Character Creation

Before you get started, consider what sort of hero you want to create. What are the hero’s basic abilities? What are the hero’s powers? What’s the hero’s origin? You can draw inspiration from your favorite characters from comic books, television, or movies. Take a look through the powers (here) and see if they inspire a character idea. You may want to jot down a few notes about the sort of hero you’d prefer to play, which will help guide you through the rest of the character design process. (tweaked from page 23 of the handbook).

Power Level, Power Points and Ranks
The game functions differently than DnD in the sense that there is no "level". Instead, you get a number of Power Points (PP) to spend on Ranks for the various things outlined below. PP is determined by the game's Power Level (PL 1 = 15 PP, PL 2 = 30, ect.). This campaign will start at Power Level 8, which means you will have 120 Power Points to spend. Instead of getting experience points, you will get Power Points. Once you have acquired 15 PP, you will have reached Power Level 9. This matters because you are limited to how many ranks in a given area you can have (outlined at the end).

There are 5 things to spend points on.
1. Ability (pg. 55)
Basically attributes like str, dex ect. Click here to learn more about Abilities.
2. Defense (pg. 58)
Various forms of "AC". Click here to learn more about Abilities.
3. Skill (pg. 61)
Basically the same as in DnD. Click here to learn more about Abilities.
4. Advantage (pg. 79)
Basically feats. Click here to learn more about Abilities.
5. Powers (pg. 91)
Self explanatory. Click here to learn more about Abilities..

The starting power level for this campaign is 8, which means you have 120 PP to spend. There are limits based on this as outlined below.

Skills
Your hero’s total modifier with any skill (ability rank + skill rank + advantage modifiers) cannot exceed the series power level +10. This includes untrained skill modifiers using only ability rank, and so sets an effective limit on all abilities associated with skills.

Attacks & Effect
The total of your hero’s attack bonus and effect rank with that attack cannot exceed twice the series power level. If an effect allows a resistance check, but does not require an attack check, its effect rank cannot exceed the series power level.

Dodge & Toughness
The total of your hero’s Dodge and Toughness defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level.

Parry & Toughness
The total of your hero’s Parry and Toughness defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level

Fortitude & Will
The total of your hero’s Fortitude and Will defenses cannot exceed twice the series power level.

Ability Ranks
Each Ability starts out at 0 and can go down to -5 or as high as 20.

Gain Ranks
1 Ability Rank = 2 PP.
To have 5 Ranks in Strength you must spend 10 PP.

Lose Ranks
For each point below 0 you reduce an Ability, you gain 2 PP.
To have -2 Ranks in Strength means you have gained 4 PP.

There are 8 Abilities
1. Strength (STR)
2. Stamina (STA)
3. Agility (AGL).
4. Dexterity (DEX)
5. Fighting (FGT)
6. Intellect (INT)
7. Awareness (AWE)
8. Presence (PRE)


Click here for more information on Abilities.

There are 5 Defenses.

1. Dodge
2. Fortitude
3. Parry
4. Will
5. Toughness (BASICALLY YOUR HP)

Defense Rank
Your base defense ranks are equal to your ranks in their associated abilities. You can increase your defenses above the values granted by your ability ranks by spending power points: 1 power point grants you an additional rank in a defense, up to the limits imposed by power level.*

The exception is Toughness, which can only be increased above your base Stamina rank using advantages and powers, not by direct spending of power points. This reflects that greater-than-normal Toughness is virtually always some sort of special ability.

*Dodge and Toughness combined can not exceed twice your power level.
*Parry and Toughness combined can not exceed twice your power level.
*Fortitude & Will combined can not exceed twice your power level.

Click here for more information on Defense.

Skills are basically the same as in DnD. Noting going to go too much into skills (though I will list them all).

Skill Ranks
You can buy 2 skill ranks per 1 PP. What that means is for every 1 PP you spend, you can assign 2 skills points among ANY of your skills. So you can spend 1 PP and buy a 1 rank in Acrobatics and Athletics, or 2 ranks in Athletics. Your hero’s total modifier with any skill (ability rank + skill rank + advantage modifiers) cannot exceed the series power level +10. This includes untrained skill modifiers using only ability rank, and so sets an effective limit on all abilities associated with skills.

List of Skills

1. Acrobatics
2. Athletics
3. Close Combat
4. Deception
5. Expertise
6. Insight
7. Intimidation
8. Perception
9. Persuasion
10. Ranged Combat
11. Sleight of Hand
12. Stealth
13. Technology
14. Treatment
15. Vehicles

Click here for more information on skills.

Advantages are kind of like feats.

Advantages Ranks
Advantages are rated in ranks and bought with power points, just like abilities and skills. Advantages cost 1 power point per rank. Some advantages have no ranks and are acquired only once, effectively at rank 1.

List of Advantages
1. Accurate Attack
2. All-out Attack
3. Chokehold
4. Close Attack
5. Defensive Attack
6. Defensive Roll
7. Evasion
8. Fast Grab
9. Favored Environment
10. Grabbing Finesse
11. Improved Aim
12. Improved Critical
13. Improved Defense
14. Improved Disarm
15. Improved Grab
16. Improved Hold
17. Improved Initiative
18. Improved Smash
19. Improved Trip
20. Improvised Weapon
21. Move-by Action
22. Power Attack
23. Precise Attack
24. Prone Fighting
25. Quick Draw
26. Range Attack
27. Redirect
28. Set-up
29. Takedown
30. Throwing Mastery
31. Uncanny dodge
32. Weapon Bind
33. Weapon Break

Click here for more info on Advantages.