Stalwart -
● Your damage die cannot be smaller than
Superpowered Heroes
for The Black Hack
Making A Character
The Basic Stats
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom,
Intelligence, Charisma, you know the drill.
Roll 2d6 for your stats in order, and add a fixed value
from the array: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Once a number is used,
it’s gone. Afterward, you can swap two stats.
Mark one stat as your Primary Stat. You get to reroll
your d20 when leveling up.
Hit Dice, HP, Damage Dice, Protection Points
Your hit die determines your HP at the start (HD+4)
and on level up (+HD).
Your damage die determines the damage you do
when performing basic attacks.
Protection Points represent your heroic luck,
nimbleness, your 'plot armor', comic-book skill.
When you fail to defend against a threat or attack
and would take damage, you can use a Protection
Point to ignore the attack (explain how you do it!).
You regain your Protection Points at the end of the
adventure.
A default hero has the following stats:
● HD: d8
● Damage die: d6
● Protection points: 2
You can modify these values upon character
creation. You can freely 'downgrade' or 'upgrade'
these values, and 'allocate' the value somewhere
else.
For instance: Changing your hit die from D8 to D6
allows you to change your Protection Points from 2
to 3.
Keep these parameters in mind:
● Your hit die cannot be smaller than d6 or
larger than d12.
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d4 or larger than d10.
● Your Protection Points can range from 0 to
4.
Choosing Powers
Any Power has a Grade and Usage Die.
The Grade determines the potency of the power.
The Usage Die (UD) determines the amount you
have left in the tank, supplies, focus, charge, energy,
whatever. Roll it after using a Power. On a 1-2,
downgrade the die. If you roll a 1-2 on a d4, you
cannot use this power anymore today.
When creating a new character, you have 5 'Power
Points' to allocate. For 1 point, you can
● Add a new power at Grade 1, UD6.
● Upgrade a power by 1 Grade.
● Upgrade a power's UD by 1 tier
(D6>D8>D10>D12)
This means you can
● Choose 5 different powers
● Choose 1 power and be really good at it
● Everything in between
Powers are purposefully abstract. Use your creativity!
A Hero with Grade 2 Flight, Grade 2 Blast, Grade 1
Superstrength could be an Iron Man-like character in
a powered suit, a Human Torch, a Captain Marvel,
etc. etc.
Blast alone can be interpreted as lightning powers, a
repulsor beam, a high-powered rifle, a compound
bow with explosive arrows and so forth.
Origin Story
Next, think of your origins. Where do you get your
powers from, and how did you get them? Some
examples:
● Artificial: You were not born, but created.
Perhaps you are a robot, android, golem, or
undead creature.
● Born with it: Your powers awakened at a
certain age, or perhaps they were always
there. You might be a mutant, psychic, or
magician.
● Gimmick: Your powers come from items,
either magical or technological.
● Trained: You just trained a lot; you might be
a masked vigilante, martial artist, or
magician.
 ● Transformed: You were normal once until Leveling Up
you were cursed/experimented upon/caught
up in that freak accident. Stalwart uses an experience and level system.
● Visitor: You're not from around here; Generally, you gain experience by
perhaps from another dimension, planet, or
● Being a Superhero and being Heroic. This
plane of existence.
means you get experience points by
○ Completing Issues (game
Motivation sessions). It doesn't matter
Finally, think of a Motivation for your character. This whether you were successful or
is used to gain extra XP and level up. Your first not; the greatest teacher, failure is.
Motivation is generally assumed to be "to be a ○ Particularly heroic acts, such as
superhero"; acting like a hero and saving people. Your self-sacrifice and protecting the
second Motivation could be something like: innocent.
● Following your character's Motivation.
● Knowledge - to gain a deeper ○ A scientist motivated by
understanding of the world Knowledge might gain XP by
● Vengeance - to get even making discoveries.
● Fame - to become loved by the public ○ A fame-seeking youngster might
● Fortune - to become rich gain XP by giving a press
● Justice - to stick to the letter of the law conference.
● Freedom - to not be limited by anyone or ○ A violent vigilante might gain XP
anything by getting his vengeance.

A Motivation gives you XP but can also be a You require an amount of XP equal to your current
hindrance, for instance when it pits you against other level to level up. Your XP resets when you level up.
heroes' agendas. You cannot gain more than 1 level per Issue.

Playing The Game So, completing your first issue will give you 1 XP and
cause you to level up. In your second issue, you'll
want to complete it (for 1 xp) and follow your
The bulk of Stalwart plays exactly like The Black
character's motivation (for 1 xp) to end up at 2 xp,
Hack. Note these exceptions:
your current level.

Using Powers When leveling up:

Everything a character might possibly attempt that
could result in failure is resolved by testing attribute 1. Roll a d20 for each of your stats. If you roll
stats, in order to successfully test a stat - a player above your current stat, it increases by 1.
must roll below it on a d20. You can reroll your primary stat. A stat
cannot be higher than 20 (or, to be more
Superpowers have a Grade. This acts as a bonus. specific, a 20 always remains a failure).
2. Roll all your Hit Die (including the new one
Apex, hero of the people, uses his Acrobatics power. you've gained on level up!). If the result is
It's at Grade 2, and his DEX is 10. This means he higher than your current HP, this becomes
needs to roll under 10+2=12. your new HP.
3. Choose one:
Power Attacks ● Increase a Grade of a Power you
have
Power attacks represent going all-out against your
● Increase the Usage Die of a Power
opponent. They work as follows:
you have
● Your attack (if it hits) deals maximum ● Develop a new Power at Grade 1
damage, as if all dice rolled max value. and Usage Die 6.
● Missing a power attack invokes
Regardless of a choice, think of an in-universe
consequences - either you leave yourself
explanation for your power-up or new power.
open to counter attack, or you cause
collateral damage.

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Powers
Only one 'charge' of Protection can be active at a
time.

Each power can be interpreted in multiple ways. The Movement Powers

name of the power reflects the most common form,
but feel free to interpret it however you see fit! Acrobatics

Some powers use Power Grade Dice. This refers to You can easily move Nearby using your acrobatic
the following: ability, ignoring verticality and obstacles. You can add
your current grade in this skill to DEX Tests to avoid
damage from ranged attacks. Acrobatics maxes out
Grade Power Grade Dice
at Grade 5.
1 d4
2 d6 Flight
3 2d4 Be it through teleportation, leaping, web-swinging or
a hoverboard, you are extremely mobile.
4 d10
5 d12 Flight allows you to move freely to Nearby areas
during movement while carrying up to 1 person,
6 d6+d8
ignoring verticality. At Grade 2, you can move freely
7 2d8 to Faraway areas during movement, and carry up to 2
people. At Grade 3, you can move freely to Distant
8 3d6
areas, and carry up to 3 people.
9 2d10
10 d10+d12 Superspeed
You can freely move between Close and Distant. As
Boosting Powers part of your Action, you can make an extra number of
Boosting Powers aid and enhance yourself or your attacks equal to half your Grade, rounded up. You
allies. make Initiative checks by rolling under
WIS/DEX+Grade.
Allies
You are accompanied by allies, or duplicates/
summons/ grown copies. You can have a maximum of Offensive Powers
Grade HD of allies. For example, at Grade 3, you can
have 3 allies of 1 HD. Blast
As an Action, you can attack anyone Nearby with a
Each moves/act independently on your initiative.
ranged attack (DEX Test). Attacks made Faraway or
Close are made at Disadvantage. This can take the
Boost
form of blasting some form of energy (fire, light, pure
You supercharge your own body, through mental energy) or some form of weaponry. The attack deals
power or physical training. You can add your Grade to Power Grade Dice in damage.
your HP as an Action. It can exceed your Max HP,
and will lower to your Max HP when the fight is over. Magic
As an Action, you can create illusions or magic
Heal
effects that do Power Grade Dice of damage to a
You can heal, inspire or motivate your teammates. As target Nearby. Your attack requires an INT Test.
an Action, you can add your Grade to the HP of
others. It cannot exceed their Max HP. Marksmanship
You know how to hit your target. You can add the
Protection
Grade of this power to your DEX when making
You are heavily armored, extremely nimble, lucky, or ranged attacks.
just very, very hard to hit or damage. You can add
your Grade to your Protection Points as an Action.

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Martial Arts
You know how to throw down. You can add your
Grade in this skill to your STR when making unarmed
melee attacks (STR) or defending against melee
attacks (STR).
Superstrength
You can add your Power Grade Dice when dealing
melee damage. You can also use STR to pick up
objects to throw them at things Nearby. You can lift
items weighing roughly Level * Grade tons.
Psionics
You can attack opponents Nearby by making an INT
Test. This deals your Power Grade Dice in damage.
This damage can be physical or mental. If this
defeats an enemy, they may now be under your
mental control.
Utility Powers
Hinder/Help
Either through distraction, mental powers, feints,
quick strikes or some form of technology, you are
able to hinder your opponents. This can also take the
form of inspiring or empowering your allies, through
mental powers or inspirational words.
When making your character, choose either DEX, INT
or WIS as the relevant ability.
As an Action, you can make a Test under Chosen
Skill + Grade. If successful, the next attack against
this enemy or made by this enemy has Disadvantage,
whichever comes first.
Hide
When making your character, choose either DEX, INT
or WIS as the relevant ability.
You can make a Test under Chosen Skill + Grade to
hide. You cannot be targeted by an attack until you
make yourself known. You can then be attacked until
you use an Action to hide again.
Hiding can be interpreted as Invisibility, Chameleon
skin, Shrinking, Dimensional sidestepping etc.
Hypersense
You have trained/supernatural/honed senses, or just a
lot of experience snooping around.
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Make perception and investigation-related actions
with a Test under WIS + Grade. You can also make
Initiative rolls through WIS + Grade.
Survival
You can survive in any environment (space, heat,
cold).
Make a Test against CON + Grade, where the GM
might modify based on environment.
Utility Belt
You have a trick up your sleeve. This may take the
form of a utility belt, tools built into your suit, or
magic.
Explain what you want to do and make a Test under
INT + Grade to see whether you packed this item (or
whether you know a fitting spell).
Hold & Grapple
You can pin enemies in their place or pull them
towards you (from Nearby to Close) using gadgets,
telekinesis, or energy.
When choosing this power, choose a relevant stat
(DEX, STR, WIS, etc.)
As an Action, make a Test under the Chosen Skill +
Grade. When successful, you can choose whether to
pin an enemy in place or to pull them Close. This
effect lasts until the end of the enemy's next turn.
Wealth
You are very, very resourceful. Just like the Utility
Belt, this might stem from magic. Wealth abstracts
the resources you have access to within this
adventure - money or magic you can access.
Wealth does not represent in-combat gadgets or
tricks - it is more of a tool to say, get to the other side
of the world quickly.
To use your wealth, state how you plan to use it (and
check if the GM finds it reasonable). Make a Test
under 10+Grade. On a failure, using your wealth in
this way would take too long, invoke too much red
tape, or what you want is not available.
Dependent on the Grade, you have access to the
following resources:
Grade 1: Well-off
Grade 2: Independently wealthy
Grade 3: Millionaire
Grade 4: Multi-millionaire