Giant Corporate Owned Comics Heroic

Roleplaying
An All-Too-Familiar Cortex Prime Superhero Hack

By Kamala Kara A.
https://twitter.com/KamalaKaraA1
https://fngsite.wordpress.com/
Cortex Prime is a registered trademark and property of Fandom
Introduction 3

General Rules 4
Action Order 4
Doom Pool 4
Stress and Trauma 4

Traits 4
Affiliations 4
Distinctions 4
Powers and Power Sets 4
Specialities 5
Stunts and Resource Dice 6
Stunts, Resources, And Push Die 6
Push Die 6
Stunts 7
Resource Dice 7
Milestones 7

Growth 8

Adventures 8

GMCs 9
Extras 9
Standard GMCs 9
Major GMCs 9
Minor GMCs 9
Specialty GMCs 10
Mobs 10
Large Scale Threat 10
Bosses 11
Converting GMCs to PCs 11

Character Creation 12
Balanced and Freeform Character Generation 12

Appendix A: Cosmic Play 13

Appendix B: Rules Options 14

Item Powersets 14
Pooled XP 14
Power Sets As Classes 14
Time Actions 14

1
 Vehicles 15

Appendix C: Random Character Generation 16

Overview 16
Origins 16
Affiliations 17
Primary Power Set 17
Secondary Power Set (If Two) 17
Power Traits 18
SFX And Limits 20
Specialties 21
Distinctions, Milestones, And Finishing Touches 22
Distinctions 22
Milestones 22

2
Introduction
In 2012, the defunct Margeit-Weiss Productions released a superhero roleplaying game based
on the characters of a giant, corporate-owned comic book franchise. The game utilized the
Cortex Plus engine, an iteration on the Cortex Classic system, that primarily used differently
sized polyhedral dice to form their dicepool system. The game was phenomenal and was well-
regarded for its innovative take on Superhero roleplaying games. Most Superhero games focus
on the nitty-gritty of the superhero world, focusing on emulating the physics and logic of super
powers. This title, however, instead emulated comic book logic with mechanics tailored to mimic
the nature of comicbook storytelling.

Unfortunately, the title was canceled after only a couple supplements. Copies can be found
online, but they are becoming increasingly expensive and hard to find. The rarity is at its peak
for the final sourcebook released which came with a few rules tweaks for cosmic level play, as
few units were made and fewer remain.

Giant Corporate Owned Comics Heroic Roleplaying is a “Retroclone” of that defunct gameline.
Retroclones are games made to take advantage of modern day licensing agreements for
generic systems to recreate older, out-of-print games. With the release of the Cortex Prime
Game Handbook, the mechanics for the defunct superhero game are now available in this new
book. This document exists to both inform you of which mechanics to utilize for a game based
on the defunct title, as well as include some mechanics that did not make it into Cortex Prime.
Due to current licensing restrictions, text from the Cortex Prime Game Handbook cannot be
reproduced here so direct referencing is used to guide readers to additional rules.

The goal of retroclones are to emulate a defunct game for game preservation purposes. They
are not to iterate on the original title. There are parts of this game that are a tad clunky, such as
the Affiliation system. However, I did allow myself one change: I used a system from a hack
called “Cortex Prime: Exalted: Blood & Fire” to create a character creation system, a much
requested feature of the original game.

Welcome to Giant Corporate Owned Comics Heroic Roleplaying! We hope you survive the
experience.

3
General Rules
Here are some general rules mods for GCOCHR.

Action Based Resolution and Action Order

GCOCHR uses the Action Based Resolution system and Action Order system for conflicts from
the Cortex Prime Handbook page 24 and page 98.

Doom Pool
GCOCHR uses the Doom Pool mod from the Cortex Prime Handbook page 32 to 33.

Stress and Trauma

GCOCHR uses the Stress and Trauma mod from the Cortex Prime Handbook page 39 to 41.
Use Physical, Mental, and Social as the categories for the Stress and Trauma.

Traits
GCOCHR uses the following Traits.

Affiliations
Superheroes have three Affiliations:
● Solo: The character’s ability to act when alone.
● Buddy: The character’s ability to act when partnered with another character.
● Team: The character’s ability to act when part of a group of three or more characters.
See the Cortex Prime Handbook page 48.

Distinctions
Superheroes have three Distinctions. These are short phrases that define the character and
what makes them unique. They all have the Hinder SFX.
● Hinder: Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction’s d8 for a d4.
See Cortex Prime Handbook page 50. GCOCHR uses Scene Distinctions but only with Hinder
SFX and no location specific assets or SFX. See Cortex Prime Handbook page 116.

4
Powers and Power Sets
Superheroes have Powers and Power Sets, with the associated SFX and Limits. See the Cortex
Prime Handbook page 51 to 52 for the rules. See the Cortex Prime Handbook page 182 to 193
for a list of Powers, SFX, and Limits.

Specialities
Superheroes have Specialities. Specialities come in two categories: Expert or Master. Expert is
either d8 or 2d6. Master is either d10 or 2d8 or 3d6. The list of Specialities are:
● Acrobatic: You’ve had training in leaping, jumping, contorting, and dodging out of the way.
You’ve got a great sense of balance and you’re not afraid of heights.
● Business: You’ve got business acumen and know your way around economics, finances, small
businesses, corporations, and sales. You can talk statistics and spreadsheets, forecasts and
futures.
● Combat: You’re good in a fight and have the training and talent required to act on the offensive
or, if you like, the defensive. Your experience may involve anything from hand-to- hand conflict
with fists and swords to firefights with modern weapons.
● Cosmic: You’ve got knowledge and even experience with other worlds and other races beyond
the stars. You have some sense of what alien cultures exist and the sheer scope of the universe.
● Covert: Whether you’re a spy or a private eye, you’ve got the training and the skills to sneak into,
infiltrate, investigate, and even overthrow other organizations or locations.
● Crime: You have a professional understanding of the criminal mind, either because you are a
criminal yourself, or you hunt them down. You know how crooks think, you know the law, and you
know all the tricks of the trade.
● Medical: You’ve had medical training. You might be an EMT, a nurse, a pharmacist, or an
endocrinologist. Maybe you specialized, or perhaps you focus on general practice. You might
even study ancient or tribal medicine. You know your Rx from your IV.
● Menace: You know what scares people. You’re familiar with how to get others to do what you
want through force, threats, intimidation, and fear. You’re also better able to resist these things
yourself. Contrast it with Psych, which is better for recovery.
● Mystic: You have seen the world in the shadows, beyond the veil of the mundane. Or you’re at
least blessed with a library of occult books and a passport stamped with a lot of strange places.
Note: While you can create fun magical stunts with this Specialty, actual mystic blasts and arcane
summonings should be described with Power Sets.
● Psych: You have a gift for understanding human behavior. You’ve been a counselor, therapist,
researcher, or confidante. You might even be a stand-up comedian or actor. This Specialty is the
opposite of Menace, which draws on fear and negative persuasion.
● Science: You know how the world works, and how scientific laws answer life’s problems. You’ve
studied biology, physics, chemistry, or any of the other natural or physical sciences. For
astrophysics and the mysteries of the cosmos, use the Cosmic Specialty. For alchemy and occult
sciences, use Mystic.
● Tech: You can use, repair, and invent electronic, digital, or mechanical gear. You’re an inventor,
mechanic, beta tester, or hacker. Tech covers a broad range of equipment, from hand-held
computers to deep space rockets. You probably have a specific area of expertise, though if
anything breaks, you can probably fix it.

5
 ● Vehicle: You don’t just know how to drive a car; you were born behind that wheel. You’re an
aircraft pilot, skilled driver, or a talented vehicle operator. It might just be a hobby for you, but you
make it look easy.
See the Cortex Handbook page 59 for the Specialities rules and the “No Skills, Just Specialities”
mod.

Stunts and Resource Dice

Specialties can be used to make Stunts (see Stunts). You may also spend a Plot Point during a
Transition Scene to invoke some kind of beneficial contact or helpful association with GMPC —
including dirty secrets about their past or some observation about their fighting style—by
spending a Plot Point to create a resource die. These work just like the assets you create using
effect dice. For Experts, resource dice start at d6. For Masters, resource dice start at d8. For
Grandmasters, resource dice start at d10. In all cases, they last until the beginning of the next
Transition Scene. You can also introduce a resource during an Action Scene if you activate an
opportunity from the GM, but it still only lasts until the beginning of the next Transition Scene.

Similarly, if you want some kind of gadget, gear, tool, or other trapping that belongs to your field
of Specialty, you can spend a PP to access it as a stunt or as a resource die, as long as the
situation makes that reasonable. The key is knowing how long you want to use it (once if it’s a
stunt, or until the beginning of the next Transition Scene with a resource). Obviously, there are
limits to this, but you can assume those with a Grandmaster level in a Specialty have access to
the top notch resources, Master level in a Specialty have significantly greater resources than
Experts, who in turn have more than ordinary people.

Stunts, Resources, And Push Die

Superhero action is dynamic and exciting, and the game supports this through the use of stunts,
resources, and push dice. These player-created traits increase the chance of success and make
Action Scenes more exciting. Heroes can use them to develop spectacular fighting combos or
work together as a team. They each add to a dice pool before the dice are rolled, much like any
other trait, and they cost Plot Points to create.Assets also add to a die pool, but they’re created
through effect dice as a result of actions. So, you might spend a PP to create a stunt to add to a
dice pool in order to roll an action that creates an asset that can be added to a subsequent roll.

Push Die
Any player can add a d6 to his dice pool just by spending a Plot Point. This is called pushing
your dice pool; while it’s the weakest way to use a Plot Point, it’s often the quickest and most
efficient means of adding dice to your pool. It represents the hero pushing himself, drawing on
his will, or just enjoying a lucky break. The die only gets used once—in the action it’s created to
help out with—and then goes away. It’s much more interesting to create stunts and assets,
though, especially as they start out at more than d6 and have a stronger hook into the story.

6
Stunts
A more powerful use of a Plot Point is to add a stunt die. Super heroes constantly use their
talents in new or different ways, often just for one panel in the comic book. The game calls
these thematic push dice stunts and they start out at d8. The catch is that you have to come up
with some cool description of what your hero’s doing and the stunt must be tied to either a
Power Set or a Specialty your hero has. You can only create one stunt at a time for any given
Power Set or Specialty; once you use it in an action or reaction, it’s gone.

Resource Dice
A resource is a special kind of stunt linked to one of your Specialties and created by spending a
PP during a Transition Scene, much as you would create a stunt die for a Specialty in an Action
Scene. The difference is that a resource starts out as a d6 (for Expert Specialties), d8 (for
Master Specialties), or d10 (for Grandmaster Specialties) and it lasts until the end of the next
Action Scene. Resources represent people you may know through your circle of contacts,
information provided by your connections, or locations you can make use of as a result of your
background in the Specialty. You can unlock stronger and more persistent resources using
Milestones. If you activate an opportunity with a PP, you can create a resource during an Action
Scene that lasts until the end of the Scene you created it in. Otherwise, resources must already
exist for you to add them into a die pool during an Action Scene.

Milestones
Superheroes have two Milestones related to their character. Superheroes can swap these for an
Adventure Milestone at any time. Every Adventure should have five Milestones and at least a
couple of Unlockables. See the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 84 to 85.

7
Growth
Superheroes growth horizontally, not vertically. Superheroes reset to their base stats at the end
of an Adventure. They may keep some specialities, powers, power sets, and distinctions by
swapping them for traits of equal size. XP from Milestones can always be spent as followings,
in addition to Unlockables:

You can spend 5 XP to do the following…

● Replace an existing Distinction with a new one.
● Add or replace a Limit in a Power Set.
● Switch two Affiliation traits.
● Unlock a minor Adventure unlockable.

You can spend 10 XP to do the following…

● Add a new SFX to a Power Set.
● Step up a d6 or d8 power trait by one step.
● Add a new d6 power trait to a Power Set.
● Remove a Limit from a Power Set that has two or more Limits.
● Unlock a major Adventures unlockable.

You can spend 15 XP to do the following…

● Step up a d10 power trait by one step.
● Replace an existing Power Set with a new one.
● Add a new Expert Specialty or upgrade an existing Expert to Master.

You can spend 20XP to do the following…

● Add a new Master Specialty.

Adventures
Games are defined by Adventures. Adventures make up multiple sessions. Adventures are
long-form superhero stories that the superheroes participate in. During Adventures, players can
swap Superheroes freely. Some Superheroes who are integral or extra useful to the plot can be
set as Unlockables. Item power sets and other power sets can also be Unlockable. Superheroes
can advance their stats using Growth. However, at the end of an Adventure, all traits reset to
their original size. However, you can swap out traits for traits of equal size as long as the final
character could be made with the Character Creation rules (see Character Creation).

8
GMCs
GCOCHR games will feature numerous Game Master Characters (GMCs) throughout their run.
These characters will vary from one off Extras, with a single trait, to massive Bosses.

Extras
Extras are the most basic GMCs. They are unimportant, generally nameless, and are handled
with a single d8 Distinction, such as Barkeep d8, Informant d8, or etc. They are generally
resources (see Resource Dice). Rarely, GMCs can make and use them by spending from the
Doom Pool like a PC Resource. See the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 116.

Standard GMCs
Standard GMCs are the most common variety that superheroes will face in their adventures.See
the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 114-116. They come in three varieties.

Major GMCs
The first is a Major GMC, usually an antagonist of the superheroes and created using the same
rules as hero datafiles are created with.

Major GMCs have the following:

● Affiliations of d6, d8, and d10
● Three Distinctions
● One or two Power Sets
● Two or more Specialties

Unlike player characters, you are free to use any system (balanced, freeform, or random) to
make Major GMCs, regardless of how player characters were made or how other Major GMCs
are made. (See Character Creation)

Minor GMCs
The second type is a Minor GMC, usually a secondary villain or hero. Minor GMCs may be
important and significant in general but are not a significant part of the current Adventure being
run. Minor GMCs are the most common characters in Adventures.

They have the following:

● Affiliations of d4, d6, and d8
● Two Distinctions
● May have one or two Power Sets
● May have one or more Specialties

9
Just like Major GMCs, you can use any method to make a Minor GMC, but be sure to scale
down Affiliations appropriately as above. For Balanced, use 10d8s instead of 18d8s for Powers
and Specialities. For Random, scale back three of your Power Trait and Specialty Trait dice by
one step. (See Character Creation)

Specialty GMCs
The third type is a specialty GMCs, also referred to sometimes as a mook, thug, or minion.
Specialty characters are the rank and file, very often nameless or without much more than a
handful of traits. When heroes burst into a room filled with hired heavies, or call on a squad of
agents to help take down Nazis, these are all specialty characters.

Specialty GMCs have the following:

● Affiliations of d4, d6, and d8
● One Specialty at Rookie d6, Expert d8, or Master d10
● May have one or more power traits at d6 or d8, but not Power Sets

Specialty GMCs can only be made with the Freeform method, while adhering to the above
limitations. (See Character Creation)

Mobs
Mobs are generally henchmen, lackeys, and otherwise large groups of nameless, unimportant
antagonists fighting in a large group. Whether something should be a Mob or a single GMC
comes down to their importance to the Scene. A mob of prisoners would almost always be a
mob and not each prisoner. A small group of supervillains can even be a mob if their threat is
just that there are in large numbers and each individual villain is irrelevant, outside a few
standouts. A mob is a Minor GMC (see Minor GMC) but with some changes. Built a mob as
follows:
● Affiliation like a Minor GMC, but 2-3 dice in their Team Affiliation and 1-2 in Buddy
● Two Distinctions
● May have one or two Power Sets (usually one)
● May have one or more Specialties (sometimes none)

Mobs can be taken out by losing all their Team Dice. Mobs can be targeted by the Area Attack
SFX or by multiple effect dice. A Mob with 3d8 Team would need the heroes to deal d10 or
greater stress to it in order to reduce it to 2d8 Team. Once a die is elimi-nated, the stress goes
away and the heroes must deal more. This is why using Area Attack is helpful; you can stress
out entire mobs with multiple effect dice. See the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 117.

10
Large Scale Threat
A Large Scale Threat is a single GMC that acts like a Mob (see Mobs). Large Scale Threats are
dangerous antagonists that aren't major characters, such as a rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex
that the superheroes must stop or some genetic experiment unleashed by an evil scientist to
slow down the heroes. They are still made like Minor Characters with the adjustments for Mobs.
However, a Large Scale Threat has multiple Solo, and possibly Buddy, instead of Team. They
are Taken Out when they lose all their Solo Dice, instead of Team. Large Scale Threats always
have at least one 1d8 Speciality, whereas Mobs can have none. Otherwise, they are made and
act the same as a Mob. See the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 118.

Bosses
A Boss is a Large Scale Threat that is made like a Major GMC instead of a Minor Character. In
other words, you make a Boss by making a Major GMC and giving it multiple Solo and Buddy
Affiliations. Unlike normal Large Scale Threats, you can have as many as four Solo and Three
Buddy. Otherwise, they act the same as any other Large Scale Threat. Bosses are very rare
and should not show up every Adventure. They are more common in Cosmic games. A planet-
eating Cosmic God of Death would be a Boss. A Boss is a major antagonist whose power is on
another level from the superheroes and cannot be overcome without everyone uniting. If a Boss
in the Adventure, the Adventure should be built around them or they should otherwise be a
capstone.

Converting GMCs to PCs

Sometimes an Adventure will allow you to take control of a GMC as an Unlockable. To balance
this out, this will require some conversion. All GMCs require two Milestones be added.

Major GMCs require nothing more than the two Milestones added to them.

Minor GMCs will require their Affiliations stepped up by one. Depending on how PCs are made,
the Power Sets and Specialities may need to be adjusted. Using the Balanced method, the
Minor GMC gets 8d8s extra for Powers and Specialities. For Random, step up three Powers or
Specialties. If Freeform is used, you might want to "buff" the Power Sets and Specialities to be
in line with the other Player Characters.

Specialty GMCs require the most work. It's best to remake the Specialty GMC using normal
Character Creation rules, using the Specialty GMC as inspiration and guidance when making
the new character.

11
Character Creation
Balanced and Freeform Character Generation
When making Characters for GCOCHR, use the following steps:
1. Assign d10, d8, and d6 among your Affiliations
2. Create three Distinctions
3. You can either use Balanced or Freeform system for making Power Sets and
Specialities
○ Freeform allows you to assign powers, power sets, SFX, Limits, and specialities
as you see fit.
○ Balanced is as follows:
i. You have 18d8s to spend between your Power Sets and Specialities.
1. A d8 can be spent to…
a. Add two d6 Powers
b. Add a d8 Power
c. Add an Expert Specialty
d. Add an SFX to a Power Set
e. Add an additional Power Set (max two Power Sets)
2. 2d8 can be spent to…
a. Add a d10 Power
b. Add a Master Specialty
3. 3d8 can be spent to…
a. Add a d12 Power
ii. You may add one additional Limit to a Power Set to get an additional d8.
iii. Every Superhero must have at least one Power Set, one Power, one
SFX, one Limit per Power Set, and one Speciality.
iv. Starting a new Power Set costs a d8, as listed above, to open it empty.
You must then spend another d8 to add a power to it and it must have at
least one power, at least one SFX and at least one Limit. Having more
than one Power Set is beneficial and deserves a cost as a character is
allowed to use a Power Die from each Power Set when making a dice
pool.
4. Create two Milestones that fit your hero.

A group must decide if all player characters will use either Freeform or Balanced for character
generation. You cannot mix and match. If you use Freeform, I suggest using a licensed property
and attempting to adapt the relevant characters. Balance or Structured character creation is
best for keeping a group organized and on the same level. Freeform character creation is
closest to the inspiration for Giant Corporate Owned Comics Heroic Roleplaying, that is now out
of print. It is also easier to make licensed characters with the Freeform method as pre-existing

12
characters are all over the place in terms of powers, abilities, etc. There is one last method for
character creation for those who prefer an old school method to making characters (see below).

13
Appendix A: Cosmic Play
Throughout this document, the rules presented for this hack have been built for Street-Level and
National Play. In comic book terms, the game rules cover small-scale Adventures in a single city
to ones that affect the entire globe. However, there is another scale to superhero action that
these rules have yet to cover: Cosmic play. Cosmic Adventures are Adventures that span the
multitude of the stars. Generally, Cosmic play is the highest tier of power and only the strongest
heroes and villains are involved. Some players in Cosmic Scale games are literal gods and
planet eaters that take entire worlds to band together just to momentarily deter them.

To accommodate Cosmic play, the rules are slightly adjusted:

● Both PCs and GMCs have access to the Grandmaster Specialty. Grandmaster is d12 or
2d10 or 3d8. Grandmaster Specialties are reserved to the greatest practitioners in the
universe. Heroes may be the best in their own world, but Grandmasters are the best
among the stars.
○ You can spend 20XP to do the following…
■ Upgrade an existing Master Specialty to Grandmaster.
● For Balanced Character Creation, Player Characters are made with 24d8 instead of
18d8. Minor GMCs get 14d8 instead of 10d8.
○ In Cosmic Play, PCs can spend 3d8 at Character Creation to...
■ Add a Grandmaster Specialty
● For Random Character Creation, step up six Powers or Specialties. You may step up the
same trait multiple times. For Minor GMCs, step up four Powers or Specialties instead.
● Bosses can step up all their Affiliation dice by one step.

14
Appendix B: Rules Options
The following is a series of optional rules to employ as needed in your game.

Item Powersets
Sometimes, the game will feature powerful items that can be obtained to boost a characters
power. These items will often be Unlockable in the Adventure. These Items are best handled as
a Power Set. You can include Specialties with these Power Sets, if the item bestows some kind
of skill mastery as well. For Freeform, they can be made anyway. In Balanced, they should be
made with 6d8 to 10d8.

Pooled XP
In a game where changing characters is frequent and expected, such as watching a cosmic war
from multiple angles, then it would be best if XP is given to the player, not the individual heroes.

Power Sets As Classes

Not every character in a large Adventure is a major character. Sometimes, in large games,
players may wish to play powerful alien beings involved in a galaxy spanning war. Perhaps they
are just a random member of a galactic police force or soldiers in an alien army. Jumping to
these characters can make it easier to show a large Adventure, especially a Cosmic one, from
all perspectives. To make this quickly, Power Sets can be premade to fit roles in these groups,
such as "Soldier" or "Galactic Patrol." These Power Sets come with Specialties. These are then
given out and players simply give them Affiliations, Distinctions, and Milestones to make their
characters.

Time Actions
The Game Master may spend a doom die of any size to create a Timer complication. This
defaults to d6, but particularly time-crunched situations (as stated in the Action Scene) may start
higher.

Place the Timer in the action order as if it were a Game Master character. Whenever it acts, the
complication automatically steps up to the next die size. If it reaches beyond d12, it immediately
doubles and moves to the doom pool, giving the Game Master the power to end the Scene. The
Timer complication is also included in any Game Master reaction pool where time is a
factor.The heroes can target the Timer complication with tactics that could slow down the Wave.

Examples include setting up drone decoys, using a star’s power to create signal interference,
and so on. Any such attack or effort to reduce the Timer complication may be opposed by a

15
Game Master character in a position to oppose it, with a dice pool that includes the Timer
complication; if nothing else, oppose the heroes with the doom pool plus the Timer complication.

If the hero’s action total is higher, and the effect die is equal to or higher than the Timer
complication, it steps back. Otherwise, it has no effect. As the Game Master, you may spend
from the doom pool to step up the Timer if your reaction effect die is equal to or larger than the
Timer’s current rating. Likewise, Game Master characters that are in a position to help can step
the die up, unless successfully opposed by a hero.The Timer is used in cases where the
oncoming force is so powerful that the complication can never be eliminated from the Scene—it
can only be stepped back to a d4. The Game Master may move the complication back to the
doom pool at any time, if the heroes prove to be too annoying or if they flee.

Vehicles
Generally, Vehicles are handled as setpieces without stats. However, they can be modeled as a
form of Scene Distinction. Alternatively, if the ship is very important to the group, then it can
serve as a Power Set with two Distinctions. The latter works best for games where aerial
dogfights (or space dogfights) are expected. The Power Set can be made any way in Freeform
and should cost 6d8 in Balanced.

16
Appendix C: Random Character Generation
Some players may prefer to let the dice decide how their characters are created. A certain out of
print superhero rpg included this method as a downloadable add-on as a throwback to yet
another out of print superhero rpg. Random Character Generation is closer to Freeform than
Balanced. However, Random Character Generation is fine to include with either method.

Overview
● Roll your Origin (or Origin), which determines the number of Power Sets you have, as
well as additional benefits for that Origin.
● Roll your Affiliations.
● Roll to determine the makeup of your Power Sets; this gives you a spread of diece for
your power traits within those Power Sets.
● For each Power Set, roll the theme of that Power Set.
● For each trait in a Power Set, roll on that theme’s table. Repeat until all power traits are
assigned.
● Assign SFX and Limits to your Power Set(S).
● Name your Power Sets.
● Assign and roll your Specialities.
● Roll and create your Distinction and Milestones.
● Name your new hero.

Origins
Roll 1d12:
1-2: Genetics. One Power Set. Add an additional SFX. After rolling them all, set up one
of the traits in your Power Set. You automatically have a Limit targeting your unique
genetics.
3: Genetics. Two Power Sets. After rolling them all, step up one of your traits in your
primary Power Set. You automatically have a Limit targeting your unique genetics on at
least one of your Power Sets.
4-5: Altered Human. One Power Set. Add an additional SFX. Add an additional power
trait at d8 to your primary Power Set and an additional Experty Specialty.
6: Altered Human. Two Power Sets. Add an additional power trait at d8 to your primary
Power Set and an additional Expert Specialty.
7: Non-Human: One Power Set. Add two additional SFX and an additional Limit.
8: Non-Human: Two Power Sets. Add an additional SFX and an additional Limit to your
primary Power Set.
9-10: Trained Human: One Power Set. Gain two more Specialities, one at Expert, and
one at Master.
11: Trained Human: Two Power Sets. At least one must represent equipment., and
have the Gear or other Limit representing its status. Gain one more Specialty at Master.

17
 12: Roll Twice. Take the higher number of Power Sets offered, re-rolling any duplicate
Origins. Take all other benefits or Limits.

Affiliations
Roll 1d6:
1. Solo d10, Buddy d8, Team d6
2. Solo d10, Team d8, Buddy d6
3. Buddy d10, Solo d8, Team d6
4. Buddy d10, Team d8, Solo d6
5. Team d10, Buddy d8, Solo d6
6. Team d10, Solo d8, Buddy d6

Primary Power Set

Roll 1d12:
1: One Power trait at d10. Add an additional SFX.
2: Two power traits at d8.
3: One Power trait at d10, another at d8.
4: Three power traits at d8.
5-6: One power trait at d10, two at d8.
7-8: Two power traits at d10, one at d8.
9: Two power traits at d10, and two at d8.
10: Two power traits at d10, and three at d8.
11. Three power traits at d10, and two at d8.
12: Roll Twice, gaining the benefits of both.

Secondary Power Set (If Two)

Roll 1d10:
1-3: Two power traits at d8.
4-5: one power trait at d10.
6-7: One power trait at d10, another at d8.
8-9: Two power traits at d10.
10: Roll twice, gaining the benefits of both.

18
Power Traits
For each Power Set, roll 1d10 on the appropriate table for the Origin of the hero (in the case of
multiple Origins, pick between them) to determine the general thematic group of the powers in
that Power Set.
Genetics:
1-4: Common Powers
5-6: Uncommon Powers
7-9: Psychic Powers
10: Mystic Powers
Altered Humans:
1-4: Common Powers
5-7: Uncommon Powers
8: Technological Powers
9: Mystic Powers
10: Psychic Powers
Non-Human:
1-5: Common Powers
6-7: Uncommon Powers
8: Technological Powers
9: Mystic Powers
10: Psychic Powers
Trained Human:
1-4: Common Powers
5-7: Technological Powers
8-9: Mystic Powers
10: Uncommon Powers
Then for each power trait (start with the largest die size first), roll on the corresponding table. If
you roll a power trait you already possess within the same Power Set -- and its not an option
with multiple choices -- roll again on that table.
Roll 1d10 on the corresponding table.
Common Power Table:
1: Attack Powers (Step back the power trait’s die. Choose between Weapon or type of
Energy Blast. This option can be rolled multiple times.)
2: Durability
3: Movement-Based Power (Step back the power trait’s die. Choose between:
Airwalking, Burrowing, Flight, Leaping, Speed, Swimming, or Swingline. This
option can be rolled multiple times.
4: Reflexes
5: Resistance (Choose an Energy type. If you have Elemental Control, you must
choose that same Energy. This option can be rolled multiple times.
6: Senses
7: Stamina
8: Strength
9: Roll on Uncommon Powers for this power trait only.
10: Re-roll on your Origin’s table to the left, re-rolling any Common Powers result, for
this power trait only.

19
Uncommon Powers Table Psychic Powers Table
1: Elemental Control Powers (Step
back the power trait’s die. Choose
from one of the following: Air,
Cosmic, Darkforce, Earth, Electric,
Fire/Heat, Gravity, Ice/Cold, Kinetic,
Light, Magnetic, Sonic, Technology,
Weather, or Water. This option can
be rolled multiple times.)
2: Intangibility
3: Invisibility
4: Mimic
5: Animal Control
6: Plant Control
7: Shapeshifting
8: Size-Changing
9: Stretching
10: Teleport
Mystic Powers Table:
1-2: Sorcery
3: Blast (Choose Energy or another
specific elemental type. This option
can be rolled multiple times.)
4: Elemental Control Powers (Step
back the power trait’s die. Choose
from one of the following: Air,
Cosmic, Darkforce, Earth, Electric,
Fire/Heat, Gravity, Ice/Cold, Kinetic,
Light, Magnetic, Sonic, Technology,
Weather, or Water. This option can
be rolled multiple times.)
5: Movement-Based Power (Choose
from one of the following: Airwalking,
Flight, or Speed. This option can be
rolled multiple times.
6: Senses
7: Teleport
8: Transmutation
9-10: Roll on Uncommon Powers for
this power trait only.
20
1-2: Telepathy
3: Psychic Blast
4: Elemental Control Powers (Step
back the power trait’s die. Choose
from one of the following: Cosmic,
Electric, Fire, Gravity, Ice Kinetic,
Light, Magnetic, or Water. This
option can be rolled multiple times.)
5: Invisibility
6: Mind Control
7: Animal Control
8: Psychic Resistance (Or if you
have Elemental control, choose the
same kind of Resistance as the type
controlled.)
9: Senses
10: Teleport
Technological Powers Table
1: Attack Power (Choose between
Weapon or Blast. If Blast, choose a
specific type. This option can be rolled
multiple times.
2: Durability
3: Invisibility
4: Movement-Based Power (Step
back the power trait’s die. Choose
between: Airwalking, Burrowing,
Flight, Leaping, Speed, Swimming,
or Swingline. This option can be
rolled multiple times.
5: Reflexes
6: Senses
7: Stamina
8: Strength
9-10: Roll on Uncommon Powers for
this power trait only.
SFX And Limits
Each Power Set automatically comes with one SFX and one Limit. These numbers might be
modified by your Origin, Power Set, or other facts.

These are not rolled, since various combinations of power traits may make certain SFX and
Limits unworkable. The following are some suggested SFX by character type:
● Singe Power Set: Unleashed, Versatile
● Many power traits: Focus, Multipower
● Few power traits: Affliction, Constructs, Counterattack
● Genetics: Dangerous, Unleashed
● Altered Human: Absorption, Counterattack
● Trained Human: Focus, Second Wind
● Technological Power Set: Afflict, Area Attack, Boost, Burst
● Psychic Power Set: Constructs, Unleashed
● Mystic Power Set: Constructs, Healing

Limits are also chosen similarly, though some Limits may be required (usually the one relating
to your genetics or Gear.) Some good Limits by character type:
● Genetics: In addition to the one relating to your genetics, Conscious Activation is
common.
● Altered Human: Exhausted.
● Technological Power Set: Gear, Exhausted (as Power Surge).
● Mystic Power Set: Growing Dread, Uncontrollable
● Psychic Power Set: Conscious Activation, Uncontrollable
● Two Power Sets: Mutually Exclusive
● Powerful Heroes: Growing Dread, Uncontrollable

After this, name each of your Power Sets.

21
Specialties
Roll 1d10:
1-2: Two Expert Specialties
3-4: One Expert Specialty, and One Master Specialty
5-6: Two Expert Specialties and One Master specialty
7-8: Three Expert Specialties
9-10: Three Expert Specialties and One Master Specialty
Plus any bonuses granted for origins.

Before rolling to determining your Specialties are, you may assign some Specialties
automatically:
● If you have Mystic Powers, you must take the Mystic, Cosmic, or both Specialties.
● If you have Psychic Powers, you must take the Psych, Menace, or both Specialties
● If you have Technological Powers, you must take the Science, Tech, or both
Specialties.
● If you have any Uncommon Powers, you may take the Cosmic Specialty.
● You may take the Combat Specialty regardless of Powers.

You choose if the above assigned Specialties are Expert or Master (if available). Then for each
other Specialty available, roll on the following table. Choose whether it's going to be for your
Expert or Master Specialty before rolling. Re-roll any duplicates.

Roll 1d10
1. Acrobatic
2. Business
3. Covert
4. Crime
5. Medical
6. Menace
7. Psych
8. Science
9. Tech
10. Vehicle

22
Distinctions, Milestones, And Finishing Touches
By this point, you should have an idea of who your character is. The last two steps are to drive
home that concept, therefore they are less random.

Distinctions
Round out your character by choosing three Distinctions. Roll on the following table to get a
category for each Distinction. It’s OK to have multiple of the same category.

Roll 1d6:
1. Personality Trait: Natural Leader, Quick To Anger, Uncompromising, etc.
2. Outlook to Reputation: Hardeaded Futurist, Misunderstood Menace, Never Grows
Up, etc.
3. History/Backstory: Criminal Past, Mysterious Destiny, Texas Farmboy, etc.
4. Catchphrase or Title: Defender of Justice, “I Don’t Believe In No Win Scenarios”,
“SMASH!”, etc.
5. Notable Features: Alluring, Cutting Edge Tech, World Class Intellect, etc.
6. Profession: Ace Reporter, Billionaire Playboy, Russian Superspy, etc.
You’ll want to customize the Distinction to your Hero.

Milestones
Your hero starts with two Milestones. To determine what kind they are, roll on the table below.
It’s OK to have multiple of the same category.

Roll 1d10:
1-2: Affiliation Milestone: Choose your highest or lowest Affiliation die and create a
Milestone based on that. For example, someone with a Team d10 might take a
Milestone about keeping his team together. Someone with a Team d6 might take a
Milestone about resisting joining a team.
3-4: Origin Milestone: Create a Milestone based on your Origin. For example, a genetic
mutation could involve being a self-hating individual. A Trained Human might make
Milestone based on keeping up with the superpowered beings on the team.
5-6: Power Milestone: Create a Milestone that relates to one of your Power Sets. A
hero with a Mystical Power Set might make a Milestone about mastering the arcane arts.
A hero with Uncontrollable Powers might make a Milestone about keeping those powers
under control.
7-8: Distinction Milestone: Create a Milestone that is related to one of your
Distinctions. These include personal Milestones like succumbing to an addiction, or
having the past come back to haunt your hero.
9-10: Specialty Milestone: Create a Milestone that relates to one of your Specialties,
particularly if you have a Master-level Specialty. A dedicated doctor with Medical Master
who is attempting to cure a dangerous disease might make this kind of Milestone.

23
Finally, decide if your hero has a public or private identity, and give your superhero a name.

24
This awesome character sheet is by Angile, maker of Mythikal. You can download the PDF at
this link.

25