Category Archives: Marvel Heroic RPG

Pariah (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags: ,

pariahPARIAH
First Appearance: Crisis on Infinite Earths # 1.
“He has conquered all disease! His control over the weather makes our world a paradise. He is the greatest of the greats!” — Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
It’s All My Fault!
Emotionally Unstable
Flair for the Dramatic

Power Sets:
My Powers Are a Curse!
Godlike Durability D12
Godlike Resistance D12
Teleportation D12
SFX: Invulnerable: Spend 1 PP to ignore Physical Stress or Trauma unless caused by Anti-Matter Energy attacks.
Limit: Uncontrollable – Teleportation automatically takes Pariah to scenes of mass destruction. Turn the power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.

Specialties:
Cosmic Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Science Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Tech Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6

Character Background:

tiny1Kell Mossa (he was, at various times, called by both names — I’m assuming his proper name is Kell Mossa for the purposes of this website) was born on a planet known to comic fans as Earth-Omega. He was, without a doubt, this world’s foremost scientist. He cured world-wide disease and invented machines that regulated the weather. He was seen as a savior and a hero and he reveled in the adulation.

But not all was perfect. Mossa had grown cold and arrogant, marrying out of convenience and fathering two children whom he discribed as “emotional nuisances.” While his wife was never named, his children are known to have been named Tarran and Mart.

Mossa’s greatest work was at hand, even as his marriage was crumbling — he had discovered the existence of a multiverse. Despite legends which warned that such probings would only lead to destruction, Mossa pressed on and created an Anti-Matter Chamber which would bridge all universes.

Mossa entered the chamber, hoping to witness the origin of creation — instead, he gave life to the greatest evil the multiverse would ever know. Mossa’s experiment awakened the slumbering being known as the Anti-Monitor, who eradicated Earth-Omega and began the events known as Crisis.

“Everything was gone. And I…was suddenly very, very… alone. My first million years were spent trying to understand the enormity of what I had done… I spent another million years in the nether-void understanding what I had lost. My wife…my children…The love I had successfully ignored. And for the next million years all I wanted, all I wished for, all I begged for, was to die. But the fates were far too cruel to permit me to so easily atone for my sins.” — New Teen Titans #81.

tiny4 The Anti-Monitor’s opposite number, the Monitor, chose to use Mossa as his agent. Giving him the ability to sense disasters, the Monitor used Pariah to track the progress of the Anti-Monitor’s anti-matter attacks. Pariah believed this was punishment for his sins — something which he dealt with in Crisis and resolved to move past. However, subsequent appearances have continued to have him spouting off about how this is an atonement for his great sin. Go figure.

Nowadays, presumably, Pariah is still bouncing through time/space (and Hypertimelines?), witnessing disasters. He’s been shown once in the New 52, as a prisoner of the US government in Vibe # 1.

For the record, Pariah is invulnerable to all harm (Superman was unable to hurt him in War of the Gods #2) and teleports across the multiverse with ease (but only when summoned to a disaster).

Random Thoughts

by Marvel Heroic RPG, Updates • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

lg07_morgan_watts_smallWelcome back to Ye Olde Blog! It’s a Thursday, which means that we’re thankfully getting closer to the weekend. I have a meeting later this afternoon that I’m not looking forward to — with any luck, it will go smoothly (and shortly).

Uploaded the 29th episode of The Shadow Fan’s Podcast yesterday and, as always, I’m amazed by the response. Who knew so many people would want to listen to me ramble for 30 minutes every week? Of course, I’m not the real draw — it’s The Shadow, pulp’s greatest crimefighter! Anyway, this week I talked about two classic Shadow novels and the 11th issue of Dynamite’s comic book series.

Speaking of comics, I’ll be signing books at Avalon Comics in Macon, Georgia for Free Comic Book Day this year. Artist supreme Craig Hamilton (perhaps best known for his Aquaman work) will be there with me. Looking forward to a fun day at the comic shop. If you’re in the area, you can find the shop at 2384 Ingleside Avenue in Macon. I’ll have plenty of books on hand but if you want, bring one you’ve already purchased and I’ll sign that, too.

Sad news came yesterday as they announced that Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Game was being cancelled. They only printed two books in hard copy with all the rest being available as pdf’s only. I own them all but I’m going to miss the system. I’ll continue using it, though, and might share more writeups on this blog in the future. I had a request to do The Spider….

Work on Lazarus Gray Volume 5 is still going quite well. I still need to go back and finish off that weird western story for Mechanoid Press, too. Work on the Rabbit Heart sequel has stopped again — I hit another wall and I’m just feeling it at the moment. So it’s Lazarus right now!

Got a new review of Lazarus Gray Volume 1 on Facebook – Bill Craig (author of the Hardluck Hannigan series) read the first eBook in the series and said: Just finished reading Barry Reese’s The Adventures of Lazarus Grey Volume one. Definitely a fast and fun read if you love your pulp with a supernatural flavor, and it was interesting that the lead character put his headquarters on Robeson street in Sovereign City. Myself I would have chosen the corner of Maxwell and Grant. More shadows there you see! But all in all a fun book and I can highly recommend it.

Thanks, Bill! Love the corner of Maxwell & Grant line! I chose Robeson since The Avenger was the biggest inspiration for Lazarus Gray — and that series was always credited to the ‘house name’ of Kenneth Robeson. It was, of course, the work of Paul Ernst, one of the greatest pulp authors who ever lived. In fact, because nobody asked, let me share this with you:

Barry’s Five Favorite Golden Age of Pulp Authors:

1. Walter Gibson

2. Paul Ernst

3. Robert E. Howard

4. Edgar Rice Burroughs

5. Theodore Tinsley

There were plenty of other great ones, mind you, but those are my faves.

Our art today is courtesy of George Sellas and it’s an image of Assistance Unlimited member Morgan Watts. It appeared in the print edition of The Adventures of Lazarus Gray Volume One.

Marvel Heroic RPG Stats: Gravedigger

1
by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

gravedigger_small_colorGRAVEDIGGER
Charity Grace
“You will have three years in which to redeem your soul. Find those who are unfit for the world of mortals and destroy them: man or demon, the enemy of the innocent is now your enemy. You will put them into their graves and shovel upon them the dirt that symbolizes their eviction from this plane of existence. On Halloween Night, 1939, you will be called back to this place and you will be judged for a final time. If your soul has been made pure, you will find your reward. If your soul is still tainted black… Your suffering will never know an end.”

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
No Time to Waste
Seeking Redemption
Grim Protector of Sovereign City

Power Sets:
Servant of The Voice
Enhanced Durability D8
Enhanced Reflexes D8
SFX: Regeneration – Spend 1 PP to recover your Physical stress and step back your Physical trauma by -1.
Limit: Exhausted – Shutdown any Servant of The Voice power and gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Master of Weapons
Sword D8
Wrist-Mounted Crossbow D6
Dagger D6
SFX: Dangerous – Add a D6 to your dice pool for an attack action and step back the highest die in the pool by -1. Step up Physical stress by +1.
SFX – Afflict – Add a D6 to your dice pool and step up effect die +1 when inflicting a complication on a target.
Limit: Gear – Shutdown a Master of Weapons power and gain 1 PP. Take an action against the Doom Pool to recover.

Specialties:
Acrobatics Expert D8 or 2D6
Combat Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Covert Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Crime Expert D8 or 2D6
Menace Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Psych Expert D8 or 2D6

Milestones:
Friends and Partners
1XP when one of your aides is put into physical jeopardy.
3XP when someone threatens or captures one of your aides in an attempt to lure you into a trap.
10XP when you lose an agent or gain one.

A Long Line of Warriors
1XP when uncovering historical information about the Gravediggers.
3XP when confronting an enemy or threat that once confronted a previous Gravedigger.
10XP when encountering a former Gravedigger.

Judge Dredd (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

bolland-judge.dredd-01JUDGE DREDD
Joseph “Joe” Dredd
First Appearance: 2000 AD # 5 (March 5, 1977)

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
“I Am The Law!”
Old Stoney-Face
The Helmet Never Comes Off

Power Sets:
Agent of The Justice Department
Law Giver MK II (Weapon) D8
Stum Gun (Weapon) D8
Daystick (Weapon) D6
Body Armor D8
Lawmaster Motorbike (Vehicle) D10
SFX: DNA-Coded. The Law Giver MK II is DNA coded so that if it detects an unfamiliar handprint, it will explode with an effect die of D10.
SFX: Dangerous. When using Hi-Explosive ammo in the Law Giver MK II, add a d6 to your dice pool for an attack action and step back highest die in pool by -1. Step up PHYSICAL STRESS inflicted by +1.
SFX: Ricochet. When using Rubber Richochet ammo in the Law Giver MK II, step up or double your attack die against a single target. Remove the highest rolling die and add 3 dice for your total.
SFX: Choose Your Poison. The Law Giver MK II has various forms of ammo that it can fire – Standard bullets, Rubber Ricochet, Armour Piercing, Heat-Seeking, Incendiary and Hi-Explosive.
SFX: Cyclops Laser. The Lawmaster Bike has side-mounted cannons and a centrally-located laser. The side-cannons do D8 damage and the Cyclops Laser does D10.
SFX: Immunity. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress or complications from gas or poison attacks.
Limit: Gear. Shutdown an Agent of The Justice Department power and gain 1 PP.

Academy of Law Training
Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Stamina D8
Enhanced Strength D8
SFX: Focus. You may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 larger.
Limit: Exhaustion. Shutdown any power and gain 1 PP.

Specialties:
Acrobatics Expert D8 or 2D6
Combat Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Cosmic Expert D8 or 2D6
Covert Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Crime Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Menace Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Psych Expert D8 or 2D6
Vehicle Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6

Background:
Mega-City One in the 22nd century, a vast urban nightmare situated along the east coast of post-apocalyptic North America. The irradiated wasteland known as The Cursed Earth to the west covering most of America, and the polluted Black Atlantic to the east. Home to 400 million citizens, crammed into gigantic city-blocks, overcrowding is rife, unemployment endemic and boredom universal. Tensions run a constant knife-edge, and crime is rampant. Only the Judges can prevent total anarchy. Empowered to dispense instant justice, these lawmen are judge, jury and executioner. The toughest of them all is Judge Joe Dredd and he is the law!

Judge Dredd, one of a number of clones of Chief Judge Fargo, is the most famous of the elite corps of Judges that run Mega-City One with the power not only to enforce the law, but also to instantly sentence offenders; to death if necessary. Dredd and his twin brother Rico emerged from the cloning facility as five year olds in 2066, which took only a matter of months. At this young age they are enrolled into the Academy of Law, and graduate 13 years later in 2079. While these details are featured throughout the years of comics, recently the Judge Dredd Origins story arc delves into the atomic wars and Dredd’s time as a cadet.

Liberty Girl (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:
Liberty Girl

Liberty Girl

LIBERTY GIRL
Elena Hunter
Copyright Heroic Publications

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
America’s Bronze Goddess of Freedom
Inspirational
A Lot to Live Up To

Power Sets:
Psycho-Organic Energy
Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Stamina D8
Flight D10
Force Field D8
Superhuman Senses D10
Superhuman Strength D10
SFX: Evil Wizards Don’t Care For Me Much  – Add +1D to all Power Set rolls against magic-users.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Power Set ability to gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Specialties:
Acrobat Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Combat Expert D8 or 2D6
Covert Expert D8 or 2D6
Mystic Expert D8 or 2D6
Psych Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Science Expert D8 or 2D6

Milestones:
Blast from the Past
1 XP when a past adventure somehow relates to the mission at hand.
3 XP when encountering the descendant of an old friend or enemy.
10 XP when an old enemy (or someone new using their equipment or identity) returns.

Daddy’s Girl
1XP when Elena directly compares herself to her father.
3XP when an enemy or friend of her father returns.
10XP when Liberty Girl proves herself worthy of her father’s legacy.

Background Info:

The daughter of a classic pulp hero, Elena gained her powers after exposure to a strange form of radioactive gold. Now she is able to manipulate the ‘psycho-organic’ energy that’s housed within her body. Active in the years 1938-1956, Liberty Girl was an inspirational figure to all those who believed in the American ideals. When she vanished in the mid-Fifties, it was as if something beautiful and shining had been snuffed out. Her return from the abyss in 2006 was recognized the world over as an opportunity to remember the heroism and ideals of the past. As Liberty Girl, Elena tries to uphold the high standards of her father and inspire others to be the best they can be.

From the Vault: The Rook (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

THE ROOK
Max Davies

Affiliations: Solo D10 Buddy D8 Team D6

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Compelled to Fight Evil
Family Man
Weirdness Magnet

Power Sets:

Gifts From My Father
Precognition D8
Telekinesis D6
SFX: Second Chance. Spend 1 PP to reroll when using any POWER SET power.
Limit: Uncontrollable. Change Precognition power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
Limit: Mental Strain. On any failed Telekinesis roll, turn effect die into mental stress and gain 1 PP.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any POWER SET power to gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Trained By the Best
Enhanced Stamina D8
Enhanced Senses D8
SFX: Focus. If a pool includes a POWER SET power, player may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any POWER SET power to gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Tools of the Trade
Automatic Pistol – Weapon D8
SFX: Unlimited Ammo. The Rook’s specially modified pistols can hold hundreds of miniature bullets, each strong enough to punch a hole through solid steel.
Limit: Gear

Knife of the Elohim – Weapon D6
SFX: Powered by the Lord. Replace D6 with D10 damage when using the Knife of Elohim against enemies who are supernaturally evil.
Limit: Hard to Hide. The Knife of Elohim glows with golden light when in the presence of evil.
Limit: Gear

Heart of the Demon (Ring)
Weapon D6 (brands the Rook’s symbol onto the flesh of his enemies)
Limit: Gear

Long-Range Radio Receiver D8
Limit: Gear

Specialties:
Combat Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Covert Expert D8 or 2D6
Crime Expert D8 or 2D6
Menace Master D8 or 2D6
Mystic Expert D8 or 2D6
Tech Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Vehicle Expert D8 or 2D6

Milestones:
Family Matters
1XP when forced to speak with the ghost of his dead father.
3XP when a member of his family is threatened by an enemy or when Evelyn accompanies him on a mission.
10XP when a loved one is kidnapped.

Enemy of the Reich
1XP when attacked by an agent of the Occult Forces Project (OFP).
3XP when taking trauma from an agent of the OFP.
10XP when you forgive your foe, or they beg for your forgiveness and you let them go.

The Shield (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

THE SHIELD
Joe Higgins
First Appearance: Pep Comics # 1 (1940)
TM & © 2012 ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Affiliations: Solo D8 Buddy D6 Team D10

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
G-Man Extraodinaire
Fiercely Patriotic
Never Surrenders

Power Sets:
Chemically Enhanced
Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Strength D8
Enhanced Stamina D8
SFX: Dangerous – Add a d6 to your dice pool for an attack action and step back highest die in pool by -1. Step up STRESS TYPE inflicted by +1.
SFX: Regeneration – Spend 1 PP to recover your STRESS TYPE stress and step back your TRAUMA TYPE trauma by -1.
Limit: Exhausted – Shutdown any POWER SET power and gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Super Suit
Enhanced Durability D8
SFX: Take the Hit – Spend 1 PP to take Physical Stress intended for a nearby ally or friend.
Limit: Gear

Specialties:
Covert Expert D8 or 2D6
Crime Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Psych Expert D8 or 2D6
Science Master D10 or 2D8 or 3D6
Vehicle Expert D8 or 2D6

Background Info:
Joe was born to Tom Higgins, a chemist and U.S. agent, in the years leading up to World War II. Tom Higgins died confronting enemy spies before he could complete his greatest work: the S.H.I.E.L.D. formula. Joe finished school and then completed his father’s work. A combination of the super-serum and a specialized suit of Joe’s design turned him into the Shield! Wearing the colors of the American flag, the Shield became the F.B.I.’s top agent, answering directly to J. Edgar Hoover.

The Web (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

THE WEB
Wyatt Raymond
First Appearance: New Crusaders #1
TM & © 2012 ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Affiliations: Solo D6 Buddy D8 Team D10

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Academically Gifted
Not Very Phyiscal
Filled With Self Doubt

Power Sets:
Strand Sense
Danger Sense D8
SFX: Spend 1 PP to add Danger Sense (or step up by +1 if already in your pool) and reroll all dice on a reaction.
Limit: Exhausted – Shutdown Strand Sense power and gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Super Suit
Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Stamina D8

Specialties:
Crime Expert D8 or 2D6
Science Expert D8 or 2D6
Tech Expert D8 or 2D6

Background Info:

John Raymond was a brilliant writer and criminologist, which helped him out as the super-sleuthing Web.  It didn’t help him so much when his wife, Rose, didn’t approve of his late nights out super-heroing or when she became Pow Girl to get in on the act.

That led to Wyatt coming from quite the interest household.  He always knew there was some secret connection between his parents, but he never guessed they were a crime-fighting couple!  He lacks the psychical prowess his parents had, instead preferring to stay indoors to read or game.  But with his “Strand Sense,” he still was one step ahead of his detective dad.

Steel Sterling (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

STEEL STERLING
Johnny Sterling
First Appearance: New Crusaders #1
TM & © 2012 ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Affiliations: Solo D6 Buddy D8 Team D10

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Quarterback of the Team
Idolizes His Dad
Solid, Loyal and Trusting

Power Sets:
Nanobot Framework
Superhuman Strength D10
Superhuman Durability D10
Enhanced Leaping D8
SFX: Take the Hit – Spend 1 PP to take Physical Stress intended for a nearby ally or friend.
Limit: Difficult Recovery – Add Superhuman Durability die to the opposing roll when others try to recover your Physical Stress.

Specialties:
Combat Expert D8 or 2D6
Psych Expert D8 or 2D6

Background Info:

A football star and all-around nice guy, Johnny grew up idolizing his father, who moonlighted as Steel Sterling. Although athletic, the soft-spoken teen enjoys delving into advanced science studies, much to the chagrin of his football coach. His size may be intimidating, but Johnny’s calm-natured demeanor will put you at ease.

Jaguar (Marvel Heroic RPG Stats)

by Marvel Heroic RPG • Tags:

JAGUAR
Ivette “Ivy” Velez
First Appearance: New Crusaders #1
TM & © 2012 ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

Affiliations: Solo D6 Buddy D8 Team D10

Distinctions: D4 (+1PP) or D8
Socially Awkward
Animal Lover
Fiercely Loyal

Power Sets:
Mystical Jaguar Helmet
Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Stamina D8
Enhanced Senses D6
SFX: Berserk -Add a die from the doom pool to one or more attack actions. Step up the doom pool by +1 for each action; return it to the doom pool when you’re done.
Limit: Exhausted – Shutdown any POWER SET power and gain 1 PP. Recover power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.

Armor
Claws D8
Enhanced Durability D8
SFX: Grapple -Add a d6 and step up your effect die by +1 when inflicting a Grapple complication on a target.
Limit: Gear – Shutdown a POWER SET power and gain 1 PP. Take an action vs. the doom pool to recover.

Specialties:
Cover Expert D8 or 2D6
Science (Zoology) Expert D8 or 2D6

Background Info:

Ivette had a rough start in life, suffering the loss of her parents when she was only an infant. This led to her forming a close connection with her mentor, Ralph Hardy (aka Jaguar). Despite her shy nature, Ivette longs to make new friends.