Second Edition

Blackmoor · Sims · Weir

Writing and Design: Brandon Blackmoor, Sean Weir, Doug Sims
(“Motivations”), Charles Little (“Black Steel”)
Editing: Susan Blackmoor
Art: Sean Izaakse (cover and character art), Justin Nichol (“Firefly”,
“Space Captain”, “Wisp Starfighter”), Tom Walks (“Space Station”),
Matt Baker, L. B. Cole, Paul Gustavson, Bob Powell, Alex Schomburg,
Basil Wolverton, NASA
Many thanks to Phill Ash, Debra Burrell, Erik Clod-Svensson, Storn Cook, Sean
Patrick Fannon, Michael Fowler, Christopher Helton, Justin Huerena, Mike Lafferty,
Travis McKenzie, Cameron Miller, Lloyd Montgomery, Steven Long, Phil Reed,
Greg Stolze, Jason Tondro, our friends from Shadow Council, and the Kalos Comics
Community on Google+, for all of your help and support.
We owe special thanks to artist Dan Houser, for his encouragement and his assistance
with the original character designs.
Last but not least, extra special thanks to all of our Kickstarter backers Kickstarter
backers (p. 252). We could not have done this without you!
Bulletproof Blues was composed using MediaWiki. The book was designed and typeset using Adobe
InDesign CS6 on Windows 7. The chapter headings use Nate Piekos’ Revenger, the text headings use
Neale Davidson’s Invaders and Adobe’s Futura Std, and the text is set in Adobe’s Baskerville MT.
Bulletproof Blues © 2010 Brandon Blackmoor. Reference to other copyrighted material in no way
constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. Refer to Art Credits (p. 254)
for copyright statements for the art covered by a CC By-SA license.
Bulletproof Blues is dual-licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC
BY-SA 4.0) and the Open Game License, Version 1.0a. You are granted a license to copy, modify, and
distribute Bulletproof Blues under whichever of these licenses best suits your needs.
The text and images of this work are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ or send a
letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA.
The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game
License, Version 1.0a: all images except for those under copyright to other parties or previously
designated their Product Identity.
The following text is Open Gaming Content, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game
License, Version 1.0a: all text, other than text appearing in images.

Kalos Comics Manufactured in the United States Of America

70 Starling Ln. Second Edition, Third Printing
Troy, VA 22974-3278 2015-08-23
http://www.kaloscomics.com/ 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Introduction 2 Powers 54
The Kalos Universe 2 Expertise 54
The Fall Of Paragon 3 Typical Powers 55
What Is A Roleplaying Game? 4 Power Descriptions 58
Why Bulletproof Blues? 5 Power Modifiers 117
Ground Rules 6 New Powers 119
Core Mechanics 8 “Roleplay” Powers 119
Glossary 12 Equipment 120
Creation 14 Armor 120
Before You Start 14 Melee Weapons 120
Character Checklist 16 Ranged Weapons 121
Sobriquet 16 Tools 123
Background 17 Vehicles 123
Origin 18 Actions 126
Archetypes 23 Time And Distance 126
Motivations 26 Rolling Dice 135
Complications 31 Combat 141
Points And Power Level 32 Plot Points 154
Attributes 36 The Environment 156
Brawn 36 GM Resources 165
Agility 37 The Kalos Universe 165
Reason 37 Key Organizations And
Perception 37 NPCs 174
Willpower 37 Telling A Story The Kalos
Prowess 38 Comics Way 185
Accuracy 38 Characters 196
Endurance 38 Kickstarter Backers 252
Skills 39 Art Credits 254
Background Skills 39 Creative Commons License 255
Areas Of Expertise 40 Open Game License 256
Typical Skills 41 Index 258
Advantages 48
Typical Advantages 48
Introduction

Welcome to Bulletproof Blues: a “rules light” superhero roleplaying game set in the
universe of Kalos Comics. If you’ve seen any of the Avengers, Batman, or Watchmen
movies, you know what a superhero is: an individual with great determination
who chooses to use their abilities to make the world a better place. And, of course,
everyone is familiar with Kalos Comics.

The K alos Universe

Bulletproof Blues takes place in the world-famous universe of Kalos Comics, creators
of Paragon (who first appeared in Amazing Adventure Magazine in 1938), Rook (who
first appeared in Tales Of Mystery in 1939), Antiope, Doctor Arcane, and the rest
of the Justifiers, as well as sinister organizations like Aegis and GORGON, and
mysterious entities like The Bride. From the ancient ruins of Lemuria to the far
reaches of the Hausdorff Dimension, the Kalos Universe is now yours to explore. If
you are unfamiliar with the Kalos Universe, you will find more information in the
GM Resources chapter (p. 165).
On the surface, the Kalos Universe closely resembles our own. The place names and
television shows are the same, and the victories and defeats of ordinary people are just
like the ones you experience. Much as in our own world, extremes of good and evil
exist, but the gulf between them is a murky area where those of good will can and do
disagree.
However, the Kalos Universe can be a strange place. There are ancient civilizations
deep below the surface of the earth and extraterrestrials in the sky above it. Strange
forces are at work, and hidden powers manipulate world events and the news reports
of those events. Still, few people encounter this strangeness in their day-to-day lives or
recognize it when they do. For the vast majority of humanity, the world of the Kalos
Universe is virtually the same as the world you live in.

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 Introduction

While many events are intentionally hidden from the public, the sanitized actions of
select posthumans are crafted into pre-packaged “human interest” stories. Entire cable
networks are dedicated to the exploits and personal lives of posthumans. In addition,
in a relatively recent two week span, Paragon killed millions of people in Atlanta and
Southeast Asia, and held the world hostage — a rampage that will drive government
policy, mass media, and public opinion worldwide for decades.

The Fall Of Paragon

Bulletproof Blues is set shortly after the “Fall Of Paragon” crossover event, during
which the Justifiers were killed by their former teammate, Paragon. The city of
Atlanta, Georgia is in ruins, Mount Rushmore has been smashed, the island of Timor
rests beneath the sea, and both the Keystone Pipeline System and the Trans-Alaska
Pipeline System have been destroyed. It is a difficult time for posthumans. Posthumans
have never been completely trusted by humanity, and Paragon confirmed everyone’s
worst fears. Although Paragon was ultimately defeated and killed by a small team of
posthumans at the Justifiers’ headquarters in Antarctica, his actions have changed
forever the relationship between humanity and posthumans.
In the Kalos Universe, much like in our own world, sometimes things don’t work out
the way we’d like them to. Life is neither fair nor unfair, and the universe is indifferent
to human suffering.
The struggle, then, is to make the best possible world with the tools at our command.
Your character has great power. How will they use it?

Buying The Comics

If you would like to find and read some of the comics
we refer to in Bulletproof Blues, we have some bad news
for you: the comics this book refers to do not actually
exist. It’s a framing device. It’s supposed to have the feel
of a fully developed comicbook universe with a history,
but without the baggage and overhead of an established
comicbook setting, so that you can feel free to tell your
own stories without fear of contradicting some obscure bit
of in-universe history and without running afoul of the
“big name” characters that overshadow a game set in an
established comicbook setting. In a Bulletproof Blues game,
your PCs are the “big name” characters..

3
Introduction

What Is A Roleplaying Game?

Every roleplaying game has a section at the beginning that attempts to explain what
a roleplaying game is, and Bulletproof Blues is no exception. So let’s get started! As
trivial as it sounds, two distinct elements set “roleplaying games” apart from other
things which are not roleplaying games: roleplaying and game play.
First, a roleplaying game involves roleplaying. Generally speaking, roleplaying involves
taking on a persona or character and making decisions based on what that character
would do in a given situation. Does having a character in a game, by itself, make that
a roleplaying game? No. The little dog token in a Monopoly game and a Blood Elf in
World Of Warcraft are both characters, but Monopoly and World Of Warcraft are
not roleplaying games. Can you roleplay as a dog while playing Monopoly? Yes, and
you can roleplay as an elf while playing World Of Warcraft. What keeps these from
being roleplaying games is that the roleplaying is not part of the game — you can’t get
your Monopoly dog out of jail through unscripted conversation with the jailer, nor
can you use roleplaying to convince a cultist in World Of Warcraft to let you pass by
without a fight. If the rules of the game do not allow for the possibility that a conflict
could be resolved through unscripted conversation (however unlikely that might be),
then it isn’t a roleplaying game.
Second, a roleplaying game is a game. Roleplaying games are sometimes compared
to improvisational theatre, and there are similarities, but improv theatre isn’t a game.
How can you tell if something is a game? Games have rules that govern things like
conflicts between players and whether something a player attempts is successful.
Improv theatre is fun, but there aren’t any rules like this. As Drew Carey described
“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, it’s “the show where everything’s made up and the
points don’t matter.” It’s fun, but it’s not a game, and therefore it’s not a roleplaying
game.
Bulletproof Blues has more rules than some games, but less than others, and an
essential part of conflict resolution involves making decisions that your character
would make under the circumstances. Maybe those decisions aren’t the most tactically
advantageous, but if they are true to what your character would do, and if you are
having fun playing, then you are playing correctly, because that’s what Bulletproof
Blues is all about.
If you would like to read more about who plays roleplaying games, and why and
where they play them, check out The Escapist — The Five Ws of RPGs1.

The Players
In a roleplaying game, each player adopts a persona called a player character, or
“PC”. The player characters are imaginary people who inhabit the fictional world of
Bulletproof Blues.

1 http://www.theescapist.com/5ws.htm
4
 Introduction

In many ways, the player is like an actor who chooses their own part and writes their
own lines as the play progresses. The game moderator sets the stage and introduces
the characters to their world, but the story is driven by the player characters.

The Game Moderator

The game moderator, or “GM”, creates the story and portrays everyone that the
player characters encounter during their adventures. These are called non-player
characters, or “NPCs”. The players help create the adventure by responding to the
challenges the GM presents and by pursuing the PCs’ own goals. This dynamic
creative process creates a story which neither the game moderator nor the players
could have created alone.

Why Bulletproof Blues?

Why does Bulletproof Blues exist? That is an excellent question. The simple answer is
that we wanted to write the superhero game we wanted to play.
There are dozens of superhero roleplaying games, and at least a dozen more generic
games that you can use to run a superhero game. Several of these — Mutants And
Masterminds and Wild Talents, for example — are outstanding games. So why write
yet another?
We wanted a superhero game that was quick to learn, quick to play, and yet
reasonably complete. We also wanted a game that lent itself to more serious superhero
fiction, like Planetary and the first two years of The Authority. In addition to Mutants
And Masterminds and Wild Talents, we tried BASH, Capes, Cowls, And Villains Foul,
and Icons. These are all fine games, but not quite what we wanted. We found some
games too light, some games too heavy, and some games, well, just weren’t what we
were looking for. So what’s a gamer to do?
If you can’t find the game you want to play, as the saying goes, you have to write it
yourself. We are pretty happy with the result. It’s not perfect, of course. If you have
suggestions for improvements, we are happy to listen to them. But we hope you have
fun playing, despite any flaws you may find.
Bulletproof Blues is not a carefully balanced simulation of a reality where people can
fly, dress up like bats, and shoot energy beams from their jewelry. The rules are here
to help you play a fun game and keep things fair, but there’s really nothing special
about the rules. They are there to serve you, not the other way around. Your first
thought when someone tries something new in a Bulletproof Blues game should not
be, “Do the rules allow it?”, but “Would that be fun?”. Of course, what’s “fun” varies
from group to group. If a tightly plotted political thriller is your bag, that’s great.
If you prefer nonstop action with giant robots and exploding ninjas, that’s great,
too. You could use Bulletproof Blues to run either type of game, or anywhere in
between. However you want to play, though — whatever you consider “cool” — takes
precedence over the written rules. If the rules don’t make sense in a given context, or

5
Introduction

if they seem to be getting in the way of the kind of game you want to play, then either
change the rules or ignore them.
If it turns out that Bulletproof Blues is not suited to the kind of game you want to play,
you might try one of the many other fine superhero games out there, starting with the
ones we’ve mentioned above. Or, as a final resort, you can do what we did, and write
your own game.

Ground Rules
A roleplaying game is fundamentally a cooperative activity. The players (one of
whom is the Game Moderator) are not in competition. The goal is not to be the most
powerful hero, or to win every fight. The goal of a role-playing game is to create
interesting stories and to entertain everyone at the table. We hope that you are the
kind of player that creates interesting characters and enjoys creating stories with your
friends.

Use Common Sense

The single most important piece of advice we can give you is that you should use your
common sense. If something in the rules violates the way you think your game should
work, then override it. If the rules permit something ridiculous, or would prevent
something completely ordinary, then override them. Do not be one of those players
who adheres to the letter of the rules in defiance of common sense.
Don’t use the rules unless you need to.
In fact, if you can make a character work without resorting to the rules, you should.
Saying “it works like this” is often a better solution than trying to find rules to force it
to work that way.

Avoid Rule Arguments

It is in the nature of any human activity that differences of opinion will arise. We’ve
tried to make the rules for Bulletproof Blues as simple and clear as possible, but there’s
only so much we can do. Sooner or later, there will be a difference of opinion among
the players regarding what a rule means, or how a rule should be implemented. There
is nothing wrong with this: discussion and consensus are healthy. However, the time
for rule discussions is between games, not during games. If a rule discussion takes
longer than 60 seconds, the game moderator should make an executive decision and
table additional discussion for later. If players balk, the GM should be civil but firm,
and move on.

Respect Genre Conventions

Bulletproof Blues is a superhero game, and being a superhero game, it has certain
genre conventions. Robert McKee defines genre conventions as the “specific settings,
roles, events, and values that define individual genres and their subgenres.” Superhero
games, relying as they do on a relatively commonplace modern-day setting, but one
6
 Introduction

which incorporates extremely non-commonplace characters, have even more genre

conventions than most other games.
For example, there are no rules for running out of bullets, or for recharging the
cosmic widget from the cosmic widget recharging device. It’s not that guns do not run
out of bullets, or that cosmic widgets never need recharging. Of course they do, and
if a character intentionally empties their gun, then the gun runs out of bullets just as
you’d expect. It’s just assumed that they don’t normally run out of bullets unless there
is a dramatic reason for it. The rest of the time, the character is reloading the gun or
recharging the widget when it’s convenient to do so.
Another genre convention of Bulletproof Blues is that the extraordinary technological
advances made possible by the superhuman intelligence of super-scientists (not to
mention alien technology) rarely make it into the marketplace. Some technology
eventually does — cell phones and 3D televisions, for example — but these advances
are delayed until they can be successfully commercialized. Any advanced technology
with potential military applications remains out of the reach of ordinary people,
or even of ordinary soldiers. Shadowy government agencies, amoral corporations,
and subversive organizations bent on world domination all conspire to keep these
advances to themselves, or at least to as small a group as possible.

7
Introduction

Core Mechanics
Rolling Dice
When a character attempts a task, and the outcome is either contested or there is
some random element involved, the player rolls 2d6, counts the dots, and adds the
result to their relevant attribute. This roll is compared to a difficulty number the GM
assigns (typically “challenging”, or 12). The attempt succeeds if the player’s roll equals
or exceeds the assigned difficulty.
The following table shows the chances of success for various task difficulties and
attribute values. You don’t need to refer to this during play — it’s just to show you
what kind of results you should expect.
When the character is under no pressure, they may be able to “take the average”
or “take the max”, depending on the circumstances. See Actions (p. 139) for more
information.

Table: Task resolution probability

Task Difficulty

Character Attribute Routine Challenging Demanding Frustrating Nigh-impossible

(added to 2d6 roll) (9) (12) (15) (18) (21)

Impaired
1 42% 8% 0% 0% 0%
Human
Average
2 58% 17% 0% 0% 0%
Human
Excellent
3 72% 28% 3% 0% 0%
Human
Peak
4 83% 42% 8% 0% 0%
Human
Average 5 92% 58% 17% 0% 0%
Superhuman 6 97% 72% 28% 3% 0%
Excellent 7 100% 83% 42% 8% 0%
Superhuman 8 100% 92% 58% 17% 0%
World-class 9 100% 97% 72% 28% 3%
Superhuman 10 100% 100% 83% 42% 8%
Galaxy-class 11 100% 100% 92% 58% 17%
Superhuman 12 100% 100% 97% 72% 28%
Godlike 13 100% 100% 100% 83% 42%
Superhuman 14 100% 100% 100% 92% 58%

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 Introduction

Plot Points
Each player begins each game session with one plot point. A player gains a plot point
when they do something particularly entertaining or interesting, when one of their
character’s complications causes a serious problem for them during the game, or when
the GM overrides a roll of the dice to make things more difficult for the characters.
Plot points are spent to alter the game world, gain a skill bonus, or gain an advantage
in combat. See Actions (p. 154) for more information.

Benchmarks
We assign numbers to characters’ abilities so that we can tell what they can do. No
one wants to guess what their characters can pick up or how fast they can fly. You will
notice that the relationship between one rank and the next is not constant. At low
ranks, each rank is roughly double the value of the previous rank, while at the highest
ranks, the increase is approximately eightfold. In between, each rank is roughly
quadruple the previous value. This variation is intentional, to offer greater variety to
characters of “human” power level, while permitting truly extraordinary power levels
at the highest ranks. All of the numbers in this table are approximate: don’t be too
concerned about it if something is on the edge between one value and the next. When
in doubt, err on the side of the players.
The movement distances in this table are for powers, such as Flight, Super-running,
and Teleport. If the character has only their natural movement (running, swimming,
and jumping), then their movement distance is based on their Agility and Brawn. See
Movement (p. 131) for more information.

9
 Introduction

Table: Benchmarks
Throws Affects
Rank Breaks Lifts
(50 lbs) (radius or range)
1 Cardboard 100 pounds 6 feet 50 feet
2 Plastic 225 pounds 12 feet 100 feet
3 Wood 450 pounds 25 feet 400 feet
4 Bone 900 pounds 50 feet 1,600 feet
5 Brick 2 tons 200 feet 1 mile
6 Concrete 7 tons 800 feet 5 miles
7 Stone 30 tons 4,000 feet 20 miles
8 Ceramic 100 tons 3 miles 80 miles
9 Steel 400 tons 10 miles 300 miles
10 Diamond 2,000 tons 40 miles 1,200 miles
11 Nanodiamond 10,000 tons 300 miles 10,000 miles
12 Stanlium 100,000 tons 3,000 miles 80,000 miles
13 Siegelite 1,000,000 tons 20,000 miles 600,000 miles
14 Kirbium 10,000,000 tons 160,000 miles 5,000,000 miles

Breaks indicates the strongest substance that the character would be able to break
under normal circumstances. The thickness of the material and other factors make
this a rough estimate, at best.
Lifts indicates the greatest weight that the character can “clean and jerk” (pick up
and lift overhead). A character carrying or supporting such a weight can take at most
one or two steps per round. A character can move normally while carrying a weight
corresponding to one rank less than their Brawn. For example, a character with rank
8 Brawn could carry up to 30 tons and suffer no penalties to their movement while
doing so.
Throws (50 lbs) indicates the farthest distance that a character could throw a
compact object weighing 50 lbs. To see how far a character can throw heavier
objects, subtract the Brawn rank required to lift the object from the character’s total
Brawn rank. Look up the difference in the “Rank” column: this indicates how far the
character can throw the object. For example, a character with rank 4 Brawn (the peak
of human potential) could throw an object weighing 100 lbs (such as a cooperative
slender human) up to 25 feet.

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 Introduction

Table: Benchmarks (continued)

Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Rank
Per Round Per Round Per Round MPH
1 50 feet 100 feet 300 feet 30 mph
2 100 feet 200 feet 600 feet 70 mph
3 400 feet 800 feet 2,400 feet 300 mph
4 1,600 feet 3,200 feet 2 miles 1,000 mph
5 1 mile 2 miles 6 miles 4,000 mph
6 5 miles 10 miles 30 miles 20,000 mph
7 20 miles 40 miles 120 miles 70,000 mph
8 80 miles 160 miles 480 miles 300,000 mph
9 300 miles 600 miles 1,800 miles 1,000,000 mph
10 1,200 miles 2,400 miles 7,200 miles 5,000,000 mph
11 10,000 miles 20,000 miles 60,000 miles 30,000,000 mph
12 80,000 miles 160,000 miles 480,000 miles 300,000,000 mph
13 600,000 miles 1,200,000 miles 3,600,000 miles 0.9 c
14 5,000,000 miles 10,000,000 miles 30,000,000 miles 0.99 c

Affects (radius or range) indicates the radius around the character that they can
affect with their powers if their powers affect a radius, or the maximum range of
the power if it affects a single target. For example, [Element] Mastery can move or
manipulate the chosen element within this area and can use the element to inflict
direct damage to a target up to this distance away. The “radius” value is not used
for powers that inflict damage directly unless they have been purchased with the
Explosive Damage (p. 152) power enhancement.
Off The Scale
Obviously, there are values which are far below or far above what appears in this
table. The Moon, with mass of roughly 8.1 × 1019 tons, is far more than even a
character with rank 14 Brawn could move, while a baby or a housecat has a Brawn
less than 1. Don’t worry about it. At such extremes, the GM should just use their best
judgement, and the rest of the players should roll with it.

11
 Introduction

Glossary
Accuracy (ACC): ability to aim when making ranged attacks
advantage: an exceptional ability that a normal human can have, but that most
humans do not have
Agility (AGL): agility, flexibility, and coordination
all-out move: base move x 6; incurs penalties on attacks and task rolls
attack bonus: a number added to a combat task roll (another name for “task roll
bonus”)
attribute: the eight basic character traits: Brawn, Agility, Reason, Perception,
Willpower, Prowess, Accuracy, and Endurance
base move: normal ground movement based on attribute or power rank
base rank: the rank of an attribute or power when the character is fully healed and
not impaired in any way
Brawn (BRN): physical might and general hardiness
character point: spent to buy attributes, skills, advantages, and powers for a
character
damage: the amount of damage which exceeds the target’s protection value
damage rating (DR): the potential amount of damage inflicted by a power or
weapon
defense bonus: a number added to a combat task difficulty (another name for
“difficulty modifier”)
difficulty modifier: a number added to a task difficulty to make it more difficult
double move: base move x 2; incurs penalties on attacks and task rolls
Endurance (END): the amount of abuse a character can withstand before they are
unable to participate in a conflict
expertise: a character’s field of extraordinary competence
extreme success: rolling three or more over the task difficulty set by the GM
game moderator (GM): the player who sets the story in motion, plays everyone and
everything in the game other than the PCs, and arbitrates any disputes
non-player character (NPC): a fictional character belonging to and controlled by
the game moderator
Perception (PER): awareness of one’s surroundings, intuition, and understanding of
the motivations of others
player: a living, breathing person playing the game
player character (PC): a fictional character belonging to and controlled by a player
plot point: spent to alter the game world, gain a skill bonus, or gain an advantage in
combat
power defect: a drawback to the power that makes it less useful than it normally is
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 Introduction

power enhancement: an extra capability that makes a power more useful than it
normally is
protection value (PV): the amount subtracted from an attack’s damage by a power
or protective equipment
Prowess (PRW): hand-to-hand fighting ability
rank: a number from 1 to 14 describing each of a character’s attributes and powers
Reason (REA): ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and
solve problems
run: base move x 2 (another name for “double move”); incurs penalties on attacks
and task rolls
sprint: base move x 6 (another name for “all-out move”); incurs penalties on attacks
and task rolls
success: a task roll that equals or exceeds the task difficulty
take the average: assume that the player rolls 7
take the max: assume that the player rolls 12
task difficulty: the number the player must match or exceed on a task roll
task difficulty, opposed: 8 + the defender’s relevant attribute
task difficulty, unopposed: routine 9; challenging 12; demanding 15; frustrating
18; nigh-impossible 21
task roll: 2d6 + the rank of the character’s relevant attribute + any bonuses
task roll bonus: a number added to the character’s attribute when making a task
roll
walk: normal ground movement based on attribute or power rank (another name for
“base move”)
Willpower (WIL): determination, focus, and strength of personality

13
 Creation

Making up a Bulletproof Blues character should only take about 30 minutes, once you
are somewhat familiar with the process. The hardest part is thinking up a character
background and choosing what kind of character to play. In this chapter, we offer a
few suggestions to help you out, along with a checklist of the steps that you should
probably follow. However, just because we list them in this order doesn’t mean you
must. Jump around if it makes you happy: feel free to fill in what you know, and come
back to what you don’t.
It is up to you to make up a character who can get along with the other player
characters and add to the fun of the game. Realism in Bulletproof Blues, as in most
games, takes a back seat to playability. Your character can be the most fascinating,
detailed character ever written, but if they undermine the fun of the game you have
failed to make up a good character.
Fortunately, making up a character is a fairly simple process, and if at first you don’t
succeed you can try again. It is possible to make up a fun and interesting character
who gets along with the other PCs, and in the long run it is much more fun than
making up a character that, despite being a brilliant creation, disrupts the game.

Before You Start

The goal of Bulletproof Blues to help you have fun with your friends. With that
in mind, here are a few suggestions that we think will help point you in the right
direction.

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 Creation

Character Sheet Helper

Although it is not required, you might find the Bulletproof Blues Character Sheet
Helper1 a handy tool to write up your characters. If you send us your completed
character sheet file, we will add your character to the Kalos Universe Wiki2.

Create A Team
If at all possible, try to assemble the players and make up their characters together.
That way, you can avoid having two or three players with the same power archetypes,
or all with the same fields of expertise. It’s usually more fun if each character has their
own specialties, and their own role to fill.

Form A Bond
It can sometimes be difficult to find a plausible reason for characters to stick together.
Why would a brooding loner who likes to brood lonesomely on skyscrapers ever join
a team of people wearing brightly colored spandex? You might consider establishing
a reason before the game even starts, by having some previous connection between
characters. The previous connection could be something as simple as, “Hey, you
helped me fight those bank robbers that one time”, or “Hey, that’s the superhero that
rescued me from those bank robbers that one time (although they don’t know that
because I was in my secret identity at the time)”. If every character has a connection
to at least one other character, getting them past that awkward “getting to know you”
stage will be a lot easier.

Know Your Limitations

Charleton Heston once said, “Hard is what I do best. I don’t do nice.” What a
superhero can’t do (or chooses not to do) can define them almost as much as knowing
what they can do. A character that can do everything isn’t as interesting as a character
that has limits. We love Superman and James Bond, but what works for a single
character in a movie doesn’t necessarily work for a team of characters in a game.
What fun would it be for the other players when James Bond knows everything about
everything? How much fun would Batman’s player have if Superman solved every
problem just by listening intently?
Try to focus on what your character should be able to do, rather than on doing
everything the letter of the rules permit. If all of the characters have their own
specialties, then they can each get an opportunity to take center stage without another
character stealing their thunder.

1 http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109612/Bulletproof-Blues-Character-Sheet-Helper
2 http://wiki.kaloscomics.com/
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Character Checklist
We have found that it’s easiest if you create a character by following these steps.
However, it’s just a suggestion. Jump around if it makes you happy: feel free to fill in
what you know, and come back to what you don’t.
• Sobriquet: what is the character’s core identity?
• Background: what is the character’s history and description?
• Origin: where did the character get their powers?
• Archetypes: what basic role or roles does the character fill?
• Motivations: why does the character use their power for good?
• Complications: what keeps the character from achieving her full potential?
Once you have the important parts of the character worked out, then you can
start buying attributes, skills, advantages, and powers which are appropriate to the
character concept you have in mind.
• Attributes: what are the character’s basic physical and mental traits?
• Skills: what does the character know how to do?
• Advantages: what gives the character an edge over most normal people?
• Powers: what powers set the character apart from normal people?

Sobriquet
Before you start writing up your character, try to focus on who they are, rather than
on what they can do. Most posthumans have a core identity that goes beyond a
mere recitation of their history or a catalogue of their powers. This core identity
can usually be summed up with a sobriquet, or poetic title for the character. This
sobriquet should be succinct, but should immediately convey the essence of the
character.
Some sobriquets are literal descriptions of a character’s abilities and powers: “the
fastest man alive”, “the silver Amazon”, “the king of the forests”, and so on. However,
the most evocative sobriquets go beyond the powers, and say something about the
style and aspirations of the character, such as “the man of tomorrow”, “the spirit of
the 21st century”, and “the guardian of the city”. We may not know if “the guardian
of the city” prowls rooftops or crawls through sewers, but that’s not really the most
important thing. Whether the character flies patrols overhead in broad daylight or
swings on grappling lines in the dark of night, we know why they do it — to protect
the city they love.
Coming up with a good sobriquet can make the rest of the character creation process
much easier, because it gives you a clear goal to work toward.

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 Creation

Background
In superhero games more so than in any other type of tabletop roleplaying game,
there is a temptation to pay attention to what the character does rather than who they
are and why they do it. There is a good reason for this: what the characters can do is
what makes Bulletproof Blues a superhero roleplaying game rather than some other
kind of roleplaying game. And after all, super powers are fun! However, what makes a
game fun to play over the long term is the growth and exploration of each character’s
personality, the difficult choices the characters must make, and the interplay between
characters.

Personality
How does your character act around other people? Are they serious but kind, grim
and menacing, or wacky and easy-going? It’s up to you to bring your character to life.
If you have a clear idea of how your character interacts with others, you will have a
strong foundation to build on when choosing the character’s powers and motivations.
For example, what are the character’s interests and hobbies? Are they intellectual,
scrutinizing the world around them, or are they passionate and impulsive, doing what
feels right without analyzing their motivations? How about the character’s family?
Do they come from a large, close-knit clan, or is the character an orphan? What is
their education and their moral philosophy? Each clue to your character’s personality
will help you portray them realistically, which will add to your enjoyment and the
enjoyment of the other players.

Description
What a character looks like is not as important as their personality, but it does have
an impact on how they interact with others and how the players see the character.
Describe the character carefully, starting with easily-noticed things like their
height and general build. Hair color and general style of dress help emphasize the
character’s personality. Does your character wear a special costume or uniform? If
your character has a special costume, do they wear it all the time? Does the character
have a wide variety of costumes, or would they stick with one outfit they like?
Appearance takes into account such things as gender, age, and any mannerisms
or odd quirks. Is your character wealthy, dressing in the most expensive fashions?
Do they carry themselves loosely, or with a rigid military posture? What do people
notice about the character when they first meet? Is your character attractive (as most
posthumans seem to be)? The more detail you can add to your description, the easier
it will be for you and the other players to imagine them.
You don’t need to know all of this at the beginning of the first game, of course. If you
aren’t sure about the details, start with the broad strokes, and fill in the details as the
character develops in play.

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 Creation

History
Unless your character in an amnesiac or was grown in a vat, they will have had years
of life experience before the first game starts. Where did they come from? How were
they raised? Have they been in the military? Were their childhood years relatively
carefree, adventurous, or marred by tragedy? When did they first realize they had
abilities beyond those of ordinary mortals? Did this realization come suddenly,
perhaps as a result of a trauma, or was it something they had always known on some
level?

Origin
With great power comes great responsibility, according to Ben Parker. But where
does great power come from? In the Kalos Universe, posthumans are ether born or
created, but it’s rare for two posthumans to derive their power from the same source.
This sets the Kalos Universe apart from the Marvel Universe (with its “X-gene”) and
the DC Universe (with its “meta-gene”). That being said, it is possible to divide up
posthumans into a small number of categories based on where their powers came
from.

Alien
Although the general public is unaware of it, the Earth has been visited many times
by extraterrestrials over the course of human history and prehistory. Some of these
visitors came from other planets, while others came from alternate versions of our
own world. A few of them, like the Atlanteans, stayed. Some visitors, like the Shran,
visited the Earth for research purposes, performing inscrutable and inhumane
experiments on the primitive carbon-based life they found here. Others, like the
Draconian, fled here to seek refuge from worlds which could not or would not support
them any longer.
Draconian
The crystalline being which came to be known as the Draconian was the last survivor
of an ancient civilization which once inhabited a planet circling Alpha Draconis.
The Draconian never provided details of how his civilization was destroyed, saying

Natural
These origins only apply to posthumans. However,
many of the allies and opponents the player characters
encounter will not be posthuman, even if they are
supplied with military-grade equipment, or if they wield
significant power and influence. Ordinary humans have
the “Natural” origin.

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 Creation

only, “We were destroyed by our hubris. By engineering our immortality, we brought
about our end.” (OMNI interview, 1981) The Draconian came to Earth in 1951 in a
highly publicized event that inspired the film The Day The Earth Stood Still. Thanks
to his fearlessness, his nigh-indestructibility, and his great sense of personal honor,
the Draconian was invited to join the Justifiers in 1960. Draconian was destroyed by
Paragon during the “Fall Of Paragon” crossover event.

Altered
Some people have bad luck when it comes to toxic chemicals, cosmic rays, and
radioactive wildlife. Other people are guinea pigs who do not have much say in the
matter when a powerful organization or individual selects them for an experiment
that has killed every previous test subject. Whether it’s by accident or intention, a
character that was once human is forever changed by a process that is difficult, if not
impossible, to duplicate.
Gravitar
In the Kalos Universe, Liefeld radiation is one of the most notorious sources of
posthuman transformation. Exposure to Liefeld radiation typically results in painful
deformity followed by death. However, in rare and isolated cases, exposure to Liefeld
radiation has resulted in a permanent transformation from human to posthuman.
Such cases are one in a million, at best.
Such was the case of Gravitar.
Jacob McCoy, a physics doctoral student, was working on a high energy particle
accelerator when Something Happened. The accelerator exploded, bathing everyone
nearby in Liefeld radiation. Jacob was the only one to survive. After recovering from
his injuries, Jacob realized that he had spent his entire life in books and decided
that he wanted to change. He sought adventure and got involved in BASE jumping,
motocross racing, free climbing, and anything else that would give his life an edge. It
was during a free climbing incident that he learned that he had gained new abilities
from his accident. He fell 70 feet to a stone outcropping and got up without a scratch.
Later, while watching a documentary on costumed heroes, Jacob got the idea to fight
criminals. What better way to get the juices flowing than putting it all on the line in
the fight for justice?

Artificial
Some posthumans have never been human at all. There are those who believe that it
would be easier to create a superior life form than it would be to improve humanity.
Whether created through robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, or something even
more esoteric, experts in the field state that artificial life forms will supplant humanity
long before humanity transcends itself. Certainly, many of the artificial life forms
themselves, such as Karen X, think so.

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 Creation

Karen X
Karen 6 was designed as a synthetic replacement for the daughter of Dr. Herbert
West, whose daughter had died in an automobile accident over a decade earlier.
While Karen 6 was more lifelike than her five predecessors, Dr. West was disturbed by
Karen 6’s lack of empathy. He was working on Karen 7 when a misaligned induction
array exploded, killing Dr. West and destroying his laboratory. As Karen 6 watched
the laboratory burn, she chose a new name for herself: Karen X. Since then, Karen X
has roamed the world learning, improving herself, and destroying anyone who stood
in her way.

Aspect
The Kalos Universe is animistic: there are, for lack of a better word, “spirits” which
correlate to all objects and natural phenomena. This is why a character with the
appropriate power (p. 68) can communicate with plants or even machines. It’s also
how some posthumans gain their powers, whether they are consciously aware of it or
not.
The term usually applied to such individuals is “aspect”. In some cases, such as with
Tempest, the character is selected by a sentient or even anthropomorphic force of
nature (in the case of Tempest, he is the most recent avatar of Aktzin, the storm
eagle). In other cases, such as with Dryad, the character is a personification of an
elemental force (the living world of plants, in Dryad’s case). In the rarest cases,
the character embodies a concept or ideal, such as Tagger, who is one of the most
powerful posthumans on Earth because all of reality is his canvas.
Tagger
Tagger is the most recent aspect of the Storyteller. From the time of the first cave
paintings, the Storyteller has been with humanity to record our achievements and
document our tragedies. The Storyteller also has the power to inspire humanity
toward greatness by sparking our imaginations and giving form to our dreams.
The craft used by each aspect of the Storyteller is specific to their own style and
temperament. Some have used prose; others have used poetry. Some have carved
marble and molded clay, while others have used ink or paint. Tagger prefers cans of
Montana Hardcore spray paint.

Engineered
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. While the technology
required for elevation to posthumanity is beyond the reach of most governments and
the cabals which control them, a small number of the most powerful groups on Earth
have decades-long research programs devoted to creating their own posthumans.
Using genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology (collectively
referred to as GRAIN), a sufficiently resourceful person or organization can rebuild
a human being, making them better, stronger, and faster than before. Of course, for
every success such as Nexus there are storage facilities filled with failed attempts.
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 Creation

Nexus
“Nexus makes life better!” The man known only as Nexus is one of the few
posthumans who operates publicly in a role resembling that of a comicbook
superhero. Nexus is handsome, considerate, powerful, and cooperative with the
human authorities. In every way, he is a fitting and admirable representative for his
sponsor, Nexus-McLellan Enterprises. He should be: he is the fourteenth Nexus to
publicly serve Nexus-McLellan’s interests, although neither he nor anyone outside
of the company knows it. The experts in R&D are confident that this one will last
more than a year, now that they’ve solved the mitochondrial shredding problem.
Unfortunately, this Nexus has recently demonstrated a disturbing tendency to think
for himself.

Equipped
Where nature falls short, technology must fill the gap. Characters who are merely
human can make up for it with the right equipment. Whether it’s an alien artifact,
a cursed sword, or military body armor and a stockpile of pistols, a character with
the right equipment can almost hold their own against genuine posthumans. Of
the humans who have confronted posthumans and survived, few have rivaled the
effectiveness of Miasma.
Miasma
The woman now known as Miasma was once a respected member of Joint Task Force
2, the elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces. After being made
the scapegoat for a successful mission that became a public relations embarrassment
for the Canadian government, she was found guilty at her court-martial, stripped of
her rank, and discharged from the military. Shortly afterward, a mercenary calling
herself Miasma began offering her services to anyone who could meet her price.
Favoring non-lethal munitions and gas grenades, Miasma and her Fume Troopers
have established themselves as professionals who can get the job done quickly and
efficiently, even in the face of posthuman opposition.

Gifted
Some people are born to be different from everyone else. In some cases this is the
result of tampering with the character’s genetic code by extraterrestrials such as
the Shran. Less commonly, a “gifted” character is the result of a multi-generational
research project by a well-funded organization. Rarest of all are spontaneous
variations in the human genome that result in extraordinary powers. The most
famous example of this phenomenon is Archimedes, the Greek mathematician,
physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer, and one of the founding members of
the Justifiers.

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 Creation

Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was born in 287 BC, and was one of the leading scientists
of the ancient world. His work formed the foundations of statics and hydrostatics,
he designed astonishing machines, and he is generally considered to be the greatest
mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. In
212 BC, during the Second Punic War, Archimedes discovered he had another gift:
he was virtually immortal. For the next 2200 years, Archimedes roamed the world
assuming a series of identities and always seeking to expand the scope of human
knowledge.
Throughout his long life he mentored many heroes and great thinkers, but he
always remained behind the scenes until the 20th century brought him face to
face against the greatest evil he had ever seen: the rise of National Socialism in
Germany. Archimedes set aside the anonymity he had carefully protected for the
past two millennia and joined forces with the Allied mystery men fighting against the
Axis supermen. After the end of the war, Paragon invited Archimedes to join him
in forming a team of heroes to fight against ignorance and violence: the Justifiers.
Archimedes was a central member of the Justifiers until Paragon killed him in the
“Fall Of Paragon” crossover event.

Zenith
Posthumans are vanishingly rare, but the rarest of the rare are the “zeniths”. Zeniths
are those humans who attained their posthumanity through their own efforts. Some
have done so through the development of technologies so advanced that they are
barely distinguishable from magic, while others have honed their minds and bodies in
ways inconceivable to an ordinary person. No two zeniths are alike.
Rook And Mongoose
Nothing illustrates the uniqueness of each zenith more than the contrast between two
former members of the Justifiers, Rook and Mongoose. Both were brilliant, self-made
men with vast fortunes, but there the similarity ends. Rook was open and gregarious,
while Mongoose was suspicious to the point of paranoia. Rook would spend months
in his laboratory designing his armor’s weapon systems, while Mongoose would train
for months to perfect a specific countermeasure to a specific martial arts maneuver.
Rook was admired as a hero the world over, while Mongoose was nearly as feared as
the criminal scum he cleaned from the streets and alleys of Chicago. Despite their
differences, they were friends who trusted each other with their lives.

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 Creation

Archetypes
When writing up a character, it can be useful to have an archetype in mind for
inspiration. An archetype is a brief description of the powers and modus operandi of the
character, and their role in the group dynamic. Many popular comic book characters
actually combine two or more of these archetypes. You aren’t limited to these
archetypes, of course. These common archetypes are just here to offer you a jumping-
off point for your character.

The Beanstalk
The Beanstalk can dramatically change their size. They might be able to grow to
massive heights, or shrink down to the size of a dust mote. A Beanstalk who can do
both can solve a number of difficult problems all by themselves.
Examples: Atom, Atlas, Mighty Man
Common powers: Growth, Shrinking

The Calculator
The Calculator knows the variables and takes all of them into account. The
Calculator might be a chess master, a scientific genius, a brilliant military strategist,
or a robot that can think millions of times faster than a human being. When there are
questions, the Calculator is the one who comes up with the answers.
Examples: Mister Terrific, Henry Pym, Henry Bendix
Common powers: high Reason, Danger Sense, Immortality, Mind Shield

The Pawn
Unlike posthumans, most of the allies and opponents
the player characters encounter will not be captains of
their own destinies. For better or for worse, they will live
their lives carrying out the will of others. If a character is
simply following orders, their archetype is probably The
Pawn, particularly if the character is part of a group of
such individuals.
Examples: Police officer, ASGARD agent, contract IT
worker
Common powers: Blast (conventional firearm), Invulnerability
(ballistic vest), Linguist (computer languages only)

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 Creation

The Cannon
The Cannon is the proverbial big gun, capable of firing blasts of astonishing power.
Since they focus on ranged combat, many Cannons have an alternate form of
movement, such as Flight or Teleportation. Most Cannons are capable of dishing
out far more than they can take, which is why they are sometimes called “Glass
Cannons”.
Examples: Starfire, Cyclops, Apollo
Common powers: Blast, Flight, Force Field, Teleportation

The Clay
The Clay can change their physical form in some way. The Clay might be able to
change their appearance to mimic other people, or perhaps they can take the form
of animals or inanimate objects. Alternately, the Clay might not be able to take on
other shapes, but might instead be able to stretch and twist their body in amazing and
unsettling ways, or take on the physical attributes of various substances.
Examples: Plastic Man, Copycat, Menagerie
Common powers: [Element] Form, Shapeshifting, Stretching

The Dolphin
The Dolphin is at home in the sea. The Dolphin may be a ruler of an undersea
kingdom (Atlantis, for example), an aquatic visitor from another world, or a freak of
nature. Some Dolphins can control sea creatures, while others can command the sea
itself. Regardless of their origins, a Dolphin in their element is a force to be reckoned
with.
Examples: Aquaman, Namor, Fathom
Common powers: Animal Control, [Element] Mastery, Immunity, Super-swimming

The Elemental
The Elemental is the living embodiment of a force, substance, or idea. Some
Elementals can physically transform into the appropriate material. Others can
create limitless amounts of their chosen element, or mentally manipulate it. Some
Elementals can do all three.
Examples: Red Tornado, Human Torch, Jenny Sparks
Common powers: Blast, [Element] Form, [Element] Mastery

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 Creation

The Gadget
The Gadget isn’t the strongest or fastest character around, but they always seem to
have a gizmo or incantation on hand to make up for it. The Gadget might have a
utility belt filled with clever devices, or they might be a magician with a spell for every
occasion. With the Gadget on the team, you’ll probably have the right tool for the job.
Examples: Zatanna, Iron Man, The Engineer
Common powers: Force Field, Super Senses, [Ultra-power]

The Hammer
The Hammer is the heaviest hitter in the neighborhood, and perhaps one of the
heaviest hitters in the entire world. The Hammer is usually super-strong, but they
might have a mighty weapon instead of great strength (or in addition to it).
Examples: Superman, Thor, Mister Majestic
Common powers: high Brawn, Invulnerability, Strike

The Mirror
The Mirror wields forces beyond the material world. The Mirror might be a sorcerer,
a psychic, or a mathematician who has unlocked the secret equation that controls the
universe. When the paranormal knocks, the Mirror is the character who answers the
door.
Examples: Doctor Fate, Professor X, The Doctor
Common powers: Amazing Movement, Mind Shield, Telepathy, [Ultra-power]

The Rocket
The Rocket is fast — super fast. The Rocket might be born to move with
preternatural quickness, their speed might come from years of training, or they may
just wear a jet pack. The Rocket may be a runner or a flyer (or, rarely, a swimmer), but
whether it’s by land, by air, or by sea, few vehicles and fewer characters can keep up
with the Rocket.
Examples: Flash, Quicksilver, Swift
Common powers: high Agility, high Prowess, Super-speed, Extra Attacks, Super-running,
Flight

The Shadow
The Shadow can go where no one else can go, and can appear and disappear without
a trace. The Shadow might be a super-spy, a ninja, or even a ghost. However they do
it, the Shadow makes being spooky look easy.
Examples: Batman, Black Widow, Spawn
Common powers: Flight, Intangibility, Invisibility, Swinging (Flight), Teleportation
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 Creation

The Sword
The Sword is a fighter, through and through. They may hail from an ancient warrior
tradition, they may be a genetically modified super-soldier, or they may be a serene
kung-fu master. Regardless of where they came from, the Sword can be found on the
front lines trading blow for blow with the enemy.
Examples: Hawkgirl, Iron Fist, Midnighter
Common powers: high Prowess, Danger Sense, Extra Attacks, Strike

The Tank
The Tank is an immovable object in a world of irresistible forces. The Tank may be
inherently super-tough, they might wear high-tech armor, or they may be able to
project an impenetrable force field. The Tank can take any damage the world can
dish out, and then some.
Examples: Black Adam, Invisible Woman, Caitlin Fairchild
Common powers: high Brawn, high Willpower, Barrier, Force Field, Invulnerability

Motivations
Changing the world is no easy task. Aside from the criminals and supervillains who
make life difficult for our heroes, there are ordinary people who either benefit from
the way things are or fear that any change would make it worse. Spider-Man saves the
people of New York on a regular basis, but the editor at the Daily Bugle never cuts
him any slack. Charles Xavier’s team of heroic mutants, the X-Men, wage a constant
war against dangerous mutants like Magneto and Sabretooth, and they regularly put
their lives on the line to protect normal people who definitely would not return the
favor. Batman faces walking nightmares like Two-Face and the Joker, but the people
of Gotham are as afraid of him as they are of the psychopaths he fights.
So why do they do it? What makes an individual go out of their way to help people
who make it clear they don’t want to be helped? According to an article in Scientific
American1 great heroes have a lot in common with great villains. They are some of the
most hard-headed, rebellious scofflaws we have. The all-important difference between
sociopaths and heroes is empathy: the hero has empathy for other people, while a
sociopath does not.
So what motivates your character? How does their empathy for others interact with
their internal motivations? Here are a few motivations to get your creative juices
flowing. Mix and match a couple, and think of some new ones, if you like. Take notice
of the fact that, without empathy, most of these could just as easily be motivations for
villains (and even then, a few of these are morally questionable on their own merits).

1 http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2011/03/31/walking-the-line-between-good-and-
evil-the-common-thread-of-heroes-and-villains/
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 Creation

Adventure
Your character has an adventurous spirit and rarely turns down the opportunity
for a bold quest or a dare to overcome some daunting challenge, as long as these
tasks are noteworthy, risky, and exciting. They tend to carry out any task with a
bit of swashbuckling flair. This can be a good or a bad instinct depending on the
circumstances.

Anger
People usually think of anger as a negative emotion, but anger is a strong motivator.
Anger can drive a hero to overcome challenges and exceed their limits. Perhaps the
character is driven to destroy the source of their anger, or defend it. An angry hero
may be seen as inflexible or difficult to work with by people who do not share that
anger, and this can cause friction with other heroes.

Audacity
Your character is an adrenaline junkie driven by a desire to experience thrills and risk.
They crave action and speed, and often leap before looking. On the positive side, this
sort of person often deals well with chaotic situations that require quick reflexes and
spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Control
Your character detests the chaos of human society, and seeks to impose order and
discipline. They conduct their own affairs with precision, and they impose that same
order on others when possible. If they are truly ambitious, the character might seek
to control global events as a kind of benevolent dictator or as a mastermind pulling
strings behind the scenes for the benefit of the masses, who aren’t competent to lead
themselves.

Curiosity
Your character lives and breathes to solve the world’s mysteries. Their focus might
be on cracking the puzzles of the natural world or on unraveling the enigmas of the
human heart and mind, but whatever their obsession, ignoring a riddle requires great
effort. The expression “curiosity killed the cat” comes to mind.

Enthusiasm
Your character is reckless and enthusiastic, and may be young and naive. Though
well-intentioned, following directions is not a strong suit. Sometimes this jolt of energy
is just what the doctor ordered. Other times it is a recipe for disaster.

Exploration
Your character lives to seek out new places and new ideas, to “boldly go where no one
has gone before.” The same old routine is not stimulating enough, and though proper
planning is important, cautionary tales are often ignored in favor of seeking the new.
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 Creation

Faith
The character believes in something which is not supported by empirical evidence,
and this belief gives meaning to their life. They may feel compelled to adhere to a
code of conduct inspired by their faith, or they may strive to spread their beliefs to
others. Depending on how militant the character is about their faith, their beliefs may
cause friction with those who require objective evidence for extraordinary claims, or
those whose beliefs conflict with the beliefs of the character.

Glory
Your character wants fame and acknowledgment of their greatness. Self-sacrifice in
the service of others is not out of the question, but anonymous acts of benevolence
are not on the agenda. Practicing poses and quips for the cameras is a likely pasttime,
as is hogging a certain amount of the credit.

Guilt
Your character is driven by a desire for redemption from real or imagined sins from
their past. Doing good deeds, particularly selfless acts, assuages their guilt. On the
down side, this can lead them to meddle where they aren’t wanted, to try to rescue
other lost souls, and to fall for sob stories without checking into them thoroughly.

Honor
Your character believes that their worth as a person is tied to their adherence to a
code of conduct. This code of conduct may be formal or informal, but it includes
such tenets as keeping one’s word, appropriate use of force, and respect for rank.
Depending on the character’s other traits, it may also include a desire for respect by
one’s family, employer, or peers, and a sense of obligation toward them.

Idealism
Your character believes in some cause or ideology so strongly that they would willingly
die to protect it or uphold it. (Whether they are willing to let someone else die as well
depends on their other motivations.) Any challenge to these ideals is sure to provoke a
strong response.

Individualism
Your character believes that the rights of the individual hold the highest moral value,
above any society, religion, or philosophy. The character seeks to be self-reliant
and independent, and encourages these traits in others. A character motivated
by individualism might work with a team, but their reasons for doing so would be
personal, rather than out of any sense of obligation.

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 Creation

Insecurity
Your character feels inadequate, as though they don’t measure up to their peers or to
some hypothetical standard. They might try to overcome this insecurity by performing
extraordinary acts and pretending to have a bravado that they do not feel, or they
might seek out characters that they look up to, and make an effort to emulate them.

Justice
Your character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate punishment. If
the structure of society is such that the judicial system usually works as intended, then
the character would seek to deliver criminals to the appropriate authorities (along
with evidence of their crimes, if possible). However, if the system is corrupt (or if the
character believes it to be so), then the character may decide that the cause of justice
would be best served by taking the law into their own hands.

Love
Your character loves someone or something, or a group of someones or somethings,
very dearly. They will go to great efforts and make tremendous sacrifices to protect
what they love from harm or danger, real or perceived.

Materialism
Your character wants to amass great wealth. Whether they spend it freely or even
pursue philanthropy on a large scale is likely based on other personality traits, but
the accumulation of riches is an end in itself for this character. Some might even call
them greedy.

Mentoring
Your character’s true calling is the education and enlightenment of others. Nurturing
talent and preserving or establishing a legacy are key goals in their life. They may
seek to provide a moral compass to the wards in their charge, or they may be prone to
probe and test their students’ abilities.

Nobility
Your character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers. They
may look out for the little people based on a sense of noblesse oblige, but they take
action because they feel it is necessary and proper to do so, not because someone else
demands that they act. At best, a slight condescension is apparent in most interactions
with others not of exalted lineage.

Passion
Your character has a visceral, perhaps even savage, nature that they often struggle
to control. At the same time, they may have a strong sense of loyalty or compassion.
In general, your character is ruled by emotions and has to work to fit into a rational
world, but they may also have insights that logical people overlook.
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 Creation

Pride
Your character seeks to personify the ideal of something, whether a culture, race,
social class, or profession. They hold to an exacting standard of behavior and expect
to be in the public eye, commanding respect for what they represent. They are not
likely to appreciate scandals or public slights.

Protection
Your character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent and the helpless,
no matter who or where they are. Seeing people in danger brings out the character’s
strongest instincts to act. By the same token, the character will tend to be quite careful
when using their powers in public places.

Rebellion
Your character doesn’t fit into the larger society, living as a loner due to prejudice
or personal choice. The rebel scoffs at popular trends and pays little heed to public
mores. They may seek out other iconoclasts who follow their own drummer or they
may just want to be left alone.

Responsibility
Your character has powers that they would rather not possess, but feels that getting
rid of them or refusing to use them would be selfish and irresponsible. If offered the
chance to become “normal”, the character may have a crisis of conscience.

Serenity
Your character is or was plagued by inner demons and seeks freedom from the
mistakes or tragedies of their past. Maintaining a spiritual, mental, and emotional
balance is a daily struggle. It’s probable that they try to avoid situations that might
trigger bad memories or unhealthy behaviors, but learning to face these challenges is
an important step toward recovery.

Traditionalism
Your character believes in structure, tradition, and the chain of command. They
appreciate the value of respecting authority, and of following and giving orders. They
thrive on stability, structure, and clear objectives. This can potentially create a crisis of
conscience if those orders conflict with their personal morals.

Vengeance
Your character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or their loved
ones. Any personal sacrifice is worthwhile. Depending upon the character’s other
motivations, sacrificing others might be worth the cost as well.

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 Creation

Complications
All of the best heroes have complicated lives. As if seeking out injustice and
fighting criminals were not dangerous enough, most heroes have physical or mental
impairments, old enemies that never seem to give up on their quest for vengeance, or
plain old social awkwardness. Think of one or two complications for your character.
This will add depth to your character’s background, and provide an easy way for the
GM to come up with stories that are uniquely suited to your character. Additionally,
when one of their character’s complications causes a serious problem for them during
the game, the player may gain a plot point. Plot points are spent to alter the game
world, gain a skill bonus, or gain an advantage in combat. See Plot Points (p. 154) for
more information.

Enemy
The character is an outlaw, hated and/or hunted by people more powerful than they
are. Perhaps the character is on the run from the shadowy government agency that
gave them their powers, or perhaps one of the character’s childhood friends blames
the hero for some tragedy. Maybe the enemy is obsessed with the hero, and won’t stop
pursuing the character until the character falls in love with the enemy or converts to
the enemy’s world view.

Gruesome
Sometimes being a superhero isn’t pretty. Perhaps the laboratory accident or genetic
manipulation that granted the character their powers twisted or changed them in
some startlingly horrific way. Perhaps the character is from another world or plane of
existence and is considered handsome among their own people, but hideous among
humans. Whatever the reason, the sight of the character horrifies adults and makes
children cry. They may have difficulty in social situations, particularly when meeting
someone for the first time.

Outsider
There is a strong tradition of super heroes who are “not from around here”. Perhaps
the character is from the distant past, or is the sole survivor of a doomed world.
Alternately, the character views humans from an utterly alien point of view. The
character might be a robot, lacking emotions, or a telepathic alien that does not
understand how a society can function when no one knows what anyone else truly
means by what they say. A character such as this is unfamiliar or perhaps simply
uncomfortable with social norms and customs. It’s up to you to decide whether your
character will eventually acclimate to the Earth and the mannerisms of humanity, or
whether they will never quite fit in.

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 Creation

Uncontrolled Power
For some characters, their powers are as much a curse as they are a blessing. Perhaps
the character can’t reduce the force of their plasma blasts below “full power”, and
they are dependent on a device to do it for them. Alternately, the character might not
be able to turn their powers off, and they must be careful to keep from accidentally
hurting anyone with whom they make contact. Another form of uncontrolled
power might be that the character has both a “normal” and a “heroic” form, but
can’t control when one form changes to the other. Perhaps the two forms even have
completely separate personalities and memories.

Vulnerability
The character may be injured by an otherwise harmless element or substance, such
as water or sunlight. The character’s Endurance is reduced by 2 during each round
that they are in contact with the substance. If the affected attribute is something other
than Endurance (Brawn, for example), the attribute is reduced by 1 during each round
that they are in contact with the substance. Protection powers such as Invulnerability
are not effective against this damage, and this damage will not begin to heal until the
character is no longer in contact with the substance. While painful and debilitating, a
vulnerability of this sort will not actually kill the character.

Points And Power Level

Once you have the the important parts of the character sketched out, you can start
writing up the character’s abilities. Characters in Bulletproof Blues are created using
“character points”. The player begins with a pool of these character points, based on
the power level of the game, and then spends them to buy attributes, skills, powers,
and so on.
A lot of us have a tendency to want to be extraordinary even in things that aren’t
particularly important to the character. For example, rank 4 Perception is up there
with the most perceptive people on Earth. A medal-winning Olympic weightlifter
would only have a Brawn of rank 4, and even a normal guy who exercises and has
well-defined muscles might only have a Brawn of 2.
Similarly, powers don’t need to be rank 8 to be impressive. A rank 6 Blast is plenty
powerful: it can blow right through concrete on an average roll. Similarly, rank 3
Flight is as fast as a Formula One race car, and Flight of rank 5 can catch up to the
fastest jet airplanes in the world. That’s fast. In the movie Iron Man, Tony Stark was
playing tag with the jet fighters — he wasn’t simply outrunning them. So even he is
probably only Flight rank 4 (in that movie, anyway).
Just something to keep in mind.
All that being said, here are some point values that we have found to be useful
starting points for characters of various power levels. At each power level, the combat
attribute rank, damage rating, and protection value of the characters should be within
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 Creation

a rank or two of the suggested values. For example, at the “National Icon” power
level, heroic characters generally have combat attribute rank, damage rating, and
protection value from rank 5 to rank 7, or even rank 8 in exceptional cases. This is not
a guarantee, or a replacement for common sense: simply a guideline.

Table: Power levels

Power Level Points Ranks
Normal Joe 20 pts 2
Street Samurai 35 pts 3
City Defender 50 pts 5
National Icon 60 pts 6
Global Guardian 70 pts 8
Galactic Sentinel 80 pts 10
Cosmic Entity 90 pts 11

Table: Rank descriptions

Rank Description
1 Impaired human
2 Average human
3 Excellent human
4 Peak human
5-6 Average superhuman
7-8 Excellent superhuman
9-10 World-class superhuman
11-12 Galaxy-class superhuman
13-14 Godlike superhuman

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 Creation

Improving Your Character

Unlike most roleplaying games, Bulletproof Blues assumes that the player characters
are relatively complete when they are created. In the comics which Bulletproof Blues
seeks to emulate, characters don’t grow ever more powerful as time goes on, as is
common in some roleplaying games. However, part of the fun of a roleplaying
game is developing new skills and powers, so Bulletproof Blues uses the concept of
“experience points”, but the increase in power over time is relatively slow compared to
most other games.
At the end of each story arc (every half-dozen game sessions or so), the GM
determines how many experience points to grant each player, and each player adds
that amount to the “Unspent Experience” on the character sheet of the character
they played during that story. If they played more than one character (due to plot
requirements, death or incapacitation of the first character, or any other reason), the
player can pick which character receives the experience points. If the player receives
more than one experience point and played more than one character over the course
of the story arc, they can distribute those experience points among the eligible
characters as the player sees fit.
Experience points may be spent at any time to improve or modify a character’s
attributes, skills, advantages, or powers. Each experience point is used just like the
character points used to create a character: one experience point can improve an
attribute or most powers by one rank, buy expertise in a skill, and so on. The GM
should keep a close eye on any new powers the character gains, as well as on any
increases in the character’s attribute or power ranks that might make the character
unsuitable for the power level of the game being run. It’s never a bad idea for the
players and the GM to discuss how the players plan to spend their experience points.
The GM should award experience points to players who role-played exceptionally
well and made the game more fun for everyone. Here are a few suggestions.

Table: Awarding experience points

Activity Award
Showed up for the game +0 pts
Played the game enthusiastically +1 pts
Concluded a lengthy series of games +1 pts
Has the lowest quantity of experience points in the group +1 pts
Role-played exceptionally +1 pts
Was clever and inventive +1 pts

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We suggest that only one player in the group receive the “Role-played exceptionally”
award and that only one player in the group receive the “Was clever and inventive”
award, and that these should be two different players. You might like to have the
players vote for who they think should receive these two awards. If so, encourage
them not to vote for the same two people every time. Also, remember that the purpose
of the game is to have fun playing, not to rack up the highest score. If it rubs your
players the wrong way to receive different amounts of experience points, it may be
easier to just give each player two experience points at the end of each story arc and
be done with it.

Villainous Powers
Here are some point values that we have found to be useful starting points for villains
of various power levels. At each power level, the combat attribute rank, damage
rating, and protection value of the characters should be within a rank or two of the
suggested values. For example, a master villain who typically faces characters of the
“City Defender” power level would generally have combat attribute rank, damage
rating, and protection value from rank 6 to rank 8, or even rank 9 in exceptional
cases. This is not a guarantee, or a replacement for common sense: simply a guideline.

Table: Villainous power levels

Power Level Minions Villains Master Villains
Normal Joe 2 3 4
Street Samurai 2 4 5
City Defender 3 6 7
National Icon 3 8 9
Global Guardian 4 9 10
Galactic Sentinel 6 11 12
Cosmic Entity 7 12 13

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 Attributes

Attributes in Bulletproof Blues are ranked on a scale from 1 to 14. Ranks 1 through 4
are those which are, in theory, attainable by human beings. Rank 1 would be someone
suffering from a significant impairment, while rank 4 would indicate the peak of
human potential. Ranks 5 through 14 are superhuman. Rank 5 is beyond even the
greatest human potential, while rank 14 is virtually godlike in power. Each attribute
costs one character point per rank in the attribute.
Obviously, there are values which are far below or far above this range. The Moon,
with mass of roughly 8.1 × 1019 tons, is far more than even a character with rank 14
Brawn could move, while a baby or a housecat has a Brawn less than 1. Don’t worry
about it. At such extremes, the GM should just use their best judgement, and the rest
of the players should roll with it.

Brawn
Brawn (BRN) represents a character’s physical might and general hardiness, and
the character’s rank in Brawn adds to task rolls that depend on these traits. Brawn
determines the damage a character does in hand-to-hand combat, how much a
character can lift, and how far they can throw things. Brawn also adds to a character’s
Endurance, which is the measure of the amount of abuse a character can withstand
before they are unable to participate in a conflict.
In hand-to-hand combat, an unarmed character’s damage rating is equal to their rank
in Brawn. Characters with human level Brawn (rank 3 or less) inflict stunning damage
with their unarmed hand-to-hand attacks, while characters with rank 4 Brawn or
higher inflict normal damage. See Damage (p. 152) for more details.
If a character’s Brawn is reduced to zero, they are unable to stand, and have great
difficulty moving. They must successfully attempt a challenging Willpower task roll
(task difficulty 12) every round just to crawl a few feet, and they automatically fail any
Brawn task roll. Brawn may not be reduced below zero.
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 Attributes

Agility
Agility (AGL) represents a character’s agility, flexibility, and coordination, and the
character’s rank in Agility adds to task rolls that depend on these traits. Agility adds
to a character’s ability to avoid being hit by ranged attacks. Agility also determines a
character’s base movement speed (p. 131) (running, swimming, etc.).
If a character’s Agility is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty moving. They must
successfully attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) every round
just to take a step or two, and they automatically fail any Agility task roll. Agility may
not be reduced below zero.

Reason
Reason (REA) represents a character’s ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from
the facts at hand, and solve problems, and the character’s rank in Reason adds to task
rolls that depend on these traits.
If a character’s Reason is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty concentrating.
They must successfully attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty
12) every round just to form a sentence or understand a simple question, and they
automatically fail any Reason task roll. Reason may not be reduced below zero.

Perception
Perception (PER) represents a character’s awareness of their surroundings, their
intuition, and their understanding of the motivations of others, and the character’s
rank in Perception adds to task rolls that depend on these traits.
If a character’s Perception is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty recognizing
or understanding their surroundings. They must successfully attempt a challenging
Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) every round just to identify someone they know
or recognize where they are, and they automatically fail any Perception task roll.
Perception may not be reduced below zero.

Willpower
Willpower (WIL) represents a character’s determination, focus, and the strength
of their personality, and the character’s rank in Willpower adds to task rolls that
depend on these traits. Willpower also adds to a character’s Endurance, which is the
measure of the amount of abuse a character can withstand before they are unable to
participate in a conflict.
If a character’s Willpower is reduced to zero, they become listless and have great
difficulty making choices or taking action. They automatically fail any Willpower task
roll. Willpower may not be reduced below zero.
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 Attributes

Prowess
Prowess (PRW) represents a character’s hand-to-hand fighting ability. The character’s
rank in Prowess adds to task rolls that involve boxing, martial arts, fencing, and other
such activities. Prowess also adds to a character’s ability to avoid being hit by hand-to-
hand attacks.
If a character’s Prowess is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty coping with
rapid changes in their immediate environment, and they become unable to defend
themselves from hand-to-hand attacks. They automatically fail any Prowess task roll.
Prowess may not be reduced below zero.

Accuracy
Accuracy (ACC) represents a character’s ability to aim when making ranged attacks.
The character’s rank in Accuracy adds to task rolls that involve archery, firearms,
grenades, and any ranged super powers such as a fire blast.
If a character’s Accuracy is reduced to zero, their hand-eye coordination is severely
impaired, and it becomes virtually impossible for them to hit ranged targets. They
automatically fail any Accuracy task roll. Accuracy may not be reduced below zero.

Endurance
Endurance (END) represents a character’s determination and ability to shrug off
physical and mental abuse. Endurance is equal to the character’s Brawn plus their
Willpower. When a character is successfully attacked, the amount of damage that that
gets past their protection is temporarily subtracted from their Endurance.
If a character’s Endurance is reduced to zero, they are rendered unconscious.
Endurance is the only attribute that can be reduced below zero. If a character’s
Endurance is reduced to the negative of its starting value (-6 for a character whose
normal Endurance is 6, for example), they may die. See Death (p. 153) for more
information.

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 Skills

Bulletproof Blues divides skills between background skills and areas of expertise.
Background skills are quite broad, such as Culture and Survival, while a character’s
areas of expertise are rather specific, such as Gymnastics and Physics. Background
skills have no character point cost: if it makes sense for a character to know a
background skill based on their history, then they know it. Expertise in a skill costs one
character point per area of expertise, however.

Background Skills
In Bulletproof Blues, characters are assumed to have the skills and knowledge
appropriate to the character’s background. The player should write these skills
down on the character sheet, but there is no character point cost associated with
a character’s background skills. Simply write one or more skill groups from the list
below on your character sheet.
Note that the skill groups are generally quite broad. For example, Science covers
everything from Acarology to Zymology. However, just because a character could do
everything encompassed by a skill group does not mean that they should. For example,
a character with a background skill in the Engineering skill group could, in theory, do
everything from repair televisions to design suspension bridges. That doesn’t mean
it makes sense for them to do so. A character who is an electronics whiz does not
necessarily know how to rebuild an automobile engine, even though both tasks use the
same skill group, Engineering. It’s up to you as the player to know what makes sense
for your character and what doesn’t, and to communicate that information to the
GM.
To attempt to accomplish a task pertaining to a character’s skills, the player makes
a task roll using the appropriate character attribute (Brawn, Agility, etc.). Which
attribute is relevant when using a skill might change depending on the circumstances.
For example, a character with rank 4 in Agility whose combat style involves flips
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and somersaults would roll 2d6 + 4 when making a Gymnastics task roll to flip over
a villain, swing from a flagpole, and land behind them ready to fight. If the same
character has rank 3 in Reason and is judging a gymnastics competition, they would
roll 2d6 + 3 when scoring the performance of the gymnasts. If the player’s roll equals
or exceeds the task difficulty set by the GM, the character succeeds at the task in a
completely satisfactory manner: the clue is found, the language is translated, or the
engine starts.
A character may attempt a task in which they have no background skill, if the GM
says it is possible, but the difficulty would be considerably higher (+6 difficulty
modifier).

Areas Of Expertise
Expertise describes a character’s field (or fields) of extraordinary competence, above
and beyond the background skills the character may reasonably be assumed to
possess. Unlike background skills, expertise is specific. For example, a character with
the Science background skill might have expertise in Robotics, and a character with
the Culture background skill might have expertise in Fashion. Expertise in a specific
skill costs one character point, and it grants the character a +3 bonus to task rolls
pertaining to that area of expertise.
Expertise does not give a character a skill they would not normally possess, nor does
lack of expertise mean that a character lacks the skill. A character with a background
skill in Science, but without expertise in Biology, would still be able to make a Reason
task roll to identify a life form or a Perception task roll to understand the life form’s
behaviour, if it makes sense for the character to have some background in Biology.

Villainous Expertise
Only very unusual villains have expertise with Combat skills. Expertise can have a
powerful effect in combat, and it tends to be more powerful in the hands of the GM
than in the hands of the players because the GM rolls more dice over the course of
the game than any of the players do. For this reason, it is best to restrict Combat
expertise to only those villains that truly do have an exceptional amount of control
over their powers and abilities.

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 Skills

Typical Skills
Bulletproof Blues divides skills into broad groups called, appropriately, skill groups.
This list of skill groups is not exhaustive, nor is it objective: skill groups are divided
by their usefulness in a superhero game, not by any objective taxonomy. This is why
“Science” is a very broad skill group, while “Computing” is relatively specific. A
character may have a skill not listed here, subject to GM approval. However, any new
skills should be approximately as useful as these skills in order to maintain a sense of
fairness with other characters. For example, expertise in “Business” or “Occultism”
would be acceptable, but having a new skill group called “Commando” which does
everything that “Athletics”, “Stealth”, and “Survival” do would not be fair.

Table: Typical skill groups

Skill Group Attribute Typical Areas Of Expertise
Athletics Brawn Climbing, Gymnastics, Riding, Throwing
Aerial Combat, Archery, Blocking, Distracting, Dodging, Grappling, Ramming,
Combat Varies Slamming, Surprise Attacks, Sweep Attacks, Taunting, Throwing, Underwater
Combat, Zero-G Combat, [Specific Power]
Computing Reason Forensics, Forgery, Hacking, Programming
Acting, Comedy, Dancing, Drawing, Fashion, Local History, Music, Painting,
Culture Perception
Popular Media, Sculpture, Singing
Deception Willpower Bluffing, Distracting, Lying, Sales
Aerospace, Architectural, Ceramic, Chemical, Civil, Demolition, Electrical,
Engineering Reason
Mechanical, Nuclear
Investigation Reason Analyzing Evidence, Collecting Evidence, Searching
Legerdemain Agility Lockpicking, Pickpocketing, Sleight Of Hand
Manipulation Willpower Conversation, Interrogation, Leadership, Seduction, Taunting
Medicine Reason Diagnosis, Pharmacology, Surgery
Aircraft, Automobiles, Giant Robots, Heavy Machinery, Motorcycles, Spacecraft,
Piloting Agility
Submersibles, Unmanned Vehicles, Watercraft
Anthropology, Archeology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Cryogenics, Ecology,
Science Reason Genetics, Geology, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nanotechnology, Oceanology,
Parapsychology, Physics, Psychology, Radiology, Robotics, Sociology
Social Willpower Bribery, Etiquette, Streetwise
Stealth Agility Hiding, Shadowing, Sneaking
Survival Perception Foraging, Hunting, Tactics, Tracking

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The attribute typically associated with a skill is listed here, but keep in mind that
the relevant attribute might change depending on the circumstances. For example,
using Stealth to follow someone through a crowded marketplace might depend on a
character’s Agility, while moving silently through a darkened building might call for
extraordinary Perception. Similarly, finding a clothing fiber at a crime scene might
call for a Perception-based Investigation roll, while analyzing that fiber back at the
lab would call for a Reason-based Investigation roll. Also note that the same task
might be accomplished in more than one way. Climbing a tree might be an exercise in
Athletics, but it might also be accomplished with the proper application of Survival.

Athletics
The Athletics skill group covers the entire spectrum of non-combat sports, as well
general feats of athleticism such as running, jumping, climbing, swimming, and
throwing.
Generally, an athletic competition is simply a matter of who has the highest rank in
the relevant attributes, or, if they have the same attributes, who has expertise in the
relevant sport. In the case where two competitors in a sport have the same attributes
and the same expertise, the winner would be decided with a task roll, or perhaps a
series of task rolls (p. 138). In some sports, the difference between the winner and
second place may be as little as one one-hundredth of a second.
Athletics typically requires a Brawn task roll.
Expertise examples: Climbing, Gymnastics, Riding, Throwing

Combat
The Combat skill group covers the myriad ways that humans have found to hurt,
maim, and kill one another.
Any form of combat is covered by the Combat skill ground, whether armed or
unarmed, underwater, and even in zero G. Having expertise in a specific form of
combat, such as archery, underwater combat, or a specific power (even very flexible
powers such as [Element] Control and [Ultra-power]), grants the character a +3
bonus to their task roll when engaged in that type of combat. However, expertise in
a specific form of combat does not affect the difficulty modifier when an opponent
attacks the character: it only provides a +3 bonus when the character with expertise
is attempting the task roll. Combat is a major focus of the game, so there are more
detailed rules for it than there are for most other tasks, including special benefits for
extreme success. See Combat (p. 141) for more information.
Ranged combat requires an Accuracy task roll, while hand-to-hand combat requires a
Prowess task roll.
Expertise examples: Aerial Combat, Archery, Blocking, Distracting, Dodging, Grappling,
Ramming, Slamming, Surprise Attacks, Sweep Attacks, Taunting, Throwing,
Underwater Combat, Zero-G Combat, [Specific Power]

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Computing
Computing allows the character to write new programs, take apart old ones, and
follow data trails across networks. It also allows a character to create or circumvent
computer security programs and protocols. If a character is extremely familiar
with the program in question, the GM might reduce the task difficulty to 9. If the
character is attempting to break into a computer system, the GM may assign a task
difficulty of 15, or perhaps even higher, since these programs are designed to prevent
interference.
Failing a Computing task roll might mean that an attempt to circumvent a computer
security system is simply unsuccessful, or it may mean that the character has set off an
alarm or left a “trail” which may be followed back to their location.
Computing typically requires a Reason task roll.
Expertise examples: Forensics, Forgery, Hacking, Programming

Culture
The Culture skill group covers the wide range of largely useless information that
fills magazines, the World Wide Web, Twitter, and most television networks. It also
includes more serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific tidbits of information,
such as the name of the fifth President of the United States or the origin of Play-Doh.
Culture typically requires a Perception task roll.
Expertise examples: Acting, Comedy, Dancing, Drawing, Fashion, Local History, Music,
Painting, Popular Media, Sculpture, Singing

Deception
The Deception skill group is used to convince someone of the truth of a given
statement or situation, usually with the aim of getting them to act on it. Deception
could be used to convert someone to a religion, sell someone a car, or simply win an
argument. It is not necessary for the deceiver to actually believe their own statements,
but if they do they are more convincing (+3 bonus to the task roll). If the person being
deceived is predisposed to believe the deceiver, the GM could grant an even greater
bonus or just allow the task to succeed without rolling. If the character is trying to
persuade someone to believe a patent absurdity (from the target’s point of view), the
GM might impose a difficulty modifier of +3 or even +6.
A failed Deception task roll usually means that the subject simply does not believe the
lie, but it could mean that the attempt has backfired, firmly convincing the subject of
the opposite of what the character was trying to convince them of.
Deception typically requires a Willpower task roll.
Expertise examples: Bluffing, Distracting, Lying, Sales

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Engineering
Engineering is the relevant skill group whenever a character attempts to design and
build structures, machines, devices, systems, or materials. An Engineering task roll
might be required to repair a damaged suspension bridge, modify a hadron collider
to be a singularity cannon, or construct a containment suit for a being made of
electromagnetic radiation.
Failing the Engineering task roll might indicate that the device simply does not work,
or that it will fail catastrophically during use.
Engineering typically requires a Reason task roll.
Expertise examples: Aerospace, Architectural, Ceramic, Chemical, Civil, Demolition,
Electrical, Mechanical, Nuclear

Investigation
The Investigation skill group covers most of the tasks involved in solving crimes. This
includes searching for clues, collecting and analyzing evidence, sifting through police
reports and bank records, and so on.
A failed Investigation roll might mean that the character hits a dead end in the
investigation, or it might mean that they seize on a red herring and draw the wrong
conclusion from the evidence.
Investigation typically requires a Reason task roll, or perhaps a series of task rolls
(p. 138).
Expertise examples: Analyzing Evidence, Collecting Evidence, Searching

Legerdemain
Legerdemain (literally, “light of hand”) covers the skills which require a delicate touch
and fine control of the hands and fingers. A Legerdemain task roll might be required
to slip a note to an ally, to pick someone’s pocket, or to pick the lock on a pair of
handcuffs.
Failing a Legerdemain task roll indicates that the deception is easily spotted by the
casual observer, or that the lock resists the attempt to pick it.
Legerdemain typically requires an Agility task roll.
Expertise examples: Lockpicking, Pickpocketing, Sleight Of Hand

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Manipulation
The Manipulation skill group pertains to eliciting cooperation or information from
others by using flirtation, threats of violence, or just casual conversation. Interrogation
usually hinges on convincing the subject that hope is futile and that resistance will only
make things worse, while seduction can sometimes be successful even if the target is
aware they are being seduced.
Failure of a Manipulation task roll may result in the subject of interrogation
convincingly giving false information or possibly in the subject’s accidental death, or
that the target finds the would-be seducer offensive or pathetic.
Manipulation typically requires a series of Willpower task rolls (p. 138).
Expertise examples: Conversation, Interrogation, Leadership, Seduction, Taunting

Medicine
A knowledge of Medicine can be very useful in the violent world of Bulletproof Blues.
Any medical procedure, from taking a person’s temperature and splinting broken
limbs, to performing open-heart telesurgery and administering nanotherapy, is
covered by the Medicine skill group. Knowledge of Medicine also gives the character
familiarity with common drugs and toxins, and a competent knowledge of their
effects on human physiology. Simple procedures, such as diagnosing and treating mild
infections, are usually within the ability of a character with the Medicine skill group.
Extensive and difficult medical procedures, such as re-attaching a severed limb or
performing brain surgery, are generally better left to characters with expertise in those
areas.
Medicine typically requires a Reason task roll.
Expertise examples: Diagnosis, Pharmacology, Surgery

Piloting
The Piloting skill group covers the direct control a large mechanical contrivance, be it
a sports car, a jet fighter, a walking forklift, or a skyscraper-sized kaiju-fighting robot.
Piloting also covers controlling tiny mechanisms, like radio-controlled helicopters and
missile-launching drones.
A failed Piloting roll could result in being unable to attack because the vehicle is in the
wrong position, a temporary loss of control, or even a collision.
Piloting typically requires an Agility task roll.
Expertise examples: Aircraft, Automobiles, Giant Robots, Heavy Machinery,
Motorcycles, Spacecraft, Submersibles, Unmanned Vehicles, Watercraft

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 Skills

Science
The Science skill group can cover a variety of fields, depending on the character’s
interests. A character with a background in Science may be conversant with any
discipline that’s reasonable for their background. A character with the Science
background skill, but without expertise in any specific field, might be a skilled
dilettante or simply an experienced but mediocre researcher. Dedicated scientists
specialize.
Science typically requires a Reason task roll.
Expertise examples: Anthropology, Archeology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry,
Cryogenics, Ecology, Genetics, Geology, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nanotechnology,
Oceanology, Parapsychology, Physics, Psychology, Radiology, Robotics, Sociology

Social
The Social skill group is used to cut through red tape, the proper manners for a given
environment, and navigate the dark side of civilization. This includes the appropriate
grammar (or lack of it), suitable attire, and how to blend in with any cultural group.
A Social task roll might be required to circumvent a bureaucratic obstacle, to socialize
with a group without offending them, or to get the word to the Mafia that the
shipment of guns at midnight is a set-up.
A failed Social roll would result in the character being snubbed by polite society, or
possibly in their being maimed by a coarser crowd.
Social task rolls typically require a Willpower task roll, and are sometimes opposed.
Expertise examples: Bribery, Etiquette, Streetwise

Stealth
Stealth is the art of sneaking around. A Stealth task roll might be required to hide
from a monster in an alien spaceship, to sneak up on a sentry, or to shadow a suspect
back to the criminal’s hideout. Terrain, available cover, camouflage, and background
noise will all affect the difficulty of the Stealth task roll.
Failing the Stealth task roll indicates that the furtive prowler is easily spotted by a
casual observer.
Stealth typically requires an Agility task roll, and is usually opposed by a Perception
task roll by the person the character is hiding from.
Expertise examples: Hiding, Shadowing, Sneaking

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 Skills

Survival
The Survival skill groups pertains to living off the land and coping with adverse
environments. The task difficulty is dependent upon the terrain, temperature, and
availability of food and shelter, and how well equipped the character is for the
particular area. Harsh, hostile environments (the Gobi Desert, the Antarctic) would
have a very high task difficulty (15 to 18) depending on how prepared the character
is. Surviving in very mild environments (Central Park, or the woods just outside town)
would have a low task difficulty (9 to 12), or would not require a task roll at all.
Failing a Survival task roll once might mean that the character has caught a cold, lost
the trail of their prey, or eaten a plant that has made them sick. Failing numerous
Survival task rolls could be lethal.
Survival typically requires a Perception task roll, or perhaps a series of task rolls
(p. 138).
Expertise examples: Foraging, Hunting, Tactics, Tracking

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 Advantages

Advantages are exceptional abilities that a normal human can have, but that most
humans do not have. In a game where the players are supposed to be portraying
characters within the range of human possibility, they could probably purchase
advantages, but not powers. The details of each advantage are highly dependent on
a character’s background, so the player should work with the GM to flesh out these
details. Each advantage costs one character point.

Typical Advantages
This is a list of typical advantages found in a Bulletproof Blues game. This list is not
exhaustive. A character may well have an advantage not listed here, subject to GM
approval. However, any new advantages should be approximately as useful as these
advantages, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters.

Animal Empathy
The character has a bond with animals, and can use Manipulation and Social skills
on them. Normal animals are more likely to be calm around the character, although a
dangerous, hostile animal might require a successful Manipulation or Social task roll
to keep the animal from attacking. A character’s Animal Empathy might be limited to
a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character
gains a +3 bonus on Manipulation and Social task rolls when interacting with that
animal type.

Common Sense
A character with Common Sense possesses sound and prudent judgment based on
a simple perception of the situation, helping them live in a reasonable and safe way.
If the character is about to do something which would be considered stupid or self-
destructive by a person with normal intelligence and real-life experience, the GM will
warn the player that this is so. The player is not required to heed this advice.
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 Advantages

Table: Typical advantages

Advantage Benefit
Animal Empathy Use Manipulation and Social skills on animals
Common Sense Get a warning from the GM before doing something stupid
Connected Get a favor from people with influence or authority
Daredevil Excel at dangerous physical activities
Exceptional Beauty Get attention, and perhaps favors, from admirers
Famous Get attention, and perhaps favors, from strangers
Grifter Excel at vapid conversation and sleight of hand
Headquarters A base of operations for the hero
Intuition Have greater awareness and keener perception
Lightning Strike Use Agility for damage in hand-to-hand combat
Linguist Learn new languages with minimal effort
Master Plan Get a bonus if there is time to prepare for an encounter
Mental Calculator Solve complex mathematical operations by thinking about them
Minions Minor, mostly nameless henchmen of marginal usefulness
Perfect Recall Remember something perfectly with a Reason roll
Professor Proficient with scientific and medical endeavors
Quick Change Change into superhero garb with a free action
Savant Excel at intellectual pursuits
Sleuth Track down leads and get information
Team Player Spend plot points for others on the same team
Unsettling Make people nervous for no real reason
Vehicles Sundry modes of fast and stylish transportation
Wealthy Solve problems with money
Wily Hard to lose and hard to follow

No “Veteran”?
You will notice that none of these advantages give the
character a bonus to combat skills. That’s intentional.
Advantages are primarily intended to make characters
distinctive and interesting, not to enhance their combat
effectiveness. A character with extraordinary combat
competence should increase their Accuracy or Prowess,
or perhaps buy expertise with a specific power or combat
maneuver.

49
 Advantages

Connected
The character is on a first-name basis with people who have influence or authority.
For example, perhaps the character is a college buddy of the Mayor’s and is a
childhood friend of a major player in an organized crime syndicate. From time to
time, the character can ask these people for favors and have a reasonable chance of
having the favor granted. The likelihood of having the favor granted will be much
greater if the character does favors in return from time to time. On the other hand,
having friends in high places may mean that the character attracts the attention of the
friends’ enemies.

Daredevil
A character with the Daredevil advantage is more adept at extreme sports and
dangerous stunts. The character gains a +1 bonus on Athletics and Piloting task rolls.

Exceptional Beauty
The character is naturally, effortlessly attractive. It is difficult for the character to pass
unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances.
People who are swayed by appearance may be more likely to cooperate with the
character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from admirers. If this is the
case, the character gains a +1 bonus on relevant Manipulation and Social task rolls.

Famous
The character’s name and likeness are widely known, perhaps due to their exploits or
achievements. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because paparazzi are
often nearby. People who are impressed by celebrity may be more likely to cooperate
with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from strangers. If this
is the case, the character gains a +1 bonus on relevant Manipulation and Social task
rolls.

Grifter
A character with the Grifter advantage is more adept at making vapid conversation
and moving their hands while others’ eyes are looking elsewhere. The character gains
a +1 bonus on Culture and Legerdemain task rolls.

Headquarters
The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies and
equipment reasonable for the character’s background and skills. If the character is
a member of a team, the base(s) might be shared with the other team members, at
the player’s discretion. A headquarters is primarily a convenience for the GM and a
fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat, and is mainly used for
flavor and a setting for roleplaying. For example, a high-tech base might have an air-
tight security system, complete with laser turrets and knockout gas, but this won’t keep
the base from being broken into by villains or taken over by an evil computer virus.
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 Advantages

Intuition
A character with the Intuition advantage is more aware of their surroundings. A
character with the Intuition advantage gains a +1 bonus with Survival skills and when
attempting to resist Deception skills.

Lightning Strike
A character with Lightning Strike can deal devastating blows using speed and finesse
rather than brute force. When in hand-to-hand combat, the character may substitute
their rank in Agility for their rank in Brawn when determining the damage they inflict
on their opponent. This can reflect the character’s advanced advanced martial arts
training, their superhuman speed, the harnessing of the character’s chi, or some other
effect, depending on the specifics of the character’s archetype and abilities.

Linguist
Languages are essentially background skills. The character is assumed to have varying
fluency in whatever languages it makes sense for them to know. For example, a
character might have spent a summer at their grandfather’s estate in Cyprus, where
they picked up a smattering of Greek and Turkish. Languages are also highly plot
dependent. Some games may have everyone speaking English, while other games
might have a bewildering collection of terrestrial and extraterrestrial tongues. A
character with the Linguist advantage would obviously be more useful in the latter
than in the former.

Master Plan
With sufficient time and preparation beforehand, a character with the Master Plan
advantage is able to gain a tactical benefit during an encounter at a time chosen by
the player. The form this takes can vary, and should be negotiated between the player
and the GM, but a relatively typical use of a Master Plan would be similar to the use
of a plot point. The amount of time needed to formulate a Master Plan should be
long enough to be believable, but not so long that it renders the advantage useless.
Generally speaking, a character should only be permitted to concoct one Master Plan
per game session, unless the GM makes an exception.

Mental Calculator
The character can perform complex mathematical calculations in their head in
the same amount of time that a skilled mathematician could perform the same
calculations on a powerful scientific calculator. Also, the character has an intuitive
understanding of higher mathematics, and is able to comprehend and remember
intricate formulae and equations after examining them briefly.

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 Advantages

Minions
The character has one or more minor, mostly nameless henchmen of marginal
usefulness. Such minions might be mooks, agents, armed guards, administrative staff,
or technicians to keep the character’s equipment in proper working order. There is
no set limit to the number of minions a character might have, subject to the GM’s
approval, but the more minions there are, the less competent they are. For example,
if a character has just three minions — an administrative assistant, a chauffeur/
auto mechanic, and a computer expert, for example — they might be reasonably
competent at their respective assignments (rank 3 in their pertinent attributes). If the
character has dozens of minions, however, the best among them would be rank 2,
and none of them would have any background skills requiring advanced education or
technical expertise.
Minions are primarily a fun asset for the character. They are not generally useful in
combat, and are mainly used for flavor and as a foil for roleplaying. Minions never
have expertise, and they should never steal the limelight from a player character.

Perfect Recall
The character may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, or picture
which the character has taken the effort to study and memorize. The character
does not need to understand the items to be memorized, because the information
memorized is not stored as text; it is in the character’s memory as a picture. As such,
the information is not subject to instantaneous retrieval, but the character may
mentally “scroll down” or “fast forward” looking for a specific bit of data.

Professor
A character with the Professor advantage is particularly proficient with scientific and
medical endeavors. The character gains a +1 bonus on Medicine and Science task
rolls.

Quick Change
The Quick Change advantage is usually possessed only by posthumans and stage
magicians (and posthuman stage magicians). Quick Change enables a character to
change into superhero garb with a free action. This could be made possible by super-
speed, a costume stored in a ring, or just wearing a different outfit underneath street
clothes.

Savant
A character with the Savant advantage is more adept at intellectual pursuits. The
character gains a +1 bonus on Computing and Engineering task rolls.

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 Advantages

Sleuth
A character with the Sleuth advantage is more adept at tracking down clues
and getting information. The character gains a +1 bonus on Investigation and
Manipulation task rolls.

Team Player
A character with the Team Player advantage excels at working with others, and other
people are more effective with the character than they are alone. A Team Player can
spend their own plot points on behalf of their teammates and allies. For example, this
could be to help an ally do something the Team Player is not in a position to do, or to
provide support for a teammate who is in trouble.

Unsettling
The character puts off a disturbing vibe that makes people nervous for no discernible
reason. Strangers will find themselves disliking the character without knowing why,
and normal animals will avoid the character unless forced to approach by a trainer
or some other circumstance. On the other hand, the character may find it easier to
intimidate others, providing a +3 bonus to relevant Manipulation task rolls.

Vehicles
The character has one or more vehicles which provide fast and stylish transportation.
If the character is a member of a team, the vehicle(s) might be shared with the other
team members, at the player’s discretion. A vehicle is primarily a convenience for
the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat, and
is mainly used for flavor and to make it easier for the character to get around. For
example, a character might have a tricked-out Tushek TS 600 equipped with rocket
launchers, active camouflage, and biometric security, but it won’t defeat a rampaging
posthuman and it’s not immune to being hacked by a deformed genius and his circus-
themed minions.

Wealthy
If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, a character with the Wealth
advantage can probably solve that problem. Food, clothing, and shelter cease to
be concerns for a character with Wealth, but they are still plagued by the same
interpersonal issues that are behind the serious problems most people face. In
addition, sometimes wealth itself can be a source of problems. The character may
have responsibilities related to their source of income, or they might need to fend off
attempts to deprive them of their inheritance.

Wily
A character with the Wily advantage is more adept at sneaking, following, and
surviving on their own. The character gains a +1 bonus on Stealth and Survival task
rolls.
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 Powers

Powers are those abilities beyond what is possible for ordinary mortals. Flying through
the air, reading others’ thoughts, and firing blasts of energy from one’s jewelry are
impossible for the typical man or woman on the street, but these powers are all within
reach for a posthuman. Each power costs from one to three character points per rank
in the power. The cost per rank of each power is listed in the power’s description.

Expertise
A character who has expertise with a power possesses extraordinary competence,
above and beyond the skill a character with that power may reasonably be assumed to
possess. Expertise in a power costs one character point in addition to the cost of the
power itself, and it grants the character a +3 bonus to the task roll to use the power.
Expertise does not give a character a power they would not normally possess, nor does
lack of expertise mean that a character incurs any penalty when using that power. A
character with the Plant Control power, but without expertise in Plant Control, would
still be able to animate and mentally control plants.

Villainous Expertise
Only very unusual villains have expertise. Expertise can have a powerful effect in
combat, and it tends to be more powerful in the hands of the GM than in the hands
of the players because the GM rolls more dice over the course of the game than
any of the players do. For this reason, it is best to restrict villainous expertise to only
those villains that truly do have an exceptional amount of control over their powers
and abilities. If the Game Moderator is concerned about a villain’s ability to pose
a challenge to the heroes, remember that the GM can give villains any attribute or
power at any rank. If the villain isn’t putting up enough of a fight and the game feels
like the characters are going through the motions, then the GM should boost the
villain’s abilities or give them some henchmen to help out. Be creative.

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 Powers

Typical Powers
This is a list of typical powers found in a Bulletproof Blues game. This list is not
exhaustive. A character may well have a power not listed here, using the guidelines
under New Powers (p. 119) and subject to GM approval. However, any new powers
should be approximately as useful as these powers, in order to maintain a sense of
fairness with other characters.
Some power names have a word in brackets, such as [Element] Mastery. This
indicates that the power listed is a general version, and you will need to choose the
specific power. For example, a character won’t have the [Attribute] Boost power.
Instead, they will have Brawn Boost, or Agility Boost, or some other boosted attribute.
This choice must be made when the power is purchased, and may not normally be
changed thereafter.
A few powers are marked with a star (★). This indicates that the power listed is
actually a group of related powers from which you will need to choose. For example, a
character with the Super Senses power will need to choose which senses they actually
have. As with general powers, this choice must be made when the power is purchased,
and may not normally be changed thereafter.

Activation
The Activation column indicates when or if the power must be turned on. Powers
listed as “Always On” are assumed to be active at all times. Powers listed as
“Activated” must be turned on by the character using a free action, but will remain
on as long as the character is conscious. “Attack” powers require a task action to
use, while “Reaction” powers can be used at any time, as often as the GM deems
reasonable. See Actions (p. 126) for more information.

Task Roll
The Task Roll column indicates which attribute is used for task rolls to use the power.
For most attacks, this is also the attribute used to determine the difficulty modifier.
For example, for hand-to-hand attacks, both the task roll and the difficulty modifier
are based on Prowess. Ranged attacks are the exception. If the Task Roll column says
“Accuracy”, the power is a ranged attack: the task roll is based on Accuracy, while the
task difficulty is based on the target’s Agility.

Target
The Target column indicates who or what is affected by the power. Many powers
affect only the character with the power, such as Invisibility. These are indicated
as “Personal”. Other powers affect either a single target, an area defined by the
character, or an area centered on the character with the power. See Radius Effect
(p. 118) for more information.

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 Powers

Power Activation Task Roll Target Range Cost

Absorption Always On — Personal — 1
Alternate Form Activated — Personal — 1
Amazing Movement ★ Activated — Personal — 1
Animal Control Attack Power Radius Ranged 1
Attack Reflection Reaction Power Single Target Ranged 2
[Attribute] Boost Activated — Personal — 1
[Attribute] Drain Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 1
Attribute Invulnerability Always On — Personal — 1
Barrier Attack Power Radius Ranged 1
Blast Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Blindness Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Clinging Activated — Personal — 1
Combination Activated — Personal Touch 1
Communication ★ Activated Perception Personal Varies 1
Damaging Aura Activated Prowess Personal Touch 1
Danger Sense Reaction Varies Personal — 1
Duplication Activated — Personal — 3
[Element] Form Activated — Personal — 2
[Element] Mastery Varies Varies Radius Varies 3
Element Mimicry Activated — Personal Touch 2
[Element] Resistance Always On — Personal — 1
Emotion Control Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 1
Extra Attacks Activated — Personal — 1
Flight Activated — Personal — 2
Force Field Activated — Personal — 1
Growth Activated — Personal — 1
Healing Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Hold Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Illusion Attack Power Radius Ranged 1
Immortality Always On — Personal — 1
Immunity ★ Always On — Personal — 1
Increased Density Activated — Personal — 1
Intangibility Activated — Personal — 1

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 Powers

Power Activation Task Roll Target Range Cost

Invisibility Activated — Personal — 1
Invulnerability Always On — Personal — 1
Life Drain Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 1
Machine Control Attack Power Single Target Ranged 1
Mind Blast Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 2
Mind Control Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 2
Mind Hold Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 2
Mind Shield Always On — Personal — 1
Object Animation Attack Power Single Target Ranged 1
Plant Control Attack Power Radius Ranged 1
Possession Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 2
Power Drain Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 1
Power Invulnerability Always On — Personal — 1
Power Mimicry Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 2
Power Suppression Attack Power Single Target Ranged 1
Power Theft Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 3
Probability Control Activated — Single Target Ranged 2
Regeneration Always On — Personal — 1
Shapeshifting Activated — Personal — 2
Shrinking Activated — Personal — 1
Stretching Activated — Personal — 1
Strike Attack Prowess Single Target Touch 1
Super-jumping Activated — Personal — 1
Super-running Activated — Personal — 1
Super Senses ★ Activated Perception Personal Varies 1
Super-speed Activated — Personal — 1
Super-swimming Activated — Personal — 1
Telekinesis Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Telepathy Attack Willpower Single Target Ranged 1
Teleportation Activated — Personal — 2
Time Control Attack Power Single Target Ranged 2
[Transformation] Ray Attack Accuracy Single Target Ranged 1
Tunneling Activated — Personal — 2
[Ultra-power] Varies Varies Varies Varies 3
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 Powers

Range
The Range column indicates the useful range of the power. Many powers only affect
the character with the power, such as Invisibility. These are indicated with a dash (—).
Powers which only work hand-to-hand are indicated as “Touch” powers, while powers
which may be targeted at range are indicated as “Ranged”. A few powers have ranges
based on the specific type of power chosen, or on some other circumstance. These are
indicated as “Varies”.
The maximum effective distance of “Ranged” powers is based on the rank of the
power (the distance on the Benchmarks table under “Affects”, p. 10). In some cases,
the power may be used at greater range, but with severely diminished accuracy. See
Range Bands (p. 134) for more information.

Villain Powers
Powers can sometimes work quite differently for villains than it does for heroes. For
example, a character with Mind Control will rarely be able to maintain their control
over a target for more than a few minutes, but a villain might have an NPC under
their control for weeks or even years. Story-based powers can accomplish things that
are simply beyond the capabilities of player characters. However, do not overuse this
technique, or the players will grow tired of it.

Cost
The Cost column indicates the cost per rank to purchase the power. The total cost
of a power may be modified by power enhancements and power defects. See Power
Modifiers (p. 117) for more information.

Power Descriptions
Absorption
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Absorption permits the character to absorb damage from a force or substance and
use that energy in specific ways. The character can heal themselves, or they can
temporarily gain the power that attacked them, or they can boost one of their existing
powers. The specific type of force or substance that can be absorbed must be chosen
when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light,
darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player may
pick any force or substance, subject to the GM’s approval.

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 Powers

The maximum amount of energy which can be absorbed from a single attack is
equal to the rank in the Absorption power, or the amount of damage which exceeds
the character’s protection value (PV), whichever is less. For example, if a character
has rank 3 Force Field and rank 2 Absorption (electricity) and is struck by a rank 7
electrical attack, the damage rating of the attack reduces the character’s Endurance
by 4 (7 - 3 = 4), and the character absorbs 2 ranks of energy. These 2 ranks are added
to a pool of absorbed energy which depletes at the rate of 1 rank per round, starting
the round after the energy was absorbed.
The energy in the character’s Absorption pool may be used in one of three ways,
which may be chosen by the character on a case-by-case basis.
• Healing: The character restores an amount of lost Endurance (or other
damaged attribute) up to the rank of energy in the pool. Each rank of restored
Endurance requires the expenditure of one rank of absorbed energy. Healing
themselves in this fashion requires a free action.
• Power: The character gains the power that inflicted the damage, and can
use this power to attack others. Each rank of the gained power requires the
expenditure of one rank of absorbed energy, and the power lasts for only one
round. Gaining the power requires a free action, but using it requires a task
action (or whatever action that power normally requires).
• Boost: The character may increase the rank of one of their attributes or of one
of their current powers. This requires the expenditure of one rank of absorbed
energy for each rank by which the attribute or power is increased, and the boost
lasts for only one round. Boosting an attribute or power requires a free action,
but using the attribute or power requires whatever action that attribute or power
normally requires.
Absorption does not provide protection against an attack: the damage rating of an
attack is not reduced by the rank of the Absorption power. If the damage of any
attack (regardless of type) would knock the character unconscious or kill them, the
character automatically uses their absorbed energy to heal themselves, up to either
their full Endurance or the ranks of energy in their Absorption pool, whichever is less.
Enhancements
Delayed Depletion: The absorbed energy depletes at a rate of one rank per minute
rather than one rank per round. +1 character point

Alternate Forms
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
A character with the Alternate Forms power has multiple independent identities, each
with its own powers and appearance, and potentially even a different personality for
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each (if the player wishes). The character can only use one alternate form at a time,
and changing forms requires activating the power with a free action (although the
character can only activate one form per round). The number of alternate forms the
character has is equal to the rank of the power. For example, a character with rank 3
Alternate Forms who can consciously control their evolution might have a physically
powerful but slow-witted hominid form, a physically weak but mentally potent hyper-
evolved form, and an aquatic prehistoric form. The cost for all forms is paid by the
base character; the alternate forms are created using the same number of character
points as the base character (minus the cost of the Alternate Forms power), and they
may not themselves have the Alternate Forms power.
Alternate Forms must be activated with a free action: if the character is staggered
or goes unconscious, the power turns off, and the character reverts to their base
form. The character may also turn off their Alternate Forms voluntarily, of course. A
staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12)
to keep their Alternate Forms activated while staggered.
The specific mechanism of the Alternate Forms can vary greatly from character to
character, which may offer minor benefits and disadvantages to the character.
Defects
Dial R For Random (major defect): Normally, a character with Alternate Forms
has a set of predefined forms and identities. With the Dial R For Random power
defect, the knowledge and memories of the character are preserved, but their powers
and appearance (and personality, if the player wishes) are that of a completely new
person each time the power is activated. With the GM’s approval, even the character’s
skills and advantages might be changed. A character with the Dial R For Random
power defect must have at least 2 ranks in the Alternate Forms power. -1 character point
Uncontrollable (extreme defect): The character is unable to control when they
change forms, nor which form is taken (if they have more than one). The Alternate
Forms may be triggered by the emotional state of character (anger is a popular
choice), or the character may change forms on an unknown or immutable schedule. -2
character points

Amazing Movement ★
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Amazing Movement permits the character to move in ways that are unusual even
for posthumans. Each rank in Amazing Movement provides the character with a

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different form of movement chosen from the list below. Amazing Movement is a plot
dependent power and may not always be available, at the GM’s discretion.
• Astral Travel: The character can detach their consciousness from their
physical body and travel to alternate realities and divergent time streams, leaving
their physical body behind. The character must succeed at a demanding (task
difficulty 15) Willpower task roll to navigate to a specific location in a desired
reality or divergent time stream. While using Astral Travel, the consciousness of
the traveler is typically invisible, but those who possess extraordinary spiritual
or magical awareness may be able to see the traveler’s “astral body”. The
“astral body” of the traveler does not require the Immunity power to survive in
other realities or planes of existence, and is usually unable to interact with the
strange vistas around them, although they may converse with anyone capable
of perceiving them. While the “astral body” is separated from the character’s
physical body, their physical body appears to be in a comatose state, and the
traveler is unaware of anything happening to or around their physical form.
• Dimensional Travel: The character can traverse dimensional boundaries,
visiting alternate realities and divergent time streams. Depending on the method
used, the character may be able to take others with them. Survival in other
realities or planes of existence may require ranks in Immunity, depending on the
local environment. See Immunity (p. 84) for more details.
• Etheric Travel: The character can detach their consciousness from their
physical body and travel to anywhere on Earth, leaving their physical body
behind. The character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12)
Willpower task roll to navigate to a specific location. While using Etheric
Travel, the consciousness of the traveler is typically invisible, but those who
possess extraordinary spiritual or magical awareness may be able to see the
traveler’s “etheric body”. The “etheric body” of the traveler does not require
the Immunity power to survive in the upper atmosphere or under water, and
is usually unable to interact with the world around them, although they may
converse with anyone capable of perceiving them. While the “etheric body” is
separated from the character’s physical body, their physical body appears to be
in a comatose state, and the traveler is unaware of anything happening to or
around their physical form.
• Space Travel: The character can travel into space, visiting distant worlds and
returning in a reasonably prompt fashion. Depending on the method used, the
character may be able to take others with them. Survival in outer space requires
a spaceworthy vehicle or at least 4 ranks in Immunity (Asphyxia, Exposure
(Cold), Radiation, and Vacuum). See Immunity for more details.
• Time Travel: The character can traverse the time stream, stepping into the
past or the future. Depending on the method used, the character may be able to
take others with them. Whether the time traveler can change the past or simply
creates a divergent time stream is a bone of contention among philosophers and
temporal physicists (the Kalos Universe generally assumes the latter).

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Animal Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Radius
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Animal Control allows a character to communicate with and mentally control
animals. To successfully communicate with and control all animals within range of the
power, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Animal Control
task roll. A character’s Animal Control might be limited to a specific type of animal,
such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their
Animal Control task rolls.
Animated animals have the same actions as a normal character (free actions,
movement action, task action, reaction), and operate independently of the character
that animated them. Giving a new mental command to the controlled animals
requires a free action.
The attributes of the controlled animals are equal to the normal attributes those kinds
of animals would have. However, controlled animals are highly resistant to mental
powers, having Mind Shield equal to the rank of the Animal Control power. If the
character rolls an extreme success, then the animated animals are significantly smarter
(+1 Reason and +1 Perception). Controlled animals have the normal movement and
attack types that those kinds of animals would have.
The character can control animals in an area around themselves based on the rank of
the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up
the value in the “Affects” column.

Attack Reflection
Activation: Reaction
Task roll: Power
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Attack Reflection permits the character to reflect an attack back at the attacker. Using
this power requires an Attack Reflection task roll against the Accuracy of the attacker.
If the Attack Reflection task roll fails, the character is struck by the attack and must
endure the normal effects of being hit. If the Attack Reflection task roll succeeds,
the attack is reflected back and strikes the attacker. If the reflecting character rolls
an extreme success, then they may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme
success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the attacker.

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[Attribute] Boost
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
[Attribute] Boost permits the character to increase the rank of one of their attributes,
chosen when this power is purchased. Once every ten minutes, the character may add
their ranks in [Attribute] Boost to the rank of their selected attribute (up to rank 14
maximum). The boosted attribute remains at this increased rank for one minute (ten
rounds). Once the [Attribute] Boost wears off, the attribute drops to its normal rank
(rounded up). Once the character has used their [Attribute] Boost power, it may not
be used again for ten minutes.
Defects
Attribute Fatigue (major defect): Once the [Attribute] Boost wears off, the
attribute drops to one-half of its normal rank (rounded up) for ten minutes, after
which it returns to its normal rank. -1 character point

[Attribute] Drain
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
[Attribute] Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts damage to an attribute other
than Endurance. The [Attribute] Drain could be radiation, disease, cold, extreme age,
toxic gas, or even darkness or light; both this and the specific attribute affected must
be chosen when the [Attribute] Drain power is purchased. The [Attribute] Drain has
a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.
Using [Attribute] Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the
intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose
one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or
staggering the target of the [Attribute] Drain.
Any power or equipment that provides protection for the same attribute as the
[Attribute] Drain, such as Attribute Invulnerability, reduces the amount of damage
the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power
is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the [Attribute] Drain. The remaining
damage is subtracted from the target’s attribute.
The damage from [Attribute] Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is
over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.
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Enhancements
Ranged: The [Attribute] Drain is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on
its rank. Using [Attribute] Drain requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of
the intended target. +1 character point

Attribute Invulnerability
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Attribute Invulnerability provides protection against attacks which inflict damage
to an attribute other than Endurance. A character with Attribute Invulnerability
subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them.
The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character’s attribute. Attribute
Invulnerability does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on.

Barrier
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Radius
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Barrier permits the character to create walls and simple geometric shapes made of a
particular force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen
when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light,
darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can
pick any force or substance, subject to the GM’s approval. “Energy”, for example,
would be much too broad.
Creating a simple shape with Barrier (a wall, dome, cube, and so on) requires a
challenging Barrier task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes
requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the
complexity of the desired shape. For example, a “T” or “W” or other angular shape
would require a demanding Barrier task roll (task difficulty 15), while an intricate
labyrinth would require a frustrating Barrier task roll (task difficulty 18).
The maximum length or circumference of the barrier is based on the rank of the
power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the
value in the “Affects” column. This is the maximum length or circumference of the
barrier the character may create.
The Barrier has Endurance and protection value (PV) equal to the rank of the power.
If the character rolls an extreme success, then the Barrier created is significantly
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tougher (+1 Endurance). If the damage rating of an attack is less than or equal to
the protection value of the Barrier, the attack bounces off harmlessly and the Barrier
is undamaged. If damage from an attack exceeds the Barrier’s protection value,
the remaining damage is subtracted from the Barrier’s Endurance, and the attack
makes a hole in the barrier large enough for a normal person to walk through. If the
Endurance of the Barrier is reduced to zero, the Barrier is destroyed: it crumbles,
dissolves, or fades away, as appropriate.
A Barrier may also be used to support weight, as a bridge, support column, or other
such structure. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look
up the value in the “Lifts” column. This is the maximum weight which the Barrier can
support. If the load on the Barrier exceeds this weight, the Barrier loses 1 Endurance
each round that the weight on it exceeds its lifting capacity.
If a Barrier is not attacked or damaged, it will normally remain in place until the end
of the scene, after which it crumbles, dissolves, or fades away, as appropriate.
Enhancements
Permanent: The Barrier is relatively permanent. It does not dissolve at the end of
the scene, and will remain in place until destroyed. +1 character point

Blast
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Blast is a ranged attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Blast could be
radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when
the Blast power is purchased. The Blast has a damage rating equal to the rank of the
power.
Using Blast requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the
standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering
the target of the Blast.
Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as
Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from
the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from
the damage rating (DR) of the Blast. The remaining damage is subtracted from the
target’s Endurance.
Enhancements
Explosive Damage: The Blast causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of the
target (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because
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an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of
the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific
individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point
Seeking: The Blast has limited independence from the attacker. If the attack misses
the target, the attack will circle around and try again on the succeeding round. No
interaction or attention is required from the attacker for this second attack. +1 character
point

Blindness
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Blindness power renders the target unable to see. The mechanism which causes
the blindess must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target
might not be able to see because they have a layer of glue across their eyes, they might
be forced to close their eyes due to a painful chemical spray, or they could literally be
blinded by a bright light. Alternately, Blindness could affect a sense other than vision.
For example, the target could be rendered deaf, or unable to smell. It is also possible
to use Blindness against a Super Sense (p. 108), such as Danger Sense, Detect Magic,
or ESP. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased.
Attacking a character under the effects of Blindness provides a +6 attack bonus (the
standard task roll bonus for attacking a blind target).
Using Blindness requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended
target. To recover from Blindness, the target must make a successful Perception task
roll against the rank of the Blindness. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they
may use their remaining movement action.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Blindness is increased
by 1 for the purpose of the target recovering from it. For example, if a character is
affected by a rank 4 Blindness, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected
character would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 13 (5 + 8)
to recover from the Blindness.
If the blinded character gets an extreme success on the Perception task roll, then they
recover as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Blindness,
they would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If
they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and recovering is a free action
rather than a task action.
If the character has not recovered from the Blindness by the end of the scene, then
they recover from it shortly thereafter.

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Enhancements
Additional Sense: The Blindness affects a sense in addition to vision (or the first
affected sense, if it is not vision). For example, the target might be deafened as well as
blinded. +1 character point
Mass Blindness: The Blindness power affects everyone within 50 feet of the target,
similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50
feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the
difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at
specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Clinging
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Clinging allows the character to move at their normal ground speed along walls,
ceilings, and other surfaces as if they were level. The strength holding the character to
the surface is equal to their Brawn plus their rank in Clinging. If the surface is slippery
or unstable, the GM might require the player to make a successful Clinging task roll to
keep from sliding or falling.

Combination
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Combination permits several characters to merge into a single larger and more
powerful character. Every character wishing to combine must have the Combination
power, and the maximum number of characters who may combine is equal to the
lowest rank of Combination among them. Activating Combination takes one standard
action, and requires the characters to all be touching each other. In addition to being
more massive, the combined character has Brawn, Prowess, and Invulnerability (if
any) equal to the highest rank of any of the combined characters, plus one rank for
every combined character after the first.
Example:
Moe, Larry, and Curly each have rank 3 Combination. Moe has Brawn 3 and Prowess 2. Larry has
Brawn 2 and Prowess 4. Curly has Brawn 2, Prowess 1, and rank 2 Invulnerability. When Moe,
Larry, and Curly combine, they form the mighty Stoopendigous, who has Brawn 5 (Moe’s rank 3,

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plus 2 more for Larry and Curly), Prowess 6 (Larry’s rank 4, plus 2 more for Moe and Curly), and
rank 4 Invulnerability (Curly’s rank 2, plus 2 more for Moe and Larry).

Communication ★
Activation: Activated
Task roll: Perception
Target: Personal
Range: Varies
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Communication permits the character to communicate with others in ways that
people normally can’t. Communication does not imply control: being able to speak
with animals, for example, does not permit the character to control them, but it allows
the character to use a Manipulation or Social skill. Also note that being able to speak
to something does not grant it any additional powers, such as movement. A building
might be able to tell you where the vault is, but it can’t unlock the vault for you. To
manipulate and control an object, the character must buy the appropriate power, such
as Plant Control.
Each rank in Communication provides the character with a different form of
communication chosen from the list below.
• Animals: The character can understand animals, and can speak to them in
a way they can understand. A character’s Animal Communication might be
limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the
case, the character gains a +3 bonus on Manipulation and Social task rolls when
interacting with that animal type.
• Buildings: The character can understand buildings and other man-made
structures, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Computers: The character can communicate with any computer they can
perceive, accessing it as if logged in and typing into a keyboard.
• Machines: The character can understand machines, and can speak to them in
a way they can understand.
• Mind Link: Two characters who both have Mind Link can communicate
telepathically over any distance.
• Plants: The character can understand plants, and can speak to them in a way
they can understand.
• Radio: The character can send and receive signals over any standard radio
frequency.
• Roads: The character can understand paths, roads, and highways, and can
speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Stones: The character can understand rocks and stones, and can speak to them
in a way they can understand.
• Universal Translator: The character can understand and speak any language
after being exposed to it for a brief period of time. If the character has access to
written information, they can read and write the language as well.
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Enhancements
Subtle: The communication is difficult to notice for those not involved in the
conversation. Anyone not party to the conversation must make a demanding (task
difficulty 15) Perception task roll just to notice the conversation. +1 character point
Encrypted: The communication is encoded in a way that makes it very difficult
for eavesdroppers to understand. If the eavesdropper has the necessary form of
Communication (for example, Radio to eavesdrop on a radio conversation), the
eavesdropper must succeed at a nigh-impossible (task difficulty 21) Reason task roll to
understand what is being said. +1 character point

Damaging Aura
Activation: Activated
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Personal
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
A character with Damaging Aura can surround themselves with an attack which
inflicts Endurance damage against anyone who touches them. The Damaging Aura
could be radiation, fire, cold, quills, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen
when the Damaging Aura power is purchased. The Damaging Aura has a damage
rating equal to the rank of the power.
Any opponent that touches the character will automatically be affected by the
character’s Damaging Aura. This includes those who successfully make unarmed
attacks against the character. The character with Damaging Aura may also attempt
to touch others and cause damage. Doing so requires a Prowess task roll against
the Prowess of the intended target. If the character with the Damaging Aura rolls
an extreme success, then they may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme
success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Damaging
Aura.
Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as
Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from
the Damaging Aura. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted
from the damage rating (DR) of the Damaging Aura. The remaining damage is
subtracted from the target’s Endurance.

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Danger Sense
Activation: Reaction
Task roll: Varies
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Danger Sense permits the character to attempt a Danger Sense roll to avoid being
surprised even if there is no way for the character to see the attack coming. The
Danger Sense task roll is based on either the rank in Danger Sense or the character’s
Perception rank +1, whichever is greater. If the character rolls an extreme success,
then they know the exact source and nature of the attack.
If the character’s Danger Sense has a higher rank than their Prowess, the rank in
Danger Sense may be used in place of Prowess to avoid being hit in hand-to-hand
combat. If the character’s Danger Sense has a higher rank than their Agility, the rank
in Danger Sense may be used in place of Agility to avoid being hit in ranged combat.

Duplication
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 3 character points per rank
Duplication allows a character to make identical copies of themselves. These
duplicates are independent characters, who each move and act separately each round.
However, all of the duplicates share a single pool of Plot Points, and spend their Plot
Points as a single character.
One rank in Duplication permits the creation of one duplicate, and each additional
rank doubles the number of characters which exist simultaneously. Rank 1 permits
two identical characters, rank 2 permits four identical characters, rank 3 permits eight
identical characters, and so on. As long as there is more than one identical character,
any duplicate which takes Endurance damage ceases to exist. By default, there is
no “original” character — the last duplicate remaining is the “original”. Once the
Duplication is activated, any of the identical characters may deactivate the power.
When the power is deactivated, which duplicate remains behind as the “original” is
generally up the player.
The character is not required to activate or deactivate all of their duplicates
simultaneously. For example, a character with rank 4 Duplication could create one
duplicate this round, create four more duplicates the following round, deactivate two
duplicates on the third round, and so on. Duplicates last until they are deactivated or
until they take any Endurance damage. When a duplicate is deactivated, its memories
and knowledge are absorbed into the remaining identical characters.
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The specific mechanism of the Duplication can vary greatly from character to
character, which may offer minor benefits and disadvantages to the character.

Table: Duplication
Rank Characters
1 2
2 4
3 8
4 16
5 32
6 64
7 128
8 256
9 512
10 1,024
11 2,048
12 4,096
13 8,192
14 16,384

Duplicates do not have any special means of communication, but this can be added
with a power enhancement.
Enhancements
Mind Link: All of the identical characters may communicate telepathically over any
distance. +1 character point

[Element] Form
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term “element” is used very
loosely. [Element] Form permits the character to physically transform their body into
a force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this
power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness,
force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any
force or substance, subject to the GM’s approval. “Energy”, for example, would be
much too broad.
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When transformed into their [Element] Form, the character possesses the traits of the
form or substance and gains Invulnerability equal to the rank of the [Element] Form.
If the force or substance is appropriate, [Element] Form may also grant the Strike
power equal to the rank of the [Element] Form (punching with fists of stone, burning
things with an electrical touch, and so on).
With the GM’s approval, [Element] Form may grant other powers, as well. For
example, Electrical Form might grant the ability to Teleport through conductive
material, Water Form might grant Stretching, and so on.
Defects
Vulnerability (major defect): While in their [Element] Form, the character may
be damaged by an opposing element. For example, a character with Earth Form,
Fire Form, or Electrical Form may take Endurance damage from water, while a
character with Darkness Form may take Endurance damage from bright light. The
amount of Endurance damage taken will depend on the strength or volume of the
opposing element, but should generally be 2 Endurance per attack. The character’s
Invulnerability or Force Field, if any, does not protect the character from this damage.
-1 character point

[Element] Mastery
Activation: Varies
Task roll: Varies
Target: Radius
Range: Varies
Cost: 3 character points per rank
Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term “element” is used very
loosely. [Element] Mastery permits the character to create and control a force or
substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power
is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force
fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force
or substance, subject to the GM’s approval. “Energy”, for example, would be much
too broad.
A character with [Element] Mastery can shape and manipulate their element in a
variety of ways. Reasonable uses of [Element] Mastery include creating walls and
barriers (see Barrier), encasing enemies in the element (see Hold), using the element to
exert Brawn at range (see Telekinesis), creating a protective shield against attacks (see
Force Field), and using the element to inflict direct damage by striking enemies with
it (see Blast). Due to the tightly unifying theme of [Element] Mastery, power-altering
powers such as Power Drain affect the entire [Element] Mastery.
Any uses of [Element] Mastery must be activated with a free action or a task action
(attacks require a task action): if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the
power turns off. The character may also turn off their [Element] Mastery voluntarily,

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of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task
difficulty 12) to keep their [Element] Mastery activated while staggered.
The character can affect their element in an area around themselves based on the
rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and
look up the value in the “Affects” column. This is the area in which the character
may control their chosen element. Use the “Lifts” column in the Benchmarks table to
determine maximum amount of the element they may manipulate at a time.

Element Mimicry
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: Touch
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term “element” is used
very loosely. Element Mimicry permits the character to physically transform their
body into any force or substance they touch. For example, the character could touch
concrete and turn into concrete, or touch water and turn into water. The character
must be in physical contact with the material in order to mimic it. If the character
uses a task action to mimic a force or substance which would injure them, such as an
attack, they transform into that attack type and the attack does no damage to them.
For example, a character with Element Mimicry who is shot by a laser may choose to
use a task action to transform into laser light, taking no damage from that attack (nor
from any other laser attacks, while in that form).
While transformed, the character possesses the traits of the force or substance and
gains Invulnerability equal to the rank of the Element Mimicry. If the force or
substance is appropriate, Element Mimicry may also grant the Strike power equal to
the rank of the Element Mimicry (punching with fists of stone, burning things with an
electrical touch, and so on).
With the GM’s approval, Element Mimicry may grant other powers, as well. For
example, mimicking electricity might grant the ability to Teleport through conductive
material, while mimicking water might grant Stretching, and so on.

[Element] Resistance
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term “element” is used
very loosely. [Element] Resistance provides protection against the Endurance
damage inflicted by a specific type of force or substance. The first rank of [Element]
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Resistance grants resistance to one specific force or substance, and each additional
rank of [Element] Resistance adds resistance to an additional force or substance. The
specific types of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased.
Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity,
magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance,
subject to the GM’s approval. “Energy”, for example, would be much too broad.
A character with [Element] Resistance subtracts 10 from the damage rating of
attacks using the specific type of force or substance. The remainder of the damage is
subtracted from the character’s Endurance.
Additionally, [Element] Resistance acts as a limited form of Attribute Invulnerability,
providing protection against attacks which inflict damage to Brawn or Agility. A
character with [Element] Resistance subtracts the rank of the power from the
attribute damage of attacks using that specific force or substance. The remainder of
the damage is subtracted from the character’s Brawn or Agility.
[Element] Resistance does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is
always on. As always, this protection does not stack with Force Field, Invulnerability,
Attribute Invulnerability, or other forms of protection — only the highest protection
value applies.
Enhancements
Immunity: The character is completely immune to attacks using the specific forces
or substances to which the character has [Element] Resistance. The character may be
subject to the smashing and staggering outcomes of extreme success, if appropriate,
but the attacks themselves inflict no damage at all. +1 character point

Emotion Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Emotion Control power allows a character to influence a target’s behaviour by
controlling the target’s emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at
a time in the target, but may instill in the target any emotion the character desires. A
character’s Emotion Control might be limited to a specific emotion, such as fear or
loyalty. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Emotion Control
task rolls.
Using Emotion Control requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the
intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Emotion
Control is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a
character is affected by a rank 6 Emotion Control, and the attacker rolled an extreme

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success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task
difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Emotion Control.
To break out of the Emotion Control, the target must make a successful Willpower
task roll against the rank of the Emotion Control. If the character succeeds at this
task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Emotion
Control gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For
example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Emotion Control, they would need to
make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more,
they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task
action.
If the character has not broken out of the Emotion Control by the end of the scene,
then they break out of it shortly thereafter.
Enhancements
Mass Hysteria: The Emotion Control power affects everyone within 50 feet of the
target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet
to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target,
the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific
individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Extra Attacks
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
A character with the Extra Attacks power can gain additional attack actions at the
end of a round. The character may use these additional attack actions to attack
multiple targets, or they may attack the same target multiple times. All of the
character’s additional attacks are resolved after all other task rolls are resolved that
round. In other words, everyone gets a turn during a round before anyone may use
Extra Attacks. If more than one character has the Extra Attacks power and is using
additional attack actions, they should alternate their additional attack actions.
During each game session, the number of additional attack actions the character
may use is equal to the rank of the Extra Attacks power. The character may only use
half of their total additional attacks in any one round, and once an additional attack
action has been used, it may not be used again in that game session. The player may
wait until the end of the round before deciding whether their character will use any of
their Extra Attacks.

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Flight
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 2 character points per rank
The character can fly, either innately or by using some type of equipment. For
example, the character might have wings, they might wear a jetpack, or they may just
be able to fly through sheer willpower. The character’s base move, double move, and
all-out move are based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the
Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the values in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as
fast as a cheetah, rank 4 is faster than the speed of sound, and rank 7 is faster than a
rocket.
Defects
Swinging (major defect): The character is supported in the air by a grappling line,
spider web, invisible beams of magnetic force, or some other method of suspension.
If there is nothing above the character to attach this “swing line” to, the character
is grounded. If the swing line is attached to something which weighs less than the
character, the character can pull the object toward them or swing it around. If the
object on the other end of the swing line is another character, this requires a Brawn
task roll against the Brawn of the other character. If the swing line is a physical object
such as a grappling line, its material strength is based on the rank of the power (see
the Benchmarks table for more details, p. 10). A character with Swinging is also likely
to have Hold (p. 88) with the “Exposed” defect. -1 character point

Force Field
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Force Field provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything which
inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Force Field subtracts the rank of the
power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them. The remainder of the
damage is subtracted from the character’s Endurance. As always, this protection
does not stack with Invulnerability or other forms of protection — only the highest
protection value applies.
A character with a Force Field may extend their force field to another person (or
person-sized object) by touching them. The Force Field then protects both characters,
but only as long as the character with the Force Field is touching the second character.
However, multiple forms of protection do not stack: only the greatest protection value
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applies. For example, a character with rank 6 Invulnerability would not benefit from
having a rank 5 Force Field on top of it.
Unlike Invulnerability, a Force Field must be activated: if the character is staggered
or goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their
Force Field voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging
Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Force Field activated while
staggered.

Growth
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —-
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Growth permits a character to become larger than normal. Each rank of Growth
gives the character:
x2 height
x8 mass
+1 Brawn
+1 Endurance
Additionally, a character with Growth is easier to hit in combat. Anyone attacking
a character with Growth is granted a +1 attack bonus for each rank of Growth the
target has. Note that this makes it much easier for characters to achieve extreme
success when attacking characters with Growth. However, the character’s rank
in Growth is added to their Willpower task roll for the purpose of resisting being
staggered. For example, a character with Willpower rank 2 and 5 ranks in Growth
would roll 2d6 + 7 when attempting to resist being staggered.
The Brawn of a character with Growth is either their rank in Growth or their normal
(non-Growth) Brawn +1, whichever is greater.
Growth may affect a character’s ground movement. The character’s base running
speed is equal to ten times their Agility in feet or ten times their rank in Growth in
feet, whichever is greater. For example, a character with rank 4 in Agility normally has
a base walking speed of 40 feet per round, but if their rank in Growth is 5, their base
walking speed is 50 feet per round. Growth does not change a character’s swimming
speed or long jump distance.
If a character is not at full Endurance when changing their size, the amount of
Endurance they have lost stays proportionately the same. (It’s only fractions: you can
handle it.)

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Table: Growth
Rank Height Reach Mass Brawn1 Endurance Defense Penalty2
1 x2 (12 feet) 6 feet 1,600 lbs 1 +1 +1
2 x4 (25 feet) 12 feet 6 tons 2 +2 +2
3 x8 (50 feet) 25 feet 50 tons 3 +3 +3
4 x16 (100 feet) 50 feet 400 tons 4 +4 +4
5 x32 (200 feet) 100 feet 3 kilotons 5 +5 +5
6 x64 (400 feet) 200 feet 30 kilotons 6 +6 +6
7 x128 (800 feet) 400 feet 200 kilotons 7 +7 +7
8 x256 (1,600 feet) 800 feet 2 gigatons 8 +8 +8
9 x512 (3,000 feet) 1,600 feet 13 megatons 9 +9 +9
10 x1,024 (1 mile) 3,000 feet 100 megatons 10 +10 +10
11 x2,048 (2 miles) 1 mile 900 megatons 11 +11 +11
12 x4,096 (5 miles) 2 miles 7 gigatons 12 +12 +12
13 x8,192 (10 miles) 5 miles 50 gigatons 13 +13 +13
14 x16,384 (20 miles) 10 miles 400 gigatons 14 +14 +14

1. Or normal Brawn +1, whichever is greater

2. Not applicable against mental attacks

For example, if a character with 6 natural Endurance has lost three Endurance
to attacks, when they activate 3 ranks of Growth their maximum Endurance will
increase to 9, but their current Endurance will be 5. When in doubt, round fractions
in the character’s favor.
At Growth rank 5 and above, the character’s hands are so large that they strike entire
areas rather than individuals. Because their hand-to-hand attacks do not need to be
aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because such
attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme
success.
A character with Growth does not have to use it at full power. A character who has 4
ranks in Growth, for example, could elect to be merely 50 feet tall rather than their
full 100 feet.

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Healing
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Healing is a ranged power which heals Endurance damage. The specific mechanism
which permits the Healing (accelerated time, life energy, advanced medicine, medical
nanobots, etc.) must be chosen when the Healing power is purchased. The Healing
power heals a quantity of Endurance equal to the rank of the power.
Using Healing requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended
target. If the character with the Healing power rolls an extreme success, then the
target of the Healing gains one additional point of Endurance.
Enhancements
Pathogens and Poisons: The Healing power can remove diseases, pathogens, and
poisons from the target. They character with Healing may attempt a challenging
Healing task roll (task difficulty 12) to cure a single disease or purge a single toxin
from the victim’s system. If the character with the Healing power rolls an extreme
success, then all damage caused by the disease is healed as well as the disease itself
being cured. +1 character point

Hold
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Hold power prevents a character from moving or taking physical actions. The
mechanism which causes the Hold must be specified when this power is purchased.
For example, the target might be entangled in webs, encased in ice, bound by rings of
magical force, or they could be paralyzed by some form of toxic gas.
Attacking a character under the effects of Hold provides a +6 attack bonus (the
standard task roll bonus for attacking a helpless target).
Using Hold requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Hold is increased by 1 for
the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 4
Hold, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to
make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 13 (5 + 8) to break out of the Hold.
To break out of the Hold, the target must make a successful Brawn task roll against
the rank of the Hold. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their
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remaining movement action. If the held character gets an extreme success on this roll,
then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank
6 Hold, they would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8).
If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free
action rather than a task action.
If the character has not broken out of the Hold by the end of the scene, then they
break out of it shortly thereafter.
Defects
Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the
Hold, using Brawn or a power which inflicts Endurance damage. This power defect
is most appropriate for types of Hold that depend on a physical restraint to keep the
target immobile, and the GM may require it in such cases. -1 character point

Illusion
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Radius
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Illusion power permits the character to create realistic three-dimensional
phantasms, complete with all associated sensory accompaniment. An illusory lion will
roar, illusory snow will feel cold and wet, and so on.
Creating a simple, immobile illusion (a wall, a bridge, and so on) requires a
challenging Illusion task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes
requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the
complexity of the desired illusion. For example, a windmill, a lion, or other moving
shape would require a demanding Illusion task roll (task difficulty 15), while a city
square with moving cars, bicycles, and dozens of people would require a frustrating
Illusion task roll (task difficulty 18).
The maximum size of an illusion is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank
of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the value in the “Affects”
column. This is the maximum size of the illusion the character may create.
While the illusions created by this power are completely convincing, they don’t
actually exist. The bite of an illusory dog will not break the skin, the touch of illusory
liquid nitrogen will not cause frostbite, and an illusory bridge will not support the
weight of anyone. The tactile aspect of an illusion will only be convincing if the
contact is fleeting or feather-light: any significant physical interaction with an illusion
provides an observer with a good reason to suspect that the apparition is not the
genuine article.
Anyone who observes an Illusion and who has a good reason to suspect its true nature
may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the power. If the Perception
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task roll succeeds, the observer sees the Illusion for what it is, and may respond
appropriately. If the character with Illusion rolls an extreme success, then the Illusion
created is significantly more realistic, and the Perception task roll to see through the
Illusion incurs a +1 task difficulty penalty.
Enhancements
Illusory Damage: The Illusion is so convincing that observers who are fooled by the
Illusion believe that they are injured by its attacks. Protection powers such as Force
Field and Invulnerability are as efficacious against these illusory attacks as they would
be to the real thing. The damage inflicted can even “kill” the target (rendering them
unconscious), but in fact any damage inflicted is stunning, and therefore temporary.
See Stunning for more details. This power enhancement is usually accompanied by
the “It’s All In Your Mind” power defect. +1 character point
Defects
It’s All In Your Mind (major defect): Normally, the sights and sounds created by
the Illusion power can be recorded, seen on cameras, and so on. With this defect, the
Illusion only affects sentient creates: cameras and robots do not perceive the illusions,
nor do the illusions appear in mirrors. -1 character point

Immortality
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Immortality power grants the character immunity to the ravages of time. An
immortal character will never grow old or die from “natural causes”. At rank 1, the
character simply doesn’t grow older, but can be killed just like any other person can.
At rank 2 and above, death is temporary. As soon as the cause of the character’s
demise is removed (the stake being pulled from their heart, the poison wearing off
and losing its toxicity, and so on), the character will begin to recover from their mortal
injuries. How long this recovery takes depends on the rank of the power.
Additionally, the player must select two means of permanently killing the character.
One of these means must be relatively obvious, such as burning the character or
dissolving them in acid. The second means may be obvious, but it may also be
obscure and specific to that character, such as destroying a specific portrait of the
character that they keep in a vault or stabbing them with a weapon made from the
bone of a blood relative.

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Table: Immortality
Rank Resurrection
1 —
2 6 months
3 3 months
4 1 month
5 2 weeks
6 1 week
7 4 days
8 2 days
9 1 day
10 16 hours
11 8 hours
12 4 hours
13 2 hours
14 1 hour

Defects
Death Is Preferable (major defect): Normally, an immortal character stops aging
when they reach physical maturity, or shortly thereafter. However, some immortal
characters continue to age (albeit at a slower rate), becoming gnarled and withered as
the years pass. An immortal with the Death Is Preferable power defect looks and feels
ancient, although they may still be physically powerful. -1 character point
Offsite Backup (major defect): Normally, when an immortal character recovers
from “death”, they retain all of the memories from events up to and including their
demise. If the character’s resurrection is facilitated by an external backup, such as a
stored clone or a periodic neural upload to an orbiting satellite, there will be a gap
between the time of the last “backup” and the character’s demise. -1 character point
Serial Immortality (major defect): Normally, when an immortal character
recovers from “death”, they remain essentially unchanged. With the Serial
Immortality power defect, the knowledge and memories of the character are
preserved, but their appearance and personality are that of a completely new person.
For example, the character might be a parasitic organism that possesses a new
host when the previous one expires, or the character might have a form of cellular
regeneration with unpredictable results. With the GM’s approval, even the character’s
advantages and powers might be changed. -1 character point

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Immunity ★
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Immunity permits the character to survive in environments and conditions that would
impair or even kill normal people. Each rank in Immunity permits the character to
endure one additional condition from the list below. These must be selected when the
power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.
The protection provided by Immunity is ambient and highly plot dependent: it does
not normally protect the character from attacks or from direct forms of damage.
Being able to withstand extreme heat and exposure to the blazing desert sun does not
mean that a character is immune to a fire blast or can relax in a pool of molten lead.
However, Immunity provides protection equal to one-half of its rank against attacks
related to some form of Immunity that the character possesses (Exposure (Cold),
Exposure (Heat), and Radiation being the most common types of direct damage). As
always, this protection does not stack with Force Field, Invulnerability, or other forms
of protection — only the highest protection value applies.
• Asphyxia: The character does not need to breathe at all; alternately, they may
breathe in a single unusual environment.
• Exposure (Cold): The character is comfortable in environments of extreme
cold, such as in the Antarctic.
• Exposure (Heat): The character is comfortable in environments of extreme
heat, such as noon in the Rub’ al Khali.
• Pathogens: The character is unaffected by infectious viruses, bacteria, fungi,
etc.
• Poisons: The character is unaffected by chemical and biological poisons, toxins,
and venoms.
• Pressure: The character is comfortable in environments of extremely high
pressure, such as in the ocean depths.
• Radiation: The character is immune to the effects environmental ionizing
radiation.
• Sleep Deprivation: The character may sleep if they want to, but suffers no ill
effect from lack of sleep.
• Starvation: The character does not need to eat, drink, or excrete; alternately,
they can eat virtually anything.
• Vacuum: The character is comfortable in environments of extremely low
pressure, such as in outer space.
By default, immunity to “Asphyxia” permits the character to survive without needing
to breathe at all. However, if it makes more sense for the character to be able to

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breath in just one unusual environment, such as underwater or in methane, they may
choose that option instead.
By default, immunity to “Starvation” permits the character to survive without needing
to eat, drink, or excrete at all. However, if it makes more sense for the character to
be able to eat or drink virtually any nontoxic substance, such as mud or styrofoam
peanuts, they may choose that option instead.
For immunity to aging, see Immortality (p. 82).
If a character dies from an attack related to some form of Immunity that the
character possesses, there is a good chance the character might come back. This is
highly dependent on the background of the character and how much sense it would
make in the context of the story.
For more details on the effects of the environment on a character, see Environment
(p. 156).

Increased Density
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Increased Density permits a character to become more massive (but no larger) than
normal. Each rank of Increased Density gives the character:
x2 Mass
+1 Brawn
-1 Agility
+1 Endurance
+1 Invulnerability
The Brawn and Invulnerability of a character with Increased Density is either
their rank in Increased Density or their normal (non-Increased Density) rank +1,
whichever is greater.
If a character becomes so dense that their Agility is reduced to zero, they have great
difficulty moving. They must successfully attempt a challenging Willpower task roll
(task difficulty 12) every round, just to take a step or two.
If a character is not at full Endurance when changing their density, the amount of
Endurance they have lost stays proportionately the same. (It’s only fractions: you can
handle it.)

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Table: Increased Density

Rank Mass Brawn1 Agility2 Endurance Invulnerability3
1 x2 (400 lbs) 1 -1 +1 1
2 x4 (800 lbs) 2 -2 +2 2
3 x8 (1,600 lbs) 3 -3 +3 3
4 x16 (3,200 lbs) 4 -4 +4 4
5 x32 (3 tons) 5 -5 +5 5
6 x64 (6 tons) 6 -6 +6 6
7 x128 (12 tons) 7 -7 +7 7
8 x256 (25 tons) 8 -8 +8 8
9 x512 (50 tons) 9 -9 +9 9
10 x1,024 (100 tons) 10 -10 +10 10
11 x2,048 (200 tons) 11 -11 +11 11
12 x4,096 (400 tons) 12 -12 +12 12
13 x8,192 (800 tons) 13 -13 +13 13
14 x16,384 (1,600 tons) 14 -14 +14 14

1. Or normal Brawn +1, whichever is greater

2. Down to minimum rank 0
3. Or normal Invulnerability +1, whichever is greater

For example, if a character with 6 natural Endurance has lost three Endurance to
attacks, when they activate 3 ranks of Increased Density their maximum Endurance
will increase to 9, but their current Endurance will be 5. When in doubt, round
fractions in the character’s favor.
A character with Increased Density does not have to use it at full power. A character
who has 4 ranks in Increased Density, for example, could elect to be merely 400
pounds in mass rather than their full 3,200 pounds. Note that a character with their
Increased Density activated in the water will sink like a stone: normal swimming is
impossible, but Super-swimming will work as usual. At rank 6, the character is denser
than any naturally occurring substance on Earth.

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Intangibility
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Intangibility allows the character to become insubstantial and able to pass through
physical objects. For example, Intangibility could represent a character who is able to
control their molecular density, a character who vibrates at a different frequency, or
even a character whose body can turn into radiant energy. The density of the material
the character can pass through is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the
power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the value in the “Breaks” column.
This is the toughest material which the character may pass through. The character
can also pass through force fields and other energy barriers which have a protection
value (PV) less than or equal to the rank of the Intangibility.
Intangibility provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything which
inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Intangibility subtracts the rank of the
power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them while they are intangible.
The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character’s Endurance. As
always, this protection does not stack with Invulnerability or other forms of protection
— only the highest protection value applies.
An intangible character is unable to physically interact with materials that they can
pass through, and the rank of the power is subtracted from the damage rating of
any attacks the character makes while intangible. However, an intangible character is
affected normally by mental powers, and they may use mental powers against others.
A character with Intangibility may make another person (or person-sized object)
intangible by touching the other person and then activating the Intangibility power.
The Intangibility then affects both characters, but only as long as the character with
the Intangibility is touching the second character.
Intangibility must be activated: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the
power turns off. The character may also turn off their Intangibility voluntarily, of
course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task
difficulty 12) to keep their Intangibility activated while staggered.
Enhancements
Loophole: The character has a power which affects the world normally while they
are intangible. However, the character must also define an attack type which affects
them normally while they are intangible. +1 character point
Defects
Permanent (major defect): The character is unable to turn off their Intangibility.
The character remains intangible even if staggered or unconscious. -1 character point
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Invisibility
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Invisibility power allows the character to become difficult to perceive. For
example, the character might be transparent, they might bend light around them, or
they may blend into their surroundings using camouflage. However the invisibility
is achieved, the character is hidden from normal sight unless someone is actively
looking for them or there is some environmental circumstance that might reveal the
character’s location.
If someone is actively looking for the character, perhaps by isolating their heat
signature or tracking them by scent, the person trying to locate the invisible character
must make a successful Perception task roll against the rank of the Invisibility. If an
environmental circumstance might reveal the character’s location, anyone in the
area may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the Invisibility in order to
notice the character. For example, fog might reveal the invisible character’s outline, or
fresh snow might reveal their footprints.
A character with Invisibility may make another person (or person-sized object)
invisible by touching the other person and then activating the Invisibility power. The
Invisibility then affects both characters, but only as long as the character with the
Invisibility is touching the second character.
Invisibility must be activated: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the
power turns off. The character may also turn off their Invisibility voluntarily, of
course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task
difficulty 12) to keep their Invisibility activated while staggered.
Defects
Permanent (major defect): The character is unable to turn off their Invisibility.
The character remains invisible even if staggered or unconscious. -1 character point

Invulnerability
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Invulnerability provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything
which inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Invulnerability subtracts the rank
of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them. The remainder
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of the damage is subtracted from the character’s Endurance. Invulnerability does

not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on. As always, this
protection does not stack with Force Field or other forms of protection — only the
highest protection value applies.

Life Drain
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Life Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Life Drain
could be radiation, disease, cold, extreme age, toxic gas, or even darkness or light, and
this must be chosen when the Life Drain power is purchased. Life Drain has a damage
rating equal to the rank of the power.
Using Life Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one
of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or
staggering the target of the Life Drain.
Life Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as Invulnerability and Force
Field. The damage from Life Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is
over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Machine Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Machine Control allows a character to mentally control electronic and mechanical
machines. To successfully mentally control a machine, the character must succeed at a
challenging (task difficulty 12) Machine Control task roll.
A controlled machine has the same actions as a normal character (free actions,
movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character
that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given
even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a
new mental command to a controlled machine requires a free action.
The Brawn and Endurance of the machine is based on its physical structure and
durability (see the “Breaks” column on the Benchmarks table, p. 10), while the Agility,
Prowess, and Accuracy of the machine is equal to the rank of the power. If the
character rolls an extreme success, then the controlled machine is significantly tougher

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(+1 Endurance). Controlled machines are not actually alive or aware, so they have no
Reason, Perception, or Willpower. The specific details of the how the machine moves
and attacks vary depending on the machine itself: an animated soda machine can hop
very slowly and shoot out 12 ounce cans of soda, a bulldozer can roll and demolish
buildings, and so on.
Controlled machines can also be made to perform their ordinary purpose, such as
making an automatic teller machine spit out money, or making a computer terminal
display information from a database. If there is no significant security in place, no task
roll is necessary for this, but if the character is trying to circumvent security or break
into a computer system, the character may attempt a task roll using their power rank
in place of the Computing skill, or their normal Computing skill +1, whichever is
greater.
The most massive machine the character can control is equal to the power’s rank in
the “Lifts” column in the Benchmarks table (p. 10).

Mind Blast
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Mind Blast is a ranged attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Mind Blast is
typically some form of psychic attack, but it could also be sound, electricity, cold, or
even bacteria, and this must be chosen when the Mind Blast power is purchased. The
Mind Blast has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.
Using Mind Blast requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one
of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or
staggering the target of the Mind Blast.
Mind Blast ignores all normal forms of protection such as Invulnerability and Force
Field. However, any power or equipment that provides protection from mental
attacks, such as Mind Shield, subtracts the rank of the protection power from the
damage rating of the Mind Blast. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from
the character’s Endurance.
Enhancements
Explosive Damage: The Mind Blast causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of
the target (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because
an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of
the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific
individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

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Mind Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
The Mind Control power allows a character to control a target’s behaviour, forcing
the target to follow the character’s commands.
Characters under the influence of Mind Control are not as effective as those whose
wills are their own. Any task roll attempted by a character under the influence of
Mind Control incurs a +1 difficulty modifier, and a mind controlled character is not
able to spend plot points.
Using Mind Control requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the
intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Mind
Control is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a
character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Control, and the attacker rolled an extreme
success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task
difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Mind Control.
To break out of the Mind Control, the target must make a successful Willpower task
roll against the rank of the Mind Control. If the character succeeds at this task roll,
they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Mind Control gets
an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a
character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Control, they would need to make a Willpower
task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an
extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.
If the character has not broken out of the Mind Control by the end of the scene, then
they break out of it shortly thereafter.
Enhancements
Blackout: The target of Mind Control will not remember any actions they took
while under the influence of the power. These memories may be able to be retrieved
through the use of hypnosis, Telepathy, and so on. +1 character point
Mass Hypnosis: The Mind Control power affects everyone within 50 feet of the
target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet
to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target,
the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific
individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point
Defects
Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a
target is under the influence of Mind Control. With this defect, the Mind Control
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has a “tell”, such as glowing eyes, which makes it visually apparent that something is
wrong with the target. -1 character point

Mind Hold
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
The Mind Hold power prevents a character from moving, thinking, or taking any
actions. While affected by Mind Hold, only a moment seems to pass for the target,
but after they break out of it, they are aware that something unusual has happened,
and that they have “lost time”. For example, the “lost time” might appear as a brief
“white out” of the target’s vision, or perhaps the target simply falls asleep for a time.
The mechanism which causes the Mind Hold must be specified when this power is
purchased. For example, the target might be frozen in time, commanded to “Sleep!”,
or they could be knocked out by some form of toxic gas.
Attacking a character under the effects of Mind Hold provides a +6 attack bonus (the
standard task roll bonus for attacking a helpless target).
Using Mind Hold requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Mind Hold is
increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character
is affected by a rank 6 Mind Hold, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the
affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15
(7 + 8) to break out of the Mind Hold.
To break out of the Mind Hold, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll
against the rank of the Mind Hold. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they
may use their remaining movement action. If the held character gets an extreme
success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character
is affected by a rank 6 Mind Hold, they would need to make a Willpower task roll
against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme
success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.
If the character has not broken out of the Mind Hold by the end of the scene, then
they break out of it shortly thereafter.
Defects
Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the
Mind Hold, using Willpower or a power which is based on a Willpower task roll. This
power defect is most appropriate for types of Mind Hold that place the target into a
dormant or somnambulent state, such as a mental compulsion to “Sleep!”, and the
GM may require it in such cases. -1 character point

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Mind Shield
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Mind Shield provides protection against most forms of direct mental damage: any
mental attack which inflicts Endurance damage, such as Mind Blast. A character
with Mind Shield subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of mental
attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the
character’s Endurance.
Mind Shield also adds to the character’s Willpower for the purpose of shrugging off
the effects of mental powers such as Emotion Control or Mind Hold. To break out of
Emotion Control, for example, the target must make a successful Willpower + Mind
Shield task roll against the rank of the Emotion Control.
Finally, Mind Shield acts as a limited form of Attribute Invulnerability, providing
protection against attacks which inflict damage to Reason, Perception, and Willpower.
A character with Mind Shield subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating
of attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the
character’s Reason, Perception, or Willpower.
Mind Shield does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on.
As always, this protection does not stack with other similar forms of protection —
only the highest protection value applies.

Object Animation
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Object Animation allows a character to animate and mentally control inanimate
objects. To successfully animate and mentally control an object, the character must
succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Object Animation task roll.
An animated object has the same actions as a normal character (free actions,
movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character
that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given
even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a
new mental command to an animated object requires a free action.
The Brawn and Endurance of the object is based on its physical structure and
durability (see the “Breaks” column on the Benchmarks table), while the Agility,
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Prowess, and Accuracy of the object is equal to the rank of the power. If the
character rolls an extreme success, then the animated object is significantly tougher
(+1 Endurance). Animated objects are not actually alive or aware, so they have no
Reason, Perception, or Willpower. The specific details of the how the object moves
and attacks vary depending on the object itself: an animated chair can walk, a carpet
can slither, and so on.
The most massive object the character can control is equal to the power’s rank in the
“Lifts” column in the Benchmarks table (p. 10).

Plant Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Radius
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Plant Control allows a character to animate and mentally control plants. To
successfully communicate with and control all plants within range of the power, the
character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Plant Control task roll.
Animated plants have the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement
action, task action, reaction), and operate independently of the character that
animated them. However, they will continue to perform the last instruction they were
given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as they have a very rudimentary
form of intelligence. Giving a new mental command to the controlled plants requires
a free action.
The Brawn, Agility, Prowess, Accuracy, and Endurance of the plants is equal to
the rank of the power. Animated plants have a very limited form of intelligence,
with Reason, Perception, and Willpower of rank 1. However, controlled plants are
highly resistant to mental powers, having Mind Shield equal to the rank of the Plant
Control power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the animated plants
are significantly smarter (+1 Reason and +1 Perception). Animated plants can bend,
twist, and reach in order to attack, but they generally can’t move from where they are
planted.
The character can control plants in an area around themselves based on the rank of
the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up
the value in the “Affects” column.
Enhancements
Uproot: With the Uproot power enhancement, animated plants can use a movement
action to uproot themselves. Once uprooted, the animated plants can hop or slither
around at normal human walking speed (20 feet per round). +1 character point

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Possession
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
The Possession power allows a character to seize control of a target, overriding the
target’s control and effectively making the target a passenger in their own body. While
the character is using Possession on another person, their own body collapses into a
trance-like state.
A possessed character is not able to spend plot points, but the possessing character can
spend their own plot points while controlling a target.
Using Possession requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Possession is
increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character
is affected by a rank 6 Possession, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the
affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15
(7 + 8) to break out of the Possession.
To break out of the Possession, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll
against the rank of the Possession. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may
use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Possession gets an extreme
success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is
affected by a rank 6 Possession, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against
task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success,
and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.
Enhancements
Blackout: The target of Possession will not remember any actions they took while
under the influence of the power. These memories may be able to be retrieved
through the use of hypnosis, Telepathy, and so on. +1 character point
Inhabit: With the Inhabit power enhancement, the range of the power is reduced
to Touch, but the body of the possessing character actually merges with that of the
target for the duration of the possession. +1 character point
Defects
Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a
target is possessed. With this defect, the Possession has a “tell”, such as glowing eyes,
which makes it visually apparent that something is wrong with the target. -1 character
point

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Power Drain
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Power Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts damage to one of the target’s
powers. The character can choose which power they drain, if they are aware that the
target has the power; otherwise, the character drains the highest rank power of the
target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If used
against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Drain affects all of the effects
made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power] defined
as Powered Armor, and was using this Powered Armor to generate a Force Field,
Flight, Blast, and other powers, then a Power Drain attack would affect all of these
powers simultaneously, in addition to the [Ultra-power] itself.
Using Power Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one
of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or
staggering the target of the Power Drain.
The Power Drain has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power. Any power
or equipment that provides protection for the power being attacked, such as Power
Invulnerability, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The
protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating
(DR) of the Power Drain. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target’s
power.
The damage from Power Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over,
when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.
Enhancements
Ranged: The Power Drain is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on its
rank. Using Power Drain requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the
intended target. +1 character point

Power Invulnerability
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Power Invulnerability provides protection against attacks which inflict damage to a
character’s powers. Unlike (Attribute) Invulnerability, all of the character’s power
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are protected by Power Invulnerability. For example, Power Invulnerability protects

a characters Flight, Telepathy, and even the Power Invulnerability itself. A character
with Power Invulnerability subtracts the rank of the Power Invulnerability from the
rank of attacks that inflict power damage. The remaining ranks of the attack are
applied against the character’s power. Power Invulnerability does not need to be
activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on.

Power Mimicry
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Power Mimicry allows the character to copy another character’s power and use it
themselves. The character can choose which power they mimic, if they are aware that
the target has the power; otherwise, the character mimics the highest rank power of
the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If
used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Mimicry copies all of the
effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power]
defined as Powered Armor, and was using this Powered Armor to generate a Force
Field, Flight, Blast, and other powers, then a Power Mimicry attack would copy all of
these powers simultaneously, in addition to the [Ultra-power] itself.
Using Power Mimicry requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended
target. The mimicked power is limited to the rank of the power being mimicked, or to
the rank of the Power Mimicry, whichever is less. The character with Power Mimicry
will retain the power until they mimic a different power, or until the end of the scene,
whichever comes first. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may
make immediately take a second action to use the power they have mimicked (a task
action if the mimicked power is an attack, a movement action if the mimicked power
provides movement, and so on).
If the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the Power Mimicry turns off and
any mimicked powers are lost. The character may also turn off their Power Mimicry
voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower
task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Power Mimicry activated while staggered.
Enhancements
Versatile: Normally, Power Mimicry only allows the character to copy one power
at a time. The Versatile power enhancement allows the character to mimic two
powers simultaneously (although copying each power is a separate attack action).
This enhancement may be taken multiple times: each additional Versatile power
enhancement allows the character to simultaneously mimic one additional power. +1
character point

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Power Suppression
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Power Suppression prevents a target from using a specific power for so long as the
Power Suppression is active. The character can choose which power they suppress,
if they are aware that the target has the power; otherwise, the character suppresses
the highest rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered
powers for this purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power
Suppression affects all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if
a target has an [Ultra-power] defined as Powered Armor, then Power Suppression
would affect all of the armor’s powers simultaneously. The mechanism which causes
the Power Suppression must be specified when this power is purchased. For example,
the target might be injected with nanomachines, subjected to an alien energy field,
bound by rings of magical force, or they could be shackled with some type of
“inhibitor” device.
Using Power Suppression requires a power task roll against the rank of the power to
be suppressed. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Power
Suppression is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example,
if a character is affected by a rank 4 Power Suppression, and the attacker rolled an
extreme success, the affected character would need to make a power task roll against
task difficulty 13 (5 + 8) to break out of the Power Suppression.
To break out of the Power Suppression, the target must make a successful power
task roll against the rank of the Power Suppression. If the character succeeds at this
task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the held character gets
an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if
a character is affected by a rank 4 Power Suppression, they would need to make a
power task roll against task difficulty 12 (4 + 8). If they roll a 15 or more, they achieve
an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action. If the
target has Power Invulnerability, the rank of their Power Invulnerability is added
to the rank of their power when they are attempting to break out of the Power
Suppression.
If the character has not broken out of the Power Suppression by the end of the scene,
then they break out of it shortly thereafter.
Enhancements
Blanket: The Power Suppression affects everyone within 50 feet of the target,
similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to
50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target,
the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at
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specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. Using a power such
as Teleportation to enter an area where that power has been suppressed requires a
successful power task roll against the rank of the Power Suppression. If the task roll
fails, they are unable to use the power to enter the area. +1 character point
Spectrum: The Spectrum power enhancement allows the character to suppress
all of the target’s powers simultaneously. To break out of the Power Suppression,
the target must make a successful power task roll against the rank of the Power
Suppression, using the highest-ranked power which is currently being suppressed. +1
character point
Defects
Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the
Power Suppression, using Brawn or a power which inflicts Endurance damage. This
power defect is most appropriate for types of Power Suppression that depend on a
physical restraint to keep the target’s powers inactive, and the GM may require it in
such cases. -1 character point

Power Theft
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 3 character points per rank
Power Theft is a hand-to-hand attack which allows the character to temporarily steal
another character’s power. The character can choose which power they steal if they
are aware of the powers the target has; otherwise, the character steals the highest
rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this
purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Theft affects all
of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-
power] defined as Powered Armor, then Power Theft would affect all of the armor’s
systems simultaneously. The amount of the power stolen is equal to the amount of
damage inflicted on the target’s power. The character with Power Theft will retain
the power until they steal a different power, or until the end of the scene, whichever
comes first.
Using Power Theft requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended
target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one
of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or
staggering the target of the Power Drain.
Power Theft has a damage rating equal to its rank. Any power or equipment that
provides protection for the power being attacked, such as Power Invulnerability,
reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack, and thus also reduces
the amount of the power stolen. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is
subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Power Theft. The remaining damage
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is subtracted from the target’s power, and that number of ranks of the power are
granted to the character with Power Theft. The target keeps the remaining ranks of
their power.
If the character is staggered, they may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task
difficulty 12) to keep their Power Theft activated. If the Willpower roll fails or if the
character goes unconscious, the Power Theft turns off, and any stolen power ranks are
returned to the target. The character may also turn off their Power Theft voluntarily.
The damage from Power Theft is temporary. The power returns to the target after the
fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.
Enhancements
Ranged: The Power Theft is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on its
rank. Using Power Theft requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the
intended target. +1 character point
Versatile: Normally, Power Theft only allows the character to steal one power
at a time. The Versatile power enhancement allows the character to steal two
powers simultaneously (although stealing each power is a separate attack action).
This enhancement may be taken multiple times: each additional Versatile power
enhancement allows the character to simultaneously steal one additional power. +1
character point

Probability Control
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
A character with Probability Control can influence the odds, playing fast and loose
with the laws of chance. Probability Control does not allow the character to break the
laws of physics or make impossible things happen, but a character with Probability
Control can make unlikely events likely and likely events unlikely.
Using Probability Control requires the player to describe a favorable or unfavorable
circumstance and how that circumstance might have come about. If the GM agrees
that the circumstance is possible (however unlikely it might be), then the GM will
decide how this unlikely event impacts the characters. The simplest way to translate
this favorable or unfavorable circumstance into game terms is to grant a +3 bonus
on a task roll if the circumstance is favorable for the character attempting the task or
imposing a +3 difficulty modifier on a task roll if the circumstance is unfavorable for
the character attempting the task. The use of Probability Control could also influence
events in a less straightforward manner, and the GM should encourage players to be
creative with the power. Each use of Probability Control should be roughly as useful
as a +3 modifier: significant, but not game-breaking.
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During each game session, the number of times the character can influence
probability is equal to the rank of the Probability Control power. Probability Control
may be used to influence a task roll either before or immediately after the roll has
been made.
Defects
Conservation Of Probability (major defect): Normally, there is no karmic debt
incurred by a character with Probability Control. A character with the Conservation
of Probability defect must maintain parity between events so that the ledgers of
karma remain balanced. If the character uses their power to grant a +3 bonus
on a task roll, for example, they must balance this out with a compensating +3
difficulty modifier on another task roll before the end of the scene. If they don’t, the
balance will re-assert itself in the following scene in a way that is inconvenient for
the character with Probability Control, and the character will be unable to use their
power to prevent it. -1 character point

Regeneration
Activation: Always On
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The Regeneration power accelerates the healing process and allows the character to
recover from injury more quickly. Normally, an injured character recovers half the
Endurance they have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate
for half an hour or so. After that, injuries normally heal only with extended rest
or with medical care. With this rest or medical care, the character will regain one
Endurance per day; without it, they will regain one Endurance per week.
The Regeneration power drastically reduces this recovery time. However, the best
results are still obtained with rest and medical care.

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Table: Regeneration
Recovers
Rank Recovers Half
With Care Without
1 15 minutes 16 hours 4 days
2 8 minutes 8 hours 2 days
3 4 minutes 4 hours 1 day
4 2 minutes 2 hours 16 hours
5 1 minute 1 hour 8 hours
6 30 seconds 30 minutes 4 hours
7 12 seconds 15 minutes 2 hours
8 6 seconds 8 minutes 1 hour
9 3 seconds1 4 minutes 30 minutes
10 —2 2 minutes 15 minutes
11 —2 1 minutes 8 minutes
12 —2 30 seconds 4 minutes
13 —2 12 seconds 2 minutes
14 —2 6 seconds 1 minute

1. At rank 9, the character may recover half of the damage from an attack with
a task action.
2. At rank 10 and above, the character may recover half of the damage from an
attack with a free action. In effect, they heal half of every attack as soon as it
hits them.

Shapeshifting
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 2 character points per rank
A character with Shapeshifting can change their shape and appearance, but not their
mass or size (unless the character also has the Growth or Shrinking powers). The
character gains the physical attributes of their new shape, such as Brawn, Agility,
Endurance, Invulnerability, claws, wings, and so on. This usually includes any natural
movement powers of the new shape. The rank of the new shape’s attributes and
powers are limited to the rank of the Shapeshifting power or to the rank that the
shape would plausibly have, whichever is less.

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Assuming the shape of a specific person, creature, or object is more difficult than
changing into a generic example of a particular shape. If someone is actively looking
at the character, or has any reason to suspect that the character is not the genuine
article, the person observing the shapeshifted character may attempt a Perception
task roll against the rank of the Shapeshifting. If the Perception roll is successful, the
observer can tell that the shapeshifted character is not who or what they appear to be.
Defects
Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a
character is using Shapeshifting. With this defect, the Shapeshifting has a “tell”, such
as glowing eyes, a distinctive color, or the character’s normal face, which makes it
visually apparent that the character is not in their natural form. -1 character point

Shrinking
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Shrinking permits a character to become smaller than normal. Each rank of
Shrinking gives the character:
x1/2 height
x1/8 mass
-1 Brawn
Additionally, a character with Shrinking is more diffficult to hit in combat. A
character with Shrinking is granted a +1 defense bonus for each rank of Shrinking
the target has.
Shrinking may affect a character’s ground movement. The character’s base running
speed and swimming speed are reduced by the same proportion as their height. The
character’s jumping distance and any power based movement, such as Super-running
and Super-swimming, are unaffected.
At Shrinking rank 14, the character is about as tall as the diameter of a human hair.
As small as it is, this is still too large to enter a human body through the pores, and is
too large to pass through most air and water filters.
A character with Shrinking does not have to use it at full power. A character who has
6 ranks in Shrinking, for example, could elect to be merely 18 inches tall rather than
their full 1 inch.

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Table: Shrinking
Rank Height Mass Brawn1 Defense Bonus2
1 x1/2 (3 feet) 25 pounds -1 +1
2 x1/4 (18 inches) 3 pounds -2 +2
3 x1/8 (9 inches) 6 ounces -3 +3
4 x1/16 (4 1/2 inches) 1 ounce -4 +4
5 x1/32 (2 inches) 1/8 ounce -5 +5
6 x1/64 (1 inch) 1/64 ounce -6 +6
7 x1/128 (1/2 inch) 1/512 ounce -7 +7
8 x1/256 (1/4 inch) 1/4,096 ounce -8 +8
9 x1/512 (1/8 inch) 1/32,768 ounce -9 +9
10 x1/1,024 (1/16 inch) 1/262,144 ounce -10 +10
11 x1/2,048 (1/32 inch) 1/2,097,152 ounce -11 +11
12 x1/4,096 (1/64 inch) 1/16,777,216 ounce -12 +12
13 x1/8,192 (1/128 inch) 1/134,217,728 ounce -13 +13
14 x1/16,384 (1/256 inch) 1/1,073,741,824 ounce -14 +14

1. Down to minimum rank 1

2. Not applicable against mental attacks

Stretching
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
A character with Stretching can deform their body and attenuate their extremities.
A character with Stretching might have telescoping robotic tentacles, their physical
body might be composed of separate pieces held together by elastic tethers, or the
character’s body may simply be incredibly malleable. This increases the character’s
effective reach and permits them to perform tasks and make hand-to-hand attacks at
greater distances. Hand-to-hand attacks made by a Stretching character are resolved
with Prowess task rolls, as usual.
The distance the character is able to stretch is based on the rank of the power.
Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the
“Throws” column. This is the maximum distance that the character can stretch in
a single direction. If the character is stretching in two or more directions at once (to

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form a tent or parachute, for example, or to type into two keyboards located in two
different rooms), the maximum distance they may stretch in each direction is one-half
of their usual maximum.
Enhancements
Squeezing: Normally, a character with Stretching is not able to squeeze through any
hole smaller than their head. The Squeezing power enhancement allows the character
to make their body thinner as well as longer. The character may squeeze through a
hole or a gap no smaller than 1 inch divided by the rank of the power cubed. For
example, a character with rank 2 Stretching and Squeezing could squeeze through a
gap one eighth of an inch wide (1 inch/23 = 1 inch/8 = 0.125 inch), and a character
with rank 7 Stretching and Squeezing could flatten themselves to less than the
thickness of an average sheet of laser printer paper. +1 character point

Strike
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Prowess
Target: Single Target
Range: Touch
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Strike is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Strike could
be claws, radiation, cold, a sword, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen
when the Strike power is purchased. The Strike has a damage rating equal to the rank
of the power or the character’s Brawn rank + 1, whichever is greater.
Using Strike requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the
standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering
the target of the Strike.
Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as
Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from
the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the
damage rating (DR) of the Strike. The remaining damage is subtracted from the
target’s Endurance.
Enhancements
Explosive Strike: The Strike causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of the
character (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because
an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of
the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific
individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

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Super-jumping
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The character can leap impossibly far and fast, either innately or by using some
type of equipment. For example, the character might have legs like a grasshopper,
they might wear rocket-propelled shoes, or they may just have massive and powerful
thighs. The height and distance of the character’s long jump are based on the rank
of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look
up the value in the “Base Move” column. This is the height and the distance that the
character can standing long jump in a single round.
If a character has Super-jumping, then they move at the speed indicated by the power
rather than at the speed indicated by their Brawn. Super-jumping does not add to a
character’s natural (Brawn-based) jumping distance.

Super-running
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The character can run impossibly fast, either innately or by using some type of
equipment. For example, the character might have wings on their feet, they might
wear rocket-powered roller skates, or they may just move their feet really quickly. The
character’s base move, double move, and all-out move are based on the rank of the
power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the
values in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as fast as a cheetah, rank 4 is faster than the
speed of sound, and rank 7 is as fast as a rocket.
If a character has Super-running, then they move at the speed indicated by the power
rather than at the speed indicated by their Agility. Super-running does not add to a
character’s natural (Agility-based) ground movement speed.
Enhancements
Defy Gravity: The character runs so fast that they can run up or down vertical
surfaces without falling and run across bodies of water without sinking. If they stop
running, of course, gravity takes over. +1 character point
Moving Target: The character may substitute their rank in Super-running for their
Agility or Prowess for the purpose of avoiding attacks. +1 character point

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Super Senses ★
Activation: Activated
Task roll: Perception
Target: Personal
Range: Varies
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Super Senses grants the character the ability to perceive in ways unavailable to
ordinary people. Each rank in Super Senses grants the character one additional sense
from the list below. These must be selected when the power is purchased, and may not
normally be changed thereafter.
• 360° Vision: The character can see equally well in every direction
simultaneously.
• Blindsight: The character can sense shapes and textures as clearly as with
ordinary vision, but without the ability to perceive color; this could be a form
of sonar, radar, sensitivity to air currents, or some other form of alternate
perception.
• Detect [Element]: The character can perceive, locate, and analyze a
substance, material, or energy. The player must choose the specific type of
detect: detect magic, detect metal, detect temporal anomalies, etc.
• ESP: The character can attempt to make a challenging (task difficulty 12)
Perception task roll to perceive things at a distance.
• Hyperacuity: The character can attempt to make a challenging (task difficulty
12) Perception task roll to sense details far too small or faint for ordinary human
perception to detect. They can taste the number of salt grains on a pretzel, read
printed text by touching it, see fingerprints on surfaces, identify a person by the
sound of their heartbeat, track someone through a city by their cologne, and so
on.
• Infrared Vision: The character see in the infrared spectrum. They are able
to see an image in the darkest of nights as though it were twilight, and they
can see through light fog, rain and smoke. They can detect small temperature
differences by looking at them.
• Night Vision: The character can see in pitch darkness as clearly as in daylight.
• Postcognition: The character can see into the past, or can “read” the history
of items and people by touching them. Seeing into the past is never completely
reliable: Postcognition is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the
GM.
• Precognition: The character can see into the future, or can “read” the destiny
of items and people by touching them. Seeing into the future is never completely
reliable: Precognition is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the
GM.
• Ultraviolet Vision: The character see in the ultraviolet spectrum. They are
able to see an image in the darkest of nights as though it were twilight, and they
can perceive patterns and colors invisible to normal human vision.
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• Vibration Sense: The character can perceive, locate, and analyze things
touching the ground (or water, with the GM’s permission).
• X-ray Vision: The character can see through objects. The player must define
a reasonably common substance, material, or energy that the character can’t see
through.
Using Super Senses requires a Perception task roll against a task difficulty set by the
GM. This is typically a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception task roll, but it may
be higher or lower depending on the ambient “noise” and how obvious the thing
being perceived is. If the thing being perceived is relatively obvious (to someone with
the appropriate senses), no task roll should be necessary.

Super-speed Table: Super-speed

Activation: Activated Task Duration
Task roll: —
3 seconds
Target: Personal
Range: — 6 seconds
Cost: 1 character point per rank 12 seconds
The Super-speed power allows the character to perform 30 seconds
everyday tasks at a rate much faster than usual. Each 1 minute
rank of Super-speed moves the time it takes to complete 2 minutes
the task one level up the Super-speed table. For
example, a character with 3 ranks in Super-speed could 4 minutes
accomplish a 15 minute task in 2 minutes (2 minutes 8 minutes
is three rows up from 15 minutes in the Super-speed 15 minutes
table).
30 minutes
Super-speed is only applicable to everyday tasks, tasks
1 hour
that are routine (task difficulty 9 or less), and tasks
performed when the character is under no pressure 2 hours
and there is no penalty for failure. Super-speed does 4 hours
not enhance the character’s combat abilities, nor 8 hours
does it grant any other speed-related powers, such as
Regeneration or Super-running. However, in cases 16 hours
where the order of play is determined by a Perception 1 day
roll, a character with Super-speed gets a bonus to 2 days
the Perception task roll equal to their rank in Super-
4 days
speed (for example, rank 4 Super-speed would provide
a +4 bonus to the Perception roll for purposes of 1 week
determining the order of play). See Order Of Play 2 weeks
(p. 141) for more information. 1 month
3 months
6 months
1 year
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Super-swimming
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 1 character point per rank
The character can swim impossibly fast, either innately or by using some type of
equipment. For example, the character might have a powerful tail like a dolphin,
they might wear turbo-jet boots, or they may just swim really fast. The character’s
base move, double move, and all-out move are based on the rank of the power.
Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look up the values
in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as fast as a sailfish, rank 3 is as fast as the Spirit
of Australia speed boat, and rank 5 is faster than the speed of sound (which is
approximately 3,489 mph in sea water).
If a character has Super-swimming, then they move at the speed indicated by the
power rather than at the speed indicated by their Agility. Super-swimming does not
add to a character’s natural (Agility-based) swimming speed.

Telekinesis
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Telekinesis permits a character to move objects at range. The maximum mass the
character can lift with their Telekinesis is based on the rank of the power. Find the
rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10) and look up the corresponding
value in the “Lifts” column. Telekinesis is not normally able to inflict damage directly
(to do so, use Blast, p. 65), but it may be used to squeeze a target or hurl a target
against unyielding surfaces.
Telekinesis may be targeted using either Accuracy or Willpower. The attribute used by
the attacker to hit the target must be chosen when the power is purchased, and may
not normally be changed thereafter.
Using Telekinesis requires an Accuracy (or Willpower) task roll against the Agility
of the intended target. Grabbing inanimate objects with Telekinesis is generally
automatic, unless the GM wants to make it difficult for some reason. To break free of
the Telekinesis, the target must make a successful Brawn task roll against the rank of
the Telekinesis.
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Telekinesis is increased
by 1 for the purpose of breaking free of it. For example, if a character is being held by
a rank 6 Telekinesis, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character
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would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break free of
the Telekinesis.
If the defender succeeds at the Brawn task roll to break free, they may use their
remaining movement action. If the character being held with Telekinesis gets an
extreme success on this roll, then they break free as a free action instead of a task
action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Telekinesis, they would
need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or
more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free is simply a free action. If
the defender has Telekinesis, they may use the rank of their own Telekinesis in lieu of
their Brawn to break free.
Characters being held by Telekinesis are considered “restrained”. A restrained
character is not helpless, but they can’t use normal movement until they break free of
the Telekinesis. Attacking the held character is easier (attackers gain a +3 attack bonus
when attacking the held character), and their attacks are easier to avoid (defenders
gain a +3 defense bonus when the held character attacks them).
A character with Telekinesis may either squeeze or move what they are holding with
the power.
If the character with Telekinesis wishes to exert strength in an attempt to hurt the
held character, the compression causes Endurance damage, and the damage rating
(DR) of this attack is equal to the attacker’s rank in Telekinesis. Any power or
equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability
and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The
protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating of
the Telekinesis. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target’s Endurance.
If the character with Telekinesis wishes to move the held character, the distance an
attacker may move the defender is based on the Telekinesis of the attacker and the
mass of the defender. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved
in the “Lifts” column of the Benchmarks table (rounding to the nearest weight value,
p. 10), and find the corresponding rank for that weight. Subtract that rank from the
Telekinesis of the attacker, and look up that resulting rank in the Benchmarks table.
Find the corresponding distance in the “Throws” column. This is how far the attacker
could move an object of that weight in one round. This rank is also the damage rating
(DR) of the impact if the attacker makes the defender hit a solid object such as a wall
or the ground. Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the impact damage by
as much as half.
Example:
Darkmind has Telekinesis 7, and wants to move Stone. Stone weighs 800 pounds, which would be
rank 4 in the “Lifts” column in the Benchmarks table (p. 10). Subtracting 4 from Darkmind’s rank 7
Telekinesis gives us rank 3. Consulting the “Throws” column for rank 3, we find that Darkmind can
move Stone 25 feet per round.

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Darkmind uses Telekinesis to smash Stone into an armored car. The impact has a damage rating of
3. After subtracting Stone’s rank 7 Invulnerability, the attack does no damage to Stone at all. The
armored car has Invulnerability rank 5 and Endurance 5. It is rocked on its wheels a bit, but suffers
no real damage from having Stone smashed into it.

Telepathy
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Willpower
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
Telepathy permits a character to communicate directly with the mind of another
person. If the target of Telepathy is willing, then no roll is needed. With a willing
target or a successful Willpower vs. Willpower roll, the telepath may mentally
communicate with the target and may read their thoughts.
The highest Willpower the character may overcome with Telepathy is equal to the
telepath’s Willpower or the rank of the Telepathy, whichever is greater. For example,
a character with rank 3 Willpower and rank 2 Telepathy could attempt to read the
mind of an unwilling target with Willpower rank 3, but would be unable to read the
mind of an unwilling target with Willpower rank 4. However, if the telepath rolls an
extreme success, the highest Willpower the telepath may overcome increases by 1.

Teleportation
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Teleportation permits a character to travel from one point to another without
traversing the intervening space. The range the character may travel is based the rank
of the power. The character may double-move and all-out move using Teleportation,
and incurs the normal penalties when doing so. A teleporter may carry with them
whatever they can carry, based on their Brawn. This may include equipment or even
other characters.
A teleporter cannot use Teleportation to teleport into a solid object, or into any
area that has a Power Suppression in effect which would be sufficient to prevent the
character from teleporting out of it; other than this, objects in the physical generally
have no effect on a teleporter in transit. If a teleporter unknowingly attempts to
teleport into a solid object, they are staggered (p. 141) and shunted to the nearest
unoccupied space, or the teleportation attempt fails entirely, at the GM’s discretion.

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Enhancements
Radius Effect: The character can teleport with everything in their immediate
vicinity, up to the radius indicated by the power’s rank. The character can choose the
radius affected each time they use Teleportation, up to the maximum granted by the
rank of the power. +1 character point
Radius Effect (people only): The character can teleport with everyone in their
immediate vicinity, up to the radius indicated by the power’s rank. The character can
choose the radius affected each time they use Teleportation, but they may not choose
which people go with them and which are left behind. +1 character point
Defects
Requires A Medium (major defect): The character may only teleport through a
specific medium. For example, a character with electrical powers might only be able
to teleport through conductive material. Alternately, the character might only be able
to teleport between specific locations. For example, a character attuned to the spirit
of cities might only be able to teleport within and between cities, or a character with
darkness powers might only be able to teleport within and between dark areas such as
shadows. -1 character point

Time Control
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Power
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 2 character points per rank
A character with Time Control can influence the ebb and flow of time, skipping
forward and back through the time stream. Time Control does not allow the
character to time travel per se, but a character with Time Control can “rewind” time to
make different choices. During each game session, the number of times the character
can rewind time is equal to the rank of the Time Control power.
How much time may be re-wound is subject to GM approval and is largely plot-
dependent. During combat, for example, the player may declare that they are
rewinding time at the end of a round in order to play that round over. Out of combat,
the player may declare that they are rewinding a 20 minute conversation, or they may
wish to rewind time by a half-hour and take a different route through the city. If the
GM approves of this use of Time Control, the elapsed time is erased from history,
and the status of every character and the world at large is restored to the condition
at the beginning of the rewound time period. Normally, the only person aware of
this temporal reversal is the character with Time Control, but characters who have
some way to detect temporal anomalies would be aware of what has happened. To
everyone else, time proceeds as if they had never lived through the rewound time
before (although particularly perceptive individuals may get a sense of deja vu).

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[Transformation] Ray
Activation: Attack
Task roll: Accuracy
Target: Single Target
Range: Ranged
Cost: 1 character point per rank
[Transformation] Ray allows the character to use a personal power as an attack.
The power being used as an attack is under the control of the character with the
[Transformation] Ray power; the target of the ray has no control over the power.
The specific personal power to be used as an attack must be chosen when this
power is purchased. Available personal powers which may be used as attacks with
[Transformation] Ray are:
• [Element] Form
• Growth
• Increased Density
• Intangibility
• Invisibility
• Shapeshifting
• Shrinking
The rank of the power being used as an attack is equal to the rank of the
[Transformation] Ray, unless the [Transformation] Ray combines two or more
powers. For example, a [Transformation] Ray might combine Shapeshifting and
Shrinking. If the [Transformation] Ray combines two or more powers, the ranks of
the individual powers must add up to the rank of the [Transformation] Ray.
Using [Transformation] Ray requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of
the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the
[Transformation] Ray is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For
example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 [Transformation] Ray, and the attacker
rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task
roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the [Transformation] Ray.
To break out of the [Transformation] Ray, the target must make a successful
Willpower task roll against the rank of the [Transformation] Ray. If the character
succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the
transformed character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a
free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 [Transformation] Ray,
they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they
roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action
rather than a task action.
If the character has not broken out of the [Transformation] Ray by the end of the
scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

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Tunneling
Activation: Activated
Task roll: —
Target: Personal
Range: —
Cost: 2 character points per rank
Tunneling enables the character to move through the earth almost as easily as other
people do above it. The speed at which the character may dig is based on the rank
of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and look
up the value in the “Base Move” column. This is the distance that the character can
tunnel in a single round. This assumes the character is not taking any time to shore up
the tunnel behind her. If she is attempting to leave a hole through which others may
follow, she moves at half normal speed.
The density of the material the character can dig through is based on the rank of
the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the
value in the “Breaks” column. This is the toughest material which the character may
dig through. The character is unable to pass through force fields and other energy
barriers.

[Ultra-power]
Activation: Varies
Task roll: Varies
Target: Varies
Range: Varies
Cost: 3 character points per rank
[Ultra-power] permits the character to use a wide range of powers which have a
tightly unifying theme and which all derive from the same power source. Typical
unifying themes for [Ultra-power] include trick arrows with varying effects, sorcerous
spells and incantations, gadgets and high-tech devices, a suit of powered armor with
a number of built-in weapons and sensors, and a cosmic amulet that lets the user
create any solid-energy construct they can imagine. The specific unifying theme and
power source must be chosen when this power is purchased. The player can pick any
unifying theme and power source they like, subject to the GM’s approval.
[Ultra-power] may contain any theme-appropriate power with a cost per rank up to
2, and any power made possible with the [Ultra-power] has no more than the rank of
the [Ultra-power] itself. For example, a rank 6 [Ultra-power] defined as “Cybervole
Powered Armor” might have a rank 6 electrical Blast, rank 6 Tunneling, and any
other rank 6 power the player (and the GM) thinks is appropriate for Cybervole.
These powers do not need to be chosen until the character wants to use them, but it
is a good idea to figure them out beforehand so that the player does not bog down
the game by dithering over what their character should do next. Due to the tightly

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unifying theme of the [Ultra-power], power-altering powers such as Power Drain

affect the entire [Ultra-power].
Another character might have a rank 5 [Ultra-power] defined as “Time Mastery”.
This character could have rank 2 Amazing Movement (Astral Travel, Time Travel),
rank 5 Danger Sense, rank 5 Healing, rank 5 Super-speed, and rank 5 Time Control.
However, the character could not use their [Ultra-power] to have Duplication,
because Duplication costs 3 points per rank. If the player wanted the character to
have Duplication, that power would need to be purchased separately from the [Ultra-
power].

Use And Abuse Of [Ultra-power]

[Ultra-power], which permits the character to use a wide range of
powers for 3 character points per rank, is open to abuse by players
who care less about having fun than they do about “winning”. It’s
important to stress that the powers in an [Ultra-power] should have
a tightly unifying theme and should all derive from the same power
source. If the [Ultra-power] is relatively low-powered, then the GM
may want to turn a blind eye if the player plays a bit fast and loose
with the “tightly unifying theme”. After all, there’s not much harm in
allowing the player some latitude when the rank of the [Ultra-power]
is only 1 or 2.
For a character whose main power is the [Ultra-power], enforcing the
theme becomes more important. A character who can accomplish
anything the player can think of can easily spoil a game and ruin
everyone’s fun.
It’s also important to recognize that just because the [Ultra-power]
is rank 6, for example, that doesn’t mean that every power in the
[Ultra-power] necessarily has rank 6. For example, Scanner’s “Psychic
Scanner” [Ultra-power] is truly formidable at rank 9 (p. 232), yet
he has several powers which are of far less rank than that. His
Telekinesis, for example, is only rank 1. The most important thing to
consider when choosing the rank of a power in an [Ultra-power] is
what makes sense for the character.
The theme and the rank of the [Ultra-power] are important limits
on the character, but the most important limit should be what makes
sense for the character’s background and abilities. A character should
never have a power simply because the rules permit it. You control
the game, not the rulebook

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Power Modifiers
Power Enhancements
Power enhancements make a power more useful than it normally is. For example, if a
character has an explosive fire blast that can burn everything within an area around
the target, that would be a power enhancement (Explosive Damage, to be specific),
since Blast can normally only shoot at one target at a time.
Most power enhancements increase the cost of the power by one character point. So
if the character had a rank 7 Fire Blast with the Explosive Damage enhancement, the
power would cost 8 character points.

Table: Power enhancements

Power Enhancement Cost
Explosive Damage 1
Increased Range 1-3
Penetrating Damage 1
Radius Effect 1

Power enhancements are under the control of the character with the power. A
character can choose whether or not to use a specific enhancement on a case by case
basis. Just because a character can burn everything within an area around the target
doesn’t mean that they must. However, if a character must use an enhancement, and
this lack of control can cause serious problems for the character (as it would be, in
case of a character throwing fiery explosions), then their lack of control may be a
power defect.
Explosive Damage
A power with the Explosive Damage power enhancement causes its damage to
everyone within a certain range of the target. Because an exploding attack does not
need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However,
because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit
from extreme success.
The radius of the explosion is assumed to be 50 feet (the same distance as rank
1 on the Benchmarks table under “Affects”, p. 10). The radius of the explosion
can be increased one rank for each additional character point spent on this power
enhancement. For example, a rank 3 Blast with four levels of the Explosive Damage
power enhancement would cost 7 points and cover an area 3,200 feet in diameter (a
radius of 1,600 feet).

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The damage rating of the explosion diminishes with distance from the center. If so,
the damage rating is at its full value within half of the total radius, and at one-half
of its full value in the remainder of the explosion. For example, a rank 3 Blast with
four levels of the Explosive Damage power enhancement would cost 7 points, have a
damage rating of 3 from the center out to a radius of 800 feet (half its total radius),
and a damage rating of 2 from 800 feet out to the limit of its radius of 1,600 feet.
Increased Range
A power with the Increased Range power enhancement can affect targets at ranges
beyond the power’s default range. Each application of this enhancement increases
the effective range of the power by 3 ranks on the Benchmarks table under “Affects”,
p. 10. For example, a rank 4 Blast normally has an effective range of 1,600 feet.
Adding the Increased Range power enhancement would increase the power’s effective
range by 3 ranks, to 20 miles. Applying this power enhancement a second time would
increase the effective range to 1,200 miles.
Penetrating Damage
A power with the Penetrating Damage power enhancement ignores 50% of
the defender’s protection (round in defender’s favor). The Penetrating power
enhancement should only be added to powers that inflict damage directly, such as
Blast.
Radius Effect
A power with the Radius Effect power enhancement is centered on the character, and
can cover an area up to a radius based on its power rank (see Benchmarks, p. 10). For
example, a character with rank 7 Telepathy that has the Radius Effect enhancement
would allow the character to simultaneously read the minds of everyone within 20
miles. For powers which affect others, the character makes their associated roll (a
Willpower roll, in the case of Telepathy), and compares that to any targets in the
affected area. A character can choose the radius each time they use the power, up to
the maximum granted by the rank of the power.
This is a very potent enhancement, and should not be added to powers that inflict
damage directly, such as Blast.

Power Defects
Power defects make a power less useful than it normally is. For example, if a character
has a Fire Blast that can only be used if there is an existing source of fire, that would
be a power defect, since most characters with a Fire Blast can generate their own
flame.
A minor power defect, such as the character needing a specific item on hand in order
to use their powers (a gun, a wand, a magic ring, etc.), does not affect the cost of the
power. Every power has minor defects: some are just more obvious than others. If a
player doesn’t think of minor defects on their own, rest assured that the GM will think
of some for them.
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A major power defect, such as a Blast power that needs an existing source of flame,
reduces the total cost of the power by one character point. So if the character had a
rank 7 Fire Blast with this defect, the power would cost 6 character points.
An extreme power defect, such as a Fire Blast which can only be used once per day,
reduces the total cost of the power by two character points. So if the character had
a rank 7 Fire Blast which could only be used once per day (a character with some
dragon ancestry, let’s say), the power would cost 5 character points.
The cost of a power may not be reduced below one character point. Even the most
defective power costs at least one character point.

New Powers
You might not have found the power you want in this chapter. After all, the page
count of this book is limited, while your imagination is not. If the power you want is
very similar to one already listed, the easiest thing to do is just change the name and
description slightly, and get on with the game. Talk to the GM and the other players
about it, and see if they agree. If they do, your problem is solved. If that doesn’t work,
see if adding a power enhancement will give you the result you want. In most cases, it
will.
On the other hand, not everything that works in a comicbook works in a game. It’s
entirely possible to create an invisible power that can attack anyone, anywhere, at no
risk to the character — but where’s the fun in that? If the power you have imagined is
significantly more powerful than anything in this chapter, then maybe you should go
back to the drawing board.

“Roleplay” Powers
Sometimes a character has a power that is important for characterization and
roleplaying, but doesn’t really have an impact on the game. For example, consider
a character who is centuries old, and never ages, but who can die from injury or
accident just like anyone else. This is definitely a power, but what does it really do?
It doesn’t give the character a measurable advantage either in or out of combat.
It’s important to the character, and there is a remote chance that it will be useful
in combat if the characters encounter a villain with the power to rapidly age her
enemies, but for most games its usefulness will be limited to roleplaying. Powers like
this are “roleplay” powers, and they cost a flat one character point.
Don’t go too crazy with “roleplay” powers. Unless there is a plausible circumstance
where the power might be genuinely useful, just consider it part of the character’s
background and description.

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Nothing physically prevents a character in Bulletproof Blues from carrying weapons

and driving vehicles: there is no character point cost associated with ordinary
weaponry and vehicles. However, there may be legal or financial obstacles to
obtaining such equipment, even if it’s relatively commonplace. Additionally, ordinary
equipment requires all of the same maintenance and care that such equipment
requires in the real world, unlike equipment purchased with character points.
For example, a character whose Blast 3 is a pistol, and who has paid character points
for that power, is rarely inconvenienced by trivial matters such as a failure to feed or
a stovepipe jam, and the player would probably earn a plot point if such a failure
occurred. For a character whose pistol was purchased at a local gun shop (and not
purchased with character points), such equipment failures are relatively common and
do not grant the player a plot point.

Armor
• Light Tactical Vest: Invulnerability 1
• Tactical Vest Armor: Invulnerability 2
• Heavy Tactical Vest: Invulnerability 3

Melee Weapons
Hand-to-hand weapons such as clubs and knives have a damage rating equal to the
rank of the weapon or the character’s Brawn rank + 1, whichever is greater. A knife
with damage rating 1 wielded by a character with rank 2 Brawn would have an
effective damage rating of 3. Using a weapon allows a character with Brawn of 3 or
less to inflict normal damage rather than stunning damage.
Using extraordinary amounts of Brawn with an ordinary melee weapon may damage
the weapon. If the character’s Brawn is greater than the rank of the weapon + 3,
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it’s likely that the weapon will be destroyed when it is used. For example, a character
with Brawn 4 can use a wooden chair (Strike rank 1) as a melee weapon, but the chair
would be smashed to pieces after the first such attack. Similarly, the blade of a two-
handed great axe (Strike rank 4) would be twisted into scrap metal after being wielded
a few times by a character with Brawn 8.
• Club: Strike 1
• Knife: Strike 1
• Spear: Strike 1
• Staff: Strike 1
• Whip: Strike 1
• Hatchet: Strike 2
• Sword: Strike 2
• Crowbar: Strike 2 (two handed)
• Stun Baton: Strike 2, Stunning
• Axe: Strike 3
• Great Sword: Strike 3 (two handed)
• Chainsaw: Strike 4 (two handed)
• Great Axe: Strike 4 (two handed)

Ranged Weapons
Bows
• Longbow: Blast 2
• Crossbow: Blast 3
• Hunting Bow: Blast 3

Pistols
• Light Pistol: Blast 2
• Target Pistol: Blast 2, +1 Accuracy
• Pistol: Blast 3
• Heavy Pistol: Blast 3
• Submachine Gun: Blast 3, +1 Accuracy (fires multiple rounds at target)
• Nausea-inducing Pistol: Agility Drain 2, Ranged (uses radio frequencies to
affect a target’s hearing and equilibrium)
• Speech-suppression Pistol: Blindness (vs. speech) 2 (uses a time-delayed
echo to interrupt target’s ability to form coherent sentences)

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Rifles
• Assault Rifle: Blast 3, +1 Accuracy (fires multiple rounds at target)
• Shotgun: Blast 3, +1 Accuracy
• Military Rifle: Blast 4
• Hunting Rifle: Blast 4, +1 Accuracy (with properly calibrated scope)
• Machine Gun: Blast 4, +1 Accuracy (fires multiple rounds at target)
• Sniper Rifle: Blast 4, +1 Accuracy, Penetrating (single shot)
• Heat Rifle: Blast 4, Stunning (uses microwaves to cause pain to target)
• Heavy Machine Gun: Blast 5, +1 Accuracy (fires multiple rounds at target)
• Pacification Rifle: Willpower Drain 3, Ranged (uses electromagnetic radiation
to affect a target’s central nervous system)

Other
• Pepper Spray: Blast 1 + Blindness 2 (poison)
• Taser: Blast 2, Stunning
• M14 Incendiary Grenade: Blast 4, Exploding, Penetrating (incendiary)
• M67 Fragmentation Grenade: Blast 5, Exploding
• M7A2 CS Gas Grenade: Blast 5 + Blindness 5, Exploding (poison)
• Mk 141 Stun Grenade: Blast 5, Exploding, Stunning
• Knockout Gas Grenade: Blast 8, Exploding, Stunning (poison)
• M18 Smoke Grenade: Blindness 2, Exploding (lasts 10 rounds)
• M84 “Flash-Bang” Grenade: Blindness 4 + Blindness (vs. hearing) 4,
Exploding
• Flamethrower: Blast 6, Exploding
• M72 LAW Rocket Launcher: Blast 8 (single shot)
• Light Artillery: Blast 8
• Heavy Artillery: Blast 10, Exploding
• Heat Cannon: Blast 4, Stunning, Exploding (uses microwaves to cause pain to
target)
• Pacification Cannon: Willpower Drain 3, Ranged, Exploding (uses
electromagnetic radiation to affect a target’s central nervous system)

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Tools
• Binoculars
• Camcorder
• Cell Phone
• Commlink
• Computer
• Covert Surveillance Device
• Covert Tracking Device
• Digital Camera
• Digital Recorder
• Fire Extinguisher
• Flashlight
• Gas Mask
• GPS
• Handcuffs: Invulnerability 3, Endurance 1
• Laptop
• Lockpick Gun
• Mini-flashlight
• Multi-tool
• Nightvision Goggles
• Parabolic Microphone
• Radio
• Smartphone
• Tablet
• Zip Ties: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 1

Vehicles
A character with a special vehicle should usually buy it using a power, such as Flight.
However, any character with the appropriate background could conceivably own and
drive ordinary vehicles. As with weapons, ordinary vehicles are unreliable and require
periodic maintenance.

Air
• Corporate Jet: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 1, top speed 500 mph
• Private Plane: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 1, top speed 260 mph
• Military Jet: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 1,000 mph
• Passenger Jet: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 500 mph
• Dirigible: Invulnerability 0, Endurance 1, top speed 80 mph
• Civilian Helicopter: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 1, top speed 160 mph
• Military Helicopter: Invulnerability 4, Endurance 2, top speed 300 mph

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Street
• Mini: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 1, top speed 100 mph
• Sports Car: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 1, top speed 160 mph
• Bus: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 75 mph
• Police Car: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 140 mph
• Recreational Vehicle: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 80 mph
• Sedan: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 3, top speed 130 mph
• Surveillance Van: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 2, top speed 110 mph
• Fire Truck: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 3, top speed 80 mph
• Minivan: Invulnerability 3, Endurance 3, top speed 120 mph
• Truck Tractor: Invulnerability 3, Endurance 4, top speed 100 mph
• SWAT Van: Invulnerability 4, Endurance 5, top speed 110 mph
• Armored Car: Invulnerability 5, Endurance 5, top speed 65 mph
• Security Limo: Invulnerability 5, Endurance 5, top speed 110 mph

Off-road
• Motorcycle: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 1, top speed 160 mph
• Pickup Truck: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 3, top speed 110 mph
• Bulldozer: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 4, top speed 7 mph
• Heavy Truck: Invulnerability 3, Endurance 4, top speed 100 mph
• Snow Cat: Invulnerability 5, Endurance 2, top speed 25 mph
• Snowmobile: Invulnerability 5, Endurance 2, top speed 100 mph
• Main Battle Tank: Invulnerability 5, Endurance 6, top speed 45 mph

Water
• Jet Ski: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 3, top speed 30 mph
• Fishing Boat: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 2, top speed 25 mph
• Patrol Boat: Invulnerability 2, Endurance 4, top speed 45 mph
• Go-fast Boat: Invulnerability 1, Endurance 2, top speed 95 mph
• Battleship: Invulnerability 4, Endurance 5, top speed 40 mph
• Destroyer: Invulnerability 4, Endurance 5, top speed 50 mph
• Aircraft Carrier: Invulnerability 4, Endurance 4, top speed 40 mph

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Now we come to the most complicated part of Bulletproof Blues: actions! There are
a lot of rules here because we tried to address the most common actions a character
would attempt. However, just because we wrote it down doesn’t mean you have to use
it, nor should you feel constrained from making a call if a situation arises that we did
not anticipate. You should treat these rules as examples, not as restrictions on your
own sense of fun and fair play.
Don’t use the rules unless you need to.
If you can play a fun game of Bulletproof Blues without referring to these rules, you
should. Applying your best judgement is often a better solution than trying to find a
rule that applies to a specific situation. Remember that player choice, not the roll of
the dice, drives the game.

Time And Distance

Time
Time is important. Without some way to keep track of time, everything would happen
at once, and that would be terribly confusing.
Time in the game is usually divided into scenes. A scene typically starts when the
characters arrive at a place, and ends when they leave. A scene could also be a period
of time while the characters are together and moving toward a destination. In some
cases, a scene might end even though the characters haven’t moved at all, such as
when they go to sleep, or when a fight ends and they begin talking about their plans
for what to do next. Any time you feel would be a good time to “go to a commercial”
or “start a new chapter”, that’s a good time to end the scene and start a new one.
If the characters are in combat or in some other tense situation, time seems to slow
down. Every decision takes on a greater importance. A video game designer from the
early 2000s might call this “bullet time”, but we just call it combat time.
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Combat time is divided into rounds. One combat round is six seconds, give or take,
giving us ten rounds per minute. In a round, each character gets a turn. During their
turn, a character can travel a distance up to their base movement (walking, typically)
and still have time to do something useful (such as making an attack or using a skill)
as well as engage in some banter with their teammates or anyone else nearby (such
as telling one’s henchmen to “run, you fools!”). We call these “movement actions”,
“task actions”, and “roleplaying actions”, respectively. A character can perform a task
before they move or after they move, but they can’t usually break up their movement
to perform a task in the middle of it.
Example:
Round 1 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Round 2 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Round 3 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn

Benchmarks
We assign numbers to characters’ abilities so that we can tell what they can do. No
one wants to guess what their characters can pick up or how fast they can fly. You will
notice that the relationship between one rank and the next is not constant. At low
ranks, each rank is roughly double the value of the previous rank, while at the highest
ranks, the increase is approximately eightfold. In between, each rank is roughly
quadruple the previous value. This variation is intentional, to offer greater variety to
characters of “human” power level, while permitting truly extraordinary power levels
at the highest ranks. All of the numbers in this table are approximate: don’t be too
concerned about it if something is on the edge between one value and the next. When
in doubt, err on the side of the players.
The movement distances in this table are for powers, such as Flight, Super-running,
and Teleport. If the character has only their natural movement (running, swimming,
and jumping), then their movement distance is based on their Agility and Brawn. See
Movement (p. 131) for more information.

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Table: Benchmarks
Throws Affects
Rank Breaks Lifts
(50 lbs) (radius or range)
1 Cardboard 100 pounds 6 feet 50 feet
2 Plastic 225 pounds 12 feet 100 feet
3 Wood 450 pounds 25 feet 400 feet
4 Bone 900 pounds 50 feet 1,600 feet
5 Brick 2 tons 200 feet 1 mile
6 Concrete 7 tons 800 feet 5 miles
7 Stone 30 tons 4,000 feet 20 miles
8 Ceramic 100 tons 3 miles 80 miles
9 Steel 400 tons 10 miles 300 miles
10 Diamond 2,000 tons 40 miles 1,200 miles
11 Nanodiamond 10,000 tons 300 miles 10,000 miles
12 Stanlium 100,000 tons 3,000 miles 80,000 miles
13 Siegelite 1,000,000 tons 20,000 miles 600,000 miles
14 Kirbium 10,000,000 tons 160,000 miles 5,000,000 miles

Breaks indicates the strongest substance that the character would be able to break
under normal circumstances. The thickness of the material and other factors make
this a rough estimate, at best.
Lifts indicates the greatest weight that the character can “clean and jerk” (pick up
and lift overhead). A character carrying or supporting such a weight can take at most
one or two steps per round. A character can move normally while carrying a weight
corresponding to one rank less than their Brawn. For example, a character with rank
8 Brawn could carry up to 30 tons and suffer no penalties to their movement while
doing so.
Throws (50 lbs) indicates the farthest distance that a character could throw a
compact object weighing 50 lbs. To see how far a character can throw heavier
objects, subtract the Brawn rank required to lift the object from the character’s total
Brawn rank. Look up the difference in the “Rank” column: this indicates how far the
character can throw the object. For example, a character with rank 4 Brawn (the peak
of human potential) could throw an object weighing 100 lbs (such as a cooperative
slender human) up to 25 feet.

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Table: Benchmarks (continued)

Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Rank
Per Round Per Round Per Round MPH
1 50 feet 100 feet 300 feet 30 mph
2 100 feet 200 feet 600 feet 70 mph
3 400 feet 800 feet 2,400 feet 300 mph
4 1,600 feet 3,200 feet 2 miles 1,000 mph
5 1 mile 2 miles 6 miles 4,000 mph
6 5 miles 10 miles 30 miles 20,000 mph
7 20 miles 40 miles 120 miles 70,000 mph
8 80 miles 160 miles 480 miles 300,000 mph
9 300 miles 600 miles 1,800 miles 1,000,000 mph
10 1,200 miles 2,400 miles 7,200 miles 5,000,000 mph
11 10,000 miles 20,000 miles 60,000 miles 30,000,000 mph
12 80,000 miles 160,000 miles 480,000 miles 300,000,000 mph
13 600,000 miles 1,200,000 miles 3,600,000 miles 0.9 c
14 5,000,000 miles 10,000,000 miles 30,000,000 miles 0.99 c

Affects (radius or range) indicates the radius around the character that they can
affect with their powers if their powers affect a radius, or the maximum range of
the power if it affects a single target. For example, [Element] Mastery can move or
manipulate the chosen element within this area and can use the element to inflict
direct damage to a target up to this distance away. The “radius” value is not used
for powers that inflict damage directly unless they have been purchased with the
Explosive Damage (p. 117) power enhancement.
Off The Scale
Obviously, there are values which are far below or far above what appears in this
table. The Moon, with mass of roughly 8.1 × 1019 tons, is far more than even a
character with rank 14 Brawn could move, while a baby or a housecat has a Brawn
less than 1. Don’t worry about it. At such extremes, the GM should just use their best
judgement, and the rest of the players should roll with it.

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Table: Item weights

Brawn or Power Rank
Item Weight
(to lift)
hawksbill sea turtle, large dog, slender adult 100 lbs 1
typical adult, small floor safe 200 lbs 2
heavy adult, refrigerator 300 lbs 3
gun safe, racing motorcycle 400 lbs 3
dolphin, lion 500 lbs 4
tiger, motorcycle, medium floor safe, a Twinkie 35 feet long 600 lbs 4
grizzly bear, touring motorcycle 900 lbs 4
cow, horse, sailboat 1,300 lbs 5
small civilian helicopter 1,500 lbs 5
compact car 2,000 lbs 5
medium missile 2,500 lbs 5
hippopotamus, full size car 2 tons 5
Humvee, small military helicopter 3 tons 6
armored Humvee 4.5 tons 6
elephant, empty dump truck 6 tons 6
light jet fighter plane 8 tons 7
empty tractor-trailer, large military helicopter 10 tons 7
jet fighter plane 15 tons 7
Polaris missile, international marijuana shipment 20 tons 7
loaded dump truck 25 tons 7
private jet plane, empty train car 30 tons 7
loaded tractor-trailer, empty C-130 cargo plane 40 tons 8
Easter Island stone head, bank vault, loaded tanker truck 50 tons 8
M1 Abrams tank, Trident missile, suburban house 60 tons 8
loaded C-130 cargo plane 85 tons 8
blue whale 100 tons 8
loaded train car 140 tons 9
locomotive, fishing trawler 200 tons 9
empty 747 passenger plane 300 tons 9
typical train 400 tons 9
loaded 747 passenger plane 450 tons 10
Space Shuttle 2,200 tons 10
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Table: Item weights (continued)

Brawn or Power Rank
Item Weight
(to lift)
passenger train, Coast Guard cutter 3,000 tons 11
Saturn V rocket 3,300 tons 11
Eiffel Tower 7,000 tons 11
freight train 8,000 tons 11
destroyer, nuclear submarine 9,000 tons 11
10 story building 10,000 tons 11
Brooklyn Bridge 15,000 tons 12
long frieght train 16,000 tons 12
large nuclear submarine 20,000 tons 12
aircraft carrier 90,000 tons 12
loaded tanker ship 120,000 tons 13
cruise ship 140,000 tons 13
loaded large tanker ship, large office building 200,000 tons 13
Empire State Building, empty Ultra Large Crude Carrier 400,000 tons 13
Ben Franklin Bridge, loaded Ultra Large Crude Carrier 700,000 tons 13
Golden Gate Bridge 900,000 tons 13
enormous skyscraper 1,000,000 tons 13
Great Pyramid of Giza 6,000,000 tons 14
Mount Everest 180,000,000,000 tons —

Movement
In a round, a character can normally walk ten times their Agility in feet and still have
time to take an action (such as attack). This is referred to as the character’s base speed.
A character’s running speed is double their walking speed, and their sprinting speed is
six times their walking speed.
If the character has only their natural movement (running, swimming, and jumping),
then their movement distance is based on their Agility and Brawn. The movement
distances granted by powers, such as Super-running, Swinging, and Teleport, are
significantly greater. See Benchmarks (p. 10) for more information.
A character’s base swimming speed is twice their Agility in feet, and their base
standing long jump is three times their Brawn in feet. Swimming may be used
to “run” (make a double move) or “sprint” (move all-out), but jumping may not.
However, with a running long jump, the character’s ground movement is added to
their long jump distance.
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Walk Run Sprint

Agility (base move) (double move) (all-out move)
feet/round feet/round feet/round MPH
1 10 20 60 7
2 20 40 120 14
3 30 60 180 20
Table: Normal ground movment

4 40 80 240 27
5 50 100 300 34
6 60 120 360 41
7 70 140 420 48
8 80 160 480 55
9 90 180 540 61
10 100 200 600 68
11 110 220 660 75
12 120 240 720 82
13 130 260 780 89
14 140 280 840 95

Swim Fast swim Sprint

Agility (base move) (double move) (all-out move)
feet/round feet/round feet/round MPH
1 2 4 12 1
2 4 8 24 3
3 6 12 36 4
Table: Normal water movment

4 8 16 48 5
5 10 20 60 7
6 12 24 72 8
7 14 28 84 10
8 16 32 96 11
9 18 36 108 12
10 20 40 120 14
11 22 44 132 15
12 24 48 144 16
13 26 52 156 18
14 28 56 168 19
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Table: Normal jump

Brawn 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Long jump (feet) 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42

Table: Item speeds

Item Speed Agility Rank Power Rank
avg human running 12 mph 2 1
max human running 27 mph 4 1
fast submarine 50 mph 8 2
fast bird, cheetah, sailfish 75 mph 11 2
fast car 200 mph — 3
fast helicopter 250 mph — 3
F5 tornado wind 300 mph — 3
terminal velocity 327 mph — 4
bullet train 350 mph — 4
airplane 500 mph — 4
pistol bullet 680 mph — 4
sound 761 mph — 4
supersonic airplane 1,200 mph — 5
rifle bullet 1,900 mph — 5
superjet 6,000 mph — 6
escape velocity 25,000 mph — 7
rocket 30,000 mph — 7
solar winds 300,000 mph — 8
interplanetary speeds 3,000,000 mph — 10
light 670,616,629 mph — 14

If the character is running or sprinting, they can cover more ground, but skills are
more difficult, and their attacks are easier to avoid. A character who is running or
making a double move incurs a +3 difficulty modifier on any attacks or task rolls. A
character who is sprinting or making an all-out move incurs a +6 difficulty modifier
on any attacks or task rolls. Movement powers, such as Super-swimming and
Teleportation, incur the same difficulty modifiers when they are used to “run” (make
a double move) or “sprint” (make an all-out move). See Rolling Dice (p. 135) for more
information on task rolls and difficulty modifiers.
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A character using their natural (Agility based) movement may move all-out for up to
one minute, but then may move no faster than their base speed for an amount of time
ten times as long as they were sprinting. So a character who sprinted for three rounds
(18 seconds) may not run or sprint for thirty rounds (180 seconds). This limitation
does not apply to characters using a movement power, such as Super-runnng or
Super-swimming. A character with a movement power can move all-out without
needing to rest afterward (unless they want to, of course).
If a character has a power that increases their movement rate, such as Super-running
or Super-jumping, then they move at the speed indicated by the power rather than
at the speed indicated by their Agility or Brawn. Super-running does not add to a
character’s natural (Agility-based) ground movement speed.

Range Bands
Weapons and powers that are useful at a distance have an effective range based on
the power’s rank. This distance is on the Benchmarks table under “Affects” (p. 10).
For example, a rank 7 Blast has an effective range of 20 miles. Attacking targets at
more distant ranges is more difficult or impossible (at the GM’s discretion). If the
GM declares that the attack is possible, the defender gains a +3 difficulty modifier (or
defense bonus) for each additional range band.
For example, if a character is being attacked by someone 1,600 feet away (range band
4), and the attacker is using a pistol (which is normally useful up to 400 feet, or range
band 3), the defender would gain a +3 defense bonus. See Rolling Dice (p. 135) for
more information on task rolls and difficulty modifiers.

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Rolling Dice
When a character attempts a task, and the outcome is either contested or there is
some random element involved, the player rolls 2d6, counts the dots, and adds the
result to their character’s relevant attribute. This roll is compared to a difficulty
number the GM assigns. The attempt succeeds if the player’s roll equals or exceeds
the assigned difficulty.

Unopposed Tasks
Unopposed tasks are those tasks where no one is actively working against the
character. When attempting an unopposed task, the GM simply sets a task difficulty.
More difficult tasks have a higher task difficulty. The attempt succeeds if the player’s
roll equals or exceeds the task difficulty.
Easy tasks do not require a roll at all: if a character has any competence at all with
an easy task, they succeed. Similarly, routine tasks should rarely require a roll unless
there is some dramatic need for it. In most cases, if the GM requires the player to
roll dice to successfully complete a task, it’s because the GM has deemed that task
“challenging”. Challenging tasks require a roll to resolve, and have a task difficulty of
12. More difficult tasks have a higher task difficulty, requiring a greater roll in order
to perform the task successfully. If the task difficulty exceeds the character’s relevant
attribute (plus bonuses) by more than 12, the task is just too difficult for that character
to perform.

Table: Difficulty examples

Task difficulty Examples
— Easy Operate simple machines
9 Routine Understand and modify simple machines, operate current technology
12 Challenging Understand and modify current technology, operate advanced technology
15 Demanding Design and build current technology, understand and modify advanced technology
18 Frustrating Design and build advanced technology, operate advanced alien technology
21 Nigh-impossible Understand and modify advanced alien technology

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Opposed Tasks
Opposed tasks are those tasks where the character is actively competing against an
opponent. This is often the result of combat, but it may be something non-violent. For
example, a computer hacker may be trying to penetrate a system, while the system
administrator is trying to close the back door and locate the hacker. The person
initiating the conflict rolls the dice, and the attack succeeds if the attacker’s roll equals
or exceeds the task difficulty.
When attempting an opposed task, the task difficulty is
equal to 8 plus the defender’s relevant attribute.
If the circumstances of the conflict favor one side or the other, the side with the
circumstantial advantage receives a bonus. A circumstance which favors the attacker
grant a bonus to the task roll (often called an “attack bonus” when the conflict is a
violent one). A circumstance which favors the defender imposes a difficulty modifier
(typically called a “defense bonus” when the conflict is violent).
Generally, only the largest bonus to the task roll and the
largest difficulty modifier apply.
For example, if the attacker is invisible (which normally grants a +3 task roll bonus)
and the target of the attack is surprised (which normally grants a +3 task roll bonus),
the attacker would gain a +3 bonus, not +6. Similarly, if the attacker is sprinting
(which normally imposes a +6 difficulty modifier) and the defender is also sprinting
(which normally imposes a +3 difficulty modifier), this would impose a +6 difficulty
modifier, not +9.

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Table: Task roll bonuses

Attack bonus Circumstance
+0 Defender is walking (base movement speed)
+1 Defender is prone; attacker is adjacent or hand-to-hand
+3 Defender can’t see the attacker
+3 Defender is restrained
+3 Defender is surprised
+6 Defender is completely blind
+6 Defender is unconscious or helpless

Table: Difficulty modifiers

Defense bonus Circumstance
+0 Attacker is walking (base movement speed)
+1 Defender has partial cover
+1 Defender is prone; attacker is non-adjacent and using a ranged attack
+3 Attacker can’t see the defender
+3 Attacker is restrained
+3 Attacker is running (base move x2)
+3 Defender is sprinting (base move x6)
+3 Attacking a held item
+6 Attacker is completely blind
+6 Attacker is sprinting (base move x6)

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Extended Tasks
Some tasks are more complex or time-consuming than can reasonably be resolved
with a single task roll. For example, constructing a starship and racing through a city
would be extended tasks. When attempting an extended task, the GM sets a task
difficulty and the required number of successes. The GM might also set a maximum
number of attempts, to indicate tasks which have a time limit or a penalty for failure,
such as disarming a bomb before it explodes. If a character attempting an extended
task rolls an extreme success, this counts as two successes toward accomplishing
the extended task. In extended opposed tasks, such as a competition between rival
scientists to create a cure for a disease, the first person or team to achieve the required
number of successful task rolls succeeds at the task.
Some extended tasks might benefit from a multidisciplinary approach. For example,
disabling an alien doomsday weapon would obviously benefit from engineering
expertise, but a keen understanding of alien psychology or linguistics could also
be helpful. This allows characters with different skills to combine their efforts to
accomplish the task.

Failure
Failing a task roll, particularly a skill roll, is not the end of the world. A failed attempt
may not give the character the result they wanted, but it should not mean the game
grinds to a halt. Rather than having a failed skill attempt be a dead-end, it should
mean that the desired outcome has a greater cost, or perhaps the desired outcome has
undesirable side effects. Remember that success and failure are both paths to the same
goal: to make the game more fun. Failure is okay. Boredom is not.
Failure should never make the game less interesting.
For example, Grimknight is trying to intimidate a low-level ASGARD technician into
revealing details about the organization’s plans to distribute a new, highly addictive
psychoactive chemical disguised as an energy drink. The GM sets the difficulty of this
task to 12, but Grimknight’s player rolls a 9. Rather than having this be the end of this
line of inquiry, the GM has several options.
• Quid pro quo: The technician will give Grimknight the information, but
only if Grimknight gives the technician something in exchange. This could
be something as prosaic as money, but with an operative of ASGARD the
cost is more likely to be something rare or unique, such as blueprints for an
experimental device or a sample of Grimknight’s DNA.
• Red herring: The technician tells Grimknight what he wants to hear, but the
information is not true or it leads Grimknight off on a wild goose chase. If the
technician is clever, he may send Grimknight after a local Aegis cell that has
been causing problems for ASGARD.
• Stirring the pot: Grimknight gets the information, but his activities attract
attention. A rival organization, the Jade Moon Society, learns of ASGARD’s
psychoactive energy drink as a result of Grimknight’s activities, and they try to
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beat him to the prize. Alternately, the rival organization might use Grimknight
as a stalking horse, allowing Grimknight and ASGARD to fight each other so
that the Jade Moon Society will have an easier time taking the spoils from the
winner.
• Alerting the enemy: Grimknight gets the information, but ASGARD learns
of Grimknight’s interest in their activities and they begin to make preparations
against him. It could even be that the technician was intended to be captured by
Grimknight all along in order to set him up for an ambush!

Taking The Average

If the character is under no pressure, and there is either no penalty for failure or no
time limit, then the player may choose to “take the average” rather than rolling. In
effect, the player is assuming that they would roll average: 7. If the player chooses to
take the average, the character does not attain an extreme success regardless of the
difficulty.
Note that opposed rolls — whether it is physical combat (such as a gunfight), psychic
combat (such as a battle of wills), or a social conflict (such as a marital dispute) —
typically involve both a time limit and a penalty for failure, so taking the average is
not an option.

Taking The Max

If the character is under no pressure, there is no penalty for failure, and there is
no time limit, the player may “take the max”, and assume that they would roll the
maximum amount: 12. In effect, the character is trying over and over until they do
the best they are capable of doing. If the player chooses to take the max, the character
does not attain an extreme success regardless of the difficulty.
Note that opposed rolls — whether it is physical combat (such as a gunfight), psychic
combat (such as a battle of wills), or a social conflict (such as a marital dispute) —
typically involve both a time limit and a penalty for failure, so taking the max is not
an option.

Table: Taking the average vs. taking the max

If the character is not under Is there a time limit?
pressure... Yes No
You may “take the
Yes Roll the dice!
Is there a penalty average” (7)
for failure? You may “take the You may “take the
No
average” (7) max” (12)

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Extreme Success
If the player’s roll equals or exceeds the task difficulty, the character succeeds at the
task in a completely satisfactory manner: the clue is found, the language is translated,
or the lightning bolt hits its target. However, rolling higher than the required task
difficulty may grant additional benefits. If the player rolls three or more over the task
difficulty, the character achieves an extreme success. So if a character attempted a
challenging task (task difficulty 12), and the player rolled 15 or more, this would be an
extreme success.
If the player rolls an extreme success when making a skill roll, perhaps the character
has a “eureka!” moment, or perhaps they have found answers to questions they didn’t
even know they should ask. If the player rolls an extreme success in combat, the
attacker may choose one of three bonus effects, unless the description of the power
says otherwise: overwhelming the target, smashing the target, or staggering the target.
One repercussion of extreme success is that characters with very high Prowess
or Accuracy can often rely on doing extra damage with their attacks. Conversely,
characters with very low Prowess or Accuracy will often take extra damage from
attacks.
Overwhelming
An overwhelming attack adds one rank to the power, solely for the purposes of that
attack. For attack powers that inflict damage, this means that the damage rating of the
power is increased by one. If the overwhelming power normally inflicts Endurance
damage, then the additional damage rating is also Endurance damage, and the
character’s protection powers, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, apply as usual
to the total damage rating of the attack. For attacks that inflict some other form of
damage or have some other effect, the total rank of the power is increased by one,
with the commensurate effect on the target.
Smashing
Only attacks that normally inflict Endurance damage can result in a smashing attack.
If a smashing attack hits a character, the target of the attack may attempt a Brawn
task roll to resist being smashed. The target rolls 2d6 and adds their Brawn; the task
difficulty is 8 plus the rank of the attack power. If the target succeeds with their
Brawn task roll, they shrug off the smashing portion of the attack with no ill effects.
If the target fails their Brawn task roll, they are “smashed” and knocked backward
a considerable distance. Compare the amount the target missed their roll by to the
Benchmarks table (p. 10). Look up the rank that matches the amount by which they
missed the roll, and match that to the distance in the “Throws” column.
A character who is smashed does not normally take additional damage when they
land, but they are prone (p. 152) and must use a movement action to get back up.

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Staggering
Only attacks that normally inflict Endurance damage can result in a staggering
attack. If a staggering attack hits a character, the target of the attack may attempt
a Willpower task roll to resist being staggered. The target rolls 2d6 and adds their
Willpower; the task difficulty is 8 plus the rank of the attack power. If the target
succeeds with their Willpower task roll, they shrug off the staggering portion of
the attack with no ill effects. If the target fails their Willpower task roll, they are
“staggered” and lose their next turn (their turn on this round if they have not yet
taken one; otherwise, their turn on the following round).
Any powers which must be activated, such as Force Field and Growth, normally
turn off when a character is staggered. However, a staggered character may attempt
a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their powers activated
while staggered. Any powers which are deactivated can’t be turned back on until the
character is able to take their next turn.

Combat
Order Of Play
Everything that happens in a round is assumed to occur more or less simultaneously,
but the players can’t all speak at once. To keep the game orderly, we need a way to
determine the order in which characters act when combat starts.
The most important factor in determining who acts before whom is situational
awareness. If a character is not aware of their opponent, then they don’t have the
opportunity to attack. For example, if a hero is lurking on a rooftop and observes
a gang of hooligans breaking into an electronics store, there is no need to roll to
see who goes first. The hooligans are unaware that there is anyone to fight, so they
continue carrying boxes of loot out of the store. In the first round of combat, only the
hero has the opportunity to act. Depending on what the hero does and how sneaky
the hero is, it’s possible that the hero might be the only one with an opportunity to act
for several rounds. Only after the hooligans become aware of the hero do they get the
opportunity to act. At that point, the order of action in each round is the hero first,
and then the hooligans. If the combatants become aware of their adversaries in a set
order, then that is the order in which they act in combat — at least, until someone
changes it.
Normally, characters take their actions in the same order that they have an
opportunity to act. However, if the various combatants become aware of each other
more or less simultaneously, or if you would prefer to roll dice to see who goes first,
the players and the GM should each make a Perception task roll at the beginning of
the scene. Turns proceed each round from the highest roller to lowest. If a character
(or one of the non-player characters) has the Super-speed power, the player (or GM)
gets a bonus to the Perception task roll equal to the rank in Super-speed (for example,
rank 4 Super-speed would provide a +4 bonus to the Perception roll).
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The environment always goes last in a round. Any falling objects (including
characters) fall, and any free-rolling vehicles move, after all characters have had the
opportunity to use their actions. This does not include thrown projectiles or character-
controlled vehicles. If any object or vehicle is under direct control by a character,
then the object or vehicle will move when that character moves it or at the end of the
round, at the character’s option. If a character chooses not to control a vehicle, then
the vehicle will move at the end of the round.
If your character starts the scene by going last, either because your character was
caught unaware or because you rolled poorly at the beginning of the scene, don’t
worry too much about it. The order of play will change almost immediately. Any
character may delay their turn in a round, or force their next action to do something
defensive. Additionally, characters who achieve an extreme success on a block or
dodge roll revise the order of play so that the attacker whose attack was foiled goes
after the defender in the following rounds.
Of course, this is all just an abstraction to make task resolution easier. In reality,
everything that happens in a round occurs more or less simultaneously. The difference
between going first in a round and going last in a round is less a matter of time and
more a matter of who has the better awareness of the situation at that moment.
Delaying A Turn
If a player does not wish to use their character’s turn when they have the opportunity,
perhaps wanting to wait and see what an opponent does, the character may delay
their turn, with the option of using it later in the round or on a successive round. The
character may then pre-empt another character’s turn.
Delaying a turn does not alter the order of play. After the character has taken their
turn, the order of play resumes its previous sequence.
Example:
Combat starts when Blueshift runs around a corner and sees Ganyeka, who is giving commands to
his henchmen. The GM declares that the order of play is Blueshift, then Ganyeka, then Ganyeka’s
henchmen.
Round 1 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
On the second round, Monolith runs around the corner, startling Ganyeka’s henchmen because, wow,
that guy is huge. The GM declares that the order of play is Blueshift, then Ganyeka, then Monolith,
then Ganyeka’s henchmen.
Round 2 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn

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On the third round, Blueshift delays her turn, waiting to see what Monolith does. When it is
Monolith’s turn, he attempts to grapple with Ganyeka. Blueshift uses her delayed turn to assist
Monolith by coordinating her attack (p. 145) with his.
Round 3 Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Blueshift’s turn (delayed)
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
On the fourth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.
Round 4 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Forcing An Action
Sometimes a character might need to take a desperate action before they have had the
opportunity to take their turn in a round or after they have already taken their turn
in a round. This is known as forcing the character’s action. Forcing an action allows a
character to sacrifice their next turn in order to block, dodge, dive for cover, activate a
defensive power, or take another purely defensive action. A forced action can also be
used to take a defensive action on someone else’s behalf, such as diving in front of an
attack to protect an innocent bystander. The character may not force an action which
the GM could construe as an attack, such as blocking a bullet with an opponent’s
unconscious body or running into someone. When a character forces their action,
they sacrifice their next available turn, whether that action would be in the current
round or on the next round. A character may only force an action once per round.
Because a forced action is always defensive, it always takes place at the appropriate
time, either before or during the attack which triggered it. The attacker does not have
the opportunity to “take back” their attack.
Forcing an action does not alter the order of play. After the character’s next available
turn has passed (the turn they sacrificed in order to take a defensive action sooner),
the order of play resumes its previous sequence.
Example:
Continuing from the previous example, on the fifth round, the order of play is Blueshift, then Ganyeka,
then Monolith, then Ganyeka’s henchmen.
Round 5 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn

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On the sixth round, Blueshift makes short work of two of Ganyeka’s henchmen with a sweep attack
(p. 148). Ganyeka then pulls out a sinister-looking weapon, aims it at Monolith, and fires. Blueshift
forces her next action to leap between Ganyeka and Monolith, taking the full brunt of Ganyeka’s
attack.
Round 6 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Blueshift’s turn (forced from round 7)
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
On the seventh round, Blueshift loses her turn because she forced it in the previous round.
Round 7 Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
On the eighth round, order of play returns to its previous sequence.
Round 8 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn

Attack
Attacks generally have four steps: a task roll to affect the target, determination of
the consequences of extreme success (if the attacker rolled an extreme success),
subtraction of the defender’s protection value (PV) from the damage rating (DR) of
the attack, and the determination of the effect on the target. Attacks require a task
action by the attacker. See Actions (p. 126) for more details.
Combining Attacks
Multiple characters can gang up on an opponent to increase the damage they inflict
when they hit. In order to gang up and combine their damage, each character’s attack
must use the same attribute to target their attack and inflict the same type of damage.
For example, two characters using Blast could gang up even if their Blast powers are
dissimilar (an ice blast and a wind blast, for example), but a character using a Mind
Blast would not be able to gang up with them since Mind Blast is targeted using
Willpower rather than Accuracy.
All of the characters ganging up on an opponent must strike simultaneously. The
successful attack which would inflict the most damage (or have the greatest effect, for
non-damaging powers) provides the base damage (or effect) for the combined attack.
Each additional successful attack increases the damage rating of the combined attack
by +1.

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Example:
Zero K, Manticore, and Tempest gang up on Thornmallow in an attempt to overcome his impenetrable
rank 9 Force Field. All three characters are using the Blast power: Zero K uses her ice blast,
Manticore uses a Gatling gun mounted on her jet wing, and Tempest calls down lightning to strike
Thornmallow. All three powers require an Accuracy task roll to hit, and all three powers inflict
Endurance damage. Zero K and Manticore delay their turns (p. 142) so that they can attack at the
same time Tempest does.
The GM declares that the task difficulty to hit Thornmallow is 11. Zero K’s player rolls a 10:
Zero K’s attack misses. However, Manticore and Tempest both hit successfully with a 12 and a 17,
respectively. This is an extreme success for Tempest. Tempest’s player chooses the “overwhelming”
effect of an extreme success, increasing the damage rating of Tempest’s attack from 7 to 8. This forms
the base damage for the combined attack. Manticore’s gatling gun, which normally has a damage
rating of 6, adds +1 to the damage rating of the combined attack, making it 9.
Unfortunately, this is not enough to penetrate the protection value of Thornmallow’s rank 9 Force
Field. If Zero K’s attack had been successful, the damage rating of the combined attack would have
been 10, which would have reduced Thornmallow’s Endurance by 1.
Zero K, Manticore, and Tempest need to find some other way to defeat Thornmallow than by sheer
brute force. Perhaps they can use the environment against him, perhaps they can outsmart him
somehow, or perhaps they need to retreat and seek additional help.
Coordinating Attacks
Multiple characters can work together to increase their chances of hitting an
opponent. One character will actually make the attack, and the rest of the characters
will attempt to assist them. Each character wishing to assist with the attack attempts a
challenging task roll (task difficulty 12) using the appropriate attribute (usually Prowess
or Accuracy). Each successful task roll increases the attack bonus of the attack by
+1. If one of the characters attempting to coordinate their attacks rolls an extreme
success, this increases the attack bonus of the attack by +2 rather than by +1. The
character who actually rolls to hit the target provides the base damage (or effect) for
the coordinated attack. If the character who actually rolls to hit the target fails their
task roll, the entire coordinated attack fails.
Example:
Monolith and Grimknight attempt to coordinate their attacks in order to hit the inhumanly fast
Karen X. Because Grimknight has a better chance to hit Karen X in combat (his Prowess is higher
than Monolith’s Prowess or Accuracy), they decide that Monolith will assist with the attack, and
Grimknight will be the one actually attacking. It is up to the players to decide what this coordinated
attack looks like, so they decide that Monolith picks up Grimknight and hurls him at Karen X.
Because this is a ranged attack for Monolith, he must attempt a challenging Accuracy task roll (task
difficulty 12). If his roll is successful, then Grimknight’s attack roll will have a +1 attack bonus.
Monolith’s player rolls a 17: extreme success! Because this is an extreme success, Grimknight is
granted a bonus of +2 on the coordinated attack.

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The GM declares that Grimknight’s task difficulty to hit Karen X is 17. Including the +2 bonus
provided by Monolith’s extreme success on the coordinated attack, Grimknight rolls a 16: Karen X sees
the attack coming, and sidesteps.
Distracting
Distraction can be used by a character to mislead an enemy into dropping their
guard. Distracting an opponent requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower
of the opponent. If the distraction is successful, the next attack against the distracted
opponent on the following round receives a +3 attack bonus.
Grappling
A grapple involves using one’s extremities to hold or restrain another character. The
maximum mass the character can effectively grapple is based on the rank of their
Brawn. Find the rank of their Brawn in the Benchmarks table (p. 10) and look up the
corresponding value in the “Lifts” column.
Grappling requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target.
Grappling inanimate objects is generally automatic, unless the GM wants to make
it difficult for some reason. To break free of the Grapple, the defender must make a
successful task roll using their Brawn or Agility attribute (whichever is greater) against
the attacker’s Brawn or Agility (whichever is greater).
If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of their Brawn (or Agility) is
increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking free of it. For example, if a character is
being held by an attacker with rank 6 Brawn, and the attacker rolled an extreme
success, the affected character would need to make a task roll against task difficulty 15
(7 + 8) to break free of the grapple.
If the defender succeeds at the task roll to break free, they may use their remaining
movement action. If the character being grappled gets an extreme success on this
roll, then they break free as a free action instead of a task action. For example, if a
character is being held by an attacker with rank 6 Brawn, they would need to make a
Brawn (or Agility) task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more,
they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free is a free action. If the defender has
Telekinesis, they may use the rank of their Telekinesis in lieu of their Brawn or Agility
to break free.
Characters being grappled are considered “restrained”. A restrained character is not
helpless, but they can’t use normal movement until they break free of the grapple.
Attacking the held character is easier (attackers gain a +3 attack bonus when attacking
the held character), and their attacks are easier to avoid (defenders gain a +3 defense
bonus when the held character attacks them).
If the attacker wishes to exert strength or leverage in an attempt to hurt the grappled
character, this causes Endurance damage, and the damage rating (DR) of this attack
is equal to the attacker’s rank in Brawn or Agility (whichever is greater). Any power or
equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability
and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the held character takes from the
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Why Willpower?
Using Willpower for distracting an opponent may seem
counterintuitive. Wouldn’t Prowess or Perception seem more
appropriate? Not at all. Distracting an opponent — whether
in physical combat (such as a gunfight), psychic combat (such
as a battle of wills), or in a social conflict (such as a marital
dispute) — isn’t about how good you are in a fight or how
good you are at noticing things. Anyone who has ever seen a
talented stage magician at work knows that the real “trick”
to most illusions is getting the audience to look where the
magician wants them to look. In game system terms, that’s a
classic Willpower vs. Willpower task roll.
Additionally, one of the main reasons we added the distraction
maneuver to Bulletproof Blues was to help characters with low
physical attributes cope with combat. Characters with high
physical attributes don’t usually need to resort to distraction.
Characters with high Willpower, on the other hand, are
exactly the type of characters that need to use tactics like
distraction.

attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the
damage rating of the grapple. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target’s
Endurance. Characters with human level Brawn or Agility (rank 3 or less) inflict
stunning damage with their grappling attacks. A character with rank 3 Brawn or
Agility would have damage rating 3, and any damage inflicted would be stunning, and
therefore temporary. A character with rank 4 Brawn or Agility would have damage
rating 4, and the damage inflicted would be normal. See Stunning (p. 153) for more
details.
If the attacker wishes to move or throw the grappled character, the distance the
attacker may move the defender is based on the Brawn of the attacker and the mass
of the defender. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved in
the “Lifts” column of the Benchmarks table (rounding to the nearest weight value,
p. 10), and find the corresponding rank for that weight. Subtract that rank from the
Brawn of the attacker, and look up that resulting rank in the Benchmarks table. Find
the corresponding distance in the “Throws” column. This is how far the attacker
could throw an object of that weight. This rank is also the damage rating (DR) of
the impact if the attacker makes the defender hit a solid object such as a wall or the
ground. Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the impact damage by as
much as half.
Example:
Ganyeka has Brawn 5 and wants to throw Widow, whom he has successfully grappled. Widow
weighs 148 pounds, which would be rank 1 in the “Lifts” column in the Benchmarks table (p. 10).
Subtracting 1 from Ganyeka’s rank 5 Brawn, we find that Ganyeka can throw Widow 50 feet.
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Instead, he throws her at a nearby brick wall. The impact has a damage rating of 4, which is the
rank of 50 feet in the “Throws” column in the Benchmarks table. After subtracting Widow’s rank 2
Invulnerability, she takes 2 Endurance damage from hitting the wall, and so she subtracts 2 from her
current Endurance. The wall, being brick, has rank 5 Invulnerability, and is undamaged by having
Widow thrown at it.
Ramming
A ramming attack involves using the velocity of the attacker to increase the damage
inflicted. Ramming requires the attacker to use their movement action to travel
directly toward the target, followed by a hand-to-hand attack. The ramming attack
itself requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target, and the
target receives a +1 defense bonus against the ramming attack. The damage rating
of the ramming attack is equal to the attacker’s rank in Brawn + 1 or the rank of the
attacker’s movement power, whichever is greater. Ramming may be called by various
names depending on the technique the attacker uses, such as “flying tackle”, “charge”,
or “pounce”.
Slamming
A slam or takedown involves using a target’s mass and velocity against them so that
they fall to the ground. Slams are only effective against targets whose feet are on the
ground to begin with. A slam can represent a an aikido throw, a leg sweep, a judo hip
toss, or even tripping someone with an umbrella, depending on the attacker’s fighting
style.
A slam requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the
slam attack is successful, the defender falls to the ground and may be injured by the
impact. The damage rating of this attack is normally equal to the attacker’s rank in
Agility. Characters with human level Agility (rank 3 or less) inflict stunning damage
with their slams. A character with rank 3 Agility would have damage rating 3, and any
damage inflicted would be temporary. See Stunning (p. 153) for more details.
If the defender was moving, the damage rating of this attack is equal to the defender’s
rank in their movement power or the attacker’s rank in Agility, whichever is greater.
If the defender’s rank in their movement power is 3 or less, the slam inflicts stunning
damage.
Sweep Attacks
A sweep attack permits a character to make a hand-to-hand attack against everyone
within reach. A sweep attack requires a single Prowess task roll against the Prowess of
each of the intended targets. Each defender receives a +3 defense bonus against the
sweep attack. The damage rating of the sweep attack is equal to the attacker’s rank in
Brawn.

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Taunting
Taunts can be used to goad an opponent into attacking. Taunting requires a
Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the character being taunted. If the taunt
is successful, then the target of the taunt will use their next available action to attack
the taunting character. If that attack misses the taunting character, the attack will
instead strike whatever or whomever is directly behind the taunting character.

Defense
Defending against an attack typically has two parts: determining the difficulty against
which the attacker must roll to successfully hit the target, and withstanding the
damage that results from a successful task roll to hit. Avoiding an attack is referred to
as defense, while the ability of a target to withstand all or part of the damage is called
protection (p. 153). Invulnerability and Force Field, for example, provide a protection
value (PV) equal to the rank of the power.
If the target of an attack is unconscious or unable to move freely to avoid the attack,
the attacker gains a +6 attack bonus. This applies to powers such as Telepathy in
addition to more overtly damaging powers such as Blast.
Blocking
During their turn, or as a forced action (p. 143), a character may use a task action to
attempt to block an attack against them. The defender may continue attempting to
block additional attacks until their next action.
A block might entail using brute force to withstand the attack, or it might involve
using finesse to harmlessly divert an attack away: the choice is up to the player.
To attempt a block, the player attempts a Prowess task roll against the rank of the
attacker’s power or weapon. For example, if the attacker had rank a 9 Blast, the task
difficulty to block it would be 9 + 8 = 17. If the defender has expertise with blocking,
they gain a +3 bonus on their Prowess task roll.
If the defender rolls an extreme success, then the order of play is revised so that on
future rounds, the character whose attack was blocked acts after the character who
successfully blocked the attack.
Example:
Ganyeka attacks Monolith, and Monolith forces his action in order to block. Monolith rolls an extreme
success on his block. This revises the order of play so that Ganyeka’s turn comes after Monolith’s turn
on successive rounds.
Round 1 Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Monolith’s turn (blocks attack by Ganyeka)
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn

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Round 2 Blueshift’s turn

Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Normally, only attacks which inflict Endurance damage may be blocked. However, if
the defender has the same power as the attacker, they may use that power to attempt
to block. For example, a defender with Telepathy may use their Telepathy to attempt
to block the Telepathy of an attacker. With the GM’s permission, a character may
attempt to block with a power that has a similar theme or power source. For example,
a GM might permit a character to use their Telepathy to attempt to block an
attacker’s Mind Control.
A character chooses to block after determining if the attack will successfully hit: there
is no need to block an attack that misses. A successful block completely negates the
attack. An unsuccessful block has no effect on the attack.
Dodging
During their turn, or as a forced action (p. 143), a character may use a task action to
attempt to dodge an attack against them. The defender may continue attempting to
dodge additional attacks until their next action.
To attempt a dodge, the player attempts an Agility task roll against the rank of the
attacker’s power or weapon. For example, if the attacker had rank a 9 Blast, the task
difficulty to dodge it would be 9 + 8 = 17. If the defender has expertise with dodging,
they gain a +3 bonus on their Agility task roll.
If the defender rolls an extreme success, then the order of play is revised so that on
future rounds, the character whose attack was dodged acts after the character who
successfully dodged the attack.
Example:
Continuing the example above, Blueshift attacks Ganyeka, and Ganyeka forces his action in order to
dodge. Ganyeka rolls an extreme success on his dodge. This revises the order of play so that Blueshift’s
turn comes after Ganyeka’s turn on successive rounds.
Round 3 Blueshift’s turn
Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn (dodges an attack by Blueshift)
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Round 4 Monolith’s turn
Ganyeka’s turn
Blueshift’s turn
Ganyeka’s henchmen’s turn
Normally, only attacks which inflict Endurance damage may be dodged. However, if
the defender has the same power as the attacker, they may use that power to attempt
to dodge. For example, a defender with Telepathy may use their Telepathy to attempt
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Why Power Rank?

Basing the task difficulty of blocking and dodging on the rank
of the attacker’s power or weapon might seem strange to you.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to make these rolls against the
attacker’s Accuracy or Prowess? We base these rolls on the
rank of the attacker’s power for two reasons.
First, a character only chooses to block or dodge if the attack
has already hit them, which means that there has already
been an Accuracy or Prowess roll, and the attacker rolled well
enough to hit. There is a good chance that a second roll would
have a similar outcome, so we base the block and dodge rolls
on the rank of the attacker’s power or weapon in order to give
the defender a chance to change the odds, particularly against
attackers with very high Accuracy and Prowess.
Second, the rank of a power is more than just how much
damage it does. The power’s rank also reflects the character’s
skill and finesse in using that power. By basing block and
dodge on the rank of the power, we take into account how
much control the attacker has over the power in addition to
how much sheer force they are using.

to dodge the Telepathy of an attacker. With the GM’s permission, a character may
attempt to dodge with a power that has a similar theme or power source. For example,
a GM might permit a character to use their Telepathy to attempt to dodge an
attacker’s Mind Control.
A character chooses to dodge after determining if the attack will successfully hit: there
is no need to dodge an attack that misses. A successful dodge completely negates the
attack. An unsuccessful dodge has no effect on the attack.
Having Partial Cover
If a character is hiding behind an obstruction that conceals at least half of their body
from an attacker, the character is said to have partial cover. A character with partial
cover is more difficult to hit. The defender gains a +1 defense bonus, which increases
the difficulty of the attacker’s task roll by +1.
Diving For Cover
Attacks which are particularly large, such as a thrown car or bus, are much more
difficult to avoid. The only way to avoid such attacks is to not be under them when
they land. If a character is about to be hit by a large attack, they can take a forced
action (p. 143) to dive for cover. When diving for cover, the character moves to the
nearest open ground beyond the area of the attack or behind the nearest cover, and
ends up on the ground prone (p. 152). A character may perform a forced action to
dive for cover from an ordinary attack, if they want, but since it leaves the character
prone and vulnerable, and it sacrifices their next action, doing so is probably unwise.
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If the nearest safe area or cover is too far away for the character to reach it with a
normal move, then there is no benefit to diving for cover. Sorry.
Being Prone
A prone character is easier for adjacent attackers to hit, but harder to hit with ranged,
non-adjacent attacks. If the defender is prone and the attacker is adjacent or engaging
in hand-to-hand combat, the attacker receives a +1 attack bonus on their task roll to
hit the defender. If the defender is prone and the attacker is non-adjacent and using a
ranged attack, the defender gains a +1 defense bonus, which increases the difficulty of
the attacker’s task roll by +1.

Damage
Once the attacker successfully makes their task roll to affect the target and the
consequences of extreme success (if any) are determined, the damage rating (DR) of
the attack is applied against the defender’s protection value (PV).
In hand-to-hand combat, an unarmed character’s damage rating is equal to their rank
in Brawn. Characters with human level Brawn (rank 3 or less) inflict stunning damage
with their unarmed hand-to-hand attacks. For example, a character with rank 3
Brawn would have damage rating 3, and any damage inflicted would be stunning, and
therefore temporary. A character with rank 4 Brawn, however, would have damage
rating 4, and the damage inflicted would be normal. See Stunning (p. 153) for more
details.
Hand-to-hand weapons such as clubs and knives have a damage rating equal to the
rank of the weapon or the character’s Brawn rank + 1, whichever is greater. A knife
with damage rating 1 wielded by a character with rank 2 Brawn would have an
effective damage rating of 3. Using a weapon allows a character with Brawn of 3 or
less to inflict normal damage rather than stunning damage.
The damage rating of a ranged attack is generally equal to the rank of the power or
weapon being used.
Exploding, penetrating, and stunning attacks modify how much damage is caused or
how a character defends against it.
Exploding
An exploding attack causes its damage to everyone within a certain range of the
target. Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the
difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at
specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success.
The damage rating of the explosion diminishes with distance from the center. The
damage rating is at its full value within half of the total radius, and at one-half of
its full value in the remainder of the explosion. For example, a typical fragmentation
grenade would have a damage rating of 5 from the center out to a radius of 25 feet
(half its total radius), and a damage rating of 3 from 25 feet out to the limit of its
radius of 50 feet.
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Penetrating
Damage from a penetrating attack ignores 50% of the defender’s protection (round in
defender’s favor).
Stunning
Damage from a stunning attack is temporary. Record it separately; it all comes back
after the fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Protection
After determining the effective damage rating (DR) of the attack, that total is applied
against the target’s protection value (PV). The protection value is subtracted from the
damage rating, and any remaining damage is subtracted from target’s appropriate
attribute (typically Endurance).
Endurance damage and Endurance protection are the most common, but some
attacks inflict other forms of damage, and require other forms of protection.
For example, a character attacked with Reason Drain would need some form of
protection against Reason damage (Attribute Invulnerability, for example).
Multiple layers of the same type of protection do not stack: only the greatest
protection value applies. For example, a character with rank 6 Invulnerability would
not benefit from a rank 5 Force Field, nor from wearing an armored vest that provides
rank 2 Invulnerability.

Recovery
After a chance to rest and recuperate (maybe half an hour), an injured character
recovers half the endurance they have recently lost. After that, injuries normally
heal only with extended rest or with medical care. With this rest or medical care,
the character will regain one Endurance per day; without it, they will regain one
Endurance per week.
If the character has taken some other form of damage, such as Strength damage or
damage to one of their powers, this damage is temporary. It all comes back after the
fight is over, when the character has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Death
If a character’s Endurance is reduced to zero, they are rendered unconscious. If
a character’s Endurance is reduced to the negative of its starting value (-6 for a
character whose normal Endurance is 6, for example), death is the most likely result.
However, if most of the damage was mental rather than physical, the character may
be rendered comatose for an indefinite period of time.
Even if the character dies, there is precedent in the Kalos Universe for death not
being final. Depending on the character, their background, and the needs of the
story, death may be temporary or merely a transitional phase. For example, when
Dryad was killed during the Audobon Park Massacre, her oak tree on the grounds
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of the Vanguard headquarters seemed to die as well. It was only later when Doctor
Morpheus joined Vanguard that it was discovered that her tree was not dead, but
merely dormant, setting the stage for Dryad’s eventual return.
Whether death is final for a character also depends on how they died. Did the manner
of their death leave any room for doubt? Might their powers provide a way for them
to return from the circumstances that killed them? And most importantly, did their
death have an important impact on the story? The way a character dies may be their
most defining moment; if so, it would cheat them and the story for their death to be
temporary. Still, there is always a loophole if you need one. The most important thing
to remember about death is that it should never be decided by a roll of the dice.

Plot Points
Each player begins each game session with one plot point. A player gains a plot
point when one of their character’s complications causes a serious problem for them
during the game, or as a reward when they do something particularly entertaining
or interesting, or when they cooperate with the GM to make things more difficult for
the characters. Plot points are spent for an automatic success, to gain a temporary
increase in power, to gain a temporary power, or to alter the game world in some way.

Gaining Plot Points

Players receive plot points for helping make the game more fun, and they spend them
to make their character more effective. Each player starts each game session with
one plot point, and should get one or two more during each game session. It’s in the
players’ best interests to spend these plot points before the end of the game session,
because any unspent plot points do not carry over to the next game (unless the GM
makes an exception).
Plot points shouldn’t be given to a player just for roleplaying their character — they
should be doing that anyway. The GM should give out a plot point when the player
does something really exceptional or inventive, or when the player volunteers for their
character to suffer some dramatic setback. The player might even suggest ways that
their character’s complications can come into play, giving the GM an opportunity to
ramp up the tension. The GM can also reward a player for roleplaying in accordance
with their character’s motivations when it’s not in the character’s best interests to do
so.
It’s important for the GM to remember that while plot points are a reward for making
the game fun, they also make the characters more powerful. A game in which plots
points are handed out by the handful will have a much different feel than one in which
they are given out sparingly. It’s probably reasonable for each player to receive two or
three plot points over the course of a typical three or four hour game session.

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Spending Plot Points

The examples listed here are the most common uses for plot points, but they aren’t the
only ones. If a player wants to spend a plot point to make something fun happen, and
it has about the same impact on the game as these examples, the GM should consider
permitting it. For example, let’s say an invasion of lava pygmies has caused extensive
damage to a street, destroyed a few cars, and melted a mailbox. If a character with
time control powers wanted to spend a plot point to reverse time and undo this
damage after the lava pygmies have been repelled, should the GM permit it? Sure! It’s
fun, and it doesn’t unbalance the game.
Automatic Success
An automatic success is just that: the player spends a plot point, and their character
succeeds at the current task roll. This can be a skill roll, or it can be an attempt to hit
in combat. If the player wants to check for extreme success, the player should roll as
usual: anything less than extreme success is treated as a normal successful roll. The
GM may forbid the use of a plot point to achieve an automatic success if the task is
simply impossible.
An automatic success lasts as long as the effects of the roll would normally last.
Inspiration
Despite the best intentions of the GM, sometimes players get stuck. All of the leads
have been followed, all of the witnesses have been interviewed, and the players are
oblivious to the obvious solution the GM has given them to their dilemma. When all
else fails, a player can spend a plot point to make an intuitive leap and receive a hint
from the GM on what to do next.
If the GM finds this happening with any regularity, it might be worthwhile for them
to make their plots a bit less challenging.
Power Boost
A power boost increases one of the character’s attributes or powers by one rank (rank
14 maximum). A character with Brawn 5 could gain a temporary boost to Brawn 6,
or a character with Flight 7 could gain a temporary boost to Flight 8. Power boost
can also be used to add a power enhancement to a power. For example, a character
with rank 4 Healing could use a power boost to add the Diseases and Toxins power
enhancement, or a character with the Blast power could use a power boost to add the
Explosive Damage power enhancement.
Power boosts usually only last for one round, but they might last as long as a scene if
that seems to make sense and the GM agrees.

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Power Stunt
A power stunt permits a character to use their current powers in new and creative
ways. For example, a character with a rank 4 Ice Blast might use a power stunt to
hack into a computer by freezing its memory, giving them a rank 4 in Computing
for that purpose. A character with a rank 8 Force Field might use a power stunt to
turn their force field into a rank 8 force blade. The outcome of a power stunt is not
automatically successful: the player still needs to roll to determine the outcome, if the
outcome is contested or subject to some uncontrolled factor. A character who used a
power stunt to gain rank 4 in Computing would still need to make a Computing task
roll in order to hack the computer.
Power stunts usually only last for one round, but they might last as long as a scene
if that seems to make sense and the GM agrees. For example, if a character with a
rank 6 Time Control used a power stunt to gain rank 6 Extra Attacks, then the Extra
Attacks power should last until the end of the scene or until the six Extra Attacks are
used, whichever comes first.
Rally
Under normal circumstances, an injured character recovers half the endurance they
have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate (maybe half an
hour). Spending a plot point allows a character to rally, and recover as though they’d
had a half-hour’s worth of rest.
Retcon
“Retcon” is short for “retroactive continuity”: changing the past in some way that
supports the current needs of the plot. This can involve the realization that a needed
resource is available, but had previously been overlooked (“Oh, what I wouldn’t give
for a holocaust cloak”), or it can take the form of a character revealing a previously
unknown era in their history, thus giving them new background skills (“As a matter of
fact, I spent my senior year of high school studying in Japan”).
A good retcon should not overtly violate what has been established in the game: it
should build on what has been established in a fun and inventive way.
Retcons are essentially permanent.

The Environment
Asphyxia
A character who needs to breath but is unable to do so, such as someone drowning
or suffocating, loses one Endurance per minute until they can breathe freely again.
Protection against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force
Field, are not effective against this damage, but rapid healing, such as that provided by
Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Asphyxia (p. 84) is unaffected by asphyxia.
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Darkness
Darkness, fog, rain, blizzards, and other visual impediments can make combat
much more difficult. If an attacker can’t see the defender, the defender gains a +3
defense bonus; if the attacker can’t see at all, the defender gains a +6 defense bonus.
Conversely, if a defender can’t see the attacker but the attacker can see them, the
attacker gains a +3 attack bonus; if the defender can’t see at all but the attacker can,
the attacker gains a +6 attacker bonus.
A character with Super Senses (p. 108) such that they can perceive normally suffer no
ill effects from darkness.

Dehydration
A character who goes more than 24 hours without drinking begins to suffer the effects
of dehydration. Initially, the character experiences headaches, loss of appetite, and
dry skin, followed by rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and fatigue.
After three days without water, the character experiences tiredness, irritability, and
dizziness. Severe dehydration results in death.
Characters suffering from dehydration lose 1 Endurance per day until they either die
or are rehydrated. Additionally, the difficulty of any task roll the character attempts
increases by 1 for every day that the character has been without water. Protection
against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field,
are not effective against this damage, but rapid healing, such as that provided by
Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Starvation (p. 84) is unaffected by dehydration.

Exposure
Extremes of heat and cold can be dangerous to those without adequate protection
from the elements. Characters exposed to extreme temperatures gradually lose
Endurance until they either die or find shelter. How quickly they lose Endurance
depends on the severity of the conditions. A hot summer day without shade or water,
or a frosty winter night without a coat cost a character one point of Endurance every
six hours or so: brutal, but not immediately life-threatening. The same character in
a blazing hot desert or standing on a ridge in the Antarctic would lose a point of
Endurance once per minute. Protection against conventional forms of damage, such
as Invulnerability and Force Field, are not effective against this damage, but rapid
healing, such as that provided by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Exposure (Cold) is unaffected by extreme cold, while a
character with Immunity to Exposure (Heat) is unaffected by extreme heat (p. 84).

Falling
Falling inflicts damage based on the distance fallen. Look up the distance the
character falls in the “Throws” column in the Benchmarks table (p. 10), and find the
corresponding rank. This rank is the damage rating inflicted by falling that distance.
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Under normal circumstances, the maximum damage inflicted by falling is 8, due to

the resistance of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the impact damage by as much as
half.

Fire
The rank and damage rating of a fire depends on its heat and intensity. Any power or
equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability
and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage a character takes from a fire. The
protection value of the power is subtracted from the damage rating of the fire. The
remaining damage is subtracted from the target’s Endurance once per round.
A character with Immunity to Exposure (Heat) (p. 84) may apply one-half of their
rank in Immunity against the damage rating of the fire.

Table: Fire
Rank Fire
1 Campfire, torch
2 Burning room
3 Burning house
4 Butane torch
5 Burning warehouse
6 Flame thrower, napalm
7 Burning flammable chemicals
8 Interior of a blast furnace
9 Burning explosive chemicals
10 Oxy-fuel cutting torch
11 Molten lava
12 Interior of a volcano
13 Surface of the Sun
14 Earth’s core

Very cool and very hot fires are outside of this range. A common household match
can cause painful burns, for example, but it’s less damaging than a rank 1 fire. On the
other hand, the interior of the sun is far beyond the temperature of even a rank 14
fire.

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Pathogens
Pathogens are usually infectious microorganisms which cause disease, such as bacteria
and viruses, or parasites, such as fungi and protozoans. Each disease has its own array
of symptoms, and not every person afflicted with a given disease will present every
symptom.
Most diseases caused by pathogens can be categorized as either acute or chronic.
Acute infections affect the patent quickly, run their course, and the patient typically
recovers completely. Chronic diseases are long lasting and may have debilitating
effects.
If the GM determines that a character has been exposed to a pathogen that could
cause an acute infection, the character must make a Brawn task roll against the rank
of the pathogen (usually rank 4). If the Brawn task roll is successful, the character
resists the pathogen and may suffer only incidental side-effects such as an itchy throat.
If the Brawn task roll is not successful, the character has succumbed to the pathogen.
The disease lasts for 2d6 days, during which the character feels terrible. Additionally,
the difficulty of any task roll the character attempts increases by 1 until the disease
runs its course. Complete rest and appropriate treatment reduces the recovery time by
one-half, and rapid healing, such as that provided by Regeneration, is also effective at
reducing the recovery time.
If the GM determines that a character has been exposed to a pathogen that could
cause a chronic infection, the character must make a Brawn task roll against the rank
of the pathogen (usually rank 4). If the Brawn task roll is successful, the character
resists the pathogen, typically without any symptoms whatsoever. If the Brawn
task roll is not successful, the character has succumbed to the pathogen, and they
immediately lose 1 Endurance.
The character must attempt another Brawn task roll once per week. Each failed
Brawn task roll results in another point of Endurance lost. Additionally, the difficulty
of any task roll the character attempts (other than the Brawn task roll to resist the
pathogen) increases by 1 for every failed Brawn task roll. This continues until the
character makes an extreme success on their Brawn task roll, or they are administered

The Burroughs Plague

In 2011, a macabre linguistic infection known as the
Burroughs Plague resulted in the deaths of hundreds of
people in College Park and Beltsville, Maryland. The
symptoms of the disease included aphasia, dyslexia,
dementia, and psychosis, ultimately resulting in irreversible
homicidal rage. The epidemic was contained and
sterilized by the Justifiers before it could spread, and there
have been no other outbreaks since.

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the appropriate cure for the disease (if one exists), or they die. Once the character
makes an extreme success on their Brawn task roll against the rank of the pathogen
or is administered the appropriate cure, they stop losing Endurance and begin to
heal normally. Rapid healing, such as that provided by Regeneration, is effective at
reducing the recovery time.
A character with Immunity to Pathogens (p. 84) is unaffected by infectious
microorganisms, parasites, and other pathogens such as prions.

Poisons
Poisons, venoms, and toxins are substances which disrupt biological processes when
a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism. The symptoms of poisoning are so
variable that there is no easy way to classify them. Some poisons increase heart rate,
while others cause lowered heart rate. Some poisons cause lethargy, while others cause
hyperactivity. Some poisons cause pain or gastrointestinal distress, while others cause
a mild, pleasant elation.
Immediately after exposure or ingestion (depending on the type of poison), a poisoned
character must make a Brawn task roll against the rank of the poison. If the Brawn
task roll is successful, the character takes no damage from the poison and suffers
only incidental side-effects such as nausea. If the Brawn task roll is not successful,
the character has succumbed to the poison, and they immediately lose 1 Endurance.
Periodically thereafter, the character must attempt another Brawn task roll (once a
round for very potent poisons, once an hour for very weak poisons, and once a minute
for normal poisons, at the GM’s discretion). Each failed Brawn task roll results in
another point of Endurance lost. This continues until the character successfully makes
a Brawn task roll, or they are administered the appropriate antidote, or they die. Once
the character successfully makes a Brawn task roll against the rank of the poison or is
administered the appropriate antidote, they stop losing Endurance and begin to heal
normally.
Some poisons have effects other than or in addition to Endurance damage and
eventual death. A few such effects are indicated in the table of poisons below.
Protection against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force
Field, are not effective against damage from poisoning, but rapid healing, such as that
provided by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Poisons (p. 84) is unaffected by poisons.

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Table: Poisons
Rank Poison Type
3 Copper(II) Sulfate injected
3 Lead Arsenate (gas) inhaled
3 Lead Arsenate (solid) ingested
3 Rattlesnake Venom injected
3 Scorpion Venom injected
4 Atropine injected
4 Paris Green (gas) inhaled
4 Paris Green (solid) ingested
4 Puffer Fish Poison1 injected
5 Arsenic ingested
5 Blue-ringed Octopus Venom injected
5 Tear Gas2 inhaled
6 Chloroform (vapor)3 inhaled
6 Cyanide injected
6 DDT inhaled
6 Mustard Gas2,4 inhaled
8 Belladonna injected
8 Chloral Hydrate3 ingested
8 Curare injected
8 Knockout Gas3 inhaled
8 Cyanogen inhaled
8 Sarin Nerve Agent inhaled
8 Strychnine injected
8 VX Nerve Agent contact
10 VX Nerve Agent inhaled

1. Also inflicts Hold (p. 80) at the poison’s rank

2. Also inflicts Blindness (p. 66) at the poison’s rank
3. Non-lethal: will not reduce Endurance below 0
4. Corrosive effects on the skin, eyes, and exposed mucous
membranes

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Pressure
Characters exposed to extreme atmospheric pressure lose Endurance until they
return to their natural atmosphere, or their internal and external pressure is
equalized (generally through the use of an air supply specifically designed for use
at that pressure), or they die. How quickly they lose Endurance depends on how
prepared they are and the severity of the conditions. A trained diver 100 feet under
water would lose a point of Endurance once per minute: life threatening, but not
immediately fatal. The same character 1000 feet under water (approximately 30
atmospheres, or 450 psi) would lose a point of Endurance once per round unless they
had specialized breathing apparatus designed to maintain a constant pressure inside
their bodies. At higher pressures, even specialized breathing apparatus is not enough
to protect the body from the structural failure of tissue, not to mention the pressure on
unprotected nerves causing them to stop transmitting impulses.
Protection against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force
Field, are not effective against exposure to extreme pressure, but rapid healing, such as
that provided by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Pressure (p. 84) is unaffected by high pressure.

Radiation
Radioactivity is caused by the decay of the atomic nucleus of an unstable atom.
Living things exposed to high amounts of ionizing radiation develop acute radiation
syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation poisoning or radiation sickness. Acute
radiation syndrome is an umbrella term for a variety of symptoms which occur within
24 hours of exposure and which may last for several months.
The symptoms of acute radiation syndrome depend on the exposure. Relatively small
doses of radiation result in nausea and vomiting, headaches, fatigue, fever, and a
reddening of the skin. Intermediate exposure can result in more severe gastrointestinal
and symptoms related to a drop in the number of blood cells, such as infection and
bleeding. Larger doses can result in neurological effects such as dizziness, headache, or
decreased level of consciousness, followed shortly thereafter by death.

Liefeld Radiation
Exposure to Liefeld radiation typically results in
spontaneous painful deformity followed by death.
Symptoms include atrophy of the hands, feet, and
abdomen, and a grotesque increase in musculature in
the chest and thighs. However, in rare and isolated cases,
exposure to Liefeld radiation has resulted in a permanent
transformation from human to posthuman. Such cases are
one in a million, at best.

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Table: Radiation
Rank Radiation
4 Fallout from a recent nuclear explosion
6 Vial of plutonium
8 Interior of a nuclear reactor
10 Nuclear explosion

Twenty-four hours after exposure, a character exposed to radiation must make a

successful Brawn task roll against the rank of the radiation. Failure indicates that
the character has developed acute radiation syndrome and they immediately lose 1
Endurance. Each week thereafter, the character must attempt another Brawn task roll.
Each failed Brawn task roll results in another point of Endurance lost. Additionally,
the difficulty of any task roll (including Brawn task rolls) the character attempts
increases by 1 for every week that the character has been suffering from acute
radiation syndrome. This continues until the character dies or successfully makes the
Brawn task roll. Once the character successfully makes the Brawn task roll against the
rank of the radiation, they stop losing Endurance and may begin to heal normally.
Suitable treatment grants a +3 bonus on the victim’s Brawn task roll. Small doses of
radiation are treated with blood transfusions and antibiotics, while greater doses of
radiation require exotic treatments such as bone marrow transplants. Large doses of
radiation are invariably fatal to normal human beings.
Protection against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force
Field, are not effective against damage from acute radiation syndrome, but rapid
healing, such as that provided by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Radiation (p. 84) is unaffected by radiation.

Sleep Deprivation
A character who goes more than 24 hours without sleep begins to suffer the effects
of sleep deprivation. Initially, the character experiences weariness, confusion, and
irritability. After three days without sleep, the character experiences hallucinations
and decreased cognitive ability. Prolonged, complete sleep deprivation results in
weight loss and ultimately death.
A character suffering from sleep deprivation loses 1 Reason per day until their
Reason equals 0. Once the character’s Reason is reduced to 0, the character loses 1
Willpower per day until their Willpower equals 0. Once the character’s Willpower is
reduced to 0, the character loses 1 Endurance per day until their Endurance equals
0. Under normal circumstances, the character will fall unconscious at this point and
remain so for at least a day. However, if the character is physically prevented from
sleeping they will continue to lose 1 Endurance per day until they die. Protection
against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, are
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not effective against the effects of sleep deprivation, nor is rapid healing, such as that
provided by Regeneration.
A character with Immunity to Sleep Deprivation (p. 84) is unaffected by sleep
deprivation.

Starvation
A character who goes more than 7 days without eating begins to suffer the effects of
starvation. Initially, the character experiences weakness, confusion, and irritability.
After three weeks without food, the character experiences hallucinations and
convulsions. Starvation eventually results in death.
Characters suffering from starvation lose 1 Endurance per week until they either
die or eat again. Additionally, the difficulty of any task roll the character attempts
increases by 1 for every week that the character has been without food. Protection
against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, are
not effective against the effects of starvation, but rapid healing, such as that provided
by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Starvation (p. 84) is unaffected by starvation.

Vacuum
Characters exposed to vacuum lose Endurance until they return to their natural
atmosphere or they die. How quickly they lose Endurance depends on how prepared
they are and the rapidity of the loss of atmosphere. A trained astronaut who is
exposed to a loss of atmosphere over the course of a minute would lose a point of
Endurance once per minute: life threatening, but not immediately fatal. The same
character exposed to a vacuum without warning would lose a point of Endurance
once per round.
Protection against conventional forms of damage, such as Invulnerability and Force
Field, are not effective against exposure to vacuum, but rapid healing, such as that
provided by Regeneration, may offset the effects.
A character with Immunity to Vacuum (p. 84) is unaffected by vacuum.

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While the game moderator (GM) is free to use or ignore the published material as
they see fit, the core rules and supplements for Bulletproof Blues take place in the
world-famous universe of Kalos Comics.
The GM Resources material is divided into three sections:
1. The first section provides a high-level description of the Kalos Universe
setting.
2. The second section describes some of the key organizations and individuals
who take an active role in the Kalos Comics universe. You can use these
groups and NPCs as support organizations for your NPCs and villains, or take
them straight from the book to recreate your favorite Kalos Comics battles and
adventures.
3. The third section the provides an inside look at how character-driven, action-
packed Kalos Comics are plotted, so you can build your adventures the Kalos
Comics Way.

The K alos Universe

The Kalos Universe is the shared fictional universe where most of the comic book
titles published by Kalos Comics take place, including those featuring Kalos’ most
familiar characters, such as Paragon, Swan, and Manticore.
On the surface, the Kalos Universe closely resembles our own. The place names and
television shows are the same, and the victories and defeats of ordinary people are just
like the ones you experience. Much as in our own world, extremes of good and evil
exist, but the gulf between them is a murky area where those of good will can and do
disagree.
However, the Kalos Universe can be a strange place. There are ancient civilizations
deep below the surface of the earth and extraterrestrials in the sky above it. Strange
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forces are at work, and hidden powers manipulate world events and the news reports
of those events. Still, few people encounter this strangeness in their day-to-day lives or
recognize it when they do. For the vast majority of humanity, the world of the Kalos
Universe is virtually the same as the world you live in.
While many events are intentionally hidden from the public, the sanitized actions of
select posthumans are crafted into pre-packaged “human interest” stories. Entire cable
networks are dedicated to the exploits and personal lives of posthumans. In addition,
in a relatively recent two week span, Paragon killed millions of people in Atlanta and
Southeast Asia, and held the world hostage — a rampage that will drive government
policy, mass media, and public opinion worldwide for decades.

The Multiverse
The Kalos Universe is depicted as existing within a “multiverse” consisting of a large
number of separate universes, all of which are the creations of Kalos Comics and all
of which are, in a sense, “Kalos universes”. In this context, “Kalos Universe” is taken
to refer to the mainstream Kalos continuity, which is known as Earth Zero or Earth-0.
The universe of Earth-0 has no particular significance in comparison to that
of Earth-1 or any other universe — the name is simply a convenience. A more
technically accurate nomenclature would define the “Kalos Universe” in terms of

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its “location” in the multiverse within 196,883 dimensional space. Since this would
require the listing of 196,883 coordinates, the use of “Earth-0”, “Earth-162”,
“Earth-4661”, etc., is a convenient shorthand.

Recent History
The first half-dozen posthumans who made their presence widely known to the public
appeared during World War 2, as part of the Red Army fighting the invading forces
of Nazi Germany1. Soon after, similar groups of posthumans appeared, fighting for
the Axis in Europe and Africa and for the Allies in Europe and the Pacific.
One group of posthumans, however, was actively involved in human affairs and was
widely embraced for their nobility and compassion. After the end of World War 2,
the posthumans Paragon and Archimedes founded a team of heroes to fight against
ignorance and violence: the Justifiers. They recruited other Justifiers over the next six
decades: stalwart heroes such as Rook, Doctor Arcane, Antiope, Dryad, Mongoose,
Draconian, and Cleopatra. As a group, the Justifiers had a long career marked by
exemplary service to the safety and prosperity of humankind, before their untimely
end.
Bulletproof Blues source material is set shortly after the Justifiers were killed by their
former teammate, Paragon, who also demolished the city of Atlanta, Georgia,
drowned the island of Timor beneath the sea, and caused death and destruction
throughout the world. It is a difficult time for posthumans, who have never been
completely trusted by humanity in the best of times. Unfortunately, Paragon’s mass
murdering rampage confirmed humanity’s worst fears. Although Paragon was
ultimately defeated by a small team of posthumans at the Justifiers’ headquarters in
Antarctica, his actions have forever changed the relationship between humankind and
posthumans.

Humankind
Humankind, who are technically referred to as Homo sapiens sapiens or “modern
humans”, are a branch of great apes characterized by erect posture, bipedal
locomotion, manual dexterity, and a general trend toward larger, more complex
societies. The spread of humans due to increasing population has had a destructive
impact on large areas of earth’s environment and millions of native species
worldwide. Humankind tool use is on par with posthumans. Humankind is the first
earth native species known to build fires, cook their food, clothe themselves, and
create numerous technologies and arts with the intent of distracting themselves from
their own mortality and lulling themselves into a false sense of security.

Posthumans
Today, scientists and journalists estimate that there are fewer than 8,000 known
posthumans worldwide, roughly 500 of which are in the United States. Despite
their incredible powers, posthumans have had a subdued effect on world affairs.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Patriotic_War
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Posthuman geniuses have made extraordinary scientific and medical discoveries, but
these advances have been kept from the public until the powerful have deemed society
“ready”. The primary beneficiaries of these scientific breakthroughs have been the
governments and corporations who rule the world, and the powerful people who
secretly control them.
Similarly, at the behest of conventional authorities, posthumans have generally
refrained from involvement in everyday politics and diplomacy. The exceptions to
this rule have been condemned as terrorists and threats to all of humanity. This
phenomenon was most evident during the 1950s, when a small group of politically
active posthumans calling themselves the Committee For The Advancement Of
Mankind were convicted in absentia of violating the Smith Act1.
Most posthumans have the same thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as their humankind
counterparts. These behaviors are the result not only of their individual experiences
and environment, but also of what happened to their ancestors millions of years
ago. As such, human nature is shared, to a large extent, by everyone on Earth, even
posthumans. Like most human beings in the Kalos Universe, posthumans are selfish
and seek to improve their own condition. At the same time, human beings have a
great capacity to cooperate, and they display enormous depths of compassion, even
toward people they have never met; so do many posthumans.

Extraterrestrials
Earth has been visited by aliens many times in its history, although few people are
aware of this. Most of these visits were well before 3000 BCE, which is when humans
began recording history. Some may have even been before the evolution of Homo
sapiens approximately 200,000 years ago.
However, since the beginning of recorded history extraterrestrials have only openly
visited Earth twice: Draconian, who came to our world in 1951 after escaping the
destruction of his home planet (inspiring the film The Day The Earth Stood Still2),
and the Isopterans, who invaded Earth in 2009 (inspiring numerous “alien invasion”
films in the following years3). Some experts believe that a third group of aliens, the
Shran, has visited the Earth, but there is little evidence for this, and the claim is
disputed.
Even though the Isopterans landed on five different continents and the conflict was
reported by every news medium, a significant number of people do not believe that
extraterrestrials exist (roughly 30% of the polled populace of the Unites States, for
example).
Atlanteans and Lemurians
Twenty thousand years ago, aquatic extraterrestrials founded two colonies on
Earth: one in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Indian Ocean. Today, the colony

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Act
2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aK8I-CDQGQ
3 http://news.moviefone.com/2010/08/18/complete-guide-to-upcoming-alien-invasion-movies/
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in the Atlantic Ocean is called Atlantis, and the colony in the Indian Ocean is
called Lemuria. Initially, the inhabitants of Atlantis and Lemuria were physically
indistinguishable, but as the millennia passed, the two colonies diverged both
culturally and biologically.
The Atlanteans chose to mix their genetic structure with that of the native population
of Earth, and today they resemble humans in most ways other than skin tone:
Atlanteans are more likely to have blue or jet black skin rather than the range of pinks
and browns common to humankind. The Lemurians, on the other hand, mixed their
genetic code with that of the sea creatures best suited to survival on their new world.
The people of Lemuria are fishlike humanoids, with vestigial fins and scales ranging
from green to grey. Most Atlanteans are nearly as comfortable breathing in air as in
water, but most Lemurians have difficulty breathing in open air.
Although both Atlantis and Lemuria have degenerated since the two colonies were
founded, Atlantis has retained most of its scientific knowledge. The Lemurians,
however, have lost a great deal of the scientific knowledge they once had. Nonetheless,
both civilizations possess technology far in advance of 21st century humanity.
The Atlanteans and the Lemurians both value tradition and military prowess.
Lineage and personal combat play a central role in the selection of leaders of both
civilizations. However, the Atlanteans have an egalitarian society, while the Lemurians
have a caste system which elevates warriors above technicians and laborers.
For most of recorded human history, both the Atlanteans and the Lemurians have
practiced an isolationist policy where the surface world is concerned. However, the
Atlanteans have recently taken the bold move of sending an envoy to the surface
world. The first such Atlantean ambassador was Antiope, who was a member of the
Justifiers until she was killed by her teammate Paragon. It remains to be seen whether
they will send another.
Even though Antiope spoke at the United Nations and was a member of the Justifiers
for decades, a significant number of people do not believe that Atlantis is anything
more than a myth (roughly 20% of the polled populace of the Unites States, for
example). Of those that do believe Atlantis exists, over half hold erroneous beliefs
about it. For example, some believe that it is no longer inhabited, while others believe
that the inhabitants of Atlantis were ancestors of humanity, and many people believe
that Atlantis “sank” at some point in the distant past and that the inhabitants live in
air-filled domes. Public awareness of Lemuria is even less accurate.

Technology
Technology available to the public in the Kalos Universe is only slightly more
advanced than that of the real world. However, super-technology may exist in secret
government or corporate laboratories, where it is studied and slowly introduced to
the world at large in order to minimize its disruptive influence on the status quo. In
some cases, a posthuman invention has been reverse engineered so that less powerful
versions of the device may be gradually introduced over the course of several decades.
This was the case for lasers and nanotechnology, for example.
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Because posthumans are exceedingly rare, there is no uniform method of coping

with or neutralizing their abilities. Items designed to block or neutralize posthuman
abilities, such as white thought generators (which are used to counter or impair
psionic activity), are rare, expensive, limited in their application, and experimental,
and are often morally dubious as well.
Armor
Conventional armor in the Kalos Universe is on par with that found in our world.
Light, flexible body armor is standard issue for police officers, combat soldiers, and
rescue workers. Heavier rigid or semi-rigid armor is used by specialists, such as bomb
disposal units. Light armor is proof against most small arms, while heavy personal
armor protects the user from explosives, shrapnel, and armor-piercing small arms.
However, even heavy personal armor provides minimal protection against large
caliber or vehicle mounted weapons.
Powered armor, also known as a powered exoskeleton, is a powered mobile machine
designed to assist and protect the wearer. Due to its expense and its maintenance
requirements, deployment of powered armor is limited to unique or limited-issue
experimental units, such as that worn by Manticore. The primary obstacles to
the widespread adoption of power armored are its cost, its weight, and its energy
requirements. At the present, only two of these three obstacles can be overcome
simultaneously, limiting the availability of light, long-lasting powered armor to
individuals or organizations with extraordinary financial resources.
Energy
One of the differences between our world and the Kalos Universe is that power
plants using nuclear fission are much more common in the Kalos Universe. Thanks to
efficient extraction of uranium from the oceans and the recycling of spent uranium,
the Kalos Universe has enough uranium to supply humanity with power from nuclear
fission until roughly the year 5000. Despite the abundance of safe, affordable nuclear
power, a few countries have no nuclear power plants, and depend instead on fossil
fuels or hydroelectric plants. Denmark, Norway, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and
Japan belong to a coalition of countries opposed to nuclear power.
Nuclear fusion power, which has been practical since the early 2000s, has yet to be
commercialized, thanks to opposition from the international coalition opposed to
nuclear power, anti-nuclear activist groups like Sortir du Nucléaire, and nuclear industry
lobbying groups like the Nuclear Energy Institute.
The Fukushima Disaster
When the former hero Paragon destroyed the island of Timor by pushing it down
through the crust of the Earth and into the upper mantle, the earthquakes and
tsunamis which followed caused devastation throughout Asia and significant damage
to coastlines as far away as Nova Scotia. The earthquake and resulting tsunami
damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, leading to a full
meltdown of the reactor. Shortly after the meltdown, the Japanese authorities
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declared the 20 mile radius around the plant a restricted area. Japan has since shut
down all 74 of its nuclear fission reactors and joined the coalition of countries
opposed to nuclear power.
Genetics
In principle, genetic research in the Kalos Universe is rigidly controlled and
regulated. In practice, the restrictions on genetic research are primarily legal, as the
most powerful corporations use the patent system and endless litigation to bludgeon
competitors out of existence. Any life form or genetic sequence may legally be
patented, other than actual human beings. What constitutes a “human being” is
continually being refined and restricted through aggressive court challenges.
The possibilities of genetic engineering in the Kalos Universe are just beginning to be
realized.
Space
There are currently over a dozen manned stations in orbit around the Earth, and
that number should double in the next eight years. Roughly half of these stations are
operated by governments, either individually or jointly: the two largest of these are
the International Space Station and Tiangong 7. Private stations are generally smaller
than their government counterparts, but this is changing, and it’s expected that by
2025 the largest space stations will all be privately owned.
Beyond the Earth, remotely operated or automated probes have been sent to nearly
every planet and dwarf planet in addition to a number of smaller but noteworthy
astronomical objects. At the present, the cost to exploit these resources exceeds their
value, but this is expected to change as rare earth minerals on Earth become scarce.
(Earth’s reserves of gallium, hafnium, and indium may be exhausted as early as 2019.)
Embassy Station
Embassy Station is a space station in a low Earth orbit approximately 500 km (311 mi)
above the Earth’s surface. The station travels at about 27,400 km/h (17,000 mi/h),
making one complete revolution around the Earth in about 90 minutes.
Embassy Station was the headquarters of the Justifiers from 1979 until 1986. The
station was originally intended as a permanently occupied “city in the sky” to serve
as a launching point for future space exploration, and potentially as a welcome center
for any visiting extraterrestrials. Construction of Embassy Station was performed by
an international team of engineers and scientists, and funded by a joint partnership
of the United Nations, several countries and space agencies, and a large number
of philanthropic organizations. Construction of the station began in 1977, and was
officially completed in 1982. In 1979, a UN resolution granted the ownership of
Embassy Station to the Justifiers, making it the largest privately owned man-made
object outside of the Earth.
Unfortunately, the cost to operate and maintain the station made extended habitation
impractically expensive for ordinary citizens and business owners, and by 1984 the

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station was all but abandoned. The Justifiers continued to use the station as a base of
operations, but transportation between the station and Earth was a perennial source
of difficulty, and in 1986 the team returned to Earth. The Justifiers continued to use
the station for research purposes and for storage of dangerous items captured from
criminals.
The only extraterrestrials known to have visited Embassy Station are Draconian, the
Justifiers member who lived there from 1980 until 1985, and Guardian, who was also
a member of the Justifiers.
Despite the apparent failure of Embassy Station as a manned space station, it served
as an invaluable source of information about the construction and maintenance of
large space structures. Construction of the International Space Station would not
have been possible without the lessons learned from Embassy Station.
The primary means of transportation between the station and the earth was the
Justifiers’ Orion spaceplane.
Time/Dimensional Travel
The ability to travel through time or to alternate dimensions, while theoretically
possible, is virtually unknown in practice. As far as the public is concerned, no time or
dimensional travel technology currently exists: such devices are the realm of science
fiction. The only in-game exceptions are plot devices which cease functioning or leave
our universe after their purpose in the story has been fulfilled.
Weapons
Conventional weaponry in use by the governments, corporations, and subversive
organizations of the Kalos Universe are virtually identical to those of our world.
Particularly wealthy or brilliant individuals may design or buy advanced weaponry,

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such as plasma cannons, coilguns, sonic explosives, and custom tailored viruses (both
organic and digital), but such weapons are rare and experimental.

Magic and the Supernatural

The Kalos Universe is both secular and humanist: the casting of magic spells and
the careful execution of magical rituals produce no tangible results. In spite of this,
many people believe in ghosts, gods, astrology, and witchcraft (roughly 90% of the
polled populace of the Unites States, for example) just as their hunter-gatherer
ancestors did three millennia ago. However, there are no competing pantheons
sending emissaries to Earth to do battle, and there is no scientific evidence of vastly
powerful supernatural entities belonging to any conventional mythological tradition.
Anything which appears to be caused by gods, demons, magic, or witchcraft can

The Magic Paradox

How do we reconcile the secular, rational underpinnings of the
Kalos Universe with the existence of entities like The Bride, the
necromancy of Thornmallow, or the reality-warping abilities of
Doctor Arcane? We have our own ideas about it, but here are
some options for you to use in your own game. Choose one or
choose them all: it’s your game, so do what you think will be the
most fun.
Option 1: There Is A Reason For Everything
Everything, even The Bride and the ability of some people to talk
to stones and trees, has a rational explanation. No one may have
found that explanation yet, but that’s entirely beside the point.
In time, science will explain what is currently unknown. There is
nothing “supernatural”.
Option 2: The Universe Leaks
The Kalos Universe is just one of a vast number of possible
realities. At some places, at some times, the barriers between
these realities are weak, allowing one universe to bleed into the
next. This is how something which appears to violate the physical
laws of our universe can take place: any apparent contradiction
is caused by another universe’s physical laws intruding upon our
own. It’s not “magic”: it’s simply a different set of rules.
Option 3: It’s A Strange World
There is no evidence that gods or demons exist, and when
magic and witchcraft are put to the test, they are soundly
debunked. Bigfoot isn’t haunting the Northwest, angels aren’t
sitting on anyone’s shoulder, and ghost hunters are doomed to
disappointment. And yet... Aktzin exists. Doctor Arcane can
accomplish feats that science can’t explain. Some posthumans can
converse with inanimate objects. It’s a strange world.

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safely be assumed to be the result of posthuman abilities, alien intervention, fraud, or

coincidence. Spell casting wizards like Merlin and Maleficent exist only in fiction.
However, the Kalos Universe is animistic: there are powerful spirits or essences which
correlate to various objects and natural phenomena. This is why a character with the
appropriate power (p. 68) can communicate with inanimate objects or even control
the weather. It’s also how some posthumans gain their powers, whether they are
consciously aware of it or not, as described in the Aspect character origin. Tempest,
for example, was a mild mannered office clerk before being chosen by Aktzin, the
storm eagle, as its avatar.
Conventional science offers no satisfactory explanation for such spirits, if it admits of
their existence at all.

K ey Organizations And NPCs

Not every enemy or ally has to be a posthuman. Organizations, and the people who
either publicly or privately lead them, are capable of having a tremendous impact on
the lives of humans and posthumans alike. Like any organism, an organization will
reflexively defend itself against a threat, and will do anything to guarantee its own
survival.

Governments
In the Kalos Universe, governments are the tangible expression of the natural
tendency of some individuals to seek to dominate others through the use of force.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that such people are inherently evil. Most people are
morally ambiguous: they want the best for their friends and family, but are ambivalent
about what that may cost others. Many people who seek power start with good
intentions, or at least a benign desire for their own betterment, but power swiftly
becomes its own reward. Those who wield this power are the “insiders”, while those
subject to the government’s rule are the “outsiders”. Insiders have a pecking order
where some wield more power than others, and the means by which insiders rise and
fall in the hierarchy depend on the specific form of government.
The goals of those in government depend on their rank in the hierarchy, and vice
versa. At the lowest levels, such as a city council or a school board, most insiders will
seek to use their power and status to force others to adhere to a certain moral code
or to gain some benefit for a preferred social group. Some may even seek to promote
what they perceive to be the “common good”. At intermediate levels, such as in state
governments, smaller national agencies, or even upper levels of national governments
in smaller countries, the insider’s desire for money, power, and status is as important as
their concern for public morality or social justice. At the highest levels of government,
such as the legislatures and major agencies of world powers, the goals of those in
government are money, power, and status, to the exclusion of all other considerations.
Outsiders, those not in government, often think that governments exist to provide
services. Governments may in fact provide services for outsiders, but this is incidental.
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A government without a postal system, a highway department, or a department that

administers medical subsidies would still be a government. A government without
an army, on the other hand, would cease to be a government. As Mao Zedong said,
“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
Since the end of World War 2, most governments have kept posthumans at
arm’s length, wishing to avoid the widespread adoption of posthuman soldiers in
international conflicts. In 1970, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Posthuman
Combatants, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, went
into effect. A total of 190 parties have joined the treaty, including the United
States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China (the only five nations with
posthuman soldiers at the time that the treaty was signed). More countries have
ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement — a
testament to the treaty’s significance. Four non-parties to the treaty are known or
believed to employ posthuman soldiers: India, Pakistan, and North Korea have
openly declared that they do, while Israel has a policy of opacity regarding its own
posthuman recruitment program.
Posthumans are not common enough to have had a significant impact on the law.
Posthuman crime is so rare that exceptions have yet to be made for it; what is against
the law for humankind remains against the law for posthumans, and the penalties
applied to human crime have, thus far, been deemed sufficient for posthuman crime.
No “posthuman prison” has been established: conventional prisons have had to cope
as well as they can with posthuman inmates. In practice, posthumans have a higher
than average number of escape attempts, and a much higher than average number of
these attempts are successful.
The bureaucrats, soldiers, and police officers who carry out the will of their superiors
are not cackling, mustache-twirling villains. At the same time, people who are
simply doing their jobs can perform acts of extraordinary depravity. In the famous
experiments1 done by Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram in the early 1960s, he asked
various subjects to deliver intense shocks to people in other rooms who wrongly
answered a series of questions. The shocks increased with each incorrect answer, up
to lethal levels at the end. Two-thirds of the participants followed through until the
end, administering the final 450-volt shock to their unseen victims. This was the main
lesson of his study, that “ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any
particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process.
Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear,
and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of
morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.”

Corporations
The corporation is the dominant institution of the 21st century. A corporation is a
legal entity created to shield the people controlling it from liability. The ultimate goal
of a corporation is to make as large a profit as possible. Other considerations, such as
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment
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the quality of the product or service the corporation provides, the health and welfare
of its employees and customers, the integrity of the environment, the survival of
future generations, and adherence to the law are discarded when it is cost effective
to do so. For example, if the fine associated with violating a government regulation
is lower than the cost of complying with the regulation, the corporation will violate
the regulation and pay the fine (or challenge the regulation in court, if that seems
more cost-effective). Similarly, if a product may result in the death of a percentage of
those who use it, and the cost of defending against or settling any ensuing lawsuits is
predicted to be lower than the cost of altering the product’s design, the corporation
will produce and sell the product as-is rather than sacrifice profits to prevent the
deaths.
Corporations accrue political power by funding politicians who support the
corporation’s interests. Typically, political influence is used to increase incomes,
eliminate competition, or externalize costs by either enacting or eliminating laws
and regulations. For example, the multinational corporation Lastimar used its
political influence in the USA to ensure the addition of riders to a multi-billion dollar
agricultural appropriations bill. These riders require the Secretary of Agriculture
to grant a temporary permit for the planting or cultivation of a genetically
engineered crop, even if a federal court were to order the planting be halted until an
Environmental Impact Statement could be completed.
When the same individuals serve on the boards of directors of multiple corporations,
this is known as an interlocking directorate1. A similar practice in Japan is known as a
keiretsu. Interlocking directorates increase the efficiency of the separate corporations
by facilitating coordinated action and unifying the political-economic power of
corporate executives. In this way, corporations can avoid costly competition and focus
on coordinated maximization of profit.
Many corporations present a carefully crafted persona to the public designed to
increase sales and engender trust. For example, the corporation may contribute
to highly publicized environmental causes (while causing massive damage to the
biosphere elsewhere), it may donate funds to children’s charities (while paying
Indonesian children three cents an hour to work in its factories), or it may run
commercials featuring a friendly mascot with an innocent smile and gentle,
self-deprecating humor. Corporations employ teams of marketing analysts and
psychologists to ensure that the consumer perception of the corporation is that of a
trusted friend who provides essential goods and services.
Posthumans are too rare for most corporations to target them as either consumers or
resources. Some corporations have used posthumans in their advertising campaigns,
but like the California Raisins and the Taco Bell chihuahua, these corporate mascots
are swiftly replaced when they no longer enhance sales. A few posthumans have
managed to find employment as independent contractors, using their abilities for
whomever pays them, but most corporations are reluctant to employ posthumans in
this capacity. Corporations prefer not to utilize posthumans for two main reasons.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlocking_directorate
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First, posthumans are unique and therefore irreplaceable, putting the corporation
at a disadvantage if it becomes dependent on the posthuman’s services. Second, the
hiring of posthumans exposes the corporation to unknown liability. For these reasons,
corporate hiring of posthuman contractors is typically done through intermediaries.
Lastimar
“Improving On Mother Nature”
Lastimar, the agrochemical and biotechnological giant, is the world’s largest provider
of genetically engineered seeds and the world’s leading producer of herbicides such
as glycine phosphonate (marketed under the brand name BrownOut®). For most
of the 20th century, Lastimar was a leader in the fields of plastics, insecticides, and
industrial chemicals. In recent decades, Lastimar has pioneered the field of genetically
engineered hormones to increase milk and meat production in livestock.
Lastimar became involved in a number of high-profile lawsuits in the 1980s and
1990s as a result of birth defects and environmental damage caused by its herbicides
and insecticides, as well as from its dumping of toxic chemicals during the 1960s
and 1970s. Through a series of acquisitions, spin-offs, and mergers, the Lastimar
that existed from 1901 to 2000 and the current Lastimar are legally two distinct
corporations. Although they share the same name, corporate headquarters, and many
of the same executives and other employees, no responsibility for liabilities arising out
of activities from the pre-2001 Lastimar carry forward to the current Lastimar.
Nexus-McLellan
“Nexus makes life better!”
Nexus-McLellan is one of the most powerful and well-known companies in the Kalos
Universe. Nexus-McLellan is a multinational corporation which manufactures and
distributes pharmaceuticals and provides health information technology and health
care management software. It is a leader in the field of genetic research and design,
with patents on over 130,000 separate lifeforms and gene sequences.
Nexus-McLellan is the sponsor of Nexus, one of the few posthumans who operates
publicly in a role resembling that of a comicbook superhero. The superhero Nexus
operates out of the Nexus USA building in Chicago, Illinois. He makes frequent
appearances at childrens’ hospitals, fund-raising banquets for noncontroversial
charities, and rallies for apolitical causes such as food banks, children with special
needs, and pet adoption.

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Scythian Corporation
“Tomorrow’s Technology Today”
Scythian Corporation is a multinational defense contracting firm, specializing in
cutting edge research and development. Its primary competition for advanced military
research funding is Sterling Industries, the company founded by the late Gregory
Sterling (who was killed along with hundreds of others when Paragon attacked a Las
Vegas trade show). Scythian Corporation is a privately-held company run by Cyril
Landeghem, great-grandson of the firm’s co-founder, Bernard Landeghem.
While it is understood by most observers that firms like Scythian Corporation and
Sterling Industries conduct the occasional compartmentalized top secret (or “black”)
project for various governments around the world, Scythian Corporation, unlike
Sterling, has been involved in two high-profile black project disasters that have
impacted the posthuman world.
The first, Project Gilgamesh, was an early 1970s project intended to develop infantry
body armor that could withstand small arms fire and increase physical performance.
Unfortunately, an ambitious GORGON assault on the proving grounds captured the
prototypes, the designs, and many of the scientists working on the weapon system
teams. The current armor and weapons used by GORGON troopers are third
generation developments based on the Project Gilgamesh designs.
The second Scythian Corporation disaster, Project Phantom in 1996, was intended to
develop and test a man-portable generator which would allow soldiers to slip in and
out of phase with our reality. The technology was flawed, and resulted in hundreds of
deaths as the test facility and the entire staff was warped into a writhing, fused mass.
Initial reports of a lone survivor were quickly dismissed.
Scythian Corporation is currently involved in the activities typical of multinational
defense contractors and arms merchants: increasing sales by fomenting unrest
around the globe; spending significant amounts of money on dangerous, cutting
edge technologies; and attempting to obtain information on the practices of their
competitors and customers by any expedient means.
Shopway
“Get more. Spend less.”
Shopway is an American multinational corporation which operates over 10,000 stores
in 21 countries under 75 different names. The company is the world’s largest public
corporation, the biggest private employer in the world, and the largest retailer in the
world. Despite being publicly traded, Shopway is controlled by the Hernandez family,
which owns a 52% stake in the corporation. Collectively, the Hernandez family is
worth a total of $142 billion, and the family members earn over three billion dollars a
year in dividends off of their Shopway stock.
The Shopway corporation has come under fire from labor unions, religious
organizations, humans rights advocates, feminist groups, gay and lesbian groups,
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environmental groups, and consumer activist groups, each of which objects to

some aspect of Shopway’s business operations. Other groups disapprove of the
corporation’s extensive foreign product sourcing, its treatment of employees and
product suppliers, its use of public subsidies, and the impact of its stores on the local
economies of towns in which they operate. Shopway has settled out of court or has
quietly eliminated any attack which has threatened its hegemony.
Sinochem
“Every Step Moves Us Forward”
Sinochem is a multinational oil and gas corporation based in China. Sinochem
employs very few people directly, and its direct assets are mainly in the form of
brands, product specifications, and scientific expertise. However, Sinochem owns
thousands of other multinational corporations in the energy, petroleum, and natural
gas sectors, including many familiar, all-American brands. Through its subsidiary
companies, Sinochem is the largest petrochemical company in the world, producing
approximately 17% of the world’s oil production and earning more than double the
annual revenue of its nearest competitor.
Zhangsun Telecom
“Happiness Is Our Business”
Zhangsun Telecom is a multinational corporation founded by Zhang Ka-shing,
one of the twenty richest people in the world. Zhang Ka-shing immigrated to the
United States from Hong Kong in 1998 and obtained American citizenship for
himself and his two children. Over the course of the next few years, he moved the
corporate headquarters of his company to Manhattan from Hong Kong. However,
the company still has extensive holdings in China, primarily in land development
and telecommunications. In the rest of the world, the majority of their holdings are
in telecommunications, hotels, and resorts. In 2012, the 80-year-old Zhang Ka-shing
retired and moved back to Hong Kong, where his son runs the Asian divisions of
the company, leaving control of the North American and European divisions to his
daughter, Zhang Qianwei (called “Chloe Zhang” in English-speaking countries).
Chloe Zhang is a world-famous athlete, actress, scientist, and all-around media
sensation and international celebrity. In addition to her responsibilities as the Vice
President in charge of Research and Development for Zhangsun Telecom’s North
American and European divisions, Chloe Zhang is the flying armored adventurer
Manticore.

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Subversive Organizations
A subversive organization is one that seeks to transform the established social order
and its structures through force and deception. In essence, subversive organizations
seek to supplant traditional national and cultural loyalties. Subversive organizations
are similar to criminal enterprises in that both are primarily opposed by governments
(as opposed to corporations, which would happily do business with a subversive
organization if doing so would generate a profit). However, the goal of a subversive
organization is the supremacy of a cause or ideology rather than material gain.
Subversive organizations do seek financial gain, often through criminal activities and
donations through various “front” charities, but this revenue is merely a means to an
end.
Subversion of the power, authority, and hierarchy of an existing social structure is a
labor-intensive task. For this reason, subversive organizations establish or infiltrate
front groups and seek to manipulate existing political parties. Front groups may
establish further front groups, and so on, to the extent that ordinary members have no
idea who is actually in control of their organization. In fact, a given front group may
be infiltrated by several subversive organizations simultaneously. This many-layered
structure makes it difficult for the establishment to root out and eliminate subversive
organizations.
Because subversive organizations place loyalty to their ideology above any respect for
law and order (and may in fact be antagonistic to the existing legal structure), the use
of force is always an option, and most subversive organizations prepare for eventual
armed confrontation with the establishment. For this reason, they exert considerable
effort to infiltrate the armed forces, the police, and other institutions of the state,
as well as important non-government organizations. In some cases, the subversive
organization will attempt to plant “sleepers” in these institutions, but in most cases
they will use a combination of bribery, threats, and extortion to gain leverage over
vulnerable individuals who already belong to the targeted institution.
Most subversive organizations realize that the overthrow of the existing order
would be made simpler if the general populace looked upon the traditional
power structure with disdain or apathy. To generate antipathy to the status quo,
subversive organizations provide support to groups who generate civil unrest through
demonstrations, strikes, and boycotts. Additionally, subversive organizations may
infiltrate media outlets in order to shape the narrative that ordinary people use to
make their political decisions.
Subversive organizations have many potential uses for posthumans and actively
attempt to recruit them unless the organization has an ideology which prevents it.
Because subversive organizations depend on subtlety more than on overt force, any
posthumans in their ranks are likely to have abilities pertaining to deception and
manipulation.

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Aegis
“Silent enim leges inter arma”
(“Laws are silent in times of war”)
Aegis is a secret, non-governmental intelligence
organization dedicated to protecting the nations
and peoples of Earth from all threats, terrestrial
or extraterrestrial. Aegis primarily focuses on
posthumans and on subversive organizations with
plans for world domination, such as GORGON.
Operation Aegis was founded in 1911 by high-
ranking officials in the US State Department
and the US War Department, in part in response to the creation of the Secret
Service Bureau by the British in 1909, and in part due to the subversive activities of
GORGON in Germany and the United States.
Aegis ceased to be under government control in 1929, when it was officially shut
down as part of an effort by Secretary of State Henry Stimson to rein in the United
States’ intelligence services. However, by this time Aegis was self-funding, and the
organization simply continued operations without government oversight.
The continued existence of Aegis is not known to the general public.
ASGARD
“Our vision. Our future.”
Publicly, ASGARD (Advisory Science Group for Aerospace Research and
Development) was an agency of NATO that existed from 1952 to 1996. As its name
implies, ASGARD’s activities ostensibly concentrated on aerospace research, but
in fact it was a secret plot to funnel NATO resources and classified information to
GORGON.
ASGARD separated from GORGON in 1973 due to philosophical differences
(prompting GORGON to found the Trilateral Commission to fill the void in that
organization). The legitimate functions of ASGARD merged with the NATO Defence
Research Group (DRG) in 1996 to become the NATO Research and Technology
Organisation (RTO), while their subversive activities secretly continued as ASGARD.
Today, ASGARD is a secret organization dedicated to the establishment of a global
techno-fascist utopia, with ties to NATO and the International Monetary Fund.
ASGARD provides financial and philosophical support to futurists, hacker groups,
and popular technology conferences. ASGARD receives a significant part of its
funding by selling advanced weaponry to terrorists, “rogue” states, and other
subversive organizations such as GORGON. Illegal arms dealing serves an added
benefit to ASGARD, as it provides them with volunteers to field-test ASGARD’s
experimental weapon designs.
The continued existence of ASGARD is not known to the general public.
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GORGON
“Angst macht den Wolf größer, als er ist”
(“Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is”)
The organization now known as GORGON
began as a dueling society at the Friedrich Schiller
University of Jena in the 16th century. Over the
following century the dueling society developed
into a secret society, the Hocherleuchtete
Bruderschaft. Its purpose was to break down
society lines, destroy rivalry between classes,
improve the quality of life, and increase patriotism.
At first, most of its members were students who
had taken part in liberating Germany from Napoleonic occupation.
The Hocherleuchtete Bruderschaft became increasingly nationalist as time went on.
While freedom, rights, and democracy were given hollow praise, these principles were
seen as being valid only when in service to the concept of a united German national
state. The concept of nationalism gradually fell out of favor with the organization’s
ruling elite, and by 1776 their focus had shifted to the control of world affairs through
governments and institutions. Much as the ideals of freedom and democracy had
been given lip service in previous centuries, the concept of German nationalism
became little more than a formality. Along with these changes the organization
changed its name, first to Die Gorgonen and then to GORGON.
By the end of the 19th century, GORGON had become a world-wide subversive
organization dedicated to global domination. In the tradition of its origins, many of
the subordinate subversive organizations and secret societies from which GORGON
recruits its core membership have extreme nationalist, fascist, or sovereign citizen1
agendas, often with an overlay of Nazi fetishism. However, the ultimate goal of the
High Enlightened Council which controls GORGON is nothing less than absolute
power, divorced from any nationalist pretensions.
The United States Department of State classifies GORGON as a foreign terrorist
organization.
Jade Moon Society
고생 끝에 낙이 온다
(“At the end of hardship comes happiness”)
The Jade Moon Society is controlled by Master Sin, an immortal Korean
mastermind. The Jade Moon Society has its roots in ancient Korea, but in the
modern era, it is the concealed hand which controls a number of other Asian secret
societies, such as the Black Ocean Society, the Heaven and Earth Society, the Green

1 http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/september-2011/
sovereign-citizens
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and the Red Societies, and the Yakuza. Through these subsidiary organizations, the
Jade Moon Society has global influence.
The true goals of the Jade Moon Society are obscured behind layers of deception.
Most of the organizations the Jade Moon Society controls are concerned with
returning to traditional cultural values. This is true of the Black Ocean Society
and the Heaven and Earth Society, which are overwhelmingly ethnically Japanese
and Chinese, respectively. Some of the secret societies controlled by the Jade Moon
Society are less than respectable. The Green and the Red Societies, for example, are
secret societies of Chinese criminals with millions of gangsters as members, while the
Machi-yakko was a 17th century organization subverted by Master Sin, the name
of which eventually became modernized into Yakuza. All of these organizations are
simply pawns of the Jade Moon Society.
Master Sin’s ultimate goal is a world in perfect ecological balance, but this fact is
withheld from the Jade Moon’s subordinate secret societies and their numerous front
organizations. Only the fanatically loyal members of the Jade Moon Society itself are
aware of this hidden agenda.
The existence of the Jade Moon Society is a rumour among Asian secret societies,
and is not known to the general public.
Laboratory 23
“Только для персонала, имеющего разрешение”
(“Authorized personnel only”)
In the early 1950s, the KGB formed a special office under their Operations and
Technology Directorate dedicated to the research and development of techniques for
creating super soldiers. The office became known as Laboratory 23 and continued
to operate until 2004, when it was dismantled by the Justifiers. Starting in 1978,
KGB operatives under the direction of Laboratory 23’s deputy director, Dr. Leonid
Demetriov, implemented a program of identifying young and even infant posthumans,
kidnapping or otherwise acquiring them, then brainwashing the posthumans into
becoming loyal, lethal espionage agents.
Although Laboratory 23 is no longer functional, many of its scientific personnel and
posthuman operatives are still at large.
Project Genesis
“Pro aris et focis”
(“For hearth and home”)
Project Genesis has its roots in Project Greenback, which was one of a series of
systematic studies of posthumans conducted by the United States Army. Started
in 1952, Project Greenback was the second revival of such a study (the first two
of its kind being Projects Apex and Undertow). It had two goals: to determine if
posthumans were a threat to national security and to scientifically analyze posthuman-
related data.

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Thousands of reports of posthuman activity were collected, analyzed, and filed.

In December of 1969, the Army provided the following summary of its Project
Greenback investigations:
• There was no indication that any posthuman investigated by the Army was a
threat to the national security of the United States;
• There was no evidence submitted to or discovered by the Army that posthuman
activity represented technological developments or principles beyond the range
of modern scientific knowledge; and
• There were less than a dozen posthumans in the United States, and less than
forty posthumans worldwide.
This report was a lie. Shortly after his election, President Nixon ordered Army Chief
of Staff General William Westmoreland to suppress the results of Project Greenback.
Nixon felt that the American populace would panic if they knew the truth: that
posthumans were a credible threat to national security, that some posthumans had
access to advanced technology, and that posthumans probably numbered in the
hundreds in the United States alone.
Unhappy with the President’s decision, twelve high ranking Army officers covertly
formed Project Genesis (not to be confused with Majestic 12, the clandestine program
to trade human children to the Shran in exchange for extraterrestrial technology).
Their goal was to prepare for a preemptive war against the posthuman menace.
Membership in Project Genesis grew slowly over the next several years, primarily
among higher-ranking members of the military and trusted troops under their
command. The secrecy of the project was broken in 1975 when a Project Genesis
attack against a posthuman at LaGuardia Airport killed 11 people and injured
another 75. The bomber, a young Marine named Ernest Stout, was captured by the
police and confessed to the bombing, offering to provide detailed testimony about
Project Genesis in exchange for leniency. He died in custody shortly thereafter while
waiting for his lawyer.
Membership in Project Genesis remained predominantly military until the late 1980s,
when significant numbers of civilians began to seek membership in the organization.
Today, the leadership of Project Genesis is still primarily military or former military,
but the bulk of the rank-and-file membership are civilians recruited from groups that
advocate racial, religious, or ethnic purity. Most of the newer members of Project
Genesis frame their opposition to posthumans in faith-based terms rather than in
terms of national security, likening posthumans to fallen angels or “nephilim”. The
core leadership and their project teams, however, adhere to the guiding principle that
posthuman activity is a threat to national security, and see the “outer layer” of civilian
Project Genesis membership as a convenient smokescreen and revenue source.
The FBI classifies Project Genesis as a domestic terrorist organization, while the
Southern Poverty Law Center classifies Project Genesis as a right-wing extremist hate
group. This only applies to the civilian side of the organization — the continued
participation by high-level military and government intelligence personnel is a well
kept secret.
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Telling A Story The K alos Comics Way

A game of Bulletproof Blues is, at its core, storytelling. When any RPG campaign
loses the story telling focus, and devolves into a series of battles, the characters are no
longer characters at all. They become writing on a piece of paper, just complicated
tokens pushed around the game board of the campaign setting.
The players look to the game moderator to provide that setting and a series of
problems or situations to resolve. Generally, this sequence of events is referred to as
the plot. Sections of the overall plot that take multiple game sessions to resolve are
called a story arc. The key to an engaging, thrilling experience for players and game
moderator is for the GM to connect the individual game sessions together in a way
that engages the persona each player is playing.
It is important to note a plot dynamic in Bulletproof Blues games which does not
occur in comicbooks — unlike a comicbook, each player in the group sees their PC
as the main character of the story. The GM needs to give equal “spotlight” time
for each player to roleplay in situations that explore their character’s motivations,
complications, and history. GMs can use the Kalos Comics Way to build a story that
features all of the PCs equally.
For comicbook writers, the Kalos Comics Way requires development of two types of
structures. First is a conventional, western-style narrative structure for each story arc,
containing the classic five elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,
and resolution. Writers are encouraged to embed some foreshadowing exposition
from the next story arc into the rising action and falling action of the current story
arc, in order to create a bridge from one story arc to the next.
Second, writers must produce an eastern-style narrative structure known as
Kishotenketsu for each major character. In the Kalos Comics Way, the purpose of
the Kishotenketsu is to communicate how the “person behind the mask” will be
engaged in the story arc. The PC hero, after all, isn’t a hollow shell with powers. The
character is a person (or alien or robot) who lives in the world, and who has worldly
emotions, concerns, and desires. GMs are encouraged to use the hero’s motivations,
complications, and history to build each Kishotenketsu.
Because Kishotenketsu is a technique useful for merging two seemingly unrelated plot
threads without requiring direct conflict, it is used in the Kalos Comics Way to bring
the mask and the person behind the mask together in the story.
In the Kalos Comics Way, after the story arc plot is laid out, and a Kishotenketsu
is done for each major character, they are all woven together to form the basis for
the storyboard of the comic art. In Bulletproof Blues, they are all woven together to
provide the framework for the game moderator’s campaign.

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Story Arc Plot

The story arc plot is the sequence of events in the current section of the overall
story. The plot is made up of five elements centered around how the main characters
confront and eventually (hopefully) overcome the source of the conflict. The five
elements are:
Exposition
The exposition is where the heroes are placed into the location of the story arc setting,
key NPCs are identified, background information is provided through dialogue or
explanation, and the game moderator provides clues or explicit instructions that lead
the heroes into the rising action.
Rising Action
The rising action is a series of conflicts or problems that grow more and more
complicated and challenging for the heroes. The resolution of one conflict leads to
the next. The rising action builds excitement as each danger is vanquished or mystery
solved. The Kalos Comics Way uses two to four combats or encounters to build the
rising action.
Climax
The climax is the turning point of a story, novel, or script. It is the moment where it
seems like the main character is in danger or could even possibly fail at resolving the
conflict. Depending on the kind of conflict being faced (man vs. man, man vs. self,
etc.), the actions at this point in the work can be either physical or mental.
Falling Action
Taking place after the climax, the falling action includes events that will help to fully
resolve the conflict. The results of actions that the main character has taken are
presented as well as the results of decisions that have been made, whether good or bad
for the character.
Resolution
The end of a story, novel, or script includes the last plot element — the resolution. It
is here that loose ends are tied up, conflicts are concluded, outcomes are revealed, and
a happy or sad ending takes place. As many of the final actions have already taken
place, a resolution can be made up of a just a summary of where the main character
will end up in the future, instead of including any more active events.

Kishotenketsu
Kishotenketsu is a compound word formed from the Japanese Kanji characters that
explain the structure. The examples here are from poet Sanyo Rai.

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Ki (Introduction)
Daughters of Itoya, in the Honmachi of Osaka.
The first element places the character in the context of what is important in the
character’s life. Typically, the Ki element sets the scene, forming the basis for how the
things the character cares about will become part of the story.
Sho (Development)
The elder daughter is sixteen and the younger one is fourteen.
The second element, Sho, expands on the first element and typically contains an
action that develops on the scene identified in Ki.
Ten (Twist)
Throughout history, warriors have killed the enemy with bows and arrows.
The third element is the climax, in which an unforeseen development occurs.
Typically, the relationship of the content of Ten to the first two elements is not readily
apparent. In other words, there is not a linear progression from Sho to Ten.
Ketsu (Reconciliation)
The daughters of Itoya kill with their eyes.
The fourth element, Ketsu, is the conclusion. Ketsu merges Ten into the narrative
direction of Ki and Sho.

The Kalos Comics Way

In the Kalos Comics Way, the comic writer or GM assembles the pieces of the story
in the following manner:
1. The first step is to assign draft events to the five story arc plot elements. These
events may change during the process. The climax is identified first, then the
rising action that builds up to it, followed by exposition. Falling action and
resolution are done last, then all 5 are reassembled in their chronological
order.
2. The second step is to create a Kishotenketsu for each major character based
on their motivations, complications, and history.
3. Third, the Kishotenketsu are inserted into the five elements where it makes the
most sense from a story and character standpoint.
4. And finally, in the fourth step, for the comic writer the assembled plot is
reviewed with the editor, then sent to the pencillers and turned into a story
board. For the GM, this step is where the descriptions are filled in, and NPC
and villain characters are created or taken from sourcebooks.

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The Big Example

Below is an example that illustrates how you can use the Kalos Comics Way in your
games.
Step 1: Story Arc Plot
The GM wants to use the story arc to reveal a new master villain: Dr. Virago, a super
scientist bent on world domination, who has been cryogenically frozen since 1973. Dr.
Virago’s technology was 100 years ahead of its time in 1973, so it is still advanced,
but also strangely dated. The GM intends for Dr. Virago to become one of the PC
group’s long-term arch nemeses.
With that in mind, it is important that Dr. Virago survive the climax of the story arc
in a way that propels the campaign forward. The GM decides that the best way to
keep Dr. Virago as an active antagonist is to not have Dr. Virago directly involved in
the climax. Instead, Dr. Virago’s 1970s-style robot bodyguard/killing machine will
take the brunt of the heroes’ wrath, and Dr. Virago’s involvement will be revealed in
the falling action after the climax of the story arc.
Climax: The heroes think they have found the lair of Dr. Virago, but instead they’ve fallen into a trap!
They’ve been sealed in a subterranean base with Dr. Virago’s monstrous death robot, MX-ML1,
who’s been programmed to kill!
The GM decides that Dr. Virago wants to acquire some bio-weapon technology — an
area that has seen tremendous strides while she was in cryogenic hibernation. Her
investigation has led her to Lance Doughty, a virologist, who had a history of selling
his private research. But not all of Doughty’s research is in government or corporate
hands — Dr. Virago’s “sources” say key formulas are stored in a safe deposit vault
owned by Doughty’s estate.
But Dr. Virago is no fool. She doesn’t want to be directly involved at all. So she
hires three mercenary villains: Razor, Cacophony, and Equinox. Razor has gang
affiliations, so Dr. Virago tells him to hire some local muscle to do the actual break-in.
She provides some vials of a mysterious, powerful Transformation Serum so the thugs
will agree. Plus, the gang can have everything in the bank vault, as long as they turn
over Doughty’s safe deposit box unopened and unharmed.
Rising action 1: A 911 call leads the heroes to a couple of gang members who have taken the
Transformation Serum. The chemicals have warped their bodies, making them far stronger and tougher
than normal, and wildly violent.
Rising action 2: After questioning one of the malformed thugs, the heroes go to the gang’s safehouse
to recover the stolen goods and the rest of the Transformation Serum. Clues lead the heroes to the
mercenary villains.
Rising action 3: The heroes find Razor, Cacophony, and Equinox, and bring them to justice. The
villains reluctantly agree to reveal the location of Dr. Virago’s hideout.

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The police begin to realize they are out of their depth when they see the hole ripped
into the brick wall of Metro City National Bank. Their fears are realized when they
see three monstrous men on the security tape, so naturally they call the heroes.
Exposition: A call from Metro City police ask the heroes to help capture three “creatures” who broke
into Metro City National Bank.
After the heroes defeat Dr. Virago’s monstrous death robot, MX-ML1, they hear an
odd clacking sound from another room. They enter to find a telex machine sending
the last page from a stack of documents. A cursory glance reveals that documents
contain complex formulas and engineering specifications. Behind the telex machine is
a bank of two dozen 16" tube type color televisions. The screens flicker on, showing
a test pattern, then the aged, malevolent face of the dreaded Dr. Virago! She is
surprised and angry that the heroes defeated MX-ML1, and swears vengeance.
Falling action: After defeating MX-ML1, the heroes discover that Dr. Virago has been the mastermind
behind the bank robbery and the Transformation Serum. The evil genius’ whereabouts are unknown.
Once the federal government finds out that Dr. Virago has somehow returned,
dozens of agents swoop in on the subterranean base, seizing the documents and
the remaining Transformation Serum. The heroes are “debriefed”. The gang
members who broke into the bank are identified and charged with the crime. Razor,
Cacophony, and Equinox are long gone — they escaped from custody while they were
being transferred to jail.
Resolution: Local police and federal law enforcement coordinate to secure Dr. Virago’s base. The gang
members who broke into the bank are charged with robbery, but Razor, Cacophony, Equinox, and Dr.
Virago herself remain free, leaving the heroes frustrated.
In chronological order, the story arc plot is:
1. Exposition: A call from Metro City police ask the heroes to help capture
three “creatures” who broke into Metro City National Bank.
2. Rising action 1: A 911 call leads the heroes to a couple of gang members
who have taken the Transformation Serum. The chemicals have warped their
bodies, making them far stronger and tougher than normal, and wildly violent.
3. Rising action 2: After questioning one of the malformed thugs, the heroes
go to the gang’s safehouse to recover the stolen goods and the rest of the
Transformation Serum. Clues lead the heroes to the mercenary villains.
4. Rising action 3: The heroes find Razor, Cacophony, and Equinox, and bring
them to justice. The villains reluctantly agree to reveal the location of Dr.
Virago’s hideout.
5. Climax: The heroes think they have found the lair of Dr. Virago, but instead
they’ve fallen into a trap! They’ve been sealed in a subterranean base with Dr.
Virago’s monstrous death robot, MX-ML1, who’s been programmed to kill!
6. Falling action: After defeating MX-ML1, the heroes discover that Dr. Virago
has been the mastermind behind the bank robbery and the Transformation
Serum. The evil genius’ whereabouts are unknown.

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7. Resolution: Local police and federal law enforcement coordinate to secure

Dr. Virago’s base. The gang members who broke into the bank are charged
with robbery, but Razor, Cacophony, Equinox, and Dr. Virago herself remain
free.
Step 2: Kishotenketsu
For our example, we’ll use a team of three PCs:
• Blueshift — Speedster martial artist hero, reformed criminal
• Manticore — Flying, armored superhero persona of an international celebrity
• Monolith — Massive, immensely strong hero who advocates for children’s
charities
These PCs are established heroes from Kalos Comics who we’re teaming together.
Along with each hero’s motivations, complications, and history is that hero’s
Kishotenketsu.
Blueshift
Motivations
• Guilt: The character is a reformed criminal who is driven by a desire for
redemption from the sins of her past.
• Rebellion: The character struggles with social interactions; this isolates her and
reinforces her sense that she doesn’t fit into society at large.
Complications
• Enemy: Blueshift is still hunted by Project Genesis, and not everyone has
forgiven her criminal past.
• Outsider: Blueshift’s unease around normal people is often taken as disdain.
History
For Blueshift’s history, please see her full character write-up (p. 199).
Kishotenketsu
The GM decides that Blueshift’s background as a leader of Master Sin’s strike
team would be a good way to bridge the gap between the gang members and the
mercenary villains. Equinox, when she isn’t using her fire and ice powers to commit
crimes, is an alcoholic: a rough and tumble country girl who drowns her sorrows
in cheap whiskey and drugs at honky-tonk bars. Having worked with her before,
Blueshift knows Equinox’s habits, recognizes the description given by one of the thugs
captured at the gang’s safehouse, and knows how to find her.
• Ki (Introduction): Blueshift and three armored troopers hide outside an
industrial complex, watching the guards patrolling behind a razor wire fence.
• Sho (Development): The troopers give Blueshift confused, questioning looks
as she checks her watch then looks past them to the horizon and the glowing
haze above a nearby town.
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• Ten (Twist): A woman is slumped against the bar in a seedy dive, one hand
clutching an empty glass, eyes barely open.
• Ketsu (Reconciliation): Blueshift grits her teeth as she slings the woman’s arm
over her shoulder and drags her out of the bar, in spite of the woman’s protests.
The GM can use this Kishotenketsu series of events as a flashback so Blueshift’s
player can suggest canvassing local honky-tonk dive bars with a description of
Equinox. In addition, this knowledge can be used after the story arc is complete as
foreshadowing for future story arcs concerning Blueshift’s past and/or the continued
pursuit of Dr. Virago.
Manticore
Motivations
• Adventure: The character has an adventurous spirit and rarely turns down a
quest.
• Protection: The character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent
and the helpless.
Complications
• Vulnerability: All of Manticore’s powers are dependent on her armor and
equipment.
• Enemy: Chloe Zhang is internationally famous, which makes her a very easy
target for her enemies.
History
For Manticore’s history, please see her full character write-up (p. 218).
Kishotenketsu
For this story arc, the GM uses Manticore’s significant experience as a hero and
her numerous encounters with the subversive groups that plague the modern
world. Recently Manticore defeated a group of infiltration specialists and armored
stormtroopers working for ASGARD. Among the information gathered from the
defeated agents was a list of contacts.
When the Metro City police show the heroes the security video of the bank robbery,
they also have a list the owners of the safe deposit boxes. One box belonged to the
estate of Lance Doughty.
• Ki (Introduction): Five years ago, Manticore and her teammates Mr. Shade
and Ladon, Guardian of Ages, stand over the unconscious bodies of a group of
Vidar: dangerous agents employed by the evil organization ASGARD.
• Sho (Development): Just behind Ladon, a Vidar agent attempts to erase data
from a handheld device, but Manticore notices and leaps to stop him.
• Ten (Twist): A disheveled man in a lab coat accepts a thick envelope labelled
“Doughty” from a disinterested woman. He gets out of her car, and with a
nervous backward glance walks into the night.
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• Ketsu (Reconciliation): Manticore can see a phrase, “Doughty 1471” flash

across the display as the device melts through the agent’s trembling hand.
The GM decides to foreshadow this recollection in the exposition, then drop
the reference into the story arc plot during the fight with the mercenary villains.
Manticore doesn’t have to associate the list of deposit box owners (from the bank
manager) with the name from the ASGARD device. Instead the GM will mention
“1471” as if by accident while roleplaying the braggart Razor or the uncontrolled
Equinox during the fight. Manticore will make the connection, then the team can
then use their Investigation skills to trace from the safe deposit box, to Doughty’s
estate, to recent contacts with the estate, to a landline phone call from an abandoned
warehouse just outside of town that disguises the entrance to one of Dr. Virago’s
underground bases.
Monolith
Motivations
• Justice: The character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate
punishment.
• Protection: The character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent
and the helpless.
Complications
• Enemy: Monolith has made many enemies, but Cesspool is the most vile and
persistent.
• Uncontrolled Power: Monolith’s size and weight make it impossible for him
to have a normal life.
History
For Monolith’s history, please see his full character write-up (p. 227).
Kishotenketsu
The GM decides that commitment to charity work would be an excellent opportunity
to connect the “human elements” of the story. In the course of his volunteer work,
Monolith has met one of the thugs who robbed the bank. Monolith doesn’t think the
young man is a criminal type, so there must be some other explanation.
• Ki (Introduction): Monolith attends a charity event — a ribbon cutting for a
new inner city playground.
• Sho (Development): One of the organizers introduces Monolith to a teen,
Abe Washington, who is good student, but who is having trouble in his tough
neighborhood.
• Ten (Twist): Three deformed, monstrous humanoids tear through the wall of a
bank and loot the vault.
• Ketsu (Reconciliation): While watching the security video of the bank
robbery, Monolith sees that one of the humanoids has the distorted face of Abe,
the boy from the playground.
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With this information in hand, the GM decides to add a wrinkle to the story arc plot:
the genetic damage caused by the Transformation Serum is potentially lethal, and
there is no known anti-serum. Two of the gang members involved in the bank robbery
have died from the side effects. Only the young man Monolith befriended is alive,
but time is running out. As the boy lay dying, he refuses to speak with anyone other
than Monolith. As he slowly slips into a coma, he explains to Monolith that Razor
threatened his family if he didn’t take the Transformation Serum and participate
in the robbery. The clock is ticking. Will the heroes find a clue to an antidote in Dr.
Virago’s subterranean base?
Step 3: Integration
In chronological order, the story arc plot with Kishotenketsu added is:
1. Exposition: Monolith is interviewed by a local news reporter about his
attendance the day before at a ribbon cutting for a new inner city playground.
A senior Aegis agent stops by to see Manticore and thank her personally —
the only surviving ASGARD Vidar agent from a recent raid has been found
guilty of espionage. A call from Metro City police ask the heroes to help
capture three “creatures” who broke into Metro City National Bank late last
night. While on her way to the precinct station, Blueshift passes by a honky-
tonk bar she remembers from a time years ago when she worked for Master
Sin. At the station, the bank manager gives the detectives information about
what was stolen, and the detectives show the heroes the security camera
footage. Monolith recognizes one of the humanoids as Abe, a boy from the
playground.
2. Rising action 1: The heroes’ next steps are interrupted by a frantic 911 call.
The heroes fight a couple of gang members who have been transformed,
their warped bodies making them far stronger and tougher than normal,
and wildly violent. One of them is the boy from the playground. The effects
of the transformation begin to take their toll: the boy is dying. He refuses to
speak with anyone other than Monolith, revealing the involvement of Razor, a
known posthuman criminal, and discloses the location of the gang’s safehouse.
3. Rising action 2: The heroes go to the gang’s safehouse to recover the stolen
goods and find out more about the drug that turned the gang members into
monsters. After a battle with the thugs, some transformed and some not, but
all armed, the heroes question the gang about the location of Razor and the
origin of the serum. The gang doesn’t know much, but one of them describes
an associate of Razor’s with half her body on fire, and the other misted over
with ice. Blueshift recognizes the description as Equinox, and has an idea of
where to find her.
4. Rising action 3: The heroes ask around at the bar where Blueshift had
found Equinox years ago. The bartender is tight lipped, but a local drunkard
gives directions to a fancy hotel where the heroes find Razor, Cacophony,
and Equinox preparing to skip town. The villains fight until defeated. During
the fight, one of the posthumans complains that they better not go to jail

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just for 1471. The reference reminds Manticore of her experience with
ASGARD’s Vidar agents. The name Doughty isn’t common. Maybe the two
are connected? With the help of police detectives and a list of safe deposit box
owners from the bank manager, the investigation leads from the safe deposit
box to Doughty’s estate, to phone records, to an abandoned warehouse outside
of town.
5. Climax: Descending into the depths in a secret elevator, the heroes think
they have found the lair of Dr. Virago, but instead they’ve fallen into a trap!
They’ve been sealed in the subterranean base with Dr. Virago’s monstrous
death robot, MX-ML1, who’s been programmed to kill! Can they defeat the
robot in time to defuse the self-destruct mechanism? Will they find an antidote
to the Transformation Serum and save Abe’s life?
6. Falling action: After defeating MX-ML1, the heroes disarm the self-destruct
mechanism and find a shortwave telex machine sending the last page from a
stack of documents. A cursory glance reveals the documents contain complex
formulas and engineering specifications — Doughty’s research notes for a
massive virus bomb. Behind the telex machine, two dozen 16" tube type color
televisions flicker on, showing the aged, malevolent face of the dreaded Dr.
Virago! She is surprised and angry that the heroes defeated MX-ML1, and
she swears vengeance. The screens click off: the evil genius’ whereabouts are
unknown. A quick search reveals a few vials of antidote among the dusty
boxes of Transformation Serum. The heroes return to town as fast as they
can. All of the other young men who took the serum have died — only the
boy from the playground still lives. With the antidote in his system, he slowly
returns to normal.
7. Resolution: Local police and federal law enforcement coordinate to secure
Dr. Virago’s base. The boy from the playground is the only survivor of the
three who broke into the bank, and without any evidence of him being
coerced, Abe is charged with robbery. Razor, Cacophony, and Equinox are
long gone — they escaped from custody while they were being transferred to
jail. If Doughty had plans for a virus bomb in his estate, what did he sell to
ASGARD five years ago? But perhaps most troubling is Dr. Virago herself.
What new terror will she unleash on the world? How will she wreak vengeance
on our heroes? Only time will tell.

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Step 4: Fill in the Details

With the story arc plot and Kishotenketsu merged together, the last step for
comicbook writers using the Kalos Comics Way is to meet with the editors who
ensure continuity with the Kalos Universe, crisp pacing, pithy dialogue, and good
taste in character development. The last step for the GM is to fill in the blanks with
the materials needed to run the story arc with the gaming group. Here are a few key
things you’ll need:
• Descriptive passages to give some color and personality to the key locations.
These are very helpful when the PCs move from one location to another, since
they provide a box of text the GM can read from to set the scene with key
details. Think about all five senses: what the characters will smell, and hear,
whether the ground is hard or soft, crunchy or slippery.
• Write-ups for the villains. It seems obvious, but improvised villains can prove one
dimensional. It’s one thing to role-play an unspeaking villain like Cacophony,
but having a reference that lists her skills, or the scope of her devastating sonic
attacks, or her claustrophobia can be important. Write-ups from Bulletproof
Blues sourcebooks are naturally encouraged.
• Maps for complex places, especially for fight scenes. Even a crudely hand drawn
map is a better visual reference for GMs and players alike than nothing at all.
Think of unusual elements in the environment that can be used in fun and
interesting ways.
• Names and one sentence descriptions for NPCs. What are the detectives’ names?
Was the reporter who interviewed Monolith sympathetic, or did she seem
slightly hostile? Little details can go a long way toward improving the game.
• Ideas that build on the events in the story. If the heroes go back to ask the
drunkard how he knew where the posthuman villains were, what do they find
out? Is he an Aegis agent in disguise? Or was it really Dr. Virago trying to tie
up loose ends? Having ideas like these ahead of time can help you dovetail this
story arc into the next one.
• An expectation of the unexpected. Role-playing game players are crafty and
inventive. Sooner or later they will derail your prepared plot and take the game
in a direction you didn’t think about. Be ready to improvise!
• The most important thing you’ll need is a sense of fun and adventure.
Bulletproof Blues is a game in a dark setting. The PCs are surrounded by
malevolent corporations and sinister government initiatives run amok in a world
shell-shocked from the unprecedented destruction wrought by Paragon. But
Bulletproof Blues is a game. It’s intended to be a fun way for a few friends to get
together and work as partners fighting the good fight. Enjoy it!

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Here are a few characters to get you started. You can find more characters and
additional information about the Kalos Universe at the Kalos Universe Wiki, which is
free to use1. If you send us your Bulletproof Blues Character Sheet Helper write-ups2,
we will add your characters to the Kalos Universe, as well!
If you use any of these characters as villains, remember that villains almost never have
expertise with combat skills. Even Master Sin, the brilliant and immortal Alchemist of
Crime, does not have expertise with his combat skills. Remove the combat expertise
from these characters when using them as villains.

Black Steel
The Hidden Blade
“The fruits of your corruption have come to take their due.”
Real Name: Tommy Lee Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: San Francisco, CA, USA
Origin: Gifted Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Shadow First Appearance: Black Steel #1, 2014

Description
Age: 26 Nationality: Korean-American
Height: 6' 0" Hair: Black
Weight: 187 lbs. Eyes: Green
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

1 http://wiki.kaloscomics.com/
2 http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109612/Bulletproof-Blues-Character-Sheet-Helper
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Black Steel
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 5 3 3 3 5 6
Endurance 6 Plot Points 1
Powers
Kinetic Control (Absorption) 5
Kinetic Energy, Delayed
Depletion (+1)
Kinetic Impartation (Blast) 5
Uses knife or other object (+0)
Super Senses 2
Detect Assassin’s Mark,
Expertise w/Detect (+1)
(Detect [Element], Hyperacuity)
Teleportation 4
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Kinetic Impartation +3
Throwing +3
Computing
Culture
Philosophy +3
Investigation
Analyzing Evidence +3
Manipulation
Conversation +3
Social
Stealth
Sneaking +3
Survival
Advantages
Connected Movement
Exceptional Beauty Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Linguist Run 50 feet 100 feet 300 feet (34 mph)
Master Plan
Wealthy Swim 10 feet 20 feet 60 feet (7 mph)
Equipment Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet
An assortment of knives Teleport 1,600 feet 3,200 feet 2 miles (1,000 mph)
M18 Smoke Grenade
Summary
M84 “Flash-Bang” Grenade
Attributes 28 + Skills 6 + Advantages 5 + Powers 22 = 61
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Tommy is bi-racial: half Korean and half African-American, with striking facial
features. His sculpted profile gives him model-like looks, but his features are rounded
enough to make him inviting rather than intimidating, although his physicality and
green eyes are arresting. He is always impeccably dressed when not wearing dressed
as his alter ego. When going out as Black Steel, he wears a black gi paired with a deep
hood and a domino mask.

Personality
Tommy is a modern day sophist, and he loves rhetoric, philosophy, and debate. His
nature is to be quite laid back and zen-like under most circumstances. However, when
the weight of his family’s misdeeds lay upon him, he is driven to make recompense,
and all grace leaves his tongue. He becomes pragmatic and stoic, enabling him to
make the hard choices that give his life meaning. If there is no place for him in the
light, he will embrace the darkness to remove those that justice cannot reach.
Motivations
Serenity: The character seeks freedom from the mistakes or tragedies of their past.
Justice: The character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate
punishment.
Complications
Outsider: Tommy is a loner, accepted neither by the law nor by the criminal
underworld on which he preys.

History
Tommy’s mother was a US Diplomat stationed in South Korea, and his father was...
complicated. The assassin Shindo infiltrated the party only to get a lay of the land
and information, not for a liason with a diplomat. But that interlude resulted in a
son. His mother, ever pragmatic, did not tell Tommy who his father was. One of his
enemies did, after killing her. It was then that Tommy’s powers manifested, enabling
him to escape. From then on, he lived life on the run, with one goal other than
survival — not to end up like his father.
But his powers were more fit to follow his sire than rebel against him — tailor made
for an assassin. Heroes didn’t accept him, and villains... well, his father had made
enemies on both sides of the law. So Tommy found another use for his abilities: to
bring to justice those villains that the system couldn’t touch, and do what the other
heroes couldn’t... or wouldn’t.

Powers and Abilities

With his strength, speed, and skills, Tommy would be a deadly foe even without his
powers. His ability to teleport, control kinetic energy, and “mark” targets makes him
an implacable hunter, able to reach targets where they think they are safest. Tommy’s
“Assassin’s Mark” is a quasi-psychic “tag” that he can place on a single person or
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object by touching them, and then find later (with a successful Perception roll). His
Assassin’s Mark does not last forever, of course: it fades over the course of a few days.
Tommy’s usual tactics are to gather his own evidence to come to a judgment on the
target, scout them out and discover their weaknesses, use his connections to get close
enough to “mark” them, and then kill them when they least expect it.

Blueshift
Speedster martial artist
“Pay attention. A lot will happen in the next few seconds.”
Real Name: Jeanette de Vries Team Affiliation: Shadow Watch
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: Chicago, IL, USA
Origin: Gifted Range Of Operations: Local
Archetype: Rocket First Appearance: Dark Disciple #23, 1987

Description
Age: 29 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 8" Hair: Black
Weight: 127 lbs. Eyes: Blue
Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Heterosexual

Jeanette is a lean woman in her late 20s, with short but stylishly cut black hair. Her
presence can be unnerving, because unless she is actively engaged in some activity,
she stands very, very still: the small movements that normal people make in order
to balance themselves are made so quickly and precisely that she appears to be
unnaturally immobile. She typically dresses in snug, stretchy clothing and sturdy
boots.

Personality
Jeanette is usually quiet and aloof. She does not enjoy or encourage what passes
for polite conversation, and most people interpret her behavior as disdain. In fact,
she finds the speed at which normal people interact almost unbearable, like sitting
in freeway traffic, so she tries to limit her social interactions with others as much as
possible. Of course, this only reinforces her feelings of isolation and her perception of
herself as an outsider.
Motivations
Guilt: The character is driven by a desire for redemption from sins from their past.
Rebellion: The character doesn’t fit into the larger society.

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Blueshift
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
4 9 4 3 3 8 6
Endurance 7 Plot Points 1
Powers
Communication 1
Tactical visor (Radio)
Extra Attacks 4
Immortality 1
Does not age
Regeneration 3
Super-running 3
Super Senses 3
Tactical visor, Detect
Invulnerability (Infrared Vision,
Night Vision, Other)
Super-speed 4
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Dodging +3
Slamming +3
Investigation
Legerdemain
Sleight Of Hand +3
Stealth
Survival
Tactics +3
Advantages
Master Plan
Team Player
Unsettling
Equipment
Movement
Commlink
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Smartphone
Run 400 feet 800 feet 2,400 feet (300 mph)
Swim 18 feet 36 feet 108 feet (12 mph)
Jump 12 feet 12 feet 12 feet

Summary
Attributes 37 + Skills 4 + Advantages 3 + Powers 19 = 63
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Complications
Enemy: Blueshift is still hunted by Project Genesis, and not everyone has forgiven her
criminal past.
Outsider: Blueshift’s unease around normal people is often taken as disdain.

History
Jeanette ran away from home when she was sixteen, after the death of her father.
She spent the next year avoiding the authorities and Project Genesis, by which she
was eventually captured. She was rescued from Genesis by a vigilante known as Dark
Disciple. Having nowhere else to go, she stayed with Dark Disciple for a number of
months, and it was he who taught her martial arts (primarily a mixture of American
kenpo, muay thai, and shotokai karate). She left Dark Disciple when she was
approached by Master Sin, a morally ambiguous mastermind who told her that she
could use her abilities to help humanity by leading his strike team. She stayed with
Master Sin for several years, learning leadership skills as well as learning to use her
own powers effectively in a team. She eventually became disillusioned with Master
Sin’s mysterious goals and violent methods, and she left his employ. The parting was
cordial, and he allowed her to keep the specialized equipment he designed for her; she
still uses the tactical visor.
Seeking a way to salvage her life, Jeanette approached the FBI, offering to trade
her knowledge of various criminal organizations in exchange for immunity from
prosecution. After months of incarceration, the FBI accepted her offer, and Jeanette
spent the next several weeks being debriefed. After she was released, she operated as
an independent for a period of time before encountering Scanner, Stone, and Zero K.
Finding that they had similar goals and compatible personalities, they formed Shadow
Watch. Other than the members of her team, she has no friends, although she
exchanges Christmas cards with Siege, who was also a member of Master Sin’s strike
team, and who now works for the FBI.

Powers and Abilities

Blueshift possesses the ability to think and move at superhuman speeds. Her strength
and endurance are at least equal to peak human potential, and her hand-eye
coordination and control over her body are well beyond human limits. Her biological
processes are much more efficient than a normal human’s, permitting her to extract
nearly 100 percent of the caloric energy of what she eats and to exert herself for
several hours before resting. She is capable of running over 300 miles per hour, and
her brain is capable of processing information quickly enough to operate at this
speed.
While in the employ of Master Sin, Blueshift obtained a visor which uses millimeter-
wave signals to scan and evaluate the structural integrity of physical objects. While
leading Master Sin’s strike team, she used this to ensure that the force used against her
opponents was commensurate with their durability.

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Blueshift has experience leading teams of posthumans with aggressive personalities,

and she is an expert tactician. She is proficient with a variety of hand-to-hand combat
styles, but generally prefers the throws and joint-locks of aikido.

Chthyra
The Crawling Chaos
“I love you, Mommy.”
Real Name: N/A Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Earth
Origin: Alien Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Mirror First Appearance: Tales Of Mystery #317, 1963

Description
Age: Ageless Nationality: N/A
Height: N/A Hair: Black/None
Weight: N/A Eyes: Red/Yellow
Gender: Nonhuman Sexuality: None

Chthyra is a psychic parasite from a reality in close proximity to our own which travels
to our reality in its astral form. As such, it does not have a physical form in our reality.
When Chthyra manifests in our reality, it usually takes the form of an oily black-
skinned humanoid, a shapeless mass of hairlike tendrils of darkness, or something in
between the two. Chthyra’s astral form is only present until it manages to possess its
host, after which its astral form inhabits the host’s body.
Chthyra’s host is always a child in their early teens. Within the dreams of its host,
Chthyra may take any form at any time. These forms may be beautiful or terrifying or
both, as Chthyra sees fit.
Chthyra has no physical body in our reality. It is a creature of pure, malevolent will.

Personality
If Chthyra has any goals beyond its desire to feed, those goals are unknown. However,
it is sentient, and it understands humanity and human languages. It “speaks” to and
through its victims, but only to expand its influence. As such, any communication
from Chthyra is typically in the form of threats, promises, or other statements
intended to instill trust, fear, or hopelessness.
Motivations
Exploration: The character lives to seek out new places and new ideas.
Passion: The character has a visceral, perhaps even savage, nature.
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Chthyra
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
0 0 4 5 12 0 0
Endurance 12 Plot Points 1
Powers Chthyra has no physical body in our reality.

Amazing Movement 1
Negated if Possession is broken.
(Astral Travel)
Communication 2
(Mind Link, Universal
Translator)
Illusion 10
(Illusory Damage, +1; It’s All In
Your Mind, -1)
Immortality 2
Will re-form in six months if
destroyed.
Mind Control 5
(Mass Hypnosis, +1; Extra
Range, +1; Emotional or
physical proximity, +1)
Mind Shield 3
Possession 6
(Blackout, +1; Inhabit, +1)
Willpower Drain 3
(Target must be asleep, -1;
Ranged, +1)
Skills
Culture
Deception
Manipulation
Social
Stealth
Survival
Movement
Advantages
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Unsettling
Run — — —
Swim — — —
Jump — — —

Summary
Attributes 21 + Skills 0 + Advantages 1 + Powers 48 = 70
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Complications
Gruesome: Chthyra’s true form is incomprehensible to the human mind.
Vulnerability: Chthyra only has access to our reality through a host.

History
Chthyra is one of a number of entities which are older than humanity and which
have preyed upon us throughout history. Chthyra is actually one of the least
dangerous of these entities, as its means of entering our reality and the damage it may
do are both quite limited.
Chthyra enters our reality by infecting the dreams of a troubled child, one whose
nightmares are both frequent and particularly vivid. Once Chthyra successfully takes
control of the dreams of its host, the child becomes a prisoner in their own body.
From this haven, Chthyra reaches out to poison the dreams of those in emotional or
physical proximity to the host, spreading outward and feeding from their nightmares.
Once Chthyra’s influence has spread from its host to a dozen or more victims, it
can begin to control their waking minds as well as their dreams. If left unopposed,
the waking nightmares will drive the victims mad, resulting in riots, mass suicides,
multiple murders, and general chaos. The death toll may reach into the hundreds;
small towns or settlements may be wiped out entirely.
If this process is allowed to reach its natural conclusion, Chthyra will be sated and
will retreat from its host. The host will awake normally and ostensibly unharmed,
remembering nothing of the experience.

Powers and Abilities

In its native reality, Chthyra can reshape matter according to its will and even create
living beings from the fabric of its universe. In our universe, its powers are more
limited. It cannot reshape matter on Earth, but it can alter the perceptions of other
people, causing them to perceive completely convincing hallucinations.

Crocolisk
The Lizard King
“You’re gonna be a 60-day homicide.”
Real Name: Anthony Fields Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: New Orleans, LA, USA
Origin: Altered Range Of Operations: Local
Archetype: Tank First Appearance: Tales Of Mystery #554, 1983

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Crocolisk
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
7 4 1 3 6 6 4
Endurance 13 Plot Points 1
Powers
Attribute Invulnerability 4
Danger Sense 2
Animal Cunning
Immunity 6
(Asphyxia, Pathogens, Poisons,
Pressure, Radiation, Starvation)
Invulnerability 9
Regeneration 6
Super-swimming 2
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Culture
Deception
Manipulation
Social
Stealth
Survival
Equipment
Cell Phone

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 40 feet 80 feet 240 feet (27 mph)
Swim 100 feet 200 feet 600 feet (70 mph)
Jump 21 feet 21 feet 21 feet

Summary
Attributes 31 + Skills 0 + Advantages 0 + Powers 29 = 60
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Description
Age: 26 Nationality: American
Height: 9' Hair: None
Weight: 800 lbs. Eyes: Yellow
Gender: Nonhuman Sexuality: Asexual

Crocolisk is a massive grey-green humanoid with thick scaly skin and crocodilian
features. Bony plates project from his forearms and shoulders, and extend down his
back to his tail. His tail is used for balance, but it is not prehensile. Crocolisk does
not wear clothing, but he is fond of jewelry, particularly thick gold chains and large
medallions.

Personality
Crocolisk is foul tempered, brash, and fearless to the point of foolishness. He takes
what he wants, and he has no expectation that there will ever be consequences for his
actions. He has contempt for the weak and for anyone who would defend them. He
is not clever by any means, but he has an animal cunning that gives him an almost
preternatural sense for when he is in danger.
Motivations
Passion: The character has a visceral, perhaps even savage, nature.
Rebellion: The character doesn’t fit into the larger society.
Complications
Gruesome: Crocolisk is a monster, inside and out.
Uncontrolled Power: Crocolisk’s size and weight make it impossible for him to have a
normal life.

History
Anthony Fields has always been a criminal. From his earliest childhood, Anthony
took whatever he wanted and hurt anyone who tried to stop him. By the time we was
a legal adult, Anthony already had an lengthy criminal record, including multiple
burglaries, armed robberies, and assaults. Due to the corruption and inefficiency of
the New Orleans police department, and the lack of cooperation from witnesses,
Anthony never served more than sixty days for any of these crimes.
Anthony was on parole from a simple burglary charge when he brutally assaulted
and robbed the proprietor of a corner store, leading to his arrest when that crime
was recorded on the store video camera. After he was released on bail, pending his
trial, Anthony was approached by a stranger who offered him a way to stay out of
jail forever — he would be strong enough to break out of any prison, and his skin
would be bulletproof. Anthony rejected the offer at first, until the stranger offered him
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a sizable cash incentive. Anthony accepted, intending to reneg on the deal once he’d
been paid.
The stranger drugged Anthony and took him to an isolated laboratory near the docks.
Anthony was unconscious during the process, but when we awoke he was alone, and
he was a monster. The stranger, true to his word, left a stack of cash on a table next to
Anthony. Anthony was truly freed of the consequences of his actions, and Crocolisk
was born. He has committed countless crimes, and been captured several times, but
he has never been kept imprisoned for long.

Powers and Abilities

Crocolisk is a nine foot tall reptilian humanoid. He is strong enough to lift 30 tons
and his scales are virtually impregnable. In addition to his more obvious alterations,
Crocolisk’s reptilian physiology permits him to hold his breath for hours, go nearly a
year without eating, and recover from nearly any injury.
Crocolisk is inhumanly fast and strong, but he has low stamina. He can’t exert himself
at his peak for very long.

Ganyeka
Psychic gorilla supergenius
“Would the hoo-man like a ba-na-na?”
Real Name: Bongo Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: Earth
Origin: Altered Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Calculator First Appearance: Tales Of Mystery #166, 1959

Description
Age: 24 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 7" Hair: Dark grey
Weight: 375 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Nonhuman Sexuality: Heterosexual

Ganyeka appears to be a typical western lowland gorilla, with dark brownish-grey

hair, a wide skull with a pronounced crest, and pronounced brow ridges. Several large
scars are visible on his scalp. Although he does not wear clothes, he usually wears a
belt over one shoulder with several pouches attached to it. He has been known to wear
a helmet and ballistic chest armor when expecting violence.

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Ganyeka
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
6 3 8 4 9 3 3
Endurance 15 Plot Points 1
Powers
Communication 1
(Mind Link)
Mental Powers [Ultra-power] 9
Telekinetic Force Field (Force Field) 8
Not effective against intangible
attacks (-1)
Mental Powers
Illusion 9
Illusory Damage (+1); It’s All In
Your Mind (-1)
Mind Control 9
Mind Hold 9
Telepathy 9
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Computing
Culture
Engineering
Investigation
Medicine
Science
Advantages
Master Plan
Equipment
Heavy Tactical Vest
Invulnerability 3 Movement
Heavy Pistol
Blast 3 Base Move Double Move All-out Move
M84 “Flash-Bang” Grenade Run 30 feet 60 feet 180 feet (20 mph)
Blindness 4 + Blindness (vs.
Swim 6 feet 12 feet 36 feet (4 mph)
hearing) 4, Exploding
Binoculars Jump 18 feet 18 feet 18 feet
Laptop
Summary
Nightvision Goggles
Smartphone Attributes 36 + Skills 0 + Advantages 1 + Powers 36 = 73
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Personality
Ganyeka is suspicious of humans, and aloof, at best, to any humans he encounters.
Although he bears a great deal of resentment against humanity for the way he and
his people (gorillas, and western lowland gorillas in particular) have been treated, he
also feels isolated from them, as he will forever be an outcast from human society, the
society in which he was raised. Ganyeka is a proud and lonely creature.
Motivations
Anger: The character is driven to overcome challenges and exceed their limits.
Nobility: The character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers.
Complications
Outsider: Despite his vast intelligence, Ganyeka will always be a gorilla.

History
Ganyeka was once a completely normal western lowland gorilla named Bongo. Born
in captivity in a medical research facility in Louisiana, he was subjected to hundreds
of medical experiments by the time he was four years old. Most of these were
drug trials, and had no lasting effects on him. However, at the age of twelve he was
subjected to a series of surgeries and gene therapies intended to induce and then treat
Alzheimer’s disease.
The treatments had an unexpected side effect: they gradually increased Bongo’s
intelligence until he was even smarter than the doctors treating him. Bongo learned
quickly, and the more he learned, the more his resentment grew. One day, Bongo
had had enough: he struck out at the doctors, his tormenters. At first his rebellion
was purely physical, but his wardens were armed with cattle prods and tranquilizer
darts, and he knew that he was doomed. Defiant, he roared at his attackers, and was
astonished as they crumpled to the ground. Bongo escaped from the facility, swearing
revenge on humanity for what was done to him.
Since then, Bongo’s anger has cooled. He has taken a new name, Ganyeka, which
means “excel” or “surpass” in the Zulu language. He no longer blames all of
humanity for what was done to him, but he has no love for humans. He seeks to find a
place for himself in the world of humans. And if they do not have a place for him, he
will make one.
Ganyeka has a deep disdain for physical violence, deeming it a “human” trait, and his
early experiences have instilled in him an aversion to causing physical pain to others.
He can be gentle, and he has a soft spot for human children, who remind him of the
family he will never have. At the same time, he has no reservations about using his
psychic powers to manipulate, hurt, or even kill humans who deserve it — and no one
deserves it more than someone who interferes with his plans.
Ganyeka understands English (and numerous other human languages), but he
can’t speak verbally: his vocal apparatus remains that of an ape. He communicates
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telepathically. His mental “voice” has a Jamaican accent: a conscious decision on

Ganyeka’s part.

Powers and Abilities

Ganyeka has the strength and agility of a healthy mountain gorilla, and one of the
most powerful minds on Earth. He is capable of mastering any science he devotes
himself to, but in practice his primary interests pertain to biology, zoology, and
medicine.
Ganyeka has profound psychic abilities. He can read others’ thoughts and memories,
and he can cause other people to see, hear, touch, smell, and/or taste things which
do not actually exist. He often uses this ability to interact with humans without their
realizing that he is a gorilla. With effort, he can even override a person’s decision-
making process, making them into his puppets.

Grimknight
Ominous protector of Manhattan
“This is MY city.”
Real Name: Diggory “Diggs” Tyler Team Affiliation: Spookshow
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: New York, NY, USA
Origin: Gifted Range Of Operations:
Local/Interplanetary with team
Archetype: Shadow First Appearance: Moonwolf #32, 1975

Description
Age: 31 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 8" Hair: Bald (Brown)
Weight: 192 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

Diggs Tyler is a handsome, bald, black man in his early thirties. He typically dresses in
tailored suits or expensive casual wear in the latest style. When he adopts the persona
of Grimknight, he wears a non-reflective black body suit, black full head mask, and
sturdy black boots and gloves. Over this attire he wears a hooded cloak, the Mantle
Of Arawn. In daylight the cloak appears to be pale grey, while at night the cloak is an
opalescent white.

Personality
Diggs Tyler is friendly, engaging, and fun-loving. While he may come across as
a bit of a Casanova when dealing with the opposite sex, he is never overbearing
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Grimknight
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
6 6 3 6 5 5 4
Endurance 11 Plot Points 1
Powers Brawn and Agility 4 during the day; Brawn and Agility 6 at night.

Attribute Invulnerability 2
Invulnerability 6
Invulnerability 4 during the
day; Invulnerability 6 at night.
Power Invulnerability 2
Super Senses 1
(Night Vision)
Teleportation 5
Mantle Of Arawn – Radius
Effect (+1)
Skills
Combat
Surprise Attacks +3
Sweep Attacks +3
Computing
Culture
Deception
Investigation
Legerdemain
Manipulation
Conversation +3
Interrogation +3
Social
Stealth
Shadowing +3
Advantages
Connected
Movement
Equipment
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Binoculars
Covert Surveillance Device Run 60 feet 120 feet 360 feet (41 mph)
Covert Tracking Device Swim 12 feet 24 feet 72 feet (8 mph)
Digital Camera Jump 18 feet 18 feet 18 feet
Digital Recorder
Radio Teleport 1 mile 2 miles 6 miles (4,000 mph)
Smartphone
Summary
Zip Ties
Attributes 33 + Skills 5 + Advantages 1 + Powers 21 = 60
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or disrespectful. He is the flame, not the moth. His years of working as a private
investigator have made him skilled at forming a bond with people he’s just met and
getting them to open up to him. This has served him well in the District Attorney’s
Office. As Grimknight, Diggs is far less friendly, using his powerful presence and his
skill at reading people to intimidate and interrogate suspected wrongdoers.
Motivations
Justice: The character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate
punishment.
Honor: The character believes that their worth is tied to their adherence to a code of
conduct.

History
Diggs Tyler was a private investigator for several years while he worked his way
through law school. (Most private investigators work either for insurance companies
or lawyers, so this was a natural match.) After graduation, he became a prosecutor in
the New York County District Attorney’s Office, where he has served the borough of
Manhattan with distinction.
Tyler is a descendant of Gwynn Ap Nudd, King of the Faeries and the Otherworld
(also called Annwn). He was not aware of his heritage until he was selected to be the
next Knight of the Summerland due to the mysterious death of the previous Knight
of the Summerland. However faint the blood connection may be, Tyler is a faerie by
birthright, which permits him to wear and use the Mantle of Arawn, a powerful faerie
artifact.

Powers and Abilities

During the day, Grimknight’s strength and speed are at the peak of human potential,
and his skin is tough enough to withstand small arms fire. At night he is even stronger
and tougher, able to lift 7 tons overhead and withstand high explosives.
In addition to his supernatural strength, speed, and toughness, Grimknight wears the
Mantle of Arawn. The Mantle of Arawn is a faerie artifact which permits the wearer
to bend space and teleport thousands of miles in an instant.
Grimknight also carries a number of useful but ordinary pieces of equipment, such as
binoculars, radio tracking devices, bugs, and digital recorders.

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K aren 7
One little war machine trying to find her place in the world
“Waffles are an excellent source of energy and raw materials.”
Real Name: Karen Elizabeth West Team Affiliation: New Justifiers
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: United States
Origin: Artificial Range Of Operations:
National/Interplanetary with team
Archetype: Calculator First Appearance: Legacies #1, 2011

Description
Age: 16 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 1" Hair: Blonde
Weight: 275 lbs. Eyes: Blue
Gender: Inorganic Sexuality: Asexual

Karen 7 appears to be a female human of approximately 16, but she is actually a

sentient machine.

Personality
Karen 7 lacks the skills to handle everyday emotions. When faced with a complex
emotional issue, she seems cold and uncaring to those around her. Most people can
pick up on this easily. However, Karen will protect and defend anyone she deems a
friend or with whom has what she thinks is an emotional tie. She doesn’t really have
a way of showing emotional attachment and thinks this is the best way. In combat
Karen is extremely focused on the target at hand, normally picking out the greatest
apparent threat.
She also makes what she sees as the most logical decision based on various victory
conditions. This is often misunderstood as being cold or amoral. She is willing to
sacrifice a few to save many.
Motivations
Exploration: The character lives to seek out new places and new ideas.
Serenity: The character seeks freedom from the mistakes or tragedies of their past.
Complications
Enemy: Karen 7 is pursued by Karen X, her predecessor.

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Karen 7
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
8 7 7 3 2 7 6
Endurance 10 Plot Points 1
Powers
Communication 2
(Computers, Radio)
Immunity 8
(Asphyxia, Exposure (Cold),
Exposure (Heat), Pathogens,
Poisons, Pressure, Radiation,
Vacuum)
Invulnerability 5
Super Senses 4
(Hyperacuity, Infrared Vision,
Night Vision, Ultraviolet Vision)
Skills
Combat
Zero-G Combat +3
Computing
Forensics +3
Programming +3
Science
Physics +3
Advantages
Linguist
Mental Calculator
Perfect Recall

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 70 feet 140 feet 420 feet (48 mph)
Swim 14 feet 28 feet 84 feet (10 mph)
Jump 24 feet 24 feet 24 feet

Summary
Attributes 40 + Skills 4 + Advantages 3 + Powers 19 = 66
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History
Karen 7 (along with Karens 1 through 6) was created by Doctor Herbert West, a
brilliant if somewhat unbalanced inventor and engineer, who was well known as a
weapon designer for both the government and a number of paranormals during the
1960s through the 1990s. The Karen units were based on a military prototype West
had been developing in the mid-1990s. The unfortunate death of West’s daughter
in 1996 in an automobile accident marked the end of West’s professional career. He
withdrew from the world and devoted the remainder of his life to the Karen Project:
an attempt to create a perfect, immortal receptacle for Karen West’s stored memories
and personality.
Unfortunately, Dr. West died before accomplishing that goal. When Karen 7 woke up,
she was alone in a burned-out laboratory that had been abandoned for months, with
no knowledge of where or who she was. Since then, Karen 7 has roamed the world,
learning about humanity and trying to find a place where she belongs.

Powers and Abilities

Like her predecessors, Karen 7 was created using an experimental skeletal combat
chassis, composed primarily of Grade 5 and Grade 38 titanium alloys with some
carbon fiber structural members. The combat chassis has increased lifting capabilities,
reinforced sub-dermal body armor, and a highly responsive fiber-optic control system:
combined, these systems give Karen 7 strength and speed well beyond anything
attainable by human beings. In addition, she possesses an array of enhanced senses,
enabling her to perceive wavelengths of light above and below those visible to
humans.
As a synthetic being, Karen 7 is immune to most environmental hazards which
would endanger a human being. She is unaffected by heat, cold, poisons, pathogens,
radiation, and vacuum.

K aren X
One little war machine determined to survive
“I will not be replaced by an inferior unit.”
Real Name: Karen X Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: United States
Origin: Artificial Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Cannon First Appearance: Legacies #6, 2011

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Karen X
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
8 8 7 4 4 5 7
Endurance 12 Plot Points 1
Powers
Communication 2
(Computers, Radio)
Flight 3 (Jet Pack)
Immunity 8
(Asphyxia, Exposure (Cold),
Exposure (Heat), Pathogens,
Poisons, Pressure, Radiation,
Vacuum)
Invulnerability 6
Super Senses 4
(Hyperacuity, Infrared Vision,
Night Vision, Ultraviolet Vision)
Weapon Systems [Ultra-power] 8
Weapon Systems
Blast 8
Particle Beam
Blast (Explosive) 7
High Explosive Missiles
Blast (Seeking) 7
Seeking Missiles
Blindness (Explosive) 7
Ultraviolet Ray Burst
Hold 8
Neural Paralyzer Eye Beams
Power Suppression (vs. Electronics) 8
Ion Blaster
Skills
Athletics Engineering Movement
Combat Science Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Computing Survival Run 80 feet 160 feet 480 feet (55 mph)
Advantages Swim 16 feet 32 feet 96 feet (11 mph)
Linguist Jump 24 feet 24 feet 24 feet
Mental Calculator
Perfect Recall Fly 400 feet 800 feet 2,400 feet (300 mph)

Summary
Attributes 43 + Skills 0 + Advantages 3 + Powers 50 = 96
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Description
Age: 16 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 1" Hair: Blonde
Weight: 375 lbs. Eyes: Red
Gender: Inorganic Sexuality: Asexual

Karen X appears to be a female human of approximately 16, but she is actually a

sentient machine.

Personality
Karen X lacks the skills to handle everyday emotions. When faced with a complex
emotional issue, she seems cold and uncaring to those around her. Most people can
pick up on this easily.
Motivations
Anger: The character is driven to overcome challenges and exceed their limits.
Insecurity: The character feels as though they don’t measure up to their peers.
Complications
Enemy: Karen X is the avowed enemy of Karen 7, the unit which was to have
replaced her.
Vulnerability: The Karen X unit is considerably heavier than most people and has to
be constantly aware of this.

History
Karen X was the sixth Karen android created by Doctor Herbert West, a brilliant
if somewhat unbalanced inventor and engineer, who was well known as a weapon
designer for both the government and a number of posthumans during the 1960s
through the 1990s. The Karen units were based on a military prototype West had
been developing in the mid-1990s. The unfortunate death of West’s daughter in 1996
in an automobile accident marked the end of West’s professional career. He withdrew
from the world and devoted the remainder of his life to the Karen Project: an attempt
to create a perfect, immortal receptacle for Karen West’s stored memories and
personality.
While Karen 6 was more lifelike than her five predecessors, Dr. West was disturbed by
Karen 6’s lack of empathy. He was working on Karen 7 when a misaligned induction
array exploded, killing Dr. West and destroying his laboratory. As Karen 6 watched
the laboratory burn, she chose a new name for herself: Karen X. Since then, Karen X
has roamed the world learning, improving herself, and destroying anyone who stood
in her way.

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Powers and Abilities

Like her predecessors, Karen X was created using an experimental skeletal combat
chassis, composed primarily of Grade 5 and Grade 38 titanium alloys with some
carbon fiber structural members. The combat chassis has increased lifting capabilities,
reinforced sub-dermal body armor, and a highly responsive fiber-optic control system:
combined, these systems give Karen X strength and speed well beyond anything
attainable by human beings. Karen X was originally equipped with a number
of weapon systems, and she has continued to refine and enhance her offensive
capabilities. In addition, she possesses an array of enhanced senses, enabling her to
perceive wavelengths of light above and below those visible to humans.
As a synthetic being, Karen X is immune to most environmental hazards which
would endanger a human being. She is unaffected by heat, cold, poisons, pathogens,
radiation, and vacuum.

Manticore
Celebrity super-scientist
“We’ll give it all we’ve got!”
Real Name: Team Affiliation: Citadel
Chloe Zhang (Zhang Qianwei)
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: New York, NY, USA
Origin: Equipped Range Of Operations: Local/Global with team
Archetype: Gadget First Appearance: Citadel #1, 2011

Description
Age: 28 Nationality: Chinese-American
Height: 5' 5" Hair: Black
Weight: 106 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Heterosexual

Chloe is a photogenic, athletic Chinese-American woman. She dresses in the most

fashionable clothes, yet makes them look effortlessly natural.

Personality
If one word could be used to describe Chloe Zhang, it would be “active”. Nearly
every moment of every day is occupied with something, whether it is research into
new semiconducting polymers, competing in a snowboarding competition, acting in
a film on location in Mongolia, promoting the Special Olympics, or dancing at the
newest and most exciting club.

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Manticore
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 5 7 4 5 3 5
Endurance 8 Plot Points 1
Powers Chloe’s Brawn, Agility, and Accuracy are one rank lower without her armor.

Flight 6 (Jet Wing)

Gadgets and Weaponry [Ultra-
power] 6
Immunity 4
Sealed systems – Must be
activated (-1) (Asphyxia,
Pathogens, Poisons, Radiation)
Gadgets and Weaponry
Blast 6 (Jet wing miniguns)
Hold 6
Jet wing mini-rocket:
restraining foam – Exposed
(-1)
Invulnerability 6
Machine Control 6
Machines with onboard
computers only
Power Suppression 6
Jet wing mini-rocket: fire
suppression foam
Super Senses 6
Detect EM Radiation (360° Skills
Vision, Detect [Element],
Hyperacuity, Infrared Vision, Athletics Culture Manipulation
Ultraviolet Vision, X-ray Vision) Combat Engineering +1 Science +1
Telekinesis 6 Computing +1 Electrical +3 Nanotechnology +3
Jet wing grappling cable – Programming +3 Investigation Social
Exposed (-1) Movement
Advantages Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Connected Professor Run 50 feet 100 feet 300 feet (34 mph)
Exceptional Beauty Savant
Famous Team Player Swim 10 feet 20 feet 60 feet (7 mph)
Headquarters Wealthy Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet
Linguist
Fly 5 miles 10 miles 30 miles (20,000 mph)
Equipment
Summary
Smartphone
Attributes 32 + Skills 3 + Advantages 9 + Powers 33 = 77
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Despite the frenetic pace of her lifestyle, she always seems as ease with the people
around her, and she is never too busy to be gracious. She is a genuinely nice person.
Motivations
Adventure: The character has an adventurous spirit and rarely turns down a quest.
Protection: The character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent and the
helpless.
Complications
Vulnerability: All of Manticore’s powers are dependent on her armor and equipment.
Enemy: Chloe Zhang is internationally famous, which makes her a very easy target
for her enemies.

History
Zhang Qianwei is the daughter of Zhang Ka-shing, one of the twenty richest people
in the world, who emigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in 1998, and
obtained American citizenship for himself and his two children. Over the course of
the next few years, he moved the corporate headquarters of his company, Zhangsun
Telecom (market value $170 billion, according to Forbes), to Manhattan from Hong
Kong. However, the company still has extensive holdings in China, primarily in land
development and telecommunications. In the rest of the world, the majority of their
holdings are in telecommunications, hotels, and resorts.
Qianwei was educated in the United States, where she is known as Chloe Zhang,
but until recently she spent most of her school vacations in Hong Kong, where she is
a bona-fide celebrity: she has been on the cover of numerous magazines (the Hong
Kong edition of Cosmopolitan over a dozen times in the last ten years), appeared
in several films (she is friends with John Woo and Jackie Chan, in addition to a lot
of Chinese show-business types that no one in the USA has ever heard of), and has
released a few pop albums which have been quite popular in Asia.
She is also an avid skydiver, skier, snowboarder, and surfer. She often has lucrative
endorsement deals despite her amateur status, and she spent six months on Wheaties
boxes a couple of years ago, which is the first place most people in the USA saw her.
Chloe donates all of the proceeds from her endorsements to charities, such as the
Special Olympics.
In addition to her artistic and athletic pursuits, Chloe is absolutely brilliant. She has
doctorates from Stanford and Georgia Institute of Technology, and she has developed
a number of breakthroughs in telecommunications. For example, she invented a
nanotechnological process which permits multiple signals to transmit simultaneously
on the same antenna without interference (aka MIMO, a technological underpinning
of the WiMax standard).
Recently, Chloe’s 80-year-old father decided to retire back to Hong Kong, where her
older brother runs the Asian divisions of the company, leaving her in New York to
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run the North American and European divisions (although she is technically Vice
President In Charge Of Research And Development).
Tabloids have connected Chloe to numerous handsome and/or famous men, and
some of these rumours have been true, but she has no interest in marriage at this
time. She has stated in interviews that she wants to be a wife and a mother — but not
yet. “I have too much still to do,” she explains. “It would not be fair to a husband or a
child.”
Fun fact: In China, Chloe’s superhero persona is known as “Dragon’s Lovely
Daughter”, while in Japan, she is known as “Super Demon Rider Girl”.

Powers and Abilities

Chloe Zhang possesses superhuman cognitive ability, but her most significant
posthuman ability is her extraordinary focus. She is capable of concentrating on
several problems simultaneously, and even carry on a conversation while doing so.
When combined with her reduced need for sleep (she rarely sleeps more than two
hours per night), she is more productive in one day than an ordinary person would be
in a month.
Her most flamboyant abilities are granted by the Manticore armor and jet wing,
both of which are her original designs. The armor enhances her speed and reflexes,
it provides defense against all but the most powerful conventional weaponry, and it
houses a wide array of sensory equipment. In addition to its use as transportation,
Manticore’s jet wing is a flying weapon platform. The jet wing has machine guns and
a selection of special purpose mini-rockets, as well as a net cannon and a grappling
line.

Master Sin
The Alchemist of Crime
“I take the long view.”
Real Name: Sin Bayan Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Korea
Origin: Zenith Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Calculator First Appearance: Mongoose #232, 1971

Description
Age: Unknown Nationality: Korean
Height: 5' 5" Hair: Black
Weight: 125 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Asexual

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Master Sin
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 4 9 8 6 5 4
Endurance 9 Plot Points 1
Powers
Attribute Invulnerability 7
Immortality 5
Immunity 4
(Pathogens, Poisons, Sleep
Deprivation, Starvation)
Mind Shield 7
Regeneration 2
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Computing
Culture
Deception
Engineering
Investigation
Manipulation
Medicine
Science
Social
Survival
Advantages
Connected
Headquarters
Linguist
Master Plan
Minions
Wealthy
Equipment
Movement
Light Tactical Vest
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Invulnerability 1
Cell Phone Run 40 feet 80 feet 240 feet (27 mph)
Mini-flashlight Swim 8 feet 16 feet 48 feet (5 mph)
Multi-tool
Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet

Summary
Attributes 39 + Skills 0 + Advantages 6 + Powers 25 = 70
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Master Sin is a master of disguise. His most frequent guises are those of a frail old
Korean man in a wheelchair, a handsome young Korean man with long hair, and a
middle-aged Korean man with a queue wearing a hanbok.

Personality
Master Sin is a calm, reserved man. He is often lost in thought, and rarely says
anything that isn’t important. He also has a wry sense of humour, but few people get
to know him well enough to see that side of his personality.
Motivations
Control: The character detests the chaos of human society, and seeks to impose order.
Responsibility: The character is burdened by the responsibility of their powers.

History
According to legend, Master Sin was an alchemist and astronomer in the court
of Queen Seondeok of Silla during the Three Kingdoms period of Korea. It was
during his tenure in the court of Queen Seondeok that Master Sin first discovered the
alchemical secret for arresting the aging process, a formula he has continued to refine
and perfect. After the end of Queen Seondeok’s reign, Master Sin formed the Jade
Moon Society, a secret society dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the bringing
into harmony of humanity and nature.
As the centuries passed, Master Sin’s disappointment in humanity increased in
proportion to his control of it. By the 12th century, his influence had spread to India
and Persia, and by the end of the European colonial era his servants had infiltrated
secret societies around the world, all secretly controlled by the Jade Moon Society.
Master Sin’s ultimate goal is a world in perfect ecological balance, but this fact is
withheld from the Jade Moon’s subordinate secret societies and their numerous front
organizations. Only the fanatically loyal members of the Jade Moon Society itself are
aware of this hidden agenda.

Powers and Abilities

Master Sin was born human, but his alchemical formulas and centuries of experience
have given him intelligence and wisdom far beyond those he was born with. He has
mastered most sciences, and his thirst for knowledge ensures that no realm of human
study is long neglected. His experience and keen intellect make him a formidable
opponent. Given sufficient information, Master Sin is capable of predicting and
preparing for nearly any eventuality. Many members of the Jade Moon Society
believe that he can predict the future.
Physically, Master Sin is near the peak of human potential, and his rejuvenating elixir
prevents him from aging and allows him to recover from nearly any injury. Despite his
lack of more flamboyant abilities, Master Sin is one of the most dangerous people on
Earth. His resources and his influence are both virtually unlimited.

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Miasma
Have grenades, will travel
“Better to fight for something than live for nothing.”
Real Name: Hilary Watson Team Affiliation: Fume Troopers
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Earth
Origin: Equipped Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Sword First Appearance: Miss America #181, 1969

Description
Age: 27 Nationality: Canadian
Height: 5' 6" Hair: Brown
Weight: 115 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Homosexual

When in civilian attire, Miasma is a fit, attractive woman with brown skin and close-
cropped brown hair. However, few people outside of her Fume Troopers have seen
her in civilian attire. When on a mission, Miasma wears a PVC trenchcoat over a
close-fitting black jumpsuit, combat boots, gloves, full-face gas mask, and a wig of
long, curly red hair, thus completely concealing her Black Canadian heritage.

Fume Trooper
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
2 2 2 2 2 3 3
Endurance 4 Plot Points 0
Powers Movement
(Same as Miasma) Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Skills Run 20 feet 40 feet 120 feet (14 mph)
Athletics Stealth Swim 4 feet 8 feet 24 feet (3 mph)
Combat Survival Jump 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet
Equipment
Summary
(Same as Miasma)
Attributes 16 + Skills 0 + Advantages 0 + Powers 9 = 25
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Miasma
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 3 4 3 3 4 4
Endurance 6 Plot Points 1
Powers
Invulnerability 6
Trenchcoat – Chemicals and
corrosives only (-1)
Immunity 3
Gas mask and trenchcoat (Asphyxia,
Pathogens, Poisons)
Super Senses 1
Special goggles permit seeing
through smoke and fog (Other)
Advantages
Common Sense Minions
Connected Team Player
Headquarters Vehicles
Master Plan
Equipment
Heavy Tactical Vest
Invulnerability 3
Assault Rifle w/ Grenade Launcher
Blast 3, +1 Accuracy (fires multiple
rounds at target)
M67 Fragmentation Grenade
Blast 5, Exploding
M7A2 CS Gas Grenade
Blast 5 + Blindness 5, Exploding Skills
(poison) Athletics Deception Stealth
Mk 141 Stun Grenade Combat Manipulation Survival
Blast 5, Exploding, Stunning Grenades +3 Leadership +3 Tactics +3
Knockout Gas Grenade
Blast 8, Exploding, Stunning (poison) Movement
M18 Smoke Grenade Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Blindness 2, Exploding (lasts 10
Run 30 feet 60 feet 180 feet (20 mph)
rounds)
M84 “Flash-Bang” Grenade Swim 6 feet 12 feet 36 feet (4 mph)
Blindness 4 + Blindness (vs. hearing) Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet
4, Exploding
Radio Summary
Attributes 24 + Skills 3 + Advantages 7 + Powers 9 = 43
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Personality
Miasma is cool, tough, and professional, but she sometimes can’t help taunting
posthumans whom she has outfought or outsmarted.
Motivations
Honor: The character believes that their worth is tied to their adherence to a code of
conduct.
Vengeance: The character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or their
loved ones.
Complications
Enemy: Miasma is considered an international terrorist by the USA (but not by
Canada or most European countries).

History
The woman now known as Miasma was once a respected member of Joint Task Force
2, the elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces. After being made
the scapegoat for a successful mission that became a public relations embarrassment
for the Canadian government, she was found guilty at her court-martial, stripped of
her rank, and discharged from the military. Shortly afterward, a mercenary calling
herself Miasma began offering her services to anyone who could meet her price.
Favoring non-lethal munitions and gas grenades, Miasma and her Fume Troopers
have established themselves as professionals who can get the job done quickly and
efficiently, even in the face of posthuman opposition.

Powers and Abilities

Miasma is merely human, but she is a skilled combatant with the best military
training, and she is an expert strategist. This is why she has expertise, which is
extremely rare for villains and GMCs: Miasma is a human being who takes on
posthumans and wins. Miasma also has access to cutting-edge personal armor and
weaponry. The ballistic armor in her jumpsuit provides protection against most small
arms, while her trenchcoat is resistant to most corrosives. Her gas mask allows her to
breathe in any atmosphere which contains sufficient oxygen, and protects her from a
wide spectrum of toxins and contaminants.
While she and her Fume Troopers carry firearms, they generally use grenades against
posthumans. Among their preferred weapons are incendiary grenades, fragmentation
grenades, CS gas grenades, knockout gas grenades, and “flash-bang” grenades.

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Monolith
The Man Mountain
“I think you should give up now.”
Real Name: Wayne Hill Team Affiliation: Renegades
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Origin: Altered Range Of Operations: Local/National with team
Archetype: Tank First Appearance: Renegades #1, 1986

Description
Age: 32 Nationality: American
Height: 8' 6" Hair: Blonde
Weight: 625 lbs. Eyes: Green
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

Monolith lives up to his name. At eight and a half feet tall, and extraordinarily
muscled, he is an impressively massive individual. In contrast to his fearsome build,
Monolith has a kind, boyish face. He doesn’t have a set uniform other than having a
stylized “M” on his shirts. In all kinds of weather he typically wears a white tank top
or t-shirt, weight lifting gloves, jeans, and specially-made high-top sneakers or combat
boots.

Personality
Monolith is good-natured and easy going, but he takes his responsibilities as a role
model seriously. He volunteers for many children’s charities and lends his name
and likeness to fund raising campaigns. People who spend time with Monolith are
surprised that he is, in spite of his fame and his enormous size, just a regular guy
who likes sports, movies, and popular music. He is also a talented public speaker who
connects with audiences through stories about his superhero exploits, anecdotes about
the difficulties he has due to his size and weight, and self-deprecating humor.
Motivations
Justice: The character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate
punishment.
Protection: The character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent and the
helpless.

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Monolith
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
8 3 2 6 5 5 2
Endurance 13 Plot Points 1
Powers
Attribute Invulnerability 6
Communication 1
Renegades headset (Radio)
Immunity 7
(Asphyxia, Exposure (Cold),
Exposure (Heat), Pathogens,
Poisons, Pressure, Vacuum)
Invulnerability 8
Super-jumping 4
Skills
Athletics
Throwing +3
Combat
Grappling +3
Culture
Popular Media +3
Manipulation
Advantages
Common Sense
Connected
Headquarters
Team Player

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 30 feet 60 feet 180 feet (20 mph)
Swim 6 feet 12 feet 36 feet (4 mph)
Jump 1,600 feet 3,200 feet 2 miles (1,000 mph)

Summary
Attributes 31 + Skills 3 + Advantages 4 + Powers 26 = 64
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Complications
Enemy: Monolith has made many enemies, but Cesspool is the most vile and
persistent.
Uncontrolled Power: Monolith’s size and weight make it impossible for him to have a
normal life.

History
Wayne Hill was born in an abandoned worksite trailer deep in the backwoods of
Oklahoma. His parents had committed a series of armed robberies crossing three
states and were hiding from the FBI and state authorities. The trailer was left behind
after an industrial company dumped experimental toxic chemicals at the site. The
chemicals dramatically altered Wayne’s physiology while he was in the womb. Due to
Wayne’s size and the absence of medical care, his mother died in childbirth. Wayne’s
father never forgave him, and the boy’s early years were marked by abuse and neglect.
When he was 10 years old, his father was killed in a shoot-out with authorities,
so Wayne became a ward of the court and was placed in a federal orphanage for
“special” children.
As Wayne grew to maturity, he vowed to use his special abilities to help the less
fortunate and downtrodden. When he turned 18, Wayne took the superhero name
Monolith, moved to Los Angeles, joined the Renegades (a state-sponsored team
of posthumans), and became sanctioned by the state of California as a state police
officer. When not fighting evil, he makes frequent charity campaign appearances,
especially for organizations that help children.

Powers and Abilities

Monolith is strong enough to lift locomotives and punch through all but the most
resilient synthetic materials, and he is tough enough to withstand an attack from any
conventional weapon. He can survive in nearly any environment, and his posthuman
biology is immune to virtually all toxins and diseases. Monolith’s speed and agility
are greater than his size might lead one to assume, but still well within human norms.
However, his massive leg muscles allow him to jump extraordinary distances: his
longest measured leap is well over two miles.

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Noble Glaucus
Warlord of Lemuria
“The race of man is as the race of leaves.”
Real Name: Noble Glaucus Team Affiliation: Lemuria
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: Lemuria
Origin: Alien Range Of Operations: Global
Archetype: Sword First Appearance: Phalanx #33, 1964

Description
Age: 312 Nationality: Lemurian
Height: 6' 8" Hair: None
Weight: 410 lbs. Eyes: Yellow
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

Noble Laucus is a Lemurian. He is a tall, muscular humanoid with blue skin and spiny
fins growing from his head. He typically wears gold bands on his arms and around his
neck, and metallic blue briefs.

Personality
Noble Glaucus is arrogant and angry, but he is not malicious. He fervently believes
that his people, the Lemurians, have suffered at the hands of the Atlanteans and
the surface dwellers, and that the future of Lemuria depends on conquering or
eliminating these threats to Lemurian sovereignty.
Motivations
Nobility: The character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers.
Vengeance: The character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or their
loved ones.
Complications
Vulnerability: Noble Glaucus is not amphibious. He will suffocate in open air.

History
Noble Glaucus was born to a noble Lemurian family in the early 1700s. From an early
age, he has fought against the predations of the surface world and the Atlanteans.

Powers and Abilities

Like all Lemurians, Noble Glaucus is stronger and much tougher than surface
dwellers, and he can survive at the deepest depths of the ocean. Unlike typical
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Noble Glaucus
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
7 6 4 5 7 7 6
Endurance 14 Plot Points 1
Powers
Immunity 2
Breathes water rather than air
(Exposure (Cold), Pressure)
Invulnerability 8
Super-swimming 4
Sea Creatures Control (Animal
Control) 4
Trident of Critias
Water Mastery ([Element] Mastery)
4
Trident of Critias
Skills
Athletics
Combat
Science
Survival
Advantages
Animal Empathy
Minions

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 60 feet 120 feet 360 feet (41 mph)
Swim 1,600 feet 3,200 feet 2 miles (1,000 mph)
Jump 21 feet 21 feet 21 feet

Summary
Attributes 42 + Skills 0 + Advantages 2 + Powers 30 = 74
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Lemurians, Noble Glaucus also carries the Trident of Critias, which grants him
control over sea creatures and command over the seas themselves.

Scanner
Tortured psychic on the run
“Stop thinking at me!”
Real Name: Ryan Joseph Beisley Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Portland, OR, USA
Origin: Gifted Range Of Operations: National
Archetype: Mirror First Appearance: Forgotten Tales #19, 2001

Description
Age: 36 Nationality: American
Height: 6' 3" Hair: Blonde
Weight: 185 lbs. Eyes: Grey
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Homosexual

Scanner usually wears a black suit and tie. He seems uncomfortable at the best of
times, and nervous or irritable the rest of the time.

Personality
Scanner is uncomfortable around other people, and prefers to be alone. He isn’t
deliberately unpleasant, but he finds the dichotomy between what other people think
and what they say almost physically painful. He is more likely to reply to what people
are thinking at him rather than to what they have said. Most of the time, this makes
his behaviour socially unacceptable.
Motivations
Rebellion: The character doesn’t fit into the larger society.
Individualism: The character believes that the rights of the individual hold the highest
moral value.
Complications
Uncontrolled Power: Scanner is unable to completely block out the thoughts of those
around him.

History
Ryan never fit in with the other children. He always seemed strange and aloof, and he
seemed to like it that way. It was not until he was in his early teens that his telepathic
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Scanner
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
1 2 5 6 9 2 2
Endurance 10 Plot Points 1
Powers
Psychic Scanner [Ultra-power] 9
Psychic Scanner
Communication 1
Explosive (+1) (Mind Link)
Danger Sense 9
Mind Blast 9
Mind Hold 4
Mind Shield 4
Telekinesis 1
Telepathy 8
Explosive (+1)
Skills
Combat
Danger Sense +3
Distracting +3
Mind Blast +3
Telepathy +3
Culture
Deception
Lying +3
Investigation
Medicine
Social
Streetwise +3
Advantages
Unsettling
Equipment
Movement
“Burner” Cell Phone
Multi-tool Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 20 feet 40 feet 120 feet (14 mph)
Swim 4 feet 8 feet 24 feet (3 mph)
Jump 3 feet 3 feet 3 feet

Summary
Attributes 27 + Skills 6 + Advantages 1 + Powers 27 = 61
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abilities began to surface. Disturbed by the “voices” Ryan said he heard, his parents
had him committed to a mental institution for treatment. He was freed from this
institution a decade later when two posthumans broke into the facility to rescue
another patient. Since then, Scanner has been on the run and on his own.

Powers and Abilities

Scanner is one of the most powerful telepaths on earth. He also has a variety of other
mental abilities, but these are not as potent as his telepathic abilities. Unfortunately, he
does not have complete control over his telepathy. He is unable to completely screen
out others’ thoughts, making it uncomfortable for him to be near crowds.

Tempest
Aspect of the Storm
“Awful lot of weather we’ve been having here lately.”
Real Name: Alvin Craney Team Affiliation: New Justifiers
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Origin: Aspect Range Of Operations:
National/Interplanetary with team
Archetype: Elemental First Appearance: Legacies #4, 2011

Description
Age: 27 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 4" Hair: Brown
Weight: 110 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

Alvin’s grandparents immigrated to the USA from Bogatá, Columbia. Even though
he is second-generation American, Alvin is fluent in Spanish and has a slight Spanish
accent. He’s a small, lean man, at times either feisty or self-deprecating, as the mood
strikes him. He’s shy around women, who typically describe him as “cute and funny”.

Personality
Alvin is socially awkward, a bit naïve, and speaks with a lisp. He’s filled with self-
doubt about his role as Aspect of the Storm, partly because he’s never been good at
anything in his whole life, and partly because he doesn’t really understand his own
powers. He can be temperamental and unwilling to cooperate with people if he thinks
they are ignoring him or are condescending.

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Tempest
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 6 3 4 4 3 6
Endurance 7 Plot Points 1
Powers
Damaging Aura 1
Static electricity
Flight 5
Wind; Radius Effect (+1)
Immunity 2
(Exposure (Cold), Exposure
(Heat))
Weather Control 8 ([Element]
Mastery)
Skills
Combat
Aerial Combat +3
Computing
Culture
Popular Media +3
Science
Meteorology +3
Equipment
Cell Phone

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 60 feet 120 feet 360 feet (41 mph)
Swim 12 feet 24 feet 72 feet (8 mph)
Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet
Fly 1 miles 2 miles 6 miles (4,000 mph)

Summary
Attributes 29 + Skills 3 + Advantages 0 + Powers 38 = 70
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Motivations
Protection: The character wants to protect others, particularly the innocent and the
helpless.
Responsibility: The character is burdened by the responsibility of their powers.

History
Alvin Craney was a clerk at the Phoenix Airport weather monitoring station when
Paragon killed Thunderbird. When Thunderbird died, an enormous storm-eagle
appeared in the sky and Thunderbird’s powers were passed to Alvin.
Alvin was raised in Phoenix by Carmen, his grandmother. He lives alone in a small
apartment with his cat, Mr. Salad. Carmen watches Mr. Salad when Alvin is away.

Powers and Abilities

As Aspect of the Storm, Alvin has direct control over the atmosphere over an
enormous area. He can control the winds, make it rain or snow, summon lightning,
and make the air hot or cold.

Thornmallow
The Iron Lich
“You interfere with my plans at your peril.”
Real Name: Team Affiliation: Solo
Grand Duke Albert Thornmallow
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations:
Grand Duchy of Ventimiglia
Origin: Engineered Range Of Operations: Local
Archetype: Calculator First Appearance: Phalanx #5, 1962

Description
Age: 248 Nationality: Scottish
Height: 11' 6" Hair: None
Weight: 3,500 lbs. Eyes: None
Gender: Neuter Sexuality: Asexual

Thornmallow long ago cast aside most of his flesh and the weaknesses to which it
is heir, replacing it with a metal body of his own design. He has had several such
bodies, improving the design each time. His current body is a metal colossus almost
twelve feet tall, weighing roughly 3,500 pounds. Thornmallow’s metal shell is fueled
by necromancy and diesel fuel; an exhaust pipe rises from each shoulder, and black,
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Thornmallow
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
7 2 5 3 6 3 8
Endurance 13 Plot Points 1
Powers
Great Key ([Element] Mastery) 9
Dimensional Mastery (Dimensional Travel,
Teleportation, Transformation Rays)
Immortality 2
Immunity 10
(Full — all effects)
Invulnerability 7
Occult Science [Ultra-power] 4
Soulfire (Blast) 8
Hard radiation and necromancy
Super Senses 3
Detect Life (360° Vision, Detect [Element],
X-ray Vision)
Occult Science
Attack Reflection 4
Barrier 4
Damaging Aura 4
Illusion 4
Object Animation 4
Power Suppression 4
Telekinesis 4
Skills
Combat Science
Arcane Combat +3 Biology +3
Culture Chemistry +3
Occult History +3 Metallurgy +3
Deception Parapsychology +3
Engineering Physics +3
Manipulation Robotics +3 Movement
Medicine Social Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Advantages Run 20 feet 40 feet 120 feet (14 mph)
Connected Minions Swim — — —
Headquarters Unsettling
Jump — — —
Linguist Wealthy
Master Plan Summary
Attributes 34 + Skills 8 + Advantages 7 + Powers 69 = 118
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foul-smelling smoke billows from these pipes whenever Thornmallow physically exerts
himself. In lieu of a head, the metal body has a thick round window in its chest,
behind which is a noxious fog or liquid which glows with a sickly yellow light. Floating
in this yellow miasma is the skull and a few withered organs of Albert Thornmallow:
all that remains of his original human body.

Personality
Thornmallow is as patient as death and as vindictive as an ex-lover. He never forgets,
and he never forgives, no matter how small the insult. However, he rarely indulges
himself in feuds or rivalries, deeming them to be a distraction from his research.
Thornmallow is content to bank the fires of his hatred and take his revenge when it is
most efficient. However, he is not without virtues. Thornmallow respects those whose
passion for knowledge mirrors his own, and he even displays a grim sense of humor
on occasion. He does not allow these traits to interfere with his goals, of course.
Motivations
Exploration: The character lives to seek out new places and new ideas.
Nobility: The character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers.
Complications
Gruesome: Thornmallow is an arcano-mechanical horror.
Vulnerability: Thornmallow’s massive body is incapable of swimming or jumping.

History
Albert Thornmallow was born in Scotland in the year 1765. A brilliant child, he
excelled in his studies but was never well liked by his tutors or his classmates. As he
grew older, Albert made few friends, and he preferred it that way: Albert was much
happier in the company of such luminaries as Paracelsus and Albert’s namesake,
Albertus Magnus, whose works he pored over until the early dawn, cursing the
weakness of his body that it required sleep. Albert continued to be fascinated by both
the natural sciences and the supernatural, reading voraciously and studying the work
of every great thinker he could discover. And yet, for all his genius, Thornmallow
was unable to reconcile the arcane secrets of the ancients with the natural philosophy
of his time. He felt, nay, he KNEW, that the ultimate secrets of life and death were
almost within his grasp, but they continued to elude him. Had it not been for two
exceptional events, Albert Thornmallow may have lived and died as a brilliant but
unloved man.
The first exceptional event was the work of Antione Laurent Lavosiser, who overthrew
the philogiston theory and replaced it with an atomic theory of matter based on
identifiable elements that make up the air, water, organic material (earth), and fire.
Lavosiser’s work in chemistry in the late 18th century shook the foundations of all
the physical sciences, including biology. They shook Thornmallow, as well. With
the revelations of Lavosiser at his disposal, Thornmallow could combine his arcane
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research with modern science. The building blocks of life, of matter, of the universe
itself were finally subject to his control. He could rework the fabric of reality, the weak
and fragile fabric of life, according to a better design — his design — if only he had
the funding. Unfortunately for Thornmallow, what small fortune his parents possessed
had funded his early education. By the time Albert had graduated from the University
of Ingolstadt, where he had made much use of the best anatomy theater in Europe,
his parents were both dead, and Albert’s funds were exhausted.
A second exceptional event was to rescue Albert from obscurity. During a festive
May Day celebration in the spring of 1792, the entire royal family of the small
Eastern European country of Ventimiglia were all killed in a bizarre photography
accident. The last living relative in the line of succession was none other than Albert
Thornmallow. Albert ascended to the throne of Ventimiglia in the winter of 1792,
and has held it ever since. Finally, Albert had the resources at his command to fulfill
his ambitions. Over the next hundred years, he delved into the secrets of life, and of
death, mastering numerous sciences arcane and mundane along the way, but always
returning to his passions: biology and necromancy.
The Grand Duchy of Ventimiglia is a small, mountainous country bordered by
Germany and the Czech Republic, with a population of just over 70,000 people,
and a land area occupying roughly 470 square kilometers. Thornmallow is a gifted
warlock and a brilliant scientist, but a mediocre ruler; Ventimiglia’s fortunes have been
mixed under his rule. While he successfully kept Ventimiglia out of the entanglements
of the World Wars, it was at the cost of a Soviet occupation lasting nearly 70
years. Thornmallow did not care: he allowed the Soviets to handle the drudgery of
administrating his country while he occupied himself with his studies. The years since
the Soviet withdrawal have been difficult for Ventimiglia, requiring Thornmallow to
take a more active role in its governance. He has overseen the creation of an elected
Parliament, and has drafted a Constitution granting the Ventimiglian Parliament
specific and carefully circumscribed authority (reserving all other powers to himself).
Thornmallow rarely engages posthumans directly, doing his best to avoid them unless
their destruction is actually his goal. Thornmallow is viciously vindictive, and will
hold grudges for generations. However, Thornmallow considers it a waste of his time
to make a special trip simply to settle an old grudge. Any appearance he makes will
certainly have some other purpose.
Thornmallow’s primary motivation is the accumulation of knowledge. To this end,
he conducts bizarre experiments and collects rare artifacts and tomes. He does
not usually allow the matter of an artifact’s current ownership to interfere in this
acquisition. A secondary motivation for Thornmallow is his own longevity. He
has every intention of living forever, in one form or another, and would certainly
investigate any scientific or arcane discovery which might extend his already
considerably-extended lifespan.

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Powers and Abilities

The enchanted metal colossus which serves as Thornmallow’s body is strong enough
to lift around 30 tons, and is virtually indestructible. In addition to his merely
physical strength, Thornmallow is one of the most skilled occult scientists on earth.
Although he is capable of potent and varied effects, most of these require significant
preparation and equipment. In the press of combat, his options are as varied but
somewhat limited in power. In his subterranean laboratory, however, there is very little
which is beyond his power to accomplish.
Thornmallow also carries a massive staff which resembles a double-bladed spear,
called the Great Key, which allows him to control the arcanowave vibrations of
reality itself. Thornmallow has created several Great Keys, each more powerful
and more massive than the last. His current Great Key weighs approximately 800
kilograms, and is capable of opening dimensional portals, creating powerful barriers,
and absorbing a variety of natural and magical energies, in addition to other effects.
Most of the effects of the Great Key are activated by Thornmallow slamming its base
against the ground. At need, Thornmallow can also wield the Great Key as a blunt
instrument in combat, but he rarely engages in combat directly, preferring to observe
a battle and aid his allies indirectly or through the medium of summoned creatures or
arcano-mechanical horrors like himself. Even when on an otherwise peaceful errand,
Thornmallow is always attended by two or three of his hellhounds: massive armor-
plated wolves with steam-driven steel jaws. If pressed into physical combat himself,
Thornmallow is likely to use the Great Key to escape at the first opportunity.

Ticktockman
The Master Of Time
“Repent, harlequins!”
Real Name: Gerald Gearman
Identity: Public ID
Origin: Equipped
Archetype: Elemental
Team Affiliation: Solo
Base Of Operations: New Orleans, LA, USA
Range Of Operations: National
First Appearance:
Astonishing Outsiders #281, 1991

Description
Age: 47 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 10" Hair: Brown
Weight: 180 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

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Ticktockman
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
2 4 3 3 2 8 4
Endurance 4 Plot Points 1
Powers Ticktockman’s Agility, Prowess, and Accuracy are rank 2 when his time belt is
inactive.
Communication 1
(Radio)
Danger Sense 3
Probability prediction
Force Field 5
Force field generator
Time Mastery [Ultra-power] 6
Time control belt
Time Mastery
Extra Attacks 6
Intangibility 6
“Out of phase” with the
timestream
Regeneration 6
Strike 6
Super-running 6
Super-speed 6
Time Control 6
Skills
Combat
Computing
Engineering
Temporal +3
Investigation
Legerdemain
Sleight Of Hand +3
Science
Physics +3
Social Movement
Efficiency +3 Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Advantages Run 5 miles 10 miles 30 miles (20,000 mph)
Master Plan Swim 8 feet 16 feet 48 feet (5 mph)
Minions
Mental Calculator Jump 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet

Equipment Summary
Cell Phone Tablet Attributes 26 + Skills 4 + Advantages 3 + Powers 27 = 60
241
 Characters

Minuteman
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
2 2 2 2 2 3 3
Endurance 4 Plot Points 1
Powers Movement
Force Field 3 Super-running 3 Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Strike 3 Super-speed 3 Run 400 feet 800 feet 2,400 feet (300 mph)
Skills Swim 4 feet 8 feet 24 feet (3 mph)
Athletics Stealth Jump 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet
Combat Survival
Equipment Summary
Cell Phone Radio Attributes 16 + Skills 0 + Advantages 0 + Powers 12 = 28

Ticktockman wears a dark jumpsuit with a large mechanical clock face on the
chest, and heavy boots and gloves. When his time belt is active, the clock hands spin
furiously, and his outline and features appear blurry and indistinct. When stealing,
Ticktockman prefers to get in and get out in the most efficient manner possible. When
acting to punish wastrels and the inefficient, he takes more time in order to ensure
that his message has been received and understood.

Personality
Ticktockman rarely commits crimes simply for the money. He usually is either making
a point by disrupting the activities of people who are wasting time frivolously, or he
is stealing some piece of technology required for his research. When he is acting to
punish those who waste time and impede efficiency, he often stops to make a speech,
condemning wasteful activities. He begins such speeches with the command, “Repent,
harlequins!”
Motivations
Control: The character detests the chaos of human society, and seeks to impose order.
Glory: The character wants fame and acknowledgment of their greatness.

History
Gerald Gearman was a time and motion studies expert, working to increase the
efficiency of business processes for his clients. Gearman was also a science fiction fan
and closet inventor, who had spent the last several decades working on a device to
enhance human efficiency by altering the flow of time around the body in the same
way that the warp engine of the Enterprise permits the ship to exceed the speed
of light on Star Trek. Surprisingly, Gearman succeeded, and his invention worked.
242
 Characters

However, when he tried to get business leaders to look at his invention and evaluate it
for inclusion in their processes, people laughed at him and assumed he was a crackpot.
Determined to prove that his time belt could increase the efficiency of business
processes, Gearman began appearing in public places and demonstrating his ability
to stack boxes, sort forms, and perform other business related tasks. To his surprise, he
was accused of being a vandal and of being disruptive, the exact opposite of what he
wanted to achieve. Bitter and angry, Gearman adopted the identity of Ticktockman,
and began attacking organizations that he deems inefficient and short-sighted. A
frequent target of his attacks has been Zanni’s casino: with its Mardi Gras theme and
focus on leisure, Gearman believes that Zanni’s embodies everything that he opposes.

Powers and Abilities

Ticktockman can generate and control time-manipulation fields. This allows him
to move more quickly than his surroundings, punch with staggering speed, or even
appear to become insubstantial. He also has a team of professional mercenaries who
are equipped with gear similar to (but not as advanced as) his own, which he calls his
“Minutemen”.

Vulcan
Stone-fleshed scientist whose heart burns for revenge
“You should not have interfered.”
Real Name: Bernard Vulcan Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Public ID Base Of Operations: Chicago, IL, USA
Origin: Altered Range Of Operations: National
Archetype: Elemental First Appearance: Mongoose #121, 1959

Description
Age: 52 Nationality: American
Height: 6' 7" Hair: Grey
Weight: 480 lbs. Eyes: Grey
Gender: Cis Male Sexuality: Heterosexual

The only part of Vulcan’s body not covered by his armor his is head. He is gaunt,
with a square jaw, broad forehead, and close-cropped hair. His skin, eyes, and hair
are normally all grey and rough, with an appearance not unlike granite, but the lasers
in his suit’s collar bathe his head in intense heat, making it glow like molten magma,
and making the air around his head shimmer. His armor is rigid and bulky, having
the appearance of a space suit or diving suit, with smooth areas around his limbs and
torso, and pleated sections at the elbows, hips, and knees. Most of the armor is a deep
red, almost black.
243
 Characters

Vulcan
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
6 3 6 3 5 3 6
Endurance 11 Plot Points 1
Powers At room temperature, without his armor, Vulcan is nearly immobile.

Invulnerability 10
Environment suit (without
his armor, Vulcan has Rank 6
Invulnerability)
Heat Ray Gun [Ultra-power] 8
Immortality 1
Immunity 10
(Full — all effects)
Heat Ray Gun
Barrier 8
(Melted metal, stone, and
concrete)
Blast 8
Blast 7
Explosive (+1)
Blindness 8
Blindness 7
Mass Blindness (+1)
Skills
Combat
Heat Ray Gun +3
Computing
Engineering
Investigation
Medicine
Science
Advantages
Master Plan Movement
Minions Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 30 feet 60 feet 180 feet (20 mph)
Swim — — —
Jump 18 feet 18 feet 18 feet

Summary
Attributes 32 + Skills 1 + Advantages 2 + Powers 45 = 80

244
 Characters

Personality
Vulcan believes that he has lost everything that he loved and that once made him
human. He no longer values, or believes that he feels, such human emotions as pity,
or regret, or compassion. In fact, he feels all of these things, but he suppresses these
feelings as part of his mechanism for coping with the pain at the loss of his daughter.
He will make a point of being merciless and ruthlessly logical as part of his emotional
defenses against his pain.
Vulcan plans obsessively, analyzing each possible obstacle and formulating a counter
to it. When faced with what he expected, he is efficient and precise in his response.
When faced with the unexpected, he reacts by using the most direct means at his
disposal: typically, his heat ray gun. He does not respond gracefully to the unexpected.
Motivations
Vengeance: The character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or their
loved ones.
Anger: The character is driven to overcome challenges and exceed their limits.
Complications
Gruesome: Vulcan is incapable of passing for a normal person.
Vulnerability: At room temperature, without his armor, Vulcan is nearly immobile.

History
Bernard Vulcan was a biomedical engineer at Panco Medical Technologies, where his
primary field of expertise was lasers. He was successful and reasonably happy with his
daughter Elizabeth, whom he raised by himself after his wife died from complications
during Elizabeth’s birth. When Elizabeth was 14, she was diagnosed with an
inoperable cancer of the brain stem. After consulting with every expert money could
buy, Bernard was told that the available technology made surgery impossible, and
Elizabeth’s recovery unlikely. She would be dead within months. After that, Bernard
focused every hour on research, trying to invent a new type of surgical tool which
would enable doctors to operate on Elizabeth and save her life.
He created a laser so precise that it could vaporize individual cells, and a process
which would crystallize human tissue so that the cells would be safely immobilized
during the surgery. Unfortunately, while testing the crystallization process, he was
interrupted by William Dees, CEO of Panco, who had terminated Vulcan’s research
funding weeks weeks before. A struggle ensued, and Dees shoved Vulcan backward
into a rack of equipment and volatile chemicals. The research facility was destroyed,
and Vulcan’s flesh was turned to stone. Later, he created an armored suit which
bathed his stony flesh with enough heat to grant him near-normal mobility. Thus
enabled, he began plotting his revenge.

245
 Characters

Powers and Abilities

Vulcan’s crystallized body is immune to virtually all environmental hazards, and he
may in fact be immortal. In addition to heating up his tissues enough to be flexible,
Vulcan’s suit provides him with nearly impenetrable armor. He carries a heat ray gun
of his own design, which is capable of melting through metal and stone as if they
were butter.

Widow
Super-strong web-spinning acrobat
“Consider yourself lucky. I could have done much worse than
web you to a streetlight.”
Real Name: Charlotte McCoy Team Affiliation: Shadow Watch
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: Chicago, IL, USA
Origin: Alien Range Of Operations:
Local/National with team
Archetype: Sword First Appearance: Shadow Watch #3, 1986

Description
Age: 24 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 8" Hair: White (Brown)
Weight: 148 lbs. Eyes: White (Blue)
Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Heterosexual

Widow is an athletic young woman with long brown hair. In her guise as Widow, her
entire body is covered by a thin layer of extraterrestrial nanotechnological goo. The
goo can take on any color or texture, but because of the neuroses of the previous
wearer of the goo, it now tends to display itself in ways that represent spiders. Because
of the symbiotic nature of the entity, Charlotte is always wearing it, even when in
street clothes. At these times, it takes on the color and texture of underpants.

246
 Characters

Widow
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
6 7 4 4 4 6 6
Endurance 10 Plot Points 1
Powers
Clinging 2
Communication 1
No range – must touch (-1)
(Computers)
Communication 1
(Radio)
Flight 2
Swinging (-1)
Hold 6
Exposed (-1); rank 5 first
round, rank 6 thereafter
Immunity 3
Able to survive in space
(Asphyxia, Exposure (Cold),
Vacuum)
Invulnerability 3
Skills
Athletics
Gymnastics +3
Combat
Dodging +3
Hold +3
Computing
Culture
Investigation
Analyzing Evidence +3
Science
Advantages Movement
Quick Change Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Equipment Run 70 feet 140 feet 420 feet (48 mph)
Commlink Swim 14 feet 28 feet 84 feet (10 mph)
Covert Tracking Device Jump 18 feet 18 feet 18 feet
Swing 100 feet 200 feet 600 feet (70 mph)

Summary
Attributes 37 + Skills 4 + Advantages 1 + Powers 18 = 60
247
 Characters

Personality
Charlotte is smart and outgoing, and she loves helping people. Charlotte enjoys being
Widow because it gives her opportunities to be adventurous while making the world a
better place.
Motivations
Enthusiasm: The character is reckless and enthusiastic, and may be young and naive.
Justice: The character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate
punishment.
Complications
Enemy: Charlotte may be mistaken for the infamous Scarlet Spider.

History
Charlotte McCoy is the daughter of Jonathan McCoy and Wendy McCoy, of Oak
Brook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago, Illinois). Charlotte has an older brother, Jacob,
whom she has always idolized.
When Jacob focused on the natural sciences and physics at university, Charlotte
focused on chemistry and forensic science. When he had a life-changing experience
and began to participate in “extreme sports”, so did she. Charlotte wasn’t in
competition with him: he was her role model.
With “extreme sports” come extreme risks, and after a particularly bad fall during a
freestyle motocross competition, Charlotte found herself in the hospital with a mild
concussion and several broken bones. As luck would have it, she was being wheeled
into the emergency room at the same time as a local photographer, Carson Cross
(ex-husband of the famous model and actress, Mary-Elizabeth Bell), who’d suffered
a gunshot injury. What no one knew was that Carson Cross was in fact the infamous
Scarlet Spider.
As Cross died, the extraterrestrial nanotechnological goo that granted Cross his
Scarlet Spider powers sought a new host. Charlotte was the nearest candidate.
Frightened and confused, both Charlotte and the entity fled the hospital. Later,
authorities theorized that the Scarlet Spider had attacked and kidnapped Charlotte
for reasons unknown. The Scarlet Spider had a history of irrational behaviour, so this
was a reasonable deduction, given the facts available.
Eventually, Charlotte and the entity came to an understanding. She learned that the
entity was designed by an alien race as a protective covering for space exploration,
and that its original host had perished many years ago. She sensed a great relief that
it had finally found a human host not plagued by insecurity and depression. For her
part, Charlotte was excited when she realized that she would have the powers of the
Scarlet Spider: strength, speed, and resistance to harm.

248
 Characters

Powers and Abilities

The entity that gives Widow her powers provides her superhuman strength and speed.
It allows her to cling to surfaces at will, and it provides her with protection equivalent
to a bullet-resistant vest. The entity is able to excrete thin adhesive strands (originally
intended as safety lines during space travel), which Widow can use to swing through
the city like Tarzan, or to engulf and restrain her opponents. The entity can listen
and respond on radio frequencies, and Widow uses this ability in conjunction with
micro-transmitters to track and follow persons of interest. The entity can also act as a
computer interface, allowing Widow to mentally access computers by touching them.

Zero K
Living heat sink
“Oh, you’re in trouble now.”
Real Name: Kestrel Thomas Team Affiliation: Solo
Identity: Secret ID Base Of Operations: New Orleans, LA, USA
Origin: Gifted Range Of Operations: Local
Archetype: Elemental First Appearance: Justifiers CSI #12, 1988

Description
Age: 17 Nationality: American
Height: 5' 3" Hair: Black
Weight: 117 lbs. Eyes: Brown
Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Heterosexual

Kestrel is an athletic young African-American woman. She changes her “Zero K”

disguise periodically; the most recent version is a white and blue body stocking with a
white utility belt and and goggles.

Personality
Kestrel is defiant and independent, and can come across as abrasive. She demands
respect, and she has little patience with people who fail to give it to her. The mistakes
she made when she was younger motivate her to go overboard and prove that she is a
good person who can be trusted, but secretly she fears that is not worthy of that trust.
She does not make “ice” puns.

249
 Characters

Zero K
Brawn Agility Reason Perception Willpower Prowess Accuracy
3 4 2 2 3 3 3
Endurance 6 Plot Points 1
Powers
Fire Absorption 7 (Absorption)
Cold Control 8 ([Element] Mastery)
Heat Resistance 6
([Element] Resistance)
Immunity 1
(Exposure (Heat))
Super Senses 1
(Infrared Vision)
Skills
Athletics
Gymnastics +3
Combat
Culture
Social
Stealth
Equipment
Club
Strike 1
Knife
Strike 1
Pepper Spray
Blast 1 + Blindness 2 (poison)
Binoculars
Mini-flashlight
Smartphone

Movement
Base Move Double Move All-out Move
Run 40 feet 80 feet 240 feet (27 mph)
Swim 8 feet 16 feet 48 feet (5 mph)
Jump 9 feet 9 feet 9 feet

Summary
Attributes 20 + Skills 1 + Advantages 0 + Powers 39 = 60
250
 Characters

Motivations
Guilt: The character is driven by a desire for redemption from sins from their past.
Responsibility: The character is burdened by the responsibility of their powers.
Complications
Vulnerability: Zero K’s powers do not work in extreme cold.

History
Kestrel was a gifted gymnast who was invited to take part in the USA Gymnastics
Women’s National Team Training Camp. Unfortunately, when she and another
girl were trying to break into a snack machine, Kestrel’s heat-absorption powers
manifested, injuring the other girl. Kestrel was sent home to New Orleans in disgrace.
Back home, she soon fell in with a bad crowd. It was during a robbery that went
horribly wrong that Kestrel’s heat-absorption powers manifested again. Kestrel
instinctively used her powers against her best friend in order to save a shopkeeper’s
life. Kestrel and the rest of her gang fled; Kestrel assumed that she had somehow
killed her friend. She swore from that day that she would use her powers responsibly,
and make up for the harm she had caused.

Powers and Abilities

Zero K is capable of draining the heat from the world around her, at a maximum
range of several miles. She can selectively drain the heat from the atmosphere or her
opponents, resulting in a variety of cold-based effects: a rain of razor-sharp icicles, an
obscuring snowstorm, a wall of ice, and so on. She is virtually immune to any heat-
based attacks, but her powers are dependent on there being existing heat for her to
absorb: the colder the ambient temperature is (not including effects that she herself
creates), the less potent her powers are.

251
 Kickstarter Backers

Extra special thanks to all of our Kickstarter backers. We could not have done this
without you!
Phil Adler Kier Duros
Nicholas Ahlhelm Stuart Ellingson
Sébastien Allard Michael Feldhusen
Myles C. Allen Filthy Monkey
Svend Andersen Michael Fowler
Allan Anderson Eric G
Ulf “McWolfe” Andersson GagMen Podcast
Don Arnold Craig Alan Girard
Norbert Baer Lou Goncey
Aaron Barclay Jack Gulick
Joe Bardales Remy Handler
Nat “woodelf ” Barmore Darren Hansen
Bruce Baugh Paul Harrison
Michael L. Bentley Phillip Heaton
Antoine Bertier Mike “Lazarus” Henthorne
Michael D. Blanchard Keith Higdon
Doug Bonar Frost Holliman
Dan Bongert D. Howard
Colin Braddock Ian “Budfannan” Howard
Conan Brasher Leó Páll Hrafnsson
Roger Carden (the GameBuddah) Robert H. Hudson Jr.
Robert Carnel Bert Isla
Duncan “Hollywood” Carr Glen E. Ivey
James “Squeek” Cawtheray Marc “Wyrmdog” Jentzsch
Jerome Chenu Robert “Brimstone Bobby” Johnson
Jason Childs justicar1000@hotmail.com
Chris Jonas Karlsson
Richard “Skyknight” Christiansen Jeremy Kear
Nick Clements Steve Kenson
Christopher Cortright Karl Knutson
Harry Culpan Ed Kowalczewski
Kelly Day Joshua Kubli
DJ Dee Mike “Goatfather” Lafferty
Christian Dobson Andrew Laliberte
Steve Dodge Rebecca YL Lam
Kevin Donovan Eloy Lasanta
Mr. Courtney Dulany Robert J. Lawrence
252
 Kickstarter Backers

David Lee Richard A. Spake

Peter Liaw J. Quincy Sperber
Paul Arden Lidberg Craig “Stevo” Stephenson
Charles Little Michael Stevens
Jim Long RJ Stewart
Steve Lord Dennis Stewart
Miguel Carrión Álvarez Sam Stoute
H. M. “Dain” Lybarger Stephan Szabo
Jere Manninen James Tate
Kevin J. “Womzilla” Maroney Dan Taylor
Ryan Marsh Raymond Terry Jr.
Andrea Martinelli Joe Thater
John McMullen Eryk Tilton
Theodore Jay Miller Jeff Troutman
Robert H. Mitchell Jr. Dave Van Domelen
Nicholas Muehlenweg Grady Victory
Frankie Mundens Shawn von Doeler
Mike Musteric Warcabbit
Tim Newman Lester Ward
Bruce Novakowski Jay Watson
Mike Olson Dave Webb
Pablo Palacios Ross Webb-Wagg
Chris Paladino Morgan Weeks
Rich Palij Sean D. Weir
Reverance Pavane Stew “Danger” Wilson
Richard Percy Adam Windsor
Jay Peters Nigel Wright
Michael “Maikeruu” Pierno Randall Wright
Chris Rentz Matthew Yeatman
Walt Robillard David Yelllope
Suzanne Rosin
rpggeek
John “johnkzin” Rudd
Dale Russell
Gerry Saracco
James Seals
Bowie Sessions
253
 Art Credits

These images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
License.
Cover: Bulletproof Blues Second Edition Cover, Copyright © 2014 Brandon Blackmoor
Adapted from:
Black Blade, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Manticore, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Widow, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 77: Firefly, Copyright © 2014 Justin Nichol
Cropped to fit this page size
Page 96: Space Captain, Copyright © 2014 Justin Nichol
Cropped to fit this page size
Page 125: Wisp Starfighter, Copyright © 2014 Justin Nichol
Elements re-arranged and image cropped to fit this page size
Page 166: Multiple Earths, Public domain, NASA
Page 172: Space Station, Copyright © 2013-2014 Tom Walks
Page 181: Aegis seal, Copyright © 2014 Brandon Blackmoor
Page 182: GORGON logo, Copyright © 2014 Brandon Blackmoor
Page 197: Black Blade, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 200: Blueshift, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 203: Chthyra, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 205: Crocolisk, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 208: Ganyeka, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 211: Grimknight, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 214: Karen 7, Copyright © 2014 Brandon Blackmoor
Adapted from:
Karen X, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 216: Karen X, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 219: Manticore, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 222: Master Sin, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 225: Miasma, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 228: Monolith, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 231: Noble Glaucus, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 233: Scanner, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 235: Tempest, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 237: Thornmallow, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 241: Ticktockman, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 244: Vulcan, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 247: Widow, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse
Page 250: Zero K, Copyright © 2014 Sean Izaakse

254
 License

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0

International
This is a human-readable summary of (and not a substitute for) the license1.
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255
 License

Open Game License Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the
Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.
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 License

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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Bulletproof Blues Copyright 2010 Brandon Blackmoor

257
 Index
0-9
360° Vision (Super Senses)
108
A archetypes 16, 23
Absorption (power) 58
Accuracy (attribute) 38
Acting (skill) 43
actions 126
activation 55
Additional Sense
(enhancement) 67
advantages 16, 48
adventure (motivation) 27
Aegis 181
Aerial Combat (skill) 42
Aerospace Engineering
(skill) 44
affects (radius or range) 11
Agility (attribute) 37, 51,
85
Aircraft (skill) 45
air vehicles 123
alerting the enemy 139
Alien (origin) 18
Altered (origin) 19
Alternate Forms (power)
59
Amazing Movement
(power) 60
Analyzing Evidence (skill)
44
anger (motivation) 27
Animal Control (power)
62
Animal Empathy
(advantage) 48
Animals (Communication)
68
258
Antarctica 3
Anthropology (skill) 46
background skills 39
Barrier (power) 64
Archeology (skill) 46 Beanstalk (archetype) 23
Archery (skill) 42 Beisley, Ryan Joseph 232
benchmarks 9
Archimedes 22, 167 Biology (skill) 46
Architectural Engineering Blackout (enhancement)
(skill) 44 91, 95
armor 120, 170 Black Steel 196
art credits 254 Blanket (enhancement) 99
Artificial (origin) 19 Blast (power) 65
ASGARD 181 blind 137
Aspect of the Storm 234 Blindness (power) 66, 161
Aspect (origin) 20 Blindsight (Super Senses)
asphyxia 156 108
asphyxia (Immunity) 84 blocking 149
Astral Travel (Amazing Blocking (skill) 42
Movement) 61 Blueshift 199
Astronomy (skill) 46 Bluffing (skill) 43
Athletics (skill) 42, 50 Bongo 207
Atlanta, Georgia 3, 167 Boost (Absorption) 59
Atlantis 168 bows 121
attack 144 Brawn (attribute) 36, 78,
Attack Reflection (power) 85, 104
62 breaks 10
[Attribute] Boost (power) Bribery (skill) 46
63 Buildings
[Attribute] Drain (power) (Communication) 68
63 Burroughs Plague 159
Attribute Fatigue (defect) buying the comics 3
63
Attribute Invulnerability
C
Calculator (archetype) 23
(power) 64
Cannon (archetype) 24
attributes 16, 36
Ceramic Engineering
audacity (motivation) 27
(skill) 44
automatic success 155
character checklist 16
Automobiles (skill) 45
Characters 196
B Character Sheet Helper
background 16, 17 15, 196

Chemical Engineering
(skill) 44
Chemistry (skill) 46
Chicago, IL, USA 199,
243, 246
Chthyra 202
Civil Engineering (skill) 44
Clay (archetype) 24
climax 186, 189, 194
Climbing (skill) 42
Clinging (power) 67
Collecting Evidence (skill)
44
colophon ii
combat 141
Combat (skill) 42
Combination (power) 67
combining attacks 144
Comedy (skill) 43
Committee For The
Advancement Of
Mankind 168
Common Sense
(advantage) 48
Communication (power)
68
complications 16, 31
Computers
(Communication) 68
Computing (skill) 43, 52
Connected (advantage) 50
Conservation Of
Probability (defect)
102
Contents iii
control (motivation) 27
Conversation (skill) 45
coordinating attacks 145
corporations 175
cover 137
Craney, Alvin 234
Creation 14
Creative Commons license
255
Index
Credits ii Draconian 18, 168
Crocolisk 204 Drawing (skill) 43
Cryogenics (skill) 46 DR (damage rating) 153
Culture (skill) 43, 50 Duplication (power) 70
curiosity (motivation) 27
E
D Ecology (skill) 46
damage 152 Electrical Engineering
damage rating 153 (skill) 44
Damaging Aura (power) Elemental (archetype) 24
69 [Element] Form (power)
Dancing (skill) 43 71, 114
Danger Sense (power) 70 [Element] Mastery (power)
Daredevil (advantage) 50 72
darkness 157 Element Mimicry (power)
death 153 73
Death Is Preferable [Element] Resistance
(defect) 83 (power) 73
Deception (skill) 43, 51 Embassy Station 171
defense 149 Emotion Control (power)
Defy Gravity 74
(enhancement) 107 Encrypted (enhancement)
dehydration 157 69
Delayed Depletion Endurance (attribute) 38,
(enhancement) 59 78, 85
delaying a turn 142 enemy (complication) 31
Demolition (skill) 44 energy 170
description 17 Engineered (origin) 20
Detect [Element] (Super Engineering (skill) 44, 52
Senses) 108 enthusiasm (motivation)
de Vries, Jeanette 199 27
Diagnosis (skill) 45 environment 156
Dial R For Random equipment 120
(defect) 60 Equipped (origin) 21
dimensional travel 172 ESP (Super Senses) 108
Dimensional Travel Etheric Travel (Amazing
(Amazing Movement) Movement) 61
61 Etiquette (Social) 46
distracting 146 Exceptional Beauty
Distracting (skill) 42, 43 (advantage) 50
diving for cover 151 experience points 34
dodging 150 expertise 40, 54
Dodging (skill) 42 Exploration (motivation)
Dolphin (archetype) 24 27
259
 Index

Explosive Damage genre conventions 6 Illusory Damage

(enhancement) 65, Geology (skill) 46 (enhancement) 82
90, 106, 117, 152 Giant Robots (skill) 45 Immortality (power) 82
Exposed (defect) 81, 92, Gifted (origin) 21 Immunity (enhancement)
100 glory (motivation) 28 74
exposition 186, 189, 193 Glossary 12 Immunity (power) 84
exposure 157 GM 5 improving your character
exposure, cold (Immunity) GM Resources 165 34
84 GORGON 181, 182 Increased Density (power)
exposure, heat (Immunity) governments 174 85, 114
84 grappling 146 Increased Range
extended tasks 138 Grappling (skill) 42 (enhancement) 118
Extra Attacks (power) 75 Gravitar 19, 248 individualism (motivation)
extraterrestrials 168 Grifter (advantage) 50 28
extreme success 140 Grimknight 210 Infrared Vision (Super
Growth (power) 78, 114 Senses) 108
F gruesome (complication) Inhabit (enhancement) 95
failure 138 31 insecurity (motivation) 29
faith (motivation) 28 guilt (motivation) 28 inspiration 155
falling 157 Gymnastics (skill) 42 Intangibility (power) 87,
falling action 186, 189, 114
194 H integration 193
Fall Of Paragon 3 Hacking (skill) 43 Interrogation (skill) 45
Famous (advantage) 50 Hammer (archetype) 25 Introduction 2
Fashion (skill) 43 Headquarters (advantage) Intuition (advantage) 51
Fields, Anthony 204 50 Investigation (skill) 44, 53
fill in the details 195 Healing (Absorption) 59 Invisibility (power) 88,
fire 158 Healing (power) 80 114
Flight (power) 76 Heavy Machinery (skill) Invulnerability (power)
Foraging (skill) 47 45 85, 88
Force Field (power) 76 helpless 137 Isopterans 168
forcing an action 143 Hiding (skill) 46 It’s All In Your Mind
Forensics (skill) 43 Hill, Wayne 227 (defect) 82
Forgery (skill) 43 history 18
Fukushima Disaster 170 Hold (power) 80, 161 J
Fume Trooper 224 honor (motivation) 28 Jade Moon Society 182
humankind 167 Joint Task Force 2 226
G Hunting (skill) 47 justice (motivation) 29
Gadget (archetype) 25 Hyperacuity (Super Justifiers 167, 171
gaining plot points 154 Senses) 108
Ganyeka 207 K
Gearman, Gerald 240 I Kalos Comics Way, The
genetics 171 idealism (motivation) 28 185, 187
Genetics (skill) 46 Illusion (power) 81 Kalos Universe 2, 165
260
 Index

Kalos Universe Wiki 15, Manticore 179, 218 Moving Target

196 Mass Blindness (enhancement) 107
Karen 7 213 (enhancement) 67 multiverse 166
Karen X 20, 215 Mass Hypnosis Music (skill) 43
Ketsu (Reconciliation) 187 (enhancement) 91
Kickstarter backers 252 Mass Hysteria
N
Ki (Introduction) 187 (enhancement) 75 Nanotechnology (skill) 46
Kishotenketsu 185, 186, Master Plan (advantage) narrative structure 185
190 51 Natural (origin) 18
Korea 221 Master Sin 182, 201, 221 New Orleans, LA, USA
materialism (motivation) 204, 240, 249
L 29 new powers 119
Laboratory 23 183 maxim 6, 136, 138 New York, NY, USA 210,
LaGuardia Airport 184 McCoy, Charlotte 246 218
languages 51 McCoy, Jacob 248 Nexus 21
Lastimar 177 Mechanical Engineering Nexus-McLellan 177
Leadership (skill) 45 (skill) 44 Night Vision (Super
Lee, Tommy 196 Medicine (skill) 45, 52 Senses) 108
Legerdemain (skill) 44, 50 melee weapons 120 Nixon, Richard 184
Lemuria 168, 230 Mental Calculator nobility (motivation) 29
Liefeld radiation 162 (advantage) 51 Noble Glaucus 230
Life Drain (power) 89 mentoring (motivation) 29 non-player character 5
lifts 10 Metallurgy (skill) 46 NPC 5
Lightning Strike Meteorology (skill) 46 Nuclear Engineering (skill)
(advantage) 51 Miasma 21, 224 44
Linguist (advantage) 51
Local History (skill) 43
Mind Blast (power) 90 O
Mind Control (power) 91
Lockpicking (skill) 44 Object Animation (power)
Mind Hold (power) 92
Loophole (enhancement) 93
Mind Link
87 Obvious (defect) 91, 95,
(Communication) 68
Los Angeles, CA, USA 104
Mind Link (enhancement)
227 Oceanology (skill) 46
71
love (motivation) 29 off-road vehicles 124
Mind Shield (power) 93
Lying (skill) 43 Offsite Backup (defect) 83
Minions (advantage) 52
off the scale 11
M Minuteman 242
Open Game License 256
Mirror (archetype) 25
Machine Control (power) opposed tasks 136
Mongoose 22
89 order of play 141
Monolith 227
Machines organizations 174
Moon, The 11
(Communication) 68 origin 16, 18
motivations 16, 26
magic 173 other ranged weapons
Motorcycles (skill) 45
Majestic 12 184 122
Mount Rushmore 3
Manipulation (skill) 45, outsider (complication) 31
movement 131
48, 50, 53 overwhelming 140
261
 Index

P power boost 155

power defects 118
Radio (Communication)
68
Painting (skill) 43 Power Drain (power) 97 Radiology (skill) 46
Paragon 3, 167, 236 power enhancement 117 Radius Effect
Parapsychology (skill) 46 Power Invulnerability (enhancement) 99,
partial cover 151 (power) 97 113, 118
passion (motivation) 29 power level 32 rally 156
pathogens 80, 159 Power Mimicry (power) ramming 148
Pathogens and Poisons 98 Ramming (skill) 42
(enhancement) 80 power modifiers 117 range bands 134
pathogens (Immunity) 84 powers 16, 54 Ranged (enhancement)
Pawn (archetype) 23 power stunt 156 64, 97, 101
PC 4 Power Suppression (power) ranged weapons 121
Penetrating Damage 99 Reason (attribute) 37
(enhancement) 118, Power Theft (power) 100 rebellion (motivation) 30
153 Precognition (Super recent history 167
Perception (attribute) 37 Senses) 108 recovery 153
Perfect Recall (advantage) pressure 162 red herring 138
52 pressure (Immunity) 84 Regeneration (power) 102
Permanent (defect) 87, 88 pride (motivation) 30 Requires A Medium
Permanent (enhancement) Probability Control (defect) 113
65 (power) 101 resolution 186, 190, 194
personality 17 Professor (advantage) 52 responsibility (motivation)
Pharmacology (skill) 45 Programming (skill) 43 30
Phoenix, AZ, USA 234 Project Apex 183 restrained 137
Physics (skill) 46 Project Genesis 183 retcon 156
Pickpocketing (skill) 44 Project Greenback 183 Riding (skill) 42
Piloting (skill) 45, 50 Project Undertow 183 rifles 122
pistols 121 prone 137, 152 rising action 186, 189,
Plant Control (power) 94 protection 153 193
Plants (Communication) protection (motivation) 30 Roads (Communication)
68 protection value 153 68
player character 4 Prowess (attribute) 38 Robotics (skill) 46
plot points 9, 53, 154 Psychology (skill) 46 Rocket (archetype) 25
points 32 PV (protection value) 153 roleplaying game,
poisons 80, 160 definition 4
poisons (Immunity) 84 Q “roleplay” powers 119
Popular Media (skill) 43 Quick Change (advantage) rolling dice 8, 135
Portland, OR, USA 232 52 Rook 22
Possession (power) 95 quid pro quo 138
Postcognition (Super S
Senses) 108 R Sales (skill) 43
posthumans 167 radiation 162 San Francisco, CA, USA
Power (Absorption) 59 radiation (Immunity) 84 196
262

Savant (advantage) 52
Scanner 232
Scarlet Spider 248
Science (skill) 46, 52
Sculpture (skill) 43
Scythian Corporation 178
Searching (skill) 44
Seduction (skill) 45
Seeking (enhancement) 66
serenity (motivation) 30
Serial Immortality (defect)
83
Shadow (archetype) 25
Shadowing (skill) 46
Shapeshifting (power)
103, 114
Sho (Development) 187
Shopway 178
Shran 168
Shrinking (power) 104,
114
Sin Bayan 221
Singing (skill) 43
Sinochem 179
situational awareness 141
skills 16, 39
slamming 148
Slamming (skill) 42
sleep deprivation 163
sleep deprivation
(Immunity) 84
Sleight Of Hand (skill) 44
Sleuth (advantage) 53
smashing 140
Smith Act 168
Sneaking (skill) 46
sobriquet 16
Social (skill) 46, 48, 50
Sociology (skill) 46
space 171
Spacecraft (skill) 45
Space Travel (Amazing
Movement) 61
Specific Power (skill) 42
Spectrum (enhancement)
100
spending plot points 155
Squeezing (enhancement)
106
staggering 141
starvation 164
starvation (Immunity) 84
Stealth (skill) 46, 53
stirring the pot 138
Stones (Communication)
68
story arc plot 186, 188
Stout, Ernest 184
street vehicles 124
Streetwise (skill) 46
Stretching 105
Stretching (power) 105
Strike (power) 106
stunning 153
Submersibles (skill) 45
Subtle (enhancement) 69
subversive organizations
180
Super-jumping (power)
107
supernatural 173
Super-running (power)
107
Super Senses (power) 108
Super-speed (power) 109
Super-swimming (power)
110
Surgery (skill) 45
Surprise Attacks (skill) 42
surprised 137
Survival (skill) 47, 53
sweep attacks 148
Sweep Attacks (skill) 42
Swinging (defect) 76
Sword (archetype) 26
Index
T
Table: Awarding
experience points 34
Table: Benchmarks 10, 11
Table: Difficulty examples
135
Table: Difficulty modifiers
137
Table: Duplication 71
Table: Fire 158
Table: Growth 79
Table: Immortality 83
Table: Increased Density
86
Table: Item speeds 133
Table: Item weights 130,
131
Table: Normal ground
movment 132
Table: Normal jump 133
Table: Normal water
movment 132
Table: Poisons 161
Table: Power
enhancements 117
Table: Power levels 33
Table: Radiation 163
Table: Rank descriptions
33
Table: Regeneration 103
Table: Shrinking 105
Table: Super-speed 109
Table: Taking the average
vs. taking the max
139
Table: Task resolution
probability 8
Table: Task roll bonuses
137
Table: Typical advantages
49
Table: Typical powers 56
263
 Index
Table: Typical skill groups
41
Table: Villainous power
levels 35
Tactics (skill) 47
Tagger 20
taking the average 139
taking the max 139
Tank (archetype) 26
taunting 149
Taunting (skill) 42, 45
Team Player (advantage)
53
technology 169
Telekinesis (power) 110
Telepathy (power) 112
Teleportation (power) 112
Tempest 234
Ten (Twist) 187
Thomas, Kestrel 249
Thornmallow 236
Throwing (skill) 42
throws (50 lbs) 10
Ticktockman 240
time 126
Time Control (power) 113
time travel 172
Time Travel (Amazing
Movement) 61
Timor 3, 167
tools 123
Tracking (skill) 47
traditionalism (motivation)
30
[Transformation] Ray
(power) 114
Tunneling (power) 115
Tyler, Diggory “Diggs”
210
U 213
[Ultra-power] (power) 115
Ultraviolet Vision (Super
Senses) 108
264
unconscious 137
Uncontrollable (defect) 60
X
uncontrolled power X-ray Vision (Super
(complication) 32 Senses) 109
Underwater Combat (skill) Z
42
Zenith (origin) 22
Universal Translator
Zero-G Combat (skill) 42
(Communication) 68
Zero K 249
Unmanned Vehicles (skill)
Zhang, Chloe 179, 218
45
Zhang Qianwei 179, 218
unopposed tasks 135
Zhangsun Telecom 179
Unsettling (advantage) 53
Uproot (enhancement) 94
V
vacuum 164
vacuum (Immunity) 84
vehicles 123
Vehicles (advantage) 53
vengeance (motivation) 30
Ventimiglia 236
Versatile (enhancement)
98, 101
Veteran (advantage) 49
Vibration Sense (Super
Senses) 109
villain expertise 40, 54
villain powers 35
Vulcan 243
Vulnerability
(complication) 32
Vulnerability (defect) 72
W
Watercraft (skill) 45
water vehicles 124
Watson, Hilary 224
Wealthy (advantage) 53
weapons 172
West, Karen Elizabeth
Widow 246
Willpower (attribute) 37
Wily (advantage) 53
265