RULES CHEAT SHEET
CORE MECHANIC
ROLL D616 6 1 6
Three six-sided dice: two white,
one red (the Marvel die). 1 on the Marvel die (or M)
equals 6 and is a Fantastic Roll. Add each roll result
to your Ability Score and compare to the Target
Number (TN). Meets or beats is a success.
FANTASTIC SUCCESS
3 M 5
1 on the Marvel die that meets
or beats the Target Number (TN) is a Fantastic
Success: success with an extra-special bonus (the
“Yes, and” result). Attacks usually do double
damage. Character might get an edge on their next
action, Narrator picks a situational bonus, or just
suggest something to the Narrator.
FANTASTIC FAILURE
1 M 1
Failure but there’s a bonus or
opportunity (the “No, but” result). Character might
fail forward or realize a surprising twist. Was their
info wrong all along?
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC 6 M 6
The greatest roll in the game is
6 M 6 (18 + Ability score) and yields an automatic
success, no matter the TN. They also ignore trouble.
And don’t forget the Fantastic added bonus.
KARMA
You can spend 1 Karma anytime to:
● Gain an edge on an action check (and
storytell a hidden advantage).
● Give an enemy trouble on a check that
involves your character (and explain why).
● Make a Resilience check (vs. TN 10). On
success, multiply the Marvel die by your
Rank. Recover that much Health to your max.
● Make a Vigilance check (vs. TN 10). On
success, multiply the Marvel die by your
Rank. Recover that much Focus to your max.
● Make either recovery action, but for an
unconscious or demoralized ally. Use your
own ability scores but they take the heal.
Only spend 1 Karma per check.
Heroes start with their Rank in Karma and can be
awarded more Karma for: role-playing exceptionally
well, giving a great speech, using their catch-phrase
perfectly, helping/rescuing someone, or having a
weakness/challenging trait come into play.
Each night’s sleep: recover to your Rank in Karma.
EDGE
After the roll, reroll any one die
and use the higher. Edges might
stack (Double Edge) or may not.
Edge and Trouble cancel each other out.
TROUBLE
Can be added anytime there’s
bad circumstances. After the roll,
reroll the highest die (even if it’s
the M) and take the lower.
ABILITY SCORES
Standard human-level abilities ranges from -3 to +3 (the limit of human ability).
MELEE
Melee damage. Determines physical
traits like strength, punching, grabs.
AGILITY
Acrobatics, speed, dodging, shooting
at a distance. Run speed starts at 5,
+1 for every 5 Agility. +1 for Big trait.
-1 for Small trait. Climb, Jump, and
Swim speeds equal ½ Run Speed.
RESILIENCE
Durability, pain tolerance, and facing
extreme conditions. Resilience x 30 is
max Health (minimum 10 Health).
TAKING DAMAGE
PHYSICAL
Attacks the character’s Health.
MENTAL
Attacks the character’s Focus.
UNCONSCIOUS
If Health reaches zero: All
concentrations end. Defense for
ranged attacks is 10. Close
attacks automatically hit. If
Health reaches negative value of
(max Health): the character dies.
DEMORALIZED
If Focus reaches reaches zero: All
concentrations end. Trouble on all
actions. If Focus reaches the
negative value equal to (max
Focus), they are shattered: frozen
by fear or stress.
COMMON TN’S
Adjective Character’s Rank
Trivial +4
Easy +6
Routine +8
Challenging +10
Difficult +12
Ridiculous +14
Absurd +16
VIGILANCE
Awareness, senses, defense against
sudden ambush. Vigilance is your
Initiative mod. Vigilance x 30 is max
Focus (minimum 10 Focus).
EGO
Magic and elemental power checks.
Also checks for persuading,
intimidating, charisma, mental defense.
LOGIC
Telepathy. Inventing, puzzles, complex
machines, defending against being
confused, or befuddled, or tricked.
CALCULATING DAMAGE
dMarvel x (Rank + Powers) + Score
The Marvel die roll of a character’s
check is multiplied by: their rank plus
any damage-raising powers. Then the
ability score itself is added at the very
end. The powers which raise damage
multiplier are: Accuracy 1-4, Brilliance
1-4, Discipline 1-4, and Mighty 1-4.
DAMAGE REDUCTION
If someone has Damage Reduction,
don’t calculate the total damage yet.
Reduce the damage multiplier by the
number of damage reduction. If the
multiplier reaches zero, the attack
does no damage at all. Do this before
adding Fantastic damage increases.
ON YOUR CHARACTER’S TURN…..
YOU GET…..
● One Standard Action
At right. Can be taken before,
during, or after movement.
● One Reaction (per round)
At far right. Can be triggered by
lots of factors. Interrupts turn
order only temporarily.
● One Movement Action
Travel up to their listed speed for
that movement type (run, swim,
climb, jump horizontally, fly, etc).
● Things that take no action
include: speaking, reloading,
reading, senses, opening a door,
picking something up, or using
other simple items. It becomes
an action if it requires a check.
● You can concentrate on (your
rank) number of powers at once.
YOU CAN ALSO
● Hold your Turn when it would
usually come. If so, pick a new
initiative number or specify when
to act later. This becomes your
new place in the initiative order
for this battle.
● Reserve your Action (standard
or movement) and use your
reaction to take it later. State
what the action is (at right) and
what conditions will trigger it.
Once triggered, it happens.
TEAM MANEUVERS
Team chooses at the start of the
adventure (can be switched once per
day). It can be done once per battle:
announce the maneuver and pay 10
Focus. The Rank 3-4 maneuvers are:
OFFENSIVE: Team members reroll all
dice on any attacks this round.
DEFENSIVE: Team members all have
Damage Reduction 4 this round.
RALLY: Each team members can
make a recovery move (Health or
Focus) as if they spent 1 Karma.
STANDARD ACTIONS
ATTACK
Close: Melee check vs. Melee def
Ranged: Agility check vs. Agility def
DODGE
Any attacks against character have
trouble until characters next turn.
ESCAPE
Melee check vs. grabber’s Melee
def to break open pins/grabs.
GRAB
As close attack: but on Success,
target is grabbed; on Fantastic
Success, target is also pinned
(trouble on Melee/Agility checks).
HELP
Describe how you help an target
character. Target character gets an
edge on their next action.
MOVE
Move double your speed this turn.
USE A POWER
Standard action powers will tell you
what to do in their description.
SPECIAL MOVEMENT
CARRYING/LIFTING
May take successful Challenging
Melee check. Carrying something
their own size cuts speed in half.
DIFFICULT TERRAIN
Each space costs 2 spaces each. If
flying above or similar, ignore it.
GLIDING
Move Glide Speed. At end of turn,
you lose altitude of ½ Glide speed.
SNEAKING
Cuts speed in half. Observers must
make a Vigilance check vs. Agility
defense. Success means spotted.
WHILE PRONE
You are on the ground. While
crawling, each space costs 2
spaces. Standing up costs 1 space.
HEALING
Regain Health/Focus equal to your rank
for every hour of calm (2x during sleep).
REACTIONS
ESCAPE
Trigger: Grabbed, pinned or paralyzed.
Effect: Attempt to Escape as left.
FASTBALL SPECIAL
Trigger: An ally throws character at an
enemy and succeeds at Agility check.
Effect: Make a close attack at that
enemy. On Success, double damage.
On Fantastic Success, triple damage.
HELP TEAMMATE
Trigger: Nearby ally fails a check.
Effect: Give them an edge on check.
INTERPOSE
Trigger: Someone in character’s reach
is targeted by an attack (that doesn’t
also target this character).
Effect: Jump to between target and
attacker; and become the new target
of the attack. Attack’s TN is the lower
of your two defenses.
RAM
Trigger: Character moves full speed at
target, then uses standard action to
Move (at left) and reaches the target.
Effect: Make a close attack at enemy.
On Success, character takes full
damage and enemy takes double. On
Fantastic Success, character takes full
and enemy takes triple and prone.
RELEASE
Trigger: Something/someone they’re
holding moves or attacks.
Effect: Let go.
SKULK
Trigger: Character is target of an
attack and someone in reach isn’t.
Effect: Hide behind nearby character
and they become target of the attack.
Attack’s TN is the lower of your two
defenses.
USE A POWER
Reaction powers will tell you what
to do in their description.