Savage Worlds: Super Powers Companion

98 Pages·2014·9.805 MB·English

by  Shane Hensley

SUPER POWERS
COMPANION
Written and developed by Shane Lacy Hensley, Clint Black, Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams
Additional Material and Editing by Adam Loyd, Jodi Black, Matt Cutter,
Norm “No Relation” Hensley, Mike McNeal, Steve Todd, Preston DuBose, Ed Wetterman,
Joel Kinstle, and Piotr Korys
Cover Art by Tomek Tworek
Interior Art by Aaron Acevedo, Storn Cook, Kieron O’Gorman,
John Hunt, Richard Clark, Cheyenne Wright, Adam Bray
Dedicated to Stan Lee. Excelsior!
WWW.PEGINC.COM
Savage Worlds, artwork, logos, and the Pinnacle logo are © 2014 Great White Games, LLC; DBA Pinnacle
Entertainment Group. Savage Worlds, all associated characters, logos, and artwork are Copyrights of Pinnacle
Entertainment Group.

11
CCOONNTTEENNTTSS
Chapter One: Heroes ..........................3 Chapter Four: Powers ........................17
Making Characters .........................3 Activation .......................................17
Rising Stars ......................................4 Generic Modifiers ..........................18
Campaign Power Levels ................4 Power Types ...................................21
New Hindrances .............................5 Matter Construct ............................35
New Edges ......................................7 Typical Minion ...............................37
Background Edges .........................7 Super Sorcery Backlash ................44
Combat Edges .................................7 Power Summaries .........................48
Leadership Edges ...........................7 Chapter Five: Headquarters .............51
Social Edges .....................................7 Building ..........................................51
Chapter Two: Setting Rules...............8 Condition ........................................52
Comic Book Combat ......................8 Rooms..............................................52
Combined Attacks ..........................8 HQ Extras .......................................54
Finishing Move ...............................8 Example HQs .................................55
Knockback .......................................8 Chapter Six: Rogues Gallery ............56
Synergy ............................................9 Citizens ...........................................56
Death & Defeat ...............................9 Cops .................................................56
Power Stunts ..................................10 Criminals ........................................57
Power Tricks...................................10 Atlanteans .......................................58
Super Strength ...............................10 The Dark Brood .............................59
Superhuman Strength ...................11 Aliens ..............................................59
Heavy Weaponry ...........................11 Pulp Super Villains........................61
Chapter Three: Gear ..........................12 Street Fighters ................................64
Personal Equipment ......................13 Four Color Villains ........................79
Extreme Range ...............................13 Heavy Hitters .................................91
Armor ..............................................14 Cosmic Level Threats ...................93
Close Combat Weapons ................14 Index .....................................................96
Ranged Weapons ...........................14
Special Ammunition .....................16
Vehicles ...........................................16
22
HHEERROOEESS
There are few settings as popular or as Race
exciting as those of the super heroes. From
Humans begin play with a free Edge of
the shadowy pulp champions of the past
their choice, and must meet the requirements
to the complicated villains and vigilantes
of the Edge as normal. Other races—undead,
of the present, this Companion provides
constructs, or even aliens from other
you with additional rules, new Edges and
worlds—are also possible, but you’ll create
Hindrances, common gear, and a megaton
those with the appropriate super powers so
of customizable super powers!
that you can tailor your race exactly as you
This first chapter shows you how see it. Just like humans, custom
to construct your brave hero or races get a Free Edge of their
fiendish villain—or “super.” choice at the beginning of
Let’s get started! play and must also meet
the requirements of the
MAKING Edge as normal.
You might also
CHARACTERS
consider using the racial
abilities system found
Before you start sorting
in Savage Worlds or the
through super powers,
Science Fiction Companion
it helps to answer a few
if a race is particularly
questions, such as: How
common in your setting.
did your character get
her powers? Is there a Traits
“theme” to them? What Traits are figured as
sort of powers does she usual. All skills from
have? What moves her the Savage Worlds rule
to do what she does? book are allowed in
Answering these a supers campaign
questions will help unless your GM
you pick Traits, Edges, says otherwise. If
Hindrances, powers. you’re running supers
Once you have your idea, make in a Victorian setting,
a character using the usual Savage for example, it wouldn’t
Worlds rules with a few exceptions: make much sense to have
Knowledge (Computers).
33
Super Karma Heavy Hitters are the most powerful
of the planet’s heroes. They’re the first
Super powered characters are larger than
line of defense against megalomanaical
life, with faults and responsibilities as great
world-conquerers, invading aliens, natural
as their miraculous powers. For this reason,
disasters, and legions from Hell.
supers may take one additional Major
Hindrance during character creation. This Cosmic champions may be a match for
can be used normally, or to grant them 5 Heavy Hitters, but most also have the ability
extra Power Points at Pulp and Street Fighter to travel and survive deep space. Battling
level, or 10 for Four Color heroes and up (see planetary threats is routine—campaigns
Campaign Power Levels, below). These usually feature threats to a system, a reality,
bonus points do not increase the character’s or life itself.
total for purposes of determining his Power
CCAAMMPPAAIIGGNN PPOOWWEERR LLEEVVEELL
Limit—see below.)
Level Power Points
CAMPAIGN POWER LEVELS Pulp Heroes 15
Street Fighters 30
Super heroes and villains start with all
their powers up front. The number of Power Four Color 45
Points characters get depends on the Power Heavy Hitters 60
Level of the GM’s campaign:
Cosmic 75
Pulp Heroes are mostly normal men and
After play begins, advances may be used
women with a few low-key powers, like the
normally for Traits and Edges. The Power
Shadow. Their foes range from shadowy
Points and New Power Edges are not
manipulators to grisly killers to mad
available.
scientists leading armies of crude robots.
Street Fighters are supers who mostly Power Limit
tackle criminals, bank robbers, and gangs.
Supers may not spend more than one third
Their foes are usually after money or revenge,
of their Power Points in a power (use the
and threaten cities rather than countries or
total after all Modifiers are accounted for). A
the world.
Street Fighter hero, for example, can have up
Four Color characters are powerful super to 10 points in a single power, so he could
beings who take on city-wide menaces. buy 4 levels of attack, melee, for 8 points,
Most wear colorful costumes and are well- and still have 2 points left over to buy the
known by the public. Four Color heroes have Multiple Attacks Modifier (10 points total).
powerful arch-nemeses who often gang up
This maintains the particular flavor of a
against them, or rule large and well-funded
campaign so characters in a “Street Fighters”
organizations made up of specialized
setting aren’t running at the speed of light,
lieutenants and legions of loyal minions.
for example.
RRiissiinngg SSttaarrss
In some comics, heroes start with a few
CCAAMMPPAAIIGGNN PPOOWWEERR LLEEVVEELL
powers and learn more as they mature. This
is especially appropriate if the supers are Level Initial Power Points
younger individuals. Pulp Heroes 5
Heroes in these types of campaigns start
Street Fighters 10
with a certain number of Power Points
Four Color 20
depending on the Power Level of the
campaign. Heavy Hitters 30
Rising Stars may take the Power Points Cosmic 50
s Edge (no more than once per Rank as usual)
e Power Limit: Characters may never
o to add 5 additional points to their existing
r spend more than their Initial Power Points
e abilities, or new ones (there is no New
H in any power (total, after all Modifiers are
Power Edge).
accounted for).
44
NNEEWW Dependent (Major)
It may not be an intrepid reporter or a loyal
HHIINNDDRRAANNCCEESS
butler, but your character has some person
to which he is completely devoted and will
Alien Form (Major) do anything to protect. This may be his wife
or girlfriend, one of his children, a minion,
Your character is completely alien in
or even a pet.
appearance: a glowing ball of energy, an
amoeba with tentacles, a large floating The Dependent is a Novice Rank character
brain, and so on. He suffers –4 to Charisma, and, while scrappy in her own right, just
and his physiology is nearly impossible for isn’t up to par with the rest of the party.
humanoids to figure out. Healing rolls made For whatever reason, this doesn’t stop the
to help the hero are made at –4. Numerous Dependent from getting involved—often.
roleplaying instances should also be a She constantly requires saving, reveals team
major challenge as well—he can’t get into secrets, or otherwise causes your champion
restaurants, wear a flak jacket, fit into a car, no end of grief. Of course, every now and
and so on, as defined by his odd shape. then, the friend might just save the hero’s
life, but such instances should be rare.
Your alien’s form may grant him special
perks, but these must be bought as powers. If the Dependent ever dies, your hero
If a glowing ball of energy wants to be able is grief-stricken until he gets reasonably
to pass through walls, for example, take the permanent justice…or revenge! This might
intangibility power. In other words, if your mean putting a villain in jail or—for a
character doesn’t have a power, his form villain—defeating a hero in a painful and
doesn’t grant it to him “for free,” no matter elaborate death trap. Justice doesn’t have to
how you describe it. be truly permanent—just long and lasting
rather than fleeting and temporary.
Allergy (Major/Minor)
Until then, the affected character receives
Your character suffers an aversion to a only one Benny at the beginning of each
common condition or substance, such as game session (but Luck and other bonuses
water, fire, cold, sunlight, etc. Exposure to apply normally).
that substance (generally within six feet of
Distinctive Appearance (Minor)
it) inflicts a –2 penalty to all your character’s
Trait rolls as a Minor Hindrance. Your super’s appearance is somewhat
As a Major Hindrance, your hero suffers a different from others of his race (a blue-
–4 penalty to all Trait rolls and his Pace is skinned human, a talking gorilla, etc.), and is
halved. This continues while exposed and for relatively easy to spot, even out of costume.
2d6 rounds after the substance is removed or This makes the character easier to track
shielded somehow. down and pick out of a crowd and can even
cause troublesome social problems among
Dependency (Major)
his own people.
The creature must consume or have The appearance must be present in and
contact with some sort of relatively common out of costume to count as a Hindrance—all
substance periodically. Creatures from supers are distinctive in costume.
water-based worlds, for example, might
Gimmick (Major)
need to immerse themselves in water one
hour out of every 24 while a vampire might Your character must change clothes, get
need a pint of blood each night. angry, drink blood, summon mystic al
If the character doesn’t have the required energy, swallow a pill or potion, or otherwise
contact, she suffers Fatigue each day until perform some task (taking at least one action)
Incapacitated. A day after that, she perishes. to access his powers—all his powers.
Each hour spent recovering with the Whatever the case, the hero can be
appropriate substance restores a level of prevented from using his powers if he H
Fatigue. cannot enact his “gimmick.” The hero cannot er
use any of his powers—or Edges or Traits o
e
bought with Power Points—without it. s
55
Two Characters: If your super hero trans- reduced to 1 and he suffers Fatigue that can
forms into a completely different person, cause death. This continues while exposed
both “characters” should be made separately, and for 2d6 rounds after the substance is
with the “normal” person created as a removed or shielded somehow. A level of
normal Novice character. Advances gained Fatigue is recovered every minute after the
through play may be added to either form, substance is removed.
but not both. The substance should be relatively
uncommon or avoidable, such as gold, holy
Monologuer (Major)
ground, or immersion in water. Very rare
Some villains are known for gloating over
substances—chunks of your alien’s home
their foes when they should be killing them,
planet, lotus flowers—are possible as well,
and some heroes can’t resist a chance to
but foes will eventually discover it.
lecture or chastise evil-doers.
Ruthless (Minor/Major)
Any time the character’s Action Card
is a Club, he must make a Smarts roll at The character will do most anything to
–2 or spend his action announcing his accomplish her goals. As a Major Hindrance,
opponents’ doom, making excuses for his she’ll harm anyone and everyone who gets
failures, reveling in his success, or in her way. As a Minor Hindrance,
scolding those around him for she stops short of true harm
their misdeeds. The talkative to anyone except those who
character may only take directly oppose her.
free actions during his
Terminally Ill (Major)
monologue.
Your character suffers
Mania (Minor / Major)
from a terminal and
The character has a incurable illness and
serious and negative will die soon. At the
mental illness of some beginning of every game
kind, such as the lack of session, draw a card. A
empathy toward others or face card means your hero’s
a psychopathic compulsion symptoms are acting up this
to cause harm. Both reduce session. Whatever the specifics
Charisma by 2 to those who know may be, he suffers a –1 penalty to all
of it. A Minor Mania occurs infrequently or his Trait rolls this game.
isn’t often likely to get the character killed. A Joker means your hero is about to die. At
A Major Mania is a more-or-less full time some point in the game session, preferably
obsession with serious consequences if after accomplishing an important goal or
caught or discovered. an act of personal redemption, he dies. The
Game Master should always give a dying
Out Of My League (Minor)
hero a few last rounds of action to commit
A character with this Hindrance may not
some noble sacrifice.
spend more than one fifth of his total Power
Points in any one power (instead of the usual Weakness (Major/Minor)
one-third). He still has the same number of Your character is more susceptible to a
points; they just have to be divided between specific Power Type (see page 21), such as
more powers. See page 4 for more on Power ice and cold, fire and heat, radiation, magic,
Limits. darkness, light, air, sound, and so on.
Power Negation (Major) He suffers +4 damage when hit by an
attack of that type, or –4 to resist other types
Exposure to a certain substance or
of effects.
condition robs your hero of all his super
As a Major Hindrance, the hero or villain is
powers, including Edges and Traits bought
s incredibly vulnerable to the Power Type and
e with Power Points. Near contact with the
o should avoid it at all costs. He still resists at
substance causes the hero to make a Vigor
r
e roll each round. If the roll is failed, his Pace is –4 but damage is doubled.
H
66
NNEEWW EEDDGGEESS Mastery
Requirements: Novice, Arcane
Some Edges are restricted or changed in a Background (Super Powers)
supers campaign, while a few new ones are One of the hero’s powers, chosen when this
listed below. Edge is taken, ignores the –2 penalty when
Restricted Edges: Any other version of using Power Tricks (or the target does not
Arcane Background, Arcane Resistance, gain a +2 to resist)—see page 10.
Gadgeteer, Holy Warrior, New Power, No
Take the Hit
Mercy, Power Points, Rapid Recharge, Soul
Drain, and Wizard. Requirements: Novice, Vigor d10+
Altered Edges: Champion, Mentalist, These bruisers are good at rolling with
and Mr. Fix-It are available with no Arcane punches, are lucky, have fate on their side,
Background as a Requirement. or are perhaps just really tough. They add +2
to Soak rolls made to eliminate wounds.
BACKGROUND EDGES
LEADERSHIP EDGES
Arcane Background (Super Powers)
Team Leader
Requirements: Novice
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+
This Edge replaces the version from Savage
Team leaders excel at getting people to
Worlds in a supers campaign and is a free
work together like the idiomatic well-oiled
Edge (on top of the usual free Edge for being
machine. If a character with this Edge is
human). It grants a number of Power Points
present when a Cooperative roll is made, the
equal to the Power Level of the campaign
lead character does not have to be designated
(see Campaign Power Levels, page 4).
beforehand. The participant with the highest
No arcane skill is required. Super powers
total is automatically considered the lead.
work “at will” and require no roll unless
the specific power says otherwise. See page
SOCIAL EDGES
17 for more information on activating and
using powers.
Dynamic Duo
The Best There Is
Requirements: Novice, Arcane
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Super Powers), Spirit d8
Background (Super Powers)
The hero chooses one other specific
This hero has one very potent power. Her character. When assisting this partner in
Power Limit with one power is half her a successful Combined Attack, he adds +2
maximum Power Points, rounded up. See points of damage per power level, and 3
page 4 for Power Limits. points with a raise (see Combined Attacks,
page 8). This Edge may be taken multiple
COMBAT EDGES times to apply to additional allies.
If the partner should die or leave the
Combat Sense campaign, the hero may, with the Game
Requirements: Seasoned, Fighting d8+, Master’s permission, choose a new team
Notice d8+ member to replace him. This should usually
take place after the two fight together for a
The super has the perception, skill, and
battle or two.
agility to handle multiple foes. Opponents
halve any Gang Up bonuses against him Team Player
(round down).
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6
Improved Combat Sense Team players fight like well-oiled machines
Requirements: Veteran, Combat Sense when standing beside their trusted allies. A H
Team Player counts as an additional adjacent e
Opponents gain no Gang Up bonus against r
ally for purposes of determining Gang Up o
this warrior.
e
bonuses. This still cannot exceed the normal s
maximum Gang Up bonus of +4.
77
SSEETTTTIINNGG RRUULLEESS
Blood & Guts, Born a Hero, Fanatics, Example: Two fire blasters, a super strong
Heroes Never Die, and Joker’s Wild are all brick, and a scrapper (the lead) combine
standard Setting Rules in supers campaigns, attacks against a heavily armored giant
as are the new Setting rules below. robot. The two blasters have five levels in
ranged attack and roll their Shooting. One
gets a normal success against the target
COMIC BOOK COMBAT
(adding +5 damage) and another gets a raise
The epic fights of comic books require a (+10 damage). The super strong hero (8
few changes to the basic combat rules: levels) then makes a Throwing roll to hurl
the scrapper at the target and gets a raise,
Combined Attacks
adding +16 damage. The lead character has
Heroes and villains can combine their a Str+5d6 melee attack. His Fighting roll
attack powers for truly spectacular results. is successful, so he rolls Str+5d6 and adds
(Combining a non-attack power with an (5+10+16=) +31 points of damage to his
attack uses Synergy instead, see page 9.) total! The robot is turned into a pile of junk.
To combine attacks, the heroes tell the
Finishing Move
Game Master their plan. If she approves, the
“lead” character (the one rolling damage) Super heroes and villains are notoriously
spends a Benny. To affect a target with hard to kill. Wild Cards with Arcane
Heavy Armor, the lead character must inflict Background (Super Powers) are immune to
Heavy Weapon damage. Finishing Moves. Instead, helpless heroes
The group acts on the slowest participant’s and villains suffer the effects of the Drop
Action Card (the faster characters should (opponents gain +4 to attacks and damage
go on Hold until the last hero’s card comes against them).
up). The supporting characters make Knockback
normal attack rolls as their action using a
Any super powered attack causing 20
skill connected to their contributing power
points of damage or more to a normal-sized
(Shooting for ranged powers, Fighting for
foe causes the target to fly backwards 2d6”.
close combat,Throwing if the lead character
The damage threshold is 10 for Small and
is hurled at the target to make a melee attack,
Tiny targets, 30 for Large, 40 for Huge, and
or whatever best fits the narrative).
50 for Gargantuan. This occurs whether the
Assuming the lead character is successful
attack is Soaked or not.
with his own attack, each supporting ally
Targets fly in a direct line unless the
adds +1 to his damage total per power level
attacker makes a Called Shot at –2 to choose
in their relevant ability, or +2 with a raise.
the direction of the knockback. If the victim
hits an object, he takes 1d6 damage for
88
every 2” of knockback generated. Inanimate
DDeeffeeaatt TTaabbllee
objects along the path, such as walls, trees, or
vehicles, are automatically hit, but characters
Card Result
get an Agility roll at –2 to avoid flying heroes
2 The Death of…: The character
unless they’re caught unaware. Those who
dies a tragic death. Her friends
don’t get out of the way suffer a d6 damage
should prepare eulogies and read
for every 2” of knockback as well.
them aloud when the hero or
Synergy villain is eventually laid to rest.
Sometimes a power might work particularly 3–5 Marked: The hero is Exhausted
well in a given situation, or in tandem (see below) and permanently
with another power. A character dowsed wounded. The GM and player
by a water controller, for example, might can work together to determine
take additional damage from an electrical the most likely injury based on
attack right after, or a villain subjected to a the circumstances of his defeat,
particularly personal and terrifying illusion but it should result in a Major
might suffer a penalty when resisting the fear Hindrance such as One Arm, One
power. This is called Synergy. Eye, or One Leg, or the loss of an
If two powers affect a target in the same Edge, a Trait step, or two Power
round (and only in the same round—this Points worth of abilities. The
is comic book combat, after all), the Game injury may not be healed through
Master might decide they have Synergy. The normal means (restoration could
first power works as usual. The second gains occur as the result of some epic
a +2 effect modifier that’s added to damage quest or being, however).
or the active skill roll, or used as a negative 6–10 Exhausted: The character is
modifier in case of powers like resisting fear Exhausted from the mental and
or paralysis. physical trauma of his defeat.
Sometimes powers might create negative This Fatigue can only be restored
Synergy as well. If a villain with fiery blasts after 1d6 days regardless of other
hits a hero who’s just been dowsed by water, powers or abilities.
for example, reduce the damage (or effect for
Jack Fatigued: The character is
passive powers) by 2.
Queen Fatigued for 1d6 days from the
Unarmed Defender mental and physical trauma of his
defeat. This Fatigue can only be
Attackers ignore the Unarmed Defender
restored after 1d6 days regardless
rule in supers campaigns.
of other powers or abilities.
DEATH & DEFEAT King Down But Not Out: The hero
picks himself up and carries on
In comic books, heroes and villains are after the encounter is over.
often defeated, disappear, or beaten into Ace Not Today: The hero retains his
unconsciousness, but they very seldom die. wounds but stabilizes and is no
Heroes who would otherwise perish by longer Incapacitated.
the regular Savage Worlds rules are Defeated
Joker Transformed: The character
instead. Draw on the Defeat Table should
“dies” (or perhaps disappears),
your character meet such a terrible fate.
and is Exhausted as above.
Back From the Dead When she returns, however,
she has changed in some drastic
Even when heroes and villains die in comics S
way. The player may completely e
they rarely stay dead. If a player wants to t
reconfigure her Power Points, t
bring a dead character back rather than make i
n
perhaps as a dark reflection of her
a new one, he and the GM simply need to g
work up an appropriate story, and perhaps former self, or even an “ascended” R
form depending on her nature or u
allow the rest of the team to be the ones who l
background. e
somehow rescue the fallen comrade from the S
cold hands of Death.
99