My Hero Academia: Prime

A Cortex Prime Setting

Cortex Prime is a registered trademark and property of Fandom.

My Hero Academia belongs to Shueisha Comics and Kohei Horikoshi.
General Rules
Here are some general rules mods for MHA Cortex Prime.

Action Based Resolution and Action Order

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

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

Stress and Trauma

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

Physical represents damages to one's person. Reputation represents damage to one's societal
standing. Social represents damages to one's emotional state.

Being taken out Physically refers to succumbing to injuries. Being taken out by Reputation
refers to leaving to save face. Being taken out Socially refers to losing control of your emotions
and no longer being able to meaningfully contribute.

Traits
MHA Cortex Prime uses the following Traits:

Attributes
Your first half of the Prime set are Attributes, as the Prime Set is Attribute + Values.

MHA Cortex Prime uses the following Attributes:

● Physical: Your Physical ability.
● Mental: Your Mental acumen.
● Social: Your Social expertise.
See Cortex Prime Handbook pg 49.
Distinctions
Hero Class Attendees 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.
In addition, you have two slots for SFX per Distinction. These are left blank initially. As a part of
Growth, you can Unlock and define these SFX as part of your further self-definition.
See Cortex Prime Handbook page 50.

Powers and Power Sets

Hero Class Attendees 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
Hero Class Attendees have Specialities. Specialities come in three categories: Expert, Master,
and Grandmaster. 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. Professional Heroes run their own
business and you’re ready for it.
● 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.
● Covert: You’ve got the training and the skills to sneak into, infiltrate, investigate, and
even overthrow other organizations or locations.
● Crime: You have an understanding of the criminal mind. You know how crooks think,
you know the law, and you know all the tricks of the trade.
● Herofan: You know everything about the Hero life from the outside. Who the great
heroes are, where they rank, how to advance, and who to work with.
● Hope: You are an inspiration to others. When you’re around, people feel safe and have
a hope for a better tomorrow. Perhaps you were inspired by All Might or you are just
naturally charismatic.
● Media: Professional Heroes are part celebrity and you embrace that lifestyle. You know
how to work a crowd, work the talk show circuit, and get clicks on your social media
pages. People will know your name.
● Medical: You’ve had medical training at some point. UA offers a variety of subjects and
you took some electives in medical sciences. You are no doctor, but you can render first
aid when needed.
● Menace: You know what scares people. You know 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.
● Psych: You have a gift for understanding human behavior. You can see through people
and either help or influence them easily.
● Science: You know how the world works, how to repair and invent devices, and how
scientific laws answer life’s problems. You’ve studied biology, physics, chemistry, or any
of the other natural or physical sciences.
See the Cortex Handbook page 59 for the Specialities rules and the “No Skills, Just Specialities”
mod.
Values
Everyone wants to become a professional hero for a reason. UA is one of the greatest schools
in Japan. No one passes the entrance exam without a reason. These Dreams are represented
as Values. The Values available for a Hero Class Attendee are:
● Duty: You are here out of a sense of duty. You feel you have an obligation to others, be
it a sense of community or to family tradition.
● Friendship: There is a camaraderie in any High School. You made friends with the
people at UA. Maybe these are the first friends you ever had or maybe this is the first
time you’ve ever felt accepted. Regardless, you’ll do anything to protect them.
● Glory: Professional heroes are celebrities, and they make a good salary. And the
merchandising deals! You want your face on toys, shirts, etc. and want those royalty
checks in your bank account.
● Justice: There is a right and there is a wrong. You want to protect people and do the
right thing, even if it’s only by your own definition.
● Power: Professional Heroes are the strongest people in the world and they command
respect. The strongest hero is All-Might; the entire criminal world fears him and the
entire hero world wants to be him. Chalk yourself in the later category.
Values (or Dreams) are the second half of the Prime Set, as the Prime Set is (Attribute + Value).

See the Cortex Prime Handbook page 60 for rules on Values.

Signature Assets
MHA:Prime uses Signature Assets to represent the unique gear and equipment that characters
acquire as part of their curriculum. Everyone’s hero suit has some gear to make it easier to use
their Quirk. There is an entire curriculum dedicated to students wishing to learn how to make
hero equipment. Students, however, do not start with Signature Assets. While their initial
costumes have some conveniences for their Quirks, it takes time in the field to learn enough
about their Quirk to request additional tech.

Signature Assets have a die rating and quick description of their function. All Signature Assets
start at d6 but can be upgraded over time.

Milestones
Hero Class Attendees have two Milestones related to their character. Hero Class Attendees can
swap these for an Arc Milestone at any time. Every Arc should have five Milestones.

See the Cortex Prime Handbook pg 84 to 85.

Growth
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 Attribute Traits.
● Add a d6 Signature Asset to your hero suit.

You can spend 10 XP to do the following…

● Add a new SFX to a Power Set.
● Step up a d6 power trait by one step.
● Step up a d6 Signature Asset 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.

You can spend 15 XP to do the following…

● Create and unlock a Distinction SFX.
● Step up a d8 power trait by one step.
● Step up a d8 Signature Asset by one step.
● Replace an existing Power Set with a new one of the same value.
● 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.
● Step up a d10 power trait by one step.

Arcs
Games are defined by Arcs. Arcs make up multiple sessions. Arcs are long-form stories that the
Hero Class Attendees participate in. Each Arc will have five Milestones to choose from that a
Hero Class Attendee can swap out for one of their Milestones. Arc Milestones remain until the
end of the Arc and help tie the Hero Class Attendee to the Arc’s story. If a Hero Class
Attendee’s personal Milestones are their long term goals, Arc Milestones are short-term goals
for this story.
Character Generation
When making a new Hero Class Attendee, use the following steps:
1. Assign d10, d8, d6 between your Attributes.
2. Assign d10, d8, d8, d6, d4 to your Values.
3. Create three Distinctions. Unlock Hinder. Leave two slots open for each for further
development.
4. You have 8d8 to spend on powers and specialities.
a. A d8 can be spent to…
i. Add two d6 Powers
ii. Add a d8 Power
iii. Add an Expert Specialty
iv. Add an SFX to a Power Set
b. 2d8 can be spent to…
i. Add a d10 Power
ii. Add a Master Specialty
c. Every Hero Class Attendee must have at least one Power Set, one Power, one
SFX, one Limit per Power Set, and one Speciality.
d. You may add one additional Limit to a Power Set to get an additional d8.
5. Create two Milestones that fit your Hero Class Attendees.

GMPCs
MHA Cortex Prime uses the normal rules for GMPCs found on page 114 to 118 of the Cortex
Prime Handbook. We suggest using common sense rules for determining power sets, SFX, and
Limits. Do not feel you must limit these elements like they were player characters. Some
GMPCs will have these elements and some will not have such elements. Use the values you
feel make the most sense. Due to the nature of Cortex Prime, the GMPCs will not end up too
much stronger than the player characters, as long as you use some common sense.
Sample Character: Izuku Midoriya
Name: Izuku Midoriya
Hero Name: Deku
Class: 1-A
Quirk: One For All; Allows for brief bursts of
superhuman strength at the cost of his physical
well-being.
Backstory: Izuku Midoriya was a Quirkless boy
who idealized professional heroes. His favorite
was All-Might, the world’s greatest hero. Izuku
Midoriya was devastated to find out he was
Quirkless. He never let that stop him from wanting
to be a hero.

Izuku Midoriya dreamed of going to UA despite

being Quirkless. This attitude drew the ire of his
classmate, Bakugo, who bullied him constantly.
Izuku Midoriya endured the bullying and spent his
time studying heroes and their weaknesses.

Izuku Midoriya got his wish to meet All-Might after

a stroke of luck. Through his bravery, Izuku
proved that, even without a Quirk, he was a true
hero.

And then All-Might gave him a Quirk. His Quirk.

One For All.

Izuku spent all summer preparing his body for the

transfer. Transferring Quirks is unheard of and is a
unique property of One For All. After building his
physique up to a reasonable level, Izuku was
given One For All and sent off to the UA Exams.
While Izuku Midoriya failed to earn a single point
fighting the robotic prototype villains, his decision
to save a fellow classmate in the face of
overwhelming odds won him a scholarship into
UA.

He is now training to be the Professional Hero,

Deku.
Attributes Values: Stress: Trauma
Physical: d8 Duty: d8 Physical: Physical:
Mental: d10 Friendship: d8 Reputation: Reputation:
Social: d6 Glory: d4 Social: Social:
Justice: d10
Power: d6

Distinctions:
● A Smiling, Cool, Dependable Hero: That’s What I Wanna Be d8
○ SFX: Hinder. Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction’s d8 for a d4.
○ Unlock:
○ Unlock:
● I Have To Work Harder Than Anyone Else To Make It d8
○ SFX: Hinder. Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction’s d8 for a d4.
○ Unlock:
○ Unlock:
● If My Actions Can Save Any Of Them, Then I Have To Do Something d8
○ SFX: Hinder. Gain a PP when you switch out this distinction’s d8 for a d4.
○ Unlock:
○ Unlock:

Power Set: Quirk: One For All

Superhuman Strength d10
● SFX: Don’t Explode The Egg. Split Superhuman Strength into 2d8 or 3d6.
● SFX: Smash!. Step up or double any One For All power for one roll. If the roll fails, you gain a
complication equal in size to your power die.
● SFX: The Strongest Quirk. Add a d6 to your dice pool for an attack and step down the highest
die in the pool by one. Step up the effect die by one.
● Limit: My Body Isn’t Used To This Quirk. Change any One For All power into a complication
and gain a PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to restore the power.

Specialties
Master Herofan d10
Psych Expert d8

Signature Assets

Milestones
I Am The New Symbol Of Peace
1 XP...when you talk about your difficulties controlling your Quirk.
3 XP...when you first activate the My Body Isn’t Used to This Quirk Limit.
10 XP…when you either remove My Body Isn’t Used To This Quirk Limit because you’ve mastered One
For All or you damage yourself so severely you may never use the Quirk again.
This Is How I Became The World’s Greatest Hero
1 XP...when you talk about your goal of being a great hero.
3 XP...when you first defend another in a scene.
10 XP...when you either realize your goal of becoming a great hero or you give up and resign to
mediocrity.