The Nemesis Mechanic in Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game

Games Sentinel Comics RPG
#1

Hey folks,

A frequently requested mechanic for the Sentinel Comics RPG is some version of the Nemesis Rule featured in Sentinels of the Multiverse.

This post is not about a Nemesis mechanic for the Sentinel Comics RPG. Instead, this post is about ways to portray a Nemesis relationship between characters in the SCRPG using existing rules.

The first and most obvious way to do so is to simply roleplay it.

And, of course, another obvious way to portray the relationship is to simply have the Nemeses primarily or exclusively target each-other with their Attacks, Hinders, and other offensive Actions.

But here are a couple of was to show that two characters are Nemeses that I hope are not so obvious.

  • Use Risky Actions against your Nemesis. If you’d like to mirror SotM’s damage boost that Nemeses get against each-other, use the option to Attack with your Max Die.
  • Take Twists to use your Yellow or Red Zone Abilities against your Nemesis.

The Twist incurred by either of these actions should either be you taking damage (representing your Nemesis striking back at you) or your Nemesis gaining a Bonus (representing their animosity).

These two methods should help to portray, in a mechanical way, that you are willing to give your all to stop your arch-foe.

Thoughts?

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#2

Not a bad idea! One of my players has a nemesis already, and he’ll definitely be making future appearances, so I’ll have to keep this in mind. :slight_smile:

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#3

Seems solid, although both tactics are something I see heroes using regularly anyway against any old villain. I suspect using Y/R abilities early will be more common and impactful than Risky basics.

Only niggle I have is that the villains aren’t really going to be able to get benefits this way. Their abilities are almost always better choices than any Risky basic would be, and of course they don’t have GYRO abilities.

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#4

A valid point. I, unfortunately, have only GMed for relatively inexperienced players who rarely reached for anything outside of their standard Abilities, so my data is definitely somewhat skewed. And, of course, different players will do different things—some will be taking Twists to do these things every other turn, while some will only do so once in a blue moon, both regardless of any nemesis relationships.

Very true, for the reasons you cite. Villains (usually) wouldn’t want to (or can’t) use these things directly, but they are impacted by the Hero(es)'s use of them: they effectively get a free Attack or Boost every time a Hero uses one of these things, if my above suggestions are followed.

And while I’m in this thread, I’ll take this moment to state that, when I first wrote the original post, I had forgotten the two other cases in which a character can take a Twist in exchange for extra effects: the Hit the Deck reaction and two-use Mods. I think that both of these could certainly be used similarly to the others I mentioned above—use Hit the Deck to avoid or mitigate a particularly nasty blow from your nemesis (with the Twist Boosting your nemesis—you get a reprieve now, but it’ll come back to you later), or make a penalty affect your nemesis twice when you Hinder them (with the Twist dealing you damage—your nemesis gets a strike in while you’re busy restraining them).

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#5

Fair points. You could also Risky Boost your way into a two-use bonus on yourself if you wanted, representing how pumped up you are to be punching your best frenemy again.

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