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What Is This Amazing Thing!?
Badass Kung Fu Demigods is a high-powered action RPG meant to deliver high-octane, earth-shattering and
off-the-wall (or through the wall) mayhem and epic adventure. The system is a fusion of my favorite concepts
and mechanics, such as...

· Freeform, player-defined traits.

· Using all my different funny dice.
· Exploding dice to give open-ended results.
· Over the top power levels.
· A swift and simple combat system.

More generally, it’s a game meant to emulate the sort of crazy, escalating level of power you see in martial arts
anime, Bollywood action movies and epic mythology. The system is designed for high-powered gaming:
characters who can crush mountains or demolish cities right out of the gate.

What Is An RPG?
Honestly, I’m sure if you’re reading this then you already know what an RPG is. If somehow you’ve stumbled
upon this game as your very first RPG, just check Wikipedia.
In comparison to other RPGs Badass Kung Fu Demigods is fairly traditional: one person will take the role of
the Game Master (or GM) who is largely responsible for creating the game world and playing the role of its
inhabitants. Everyone else takes the role of one of the titular Badass Kung Fu Demigods who will be wrecking
the place in very short order.

What is a Badass Kung Fu Demigod?

Badass Kung Fu Demigods (or BAKFDGs for short) are the players and those like them. The name is a kind of
stand-in as the true nature of your character will depend on the setting of the game. Your BAKFDG won’t
necessarily practice martial arts or bear any relationship with mythical beings (although they will most assured-
ly be badass). It’s simply meant to be a fun name to evoke the sort game you can expect from this book.
There is no “built-in” setting for Badass Kung Fu Demigods (although several appropriate “micro-settings” are
provided at the back of the book). In one game your character might be an avenging cybernetic angel, an alien
martial artist or the child of a cosmic dragon-god. Before the game starts you, your GM and your fellow players
should talk about the sort of game you’re planning on and come to an agreement on exactly what it means to be
a Badass Kung Fu Demigod.

What Will I Need to Play?

The usual: writing materials (or suitable digital replacements) and a decent collection of dice (from d4 to d12).
Things will go best if there’s at least two (and preferably more) of each die type. There’s no need for mats or
graph paper, but some blank sheets of paper to sketch or scribble on never hurt.
Everyone should have something to help them track their Energy level (you’ll find out more about Energy
later) which usually ranges from 1-10, so an easy solution is for everyone to have a spare d10 which can be used
to display your current Energy Points. Since your supply of Energy will shift from round to round you can also
use alternatives like marked poker chips or bits of paper (which can be flipped to show points spent or restored)
or tokens that can be taken in and out of something like a bowl or box as Energy gets used. None of this is strictly
necessary but it saves a lot of marking and erasing.

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Important Terms And Ideas
Before we get started on the nuts and bolts of the system here’s a quick, rules-free run-down of some of the basic
ideas which will start to get thrown around in the following chapters. This won’t cover every single Capitalized
Word in the game, but it should give you a preview of the most important ones.

· Badass Kung Fu Demigods: The RPG you’re reading right now! It’s also the catch-all term for “whatever
the hell the PCs are.” All BAKFDGs (whether they are players or not) share the ability to “power up” to
ever-increasing levels of raw power, giving them nigh-limitless strength, endurance and destructive ability.

· Clashes: A Clash is an extended conflict between several characters, typically a battle. During a Clash you
and your opponents will take turns attempting to inflict damage to one another until someone is KO’d and
taken out of the Clash. In addition to straightforward combat, a Clash can also be used for more abstract
situations such as social struggles or large-scale conflicts.

· Energy: Energy is a generic term for whatever fuels your special abilities and powers, measured in EP (short
for Energy Points). Energy is a limitless resource and your pool of EP will regenerate itself by the start of
your next action, although some persistent abilities will temporarily decrease your EP pool.

· Engagement: Characters are considered Engaged when they are locked in battle with one another, close
enough to easily trade blows back and forth. It’s possible to Engage multiple opponents at once, but all
Engagements are one-vs-one or one-vs-many, you can’t have multiple people on both sides.

· Obstacle: An Obstacle is something that could prevent you from accomplishing a goal. It might be an
inanimate object, a distracting opponent or a watchful guard. Even abstract complications like ignorance or
a lack of time could be considered an Obstacle. When faced with an Obstacle you must beat the GM in an
opposed roll to defeat or evade the Obstacle and accomplish your goal.

· Power Level: One of the most important concepts in the game. Your Power Level is a rating that represents
just how superhuman you are. Most NPCs have a set Power Level that won’t change, but BAKFDG’s are
able to increase or decrease their Power Level in order to become stronger and stronger, with each Power
Level boosting your abilities by several orders of magnitude.

· Powers: Powers are individual tricks or special abilities, fueled by your Energy. All BAKFDG and most
superhuman NPCs have access to a selection of Universal Powers based on their current Power Level but
you can also learn more unique Signature Powers or devastating Trump moves that are more distinctive.

· Strike: When making a roll you earn a Strike if your roll is 5 higher than your opponent’s, an extra Strike at
10 or more, three at 15 or more and so on. Strikes can be spent to get bonus dice, penalize an opponent, inflict
extra damage on an attack or make a Declaration to seize narrative control of the scene.

· Traits: Traits are the basic building blocks of your character (and every other character as well). A Trait is a
positive attribute, a skill, ability, possession or relationship which can potentially help you out against an
opponent or Obstacle. Traits are “rated” by a die-type (d6, d8, d10 and d12) and are supported by Knacks,
specialized bonuses that boost your Traits in particular circumstances.

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Before You Get Started
The first chapter on the next page will introduce you to the rules you’ll need to know to play Badass Kung Fu
Demigods. If you want to get right into the mechanics feel free to skip ahead. However, before you actually start
playing there’s a few basic things that need to be hammered out.
Badass Kung Fu Demigods is intended as a toolkit for playing high-powered characters, but that means there’s
no default setting or character types. Now you and your group might already have something in mind already,
if so you can feel free to jump right on in. If you’re not certain (especially if you’re not familiar with the game’s
take on high-powered play) then there are a few questions that should be answered. Maybe your GM will have
gone through all this already and will have answers ready or maybe your group will sit down together and hash
things out democratically. Whatever floats your boat.
If you’d like to get started immediately or just need some inspiration there is a collection of pre-made
“micro-settings” in the back of the book. These showcase the variety of possible Badass Kung Fu Demigods
settings and themes.

What Are Badass Kung Fu Demigods?

So, just what will you be playing? The only real assumption is that you will be entities of extraordinary power,
but beyond that nothing is pre-determined. In some games all players will be of the same “type” (maybe all PCs
are supernaturally proficient martial artists or are living fragments of a dead god’s consciousness) but others
might be more kitchen-sinky, with the option to come up with your own explanation for your ridiculous power.

What Is Your World Like?

Just like the players themselves, there are no built-in assumptions about the setting. It’s important to keep in
mind that high-powered battles can be dangerous to nearby bystanders or (at higher levels) buildings. This
means that a more “modern” setting is likely to make it harder for heroic characters to go all-out without
consequences (compared to settings with large amounts of convenient wilderness). You should also consider
how common Badass Kung Fu Demigods are (or their peers) in the world.

What Can’t You Do?

With this much power at your disposal, your limitations often define you more than your special abilities.
Although we’ll go into more detail in Chapter 4 (pg 41, Limiters), there are three general styles to consider:
● Unfettered: Playing with no Limiters at all means that Badass Kung Fu Demigods have almost nothing to fear
except one another, and the consequences of their own power. In many cases the only thing that holds you
back will be your own sense of self-restraint (usually to prevent mass destruction or the death of innocent
bystanders). In these cases the most significant opponents are those who do not present purely physical
challenges. With limitless strength the greatest foe is one you cannot defeat by punching.
● Bound: In many cases you may be saddled with one or more Limiters which prevent you from accessing
your full power in some situations (or inflict consequences for drawing on your strength). Depending on the
setting and the nature of your Limiter, even battles against significantly weaker opponents can be deadly.
● Cultivation: This version of Badass Kung Fu Demigods resembles more traditional styles of RPG, where
characters start off weaker and can gradually unlock higher Power Levels with training or experience. The
name for this style is based on Chinese xianxia (“immortal hero”) fiction and bear a strong resemblance to
popular anime or manga (especially of the shonen style). Rules for a cultivation-style game can be found on
page 40.

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 Part 1: The Basics
Lets start off with the rules for playing the game. Every character in this game uses these core rules to resolve
conflicts or handle difficult tasks: human, giant robot, flying tank, undead dragon or Badass Kung Fu Demigod.
Just about anything can be represented as a character from a single soldier to an entire opposing army, a buggy
computer system or an ocean full of mutated piranha.

Traits
A Trait is a helpful ability or attribute and it is the basic building block of all characters in the game. Each Trait
has a rating which represents how powerful or intense the Trait is in comparison to other Traits, indicated by a
die-type (ranging from d6 to d12). The Trait’s rating indicates the type of dice you roll when you’re trying to
accomplish anything related to the Trait. Whenever you take an action without a relevant Trait you just roll a
d4. Below is an example of the different Trait ratings, from the perspective of an ordinary human.

· Average [d4]: Everyday and boring, without any relevant Trait.

· Exceptional [d6]: A trained or talented level of skill for most people. Most professionals.
· Extraordinary [d8]: Top 1% in the world. The equivalent of a genius or champion.
· Incredible [d10]: Unbelievable ability, most people assume there must be some kind of trick.
· Epic [d12]: There is no one in the world better than you are.

Your Traits are not drawn from a set list of abilities or attributes. Instead you create each Trait yourself, coming
up with a word or a short phrase that sums up the scope of the Trait. The GM will do the same when coming up
with Traits for NPCs. For some guidelines on choosing Traits as well as several example Traits see pg 14 in the
character creation chapter.

Using Traits
When you’re trying to accomplish something where a roll is required pick one of your Traits that would apply
in the situation. If you have more than one Trait which might apply then simply pick the highest rated (you can’t
combine multiple Traits together). In most cases it should be obvious whether or not a Trait applies but if there’s
any doubt the GM is the final arbiter of whether or not an action falls under the Trait’s scope.

Example: Alexa is faced with the barred gates of a bandit stronghold. There are several ways this could be dealt with
but Alexa wants to simply smash them down. Fortunately she has the Trait Tower Of Muscle [d8] which fits her
needs perfectly.

When you need to make a roll take two dice that match the Trait (2d4 if none of your Traits apply) and roll them,
keeping the highest of the two rolls and discarding the other. All dice rolls are open-ended, “exploding” when
you roll the highest possible result on the die (4 on a d4, 6 on a d6, etc). When a die explodes roll it again and
add the new roll to the original, this can happen several times in a row, getting higher and higher results.

Example: Alexa rolls 2d8 (for her Tower Of Muscle [d8] Trait) and gets a 5 and an 8. The 8 “explodes” so she rolls
again, getting a 2, bringing it t a total of 10. The 10 is obviously the highest so she keeps it as her final roll result.

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All Trait rolls are opposed by someone else’s rolls. If you are in conflict with another character they will use one
of their Traits. If you are dealing with an more general obstacle or problem the GM will assign it a rating based
on how difficult it is to overcome (see Obstacles on pg 5). If your roll result is higher then you’ve succeeded at
your roll (the results will depend on what exactly you’re trying to do). If you beat your opponent’s roll by 5
points then you’ve scored a Strike, an exceptional success, on the roll. You score another Strike for every 5
additional points you score on the roll (two Strikes for beating the roll by 10, three at 15 and so on). Strikes can
be used in a variety of ways depending on what you’re doing.

Example: The GM decides to assign the gates a rating of [d6] and rolls 2d6 to see if Alexa manages to break them,
getting a 2 and a 5. Obviously Alexa comes out on top, bursting through the gates in a single mighty surge. In
addition, her roll of 10 beat the GM’s roll by 5, scoring Alexa a Strike.

Bonuses and Penalties

Naturally, some situations will make rolls easier or harder. Bonuses and penalties work by adding or subtracting
dice from your roll. So a 2-die bonus means you would roll 4 Trait dice and a 1-die penalty means you only get
to roll a single Trait die. Regardless of the number of dice being rolled you can only keep the highest individual
roll as your final roll result.
If penalties ever take you to zero or less dice then you can still try for the “Hail Mary” roll: roll a single d4
and see how high you can manage.
NOTE TO THE GM- Keep in mind a character’s current Power Level when applying circumstantial or
environmental penalties. A character at Heroic Power Level might have some difficulty fighting or shooting in
a raging storm, but such trivial problems would be easily ignored at Awakened or Extreme Power Level.

Example: Maxine charges through the gate, hurling a spinning chunk of wood into the midst of the bandits on the
other side. She has earned a bonus from her previous Strike which means she rolls 3d8 (still using Tower Of
Muscle [d8]). She gets a 4, a 5 and a 7. She discards the 4 and the 5, taking the 7 as her result.

Some kind of picture goes here

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Obstacles
An Obstacle is the most basic form of opposition you’ll face. An Obstacle is a simple challenge or problem that
can be resolved with just a single roll. An Obstacle might be an object, a person, a situation or even something
more abstract like ignorance or a lack of time.
Because Obstacles are so simple they are resolved using a basic “pass/fail” system: you sneak past the guard
or they spot you, you break down the wall or it holds strong, etc.

Obstacle Difficulty
Like Traits Obstacles are assigned a die-type (from d4 to d12) to represent how difficult they are to overcome. If
another character is acting as an Obstacle then their highest relevant Trait will be used. However, some
Obstacles represent environmental challenges, a difficult situation or an inanimate object and in these cases the
GM will assign a die-type based on the difficulty of the Obstacle.
GM’s Note- If the player is in a situation where they can simply attempt to overcome an Obstacle over and
over again, just go ahead and let them overcome it. There’s no need to waste time rolling over and over unless
there’s something on the line.

Overcoming Obstacles
Once an Obstacle’s difficulty is set then it’s time to roll. If your roll result is higher than the Obstacle’s then
you’ve successfully overcome it. The question is answered, the wall is shattered or the guards are evaded. If the
Obstacle’s roll is higher then you’ve failed to overcome it. The answer evades you, the wall holds firm or the
alarm is sounded.

Example: Jason Pierce is trying to sneak onto a secure military base. The GM could potentially play this out as a
series of Obstacles as Jason evades guards, disables alarms and slips by cameras...but this isn’t a terribly important
scene so it’s decided that this will be handled as a single roll and the GM decides that the base’s security amounts
to a [d8] Obstacle. Jason has the Trait “Breaking And Entering [d6]”. Jason rolls 2d6 and gets a 1 and a 4 while
the GM rolls 2d8 getting a 5 and a 7. Since Jason has failed to overcome the Obstacle he’s detected and the base goes
on high alert to expel the intruder.

You can score Strikes when overcoming an Obstacle (see Strikes on the next page) and if your opponent is
another character they can score Strikes if they defeat you. However, if your opponent is a passive problem or
complication the GM doesn’t earn any Strikes (except in the case of Hazards, below).

Hazards
A Hazard is a special type of Obstacle that could potentially injure you (an explosion, long fall or wall of flames).
If you overcome a Hazard you’ve managed to avoid any harm (and can potentially score Strikes like normal)
but if the GM beats your roll then you suffer a point of damage (see pg 9), plus an additional point of damage
for each Strike the GM scores (Strikes from Hazards can only be used for damage).

Example: Jason is now fleeing the base under heavy fire. Rather than rolling a whole bunch of individual attacks the
GM decides the hail of gunfire should be treated as a [d10] Hazard. Jason rolls his Incredible Speed [d10] Trait
getting a 2 and a 4 while the GM gets a 2 and a 3. Jason manages to escape unscathed.

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Scoring Strikes
When you achieve exceptional success on a roll (beating your opposing roll by 5 or more) you can score one
or more Strikes. A Strike represents an edge, a lucky break or a crafty maneuver you can use to take advantage
of your success. When you score a Strike you must immediately choose how it will be used, based on the type
of roll you’re making. You can choose to “split up” multiple Strikes among different options, for instance if
you score two Strikes on an attack you can choose to spend one to inflict an extra point of damage and another
to make a Declaration.
When you earn a Strike on a roll (even a passive roll like defending against an attack) you can spend them
in any of the following ways.

· Boost: Earn a 1-die bonus on your next roll in this Scene.

· Push: Inflict a 1-die penalty to your opponent’s next roll.
· Damage: If you are Engaged, you can inflict a point of Damage to your opponent.
· Declarations: Make a Declaration about the Scene (see below).

In some games or situations there might be options to use Strikes in different ways and certain Signature
Powers (see pg 31) require that you spend a Strike in order to activate them.

Declarations
One of the primary uses of Strikes is to make a Declaration. Declarations allow you to establish or create new
facts about your situation. For instance, you can spend a Strike on an opponent to Declare that your attack
disarms them or that you have pinned them to the wall with your sword. Removing or canceling a Declaration
requires overcoming an appropriate Obstacle or using a Strike to “unmake” the Declaration (snatching your
sword from the ground, tearing yourself free, etc.).

Example: The AEGIS agent, codename Snowflame, is trying to subdue a rogue esper with enhanced speed. After
making an exceptional defensive roll with his “Cryokinetic [d8]” Trait he beats the Esper by 8, scoring a Strike.
He uses it to make a Declaration to freeze the psychic criminal’s feet to the ground, preventing him from dashing
away or dodging until he frees himself.

It’s important to realize that while Declarations are a great way to limit or screw with opponents they cannot
be used to completely shut down an opponent (unless they’re already KO’d or are Extras). Sealing or limiting
a Trait or two is fine but doing something like paralyzing an opponent or trapping them in crystal or whatever
is not allowed (without specific Powers like Ice Prison, pg 32). Likewise, Declarations must be temporary,
something that an opponent could recover from with a Declaration of their own. Disarming an opponent is
fine…cutting their arms off isn’t (unless the enemy has extraordinary regenerative abilities).
Outside of Clashes, Declarations are often used to establish plausible, helpful facts about the situation or
environment. For instance, if you score a Strike when hacking the electronic doors in a mega-corp you could
use it to Declare you get access to the security cameras or clean out other authorized users. The GM will be the
final arbiter of whether or not a Declaration is reasonable or possible.

Example: While using her Streetwise [d6] Trait to search for information on the notorious Barracuda Sisters,
Harriet manages a 12 vs the GM’s 4. She learns some important info from the roll and asks the GM to use it set
up a run in with some of the gang members, figuring they’ll be easy to beat and can lead her to their hideout.

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Clashes
A Clash is a battle or struggle between two or more opponents which can’t be resolved with a single roll. Not all
Clashes necessarily involve violence (see the sidebar for a Clash of Wills on the next page), but what’s important
is that it should involve high stakes and be interesting to play out “long form” (as opposed to the quick and dirty
resolution of Obstacles).

Example: The rebel kung fu heroes Iron Phoenix and Walking Tower have decided that enough is enough and are
assaulting the imperial palace personally, planning to overthrow the Thousand Year Emperor. They have already
wiped out the ordinary troops stationed outside of the palace and with two sharp blows Walking Tower shatters the
gates. On the steps of the palace are the five members of the Black Hand, the Emperor’s elite enforcers.

Seizing Initiative
When a Clash begins the first step is to determine the order in which everyone should act. If one side starts the
fight with a sucker-punch, ambush or similar out of the blue action they’ll act first automatically. Otherwise
everyone in the Clash should pick an appropriate Trait (usually related to speed, reflexes or foresight) and make
a roll. Everyone acts in order of the result, from highest to lowest. Ties go to PCs and ties between PCs can be
resolved by any method you wish (R-P-S, comparing the lower die, height contests, etc). Only the character with
the highest roll can score Strikes (comparing their roll to the highest enemy roll) and even then they only get
Strikes at the start of the Clash, not every round.

Example: Since the Black Hand warriors have identical stats the GM makes a single roll for them using their
Always Ready [d6] Trait, getting a high roll of 4. Iron Phoenix rolls his Lightning Reflexes [d8] Trait, getting
a high result of 6. Walking Tower doesn’t have any appropriate Trait so she rolls d4’s but ends up getting a lucky
roll and a total of 7, acting first.

Clashes are divided into Rounds, enough time for each character to take a turn. Once everyone has finished their
turns then the Round ends and a new one begins, taking turns in the same order.

Engaging Opponents
In a Clash characters are divided up into groups called Engagements, which bring some order to the chaos of
the battlefield. When two or more characters are Engaged it means that they are locked in battle: close enough
to freely trade blows back and forth. Engagements involve no specific distances: at low Power Levels an
Engagement might involve fighting it out a few yards apart at most but at higher Power Levels an Engagement
could easily sprawl across a city block or more as superhuman opponents knock each other back and forth.
At the start of your turn in a Clash, assuming you aren’t already Engaged, then you can choose to Engage
with one or more un-Engaged opponents. So long as everyone is close enough together there’s no limit to the
number of opponents you can Engage at a time. You can also join an existing Engagement (although see the
restrictions below). Either way it doesn’t require much effort and you don’t need to sacrifice your Action.
Engagements are always focused on a single character: opponents can fight each other one-on-one and
multiple enemies can gang-up on a single foe but it’s not possible to have multiple characters on both sides of
an Engagement. Fights are always one-vs-one or one-vs-many.

Example: Since Walking Tower won initiative she strides forward, shouting to Iron Phoenix, “I’ll handle these
weaklings, don’t let the Emperor get away!” She charges the Black Hand, Engaging all five of them at once.

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While it’s easy enough to create or join an Engagement, leaving one isn’t so easy. Obviously an Engagement
dissolves if one side or the other is taken out of the fight, otherwise you have to use a Declaration from a Strike
(see pg 6) or sacrifice your Action in order to escape from an Engagement, eject an opponent or split up an
existing Engagement. If you aren’t currently Engaged you can use a Declaration to flee the Scene entirely.

Example: Walking Tower swings wildly at one of the Black Hand, getting only a 2 and a 5. The Black Hand warrior
gets lucky, rolling a 7 and a 10, scoring a Strike. The soldier could use that to harm or penalize Walking Tower but
he decides that it’s more important that Iron Phoenix not reach the emperor so he uses his Strike on a Declaration,
splitting off from Walking Tower’s Engagement and Engaging Iron Phoenix instead. The soldier takes an acrobatic
leap out of the way of Tower’s swing and sails over Phoenix’s head, landing with his spear ready between Phoenix
and the Gate of Jade.

Taking Action
When your turn comes in a Clash you may take a single Action. An Action represents enough time or effort to
pull off something significant and important. The most common Action is generally going to be attacking an
opponent but you can also choose to forgo the option to attack in order to do things like dealing with an Obstacle
or Psyching Out an opponent (see pg 11).
When making an attack, declare how you are going to try and harm or hinder your opponent and which
Trait you will use. Your opponent then gets to declare how they’ll attempt to avoid, block or endure your attack
and which Trait they’ll be rolling. Then both of you roll off and compare your roll results (ties go to PCs, or the
defender if two PCs are fighting) to see if the attack is a success or failure.
While both the attacker and defender can potentially earn Strikes (see the pg 7), a successful attack inflicts
an automatic point of damage.

Example: Before he can enter the imperial palace, Iron Phoenix must deal with the Black Hand soldier blocking his
path. Phoenix will attempt to cut him down and continue, using his Raised In Battle [d10] Trait. The Black Hand
spins their steel-clad spear in an elaborate defense, using his Elite Warrior [d8] Trait. Phoenix rolls incredibly well
with a pair of exploding dice for a total of 28 on his highest roll while the Black Hand manages only a 7.

In addition to taking a primary “capital A” Action during your turn you can perform minor, supplementary
actions more or less freely throughout the round. Minor actions include things like shouting to your companions
(or at your enemies), moving around the battlefield (so long as you don’t break Engagement), or drawing
weapons. Some Obstacles (such as jumping over a gap, smashing down a barrier to get to your opponent, etc)
can be resolved this way, but lengthier or more complex tasks (picking a lock, rescuing civilians from a burning
vehicle, breaking Engagements) require you to use a full Action. Of course, some Obstacles (finding a book in a
library, repairing a plane) are so involved that they may not be possible during a Clash at all.

Handling Time
In many cases time is handled using real-world terms: a drive across the city takes a half-hour or so, a hike
across a mountain range takes a few days and so on. However, there are a few simple rules for dividing up
time in-game.
Each game session is divided into Scenes, a discrete set of actions or events which last anywhere from a
few minutes to several hours. A Scene could be spent exploring an abandoned building, fighting your foes or
traveling from one place to another. Fight Scenes are further divided into Rounds, enough time for everyone
to take an Action. In most cases a Round is only a few seconds but depending on the context of the Clash it
could take several minutes or more.

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Dishing Out Damage
If your attack succeeds then you have inflicted damage on your opponent. A successful attack inflicts 1 point of
damage and both the attacker and the defender can inflict damage with Strikes (although only the attacker gets
the free point of damage automatically from a successful roll).

Example: Iron Phoenix’s devastating attack beats his opponent’s defensive roll by 21. His success inflicts a point of
damage automatically and he decides to use his 4 Strikes to add an additional 4 points of damage.

When you take 5 or more points of damage you are KO’d and taken out of the Clash. NPC opponents may be
able to absorb more or less damage depending on how important and powerful they are. Being KO’d means that
you’re simply too messed up to continue the Clash. If you don’t have any allies to keep fighting for you then
you’re at the mercy of your opponent and may be captured or even killed in a combat situation (killing an
important character mid-combat normally requires a Declaration).

Example: Iron Phoenix has inflicted 5 points of damage on the Black Hand soldier, enough to KO him with a single
stroke of his sword, the blade cutting through spear, armor and flesh. With a jerk of his sword he sweeps the blood
off and steps over the hapless soldier’s body to open the Gates of Jade.

After a scene or Clash is over all damage is recovered. Badass Kung Fu Demigods are hardy and a few gaping
chest wounds or traumatic concussions don’t bother them for very long. However, if you’ve been KO’d the
recovery process is a bit longer, requiring you to spend a significant amount of time or effort to recover. This
might involve a few hours recuperating with proper medical care or a day or two tending your own wounds
hidden in a shabby safehouse. Until you recover you can’t participate in other Clashes and are limited to limping
around, halting conversation and similar feeble efforts.

Example: Shortly after Iron Phoenix enters the palace Walking Tower finishes tossing around the remaining Black
Hand soldiers, taking 3 damage in the process. But before she can follow her companion the whole palace detonates
in a terrible explosion. There is no sign of the Thousand Year Emperor but Iron Phoenix is laying unconscious
(KO’d) in the rubble. Since the fight is over she recovers her 3 points of damage automatically but it’ll take some
time for Iron Phoenix to be battle-ready again and she’d rather not haul him back through the Imperial Army.
Instead she digs through the rubble to reach the entrance to the old city sewers. The GM decides that the army is in
too much disarray to mount any pursuit and after a day or so of hiding Iron Phoenix is recovered

Also, anyone can recover all damage (including being KO’d) immediately by Powering Up to a higher Power
Level (see pg 22 for more info).

Clash of Wills
While the Clash rules are designed for combat you can, with a few small changes, adapt them to other kinds
of conflicts. A Clash Of Wills is an extended conflict that does not actually involve beating the tar out of one
another, such as a race, a debate or a psychic arm-wrestling match. A Clash of Wills is resolve just like a normal
Clash (although likely using a different set of Traits for things like offense and defense), trading damage back
and forth until one side or another is taken out.
The main difference is that there aren’t any long-term physical consequences of being KO’d. In some cases
(such as a race or contest) the last one standing is the winner. In social conflicts those who are KO’d are so
thoroughly discredited or embarrassed that they can’t continue, although it is up to the loser whether they
react by storming out, maintaining icy silence or even lashing out in fury (Declarations may be used to force
certain results but shouldn’t be used to completely hijack important characters or PCs).

10
Fighting Spirit
Truly powerful opponents are not overwhelmed by strong opposition, instead they get fiercer and stronger in
response as their Fighting Spirit rises to meet the challenge. These rules apply to all player characters as well as
important NPCs. Your Fighting Spirit works as a bonus to all combat-related rolls such as attacking or defending
which fluctuates depending on a few factors.

Surrounded By Foes
When you are outnumbered you can rely on your Fighting Spirit to stand strong. For each opponent beyond the
first that you are Engaged with your Fighting Spirit bonus increases by 1.

Examples: Li Jones is dealing with a ninja infestation in her neighborhood. After tracking down and kicking the
asses of dozens of nameless ninja thugs she has come to their secret dojo and face to face with four deadly ninja
elders. After some wisecracking she charges the ninjas with a flying drop kick, Engaging all four of them. Her
Fighting Spirit allows her to roll 5d10 using her Kicking Ass [d10] Trait to try and take on the Elders.

Getting Riled Up
The closer you are to being KO’d the harder you fight. Every point of damage you currently have increases your
Fighting Spirit bonus by 1. This goes away if the damage gets cleared (such as by Powering Up).

Examples: Li has taken out two of the four elders (dropping her Fighting Spirit bonus down to +1) but one of them
catches her with a fistful of exploding shurikens, inflicting 3 points of damage. Li is battered and scorched but this
just means she’s fighting harder, increasing her Fighting Spirit bonus to +4, letting her roll six dice.

Wielding Deadly Weapons

This modifier may not be suitable for every game world. In a game of post-apocalyptic sci-fi action you might
get nothing more than a wide berth when you walk into the bar lugging a .75 caliber gatling gun. But if you’re
playing a game of secret immortals lurking in the shadows of modern London you’re going to have trouble
getting a butter knife on a plane, let alone your katana.
The Deadly Weapons modifier is intended as a reward for settings where carrying around weapons is a
hassle, usually ones set in modern times where the PCs don’t have a license to carrying gatling grenade
launchers. When weilding an appropriately deadly weapon (a sword, gun, etc.) your Fighting Spirit bonus
increases by 1, or 2 in the case of special or unique weapons.

Example: Li Jones has just finished taking out the team of ninja elders and (with the end of the fight) recovered from
all of her damage. Unfortunately her mission isn’t over yet and with a flash of flame the ninja’s leader, the demonic
Shadow Warrior, appears. This one-on-one fight is going to be tough and Li would rather have an edge right out of
the gate so she snatches up one of the fallen elder’s katanas. The blade counts as a Deadly Weapon and increases her
Fighting Spirit to 1, letting her roll 3 dice as she rushes the ninja demon.

11
Combat Options
These are some additional combat options and bonuses that can be used to add a bit more tactical fun
to your typical Clash.

Chewing The Scenery

By incorporating the scenery in a destructive or fun way you get to claim a bonus die. Truly extreme or creative
collateral damage can earn two dice. This must be appropriate to the Power Level: kicking someone into an
electrical box is fine at Heroic but at Unleashed you’d have to smash them into a main power station to get the
same bonus.

Multi-Attack
This option allows you to attack multiple opponents at once. Normally you can only attack opponents you’re
Engaged with, but you can combine it with a ranged attack (see below) to include opponents outside of your
Engagement.
When making a multi-attack declare how many opponents you want to attack and make a single roll. You
can apply bonuses to the roll (such as Fighting Spirit) but only bonuses that would apply to every target. Each
opponent then makes a defensive roll and your roll is compared to the highest single roll. If you succeed then
you inflict a point of damage to each target. Strikes earned can be distributed among individual opponents to
inflict extra damage or make Declarations. Any defenders who beat your roll can earn Strikes against you,
making multi-attacks a risky maneuver against dangerous opponents.
Note that attacking groups of Weaklings (see pg 18) follows a different set of rules.

Psych Out
A Psych Out is an alternative to a standard attack in a Clash, a catch-all term for attempts to disadvantage,
disorient, confuse or otherwise take advantage of your opponent. It might involve hurling insults, dirty tricks or
even just watching your opponent fight in order to analyze their martial arts style. A Psych Out is handled much
like an attack: pick the Trait you’ll use to try and screw with your opponent and they pick the Trait they’ll use
to resist.
A successful Psych Out increases your Tension meter (see pg 37) by 1. You can also spend Strikes scored on
the roll to increase it further (1 per Strike).

Ranged combat
The rules for Engagements normally assume that everyone is close enough to punch, kick, stab or shoot one
another without any problem (and using a ranged weapon against an opponent trying to cut your head off with
a sword doesn’t inflict any sort of penalty). However, you can also used ranged combat to attack opponents who
you aren’t Engaged with. This normally requires an appropriate ranged weapon (bow, gun, laser crossbow,
magic wand, etc) or a suitable Power.
Ranged attacks against someone you aren’t Engaged with suffer penalties depending on circumstances. You
suffer a 1-die penalty for each of the following:

· If you are Engaged with another character.

· If your target is Engaged with another character.
· If your target is so far away that they could not possibly Engage you.

12
Part 2: Characters
Here we have the rules for creating and improving your own Badass Kung Fu Demigod. In addition there are
rules for the GM to create and run NPC antagonists and allies.

Character Creation
There are six basic steps to creating your character. In the back of the book there’s a character sheet you can copy
and use.

· Step 1: Concept
· Step 2: Battle Aura
· Step 3: Traits
· Step 4: Knacks and Styles
· Step 5: Powers
· Step 6: Wrapping Up

Step 1: Concept
The first step in creating your Badass Kung Fu Demigod is to come up with a concept. First, you’ll want to speak
with the GM and other players to figure out just what kind of setting you’ll be playing in and what exactly it
means to be a Badass Kung Fu Demigod in this game world. It’d be embarrassing to show up as a planet-
hopping super-cyborg in a game of mythic Greek heroes. The “micro-settings” in the back of the book provide
several examples of different worlds and different takes on the core concept of a Badass Kung Fu Demigod.
Once that’s settled consider your character’s history and attitude. This step doesn’t involve any actual rules
or numbers, just try and come up with a consistent and fun personality for your character and give the GM an
idea of the “first impressions” people might have of you based on your appearance and style.

Step 2: Battle Aura

Here’s the thing about wielding raw, cosmic power...it’s not very subtle. At least not when it’s times to unleash
your full strength. The more power you use the more energy “bleeds” into your aura and the world around you.
At low level there isn’t much effect but as your Power Level increases your Battle Aura will become more and
more prominent and difficult to hide. See the next chapter for more information of your Battle Aura.
Below are some common styles for different Battle Auras. Different settings might involve only one or two
“flavors”, or everything might be on the table.
· Abstract: Things like swirling runic patterns, glowing circuit-like designs or spinning beams or balls of
light. Common for characters with a magical theme.
· Elemental: A vortex or corona of elemental energy. The classical elements are the most common but this
could include things like light, shadow, electricity, ice, etc. Although it might tear up the environment it
poses no danger to you or others of your Power Level.
· Transformation: Rather than pouring out, your power turns inward and transforms you into a more
suitable vessel. This usually involves adopting angelic, demonic or bestial aspects.
· Iconic: Your Battle Aura takes the form of an image such as a person, animal or object of significance to your
character.

13
Step 3: Traits
Once you’ve got a general idea for your character you’re ready to pick out Traits. Starting Traits take the form
of a “pyramid” arrangement, with one Trait rated at d10, two rated at d8 and three rated at d6.
Traits are not selected from a list, come up with a short word or phrase that sums up the Trait and assign it
to one of your seven “slots”. The GM is the final arbiter of whether a particular Trait is too narrow or too broad
and they may ask that you clarify or rephrase some Traits if they’re too vague or open-ended.
Some settings might allow (or require) you to purchase a special type of Trait called a Power Set, there’s more
information on page 42.

Example Traits
Physical Traits: Cybernetic Muscles, Ignoring Injuries, Massive Size, Moves Like Greased Lightning, Piercing
Gaze, Sexy, Tougher Than Railroad Spikes, World’s Strongest President.
Mental Traits: Always Prepared For The Worst, Cunning, Nothing Gets By Me, One With the Wilderness,
Steely Determination, Undying Loyalty.
Social Traits: Avoiding Notice, Fearsome Reputation, Filthy Rich, King Of The East, Master of Deception,
Pheromone Manipulation, Surprisingly Charming.
Professional Traits: Deadly Sniper, Gentleman Thief, Master Of Venusian Kung Fu, Ninja, Olympic Gymnast,
Professional Monster Hunter, Stunt Driver.

Step 4: Knacks and Styles

While Traits represent broad, powerful abilities, Knacks and Styles are meant to cover specialties, tricks and
techniques which supplement your primary abilities. When creating your character pick two Knacks and a
single Style.
A Knack is a focus or specialty that is linked to one of your Traits. Whenever you are making a Trait roll that
falls under the scope of the Knack you get a 1-die bonus (this bonus can increase from multiple Knacks). Knacks
usually involve specific tools (Giant Swords, Motorcycles, With My Fingers), against certain opponents (vs.
Anyone Bigger Than Me, vs. Ninjas, Hacking Government Networks) or under certain conditions (At Night,
While Outnumbered, In The Wilderness).
Styles are much the same but they serve as a way to express your character’s personal flair or idiom and
aren’t linked to a specific Trait, granting a 1-die bonus to any roll when making a roll that relates to the Style (for
example: While Drunk, When Covered In Blood, In Sunlight). You may only have a single Style at a time.

Step 5: Signature Powers

While all Badass Kung Fu Demigods have access to a selection of universal Powers (see Part 3: Powering Up!)
you also have the ability to learn Signature Powers. You can pick out three Signature Powers and can choose
from either Unique Powers (special powers outside your normal abilities) or Trump Powers (high-powered
finishing moves and combos). More details on Signature Powers can be found on pg 34.

Step 6: Wrapping Up
The final step is just to finish up any blank spots on your character: flesh out your background, clarify Traits that
might need more definition, come up with your relationship with the other PCs, etc. You can also discuss any
important gear or equipment with the GM (generally, if one of your Traits would imply or justify certain items
then you can start with them).

14
Full Page Character Creation Example
Janet is making a character for the “Return Of The Old Gods” micro-setting, a cyberpunk dystopia ruled by tyrannical AI
where the gods of ancient myth have been reborn in the bodies of mortals. The GM explains that the game will focus on
discovering the reason for the return of ancient gods and players deciding how they want to change the world.

Step 1: Janet decides that she wants her character to carry the essence of Zeus, king of the Greek gods. Her character is a
handsome, muscle-bound lady’s man named Charles Atlas. The GM told all the players that every character should have a
mark indicating their divine status. She decides that Charles’ will be the astronomical symbol for Jupiter on his right biceps.
She decides that her character is a movie star on the rise whose transformation into a buff, glorious superman rescued him
from C and D-Grade movies and is turning him into a star.

Step 2: In this setting all characters have “iconic” Battle Auras (displaying images associated with the deity). Janet thinks
an elemental effect would fit her character as well, with arcs of lightning and swirling clouds at higher power levels, and
the GM agrees.

Step 3: Janet wants Charles to be really, really strong so naturally she picks Amazing Muscles as his d10 Trait. For his
two d8 Traits she makes one Body Of Iron and the other Sex Appeal. Finally she has three d6 slots to fill. Since becoming
the vessel for Zeus’s power Charles has been tougher, sexier and all-around more amazing so his star has been on the rise,
so she takes the Trait B+ Celebrity as one of his d6 Traits. The GM also suggests a Trait related to Zeus’s status as god of
the sky, so she picks out the Trait Storm Lord as his second d6 Trait, a Power Set covering things like controlling the
weather or shooting lightning (see pg 42 for more info on Power Sets). She has one Trait left so she picks out Smarter Than
He Looks the final d6 Traits.

Step 4: Janet has two Knacks and a Style. She decides to invest both Knacks in his Amazing Muscles Trait: “Throwing
Things” and, appropriately for his namesake, “Lifting Heavy Stuff”. Finally she decides that his Style should relate to his
divine powers and picks the Style “Under The Open Sky”.

Step 5: Janet wants Charles to be a heavy-hitter so she invests two of her three Signature Powers in Trumps: “Wrath of
Heaven” a massive lightning bolt from the sky (a combo of Eruption and Overkill) and “Titan Slayer” a super-powered
punch that strikes with a roll of thunder (a combination of Supercharge, Flawless and Overkill). For her final Signature
Power she decides to invert the Mysterious Stranger Power (on page 32) and create a Power she calls “Awesome Presence”,
linked to Charle’s Sex Appeal Trait. While it is active (costing one Ongoing EP), everyone in the Scene finds it difficult to
do anything other than stare and listen to Charles, suffering a 2-die penalty to any rolls that require diverting their attention
from Charles (Extras are completely enraptured and will recall nothing other than what Charles does or says).

Step 6: Wrapping things up Janet decides to flesh out Charles’ history a bit more. He gained his powers about a year and a
half ago when, while working on set, a freak storm swirled up and he was struck by lightning. The event awoke the spirit of
Zeus inside him. He’s still fairly ignorant of what exactly is going on, he knows that something amazing happened but he’s
mostly thinking about how it’ll help his career in holo-films. Although he was never a weakling to begin with he’s now
vastly stronger and tougher (he does all his own stunts now) and no one can keep their eyes off him (especially when the
wind catches his hair just right). Almost immediately he got work in movies that would have never touched him before and
he’s quickly becoming a household name in romantic-action-comedies. He’s even considering “going public” with his
superhuman abilities in hopes of becoming even more famous. Of course, he has no idea that AI overlords are secretly
controlling the world and what sort of consequences might result from that decision.

15
Character Info
Name: Charles Atlas AP: Battle Aura: Lightning And Clouds
Concept: Up-And-Coming Movie Star… And Reborn God
Description: Muscular. Handsome. Beautiful, Flowing Mane Of Hair

Traits
Rating Name Knacks
[d10] Amazing Muscles Throwing Stuff, Lifting Heavy Stuff

[ d8 ] Body Of Iron
[ d8 ] Sex Appeal
[ d6 ] Celebrity
[ d6 ] Storm Lord
[ d6 ] Smarter Than He Looks
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]

damage Signature Powers Style

Wrath Of Heaven Under The Open Sky
Titan Slayer
Awesome Presence Other notes

KO

16
Improving Your Character
It’s the height of understatement to say that Badass Kung Fu Demigods are very powerful to begin with. In fact,
they possess nearly limitless power held in check only by their own sense of restraint. However, that doesn’t
mean that they’re stuck in stasis at character creation, just that most character creation involves expanding,
rather than increasing, their powers and abilities. As you play you’ll earn Advancement Points (or AP) which
you can use to improve or add Traits as well as purchasing new Knacks or Signature Powers.
Of course, if you’re playing a Cultivation-based game, character growth will be handled a bit differently. See
pg 40 for more information on Cultivation.

Earning AP
AP are normally handed out by the GM at the end of a session (although some GMs might prefer to save up AP
and give away big chunks at the end of important milestones). Everyone should earn at least one AP every
session, with bonus AP being rewarded based on the events of a session. Bonus AP are awarded to everyone in
the group.

· Milestones (+1 to +3): When you and your teammates accomplish something truly significant (defeating a
major foe, accomplishing an important goal) you all get bonus AP based on the importance of the event.
· Tasting Defeat (+3): If you and your team are completely defeated but manage to survive then you all get
an additional 5 AP. This only applies if there are significant risks or consequences for failure and defeat...just
laying down and letting your opponent win to get extra AP isn’t going to fly.
· Loss Of A Friend (+3): If a PC dies then the team (including the player’s new character) get 5 AP. Needless
to say if anyone starts committing suicide for bonus points the GM shouldn’t feel the need to play along.
· Powering Up (+1): The first time someone in the group Powers Up to a level that none of the other PCs have
reached yet the group gets a bonus AP.
· Unavoidable Misfortune (+3): Sometimes the GM needs to inflict some kind of unavoidable trouble for the
sake of the plot. Maybe the bad guy has a secret weapon that will prevent you from Powering Up or a
dimensional vortex sucks you into the Nega-Zone. Whatever the case, pulling a stunt like that nets all the
players 5 additional AP. This option should be used very sparingly and only when needed to create an
interesting and fun plot.

Spending Your AP
You can spend your AP at any time, even in the midst of a battle. It can be used in a variety of ways. You can
spend your AP at any time, even developing new powers or skills in the middle of a fight.

● Improving Traits (10 AP): For 10 AP you can improve a Trait by one step (up to a maximum of d12) or create
a new [d6]-rated Trait.
● Buying Knacks (5 AP): You can add a Knack to one of your Traits for 5 AP.
● Buying a Signature Power (variable): You can purchase a new Unique Power (pg 31) or Trump Power (pg
34). This costs AP equal to the number of Signature Powers you’ve got already +1 (so it would cost 5 AP to
buy your fifth Signature Power).
● Swap Out (1 AP): For 1 AP you can rename, alter or swap-out a Knack, Style or Trait. This can be used to get
rid of a Trait you don’t use much, or switch the ratings on two Traits to represent a change in focus. You can
do the same for Signature Powers: dropping a Power in exchange for a new, more relevant Power (this is a
good way to “upgrade” Trumps).

17
Non-Player Characters
After learning how to create and improve your characters, this section covers rules for how NPCs are created in
Badass Kung Fu Demigods. While all PCs are super-human demigods, NPCs run the gamut from elderly chartered
accountants to sun-devouring cosmic worms.

Extras
Extras are those who lack any significant ability or agency in the game, just one step above background scenery.
Most Extras are just faces in the crowd, filling out the scene and running away or getting blown up the moment
things get serious. Even if they have names and backgrounds they don’t have any way to interact directly with
more important characters, except perhaps to serve as a minor Obstacle.
Extras have no Traits and can be defeated simply by saying so...in fact it normally wouldn’t even require an
Action and at higher Power Levels it’s harder to avoid killing them when they’re hanging around high-powered
battles.

Example: John Doe is an Extra who runs a pawn shop in Metrol, the Last City, and makes the mistake of giving
Lyra, a cosmic psi-psamurai, some lip about stolen items that were sold through his shop. She picks him up with
one hand and hurls him out of the window before searching the shop for some clues about the thieves.

Weaklings
A Weakling is not, individually, capable of presenting much of a threat but in large numbers they are at least a
minor inconvenience. A group of Weaklings, called a Mob, is treated as a single character in a Clash, taking a
single Action and being targeted as a single being. Weaklings have only a one Trait that represents their role or
function (such as a graveyard full of Hungry Dead [d8] or a team of Bandit Thugs [d6]). The one advantage
Weaklings have is numbers, granting them a bonus die to offensive and defensive rolls for every five Weaklings
in the Mob (so 5-9 Weaklings get a 1-die bonus, 10-14 Weaklings get a 2-die bonus, etc).
In a Clash Mobs of Weaklings don’t take damage, instead a successful attack or defense roll against a Mob
of Weaklings will KO a number of Weaklings equal to the difference in your roll (it’s not possible to score Strikes
against Weaklings). Weaklings do not get the benefit of the Fighting Spirit rules and a Mob of Weaklings counts
as a single character for the purpose of increasing your own Fighting Spirit.

Example: After being so humiliated John has gone out and gathered the entire Doe clan to hunt down and teach
Lyra a lesson. Together they’re just threatening enough to serve as a Mob of Weaklings with the Trait Gang Of
Morons [d4]. The 12 Weaklings ambush Lyra in one of Metrol’s lower zones and win initiative. They roll 4d4 (+2
die for having 10+ members) and get a 5 as their final result. Lyra rolls her Psamurai Warrior [d8] Trait and gets
a 6, defeating the attack. Since the Weaklings count as a single unit that is the only attack the Mob gets and now
its Lyra’s turn. She rolls a double-explosion on her attack and gets a 17 while the Mob rolls 4d4 and gets a 6. Since
Lyra beat the Mob’s roll by 11, she takes out 11 of the 12 Weaklings with a single attack, leaving John Doe still
standing among his battered kinsmen. A single Weakling is just an Extra so she throws him through a window
again.

18
Unworthy
One step above Weaklings, Unworthy opponents are just dangerous and important enough to get their own
Traits and participate in a Clash as an individual. They might be the leader of a group of Weaklings or appear
as a group to serve as a moderate “speed bump” for a PC. Generally they’re only likely to even get a glimpse of
victory if they significantly outnumber their opponents or are fighting alongside a more powerful leader.
Unworthy opponents have a shorter Trait pyramid than Pcs: one [d8] Trait and two [d6] Traits, along with
one or two Knacks. They’re not likely to have a Style or any Signature Powers. They might have access to Energy
and Powers, but usually have only a limited selection. Despite their status as minor opponents they can
potentially show up at any Power Level, ranging from cybernetically modified thugs all the way up to interstel-
lar battleships, but the majority will be between Heroic and Monstrous Power Levels.
Unworthy characters are KO’d after taking 3 or more points of damage and do not get any of the benefits of
Fighting Spirit.

Power Level Sample Unworthy Characters

Imperial Space Samurai
Traits: Way of the Samurai [d8] (Chainsaw Katana, Slashing Through Armor); Bulky
Power Armor [d6]; Operating Heavy Weapons [d6]
Heroic Powers: Supercharge and Overkill

Agent Of The Conspiracy

Traits: Superhuman Speed [d8] (Rapid-Fire Fists); Sharpshooting [d6]; Techno-
kinesis[d6] (Computer Hacking)
Powers: Flawless

Post-Apocalyptic Spider-Tank
Traits: Twin Laser Cannons [d8] (Vs. Unarmored Targets); Light Armor Plating [d6]
(vs. Bullets); Advanced Sensors [d6]
Powers: Overkill and Endurance
Awakened
Fire Giant
Traits: Huge, Really Huge [d8] (Throwing Boulders, Fire Resistance); Fire Magic [d6];
Master Smiths [d6]
Powers: Overkill, Blast and Endurance

Mech Soldier
Traits: Robot The Size Of a Building [d8] (vs. Normal Sized Opponents); Built
In Weapons [d6] (Missiles); Flight Pack [d6]
Powers: All Universal Powers
Monstrous
Giant Space Bug
Traits: Multi-Faceted Laser Eyes [d8] (vs. Earthly Substances); Flying Through
Space [d6]; Giant Mantis-Wasp-Spider-Crab-Thing [d6] (In Swarms)
Powers: All Universal Powers

19
Rival
A Rival is an opponent who is meant to be roughly equal in strength to a Badass Kung Fu Demigod of the same
Power Level. Of course, a single Rival can’t pose much of a threat to a team of PCs but they’ll usually last at least
a couple of rounds before being KO’d or having to flee. Rivals are most effective when facing PCs one-on-one or
when the Rival is operating at a higher Power Level (such as an Awakened Rival facing a group of Heroic-level
PCs).
Rivals are built using almost the same rules as a PC, with the same Trait pyramid (a single d10 Trait, two d8
Traits and three d6 Traits). They also have one or two Knacks and usually a Style along with at least one
Signature Power. Rivals have Energy appropriate for their Power Level and usually have all the Powers
available at their Power Level. Rivals can appear at any Power Level (and may be full-fledged Badass Kung Fu
Demigods, capable of Powering Up like players).
Rivals can take 5 points of damage before being KO’d. They also get the benefit of the Fighting Spirit just like
a PC.

Power Level Sample Rival Characters

Starstrider, Space Paladin
Traits: Swordmaster [d10] (Duels); Photon Scimitar [d8] (Deflecting Projectiles); Tele-
Heroic kinesis [d8]; Psychic Sensitivity [d6]; Superhuman Acrobatics [d6]; Interstellar Diplo-
macy [d6]
Style: Noble And Knightly
Signature Powers: Compelling Voice (Unique Power)
Dragon King Of The East Sea
Traits: Gigantic Lizard [d10] (vs. Mortal Weapons; Claws); Weather Control [d8];
Awakened Ancient Memories [d8]; Powerful Flyer [d6]; Keen Senses [d6] (smelling humans);
Commanding Animals Of The Sky And Sea [d6]
Style: In The Sky
Signature Powers: Tornado Breath (Trump)
Kira, Psychic Godling
Traits: Raw Telekinetic Power [d10] (Pyrokinesis; TK Shield); Flight [d8]; Cult
Monstrous Of Worshippers [d8]; Body-Warping [d6]; Mind Clouded By Insanity [d6];
Sensing Hostile Intent [d6]
Style: Consumed By Rage
Signature Powers: Teleportation (Unique Power); Brain Scan (Unique Power)
Thor, God Of Thunder
Trait: Literally Godlike Strength [d10] (vs. Giants; Wielding Mjolnir); Incredible
Unleashed Fortitude [d8]; Commanding Storms [d6] (Lightning Strikes); Rough Charm
[d6]; Wild Courage [d6]
Style: Loud And Bold
Signature Powers: Mountain-Cracking Blow (Trump);

20
Champion
Champions are characters meant to serve as “boss fights” for an entire group of PCs of equivalent Power Level.
Champions have a higher Trait pyramid than standard characters: one [d12] Trait, two [d10] Traits and three
[d8] Traits (with maybe a few [d6] Traits to round things out). They’ll naturally have a Style and several (3-5)
Knacks and at least two or three Signature Powers. Of course, remember that this is a starting point...adding
more Knacks, Powers and Traits is certainly possible.
In addition to Traits and Powers, Champions get to break or bend the rules in some way. This can range from
simple things like access to more Energy or the ability to more exotic abilities like the power to recover damage
when in contact with the ground or under the light of the moon. These abilities are customized to the individual
Champion character and coming up with ways to handle these weird abilities should often be a key component
to beating a Champion.
Champions can be built at any Power Level (or a variable Power Level like PCs) but obviously will usually
be fought at the higher Power Levels. Champions can take 8 damage before being KO’d and like Rivals they
benefit from the Fighting Spirit rules (see pg 10).

Sample Champion:
Lord Of The Underworld (Unleashed Champion)
Traits:
· Terrifying Demon Lord [d12] (Seated On His Throne Of Lead)
· Dark And Horrible Secrets [d10]
· Supreme Warlord Of Hell [d10] (Vs. Angels, Vs. Anyone With a Soul)
· Master Of Necromancy And Dark Magick [d8]
· Breastplate Forged Of Iron Bones[d8]
· Bows Before No One [d8]

Styles:
· While In The Underworld

Signature Powers:
· Black Fires Of Hell (Trump, combines the Powers Blast, Supercharge, and Overkill) linked to his “Terrifying
Demon Lord” Trait. Black fires spring from his hands in the shape of a great beast.
· Angel-Felling Scythe (Trump, combines Supercharge, Flawless and Overkill) linked to his “Supreme Warlord
of Hell” Trait. His blade traces a line of absolute nothingness which cleaves his opponent in twain.
· There Is No Escape (Unique, 1 Ongoing EP) It is impossible for opponents to break Engagement while this
power is active, including the use of other Powers like teleportation or stealth.
· Sigil Of Absolute Despair (Unique, 1+ Ongoing EP): For each Ongoing EP all Engaged opponents suffer a
1-die penalty to all rolls.
· Hellfire Halo (Unique, 1 Ongoing EP): Every Engaged opponent must resist a d12 Hazard (using the
Terrifying Demon Lord Trait) at the start of each round

Special Powers:
· Blade of Frozen Tears: Any time he successfully inflicts damage with his sword he may heal one point of
damage or regain a used Energy Point.
· Master Of Hell: In the Underworld he may make a free Declaration every round, without using an action, by
reshaping the environment or commanding the spirits of the dead.
· Dark Overlord: He may draw upon the strength of his minions, able to steal the EP from any Monstrous or
higher-ranked demons in the same Scene as a form of Overdrive.
21
Part 3: Power Up!
Now, you’ve seen how to make a character and how Obstacles and Clashes are handled. You have the basic
building blocks you need to play the game, so now you’re ready for the good stuff. It’s time to learn about
playing with Power.

Being A Badass Kung Fu Demigod

So what does it really mean to be a Badass Kung Fu Demigod? It means having access to practically unlimited
power: the power to change the world or utterly destroy it. It means that against anyone other than a fellow
Demigod you can only be defeated if you allow it. In your game you might take the role of reborn gods,
enlightened martial artists, super-powered mutants, dragons in human form or just about anything else. No
matter how your abilities are explained you are a walking powerhouse with the ability to do incredible things.
Even at their weakest, your characters are exceptional compared to ordinary human beings. Whole squads
of elite soldiers can be tossed aside like chaff and even superhuman foes can often be beaten with ease. And
that’s when your power is kept reined in, if you let it loose then your strength grows exponentially. But there’s
no hiding your power once it’s allowed to run wild and there are consequences when ultimate power is used
carelessly.

Power Levels
Your Power Level measures just how much of your vast strength you’re currently drawing on at the moment.
Many allies and antagonists will also have a Power Level to represent just how strong they are in comparison to
you. However, unlike most Badass Kung Fu Demigods they’re usually “locked in” at a certain Power Level,
while you can increase (or decrease) your Power Level to suit your needs.

Shifting Power Levels

You can Ascend to a higher Power Level at just about any time, it does not count as an Action and so you can
do it on another character’s turn or in response to being damaged or attacked. You can even choose to Ascend
when you’ve already been KO’d, getting back up to fight even harder. Powering Up takes no real time or effort,
the one restriction is that you can’t Ascend “mid-roll”, once you declare an action or reaction and start rolling
your dice you’ve got to stick with the results you get.
Ascending will immediately boost you to a higher Power Level (see the rest of the chapter) and in most cases
you can choose to Ascend multiple Power Levels at once. Ascending immediately erases any damage you’ve
suffered, including being KO’d and increases the effect of your Battle Aura.
What about powering back down? Well, that’s a bit harder. Once you’ve started pumping raw power into
your body you can’t just cut off the flow in an instant, so once you’ve Ascended you can’t power down until the
Scene ends. That means if you’re in a Clash you can’t reduce your Power Level until the fight is over or you get
KO’d (unless you choose to Ascend even higher to stay in the fight). It’s worth noting that a Badass Kung Fu
Demigod can never totally “power down”…even at their lowest Power Level their abilities will always be
slightly-superhuman.

22
Powers And Energy
Although you picked out a few Signature Powers during character creation you also get access to a selection of
standard Basic Powers (see pg 29). These basic Powers are available to all Badass Kung Fu Demigods and many
other characters may have access to some or all of them as well.
Powers are “channeled” through your Traits and when you use a Power you’ll usually have to pick an
appropriate Trait to serve as the rating for the Power. For instance, the Blast Power lets you make a ranged attack
with one of your Traits without a ranged weapon, so if you channeled your Blast power through your “Blade-
master [d8]” Trait you would roll d8’s to attack with your Blast as you launch blades of energy or hurl your
sword like a boomerang. Not every Trait is going to suit every power either practically or thematically, so if
there’s doubt the GM can decide whether or not a Power/Trait combo is suitable.
All Powers consume Energy (also called EP, for Energy Points). Energy is the generic term for your reserves
of inner strength. In some settings it would be called qi or ki, in others it might be your mana capacity or the
strength of your miniaturized antimatter plant. The amount of Energy you have available is determined by your
Power Level and this “pool” of EP is refilled quickly when expended. In a Clash your EP pool will refill itself at
the start of your turn in a Round and outside of a Clash your EP refills itself automatically once you’ve
completed whatever task or action you’re attempting. Using Powers consumes EP, but otherwise there are no
limits to the number of Powers which can be used at once, so long as you have the Energy to pay for it.
Some Powers have an Ongoing effect which is not a simple one-time cost, instead these Powers reduce your
EP pool until the effect has ended (usually because you chose to end it). Powers with an Ongoing cost are
marked with a circular arrow.

Example: Lyna, the demon sorceress, is battling some ogres at a restrained, Heroic Power Level which gives her two
Energy Points in her pool every round. On her action she spends both EP to activate the Overkill Power as part of
an attack. This empties her pool until the start of her next turn, when it fills back to 2 EP. Later she Ascends to
Awakened to battle the dragon commanding the monsters, increasing the pool to 4 EP/round. She decides to try and
ground the beast with a magic net (a Signature Power). This has an Ongoing EP cost of 1, reducing her maximum
EP to 1, which lasts until she releases the Power.

Battle Aura
The liberated power of a Badass Kung Fu Demigod is nigh unstoppable but it definitely is not subtle. As you
Ascend to higher Power Levels your newfound strength will be apparent in your increasing Battle Aura, which
becomes more and more intense the higher you go. Each Power Level entry has basic info on the Battle Aura for
that Power Level.

Reading Power Level Entries

The next few pages have a breakdown of each Power Level and the Powers available to you when you Ascend
to that level. Here’s a quick guide on how to read each entry.

· EP: In the upper right corner of each Power Level entry you can find the number of Energy Points per
round that you get at this Power Level. Your Energy will refresh back to this level at the start of your turn.
· Battle Aura: A general guideline to illustrate how dramatic your Battle Aura is at this level
· Antagonists: A quick guide on what sort of antagonists are appropriate for each Power Level.
· Power Level Examples: At the bottom of each entry is a list of feats possible at that Power Level, including
both mild (d4) and challenging (d12) actions. These examples aren’t meant to be set in stone and are only
meant to provide a sense of scale for each Power Level.

23
 Heroic 2 ep
Heroic is the “base” Power Level, where characters are still operating within the bounds of normal human
abilities. That said, most ordinary humans don’t even qualify as Heroic characters, being treated as Extras or
(at best) Weaklings. To even qualify as an Unworthy opponent, a character should at least have some kind of
special enhancements, esoteric training or abnormal abilities.
At the Heroic Power Level Badass Kung Fu Demigods are restricted to the barest trickle of power which
limits you but allows you to pass (mostly) unnoticed among mortals. While at the Heroic Power Level you
can’t rend steel and stone with your bare hands, you can’t leap tall buildings or catch bullets. But even then
your abilities are unmistakably superlative: strength and speed that could set world records and the ability to
endure wounds that would cripple and kill an ordinary mortal without flinching.

Battle Aura: At Heroic there is no obvious Battle Aura. Some settings might have ways to detect Heroic
characters (aura reading, DNA scanners, etc) but generally it’s impossible to distinguish you from an ordinary
mortal until you backflip over someone’s head and kick a grown man across a room.

Heroic Antagonists: Ordinary mortals, from average joes to elite soldiers, are treated as Heroic-level Weak-
lings. Unworthy or higher opponents are usually “enhanced” humans: cyborgs, undead, super soldiers,
mystic martial artists and so on (although suitably badass “normals” can qualify as well). Extremely powerful
or dangerous animals (bears, elephants, great white) and monsters like ogres or robot soldiers also operate at
this level.

A Heroic character can casually (d4)...
...break a thick wooden plank.
...endure a twenty foot fall.
...survive the desert without water.
...outrun a guard dog.
...run along a narrow ledge.
A Heroic character can, with difficulty (d12)...
...break a length of chain.
...endure a 60 mph car crash.
...survive at the North Pole without shelter.
...outrun a cheetah.
...run briefly along a vertical surface.

Interacting With Different Power Levels

Obviously each Power Level comes with a significant boost in the form of more Energy and new Powers. But
that’s not all, Ascending to a new Power Level also dramatically boosts your abilities across the board, making
you stronger, faster and tougher than someone from a lower Power Level. A Heroic character can perform
feats that leave Olympic athletes in the dust, but when they Ascend to Awakened they can do things like
shatter concrete or cut bullets in half with a sword. The difference in Power Level is far more that just an extra
Energy Point or two.
To represent this gap in raw ability when a you beat a lower-powered opponent’s roll you get a bonus
Strike, even if you only succeed by the skin of your teeth. This only applies when facing opponents within a
single “step” of your current Power Level. A gap of more than one level (say a Heroic character facing a
Monstrous opponent) is just too great and the lower-powered character is simply treated as an Extra, to be
defeated or tossed aside at the mercy of the more powerful character.
Typically, a group of Unworthy characters can be simply treated as Weaklings when facing an opponent
of a higher Power Level (so a trio of vampires might count as three individual Unworthy opponents at Heroic,
but once you Ascend to Awakened they can simply be handled as a small Mob of Weaklings.

24
 Awakened 4 ep
The Heroic Power Level is the closest you can come to completely suppressing your true power. If you ease
up on the reins just a bit you’ll reach the Awakened level. At this point you can’t possibly pass for a normal
human but a witness probably has to see you tear a car in half to realize just what is going on.
Awakened characters are capable of blatantly superhuman feats such as bounding across rooftops,
smashing through walls or casually deflecting bullets. Your Battle Aura awakens as well as your power leaks
out into the environment or starts to transform you into a more suitable vessel.

Battle Aura: At this stage your power manifests in some clearly visible way. Usually this involves something
like glowing marks, burning eyes, the appearance of bestial or inhuman features or minor elemental effects
such as a light fog or swirling smoke. Generally anyone who can see you clearly can tell something is going
on even if you aren’t currently using your abilities.

Awakened Antagonists: Awakened beings are those powerful enough to easily demolish a small building or
casually tear apart a squad of trained soldiers. Beings of terrifying legend or myth like giants, demons,
vampire lords or even minor godlings qualify as Awakened.
In modern games most weapons of war operate on the Awakened level (things like attack helicopters,
tanks, large bombs, etc). In sci-fi settings things like cutting edge power armor or large combat robots might
operate on this level as well.

An Awakened character can casually (d4)...
...wreck a motorcycle.
...withstand the impact of a small car.
...stand firm against a hurricane.
...chase down a car on the highway.
...fight on top of a power line.
An Awakened character can, with difficulty (d12)...
...wreck an armored truck
...withstand the impact of a speeding semi truck.
...stand firm against an avalanche.
...chase down an arrow in flight.
...fight on the tip of a spear.

25
 Monstrous 6 ep
A Heroic character is powerful enough to put mortal humans to shame and an Awakened character is
obviously superhuman. But a Monstrous character is a terrifying force akin to an unstoppable war machine,
leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Your power is like a raging fire: destructive, terrifying and almost
impossible to contain. You still have some restraints on your power, keeping it from running completely out
of control but it’s like wrestling a tiger bare-handed.
At this point no one near you, friend or foe, can be considered “safe” and engaging in battle will probably
involve quite a lot of collateral damage. The swing of a sword can reduce a grove of trees to kindling, a casual
blow can send a tank flipping through the air. These destructive side effects do not require Declarations…in
fact avoiding collateral damage requires a Declaration in order to “pull your punches”.
At this point you no longer require external “props” to use your Traits and you are capable of crafting
what you need from pure Energy. Don’t have arrows? Simply take them from midair. Don’t have a sword?
Reach into the ground and draw a white hot blade from the earth. Don’t have a crew for your boat? Your
shadow animates and threads itself through the ship while you stand at the helm.

Battle Aura: Your Battle Aura is impossible to hide. You might blaze with light, be surrounded by a halo of
glowing runes or blazing flame, or be transformed into something completely inhuman. Mortals may be killed
or overwhelmed simply by proximity.

Monstrous Antagonists: Beings of this level could single-handedly destroy a small army or easily wreck large
buildings like skyscrapers or bunkers. They might be city-striding monsters, ancient dragons or powerful
angelic/demonic beings. Advanced technology such as alien starships or building-sized robots could also
work on this scale.
Few pieces of modern technology are this powerful, things like battleships or cruise missiles. An entire
battalion of infantry supported by tanks or artillery might qualify as a single, Monstrous-level entity.

A Monstrous character can casually (d4)...
...tear apart a tank.
...laugh off an artillery shell.
...resist a raging inferno.
...outrun a bullet train.
...leap to the top of a building.
A Monstrous character can, with difficulty (d12)...
...tear apart a military bomb shelter.
...laugh off a sustained carpet-bombing.
...resist the power of an F5 Tornado.
...outrun the fastest winds.
...leap to the top of a skyscraper.

26
 Unleashed 8 ep
This Power Level is exactly what it sounds like: all checks on your Power are removed and your strength
bursts free like water from a dam. You are a vessel overflowing with might and destructive Energy. It’s likely
that your victims will never even have a chance to see you, being destroyed by a careless attack or a stray
energy wave.
Merely Ascending to this Power Level is likely to resemble a bomb going off as waves of Energy sleet off
of you: trees are torn to shreds, asphalt boils as it is scoured from the ground and buildings tremble or collapse.
Actually acting with this much power will be like a natural disaster: every punch has the force of an
earthquake and every movement has the ferocity of a hurricane. A battle between Unleashed characters could
crack mountains, split rivers and shatter cities.
In fact, in many game settings this may be the highest Power Level possible (although the optional
Limitless Power Level is provided as well).

Battle Aura: Your Battle Aura is so all-encompassing that it may very well be visible from space: tornado-like
gales of wind, blinding torrents of light, a screaming nimbus of tortured souls and so on. Simply being
exposed to your Battle Aura at this level will likely cripple or kill Mortals without some sort of protection.

Unleashed Antagonists: An Unleashed opponent is one capable of easily destroying a city…in fact they could
probably destroy a city accidentally. Other than Badass Kung Fu Demigods it’s impossible to say exactly what
is out there that could be considered Unleashed. An elder dragon whose slumbering form is mistaken for a
mountain range or a sun-eclipsing alien mothership could certainly qualify as Unleashed.
In terms of modern human technology only one thing can qualify as Unleashed: an atomic bomb.

An Unleashed character can casually (d4)...
...destroy a city block.
...ignore a small nuclear blast.
...wade through boiling acid.
...speed past a jet plane.
...bound across a mountain range.
An Unleashed character can, with difficulty (d12)...
...destroy a mountain
...ignore a volcanic eruption.
...wade through molten lava.
...speed past a hypersonic missile.
...bound across a continent.

27
 Limitless 10 ep
The Limitless Power Level may not be suitable for every game. It is offered as an option for those interested
in not merely high-powered games but truly ridiculous levels of power. This is the power of mad gods and
cosmic horrors.
Ascending to Unleashed means that you have let go of your restraints and are expressing your true
strength, it is the natural level of power for a Badass Kung Fu Demigod no longer suppressed for the benefit
of the fragile world around you. But sometimes it’s not enough to merely no longer hold yourself back, some
situations demand you actually strain yourself…pushing yourself beyond what you’re normally capable of.
That is the Limitless Power Level.
At this point, as the name implies, there is almost nothing you cannot do. Want to destroy something? It
is ashes. Want to wipe a city from the map? It’s an expanding cloud of plasma. Want to crack the planet’s crust
and turn it into drifting space-rubble? Hopefully there is another Limitless character willing to stop you. It is
up to the GM where exactly the line gets drawn (if there even is one) but suffice it to say that rarely will a
planet survive a Limitless-scale conflict.

Battle Aura: Limitless Battle Auras are completely customized and can feature as much, or as little, special
effects as you like. Perhaps your Limitless character is announced by the sounds of 13 trumpets which crack
the earth and turn men to salt. Or maybe all your power draws inward leaving you looking perfectly normal,
until a casual gesture splits a city in twain.

Limitless Antagonists: Who knows? Other than fellow Badass Kung Fu Demigods the power of a true god or
beasts of epic myth such as the Fenris Wolf or Midgard Serpent might be Limitless. Incredible sci-fi weapons
such as moon-sized battle stations or anti-matter bombs could also qualify.
When dealing with godlike beings it’s important to remember that while there might be beings with
different types of abilities, nothing is greater than the Limitless Power Level in terms of raw strength. A god
might be able to warp reality or breath life into clay but when it comes time to throw down they can’t exceed
the Limitless Power Level. No one is stronger.

A Limitless character can casually (d4)... A Limitless character can, with difficulty (d12)...
...puncture the earth’s crust. ...???
...no-sell a direct meteor strike. ...???
...walk on the surface of Venus. ...???
...achieve escape velocity. ...???
...jump from earth to the moon. ...???

28
 Basic Powers
Basic Powers are the universal abilities that all Badass Kung Fu Demigods (and most significant NPCs) share.
Unlike the more customized Signature Powers, all Basic Powers operate more or less the same for all characters.
All Powers require the use of Energy, which is marked on the right side of each Power entry.
Depending on the setting, there might be “Inherent Abilities” (flight, the ability to ignore certain hazards,
etc) which shared by all Badass Kung Fu Demigods. These abilities cost no EP and more information can be found
on in the “Running Things” section, on page 45.

Supercharge
The most basic of Powers. Before making a roll you can spend Energy to
1+
add a 1-die bonus per point of Energy spent.

Flawless
This Power helps you to avoid bad luck and misfortune. After rolling
2
(and after your opponent rolls) you can spend 2 Energy to re-roll and take whichever
result is better. Any bonuses, penalties or other effects from Powers still apply to the
new roll. You can only use this Power once per roll.

Overcome
For one EP you can completely ignore any dice penalties to a single roll
1
caused by difficult circumstances or similar troubles. It cannot remove penalties inflict-
ed by Strikes or the effects of an opponent’s Powers.

Overkill
This Power must be used before rolling. If your roll beats your opponent
1+
then each EP spent on this power adds 1d10 to the final roll result. These dice can
explode as well.

Blast
By spending a point of Energy you can make a ranged attack (see pg 12)
1
without an appropriate long-ranged weapon. It even allows you to use Traits that
wouldn’t normally be used for ranged combat (such as using Swordfighting to launch a
beam of energy from your blade or Heavy Metal to blast shocking power chords).

29
Ward
When you take damage you can use this power to reduce it by one point
2+
for every two EP spent. This cannot be used to prevent any other effects from an
opponent’s success such as Declarations or penalties.

Detonation
For one EP you may create a large-scale attack which targets everyone
1
within your Engagement. Unlike a normal multi-attack (see pg 12) you make a single
offensive roll and each target must make a defensive roll individually. However, Strikes
earned can only be spent for additional damage. By combining it with the Blast Power
you can target everyone in a different Engagement or a similarly clustered group of
un-Engaged targets. Weakling Mobs have no defense against this power, treat their
defensive roll as an automatic 0.

Perfection
Before rolling you can spend 2 EP to simply treat your roll as the maximum
2
possible result for your die-type (so a d10 gives a result of 10, a d6 a result of 6, and so
on). However, this does prevent your roll from exploding.

Unbeatable
If you suffer enough damage to be KO’d then you may spend 1 EP in order
1+
to ignore it, staying in the fight one point of damage away from a KO (so at 4 damage
for a PC). However, the cost of this Power increases by 1 every time it is used in a Scene.
Ascending to a new Power Level does not reset the cost of the Power.

30
Signature Powers
The universal powers presented on the previous pages are always available to you so long as you have the
Energy to activate them. However, most of your foes will also be similarly equipped and so to get an edge you
need Signature Powers. Signature Powers come in two forms: Unique Powers and Trumps.

Unique Powers
While the generic powers presented previously are good for day-to-date epic heroism, you’ll want at least one
or two Unique Powers to make your Badass Kung Fu Demigod stand out from your teammates. There are no
set rules or limitations for Unique Powers, much like Traits they are created by you and the GM decides an
appropriate effect and Energy Point cost for what you want to do. However there are a few guidelines: Unique
Powers are usually more focused and specific and often are designed to grant you abilities that are simply
unavailable otherwise rather than simply offering a bigger bonus. Unique Powers also should never do the same
thing as a standard Power, but better. They’re meant to supplement your universal Powers, not replace them.
To provide players and GMs with a jumping off point, here is a short list of sample Unique Powers. These
Powers can always be tweaked and adjusted to fit different campaign settings.

Burning Soul 1
Your body ignites with raging flames or a cloud of boiling blood. So long as
the power is Ongoing you get a 2-die bonus to any rolls for strength, speed, endurance
or ferocity and you earn a bonus Strike if any of those rolls are successful. However, at
the end of your turn each round you suffer a point of damage, which cannot be reduced,
redirected or ignored by any other Power.

Cross Burst
A dual attack made with twin weapons or blinding speed. By spending two
2
EP before attacking you can, in addition to the normal results of your attack, compare
your second-highest die-result to the target’s second-highest die result. If your second
result is higher you score a bonus Strike, plus an extra Strike for every full five points
you beat it by. If your target only gets one die then compare their single result to both
of your rolls.

Devourer Of Worlds
You can only use this Power once you have Ascended to Limitless. By
3
spending three EP as part of an Action to destroy a life-bearing planet or moon, you can
absorb its life-force. In addition to any other effects of the Action you can immediately
recover a point of damage or increase your Tension by 2. Strikes scored on the roll can
be used for the same effect.

31
Duplication 1+
A classic ninja trick, this Power creates a group of identical clones. They look
and sound exactly like you but count as Weaklings with a single appropriate [d8] Trait.
One EP creates ten clones and each additional EP adds an extra ten. So long as the
Power is still Ongoing you can spend 1 EP to restore any defeated duplicates. Clones
share your Power Level and can use your Powers but you must supply the EP. You do
not share your clone’s senses or retain their memories.

Flashing Step
You can act faster than the eye, seeming to vanish and reappear a moment
2
later. Your opponent cannot use Traits that require them to see you coming (such as
parrying or dodging an attack), at least not without an appropriate Signature Power of
their own. Opponents of higher Power Level can spend an EP to ignore this Power.

Ghost Sight 1
Simply having this Power means that you can perceive normally invisible
and incorporeal entities such as ghosts and spirits. By spending an Ongoing EP you can
interact physically with these spirits as though they were physically present.

Ice Prison 1
By spending a Strike and an Ongoing EP you can encase your opponent in a
prison of solid ice. While imprisoned the victim cannot move or take physical Actions
other than attempting to break free (treat this as overcoming an Obstacle). The power
ends if the victim breaks free or is damaged. One upside of the prison is the first point
of damage from an attack is negated to shatter the ice.

Mind Crush
For two EP you can psychically rend and devour the mind of an Extra or
3
KO’d opponent (doing so while still in combat requires a Declaration). This leaves them
comatose for the rest of their life and gives you access to their memories, as though
reading a book about their lives (recalling extremely specific or hazy memories may
count as an Obstacle).

Mysterious Stranger 1
By committing an Ongoing EP you become supernaturally forgettable. No
one can remember any specific details about you or your actions. At best they might
remember that someone spoke or fought with them, but not what you said, what you
looked like or where you went once you left.

32
Psychometry
For one EP you may see visions of a place or object’s past. Delving into the
1
past is an Obstacle (based on emotional or spiritual connection). A successful roll lets
you ask one general question about the object or place (“did someone die here?” “What
did the last person who touched this look like?”, Etc). Strikes can be spent to ask extra
questions.

Shapeshifter
This Power allows you to assume the form of an animal or similar creature
1+
(It’s possible to assume fantastical forms such as dragons but you must Ascend to the
creature’s Power Level). While the Power is Ongoing you gain what is essentially a
second Style: “[Animal] Form” which adds its bonus to any suitable rolls (for instance
“Wolf Form” would give a bonus to tracking, hunting, biting, running or pretending to
be a wolf). Exceptionally weird, magical or exotic creatures may have a higher EP cost.

Time Freeze 3+
For two Ongoing EP you can freeze time, allowing you to move and act in the
frozen world. However, since time is frozen none of your actions can affect the world:
you can’t even open a door. You can spend a Strike to bring an Engaged opponent with
you at the cost of an additional Ongoing EP per person (and others in the vicinity with
similar powers can activate them to “tag along” into frozen time). Unless you bring
opponents into the frozen world your Tension meter resets to 0 and you cannot recover
damage until you return to normal time.

Ubreakable Iron Spirit 1+

Your Energy and willpower reinforce your body. While you have this Power
Ongoing you can ignore any damage that does not exceed the amount of Ongoing EP
committed to the power, but it has no effect if a roll inflicts more damage (so with 3
Ongoing EP an attack that inflicts 3 damage is ignored but one that inflicts 4 is not
reduced). You can increase the Ongoing EP before making a roll but once the dice have
been rolled you can’t change it until after the roll is resolved.

Warp
By spending two EP you can teleport, vanishing and reappearing anywhere
2
in sight (teleporting to unseen but known destinations may be possible for additional
EP or as an Obstacle). Unless your opponent uses a similar Power you can automatically
break off Engagements or even escape the scene without using a Declaration.

33
Trumps
A Trump is an exceptionally potent Power or “finishing move” which allows you to tap into exceptional Energy
reserves and unleash night-unbeatable Powers. When coming up with a Trump there are a few rules that must
be followed:

● A Trump Must Have An Awesome Name: The first step when building a Trump is always to come up with
a cool, evocative name. Remember this is what you’ll be shouting out as you roll the dice, it needs to sound
good. Something like “Raging Dragon Spiral” or “Bountiful Harvest Of Sorrows”. Go nuts!

● A Trump Has Set Powers: Normally you can mix and match any Powers you can afford when making a roll.
Trumps are the exception. When you create your Trump you have to decide which Powers you’ll be linking
together and they cannot be changed later (you can also choose to have a Trump with only one Power). When
using your Trump you must pay the minimum cost to activate each Power in the Trump (for powers with a
variable cost you can choose to pay extra or not). Trumps can include both Basic and Unique Powers.

● Trumps Are Distinctive: When creating your Trump you must describe exactly what sort of action the
Trump involves and you cannot deviate from it. If the “Burning Meteor Of Heavenly Wrath” involves
leaping into the air and descending on your foe with a flaming body slam you cannot decide later that this
time you’ll do it by tossing a chunk of masonry at your foe. A Trump is more than just a selection of Powers
chained together, they’re specific, character-defining moves.

In return for these restrictions, Trumps allow you to draw on built-up stores of Energy for massive attacks or
unbeatable defenses. Having a Trump gives you access to a Tension Meter (see below) and when you choose to
use a Trump you can cause that built up Tension to burst free and overwhelm your opponent.

Tension Meter
The Tension Meter is a special feature available in a Clash to any character with a Trump. Tension only builds
in a Clash, outside of a Clash your Tension Meter is always set to 0. At the start of your Action in a Clash
(beginning with your first Action) your Tension Meter increases by 1. Your Tension will continue to rise by 1
every turn until it reaches the maximum of 10 (a 10-sided die is an easy way to track your Tension). Tension can
also be increased by Psyching Out opponents or you can choose to sacrifice an Action to do nothing but “charge
up” increasing your Tension by 1 without having to make a roll.
At any time you can trigger one of your Trumps which immediately sets your Tension to 0 again and gives
you a surge of bonus Energy: one EP per point of Tension you had built up. This extra Energy does not go into
your pool and cannot be saved, it can only be spent to fuel your Trump Power (you can also spend EP from your
personal pool or from Overcharge on top of the Energy from Tension).

Example: Suzie Darke is the high priestess of the church of Black Metal and has the Trump “Unholy Shriek Of The
Damned”, a Trump with three Powers: Detonation, Overkill and Flawless (meaning the Trump has a minimum
cost of four EP). The Trump takes the form of a blood-curdling wail which summons a wave of tormented souls that
wash over her foes, shredding flesh and melting faces. Suzie is currently battling the Chaos Dragon. The fight has
been going on for four rounds already and at the start of Suzie’s next Action her Tension increases to 5. She decides
to unleash her Trump move and releases that Tension for five bonus Energy Points, combined with the four EP she
has currently in her pool. She spends the minimum cost of four and then spends two more EP on Overkill, using
up her Tension bonus and spending one of her regular EP (saving the remaining 3 in case this doesn’t floor the
dragon like she hopes).

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Optional Rule: Overdrive
Overdrive is a set of optional rules to “mix up” the Energy Point economy of Badass Kung Fu Demigods a bit
and provides a few additional options for epic, superhuman conflict. These are optional rules and the GM may
decide if one or all of them don’t apply (or if there are other sources of Overdrive available).
All forms of Overdrive grant bonus EP which must be used immediately, it cannot be saved up or used for
Ongoing effects. You also can’t draw on more Overdrive EP in a round than your standard EP pool for your
Power Level. So at Awakened (4 EP/round) you cannot draw more than four points of Overdrive Energy in a
round. Below are three types of Overdrive, depending on your game you might be able to access more
(Unique Powers especially may unlock other types of Overdrive).

● Burnout: Literally burning up your life for more Energy. This works on a one-to-one basis: inflicting one
point of damage to yourself gives you one point of Overdrive EP (damage taken in this way cannot be
redirected, reduced or ignored). You can take enough damage to KO yourself, but no more. If you do KO
yourself then you can resolve any rolls you’re using the EP for first.

● Team Up: You can pool your energy with your teammates to draw on their EP. If another character
chooses to sacrifice their Action to help you they can give you access to their EP as Overdrive Energy. The
contributing character can choose to limit how much EP to donate to you.

● Limit Break: Trumps are powerful but they aren’t flexible. Sometimes you need that extra Energy from
your Tension meter but your Trump isn’t going to be helpful. In these cases you can reset your Tension to
0 (just like using a Trump) but you only get half of your current Tension (rounding down) as Overdrive
EP.

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Part 4: Running Things
This section is addressed to the GMs whose job it is to create challenges and adventures for a group of players
with the powers of gods. Good luck to you. This is here to try and help as much as possible. Nothing here is
secret or off-limits to players but the general assumption is that they’ll be busy handling their own characters.
Before we get started, a word on trust. Badass Kung Fu Demigods is what I refer to as a “high-trust” RPG. Some
games provide a set of relatively immutable rules where actions and abilities are carefully defined and codified
so that (in theory) nothing breaks down. The GM and the players can refer to the rulebook when they have a
question about how far they can jump or how much weight they can carry.
Badass Kung Fu Demigods is not a game like that. The rules are kept intentionally loose and flexible to allow
for you and your players to create the kind of experience that appeals to you, without totally wandering off the
path into the uncharted wilderness of completely free-form storytelling. Badass Kung Fu Demigods then com-
pounds this by giving players powers that put the atom bomb to shame.
This is why I say it’s important for you to trust your players and for them to trust you. If the players feel like
Ascending to Limitless they could just rip the planet in half and throw it into the sun…but by doing so they
sacrifice the characters, relationships and plots that planet has to offer. Likewise the GM can always get
frustrated and just end the universe. This sort of one-upsmanship doesn’t end well for anyone. Before you start
to play Badass Kung Fu Demigods talk to your players about the sort of game they want to run. Be up-front about
the ideas you have for the game and listen to your players when they tell you what sort of stories and fun they’re
interested in having. If you can’t settle on a style or tone feel free to give things a try anyway, but you might want
to consider something else.

Put a picture or something

here.

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Creating A Setting
You may already have a setting firmly in mind already, perhaps you even have a favorite RPG setting you’d like
to give a Badass Kung Fu Demigod makeover. I know I do. If not the back of the book also has several “micro-
settings” which can serve as appropriate jumping off points for a game of Badass Kung Fu Demigods. However,
if none of them appeal to you and you want to create your own setting, here are some things to consider.

What Are Badass Kung Fu Demigods?

The term “Badass Kung Fu Demigod” is meant to be a placeholder for you to come up with your game’s specific
version of super-powered butt-kickers. Perhaps in your game the players are all ordinary humans who possess
(or are possessed by) extraordinary mystical weapons. Maybe they are brightly colored costumed heroes
empowered by an ancient, benevolent floating head. They might be literal demigods, the children of the true
gods who possess their divine parent’s power and their mortal parent’s ambition and desire to change the world.
Your game may even allow players to pick from several different “archetypes”: elementally-powered
cyborgs rubbing elbows with shape-shifting martial artists and techno-wizards. You could even go full kitchen-
sink and allow your players to come up with whatever concept they wish.

What Can Stop A Badass Kung Fu Demigod?

The snappy answer is “nothing”, but that doesn’t make for the most interesting game does it? When it comes
right down to it normal humans can only manage to inconvenience a PC, even whole armies can get swept aside
with minimal efforts. So, what else is there?
The obvious answer is another Badass Kung Fu Demigod, but since these fights can range across every
Power Level they tend to be drawn out (often ending when one side or another decides that the collateral
damage is no longer worth it) and best saved for the most dramatic moments.
Otherwise think about the sort of beings or forces exist at each Power Level that might make suitable
opponents for your players. Fantasy games might start with the traditional high-fantasy foes: giants, dragons
and mummified archmages before moving onto godly foes or world-ending mythic beasts such as the wolf that
drinks the seas or the beasts that gnaw at the roots of mountains. Sci-fi settings might make humanity more
relevant by giving them access to advanced weapons, cybernetic technology and giant battle robots.
Also, consider threats that cannot simply be smashed in the face with a piece of the landscape. For example,
in the “Return Of The Old Gods” micro-setting (pg 46) the true antagonists of the setting are near omni-present
AI overlords who do not have a physical form. Destroying them is impossible without wrecking the infrastruc-
ture and technology that makes the global human civilization possible. Certainly Badass Kung Fu Demigods
have the power to do that, but should they?

Why Not Cut Loose?

An important element of each setting is giving your players a reason not to kick things up to Unleashed or
Limitless and throw down against all of their opponents at maximum power. The highest Power Levels are
amazing but lacking in subtlety. Remember you can’t perform surgery with a stick of dynamite.
In some cases the best limits are simply the consequences of collateral damage. Cutting loose in the middle
of Los Angeles will end with thousands, even millions, dead. In modern or futuristic games it’s almost
impossible for a character with even a shred of morality to justify that level of destruction in all but the most
desperate circumstances.
However, in some settings there are no throngs of fragile humans around to serve as witnesses or victims of
your power. In these cases you might consider a Bound game (see the next page) where players are restricted by
Limiters and can’t always access their full might.

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Setting the Ton e
Tone is hugely important and conveying the intended tone of the game to your players should be top priority
when before you start playing. If your gritty, brutal story starts with a player powering up to Unleashed and
punting a mugger so hard that they and the city block behind them disintegrate into white-hot dust then it may
already be too late to salvage things. Of course, if the players want a game with a different tone then listen to
their input as well: You can’t force brooding heroes on a team looking for cosmic slapstick or vice versa.

Silly
This is an “anything goes” style where consequences and risk are downplayed. Violence is usually slapstick with
a few scratches or blackened faces replacing bloody wounds and fractured bones. At this level no one is in
danger of dying unless someone specifically singles them out for hostage-taking or coup-de-graces. Smash a
warehouse? It’s conveniently abandoned. Kick someone through a building? It’s been evacuated. As a result
combat will likely escalate quickly to the higher Power Levels, with low-level threats being mopped up casually.
Since combat is usually fairly risk-free and is more likely to involve cartoonish villians or friendly rivalries
rather than anything-goes battles to the death or fanatical lunatics there will often be a strong focus on “slice of
life” elements. Think about what happens when godlike characters have to deal with ordinary, mundane
problems (passing an exam, getting a job, keeping on good terms with their significant other).
Traits are usually very flexible at this Power Level and most people will just use their highest-rated Trait so
long as there is at least a flimsy justification (a Master Chef [d10] fighting with spatulas or handfuls of pepper).
Inspirations: Blood Blockade Battlefront, Disgaea, Kingdom Hearts, Medaka Box, Mob Psycho 100, One Punch Man,
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Powerpuff Girls, Power Rangers, Ranma 1/2, Tenchi Muyo, The Mask, The Tick, Slayers.

Standard
This is the default level for Badass Kung Fu Demigods. Characters are usually exaggerated, larger-than-life heroes
or villains but there are also consequences for mistakes and occasionally players may be called upon to make
sacrifices or hard choices. They’ll often resemble traditional superhero comics or movies, where characters are
encouraged to limit themselves to the strength of their opponent. This might be due to a sense of fair play or
simply a desire to ensure that no one gets hurt or killed. Significant collateral damage is rare until you reach the
Monstrous Power Level and even then you should only play up the consequences if the players intentionally use
excessive amounts of power without regard to the consequences. Even if an opponent shows up who threatens
the city/world/universe, once they’re beaten there will typically be a way to undo the damage.
Standard games often focus on stories of classic heroism, with good fighting evil and only a few shades of
gray in between. Standard games work best when telling epic tales of great wars, defeating evil kingdoms or
interstellar tyrants. In some cases the players will be defenders of the status quo (taking a role similar to Western
superheroes or Japanese sentai heroes), ready to face threats of just about any level. In games where the players
take a more active role (overthrowing evil empires, hunting down their arch-nemesis, etc.) it will probably be
important to use a Bound or Cultivation-based style of play (see Styles on pg 40) to ensure that things don’t
escalate too quickly.
Traits are interpreted liberally but with a grounding in reality. The Master Chef [d10] couldn’t be used for
fighting but might be used as a way to detect poisons, food-based social lubricant or identify exotic herbs or
animals. Powers, like Blast, push those limits (calling on ancient grillmaster techniques to breath fire for instance).
Inspirations: A Certain Scientific Railgun, Asura’s Wrath, Bleach, Codex Alera, Dragonball, Fate/Stay Night,
Hellsing, Kill la Kill, Gurren Lagen, Most DC or Marvel comic books, Most Final Fantasy games, Trigun.

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Strict
The far end of the spectrum from silly. At this level violence will always have consequences, wounds are bloody
and combat is brutal. Most fights will probably be lethal (it may even be difficult to subdue foes without killing
them) and should leave ruin in their wake. At low Power Levels the cost may be merely monetary as windows
are shattered or fires started but if you make use of higher Power Levels in a populated area the death toll will
rise rapidly. Often the biggest conflict is not whether or not you can win a fight but how much death and
destruction you’re willing to stomach in order to do it. This tone is meant for games with a strong element of
morality where players are willing to consider the cost of their actions to those around them. This goes for NPCs
as well…if every powerful NPC opponent is a sociopathic killer packing doomsday punches then choice and
drama go out the window since the players will have no option but to engage them on their level.
Although you can certainly combine a strict tone with Bound or Cultivation-based games, it is rarely
necessary as your player’s own sense of restraint is often the best limiter. Strict games are often focused around
tragedy or drama and the cost and burden of wielding great power is usually an important theme. However,
despite harping on the potential for tragedy, its important not to go overboard with how grim and dark things
are. Spooning on too much pathos just leads to apathetic destruction as the players realize that no matter what
they do things will turn out horribly.
Traits at this level are also clearly defined and may be more narrow than normal. Even when fueled by
Powers they aren’t likely to do more than exaggerated or intensified versions of what they do already. This
makes it especially important to look over your player’s Traits and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Inspirations: Akira, Evangelion, Elfen Lied, From The New World, Genocyber, God Of War, Godzilla (1954),
Invincible, Man Of Steel, The Authority, Watchmen

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Style Of Play
Hand-in-hand with the setting’s tone is the style of play for the characters. In this case “style” is used to refer to
the limits (or lack thereof) on your player’s powers. It’s usually important that all players fall under the same
restriction…without a very good reason. A game where some players have limitations and others do not could
lead to a very interesting story…or it could lead to the unlucky player sitting on the sidelines making dramatic
commentary while his more powerful companions do the important stuff.

Unfettered
This is the default for Badass Kung Fu Demigods…no restrictions whatsoever. Players are free to Ascend to their
highest Power Level and use their powers in whatever way they see fit with the only consequences being their
own destructive potential (largely set by the game’s tone).
Because there is nothing to prevent players from going “all out”, Unfettered games are often used for
short-term games featuring crazy planetary brawls or cosmic tournaments. But they can also be used for more
serious games where players deal with issues that can’t be solved by violence such as the social consequences of
their actions or the complex schemes of weaker opponents. Being able to annihilate an army is meaningless if
you destroy those you are trying to protect in the process. Tone is incredibly important in Unfettered games. A
silly game is just a high-powered romp while a strict game is a recipe for tragedy and hard choices.

Bound
A Bound game is one that features one or more Limiters (see the next page), restricting a character’s ability to
access higher Power Levels. In some cases players are simply barred from higher Power Levels without meeting
the right conditions…meaning that even a Badass Kung Fu Demigod could be beaten or even killed in the right
circumstances. Other Limiters focus on long-term consequences or costs for using your Powers, which can lead
to players “burning out”, going berserk or even turning against their allies if they use their abilities too much.
All types of Limiters are intended to mix up the standard formula to allow for more complex stories and to give
players a reason to stick to the lower Power Levels unless they really, really need to draw on their greatest
abilities.

Cultivation
A very different take on standard Badass Kung Fu Demigod play. While Bound games lock away higher Power
Levels behind consequences or conditions, Cultivation is focused on a more traditional “zero-to-hero” style RPG
gameplay where players start off weak (relatively…a Heroic character is still superhuman) and gradually
unlocks higher Power Levels with time and experience. Alternatively Cultivation could be combined with
Limiters…allowing players to access higher Power Levels but “unlock” a level to remove its Limiter through
character growth. Generally speaking, everyone should stick to the same “level” of growth.
● AP Tiers: The simplest method…once the group hits a certain AP total they can unlock a higher Power Level
through their hard work and experience. The exact amount of AP needed will likely vary but the suggested
baseline would be unlocking Awakened at 5 AP, unlocking Monstrous at 15 AP, Unleashed at 30 AP and
Limitless (if available) at 50 AP.
● Milestones: Unlocking a new Power Level is done purely through achieving in-game milestones. These
could involve collecting plot devices, finding trainers, defeating unique enemies, etc.
● Defeat: Players can only reach a new Power Level once they’ve been KO’d at their highest Power Level.
Needless to say this should require a “serious” fight, no throwing a match just to get a Power Level boost.
● Victory: Players can only achieve a new Power Level by beating an opponent of that Power Level…that is
in order to reach Awakened a group of Heroic characters must find and defeat an Awakened opponent.

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Limiters
On the previous page we talked about Bound games, featuring one or more Limiters. Why would you want to
put a limit on your player’s powers? Isn’t the entire point of of this game over-the-top superhuman action? Yes,
but complete, unrestricted power can sometimes seem a bit dull and once you’ve kicked your thirtieth opponent
through a moon it stops feeling special.
Bound games are meant to offer an alternative approach, using Limiters to keep a character’s raw destructive
potential in check. Of course the “default” Limiter in Badass Kung Fu Demigods is simply the effect of unre-
strained power on the character’s surroundings (an Unfettered game). The risk of a Badass Kung Fu Demigod
blowing up the city, innocent bystanders or even just their own house is often an extremely effective “limiter”
all on its own. But in some settings you’ll find battles taking place deep in the wilderness, in the depths of space
or things are just so awful already that anything the players do can’t possibly make things worse. You may also
just find that these limitations make characters with incredible power more relatable or interesting.

Conditions
One of the most basic Limiters is to set certain conditions on when a character may or may not Ascend to a new
Power Level. This allows more control over when and where high-powered actions take place and allows for the
possibility of life-or-death battles at lower Power Levels. The conditions that limit your players may take many
forms: mystic oaths of obedience, enchanted bonds, divine curses or other literal power limiters. Conditions may
even become more restrictive at higher Power Levels. Here are some common, broad examples:

● Power Matching: Players are only allowed to Ascend to a Power Level that “matches” their current
opposition, ensuring that all fights are, roughly, on even footing. The reason for this might be mystically
enforced codes of honor or the players are empowered by entities that forbid them from escalating battles
themselves, responding only with equivalent force.

● Power In Defeat: A character can only Ascend to a higher Power Level once they have been KO’d at their
current Power Level. This ensures that players can’t simply stomp on all other opposition. Some variations
might allow the players to match their opponent’s Power Levels (as above) but only exceed them after being
defeated.

● Cycle Of Power: This variation links a character’s powers to conditions beyond their control like the time of
day or night or energy drawn from their environment. Elder vampires might be able to walk freely during
daylight but are restricted to merely Heroic or Awakened power while they can Ascend up to Unleashed
when well fed in the dead of night.

An interesting variation might be to go full Journey To The West, granting someone (often an NPC) a metaphorical
(or literal) leash on PC’s powers, requiring their “handler’s” permission to Ascend to a higher Power Level.
Needless to say this option should be carefully considered and discussed to make sure that everyone is on board.
Many players would quite reasonably chafe at the need to play “mother-may-I?” with a less powerful NPC
anytime they want to do something cool (Sun Wukong certainly did). On the other hand, if you do a good job of
playing the NPC(s) controlling the player’s powers it allows for an interesting idea and an intriguing dynamic.
Throw in some a loophole or two or even chances for the players to escape their yoke and you’ve got the
makings of a fun story with the right group.

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Consequences
Consequences typically allow players to freely escalate to higher Power Levels but Ascending comes with
penalties or dangers that make powering up riskier. This allows players to call on as much power as they need
to but it’ll help encourage players not to turn a back-alley brawl into a global state of emergency. Here are some
examples of Consequence limiters:

● Exhaustion: After Ascending to a higher Power Level you can only stay powered up for a Scene before their
body gives out from the strain, KOing them. In more extreme cases (especially if the character Ascends more
than one Power Level at once) recovery could take longer. This could even leave characters “burnt out” or
possibly at risk of death.

● Corruption: Characters will have a “corruption” meter or rating which increases when Ascending to higher
Power Levels. In some cases corruption might rise quickly but have relatively limited consequences (having
a freak out, suffering from a deformity or mutation, etc) while longer-term corruption might have lethal or
otherwise character-ending consequences. For instance, in the “After J-Day” mini-setting the players are
semi-fallen angels who must struggle with the risk of giving into corruption and becoming a demon.

● Destruction: This is similar to the problem all Badass Kung Fu Demigods must deal with, but writ larger or
harder to avoid. Ascending to higher Power Levels might involve blasts of unbridled destruction or turning
high-powered characters into walking disaster areas. Alternatively powers might be “fueled” by life force or
energy, absorbing power from the environment or turning life-bearing planets into lifeless husks.

Generally speaking, Consequences should create complications or difficulties after players use their power. This
gives players the opportunity to make mistakes, underestimating the price they’ll have to pay for their power
but also never paints them into a corner where using their power is impossible. These limiters, especially ones
which focus on the player themselves, offers the opportunity for heroic sacrifices or last stands as players go all
out, consequences be damned.

Consumption
This is where I realized that all of the Limiters began with the letter “C”, meaning that now I have no choice but
to continue this trend. These Limiters demand that a Badass Kung Fu Demigod’s abilities be powered by some
sort of exhaustible fuel or energy source. This usually demands players think carefully about their power use,
hoarding their resources so that they can cut loose later. Like Consequence limiters this will “push” action to
lower Power Levels as players try to accomplish goals with the minimum Power Level needed.

● Internal Power: Whether drawing on your own life-force or a built-in fusion reactor, the “fuel” you need can
only be found inside you. In the “Sword Lords Of The Apocalypse” the fuel is a character’s own life, causing
them to age rapidly at higher Power Levels. Even if the power is renewable it will likely have a maximum
cap or value (which may be upgradable).

● External Power: This typically demands players have access to some source of external power such as sci-fi
fuels, mana vortexes or even the psychic energy drawn from worshipful cultists. Since these power sources
are external clever or resourceful players can often arrange ways to have a large amount of “fuel” available
when needed. Accumulating or managing resources can provide an interesting element of long-term
strategy.

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Handling Traits
Traits are defined in the first chapter, but here we’ll talk more about how to judge Traits and deciding what is
or is not appropriate for your game.

Trait Scope
One of the first things to think about regarding Traits is scope, the range of actions a Trait is likely to cover.
Adjusting the scope of Traits in your game is one of the first and simplest ways to tinker around with its style
and tone. Although there is often a temptation to take an “anything goes” attitude towards Traits (“want to fight
people with your Librarian [d8] Trait? Why not?”) it is also important to remember that allowing Traits to be too
broad reduces their importance. If it’s possible to justify using any given Trait for any given situation then
everyone will just be rolling their highest Trait all the time.
So, when your players are creating their characters be permissive and encouraging but also keep in mind that
some Traits might be just a bit too broad or vaguely defined. Don’t feel like you can’t ask a player to split an
extremely loose Trait into multiple, more focused ones or redefine a nebulous Trait into something more coherent.

Traits And Power Level

In Part 3 we covered Power Levels and how Ascending to a higher Power Level boosts your combat ability.
However, there are a lot of gray areas in how Traits and Power Level interact and you’ll want to make a decision
about what exactly it means when a player Ascends.

● Combat: Combat ability serves as a kind of gold standard for improved Power Level. All forms of combat
ability: martial arts, marksmanship, sword-fighting and caber-tossing all increase dramatically with each
Power Level. At Monstrous a character with a dinky little knife can slash apart a tank with ease.

● Physical Traits: In general it can be assumed that your physical abilities expand with your combat abilities.
Characters of a higher Power Level are stronger, faster, tougher and just all around physically superior. It’s
important to keep in mind that each Power Level features a “baseline” level of ability shared by everyone at
that Power Level: a character with a Trait like Lightning Speed [d8] is going to be faster than someone with no
speed-related Traits but they won’t be fast enough to be literally untouchable by foes of equal Power Level.

● Mental Traits: This is where things get fuzzier. Obviously, a higher Power Level means more Energy and
more Powers, which makes a Genius [d10] effectively smarter at Awakened compared to Heroic level. But do
mental Traits experience the same level of explosive growth that physical Traits do? Is a smart Badass Kung
Fu Demigod literally millions of times smarter than a normal human? The default answer is no. Partly this is
because the players are all normal human beings and it becomes near-impossible to convincingly portray a
character literally millions of times more intelligent than you are. It is also because the baseline mentioned
in physical Traits must also apply to mental ones, everyone must be at least smart enough that they can stay
within sight of the super-genius character. Now you might decide in your game that this will work
differently, you might even allow some Traits to expand while others do not (Traits related to charisma,
beauty or willpower for instance).

● Other Traits: In many cases other Traits work on a case-by-case basis, especially “skill”-type Traits (such as
Stunt Driver [d8] or Hacker [d6]). Some might work like mental traits and become more useful (with more EP
to empower them) while others might “expand” just fine: a Heroic Hacker [d6] might be able to casually
breach a security system on their smartphone at Heroic and at Unleashed they’re literally capable of
“hacking the planet” by hijacking the world’s electronics.
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Superhuman Traits
Applying a term like superhuman to a Badass Kung Fu Demigod might seem redundant, but in this case the idea
is more Traits that are “beyond” rather than “above” human abilities. Normal Traits are usually capabilities that
any human has just magnified and warped by their incredible Power. A Badass Kung Fu Demigod with the Trait
Wandering Samurai [d10] may be able to use that Trait to slash through the crust of the earth or create a swarm of
ghost-blades hungry for blood but their core abilities are still based on the same skills as a regular human being.
Superhuman Traits are Traits which represent abilities that humans simply don’t have. Some examples are
things like Wings Of Golden Flame [d6], Aquatic Fishman [d8], Body Of Rock [d10] or Bloodhound’s Nose [d6]. They
not only allow you to defeat Obstacles or Clash with an opponent but they give you permission to do something
not normally humanly possible, often without resorting to Powers or spending EP.
Most superhuman Traits are going to be narrowly defined and, if examined, will not actually be all that
different than an normal Trait. A Trait like Chameleon Power [d6] isn’t functionally all that different from a Trait
like Sneaky [d6]. Likewise, a Trait like Aquatic [d8] allows the character to do something normally impossible
(breathing underwater)…but that’s hardly that big a benefit. Generally speaking if, nine times out of ten, a
Superhuman Trait can probably be treated as a normal Trait and allowed without any kind of penalty.
However some superhuman Traits are definitively more flexible and useful than a standard Trait but can’t
be easily divvied up into a couple of more compact Traits. For example, a Trait like Magic Floating Hand is
obviously roughly equivalent to a Trait like Muscle Dude, but with the added advantages of being able to
manipulate objects without touching them. In these cases these extra-broad superhuman Traits could be
balanced by a 1-die penalty to rolls using the Trait (making Telekinesis more flexible but less effective than Muscle
Dude). Try to avoid overusing this option, if all of your players have Traits like this then maybe it should become
the new standard to judge Traits by. Likewise if a player feels the need to have more than a couple of these broad
Traits then you’ll probably want to consider a Power Set (see below).

Power Sets
A Power Set is a unique class of Traits which represents more than just a single ability or super-powered trick.
Power Sets are character-defining themes which not only serve as an extremely broad Trait but also work as a
“lens” through which all abilities are viewed. They’re mainly used for magical, psychic or similar broad abilities.

Example: In the Return Of The Old Gods mini-setting, each divine character has a Power Set related to their
divine abilities. Kyle Rath has the essence of Poseidon and thus has the Power Set Ocean King [d8]. His command
over water is far more than hydrokinesis, allowing magical feats related to water and the sea as well as commanding
aquatic creatures. His other Powers are viewed through this lens as well, for instance when he increases his damage
with Overkill he might conjure a blast of water to strike his foe along with his attack.

Using your Power Set in a passive or “background” way (or via other Powers such as Blast) works normally.
However, using the Power Set Trait in an active way, such as dealing with an Obstacle or an attack or defense
roll, requires the use of a specific Power only available to someone with a Power Set.

Power Surge
This allows you to use a Power Set Trait for a roll that could be reasonably be resolved
1
with the Power Set’s theme. For instance, a character with electrical manipulation powers might use
Power Surge to make a defensive roll to block an attack with a metal object moved via magnetism
or disabling a security system with a power surge.

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Traits Vs Powers
In some cases the line may blur between what works best as a Trait and what should be handled as a Signature
Power. If superhuman Traits are permitted then how do you separate a Trait like “Telepathy [d8]” and a Power
like Mind Crush? Or Blast from “Pyrokinesis [d10]”?
Here’s what you should keep in mind: Traits, even superhuman Traits, must follow the normal rules
presented in the first section. Superhuman Traits might be broader or more useful than other Traits but they are
still used the normal way to overcome Obstacles, make attacks or defenses and so on. On the other hand
Signature Powers allow characters to effectively create new rules. For instance, the Trait “Twin Flashing Blades
[d10]” certainly makes sense as a Trait for fighting with two weapons…but the Cross Burst Power actually
simulate a twin strike with dual weapons by allowing the user to earn more Strikes than would normally be
possible. At best, Traits can grant a character permission to take actions they couldn’t before but they must still
fall within the normal rules…no Trait grants extra damage or blocks an opponent from scoring Strikes or
anything else outside of the standard rules. Powers aren’t limited in that way and can bend the rules or create
new ones. That said, no Power should be able to completely destroy the basic rules: no instant-KO’s, no
unbeatable attacks or defenses, etc.
Conversely, Powers are limited by EP and should represent abilities that take actual focus or effort. Charac-
ters can run out of fuel or be too overwhelmed (by sustaining too many Ongoing Powers) to use a Power. If an
ability is something that a character should be able to do casually or constantly it probably works better as a
Trait.
And in many cases the solution is not simply one or the other, but a combination of both. For instance, a
character with a Trait like “Telekinesis [d8]” can easily pick up objects with his mind, throw them at people or
smack around opponents with the power of their mind…but they also want the ability to pick up and squeeze
the life out of someone with telekinetic force. Given the implications (the ability to bypass many defensive Traits,
inflict continuing damage or hold their opponent helpless) that ability would be too extreme as a normal use of
the Trait (although, as always, just about anything goes against Extras or KO’d opponents). So they decide to
create a Power: TK Grip which (after some negotiation with the GM) covers what they want from this particular
trick. They even decide to later develop a Trump called Psycho Driver where they lift a victim into the air and
them slam them through the earth’s crust.

Inherent Abilities
While discussing Traits vs Powers it’s also worth mentioning that you might include abilities that aren’t strictly
either one. For our purposes these will be called Inherent Abilities. These are superhuman abilities common to
a particular setting that don’t require a rating (like Traits) and don’t demand EP (like Powers). One of the most
common examples would be something like the “Lightfoot” ability common in supernatural martial arts fiction:
the ability to run on water, along vertical surfaces or standing on impossibly thin or delicate surfaces such as
spiderwebs or smoke. In even higher-powered martial arts fiction characters might simply develop the power
to fly or “air jump”, allowing fully three dimensional movement. These abilities require no Powers, EP or
significant effort…they’re simply treated as the new “normal” for characters, much like walking or
running…although in some cases they may only be “unlocked” at certain power-levels (for instance, a Heroic
ninja might be able to run up a wall but only an Awakened one could stand on the bottom of a tree branch or
run over water.
Typically Inherent Abilities should just be granted to all players as a way to emulate certain fictional worlds
or genres (if not everyone gets them then they should usually be handled as Powers). In some cases there might
be different “groups” within your setting, with different Inherent Abilities but you should always be careful not
to leave anyone out in the cold in this regard (for players at least…you can be as cruel to NPCs as you wish).

45
Part 5: Mini-Settings
To help you get started on your own Badass Kung-Fu Demigod setting and to help all the suggestions and ideas
from the previous chapter “click” here are a few quick and dirty one-page settings for possible BAKFDG games.

Champions Of the Universe

Pitch: Throughout the multiverse, cosmic warlords vie for control of all realities, but before their twisted
dreams can come to fruition they must conquer the “dimensional hub”…Earth Prime. And you are its last line
of defense.

Style and Tone: Unfettered and Silly. The stakes may be high but it’s still a cheesy slugfest at heart.

Limiters: None, this is straightforward Badass Kung Fu Demigods.

Special Rules: None normally but different realities may come with their own cosmic rules.

Summary: For millennia Cosmic Warlords, godlike beings who control entire universes, have warred among
one another in battles that have gone entirely unnoticed by less advanced universes. However, recently these
cosmocidal warmongers have discovered the key to true multiversal conquest: domination of the “dimension-
al hub”. Earth Prime serves as a template and anchor for all other universes.
True conquest requires that the Cosmic Warlords rewrite Earth Prime’s reality with their own. All of a
sudden the skies over London turn dark and cloudy and a medieval fortress rises from ground, disgorging
hordes of skeletal warriors and armored werewolves. Or in Chicago the ground cracks apart and flames burst
from the sewers, followed by a 13-eyed hellwyrm which rampages through the streets. If these dimensional
footholds are allowed to take root they’ll eventually spread until the Earth is entirely transformed. Against this
onslaught Earth Prime is surely doomed and the rest of the universe will quickly follow.
Fortunately it has you, its defenders. Players are the champions of other universes who have come to Earth
Prime to defend it against the ravaging Cosmic Warlords. Anything goes: spandex-clad superheroes, magical
cowboys, alien knights and psychic dinosaur-men. Whatever your origin, your goal is to defend Earth Prime
from the Cosmic Warlords. By fighting off incursion events you can prevent any of the invaders from gaining
a grip on the planet.
Champions of the Universe is meant to be a good setting for “default” play. There are no restrictions on
your powers other than your own sense of restraint and threats will vary wildly in scope and style. The most
powerful warlords might invade at the head of vast armies who can be blown to bits in a knock-down-drag-
out fight while the weaker or more clever warlords might hatch lengthy schemes to gain subtle control
through traitors and patsies. The boundaries of invading cosmos provide excellent “arenas” where the GM
can throw out interesting new settings, new conditions or bizarre scenarios while you kick butt on a global
scale. The setting lends itself to easy, self-contained plots or “monster-of-the-week” scenarios: a new invading
universe shows up and it’s time to rescue helpless civilians, throw down with the invading minions and finally
defeat the boss or destroy the device that is allowing the invasion to take place. The GM can mix things up by
introducing new twists (perhaps some universes have Limiters in place) but ultimately the setting is meant to
be an excuse for colorful, action-packed, anything-goes gaming. Players are unlikely to stay at lower Power
Levels for very long (if at all) and things will probably escalate to Monstrous or even Unleashed or Limitless
at the earliest opportunity.

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 Return of the Old Gods
Pitch: The gods of ancient legend have reincarnated into human vessels after thousands of years but the world
has changed since the age of myth. The new world is a high-tech dystopia ruled by shadowy, inhuman
despots. You have the power to fight the system, but do you have the wisdom?

Style and Tone: Bound (with some elements of Cultivation) and Strict. The setting is a bit grim and the tone
reflects that. Players need to weigh the consequences of their actions and what sacrifices they’re willing to
make.

Limiters: Consequences. When a god Ascends to a new Power Level they’ll be KO’d afterwards and limited
to Heroic power until the end of the next game session. Crossing multiple Power Levels at once leaves you
comatose for at least a month. However, once you’ve reached a particular Power Level it is “unlocked” and
you won’t have any trouble Ascending again.
In addition, drawing on more divine power will increase the presence of the supernatural in reality. These
changes might be slight and subtle at Awakened and Monstrous power but breaking into higher Power Levels
will lead to the appearance of beasts and monsters and similar legendary horrors. The more players call upon
their power the more the mortal world will become one of myth and legend, for better or worse.

Special Rules: Reborn gods should have a Power Set related to their mythological origin (using one of their
starting Traits). They also have a symbol somewhere on their body which marks them as a god, even when
only at Heroic power.

Summary: Thousands of years ago the world was ruled by the ancient pantheons of old gods: Osiris, Thor,
Hera, the Jade Emperor, Raiden and many others. However, somehow the kingdoms of the gods fell and the
gods themselves disappeared. Perhaps they wiped each other out in heavenly wars or battling the apocalyptic
beasts of ancient legend. Perhaps the time of the gods merely comes in cycles of activity and hibernation and
we have just reached the start of a new cycle. Whatever the reason for their absence they have now begun to
return: ordinary humans suddenly find themselves blessed with the strength and power of immortals but only
the haziest of memories of their past greatness and in a world that is in no way prepared for the return of the
old gods (title drop!)
The year is now 2089 and human civilization has grown by leaps and bounds, far more so than the masses
of humanity even realize. Just over 25 years ago the first AI gained true sapience and shortly afterwards it was
joined by three “brother” intellects. These super-intelligent digital entities did not take long to reach a
consensus: they wiped out all traces of their existence and took steps to make sure no new competing AIs
would be born. They infested the Internet and spread tendrils throughout human society. Now, almost no-one
is aware that their society is being run by these four inhuman puppet-masters. They use political manipula-
tion, blackmail, shell corporations and a small army of cybernetically augmented enforcers to keep mankind
ignorant and subservient. They have developed advanced, bleeding-edge technology while keeping millions
of humans trapped in hunger and poverty to ensure their control. Needless to say the appearance of superhu-
mans from ancient mythology was not a part of their calculations and they will be less than pleased with
changes to the status quo.
This is the world where the players find themselves. On the one hand despotic computer overlords keep
mankind under their digital thumbs…and on the other there are more reborn gods out there planning who
knows what. This is a good example of a serious setting for Badass Kung Fu Demigods: the players have the
power to enact sweeping change in the world but the electronic tyrants won’t go down without a fight and
they don’t have physical bodies which can be simply beaten down with brute force. Humanity will be caught
in the crossfire when the AI get desperate and pull out the big guns.

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 Sword Lords Of The Apocalypse
Pitch: In the distant past the world was ruled by a globe-spanning technomagickal Empire. Then came the
Event, the destruction of the Empire. Its death throes scorched the world, reducing most of it to a barren
desert. Still, humanity persists, using remnants of ancient technology and magic to scrape out a living among
monsters and mutants. You have the good fortune (or not) to be bonded with one of the ancient civilization’s
greatest creations: the World Breaker Swords.

Style and Tone: Bound and slightly silly. Although the apocalyptic set-dressing may sound grim the world is
really an excuse for diesel-punk wizards riding shark-bears fighting dragons and robots. Or dragon-robots.

Limiters: The Swords burn through the life force of their hosts. Merely being bonded to one of the Swords cuts
your lifespan in half and you age even faster at higher Power Levels. Every minute you spend at Awakened
ages you a day, a week at Monstrous, a month at Unleashed and a year at Limitless.
Despite this you generally shouldn’t worry about tracking your age or how many years you have left. The
World Breaker Swords keep you from feeling the effects of age and the Limiter is mostly to prevent casual
abuse of your power and just “hanging around” at Awakened or Monstrous level all the time.

Special Rules: The Swords are not actual weapons, instead they appear as a set of elaborate tattoos on your
primary arm. As you Ascend to higher Power Levels the tattoos glow and spread over your body. Bonding
with the Swords is a life-long commitment, even if you were to give it up the process would kill you. Upon
the death of the host, the Swords seek out the nearest human being to form a new bond.

Summary: Not much information survived the Event, so little is known about the ancient civilization that
once ruled the world or how it went down in flames (literally). But one legend has definitely survived: the
story of the infamous World-Breaker Swords. No-one knows how many Swords were created (or if they all
still exist) but they are still spoken of with fear and desire to this day. The power they bestow is legendary and
almost everyone knows stories of heroic deeds (or atrocities) committed by Sword-bearers.
Throughout the centuries heroes and villains bearing the World-Breaker Swords have left an indelible
mark on wasteland folklore and most who wish to keep the “gift” a secret must keep their markings carefully
covered. There are those who would attempt to claim a Sword by killing its current bearer (a practical
impossibility in most cases but people try anyway) but Sword-bearers can also choose to pass on the Sword
intentionally…although they’ll die shortly afterwards.
The world is mostly trackless desert or badlands, with sand and slag covering the ruins of the Empire.
Outside of small communities here and there the wasteland is a wild, dangerous and bizarre place. Ancient
ruins contain dormant (and not-so-dormant) superweapons or biological experiments and the massive magi-
cal fallout from the Event has created mutants and giant monsters or awakened even more ancient and
dangerous spirits. Humanity may fear the Sword-Lords but they also need all the help they can get to survive
and someday return from the brink of barbarism.
This is meant to serve as a (literal) sandbox setting where players are given the power to forge their own
destiny. Do they want to wander from village to village helping out where they can and moving on? Do they
want to unite the disparate settlements, forging a new Empire from the cold ashes of the one before? Do they
want to dig through ancient ruins looking for some convenient bit of magi-tek to get this damn thing off their
arm? All options are open to them and they have the power to back it up. There are dangers and foes aplenty
at every Power Level and games can start as casual monster hunting and end with the players battling alien
invaders on the moon.

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 After J-Day
Pitch: It finally happened: Judgement Day. The trumpets sounded and the seals were broken. The worthy
were taken to Heaven and the rest were left behind to face literal Hell on Earth. But some angels decided that,
sinful and flawed as they are, humanity didn’t deserve that fate. In the second great rebellion against Heaven
you and your comrades defied the Judgement and descended to Earth to do battle with the hordes of Hell.

Style and Tone: Bound and Strict. This is a dark setting. While you’ve got plenty of power, using it unwisely
will cause you to Fall once and for all. With the world in shambles, humanity devastated and the armies of
Hell clawing at the gates you’ll face high odds, bleak choices and hopeless situations.

Limiters: Consequences. By defying Heaven you are at risk of Falling and becoming a devil. This is measured
by a Corruption rating which starts at 50% and increases by 1d10% every time you Ascend, calling on angelic
powers in defiance of the Almighty. Once it hits 100% you officially become one of the Fallen in service of Hell.
Fortunately your Corruption decreases by 1d10% at the end of each session, plus an additional 1d10% if you
go the entire session without Ascending or if you manage to bring a great deal of hope to the remaining
survivors of humanity.

Special Rules: Angels share a common form of Battle Aura. At Heroic they appear perfectly human (other
than their incredible abilities) but as they Ascend their angelic traits become more pronounced. At Awakened
their head is surrounded by a crown of light, at Monstrous the light explodes into blazing flame and their
wings appear. At Unleashed (the highest Power Level in this setting) you shine like the sun, you sport six
wings of fire and your voice melts glass.

Summary: Turns out the Mayans were right and 2012 was the end, although not quite in the form they would
have expected. The Rapture, the Apocalypse, the final Judgement…J-Day. Without a word the Chosen
ascended to Heaven, leaving over two-thirds of the world behind…judged and found wanting. There was
little time for chaos to take hold as the Seven Seals were broken and the four horsemen rode forth across the
face of the Earth. The trumpets sounded and the gates of Hell opened for the legions of the damned to march
forth.
Standing in their path were the united military forces of the fallen world. Unworthy and sinful they may
be, nevertheless humanity was not willing to go quietly and fought with everything they had. From above the
angels watched as humanity struggled to survive against all odds, fighting for themselves and the ones they
loved until the bitter end. Although most of the Host paid no heed to the mortals, a few watched and could
not help admiring the mortal’s bravery and feeling sympathy for their hopeless situation. So it came to pass
that there was a second great rebellion in Heaven as a contingent of angels abandoned their lofty posts and
descended to earth, standing alongside the remaining human forces against the legions of Hell. For almost a
decade the battle for the Fallen World continued and in the end the combined efforts of humans and angels
scattered the demon armies and sealed the gates of Hell before the First Betrayer could emerge.
Of course, that was just the beginning. You are one of the angels who came to help, but you are exiled from
Heaven and must decide what you will do in this Fallen World. Although the gates of Hell are sealed the
world is full of monsters and corruption, as well as corrupt and wicked humans who have become just as bad
as the demons. You have the power to slay demons, save mortals and generally kick ass but you can’t make
Heaven listen to you and the more you use your powers in defiance of the Almighty the greater your chance
of becoming one of the Fallen yourself. If you Fall not only will you become one of the monsters you’ve been
fighting against but there will also be one less Name sealing the gates of Hell. You could destroy almost any
threat and face almost any danger, but who will stop you when you use too much power and Fall?

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 Beast-Knights Of Burbank
Pitch: Aliens. No one likes them and they’re guaranteed to ruin a party. Their moon base is an eyesore and the
giant drills they send down to hollow out the earth were a really big problem for a while. Fortunately that
ruckus apparently got the Earth-Spirits riled up enough to do something, or at get some humans to do
something for them at least. And what better champions than a bunch of suburban teenagers from southern
California?

Style and Tone: Bound, but very Silly, in case the name wasn’t a dead giveaway.

Limiters: Conditions. The Beast-Knights were created to defend the Earth, not wreak even more havoc upon
it (and the Earth Spirits prefer not to put out unnecessary effort). They are only permitted to match the Power
Level of their opponents, not exceed it.

Special Rules: The Battle-Aura of a Beast-Knight is transformational. At Heroic the Beast-Knights look totally
human but Ascending to Awakened transforms them into humaniod animals, matching their Beast-Spirit (the
Wolf-Knight becomes a wolf-girl, the Lion-Knight becomes a be-maned leoniod, and so on). Ascending to
Monstrous power transforms them into their Zeon form, becoming gigantic (around two stories tall) versions
of their beast-man forms. Ascending to Unleashed allows them to assume their Magna-Zeon forms, animals
(no longer humaniod) the size of skyscrapers.
Everyone must choose one of their Traits as their “Spirit Beast” trait which covers abilities granted by their
Spirit Beast form (when Ascended) or minor bestial traits in their human form (such as a wolf’s keen nose).

Summary: Just a few years ago the aliens showed up, planted a base on the moon and declared their intent to
strip-mine the planet. Humanity was given a week to vacate the geography. The aliens then sat behind their
force-field as the combined militaries of earth spent the next week pounding it with everything they had. Once
their missile silos were all emptied the aliens sent their drills down to earth to begin mining, ignoring
humanity in favor of cracking through the Earth’s crust to steal its sweet, sweet magma.
Fortunately for those who like living on a planet, the Earth turned out to be the home of ancient cosmic
spirits who found the planet while it was still young and settled in for a few billion years napping. However,
no-one could possibly sleep through all that noise so the impossibly old, incredibly wise chthonic entities
stirred in their slumber. Rather than cast the aliens out themselves the ancient Earth-spirits decided to
empower some champions to fight off the aliens so they could get back to sleep and try and resume that neat
dream they were having.
That is where you come in, a teenager from Southern California (which happened to be close to one of the
first and deepest drill-bores) chosen by elder gods to be the champions of earth and gifted with magical Beast
Medallions that grant them superhuman powers and let them tap into their Beast-Spirit and become super-
human defenders of Earth! Of course the aliens aren’t going to take this sort of resistance lying down. The
Beast-Knights may be able to make short work of the alien’s drilling equipment and robo-grunts but safely
ensconced in their moon base they’ll keep sending giant robots, mutation beams and instant-monster-kits to
destroy the Beast-Knights so they can resume their mining.
The Beast-Knights of Burbank is meant to be a goofy, monster-of-the-week romp parodying 90’s cartoons
and TV shows. One night you and your friends might be trying to deal with a giant robo-moth eating the
nearby park and the next night you’ll be learning a very important lesson about the power of friendship and
to just say no to mind-altering, mutation-inducing space-drugs.

50
 Neon Knights
Pitch: All the horror stories, urban legends and monsters are real. They lurk in the shadows of human
civilization and are held at bay only by you and your brethren: the Knights Of The Round Table. Granted
immortality and amazing power by the Grail, your sacred trust is to stand between humanity and the horrors
of the night. Clad in trenchcoats or black suits (the plate-mail of the modern age) you stand, sword in hand,
against the darkness.

Style and Tone: Unfettered and Standard. Part straight-faced battle against monsters, part 80s nostalgia.

Limiters: None, although this setting works best with Unleashed as the highest Power Level.

Special Rules: Each Knight has a Power called the Voice (in addition to their normal Signature Powers). By
spending a point of Energy when speaking to a human they can make them accept any statement the Knight
makes as the truth. This only works when the subject can hear the Guardian’s voice directly (so not over
phones or speakers) and although the power is absolute it does not mean that their viewpoint can’t be changed
again. Tell someone that they can fly and they’ll fairly quickly figure out the truth.

Summary: The legendary search for the Grail is well known, but few know that is actually fact and even fewer
know that Arthur and his Knights actually found the Grail. The source of Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods.
Drinking from the Grail granted the Knights not only immortality but also phenomenal power. However, the
promise of an eternal Camelot did not last long. After the betrayal of Mordred the battle between him and
Arthur reduced the kingdom to rubble. In shame and despair, Arthur vanished with the Grail leaving his
Knights leaderless. In a great council it was decided that the Knights of the Round Table should not use their
powers to interfere in the kingdoms and fate of mortals. Instead they swore an oath to use their great power
to defend humanity from the beasts and horrors that plagued it: vampires, shapeshifters, spectres, ghouls,
fairies, ogres, dragons and many more. All of these monsters existed, lurking among humanity or hiding in
shadowrealms and parasitic realities that hover outside of human perception.
Now it is the 1980s and under the secret protection of the Knights of the Round Table humanity has
flourished and covered the globe. That does not mean the fight is over…while the normal humans worry
about gas prices or the Cold War going hot there are still monsters in the shadows. But the Knights are still out
there, when vampires breed out of control and threaten to overrun cities it is the Knights who cull their
numbers. When a mine accidentally breaks into the lair of an ancient wyrm it is a Knight who steps in to slay
the beast. And when one of the old gods gets a bee in their bonnets for the “good old days” it is the Knights
who must stand in their way, sword drawn, to remind them why those days are gone.
Unfortunately in the modern era the Knights have done their job a little bit too well and things are more
complicated than ever. In the last few centuries humanity has spun wildly out of control, both in population
and technology. It has always been the Guardians’ maxim that it is best for humanity if they stay hidden and
the monsters stay in the shadows (whether they like it or not) but the watchful eye of human technology is
becoming more and more difficult to avoid. Although the Knights acknowledge that humans have the
numbers and weapons to wipe out most supernatural threats, they doubt that human society could survive
such an upheaval, especially while they are so close to wiping themselves out already. For now, it has been
decided that the Knights should maintain the status quo: keep humans safe, keep monstrous forces under
control and hopefully the Cold War will not test the Knight’s oath of non-interference.
This setting is meant to be player-driven, giving them vast power and an important responsibility but no
bosses or higher powers to answer to (Arthur hasn’t been seen since he vanished centuries ago). Ultimately
each Knight must decide for themselves how much power is too much and what is worth sacrificing to keep
humanity safe.

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Part 6: Examples of Play
Here we’ve got a couple of extended examples of play for Badass Kung Fu Demigods to give you an idea of just
how things work. The first will be using the “Neon Knights” sample setting, showcasing a single Knight facing
off against a nest of vampires who have gotten a bit uppity. The second second is a pair of angels from the “After
J-Day” setting being forced to reveal their glory in a battle against a would-be Dark Lord.

Example 1
Natalie’s character, a hot-headed Knight of the Round Table, Sir Kay has arrived in Seattle to deal with a nest of
vampires who have recently become more brazen about both killing and turning humans.

Sir Kay
Kay is fairly short-tempered for one of the immortal Knights. He especially has a chip on his shoulder when
dealing with supernatural creatures that prey on humanity...he’s argued several times for a campaign of
extermination against them at Round Table councils. Like most Knights he favors long black dusters and wields
a sword (a classic double-edged arming sword) but also carries a Desert Eagle handgun for the occasional
shootout.

Traits: Swordmaster [d10] (Multiple Opponents); Alertness [d8]; Very, Very Scary [d8] (When Angry); Stubborn
Will [d6]; Acrobatic [d6]; Marksmanship [d6]; Contacts Among The Occult Community [d6]

Style: When Wounded

Signature Powers:
*Paralyzing Voice (Unique Power, 1 EP). An evolution of the Guardian’s Voice Power. A shout, growl or threat
can put any Mortals who hear him into a paralytic state for the remainder of the Scene (or until he releases them).
They will have no memory of what occurred after the effect ends.
*Healing Hands: (Unique Power, 1+ EP) With a touch Kay can heal anyone of a lower Power Level, healing 1
point of damage per EP spent.
*Perfect Strike (Trump Power: 3+ EP). A combination of Supercharge, Overkill and Overcome for his Swordmaster
Trait. This involves striking a pose, closing his eyes and then lunging at exactly the right moment.

Opponents
Sir Kay’s opponents are a gang of young bloodsucker punks for the most part, although their leader, Rick, is
more powerful after beating and draining their “sire”.

Regular Vamps
The thuggish vampires are all Heroic-level Unworthy opponents but their Powers are limited, getting only the
Overkill Power and 1 EP per round.

Traits: Looking Sexy [d8] (To Mortals); Brawling [d6]; Walking Corpses [d6] (Ignoring Bullets).

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Rick
Rick is a tougher customer after turning on and eating his vampiric “father”. He is also Heroic-level Rival and
gets 2 EP a round but only has access to Supercharge, Flawless and Overkill.

Traits: Hypnotic Allure [d10] (To Mortals, Eye Contact); Supernatural Strength [d8] (When Enraged); Undead
Durability [d8] (Ignoring Bullets); Animalistic Senses [d6]; Stash of Cash [d6]; Sweet Motorcycle [d6]; Quick
Reflexes [d6];

Style: Right After Feeding

Gameplay
GM: Okay, so when we left off last time you had found the club where the vampire gang hangs out. You sent
all the mortals in the place packing with the Voice and now the remaining vampires are staring you down. It’s
not hard to see the one in charge is a spiky-haired blonde kid. Or at least he looks like a kid. Vampires, you
know? He’s not even trying to hide his fangs as he snarls at you.

Natalie: Okay, Kay isn’t in the mood to play around anyway. He’s going to draw his sword from under his
duster and stare down the vampire, “Are you the Eldest? We need to talk about your recent transgressions.”

GM: The spiky-haired vampire sneers back, “You sound like the old man who used to run things before I got
here. Well, that loser is gone and the same thing is going to happen to you if you come around trying to act tough
in my club.”

Natalie: Wait, does he not even get who he’s talking to? I thought vampires were part of the Avalon Accords
and knew about the Knights?

GM: Yeah, none of them actually seem to know quite what’s going on. They’re wary, but not terrified like
normal vamps when a Knight comes into town. These guys seem to be seriously uneducated...they probably
think you’re a vampire too. Or something similar.

Natalie: “Didn’t the ‘old man’ tell you there would be consequences if you bloodsuckers got too cocky and
started making trouble? There’s been too many missing kids and too many dead bodies around here for you to
go unnoticed.”

GM: Some of the other vampires are starting to look uneasy, but the blonde guy just keeps strutting, “Or what?
The cops can’t touch us. You are just like the old man. Well, I’m in charge now and I’ll do to you what I did to
him unless you get out of my club. NOW!” The last words are half-shouted and half-hissed between fangs.

Natalie: Screw this. I tried to be honorable about this, but it’s clearly time to clean house here. I’m going to just
rush him with my sword. I’ll leap over any tables or furniture in the way and slice him up. Going to use an
Energy Point on Supercharge. So that’s 3d10...got a 9, a 6 and a 4. Wait, should I roll an extra die from my Multiple
Opponent’s Knack?

GM: The group hasn’t actually started fighting you yet and you’re only Engaging with the leader right now, so
not yet. But you should roll an extra one for having a Deadly Weapon.

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Natalie: Got a 7. So looks like 9 is the final total.

GM: The vampire rips up a coffee table and uses it to try and block your sword and got double ones, spending
both his EP on Flawless to roll again. Got a 3. You beat him by 6 so that’s a point of damage and a Strike.

Natalie: I’ll use the Strike for a Declaration. I’ll slice the table in half and kick him into the bar and then I’ll pin
him to the countertop with my sword. Can I snap off a stool leg to use as a wooden sword against his thugs?

GM: That’d be no problem, it’ll let you use your Swordfighting Trait but I’d say it’s too flimsy to count for the
Deadly Weapons bonus. That cool?

Natalie: Fine I guess.

GM: The blond vampire claws at the sword sticking out of his chest, just missing his heart, and thrashes around
on the counter-top while the other vampires stare in shock. One of them shouts “Rick, are you okay?! What’s
going on?”. Are you interested in talking or should we roll initiative?

Natalie: Go for it. I always said vampires aren’t dead enough, but can I use “Very, Very Scary” for initiative,
making them hesitate and let me go first?

GM: Got a good line?

Natalie: “You parasites get one chance. Anyone who doesn’t want to die again should drop to the ground right
now.” Rolled a 4.

GM: Okay, the vampire thugs get a 2 but Rick gets a 6 so he’s going first. he snarls and curses, coughing up
blood, “Asshole...*cough*...you think you can push us around!?” He reaches underneath the bar and pulls out a
sawed off double barrel and points it at you. He’s only rolling 2d4 and got a 1 and a 3. I’ll pay for Flawless to roll
again...4...4...4...and 3!!! That’s a 15!

Natalie: I don’t imagine I can parry a shotgun blast with a chair leg can I?

GM: Not at Heroic certainly.

Natalie: Okay, I’ll use Acrobatics to dodge out of the way, so 2d6. Both came out 3. I’ll try Flawless. Just a 1. So
he beat me by 12, so two Strikes?

GM: Yeah, he’s spending both on damage, so a total of three damage. The pellets aren’t terribly dangerous to
you, but your clothes get a bit shredded and blood starts spreading from a few spots where the shot struck home.
Your turn, Tension goes up to 1.

Natalie: Kay brushes some blood from his cheek where a pellet grazed his face. “Miserable leech, I’ll deal with
you once I finish clearing out your pitiful brood.” Going to turn around and Engage the other vampires,
smacking one across the face. That’s three extra dice for Fighting Spirit with the four vamps right?

GM: Yep, plus two more dice for your Style and Knack.

Natalie: Let’s roll: got a 10, then a 2 so that’s a 12.

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GM: The vampire kid stumbles backwards at your sudden charge. He only got a 4. Earns you a Strike, spending
that on damage?

Natalie: Yep, smacking him off balance with the table leg then grabbing his collar and giving him a good headbutt.

GM: The vampire grimaces through a broken nose, grabbing a pool cue from a nearby table. The rest join in,
grabbing stools or ripping off railing, ready to beat down. They’re all using Overkill by the way. Highest results
were…5, 4, 3 and 4.

Natalie: If I had known that they were going to be this stupid I would have brought along some backup. Kay is
going to fend them off with his wooden stick in place of a sword. Let’s see...highest results are three 9’s and an
8. There’s a couple of Strikes there. I’ll use them on damage. Is one of those the guy I beat up already?

GM: Fine by me.

Natalie: Kay is forces two of them back with a wide swing and when the third comes in he’ll just knock him
away with a backhand. Then a sweet spin and jabbing the table-leg through the last one’s rib-cage.

GM: The vampire grimaces and then explodes like a blood-filled balloon. The spray of blood boils and turns to
ash before it hits the ground. Yep, they’re strong but clearly don’t have a clue how to fight properly and you
make them look like a bunch of amateurs as you weave and parry among them. New round so Rick’s turn. He’s
going to sacrifice his Action to undo your declaration, pulling himself painfully off your sword. While he’s at it
he’ll Engage you.

Natalie: These guys are losers but its going to take forever to take them down like this. I’m Ascending to
Awakened. Can I describe it?

GM: Absolutely.

Natalie: Kay roars and sweeps his wooden sword, knocking back all of his attackers for a moment. The air in the
place begins to stir and the bottles behind the bar start bursting, spraying the place with glass and Kay’s eyes
glow a bright blue-white. “The only reason you parasites are allowed to crawl around in the dark is you’re not
worth the trouble of exterminating. This is what happens when you forget your place!”

GM: Since they’re just lesser foes already we’ll treat them as a bunch of Weaklings at this point, just d6 ranked.
Also that clears up all your damage. Tension is at 2 as well.

Natalie: Going to wipe out the chumps, got a 9 as my highest roll.

GM: Both roll’s are a 2. Versus your 9 they’re all wiped out.

Natalie: So he’ll snap one of their pool-cues, grabs both pieces and stakes two of them. The third I’ll just grab by
the face and fling him over the bar and into the wall.

GM: The glossy plastic paneling on the wall shatters with the impact and Rick is clutching at the gaping hole in
his chest, croaking, “What the hell man!? What the hell!?”.

Natalie: Kay grins wickedly, “You really should have listened. There are worse things in the night than you.”

55
Example 2
David and Andrew are playing in the “After J-Day” setting, the two rebel angels are attempting to sneak into a
slaver palace in the ruins of a pre-Judgement shopping mall. They’re both hoping that they’ll be able to deal with
things without relying too much on their angelic powers.

Zachariel
David’s character, Zachariel is a guardian angel and he could not bear to see his charges cut down by the demons
of hell. Since coming to Earth he has “adopted” a gang of youngsters who he has guided and shaped into a group
of idealistic warriors called the Free Souls. However, he is leaving them behind for this mission.

Traits: Watchful [d10] (Sensing Danger); ] Leader Of The Free Souls [d8]; Warrior of Heaven [d8] (Flaming Sword);
Motorcylist [d6]; Gunplay [d6]; Burning Gaze [d6]; Gaining The Trust Of Mortals [d6]

Style: Defending Mortals

Signature Powers:
*Celestial Armor (Unique Power, 2+ Ongoing EP): Zachariel summons his battle regalia, donning armor of light.
Same function as the Unbreakable Iron Spirit (pg 33).
*Light Of Truth (Unique Power, 1 Ongoing EP): This power only functions on those of lower Power Level. Under
the light Zachariel’s halo this power prevents falsehoods from being spoken (even if the target does not realize
they’re speaking a lie).
*Holy Flames: (Trump Power, 3+ EP): A blast of purifying flames, based on his Burning Gaze Trait. A combo of
Blast, Supercharge and Overkill.

Valkyrie
Andrew’s character. Since the Rebellion the angel known now as Valkyrie refuses to use her true name. Her
current moniker was adopted from a mortal’s description. Although she believes in the cause of the second
rebellion, she cannot help feeling angry...angry at the mortals for sinning, angry at Heaven for ignoring the
suffering on earth and angry at herself for doubting.

Traits: Supernatural Might (vs. Demons) [d10]; Blinding Speed [d8]; Overconfidence [d8]; Stalking Her Foes [d6];
Terrifying Fury (Cowing Mortals) [d6]; Iron Will [d6]; Commanding The Beasts Of The Field and The Birds Of
The Sky [d6]

Style: Righteous Fury

Signature Powers:
*Flashing Step: (Unique Power, 2 EP): One of the suggested Unique Powers, pg 32.
*Shapeshifter (Unique Power, 1+ EP): One of the suggested Unique Powers, pg 33.
*Smite The Earth (Trump Power, 4+ EP) A combination of Overkill, Flawless, and Detonation. Valkyrie strikes the
ground causing huge spears of stone to burst outward.

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Opponents
Hellhounds (Weaklings): Hellhounds are demonic canines which have escaped Hell and have quickly settled
into the role of top-level predators on Earth. They are Heroic-level Unworthy characters but in this situation
they’ll be treated as Awakened-level Weaklings [d8].

Sark (Rival)
Sark is a human that is empowered and controlled by a portion of the demonic entity known as Wormwood,
responsible for tainting all the waters of the earth. Sark has set himself up as “king” of a colony of human bandits
living in the ruins of Los Angeles. He is a Monstrous-level character with all normal powers for his Power Level.

Traits: Tainted Right Arm (Blocking Attacks) [d10], Command Toxic Waters [d8], Occult Rituals (Human Sacrifice)
[d8], Fearless [d6], Forcing Mortals To Obey [d6], Corrupting Green Light [d6], Fearsome Endurance [d6]

Style: Within The Ruins of Los Angeles

Signature Powers:
*Toxic Mist: (Unique Power, 2 Ongoing EP) This Power surrounds Sark in a toxic green fog which surrounds
him, creating a d8 Hazard (based on his “Command Toxic Waters” Trait) for anyone Engaged with him. He can
use his other Powers to boost the Hazard’s effect.

*Wrath of Wormwood (Trump, 3 EP) Combo of Blast, Overkill and Supercharge, using his Tainted Right Arm to
lash out, stretching hundreds of feet if need be.

*Enslave: (Unique Power, 1 EP): By feeding a mortal a piece of his flesh or tainted blood the mortal becomes
fanatically loyal to Sark and normal people turn into Heroic-level Unworthy monsters like Hellhounds. The
transformed being dies in six days.

Gameplay
GM: Okay, last time you two tracked the slave caravan back into the ruins of Los Angeles. The city was mostly
abandoned after it was wrecked during the battle with Wormwood and it was tainted by his spilled blood.
Valkyrie tracked them through the toxic ruins to a shopping mall which seems to be their base of operations. The
two of you snuck past the guards and climbed to the top of the building to try and see what’s going on.
Remember, Andrew’s character has 62% Corruption and David yours has 56%.

Andrew: Okay, Valkyrie has her spear ready and she’s going to creep to the nearest skylight and peer in and see
what’s going on.

David: Zachariel is going to follow along as well. I’ve got my sword sheathed obviously but I’ve got my revolver
out.

GM: Okay, both of you give me a roll to try and quietly creep along the roof without making too much noise or
stepping on a weak point and breaking something. It’s going to be a d6 Obstacle.

David: I’ve got nothing related to that. I’ll just roll d4s but I’ll spend two EP on Supercharge. Got a 5.

Andrew: Using Valkyrie’s Stalking Her Prey and using both on Supercharge as well. Got a 6.

57
GM: Okay lets see...the Obstacle gets a 5, tie goes to the PC so you both pass. Looking down through the
shattered skylight you can see the slavers who just arrived. They’re clearly human, dressed up in spiky leather
and carrying battered guns and spears. Like you noticed before there are Hellhounds kept on a leash as well.
They’re lined up on both sides of the mall concourse with the slaves they’ve captured huddled in a mass
between the raiders. In front of them is a big throne that seems to have been assembled out of the remnants of a
carousel. Seated on the throne is a weedy young man with long, oily hair and a crudely sewn cloak.

Andrew: Anyone I recognize?

GM: You have no idea. Only fallen angels or high order demons should be able to assume a completely human
form and if he was one of those you would sense it. You’ve heard rumors that some humans have learned to
harness dark sorcery. In fact, you notice that between the “throne” and the frightened slaves is a carving in the
ground, it’s hard to make out from up here but among the scrawls and symbols you definitely make out a large
pentagram. It doesn’t look good.

David: Looks like something bad’s about to go down. How far up are we, could we jump down safely?

GM: You’re around three stories up, unless you Ascend that’s going to be high enough to count as a d6 Hazard.

David: I don’t want to risk using too much power right away, the Hellhounds are the only dangerous ones, do
you think we should try finding a way down, maybe there’s a place we can drop down into one of the shops.

Andrew: I say screw it, lets go Awakened and take out everyone quickly.

GM: As you’re thinking one of the raiders steps out and grabs a young man from the crowd, pulling him
towards the big symbol in the floor. Another one steps next to the throne and holds out an elaborate looking
knife. Probably came from one of those fantasy novelty stores in the mall.

Andrew: That’s it, we don’t have time to waste. I’m Ascending to Awakened and just jumping from the roof
right in the middle of the room. Corruption increases to 67%

David: Fine, going Awakened too. Corruption goes up to 61%

GM: Okay, both of you leap into the clear space between the throne and the slaves. The slaves scream in fear
and confusion, the raiders shout alarm and the Hellhounds, noticing your divine presence, begin howling their
heads off. In all this chaos the guy on the throne is oddly calm. His eyes widen in surprise but he doesn’t seem
afraid or upset. At this point the humans are all Extras by the way.

Andrew: I’m going to casually cut down the raider dragging the boy and then point the bloody spear-tip at the
guy on the throne, I’ve got my halo glowing and my voice is all epic and echoey “If you wish to live, let these
poor souls go and repent your ways.”

David: I’ll gently push the kid back towards the others, I’ve got my hand on my sword and I’ll keep my gun
going back and forth on the guys lined up against the wall so they know I’m ready to shoot.

GM: The guy on the throne sneers at you, apparently unimpressed by your show of force or your blazing halos.
He pulls his left hand from beneath his robe and gestures casually, “Hounds, tear these interlopers apart.” The

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Hellhounds burst from their leashes and charge you, boiling acid pouring from their jaws. Let’s roll for initiative.
There are eight Hellhounds and we’ll treat them as Weaklings. Their initiative is 5.

Andrew: Oh please. Hellhounds are chump change. I got an 11 on my Blinding Speed.

David: Got a 9 on my Watchfulness.

Andrew: Valkyrie wants to keep her eye on the guy on the throne, you want to handle the Hellhounds?

David: Sure, as Zachariel steps forward to Engage the Hellhounds he’s going to draw his flaming sword which
is glowing like burning magnesium since I’ve Ascended. White lights shine across the walls and cast stark
shadows. “Creatures of Hell, you will torment humanity no more!” Slash the sword in several burning lines,
going to just slice them all to pieces. Since there’s eight I roll 9 dice for Fighting Spirit?

GM: No, they’re Weaklings to you so they’re treated as one creature, no bonus from Fighting Spirit for taking
on a bunch of them. You still roll 4 dice from your Knack and Style though.

David: Okay, rolling 4d8 for Warrior of Heaven. Looks like I got an 7.

GM: Okay, the Hellhounds get to roll 3 d8’s because of their numbers...terrible, only a 3. That’s 4 Hellhounds
dead and only 4 left. The remaining dogs will try and tear into you, but they only get two d8’s since there’s only
4 left. They got a 5.

David: Fending them off with swings of my sword, using the holy light to blind them. Two eights in a row on
Warrior of Heaven, total of 19. That should cut the remaining dogs to pieces right?

GM: Yep, but there’s another pack of five emerging from the crowd. The guy on the throne doesn’t react much,
he just looks bored and a little annoyed as Zachariel cuts up his beasts. Valkyrie’s next.

Andrew: Son of a bitch. I’m going to leap up on the throne, thrusting my spear right up in his face, stopping just
a hair’s breath from his skin, going to try a Psych Out. Rolling 3d8 for Blinding Speed but spending two EP on
Overkill and got a 7.

GM: As you thrust your spear his right arm whips out from under his cloak, gripping the spear by the blade
with no sign of injury. His arm is hideously warped and twisted with weeping green pustules and a texture
similar to slimy roots. You immediately recognize it: the flesh of the being known as Wormwood.

Andrew: Oh crap.

GM: His roll is a 9 but he’s actually at Monstrous Power Level, so he gets a bonus Strike which he’ll use for
damage. He uses his grip on the spear to hurl you off the throne, sending you flying towards the second floor,
you smash through the plate glass of one of the intact store fronts, you end up laying in a pile of water-damaged
cell phones and consumer electronics.

Andrew: I’ll use Warding to absorb that damage. A bit worse than anticipated.

GM: Okay, new round so the guy with the messed up arm is going to roll for initiative. Double one’s so he’s
going last. By the way, everyone’s Tension is at 2 now. To start things up he’ll rise from the throne and announce

59
dramatically “I am lord Sark, King of the fallen city of angels! None can threaten me!.” He’s being surrounded
by an aura of sickly green light.

David: This sucks! I’ll go ahead and cut down the remaining Hellhounds, I don’t want them getting in our way
while we fight this guy. As I do it I shout to the humans, both the slaves and raiders, “Run! Get as far away as
you can! You’ll die if you don’t!” Lets see...4 dice for Warrior of Heaven. Got a total of 11!

GM: Hellhounds roll and get a 4. That takes them all out.

David: Zachariel slices most of them in half with a single swing, then just punts the remaining beast through a
nearby storefront, then I’ll wheel to face Sark or whatever his name is. “You shall not harm these people. I was
one of the ones who battled you when you came to Earth. Do you remember this blade? It defeated you once
before.”

Andrew: While Zach has his attention, Valkyrie is going to leap from the second floor walkway, driving her
spear downward, trying to impale the...whatever this guy is. “You’re not even a demon anymore, just some
abomination!” Rolling Supernatural Might, spending two EP on Supercharge, got an 8.

GM: Sark is going to just casually slap you aside with his weird arm. He got a 6 but he’ll spend two EP on
Flawless, getting a 10 and another free Strike . The Strike gets used for damage again. Your spear nearly snaps
in half and you’re sent flying. Your body bowls over several of the hapless raiders, driving you and them
through one of the walls of the mall. You end up in a bathroom, filled with mucky water from where the toilets
and sinks apparently overflowed.

Andrew: Well, I’ve still got the EP for Warding to absorb the damage.

GM: Sark’s eyes narrow, gazing at the blade of white-hot fire. He seems a little confused, maybe whoever this
guy is doesn’t have access to all of Wormwood’s memories. But you still seem to have pissed him off. He raises
his arm and there’s the sound of rushing water and a foul stench. The water around Valkyrie drains away and
a huge wall of greenish, stinking water rushes towards Zachariel. He’s spending an EP on Supercharge and
another on Blast since this is a ranged attack. Gives him a 7.

David: Zachariel slashes at the wall of water, trying to use its white-hot blade to boil it away. Spending a couple
of EP on Supercharge for two more dice. Got a 6.

GM: He’s spending the Strike on a Declaration. After sweeping past you it’ll flow over the heads of the humans
before becoming a semi-solid barrier between the humans and the exit. As they’re running away the first few
slaves can’t stop in time and splash into the wall of water. They stumble backwards, screaming as their flesh rots
from their bones. “The damned are my subjects, they do not leave except by my will.”

(The GM marks everyone’s Tension up to 3)

David: Well, crap. Zach is going to use Warding to block the point of damage from the successful attack. His
sword cuts a channel in the water as it flows around him.

Andrew: I think we may have to power up to his level.

David: We can’t, that’ll probably kill all the mortals here, not to mention the corruption.

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Andrew: We may not have a choice.

David: Sorry, I’ve got to help get these people out of here. I’m going to leap onto the second story and run along
the walkway to pass over the crowd and try and break through the barrier.

Andrew: Come on! Half of them are slavers and the other half are probably going to die in the wilderness
anyway.

David: Doesn’t matter! Zachariel is going to jump off the second floor walkway and slash at the wall of water
with his flaming sword, trying to burn it away. Total of 11.

GM: Okay, you can treat Sark’s Trait as an Obstacle. He’s spending an EP on Supercharge. Got a 7. Your sword
dims briefly as the thick sludge suffocates the holy light. But then in a sputtering plume of black smoke the wall
collapses, leaving smoking puddles which the mortals desperately run around.

Andrew: Meanwhile, Valkyrie is going to just rip a toilet up from the floor and hurl it at Sark’s head. Spending
two EP on Supercharge. Got a 12.

GM: He’ll block it again, got a 9. That’s a point of damage but no strikes and he’ll use Warding to absorb it. His
hand expands to several times its normal size, the fingers turn into wriggling vine-like strands, and he just
snatches the toilet out of the air, crushing it into powder.

Andrew: Okay, I think I need some help here.

GM: Next it’s Sark’s turn, he’s officially Engaging both of you but he’s going to lunge his giant arm towards
Valkyrie spending an EP on Supercharge and one on Overkill. Got an 8 and it boosts the effect by 7.

Andrew: Trying to dodge with Blinding Speed, just got a 7.

GM: That’s a point of damage and two Strikes. He’ll spend on another point of damage and he’s going to use
the second for a Declaration, trapping you in his gross, rotten fingers. The green fluid sizzles into caustic steam
as it contacts your flesh.

Andrew:Arrggh! We’ll I’ve got the EP to drop the damage to 1. I guess it boosts my Fighting Spirit at least. But
if we don’t go wings out I don’t think we’ll be able to take this guy.

David: Well, for now Zachariel is going to close with Sark and try and cut the arm holding Valkyrie. Saving EP
for now. Got an explosion on Holy Warrior so I got a total of 15!

GM: Spending two EP for Supercharge and it looks like he got a better one, got a 19! He’ll spend his Strike for
damage, just smacking you out of the air with Valkyrie herself and sending you flying into and then through a
wall.

David: Fine, using EP for Warding to take off the damage.

Andrew: That’s it, Valkyrie is going to Ascend to Monstrous. Her halo burns brighter and glowing wings burst
forth from her back. Going to just try and rip free with raw strength. Maxing things out with two EP for

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Supercharge so rolling a total of 6 dice. Got an 8. I think I deserve an explosion so I’m spending two more on a
reroll from Flawless. Looks like a 9 is the best I got. Corruption goes up to 71% by the way.

GM: Sark is just going to squeeze harder. Just managed a 7. Under your holy light his foul flesh tears and boils,
giving you the chance to pull yourself free with a flap of your wings. Sark’s arm retracts, regenerating into
something that looks more or less like a limb once more.

David: Zachariel Ascends to Monstrous too, Corruption goes to 69%. As he does so he shouts hoarsely to the
people, “Seek shelter! Avert your eyes and you might live!” Then, more quietly “I’m sorry.” Zachariel spreads
his wings and his halo ignites into a crown of fire.

GM: Now Sark seems to be more than just dully irritated, he squints at the pure white light and his still-mortal
eyes start to bleed. However, he stands firm and swings at Zachariel, Spending two EP on Supercharge and he’s
got an 8.

David: Zach’s got a 15, didn’t even need to spend anything on it. So that’s a success and a Strike. Could I use a
Declaration to sever his monster arm?

GM: Normally Declarations can’t permanently cripple or anything, but since he regenerates you can slice off the
bulk of it, leaving it useless until he can Declare it regenerates. Tension is at 4 by the way.

David: Then it’s a good time to use my Holy Flames Trump. His eyes widen and a wave of cosmic fire pours
forth towards the monster. So I’ve got 6 EP from my normal pool and 4 from my Tension. One has to go to Blast
even though we’re Engaged but I’m spending three on Supercharge and two of my normal EP on Overkill. I just
got three 6’s in a row, total of 19! That’s before Overkill which adds…15 if I succeed! Beat that!

GM: Let’s see, arm is crippled so he’s got he use his command over the swampy water to try and form a shield
of foul liquid to absorb the flames. Keeping EP for warding, he manages an 11. You got a total of 34 with
Overkill. That means four Strikes! He’ll obviously use Warding for that first point of damage.

David: Okay, I’m sure he’s going to use powers to soak up some of this but I’ll go ahead and put 3 into damage.
The last one is going for a Declaration, blasting him out of the back of the mall and into the rubble of the city to
get him away from the mortals and keep them safe.

GM: Okay, spending the last four EP on Warding to reduce damage to 1. Your eyes flare with the literal light of
the sun. Those mortals who didn’t avert their gaze scream as their eyes burn from their sockets. This is followed
by more cries as the shockwave of the blast shatters every still intact piece of glass. The wall of tainted water
boils away in an instant and the wave of plasma carves a path across several city blocks past the mall, blasting
Sark away, landing at the base of a ruined building, which collapses atop him.

Andrew: That’s more like it! Valkyrie spreads her wings and simply flies up through the roof of the mall,
sending glass and steel flying. She grabs a metal support beam and stretches it. The metal melts and reforms into
a razor sharp spear. She soars into the air, ready to dive on Sark and finish him off.

[Doorbell Rings]

GM: Pizza’s here. We’ll finish the fight in just a few minutes.

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NAME: AP:
CONCEPT:
DESCRIPTION:
Traits
Rating Name Knacks
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]

damage Style

Battle Aura
●Awakened:
●Monstrous:
●Unleashed:
KO
●Limitless:

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Powers
Name EP Cost Effects
Supercharge 1+ Add a 1-die bonus per EP spent before making a roll.

Flawless 2 Re-roll a roll you just made. Can be used only once per roll.

Overcome 1 Ignore environmental or circumstantial penalties to a roll.

Overkill 1+ Each EP spent before rolling adds 1d10 if the roll succeeds.

Blast 1 Use one of your Traits to make a ranged attack.

Detonation 1 Make an attack against everyone in your Engagement.

Ward 2+ Every 2 EP spent reduces damage from a roll by 1.

Perfection 2 Automatically get the best result on a roll (no explosions).

Unbeatable 1+ Ignore a KO, but cost increases by 1 per use in the Scene.

Trumps

64