I raised the idea in A&E of doing a supers themed game for my Card Stack system and there was considerable interest, with the idea that A&Ers might be able to help with ideas. This blog post is the place for them to do that.
The idea behind the
card stack games, for those who just came in, is that the key elements of
character creation are written on cards keyed to certain game elements – in d20
fantasy those are Classes (holding a couple of class levels), Races and Gifts
(since I limit the classes to the 4 key ones these let you customize your PC
with things like Turning ability and a Warhorse to make a Paladin out of 3
fighter cards). Each player (or as many as possible) starts with a card stack
in front of them from which they select a single card, then hand the stack to
the player on their right. Once everyone has one card from each stack they will
have all the elements they need to build a character. I aim to have 6 stacks of
12 cards each since I have to accommodate groups of 6 or more players and it
works best if as many people as possible have a card stack, and there have to
be more cards than there are players so everyone has legitimate choices even in
the last pile. I’ve done this a few times to general approval.
This time, however, I’m moving away from d20 fantasy and
into Super-Heroes. The idea here is to use this to build a Justice
League/Avengers style game where the majority of the heroes have adventures
outside the team as well as with the team. This means that most have an
extensive supporting cast and rogues gallery that don’t show up in team play
often but are meaningful when they do. The 6 card stacks are:
1) Identity/Emotional
Hooks: what problems arise in the hero’s life due to their social connections,
and what advantages do they get from it?
2) Rogues
Gallery: What types of villains does your hero face in their own title?
3) Secret
ID Skills: What skills does your hero fall back on that usually are separate
from super-heroing?
4) Powers:
There are three stacks of powers – each stack should have about 1/4th
of their contents be device/item based (rather than one stack of all devices,
which would mean everyone has a device, rather than everyone having 3 choices
to pick devices or not) and 1/4th be things that could be equated as
super-skills.
Once everyone is done
they then rank their powers cards in order of potency – most, moderate and
least – to give a sense of how the character is balanced. They can also opt to
make their Secret ID skills, which are normally on part with their Least
powerful ability, more powerful if they really want to have a super-skills
character.
What follows are some
ideas for each stack, and where I really need help is with the 36 Power Cards.
My idea is that each will list a broad power with a handful of suggestions on
how it can be used (power facets) that the player can quickly pick 2-6 from (or
stack, taking the same facet multiple times) to make the power their own and
keep things from feeling too rigid. I worry that this might be too complex,
which does away with the idea that this is a high speed campaign creation tool.
We’ll see.
Identity/Emotional
Hooks:
1) Professional:
Your hero works in some sort of office job where she’s expected to be on site
and on time for regular events. This can be a respected professional (surgeon
or tenured professor) needs some flexibility for heroics, but it forces awkward
situations with the boss; her supporting cast are her co-workers.
2) Business
Owner: Your hero owns her own business, which gives her flexibility but responsibility
in terms of keeping the money coming in and meeting payroll. Her supporting
cast are her employees and clients.
3) Scraping
By: Your hero has a family situation that leaves her on the edge of solvency
(but she won’t, or can’t, take money for her heroics). She works a number of
small jobs (say, freelance photographer and grad student) that barely make ends
meet but give her enough flexibility for heroing. Her supporting cast are
primarily her family, but possibly also old friends and would-be lovers.
Rogues Gallery:
1) Totemic:
Your rogues have an animal theme, some just the names, some with devices that
mimic animal abilities, and some with real animal powers.
2) Energy
Obsessives: Your rogues are obsessed with specific energies – heat, cold,
sound, centrifugal force, etc. – that they use to perform robberies that then
fuel their obsessive power sets.
3) Theme
Villains: Your rogues are obsessed with certain animals or forms of
entertainment – cats, jokes, riddles, etc. – that determine the targets &
tactics of their crimes.
Secret ID Skills:
1) Journalist:
You hero works on getting the news out as a reporter, photographer, blogger,
what have you and as such she is skilled at investigation and has news
contacts.
2) Philanthropist:
Your hero’s heroism doesn’t end when she takes her mask off, and as such she is
connected with charities and knowledgeable about causes.
3) Scientist:
Your hero is a skilled scientist working to solve mysteries, be they major
issues of the day, forensic work for the police or how to profit with new
inventions.
Powers:
1) Odd
Physiognomy: Parts of your body aren’t normal. Place facets in Wings, Tail, Spikey
Bits, Extra Flexibility, Chameleon Skin, or something of your choice.
2) Temperature
Powers: You can manipulate temperature. Place facets in heat, cold, flame aura,
ice armor, flight, sliding, enervating attack, or something of your choice.
3) Weapons
Platform: you have a tool – be it an armor suit, a utility belt, quiver of
super-arrows, etc., that gives you access to various attacks and defenses.
Place facets in armor, flight, energy attack, melee attack, strength, esoteric
defenses, or something of your own design.
4) Super-Strength:
Pretty self-explanatory. Place facets in Strength, jumping, armor, swimming,
tunneling, or something of your choice.
5) Martial
Arts Mastery: You are nigh-inhumanly skilled at some forms of combat. Place
facets in unarmed, bows, guns, medieval weapons, or something of your choice.
In the comments please add any ideas to ny of the stacks that you think might be useful. Thanks!