SUPERHEROICS!

Comic Book Adventure Setting

 SUPERHEROICS!
Comic Book Adventure Setting

Written by Lazaro Izaguirre

Illustrated with the Genesys Foundry Art Collection and art

that is © Louis Porter Jr. Design, used with permission.

You must be the change you want to see in the world.

— Mahatma Gandhi

This product was created under license. Genesys and its logo, and Genesys Foundry
and its logo, are trademarks of Fantasy Flight Games in the U.S.A. and other coun-
tries. All Fantasy Flight Games characters and character names, and the distinctive
likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Fantasy Flight Games.
www.FantasyFlightGames.com.

This work contains material that is copyright Fantasy Flight Games and/or other au-
thors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agree-
ment for Genesys Foundry.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Lazaro Izaguirre and pub-
lished under the Community Content Agreement for Genesys Foundry.

2
 Table of Contents

SUPERHEROICS! –Earth 1859 & Beyond [pg.4]

Getting Started [pg. 5]

Superhero Concept [pg. 6]

Origins (aka Archetypes) [pg. 7]

Alter Egos (aka Careers) [pg. 10]

Characteristics & Skills [pg. 11]

—New Skills [pg. 12]

Talents [pg. 14]

—New Talents [pg. 15]

Superpower Rules [pg. 19]

—Determining & Purchasing Superpowers [pg. 19]
—Using Superpowers [pg. 24]
—Superpower Stunts (Optional) [pg. 26]
—Super Story Points [pg. 27]

Final Thoughts [pg. 27]

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 Superheroics! –Earth 1859 & Beyond
SUPERHEROICS! comic book adventures take place on Earth-1859, an alternate Earth timeline that diverg-
es from our timeline in the year 1859. The Carrington Event occurred that year — powerful solar storms
that caused incredible aurora phenomenon and disrupted telegraph communications planet-wide. On Earth-
1859 it had an additional effect. It momentarily expanded the consciousness of one out of every million
humans on the planet exposing them to an alternate dimension and granting them superpowers. From that
event onwards our Earth and Earth-1859 continued along similar historical trajectories with super-powered
beings dominating much of the headlines on Earth-1859.
SUPERHEROICS! campaigns can be set in any historical Earth period from the 1800s to the modern
day. Before the first game session the game master (GM) and players should conduct a “session zero” to
create their superheroes and in the process establish the specifics of their version of Earth-1859. Take in-
spiration from comic books, movies, video games, and other popular media and ask questions to create
your Earth-1859. What year does our campaign take place in? How have the non-super populations of the
world reacted to super-powered beings? What limits are there to the superpowers that exist? The answers
to questions like these help form the framework for creating the players’ super-characters and game
world.
The sections that follow provide rules for creating and playing superhero characters. They are not
written in stone. Modify them as needed to help make your SUPERHEROICS! campaign as exciting and fun
as possible for your gaming group.

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 Getting Started
SUPERHEROICS! uses the standard rules in the Genesys Core Rulebook (GCR) and these alternate rules (or
elements thereof):

Hacking Rules (GCR pg. 232)

Magic Rules (GCR pg. 210)
No Mere Mortals (GCR pg. 251)
No Mere Mortals: Puny Humans (GCR pg. 251)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)
Vehicles Rules (GCR pg. 220)

The following expanded alternate rules from the Genesys Expanded Player’s Guide (EPG) are also used:

Expanded Magic Rules (EPG pg. 95)

The standard Genesys character creation process is used as detailed in the GCR except as noted otherwise
in the sections that follow. Any remaining Starting Experience Points or Superpower Experience Points af-
ter each of step of spending them are recorded as available experience points to be used as normal after
the first adventure.

5
 Superhero Concept
Create a concept for your superhero. Feel free to draw inspiration from your favorite superheroes in the
comics, movies, video games, and other popular media.

Example Superhero Concept:

Using inspiration from the movies and one super-rich, armor-suit-wearing superhero, I’ll create
Bastion. She is an uber-genius inventor of military hardware that survived a terrorist attack
abroad and has turned her creative gifts toward righting wrongs. I’ll say she has ADHD and often
challenges herself to stay focused. This also means she has a large entourage of hangers-on that
can be used by the GM for story hooks and other plot elements. I’ll use Bastion as the running ex-
ample throughout this book.

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 Origins (aka Archetypes)
Select an origin for your superhero from the options below that fits best with your concept.

NOTE: The extra 50 experience points (XP) for character creation (that can be used to increase charac-
teristics) from the No Mere Mortal (GCR pg. 251) rule has already been incorporated into the Starting Ex-
perience Points total in the origins below.

Alien
You are from somewhere (e.g. Atlantis, another plant, another dimension, and so forth) other than a
standard, modern Earth culture and your powers are mainly derived from this strange heritage.

Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 2; Cunning 2; Intellect 2; Presence 1; Willpower 3

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
Starting Experience Points: 200
Starting Skills & Ranks: Discipline 2
Special Abilities:
Alien Culture: With GM approval, you can use Story Points for Luck and Deus Ex Machina (GCR pg. 28)
situations based on your alien concept and background. This should provide you with a broader range
of possibilities.
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251): Designate two of your characteristics as super-characteristics. They
can help further explain your alien form or any other aspect of your superhero concept. Add +100 XP
to your Superpower Experience Points (see below) for each super-characteristic you choose to not
designate.
Superpower Experience Points: You have an additional 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers dur-
ing character creation.

Construct
You were constructed by others and can be composed of organic, inorganic, or a mix of both types of ma-
terials. Your powers are mainly derived from your nature as a construct.

Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 3; Cunning 2; Intellect 2; Presence 2; Willpower 1

Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
Starting Experience Points: 200
Starting Skills & Ranks: Athletics 2
Special Abilities:
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251): Designate two of your characteristics as super characteristics. They
can help further explain your construct form or any other aspect of your superhero concept. Add +100
XP to your Superpower Experience Points (see below) for each super-characteristic you choose to not
designate.
Superpower Experience Points: You have an additional 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers dur-
ing character creation.
Tough as Nails (GCR pg. 37)

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Gadgeteer or Inventor
Your powers are mainly based on technology you invent or otherwise possess and know how to use effec-
tively.

Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 1; Cunning 2; Intellect 3; Presence 2; Willpower 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
Starting Experience Points: 200
Starting Skills & Ranks: Knowledge 2
Special Abilities:
Brilliant! (GCR pg. 38)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251): Designate two of your characteristics as super-characteristics. They
can help further explain your gadgeteer/inventor superpowers or any other aspect of your superhero
concept. Add +100 XP to your Superpower Experience Points (see below) for each super-characteristic
you choose to not designate.
Superpower Experience Points: You have an additional 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during
character creation.

Modified or Mutated
You were born with your powers or you gained them through being altered in some way and your powers
are mainly derived from this origin.

Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 2; Cunning 2; Intellect 2; Presence 2; Willpower 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
Starting Experience Points: 175
Starting Skills & Ranks: Select two skills at rank 2 before spending any experience points during character
creation.
Special Abilities:
Ready for Anything (GCR pg. 36)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251): Designate two of your characteristics as super-characteristics. They
can help further explain your modified or mutant form or any other aspect of your superhero concept.
Add +100 XP to your Superpower Experience Points (see below) for each super-characteristic you
choose to not designate.
Superpower Experience Points: You have an additional 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during
character creation.

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Super-Skilled
Your powers are mainly derived from your super-level of training.

Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 2; Cunning 2; Intellect 2; Presence 2; Willpower 2

Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
Starting Experience Points: 150
Starting Skills & Ranks: Select one skill at rank 3 before spending any experience points during character
creation.
Special Abilities:
Dedicated Training: Add +1 characteristic point to one characteristic of your choice during character crea-
tion.
Super Skills: Your skill rank maximum is 5+ instead of 5 with up to two skills of your choice. A skill desig-
nated as rank 5+ works like a Super-Characteristic (GCR pg. 251), except you can add up to three profi-
ciency dice instead of two through rolling triumphs. You purchase a 5+ skill rank as if you were purchas-
ing a hypothetical “rank 6” skill. The linked characteristic for these skills do not have to be Super-
Characteristics. Superpower skills cannot have a rank 5+.
Super-Characteristics (GCB pg. 251): Designate two of your characteristics as super-characteristics. They
can help further explain your super-skills or any other aspect of your superhero concept. Add +100 XP
to your Superpower Experience Points (see below) for each super-characteristic you choose to not des-
ignate.
Superpower Experience Points: You have an additional 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during
character creation.

Example Origin:

I select Gadgeteer or Inventor for Bastion’s origin. She is a prodigy with technology. I record the
following:

BASTION
Origin: Gadgeteer/Inventor
Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 1*; Cunning 2; Intellect 3*; Presence 2; Willpower 2
Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn (11 so far)
Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower (14 so far)
Starting Experience Points: 200
Starting Skills & Ranks: Knowledge 2
Special Abilities:
Brilliant! (GCR pg. 38)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)*: I select Brawn (armored suit and martial arts training) and

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 Alter Egos (aka Careers)
Select an alter ego for your character that represents who they are when they don their superhero costume
or persona. The skills listed for each alter ego below are their career skills. Choose four of these career
skills to add +1 rank — this bonus stacks with those from your origin to a maximum starting skill rank of 3.

Adept
Charm, Coordination, Perception, Profession (select one), Ranged, Stealth, Superpower (Agility), and Vigi-
lance.

Bruiser
Athletics, Brawl, Cool, Coercion, Profession (select one), Resilience, Superpower (Brawn), and Vigilance.

Devotee
Cool, Coordination, Discipline, Leadership, Melee, Profession (select one), Superpower (Willpower), Vigi-
lance.

Fascinator
Charm, Cool, Knowledge, Negotiation, Leadership, Perception, Profession (select one), and Superpower
(Presence).

Prodigy
Cool, Hacking, Knowledge, Mechanics, Medicine, Profession (select one), Superpower (Intellect), and Sys-
ops.

Shadow
Cool, Deception, Profession (select one), Spycraft, Stealth, Streetwise, Superpower (Cunning), and Vigi-
lance.

Example Alter Ego:

I select Prodigy for Bastion’s alter ego since she is actually a prodigy with technology and it’ll ex-
plain gaining or improving superpowers as the game progresses. I record the updates:

BASTION
Origin: Gadgeteer/Inventor
Alter Ego: Prodigy
Characteristics: Agility 2; Brawn 1*; Cunning 2; Intellect 3*; Presence 2; Willpower 2
Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn (11 so far)
Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower (14 so far)
Starting Experience Points: 200
Career Skills: Cool, Hacking, Knowledge, Mechanics, Medicine, Profession (Business CEO), Super-
power (Intellect), Sysops
Ranked Skills: Knowledge 3, Mechanics 1, Profession (Business CEO) 1, Superpower (Intellect) 1
Special Abilities:
Brilliant! (GCR pg. 38)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)*: Brawn (armored suit and martial arts training) and Intellect
(inventive prodigy).
Superpower Experience Points: 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during character crea-
tion.

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 Characteristics & Skills
Characteristics can be improved as per the standard Genesys rules (GCR pg. 44) by spending some of your
starting experience points. If you purchase a hypothetical score of “6” in a characteristic it remains at a
score of 5, but it becomes a Super-Characteristic (GCR pg. 251).
Listed in the table below are the skills used in SUPERHEROICS! Purchase skills for your character as
desired following the standard Genesys rules (GCR pg. 44) with your starting experience points, except
that starting characters can increase their skills up to rank 3.
Page Number
Skill Name Characteristic Notes
(GCR)
Alchemy Intellect 56 GM approval required based on PC concept.
Arcana Intellect 70 GM approval required based on PC concept.
Astrocartograpy Intellect 57 Availability determined by setting specifics.
Athletics Brawn 58
Brawl Brawn 67
Charm Presence 54 Opposing Skill: Cool
Coercion Willpower 55 Opposing Skill: Discipline
Cool Presence 59
Coordination Agility 59
Deception Cunning 56 Opposing Skill: Vigilance
Discipline Willpower 60
Divine Willpower 70 GM approval required based on PC concept.
Driving Agility 60
Gunnery Agility 69
Hacking 58-59 Computers; see Alternate Hacking Rules (GCR 232)
Character concept used to determine skill check difficulty set
Knowledge Intellect 66
by the GM.
Leadership Presence 56 Opposing Skill: Discipline
Mechanics Intellect 60
Medicine Intellect 61
Melee Brawn 67
Negotiation Presence 56 Opposing Skill: Negotiation
Operating Intellect 62
Perception Cunning 62
Piloting Agility 62
Primal Cunning 70 GM approval required based on PC concept.
Profession Varies — New Skill: See description below.
Ranged Agility 68
Resilience Brawn 63
Riding Agility 63
Aka Skullduggery, but also includes all ‘spy’ skills like finding
Spycraft Cunning 64
wiretaps and hotwiring cars.
Stealth Agility 64
Streetwise Cunning 65
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Agility)
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Brawn)
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Cunning)
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Intellect)
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Presence)
Superpower
— New Skill: See description below.
(Willpower)
Survival Cunning 65
Sysops 58-59 Computers; see Alternate Hacking Rules (GCR 232)
Vigilance Willpower 65
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New Skills
Profession (Varies)
You can perform the functions of a specific profession (e.g. illustrator, journalist, photographer, and so
forth) based on your character concept with approval from the GM. You must select this skill individually
for each profession. The characteristic used for skill checks is determined by the GM at the time the skill
is used. This skill cannot be used to substantially replace the use of any other skills — its intent is to help
provide background detail and/or a secret identity for your character. If your character has another skill
that can explain their chosen profession (e.g. Medicine for a doctor), taking this skill would not be of any
value.

Superpower (Agility)
You can perform superhuman feats that involve controlling the movement of your body, hand-eye coordi-
nation, and fine manual dexterity. These feats are defined through the purchase of Agility-based super-
powers so you must purchase at least one such superpower to use this skill. This skill can only be pur-
chased if the character has an superpower origin (aka archetype).

Superpower (Brawn)
You can perform superhuman feats of brute force and extreme toughness. These feats are defined
through the purchase of Brawn-based superpowers so you must purchase at least one such superpower to
use this skill. This skill can only be purchased if the character has a superpower origin (aka archetype).

Superpower (Cunning)
You can perform superhuman feats of creativity, craftiness, and deviousness. These feats are defined
through the purchase of Cunning-based superpowers so you must purchase at least one such superpower
to use this skill. This skill can only be purchased if the character has a superpower origin (aka archetype).

Superpower (Intellect)
You can perform superhuman mental feats that involve calculation, memory, and reasoning. These feats
are defined through the purchase of Intellect-based superpowers so you must purchase at least one such
superpower to use this skill. This skill can only be purchased if the character has a superpower origin (aka
archetype).

Superpower (Presence)
You can perform superhuman charismatic feats that involve controlling their social reactions andpersuad-
ing others. These feats are defined through the purchase of Presence-based superpowers so you must pur-
chase at least one such superpower to use this skill. This skill can only be purchased if the character has a
superpower origin (aka archetype).

Superpower (Willpower)
You can perform superhuman feats of willpower that involve mental discipline and endurance. These
feats are defined through the purchase of Willpower-based superpowers so you must purchase at least one
such superpower to use this skill. This skill can only be purchased if the character has a superpower origin
(aka archetype).

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Example XP Investments for Characteristics and Skills:

I make the following purchases to create my vision of Bastion. I leave 10 XP for talents.

BASTION
Origin: Gadgeteer/Inventor
Alter Ego: Prodigy
Characteristics: Agility 3; Brawn 3*; Cunning 2; Intellect 4*; Presence 2; Willpower 2
Wound Threshold: 13
Strain Threshold: 14
Starting Experience Points: 10
Career Skills: Cool, Hacking, Knowledge, Mechanics, Medicine, Profession (Business CEO), Superpow-
er (Intellect), Sysops
Ranked Skills: Cool 1, Hacking 1, Knowledge 3, Mechanics 3, Profession (Business CEO) 1, Superpow-
er (Agility) 1, Superpower (Brawn) 1, Superpower (Cunning) 1, Superpower (Intellect)1, Sysops 1
Special Abilities:
Brilliant! (GCR pg. 38)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)*: Brawn (armored suit and martial arts training) and Intellect
(inventive prodigy).
Superpower Experience Points: 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during character crea-
tion.

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 Talents
All talents listed in GCR 72-81 and the ten new talents below are available to player characters in
SUPERHEROICS! The following talents require GM approval:

Berserk (GCR pg. 75)

Mad Inventor (GCR pg. 80)
Overcharge (GCR pg. 80)
Overcharge [Improved] (GCR pg. 81)

Purchase talents for your character with your starting experience points as desired following the standard
Genesys rules (GCR pg. 45).

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New Talents
Alternate Identity
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
You have created an alternate identity that cannot be linked to your true identity by any stand-
ard means. This talent can be purchased multiple times to establish multiple alternate identi-
ties. Identities purchased beyond the first require a mission set by the GM to activate.

Ambidexterity
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
You can use both your hands equally well. The Two-Weapon Combat modifier (GCR pg. 108) is
reduced from using the lowest of both the characteristic and skill values to determine the dice
pool to using the higher of both as in the standard method of assembling a dice pool. At Tier 5,
the downgrade to the check is also eliminated.

Anonymity
Tier: 1 or 5 (see below)
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
There are no records of your existence. If you purchase this talent during character creation,
you do so as a Tier 1 talent. Purchased later on it is treated as a Tier 5 talent and you must ac-
complish a mission provided by the GM to activate the talent.

Computer Network Access (select type)

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive (Active at GM’s discretion)
Ranked: Yes
You have special access to a restricted or otherwise secured computer network. Each tier pro-
vides a higher level of network where you have access — the specifics are left to the GM and
setting details. This talent can be purchased multiple times for different networks, but if they
share an origin they must be purchased sequentially by tier.
The list below provides examples for each tier. The GM determines if any specific skill
checks (with corresponding difficulty level) are required to breach or use the computer net-
work.

Tier 1: Large and local computer network (e.g. small bank, mayor’s office, and so forth).
Tier 2: A government or other large institution that covers a large region in a nation (e.g. a
US state, a Canadian province, and so forth).
Tier 3: A national institution (e.g. FBI, national bank, and so forth).
Tier 4: A global institution (e.g. United Nations, the Vatican, and so forth).
Tier 5: An intergalactic institution as defined by the setting (if applicable).

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Contacts
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes
You know someone in an organization that can help you in your time of need. The ranks in this
talent determine the highest level of difficulty the GM can assign when you make a skill check to
open a channel of communication with your contact, how difficult it is to convince them to help,
and the difficulty of their attempt to provide the aid and resources.
As an example, if you have 4 ranks in this talent and your contact is the head of the CIA
the maximum number of difficulty dice the GM can assign to related checks is four. If you ask for
forged travel documents, the GM could assign up to four difficulty dice to each step in the pro-
cess: making contact, convincing them to provide the documents, and/or their ability to provide
them. Each step can have its own level of difficulty.

Feign Death
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Action, out-of-turn)
Ranked: No
You can control your body and mind to the point of faking that you’re dead. An observer must
make a Medicine or Perception check with three downgrades and opposed to your Brawn to tell
that you are not dead. You can wake up at any time as an incidental.

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Special Area Access
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive (Active at GM’s discretion)
Ranked: Yes
You have special access to a restricted or otherwise secured area. Each tier provides a higher level of area
where you have access as a safe house, equipment cache, and/or information gathering center — the spe-
cifics are left to the GM and setting details.
The list below provides examples for each tier. The GM determines if any specific skill checks (with cor-
responding difficulty level) are required to reach or use these facilities as needed.

Tier 1: A private residence in a specified city.

Tier 2: Multiple private residences in a specified region of a nation (e.g. the Southeast USA, the North-
ern provinces of Mexico, and so forth).
Tier 3: Multiple businesses and private residences in a particular nation.
Tier 4: Multiple business, governmental, and private property on a particular continent.
Tier 5: Multiple business, governmental, and private property anywhere on the planet.

Special Benefits
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive (Active at GM’s discretion)
Ranked: Yes
You have special benefits related to your character concept and background. Each tier provides a higher
level of special benefits — the specifics are left to the GM and setting details. This talent can be purchased
multiple times for different special benefits, but if they share an origin they must be purchased sequential-
ly by tier.
The list below provides examples for each tier. The GM determines if any specific skill checks (with cor-
responding difficulty level) are required to take advantages of your special benefits as needed.

Tier 1: Justice of the peace, international driver’s license, passport, press pass, professional license,
weapon permit
Tier 2: Concealed weapon permit, police powers (local), private investigator license
Tier 3: Police powers (national)
Tier 4: Diplomatic immunity, police powers (international)
Tier 5: Head of state, License to kill

Total Recall
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
You remember anything you’ve experienced that you intentionally memorize.

Wealth
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive (Active at GM’s discretion)
Ranked: Yes
All characters are assumed to be middle-class unless they take this talent. The GM determines if any spe-
cific skill checks (with corresponding difficulty level) are required to take advantage of your wealth as
needed.
Each rank is defined in the list below.

Tier 3: Annual income up to $500,000.00 USD.

Tier 4: Annual income up to $5,000,000.000 USD.
Tier 5: Income is unlimited for all practical purposes.

17
Example XP Investments for Talents:

I make the following purchases to create my vision of Bastion.

BASTION
Origin: Gadgeteer/Inventor
Alter Ego: Prodigy
Characteristics: Agility 3; Brawn 3*; Cunning 2; Intellect 4*; Presence 2; Willpower 2
Wound Threshold: 13
Strain Threshold: 14
Starting Experience Points: 10
Career Skills: Cool, Hacking, Knowledge, Mechanics, Medicine, Profession (Business CEO), Super-
power (Intellect), Sysops
Ranked Skills: Cool 1, Hacking 1, Knowledge 3, Mechanics 3, Profession (Business CEO) 1, Super-
power (Agility) 1, Superpower (Brawn) 1, Superpower (Cunning) 1, Superpower (Intellect)1,
Sysops 1
Talents: Anonymity, Unremarkable (GCR pg. 75)
Special Abilities:
Brilliant! (GCR pg. 38)
Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)*: Brawn (armored suit and martial arts training) and Intel-
lect (inventive prodigy).
Superpower Experience Points: 200 XP to spend exclusively on superpowers during character
creation.

18
 Superpower Rules
Superpowers are abilities player characters possess that are in the realm of the amazing, impossible, or
unexplainable. Flying, energy blasts, and skin as tough as steel are examples. These rules are used in con-
junction with the Superpower skills described earlier.

Superheroes
Superheroes, their supervillain counterparts, and some other exceptional characters at the GM’s discretion
are the only ones that can purchase the Superpower skills and their individual superpowers. You must have
at least one rank in a Superpower skill to you use it in narrative or structured play.

Determining and Purchasing Superpowers

The following steps taken in order are used to purchase superpowers for your starting character. Each step
is elaborated on in the sections that follow.

1. Superhero Concept with Superpowers List: Determine your superhero concept through brainstorming
and perhaps some collaboration with the GM and other players and record the results including a list of
potential superpowers.
2. Superhero Level and Super Story Points: Based on the results of step 1, use the Superhero Power Lev-
el Table to determine your character’s Superhero Power Level rated from 1 to 5. Your Super Story
Points are derived from your Superhero Level.
3. Superpower Skills and Levels: Assign a level with a range of 1 to 5 for each of the superpowers on your
list from step 3 using the Superhero Power Level Table. As you determine the level of each one, also
select a linked Superpower skill for each.
4. Superpower Level Purchases: Purchase levels in your individual superpowers using your Superpower
Experience Points. If you run out of points, don’t worry you can use earned XP to continue to improve
your superpowers later on.

Magical Superheroes or Highly Variable Powers

If your superhero is based on the concept of casting spells or using magical or mystical powers, then use
the Genesys rules for magic (GCR pg. 210 and EPG pg. 95). Suggestions are also provided in those rules to
create new spells and modify the way magic works to better suit your specific Superheroics! setting.
You can also use these rules and guidelines for superheroes that have highly variable powers such
as a gadgeteer’s utility belt, fire control, self-duplication, or weather control. These powers are more fo-
cused in what they can accomplish. Work with the GM and create new spell types and magic actions or
maneuvers to simulate these powers in the game world.
In superhero settings, these abilities are considered superpowers for any rules that apply as such.

19
Superhero Concept with Superpowers List
Every creative work in the world is a re-mix of all that came before it. Use elements from your favorite su-
perheroes as seen in popular entertainment mediums like comic books, movies, and video games for inspi-
ration to create your superhero. Record superpowers, weaknesses, relationships, and everything else you
can think of to make your superhero come to life in the imagination and game table.

Example Superhero Concept with Superpowers List:

We’ve covered the concept for Bastion already so here is the list of superpowers we came up with:

Armor
Enhanced Brawl Attack
Enhanced Senses
Flight
Life Support System
Repulsion Ray

Super
Superhero
Story Description and Examples
Level
Points (based characters from a marvelous cinematic universe)

Advantaged skills and technology

1 5 —Female super-spy, widow-maker agent with high-tech gadgets
—Male solider with falcon-like wings

Enhanced nature, plus advanced skills and technology

2 4 —Patriotic super-solider with a unique shield
—Royal warrior with a unique, panther-like super-suit

Superhuman abilities, skills, and highly advanced technology

3 3 —Man with spider-like powers
—Woman with wasp-like powers

Superhuman abilities, skills, and extremely advanced technology

4 2 —Armored superhero with an iron will
—Thor from Norse myth with advanced technology

Supreme abilities, skills, and massively advanced technology

5 1 —Hel from Norse myth at the height of her power
—Powerful tyrant with universe-shattering, gem-encrusted gauntlet of power

Superhero Level and Super Story Points

Superheroics! uses Superhero Level for Superpower skill upgrades and Super Story Points.
When two characters are in conflict the difference in their Superhero level equals the number of
upgrades or downgrades applied to their Superpower skill checks. That number ranges from 0 to 4 be-
tween characters with superpowers. Non-superpowered characters are considered to have a power level
of 0 so that‘s five upgrades for superpowers used against them!
Your character also gets a number of Super Story Points equal to 6 minus their Superhero Level for
a range of 1 to 5 points. Super Story Points work like super-charged story points (GCR pg. 27). They are
used to level the playing field between superheroes of different Superhero Levels — see the Super Story
Points section below for more details on how to use them in the game.
Determine your character’s Superhero Level by referencing the table and examples above. The GM
and your fellow players can also help you decide. After you are done, record these values.

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 Example Superhero Level and Super Story Points:

After reviewing the Superhero Power Level Table, it’s obvious that Bastion is a level 4 superhero
as an armored superhero with an iron will. That also means she has 2 Super Story Points.

Superpower Skills and Levels

Assign each of the superpowers on your list a Superpower Level from 1 to 5 using the Superhero Level Table
descriptions and the rules that follow as guidelines. Also assign a linked Superpower skill for each super-
power with guidance from the GM.
Each superpower has a quality rating (Q) and magnitude rating (M). The quality rating is equal to 6
minus the superpower level so it ranges from 1 to 5. This represents how many advantages are converted
into one triumph when the superpower is used. So if the superpower level is 3 then every 3 advantages are
converted into one triumph result at the player’s option. The magnitude rating is equal to three times the
superpower level. This value can be used as the base damage, base soak, and additional maneuvers for at-
tack, defense, and movement superpowers respectively. It can also be used to represent other game ele-
ments or resources as determined by the player and GM like strain, melee or ranged defense rating, and so
forth. The total magnitude points should be partitioned between these various options on a point-for-point
basis. The action type (i.e. action, maneuver, incidental, or out-of-turn-incidental) required to use a su-
perpower is also determined by the GM and player at this time based on the superhero concept. At their
discretion, the GM can add a magnitude point cost for more advantageous action types.
Additional net successes increase these values on a one-for-one basis in same way as they do for
successful standard attacks and the total damage they inflict. Additional maneuvers should be partitioned
between those for actual movement through range bands and those for other maneuver-related uses. They
can also be converted into additional actions at a cost in maneuvers equal to the quality rating for each
action. The GM can impose setback dice, automatic threat, or even downgrades based on what characters

Quality Magnitude Rating

Superpower Level
Rating

1 5 3

2 4 6

3 3 9

4 2 12

5 1 15

Example Superpower Skills and Levels:

Listed below are the superpowers we came up with for Bastion with their linked characteristics
and superpower levels. The superpower level and skill are in parentheses followed by the Quality
Rating (Q) and Magnitude Rating (M). The specific magnitude point expenditures are listed in the
next example.

Armor (4; Brawn): Q2, M12

Enhanced Brawl Attack (4; Brawn): Q2, M12
Enhanced Senses (3; Cunning): Q3
Flight (2; Agility): Q4, M6
Life Support System (4; Brawn): Q2, M12
Repulsion Ray (4; Agility): Q2, M12

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Superpower Level Purchases
In the same way, and using the same cost structure as purchasing standard skills found in GCR pg. 44, you
purchase your starting superpowers using your Superpower Experience Points. Each individual superpow-
er’s level equals the maximum number of levels you can purchase. In order to purchase a superpower, you
must have at least one rank in its linked Superpower skill.
You may not be able to start with all of your character’s superpowers or superpower levels at their
maximum at the start of the game, but you can use earned XP later on to make these purchases. The cost
after character creation equals 50 times the level you are gaining so to go from a level 2 superpower to a
level 3 superpower costs 150 XP. All superpower levels must be purchased sequentially. This cost plus 50
XP is how the cost of a new power is determined so a new level 2 superpower costs 200 XP (i.e. 50 XP for
level 1, 100 XP for level 2, plus 50 XP).

Example Superpower Level Purchases:

Listed below are the superpower level purchases for Bastion using her 200 XP worth of Superpower
XP. Superpower (Intellect) is her only Superpower career skill. After spending 195 XP, there are 5
XP left in her XP bank for use later.

Armor (4; Brawn): Q2, M12

—Purchased rank 3 (45 XP) for Q3, M9
Enhanced Brawl Attack (4; Brawn): Q2, M12
—Purchased rank 3 (45 XP) for Q3, M9
Enhanced Senses (3; Cunning): Q3
—Purchased rank 2 (25 XP) for Q4, M6
Flight (2; Agility): Q4, M6
—Purchased rank 2 (25 XP) for Q4, M6
Life Support System (4; Brawn): Q2, M12
—Purchased rank 1 (10 XP) for Q5, M3
Repulsion Ray (4; Agility): Q2, M12
—Purchased rank 3 (45 XP) for Q3, M9

Example Final Character Record for Bastion:

BASTION
Characteristics: Agility 3; Brawn 3**; Cunning 2; Intellect 4**; Presence 2; Willpower 2
Wound Threshold: 13
Strain Threshold: 14
Soak: 9 (3 unarmored)
Melee/Ranged Defenses: 0/0
Ranked Skills (*Career Skills): Cool 1*, Hacking 1*, Knowledge 3*, Mechanics 3*, Profession
(Business CEO) 1*, Superpower (Agility) 1, Superpower (Brawn) 1, Superpower (Cunning) 1, Super-
power (Intellect) 1*, Sysops 1*
Special Abilities:
—Brilliant! (GCR PG. 38)
—Super-Characteristics (GCR pg. 251)**: Brawn (armored suit and martial arts training), Intellect
(inventive prodigy).
Talents: Anonymity, Unremarkable (GCR pg. 75)
Superpowers:
—Armor (3/4; Brawn; Q3, M9) (Soak +6; Fire, Acid, Corrosive Atmosphere Rating –3)
—Enhanced Brawl Attack (3/4; Brawn; Q3, M9) (Base Damage 6; +3 Boost)
—Enhanced Senses (2/3; Cunning; Q4, M6) (Range: Extreme; +2 Boost for Perception)
—Flight (2/2; Agility): Q4, M6 (Range: Planetary Medium)
—Life Support System (1/4; Brawn; Q5, M3) (Suffocation Strain Loss Reduced 2; Vacuum Wound
Loss Reduced by 1)
—Repulsion Ray (3/4; Agility; Q3, M9) (Base Damage 6; +3 Boost)

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Using Superpowers
In general, the GM should only require Superpower skill checks in combat or other important scenes when
the outcome of the action matters in the overall narrative. Most of the time, players simply describe how
their characters use their superpowers and the GM interprets the outcome. Players can choose to use less
than the full effect of a superpower element, if applicable.
When a skill check is required as determined by the GM, the player makes skill checks with the add-
ed guidelines below. For unopposed checks, the GM sets a difficulty with all relevant factors in mind. As an
example, for a Flight superpower the GM does not need to know how many miles-per-hour the character
can go. The GM reviews the Superhero Level Table and the player’s description of their Flight superpower
and sets a difficulty — adding any other factors like the weather or the character’s state of health.

No Mere Mortals & Puny Humans Rules

Both the No Mere Mortals and No Mere Mortals: Puny Humans rules (both GCR pg. 251) are used in Super-
heroics! games. This includes dealing Brawn x 2 base damage for unarmed attacks. This base damage
stacks with the quality rating of an attack. In addition, as an added benefit superhero ranged attacks use
the character’s Agility x 1 as base damage that also stacks with the quality rating of the attack.

Super Characteristics
If the linked Superpower skill of a superpower is linked to a super characteristic, then you gain the Super
Characteristics benefit as found on GCR pg. 251 when using the superpower.

Superpower Skills
Using a superpower requires a Superpower skill check with its linked characteristic. The dice pool is creat-
ed in the same manner as any other check in Genesys — use the higher of the two scores to determine the
number of ability dice and upgrade a number of those dice equal to the lower value of the two scores into
proficiency dice (GCR pg. 13).

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Superpower Levels
Superpower levels allow for the conversion of a number of advantages into a triumph result as per the Su-
perpower Level Table. The process is not mandatory and it can change a failed check into a successful one.

Example of Using Superpowers:

Bastion (Superhero Level 4) is shooting her Repulsion Ray (3; Agility; Q3, M9) superpower at a
Brawn-based super-villain called Overlord at medium range.

Bastion has a normal Agility 3 and Superpower (Agility) 1. With that her positive dice start at 1
Proficiency die and 2 Ability dice.

Overlord (Superhero Level 3) has Brawn 5 as one of his super characteristics and has Superpower
(Brawn) 3. Bastion’s positive dice are adjusted to 2 Proficiency dice and 1 Ability die since her Su-
perhero Level is one point higher than Overlord’s.

The negative dice for Bastion’s pool are 2 Difficulty dice based on medium range.

Bastion’s player rolls the pool of dice and gets 1 Success, 2 Advantages, 0 Failures, 3 Threats, and
1 Blank. The net result is 1 Success and 1 Threat. Bastion inflicts a potential 10 wounds (M9 + 1
Success) on Overlord and suffers 1 strain per the GM for the Threat result.

Overlord has the Armor (1; Brawn; Q5, M3) superpower so Bastion inflicts 2 wounds (10 damage –
Overlord’s Soak 5 + M3).

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Superpower Stunts (Optional)
Players can perform superpower stunts with GM approval. This can be done actively or passively. Active
stunts require the player to describe the stunt (whether for immediate effect or to activate when trig-
gered), the GM to select a difficulty and action check type, and a Superpower skill check. Passive stunts
require the player to describe the stunt and the GM to determine how many threat and/or despair results
are required for success. In both cases, the GM also determines whether character must use an action,
maneuver, or incidental, and if it can be out-of-turn. Lastly, the GM interprets all positive and negative
results.

As an example of an active stunt, you have a Repulsion Ray (Agility) superpower and instead of
the normal effect (damaging a target) you ask the GM if you can shoot the gun out of the target’s
hand. The GM approves and sets the difficulty as an opposed Superpower (Agility) skill check
against the target’s Coordination skill. The base damage would be replaced with the effect, but
any additional damage from successes would apply as normal.

As an example of a passive stunt, you have an Armor (Brawn) superpower and are expecting to be
attacked later in the round. You forfeit your action and ask the GM if you can make an out-of-
turn maneuver with your superpower to reflect the attack to a nearby enemy. The GM approves
and sets two threats as the trigger for success.

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Super Story Points
As mentioned previously, Super Story Points work like super-charged story points (GCR pg. 27) used to lev-
el the playing field between superheroes of different Superhero Levels. They are also used to help create
memorable comic book stories in the course of the game. Listed below are the differences between Story
Points and Super Story Points and guidelines on how to use them.

Super Story Points are:

 Not a replacement for regular Story Points in the game that are still used as normal.
 A personal pool of points that each character possesses that are discarded as they are spent and re-
plenished at the start of each game session.
 Transferable to other characters with as an incidental or out-of-turn incidental action.
 Twice as potent as Story Points and thereby provide double the dice upgrades and downgrades of the
standard A Helping Hand and Raising the Stakes Story Point options.
 A way for the players to add significant twists and turns to the storyor literally save their characters
from perishing or putting an end to a supervillain’s plans as a super-charged version of the Luck and
Deus Ex Machina Story Point option.

Final Thoughts
The rules in this book should be seen as guidelines and recommendations. As you play Superheroics! feel
free to adapt and change these rules as you see fit to better create the experiences and fun you want at
the game table.
Thank you for supporting Superheroics! and may all your games be exciting, fun, and the best of
times to remember with your family and friends.
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