Alright, here are my team predictions:
Team Magic: Covenant, The Regulator, Deep Freeze, Ilamar the Inscrutable
Team Space: Montage, Synergist, Fernwick, Refuge
Team Technology: Archie The Adventurer, Atomizer, The Artificer
Definitely some strong predictions! But here’s a newcomer to mess with it…
Step 1: Background
Starting at the very beginning gives us opening results of 6 and 10. This makes the Backgrounds of Law Enforcement, Military, and Former Villain available to us. Let’s build an ex-supervillain. They’re always fun folks. I have no idea what name to give this person, but I’ll call him Bob for now.
This one is very tricky, because I would want Bob’s qualities to be tied to his powers, and I don’t know what those are yet. Quality choices lean much more towards “former mastermind” than “former minion”, so let’s give Bob Technology d10 and Imposing d8. Your classic ranting mad scientist.
Former Villains have an… Expertise… Principle…
Seriously?? If anyone should be Ideals-driven, it would be the person who was a villain until something woke them to heroism. Fine. Whatever. I don’t even mind. Principle of the Gearhead, there.
Step 2: Power Source
Former Villains get the d10, d8, d8 spread, so we roll up 9, 7, and 2. So our choices are Training, Relic, Radiation, Supernatural, and Cosmos. Of those two, I actually like the idea of a supernatural technician, someone who tried to build devices that were powered by magic. This is not a good plan in the Sentinels universe, but Bob didn’t care!
This gives us access to Transmutation d10, Electricity d8, and Vitality d8. Our good doctor can channel the lightning of the heavens to transform the nature of objects, and has turbo-charged his own body. A real self-Frankenstein of a guy.
For Abilities, our good (bad) doctor uses Transmutation to Boost or Hinder people, and Electricity to Boost allies and heal people. Then, once we’re done with those, we get a free Presence d10.
Step 3: Archetype
We’re given d10, d10, d6 for Archetype, and 5, 1, 1 gives us access to Speedster, Shadow, Blaster, and Close Quarters Combatant. We’ve got a lot of electricity, let’s be a Blaster!
This lets us boost our Electricity to d10, and then gives us Ranged Combat d10, Fire d8 (it was that or Momentum), and Inventions d6. Our Blaster has a couple of elements to blast with.
For Abilities, we’ll lean into the elements, since we can’t lean into transmutation. Electricity fires off precise hits, and Fire just rolls over everyone. In Yellow, he becomes immune to electricity, and can use his Inventions to do a lot of damage and Boost.
We get an Esoteric Principle this time around, and I’m going to go with the Principle of the Inner Demon. When Bob channels his inner supervillain, he’s always at risk of slipping back into bad habits. This isn’t quite as literal as the Principle suggests, but it still works well.
Step 4: Personality
Rolling for personality gives us 9 and 9, which lets us choose between Inquisitive and Apathetic, both of which are gone. That leaves us with Naïve or Arrogant, and I’m going to pick Arrogant. For all that he’s turned over a new leaf, there’s a lot of the old villain in Bob.
Step 5: Red Abilities
When in serious danger, sometimes you just need an Impenetrable Defense, powered by your alchemical transformations. And sometimes you just want to unload with a Final Attack, using your best Inventions.
Step 6: Retcon
So, we got a free d10, and there is something that’s really bugging me about this character. Even though it is definitely not the right move, I’m going to swap his Presence and his Inventions to let him use his cool tech for more things.
(The right move is Red to d8, but this means two heroes actually will drop to d6 in the Red Zone.)
Step 7: Health
We’re looking at (8 + Red Die 6 + Athletics 8 + 4) 26 Health this time around. I think all those big Red Dice may have tilted my thoughts about what the standard ranges look like…
Step 8: Alias
We have some extra work to do here. I’m officially naming our friend Bertram Gilles, an engineer who became obsessed with alchemy and its ability to create perfected things. After losing his job because of his ‘mad obsessions’, he undertook criminal activity to develop his alchemical devices, under the name Doctor Phlogiston.
During Oblivaeon, Doctor Phlogiston was released from prison to fight a horde of Aeon Men, saving the lives of many of his fellow prisoners and guards. In the aftermath, he was paroled and put on a work-release program as long as he followed various strict rules and also took action as a superhero, which he does under the alias of Doctor Cobalt. A lot of people don’t know that Phlogiston and Cobalt are the same person, but enough do.
Character Sheet
Doctor Cobalt
Alias: Bertram Gilles
Background: Former Villain, Power Source: Supernatural, Archetype: Blaster, Personality: Arrogant
Principles: Gearhead [Expertise], Inner Demon [Esoteric]
- Roleplaying: You always know the general state of repair or function of an item of technology, whether it’s a simple toaster or an alien orbital defense system. You have a darkness in you that you strive to keep suppressed. You can reach out to similar forces.
- Minor Twists: What mechanical device just shorted out? What sinister act comes from tapping into your dark side?
- Major Twists: What machine just went terribly off the rails? What havoc does your dark side inflict as you allow it to take control?
Status Dice: Green d10, Yellow d8, Red d6
Health: 26 (Green 26-21, Yellow 20-10, Red 9-1)
Qualities:
- Technology (Info) d10
- Ranged Combat (Physical) d10
- Imposing (Social) d8
- Paroled Supervillain (RP) d8
Powers:
- Transmutation (Materials) d10
- Inventions (Tech) d10
- Presence (Intellectual) d6
- Electricity (Element) d10
- Fire (Element) d8
- Vitality (Athletics) d8
Green Abilities:
- Principle of the Gearhead(A): Overcome a technological challenge and use your Max die. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of Inner Darkness (A): Tap into your dark psyche and Overcome using your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Firestorm (A): Attack multiple targets with Fire. Use your Min die against each.
- Lightning Bolt (A): Attack using Lightning. Ignore all penalties on this attack, ignore any Defend actions, and it cannot be affected by Reactions.
Yellow Abilities:
- Incredible Machines (A): Attack with Transmutation. Use your Max die. If you choose a hero to go next, also boost them with your Mid die.
- Galvanize (A): Boost an Ally using Lightning. You and nearby heroes in the Yellow or Red zones Recover health equal to your Min die.
- Mass Transmutation (A): Boost or Hinder multiple close targets with Inventions.
- Galvanic Reactor (I): When you would take Lightning damage, reduce that damage to 0 and then Recover that amount of Health.
Red Abilities:
- Unleash The Darkness (A): Attack using Inventions. Use your Max + Mid + Min dice. Take a major twist.
- The Perfected Bezoar (A): Defend using Transmutation against all attacks against you until your next turn, using your Max + Mid die.
Out Ability: Hinder an opponent by rolling your single Transmutation die.
Aftermath: So, I like Doctor Cobalt, but I think he could definitely have been stronger if I wasn’t holding to these rules. He doesn’t have a Reaction because there wasn’t one in his Archetype, I would have given him the ability to defend other people earlier if I’d know that was coming, plus if I didn’t need to give him a new trait in the Archetype phase, he’d have started with Inventions at d10 instead of Fire.
But he still works, and he’s still fun. Not a serious loss.
2 Likes
This is one of my favs already. 
Aw, why’d you have to rename Bob?
Argh, Doctor Cobalt belongs equally on Teams Magic and Technology!
I refuse to acknowledge a difference! Ahahahahah!
Great, now I’m sounding like a supervillain. 
In all seriousness, there are a few of these characters that jumped up my “the one I want to play” list, and Doctor Cobalt is near the top.
Step 1: Background
With eight heroes left, choices are starting to slim down. Results of 5 and 7 would unlock Unremarkable, Academic, and Criminal, but with all of those gone our choices are now Retired or Anachronistic.
I’m going to start with Anachronistic. Our hero is from the distant past, and has slept through the centuries until awoken by… something. They are a skilled fighter and mage, with Close Combat d10 and History d8. Upon awakening, they’ve learned quite a bit about this new world, and non-binary genders is one of those things. It was a pretty exciting discovery.
I have a few choices for Principles, but I’m going to be honest, I like the Principle of the Undead. Sir Teylor isn’t just a time-traveler. They died in glorious battle, and have been returned to… well, not exactly life, but something disturbingly close…
Step 2: Power Source
Anachronistic provides a d10, a d8, and a d6 for Power Source. Rolling those gives me 5, 5, and 2, which opens up Training, Mystical, Relic, and Tech Upgrades, so Mystical and Artificial Being. Let’s go ahead and finally take Mystical and create a proper mage knight.
The Rune Sword d10 gives our knight the powerful magical sword that is bound to their soul, Radiant d8 gives them holy might, and Presence d6 gives them a bit of raw social animus. It’s a good spread.
Mystic doesn’t give a lot of choices for special abilities – two out of three. Mystic Redirection lets Teylor use Radiant energy to redirect attacks to themselves, and then defend against them. Sever link lets them deal with environmental challenges with their rune sword, draining energy into themselves.
Finally, I get to pick up a free d10 Information instead of getting a Green Ability. Magical Lore it is. (Mage knight!)
Step 3: Archetype
Mystical gives us d10, d8, d8 for Archetype, and 8, 2, and 4 gives us Shadow, Marksman, Closer Quarters Combatant, Armored, Elemental Manipulator, and Sorcerer. That means Sorcerer or Minion-Maker, and I’m taking Sorcerer! Mage Knight! Mage Knight! Mage Knight!
As a Sorcerer, we can give Teylor Conviction d10, plus Absorption d8 to absorb energies and Leaping d8 for cool stunts. Pretty much all the Sorcerer Greens are attacks, which is useful. Let’s go with a Radiant Hinder that sometimes attacks, and the Runesword can Attack extremely powerfully.
In Yellow, we’ll take a trick with Absorption, to draw all the bonuses and penalties off someone and then Hinder them (usually useful against an enemy, but if a player has too many big Hinders, it can be worth replacing them all with a single one.)
We get a second Esoteric Principle here, and since we’ve leaned hard into magical stuff, I’ll give our knight the Principle of Magic. Sir Teylor can sense magical energies, and knows when they’re at hand.
Step 4: Personality
Our Personality roll gives us 1 and 9, which means Teylor could be a Lone Wolf, Inquisitive, or Alluring. So Lone Wolf or Natural Leader. I’m thinking Lone Wolf right now; it’s Teylor’s nature to run off and try to resolve situations alone, in order to shoulder the burdens of combat. This may be what got them killed the first time around, and it’s possible that this Personality will shift over time.
I’m not sure what to take for a roleplaying quality; a lot of the choices I would have made are really covered already. I think I will take Courtly Training; while Teylor doesn’t have a lot of social graces, they were trained in a noble court, and can fall back on formal etiquette (even if a lot of it is out of date.)
Step 5: Red Abilities
One of our Red Abilities is going to be unlocking the full power of the Rune Sword that Teylor wields, giving them a persistent Boost while also attacking. For the second, we’re going to go for the sacrifice play, using Teylor’s full conviction to hit extremely hard, at a heavy cost.
Step 6: Retcon
This is someone who’s going to be using their Reactions to pull aggro, while building up towards massive martyrdom blows. They do not need more Red Abilities, because I don’t think they’ll be sitting there for long. Let’s go ahead and boost their Red Die.
I should track how often I use each of the Retcon choices, just for fun.
Step 7: Health
Sir Teylor is pretty buff, with (8 + Red 10 + Conviction 10 + 4) 32 Health! Top end of the range.
Step 8: Alias
I spent some time mulling over whether Sir Teylor even has a superhero alias. In the end, I think they want to fit in with the team, so they call themselves Runesword.
Character Sheet
Runesword
Alias: Sir Teylor Clarihue
Background: Anachronistic, Power Source: Mystic, Archetype: Sorcerer, Personality: Lone Wolf
Principles: Undead [Esoteric], Magic [Esoteric]
- Roleplaying: You can be hurt and damaged, but you can ignore many of the afflictions that bother the living. You are attuned to an otherworldly force, and can feel the mystical energies of
- the area.
- Minor Twists: How did your undead nature unnerve those around you? What weird curse is now following you around?
- Major Twists: How are you risking your connection to the living world? What mystical backlash has changed your life?
Status Dice: Green d8, Yellow d8, Red d8
Health: 32 (Green 32-25, Yellow 24-12, Red 11-1)
Qualities:
- Close Combat (Physical) d10
- Magical Lore (Info) d10
- Conviction (Mental) d10
- History (Info) d8
- Courtly Training (RP) d8
Powers:
- The Runesword (Hallmark) d10
- Radiant (Element) d8
- Absorption (Self-Control) d8
- Leaping (Mobility) d8
- Presence (Intellectual) d6
Green Abilities:
- Principle of the Undead (A): Overcome in a situation in which your undead nature comes in handy and use your Max die. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of Magic (A): Overcome a mystical force and use your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Light of the Heavens (A): Hinder using Radiant. Use your Max die. If you roll doubles, also Attack using your Mid die.
- Blade Strike (A): Attack using the Rune Sword. Use your Max die.
Yellow Abilities
- Cut Through (A): Overcome an environmental challenge using the Rune Sword. Use your Max die. Either remove any penalty in the scene or Boost using your Mid die.
- Energy Drain (A): Remove all bonuses and penalties from a target. Then, Hinder that target using your Absorption. Use your Max die.
- Knight’s Duty ®: When another nearby hero in the Yellow or Red zone would take damage, you may redirect it to yourself and then Defend against it with your single Radiant die.
Red Abilities:
- The Final Sword (A): Boost using the Rune Sword. Use your Max die. That bonus is persistant and exclusive. Attack with your Mid die.
- Sacrifice Play (A): Attack using Conviction. Use your Max + Mid + Min dice. Take a major twist.
Out Ability: Boost an ally by rolling your single Conviction die.
Aftermath: Undead holy knight with a high power magic-absorbing sword. I am all in for Sir Teylor, folks. I think they spend a lot of time trying to pretend that they definitely understand the modern world, and maybe some time wistfully dealing with the fact that the only taste buds they still have are for spicy foods.
I suspect that in the broader publishing metaverse, if these heroes were part of it, Sir Teylor was part of some comic in the 70s where they were the token ‘girl knight’ on a team of historical magic knights that ran for about 24 issues but had a large niche following, and they made a bunch of comments that later writers used to point out that they were absolutely a trans character, and then someone brought them back into the present as an undead knight and canonized it.
2 Likes
A holy undead, how cool.
Yep. Fanatic will absolutely lose it if they ever meet.
1 Like
Runesword: I’m not dead!
The Regulator: 'Ere, he says he’s not dead.
Fanatic: Yes he is.
Runesword: I’m not.
The Regulator: He isn’t.
Fanatic: Well, he will be soon, he’s very ill.
Runesword: I’m getting better.
Fanatic: No you’re not, you’ll be stone dead in a moment.
3 Likes
Runesword obviously goes on Team Magic. Hmm, but that means that that team is at the maximum of five, so there’s no room for Doctor Cobalt. Hmm . . . I suppose I could see Doctor Cobalt and The Regulator on either Team Magic or Team Technology, and while we’re at it, Fernwick could be on Space or Technology, but it would be a shame for them to not be teammates with Synergist.
1 Like
Keep in mind that you’ve still only got three teams laid out, and there are five teams in total! You may need to add some themes…
Step 1: Background
We roll a 7 and a 5 for our Background this time, which lets us start with Unremarkable, Academic, or Criminal. Since those are all taken we go in either direction from Criminal, resulting in a choice between Exile and Retired.
I’m thinking that Retired will be more flexible long-term, so this superhero is an exile from his home. But from where? Alien? Magic? Alternate universe? You know, let’s do an alternate universe, we don’t have one of those yet.
Our hero was a superhero in another world, who answered the call of the Mist Gates to defend the multiverse from Oblivaeon. He was badly hurt in the fight, and unable to return to his home before the Gates closed. Since his knowledge is liable to be mostly wrong, I’ll give him Conviction d10 and Insight d8.
For Ideals Principles, I’m going to take the Principle of the Defender. Victor (that’s his name now) wasn’t just hurt fighting, he was hurt saving the rest of his team, and ensuring that they could make it home.
Step 2: Power Source
Exile gives a lackadaisical three d8s for Power Source (so you can’t be an Exile powered by the Multiverse!) and our roll of 2, 8, and 4 gives us access to Training, Experimentation, Nature, Relic, Radiation, or Artificial Being. Let’s take Radiation. Our hero comes from a world bathed in radiation, where people have been transformed by the terrible energies.
I have to take a new Power, and I’ve only got two choices, so I’m going to take… both! Duplication d8 and Density Control d8, combined with Size-Changing d8, creates a hilarious array of variously-sized enemies who can also vary their mass and form.
In Yellow, our one-man army uses Size-Changing to recover and Boost, Density Control to attack and hinder, and in Green he uses his Duplication to attack anyone who gets too close.
Step 3: Archetype
Rolling a d10, a d8, and a d6 gives me 6, 1, and 1, which means that I can pick Speedster, Shadow, Close Quarters Combatant, or Armored. Since most of those are gone, I can pick Speedster or Minion Maker, and if I’m just creating all the duplicates, I am clearly making Victor a Minion-Maker.
I can bump Duplication up to d10, leaving me with a two d8s and a d6. I need a Materials under my “new Powers” rule, and I like the idea that my duplicates are kind of toxic and manipulate toxic waste. So Toxic d8, Investigation d8, and let’s say Science d6. No physical traits, so I’m only good at punching if it’s supporting my deeply-held beliefs.
For Abilities, Victor obviously makes minions with Duplication, and powers them up with Density Control. In Yellow, he can reduce damage by shucking it off towards his minions, staying alive faster.
Since Victor creates minions using his raw will, he gets ten options for what they can do. I’m going to pick the following: Autonomous, Floating, Pack, Explosive, Reinforced, Harsh, Stealth, Swift, Champion, Hive-Mind.
Minion-Makers get a… they get an Expertise Ability. Everyone gets Expertise Abilities. Well, joke’s on you, that gives me the Principle of the Indestructible. Because of his density-shifting, Victor is pretty much immune to small attacks.
Step 4: Personality
For Personality, I roll a 2 and a 6, so Victor could be a Natural Leader, Distant, or Fast-Talking. Let’s make him a Natural Leader – just generally a brick who is very impressive.
For his roleplaying Quality, I’m going to lean into that and give him Group Tactics, helping him help others, or pile on alongside his minions. He’s just very used to having to work with others, and doesn’t do as well when he’s on his own (although he has DETERMINATION to fall back on.)
Step 5: Red Abilities
Okay, let’s make this silly. Swarm Combat gives Victor a Max-die attack with a bonus equal to how many minions are out, and Summon Allies creates just so, so many minions. Combining these two should let him fill the field with copies of himself and then just jump someone.
Step 6: Retcon
I could pick up another Red Ability, or grab a Physical quality, but I like the idea of just boosting Victor’s Red. When he defends, he defends.
Step 7: Health
We’re looking at [8 + Conviction 10 + Red 12 + 4) 34 Health for Victor! Another hecking tank.
Step 8: Alias
Victor is The Line, the leader of a team of heroes in a post-apocalyptic world that was ravaged by nuclear devastation. He and his team kept his home city alive and comfortable against irradiated monsters and natural disasters, and answered the call to fight Oblivaeon. Now, stranded in this strange, lush world, he’s going to keep doing what he does best – building communities and helping people.
Character Sheet
The Line
Alias: Victor
Background: Exile, Power Source: Radiation, Archetype: Minion-Maker, Personality: Natural Leader
Principles: Defender [Ideals], Indestructible [Expertise]
- Roleplaying: You will put yourself in harm’s way to save others without a second thought. You ignore damage from unpowered close-combat weapons and attacks, such as clubs and non-powered fists, or basic ranged attacks, such as slings and arrows.
- Minor Twists: How do your actions put you in more danger than before? What goes wrong with your defenses?
- Major Twists: What great sacrifice did you just make to succeed? Who gets hurt other than you because your defenses failed?
Status Dice: Green d6, Yellow d8, Red d12
Health: 34 (Green 34-26, Yellow 25-13, Red 12-1)
Qualities:
- Conviction (Mental) d10
- Insight (Social) d8
- Investigation (Mental) d8
- Group Tactics (RP) d8
- Science (Info) d6
Powers:
- Duplication (Self-Control) d10
- Size Control (Self-Control) d8
- Density Control (Self-Control) d8
Green Abilities:
- Principle of the Defender (A): Overcome in a situation that requires you to hold the line and use your Max Die, or use your Mid Die and Defend with your Min die. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of the Indestructible (A): Overcome in a situation where you charge headlong into danger and use your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Double Stunt ®: When a new target enters the scene close to you, you may Attack it by rolling your single Duplication die.
- Duplicate (A): Create a minion using Duplication, with a die size based on the Minion Chart. Choose which basic action it can take. It acts at the start of your turn.
- Minion Options: Autonomous, Floating, Pack, Explosive, Reinforced, Harsh, Stealth, Swift, Champion, Hive-Mind.
- Empower (A): Boost another hero or one of your minions using Density Control. Either use your Max die, or use your Mid die and make that bonus persistent.
Yellow Abilities:
- Shake It Off (A): Boost using Size-Changing. Then remove a penalty on you, or Recover using your Min die.
- Heavy Hitter (A): Attack using Density Control. Hinder that target using your Max die.
- Reform ®: Reduce any damage you take by the number of minions you have. Each time you do this, reduce the size of one of your minions.
Red Abilities:
- Swarm Combat (A): Attack with Duplication. Use your Max die plus a bonus equal to the number of minions you have.
- Fill The Field (A): Use Duplication to create a number of d6 minions equal to your Mid die. Choose the action they perform. They act at the start of your turn.
Out Ability: Boost an Ally by rolling your Conviction die.
If Victor has time to build up, he is going to be unstoppable. He’s less of a tank than some of our earlier friends, lacking any inherent damage reduction or turn-length Defense, but the ability to use his copies as ablative shields is pretty useful, especially once he hits Red and just generates a half-dozen buddies, and he can Defend as part of an Overcome and ignore getting punched, which is great. He has just enough Boost and Hinder tricks to fall back on if for whatever reason making minions isn’t cutting it, and he has Qualities to help him out outside of combat (not many powers, though; he can use his Size-Changing to investigate, but socially he is a bit awkward. No Intellectual Power options in either Radiation or Minion-Maker, and while I could have given him a d6, it’s not enough of a step up.)
One thing I wish he’d gotten was a way to draw fire. There weren’t any applicable Reactions in his pools, though, so he’ll have to rely on Overcomes.
3 Likes
I have to admit, this experiment of yours is far more interesting than I expected it to be! I may have to use this method for NPC generation at some point, just as a neat way to help fill out a setting!
2 Likes
Thanks! I wasn’t sure if the system would work when I started, but it generally went well. And speaking of people doing well…
Step 1: Background
For this hero, our Background roll nets us an 8 and a 9! That gives us Tragic, Performer, and Interstellar, which means Tragic and Dynasty. I’m going with a Tragic backstory. Naomi’s parents were killed during a major supervillain attack on Megalopolis. Let’s say… oh, it was when Citizen Dawn invaded the city. She was saved by a hero, but her family was already gone. This has filled her with a need to help people, and be good enough that no one dies.
Naomi has Close Combat d10 and Alertness d8; she’s trained her whole life to fight, and she’s always aware of her surroundings. She also has the Principle of the Hero – she has to help, no matter the cost.
Step 2: Power Source
Tragic gives you d10, d10, d6 for your Power Source, which is pretty nice. 3, 1, and 6 gives us access to Accident, Genetic, Experimentation, Nature, Relic, or Radiation. That means Genetic or Artificial Being.
… oh. Oh, I think we have a new idea. Naomi’s parents weren’t civilians. They were Citizens of the Sun. And they were killed by other Citizens for having a change of heart and trying to save people. Naomi was there as a young teen, brought along to unleash her powers for the first time, but the Freedom Five showed up and fought the Citizens that killed her parents, and she pretended not to have been one. She ended up in the foster system, hiding her powers until she became an adult.
I need to take a new power if possible, and Telekinesis is the only one of the six available, so Telekinesis d10. For my other two, let’s take Presence d10, and Remote Viewing d6; Naomi has a fierce personal aura that draws people to her, and can stretch out her senses around the region.
For Abilities, I’m going to take Adaptive and Danger Sense – Naomi uses her Presence to build people up, and her Telekinesis to protect herself. In Green, she can definitely Rally, charging into the fray and inspiring everyone around her.
Step 3: Archetype
My Genetic roll gives me a 1, 5, and 3, which means that after I shear off the impossibles it’s either Speedster or Form-Changer. I think I like Speedster. Naomi uses telekinesis, but she’s also an up-close and personal fighter; she throws herself at enemies, beats them up, and moves on to the next target.
Unfortunately, my choices mean I’m doubling up a bit. Naomi has both Speed d10 and Momentum d8, because Momentum is on my list of things that need to be taken if possible and none of the other choices are available (which is a shame, because Sonic would be great!) So Naomi is not only fast, she gets faster the longer she moves, and uses that speed to shift things around her. For my last, I’m pretty short on Qualities, so let’s take Fitness. Naomi is a fighter, but she’s also good at moving around.
For Abilities, she can use her Speed to charge in and Attack while also Defending, and use her Telekinesis to create boosts and hinders by messing with the environment. In Yellow, she adds the ability to hit and hinder a lot of people with Close Combat, which she can support with her speed or telekinesis.
For Principle…
Expertise.
For the twelfth time.
Sure, why not. I have exactly three of those left, might as well toss another one on. Wonder how many more are going to show up in the last ten options.
We’re taking the Principle of the Powerless. Naomi is not actually powerless, but she uses her powers to enhance her training and skills, and she’s spent her early life around people who are even stronger. It’s partially about rejecting her Citizen upbring, and partially about having a keen eye.
Step 4: Personality
9 and 4 gives us the options (after removing used choices) of Mischievous or Jovial. The special ability of Mischievous is wildly unsuited to this character, so let’s take Jovial. Naomi forces a smile all the time.
For our RP, I’m going to go with “Former Citizen” d8, which gives her a lot of special information about villains and powers that most people don’t have.
Step 5: Red Abilities
It feels like I should lean into movement and Close Combat for my Reds, so let’s do it. Endurance Fighting lets Naomi Hinder whenever she attacks, and a Calculated Dodge lets her burn down a bit further to get out of the way of a major attack.
Step 6: Retcon
This is one time that I’m reluctantly going to take a d6. I really want Naomi to have something social, and I’m going with Persuasion. Just wish it gave you a d8 instead.
Step 7: Health
We’re looking at (8 + Red 10 + Speed 10 + 4) 32 Health for Naomi.
Step 8: Alias
As a Citizen, Naomi went by Citizen Haste. But she’s tossed that name in the trash where it belongs, and now goes by the heroic moniker of Breakguard.
Character Sheet
Breakguard
Alias: Naomi Arenson
Background: Tragic, Power Source: Genetic, Archetype: Speedster, Personality: Jovial
Principles: Hero (Ideals), Powerless (Expertise)
- Roleplaying: Because of your abilities, you have a calling to save others. You value training and work over powers, and know how to get things done without powers and how to exploit flaws in powered individuals.
- Minor Twists: Your immediate need to help someone else causes you to drop the ball in your personal life. What was it? What temporary injury did you just suffer?
- Major Twists: You’re given an ultimatum between your life as a hero and something that you value. What do you choose? What serious injury did you just suffer?
Status Dice: Green d6, Yellow d8, Red d10
Health: XX (Green X, Yellow Y, Red Z)
Qualities:
- Close Combat (Physical) d10
- Alertness (Mental) d8
- Fitness (Physical) d8
- Former Citizen (RP) d8
- Persuasion (Social) d6
Powers:
- Telekinesis (Psychic) d10
- Presence (Intellectual) d10
- Speed (Athletic) d10
- Momentum (Mobility) d8
- Remote Viewing (Psychic) d6
Green Abilities:
- Principle of the Hero (A): Overcome when innocents are in danger and use your Max die. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of the Powerless (A): Use your knowledge of the limitations of super powers in an Overcome and use your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Rally (A): Attack using Close Combat. Other nearby heroes in the Yellow or Red Zone recover equal to your Min die.
- Charge (A): Attack using Speed. Defend yourself using your Min die.
- Subtle Control (A): Boost or Hinder using Telekinesis. Use your Max die. If you roll doubles, you may also Attack using your Mid die.
Yellow Abilities:
- Second Wind (A): Boost yourself using Presence, then either remove a penalty or Recover equal to your Min die.
- Mind Shield ®: When damaged by an environment target or a surprise Attack, Defend yourself using your Telekinesis die.
- Break the Field (A): Attack multiple targets using Close Combat. Hinder each target using your Min die.
Red Abilities:
- Endurance Fighting (I): Whenever you Attack an enemy with an action, also Hinder them with your Min die.
- Calculated Dodge ®: When you are Attacked or Hindered, you may take 1 irreducible damage to force your attacker to reroll their entire pool.
Out Ability: Defend an Ally by rolling your single Close Combat die.
Aftermath: So, I have a small confession to make: I cheated in one place with Naomi. I had given her a Yellow area attack as part of her Power Source, and when I realized the Speedster offered a phenomenally stronger one, I made a swap. And I mean just overwhelmingly stronger. It’s the difference between “attack everyone with your Min die” and “attack everyone with your Mid die and also Hinder them with your Min die and you can use a Quality instead of a Power to make it more versatile.”
I just sort of counted it as a swap, since it was the exact same concept. Sorry if this ruins anyone’s feeling of completeness. If you do, you can assume she uses Telekinesis for a very weak area attack and has a strong single-target attack instead.
Anyway, I like Naomi. She’s got skeletons in her closet, and doesn’t want to let them drag her down.
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Now that’s a backstory! 
Of course, it has me wondering who Citizen Waste was…
I’ve decided that once you’re done, I’m going to do a similar thread. XD
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Ooh, I am excited to see what you come up with!
And there may be an appearance by Citizen Waste in the future - not to spoil anything, but when I finished my heroes I started a set of randomized villains to oppose them, which I’m definitely planning to post once they’re done.
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Oh, that’s even more exciting.
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Wouldn’t Citizen Waste be Naomi’s child? After all Haste makes Waste.
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Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that, but I just haven’t seen any other similar themes emerging. I suppose I’m merely taking into account the big, obvious themes, and not subtler character interactions, though.
Breakguard and The Line don’t seem to fit on any of my established teams . . . I guess I’ll put them together in Team Random Superpowers. Er, maybe I could put Atomizer and the Line on Team Nuclear Radiation?
That makes two of us. ; )
It might just be that Waste looked up to Haste, and patterned himself after her? I’m still mucking with it (and seeing what else matches with Haste, for that matter.)
But in the mean time…
Step 1: Background
Well, well. 10 and 9 on our first roll unlocks Performer, Military, and Otherworldy, which for us means Military and Created. Let’s do a Military person. I feel like most ex-military characters in comics are either Army or Air Force, so here is a Navy guy.
His name is Greg.
As a military officer, Greg has tremendous Fitness (d10) and Leadership skills (d8) but he doesn’t focus on in-person combat. And as a successful military officer, he follows the Principle of Order; rules exist for a reason, and you should follow the chain of command.
Step 2: Power Source
Military gives out d10, d8, and d8, which nets us 9, 7, and 5. After all the crossing-off and adding up, that leaves me with Artificial Being or Unknown. I like being wrong, so we’re going with Unknown! George has no idea why he has powers, which just absolutely drives him up the wall. It is a major source of chaos that completely upended his career goals and life plan. This is much funnier than being a robot secretly.
George can control Metal (d10), a fact that he found out during a routine training exercise. He’s also got an aura of command (Presence d8) and has tremendous Strength (d8), making him an exceptional physical specimen. It’s weird.
For abilities, our officer is a Boost factory. He can attack with his Metal and Boost, he can Boost everyone else and Hinder himself. He also picks up Imposing d8; he’s kind of a scary guy when he’s annoyed, which is always.
Step 3: Archetype
1, 8, and 2 means that we could be a Form-Changer or a Gadgeteer. Let’s go with Gadgeteer; he can already shape metal, why not let him control what’s inside it, too?
Inventions d10 lets Greg build incredible tools in any situation. Technology d8 lets him understand it, and Alertness d6 is a nice fallback. For Abilities, in Green he can make powerful Hinders or push himself for more impressive actions. In Yellow, he can turn bonuses and penalties into each other.
We get an Identity Principle as a Gadgeteer, and I’m leaning into our unofficial inspiration by giving Greg the Principle of Rage. When he gets angry, he gets toweringly angry, focused on the things that are disrupting his life and hurting others.
Step 4: Personality
Double 7s gives me Naïve and Impulsive. He’s definitely not naïve, so… well, someone had to take it.
Unfortunately, Greg isn’t the best choice for this because he’s not focused on any one Power or Quality, but he can make some use of his Metal (to d12.)
Just… d6 Yellow Status die. God.
Step 5: Red Abilities
Well, I’m definitely taking something with Metal! Powerful Strike lets him just unleash a metal death attack, and then Like the Wind lets him turn damage against him into Hinders, which is an amazing image of him pulling up metal defenses that he then has to clamber out of.
Step 6: Retcon
Oh, he’s getting a Red step-up. He’s got to be good eventually.
Step 7: Health
We’re looking at (8 + Red 10 +Athletics 8 + 4) for 30 Health, nicely in the middle.
Step 8: Alias
So, turning into a superhuman that can reflexively pull apart boats when there’s trouble is not something that the Navy wants in an officer, but they’re still using Greg as a military attaché. With that in mind, I think he’s got a fake military title that he hates, like Commodore Ironclad.
He hates that title so much.
Character Sheet
Commodore Ironclad
Alias: Greg Swann
Background: Military, Power Source: Unknown, Archetype: Gadgeteer, Personality: Impulsive
Principles: Order [Ideals], Rage [Identity]
- Roleplaying: You believe in organization and concordance. You always keep your head in the face of chaos. They don’t like you when you’re angry. Your fury is intimidating to many.
- Minor Twists: What element of disorder caused your plan to fall apart? What did your anger just mess up?
- Major Twists: How is your ordered existence ruined by chaos? Who have you thoroughly alienated with your outbursts?
Status Dice: Green d6, Yellow d6, Red d10
Health: 30 (Green 30-23, Yellow 22-12, Red 11-1)
Qualities:
- Fitness (Physical) d10
- Leadership (Social) d8
- Imposing (Social) d8
- Technology (Info) d8
- Alertness (Mental) d6
Powers:
- Metal (Materials) d10
- Gadgets (Technology) d10
- Presence (Intellectual) d8
- Strength (Athletics) d8
Green Abilities:
- Principle of Order (A): Overcome a challenge where you can organize other people. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of Rage (A): Overcome in a situation in which you can channel your rage for good and use your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Interference (A): Hinder using Metal. You may either use your Max die, or use your Mid die and make it persistent and exclusive.
- Clear-Headed ®: After rolling your dice pool, you can take 1 irreducible damage to reroll the entire pool.
Yellow Abilities:
- On the Edge (A): Attack using Metal. Hit one target using your Min die and a second target with your Mid die, and Boost with your Max die.
- Commander (A): Boost all nearby allies using Presence, with your Max + Mid die. Hinder yourself with your Min die.
- Tactical Analysis (A): Turn any bonus into a penalty of equal size, or vice versa.
Red Abilities:
- Razor Strike (A): Attack with Metal. Use your Max + Mid dice.
- Instinctive Armor ®: When you are attacked and dealt damage, you may ignore that damage completely. If you do, treat the result as a Hinder against you.
Out Ability: The hero who goes after you may take 1 irreducible damage to reroll their entire dice pool.
Aftermath:
So I made an Unknown Gadgeteer after all just because it made sense. There you go!
I also made Donald Duck, just a little bit, in that he is a former naval officer whose life is constantly overturned by chaos, and responds with berserk fury when he’s not tripping over himself trying to keep everything under control. You’re welcome.
Tactically, there’s some interesting uses of taking damage to reroll bad dice pools in Green and Yellow, then just shrugging damage off when you hit Red and go berserk.
Narratively, I don’t know if Greg is ever going to discover what caused his powers. Bored demigod? Magical ritual gone wrong? Isoflux Alpha? On a certain level, I don’t know if it matters – it was a cosmic coincidence that completely upset his well-maintained life and now he has to deal with that, and I think that’s more interesting than digging into why it actually happened.
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