TEXT: THE HARBINGER
  HERO NAME
  REAL NAME (IF APPLICABLE) 
  Look
  • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
  • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White
  • haunted face, optimistic face, ordinary face, “hyper-evolved human” face
  • streamlined clothing, “fashion-forward” clothing, simple clothing, casual clothing
  • high-tech costume, impossible costume, sleek costume, dramatic costume
  Abilities
  You’re from the future, and that has its benefits, like future knowledge (even though your 
  memories are scrambled). Plus, your powers may have had something to do with how you got 
  back to the past—er, the present day, that is. “Now,” as the locals call it. Choose one option from 
  the list below.
   
  ❑  super speed
   
  ❑  optimized biology
   
  ❑  telepathy & telekinesis
   
  ❑  teleportation & portals
   
  ❑  futuristic gadgets & implants
   
  ❑  energy absorption/redirection
  Moment of Truth
  Everything you do could affect the future. For all you know, saving that one guy means that now 
  the future is full of pterodactyls. The ripples are always so hard to track, and you’re not sure if 
  you’ve helped or hurt—not really. Until now. In this moment, it’s all clear. You can see the course 
  of events laid out before you like a river, and you know exactly what you have to do to ensure 
  the future outcome you want. Of course, after this, you’ve changed enough of the timeline to 
  invalidate your prior research—reset all the names in your “Connecting the dots” section.
  Team Moves
  When you confess to a teammate the difference between what you thought they would be and 
  what they really are, add a Team to the pool, and ask them if you represent a future they’d want. 
  If they say yes, mark potential. If they say no, mark a condition. 
  When you share a tale of future loss with someone, ask them if they think you have the ability 
  to avert that loss. If they believe you do, mark potential and give them Influence over you. If they 
  don’t, mark Guilty and shift one Label up and one Label down (your choice). If Guilty is already 
  marked mark another condition, GM’s choice.  
  POTENTIAL 
   >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑   
  Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential. 
  Advancement 
  When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below. 
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add 
  +1 to a Label
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth
   
  ❑  Someone permanently loses Influence over you; 
  add +1 to a Label
   
  ❑  Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add 
  +1 to a Label 
  When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth after you’ve used it 
  once
   
  ❑  Change playbooks
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Lock a Label and add +1 to a Label of your 
  choice
   
  ❑  Return to the future and accept its new form, 
  or jump to a different point in the past to begin 
  your mission anew
  Other Moves 
  
  Harbinger Moves
  (Choose two)
   
  ❑  Stick to the mission: When you defend someone 
  or something critically important to the future 
  (tell us why), you may mark a condition to shift 
  down one Label and shift up Savior before the 
  roll. If you do, you cannot choose the option ‘clear 
  a condition’ for the defend move.
   
  ❑  Tomorrow’s golden promise: When you comfort 
  or support someone with tales of what you think 
  their future will be, you may roll + Savior instead 
  of + Mundane. Mark a condition unless you are 
  confident the stories are true. 
   
  ❑  Applied history: When you pierce the mask of 
  someone you believe will shape the future, roll  
  + Savior instead of + Mundane.  
   
  ❑ You haven’t learned you can do that yet: When 
  you tell a teammate about a new, never-before-
  performed trick that they’ve never considered, 
  spend a Team from the pool to allow them to 
  unleash their powers, directly engage a threat, 
  or defend someone using your Superior as if it 
  was their Label. Any costs or complications from 
  their move affect you, as well.
   
  ❑  I learned the solution in grade school: When you 
  unleash your powers to extend your senses or 
  overcome an intellectual obstacle, you may roll  
  + Superior instead of + Freak.
   
  ❑  21st century studies: When you assess the 
  situation, you may always ask “what does the 
  future know about this moment?”, even on a 
  miss. You take +1 ongoing to act on the answers.
  Connecting the Dots
  You’re from the future, but your knowledge of the past is spotty, intermittent, confused, jumbled. 
  You’re doing your best to put together the clues and your broken memories, though, so you can 
  figure out how this world and its people become the ones you know.
  When you push yourself to remember the version of someone that exists in your future, mark 
  a condition and roll + Memories. On a hit, you connect who they are now to who they are in the 
  future; choose the role that they fulfill in the future, and the GM will tell you about their future 
  self. On a 10+, ask a follow-up question. On a miss, they’re not at all who you thought they would 
  be; the GM will choose their role, or tell you that as far as you know, they don’t exist in the future.
  Monster: _____________________________
  Traitor: ______________________________
  Corruptor: ____________________________
  Martyr: ______________________________
  Architect: ___________________________
  Leader: _____________________________
  Your Memories score starts at -1, and goes up by 1 (to a maximum of +3) for each name above.
  When you write a name above, they gain Influence over you if they did not already have it. 
  At the start of each session or when time passes, roll + Savior to find out how your investigations 
  into the timeline have been going. On a hit, choose one figure noted above or one aspect of the 
  future world you can remember. You’ve found a lead to follow to learn more about how the present 
  version of that figure or aspect became the future version. On a 10+, the lead is particularly strong; 
  right now, you can ask the GM one question about the figure or aspect, and they will answer 
  honestly. On a miss, you’re lost in the present; the GM will tell you how things are so different here, 
  and shift your Labels according to how it makes you feel.
  Labels
  (at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose)
  DANGER 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3
  FREAK 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SAVIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SUPERIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  MUNDANE 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  Conditions
   
  ❑ Afraid 
  (-2 to directly engage a threat)
   
  ❑ Angry 
  (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) 
   
  ❑ Guilty 
  (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
   
  ❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
   
  ❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence) 
  Backstory
  • 
  How did you travel from the future to the present day?
  • 
  What keeps you from returning to the future?
  • 
  Why are your memories and knowledge of the future scrambled? 
  • 
  What is the most important part of your future that you want to avert?
  • 
  Why must you join this team specifically to achieve your mission’s goals?
  Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then 
  determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and 
  your teammates, and who has Influence over you.
  When our team first came together...
  We averted a disaster from the future’s history books. What was the disaster? What effect do we 
  hope it had on the timeline?
  Relationships
  ____________________ turns away from the hero’s path, according to your history books. You 
  have to prevent that from happening.
  You’ve always idolized ____________________, but it’s too awkward to admit it to them now that 
  you’ve met them in real life. Keep it cool, keep it cool.
  Influence
  Every member of your team has the power to change the future—your future. Give everyone 
  influence over you.
  
  THE NOMAD
  ALIAS
  REAL NAME (IF DIFFERENT) 
  Look
  • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
  • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White
  • average body, compact body, modified body, sculpted body, wiry body 
  • traveling clothing, garish clothing, extraterrestrial clothing, unassuming clothing
  • weird jewelry, strange greatcoat, eccentric boots, unusual gloves, uncanny belt
  Abilities
  You’ve seen space, time, and everything in between. One might say you’ve seen it all. Besides your 
  tremendous knowledge, experience, and haphazard on-the-job training, you picked up some neat 
  toys on your travels. Pick two of your most important.
   
  ❑  rift generator
   
  ❑  anti-grav pack
   
  ❑  forcefield projectors
   
  ❑  cloaking rig
   
  ❑  modular blaster 
   
  ❑  wearable ultraprocessor
   
  Moment of Truth
  You basically exist with one foot out the door, ready to leave this place, to go back out into the 
  wide expanse of the universe. You’ve never fully committed. That is, until today. Until right now. 
  Now, you pour everything you have and everything you are into this moment. You pull off tricks 
  no one from this planet has ever seen before. You use your tools in ways no one here could have 
  ever imagined. You devote yourself, here and now, to a cause, and you achieve your goal in ways 
  that you never could’ve if you’d only stayed home. Of course, now you’ve proved to everyone that 
  you really don’t belong here, and the very skills that let you succeed are the ones you earned from 
  out there...
  Team Moves
  When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them what they admire about you. 
  The GM will shift one of your Labels up and one down based on what they say.
  When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, mark a condition, give them Influence 
  over you, and mark potential.
  POTENTIAL 
   >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑   
  Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential. 
  Advancement 
  When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below. 
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth
   
  ❑  Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add 
  +1 to a Label 
   
  ❑  Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add 
  +1 to a Label 
  When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth after you’ve used it 
  once
   
  ❑  Change playbooks
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Lock a Label and add +1 to a Label of your 
  choice
   
  ❑  Depart for reaches unknown, never to return
  Other Moves 
  
  Labels
  (at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose)
  DANGER 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3
  FREAK 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SAVIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SUPERIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  MUNDANE 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  Conditions
   
  ❑ Afraid 
  (-2 to directly engage a threat)
   
  ❑ Angry 
  (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) 
   
  ❑ Guilty 
  (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
   
  ❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
   
  ❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence) 
  Backstory
  • 
  Who took you from the Earth when you were younger?
  • 
  What farscapes did you explore?
  • 
  Who was your favorite traveling companion?
  • 
  What brought you back to stay (for now)?
  • 
  Why do you care about the team?
  Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then 
  determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and 
  your teammates, and who has Influence over you.
  When our team first came together...
  We had to deal with a danger I’d met while traveling the farscapes. What was it, and how did we 
  send it away?
  Relationships
  __________________ knows plenty that I don’t about this world, its people, and how to deal with 
  them; I should follow their lead while I’m here.
  __________________  is...well...boring. But that’s okay! I’m going to make them more interesting.
  Influence
  You’re here, but not, and it’s going to take some time before you really commit. Give no one 
  Influence over you.
  Nomad Moves
  (Choose two)
   
  ❑  No good at being a kid: When you clear a 
  condition, you can shift Labels, your choice. 
   
  ❑  Watched C-beams glitter:  When you make 
  a claim about a strange situation or 
  phenomenon based on your experience, roll  
  + Freak. On a hit, you were right; the GM 
  will tell you what opportunity your knowledge 
  grants to you. On a 7-9, your claim is 
  incomplete, flawed, or tangential; the GM will 
  tell you how. On a miss, your experiences are 
  incomplete; the GM will tell you what mistake 
  your flawed understanding leads you to make. 
   
  ❑  I hate calling the cavalry:  When you call the allies 
  you made beyond this world to ask them for help, 
  mark a condition and roll + Superior. On a hit, 
  someone shows up to lend you a hand. On a 7-9, 
  they’re dragging their own problems. On a miss, 
  your call reaches someone you wish it hadn’t.
   
  ❑  The littlest space bandit: When you directly 
  engage a threat that underestimates you, roll  
  + Superior instead of + Danger.
   
  ❑  Out of this world:  When you plug into the cosmic 
  aether and tune out of this world, roll + Freak. On 
  a hit, you come to a new, interesting insight about 
  your current problems and situation; the GM 
  will tell you what. On a 10+, you can also shift 
  your own Labels according to match your new 
  understanding. On a miss, you realize something 
  dangerous or terrible; the GM will tell you what, 
  and shift your Labels accordingly.
   
  ❑  Sharpened eyes  When you assess the situation, 
  you may always ask one of the following 
  questions, even on a miss:
  - What’s my best way out/way in/way past?
  - What here would be handy to grab?
  - Who here is susceptible to my words?
  Putting Down Roots
  You have one foot out the door, and it shows. Over time, you may be able to commit to this place.
  •  Adults do not have Influence over you by 
  default. No one does. 
  •  You can only give a total of 6 Influence. 
  •  During play, you can only give Influence by 
  revealing a vulnerability or weakness to 
  someone. You can still give out Influence 
  through the end of session move. You cannot 
  give Influence to somebody who already has 
  Influence over you. 
  •  Others cannot take Influence over you; 
  if they would, instead they choose: mark 
  potential or inflict a condition on you.
  •  You reject Influence at -2 by default, 
  instead of +0. 
  •  When someone takes advantage of their 
  Influence over you, they can choose two 
  options.
  •  At the end of a session, you can take back 
  1 Influence from someone you choose.
  •  If you have given out 0-Influence, you 
  cannot comfort or support anyone. If you 
  would trigger that move, instead mark 
  a condition as you say exactly the wrong 
  thing. If you have given out 0-Influence and 
  someone tries to comfort or support you, 
  you cannot open up to them.
  •  You gain benefits based on how much 
  Influence you have given out. See below. 
  These benefits stack.
   
  ❑ 1-2 Influence: When you defend someone who has Influence over you, you can ignore the Insecure condition. 
  When you directly engage someone who has Influence over you, you can ignore the Afraid condition.
   
  ❑ 3 Influence: When you take a powerful blow from someone with Influence over you, take -2 to the roll.
   
  ❑ 4 Influence: When you pierce the mask of someone who has Influence over you, you can always ask them 
  one question, even on a miss.
   
  ❑ 5 Influence: When you spend a Team to help someone who has Influence over you, it gives them +2.
   
  ❑ 6 Influence: When you accept the words of someone who has Influence over you, mark potential, clear a 
  condition, or take +1 forward.
  
  Moment of Truth
  People have always tried to define you by your lineage. As if from the moment you were born, 
  you were meant to be some villain to be defeated. But...they’re right, aren’t they? That darkness is 
  in you. So right here, right now, you’re not fighting it—you’re embracing it. Both hero and villain, 
  and greater besides. You’re overcoming impossible odds in ways no hero would approve of, and 
  no villain could comprehend. Of course, after seeing what you can really do when you embrace 
  the whole of yourself, the rest of the world isn’t going to forget who you really are...
  Team Moves
  When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if you have earned their 
  respect. If you have, take Influence over them and mark potential. If you have not, give them 
  Influence over you and mark potential.
  When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, ask them if they would defend you 
  against those who mistrust you. If they say yes, clear a condition and shift Savior up and any other 
  Label down. If they say no, mark a condition and shift Danger up and any other Label down. 
  POTENTIAL 
   >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑    >>>❑   
  Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential. 
  Advancement 
  When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below. 
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take another move from your playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Take a move from another playbook
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth
   
  ❑  Someone permanently loses Influence over you; 
  add +1 to a Label
   
  ❑  Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add 
  +1 to a Label 
   
  ❑  Take The Mask and a secret identity from the 
  Janus playbook
  When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.
   
  ❑  Unlock your Moment of Truth after it’s been used 
  once 
   
  ❑  Change playbooks
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Take an adult move
   
  ❑  Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your 
  choice
   
  ❑  Retire from the life or become a paragon of the 
  city
  Other Moves 
  THE SCION
  HERO NAME
  REAL NAME 
  Look
  • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
  • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous,  
  Middle Eastern, White
  • stocky body, slender body, scrawny body, statuesque body, taut body
  • hand-me-down clothing, expensive clothing, uniform clothing, rebellious clothing, casual clothing
  • bright costume, parent’s costume, understated costume, makeshift costume, no costume
  Your Lineage
  You are the child of a true supervillain. You strive to be different than them, but they are a part of 
  you. Circle at least one option for each question below.
  What kind of villain are they? 
  deadly mercenary, master thief, hateful destroyer, zealous crusader, cruel mastermind, grand tyrant
  What is your relationship with them like? 
  mostly strangers, actively adversarial, sadly opposed, ever-shifting, redemption/corruption, full of denial
  They have an array of abilities, assets, and strengths; what are some of them? (up to 3)
  superhuman martial prowess, dark sorcery, cosmic might, diabolical machines, endless minions, 
  unrivaled genius, powerful allies, arsenal of weapons and gadgets, supremely honed skills
  What abilities do you use to fight them? (up to 2)
  impressive martial prowess, magical aptitude, cosmic energies, machine control, regeneration, 
  electrokinesis, seismic waves, a powerful weapon or gadget, mastery of a single skillset
  
  LABELS
  (at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose)
  DANGER 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3
  FREAK 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SAVIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  SUPERIOR 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  MUNDANE 
   -2  
   -1  
    0   
   +1  
   +2  
   +3 
  Conditions
   
  ❑ Afraid 
  (-2 to directly engage a threat)
   
  ❑ Angry 
  (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) 
   
  ❑ Guilty 
  (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
   
  ❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
   
  ❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence) 
  Backstory
  • 
  Who is your supervillain parent?
  • 
  Who told you about your parent’s true nature?
  • 
  Why did you turn from your lineage to become a hero?
  • 
  Who, outside of the team, helps you on your chosen path?
  • 
  Why do you care about the team?
  Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then 
  determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and 
  your teammates, and who has Influence over you.
  When our team first came together...
  Someone important learned about my lineage and condemned us all. Who? Why?
  Relationships
  ____________________ is the only one who understands what I’m going through; I told them 
  which part of me I wished was more like my parent.
  My parent once fought and thrashed _____________________; I’ve got to find a way to make it 
  up to them.
  Influence
  This team may be the key to proving you’re different from your parent, but you don’t want to be 
  defined by your peers, either. Give Influence to 2 teammates.
  Scion Moves
  (Choose two)
   
  ❑  I’ll show them: When you defend someone 
  who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take 
  Influence over them, even on a miss.
   
  ❑  Changed sides:   When you mislead or trick an 
  enemy by pretending to be on their side, roll 
  + Danger. On a hit, they buy your charade for 
  now. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 10+, choose 2.
  • You avoid having to provide concrete evidence
  • You create an opportunity
  • You expose a weakness or flaw
  On a miss, someone else watching comes to the 
  worst possible conclusion and acts on it.
   
  ❑  They don’t deserve forgiveness:   When you 
  accuse an enemy of being irredeemable, you 
  can mark two conditions to take Influence over 
  you away from them. When you directly engage 
  someone who has no Influence over you, you can 
  always choose 1 additional option, even on a miss.
   
  ❑  Moldable:  When you pierce the mask of someone 
  whose respect you crave, you can always ask 
  “How could I gain Influence over you?”, even on a 
  miss. Take +1 ongoing to acting on the answer.
   
  ❑  All the best stuff:  You’ve compiled access to 
  caches of equipment and weaponry other supers 
  have hidden in the city. When you access a cache, 
  say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior. 
  If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find 
  a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will 
  detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve 
  been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and 
  they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
   
  ❑  White lies:  When you comfort or support 
  someone by telling them lies they want to hear, 
  roll + Savior instead of + Mundane. On a hit, if 
  they open up to you, take Influence over them. 
  Respect
  Write down the names of at least two other characters whose respect you need to earn in order to 
  differentiate yourself from your parent. You may fill in new names whenever appropriate. 
  Your parent’s greatest enemy: _____________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐ 
  Your parent’s greatest victim: _____________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
  Your personal idol: _____________________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
  The city’s greatest leader: ________________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
  The city’s greatest hero: _________________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
  The city’s biggest celebrity:  ______________
   
  Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
  When you seek out one of the characters named above, roll + Savior. On a hit, you track them 
  down. On a 7-9, they’re juggling their own problems, and may not have time for you. On a miss, 
  when you find them, the situation is dire; the GM will tell you how.
  If you earn Influence over the characters listed above, instead you mark 1 Respect. If you lose 
  Influence over the characters listed above, you lose 1 Respect. If you lose 1 Respect and you have 
  none marked, you immediately mark a condition, GM’s choice.
  The first time you reach 4 Respect on an individual, take an advancement. 
  While you have 4 Respect on an individual: 
  • You can reject their Influence at a +3 (does not stack with the above). 
  • You take +1 to a Label of their choice (record it next to their name).
  If you dip below 4 Respect on an individual, you lose those benefits.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Kid Friendly/7. RPGs/Ages 13-15 (Competent readers, competent writers, Able to do all basic math, can handle darker themes)/PbtA/Masks/MASKS - Unbound - Playbooks.pdf