Heroes Arise
Ad Closes: 30 August 2012
Estimated Players Requested: 2 - 5
Posting Expectations: Roughly speaking, I'm looking daily. Give or take. I know life happens sometimes, but daily is what we're shooting for.
This is not the Marvel Universe you know. I am Uatu, known as a Watcher, and it is my duty to observe and record all that happens, but never to use my vast powers to interfere.
This universe is greatly different than what you are accustomed to. Even before things went horribly wrong, many of the superheroes you knew did not exist as you knew them. Steve Rogers, like so many others, did not survive Project: Rebirth. Tony Stark never overcame his alcohol addiction and died due to alcohol poisoning and liver failure. Bruce Banner was not at a gamma bomb test site on that fateful day to save Rick Jones. Peter Parker was met with many complications after the Secret War, but in this dimension he did not ultimately overcome them. The Fantastic Four are decidedly less fantastic.
Things, sadly, get worse from there. The end started with a simple idea. A villain known as The Hood had the simple idea to bring a variety of supercriminals together in something of a thieve's guild, run like a business, operated as a meritocracy, with the intent to make everyone involved very, very rich. It was a revolutionary idea to apply a business model to superpowered crime. A number of other spervillains took note. The Guild was very successful, and it was only a matter of time before a group of the biggest names in crime banded together in something of an Illuminati-like grouping. From there, they started looking at numbers. It became obvious that those who would be classified as supervillains outnumbered the superheroes by over 10:1 odds. Scheming continued, plans developed, and in one night it all came to fruition. That night, evil won.
With no warning, superpowered criminals outright attacked this world's heroes. Some heroes didn't even have time to react as they were completely blindsided. A villain known as Nitro killed over three dozen New Mutants in Westchester singlehandedly. Other heroes were much harder to defeat. Thor was attacked in the Pacific Northwest, and the battle raged for days. At one point, it seemed as if Thor might prevail, until more villains -- who had completed their targets already -- began teleporting in. Mjolnir still rests in a crater in Mt. Saint Helens, as no one has been able to move it since the Norse God of Thunder fell. Hank Pym, known as Giant Man, fell in the midwest; his sixty foot skeleton is now the only bit of shade in a charred and burned out countryside. In New York City, at the Avenger's Tower, many heroes lay dead. The Scarlet Witch began to utter a comment, powered by her wild and chaotic hex abilities, which were whipped into overdrive from rage and grief.
"No more Super--"
It could be theorized she intended to say Supervillains, although we will never know for certain. A throwing blade from one known as Marksman pierced her throat, leaving her to drown in her own blood. At that moment, powers of chaos circled the planet, and many, many beings with superpowers were rendered powerless in a mere moment.
As you can see, the fates have not been kind to Superheroes in this Universe.
Some people, both heroes and villains, slipped through the cracks of the Scarlet Witch's decree. Many went into hiding, as much of the world realized just how much easier life was without rampaging monsters and battles destroying half of a city. Sentinels, as designed by one Reed Richards, patrol major US cities. The function as police, firefighters, and EMTs rolled into one. They also are programmed to detain anyone displaying super powers. These Sentinels have replaced human law enforcement and emergency services, much to the delight of citizens everywhere.
That was ten years ago. Since then, there have been surprisingly no new superpowered individuals brought into existence. Lab accidents and the mutant x gene have not been seen since then. However, it is now 2025, and it is starting to happen. A mutant was born just last year at Sacred Heart out in California. There was a chemical spill earlier this month. An experimental particle accelerator suffered a massive power surge earlier this year.
Superpowered individuals are returning.
These are their stories.
System: Marvel Superheroes Advanced Game RPG (from back in 1986)
Sources: Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Powers Book
Player's Handbook and Ultimate Powers Book are all you need.
Character creation will be done by the book using random rolls.
That said, there will be house rules pertaining to creation, to allow players to have some character tailoring options.
Use the Ultimate Powers Book. Follow the steps.
Physical Forms -- roll twice, pick whichever roll you prefer. If you get a duplicate roll, discard the second roll and re-roll.
-- On the Physical Forms table, if you roll 90 - 100 discard the roll and roll again.
Origin of Power -- Do not roll this.
I would rather you choose how you got your power, based on your physical form. It's your backstory, make it interesting and have fun with it. Most importantly, make it yours.
Primary and Secondary Abilities -- There are a number of houserules here.
(You may refer to the Player's Handbook as needed, as it does a better job explaining the Primary and Secondary abilities.)
-- Please note, your Physical Form dictates what table (1 - 5) you roll on for your Primary Abilities.
-- There are seven Primary Abilities (FASE RIP). Roll eight times. I will allow players to assign their stats where they choose. Discard the unused stat roll.
-- Any roll of a natural 100 carries a +1 column shift with it, to a maximum of Unearthly.
-- Everyone gets one roll on the Ability Modifier Table (Player's Handbook). They may choose which Primary Ability to apply the results of the roll to. (No Primary Ability can be reduced below Feeble or above Unearthly.)
-- Factor your Secondary Abilities.
-- It is required that all characters take the "Secret Identity" option.
-- All other Secondary Abilities are factored normally.
Weakness Generation -- Straightforward enough. There are three sections -- Stimulus, Effect, and Duration.
-- For Effect and Duration, discard and re-roll any roll of 91-100.
Please roll for number of powers, number of contacts, and number of talents on the "Powers, Contacts, and Talents Table" in the Player's Handbook, p. 7.
-- Defining Powers is handled in the Ultimate Powers Book. Follow the charts. Remember, you only get a number of powers equal to your Initial Powers rating (or higher if you payed Resource Ranks.) You may roll one additional power, and choose the powers you want out of what you rolled. Please note Optional Powers if you so choose.
-- You may add +1 column shift to a single power of your choice. No power may be raised above Unearthly in this manner.
-- You may sacrifice a rolled power to grant a +1 column shift to another power. No power can be raised above Unearthly in this manner.
-- I will allow a single power stunt to have been learned for one of your character's powers. You can take one as listed in the book if there are examples, or you can make one up and discuss it with me.
-- Power Limitations are an option. Contact me with questions.
Talents are handled in the Player's Handbook.
Lastly, you may reassign your Primary Abilities in light of the Powers you received.
(If you wanted an energy blaster with high Agility to hit and dodge, but rolled armor, claws, and a healing factor, you can reassign your numbers to have a higher Fighting. Don't forget to adjust Health, Karma, etc. as needed due to changes.)
Please "show your work." Show me where you add your extra column shift. Show me what power you discard to increase another. And so on.
I also would like the following:
Predicted Post Rate: 1/day, 5/week, 3/week, etc.
Name:
Appearance: 2+ paragraphs.
History/Backstory: 5+ paragraphs. (Include personal history as well as origin story.)
Personality: 3+ paragraphs.
Goals/Motivation: 2+ paragraphs
I have a basic sheet outline in the forums.
It should be noted that for this game, I expect players to work together. I also expect them to be a team of heroes. Karma penalties for killing will be in effect. I fully understand Lawful Good does not mean Lawful Nice. I agree wholeheartedly. That said, I will not have a Punisher Squad. You can be edgy. You can use a means to an end. You cannot execute every purse snatcher or blow up a grade school to take out the villain hiding inside.
This game will not always be lighthearted. This game will not always be overly serious. But my intent is that this game will always be entertaining.
