Step 1: Background
Rolling for our first hero, my random results are 9 and 5. This gives me starting Background choices of Unremarkable, Performer, and Anachronistic.
Let’s start with the simplest. Our Unremarkable hero is just a normal person going about her daily business. Unremarkable get a lot of options, and it’s pretty funny to me that one of them is Close Combat, because that does not feel unremarkable. I’m going to go with the classics – Conviction d10, Banter d8. Our hero has a strong sense of self and a quick mouth, but not a lot of marketable skills.
For our first Principle, we get Identity. Since this is a newcomer learning about all our fellow heroes, I’m going to give her the Principle of Discovery to start.
I’m also going to call her Sarah, just because it feels right. She has an unremarkable job manning the phones at a not-for-profit and always does the right thing, but she’s feeling a bit stuck in her life.
Step 2: Power Source
We’ve got d10, d8, d6 for our Power Source, so let’s get rolling! This nets me 7, 1, and 5, for the following Power Source options: Accident, Mystical, Nature, Relic, Powered Suit, or Artificial Being. As funny as Artificial Being on our unremarkable friend is, I’m going to go with a Relic.
I get three Powers out of this, which will help me decide what Sarah’s relic is. Since she’s a Conviction-based person, I think she has the ability to share that with others, giving her Telepathy d10; it’s not that she controls minds, but she can share her true feelings with others. She can also turn Intangible (d8), becoming no more than a thought on the wind. Finally, she has strong Intuition (d6) about what the correct course of action is.
Based on this, I think that the relic that Sarah has received is the Mantle of Hope; a dying man pressed the gossamer-thin fabric into her hands as she tried to help him on the street, and it has bonded to her soul.
For Yellow Abilities, she takes Relic Drain, which lets her Hinder an enemy and Recover. This uses her Telepathy, as she shows enemies why they shouldn’t fight, and restores her own power by seeing their hesitation. She also takes Magical Shield, which lets her defend allies by momentarily turning them intangible. For her Green Ability, she takes Punishment; inflicting penalties on her just opens you up to counter-attacks.
Step 3: Archetype
Sarah’s Archetype dice are d10, d10, and d6. Rolling that, I get 9, 10, and 3. That opens up Physical Powerhouse, Elemental Manipulator, Robot/Cyborg, Psychic, Transporter and Divided. As much as it might make sense, I think it’s a bit early for me to dive into Divided, so I’m going to stick with Psychic.
Sarah needs at least one more psychic power, so she takes Illusions d10. She also takes a d10 in Magical Lore, as the Mantle has gifted her with vast knowledge of magical things, and a d6 in Part Detachment; since her parts are as much thoughts as physical, being separated isn’t a big problem.
For her Abilities, Sarah grabs Psychic Assault, weaving illusions so real that they can briefly harm people, and Psychic Coordination, letting her use her Telepathy to get everyone in perfect synch. For Yellow Abilities, she only has three choices, and she picks Psychic Analysis using her Conviction, and Telepathic Whammy.
Finally, Sarah gets a second Principle – the Principle of Destiny. The Mantle is meant for a purpose, and Sarah is now the one guiding it towards that end. Even if she falls, it will carry on. There are likely other Mantles out there as well, possibly pushing towards some destiny of their own. (There’s a good chance that this is related to the Host somehow, for Sentinels fans, but exactly how is yet to be determined.)
Step 4: Personality
Rolling 2d10 for Personality gives me 8 and 9, which opens up Fast-Talking, Inquisitive, and Naïve. Of those, Inquisitive feels most in line with the strong-willed person of conviction we’ve heard to date, so that’s what we take. We’re also giving a Quality based on Sarah’s back story, and I think it’s going to be “Activist d8.” She has connections and friends who fight the system, and knows how to start trouble for a good cause.
Step 5: Red Abilities
It just feels right to dip into Mental and Psychic for Sarah’s two Red Abilities. Her first power is Dire Control, reskinned as Conversion. Sarah can literally turn a minion to her side when her force of will and desperation gets strong enough. They’re ‘defeated’ at the end of the scene, as they struggle with their feelings; they might turn good long-term, or fall back into bad habits. Her second power, For The Cause, lets her use her Conviction to Overcome a problem, and hinder all nearby enemies as they hesitate to face her.
Step 6: Retcon
The one thing that’s missing from Sarah’s sheet right now is a Reaction that affects herself, so let’s go ahead and give her one. Empowerment allows her to use her Intangible as a Defend and Boost at the same time, which is pretty great.
Step 7: Health
Sarah’s Health is (8 + Red 10 + Conviction 10 + 4) giving her a total of 32 Health. Not too shabby.
Step 8: Alias
With her stats complete and her approach laid it, it’s time for Sarah’s alias. She is Covenant, a promise made to protect those with hope in their hearts, and a shining light for a better world.
Character Sheet
Covenant
Alias: Sarah Lawson
Background: Unremarkable, Power Source: Relic, Archetype: Psychic, Personality: Inquisitive
Principles: Principle of Discovery (Identity), Principle of Destiny (Esoteric)
- Minor Twists: What new discovery causes you to rethink what you are doing? What omen of dire fortune did you just witness?
- Major Twists: What new discovery must you keep hidden at all costs? What heinous prophecy just came true?
Status Dice: Green d6**, Yellow** d8**, Red** d10
Health: 32 (Green 32-25, Yellow 24-12, Red 11-1)
Qualities:
- Conviction [Mental] d10
- Magical Lore [Information] d10
- Banter [Social] d8
- Activist [RP] d8
Powers:
- Telepathy (Psychic) d10
- Illusions (Psychic) d10
- Intangible (Self-Control) d8
- Intuition (Intellectual) d6
- Part Detachment (Self-Control) d6
Green Abilities:
- Principle of Discovery (A): When you’re on the forefront in making a discovery or invention and take an Overcome action to further your knowledge, use your Max die. You and your allies gain a Hero Point.
- Principle of Destiny (A): Overcome a situation directly connected to your destiny and use your Max die. You and each of your allies gain a hero point.
- Psychic Assault (A): Attack an enemy with Illusions. Hinder them with your Min die.
- Psychic Coordination (A): Boost using Telepathy. Apply that bonus to all hero Attack and Overcome actions until the start of your next turn.
- Mental Feedback (I): Whenever you Attack an enemy that has inflicted a penalty on you, treat that penalty as if it were a bonus for the purpose of that Attack.
Yellow Abilities:
- Positive Thinking (A): Hinder an enemy with Telepathy. Also Recover Health equal to your Min die.
- Telepathic Whammy (A): Attack an enemy with Telepathy and use your Max die. Hinder that enemy with a persistent penalty using your Min die.
- Psychic Analysis (A): Boost yourself using Conviction. Either use your Max die, or use your Mid die and make it persistent.
- Fragment of Hope ®: When another hero in the Yellow or Red Zone would take damage, you may Defend them with your Intangibility.
Red Abilities:
- Conversion (A): Take control of a minion. They act at the start of your turn. If you are incapacitated, you lose control of them, and you can release them at any time. At the end of the scene, they are defeated.
- For The Cause (A): Overcome using Conviction. Use your Max + Min die. Hinder all nearby enemies using your Mid die.
- Pass Through ®: When you are attacked, roll your Intangible die as a Defend. Also Boost yourself with the same roll.
Out Ability: Choose an ally. Until your next turn, they may reroll one of their dice by using a Reaction.
Aftermath:
Our first hero meant that most of my restrictions weren’t in play yet, but I like how Covenant turned out. She’s got a strong focus in terms of expressing hope, even up to turning minor characters to her side through sheer willpower. The Host connection wasn’t one I had in mind to start, and it went to interesting places. I also like that she starts off aggressive with her weaker Status Die, and gains more defensive powers as she gets stronger. It’s an interesting approach that I think could work well.
There’s an interesting thing going on here where Covenant has a couple of low-ranking Powers that none of her Abilities use, and exist as much for flavour as actual rolling. Part Detachment as a thing that just happens is sort of neat, even if nothing particularly keys off it.