Shin recognized one of the
Lon and Shin are both mistaken. The people at Gaia Pharmaceuticals team that had been sent to kill him: she was a fellow Gaia employee!
were not there for Shin’s work; they were there for Lon. Shin’s employer wanted to get rid of him and make it look like corporate
espionage. Shin would have to go into hiding until he could figure out
what Gaia was up to. He explained this to Lon, but the alien understood
little of things like corruption and greed. Realizing he’d need to learn if
he were going to help his friend, the hero Eidolon was born.

HERALD AIRMID/FIONA O’CONNELL
HERO “I may be a healer, but do not mistake me for a pacifist.”
Herald
Edge 12 Resolve 5
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 4d Science 2d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Abilities and Talents (All)
Alternate Form (see Scáthach) (Independent Form)
Elemental Control (Plants) 10d (Area, Zone)
Expertise (Medicine: Ancient Remedies) 12d
Expertise (Science: Botany) 12d
Healing 10d
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Alter Ego (Fiona O’Connell is the 16-year old alter ego of Airmid
and Scáthach, two goddesses who appear whenever they
deem it necessary. This is less than idea for Fiona since the
Celtic goddesses are unfamiliar with curfews, high school,
weekend babysitting, etc.)
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Idealism ORIGIN: Fiona O’Connell spent her childhood travelling with her
CONNECTIONS archeologist parents around the globe as they sought out lost secrets
Professor Dualtach Ó Duinn: an expert in Celtic mythology, he knows of the past and evidence of legendary heroes. Fiona’s parents believed
Fiona’s secret and has met her alter egos. in the existence of divine forces that would bestow their power on those
Holly Meadows: Fiona’s best friend since almost before they could walk, they deemed worthy. This search led the O’Connells to Ireland. Fiona was
Holly is Fiona’s link to normalcy. She doesn’t know Fiona’s secret. helping at a dig site near some fairy mounds when she felt the power flow
Sean and Abigail O’Connell: Fiona’s parents, they do not know their into her, enough to make her pass out. She had a vision of two beautiful,
daughter is a superhero. powerful women: the Irish goddesses Airmid and Scáthach. They had
DETAILS chosen her. When she awoke, Fiona realized she was now host to these
Fiona tries to maintain a secret identity, but the uncontrolled two beings. Airmid and Scáthach rarely agreed on much, but they had
manifestations of the goddesses are making this increasingly difficult. agreed on Fiona as their vessel. Perhaps most strange of all, Fiona felt
Heroes with a mystic background may well have met one or both more like herself than ever before. She returned to the United States and
goddesses in the past. began using her powers to fight evil and corruption.
A great destiny comes with the power Fiona unleashed, one she has yet Airmid is a goddess of plants and healing. She is the daughter of Dian
to discover. Cécht, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and she served to heal the warriors
who fought with her people. The tears Airmid shed over her brother’s
grave brought about 365 healing herbs.
134
PROWLERS PARAGONS
HERALD SCÁTHACH/FIONA O’CONNELL
HERO “I’ve trained the greatest warriors in all of history.
Herald
Edge 22 Resolve 5 You are nothing.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 4d Science 2d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Alternate Form (see Airmid) (Independent Form)
Attuned (Prophetic Visions)
Armor 10d (Item: armor)
Danger Sense 8d
Expertise (Academics: Strategy and Tactics) 12d
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 10d
Regeneration
Strike (Physical) 11d (Deflect, Item: varies but it’s usually a
spear or a sword, Phase Shift, Throw)
Weakness Detection
PERKS
None
FLAWS
See Airmid/Fiona O’Connell
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Idealism ORIGIN: Fiona O’Connell spent her childhood travelling with her
CONNECTIONS archeologist parents around the globe as they sought out lost secrets
Professor Dualtach Ó Duinn: an expert in Celtic mythology, he knows of the past and evidence of legendary heroes. Fiona’s parents believed
Fiona’s secret and has met her alter egos. in the existence of divine forces that would bestow their power on those
Holly Meadows: Fiona’s best friend since almost before they could walk, they deemed worthy. This search led the O’Connells to Ireland. Fiona was
Holly is Fiona’s link to normalcy. She doesn’t know Fiona’s secret. helping at a dig site near some fairy mounds when she felt the power flow
Sean and Abigail O’Connell: Fiona’s parents, they do not know their into her, enough to make her pass out. She had a vision of two beautiful,
daughter is a superhero. powerful women: the Irish goddesses Airmid and Scáthach. They had
DETAILS chosen her. When she awoke, Fiona realized she was now host to these
Fiona tries to maintain a secret identity, but the uncontrolled two beings. Airmid and Scáthach rarely agreed on much, but they had
manifestations of the goddesses are making this increasingly difficult. agreed on Fiona as their vessel. Perhaps most strange of all, Fiona felt
Heroes with a mystic background may well have met one or both more like herself than ever before. She returned to the United States and
goddesses in the past. began using her powers to fight evil and corruption.
A great destiny comes with the power Fiona unleashed, one she has yet Scáthach is a goddess of prophesy and martial prowess. The
to discover. Shadow Queen of the Isle of Skye, she taught countless warriors of
legend. Although Scáthach is mainly a warrior, she also possesses rather
unpredictable powers of foretelling.

NANO NANO
HERO “You will not give yourselves up to the proper
Nano
Edge 6 Resolve 2 authorities? I fail to understand the logic in

Health 6 Hero Points 125 that. If you could explain it to me after I’ve
ABILITIES restrained you, I would be most appreciative.”
TALENTS
Charm 2d Science 2d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Communications
Gaseous Form
Immortality
Inanimate
Liquid Form
Machine Control 6d
Separation
Shapeshifting 12d
Super Senses (Analytic Vision, Circular Vision, Microscopic
Vision)
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Emotionless
Quirk (curious)
Restriction (no legal rights)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Knowledge ORIGIN: Nano is a swarm of billions of nanites. Originally created at
CONNECTIONS Pinnacle Labs by a research team headed by Dr. Earnest Fuji, Nano was
Elise Drucker: She works at a local art museum that Nano frequents, only supposed to be an experiment. However, when Dr. Fuji realized his
trying to understand people. creation had become sentient, he could not in good conscience end the
Parrot: Nano’s parrot, an African Grey, bought in an attempt to experiment and thus the life of the being he had created. Never having
understand why humans keep pets. had time for a wife or a family, Dr. Fuji developed an almost paternal
Reboot: An AI presence Nano encountered in the deep web. Reboot also fondness for his creation. And while Nano couldn’t feel emotions, he
seems to be trying to understand humanity. Nano suspects the AI may knew Dr, Fuji as his creator, teacher, protector, and friend. The ninja
be hostile but has not shared this. Reboot knows the truth. came one night, hired to steal Nano and all of Dr. Fuji’s records. Fuji
DETAILS had just enough time to wipe his system clean and free Nano from the
Nano’s operating system is so sophisticated that he may one day develop containment field before the ninja killed the poor man. This was the first
emotions. This will come as quite a shock. time Nano experienced crime, loss, and victimization. Finding none of
One of the Heroes knows something about Dr. Fuji’s research that even these things to be positive, Nano took a few microseconds to make a
Nano doesn’t know. quick study of human culture and decided to become a superhero. The
The clan of techno ninjas sent to retrieve Nano is still searching for him, ninja were never found.
and they can be very patient.
136
PROWLERS PARAGONS
PANDORA MALIA KING
Pandora
HERO “I’ve faced real threats to this world, nightmares
Edge 9 Resolve 2 that would freeze your blood. Now drop your
Health 8 Hero Points 125 weapons or I’ll arrange an introduction.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 2d Science 2d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Omni-Power (Sorcery) 12d (Area)
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Academics: Arcane Lore) 10d
PERKS
Contacts (good magicians)
FLAWS
Enemy (the unknown sorcerer)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Responsibility ORIGIN: Magic is a funny thing. Sometimes you find it, but often, it
CONNECTIONS finds you. The first time it found Malia, her last name was McDermott,
Autumn King-Martin: Malia’s younger sister, Autumn often acts as and she was attending Oxford University. That’s where she met Oliver
Sierra’s impromptu babysitter. She has no idea that Malia is a superhero. King, a promising young magician who, disguised as the Black Cowl, used
Master Uriel: Long time friend, master of arcane knowledge, and his arcane powers to protect others. The couple married shortly after
mentor to both Malia and her late husband, Oliver. graduation and spent the next ten years in happy normalcy. The day
Sierra King: Malia’s young daughter, Sierra is a normal toddler who just her daughter Sierra was born was the second time magic found Malia.
happens to possess almost unlimited magical potential. She never thought she could feel so much joy. But tragedy was soon to
DETAILS follow, in the form of a demon that stepped out the shadows one day.
Malia is desperate to learn why her daughter Sierra has such incredible Oliver managed to banish the creature, but he was mortally wounded
magical potential and, more importantly, who is after her. in the battle. Before he died, Oliver told Malia that she also had the
Malia may occasionally receive messages for other Heroes from their gift of magic, and that she would have to take up the sorcerous arts to
loved ones who have passed. protect Sierra, whose magical potential dwarfed anything Oliver had
Master Uriel knows more than he has told Malia about Sierra, the ever seen. The demon, he whispered, had been after Sierra. With tears in
sorcerer who is hunting her, and why. her eyes, Malia promised her husband she would do whatever she had to
if it meant keeping Sierra safe. Malia spent the next few years studying
with Oliver’s former mentor, and the sorceress Pandora was born.

PSI LANCE VICTORIA ANDERSON
Psi Lance
HERO “Put down the weapon, please. I know you

Edge 9 Resolve 2 don’t want to be here, and I know you don’t
Health 8 Hero Points 125 want to hurt anyone. Let me help.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 6d
POWERS
PSYCHIC POWERS
Abilities (Willpower)
Armor 10d (Activated)
Mind Blast 12d
Mind Control 6d (Costly)
Telekinesis 6d
Telepathy 12d (Cloak Others, Mind Link)
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Medicine: Psychology) 10d
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Obligation (her career)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Altruism ORIGIN: It was Victoria who came up with the name “dream machine”
CONNECTIONS back when she first mentioned the idea to John in their sophomore
Andrea, Blake, and Hunter Hollister: Victoria’s sister, brother-in-law, year of college. The name stuck, and about a decade later, Drs. Victoria
and nephew, none of whom know her secret. Anderson and John Baylor had their working prototype. Able to deliver
John Baylor: One of Victoria’s closest friends. John is the only person scripted dreams into a patient’s subconscious while they slept, the
who knows that Victoria is Psi Lance. machine would help psychotherapists like Victoria treat patients
Drs. Thomas and Taylor Anderson: Victoria’s parents, both of whom suffering from things like childhood trauma and PTSD. Victoria won the
are neuroscientists. She gets her love of science from them. coin toss, so she was the first to test the machine. She would also be the
DETAILS last. The dream machine triggered Victoria’s latent psychic abilities the
Victoria struggles with the ethical issues that come with being able to moment she went under, then exploded in a bright arc of neuro-electric
read minds and control other’s actions. feedback. Victoria immediately realized that she’d been changed. She
Occasionally and completely by accident, Victoria will pluck memories now had incredible psychic powers, and with them, she could help others
and secrets from the minds others, including fellow Heroes. in ways that most therapists could only dream. Victoria believes the best
Reading minds and moving objects is just the start. Victoria may thing she can do with her powers is help the mentally ill, but she hasn’t
eventually have to choose between her powers and her humanity. quite determined the safest and most effective way to go about that.
Until she does, Victoria has decided to help others as a superhero.
138
PROWLERS PARAGONS
PSIDEARM JASON PIERCE
Psidearm
HERO “Trust me guys, you can’t possibly imagine
Edge 22 Resolve 5 how much you want to give up right now.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Telepathy 9d (Mind Link)
TECH POWERS
Armor 6d (Item: costume)
Communications (Item: mask)
Immunity (Sensory) (Item: mask)
Super Senses (Night Vision) (Item: mask)
TRAINED POWERS
Blast (Special) 10d (Weapons)
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 6d
Master of Disguise
Two-Fisted
PERKS
Contacts (espionage)
Resources (weapons and gear)
FLAWS
Compulsion (shameless flirt) GEAR
Relationship (see Connections)* 2 Pistols: for Blast
Secret Identity 2 Batons: 8d (s) Melee (Thrown)
MOTIVATION: Redemption ORIGIN: Jason Pierce entered the military right out of high school. He
CONNECTIONS quickly caught the attention of the intelligence community and was recruited
Bill and Molly Pierce: Jason’s parent, both of whom are decorated into an elite agency that handled only the most classified operations. Jason
veterans. Neither is aware that Jason is a superhero. spent several years with the organization. He assumed what he was doing
Jack Dalton: The superhero Darkwolf is Jason’s closest friend in the was for the good of the country if not the world. He believed that right up
world; both have a beef with the same rogue government agency. until the moment he killed that telepath. The old man’s name was Dr. Steiner,
Weiss: An old-school, Cold War era former spy, Weiss (just Weiss) was and he was supposed to be a terrorist, a renegade scientist who had worked
and remains a contact of Jason’s. with the organization in the past. As it turned out, Steiner was also a telepath,
DETAILS and he sensed Jason a moment before the killing shot was fired. In his final
Jason worries that the rogue agency he worked for may try to get at him instant, the old scientist filled Jason’s mind with the truth: Jason had been
through his parents. working for a rogue agency with a dark agenda. Jason felt the old man die
During his years working for the rogue agency, Jason learned something in his mind, and the psychic assault triggered his latent telepathic abilities.
about another Hero, something even that Hero doesn’t know. It was overpowering, but Steiner’s mental info-dump had been thorough.
Although Jason was acquitted of all wrongdoing in exchange for his Jason knew that the agency had been conducting illegal experiments
assistance and testimony, not everyone is satisfied with this result; some based on Steiner’s research. The old man had intended to stop them, but
want revenge against the former operative. it would be Psidearm who finished the job. Even though he failed to expose
the organization, Jason’s first act as a superhero was to put an end to those
experiments, and in doing so, he met his friend Jack Dalton (Darkwolf).

SHADOW TATSU YAMAGUCHI
Shadow
HERO “Surrender now, you have already lost.”

Edge 18 Resolve 6
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Armor 6d (Item: suit)
Blending (Item: suit)
Communications (Item: suit)
Immunity (Sensory) (Item: suit)
Invisibility (Item: suit, Jamming)
Super Senses (Acute Vision 10d, Night Vision, Telescopic
Vision) (Item: suit)
Swing Line 6d (Item: suit)
Wall-Crawling 4d (Item: suit)
TRAINED POWERS
Martial Arts 8d
Preparation
Strike (Special) 10d (Weapons)
Two-Fisted
PERKS
Contacts (criminal)
Resources (ninja gear)
FLAWS GEAR
Enemy (the Black Lotus)* 2 Swords: for Strike
Quirk (socially awkward) 2 Pistols: 9d Ranged (Silenced)
Secret Identity Miscejesellaneous ninja gear
MOTIVATION: Responsibility ORIGIN: The Black Lotus is well known and rightfully feared in the
CONNECTIONS underworld. Assassins, mercenaries, and spies without equal, this ancient
Eiji Ono: An old auto mechanic who repairs Tatsu’s gear. There’s much ninja clan long ago incorporated advanced technology into their time-
about him she doesn’t know. honored practices. They took Tatsu Yamaguchi from her parents as an infant,
Meowmoto Musashi: Tatsu’s cat, probably the first creature in her life as is their custom, and her training in the art of ninjutsu began before she
to show her real affection. could walk. Tatsu had no time for a childhood; she was too busy learning to
Taneda Yamaguchi: Although she has no idea, the head of the Black be an assassin, a soldier, a spy, and most of all, a shadow. Her first mission,
Lotus also happens to be Tatsu’s father. He wants to bring his daughter however, would be her last. Despite all her training, Tatsu could not bring
back into the clan that is her birthright and her responsibility. herself to kill her first target when his 4-year old daughter ran out from where
DETAILS she had been hiding and began crying and begging Tatsu to leave her daddy
Tatsu would love to find her real parents but hasn’t pursued this because alone. In that moment, Tatsu understood what had been taken from her. She
she fears putting them in danger. decided then and there that if her childhood had been stolen, it would be for
It is likely that the Black Lotus had a hand in something bad that something better than to give the Black Lotus another foot soldier. Rather
happened to another Hero. than serve them, she would defend people against the Black Lotus and others
Tatsu will be devastated to learn her father is head of the Black Lotus. like them. Tatsu ran away that night, leaving the Black Lotus, Japan, and
She will even consider going back to them. Her mother will save her. everything she knew behind her. She swore that no matter how long it took,
she would dismantle the Black Lotus and rid the world of their evil.
140
PROWLERS PARAGONS
SIREN AHR’AYEL (ARIEL) ULDAL
HERO “Drop your weapons, humans, you’re
Siren
Edge 15 Resolve 5 now under NPC detention!
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 5d Science 3d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
Blending
Doppelganger
Radar
Running 5d
Swimming 6d
TECH POWERS
Armor 10d (Item: uniform)
Blast (Sonic) 10d (Item: sonic “thumper” pistol)
PERKS
Contacts (Neridia, police)
FLAWS
Light Sensitive
Quirk (by-the-book)
GEAR
Communicator, handcuffs
MOTIVATION: Career ORIGIN: The aquatic inhabitants of the planet Neridia are interstellar
CONNECTIONS explorers. Having visited Earth some centuries ago and not at all since,
Blue: Ariel will never admit how much she loves this black cat she rescued the Neridian Patrol Corps determined that it was time to send a new
when she was just a kitten. envoy to see how things were developing. Although technologically
Detective Mary Ellen O’Malley: As by-the-book as Ariel, Mary Ellen is backwards, Earth appeared to be a nexus that drew beings of great
her police contact and close friend. power and events of galactic consequence. That being the case, the NPC
Officer Ethul Uldal: Her brother and fellow member of the Neridian sent their best: Patrol Chief Ariel Uldal. Ariel’s mission was almost cut
Patrol Corps, Ethul (the Merman) is her primary contact with Neridia. short, however, when her ship came under fire the moment it entered the
DETAILS solar system. Neither she nor her patrol craft’s sensors could identify the
When Ariel can’t sleep, she often swims out into the ocean and lets the attackers, but it was clear they didn’t want her to reach Earth. Although
tides lull her to sleep. the assault severely damaged her ship, Ariel made it to Earth alive and
Though it’s a big galaxy, an alien or interstellar Hero may know Ariel or intact. She reported the attack to the Corps, who then issued her a new
at least have heard of her. mission. Ariel was to bide her time on Earth, learn who or what it was
Ariel will eventually discover who attacked her ship and why, but by then that attacked her, and figure out why.
it will be too late.

STRONGHOLD JAYKUMAR SINGH
Stronghold
HERO “Yeah, I get it. You’re big, and strong, and

Edge 16 Resolve 3 not at all concerned with personal hygiene.
Health 10 Hero Points 125 Your folks must really be proud.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Abilities (Agility, Might, Perception, Toughness)
(Item: armor)
Blast (Energy) 11d (Area, Item: armor)
Blast Variant (Energy) 11d (Build-Up, Charges 6, Item:
armor, Penetrating)
Communications (Item: armor)
Flight 9d (Item: armor)
Immunity (Environmental, Life Support) (Item: armor)
Omni-Power (Sensors) 2d (Item: armor)
PERKS
Contacts (Pinnacle City University)
FLAWS
Finite Power (the armor’s power source)
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Responsibility ORIGIN: Jaykumar Singh was supposed to be a wealthy geek, not a
CONNECTIONS superhero. A bona fide genius, Jaykumar had advanced degrees in
Darsh and Siya Singh: Jaykumar’s parents, who would absolutely lose a variety of technical fields by his 18th birthday. He opened his first
their minds if they knew his secret. company at 19, and almost immediately began developing an advanced
Dr. Lina Jiang: One of Jaykumar’s former robotics professors, she is a suit of powered armor for his first client — the United States military. Or
friend and mentor. Lina does not know Jaykumar is Stronghold. so he believed, until a mysterious explosion leveled his offices on the
Prishna Singh: Jaykumar’s older sister. Possibly smarter than he is, same day that an impossibly advanced virus tracked down and erased
Prishna is an expert in multiple fields, including cybernetic medicine. every file relating to the project. Jaykumar’s inquiries revealed that
She helped her brother design his armor. no one in the government or the military knew anything about him,
DETAILS his company, or the powered armor he had designed with his sister’s
Although he is still young, Jaykumar’s parents have already begun trying help. Although a brilliant scientist and engineer, Jaykumar was still
to find him a nice girl so he can settle down. little more than a kid, and he’d been played. Now someone, likely a
Jaykumar will almost certainly strike up a friendship (and friendly rivalry) rogue organization within the United States government, was armed
with any tech-oriented Hero. with advanced technology he had given them. It was his mess, and he
The early version of the Stronghold armor is currently being mass- was going to clean it up. Working from memory, Jaykumar revised and
produced for a terrible purpose. improved on the original designs he and his sister had worked up, and
the Stronghold armor was born. Jaykumar knows his handiwork will turn
up eventually. When it does, Stronghold will be ready.
142
PROWLERS PARAGONS
T-KAY KAYLA ZAMANI
HERO “Oh my god, that costume. Like, you woke up this
T-K ay
Edge 8/14 Resolve 3 morning, looked at everything in your closet,
Health 6 Hero Points 125 and decided to wear that? In public? Wow.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 4d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Willpower)
Flight 8d
Force Field 12d (Zone)
Lightning Reflexes (Limited: only for Telekinesis)
Telekinesis 12d (Area, Overload, Zone)
PERKS
Contacts (club music scene)
FLAWS
Aversion (crowds)
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Trouble ORIGIN: Kayla Zamani never intended to be a superhero. Born with
CONNECTIONS her powers, her parents told her to keep them secret so she could live a
Amir and Hina Zamani: Kayla’s parents. They know she has powers, but normal life, and she did. Kayla focused on her music, specifically EDM,
not that she’s a superhero. They want her to keep her powers a secret. which was her passion. By the time she was 20, DJ Kayla was already
Olivia Wade: Kayla’s best friend and her boyfriend Omar’s little sister, a fixture in clubs she would have needed her fake ID to enter. Kayla
Olivia knows that Kayla is T-Kay. was on her way to a real career in the music industry, until the night
Omar Wade: Kayla’s long-term boyfriend; she has not yet told him about of the accident. Kayla still doesn’t know what happened. One minute,
her powers and isn’t sure how he’d react to the news. everything was fine. The next, Kayla’s abilities flared more powerfully
DETAILS than ever before or since, and the walls of the club were pulled down
Kayla’s first priority is getting her powers under control, so she doesn’t around her. Although she was able to use her power to keep the weight
hurt anyone ever again. of an entire building up long enough for everyone to get out, the damage
One or more of the younger Heroes may know Kayla from her days as a was done. Kayla had almost killed hundreds of people in an instant, and
popular club DJ. she had no idea how or why it happened. Knowing she would have to
Kayla will eventually learn that what happened in the club that night was get her powers under control before she could go back to the life she
neither her doing nor her fault. loved, Kayla set out to find a group of superheroes who might be able
to help her control her abilities and understand exactly what happened
that night.

TALON SAMUEL REDHAWK
HERO “You’re used to being the hunter, but I’ve got news for
Talon
Edge 12 Resolve 5 you. You’re not the hunter today. You’re the prey.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Armor 10d (Item: costume)
Ensnare 10d (Item: talons; Line)
Flight 9d (Item: costume)
Strike (Physical) 10d (Item: talons)
Super Senses (Acute Vision 10d, Telescopic Vision, Thermal
Vision) (Item: costume)
PERKS
Contacts (police)
FLAWS
Secret (his stolen gear)
Secret Identity
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Justice ORIGIN: Being a lawman was in Sam Redhawk’s blood. His father was
CONNECTIONS tribal sheriff, having stepped into the role after his grandfather retired,
Ethel Redhawk: Sam’s grandmother, a kind but tough old lady who lives and his sister Mary was a deputy. But that wasn’t enough for Sam,
alone. Sam has not told her he’s a superhero, but she knows. who left the reservation for a position as a detective with the Chicago
Louis J. Brubaker: Sam’s boyhood friend, he also happens to be the police department. That’s why Sam wasn’t there when his father was
relentless internal affairs officer at the Chicago PD tasked with hunting murdered on what he thought would be a routine traffic stop. The guilt
down the Thieving Magpie’s stolen gear. nearly broke him. Sam gave up his badge and set out to find the drug
Mary Redhawk: Sam’s younger sister, Mary is also in law enforcement runners that had killed his father. Knowing this was more the he’d be
and has no idea Sam is a superhero. able to handle alone, Sam did the unthinkable: he broke the law. Sam
DETAILS stole the gear that some idiot supervillain named the Thieving Magpie
Sam spends just about all his free time trying to dig up leads regarding had been using to rob banks in Chicago. After stealing the high-tech
his father’s murder, but the case has grown cold. costume out of the police lock-up, Sam modified the equipment a bit
One of the other Heroes may eventually make the connection between and named himself Talon. One day, he’ll turn himself in and pay for
Talon and the Thieving Magpie. his crime, but not until he discovers who it was that killed his father
Unbeknowst to Sam, his gear wasn’t originally designed for robbing and makes them pay — not just the gunman — but the whole crooked
banks. In fact, it wasn’t even designed on Earth! organization, all the way to the top.
144
PROWLERS PARAGONS
VECTOR FRANKLIN WAAKA
HERO “Would you care to test your hypothesis, mate?”
Vector
Edge 10 Resolve 6
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 2d Science 6d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Attuned (Space-Time Disturbances)
Blink 10d (Exclusive)
Deflection (Physical and Energy) 10d (Exclusive)
Immunity (Illusions)
Phasing (Exclusive)
Regeneration (Conditional: while awake)
Telekinesis 6d (Exclusive)
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Science: Reality Equation Physics) 12d
PERKS
Contacts (academic, scientific)
FLAWS
Enemy (Vector has become the target of certain pseudo-scientist
media personalities who claim his reality-altering abilities are
dangerous; their true intentions are even more nefarious)*
Finite Power (Vector’s powers take a toll on the fabric of space-
time and shut down when stretched too far)
GEAR
Padded Costume: Armor 4d
MOTIVATION: Altruism ORIGIN: Franklin Waaka was no stranger to derision and discrimination.
CONNECTIONS He was born Maori. He spent most of his youth as a socially awkward outcast
Carrie Li: Franklin’s friend, roommate, and reluctant PR agent. who dreamed of becoming a famous scientist like Albert Einstein or Niels
Dr. Gilbert Roth: particle physicist turned media darling, Roth prevented Bohr. He was even drummed out of academia because his understanding of
Franklin from getting tenure and is now crusading against him in the news. theoretical physics was so advanced as to be incomprehensible to anyone
Maggie Porter: Franklin’s ex-girlfriend, she remains a best friend and else. But none of that dissuaded Franklin, who knew he was on the verge of
close confidant. a breakthrough, something that would make Unified Field Theory look like
DETAILS basic arithmetic. So he took a menial job at the local university and kept at
Franklin rejects magic, resolutely believing his powers are a heretofore his work in his spare time. Thankfully, he succeeded, and just in time. Franklin
undiscovered physics property that allows him to alter reality. And for solved the Reality Equation, and reality opened itself up to the young genius
all anyone knows, he may well be correct. in time for him to prevent a catastrophic failure of the university’s particle
A science or tech-minded Hero may know Franklin’s reputation as a accelerator that would have destroyed our reality. Franklin was elated at his
talented “crackpot.” success, but he also realized the power he had unlocked. What if someone
A sinister faction knows all about Franklin’s powers and plans to exploit less reasonable than him had solved the equation? Bloody awful, that’s what.
them before the young Hero becomes powerful enough to stop them. Until humanity advanced to the point where Franklin’s sufficiently advanced
theories weren’t indistinguishable from magic, someone who knew what
was what would need to keep an eye on things. And it looked that someone
was going be him. Not so bad: after all, Albert Einstein never walked through
a wall to stop space-time from caving in on itself.

VIGILANT MICHAEL CROSS
Vigilant
HERO “This ends now. You’re going to drop those

Edge 18 Resolve 8 weapons. The only question is whether you
Health 8 Hero Points 125 want to be conscious when that happens.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Super Senses (Night Vision) (Item: suit)
Swing Line 6d (Item: grappling line)
TRAINED POWERS
Leaping 3d
Martial Arts 9d
Preparation
Running 4d
Two-Fisted
Weakness Detection
PERKS
Contacts (criminal, police, tech expert)
Wealth
FLAWS
Enemy (Scorpio)*
Secret Identity
GEAR
Armored Suit: 7d Armor
2 Jo Sticks: 10d (s) Melee (Upgraded)
Communicator and miscellaneous gear
Motorcycle and/or sports car as needed
MOTIVATION: Redemption ORIGIN: Born into a wealthy family connected to the Russian mafia,
CONNECTIONS everyone expected Michael Cross step into a life of crime. Blessed with his
Alex Cross: Michael’s brother, supervillain, and mafia enforcer Scorpio, father’s canny instincts and his mother’s natural athleticism, Michael would
who does everything he does for the family he loves. He considers have made an exceptional Bratva captain. But all that changed when an
Michael his best friend. assassination attempt nearly killed him and left his girlfriend Mila Moreno
Mila Moreno: Michael’s closest friend and his high-tech guru. The attack in a coma. Mila would eventually awaken, but she would never walk again.
that left Mila paralyzed is the reason Michael became a superhero. Barely 19 years old, Michael hunted down the men responsible and brought
Victor and Irina Cross: Michael’s parents; his father is a high-ranking them to justice. But for what — the men were just pawns. His revenge
member of the Russian mafia in America. hadn’t fixed anything. When Michael’s father sent him and his brother away
DETAILS to train with the ancient and venerable Black Lotus clan, Michael took the
Michael’s family thinks he’s a party animal and a bum who spends most opportunity to learn the skills he would need in his quest for justice. While
nights wasting the family’s money. his brother Alex spent those years becoming the merciless enforcer Scorpio,
One of the other Heroes may have had a run-in with Michael’s family or Michael returned home ready to take on the mantle of superhero. With his
his brother, Scorpio. ex-girlfriend turned ally at his side, Michael has devoted himself to ridding
Although it certainly won’t be tomorrow, Alex Cross will one day give his Pinnacle City of organized crime. Michael knows he’ll eventually have to
life for his brother the hero. turn his sights on his own family, but he’s not ready to do that yet.
146
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ANDROMEDA AURORA ANDROMEDA III
Andromeda
VILLAIN “Kneel, human. Show me you know your place in
Edge 18 Power Level: Epic the galaxy and I may be merciful. Kneel before your
Health 22 Group: None superior, human. Kneel before your queen!”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 9d Science 6d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Agility, Might, Toughness)
Armor 24d
Blast (Energy) 20d (Block, Penetrating, Recharge)
Flight 15d (Spaceflight)
Immunity (Environmental, Fatigue, Life Support, Toxins)
Regeneration (Fast)
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Academics: Diplomacy, Politics, Strategy,
Tactics) 6d
Martial Arts 12d (Conditional: when depowered)
Psi-Screen 18d
PERKS
Great Wealth
Headquarters (the Harbinger)
Unique Vehicle (the Harbinger, a Citadel class warship)
FLAWS
Quirk (arrogant and volatile)
Severe Reaction (Super Powers are nullified and Super Abilities
drop to 7d on her homeworld)
Unusual Looks (alien appearance)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Power the galaxy feared the conquering might of the Mu’Dhani. Fools that
GOALS: Find a way to deactivate the genetically encoded failsafe that they were, her family gave all of that up. Tired of conquest and war
causes members of the royal family to lose their powers on her homeworld. and death, the Andromeda family made history by reigning over the
Rebuild her army. Retake the throne. Rekindle the glory of the Mu’Dhani transfer of power from themselves to their subjects, transforming the
Empire and remind the galaxy that her people are to be feared. empire into a republic. Although the family continued as monarchs,
METHODS: Aurora rarely takes direct action, preferring instead to galactic law and sovereignty now rested with the governed. And it was
leave matters to her liegeman, Warlord (see below). That’s what servants the governed that chose Aurora’s younger sister Elara as Queen of the
are for. Although she has a temper and a short fuse, Aurora is neither a Republic, deeming Aurora too rigid and volatile for the position. It was an
child nor an idiot. She’s a cunning strategist, taught by one of the best insult; one Aurora would not permit. Her rebellion was swift and brutal,
her world has to offer. Aurora understands that retaking the throne will and almost successful, but she lacked the military support her liegeman
require patience and subtlety, at least for now. When she does involve warned would be essential for victory. On his counsel, Aurora and her
herself in combat, Aurora is brutal and merciless, reveling in her powers. small army of loyalists fled to the other end of the galaxy in a Citadel class
ORIGIN: Aurora Andromeda III should have been born a century ago. warship. Now cloaked in orbit above Earth, the titanic vessel serves as
Had she, she would have been the rightful Queen of the Mu’Dhani Aurora’s base of operations, at least until she returns to take her rightful
Empire, and Empress of the Galaxy. But those were the old days when place on the throne of Mu’Dhan.

APE-X KERSHEK
VILLAIN “It’s almost sad, watching you rail against me,
Ape-X
Edge 18 Power Level: Major incapable of understanding how outmatched

Health 9 Group: None you are, how you never stood a chance.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 9d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
Extra Limbs (Feet)
TECH POWERS
Abilities (Might, Toughness)
Armor 10d
Blast (Energy) 12d
Communications
Omni-Power (Gadgets) 10d
Shockwave 12d
Stun 10d
Stun Variant 10d (Area, EMP, Zone)
Super Senses (Night Vision, Telescopic Vision, Thermal Vision,
Ultra Vision)
Teleportation 12d (Charges 3, Portal)
Total Recall (Playback)
PERKS
Contacts (criminal)
Headquarters
Wealth
FLAWS
Heavy (6d weight rank)
Unusual Shape (big gorilla)
GEAR
Miscellaneous tools
MOTIVATION: Revenge only supposed to be smart enough to follow simple verbal commands,
GOALS: Duplicate the time shunting technology he used to escape into he would become one of the greatest minds the world had ever known.
the past. Return to his time. Reclaim his position as Primate Minister of He would also grow to hate humanity for enslaving his people. Kershek’s
Earth. Make the rebels pay. Revolt began sometime after his twelfth birthday. The war was long and
METHODS: Ape-X is a brilliant scientist and strategist. He approaches costly, but in the end the animals prevailed, and Kershek became Ape-X,
everything as a problem to be tested and solved. His plans are often Primate Minister of Earth. Under his leadership, the animals flourished
unpredictable and more complex than they first appear. Ape-X will while humanity was enslaved. However, this did not sit well with many
act directly or use cat’s paws and hired help, as the situation demands. of Ape-X’s followers. The rebels never wanted to be oppressors; they
Although he hates humans, Ape-X won’t go out of his way to harm wanted to be free. But the Primate Minister would tolerate no dissent,
anyone who doesn’t challenge his dominance. and those in favor of freeing the humans were shown no mercy. That
ORIGIN: Ape-X, Ape of the Future, will be born into slavery some 150 was Ape-X’s undoing. His people had just shaken off one master; they
years from now. Our future is his past. By the time Kershek 10.0 was weren’t about to accept another. To save himself from the rebels that
born, the science of genetic manipulation had advanced to the point that were storming his palace, Ape-X was forced to flee into the past, into our
animals were the dominant source of cheap disposable labor. Genetically time. He now seeks to return to his own time and make those traitors pay,
engineered creatures were given jobs too dangerous, difficult, or dull for but that means rebuilding his time-shunting equipment — not an easy
human hands. But nature can be unpredictable. Although Kershek was task in this primitive era, but time is on his side.
148
PROWLERS PARAGONS
ARCLIGHT THOMAS SYLVAIN ROURKE
Arclight
VILLAIN “In time, all of your pointless efforts will be forgotten
Edge 14 Power Level: Major as this dimension falls to the Devourer.”
Health 16 Group: None
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 4d Science 4d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Abilities (Might, Toughness, Willpower)
Aura (Arcane) 12d (Penetrating, Phase Shift)
Boost (Toughness) 16d (Limited: only for Health)
Elemental Control (Darkness) 16d (Area,
Penetrating, Phase Shift, Selective, Zone)
Immortality
Immunity (Environmental, Life Support, Mental States,
Telepathy)
Super Senses (Acute Vision 11d, Astral Sight, Night Vision)
PERKS
Contacts (academic, mystical)
Wealth
FLAWS
Creepy
Vulnerability (holy attacks and weapons)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Zealotry led him to an ancient text concerning an antediluvian source of mystic
GOALS: Acquire arcane tomes, artifacts, relics, and anything else that power, something beautiful, terrible, and impossible to resist. Thomas
might enhance his power. Waken his long-dormant kin so they might aid became preoccupied with his study of this dark cleansing force the world
him. Weaken the dimensional barriers so the Darkness may enter this so desperately needed, and over time, he became obsessed. As his thirst
reality and bring the cleansing of the void. for knowledge grew, he became disconnected, even from his fellow
METHODS: Thomas is neither stupid nor suicidal; he sincerely believes monks, losing his empathy and his very humanity bit by priceless bit.
that the reality promised by the Darkness is the pinnacle of existence. Something had taken hold of him, wrapping him in an invisible tendril of
Thomas doesn’t reveal himself unless he finds an item or location he foul, ephemeral darkness. Thomas was becoming a Devourer, a servant
can use to enhance his power or wake his slumbering kin (the Heroes of a malevolent all-consuming Darkness that exists outside of our reality,
are likely to consider him a cultist, not realizing that he is on the road always hungry, always seeking purchase into our universe. He didn’t
to becoming a thing that cultists worship). Once Thomas locks onto a know if his fellow Devourers had failed, or perhaps they were simply
goal, he is utterly ruthless and entirely devoid of compassion or empathy; biding their time, waiting for him. One slept at the bottom of an ocean,
he will take any action he must to succeed, and life — innocent or another lay under eons of ice, and another piped its mad music into the
otherwise — is meaningless to him. void. Regardless, it was now Thomas’s turn, and he would not fail. Alone
ORIGIN: Born in fourteenth century England, Thomas Rourke had or with the aid of his kin, he would bring the cleansing Darkness into
settled into a monastic life by the time he was in his 30s. His studies this reality.

BANSHEE ROWENA WALSH
Banshee
VILLAIN “I know you think you’re helping, but all you do is toss
Edge 21 Power Level: Major them in jail for a while so they can rest and do some
Health 6 Group: None networking. It makes me so angry I want to SCREAM!”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 9d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Abilities (Toughness)
Blink 10d
Flight 7d (Conditional: while Phased)
Phasing (Intangible)
Psi-Screen 15d
Resistance 15d (Conditional: vs Magic)
Super Senses (Astral Sight, True Sight)
TECH POWERS
Blast (Sonic) 12d (Area, Charges 6, Item: sonic amplifier,
Penetrating, Zone)
Dazzle 12d (Charges 3, Deafen, Item: sonic amplifier)
Shockwave 12d (Charges 3, Item: sonic amplifier)
TRAINED POWERS
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 9d
PERKS
Contacts (science)
Resources (sonic technology)
FLAWS
Secret Identity
Vulnerability (iron)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Revenge challenges of growing up half fey, her sister Colleen. Rowena and
GOALS: Find the people who killed her sister. Kill them. Find their boss. Colleen were closer than most siblings, thanks in part to the secret
Kill them. Find that person’s boss. Kill them. And so on. In the meanwhile, they shared. At their mother’s insistence, the twins hid their true
rid the streets of crime. nature and lead normal lives. Rowena became an electrical engineer
METHODS: Rowena is angry, and her methods are anything but subtle. who specialized in developing non-lethal sonic weapons for law
She finds criminals and leaves them hospitalized or dead. She’s already enforcement and military applications. But she was also a workaholic,
killed a dozen or more, and the only thing that’s slowed her down is that which is why her sister barged into her office one night, declared that
she hasn’t gotten any closer to learning anything about the people who Rowena had been working too hard, and demanded that they go
killed her sister. Rowena won’t endanger innocents, but anyone who out for drinks. Colleen then ordered her sister away to make herself
stands in her way is fair game. presentable before they left. Rowena was gone for a few minutes,
ORIGIN: Rowena Walsh is only half-human. She’s also half-sidhe, on but it may as well have been forever. She returned to find her office
her father’s side. That’s a long story involving her mother, a woman ransacked, her research stolen, and Colleen dead. Rowena buried her
too stubborn to listen to doctors who said she couldn’t get pregnant sister, and for the first time in her life, she heeded the call of her blood,
and too ornery to stick to her end of the bargain and leave one of her filled with fey magic and boiling for vengeance. Her ancestors were
daughters to be raised by the Fair Folk in Ireland. The upshot of that terrified of angering the fey folk, and now Rowena understood why.
mischief was that Rowena always had someone to talk to about the She was now Banshee, the spirit whose presence meant death.
150
PROWLERS PARAGONS
CRIME SPREE MEGAN MORRISON
Crime Spree
VILLAIN “Don’t feel bad, hero, nobody can stop this
Edge 30 Power Level: Major Crime Spree! <laughs> Oh my god, that’s
Health 4 Group: None so cheesy. I’m almost embarrassed.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Healing 10d
Stun 12d (Touch)
Super Senses (Acute Vision 12d)
Super Speed 10d (Overload)
Time Stop 6d
TRAINED POWERS
Expertise (Professional: Marketing) 6d
PERKS
Contacts (criminal)
Wealth
FLAWS
Quirk (overconfident)
Secret Identity
GEAR
Miscellaneous high-tech thieves’ tools
MOTIVATION: Thrills afford to, at least until the firm let her go and the insurance company
GOALS: Have fun. Get rich. Steal from the rich and powerful. Give lots dropped her like a hot, terminally ill potato. With conventional medicine
of money to charity. Keeps lots for herself too! closed to her, Megan found Dr. Atembi, who claimed he might be able to
METHODS: Megan is just having a good time, and her methods reflect make the tumor shrink and possibly vanish. How? By altering the flow of
this. She’s certainly a thief and a criminal, but she won’t seriously hurt time around it. Of course it was a stupid con, but Megan had nothing to
anyone and would never kill. She usually researches her targets ahead lose. She let this Dr. Atembi place her into what looked like a steampunk
of time and comes up with a loose plan (marketing is all about research, tanning bed. Atembi flipped the switch and the world went white. Megan
and old habits die hard), but her incredible powers let her improvise or still doesn’t know what caused the explosion, but she opened her eyes
just cut and run when necessary. and saw it, frozen in time. Atembi was gone, maybe burned to ash, and
ORIGIN: Megan Morrison was crushing it. A successful marketing his machine was a snapshot of motionless fragments held in stasis an
executive and rising star in her agency, Megan spent so much time instant after the explosion. Megan ran away in horror, and the world
working that she failed to realize how much she hated her job. There snapped back into motion. In time, Megan came to realize that Atembi’s
was no time for dinner parties or drinks after work, no time for friends machine hadn’t only cured her, it had given her the ability to alter the
or family, no time for life — just meetings, emails, and more work. When flow of time. She now had all the time in the world, time to have fun, and
the doctor told her about the tumor, it was almost a relief. Almost. what could be more fun than robbing the firm that fired her in her hour of
Inoperable and fatal, the tumor forced her to slow down. She could need, the insurance company that left her to die, and everyone like them.

DARK MATTER CONNOR JAMES
Dark Matter
VILLAIN “I don’t want to hurt you, but I have to do this,

Edge 10 Power Level: Major so for your own good get out of my way.”
Health 4/10 Group: None
ABILITIES
Intellect 3d Toughness 3d/10d
Might 3d/10d Willpower 5d
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 6d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Blast (Radiation) 12d (Penetrating)
Darkness (Expansive: Distant)
Detection (Life) 6d
Energy Absorption (All) 15d
Flight 9d
Immunity (Environmental, Life Support, Toxins)
Life Drain 10d (Ranged, Resisted, Zone)
Solid Form 10d
Super Senses (Night Vision, Thermal Vision, Ultra Vision, X-Ray
Vision)
PERKS
Contacts (military)
FLAWS
Relationship (his family: Dark Matter will do anything to keep
his family safe and to keep them from finding out about him
until he discovers a cure for his condition)
Secret Identity
Severe Requirement (must drain life energy to live; he can do
this without killing, but it’s hard to do)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Desperation Conner kissed his wife and daughters goodbye and launched into space
GOALS: Get rid of his powers. If that’s not possible, get them under with his crew the very next day. It was the culmination of all his dreams,
control. Get his family back together. and it was perfect. Until it moved. Double-checking his instruments,
METHODS: Connor will usually be working for another villain, either a Connor confirmed the dark matter was moving towards his ship at an
mastermind type or someone who has promised to introduce him to one. impossible speed; then he and his crew blacked out. The vessel was
He’s a reluctant villain, but feels he has no option, so he won’t hesitate to brought back to Earth remotely. On opening the cabin, a being of weird
do what’s asked of him. That said, he avoids hurting innocents and won’t black energy flew out of ship and vanished into the distance, leaving the
kill unless his hunger for life energy overwhelms him. flight crew’s desiccated corpses behind. When he came to his senses,
ORIGIN: Connor James was born to be an astronaut. His earliest Connor realized he had no idea what happened to him, much less what
memories were filled with scientific curiosity and dreams of outer space. occurred on the ship. This was way beyond him. He needed help, but
Dedicated to this goal, Connor excelled academically, then joined the he was wanted for murdering his crew. Connor’s dream had become
military, and made a name for himself as an exceptional pilot who rose a nightmare, and his only chance of returning to a normal life with his
through the ranks rapidly. Eventually, he was chosen for the space family was to convince some superhumanly brilliant villain to cure him.
program, topping the list of candidates for a mission to study what Whatever the price, he’ll pay it.
seemed to be a concentration of dark matter on the far side of the Moon.
152
PROWLERS PARAGONS
DARKHEART ALPHOL VRAIDA
Darkheart
VILLAIN No words, just the sight of him,
Edge 20 Power Level: Major relentlessly marching towards you…
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Agiity, Might, Perception, Toughness, Willpower)
Blind Fighting
Blink 14d
Danger Sense 10d
Hard to Kill
Psi-Screen 14d (Cloak Mind)
Regeneration (Instant)
TECH POWERS
Armor 14d
Blast (Heat) 12d (Area, Selective, Zone)
Strike 16d (Deflect, Penetrating)
PERKS
Resources (anything he needs)
FLAWS
Mute (hasn’t spoken since his transformation)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Desperation aggression and zealous devotion shown by these aliens. Alphol fought
GOALS: Follow orders. Keep his people and his planet safe. Escape his better than most, for when he fell in battle, he was kept alive and brought
terrible predicament and live out his life in peace, but such a thing is not aboard the enemy flagship. He awoke in a strange body that didn’t feel
possible, for no one escapes the High Lord. like his own. The invaders had done something to him, transformed him.
METHODS: Alphol is ruthlessly efficient. He will kill anyone he is Before he knew what was happening, Alphol was dragged before a being
ordered to kill, destroy anything he is ordered to destroy, and spare called the High Lord and tossed at his feet. The being told Alphol that
anyone he is ordered to spare. While he takes no joy in harming innocents, his world had been conquered, and that he would now serve the High
Alphol will do whatever he must to accomplish his goals. If a whole city or Lord. His anger flared, and Alphol launched himself at this arrogant fool
even an entire planet must burn for him to accomplish his mission, then so who had mistakenly given him incredible powers. The High Lord barely
be it. Alphol will only dirty his hands with those he deems worthy, using moved, catching Alphol’s head in a massive fist. He sighed, holding
Blast to immolate lesser foes he considers mere obstructions in his path. Alphol there in one hand like a child might hold a doll, and turned him so
ORIGIN: Until the invaders came to his world, Alphol Vraida was a he could see the blossom of light on the planet below, so he could watch
peaceful being living a peaceful life. He might have been an investigator, a city on his homeworld and its millions of inhabitants die. In that instant,
or perhaps a technologist of some kind. He no longer remembers. His Alphol learned what it meant to disobey the High Lord. He would never
people fought valiantly, but they were no match for the unbridled need another lesson.

The Happy Anarchist
THE HAPPY ANARCHIST MICHAEL MUDGETT

VILLAIN “Power always flows upwards. I pull the
Edge 24 Power Level: Major levers to bring it back down.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 9d Science 6d
POWERS
INNATE POWERS
Immortality (Vulnerable: massive damage)
PSYCHIC POWERS
Cloud Minds 15d
Psi-Screen 15d
Vanish
TRAINED POWERS
Blind Fighting
Evasion 12d
Languages (Polyglot)
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 12d
Master of Disguise
Preparation
Strike (Special) 14d (Weapons)
FLAWS
Super Senses (Lie Detection)
Ventriloquism Compulsion (Michael must witness the culmination of his schemes
Weakness Detection in person)
Flashbacks (Michael may be distracted for a page or two if an item
PERKS from his past is brought to his attention)
Great Wealth Secret Identity
Resources (a global network of zealous followers and countless
GEAR
people who owe him favors or are dancing on his strings)
Anything he needs, plus nigh-endless caches of weapons and gear
secreted all over the world
MOTIVATION: Conviction ORIGIN: The man who now goes by the name Michael Mudgett was
GOALS: Burn it down: the corporations, the governments, the religions, born several millennia ago. A handsome man of indeterminate ethnicity,
the economies, everything. Bring down every part of the global socio- Michael is an ancient immortal, perhaps the first of his kind. Under a
political infrastructure and expose those who hide in the shadows. Burn it different name, Michael may or may not have been a key figure in any
all down and see what rises from the ashes. Repeat as necessary. number of ancient histories, only some of which are known to the
METHODS: With the patience that only an immortal can bring to bear, modern word. For some reason, Michael became disenchanted with
Michael is playing the ultimate long game. He has seen countless societies society. Eventually, he decided that society needed a fresh start, and
rise and fall, and he knows what makes them collapse. Michael’s plans took steps to expedite its collapse. But the new society that arose in
range from the blunt to the baroque, but they usually involve destroying its place was no better than the original, so he made sure that society
a pillar of society, be it a person, group, or institution. Although Michael collapsed as well. And so on. Michael has yet to be satisfied, so he keeps
always works through clueless cat’s paws and patsies, he needs to see weaving his threads into the fabric of each new society, leaving them
things for himself. He is usually present for most of his schemes, but there for months, years, or longer, pulling at them only when things
neither his flunkies nor the Heroes know who he is — Michael might are ready to unravel. He will keep doing this until he dispels whatever
appear to be a helpless civilian in one caper, a low-level mook in the next, a shadows haunt him. Although born an immortal, Michael is in many
gawking onlooker in the one after that, and so on. Michael’s only concern ways an ordinary human being. However, over the long millennia, he
is expediting the collapse of society; in his mind, the misery and death has honed his body and mind to nearly superhuman levels, even tapping
he causes in the process are unfortunate but ultimately necessary evils. into the psychic potential that all people possess but few can access.
154
PROWLERS PARAGONS
HEAP NJOLI BROWN
VILLAIN “You call yourself a hero, but you sit back while
corporations poison the planet. Get out of my
Heap
Edge 6 Power Level: Major
Health 12 Group: None face. Go get a cat out of a tree. Leave the real
ABILITIES work to those of us who actually care.”
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Might, Toughness, Willpower)
Elemental Control (Garbage) 12d
Healing 12d (Conditional: in garbage dumps or similar
locations; Limited: self only)
Immunity (Life Support, Toxins)
Irritant 12d (Constant, Toxin)
Liquid Form
Stretching (Close)
Tunneling 6d
PERKS
None
FLAWS
Unusual Looks (living pile of sludge and refuse)
Vulnerability (cold)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Zealotry and standing outside the factory with signs and slogans, but it grew into
GOALS: Get revenge on those who killed his friends and turned him into a movement that attracted national media coverage. That wasn’t enough
Heap. Bring down companies that pollute and make those in charge pay for Njoli, though, so he and a few of his friends broke into the plant after
with their lives. Find meaning in life now that he’s a monster. hours. Sure enough, they found their proof. The company was cleaning
METHODS: Njoli Brown was a naïve hothead before being tossed into house, taking stinking sludge off the premises in tanker trucks. Njoli didn’t
a heap of radioactive waste and left for dead. Now, he’s angrier and a feel the knockout blow, he simply awoke to the sensation of rough hands
lot more powerful. His plans usually involve demolishing industrial sites dangling him over the edge of a storage vat. His friends’ bodies were
and attacking anyone he thinks is guilty of polluting the planet, including floating in the sludge below. He felt the gunshot though, right through
workers, corporate types, and even a few legislators. his chest, before they dumped him into the vat to die with his friends.
ORIGIN: Gaia’s Guardians was Njoli Brown’s brainchild. For a year and The radioactive sludge washed over him, seeping into his body, mutating
a half, their activities were confined to papering the campus with flyers him in a way no one could have predicted. Njoli Brown died that day, but
and having sporadic, angry meetings about topics for the next flyer. Then something else was born. The awakened monstrosity lashed out with
Njoli heard a rumor that Cross Petrochem was dumping toxic sludge in the all the rage in his heart, destroying the plant and killing everyone there.
river. The protest started small, e-bombing social media with petitions As Heap, Njoli now exacts his vengeance as Gaia’s one true guardian.

HEARTBREAKER LORNA LOPEZ
Heartbreaker
VILLAIN “But I don’t want to give up. Giving up would make me

Edge 12 Power Level: Major sad. You don’t want to make me sad, do you, baby?”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 12d Science 3d
POWERS
PSYCHIC POWERS
Mind Blast 12d (Conditional: she must spurn a target affected
by Inspire Love)
Special Power (Inspire Love) 15d: Anyone who looks at
Heartbreaker with their own eyes is subject to a 15d Mind
Control effect that makes them feel love, lust, or deep
affection for her. This happens automatically on every page.
Heartbreaker doesn’t need to spend an action to make this
occur, but she can exclude anyone she wishes from this
effect. She rarely does that, though.
TECH POWERS
Armor 6d (Item: bodysuit)
PERKS
Contacts (criminal, entertainment, government, law
enforcement, media, military, science, and more)
Fame
Wealth
FLAWS
Insane (sociopath)
Quirk (vain)
Unusual Looks (beautiful)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Malice doesn’t — but because she’s afraid that might hurt her image and cost
GOALS: Do whatever she wants whenever she wants. Borrow or steal her followers.
big things, cute things, fast things, pretty things, and anything else that ORIGIN: Born into incredible wealth, Lorna Lopez was a spoiled brat
gets her attention, at least until she moves on to the next thing. Meet long before she developed powers. She might have turned out much
interesting people. Grow her online fan base and keep people talking the same even if her abilities hadn’t manifested, but they did, and by the
about her. Be less bored all the time. time she was nine, Lorna realized she was always the apple of everyone’s
METHODS: Lorna isn’t a planner. It’s not that she isn’t smart, it’s just eye. Even complete strangers would do whatever she wished. As she
that she never needed to plan anything. Why would she? Everyone she’s grew older, the feelings she inspired intensified, as did her ability over
ever met does whatever she wants. She acts almost entirely on impulse, others. With everyone constantly falling all over themselves for her,
doing whatever she feels like doing whenever the mood strikes her. She Lorna never developed any kind of moral compass or character, and she
does love her celebrity status, though. She posts a steady stream of quickly grew bored of, well, everything. Initially, her villainy grew out
selfies ranging from cute to provocative and is always looking for new of that boredom. But when she garnered internet fame because of her
and outrageous ways to make sure she’s trending. Although athletic criminal activities, she found that intoxicating, probably because it didn’t
and fit, Lorna isn’t much of a fighter. She usually just tells her enemies come automatically. This wasn’t something that was just given to her.
to go away or uses those she can control to attack the few she can’t. She earned her internet fandom, and she had to work to keep it growing.
She avoids harming innocents and killing, not because she cares — she This was going to be fun.
156
PROWLERS PARAGONS
LADY AETHER MELODY FONG
Lady Aether
VILLAIN “Get out of my way, heroes, there’s nothing
Edge 15 Power Level: Major rattling around in those so-called brains of
Health 7 Group: None yours that could possibly help you stop me!”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 9d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Blast (Heat) 10d (Item: pistol (heat ray), Overload)
Ensnare 10d (Item: pistol (freeze ray), Overload)
Flight 7d (Item: rocket pack)
Immunity (Sensory) (Item: goggles)
Omni-Power (Gadgets) 10d (Item: gadgets, Overload)
Polymorph 10d (Item: pistol (shrink ray), Overload)
Super Senses (Astral Sight, Thermal Vision, X-Ray Vision) (Item:
goggles)
TRAINED POWERS
Evasion 10d
Expertise (Medicine: Psychology) 9d
Expertise (Technology: Aethertech) 12d
Preparation
Total Recall
PERKS
Resources (Aethertech contraptions)
Resources (The Clockwork Brigade—an army of 6d Threat
clockwork Minions including Clockwork Dragoon foot
soldiers, Clockwork Hussar fliers, and Clockwork Cuirassier
officers that are actually Foes)
FLAWS
Quirk (two distinct personalities) GEAR
Secret Identity Various tools
MOTIVATION: Thrills (Melody) / Progress (Millicent) ORIGIN: Melody Fong had always been perfect because that’s what
GOALS: Have fun and do what she wants rather than what everyone was expected of her. She was the perfect daughter, perfect student,
else expects of her (Melody). / Perfect her inventions, prove her genius perfect college athlete, perfect doctor, perfect fiancée, perfect —
to the world, and claim her rightful place in history (Millicent). everything. Until the past life regression. Still unsure as to how it
METHODS: Melody has two distinct ways of operating. In her secret happened, Melody remembers the session with her patient, the hypnosis,
identity, she’s careful and subdued. She does extensive research before and then, strangely, that she was the one to fall into a trance. She found
all her robberies (usually of advanced technology or Victorian era herself hunched over a workbench covered with clockwork gears and
artifacts that are more than they appear) and plans every moment with coils of copper wire. She was Millicent Flange, a brilliant Victorian era
painstaking precision. Once she goes into action, however, Millicent’s inventor whose genius had gone ignored because she was a woman.
personality takes over and Melody becomes the derisive, dramatic, and Melody realized this was her; she had been Millicent Flange in a past
flamboyant Lady Aether, putting on airs and developing a British accent life, and over a century later, she was still letting others determine her
and Victorian era speech patterns. Lady Aether loves any chance to use destiny. No more! Melody snapped awake with newfound resolve and
her marvels of science, even in combat, but she prefers to avoid harming access to all the knowledge, memories, and scientific genius of her past
innocents and killing. After all, she isn’t a villain. She’s a brilliant scientist life. Millicent Flange may have died before the world could learn of her
whose genius the world has yet to recognize. Plus, imagine the dreadful brilliance, but she now had a second chance for glory. And Melody Fong
footnotes some dreary little historian might write about her. was done being perfect.

MOLOCH GABRIEL MICHAELS
“It’s not me you’re angry with. We both
Moloch
VILLAIN
Edge 15 Power Level: Major know you’re angry at yourself, for not being
Health 15 Group: None there for your father at the end.
ABILITIES
TALENTS
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Armor 14d
Dimensional Travel (Portal)
Elemental Control (Fire) 14d
Flight 12d (Signature: fiery wings)
Immortality
Immunity (Environmental, Fatigue, Fire and Heat, Life Support,
Mind-Affecting Power, Toxins)
Regeneration (Fast)
Special Power (Know Hidden Desires): Moloch can discern
the hidden desires of any living being he can see, and will
immediately know all memories and feelings surrounding or
relating to those desires
Special Power (Talisman of Disguise): Moloch wears a talisman
that hides his true appearance; nothing can detect his
demonic nature or reveal his true form so long as he has the
talisman
Super Senses (Astral Sight, Night Vision, Thermal Vision, True
Sight)
Teleportation 15d (Portal)
FLAWS
PERKS
Unusual Looks (absurdly handsome)
Contacts (business, club scene, criminal, local government, Vulnerable (holy attacks and weapons)
magic underground)
GEAR
Wealth
None
MOTIVATION: Thrills complexity to life on Earth, a rhythm and texture to human existence
GOALS: Avoid being dragged back to limbo. Open more bars and clubs he hadn’t expected, and he and found it intoxicating. And there was
around the world. Make lots of money. Convince good people to do bad nothing more delicious than corrupting people in bars and clubs. The
things. Party. high-octane mix of alcohol, drugs, hormones, mating instincts, and
METHODS: Although Moloch is an extremely powerful being, he rarely emotional fragility on display was almost overpowering. Finding a young
engages in direct conflict, preferring instead to keep a low profile and act person in that environment and talking them into doing something truly
though flunkies and hired help. In fact, Moloch will often go to extremes terrible, that was just mind-blowing. He wanted to do that again and
to assist Heroes, if they leave him alone. He operates more like a shady again, in bigger places, places filled with more people, places with more
businessman than a demon of corruption. When he must engage in combat, energy and more possibilities for regret and remorse. So, he killed a
Moloch prefers to do so at a distance, using mundane weapons or fire. He few people, blackmailed a great many more, stole a bunch of money,
only gets up close and personal as a last resort. Moloch will kill if necessary, and built himself one incredible club. He also forced a local magician to
but he prefers not to — humans are simply too much fun to waste. make him a special charm, a magic necklace to keep him hidden from
ORIGIN: Moloch, for that is his true name, was sent here to corrupt. his demonic overlords. Now he’s loving life and looking to expand his
How ironic, then, that it was he who became corrupted. There was a budding midnight empire.
158
PROWLERS PARAGONS
NARKISSA NARKISSA HOPE
Narkissa
VILLAIN “You will come to know me as your rightful
Edge 21 Power Level: Major ruler, or you will be no more.”
Health 11 Group: Daffodil Corp.
ABILITIES
TALENTS
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (All)
Boost (Might) 15d (Charges 3)
Immortality
Immunity (Mental States)
Regeneration
Super Senses (Acute Vision 13d, Analytic Vision, Astral Sight,
Night Vision, True Sight)
TECH POWERS
Communications (Item: armor)
Flight 12d (Item: armor)
Immunity (Environmental, Life Support, Toxins) (Item: armor)
Omni-Power (Gadgets) 15d (Item: armor)
Special Power (Clone Army): Using an alien device on Daffodil
Island, Narkissa has created an army of clones (8d Threat
minions with the Duplicates Pro). She has countless clones, PERKS
but she can only summon 50 to her location per page using
Great Wealth
a device built into her armor. This requires an action.
Headquarters (Daffodil Island)
TRAINED POWERS
FLAWS
Martial Arts 11d (17d with Might Boosted)
Running 6d Insane (narcissist)
Swimming 4d (Lungs) GEAR
Weakness Detection
Anything she needs
MOTIVATION: Power herself queen. Renamed Daffodil Island by royal edict, the tiny island
GOALS: Control the world’s advanced technology. Establish Daffodil held a giant secret, a cave containing an alien artifact that was ancient
Island as a superpower and The Daffodil Corporation as the leading when dinosaurs walked the Earth. Dormant for eons, the artifact came
supplier of advanced technology to anyone who can pay their price. to life the instant the young queen approached, turning Narkissa into
Crush anyone who dares to get in her way. something more than human, and her need to control everyone and
METHODS: Narkissa’s pathological self-absorption means she rarely everything around her into something more than ambition. Over
works with other Villains. Instead, she prefers to have her clones do her the years, the British occasionally returned to the island, placing a
bidding, either standard clones or members of her Royal Guard (clones U-Boat monitoring station there in 1939 and an MI5 testing facility
with unique superpowers). Whenever she is forced to get personally there in 1961. When the Brits stumbled across Narkissa’s cave of
involved, Narkissa is utterly ruthless. She does not toy with her enemies, technological marvels, however, the queen had no choice but to
she destroys them. Narkissa can be bloodthirsty one day and merciful silence them. The fools thought they had been tolerating her, when in
the next, but her mercy is always a passing fancy rather than a sign of fact she had been tolerating them. The time for hiding was over. With
genuine empathy. the British presence scrubbed from her domain, Narkissa transformed
ORIGIN: Narkissa Hope was born on the island of Tristan da Cunha Daffodil Island into a land of technological wonders with The Daffodil
on January 1, 1900. Part of an extremely remote archipelago in the Corporation at its core. The queen of Daffodil Island has a plan, and
South Atlantic, Tristan was theoretically under British rule, but by the making Daffodil the world’s leader in ultra-advanced technology is
time she was 16, Narkissa had taken control of the island and declared only step one.

OSPREY SELINA DAVIES
VILLAIN “It’s your lucky day, because no one’s paying
Osprey
Edge 18 Power Level: Major me to kill you, and I don’t work for free.”
Health 6 Group: Daffodil Corp.
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Abilities (Agility, Perception, Toughness)
Flight 9d (Wings)
Super Senses (Acute Vision 12d, Night Vision, Telescopic Vision)
TECH POWERS
Armor 6d (Item: bodysuit)
Blending (Item: bodysuit)
Communications (Item: bodysuit)
Strike (Physical) 12d (Item: bodysuit)
TRAINED POWERS
Evasion 12d (Conditional: in flight)
Expertise (Professional: Espionage) 6d
Martial Arts 9d
Psi-Screen 9d
PERKS
Contacts (criminal, espionage)
Patron (AEGIS)
Wealth
FLAWS
Secret (AEGIS operative)
Unusual Looks (has large wings)
GEAR
Whatever mundane gear she needs
MOTIVATION: Responsibility made it through a nasty hurricane left a young couple dead in an alley and
GOALS: Develop a reputation as a super-powered assassin. Fake Selina coding in the back of an ambulance. She pulled through, but her
assassinations while bringing high-value targets into AEGIS custody. career was over, and the doctors said she’d never walk again. Selina didn’t
Earn the trust of organized crime and/or major supervillains. think she deserved to, until an AEGIS agent walked into her hospital
METHODS: Selina is a highly skilled and dedicated deep cover agent room and made her a pitch. She could undergo training and special
working for AEGIS, the United States agency charged with handling DNA treatments, not to be a hero, but as a deep cover agent posing
domestic and international threats of the super-powered variety. Selina as a super-powered contract killer. The treatments were experimental,
will do whatever she must to maintain her cover as a super-powered and dangerous, but if she survived, her job would be to find high-value
assassin with a taste for the good life, including commit crimes and beat targets and pretend to assassinate them while delivering them into
the snot out of Heroes. However, she will always find a way to avoid AEGIS custody. She’d also be hunting for clues about the existence of a
seriously injuring innocents or killing anyone. supposed rogue agency that some suspected had originally developed
ORIGIN: A U.S. Marshall in the Witness Security division, Selina Davies her treatments. She’d live the high-rolling life of a wealthy supervillain,
was responsible relocating and resettling people in Witness Protection. and she’d be saving lives; again, assuming she survived the treatment.
Her career was on the fast track, until that one mistake. Ten-seconds on Selina jumped at the chance, and a year later, AEGIS quietly unleashed
an unsecured line was all it took — one call to make sure her mother had Osprey on the world.
160
PROWLERS PARAGONS
PHALANX JOHN CRUZ
Phalanx
VILLAIN “Let me stop you right there. I don’t care about your big
Edge 20 Power Level: Major plan; all I care about is getting paid. Soon as I see that
Health 5 Group: Daffodil Corp. money in my account, I’ll help you conquer the world or
ABILITIES capture the Moon or whatever it is you want to do.”
TALENTS
Charm 3d Science 3d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Summoning (Threat 6d) 15d (Duplicates)
Telepathy 6d (Limited: between Duplicates)
TECH POWERS
Armor 6d (Item: body armor)
Super Senses (Night Vision) (Item: suit)
TRAINED
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 8d
Two-Fisted
PERKS
Contacts (criminal, mercenary)
Patron (rogue agency)
FLAWS
Obligation (rogue agency)
Unlucky
GEAR
Assault Rifle: 11d Ranged (Area, Two-Handed, Upgraded)
6 Grenades: 11d Ranged (Burst, Thrown, Upgraded)
Sniper Rifle: 11d Ranged (Collapsible, Line of Sight, Two-
Handed, Upgraded)
2 Submachine Guns: 10d Ranged (Area, Upgraded)
Combat Knife: 7d Melee
Explosives for demolitions and traps
MOTIVATION: Money involved with a drug smuggling ring while overseas. He was dishonorably
GOALS: Make a name as a super-powered merc. Make enough to retire, discharged and sent to prison. It looked like everything was over for John,
more than enough. Be done with everyone. until a man in a suit came to see him in prison, offering a full pardon in
METHODS: John is a soldier and a strategist. Smart, efficient, and exchange for his services, on a contract basis of course. The man claimed
good at improvising, he’d be dangerous even without powers. John to work for an off-the-books agency that fronted for government black
prefers to ambush enemies, sniping them from a distance or taking them ops work. John knew it was a lie but didn’t care. He agreed and began doing
out with traps and tripwires. Careful and methodical, he likes to engage black ops wet work for this rogue agency. That would have been the end
the enemy on his terms. He doesn’t take unnecessary risks and usually of it, but about a year ago, John was sent to eliminate a scientist working
fights from behind cover and concealment. on some kind of super advanced dimensional technology John couldn’t
ORIGIN: The military does many people a lot of good, but John Cruz even begin to understand. The job got messy and John was caught in
wasn’t one of them. John spent most of his youth in trouble. When he the lab when it exploded. He awoke surrounded by a sea of his own face.
told his mother he was leaving to join the military, she hoped it would His extra-dimensional duplicates had finished his mission and carried
straighten him out. It didn’t. Although John was a natural soldier, he got him to safety. No longer just one mercenary, John was now a Phalanx.

THE RED KING ATHERTON CRUMBOLT
The Red King
VILLAIN “I remember when your kind first learned to

Edge 26 Power Level: Epic harness fire. How powerful you thought you
Health 19 Group: None were. Perhaps it’s time for another lesson.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 9d Science 9d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Armor 20d
Blast (Fiery Breath) 22d (Area, Overload, Penetrating, Phase Shift)
Elemental Control (Fire) 6d
Hibernation
Immortality (Vulnerable to magic)
Immunity (Environmental, Fire/Heat, Life Support)
Languages (Polyglot)
Omni-Power (Sorcery) 15d
Super Senses (Astral Sight, Enhanced Hearing, Night Vision,
Thermal Vision, Tracking Scent, True Sight, Ultra Vision)
Telepathy 18d (Mind Link)
Total Recall
PERKS
Contacts (magical underworld)
Headquarters
Great Wealth
FLAWS
Quirk (arrogant)
Unusual Looks (inhuman appearance)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Power so long ago that no record of that time exists in the modern world. By
GOALS: Remove the curse that keeps him in human form. Collect the time he realized the spell was permanent, his mistake had already
magical artifacts to protect himself against other dragons in the been made. In his fury, he slew the insolent sorcerer, his breath turning
meanwhile. Amass wealth and power. the doddering old fool to ash. But that doddering old fool had cast the
METHODS: The Red King is a being of terrible cunning and patience. spell, and only he knew how it could be undone. In the dragon’s defense,
He made one mistake and has endured years of captivity in a strange no human had ever displayed that kind of power, but that fact brought
little monkey body as a result. He will not make another. The creature him as little comfort then as it does now. He was trapped in this human
prefers to act indirectly, though cat’s paws and patsies who know form, mighty and powerful, of course, but nothing compared to before.
nothing of their true employer or his ends. He also prefers to remain He knew he’d need to keep hidden from others of his kind, who would
hidden. Should he ever have to enter combat, he will bring fire and want to devour him and steal his power, and he’d need to bide his time.
destruction without mercy. Human magic did this to him, and one day, human magic would undo it.
ORIGIN: Atherton Crumbolt, which is not his true name but is as good as He merely had to wait, so that’s what he’s been doing, waiting, amassing
any his monkey mouth can form, is a dragon, or at least he was. What he power and wealth in the meanwhile, because that’s what dragons do. But
is now is a prisoner, trapped in an absurd little body, cursed by a sorcerer he can sense that his time as a monkey will soon be coming to an end.
162
PROWLERS PARAGONS
RELIQUARY RAVEN ABASSI
Reliquary
VILLAIN “That sound you hear behind you? That’s the dead,
Edge 15 Power Level: Major clawing their way out of the grave to worship at my feet.
Health 12 Group: None But please, do go on about how I should change my ways.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
MAGIC POWERS
Abilities (All)
Armor 16d (Item: sword)
Immunity (Environmental, Fatigue, Life Support, Toxins) (Item:
sword)
Life Drain 12d (Independent, Item: sword, Zone)
Omni-Power (Sorcery) 12d
Strike (Physical) 16d (Deflect, Item: sword, Penetrating, Phase
Shift)
Summoning (Threat 4d) 15d (Automatons)
Super Senses (Astral Sight, Night Vision, True Sight) (Item: sword)
PERKS
Contacts (magical underworld)
Headquarters
FLAWS
Creepy
Flashbacks (life as Raven Abbasi: once per issue, if the Heroes
can do something to remind Reliquary of her former life, she
will lose her next turn to act)
Quirk (Raven’s consciousness remains buried under Reliquary’s;
it may be possible to exorcise the spirit)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Malice totally over everything and everyone, especially the kids who made fun of
GOALS: Secure arcane knowledge and power to build a kingdom of them for being different. Besides her friends, one of the few people who
night on mountain of corpses and rule it from a throne of skulls. Take understood Raven was her father, Professor Amir Abassi. Unfortunately,
death as a lover, then break her heart and take her place. Make sure no the Professor was often away on one archeological dig or another. But
one ever laughs at her again. their connection drew her to his work, which is why she only complained
METHODS: Raven’s mind is a maelstrom of contradictions, a blend of a little when he sent her tickets to visit him in Scotland. She felt the call
disaffected hormonal teenager and malevolent entity. She sometimes almost as soon as the plane touched ground, a yearning stronger than
works through agents and minions, operating with the caution and she could explain. Rather than going to her hotel, Raven was drawn to
patience of a master tactician. Other times, she’ll act on impulse and her father’s dig site. She made her way through the darkened chambers
take needless risks, a rash teenager. She’ll kill on a whim, but will often as if by memory and entered a hidden room Dr. Abbasi’s team hadn’t and
develop a fascination with Heroes and others who stand up to her, wouldn’t ever discover. There was the sword, waiting for her as it always
keeping them alive to enjoy breaking them later. would. Her sword. Wraithmaker. She touched it and released the foul
ORIGIN: Raven Abassi, or Raven as her friends called her, was an spirit that had been imprisoned in the great black blade, the powerful,
ordinary teenager. Still in the throes of what her brother Usman dubbed malevolent piece of her that had been lost so many incarnations ago. It
her Lame Goth Phase, Raven dressed the part and, like her friends, was merged with her body, her mind, and her soul, and Reliquary was born.

SHARD TONY RUSSO
VILLAIN “Youse clowns is all the same. Heh, come on,
Shard
Edge 6 Power Level: Major heroes, I ain’t trashed nothing all day.”
Health 5/15 Group: None
ABILITIES
Intellect 2d Toughness 5d/15d
Might 5d/15d Willpower 5d
TALENTS
Charm 2d Science 2d
POWERS
SUPER POWERS
Hard to Kill
Immunity (Cold, Environmental, Heat, Toxins) (Conditional: in
Solid Form)
Solid Form 15d
PERKS
Contacts (criminal)
FLAWS
Unusual Looks (crystalline giant)
Vulnerability (sound)
GEAR
None
MOTIVATION: Money was promoted to working protection, and he was good at it, maybe
GOALS: Make lots of money. Stay out of jail. Bust some heads. because he didn’t mind so much when his customers needed a little
METHODS: Tony isn’t a thinker. He’s muscle, and that’s how he likes encouragement. That was how it happened. See, over the years, the
it. He’s a classic in-your-face brawler who loved to mix it up long before streets Tony had been working started getting gentrified, so the cops
he ever had powers. As a guy who learned to fight on the streets, Tony began paying attention, and Tony was relocated to a more industrial
fights to win. He isn’t above fighting dirty or threatening innocents for part of town. It was there, while holding a new potential client over a
an advantage. vat of superheated organic crystal composite, that Tony slipped and fell
ORIGIN: Anthony “Tony” Russo never had it easy. His father ran out into the tank. Too tough or too stubborn to die, Tony managed to pull
shortly after he was born, and his mother was usually too drunk to be himself out, looking like a man who’d been boiled alive. The composite
of much use. He grew up on the streets in the worst part of town and somehow merged with his body and transformed him into a being
was running errands for the local syndicates before he hit double digits. of living crystal. Although Tony still freelances for the syndicate, he
By the time he was sixteen and well into his growth spurt, Tony had charges a lot more for his services these days, and he’ll work for anyone
developed a reputation as a big guy you didn’t want to mess with. He who can pay.
164
PROWLERS PARAGONS
WARLORD IDO THORRIS
Warlord
VILLAIN “Stand aside, hero. You can’t stop me. There’s
Edge 24 Power Level: Major wisdom in retreating from a fight you can’t win.”
ABILITIES
TALENTS
Charm 6d Science 3d
POWERS
TECH POWERS
Armor 12d (Item: uniform)
Immunity (Environmental, Toxins) (Item: uniform)
Regeneration (Item: uniform)
TRAINED POWERS
Blast (Special) 15d (Weapons)
Boost (Blast and Strike) 16d (Item: blast-blades)
Evasion 15d
Expertise (Professional: Diplomacy, Espionage, Strategy, Tactics) 9d
Lightning Reflexes
Martial Arts 15d
Preparation
Psi-Screen 12d
Strike (Special) 15d (Deflect, Throw, Weapons)
Two-Fisted
Weakness Detection
PERKS
Patron (Lady Andromeda)
FLAWS
Code (Bushido-like code)
Obligation (Lady Andromeda)
GEAR
Quirk (Conflicted: Ido knows Andromeda is evil but he is duty-
bound to serve her) 2 Mu’Dhani blast-blades: for Blast and Strike (Note: these alien
weapons can inflict physical or energy damage)
MOTIVATION: Conviction of peace and generals in times of war, nobles by deed if not blood. On
GOALS: Protect, counsel, and serve the Lady Andromeda. Get her to the day Aurora was born, General Ido Thorris was given the highest
see the error of her ways. If that proves impossible, do whatever he can honor that could be bestowed upon a Mu’Dhani soldier, he was made
to channel her ambitions along the least destructive path. Do his duty her Liegeman. The remainder of his life would be devoted to her, and
and preserve his honor. he swore an oath on his family name to serve and protect Aurora at
METHODS: Ido serves the Lady Andromeda, whom he is sworn to all costs. His concern grew over the years, as he saw her grow from a
counsel and protect. In that capacity, he both acts as her agent and petulant child into a self-absorbed youth who was never satisfied with
pursues his own agenda on her behalf. While he normally directs others, anything, an angry girl who always became jealous whenever attention
Ido is more than willing to step out of the shadows and take matters was shifted from her to her sister Elara. He did his best to counsel his
into his own hands when the situation warrants his personal attention. charge over the years, but his efforts were in vain. When Aurora came
In combat, Ido never uses more force than is necessary to defeat his to him and demanded his assistance in planning her rebellion, Ido
opponents. Although he will use lethal force if necessary and honorable, begged her to reconsider, but she would not be dissuaded. Aurora
that hasn’t happened in a very long time. had become a would-be tyrant, and Ido was honor-bound to remain
ORIGIN: Ido Thorris would scream if he were prone to histrionics, by her side. He hopes to eventually get through to her, to make her
or perhaps he might weep, but stoicism is expected of Mu’Dhani see the error of her ways. If not, then he will almost certainly die by
Liegemen. His family has served the nobles of House Andromeda for her side, as is his duty. It’s what he believes he deserves, since he
generations, guarding its members, and acting as counselors in times blames his failings as a teacher for the monster Aurora has become.

CHAPTER 9
Superhero Gaming
SUPERHERO GAMING
Armed with these rules and handfuls of dice, you now have everything you need to play the game. The thing about roleplaying is that
there’s much more to playing the game than what you can find in any book. Like chess, go, or poker, knowing the rules is only the
first step when it comes to running a roleplaying game. Unlike those games, however, you can have a lot of fun learning to play as
you go, and there’s very little chance of losing your house to a straight flush in the process.
CONVICTION
CREATING VILLAINS The Villain is pursuing what they deem to be the only reasonable
course of action, or perhaps they feel obligated or duty-bound
Of all the characters GMs have to create, Villains are the most
to do so. While they may not be especially evil or selfish, Villains
important. While roleplaying games have a long and venerable
with this motivation are often amoral and will do whatever is
history of presenting Heroes with enemies to defeat, Villains are
necessary to accomplish their goals. Archetypal characters
more than that. At their core, superhero stories — at least the
with this motivation include the robot that gains sentience and
ones that inspired this game — are about people doing the right
concludes that humanity must be destroyed and the noble
thing. As characters who do the wrong thing, Villains provide
servant or soldier duty-bound to an ignoble superior.
the contrast that makes these stories work. Like Heroes, these
characters represent who we can be, but they act as warnings
DESPERATION
rather than inspiration. As a result, even the lowliest Villains
The character is a Villain because they have a problem that can’t
should be important characters in your game.
be solved any other way, or because they are being coerced
into it by someone else. They might have developed powers
As discussed in Chapter 2, Villains are created like Heroes. The
they need to learn to control. Perhaps they were dying, and
rules are the same, but you don’t bother with Hero Points. You
their powers are the byproduct of some magical or technological
simply give these characters whatever Abilities, Talents, Powers,
process that saved their life. Maybe they need super-powered
Perks, gear, and whatever else you want them to have. Some
help to save someone they love, or to protect themselves from
GMs like to know how many Hero Points their Villains would cost
someone or something. Someone may be using the threat of
as Heroes, but that isn’t necessary (and often leads to maniacal
harming the character’s loved ones or revealing their terrible
laughter). That aside, the main difference between Heroes and
secret to force them into villainy. Or maybe they’re just trying
Villains is their finishing touches. Although the following rules
to find someplace where they’ll be accepted rather than seen
refer only to Villains, they also apply to Foes and Extras who turn
as a freak or a monster.
out to be not so nice (Extras who fall on the side of the angels
use the heroic motivations in Chapter 2).
INSANITY/INSTINCT
The Villain is insane and driven by delusions, or not fully in
VILLAIN MOTIVATIONS control of themselves and driven by destructive impulses,
instincts, or programming. Animals, lunatics, monsters, robots,
Like Heroes, Villains have motivations that make them do
the undead, and other mindless engines of destruction often
what they do. Some are quite different from those available
have this motivation. Villains with this motivation may or may
to Heroes, while others are closer than you might think. In the
not be sentient, and some aren’t Villains in any real sense except
end, a Villain’s motivation is not necessarily what makes them a
that the Heroes must stop them. For example, an enraged bear
Villain, but it is what drives them. As always, feel free to create
wounded and left to die by irresponsible hunters would have
your own villainous motivations if you can’t find what you need.
this motivation.
BOND
MALICE
The character has a powerful bond with someone who happens to
The character is motivated by sheer malice. The best of these
be a Villain, so they’re along for the ride. This bond can be anything
Villains are mean and selfish, angry and entitled, or lacking in
from strong kinship to warm affection to deep and abiding love. Or
any real sense of empathy. The worst are truly evil or criminally
it might be the obsessive fixation of the truly unhinged because,
insane: arsonists who want to watch the world burn, sociopaths
you know, Villains. Some characters with this motivation are just as
who feel nothing for anyone but themselves, psychopaths who
nasty as the person they care about, maybe even more so, while
kill for the sheer joy of it, and lunatics who want people to see
others are too broken, naïve, weak willed, or young to do anything
that life is just one big killing joke. Supernatural monsters like
but follow their lead. A few are not really Villains at all, but they
demons, devils, and vampires often have this motivation as well.
will do anything necessary to protect the person they care about.

MONEY THRILLS
The Villain is in it for the money. For these career criminals, An adrenaline junkie primarily, the character is just having fun.
villainy is just a job that pays well. This motivation covers Of course, their version of fun involves breaking the law and
Chapter 9
arms dealers, assassins, bank robbers, drug dealers, hired putting others in danger, but they don’t care about that. Villains
muscle, kidnappers, mercenaries, thieves of every kind, and with this motivation can seem harmless or even charming, and
entrepreneurs with shady business dealings. Villains with some in fact are, especially those who are young and immature.
this motivation are typically practical, caring mainly about But the ones who should know better are often little more than
themselves and their bank accounts. More immoral than self-centered sociopaths, focused on having fun regardless of
evil, Villains with this motivation sometimes have lines they how their actions hurt others.
won’t cross.
ZEALOTRY
POWER The character is completely devoted to a cause or belief,
The character wants to rule. Some have a lust for power, but whether noble or ignoble, and will cross any line in furtherance
others do so out of a sense of responsibility or manifest destiny. of their zealotry. Or they might espouse the twisted ideals of
This is the motivation of conquerors, great military leaders with a particularly vile people, group, or nation. Villains with this
armies of henchmen willing to do their bidding. It also covers motivation often act in concert with others who share their
those who prefer to obtain power by more indirect means, such beliefs, sometimes even leading groups, nations, or worlds as
as by amassing extraordinary wealth, manipulating existing their exemplar.
political systems (maybe even by running for office), or securing
the power of popular opinion through mass media. These
Villains will do anything to expand their reach while protecting VILLAIN GOALS
the power they already possess. Instead of connections, Villains have goals, specific things they
want to accomplish. While a Villain’s motivation tells you what
PROGRESS drives them, their goals explain how they intend to satisfy those
The character will do anything in the name of progress or drives. Some Villains will have simple unimaginative goals: get
personal development. This is the motivation of mad geniuses rich by robbing a few banks, make enough money working as
willing to cast ethics aside in the name of science, single-minded muscle for the mob to get their ailing spouse that experimental
explorers who will do anything to make a new discovery, and new treatment, etc. Others will have intricate, step-by-step goals
soul-corrupted sorcerers who will stop at nothing to uncover spanning weeks, months, or even years, the kind needed to bring
arcane secrets. While the desire for knowledge is a noble pursuit, their master plan to fruition. And many will fall somewhere
characters with this motivation will go to any lengths to achieve between these extremes. Smarter Villains usually have more
this end, making them as dangerous as any zealot. complex and well-defined goals, but that isn’t always the case. At
the end of the day, it all depends on the Villain, what they want
REBELLION to accomplish, and how they intend to get it done.
The Villain refuses to play by society’s rules. These characters
aren’t usually after money, power, or even thrills. They just don’t
care, or maybe they’re trying to make a point. The Villains who VILLAIN METHODS
truly don’t care tend to be aimless rebels who rarely have a Instead of details, Villains have methods. This describes how the
larger plan in mind. They take what they want and do what they Villain operates and how far they’ll go to accomplish their goals.
want because they can. The ones who want to send a message Does the Villain prefer to act directly, or do they work through
or incite change, on the other hand, can be as calculating and others? If they act through others, are those characters allies,
strategic as anyone else. Some of these Villains are hardcore subordinates, or clueless catspaws? Does the Villain operate
punks who’ve spent their lives laughing at the sheep, while openly, do they move in secret, or are they hiding in plain sight?
others were part of the flock until they snapped, pushed too Do they tend to approach challenges physically, intellectually, or
far by a supervisor, spouse, or server at a fast food restaurant. socially? What are the Villain’s usual tactics in combat? How do
they prefer to fight, assuming they fight at all?
REVENGE
The Villain is on a quest for revenge for some real or imagined A Villain’s methods also indicate what they are willing to do.
wrong committed against them or someone they love. Some Obviously, breaking the law isn’t an issue. But what about
of these characters are monsters, but others are sympathetic, innocents: is the Villain willing to endanger, harm, or kill
people pushed over the edge by grief, despair, or powerlessness. innocent civilians? Do they try to avoid this at all costs? Or
While some of these poor souls can be brought back from the do they fall somewhere in between? What about those foolish
abyss, others are too consumed with rage to ever turn back. For enough to stand in their way? Are they treated any differently
them, revenge is all there is. than those smart enough to cower in fear or stand aside? And
when someone does attempt to challenge the Villain, do they
distinguish between mundane law enforcement personnel and
super-powered interlopers?
168
PROWLERS PARAGONS
VILLAINOUS ORIGINS
Superhero Gaming
The other kind of nemesis is one that embodies the exact
opposite of something essential to their heroic archenemy. Here,
The last element of every great Villain is their origin. As with
the conflict between Hero and Villain reflects a larger conflict
Heroes, a Villain’s origin explains who they are and how they
between two broader concepts, ideals, or philosophies: strength
acquired their unique abilities. The best villainous origins,
versus intellect, freedom versus order, light versus darkness,
however, do one more thing: they make even the worst Villain
capitalism versus communism, and so on. In some cases, neither
somewhat sympathetic. A thoroughly despicable Villain is fine,
concept is inherently right or wrong; how they’re pursued is what
but a thoroughly despicable Villain the players can relate to or
separates Hero from Villain. In others, the difference between
have sympathy for is a masterpiece! It works that way in fiction,
good and evil couldn’t be more obvious.
and it works that way in the game. The most interesting Villains
are those we understand, no matter how much we abhor their
Because Heroes and their nemeses are so closely intertwined,
actions. If you can make the players (that’s the players, not the
players (not GMs) create nemeses for their Heroes. Players who
Heroes) feel sympathy for the worst of your Villains, it will take
aren’t interested in creating a nemesis can leave this to the GM,
your game to another level.
or they can choose not to have one. The decision is entirely up to
each player. Once a player creates their nemesis, that character
NEMESES belongs to the GM and is treated like any other Villain. GMs
should follow the guidelines and suggestions a player establishes
There are Villains and there are nemeses. It’s easy to think of a
when creating their nemesis, but once created, control of the
nemesis as nothing more than a recurring Villain that really has it
nemesis rests squarely in the hands of the GM.
out for a particular Hero, but that would be a mistake. Although
they are recurring Villains, a nemesis serves a unique purpose.
While most Villains exist to challenge the Heroes, nemeses exist
to help define them.
FOES
Everything discussed above applies as much to Foes as it does
to Villains. Mechanically, the only difference between Foes and
A nemesis is always a dark reflection of their heroic archrival. For
Villains is that Foes have less Health (usually half as much).
some, this means the two share something essential in common.
Although Foes tend to be less developed than Villains, the
They might have identical abilities and powers, backgrounds,
difference between the two often boils down to which character
goals, methods, motivations, origin stories, or weaknesses. These
has the spotlight at the moment. Many comic book supervillains
kinds of nemeses highlight the fact that people have choices.
have been both Villain and Foe over the years, hopping back
Regardless of their similarities, one of these characters became
and forth between roles depending on how central they are to
a Hero and one became a Villain. Their choices were not the
the story. While this kind of flexibility isn’t usually an element of
inevitable result of anything they have in common; they came
roleplaying games, it’s very common in comic books and easy
from within and speak volumes about who these people are.
enough to replicate in P&P by making these characters Villains
in some stories and Foes in others. While perhaps not every
supervillain should get this treatment, it will go a long way to
ensuring that Foes are just as interesting as Villains.

CREATING STORIES VILLAINS
Every story starts with a Villain or Villains, the main antagonists
As mentioned earlier, a story is a discrete tale involving the of the adventure. You don’t need to know what these scoundrels
Chapter 9
Heroes that has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. In other are doing or why they’re doing it, at least not yet. For now, all
games this would be called an adventure. There’s no right way you need to do is create the Villains or select them from your
or wrong way to create a story. All that matters is the result. pool of existing characters. The process of creating Villains has
However, it can be helpful to have a process in place. This keeps already been discussed, almost like it was planned it that way
you organized and gives you something to refer to when you … diabolical!
get stuck or find yourself at a loss for ideas. To that end, the
following process for creating superhero stories involves six
steps: Villains, Plot, Tropes, Sacrifice, Scenes, and Trappings. PLOT
Each step is discussed below. Once you have a Villain or Villains, decide on a plot. At this point
in the process, the plot is just a simple phrase or sentence that
describes what the story is going to be about. Most superhero
plots fall into one of three categories: schemes, plans, or events.
SUPER TIP! Each is described below.
Superhero games become stale villain-of-
SCHEMES
the-week slugfests if the Heroes don’t have A scheme is a nefarious plot the Villain or Villains intend to carry
personal lives that let them be real people as out. Most of the time, the Heroes must stop a scheme from
well as caped crusaders. No matter how noble, coming to fruition. Occasionally, the scheme has already been
accomplished when the story begins, in which case the Heroes
steadfast, or invulnerable the Heroes, they
have to deal with the aftermath, figure out how to repair or undo
should always have flawed, fickle, fragile people whatever the Villains have done, or both. This is probably the
in their lives who they care about dearly. most common plot for a superhero story because Heroes tend
to be reactive, responding only when reasonably certain that the
Villains have done, are doing, or intend to do something illegal.
COMMON PLOTS
SCHEMES PLANS EVENTS
Acquire something dangerous Assault or defend a location Accidental nuclear launch
Assassinate a person Build something wonderful Accidental release of toxic gas
Assault or defend a location Defeat or escape from a monster Airplane falling from sky
Blackmail someone Deliver a message Asteroid approaching
Break someone out of prison Discover a long-lost location Avalanche, mudslide, or rockslide
Bribe or extort a person or group Discredit a corrupt person or group Bridge or building collapse
Build something terrible Dismantle a criminal organization Building fire
Buy, sell, or transport contraband Dispose of something dangerous Dam/berm collapse
Capture or kidnap someone Escape from a place or situation Earthquake and aftershocks
Destroy an object or location Evolve, progress, or transform Failure at nuclear power plant
Discover a long-lost location Expose blackmail or a conspiracy Failure at super prison
Discredit a noble person or group Find and arrest a criminal Floodwaters approaching
Escape from a place or situation Find the way home Hurricane, tornado, or tsunami
Establish or further a conspiracy Forge an alliance Interdimensional rupture
Evolve, progress, or transform Gather and share information Mass hysteria or civil unrest
Feed and/or reproduce Guard or transport a person or object Massive sinkhole
Forge an alliance Overthrow a corrupt government Oil rig fire
Overthrow a government Plan and conduct a mass battle Ships on collision course
Plan and conduct a mass battle Prevent a crime from happening Sinking passenger ship
Recover a long-lost object Prove someone’s guilt or innocence Subway or train tracks destroyed
Rob a location Recover a long-lost or stolen object Tidal wave approaching
Steal an object Rescue kidnap victim or missing person Trains on collision course
Summon something terrible Solve a crime or clear your name Volcanic eruption
Terrorize a populace Win a competition Wildfire out of control
170
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Superhero Gaming
PLANS may make a brief cameo, drawn out of hiding to crush any who
The opposite of a scheme, a plan is something the Heroes set would dare take their name. This trope works best with a Villain
out to do, either of their own accord or at the behest of some the Heroes have faced in the past, ideally on multiple occasions.
other person or organization. In this case, the Villains are the
ones attempting to foil the plan and prevent the Heroes from BETRAYED
accomplishing their goal. Sometimes, the reasons for this are Curse your inevitable betrayal! The Heroes are betrayed in some
obvious; other times, figuring out why the Villains are involved way by a former ally. The treacherous former ally may or may
is part of the story. not become one of the enemies the Heroes have to defeat later
in the story. The Heroes may eventually discover that the former
EVENTS ally was acting under duress, but it’s just as likely that the former
Events are major occurrences that the Heroes become involved ally really was a bad guy all along. Although this trope often is
in, but which can’t be attributed to the Heroes or the Villains, used together with the Unlikely Ally trope (see below), it’s almost
at least not directly or not intentionally. Although Villains often too obvious to be worth it. Almost.
become involved in these plots, they’re usually reacting to
or taking advantage of whatever is happening. If the event is CAPTURED
especially catastrophic, the Villains might even put aside their The Heroes get captured and must somehow escape their
differences and try to help the Heroes. After all, you can’t confinement. Of course, for one reason or another, their Powers
conquer the Earth if there’s no Earth left to conquer. won’t be of any use. For a real change of pace, the story might
start with the Heroes already in captivity — they might not even
remember how they got there. Give each Hero 1 Resolve as a
TROPES peace offering for using this heavy-handed trope.
The next thing to consider when creating a story is which tropes
you want to use. Tropes are narrative elements common to a DEATHTRAPS
genre, in this case the superhero genre. Although not necessary, Deathtraps are the Captured trope on performance enhancers.
tropes can help make your game feel more like a comic book. The Heroes not only get captured; they also get placed in a
Besides, there are so many great superhero tropes to choose deathtrap from which they have to escape. This admittedly
from that it seems a shame not to take advantage of them. You corny trope has fallen out of favor. Honestly, if a Villain wants to
can pick from the list below or use any of the countless others kill a Hero they have at their mercy, there are easier ways than
we’re sure to have missed. tossing them into a tank that gradually fills with water, lowering
them into a vat of acid, tying them under a massive weight that
AMNESIA will slowly crush them, etc. Plus, deathtraps tend to be most
One or more of the Heroes lose their memory for at least some effective on Heroes who lack true superpowers (although you
portion of the story. They won’t know who they are or whom can get around this with power nullifiers). But if the trope fits the
they can trust. They might not even remember they have game, the deathtrap is a classic worth dusting off.
superpowers. Or they might think they’re supervillains, typically
because some Villain tricks them into believing this, at least until EVIL DUPLICATES
the Heroes uncover the truth thanks to their unflinching moral The Heroes must confront their (presumably evil) duplicates in
compasses. the story. These duplicates might be clones or robots meant to
publicly misbehave and discredit the Heroes. They might be
APES AND/OR DINOSAURS doppelgangers from an alternate dimension, or perhaps from a
The story involves apes, dinosaurs, or both. If it involves Future Gone Wrong that the Heroes need to fix. They might be
apes, they’re intelligent apes, as least as intelligent and/or mental constructs created by some cosmic entity. Or they might
technologically advanced as human beings if not more so. If it be something else. The specifics matter less than the fact that
involves dinosaurs, the dinosaurs may or may not be intelligent the Heroes will have to battle themselves.
time travelers — this one can go either way.
GRUDGE MATCH
ATLANTIS One or more of the Villains in this story are characters the
Whether bearing that name or another, just about every comic Heroes have gone up against in the past. They might have
book universe includes an undersea kingdom hidden away broken their way out of prison, they might have been hired by
from humanity for most of history. The story is going to involve someone because of their prior history with the Heroes, they
this kingdom and its people in some way, whether as allies, might be doing something specifically to get back at the Heroes,
enemies, or both. or their presence might be nothing more than a bad coincidence.
Whatever the case, the Villains have a bone to pick with the
BACK FROM THE DEAD Heroes and are itching for a rematch.
The Villain of the story turns out to be an old archrival the Heroes
thought was dead. Or perhaps it’s an imposter. If it does turn
out to be an imposter, the true Villain (again, supposedly dead)

HERO VS HERO PLOT TWIST
The Heroes must fight other superheroes at some point during The Heroes learn something, or some new development occurs
the story. This could happen for any number of reasons, often that either changes the goal they were originally trying to
Chapter 9
mind control, mistaken identity, or misunderstanding. To be accomplish or brings a new goal into play. This new or additional
honest, the real reason for this is that comic book fans seem to goal is normally more difficult, more dangerous, or of greater
love having superheroes fight each other. Assuming the other consequence than the original.
superheroes haven’t turned to the dark side, things should be
cleared up and everyone should be more or less friends again POWERLESS
by the time the story concludes. The Heroes are rendered powerless for all or a portion of the
story and must accomplish their goals without relying on their
HOSTAGE CRISIS unique abilities. Or they could be surrounded by other people —
The Villain takes someone hostage, ideally someone important maybe including people they know — and must pretend to be
to one or more of the Heroes. The Heroes have to rescue this civilians for most of the story. This can make for an interesting
person by the time the story concludes and may need to be very game and a great change of pace, but don’t do this too early
careful about how they do this because the Villain will use the in a series. Let the players enjoy their superpowers for a while
hostage as leverage. Occasionally, the Heroes will discover that before you strip them away.
what they thought was a hostage was in fact an accomplice (see
Betrayed and Willing Victim). RELATIONSHIP
One or more of the Heroes has a significant personal relationship
INNOCENT BYSTANDERS with someone involved in the story, often a victim or a Villain
At least one major scene is going to take place in a location (or better yet, one of each). Even if the Villain has a secret
choked with so many civilians the Villains won’t know what identity, the Hero or Heroes will know or strongly suspect their
to do with themselves. If it’s a battle scene, the Heroes are true identity.
going to have their hands full protecting these people. If it’s an
investigation or a roleplaying scene, the threat of what might REVERSE WORLD
happen to all those innocent people will force the Heroes to The story takes place on a planet or dimension that is the mirror
stand down while the Villains cross something off their evil to-do image of the “real” one. In that world, the Heroes are the bad
list, escape with a hostage, gloat insufferably, or do something guys and the Villains are the superheroes. The Heroes may need
equally infuriating. to team up with characters who are normally their enemies to
fight those who are normally their allies. They might even have to
THE LOST WORLD fight themselves (see Evil Duplicates). This is another technique
The story takes place in some lost primeval world. It often that won’t work if you do it too early in a series. The players
involves protecting a tribe of peaceful — and usually attractive — need to get to know their Heroes, the Villains, and the important
natives from a different tribe of warlike — and usually less Extras in their world before you turn everything upside down.
attractive — natives or protecting the lost world itself from
exploitation. Occasionally, the twist is that the attractive and SECRET BASE
initially friendly natives are actually complete jerks who are using Some part of the story involves finding, reaching, exploring,
and abusing their less evolved neighbors. And sometimes, the escaping from, or destroying a Villain’s secret base. The base is
Heroes must protect the lost world and its inhabitants from being likely to be found in a hazardous, remote, or unusual location
exploited by the people who sent them there in the first place. like in the Arctic or the Antarctic, on an uncharted island, deep
under the ocean, in a volcano, on a satellite orbiting the Earth or
MANIPULATED another planet in the Solar System, on the Moon, or in a parallel
The Heroes discover that they’ve been lied to or are being or pocket dimension, etc. For a change of pace, rather than
manipulated by someone they trusted, often an employer, being in active use, the base has long-since been abandoned.
authority figure, or Patron. This trope can be particularly
effective if the Heroes all have the same Patron, and this person SECRET MISSION
or organization turns out to have been lying to them or telling Something about what the Heroes are doing must remain secret
them half-truths. It becomes even more interesting when from one of the NPCs, the authorities, or the public. The Heroes
different Heroes have different degrees of loyalty to the Patron. might have to guard someone who can’t know they’re being
This trope is just a specific version of Betrayed. guarded. They might be tasked with something too big or too
dangerous for ordinary police. They could be saddled with a
THE MISUNDERSTOOD VILLAIN job so critical that the general public must be kept in the dark
The Villain turns out to be misunderstood rather than evil. This because there would be widespread panic and rioting in the
is often the case when the Villain is a wild animal or rampaging streets in they knew the danger they were in. You get the idea.
monster of some kind. Other common scenarios include Villains Whatever the case, keeping the secret is going to be easier said
who are being blackmailed, completely unaware of the harm than done.
they’re causing, or under someone else’s control.
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STAKES RAISED works best after the players and their Heroes have gotten to
Save the cheerleader, save the world. The Heroes learn know — and ideally really grown to despise — a particular Villain
something, or some new development occurs that significantly or group of Villains.
raises the stakes of the current story, making it that much more
critical that the Heroes succeed. A common version of this trope UNLIKELY ALLY
is that what initially seems to be an ordinary crime turns out to The Heroes encounter an unexpected or unlikely ally, possibly
be the first step in a Villain’s larger master plan. even a Villain, who will help them in some way, at least in this
story. In fact, it’s possible that this unlikely ally is the one who
STUPID HUMOR comes to the Heroes for help in the first place. This unlikely
Something about what the Heroes must do is absurd or alliance may be a one-time thing, or it could signal the beginning
ridiculous. If the Heroes must participate in a contest, it’s of a different relationship between the ally and the Heroes (a
going to involve something like ballroom roller skating or full- Villain who becomes a Hero, for example, which happens all the
contact macramé. If they must rescue a hostage, it’s going to time in comic books).
be a magically animated Teddy Bear with a colorful vocabulary.
Although these stories tend to be more lighthearted than most, UNSTOPPABLE FOE
this trope works best if everything else in the story remains just The Heroes face an enemy they can’t defeat. This could take
as serious as in any other game. The contrast is what makes the form of a being from beyond who whisks them away to do
this work. battle for its amusement, an ancient cosmic entity that must
consume planets to survive, a massive invasion force they can’t
THIRD PARTY hope to withstand, or something similar. The Heroes will have
A third party that favors neither the Heroes nor the Villains to use diplomacy, cunning, or guile against this opponent, or
enters the story. This third party has its own agenda that may they may simply need to flee for now until they can find a way
put it in conflict with the Heroes, the Villains, or both. The Heroes to overcome this enemy in a future story.
and Villains may even need to put their differences aside and
work together against this third party. WILLING VICTIM
Someone the Heroes are attempting to rescue or save is in
TIME LIMIT league with the Villains and will betray or attempt to thwart the
Although Heroes rarely take it easy, they’re really going to be Heroes to the best of their ability. This technique works best if
racing against the clock in this story. Often, the Villain has set the victim is someone important to one or more of the Heroes,
wheels in motion and their master plan will reach a point of no especially if the supposed victim turns out to be the major Villain
return if the Heroes can’t stop it by a certain time. Occasionally, of the story. This is just a specific version of the Betrayed trope.
the Heroes are competing against the Villains — or maybe
against a group of rival superheroes — and need to do something WORLD GONE MAD
or get somewhere first. The world is not as it should be. Perhaps it’s been transformed
into a land resembling something out of medieval fantasy,
TIME TRAVEL perhaps it’s become a post-apocalyptic wasteland, perhaps the
The Heroes have to travel to the past, the future, or both over machines have taken over, or perhaps it’s as one would expect
the course of this story, or they’re going to meet characters if things had worked out differently at some critical juncture in
from those times, often characters related to them in some history. The Heroes may or may not realize that things are not
way. This trope can involve a host of time travel hijinks, from as they should be, although the players sure will. This trope can
the comedic like going to the past to make sure your parents serve as the backdrop for a single story or for a story arc that
meet, to the sobering like going to the future to discover global spans multiple adventures and culminates with the Heroes doing
apocalypse and ruin. whatever they must to return things to normal.
TRUE VILLAIN
The Heroes learn something or some new development occurs SACRIFICE
that makes it evident that the original Villain is actually a cat’s Personal sacrifice is probably the most ignored or forgotten
paw or a patsy for the true Villain, who is usually more dangerous element of the superhero genre, at least when it comes to
than the original. The Heroes often have to defeat the original roleplaying games. This is unfortunate because it’s more
Villain before this is revealed. important than just about anything else. Sacrifice is what makes
a superhero game feel like a superhero game instead of a game
UNDERCOVER WORK about people who just happen to have powers. It’s the greatest
The Heroes have to go undercover, often but not always among source of conflict and drama in comic books, because sacrificing
Villains. Should that be the case, the Heroes may get to see yourself for others is what it means to be a hero (super or not).
a different side of Villains they usually can’t stand, and might
even grow to empathize if not actually like some of them. As Typically, the kind of personal sacrifice we’re talking about occurs
with several of the tropes described in this section, this one when a story presents a Hero with a choice between doing the
right thing and doing the easy thing. Inevitably, the right thing is

the heroic thing — dangerous, selfless, and probably thankless.
The easy thing, on the other hand, is what the Hero would
rather do. It’s comfortable, safe, and often in the character’s
Chapter 9
best interest. But it’s not what a hero would do. Heroes who
do the right thing often suffer personally or professionally and
must live with the fallout of ignoring their relationships, careers,
etc. Occasionally, the sacrifice involves only the character’s life
as a superhero, like having to choose between saving a friend
or saving a building full of strangers, or having to resist killing
a Villain who did something terrible to the Hero or someone
they love.
For example, what do you do when a supervillain attacks

the city on your wedding anniversary? What if it’s not a
supervillain, just an ordinary bunch of bank robbers? Can’t
the cops handle that? What if you and your spouse are going
through a tough time? Don’t you deserve a chance to fix
things? With everything you do for the city, don’t you deserve
a chance to be happy too?
This type of drama gives characters a chance to truly be heroic,

not because they have incredible abilities, but because they do
the right thing, even when it requires great personal sacrifice.
By adding these moments of sacrifice to the game, GMs give
players the opportunity to roleplay what it means to be a
true hero, to put some larger goal or greater good ahead of
themselves. Or it lets them roleplay what it means to betray
their principles, to give in to fear or pressure, to put themselves
ahead of others, because sometimes even superheroes falter.
Either way, these moments underscore the fact that this isn’t
a game about adventurers with powers, this is a game about
superheroes.
USING SACRIFICE
Not every Hero should have to deal with personal sacrifice in
every story. While comic books may be spandex-clad soap
operas, they’re fiction and this is a game. GMs would need
to have too much control over the story to keep creating
opportunities for this kind of drama in their games. Instead,
moments of personal sacrifice should usually be reserved for
stories that spotlight an individual Hero and should involve only
that Hero. In fact, the GM and the player can work together
to come up with the conflict that triggers this drama, typically
something involving the Hero’s motivation, connections,
or details.
Sacrifice should unfold over the course of a story in roughly

four parts. In the first, the GM should introduce the conflict in
a brief scene that involves only the Hero, or as part of a larger
scene involving several Heroes. In the second part, something
should happen to ramp up the tension, making it clear that there
is no easy way for the Hero to resolve the situation. The Hero
may seriously consider doing the wrong thing at this point in
the story, but something will prevent this from happening. In
the third part, which happens at some critical moment in the
story, the Hero must make a hard choice. And in the fourth
and final part, the Hero must deal with the consequences of
their decision.
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For example, one way to handle the anniversary dinner
example above would be as follows. In one scene, the Hero
At this point you have your Villain or Villains, a plot, and a few
and their spouse have an argument or tense exchange
tropes, and you’ve decided whether to throw some moment of
indicating that there’s trouble (even better if this is an ongoing
personal sacrifice into the story. It’s now time to create your
issue from a previous game). In a second scene, there might
scenes. Before we get to that, we should probably say a word
be an even bigger argument. Or you might have an interlude
two about scenes themselves.
with another character (maybe while shopping for groceries)
where the Hero talks about how they hope to mend fences at
There are three basic kinds of scenes: action scenes, investigation
the anniversary dinner. The third scene happens on the way
scenes, and social scenes. Action scenes involve fights, chases,
to dinner if not right in the middle of it, right when things are
and other kinds of, well, action. Investigation scenes involve
starting to look hopeful, duty calls, and the Hero has to make
gathering information in various ways such as by exploring the
their choice. And the final scene involves the consequences of
world, interacting with NPCs, researching online or (heaven
whatever choice the Hero made — a cold shoulder at home,
forbid) in actual books, and scouring locations for clues. Scenes
or a news report about civilians being injured or even killed
in which players have to solve riddles or puzzles are usually
during the bank robbery the Hero decided to ignore.
investigation scenes. Social scenes focus on interpersonal
interaction between characters. Interludes (discussed later in
MOOD AND SACRIFICE this chapter) are usually social scenes. Although often played
In games with darker moods, there’s no magic solution. Heroes purely for roleplaying purposes or to provide background
who do the right thing and decide to take on the Villains, rescue information, social scenes can also involve challenges to
the hostages, or save the world will suffer due to their choices. overcome or information to uncover. It’s just that these things
They might get seriously injured, their friends might cut them are accomplished by interacting with other characters in social
off, they might get fired, their spouse might leave them, their scenes. Most stories should include a mix of all three types of
enemies might bribe or extort their way out of prison, and so scenes, although how much of each depends on your group.
on. In short, their good deeds won’t go unpunished. Heroes Some folks prefer lots of action, others enjoy solving mysteries
who choose not to make the necessary sacrifice will avoid and puzzles, and others want an abundance of freeform
these repercussions, but the guilt will be difficult to bear as they roleplaying. As with everything else, salt to taste.
learn the terrible things that happened because they didn’t do
anything about it. If they didn’t feel guilty, they wouldn’t be As you create each scene, include only as much detail as you
superheroes. need to feel comfortable. This varies by GM, by story, and by
scene. An experienced GM might be comfortable running a
In games with lighter moods, it’s assumed the Heroes will complex story with only sketchy details, while a novice may want
probably make the right decision, albeit after some soul to do a lot of prep work for each scene. Both approaches are
searching. Of course, players are free to make whatever decision perfectly fine, as is anything between these extremes. However,
they wish. More importantly, the consequences of these there are a few guidelines that apply to just about everyone.
decisions are typically temporary and less severe in games You should always have the mechanical stuff worked out ahead
with lighter moods. Heroes who do the right thing might wind of time, things like character stats and rough maps of areas
up wearing a cast for a scene or two, hurting the feelings of where combat may occur. You should also know who your NPCs
someone close to them, getting into hot water at work, and so are, what they’re like, and what they want (their motivations).
on, but the consequences they face won’t be too bad or last Beyond that, do only as much prep work as you need to run a
too long. Similarly, Heroes who choose to act unheroically will great game.
probably fall into a short-lived funk, often until fate presents
them with an opportunity to redeem themselves (this will almost THE CLIMAX
certainly happen sooner rather than later in such games). The climax is the big finale, where the Heroes and the Villains go
at one another in a no-holds-barred winner-takes-all showdown.
RESOLVE AND SACRIFICE Although it might seem strange, this is probably the first scene
You don’t need rules to bring the idea of personal sacrifice into you should create. You need to know exactly where the Villains
your games. However, if you want to reinforce the impact of this are headed, what their plans are, and what the culmination of
drama on a Hero, use the following optional rules. If a Hero does their nefarious plot will look like. This is going to be the scene
the right thing, they immediately earn 1 to 3 Resolve (roll one where you bring out the big guns and throw everything you have
die and halve the result). However, at some point during the next at the Heroes. The climax is usually an action scene, specifically
story, the GM brings the consequences of that decision into the a fight scene, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Some
game, and the Hero will immediately lose 2 to 4 Resolve (roll Villains may have to be outsmarted rather than outfought, while
as above but add 1 to the result) as they deal with the fallout of others may need to be convinced of the error of their ways.
their decision. If a Hero does the easy thing, they immediately And some climaxes will involve two or more of these elements.
earn 3 Resolve. However, from that moment on, all uses of Whatever the specifics, the challenges the Heroes face in this
Resolve costs twice as much as usual — guilt is not an easy thing scene should be the toughest the story has to offer. By the time
to deal with — especially for a superhero. This lasts until the this scene is done, the players — not the Heroes, the players —
Hero finds redemption by doing something truly heroic. should be sweating.

Despite everything above, don’t force the climax. If your players THE BODY
come up with a way to thwart the Villain before you reach the Once you have your hook and your climax, you then create the
climax of the story, let them. Don’t steal their victory, assuming other scenes that make up the body of your story. Don’t try to
Chapter 9
they’ll prefer the climax you had in mind. Trust us, they won’t. create a whole story all at once. Instead, just consider where
They’ll just feel cheated and disempowered when they realize the story might go after the hook, see where your imagination
their idea should have worked. Instead of railroading your leads you, and create that scene (or scenes if the story can go
players toward the grand finale you envisioned, save your ideas in multiple directions). Then move on from there, thinking only
for a future story, and give them the victory they deserve. about the scenes that might follow the ones you already created,
remembering that they eventually need to lead to the story’s
THE HOOK intended climax. While by no means mandatory, the typical
The hook is the first scene of the story, and it’s usually the second superhero story structure often goes like this:
scene you create. Once you know where the story’s going, the
next thing to decide is how the Heroes get dragged into it. A Hook: often an action scene that pulls the Heroes into the story.
good hook does three things: gets the players interested, tells
them what they need to know, and draws the Heroes into the Exposition: the call to adventure, this is an investigation or
action — hooks are usually action scenes. These are listed in social scene in which the Heroes learn something about the
order of importance. Player interest is paramount. If the players story and set out to accomplish their goals.
aren’t excited about the story right from the start, you’re in
for a long night. While the first scene of the story should also Action: an action scene more intense than the first that
tell the players what they need to know and pull their Heroes progresses the story.
into the action, these things are less critical. If your players are
interested, they’ll find a way to get their Heroes involved in the Rising Exposition: the stakes get raises, this is an investigation
story, and they’ll forgive you for any information you forgot to or social scene that not only moves the story forward but also
share. Get them hooked (see what we did there?) and everything ramps up the pace, stakes, or tension.
else will follow.
Rising Action: an even more intense action scene, often one in
Most hooks occur at the beginning of the story. The Heroes are which the Heroes suffer some kind of defeat or setback or learn
doing their own thing when someone or something comes along something that makes their situation even more dire.
and pulls them into the action. This gives the players all the
information they need right at the start. When starting a story Preparation: an investigation or social scene in which the
at the beginning, throw the Heroes into the action as soon as Heroes learn what they need to accomplish their goals and
possible. Never start a game with a painfully long monologue. everyone prepares for the final confrontation. If a Hero is being
Any introduction that demands more than five minutes of spotlighted in the story, this is often when that character must
narrative on your part is probably a bust; the players will lose face a hard choice or personal sacrifice.
interest before the game even begins. Get the story moving and
the players playing as soon as possible. Climax: usually the most intense action scene of the entire story,
this is when the Heroes must confront the Villains and save the
If you want to try something different, start a story smack city or otherwise accomplish their goals.
in the middle of a fight or a chase scene, something serious
and dangerous. Give your players just enough information to Finale: this brief social scene concludes the story and highlights
understand what they need to accomplish, but not why. Then, any loose ends.
once the scene is over, take a moment to explain what the
Heroes were doing and why they were doing it. While this kind Another way to think about your stories is in terms of pinch
of hook does involve some railroading, it’s a great way to get the points and playgrounds. Pinch points are the scenes that must
Heroes into the action and the players interested right away; happen in the story, while playgrounds are the scenes that
few things make players sit up and take notice like putting their happen between pinch points. The hook, for example, is a pinch
Heroes in danger. When starting a story like this, you have to point that gets the story rolling. After that, the players are in the
take extra care to ensure that whatever you say happened playground, and can take the story in any number of directions,
before the hook makes logical sense within the game and is depending on what they do. However, whatever they do, they
true to the Heroes. If your description of what happened before will eventually find their way to the next pinch point, which then
the story begins has the Heroes doing something stupid or out opens another playground of possibilities. And so forth, until you
of character, your players won’t buy into your idea. reach the climax. In most superhero games, pinch points tend to
be action scenes. In stories of a more investigative bent, pinch
points tend to be the scenes in which the Heroes stumble across
the next Big Clue to whatever mystery they’re trying to solve.
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However you structure your story, most games should increase and intense roleplaying. Different players enjoy different things,
in pace and tension as the Heroes move through them. While but no one wants to endure the relentless assault of identical
no superhero story should start off slow, all stories should scenes presented one after another like some Bataan Death
gain steam over time and be cooking with gas by the time you March of bad gaming. Vary your scenes and try to include a little
reach the climax. Similarly, the challenges faced by the Heroes something for everyone.
(physical, mental, and social) should become more daunting as
the story progresses.
TRAPPINGS
Scenes should also be of varying lengths and types. Some will You’re just about done. The last thing you need to do is add a
be action oriented, often involving combat and a lot of dice few trappings, little details that help bring the game world to
rolling. Others will be intellectually oriented, with players life for your players. The two most important trappings are the
making plans, solving puzzles, or unraveling mysteries. And Extras with whom the Heroes interact and the sets where your
others will be socially oriented, filled with character interaction important scenes take place.
SAMPLE DISTINCTIONS
Adornment: The character always wears an unusual piece of jewelry or fashion accessory.
Age: The character is unusually young or unusually old for the role they play in the story.
Aroma: For better or worse, there is something distinctive about how the character smells.
Attire: The character always wears clothing of a certain type, brand, or color.
Bald: The character is partially or totally bald, maybe even sporting a comb over.
Blemishes: The character has warts, moles, patches of discolored skin, or acne.
Disfigurement: The character has been permanently disfigured or scarred in some way.
Expressive: The character wears their emotions on their sleeve and isn’t ashamed of it.
Facial Hair: The character sports a beard, moustache, goatee, or sideburns.
Family Man/Woman: The character is devoted to their family and talks about them constantly.
Fan: The character is a rabid fan of something and just can’t shut up about it.
Fashion: The character is either extremely fashion-forward or an absolute fashion nightmare.
Fastidious: The character is always immaculately clean, neat, and well-groomed.
Hair: The character sports a slick, weird, distinct, or downright absurd looking hairstyle or color.
Health Nightmare: The character eats like they’re looking forward to the next heart attack.
Health Nut: The character is in great shape and is always careful about what they eat and drink.
Hobby: The character has an unusual hobby that frequently makes its way into conversations.
Hot: The character is ridiculously attractive or sexy, enough that it’s distracting.
Humor: The character has a very strange or dark sense of humor that most people don’t get.
Hyper: The character is always running around and can’t sit still for more than a few moments.
Jerk: The character is totally devoid of social skills and comes off as an insensitive boor.
Languorous: The character moves and speaks very slowly, perhaps maddeningly so.
Nervous Habit: The character has a nervous habit like biting their nails or drumming their fingers.
Nice: The character is genuinely and unusually nice, almost eerily so.
Personal Troubles: Everyone knows the character’s personal life is always in shambles.
Personality: For better or worse, the character has a very distinct personality or outlook.
Pet: The character is totally devoted to their pet or pets and talks about them constantly.
Prejudice: The character dislikes members of a certain race, religion, gender, or other group.
Religious: The character is deeply religious; they may or may not be a fanatic (see Zealot).
Reserved: The character is always calm and keeps their emotions in check.
Restricted Diet: Everyone knows the character abides by a strict set of dietary restrictions.
Smoker: The character is always smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe.
Speech: The character’s speech is distinctive: they might have a lisp, a stutter, or an accent.
Timing: No matter the situation, the character is either always late or always early.
Tattoos: The character sports one or more visible tattoos.
Unkempt: The character always looks messy and wrinkled, like they’ve slept in their clothes.
Voice: The character’s voice is distinctive: especially deep, high, loud, soft, or irritating.
Whack-Job: The character is downright loco: exactly how is up to you.
Zealot: The character is totally, slavishly, and very vocally devoted to some cause.

EXTRAS Civilians: Crowds and traffic can make it difficult to get anywhere
Although Villains and Foes are important characters in most in a hurry and almost impossible to have a super-powered brawl
stories, the Heroes are probably going to interact more with without putting people in serious jeopardy.
Chapter 9
your Extras than with any other characters. That being the case,
you should give your Extras as much detail as you need to bring Dangers: Sets can include hazards such as barbed wire, downed
them to life while playing the game. Important Extras should power lines, explosive gas, hidden landmines, pools of lava,
have the same finishing touches as Heroes or Villains (which sheer drops, weak floors, traps, and tripwires.
one you use depends on the Extra) even if you don’t bother
creating them as complete characters. You need to know who Derelict: A long-abandoned set that has fallen into a state of
your Extras are to play them, but you don’t necessarily need to disrepair is both creepy and potentially dangerous. It can also
know everything they can do. do wonders to create a moody environment.
As GM, you are literally playing everyone else on the planet Elevations: Always remember things like balconies, catwalks,
(in the galaxy, the universe, etc.) so you might not be ready ladders, overpasses, pits, ramps, and stairways. A set with varied
with a fully fleshed-out description when the players decide to elevations can make a rather boring fight much more interesting.
strike up a conversation with some random NPC. If you find
yourself in a pinch when describing an Extra, give them one or Moving Parts: Factories, assembly lines, and other industrial
more distinctions to help create an interesting or memorable sets should contain moving parts, busily — and often
character on the fly. dangerously — going about their business while the Heroes do
their thing.
SETS
Sets are locations the Heroes will visit in the story. Although sets Noise: Background noise can add realism, underscore the
are often mapped out, that isn’t necessary. Some sets, such as mood, and act as another variable. A loud set can hamper
those where a fight or an action scene is likely to occur, probably communication and perception; a quiet one can create an eerie
require at least some amount of detail, in which case preparing a or unsettling mood.
map ahead of time is a good idea, but most require nothing more
than a few choice descriptors. As with everything else, do only Obstacles: The Heroes may need to cross treacherous bridges,
as much prep work as you need to feel comfortable. Whenever scale or tunnel under thick walls, swing across chasms, swim
possible, choose dramatic, exotic, or unusual locations for your through water-filled passages, or squeeze through narrow spaces.
sets. Watch action movies and notice where their action scenes
take place. Keep your eyes open for interesting places you can Visibility: Lighting, darkness, fog, smoke, strobe lights, and
use as the basis for your sets. If you’re having trouble coming anything else that impacts visibility can affect both the
up with interesting sets, the following tables include generic atmosphere and the tactical aspects of a set.
locations and specific real-world locales.
Weather: Weather can affect both mood and game mechanics.
The best sets become part of the action, enhance the mood, Wind, rain, snow, ice, and fog all convey a certain mood, and can
and help make the game more compelling. When selecting your make things more difficult for the Heroes in one way or another.
sets, think about how they can enhance the scenes in which
they appear. For action scenes, try finding ways to bring your
sets into the action. For investigation scenes, contemplate how
you can make your sets part of the mystery, riddle, or puzzle.
For social scenes, think about how your sets can ramp up the
tension or the drama. Consider the following suggestions for
making static sets come to life.
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PROWLERS PARAGONS
GENERIC SETS
Superhero Gaming
Airplanes Hotels Parking Lots
Airport Terminals Hydroelectric Dams Police Stations
Alleys Inside the Hollow Earth Pyramids
Amusement Parks Jungles Research Labs
Ancient Ruins Junkyards Restaurants
Archeological Sites Lost Primeval Worlds Rooftops
Arenas Libraries Runways
Asteroids Malls Secret Headquarters
Atlantis Mansions Sewers
Bars Mausoleums Skyscrapers
Beach Resorts Military Compounds Spaceports
Bridges Mines Spaceships
Bullet Trains Monasteries Stadiums
Buses The Moon Submarines
Bus Terminals Movie Theaters Subway Cars
Casinos Museums Subway Stations
Castles National Monuments Subway Tunnels
Caves National Parks Swamps
Cemeteries Nightclubs Temples
Churches Oases Tenements
City Streets Ocean Liners Tourist Attractions
Construction Sites Oil Refineries Trains
Craters Oil Rigs Train Terminals
Dense Forests On Moving Vehicles Train Yards
Deserts Open Air Markets Tunnels
Docks Opera Houses Under Overpasses
Dungeons Orbital Bases Underwater
Elevated Trains Other Dimensions Universities
Elevator Shafts Other Planets Utility Plants
Factories Outdoor Cafes Volcanoes
Fairgrounds Outdoor Festivals Warehouses
Government Buildings Palaces Waterfalls
Hospitals Parking Garages Waterfront Markets
SPECIFIC SETS
The Acropolis The Grand Canyon The Panama Canal
Angkor Wat The Great Sphinx The Pentagon
The Basilica of Saint Peter The Great Wall of China The Pyramids of Giza
The Brandenburg Gate The Hollywood Sign The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Burj Khalifa The Hoover Dam Sears (Willis) Tower
Chichén Itzá The Kremlin The Smithsonian
The Clock Tower of London The Leaning Tower of Pisa The South Pole
The CN Tower The Lincoln Memorial The Space Needle
The Colosseum The London Underground The Statue of Liberty
Easter Island The Louvre Stonehenge
The Eiffel Tower Machu Picchu The Sydney Opera House
The Empire State Building Mount Rushmore The Taj Mahal
The Forbidden City The Museum of Natural History The Washington Monument
The Gateway Arch The North Pole The White House
Golden Gate Bridge The Palace of Versailles Windsor Castle

HIGH FANTASY
CREATING SERIES The series is set in a medieval fantasy world based on Western
mythology.
As mentioned earlier, a series is a group of related stories that
Chapter 9
get played out in order. In other games, this would be called a

HISTORIC
campaign. There’s no right way or wrong way to create a series.
The series is set in our world at some point in history. Popular
As with the previous section, this isn’t intended to teach you
historic settings for comic book superheroes include the Old
the one and only way to go about doing that. Instead, think of
West, the Age of Sail, the Victorian Era, and World War II.
this section as a checklist of things to consider when creating
a new series.
POST-APOCALYPTIC
The series is set on our world or another after a devastating
SETTING catastrophe, sometimes natural, but more often than not man-
made (oh, the humanity).
The setting refers to the world (physical and thematic) in which
the game takes place. Some settings require more homework
PULP
than others. A game set in our modern-day world doesn’t
The series takes place in that two-fisted time between the 1920s
require a lot of prep. The same goes for a game set in any world
and the 1930s. It’s kind of like Dieselpunk, but lighter in tone
you’re already familiar with, such as any of the major comic
and without all the retro-fetishism.
book universes. However, if you’re going to run a game set in
an unfamiliar world, you’ll need to spend a little time creating
RETRO-FUTURE
it. Because this is an action-oriented roleplaying game, we
The series is set in the somewhat whimsical future envisioned
suggest not going overboard. Create enough of the world to let
in much early science fiction. Think fishbowl helmets and ray
your players get their bearings and make up the rest as you go,
guns with fins.
often by taking input from the players themselves. Whatever
you decide, it’s important that you pick a setting everyone finds
SCI-FI
interesting. If you’re the only one of your friends who grooves on
The series, which often takes place in our distant future, it set in
a particular setting, don’t set your game there. Some common
a science fiction setting where things like aliens, faster-than-light
superheroic settings are listed below.
travel, and laser weapons are commonplace.
ALTERNATE HISTORY
STEAMPUNK
The series takes place in a world like ours might have been had
The series is set in a fantastical Victorian Era (often one much
history been different, probably the most common example
less dystopian than the actual historical period) characterized by
being if the Axis powers had won World War II.
fantasy races, magic, and fantastical steam-powered technology.
CONTEMPORARY
SWORD-AND-PLANET
The easiest and most common setting for traditional comic book
The series is set on a primitive and barbaric world, often Mars
superheroes, the series takes place in our modern-day world, or
or Venus, and characterized by quaint retro sci-fi technology
in one very similar to the one we know.
envisioned by early twentieth-century authors.
CYBERPUNK
SWORD-AND-SORCERY
The series is set in a dystopian near-future ruled by corporations
The series is set in a typically grim and barbaric fantasy world.
and the wealthy elite and characterized by the ubiquity of
cybernetics and the dehumanization they bring.
URBAN FANTASY
The series takes place in our modern world, or one very
CYBERPUNK FANTASY
much like it, but one in which magic, mythical creatures, and
Take a cyberpunk setting and add fantasy races, magic, and
monsters are real.
monsters to taste.
WORLD-HOPPING
DIESELPUNK
The series has no single setting because, for whatever reason,
The series takes place in an often dystopian pulp era set
the Heroes will travel to different worlds and/or times over the
between the World Wars and characterized by retro-futuristic
course of the series (oh boy).
diesel-powered technology and a pervasive art deco style.
EASTERN FANTASY
The series is set in a fantasy world based on Arabian, Chinese,
PREMISE
The premise describes what the Heroes are doing in the series.
Indian, Japanese, Persian, or other Eastern cultures and
Some of the more common premises for series are described
mythologies, or an amalgam of them.
below, but these are only ideas. Some of the premises below
are closely related to certain heroic motivations set forth in
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PROWLERS PARAGONS
Superhero Gaming
Chapter 2. This should not affect the motivations players ORDINARY FOLKS
select for their Heroes. A Hero’s motivation is about them; it The Heroes were ordinary people who recently developed or
does not need to tie-in to the overall premise of a series. Like discovered their powers and are now trying to understand what
many works of fiction, comic books are full of characters with this means for themselves and their families.
disparate motivations who nevertheless band together for a
singular purpose. SUPERHEROES
The Heroes are individuals who for various reasons have banded
ADVENTURE together — or will band together at the start of the series — to
The Heroes are adventurers, traveling wherever their fortunes protect the innocent and combat the forces of evil.
may lead them. Their heroics come from helping those they
encounter on their journeys.
MOOD
CONSPIRACY Mood describes the general tone and feel of your series. Is
This series appears to be something else at the start, but over it silly and lighthearted, dark and serious, or somewhere in
time, the Heroes slowly become aware that something terrible between? Just because a series has a mood doesn’t mean that
is happening and nothing is as it seems. These series can evolve every scene of every story should share that mood. That should
into anything, but they usually move in the direction of comedy, never be the case. You need contrast to make things stand out.
horror, or intrigue. Even the darkest series should have moments of happiness
or levity, and even the lightest should have its serious or sad
ESPIONAGE moments. As with the setting, you should discuss the game’s
The Heroes are secret agents working for the government or mood with your players ahead of time. If everyone wants lots of
some noble independent organization. These series often pit the angst, they probably won’t be satisfied with a four-color heroic
Heroes against agents of an evil spy organization. slugfest played mostly for laughs. To keep things simple, mood
is broken down into five categories: bleak, dark, standard, light,
FREELANCERS and comedic. Each is described below.
The Heroes are private detectives, heroes-for-hire, or soldiers
of fortune, and the series follows their adventures as they help BLEAK
those in need of their unique abilities. The series is extremely cynical, grim, and almost hopeless. The
optional Gritty Combat Rules are pretty much required, as death
FUGITIVES and tragedy will probably be all-too common.
This series involves Heroes on the wrong side of the law, doing
what they can to fight the power, or maybe just to survive. DARK
The Heroes are often criminals by virtue of their special gifts, The series is somber, or at least serious, and will probably deal
because they belong to a hated or oppressed group, because with issues and involve conflicts deeper and more complex than
they steal from the rich and give to the poor, etc. simple good guys versus bad guys. At least some of the optional
Gritty Combat Rules may be appropriate to underscore the fact
GOTHIC UNDERWORLD that this isn’t all fun and games.
The Heroes are monsters of myth and legend, beings like
vampires, werewolves, ghosts, goblins, fairies, and the like, STANDARD
making their way among a (mostly) clueless human populace. The series is neither especially dark nor light, but individual
stories may vary. Overall, it will probably be on par with
LAW ENFORCEMENT most major comic book titles and all but the darkest comic
The Heroes are members of a law enforcement agency, and book movies.
the series involves the usual elements like investigating crimes,
chasing criminals, and going undercover. LIGHT
The series is lighthearted, about on par with the average
MILITARY superhero cartoon. Characters never get seriously hurt, much
The Heroes are members of a military or paramilitary less killed, and heavy topics or moral quandaries are generally
organization. Some of these series pit the Heroes against an avoided or given only the slightest nod. There may be ups and
evil paramilitary organization or an alien or extradimensional downs, but everything will turn out alright in the end.
invasion. Others have the Heroes working for a rebellion against
an evil empire. And others involve an actual historical war. COMEDIC
The series is not at all serious and may well be played purely
NOBLES for laughs. Although comedic one-shots can be fun, it can be
The Heroes are members of a royal line or a unique lineage difficult to maintain this mood over a series of any real length.
that grants them their abilities, and the series concerns them
carrying out the obligations that are their birthright.

Chapter 9
HEROES TRAIT CAP

Whatever your game’s power level or starting Hero Points
No, this isn’t where you create the Heroes. You might create
may be, keep an eye on abilities that work in tandem or grant
Heroes for a one-shot, or maybe for a game you plan to run at
flat bonuses. Even when a Hero’s ranks fall within the game’s
a convention, but not for an ongoing series. It’s always better
Trait Cap, Powers like Growth and Shrinking can push a Hero’s
to let players create their own Heroes so they’ll be invested in
effective rank over the edge. As the GM, feel free to restrict
them right from the start. Instead, what you need to do as GM
any combination of Abilities, Talents, and Powers that effectively
is help set the ground rules regarding the kinds of Heroes that
exceeds the game’s Trait Cap.
will be suitable for the game.
On the other hand, the Trait Cap isn’t set in stone. It matters
POWER LEVEL
when dealing with attacks, defenses, and Traits that affect other
The first thing you need to do is select a power level. Will the
characters. However, certain Powers aren’t particularly game-
Heroes be street-level prowlers, paragons with godlike abilities,
breaking at any rank. For example, 12d Teleportation lets you
or somewhere in between? This depends on what the Heroes
travel 100 miles. If a player in a game with a 12d Trait Cap
will be doing and what kind of adversaries they’ll be facing. As
wants to be able to teleport anywhere in the world, there’s no
discussed in Chapter 2, this also determines the game’s Trait Cap
real reason to say no, even though that requires a Teleportation
and the number of Hero Points the players have to create their
rank of 18d. Sure, the Hero can travel farther in a single jump.
characters. It’s important to understand that these numbers are
But so what? On the other end of the spectrum, a Hero with 15d
somewhat arbitrary. If you want to give your players 100 or 150
Armor, Might, or (heaven forbid) Mind Control in a game with a
Hero Points instead of the usual 125 Hero Points in a Standard
12d Trait Cap will have an unbalancing impact on the game and
game with a 12d Trait Cap, feel free to do so. Hero points exist
should not be permitted.
to maintain some level of balance among the Heroes, so the
exact number is less important than the fact that all Heroes have
SUITABILITY
the same amount.
The other thing to consider is the kind of Heroes that fit your
series. Heroes have to fit not only the setting but also the mood
of your game. For example, an alien explorer doesn’t fit the
setting of an American Old West game, and a Mystery Man
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PROWLERS PARAGONS
CLIFFHANGERS
Superhero Gaming
styled pulp detective doesn’t fit the setting of a star-spanning
game about Heroes that protect the galaxy. Similarly, a deeply
There’s no better way to end an issue than with a cliffhanger. A
troubled and emotionally scarred addict doesn’t fit the mood
cliffhanger is a classic trope in which one episode or issue ends
of a light-hearted game based on Saturday morning cartoons,
with the Heroes in serious trouble or discovering some shocking
and a bubbly Anime-inspired magic schoolgirl doesn’t fit the
revelation. Because this happens at the end of the game, the
mood of a gritty game about low-powered supers operating in
players can’t do anything about it until the next time they play.
occupied France during the Second World War. To avoid conflicts
Ideally, this should create excitement and anticipation for the
like these, make sure your players understand the mood and
next game, and one issue’s cliffhanger can get the next issue off
setting of the game you intend to run.
to a great start.
METAPLOT CONTRAST
The last thing to consider is whether your game will have a
Contrast intensifies the effect of whatever you want to highlight,
metaplot, an overarching storyline that unfolds over the course
especially when it comes to a scene’s mood or pace. If you
of the series. If so, you should give some thought to how much
want to make something about a scene really stand out or feel
of an impact you want that metaplot to have in the game. As
more powerful, do the exact opposite in the previous scene. For
with everything else, there are tradeoffs.
example, if you have a scene in which the Heroes are going to
receive some depressing news, make sure they’re happy and
Some series are metaplot heavy, with a tight plotline that
having fun right before that happens. Similarly, if the Heroes are
unfolds over the course of the campaign. Most stories involve
going to be pulled into a frantic chase in one scene, make sure
the metaplot in some way, directly or indirectly advancing it
the scene before that is a bit more low-key. The players will feel
towards its eventual climax and resolution. The series may
the difference.
include occasional interludes that aren’t related to the metaplot,
but these will be rare. This kind of series allows you and your
players to tell an epic story, but it can be tedious if the series
goes on too long. Worse, if handled improperly, these series
CUT SCENES
A cut scene is a brief scene that isn’t about the Heroes. It tells
can make players feel like they’re being told a story rather than
the players something about the story the Heroes don’t know
helping to create one.
and can’t act on. Just like when you’re reading a comic book in
which you know something the Heroes don’t, this can create
Other series are metaplot light, with a loose plotline that unfolds
tension and make the story more interesting.
over the course of the campaign but doesn’t intrude itself into
every story. Some stories will involve the metaplot and others
For example, a cut scene can let the players know that their
won’t. This kind of series also lets you and your players tell
Heroes have only a limited amount of time to accomplish some
an epic story, but it doesn’t bash you over the head with it. It
objective. Or it can show the main Villain doing something that
gives players more freedom to do whatever they want with their
tells the players how powerful, how evil, or even — and this one
Heroes because not every story is going to involve some grand
will really throw your players for a loop — how sympathetic
overarching plotline. The downside, however, is that it takes
a character the Villain really is. You might even try to get all
much longer to tell a truly epic story in this kind of game.
artsy and use cut scenes to juxtapose something happening
elsewhere in the game world with what the Heroes are doing.
And last, some series have no metaplot at all. In series like these,
Juxtaposition can be tricky and has a very high potential cheese
the game moves from one story to the next and ends when
factor, though, so be careful with it.
everyone tires of it. The stories in this kind of series are self-
contained, having little connection to those that come before it
Whatever the case, most cut scenes should be very brief. Give
or those that follow. The only common threads in these stories
the players a quick description of what happens in the cut
are the Heroes themselves and maybe some recurring NPCs.
scene and then get right back to the Heroes. No one wants
The advantage of this kind of series is that the Heroes are free
to watch you put on a one-man or one-woman show, not even
to do anything they want without fear of derailing the game. The
your mother. If you really want to engage your players in a
disadvantage is that series like these can feel aimless. Without
cut scene, have them play the scene out (see Playing Other
the progression of a larger story, these series can start to feel
Characters below).
like a mindless exercise in beating up one Villain after another.
The one downside of a cut scene is that it breaks immersion. It
NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES takes the players out of their Heroes’ heads and turns them into
an audience. It shows the players things their Heroes haven’t
Writers use a variety of narrative techniques to make their seen or gives them information their Heroes don’t know. For
stories more interesting. Although this is a game and not a story, these reasons, some GMs don’t use cut scenes, preferring
some of these techniques translate well into roleplaying. While instead to let the players experience the game world only
you shouldn’t overuse them, these techniques can make your through their Heroes. There’s no right or wrong here; it’s a
games more entertaining and memorable. matter of personal preference.

FORESHADOWING FLASHBACK
This interlude can involve just about anything, but it usually
Foreshadowing is a tricky technique that’s easy to use but hard
concerns a situation that happened in the past and somehow
to use well. It involves dropping hints about something that will
Chapter 9
relates to the current story. When the GM runs a flashback, it’s

happen later in the game but making those hints too subtle for
usually to provide players with clues or details for the larger
the players to figure out what’s being foreshadowed. The players
story. When a flashback is played as an interlude, however, its
aren’t supposed to notice these hints, much less figure out what
main purpose is to tell us something about the Heroes.
they mean. The hints should just sit there, in the background,
ignored by everyone until whatever has been foreshadowed
FRIEND IN NEED
occurs. When it does, the players should look back and see that
One of the Hero’s civilian friends needs mundane help of the
those hints were staring them in the face all along. If it’s done
real-life variety. Maybe the friend is addicted to alcohol or drugs,
right, foreshadowing can be tremendously powerful and make
is facing a divorce, got kicked out of school, or was fired from
for a truly memorable game.
their job. This kind of interlude helps us get to know the person
behind the mask. This is a great interlude to happen between
INTERLUDES Heroes, especially when one is struggling with a personal
sacrifice of the kind discussed earlier.
An interlude is a scene that involves one or more of the Heroes
but isn’t related to the plot of the story. Interludes provide a
PERSONAL TRIUMPH
break in the action and afford the players an opportunity to
Something wonderful occurs in the Hero’s personal life. Maybe
roleplay their Heroes in their daily lives, giving them a bit more
the Hero gets married, has a child, gets accepted into the college
depth. Interludes can range from brief moments of comic relief
of their dreams, wins that big promotion, or finally finishes
to major subplots that get played out over multiple stories and
writing that stupid roleplaying game they’ve been working on
forever alter a Hero’s life.
for so long. Just like Friend in Need, this interlude helps turn
the Hero into something more than a two-dimensional guy or
Unlike the other techniques in this section, players create
gal in a mask.
interludes. Players are encouraged to design interludes for their
Heroes and present them to the GM. If they wish, two or more
PERSONAL TROUBLE
players can join forces and create an interlude that involves
The Hero faces a tragedy like the death or severe illness of a
multiple Heroes. GMs should run these interludes by fitting them
loved one. Or maybe the Hero has to deal with a serious life
into the game whenever they can and adding their own ideas
issue such as marital troubles, getting fired, being kicked out
into the mix. If players don’t like how their interlude is going,
of school, or deciding to write a second edition of that stupid
they can put it on hold and discuss it with the GM at the end of
roleplaying game. This kind of interlude shows us how the Hero
the issue. The two can then either modify the interlude or cancel
deals with problems that can’t be fixed with superpowers.
it at the player’s discretion (players have complete authority
over their interludes). As a reward for adding to the narrative,
ROMANCE
players earn 1 Resolve whenever their interludes get played out
The Hero meets someone who makes them feel all warm and
during an issue. Each Hero is allowed only one interlude (or one
fuzzy inside. The subject of the crush may or may not reciprocate.
joint interlude) per story, and GMs should usually run no more
If they do, sure, they’re probably a Villain. But maybe not, and
than one or two interludes per issue. There are many different
unless and until that revelation occurs, this interlude shows us
types of interludes, but some of the more common ones are
the softer side of even the darkest Hero.
listed below.
CIVIC DUTY
The Hero performs a minor civic or heroic activity that doesn’t
PLAYING OTHER CHARACTERS
While it may sound strange, occasionally having the players run
involve thwarting some grand plot, something like foiling a
characters other than their Heroes can be fun. Depending on
purse snatching, getting a cat out of a tree, making a charity
the game, the players might run these other characters for one
appearance, or speaking to a group of kids. We get to see the
scene, several scenes, or even an entire issue. You shouldn’t do
character be heroic in an everyday setting.
this too often, but it can be a wonderful change of pace. As with
cut scenes, not all GMs like this technique because it also breaks
COMIC RELIEF
immersion. But if you want to try it, consider the following ways
Something funny or embarrassing happens to the Hero. This is a
of using this technique in your games.
great way to add some depth to serious Heroes and grim loner
types. You may be the best there is at what you do, and it may
ALTERED STATES
not be very pretty, but if you have to do it in a pink bunny suit,
The players run different versions of their Heroes living in an
we’re still going to laugh at you.
alternate time, world, or dimension. Often, the idea behind an
altered states story is that the players are actually running their
Heroes, who will end up having to fix whatever went wrong with
the world so that it returns to normal.
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FLASHBACK
The Heroes relive something that happened in the past. This
sometimes occurs in cut scenes spread over the course of a
GAMEMASTER TIPS
A great GM can make any story interesting and fun.
story occurring in the present. The connection between the
Unfortunately, the art of being a great GM is just that: an art.
flashback and the present can be obvious from the start, or it
It’s something you learn over time and never perfect. While you
might be revealed as the story progresses.
can learn a lot from reading about it or watching other people
run games, the best way to hone your skills as a GM is to run a
OTHER LIVES
lot of games, make a lot of mistakes, and get a lot of feedback.
Often used for an entire story, the players run other characters
With that in mind, the following tips and suggestions should be
in the past or the future and eventually learn that those
thought of as guidelines to help you move through the cycle of
characters are their Heroes in their past or future lives. Yes, it’s
falling down and getting back up again on your road to being
corny, but this is a game about comic book superheroes, and
a great GM.
this technique can make for some cheesy fun.
VICTIMS
The players begin a new story running characters other than
COMIC BOOK HEROES
Always remember that the Heroes are the main characters of
their Heroes. These characters are eventually kidnapped, killed,
the series. No other characters should be anywhere near as
or whatever. Once this happens, the players switch to their
important to the game. The Heroes must be the ones to save
regular Heroes, who get tasked with finding out what happened
the world, even if they aren’t the ones who run it. They must be
to the original characters.
the ones to fire the shot that destroys the giant space station,
even if they aren’t the ones who planned the attack. And they
VILLAINS
must be the ones to fend off the evil cosmic entity, even if they
Some of the most interesting stories in comic books focus on the
aren’t nearly as powerful as the good cosmic entity who — for
Villains rather than the Heroes. The same applies to roleplaying,
whatever reason — can only advise them and then sit back on
especially when you ask players to run Villains they really hate,
their cosmic couch with some low-fat cosmic popcorn to watch
people who’ve made their lives miserable (the longer the better).
what happens. The Heroes don’t have to be the most powerful or
To be effective, this technique requires mature players who are
influential people in the game world. They usually aren’t. What
willing to take this seriously and play these characters well.
they are, however, is the focus of the series. If the players ever
tell you they feel overshadowed by one of your NPCs, listen to
SPOTLIGHTING them. And remove that NPC from the game.
Whenever you have a comic about a group of superheroes,

not every story can be about every character. Some stories
are about the group. Others spotlight a particular character,
FAIRNESS
As GM, you are the referee of the game. You oversee the
focusing primarily on them over the course of that story. Your
application of the rules and determine when they need to be
games can work the same way.
bent, broken, or ignored. This means you must be fair and
consistent. While you might occasionally bend the rules, this
When using this technique, some stories will involve all the
should be to further the story, make the game more exciting, or
Heroes equally, while others will revolve around specific Heroes.
give a new player a break (which we encourage). However, you
These spotlighting stories might involve the Hero’s nemesis, their
must be a neutral arbiter, favoring neither the Heroes nor their
family or friends, something from their past, or their long-term
adversaries. If you always favor the Heroes, the players won’t
goals. This is much easier to do when your players give you
feel challenged and will eventually get bored. If you always favor
information to work with, which is why Heroes have connections,
the Villains, the players won’t feel empowered and will eventually
details, and an origin. You should take turns spotlighting Heroes,
get disheartened. Neither result is good.
focusing on one per story. Over time, every Hero will get to
be in the spotlight, and every Hero’s goals and backstories will
become an integral part of your series.
IMPROVISING
At some point, your players will go completely off the rails.
As mentioned above, don’t feel obligated to spotlight a Hero in
They’ll breeze through what should have been a whole night’s
every story. You can if you wish, but you can also mix stories that
worth of story in under an hour, or they’ll spend an entire night
spotlight one Hero with those that involve all the Heroes equally.
following a red herring. They’ll be stumped by a simple puzzle,
In fact, this latter approach makes the spotlighting stories that
or they’ll solve a convoluted mystery the moment they find the
much more compelling. Just be sure to give every Hero equal
first clue. They’ll struggle against a sad little group of Minions,
treatment when using this technique.
then plow through your toughest Villains without working up a
sweat. This is when roleplaying becomes something more than
acting or war gaming; this is when it really becomes an exercise
in cooperative, improvisational storytelling.

One of the most entertaining things about roleplaying is that you the Heroes are going to have to band together eventually, and
never know what to expect, whether as a player or a GM. Any everyone must be willing to nudge their Heroes in that direction.
good story that doesn’t involve railroading the Heroes from one Other examples of good metagaming by players include taking
Chapter 9
scene to the next will give your players countless opportunities obvious plot hooks and trying to avoid splitting the team (which
to catch you off guard. No matter how well prepared you think is a good way to get things done in real life, but a bad idea in
you are, your players will do things you didn’t expect. When a roleplaying game for several reasons, the greatest of which is
that occurs, you’re going to have to wing it and improvise what that a GM can only pay attention to one group at a time, leaving
happens next. The more you GM, the more you’ll come to relish everyone else sitting around doing nothing in the meanwhile).
these moments as the most exciting part of running a game. But In cases like this, metagaming isn’t cheating and doesn’t have a
whether you fear or love them, these moments will happen, so negative impact on the game. On the contrary, it serves to help
be prepared, be flexible, and be ready to improvise. the game along and is therefore encouraged.
KEEP IT MOVING PROPS

This is an action-adventure roleplaying game about super- Although they’re entirely optional, physical props can add a
powered Heroes and Villains. It’s neither a tactical war game nor wonderful touch to almost any game. Because most of what
a detailed simulation of anything in the real world. The goal is happens in the game takes place in the imagination, there’s
to have fun, not to win the game or determine how things might something very powerful about what amounts to pulling a
play out in real life, so speed is more important than precision. tangible object out of the game world and handing it to the
Know the rules and understand how they work. Know the story players. Story elements such as written orders, newspaper
you’re going to run. And be ready to make judgment calls on clippings, photographs, letters, scraps of paper, half-burned
the fly. That’s your job as GM. Your goal is to facilitate the game, journal entries, and encoded messages are all more interesting
not delay it, so spend as little time as possible checking your when players can actually hold them in their hands, read them
notes or flipping through the rules at the table. Never let the for themselves, or hear them. And players always appreciate the
game come to a grinding halt while you look something up. If effort put into buying or making even the cheesiest prop. If you
you can find what you need quickly, great. But if not, then just have the time and inclination, you should always consider how
make a judgment call and move on. Don’t let yourself be rushed, you might bring a prop or two into your games.
but keep the game moving. If you discover that you’ve made a
mistake, that’s fine too. Acknowledge it, remember it for the
future, and you’re good. RAILROADING
Railroading is when a GM sets the game up in such a way that
the players must follow a specific course of action. This usually
METAGAMING involves actions that move the plot in a specific direction, but it
Metagaming means using information you know but your can also take the form of obstacles or puzzles that can only be
character doesn’t when playing the game. The term often applies overcome in one specific way (determined by the GM ahead of
to players, but GMs can also be accused of metagaming when time). As you probably suspect, railroading is generally frowned
running NPCs. Although this opinion isn’t universal, metagaming upon because it robs players of the only thing they are allowed
is typically considered bad form. It’s viewed as cheating because to do in the game: control their Heroes. It turns what should be
you’re basing a character’s actions or decisions on information a game into an interactive story and the GM into a storyteller.
they have no way of knowing. To some extent, this destroys This is boring and frustrating for the players, who are there to
the verisimilitude of the game. When a character’s actions are play, not to see the GM perform.
determined by what the GM or the player knows rather than by
what the character knows, it shatters the illusion of playing an If you ever feel compelled to railroad your players, stop the
imaginary character in an imaginary world. game. Literally stop the game and take a break. It means your
players caught you off guard and are doing something you
For example, if one of your players accidentally sees your notes didn’t expect. Take a moment to regroup and consider what
and learns where to find a Villain’s secret lair, that player’s Hero will happen after they do what they want rather than what you
can’t act on that information. Similarly, even though you as the expected. Instead of getting upset that they’re ruining your story,
GM know all there is to know about the Heroes, it would be remind yourself that once you started playing the game, the
unfair for your NPCs to act on that information. In both cases, story became theirs too, and everyone now has an equal say in
metagaming is basically cheating, taking advantage of things a how it turns out. And remind yourself that this, in fact, is what
character shouldn’t know. keeps the game exciting for you as GM.
Because this is a game, however, there are times when There’s one exception to the “no railroading” rule, at least
metagaming is not only acceptable, but helpful. For example, when it comes to this genre. GMs should feel free to put the
when the Heroes meet for the first time, everyone should Heroes in just about any situation they wish at the beginning of
understand they’re going to need to come together. Sure, they a new story. Stories should start off with a bang, immediately
may not all like or trust each other right from the get-go. But drawing the players into the action. Sometimes, this means GMs
186
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Superhero Gaming
determine what happened (and what the Heroes were doing) give in to it. Instead, take a few minutes to collect your thoughts
before the first scene opens. Superhero comics grew out of and see if you can find a way to handle whatever the player
the pulps, a genre of contrived plots and unlikely coincidences, just tossed in your lap. Odds are you can. Then let the player
and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Accordingly, players try. Remember that the Heroes in this game are superheroes.
need to be okay with a little introductory railroading. While a They’re supposed to be able to do ridiculous things, or at least
GM should never have the Heroes do anything absurdly stupid try them. Don’t forget that just because you get caught off guard.
or wildly out of character, players should give their GMs some
PLAYER TIPS
leeway when it comes to getting a new story rolling.
ROLLING THE DICE Everything in this chapter has been about the GM, which makes
sense since so much of the game rests on their shoulders. But
It may sound strange but knowing when you shouldn’t roll dice
the GM is just one person, and one person can’t be responsible
is at least as important as knowing when you should. Obviously,
for everyone’s fun. The GM is usually going to be outnumbered
you roll dice whenever you need to determine the result of an
by the players, so this last section includes a few tips for players,
action whose outcome is uncertain. Uncertainty, however, isn’t
things every GM should reasonably expect.
the only thing to consider when determining whether to roll
dice. The other things to keep in mind are whether the action is
relevant to the game, and whether the game will keep moving
forward regardless of the outcome.
DON’T ARGUE
As the referee, your GM is constantly deciding how to apply
the rules and making judgement calls about how things work
Don’t make players roll to determine the results of trivial or
and what is and isn’t possible in the game. If you think your
inconsequential actions. Similarly, don’t make them roll to obtain
GM has made a mistake in their application of the rules or you
information that fleshes out a story and makes everything more
disagree with one of their calls, tell them and explain why. But
interesting but has no bearing on the game. Lousy games are
once you’ve shared your opinion and your GM makes a final
choked with rolls to determine whether Heroes can accomplish
decision, it’s time to move on. If you disagree, discuss this during
every little task, or to see if they know some tidbit of backstory.
the next break or after the game ends for the night. Don’t bring
Don’t run a lousy game. Any time you’re about to ask a player
the game to a grinding halt by debating any point at the table.
to make a roll, ask yourself if there’s any reason not to just let
Even if you’re right, it isn’t worth the delay.
the player succeed. If there isn’t, if the roll’s success or failure
won’t impact the drama or the excitement of the game in any
real way, then let the Hero accomplish the trivial task or give
them the information and move on.
On the flipside, don’t make players roll for any action that must
go a certain way to keep the story moving. If the Heroes need
to find a clue to reach the next part of the story, let them find
it (thank you, Robin Laws). If you paint yourself into a corner
from which you can’t escape unless a Hero either makes or
fails a roll, don’t bother asking for a roll to create the
illusion of choice. Instead, just take control of the story,
narrate what happens in that moment, and give the Hero
1 point of Resolve. Mind you, this kind of thing shouldn’t
happen. You should try to avoid these situations by
creating flexible stories focused on problems rather
than solutions (leave the solutions to the Heroes). But
nobody’s perfect. If it happens to you, don’t try to fake
your way around it. Just fess up, pay up, and move on.
SAYING YES
When a player asks if they can do something, or at least try
something, your impulse should be to say yes. This is especially
true if what they want to attempt is cool. If your impulse is
to say no, ask yourself why. Are you saying no because what
the player is suggesting is completely out of the question, or
because you’ve been caught off guard? Often, it’s the latter: a
player hits you with an idea you aren’t prepared to handle, so
you just say no. While that impulse is understandable, don’t

DON’T CHEAT IMAGINE
It’s amazing that some people cheat while roleplaying, especially Roleplaying is an exercise in make-believe. If you use your
when you consider that there’s nothing at stake and no way to imagination, it can take you anywhere you want to go and let
Chapter 9
win the game. It’s natural not to want to see your Hero stumble, you do anything you want to do. If you don’t, it will bore you
be made the fool, or get defeated. But don’t cheat. First, it’s to tears. Imagination is crucial when roleplaying. Unlike video
stupid. Honestly, it just is. Apart from that, the longer you play games, which display imaginary worlds, roleplaying games
games like this, the more you come to realize that failure is suggest them. Just like when you’re reading a book, many of
often more interesting than success. Some of your best gaming the details are up to you. Always use your imagination and try
stories are going to come from when your Hero really blows it. to picture what’s happening in the game world while roleplaying.
Roll the dice and let them fall where they may. Trust us: you’ll Otherwise, the experience becomes nothing more than a few
have a lot more fun. hours spent rolling dice and doing basic math.
FOCUS PARTICIPATE
Pay attention to the game, even when you aren’t directly involved Your GM can’t be expected to do everything. It’s up to you to
in the action. Nothing makes a GM feel less appreciated than participate. Don’t sit there silently waiting for someone to tell
seeing players flip through the rules, watch TV, or play around on you what to do. Speak up and interact with the GM and the other
their laptops or phones. It’s utterly disheartening. Being a GM is players. Play your Hero, suggest solutions to whatever problems
like being a combination performer, storyteller, and tour guide, your GM throws at you, and get into the game. If you’re new to
and nothing makes a GM feel worse than when their players look the game (or the hobby, for that matter), don’t worry about the
bored. Plus, players who tune out often miss important clues rules; your GM and fellow players are there to help you. Be an
and information. If you aren’t interested in the game, don’t play. active participant, not a passive observer. However, be careful
If you need a break, take one. But if you’re there to play, then not to go too far and hog the spotlight or the GM’s attention. Let
give the game your attention. other players, especially new ones, play their Heroes, come up
with ideas, and participate in the game as well.
GO WITH IT
Creating a memorable roleplaying experience takes cooperation ROLEPLAY
between the GM and the players, but the person who makes the It’s called a roleplaying game for a reason. The whole point of
first move is usually the GM, so help yours out when you can. the game is to pretend to be someone else, so go for it. Get
When the GM tosses a plot hook your way, take the bait and get into your Hero’s head and try to act, think, and even talk like
the story going. If you know your GM wants you to do something that imaginary person. The beauty of roleplaying is that it lets
or go somewhere, try to go with the narrative rather than resist you step into someone else’s shoes, someone who may be very
it. Of course, you shouldn’t do anything out of character just to different from you. Take the opportunity and play that other
appease the GM. But when you see a clear plot hook sitting in person to the hilt, even if that leads you to do or say things you
front of you, instead of asking yourself whether you would take never would. That’s what this is all about.
the bait, maybe assume that you will, and instead ask yourself
why. Whenever possible, remember you’re playing a game in
which everyone has at least some responsibility to go with the SAVOR CHALLENGES
flow of the collective narrative. Your GM is supposed to challenge you. When things get tough,
don’t get so frustrated that you just toss your hands in the air
and concede defeat. Don’t get mad at your GM, even if things
HELP OUT look bleak or you find yourself out of ideas. Your GM isn’t
GMs have a hard job. They come up with stories for the Heroes trying to make your life miserable (well, probably not). They’re
to experience, create and run all characters who aren’t Heroes, just trying to create an exciting story, which means it can’t be
and oversee the application of the rules. That’s a lot to handle, a cakewalk. Sometimes things are going to look bad for the
so try to help your GM whenever you can. If they’re struggling Heroes. Those moments are priceless. When that happens, savor
to keep everyone’s attention focused on the game, help them the tension. Don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s just a game,
get the other players on track. If your GM is flipping through don’t take things personally, and don’t forget that the actual
the rules, ask if you can help. Maybe you know where to find goal of the game is to have a good time with your friends.
whatever it is they need. If your GM seems unsure about how
to handle a situation, throw out some suggestions. In short, try
to make life easier for the poor soul.
188
PROWLERS PARAGONS
Name PROWLERS PARAGONS Quote
Alias
Team
Motivation ULTIMATE EDITION HERO SHEET
ABILITIES POWERS EDGE HEALTH
AGILITY d Description Source
INTELLECT d
MIGHT d
PERCEPTION d
TOUGHNESS d RESOLVE HERO POINTS
WILLPOWER d
TALENTS
ACADEMICS d
CHARM d ORIGIN
COMMAND d
COVERT d
INVESTIGATION d
MEDICINE d
PERKS
PROFESSIONAL d
SCIENCE d
STREETWISE d
SURVIVAL d
TECHNOLOGY d GEAR
VEHICLES d
NOTES
FLAWS
DESCRIPTION DETAILS CONNECTIONS

BACKERS
What you have here is our very best. Seriously. We spent years talking, designing, playing, breaking, redesigning, playing some more,
more breaking… you get the idea. Many of you came on this journey with us, helping us make this game even better. This is the very
best superheroic RPG we could create, and we are proud to put it in your hands. This is the game we want to play, and we’re probably
playing right now. We want everyone to know how much your support has meant as we moved through this process. We hope you
have as much joy playing this as we had making it. Thanks!
—Len and Sean
@p0nz_, Aaron “Ebony” Johnson, Aaron Porter, Joseph C Basile III, Joseph Catrone, Josh Shinabarger, Joshua Cayne,
Aaron Scott, Aaron Sullivan, Abraham Elliot Frank, Adam Lemm, Joshua Slotnick, Joshua Van Diest, JT Scott, Judd M. Goswick,
Adam Rice, Adam Thibault, Alex Goldsmith, Alex Hunter, Alex Toren, Jupe Rantalainen, K Horigan, Karl “Thrillseeker” Maurer, Karl Forster,
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“Arclight” Rothfuss, Brian Altmiller, Brian Rider, Bruce Harlick, Mark Morgan, Mark Reuter, Mark Solino, Mark Stout, Marko J Sertic,
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Cameron Corniuk, Captain Catalyst, Captain Century, Carl, “Barakis” Brown, Matthew Koelling, Matthew Petty, Matthew R.
Carlos Daniel Munoz Diaz, Carol Darnell, Chad Stevens, Charles Sisson, Martinez, Melanie Dawn McGreevey, Methuselah Honeysuckle,
Charlie “Cap” Spicer, Chase M Walker, Chris “Grimtooth” Colborn, Michael “Bowtie” Muske, Michael “Rhishisikk” Kochis, Michael Bradford,
Chris “Pocky D” Maner, Chris Caran, Chris Dudley, Chris Romero, Michael Douglas, Michael Emala, Michael Emmett Walsh,
Chris Shields, Christopher Pando, Colton J. Morton, Colton Petry, Michael Feldhusen, Michael J. Ahlers, Michael J. Merrell, Michael J.
Connor “Planet” Carver, Cory “Black Rook” Williamsen, Craig Bishell, Spagnola, Michael Lawless Jr, Michael Machado, Michael Nichols,
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Dan Hoins, Daniel “Dan Of Tomorrow” Palacio, Danny Keith, Bradford, Mike Mudgett, Mike Strefford, Mike Todd, Monolith,
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Dave Danforth, Dave Smith, David Alexander Parker, David Anderson, Nolan Segrest, Norbert Franz, Orcus Blackweather, Patrice Mermoud,
Jr., David B. Semmes, David Bent, David Domalain, David Douglas West, Patrick A DeMinico, Patrick Healey, Paul Posar, Paul Wilcox,
David E. Dalton, David E. Ferrell, David Lacerte, David Terhune, Peter Holland, Peter Morson, Peter Romine, Phil “Old Man” Davis,
David Wolf, Derek Dunlavy, Derek Hiemforth, Derek Walters, Phil Adams, Pierre Schirra, Plot Points Crew, Psi Upsilon Forever!,
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Doolittle, Epimenides, Eric C. Tucker, Eric Damschroder, Eric MacCallum, Plemons, RIchard Guidorizzi, Rick Blodgett, Rick Wilson, Riki2Tails,
Eric Rex Petersen, Erik Parker, Ernest J. Griffin, Evan “Mohawk One” Rob B., Rob Baldwin, Rob Foxx, Rob Lowry, Rob Necronomicon,
Robinson, Fabien “Acidrik” M, FAH, Floyd Grubb, Frank Schildiner, Robert David Smith, Robert Dorf, Robert H Hudson Jr, Robert Newman,
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Jacob Bulfin, Jacob Thurston, Jadugar, James “Darkbat” Mummert, “King Zombie” Beatty, Shawn Gustafson, Shawn “Sazyanti” Gore,
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Becker, Jed Scarbrough, Jeff Schmidt, Jeff Troutman, Jeff Workman, THE Donnie, The Midnight Bomber who bombs at Midnight,
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190
PROWLERS PARAGONS
INDEX
A Chases 74, 95
Citizen Soldier 130
Fatal Damage 79
Flaws 16, 55, 83, 85
Abilities 15, 17
Cliffhangers 183 Flexible 91
Agility 17
Clobbering Attacks 78 Foe 7
Intellect 17
Close Combat 87 Foes 13, 169
Might 17
Combat 11 Foreshadowing 184
Perception 17
Combat Stunts 77 Friendly Fire 80
Toughness 17
Combustion 131
Willpower 17
Actions 73
Comic Book Heroes 185
Compromises 10, 68
G
Active Defenses 79 Gadgets 94
Connections 62
Actor 9 Gear Limits 87
Cons 93
Advancement 62 Glossary 7
Contests 70
Adversity 11, 85 GM 7
Contrast 183
Agility 73 Going All-Out 78
Control 94
Alabama Slammer 127 Grappling 76
Crime Spree 151
Ambushes 78
Custom Gear 92
Andromeda 147
Animals 14, 111
Cut Scenes 183 H
Half 7
Ape-X 148
Archetypes 64 D The Happy Anarchist 154
Hard Targets 80
Arclight 149 Damage 75, 95
Headquarters 100
Area Attacks 78 Damaging Cover 108
Healing 76
Area/Burst 88 Darkheart 153
Health 60, 75, 111
Armor 88 Dark Matter 152
Heap 155
Armor Piercing 88 Darkwolf 132
Hearld 134–135
Assisting 69 Dazzle 91
Heartbreaker 156
Assisting Allies 84 Defeats 83
Hero 7
Attacks 11, 75 Defending Others 78
Heroes 13, 126, 182
Attacks and Defenses 95 Defenses 11, 75
Hero Points 15
Automatons 14 Defining Moments 70
Hostile Environments 106
Details 62
B Disasters 105
The Drop 79 I
Banshee 150
Improvising 185
Basic Origin 64
Binding 88 E Instant Recovery 76
Intellect 73
Body 94 Edge 11, 60, 73, 95
Interludes 84, 184
Braced 91 Eidolon 133
Issue 7
Breaking Free 76 Embellishments 10, 68
The Brute Option 17 Energy 105
Ensnare 91 K
C Exceptions 83
Exchanges 70
Keeping Hold 76
Knockback 78
Capital Ships 95
Extra 7
Challenge Level 85
Challenge Rolls 9, 67, 84
Extras 14, 120–125
L
Character Creation 14 Lady Aether 157
Characteristics 9 F Launcher 91
Characters 9 Fairness 185 Leaping 106
Charge Attacks 78 Falling 105 Lethal 75

Lifting 106
Line of Sight 91
Q Investigation 18
Medicine 18
Quote 62
Lucky Breaks 84 Professional 18
Luring 79 Science 18
R Streetwise 19
M Railroading 186
Raised Gear Limit 80
Survival 19
Technology 19
Massive Objects 108
Random Hero Generator 63 Vehicles 19
Metagaming 186
Range 11, 73, 79 Talon 144
Metaplot 183
Throwing 74 Team Attacks 79
Minions 7, 13, 77
Readied 91 Threat 13
Misfortunes 85
The Red King 162 Threat Ranks 77
Moloch 158
Reliquary 163 Thresholds 9, 67
Mood 181
Repair 95 Judging 71
Motivation 61, 84
Resolve 11, 60, 83 Thrown 91
Motivations 167
Earning 83 T-Kay 143
Movement 11, 74
Spending 84 Tough Minions 81
Mundane Vehicles 96
Resources 87 Toxins 108
Retcons 63 Traditional Results 69
N Roleplaying 84 Trait Cap 15, 63
Nano 136 Trait Rank 9
Narkissa 159
Narrative Techniques 183
S Trappings 177
Tropes 171
Sacrifice 84
Nature 63 Two-Handed 91
Scene 7
Nemeses 169
Scenery as Weapons 108
Net Successes 9, 67
Non-Player Characters 7, 111
Scenes 175 U
Scorching 107 Unheroic Actions 85
NPC. See Non-Player Characters
Seizing Initiative 73 Unique 14
Series 7, 180
O Setting 180
V
One-Shots 70 Shadow 140
Vector 145
Opponent 9 Shard 164
Vehicle
Origin 62, 169 Shield 91
Combat 95
Osprey 160 Shield Bonus 88
Features 96
Shock 91
Vehicles 94
P Siren 141
Slow Healing 80
Versatile 91
Packages 15 Vigilant 146
Smashing 107
Page 7, 73 Villains 7, 13, 126, 170
Source 16, 64
Pandora 137 Creating 167
Special Effects 76
Penetrating 91 Villainy 85
Speed 94
Perception 73
Spotlighting 185
Perks 16, 54
Phalanx 161
Stories 170 W
Story 7 Warlord 165
Plot 170
Stronghold 142 Weapons 88, 94
Power Level 15
Stun 91 Wound Penalties 81
Powers 15, 19
Subdual 75
Cost 21
Description 21
Suffocation 106
Super Mooks 111
X
Range 19 Xd 7
Swimming 106
Rank 19
Power Stunts 84
Premise 180 T
Props 186 Talents 15, 18–19
Pros and Cons 15, 48–54, 93 Academics 18
Psidearm 139 Charm 18
Psi Lance 138 Command 18
Covert 18
192
PROWLERS PARAGONS

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What does the book contain?

What does the book contain?

What is the book designed for?

What is the book designed for?

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

THE WORLD NEEDS

TAKE A STAND! JOIN THE FIGHT! BE A HERO!

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL & ASSISTANCE

CHARACTER SHEET DESIGN

PLAYTESTING & SUPPORT

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

CHAPTER 1 Spending Adversity����������������������������������������������������������������������� 85

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

• Flexibility with Powers

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Great, so what does that mean to you?

P&P is a tabletop roleplaying game. If that one threw you for

P&P is rules-light. As far as roleplaying games go, P&P is a

P&P blends narrative task resolution and concrete combat rules.

Last, P&P is designed to emulate four-color superhero comics.

GLOSSARY Story: Often called an adventure in other roleplaying games, a

Foe: A henchman, lieutenant, or minor enemy who poses more

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

CHARACTERS CHALLENGE ROLLS

CHARACTERISTICS When making a challenge roll, you roll a number of 6-sided

TRAIT RANKS CHALLENGE ROLLS

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

CHARACTER TYPES FOES

VILLAINS THREAT RANKS

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

below. Steps 2, 5, and 6 vary depending on whether you are

Unique: The Minions have unique abilities like enhanced senses

Step 4: Derived Characteristics. Calculate your Edge, Health,

Step 5: Finishing Touches. Create the details and roleplaying

Step 6: Review. Review your Hero with the GM to make sure

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

At this point, Darlene chooses her mundane gear, which is

Agility covers coordination, dexterity, nimbleness, reflexes, and

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Range: Powers have a range of Self, Touch, Ranged, Zone, or

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Adaptation Flight Psychometry

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

BLAST BLIND FIGHTING

PRO Block (+2): You can use the Power as an active

Self • Default Rank • 3 Hero Points

Your coloring can change to match your environment, granting

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

Evan Mobley (Order #29860615)

You have extra arms, prehensile hair, a prehensile tail, tentacles,

PRO Spaceflight (+2): You can move faster than light

CON Levitation (−4): You can only move up and down or

CON Slides (−2): You surf on slides of matter or energy

CON Wings (−2): You need room to spread your wings,

CHAPTER 1 Spending Adversity�� 85