Marvel Super Heroes – Optional Character Creation

Hello everyone, I am here again sharing my house rules for Marvel Mondays. I created these house rules in the late 90’s and have had a fair amount of playtesting with them using the Advanced Set rules for MSHRPG. I have since lowered the starting ranks to what you see here since it was easy to make characters that were on par with Hulk and Thor in the original writeup. The basis of the system presented here is that instead of random rolling everything, you are assigned an allotment of ranks and you can trade them off and shift them around to get the character you want. I have also streamlined stunts a bit. Check it out and let me know what you think. ‘Nuff said!

OPTIONAL CHARACTER CREATION
RULES FOR MSHRPG

F.A.S.E.R.I.P.:
You get 2 Attributes at Typical (6), 3 at Good (10) and 2 at Remarkable (30).
Add 3 ranks anywhere after modifying for Origin. Maximum starting rank is Unearthly (100) in any Attribute, Power, Resources or Popularity after all modifiers.

• Health: Total sum of F.A.S.E
• Karma: Total sum of R.I.P.
• Resources: Begin at Good (10). Ranks may be traded off to increase number of Talents or Contacts.
• Popularity: Begin at Good (10). +10 if identity is public, -5 if identity is secret, -5 if you hang with Mutants, –10 if you’re a Mutant or Robot, -5 if Alien or frightening (like Ghost Rider). All modifiers are cumulative (so a frightening mutant who hangs out with mutants and goes by a secret identity has a starting Popularity of –15).

Origin:
Choose any one.

• Altered Human – May raise any one Attribute by +1 rank. Mutant – Gain +1 power at Remarkable (30), +1 rank to Endurance, –1 rank from Resources.
  
• Hi-Tech – Must use 2 attribute ranks to increase Reason, +2 ranks to Resources.
• Robot – Add +3 ranks to Attributes, dead robots may be “reactivated” at zero Karma.
• Alien – Add +4 ranks to Attributes and lose 1 Power Choice OR choose an alien starting package from page 60 of the Judges Book. Beginning contacts must be from home world/dimension unless the alien is a renegade with only enemies on his home world.

Powers:
Begin with 4 Powers at Remarkable (30).
Choose 2 Power Stunts (at –2 CS) plus any granted by the power descriptions. 

• You may drop 1 power choice to raise another power to Amazing (50).
• Remember that some powers cost 2 choices (Invulnerability, Cosmic Awareness, Combat Sense, Teleportation, Dimensional Travel, Probability Manipulation, Nullifying Power, Time Control, Body Transformation, Image Generation, Mind Control, Emotion Control, Possession, Transferal, Precognition, Health-Drain Touch, Immortality).

Talents:
Choose any 6.

• Talents may be traded for Contacts or ranks in Resources, Popularity or increase a Power Stunt (not to exceed the Power’s Rank).
• Powers Stunts may be purchased with 2 Talent choices.
• Powers may be increased by spending 2 Talent choices per Power Rank (Increasing a Power also increases related Power Stunts).
• New Powers may be purchased with 3 Talent choices (6 if power counts as two) and begin at Remarkable (30).
• Remember that some talents cost 2 choices (Marksman, Weapons Master, Weapons Specialist, Medicine, Mystic Origin, Animal Training, Heir to Fortune, Student, Leadership).

Contacts:
Choose any 2.

• You must choose at least 2 be they patrons, allies, confidants, friends, or family. List each contact along with their home location and type of aid that they may grant.