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  MAY 2003 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  In this issue: 
  • Rules  
  • Jewels 
  • The Fab Five 
  • Evil Opposites 
  • Astral Travel 
  • Soldiers 
  • Dictators 
  • Nukes 
  
   
  the secret special page 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  1
  Table of Contents 
   
  HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEERRRRRRRROOOOOOOO        HHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY        
  WHEN LAST WE LEFT OUR HEROES… 
   
   
  Keep up with the news from Hero Games. 
  This issue – The Spacer’s Toolkit and the 
  Origins Awards. 
  2 
  HEROGLYPHS 
   
   
  See how Steve Long himself answers 
  rules questions. This issue – You can’t hug a 
  supervillain with Nuclear Arms. 
  3 
  HERO UNIVERSE 
   
   
  The rest of The Fabulous Five come to 
  life right here in these pages. Meet Amazing 
  Man and Kid Chameleon. 
  9 
  YOU GOTTA HAVE CHARACTER 
   
   
  Andrew Jackson Davis, the infamous 
  Poughkeepsie Seer, claimed to have 
  phenomenal astral powers. 
  15 
  RRRRRRRREEEEEEEESSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEE        RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAADDDDDDDD 
  YOUR HOROSCOPE FOR:  GEMINI 
   
   
  Super-villains on sale – buy one, get 
  one free. Oh, wait, those villains are actually 
  evil opposites of your heroes…. 
  21 
  THINKING OUTSIDE THE LEAD BOX 
   
   
  When characters can see through walls, 
  how can a GM challenge them without 
  stifling their senses? 
  29 
  THE $50 MILLION DOLLAR MAN 
   
   
  The soldier of the future is going to 
  have some way cool gear, once only in the 
  realm of science-fiction. 
  32 
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  INCOMPLETE CHARACTER RULES 
   
   
  Spirits, vehicles, foci, characters – why 
  not write them up all in the same way? With 
  the Incomplete Rules, you can. 
  41 
  VARIATIONS ON AREAS OF EFFECT 
   
   
  Character can leave trails, form cages, 
  attack randomly, and do other tricks with 
  these new ways of using Area Of Effect. 
  49 
  FORCE FIELDS ENHANCED 
   
   
  As one of the basic defensive Power, the 
  humble Force Field is often taken for granted. 
  Look at it for the first time, again. 
  53 
  CCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR        CCCCCCCCOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR        
  MATHIAS AROMAK 
   
   
  This planetary dictator… uh, I mean 
  benevolent all-powerful ruler… can be a 
  serious antagonist for Star Hero characters. 
  55 
  STONEWORK 
   
   
  This “fallen” superhero can form his 
  body into any mineral and shape, and he’s 
  huntin’ for someone. 
  60 
   
  DIGITAL HERO 
   
   
  Publisher 
  Hero Games 
  Editor 
  Dave Mattingly 
  Authors 
  W. Jason Allen 
  James Jandebeur 
  Steven S. Long 
  Dave Mattingly 
  Jacob Russell 
  David Storch 
  Michael Surbrook 
  Allen Thomas 
  Jason Walters 
  Darren Watts 
  Artists 
  Robert Cram 
  Dave Mattingly 
  Asbjorn Scholtens 
  Derrick Thomas 
  Chris Watkins 
  Cover Artist 
  Erica Girotto 
  Online 
  herogames.com 
  To Subscribe 
  herogames.com/ 
  digitalhero 
  CONVENTIONS 
   
   
   Hero Games will be 
  at these conventions. 
  Stop by and visit the 
  booth, and play in 
  some games! 
   
  KublaCon 
  May 23-26 
  San Fancisco, CA 
  kublacon.com 
  PortCon 
  June 13-15 
  Portland, ME 
  portconmaine.com 
  Origins  
  June 26-29 
  Columbus, OH 
  originsgames.com 
  GenCon Indy 
  July 24-27 
  Indianapolis, IN 
  gencon.com 
  ConQuest 
  August 29-Sept 1 
  Palo Alto, CA 
  con-quest.com 
  HERO SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.'s trademark for its roleplaying system. 
  HERO System Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All  rights reserved. 
  Champions Copyright © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. 
  Justice Inc., Danger International, Dark Champions, Fantasy Hero, and Star Hero Copyright © 2002 by DOJ, 
  Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. 
  No part of this electronic magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic 
  or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval 
  system, without permission in writing from the Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, 
  California 94102. 
  Issue #10 (May 2003) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  2 
  When We Last Left Our Heroes…  
  by Steven S. Long 
   
   
  There’s not much news this month, so I’ll 
  try to keep things short and sweet, saving a full 
  discussion of Fantasy Hero for the next issue. 
  NANOTECH, WARSTRIDERS, AND 
  STARSHIPS, OH MY! 
   
   
   
  As of when I write this, I’m in the middle of 
  editing our next Star Hero tome, The Spacer’s 
  Toolkit. Written primarily by our very own 
  webmaster, Ben Seeman, ST is an equipment 
  book for science fiction campaigns. Although 
  it’s nominally tied to the Terran Empire setting, 
  it’s got lots of good stuff for just about any Star 
  Hero campaign. 
   
  The first chapter of the book covers personal 
  tech. In addition to a bunch of new weapons, it 
  has robots and androids, computers, 
  nanotechnology, cybersystems, bioware, and 
  much, much more. It’s just the thing when you 
  need to outfit your character for a trek into the 
  wilderness or an espionage mission on Mon’da. 
   
  The second chapter delves into the subject 
  of ground vehicles. It includes write-ups for 
  about 20 of them, both civilian and military. 
  They range from everyday hoverpads and 
  civilian groundcraft, to tanks, to the feared 
  Thorgon Warstrider (the closest thing to a mech 
  you’ll see in the Hero Universe). If you’d like to 
  throw a hovercraft chase into your next Star 
  Hero game, this chapter gives you the vehicles 
  you need. 
   
  The third, and by far the largest, chapter in 
  the book contains approximately three dozen 
  starship write-ups. Most of these ships are Terran 
  military and civilian vessels, but there are plenty 
  of alien ones to go around. The chapter also has 
  some new ship tech. 
   
  Last but not least, there’s an appendix with a 
  big price list for all the goodies in the book. 
  Better save up your credits; some of this stuff is 
  expensive. � 
   
  The Spacer’s Toolkit should hit your local 
  game store’s shelves sometime in late May, so 
  keep your eyes open! 
  ORIGINS AWARD WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN 
   
   
   
  As noted last issue, none of the Hero 
  products we submitted in the nominations round 
  for the Origins Award – the Fifth Edition, 
  Champions, Star Hero for graphics, and Digital 
  Hero – received a nomination. That’s right, not a 
  single one; we were completely shut out. Since 
  we think this is a disgrace (to put it mildly), 
  we’re mounting a write-in campaign. We need 
  your help to make this succeed. We need you, 
  your gaming group, your friends, your family, 
  anyone you can get to go to the Origins Award 
  website and vote for us. Please visit the Hero 
  Games website’s “Origins Award Write-In 
  Campaign” page for more information, including 
  a link to go vote. 
   
  The deadline for voting is June 1, so please 
  vote! 
   
   
  Like I said, a slow news month. Next month 
  I’ll have lots to say about Fantasy Hero and 
  other nifty stuff, so see you in 30! 
   
   
   
  — Steven S. Long 
  HERO System Line Developer 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  3
  HEROglyphs by Steven S. Long 
   
  An Earth-Shattering Ka-Boom! 
  CREATING NUCLEAR WEAPONS USING 
  THE HERO SYSTEM 5TH EDITION  
   
   
   
  Several years ago, I created a HERO System 
  write-up for a one megaton (MT) nuclear bomb; 
  it was published in the HERO System Almanac 
  II. Since the rules have changed a little bit since 
  then in ways that make it easier to write up a 
  nuke, I thought it was time to update and 
  republish the article. In doing so I have not 
  updated the research in any significant respect, 
  but anyone interested can find a wealth of 
  materials, both in print and on the web, on the 
  subject. 
   
  Even more terrifying than biological and 
  chemical weapons are nuclear weapons. Whereas 
  chemical and biological warfare agents may have 
  the capacity to affect everyone in a particular 
  area, nuclear weapons are capable of 
  instantaneously wiping out entire cities and 
  killing tens of thousands of people (or more). 
  The major nations of the world possess enough 
  nuclear weapons to kill most of Earth’s 
  population in a very few minutes (and, according 
  to some theories, condemn the survivors to a 
  slow, painful death from radiation or “nuclear 
  winter”). Currently, the United States, several 
  former Soviet states (Russia, the Ukraine, 
  Belarus, and Kazakhstan), the United Kingdom, 
  France, China, India, Israel, North Korea, South 
  Africa, and Pakistan have nuclear weapons (or 
  nuclear capability and materials); Argentina, 
  Brazil, Chile, Iran, Iraq, Libya, South Korea, and 
  Taiwan have all expressed strong interest in 
  creating their own nuclear bombs, and some 
  have taken steps toward doing so. 
   
  Because of nukes’ incredible destructive 
  capabilities, GMs frequently use them as plot 
  elements in HERO System scenarios. Therefore, 
  GMs and players alike may find it helpful to 
  have an understanding of how nuclear bombs 
  work, and how to simulate their effects in game 
  terms. Of course, most of the time the exact 
  effects of the bomb don’t matter – it’s just a plot 
  device and doesn’t need a write-up. But 
  occasionally it could matter – for example, when 
  a PC’s base of operations is located on the edges 
  of the blast’s effect and the GM must answer the 
  question of exactly what happens to him and his 
  vital equipment. For this reason – and because 
  it’s intriguing to push the limits of the game 
  system and experiment a little bit – this article 
  presents HERO System statistics for the effects of 
  a nuclear bomb. 
   
  Much of the information in this section is 
  subject to change depending on many different 
  factors. The weather, the topography, the 
  accuracy of the bomb, and how perfectly it 
  detonates can all affect the actual explosion and 
  the effects it has. Furthermore, a lot of the 
  present information about nuclear explosions 
  remains subject to interpretation and debate. The 
  author has selected what he feels is the best 
  information, and in some cases has altered it 
  slightly to fit the game system better. Players 
  who prefer to rely on other data or interpretations 
  are free to recalculate the effects of the bomb to 
  suit themselves. 
  How Nuclear Bombs Work 
   
  There are two types of nuclear bombs:  
  fission bombs and fusion bombs. Fission bombs 
  work by splitting apart the large atoms of the 
  elements uranium or plutonium. On detonation, 
  the bomb uses high explosives to force two 
  chunks of the fissionable material together, thus 
  splitting one atom, which causes a chain reaction 
  of fissioning atoms and a tremendous release of 
  energy. Scientists refer to the smallest amount of 
  uranium or plutonium needed to achieve this 
  chain reaction as the “critical mass.” 
   
  Fusion bombs are generally three to four 
  times as powerful as fission bombs. They work 
  by fusing two or more atoms together to form a 
  different element. Usually they fuse deuterium 
  atoms to form helium-3, or deuterium and tritium 
  atoms to form helium-4. To cause this result, a 
  fusion bomb uses a fission bomb as a “trigger.” 
   
  For either type of bomb, the amount of 
  material needed to produce the nuclear explosion 
  is surprisingly small – approximately 55 pounds 
  of enriched uranium, or a mere 18 pounds of 
  plutonium, are all that’s needed to make a bomb 
  as powerful as the one used on Hiroshima (the 
  United States and Russia possess the capability 
  to make a miniature nuke out of as little as six 
  pounds of plutonium, but terrorists and criminals 
  do not have such resources). This makes it easy 
  for the GM to run all sorts of scenarios involving 
  the theft or smuggling of uranium or plutonium 
  (both of which are produced in certain types of 
  nuclear reactors). The actual construction of the 
  bomb mechanism itself is far easier than 
  acquiring the uranium or plutonium – in the past, 
  college undergraduates have designed workable 
  nuclear devices using only declassified United 
  States government documents and readily 
  available materials. It would certainly be 
  possible for clever terrorists, criminal scientists 
  (including former Soviet nuclear scientists hired 
  by criminals), or master villains to do the same. 
  However, the machinery and technological parts 
  needed to build the bomb may not be so easy to 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  4 
  acquire; in many cases they are quite rare, and 
  require highly specialized skills to build or use. 
   
  Physicists rate the force of a nuclear 
  explosion by comparing it to an equivalent 
  amount of tons of TNT. A kiloton equals a 
  thousand tons of TNT, and a megaton equals a 
  million tons. The smallest American nuclear 
  explosive is .1 kiloton, and various nations have 
  bombs ranging into the tens of megatons or 
  higher. Nuclear warheads have been placed on 
  every type of launch system, from relatively 
  short-range artillery to intercontinental ballistic 
  missiles (ICBMs). 
  The Effects Of A Nuclear 
  Explosion 
   
  This section describes the effects of a one-
  megaton (1 MT) nuclear bomb using the HERO 
  System 5th Edition rules. As stated above, much 
  of the data on nuclear explosions is sketchy or 
  highly debatable. The author has made various 
  assumptions and choices so that he could drive 
  game statistics without major difficulty (erring 
  on the side of increased damage or effect, for the 
  sake of drama). Gamemasters and players should 
  feel free to do their own research and tailor the 
  bomb’s effects to suit their own opinions and/or 
  campaigns. 
   
  Common Limitations for the nuclear bomb 
  described below include:  OAF Bulky (-1½), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers and destroys 
  bomb (-4 or less; in some cases this Charge lasts 
  for more than a single Phase); No Range (the 
  launching system must supply the Range for the 
  bomb; -½); and Requires A Systems Operation 
  Roll (-½) (total -6½, less with a Continuing 
  Charge). 
   
  The effects of a nuclear explosion can be 
  roughly summarized as follows: 
  ��initial explosion (immediate release of 
  radiation, thermal blast/flash, 
  electromagnetic pulse [EMP]) 
  ��blast wave and wind effects, 
  ��fires,  
  ��and lingering radiation and fallout. 
   
  Many of these effects vary substantially, 
  depending upon whether the attack was a 
  “ground burst” (in which some or all of the 
  nuclear fireball touches the ground) or an “air 
  burst” (in which the fireball does not touch 
  ground; for a 1 MT bomb, this means it would 
  have to be detonated about 2,000 feet to half a 
  mile above the ground). For example, a ground 
  burst causes a large mushroom cloud, a crater, 
  and tremors:  a 1 MT bomb creates 
  approximately a 200 meter (100”) crater 50-70 
  meters (25-35”) deep (in ordinary soil), and its 
  mushroom cloud may be as much as thirteen 
  miles wide and ten miles high. A 1 MT air burst 
  doesn’t create a crater or tremors, but has a 
  greater EMP. 
   
  Many of the nuclear bomb’s effects include 
  the Advantage Explosion. For ease of 
  calculation, ignore any other Advantages on the 
  power when calculating the dropoff of the 
  Explosion; just subtract 1 DC per hex (or other 
  indicated distance) as if there were no other 
  Advantages on the power. 
  FIRST EFFECT:  IMMEDIATE 
  RADIATION 
   
   
   
  First, a nuclear explosion releases 
  tremendous amounts of radiation (in the form of 
  neutrons and gamma rays) into the area. The 
  radiation does not cover as large an area as the 
  heat or blast effects, but is nonetheless deadly 
  (particularly to Desolidified characters who 
  might otherwise survive the explosion). 
  Scientists measure the amount of radiation 
  released in roentgens and Roentgen Absorbed 
  Dose (rads) (which describes the effects of 
  radiation on humans; see Star Hero, pages 282-
  83, for more information). A 1 MT bomb 
  irradiates about a 1-mile (1.6 km, or 804.5”) 
  radius area with over 19,000 rads, enough to kill 
  humans instantly (if near the blast) or within 
  minutes or hours (if slightly farther away). 
  However, by 2 miles this has dropped off to 
  about 24 rads, which is not likely to have much 
  effect on humans. Persons caught between one 
  and two miles are likely to absorb enough 
  radiation to cause them a slow and painful death 
  in days or weeks (in game terms, this is a 
  Gradual Effect with reduced value because a 
  larger than normal portion of the damage accrues 
  immediately). Humans lacking special 
  equipment or senses cannot detect radiation (this 
  sort of intense burst doesn’t even do STUN), but 
  survivors feel its effects for the rest of their lives 
  (however short those lives may be). 
   
  Initial Radiation:  Drain BODY 20d6, 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense 
  is Life Support [Safe Environment:  High 
  Radiation]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Area 
  Of Effect (One Hex Doubled; +¾), 
  Affects Desolidified (+½), Continuous 
  (+1), Invisible Power Effects (creation of 
  radiation field is perceivable, field itself 
  afterwards is not; +½), MegaArea (each 
  hex is 1 mile wide and broad; +½) (1,600 
  Active Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), 
  Targets In Outer Ring Of Hexes Take 
  Half Damage (-¼), Gradual Effect 
  (everyone takes half of their damage 
  immediately; and the other half as 1d6 
  per Day; -1), Requires A Systems 
  Operation Roll (-½), 1 Continuing 
  Charge which lasts 1 Hour, Never 
  Recovers, and destroys bomb (-2¼) (total 
  cost:  246 points)  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  5
  plus Drain CON 10d6, Delayed Return 
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 
  Week; +1¾), NND (defense is Life 
  Support [Safe Environment:  High 
  Radiation]; +1), Area Of Effect (One 
  Hex Doubled; +¾), Affects Desolidified 
  (+½), Continuous (+1), Invisible Power 
  Effects (creation of radiation field is 
  perceivable, field itself afterwards is 
  not; +½), MegaArea (each hex is 1 mile 
  wide and broad; +½) (700 Active 
  Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), Linked (-½) 
  Targets In Outer Ring Of Hexes Take 
  Half Damage (-¼), Gradual Effect 
  (everyone takes half of their damage 
  immediately; and the other half as 1d6 
  per Day; -1), Requires A Systems 
  Operation Roll (-½), 1 Continuing 
  Charge which lasts 1 Hour, Never 
  Recovers, and destroys bomb (-2¼) 
  (total cost:  100 points). Total cost:  346 
  points. 
  SECOND EFFECT:  FLASH 
   
   
   
  When a nuclear bomb explodes, it 
  immediately releases about one-third to one-half 
  of its energy in the form of a blast of thermal 
  energy. The nuclear fireball formed by the 
  explosion of a 1 MT bomb is as hot as the heart 
  of the sun and is more than 300 feet (about 50”) 
  wide less than a thousandth of a second after 
  detonation. It continues to grow (and to rise off 
  the ground) until it’s about 2,000 feet to half a 
  mile (403”) wide. The heat and light energy 
  travel at just under the speed of light, and last for 
  about two seconds. 
   
  One of the effects from this release of 
  energy is that persons looking in the direction of 
  the blast suffer flash-blindness or permanent eye 
  damage (retinal burns and possibly total 
  blindness) because of the brightness of the light. 
  Estimates on the reach of this effect range from 
  13 miles to 27 miles (21 km to 43.2 km) during 
  the day, and 53 miles to 70 miles (112 km) at 
  night (for the effect calculated below, ranges of 
  approximately 50 miles (40,250”) at night and 13 
  miles (10,465”) in the daytime have been 
  chosen). 
   
  This effect is written up as a Transform that 
  covers a smaller area in the daytime. Victims 
  who take twice their BODY from the effect are 
  permanently blinded. Other victims suffer 
  varying degrees of eye injury (with minuses to 
  Sight Group PER Rolls) and heal from them as 
  they would normally. In game terms, this is 
  represented with the Partial Transform 
  Advantage. A victim who undergoes a Cosmetic 
  Transform suffers a -2 to all Sight Group PER 
  Rolls; one who undergoes a Minor Transform 
  suffers a -4 to all Sight Group PER Rolls. 
   Cost Power 
   
  26 Blinding Flash:  Major Transform 9d6 
  (sighted beings to blind beings, heals 
  back via eye transplantation or the like), 
  Partial Transform (+½) (202 Active 
  Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), Limited 
  Target (sighted beings; -¼), 1 Charge 
  which Never Recovers and destroys 
  bomb (-4), No Range (-½), Requires A 
  Systems Operation Roll (-½) 
   
  13 Daytime Flash:  Explosion (+½) and 
  MegaArea (each hex is 1 km wide and 
  broad; +¼) for Blinding Flash (102 
  Active Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), 
  Limited Target (sighted beings; -¼), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers and 
  destroys bomb (-4), No Range (-½), 
  Requires A Systems Operation Roll (-½) 
   
  4 Nighttime Flash:  Increase to Explosion 
  (-1 DC/2”; +¾) and MegaArea (each hex 
  is 1 km wide and broad; +¼) for 
  Blinding Flash (+33 Active Points); OAF 
  Bulky (-1½), Only At Night (-½), 
  Limited Target (sighted beings; -¼), 1 
  Charge which Never Recovers and 
  destroys bomb (-4), No Range (-½), and 
  Requires A Systems Operation Roll (-½) 
   
  Total cost:  43 points 
  THIRD EFFECT:  THERMAL BLAST 
   
   
   
  All of the heat and light described above 
  does more than just blind people. The heat 
  energy can vaporize metals, cause tremendous 
  fires (see below), and inflict burns upon people. 
  The heat travels at just under the speed of light 
  and lasts for about two seconds. 
   
  Thermal Blast:  RKA 20d6, Explosion 
  (dropoff as indicated by accompanying 
  table; +½), MegaArea (1” = ½ km, or 
  about 1/3 mile; +¼) (525 Active Points); 
  OAF Bulky (-1½), 1 Charge which 
  Never Recovers and destroys bomb  
  (-4), No Range (-½), Requires A 
  Systems Operation Roll (-½). Total 
  cost:  70 points. 
   
   
  The exact effects and range of a 1 MT 
  thermal blast are summarized in the following 
  chart, which is based primarily on one found in 
  the book Weapons, by the Diagram Group (table 
  on following page). 
   
  An object suffers lesser burns if it is colored 
  white (subtract up to 3 DC), and greater burns if 
  it is black (add up to 3 DC). The same applies to 
  people, based on their clothing. For notes on the 
  possible effects of fires, see below (Seventh 
  Effect).
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  6 
  FOURTH EFFECT:  
  ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) 
   
   
   
  When a nuclear bomb explodes, the 
  radiation it emits ionizes atoms for many miles 
  around (with some airbursts, for more than 50 
  miles!). This takes mere fractions of a second, 
  but can generate thousands of volts of radio 
  wave-like energy. This energy does not damage 
  humans, but it plays havoc with electrical 
  circuits, disrupting or destroying them. This is 
  bought as a Dispel that affects electrical circuits. 
   
  EMP:  Dispel 20d6, all Electrical 
  Circuit powers simultaneously (+2), 
  Area Of Effect (26” Radius; +1), 
  MegaArea (each 1” = 1 km wide and 
  broad; +¼), Indirect (attacks all parts of 
  objects, such as all walls in a building, 
  +¾), Invisible Power Effects (creation 
  of EMP is perceivable, field itself 
  afterwards is not; +½) (330 Active 
  Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), 1 Charge 
  which Never Recovers and destroys 
  bomb (-4), No Range (-½), Requires A 
  Systems Operation Roll (-½). Total 
  cost:  44 points. 
   
  FIFTH EFFECT:  BLAST WAVE 
   
   
   
  The blast wave is probably the most 
  devastating part of a nuclear explosion. The 
  force of the explosion creates massive amounts 
  of pressure, which travel outward in a wave, 
  accompanied by incredibly strong winds. 
  Sometimes this effect reflects off of the ground, 
  thereby increasing its own power (this is known 
  as a “mach wave”). The blast effect is known as 
  “static overpressure” (SO), and is measured in 
  pounds per square inch (psi) over the standard 
  atmospheric pressure. The extreme increase in 
  pressure can destroy buildings miles away from 
  the center of the blast because it affects all parts 
  of the building and crushes it. Anybody inside 
  when a building collapses is likely to die. But SO 
  has relatively little effect on soft, malleable 
  objects like human beings – as little as 5 psi 
  obliterates the average residential house, but a 
  human can withstand 30 psi before suffering 
  injury. Unless the GM rules otherwise for some 
  reason, the SO should not affect characters, 
  unless the characters are unusually non-resilient 
  (for example, if they’re made of metal or the 
  like). 
   
  However, the intense winds, known as 
  “dynamic pressure” (DP), do affect humans. 
  They pick up all of the rubble, shards of glass, 
  bits of metal, and other debris created by the SO 
  and throw it against everything in their path, 
  such as people. They also overturn cars, uproot 
  trees, pull people out of buildings, and slam 
  people against other objects with lethal force. As 
  a result, one way or another a 1 MT blast kills or 
  injures everyone within about five miles. 
   
  The effects of the blast wave can last for 
  several seconds, depending upon the size of the 
  bomb; with a 1 MT bomb, they should last no 
  more than half a Turn.  
   
   Cost Power 
   
  135 Blast Wave (Static Overpressure):  
  RKA 20d6, Explosion (dropoff as 
  indicated by accompanying table; +½), 
  MegaArea (1” = ½ km, or about 1/3 
  mile, wide and broad; +¼), Continuous 
  (+1), Indirect (attacks all parts of 
  objects, such as all walls in a building, 
  +¾) (1,050 Active Points); OAF Bulky 
  (-1½), 1 Continuous Charge lasting 6 
  Segments which Never Recovers and 
  destroys bomb (-3¼), No Range (-½), 
  Requires A Systems Operation Roll  
   
   (-½), Little Or No Effect On Soft, 
  Malleable Objects (including living 
  creatures; -1) 
   
  155 Blast Wave (Winds):  RKA 20d6, 
  Explosion (dropoff as indicated by 
  accompanying table; +½), MegaArea 
  (1” = ½ km, or about 1/3 mile, wide and 
  broad; +¼), Continuous (+1), Double 
  Knockback (+¾) (1,050 Active Points); 
  OAF Bulky (-1½), 1 Continuous Charge 
  lasting 6 Segments which Never 
  Recovers and destroys bomb (-3¼), No 
  Range (-½), Requires A Systems 
  Operation Roll (-½) 
   
  Total cost:  290 points. 
  NUCLEAR WEAPON THERMAL BLAST RADIUS 
   
   
  Minimum 
  Maximum 
  Game 
  Range 
  Range 
  Range 
  Damage 
  Effects 
  0 
  2.25 miles 
  up to 1500” 
  20-16d6 
  Metals vaporize 
  1.8 miles 
  3.5 miles 
  1501-2500” 
  15-10d6 
  Metals melt 
  3.25 miles 
  7.1 miles 
  2501-5000” 
  9-6d6 
  Rubber and plastic ignites and melts 
  5.1 miles 
  8.0 miles 
  5001-6000” 
  5-4d6 
  Wood and other flammables burst into 
  flame or char 
  7.5 miles 
  10.2 miles 
  6001-7200” 
  4-3d6 
  Skin suffers third-degree burns 
  9.25 miles 
  13.25 miles 
  7201-10000” 
  3-2d6 
  Skin suffers second-degree burns 
  11.5 miles 
  18.3 miles 
  10001-14732” 
  1d6 
  Skin suffers first-degree burns 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  7
   
   
  The table above, also adapted from 
  Weapons, describes the effects of a 1 MT blast 
  wave. 
  SIXTH EFFECT:  NEGATIVE PRESSURE 
   
   
   
  After the explosion creates the static 
  overpressure and winds blowing outward, air has 
  to rush back in to fill the vacuum left by the 
  outrushing winds. This effect, though much 
  gentler than dynamic pressure, can still cause 
  damage due to blown objects and the like. 
   
  Negative Pressure:  RKA 3d6, Area 
  Of Effect (9” Radius; +1), MegaArea 
  (1” = 1 km wide and broad; +¼), 
  Continuous (+1) (146 Active Points); 
  OAF Bulky (-1½), 1 Continuous 
  Charge lasting 1 Turn which Never 
  Recovers and destroys bomb (-3¼), No 
  Range (-½), Requires A Systems 
  Operation Roll (-½). Total cost:  22 
  points. 
  SEVENTH EFFECT:  FIRES 
   
   
   
  The tremendous heat generated by a nuclear 
  explosion ignites any flammable objects not 
  destroyed outright. The so-called “fire zone” 
  within which this effect occurs is typically a 5-10 
  mile radius for a 1 MT bomb. However, the 
  bomb’s blast wave may put out many fires (the 
  GM decides whether this occurs, and to what 
  extent it ameliorates the fire damage). 
   
  Ignite Flammable Objects:  RKA 1 
  point, Area Of Effect (16” Radius; +2), 
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km wide and broad; 
  +¼), Continuous (+1), Indirect (attacks 
  all parts of objects, such as all walls in a 
  building, +¾), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Sticky (only affects 
  flammables; +¼), Uncontrolled (keeps 
  burning until extinguished or fuel is 
  consumed; +½) (31 Active Points); 
  OAF Bulky (-1½), No Range (-½), No 
  Knockback (-¼), Requires A Systems 
  Operation Roll (-½). Total cost:  8 
  points. 
   
   
  It is possible for the fires to join together in 
  two ways to cause even more damage. First, 
  there could be a conflagration:  the fires spread 
  out of control and devastate many square miles 
  of still-standing structures and plant life. Second, 
  and even worse, is the firestorm, in which the 
  fires join in a central area and begin to suck in 
  oxygen. The inrushing oxygen feeds the fire, 
  turning it into a raging, self-sustaining inferno 
  that only ends when it has destroyed everything 
  flammable. No one can accurately predict 
  whether a firestorm will start; Hiroshima 
  suffered one but Nagasaki, which is hillier, only 
  suffered a conflagration. 
   
  In game terms, this effect is a Continuous 
  Aid, with a Trigger (the Ignite Flammable 
  Objects effect starting) and an Activation Roll 
  (which supplies the unpredictability). The Aid 
  affects both the Killing Attack of the fires and 
  the Aid itself, and it applies to all fires within the 
  defined Area Of Effect. For purposes of the Aid, 
  assume the bomb has SPD 2. 
   
  BLAST WAVE TABLE 
   
   
  Range 
  Game Range 
  Damage 
  Effects 
  Up to 1.4 miles 
  up to 1127” 
  20-16d6 
  30 psi/670 mph winds:  total destruction 
  1.5-1.8 miles 
  1128-1449” 
  15-11d6 
  20 psi/470 mph winds:  massive structures and 
  reinforced concrete destroyed 
  1.9-2.0 miles 
  1450-1610” 
  10-9d6 
  15 psi/380 mph winds:  multistory buildings 
  damaged and sometimes destroyed 
  2.1-2.5 miles 
  1611-2013” 
  8-7d6 
  10 psi/290 mph winds:  factories and 
  commercial structures destroyed 
  2.6-3.1 miles 
  2014-2496” 
  6d6 
  7 psi/225 mph winds:  residential structures 
  destroyed 
  3.2-3.8 miles 
  2497-3059” 
  5d6 
  5 psi/160 mph winds:  residential and light 
  commercial structures badly damaged or 
  destroyed 
  3.9-4.8 miles 
  3060-3864” 
  4d6 
  3 psi/116 mph winds:  walls of steel-framed 
  buildings blown away, dwellings badly 
  damaged, vehicles overturned, persons in 
  the open killed 
  4.9-5.9 miles 
  3865-4750” 
  3-2d6 
  2 psi/70 mph winds:  wooden buildings and 
  similar structures damaged 
  6.0-10.0 miles 
  4751-8050” 
  2-1d6 
  1 psi/48 mph winds:  little appreciable effect 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  8 
  Firestorm:  Aid Fire Powers 4d6, two 
  Fire Powers (the RKA and the 
  maximum effect of this Aid) 
  simultaneously (+½), Can Add 
  Maximum Of 60 Points’ Worth Of Fire 
  Powers, Delayed Return Rate (points 
  fade at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1), Area 
  Of Effect (25” Radius; +1), MegaArea 
  (1” = ½ km, or about 1/3 mile, wide and 
  broad; +¼), Continuous (+1), Trigger 
  (+¼), Uncontrolled (keeps working 
  until fires burn out or are extinguished; 
  +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  (348 Active Points); OAF Bulky (-1½), 
  Activation Roll 11- (-1), Requires A 
  Systems Operation Roll (-½). Total 
  cost:  87 points. 
  EIGHTH EFFECT:  RADIATION, 
  FALLOUT, AND NUCLEAR WINTER 
   
   
   
  The lingering radiation created by a nuclear 
  detonation can last weeks, months, or years. It 
  has been estimated that 1 MT explosion would 
  force the evacuation of all people in a 4,900 
  square mile area around the explosion for at least 
  a week (and in the 1,400 square mile area 
  immediately around the explosion for a month or 
  more). As a basic rule of thumb, GMs can use 
  the seven-tenths rule:  seven hours after the 
  explosion, the radiation levels drop to one-tenth 
  of what they were one hour after the explosion; 
  49 (7 x 7) hours afterwards, 1/100th, and so forth. 
  For the effects of radiation, refer to pages 282-83 
  of Star Hero. Remember that in some genres 
  (like Champions), radiation can have some 
  unusual effects. 
   
  In addition to the localized radiation, the 
  radioactive debris kicked into the atmosphere by 
  a nuclear explosion eventually descends to Earth 
  as fallout. The pattern of fallout from a given 
  nuclear explosion depends mainly on how high it 
  goes and what the prevailing weather conditions 
  (particularly the wind) are like. 
   
  Lastly, some authorities believe a large 
  nuclear exchange would kick so much dust and 
  smoke into the air that it would blot out the sun, 
  creating “nuclear winter.” In the worst-case 
  scenario, this would mean the extinction of life 
  on Earth as temperatures dropped below freezing 
  and food production became impossible. 
  However, many experts question these 
  doomsday predictions, and in any event, it would 
  require a major nuclear exchange to create this 
  effect (something that’s unlikely to happen in 
  most gaming campaigns). 
   
  Because the effects of radiation, fallout, and 
  nuclear winter are so unpredictable, no damage 
  statistics are given for them. The GM should 
  adjudicate their effects on his campaign himself.  
   
  Cost Summary 
   
  So, here are the total costs for a 1 MT 
  nuclear bomb: 
   
  Effect 
  Active Points Real Points 
  Radiation burst 
  2,300 
  346 
  Flash 
  337 
  43 
  Thermal blast 
  525 
  70 
  EMP 
  330 
  45 
  Blast, SO 
  1,050 
  135 
  Blast, winds 
  1,050 
  155 
  Negative pressure 
  146 
  22 
  Ignite object 
  31 
  8 
  Firestorm 
  348 
  87 
   
  Total 
  6,117 
  911 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  9
  Hero Universe by Darren Watts 
   
   
  Felicitations, fellow explorers of the misty 
  depths of history, to another untold tale of the 
  Champions Universe. When last we met, I told 
  you all of the fateful origin of the Fabulous Five. 
  Please enjoy the second part of their tale, as well 
  as the rest of the character sheets and lovely 
  portraits by Derrick Thomas. 
  Part III 
   
  “Man, I hate these things,” Diamond 
  whispered sotto voce to Kid Chameleon, as the 
  two stood as far back on the stage as decorum 
  allowed. As usual, Amazing Man, Siren, and 
  Streak were up front, serenely comfortable in the 
  glare of the TV lights and the popping of 
  flashbulbs.  
   
  “It’ll be over soon,” the Kid whispered back. 
  Truthfully, while he had no desire for the 
  spotlight either, he found these press conferences 
  less annoying than his large friend, mostly 
  because they at least did a pretty good job 
  keeping out the packs of screaming young girls 
  that had taken to showing up at every public 
  appearance of the group the press had dubbed the 
  “Fabulous Five.” At first, he’d found it amusing 
  and flattering, if a bit unnerving, but their 
  increasing fervor over the last few months had 
  begun to wear on him. Streak’s repeated joking 
  offers to “take some of the young ladies off your 
  hands” hadn’t helped. 
   
  Amazing Man attempted to restore order 
  among the crowd of reporters who were shouting 
  questions. “Please, please, one at a time. We’ll 
  get to everybody, I promise.” Diamond grumbled 
  again, this time loud enough to be picked up by 
  the microphone. The assembled reporters 
  hesitated, unsure how to take the fairly menacing 
  noise from the fearsome-looking creature 
  standing in the back. Streak adroitly picked up 
  the sudden change in the room’s vibe. “But let’s 
  move it along. Diamond’s missing his afternoon 
  beauty sleep,” he grinned, and the reporters 
  joined in relieved laughter. Diamond’s frown 
  burned holes in the back of Streak’s neck, but no 
  one seemed to notice. 
   
  “All right,” said Amazing Man. “How about 
  we start with you, Dan?” He pointed to one of 
  the reporters near the front of the crowd. 
   
  “Amazing Man, we’d like to know, how did 
  you all escape from Scorpio’s castle before the 
  explosion?” 
   
  “Well, that’s an interesting story. As it 
  turned out, the walls of the dungeon were 
  reinforced with a strange steel alloy….” 
   
  Part IV 
   
  The return of the crew of the Jules Verne 
  from their successful mission to destroy Comet 
  X was an international event. When it was 
  discovered that the crew had, in the course of 
  their adventure, encountered aliens and then been 
  transformed into superhumans with astonishing 
  powers, the team was dubbed the “Fabulous 
  Five” by some anonymous press wag and rapidly 
  became enormous celebrities. Though there were 
  several active superheroes in America at the 
  time, such as the second Meteor Man, the 
  armored Rocketman, and the Black Mask, none 
  had been as accessible to the media or 
  maintained their public identities. 
   
  Michael Renton quickly established the 
  team as a sort of “super-corporation” and hired a 
  small public relations firm, Barton Gardner 
  Smith, to handle the requests for public 
  appearances. Their agent, Jack Gardner, helped 
  the team select superheroic-sounding “code 
  names” and design a uniform for the team to 
  wear. At first, John was only willing to “go 
  along with the superhero silliness” until Michael 
  or other scientists of the time were able to 
  reverse his physical transformation, but their 
  repeated failures and his inability to find 
  acceptance in “normal” society eventually 
  overcame his objections and he remained a 
  valued member of the team.  
   
  That first summer of 1959 was largely spent 
  making public appearances, consulting with the 
  US government on the question of responding to 
  possible further contact with aliens, and 
  Renton’s efforts to form the group into an 
  effective team while building them an official 
  headquarters in New York City near Central 
  Park. Their very public rescue efforts at a high-
  rise fire in June garnered them further positive 
  press, and in July, they captured the outlaw 
  scientist Emil Scorpio, who had planned to 
  destroy New York with a massive earthquake-
  generating device. By the end of that month, no 
  upscale party in Manhattan was complete 
  without one of the Fab Five in attendance, and 
  every glossy magazine in the country could rely 
  on having their circulation boosted with a cover 
  picture of one of the team. Women around the 
  world changed their hairstyles to match Siren’s, 
  and teen girls swooned over pictures of the 
  Streak. Even the efforts of the shapeshifting 
  villain Muto to discredit the heroes later that 
  summer only produced a brief backlash, and 
  when the team brought him to justice their 
  stardom was that much more secure. 
                                                             
  artwork by Derrick Thomas 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  10 
   
  Over the next several years, the Fabulous 
  Five remained one of the world’s foremost 
  superhero teams. Their primary rivals were the 
  Sentinels, a collection of solo heroes who 
  worked together only in times of crisis and 
  maintained strong ties to the US Department of 
  Scientific Intelligence through members Dr. 
  Phantom and Microman, and the Justice 
  Squadron, a reconstituted team from the 1940s 
  who were largely organized around the powerful 
  hero Vanguard and his close friends.  
   
  Unlike those two teams, the Fab Five 
  concentrated more on scientific exploration and 
  menaces than battling supervillains, though 
  occasionally they would wind up in conflict with 
  ordinary costumed criminals like Rockslide or 
  the mind-controlling Guru. More often, however, 
  they spent their time pushing back the 
  boundaries of science and exploring the 
  mysteries of Earth and space; it was the Fabulous 
  Five who reinitiated contact with Atlantis in 
  1963 after they had withdrawn from the surface 
  world in the late 1940s, and who discovered the 
  existence of the alien Selenites on the moon in 
  1965, and who battled the tyrant Arvad and his 
  army of mutated Lemurians when they tried to 
  destroy the mysterious Empyrean citadel of 
  Arcadia in 1966. In 1967, they even teamed with 
  the surviving members of the Defenders Of 
  Justice to battle the invading Sirian warriors 
  whose first attempt at conquering Earth in 1938 
  had led to the older team’s formation. 
   
  The team itself underwent a few changes 
  over the decade as well. Allen grew to 
  adulthood, finally insisting that the press drop 
  the “Kid” from his name when he turned twenty-
  one in 1966. Michael and Patty eventually found 
  themselves truly in love, and wed in 1965 in a 
  ceremony that sparked headlines around the 
  globe (and at which several other superheroes 
  were guests; the bachelor party coincided with 
  the return of the villain Typhoon and his Storm 
  Bringers, and the resulting brawl was one of the 
  most spectacular of the decade). Ray married his 
  first wife, actress Betty Hervey, in 1967, though 
  the marriage would only last a few years. And in 
  1969, Michael and Patty’s son Peter was born, 
  which would lead to his parent’s retirement and 
  some serious changes in the team’s lineup and 
  mission. More next month! 
   
  Amazing Man I 
  Personality:  Amazing Man is the brains behind 
  the Fabulous Five, both in the sense that he’s one 
  of the world’s most versatile and respected 
  scientists, and that he’s the member of the team 
  who is most temperamentally suited to 
  thoughtful analysis of a situation while his more 
  aggressive teammates leap into the fray. He 
  enjoys the publicity and status of being a 
  celebrity superhero, inasmuch as it helps him to 
  get access to funding and allows him to spend 
  his time on such fascinating puzzles as the 
  Shadow Zone and the Infraverse. He notoriously 
  does not have a sense of humor; while he’s not 
  stern or grim, he is slow to get jokes and is easily 
  distracted. He is fond of all of his teammates, 
  especially his little brother Allen of whom he 
  feels somewhat protective, but his love for Siren 
  is deep and abiding (despite the fact he has never 
  once remembered their anniversary). 
   
  Quote:  “I thought that creature would be 
  susceptible to a sudden introduction of 
  phosphorous. Now, Diamond, would you carry it 
  back to my lab for some tests?” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Amazing Man can transmute 
  any element into any other, through a 
  subconscious telekinetic manipulation of matter 
  at the atomic level. He generally uses this for 
  simple tasks, such as turning the nitrogen in the 
  air to a tranquilizing gas, or creating crude iron 
  manacles for opponents. However, he is an 
  accomplished chemist and occasionally comes 
  up with a truly creative new use for his power 
  just in time to save the day. His reflexes are low, 
  as are his general defenses; usually he stays at 
  the back of a fight while his flashier teammates 
  take the offensive, shouting instructions and 
  making the team’s tactical decisions while 
  deciding where best to apply his unique abilities. 
   
  Appearance:  Michael Renton is a handsome 
  man with brown eyes and brown hair starting to 
  turn gray. His features are a bit sharp. He wears 
  the basic Fab Five uniform, and tends toward 
  starched shirts and lab coats when out of 
  costume. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  11
  Amazing Man I 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   13 STR 
  3 12- 
  150 kg; 2½d6 HTH [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- 
  PER Roll:  13- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- 
  ECV:  5 
   18 PRE 
  8 13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6 
   18 COM 
  4 13- 
   
   
  6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  14 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  14 ED (8 rED) 
   
  5 SPD 
  22 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   40 END 
  5 
   28 STUN 
  3 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  105 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   70 Transmutation:  Multipower, 70-point 
  reserve 
   
   5u 1) Knockout Gas:  EB 4d6, No Normal 
  Defense (LS: Self-Contained Breathing; 
  +1), Area Of Effect (4” Nonselective 
  Radius; +¾), Conforming (+½); Not in 
  High Winds (-¼) 
  6 
   7u 2) Create Masses Around Targets:  
  Entangle 6d6, 5 DEF, Variable Special 
  Effects (+¼) 
  7 
   5u 3) Create Gasses:  Change 
  Environment 4” Radius (-3 PER Roll: 
  Sight Group), Altered Shape (Any 
  Area; +0), Conforming (+½), Varying 
  Effect (+1) 
  5 
   5u 4) Object Destruction:  RKA 1d6+1, 
  Attack Versus Limited Defense (Power 
  Defense, +1½), Does BODY (+1); No 
  Knockback (-¼), Requires A Skill Roll 
  (SS: Chemistry, -¼) 
  7 
   5u 5) Solid into Gas:  Tunneling 10” 
  through 10 DEF 
  5 
   5u 6) Elemental Transmutation:  Major 
  Transform 3½d6 (any nonliving 
  element into another, +¼); Limited 
  Target (-¼), Requires A Skill Roll (SS: 
  Chemistry, -¼) 
  7 
   2u 7) Atmosphere Creation:  Life Support  
  (Expanded Breathing), Usable By 
  Others (up to 4 others simultaneously, 
  +1) 
  0 
   45 Additional Minor Transmutation 
  Effects:  VPP, 30-point reserve, Powers 
  Can Be Changed As A Half-Phase 
  Action (+½); Limited Class Of Powers 
  Available (-½) 
   
   16 Costume:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); IIF 
  (-¼), Activation Roll 15- (-¼) 
  0 
   48 Gadget Pool:  VPP, 40-point reserve; 
  Can Only Be Changed Between 
  Adventures (-½), Limited Class Of 
  Powers Available (-½), OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  3 Computer Link: UNTIL 
   
  4 Contact:  Drake Wilson 8- (access to 
  major institutions, significant Contacts of 
  his own, useful Skills or resources) 
   10 Money (Wealthy) 
   
  4 Reputation:  Heroic Explorer and Scientist 
  (large group, 11-) +2/+2d6 
   
   Talents 
   
  3 Lightning Calculator 
   
   Skills 
   
  6 +2 with Transmutation Attacks 
   
   
  3 Computer Programming 13- 
   
  5 Cramming  
   
  3 Cryptography 13- 
   
  5 Electronics 14- 
   
  3 Forensic Medicine 13- 
   
  5 Inventor 14- 
   
  3 KS: Earth’s Superhumans 13- 
   
  3 KS: Mysterious Places of the World 13- 
   
  1 Language: Atlantean (Basic Conversation) 
   
  1 Language: Birdman (Basic Conversation) 
   
  2 Language: Russian (Fluent Conversation)  
   
  3 Mechanics 13- 
   
  6 Navigation (Air, Dimensional, Land, 
  Marine, Space) 13- 
   
  3 Oratory 13- 
   
  3 Paramedics 13- 
   
  9 Power (Transmutation) 14- 
   
  3 Scientist 
   
  4 1) SS: Astronomy 15- 
   
  2 2) SS: Astrophysics 13- 
   
  3 3) SS: Biochemistry 14- 
   
  2 4) SS: Biology 13- 
   
  3 5) SS: Chemistry 14- 
   
  2 6) SS: Hyper-Dimensional Physics 13- 
   
  3 7) SS: Physics 14- 
   
  3 Systems Operation 13- 
   
  3 Tactics 13- 
   
  3 Teamwork 13- 
   
  3 TF: Early Spacecraft, Large Planes, 
  Spaceplanes 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  335 
   
  Total Cost:  440 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 DNPC:  Lab Assistant (Russ Durban) 8- 
  (Normal, Useful skills) 
   20 Hunted:  Rogues Gallery 11- (As Pow, 
  Harshly Punish, PC has a Public ID or is 
  otherwise very easy to find) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Insatiably 
  Curious (Common, Strong) 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  12 
  Amazing Man I 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Code vs. 
  Killing (Common, Strong) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  In Love 
  with Siren (Common, Moderate) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Takes 
  Responsibility for Everything 
  (Common, Strong) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Public Celebrity 
  (Very Frequently, Major) 
   140 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  440 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  13
  Kid Chameleon 
  Personality:  Kid Chameleon is the junior 
  member of the Fab Five, and goes through the 
  most changes during the Sixties. At the time of 
  the mission to Comet X, he’s a fourteen-year-old 
  boy who is quite bright for his age, hero-
  worships his older brother, Amazing Man, and 
  constantly gets into scrapes by sticking his nose 
  into dangerous situations. By the time a couple 
  of years have passed, he’s grown a bit into his 
  looks (and amassed an enormous fan club 
  primarily consisting of teenage girls), and 
  become much more thoughtful and serious. He’s 
  sensitive and empathic, and becomes 
  increasingly reluctant to use violence as he gets 
  older.  
   
  Quote:  “Why don’t you let me take a quick look 
  around as a hawk first?” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Kid Chameleon can take the 
  shape of any terrestrial animal he can think of, 
  though he generally sticks to a range of 
  particularly useful forms such as hawks, tigers, 
  sharks, apes and tiny flying insects. As a general 
  rule, more fantastic or alien forms are beyond 
  him. He usually acts as the team’s stealthy scout, 
  attacking from surprise with a sudden form 
  change. 
   
  Appearance:  Allen Renton is a teenage boy, 
  somewhat short and slender, with brown eyes 
  and dirty-blonde hair that he wears according to 
  the teen fashions of the time. (In the early ‘60s, 
  for example, he has Beatlesque shaggy bangs, 
  and later that decade he experiments with  
  longer straight hair, and even  
  disastrously flirts with muttonchops.)  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  14 
  Kid Chameleon 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 (8) 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   15 INT 
  5 12- 
  PER Roll:  12- 
   13 EGO 
  6 12- 
  ECV:  4 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  14 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  13 ED (8 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  7 REC 
  4 
   36 END 
  5 
   25 STUN 
  3 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  74 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   90 Animal Forms:  Multiform (Up to 300 
  Character Points) (Instant Change, x32 
  Number Of Forms) 
  0 
   
  5 Lucky Kid:  Luck 1d6 
  0 
   16 Costume:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  Activation Roll 15- (-¼), IIF (-¼) 
  0 
  Perks 
   
  8 Money (Wealthy) 
   
  4 Reputation: Adorable Teen Hero (large 
  group, 11-) +2/+2d6 
  Skills 
   10 +2 with DCV 
   
   11 Animal Handler (Aquatic Animals, Birds, 
  Bovines, Canines, Elephants, Equines, 
  Felines, Raptors, Reptiles & Amphibians, 
  Ursines) 12- 
   
  3 Breakfall 13- 
   
  3 Climbing 13- 
   
  5 Concealment 13- 
   
  3 High Society 12- 
   
  3 KS: Animals 12- 
   
  2 KS: Dinosaurs 11- 
   
  3 Mimicry 12- 
   
  3 Riding 13- 
   
  4 SS: Zoology 13- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  2 Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 12- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 178 
   
  Total Cost: 252 
   
   150+ Disadvantages 
   25 Hunted:  Rogues Gallery 11- (More Pow, 
  Harshly Punish, PC has a Public ID or is 
  otherwise very easy to find) 
   10 Psychological Limitation:  Curious and 
  Nosy (Common, Moderate) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Protective/ 
  Won’t Harm Animals (Common, Strong) 
   15 Social Limitation:  Celebrity Superhero 
  (Frequently, Major) 
   
  5 Social Limitation:  Youth (Occasionally, 
  Minor) 
   32 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  252 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  15
  You Gotta Have Character by Jason Walters 
   
   
  As long as the pocketwatch moved 
  backwards and forwards in its slow, 
  rhythmic way, the young man with his 
  shirtsleeves rolled to his elbows continued 
  speaking, his voice murmuring as it 
  echoed softly through the rafters of the 
  high-ceilinged clapboard church. Off to 
  one side, a small bald man with bottle-
  thick glasses worked furiously to 
  transcribe every one of the young man’s 
  words as they flowed from his hypnotized 
  lips. The frenzied scratching of his pen 
  provided the only audible counterpoint to 
  the almost spellbinding sound of the 
  young man’s voice. 
   
  The crowd assembled in the pews 
  below was respectfully silent, having 
  come from farms and neighboring rural 
  communities as much as half a day’s ride 
  away to hear the eerie pronouncements of 
  the renounced Poughkeepsie Seer, an 
  uneducated man reputedly able to speak in 
  tongues long lost to history, read 
  newspapers while blindfolded, diagnose 
  illness, and predict the future while under 
  the mesmeric influences of his medium, 
  Mr. William Levingston. They sat sternly 
  in their Sunday best, men in their stiff 
  collars and women in their enormous 
  flower-like bonnets, waiting for a 
  dramatic pronouncement from beyond the 
  known world. 
   
  The young man’s eyes were rolled 
  back into his head, his pale handsome 
  features covered in sweat. Slowly his 
  voice increased in volume until the entire 
  assembly could clearly hear him speak 
  with an oddly foreign, almost biblical 
  accent. 
   
  “In the beginning the Univercoelum 
  was one boundless, indefinable, and 
  unimaginable ocean of Liquid Fire.” He 
  declared in an authoritative voice, “The 
  most vigorous and ambitious imagination 
  is not capable of forming an adequate 
  conception of the height and depth and 
  length and breadth thereof. There was one 
  vast expanse of liquid substance. It was 
  without bounds – inconceivable – and 
  with qualities and essences 
  incomprehensible. This was the original 
  condition of Matter. It was without forms, 
  for it was but one Form. It had no 
  motions, but it was an eternity of Motion. 
  It was without parts, for it was a Whole. 
  Particles did not exist, but the Whole was 
  as one Particle….” 
  “Life is lived forwards, but understood 
  backwards.” — Kierkegaard 
   
   
  Back in the 19th Century, Andrew Jackson 
  Davis, popularly known as the “Poughkeepsie 
  Seer,” was one of Victorian America’s foremost 
  occultists. A prolific writer of dozens of books 
  on the paranormal, a renowned psychic healer, 
  inspiration for the Children’s Lyceum school 
  movement, and a proponent of many American 
  utopian experiments, Davis has been called “the 
  John the Baptist of Modern Spiritualism” as his 
  early writings helped lay the groundwork for the 
  founding of the Spiritualist religion. He 
  anticipated Jazz Age American psychic Edgar 
  Cayce by giving effective medical diagnosis 
  while in a hypnotic trance, and New Age psychic 
  John Edwards by communing with the dead. He 
  claimed to be able to leave his body, journeying 
  both forward and backward in history to return 
  with the wisdom of the ancients as well as the 
  secrets of the future. This “astral time travel” 
  inspired him to mix social idealism with his 
  mystical writings, influencing the thoughts of 
  such better remembered historical figures as 
  crusading urban reformer Albert Brisbane, 
  communal settlement founder Thomas Lake 
  Harris, and early horror writer Edgar Allan Poe.    
   
  A NOTE TO MY 
  READERS 
   
   
   Several of you have 
  recently lamented on 
  the Hero Games 
  discussion board that 
  I, your humble author, 
  have failed to provide 
  a “fantastic” or 
  fictional version of an 
  actual historical figure 
  since my write-up of 
  Robert Johnson way 
  back in issue number 
  one of Digital Hero. 
  Upon reflection, this 
  seemed like quite a 
  reasonable criticism; 
  so, for your 
  enjoyment, I present a 
  fantasy version of the 
  great Victorian 
  occultist Andrew 
  Jackson Davis, who at 
  least thought he had 
  the powers I’ve 
  outlined below. 
  Enjoy. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  16 
  Andrew Jackson Davis (The 
  Poughkeepsie Seer)  
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 HTH [1] 
   10 DEX 
  0 11- OCV:  3/DCV:  3 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   15 BODY 
  10 12- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   20 EGO 
  20 13- ECV:  7 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack:  4d6 
   15 COM 
  3 12- 
   
   
  8 PD 
  6 
   Total:  8 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  5 
   Total:  8 ED (0 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  20 
   Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  7 REC 
  4 
   30 END 
  0 
   36 STUN 
  8 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  110 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   50 Clairsentience: Multipower, 50-point 
  reserve 
   
   2u 1) Clairvoyant Diagnosis:  N-Ray 
  Perception (Analyze, Discriminatory) 
  0 
   2u 2) Precognition:  Clairsentience (Sight 
  and Hearing Groups, Precognition); 
  Precognition/Retrocognition Only (-1), 
  Only Through Dreams (-1) 
  5 
   2u 3) Clairsentience:  Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group); One Sense Only (-¼) 
  2 
   70 Astral Double: Duplication (350-point 
  form), Altered Duplicates (half of 
  Duplicate’s points spent differently; 
  +½); Feedback (Only STUN Damage 
  Feeds Back; -½) 
  0 
   
  Perks 
   11 Contact:  Emanuel Swedenborg 15- 
  (extremely useful Skills or resources, 
  Very Good relationship) 
   
  2 Reputation (Victorian Intellectuals, 8-) 
  +2/+2d6 
   
  Skills 
   
  5 Conversation 14- 
   
  4 KS: Hidden History 13- 
   
  4 KS: Literature 14- 
   
  4 KS: The Occult 14- 
   
  5 KS: Philosophy 15- 
   
  3 KS: Spiritualism 13- 
   
  4 KS: Supernatural Evil 13- 
   
  3 Oratory 13- 
   
  3 Paramedics 13- 
   
  5 Persuasion 14- 
   
  3 PS: Writer 12- 
   
  4 SS: Medicine 13- 
   
  3 Seduction 13- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  190 
  Total Cost:  300 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Physical Limitation: Nearsighted 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 
   
  5 Psychological Limitation: Victorian 
  Eccentric (Uncommon, Moderate) 
   15 Psychological Limitation: Pacifist 
  (Uncommon, Total) 
   15 Reputation: Eccentric (Frequently, 
  Extreme) 
   15 Social Limitation: Cultural and 
  Religious Revolutionary (Frequently, 
  Major) 
   45 Experience Bonus 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  300 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  17
  Astral Double 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   
  0 STR 
  -10 
  9- Lift 25 kg; 0d6 HTH 
   10 DEX 
  0 11- OCV:  3/DCV:  3 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   15 BODY 
  10 12- 
   20 INT 
  10 13- PER Roll:  13- 
   20 EGO 
  20 13- ECV:  7 
   20 PRE 
  10 13- PRE Attack:  4d6 
   15 COM 
  3 12- 
   
   
  6 PD 
  6 
   Total:  6 PD (0 rPD) 
   
  8 ED 
  5 
   Total:  8 ED (0 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  20 
   Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  5 REC 
  4 
   30 END 
  0 
   33 STUN 
  10 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost: 102 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Flight: 
  18”/36” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers 
  END 
   25 Astral Body: Elemental Control, 50-
  point Powers 
   
   17 1) Clairvoyant Diagnosis: N-Ray 
  Perception (Analyze, Discriminatory) 
  0 
   
  9 2) Magical Staff of Healing:  Healing 
  BODY 4d6 (Resurrection); Independent 
  (-2), OAF (-1) 
  6 
   29 3) Astral Flight: Flight 18”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0 
   36 4) Astral Form: Desolidification 
  (Affected by Other Astral Beings), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½); Always On (-½) 
  0 
   27 5) Time Travel: Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement (Any Time, Any Location; 
  Travel Through Time); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase, -½) 
  6 
   
   
  6 Astral Defense: Power Defense (6 
  points) 
  0 
   25 Astral Immunity: Life Support  (Self-
  Contained Breathing, Does Not Eat, 
  Does Not Sleep; Safe in High Pressure, 
  High Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense 
  Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  2 Reputation (Victorian Intellectuals, 8-) 
  +2/+2d6 
   11 Emanuel Swedenborg (15-) (extremely 
  useful Skills or resources, Very Good 
  relationship) 
   
   Talents 
   20 Universal Translator 13- 
   
   Skills 
   
  5 Conversation 14- 
   
  4 KS: Hidden History 13- 
   
  4 KS: Literature 14- 
   
  4 KS: The Occult 14- 
   
  5 KS: Philosophy 15- 
   
  3 KS: Spiritualism 13- 
   
  4 KS: Supernatural Evil 13- 
   
  3 Paramedics 13- 
   
  5 Persuasion 14- 
   
  4 SS: Medicine 13- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  248 
   
  Total Cost:  350 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   20 Distinctive Features:  Floating Ghost-
  Like Apparition (Not Concealable, 
  Major Reaction) 
   
  5 Physical Limitation:  Near-sighted 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Pacifist 
  (Uncommon, Total) 
   
  5 Psychological Limitation:  Victorian 
  Eccentric (Uncommon, Moderate) 
   10 Reputation:  Eccentric 8- (Extreme) 
   10 Social Limitation:  Cultural and 
  Religious Revolutionary (Frequently, 
  Major, Not Limiting in Some Cultures) 
   20 Susceptibility:  Locations Devastated 
  By Violence (Common, 3d6 Damage, 
  Instant) 
   20 Vulnerability:  2x STUN from Evil 
  Magic (Common) 
   58 Experience Bonus 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  350 
   
   
  POUGHKEEPSIE 
  SEER PLOT 
  SEEDS 
   
   
   Davis has had a 
  vision of the future in 
  which Takofanes the 
  Archlich destroys 
  much of the city of 
  Boston, transforming 
  its inhabitants into 
  flesh-eating zombie 
  servants. Davis sends 
  his Astral Double to 
  warn the PCs, but 
  what can mere 
  mortals do to stop The
  Undying Lord? 
   
   The Vibora Bay 
  hero known as Robert 
  Caliburn has gone 
  missing, and Andrew 
  Jackson Davis knows 
  exactly why – he’s 
  been thrown back in 
  time to the 19th 
  Century! Davis’ 
  precognitive powers 
  enable him to 
  understand the true 
  nature of Caliburn’s 
  role in the war 
  between Heaven and 
  Hell. While he helps 
  the befuddled mystic 
  get back to the 21st 
  Century, Davis’ 
  Astral Double travels 
  into the future to 
  recruit the PCs’ help. 
  If they cannot figure 
  out a way to return 
  Caliburn to his 
  rightful time, the war 
  between the Angelic 
  and the Demonic may 
  occur ahead of 
  schedule with 
  disastrous 
  consequences for 
  mankind!   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  18 
  Background/History:  Andrew Jackson Davis 
  was born on August 11, 1826, in the tiny hamlet 
  of Blooming Grove, New York. The son of an 
  uneducated, hard-drinking farmer, weaver, and 
  shoemaker, he was largely raised by his sickly, 
  deeply religious mother who reputedly exhibited 
  strong visionary powers. The Davis family 
  moved frequently from one small upstate New 
  York town to another, enduring a life of 
  miserable poverty. Andrew received only about 
  five months of formal education during his entire 
  childhood. He reportedly heard disembodied 
  voices before he had even reached puberty, 
  showing signs of clairvoyance quite early in life. 
  At the age of 15, he was apprenticed to a 
  shoemaker in Poughkeepsie, New York (which 
  is were his later nickname “The Poughkeepsie 
  Seer” came from). Davis showed little aptitude 
  for the shoemaker’s trade, however, and left to 
  work in a general store. He was a failure at the 
  latter job as well. 
   
  At age 17, Davis became interested in 
  hypnotism after attending some lectures by 
  “Professor” J. S. Grimes, a mesmerist (hypnotist) 
  visiting Poughkeepsie. Grimes tried to hypnotize 
  Davis, but with no results. Soon afterward, 
  however, he was successfully “magnetized” 
  (hypnotized) by William Levingston, a local 
  tailor interested in mesmerism and trance states. 
  Davis was an extraordinarily adept hypnotic 
  subject, showing such a “rare clairvoyance” that 
  Levingston gave up his tailoring business to 
  devote all of his time to developing Davis’ 
  abilities. Using the young man’s clairvoyant 
  powers to cure diseases, Levingston and Davis 
  performed effective medical diagnosis while 
  “magnetized.” With his “spirit eyes,” seemingly 
  in the middle of the forehead, he reportedly 
  could read newspapers blindfolded, see activity 
  in the next room, and predict coming events with 
  a surprising level of accuracy. While in a trance, 
  Davis would see human bodies as transparent, 
  reading the auras of each organ with its own 
  special luminosity, which was greatly reduced in 
  cases of disease. Together the two men opened a 
  successful “clairvoyant” clinic in Poughkeepsie. 
   
  Davis served as Levingston’s clairvoyant 
  hypnotic subject for two years, a situation which 
  greatly benefited both men. But in March 1844, 
  he had a visionary experience of “psychic flight 
  through space” which was to forever change his 
  life. Overnight he was transformed from a 
  psychic curiosity to an occult philosopher-
  prophet, charged with the salvation of the human 
  race. Flying freely over the Catskill Mountains, 
  across the Hudson River, then finally through 
  both space and time, Davis’ “Astral Double” 
  traveled far into the past to meet with the ancient 
  Greek physician Galen (129-199 A.D.) as well as 
  the 18th Century Swedish visionary and spiritual 
  philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772). 
  Galen gave Davis a powerful magic staff of 
  healing, while Swedenborg promised to instruct 
  and guide him for the rest of his physical life. 
  Thereafter, Davis considered himself personally 
  guided in his steps by the Swedish mystic. 
   
  In 1845, Davis abandoned healing in favor 
  of writing, at first still relying on hypnotism. He 
  began traveling extensively, giving a series of 
  157 public lectures in New York City alone. 
  These orations, which touched on a wide variety 
  scientific, historical, and philosophical topics, 
  were periodically given in languages that the 
  uneducated young man had no ability to speak, 
  such as ancient Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek. A 
  Bridgeport physician, Dr. S.S. Lyon, was his 
  “magnetizer” at these sessions, while a 
  Universalist minister, the Rev. William 
  Fishbough, served as reporter and scribe, 
  copying down Davis’ trance discourses word for 
  word. Edgar Allan Poe occasionally attended 
  Davis’ sermons, as did the utopian socialist 
  social reformer Albert Brisbane (the cofounder 
  of Brook Farm), and another utopian dreamer, 
  the religious communal settlement organizer 
  Thomas Lake Harris. All of them were greatly 
  influenced by the powerful, odd young man who 
  seemingly had the ability to commune with the 
  distant past. 
   
  In 1847, Davis’ trance revelations were 
  published as The Principles of Nature, Her 
  Divine Revelations, and a Voice to Mankind, an 
  exhaustive 800-page anthology of occult history, 
  philosophy, science, and mysticism which 
  echoed with the wisdom of the long dead 
  Swedenborg. The Principles of Nature began 
  with a description of the creation of the Universe 
  from “liquid fire,” curiously foreshadowing 
  modern “Big Bang” cosmogonies. It then rather 
  shockingly described the history of human 
  religion from God’s own perspective. Davis 
  discussed the destiny of the human soul, 
  rejecting the idea of Hell as well as the unique 
  authority of the Bible. In fact, The Principles of 
  Nature directly attacked conventional religion, 
  displaying an entirely unique, very radical, social 
  and religious spirit. An incredible success in its 
  day, the book went through 34 editions in less 
  than 30 years. 
   
  From 1847 to 1849, Davis published the 
  magazine Univercoelum and Spiritual 
  Philosopher, which promoted his views. In 1848, 
  when the Fox sisters of Hydesville, New York, 
  near Rochester, announced the mysterious 
  rapping that launched the Spiritualist movement, 
  Davis immediately interpreted these phenomena 
  in the light of his philosophy, becoming the 
  leading spokesman of this new religion as well 
  as its chief theologian. From 1850 to 1855, Davis 
  labored on his first major work without relying 
  on hypnotism, the massive five volume tomes 
  known as The Great Harmonia, providing an 
   Davis has had a 
  vision of the future in 
  which DEMON has 
  regained control of 
  the dread Basilisk Orb 
  which it lost in the 
  1960s. To prevent this 
  from occurring, he 
  sends his Astral 
  Double to urge the 
  PCs to retrieve the 
  Orb from its secret 
  hiding place before 
  DEMON’s agents 
  once again recover it. 
  Unfortunately, this 
  ancient artifact is 
  currently hidden in 
  Zorgatha’s cave on 
  Monster Island. 
   
   Davis has had a 
  vision of the future in 
  which the Circle of 
  the Scarlet Moon has 
  managed to gain 
  control of all the cold-
  powered supers in the 
  world by casting a 
  complex spell at the 
  Earth’s south pole. He 
  sends his Astral 
  Double to warn the 
  Trismegistus 
  Council…. but all of 
  them have gone 
  missing! He then goes 
  to the PCs for 
  assistance. Can they 
  rescue the Council 
  while preventing the 
  Circle from 
  dominating some of 
  the world’s mightiest 
  mortals? 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  19
  intellectual framework for the phenomena of 
  Spiritualism which gave the new religion much 
  of its phraseology and cosmology. Outside of 
  Spiritualist circles, The Great Harmonia had an 
  enormous influence on 19th Century American 
  nonconformist religious, social, educational, and 
  medical beliefs. After physical death, Davis 
  believed, spirits ascend to a level reflecting the 
  degree to which they have lived in harmony with 
  universal Divine Law. They progress through a 
  series of six spheres above the Earth to greater 
  and greater levels of divinity. He called the 
  highest of these spheres the Summerland – a 
  term that was to become the Spiritualist name for 
  heaven. In the same way, too, Davis believed 
  that the Earth was constantly evolving, becoming 
  better and better with passing years. His thoughts 
  reflected the unfailingly optimistic mood of most 
  19th Century dissident utopian thinkers. 
   
  In 1863, Davis gave a lecture in New York 
  idyllically describing the afterlife education of 
  deceased children in garden schools called 
  “Lyceums,” a name used by the popular adult 
  education lecture programs of the time. This 
  lecture so motivated some of his listeners that 
  they began to found similar schools here on 
  Earth, starting the Children’s Lyceum 
  movement. The Children’s Lyceums were based 
  on Davis’ conviction that “a child is the 
  repository of infinite possibilities,” bearing the 
  “image” of an “imperishable and perfect being.” 
  This scholastic belief foreshadowed much later 
  progressive educational theory, such as that 
  practiced in modern Montessori schools, which 
  aims to draw out a child’s innate potential rather 
  than forcing knowledge through rote 
  memorization. 
   
  Davis exhibited radical views in his personal 
  life as well. In 1848, he married Catherine 
  DeWolfe Dodge, a wealthy divorcée some 20 
  years his senior, whom he called his “Spiritual 
  Sister.” She died five years later, in November of 
  1853. In 1855, he married another divorcée, 
  Mary Fenn Love, an active Spiritualist and 
  inveterate campaigner for women’s rights. She 
  sought escape from an oppressive marriage by 
  embracing Spiritualism, feminism, and…. well, 
  Davis, who promptly claimed that marriage is 
  only valid between soulmates. Those trapped in 
  non-spiritual unions have the right, possibly even 
  the duty, to seek divorce. When genuine 
  soulmates come together, Davis claimed, they 
  have the freedom to determine whether their 
  partnership will be temporal or eternal. These 
  radical views of love and marriage, some of the 
  most controversial in America at the time, were 
  tested in 1884 when Davis sought to divorce 
  Mary on the grounds that he now realized they 
  were not true soulmates. Davis defended his 
  action at length in his autobiography Beyond the 
  Valley (1885), but the divorce greatly harmed his 
  reputation. In 1885, he married a third (and final) 
  wife, Della E. Markham. 
   
  Davis published more than 30 other books 
  after completing The Great Harmonia, covering 
  such subjects as philosophy, cosmology, health, 
  and the afterlife. Like The Great Harmonia, they 
  were no longer written with the aid of 
  “magnetism,” showing Davis’ desire to distance 
  himself from his original 1840s mesmerism. He 
  also wrote two autobiographies, The Magic Staff 
  (1857), and its sequel, Beyond the Valley (1885), 
  which explained a great deal about his mystical 
  abilities as well as his beliefs. In 1878, Davis 
  dissociated himself from the Spiritualist 
  movement to form the short-lived First 
  Harmonial Associated Church of New York. 
  Though a failure, this departure from the 
  movement he was fundamental in founding was 
  an expression of his disillusionment with the 
  majority of Spiritualists, whom he felt were more 
  interested in sensational séance room spectacles 
  than achieving philosophical depth. In 1886, 
  Davis took a medical degree from the United 
  States Medical College in New York. He moved 
  to Boston, where he began practicing 
  homeopathic medicine from a small occult 
  bookstore. There, Davis sold books while 
  prescribing herbal remedies to his patients. He 
  became a close friend of Marcellus Ayer, 
  founder of the First Spiritual Temple, serving 
  with Ayer on a committee for promoting the 
  work of Professor Joseph Rhodes Buchanan, a 
  pioneer researcher in psychic object-reading. 
  Davis spent the remainder of his life quietly 
  practicing alternative medicine, dying in his 
  Boston home on January 13, 1910. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Andrew Jackson 
  Davis is the quintessential New England mystic, 
  whose ideas combine the transcendentalism of an 
  Emerson or a Thoreau with the utopian visions 
  of the Victorian period. Like many idealistic 
  philosophers of his time, Davis believes that 
  personal and social activism are inseparable from 
  spiritual growth. He sees the metaphysical realm 
  as continuous with natural, moral law, governed 
  by its own rules and therefore approachable 
  through reason when combined with self-
  discipline – though as his grasp of both is 
  minimal at best. Like many Victorians, his 
  understanding of the scientific method seems 
  hopelessly muddled when compared to that of 
  our sophisticated modern understanding. Yet a 
  lot of these beliefs, which are so demonstratively 
  false in our age, seemed to work as fact during 
  his own time period. 
   
  When he is seized by terrible visions of the 
  future, Davis views it as his spiritual duty to send 
  his Astral Double through time to assist those 
  forces capable of defeating the evil in his dreams 
  before those visions come to pass. The double is 
  THE MAJOR 
  WORKS OF 
  ANDREW 
  JACKSON DAVIS 
   
   
  The Principles of 
  Nature, 1847 
  The Great Harmonia, 
  1855 
  The Penetralia, 1856 
  The Philosophy of 
  Spiritual 
  Intercourse, 1856 
  The Magic Staff, 
  1857 
  The Harbinger of 
  Health, 1861 
  A Stellar Key to the 
  Summer Land, 
  1867 
  Beyond the Valley, 
  1885 
  The Children’s 
  Progressive 
  Lyceum, 1893 
   
  BIBLIOGRAPHY 
   
   
  William Hall Brock, 
  Phalanx on a Hill: 
  Response to 
  Fourierism in the 
  Transcendentalist 
  Circle  
  Robert S. Ellwood, 
  “Davis, Andrew 
  Jackson,” American 
  National 
  Biography, Vol. 6 
  pp. 164-165 
  H.W.S & R.R., 
  “Davis, Andrew 
  Jackson,” 
  Dictionary of 
  American 
  Biography, Vol. 5, 
  p. 105 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  20 
  capable of offering expert advice on a variety of 
  subjects, healing injured PCs, or even traveling 
  back in time to gain the knowledge of great 
  thinkers and sages from the past. He sends his 
  Astral Double back regularly to meet with the 
  great 18th Century Swedish mystic Emanuel 
  Swedenborg (who understands the double to be 
  some sort of angel), perhaps the only historical 
  figure Davis is aware of who can advise him on 
  the proper use of his powers. 
   
  There are some fundamental personality 
  differences between Davis and his Astral 
  Double. The actual Davis is prone to appetite, 
  infidelity, and bombast – traits which his more 
  noble astral self seems to totally lack. On the 
  other hand, the double lacks not only Davis’ 
  “lust for life,” but his literary and oratory skills 
  as well. Though both possess the same medical, 
  philosophical, and spiritual abilities, Davis is 
  unable to directly heal injury in the same manner 
  as his double, who in turn lacks the 
  Clairsentience which makes Davis so perceptive. 
  The two are most effective when operating 
  together at the same place and time, though this 
  seldom occurs.  
   
  Quote:  “It is a truth that spirits commune with 
  one another while one is in the body and the 
  other in the higher spheres – and this, too, when 
  the person in the body is unconscious of the 
  influx, and hence cannot be convinced of the 
  fact; and this truth will ere long present itself in 
  the form of a living demonstration. And the 
  world will hail with delight the ushering in of 
  that era when the interiors of men will be 
  opened, and the spiritual communion will be 
  established.” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Andrew Jackson Davis is an 
  early modern mutant, with a variety of sublime 
  yet incredibly useful powers which, when 
  combined with his skills, enable him to 
  effectively diagnose ailments in an age when 
  medicine was almost synonymous with butchery 
  and quackery. His discriminatory N-Ray 
  perception allows him to look inside of a patient 
  to determine the health of each individual organ, 
  while his SS: Medicine and Paramedic roles 
  enable him to prescribe effective medications to 
  treat any diseases he locates. Limited 
  Clairsentience allows him to look through walls 
  or other solid objects up to the distance of his 
  normal, somewhat nearsighted vision, giving 
  him a level of perception far beyond that of 
  normal men. While mesmerized in a trance state, 
  he is able to experience visions of the future, 
  which he can then send his nearly invulnerable 
  duplicate astral body to investigate.  
   
  Davis’ transparent “Astral Double” can move 
  across the time stream with relative ease, speak 
  any human language, fly through the air, heal the 
  injured, and even resurrect the dead. His 
  knowledge of the occult, supernatural evil, and the 
  “hidden” history of man is considerable, while his 
  high intelligence level makes him a valuable 
  advisor on nearly any magical or spiritual subject. 
  While invulnerable to most forms of physical and 
  energy attack (save those made by another astral 
  being), the Astral Double is vulnerable to attacks 
  made by evil spellcasters, whom it will generally 
  go to great lengths to avoid. Likewise, its very 
  magical nature is disrupted by the lingering 
  presence of suffering which exists on major 
  battlefields, in concentration camps, and other 
  locations which have endured intense human 
  suffering caused by violence.  
   
  Both Davis and his double are pacifists 
  sworn to never raise a hand against another 
  living being, though this does not prevent them 
  from assisting well-intentioned PCs who don’t 
  share their beliefs.  
   
  Campaign Use: Although certainly useful as an 
  eccentric NPC in any Victorian or Western Hero 
  setting, Andrew Jackson Davis is intended to be 
  the harbinger of bad news for any mystically 
  inclined Champions campaigns which take place 
  in North America, preferably in New England. 
  His Astral Double’s job is to show up, warn the 
  PCs that he has had a vision of terrible 
  supernatural disaster, and then be as helpful as 
  possible during the course of any ensuing 
  adventure. Davis will recall his double for 
  consultation should he conveniently have any 
  further visions, providing the GM with an 
  expedient way of helping the PCs along with 
  more information should they get stuck. He is 
  also able to scout both the past as well as the 
  future, should that prove helpful within the scope 
  of the game.  
   
  Davis can also make a valuable contact 
  should a player want some sort of odd “guardian 
  angel” to periodically look over his shoulder. To 
  buy him as Perk, the PC should spend 11 points 
  to get Contact: Andrew Jackson Davis 15- 
  (extremely useful Skills or resources, Very Good 
  relationship).  
   
  Appearance: Andrew Jackson Davis is an 
  amiable looking man of a medium build with a 
  full beard, brown shoulder length hair, and a 
  pleasant, almost mischievous smile. He wears a 
  well-made brown suit with a silk cravat, tailored 
  in the early Victorian style, as well as a pair of 
  golden spectacles that glint constantly in bright 
  sunlight. Andrew is prone to making nervous, 
  exaggerated hand movements when he speaks, 
  often slapping the back of his right hand into the 
  palm of his left to punctuate a particularly 
  important point. His semi-transparent astral 
  double is identical in appearance, save for its 
  tendency to hover slightly off of the ground.  
   
  EMANUEL VON 
  SWEDENBORG 
  (1688-1772) 
   
   
   A Swedish 
  philosopher, 
  theologian, chemist, 
  anatomist, and mystic 
  who was fluent in 
  eleven languages, 
  Swedenborg devoted 
  the first half of his life 
  to scientific 
  investigations. 
  Frustrated, he turned 
  his full attention to 
  theology and 
  metaphysics, 
  exploring the mystical 
  experience through 
  the use of rational 
  scientific method. 
  Among his most 
  popular books are 
  Heaven and Hell and 
  Earths in Universe. 
  His spiritual writing 
  influenced Emerson, 
  Goethe, Henry James, 
  Dostoevsky, and the 
  romantic poet 
  William Blake. 
  During his life, 
  Swedenborg 
  published more than 
  50 works. His books 
  have been translated 
  into more than thirty 
  languages.  
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  21
  Your Horoscope For:  Gemini by Allen Thomas 
   
  They are the image of all internal and 
  external opposites…. 
  — The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols, 
  Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant 
  (Tr. John Buchanan-Brown) 
   
   
  This month’s installment of Your Horoscope 
  For:  presents a new villain named Janus and 
  details a short, one-night scenario concerning his 
  attempt to merge a section of the PCs’ world 
  with one entirely opposite. 
   
  The twins of Gemini are often considered 
  symbols of dualism and diametrically opposed 
  opposites. In comic books, such dualism is 
  sometimes more than just a metaphor; it is a 
  multiversal, multi-dimensional fact… and the 
  same can be true of your Champions campaign! 
  This scenario introduces “Left-Hand Earth,” a 
  place where Professor Preserver is the 
  downtrodden’s greatest champion against the 
  tyranny of the world’s governments, Organitron 
  seeks to create a utopian world where man and 
  machine co-exist peacefully, and the superheroes 
  – including the Left-Hand counterparts of your 
  PCs! – are the protectors of the powerful and 
  crusaders for injustice. At the conclusion of the 
  scenario, the PCs must confront Janus and, in 
  tried-and-true comic book tradition, defeat their 
  villainous opposites from Left-Hand Earth, or 
  else a part of both worlds might disappear 
  forever! 
  Scene One:  A Left-Handed 
  World 
   
  The adventure begins with a series of weird 
  happenings. The events can take place anywhere 
  in your campaign city, but work best if the 
  superheroes’ base is included in the area. You 
  can get the PCs involved in one of two ways:  
  either have them experience what’s going on 
  first-hand while out on the town with a DNPC, 
  while at work or attending class in his Secret 
  Identity, when at the base during a dull eight-
  hour shift of monitor duty, or during other day-
  to-day activities; or else you can have an NPC 
  ask them to investigate. 
   
  Starting in the morning, the weird 
  happenings should increase in frequency as the 
  day progresses. Listed below are some ideas for 
  the events; you should customize these so 
  they’re appropriate to the circumstances. You’re 
  also encouraged to come up with some of your 
  own. 
   
  –  ATM machines give out “funny money.” The 
  writing is reversed (as if held up in a mirror). 
  Hamilton appears on twenties, and Jefferson 
  on tens. 
  –  All the doorknobs in a building reverse sides – 
  if the doorknob was on the right, it is now on 
  the left; and vice versa – and the direction a 
  door opens is also reversed. 
  –  All the brand logos on apparel in a department 
  store are upside down. 
  –  Music – whether from a car stereo, while on 
  the elevator, or in a bar – plays in reverse. 
  –  A car accident occurs when a man drives on 
  the wrong side of the road. When police 
  investigate, they discover the steering wheel is 
  on the right side of the car, the floor pedals are 
  in reverse order, and the labels on the gauges 
  are written backwards. 
  –  In one office building, the men come to work 
  wearing white suits, black shirts, and white 
  shoes. 
  –  The wait staff at a restaurant begins to speak in 
  reverse (Left-Handed English), and when 
  seated, diners are asked to pay their check 
  (including tip) up-front. 
  –  All the desks for right-handed students on a 
  college campus are replaced with desks for 
  left-handed students. 
  –  Half of the traffic lights at an intersection light 
  in reverse, red appearing on the bottom and 
  green at the top. The reversal confuses drivers 
  and a multiple car pile-up results. 
  WHAT’S GOING ON? 
   
   
   
  Janus has begun to merge a section of Right-
  Hand Earth with that of Left-Hand Earth. The 
  section of city affected is circular with a radius 
  of 1 mile (in three-dimensional space, the area is 
  a stubby cone with an approximate height of 100 
  feet) and centered on Janus’ apartment. As the 
  process gets under way, Left-Hand Earth begins 
  to “bleed” into Right-Hand Earth. Once 
  successfully merged, the areas will disappear 
  from their respective worlds, each pair of 
  opposites becoming a single individual, and an 
  entirely new dimension will be created. At last, 
  Janus will have a home to call his own! 
  Scene Two:  Discovering The 
  Doorway 
   
  The PCs should be eager to investigate 
  what’s happening in their home city. By plotting 
  the locations of the strange events, the PCs 
  discover that each occurs within at least two 
  miles of another event and boundary of the area 
                                                             
  artwork by Robert Cram 
  cartopgraphy by Dave Mattingly 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  22 
  is vaguely circular. This should be enough to 
  lead them to search the circumference of the area 
  bounded by the Dimensional Harmonic 
  Transmitters described below. If not, allow the 
  PCs a Deduction Roll to determine the 
  information. 
   
  Additionally, a PC with SS:  Physics (or the 
  like) and the proper equipment can identify an 
  unknown energy frequency permeating the area 
  where the events occur. The PC cannot identify 
  the type of energy without SS:  Dimensional 
  Physics. At your discretion, the PC can fine-tune 
  his detection equipment to allow him to identify 
  areas where the energy frequency is strongest, 
  and from there find the Dimensional Harmonic 
  Transmitters. 
  DIMENSIONAL HARMONIC 
  TRANSMITTERS 
   
   
   
  Two days ago, Janus installed satellite 
  dishes at six places exactly one mile from 
  Doorway. Each satellite dish is three stories up, 
  whether attached to the side of the building or 
  placed on the roof. Each is one mile, in a straight 
  line, from two others (a distance of 
  approximately 1.04 miles along the 
  circumference of the circular area). The satellite 
  dish’s transponder is actually a transmitter, and 
  transmits a dimensional harmonic to a central 
  receiver atop Janus’ ten-story apartment 
  building. Working together, the six transmitters 
  and central receiver create a sort of umbrella of 
  dimensional energy. This energy will slowly but 
  surely remove the area from Right-Hand Earth, 
  merge it with the parallel area in Left-Hand 
  Earth, and create an entirely new dimension. 
   
  Upon investigation and with a successful 
  Electronics Roll, a PC quickly realizes the 
  satellite dish is in truth a transmitter, but without 
  SS:  Dimensional Engineering cannot identify its 
  precise function. By finding two satellite dishes 
  and measuring the angle of the transmitters, the 
  PCs can triangulate the location of the central 
  receiver. 
  APT. #22 
   
   
   
  The central receiver looks like an old TV 
  antenna with a vertical shaft of metal and six 
  spokes radiating from the top. A thickly insulated 
  bundle of wires runs from the antenna to a relay 
  unit in apartment #22. The apartment is rented to 
  Janus under the name of “J. Sullivan,” and the 
  relay unit is disguised as a television. A successful 
  Electronics Roll while investigating the television 
  reveals that, similar to the satellite dishes 
  disguised as transmitters, the television is not in 
  fact a television. If the PCs enter the apartment 
  without succeeding in a Skill Versus Skill Contest 
  with Doorway’s Security Systems Skill, alarms 
  sound in Doorway and Janus knows the 
  superheroes are close to discovering his hideout. 
   
  Sparsely furnished, the apartment has one 
  bedroom, one bath, a kitchenette, and a front 
  room. A quick investigation reveals the 
  apartment barely seems inhabited:  there’s no 
  food in the cabinets, no toiletries in the 
  bathroom, no coats in the hall closet, and so on. 
  With a longer search and a successful 
  Concealment Roll, a PC finds cameras hidden in 
  doorframes and wood trim throughout the 
  apartment. The greater the level of success, the 
  more cameras the PC finds, and there are at least 
  two in each room. No wires lead from the 
  cameras; a successful Electronics Roll identifies 
  a transmitter similar in design to the 
  Dimensional Harmonic Transmitters. 
   
  In the bedroom is a closet with two mirrored 
  doors. The doors open by sliding on tracks. If the 
  right-hand door is opened (it slides from right to 
  left), a normal closet is revealed. Inside is a 
  single pair of old tennis shoes formerly owned 
  by James Sullivan. If the left-hand door is 
  opened (it slides from left to right), a hallway is 
  revealed. 3” long and 1” wide, the hallway leads 
  to Doorway. 
  GM Warning:  Chances are, when you 
  ask a player, “Which way do you slide 
  the closet door,” he’s going to know 
  something’s up with the closet. If you’d 
  like the closet door to be more puzzling, 
  you should ask similar questions about 
  all the PCs’ actions in the apartment. 
  For example:  Ask them which kitchen 
  cabinet they open first or which way 
  they slide the shower curtain. By doing 
  this, the closet door seems no more 
  unusual than anything else, and at the 
  same time, the players realize 
  something is unusual about the 
  apartment. 
  Scene Three:  Through The 
  Looking Glass 
   
  Unless the PCs have been especially clever, 
  Janus knows they’re coming and is prepared. As 
  the PCs enter the hallway leading to the control 
  room, they can glimpse a figure 12” away. In the 
  blink of an eye, six other figures – eerily familiar 
  in size and shape – appear in front of the figure. 
  These are the Left-Hand Earth opposites of the 
  PCs. Janus, who speaks both Right- and Left-
  Hand English fluently, quickly explains to the 
  Left-Handers that the PCs are extra-dimensional 
  invaders, who seek to topple the government of 
  the United States thereby bringing peace and 
  prosperity to its cruelly treated masses. The Left-
  Handers’ response:  Those dastardly do-gooding 
  extra-dimensional slime! 
   
  And with that, let the donnybrook 
  commence! 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  23
  Looking Left-Handed:  The exact appearance 
  of the Left-Handers is left in your capable hands, 
  but below are some ideas: 
  –  Reverse the color scheme or darken the colors 
  of a superhero’s costume. For instance, the 
  Left-Handed Ironclad, rather than having skin 
  of glimmering silver, has skin that is rusty and 
  corroded. Or the Left-Handed Nighthawk’s 
  costume, lacking the silver trim and accessories, 
  is even darker than Nighthawk’s own. 
  –  Less costume and more skin. For instance, 
  Witchcraft wears a modest tunic and cloak; her 
  Left-Handed counterpart wears a mini-skirt and 
  see-through blouse similar to Talisman’s. This 
  trick can also work in reverse. Something of an 
  exhibitionist, Sapphire wears a tight-fitting 
  costume; her counterpart wears enveloping 
  robes with a cowl that hides her face. 
  –  Skulls and spikes. One sure way of telling how 
  bad the bad guy is:  Count the skulls. For 
  instance, rather than Defender’s sleek armor 
  with clean lines, his Left-Handed counterpart’s 
  armor has spiked gauntlets, spiked elbow and 
  knee pads, spiked shoulder pads, and a helmet 
  shaped like a stylized skull. 
  –  Reverse or otherwise change the logo. For 
  instance, the lightning bolt on Left-Handed 
  Kinetik’s costume runs from his left shoulder 
  to his right thigh, and is black rather than 
  white. 
   
  Talking Left-Handed:  Through the use of 
  Powers, Talents, or just old-fashioned ingenuity, 
  one of the PCs might discover a way to 
  communicating with his doppelganger. If so, the 
  difficulty of convincing him of the truth is up to 
  you… but even if Right- and Left-Hand 
  superteams join forces to attack Janus, once 
  Janus is defeated, both sides are likely to revert 
  to type. The Left-Handers are going to be eager 
  to exploit the newly discovered Right-Hand 
  Earth and its softhearted inhabitants, and only 
  the PCs stand in their way! It won’t be long 
  before the Left-Handers betray their new allies… 
  and probably right after Janus is captured. 
  THE CONTROL ROOM 
   
   
   
  The fight begins in Doorway’s middle level, 
  the control room. The control room is circular 
  with a diameter of 10” and has two levels, the 
  main floor and a walkway. The ceiling is 2” 
  above the main floor. The walkway is 1” above 
  the main floor, and a low railing runs along its 
  edge. Access panels, strange gauges, and 
  warning lights of unknown purpose fill the wall 
  along the walkway. On the main floor, a large 
  display monitor is opposite the hallway. Nearby 
  are the control panels for “piloting” Doorway 
  and two seats. Facing the control panels, those 
  on the left are labeled in Left-Hand English; 
  those on the right, Right-Hand English. A ladder 
  on the main floor leads down to the engine 
  rooms; another ladder leads from the walkway to 
  the living quarters above. 
  GM TIPS 
   
   
   
  First, make sure you get a hold of the 
  players’ character sheets before beginning the 
  scenario – preferably a week or two in advance. 
  The Left-Handers, while having opposite 
  personalities, have the exact same powers and 
  Character Points as the PCs. Upon seeing Janus 
  and his Summoned allies, the players may 
  already suspect their character’s Left-Hand 
  counterparts are exact duplicates, but no sense 
  confirming their suspicions by asking for their 
  character sheets then and there. Also, there’s 
  nothing to stop you from altering the character 
  sheets slightly – maybe changing fire powers to 
  cold powers, changing bludgeons (HAs) to sharp 
  weapons (HKAs), and so on. 
   
  Second, this fight is an excellent opportunity 
  to teach the PCs the proper use of tactics. If 
  you’ve had some ideas about team tactics that 
  could benefit the group, there’s no better way to 
  teach them than to show them. 
  WHAT ABOUT JANUS? 
   
   
   
  If the fight goes badly for the Left-Handers, 
  Janus attempts to flee. He cannot use Extra-
  Dimensional Movement while on Doorway; he 
  can only move between Right- and Left-Hand 
  Earth. So he immediately makes for the hallway 
  and exit. Once back on Earth, he moves between 
  dimensions until he escapes. 
   
  If captured, Janus tells the PCs his story (see 
  p25-26) with all the dramatic angst he can 
  muster. Maybe the superheroes will help him 
  find his parents; or maybe they’ll decide 
  therapy’s the best thing for the lonely young 
  man…. 
  LEAVING DOORWAY 
   
   
   
  There’s one exit from Doorway – the hall 
  the PCs walked down from the apartment. The 
  door at the end of the hallway leads to both 
  Right- and Left-Hand Earth. Pressing the “open” 
  button on the left opens the door onto Left-Hand 
  Earth; pressing the button on the right opens it 
  onto Right-Hand Earth. 
   
  (Breaking through the door [DEF 8, BODY 
  10] leads to the inter-dimensional vacuum. 
  Doorway will quickly seal the breach after a 
  couple of seconds, preserving the integrity of its 
  life support systems. Flying off into inter-
  dimensional space is a bad idea.) 
   
  The superheroes – assuming of course 
  they’re victorious! – can return the Left-Handers 
  to their Earth in one of two ways:  either chuck 
  them through Doorway’s exit, or force Janus to 
  Dispel them. Whatever they do, it might be a 
  wise idea to recalibrate Doorway’s entrance. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  24 
  Janus’ harmonic transmitters exist in both 
  worlds, and if the PCs could find their way to 
  Doorway, it’s safe to assume their villainous 
  counterparts could too! 
  The Further Adventures 
   
  Janus’ quest for a home doesn’t have to 
  end with the scenario above. Below are some 
  plot seeds for further adventures with Janus 
  and Left-Hand Earth. 
   
  Sunaj:  Janus believes himself unique, but  
  what if Drs. Janice Sullivan and James  
  Stevens discovered, on the opposite side of  
  the world, a different Doorway? And what if 
  they named their child Sunaj after the Left-Hand 
  Earth’s god of doorways? Perhaps Janus is 
  unique, but his opposite exists… rather than 
  amoral, Sunaj swings wildly between Right- and 
  Left-Hand moralities. And what happens when 
  the two meet? Will there be a strange sort of 
  understanding or will they be instant enemies? 
   
  Lost and Found:  Janus discovers the fate  
  of his missing parents. Doctor Destroyer  
  has captured Dr. Janice Stevens and seeks  
  to exploit Left-Hand Earth; Professor  
  Preserver on Left-Hand Earth entertains  
  Dr. James Sullivan as an honored guest  
  and seeks to recover Sullivan’s lover from 
  Destroyer’s clutches. Can either world survive 
  when Destroyer and Preserver meet in person? 
  What role will Janus play in their conflict? And 
  let’s not forget the PCs! 
   
  Summoned:  It begins with a tingling sensation, 
  then suddenly the PCs find themselves in an 
  eerily similar world where everyone speaks in 
  reverse. Janus stands before them… and so do 
  their Left-Handed counterparts. The Left-
  Handers want revenge for their previous defeat, 
  and have forced Janus to summon the PCs 
  through the dimensions, but during the fight, 
  Janus escapes. Now the PCs are stuck and must 
  find a way free of this topsy-turvy world of 
  opposites. 
   
  GEMINI INSIGHT 
   
   
  Gemini is the first of 
  the Air Signs, which 
  also include Aquarius 
  and Libra. Its symbol, 
  �, is reminiscent of 
  the Roman numeral 
  for two, and 
  traditionally, the sign 
  is depicted as a pair of 
  twins. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  25
  Janus 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   10 STR 
  0 11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 
   18 DEX 
  24 13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   12 CON 
  4 11- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   23 INT 
  13 14- 
  PER Roll:  11- 
   18 EGO 
  16 13- 
  ECV:  6 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- 
  Presence Attack:  3d6 
   12 COM 
  1 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  11 PD (6 rPD) 
   
  5 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  11 ED (6 rED) 
   
  4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 
   
  4 REC 
  0 
   40 END 
  8 
   30 STUN 
  7 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  100 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   142 Dimensional Harmonizer Circuitry:  
  Multipower, 213-point powers, all OIF 
  (dimensional suit; -½) 
   11u Antipodal Harmony Generator:  
  Summon 8 350-point “Opposites”, Any 
  Sentient Being (+½), Specific Beings 
  (+1); Opposite’s Counterpart Must Be 
  Within Line Of Sight (-½), OIF (-½) 
  21 
   12u Dimensional Interloper Deharmonizer:  
  Dispel Summon 71d6 (standard effect: 
  213 points); Only “Dimensional” 
  Summon (-¼), OIF (-½) 
  21 
   2u Frequency Self-Harmonizer:  Extra-
  Dimensional Movement (any location 
  in Right- or Left-Hand Earth); OIF (-½) 3 
   3u Single Harmonic Frequency Adjuster:  
  Desolidification (affected by vibratory 
  and transdimensional attacks), Trigger 
  (when attacked; +¼); OIF (-½) 
  5 
   
  9 Dimensional Energy Transduction Unit:  
  Endurance Reserve (50 END, 10 REC); 
  Limited Recovery (only in Right- or 
  Left-Hand Earth; -¼), IAF (-½) 
  0 
   10 Hardened Circuits:  Power Defense (15 
  points); OIF (dimensional suit; -½) 
  0 
   12 Dimensional Suit:  Armor (6 PD/6 ED); 
  OIF (-½) 
  0 
   16 Unique Psyche:  Mental Defense (20 
  points total) 
  0 
   
  9 Harmonic Analyzer:  Detect 
  Dimensional Origin 14- (Sight Group), 
  Discriminatory, Analyze; OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
   Perks 
   
  4 2 Deep Covers (Janus Sullivan on 
  Right-Hand Earth; Janus Stevens on 
  Left-Hand Earth) 
   30 Base:  Doorway (see p27) 
   
   Talents 
   
  9 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty) 
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 with all Intellect Skills 
   
   
  3 Computer Programming 14- 
   
  3 Deduction 14- 
   
  3 Electronics 14- 
   
  4 KS:  Left-Hand Earth History 15- 
   
  4 Language:  Left-Hand English 
  (idiomatic, native accent) 
   
  3 Scientist 
   
  4 SS:  Dimensional Engineering 16- 
   
  4 SS:  Dimensional Physics 16- 
   
  3 SS:  Physics 15- 
   
  3 Systems Operation 13- 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  313 
   
  Total Cost:  413 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  dimensional 
  anomaly (Not Concealable; Detectable 
  Only By Unusual Senses) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Amoral 
  (Common, Total) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Believes 
  Himself Unique And Alone – Oh So, 
  Alone! – In The Multiverse (Common, 
  Total) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Does Not Officially 
  Exist In Either Right-Hand Or Left-Hand 
  Earth (Very Frequently; Major) 
   
  5 Unluck: 1d6 
   10 Vulnerability: 1½x Effect from Mind 
  Control (Common) 
   133 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  413 
   
  Background/History:  Janus is a man born of 
  two worlds yet belonging to neither. His story 
  begins twenty years ago when Dr. James 
  Sullivan, a research scientist assigned to a top-
  secret government project, discovered the extra-
  dimensional space occupied by the spherical 
  construct later named Doorway. Dr. Sullivan 
  thought it a major breakthrough, and in a way it 
  was – but it wasn’t the discovery the government 
  had hoped for. The project’s goal was the 
  development of teleportation gates to move 
  military personnel instantaneously from one 
  location to another. Doorway was a gate between 
  two different dimensions:  Earth’s own, and that 
  of an alternate Earth similar to Dr. Sullivan’s 
  world but fundamentally different. Unsure of the 
  government’s reaction and believing Doorway 
  wouldn’t further the project’s goals, Dr. Sullivan 
  kept his discovery a secret. 
   
  But that’s only half the story…. 
   
  On the other Earth – a place where the 
  majority were left-handed, people spoke and 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  26 
  wrote backwards, and justice, temperance, and 
  hope were three of the Seven Deadly Sins – Dr. 
  Janice Stevens, a research scientist assigned to a 
  top secret not-for-profit venture, discovered the 
  same extra-dimensional space occupied by 
  Doorway. Dr. Steven’s discovery wasn’t what 
  the not-for-profit company had hoped for. The 
  project’s goal was the development of 
  teleportation gates to move food, medical 
  personnel, and other humanitarian aid 
  instantaneously from one location to another. 
  Unsure of the not-for-profit company’s reaction 
  and believing Doorway wouldn’t further the 
  project’s goals, Dr. Stevens kept her discovery a 
  secret. 
   
  And the scientists had an ulterior motive for 
  not revealing Doorway’s existence:  Both were 
  married and wished to keep their affair secret 
  from respective spouses. They recalibrated 
  Doorway’s dimensional entrances to apartments 
  in the city rented unbeknownst to their spouses, 
  and continued their affair. When Janice became 
  pregnant, both scientists “mysteriously” 
  vanished from their respective worlds and took 
  up permanent residence in Doorway. After 
  Janus’ birth, the small family lived an idyllic 
  existence for seventeen years, but eventually it 
  would all change. 
   
  A year ago, the two scientists disappeared 
  without a trace. Now seventeen-year-old Janus is 
  alone – in his opinion more alone than any man 
  or woman ever to live for he is a dimensional 
  anomaly, at home in neither Right-Hand or Left-
  Hand Earth and surrounded only by inhabitants 
  of those worlds. Janus has searched far and wide 
  for his parents but found nothing. Without their 
  mediating influence, his amoral nature – an 
  ambiguous moral and ethical code of 
  commingled Right- and Left-Hand Earth – 
  begins to assert itself and loneliness gnaws at his 
  heart. Shortly, the world will feel the effects of 
  Janus’ attempts to carve a place for himself. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Janus is the son of 
  Right- and Left-Hand Earth, two diametrically 
  opposed worlds. While in appearance the worlds 
  are very similar, the value systems of their 
  respective inhabitants are entirely opposite. 
  Rather than embodying the antithetical virtues of 
  both places, Janus is totally amoral and lacks any 
  virtue at all. He is not humble, kind, or diligent; 
  nor is he proud, wrathful, or lazy – he stands 
  precisely in the middle, in the end, lacking a 
  value system of any kind, he is only self-serving, 
  placing his own desires before those of any 
  other. On the other hand, his moral equipoise 
  provides him with a coldly analytical and 
  objective standpoint; this is often to his 
  advantage when planning or analyzing a 
  situation. 
   
  Currently, Janus obsesses over his solitude 
  and feelings of loneliness. Like most seventeen-
  year-olds, he seeks a place for himself in the 
  world. Unlike others, he is a unique being. 
  Because of his amoral nature, nothing will stand 
  in his way of “finding himself.” With the 
  technology at his command, his attempts will 
  likely have an impact on Right- and Left-Hand 
  Earth. And whether this impact is harmful is no 
  concern to Janus. 
   
  Quote:  “You are not unique. Your reflection 
  exists in a mirror darkly… and now I will show 
  you that reflection!” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  Janus’ powers stem from his 
  genius and the dimensional technology derived 
  from Doorway’s engines and devices. He wears 
  a body suit woven of thread, which is, in truth, 
  ultra-miniaturized circuitry, and this suit 
  provides him with his personal powers. The 
  difference in spatio-dimensional location 
  between Right- and Left-Hand Earth is based on 
  harmonies. A person’s thoughts and feelings – 
  his entire personality in fact – can be modeled as 
  a set of myriad waves and each individual wave 
  has its own frequency. The term, harmony, was 
  coined by Drs. Sullivan and Stevens to describe 
  an individual’s set of waves. A person’s 
  harmony and how it interacts with the 
  environment determines his dimensional 
  location. 
   
  Janus’ dimensional suit allows him to 
  analyze and manipulate his own harmonies as 
  well as those of others. By reversing his 
  harmony as it moves to interact with the 
  environment, Janus can move between Right- 
  and Left-Hand Earth. With an ever-so slight 
  adjustment to one of his personal harmonics, he 
  can make himself “out of phase” with respect to 
  his environment. He can disrupt the harmonies of 
  those summoned from extra-dimensional 
  locations, returning them whence they came. He 
  can even summon an individual’s opposite, but 
  only when that individual is within his line-of-
  sight; Janus must study his target’s harmony to 
  create its opposite and bring the target’s 
  counterpart through dimensions. 
   
  In combat, Janus hangs back and uses his 
  Antipodal Harmony Generator to summon allies 
  for himself. These allies are predisposed to help 
  Janus, since he can speak their language (Right- 
  and Left-Hand English are distinctly different, as 
  if listening to the language played in reverse), 
  and most individuals when confronted with a 
  “doppelganger” naturally have an adverse 
  reaction. Janus then uses his Single Harmonic 
  Frequency Adjuster to keep himself safe from 
  harm. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  27
  Campaign Use:  Plots involving Janus center 
  around his attempts to create a world where he is 
  at home, whether he attempts to merge sections 
  of Right- and Left-Hand Earth or he abducts 
  inhabitants from both worlds hoping to create a 
  new one. Though he lacks Attack Powers and 
  has low Defenses, Janus is not easily defeated, 
  and is even more difficult to capture, thanks to 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement. 
   
  To make him more powerful, increase his 
  Armor to 10 PD/10 ED or even 15 PD/15 ED. 
  Also provide him with some sort of attack – an 
  NND Energy Blast, Dimensional Destabilizer, is 
  appropriate. To make him less powerful, add an 
  Extra Time Limitation on his Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement and remove the Trigger from his 
  Single Harmonic Frequency Adjuster. 
   
  Whatever you do, Janus should be able to 
  Summon the Left-Hand counterparts of the entire 
  superhero team since this is his “shtick,” and the 
  Left-Hand counterparts are built on the same 
  number of Character Points as the PCs. If 
  necessary, raise the points of the Summoned 
  opposites to match those of the PCs, or increase 
  the maximum number of beings Summoned if 
  there are more than eight members of the team. 
   
  Appearance:  Janus’ dimensional suit covers 
  him from top to bottom. From afar, the suit 
  seems to be a medium shade of scintillant gray, 
  but closer inspection reveals it is composed of 
  black and white pixels. The pixels flash from 
  black to white and back again as Janus uses his 
  powers. At his waist, he wears his Dimensional 
  Energy Transduction Unit, a small box covered 
  with metal discs. Wires run from the box, along 
  his back, and plug into an outlet at the base of his 
  neck. 
   
  Doorway 
  Description:  Doorway is a spherical construct 
  made of an unknown alloy, and has a diameter of 
  10”. Located in a small inter-dimensional pocket, 
  it can only be reached via entrances on Right- 
  and Left-Hand Earth. Each entrance, one on each 
  world, is disguised as a closet door in an 
  apartment. Unless bypassed with a successful 
  Skill Versus Skill Contest, the base’s security 
  systems notify Janus when either of the other-
  dimensional apartments has been breached, and 
  Janus can use cameras hidden in the apartments 
  to spy on intruders. 
   
  Doorway has three levels:  the control room 
  in the middle level (circular with a 10” 
  diameter), living quarters above the control room 
  on the top levels, and the engine room below 
  where the dimensional harmonic generators are 
  located. A single entrance allows access from 
  other dimensions, and the entrance can be 
  attuned to either Right- or Left-Hand Earth (and 
  only these two dimensions). The control panel to 
  the right of the entrance opens the door to Right-
  Hand Earth; the one to the left opens the door to 
  Left-Hand Earth. The entrances to Doorway can 
  be recalibrated to other locations in the two 
  worlds, but doing so requires both considerable 
  time and dimensional engineering know-how. 
   
  Doorway 
   
  Val Char 
  Cost 
  Notes 
   
  10 BODY 
  8 
   78.5” Size 
  10 
  -7 DCV 
   
  8 DEF 
  18 
   
  Total Characteristic Cost:  36 
   
  Abilities & Equipment 
  Cost Power 
  END 
   30 Location:  Another Dimension 
  0 
   12 Inter-Dimensional Entrance:  Extra-
  Dimensional Movement, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF Immobile 
  (-1½) 
  0 
   18 Life Support Systems:  Life Support 
  (Self-Contained Breathing, Safe 
  Environment:  High Radiation, Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/ 
  Vacuum) 
  0 
   18 Security Monitors:  Clairsentience 
  (Sight and Hearing Groups), Can See In 
  Right- And Left-Hand Earth (related 
  group of dimensions), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF 
  Immobile (display monitor; -2), 
  Perception Point Cannot Move Beyond 
  Apartments On Right- And Left-Hand 
  Earth (-¼) 
  0 
   37 Security Alarms:  Security Systems 20-, 
  Transdimensional (Right- and Left-
  Hand Earth; +½) 
  0 
   
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost:  115 
   
  Total Base Cost:  151 
   
  Total Cost:  151/5 = 30 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  28 
  Doorway 
   
  Control Panels 
  Monitor 
  Ladder Down to 
  Engine Room 
  Ladder Up to  
  Living Quarters 
  Walkway 
  1” Above 
  Main Floor
  To Apartment
  Stairs Up to Walkway 
  Ceiling  
  2” Above 
  Main Floor
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  29
  Thinking Outside the Lead Box by Jacob Russell 
   
  How to Deal With Players Who 
  Spend too Much on Senses 
   
  I must confess to something. I like Enhanced 
  Senses. Actually, I love them. The idea that my 
  character can sense things that no one else in the 
  group can is one of the most enjoyable parts 
  about playing a super-hero for me. I get to stop, 
  look off into the distance and cryptically state, 
  “Something’s coming….” Love it. To that end, a 
  lot of my characters have had some combination 
  of the following senses: 
  • 
  N-Ray Sense (usually vision) 
  • 
  IR, UV, Nightvision, or anything that allows 
  me to see in the dark 
  • 
  Telescopic Senses (usually sight and 
  hearing) 
  • 
  Levels with all senses (usually about +4, or 
  enough to net me a PER roll of 17 or less) 
   
  I’ve had more than one GM complain about 
  this proclivity of mine. I even had people on the 
  Hero discussion boards tell me that they would 
  flat out refuse to allow my character in their 
  campaign. The reason stated is that such a 
  character would be able to instantly sense any 
  crime or criminal. He needs no detective work, 
  no Stealth, no Shadowing, no Forensics. He just 
  needs to spend a full phase at half DCV and 
  voila! Clue found, perp caught, case solved. In 
  many of Superman’s adventures, particularly on 
  the old George Reeves TV show, the criminals 
  always hid that week’s plot device or McGuffin 
  in a lead box. This would never stop a 
  Champions player. They’d simply scan the city 
  for lead boxes all the time. Well, let’s try to think 
  outside of the lead box. 
   
  But before we get too far into this, let me 
  make a couple of points about comparative cost 
  and character concept. First, note that the 
  standard detective skills Stealth, Shadowing, 
  Concealment, Deduction, Forensics, and 
  Criminology cost three points each. The lot of 
  them together cost 18 points. The above list of 
  senses costs about 30 to 40 points, so no one’s 
  getting off cheap. The second point of order here 
  is that those skills are not appropriate to purchase 
  unless your character has the appropriate training 
  as part of their background. So if you like to do 
  detective work, but want to play someone who 
  isn’t a highly trained investigator, Enhanced 
  Senses is a good way to satisfy both needs. 
   
  Still, it’s easy to see how a GM might want 
  to make a character actually work to solve a case. 
  There’s no reason why someone with 30, 40, or 
  even 50 points of Enhanced Senses would not 
  have to work hard for their solutions. They 
  would just have to work in a different way. 
  Characters with different abilities just require 
  different challenges. The following strategies are 
  offered to help GMs keep characters with lots of 
  Enhanced Senses from unbalancing a game. 
  SHADOWING 
   
   
   
  One abuse of Enhanced Senses that I must 
  confess to is how I once used my senses to 
  follow someone without any fear of detection. I 
  told my GM, “I use my N-Ray and Telescopic 
  Vision to keep track of him from four blocks 
  away, and behind a building.” The poor GM 
  could not think of any way to stop me without 
  resorting to blatant GM chicanery. What should 
  he have done? 
  POPULATION SIZE 
   
   
   
  First of all, he should have made me define 
  the specific geographic area in which I was 
  searching for the character. Second, the GM 
  should have decided roughly how many people 
  are in that area. Once it’s figured out how many 
  people are being scanned through, apply 
  modifiers according to the following rough 
  scheme: 
   
  Number of People 
  Modifier 
   
  1 
  -0 
   
  10 
  -2 
   
  100 
  -4 
   
  1000 
  -6 
   
  10000 
  -8 
   
  If these modifiers look familiar, it’s because 
  they’ve been taken straight from the Mind Scan 
  modifiers (HERO System 5th Edition, p. 134). 
  Characters who wish to purchase Rapid Sight so 
  they can scan through more faces quickly should 
  be allowed to do so. They’re paying for it, after 
  all. 
  VISUAL SIMILARITY 
   
   
   
  How similar is the target to the rest of the 
  population? Trying to find “Fat Tony” Gambini 
  in the Chinese Quarter should be pretty easy. 
  Trying to pick him out at a plus-sized men’s 
  clothing store would be a lot harder. 
   
  Population and Target 
  Modifier 
   
  Population is highly varied 
  -2 
   
   (carnival, street festival) 
   
  Population is very uniform, 
  +2 to +4 
   
   target is not 
   
  Population is very uniform, 
  -2 to –4 
   
   as is target 
   
  MOTION 
   
   
   
  Modifiers can also be applied to uniformity 
  of speed and direction. Someone running 
  through a crowd of people who are only walking 
  will stand out, even if they’re all moving in the 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  30 
  same direction. Someone moving the same 
  speed, but in a different direction from the crowd 
  will also stand out more. I think this would 
  mostly come up in subways and at public shows, 
  where people tend to move as a group. 
   
  Population and Target 
  Modifier 
    
  Same speed, different direction 
  -0 
   
  Same direction, different speed 
  -0 
   
  Population motion is varied 
  -2 
   
  Population motion is uniform, +2 to +4 
   
   target is not 
   
  Population motion is uniform, -2 to –4 
   
   as is target 
  DISTRACTIONS 
   
   
   
  When the character is using N-Ray or 
  Telescopic Senses, he is not focusing on what is 
  right in front of him. It’s like reading a book 
  while you’re driving a car. While the character is 
  following someone from three blocks away and 
  behind a building, he has to: 
  • 
  walk down the street without tripping or 
  running into something – or someone 
  • 
  not walk in front of cars when he steps off of 
  a curb against the traffic light 
  • 
  deal with people attempting to interact with 
  him on the street 
  • 
  deal with people and businesses that think 
  he is staring at them, and not through them 
  to his real target – this could lead to a lot of 
  misunderstandings 
   
  When it comes to things and events that 
  distract the scanner, an EGO roll might be called 
  for, but some things just have to be dealt with. 
  As soon as the scanner is forced to look away, he 
  should be required to roll again to re-acquire the 
  target. 
  FINDING AND FOLLOWING 
   
   
   
  A Perception Roll is a roll to perceive. It is 
  not a roll to follow and keep track of someone. 
  All of the character’s efforts to find someone 
  should only allow him to find the target. Once 
  that is accomplished, he should still make 
  additional rolls to follow. Every time the target 
  enters a new crowd, a new environment, or 
  suddenly changes direction, the character should 
  make an additional roll to follow them. The hero 
  should be allowed to have whatever he made the 
  acquisition roll by added into his roll to follow. 
  THE PURLOINED CLUE 
   
   
   
  Even if a character with N-Ray Vision has a 
  perfectly common substance that stops his 
  vision, like lead, you can’t simply stuff all your 
  clues into a lead box. The concealing substance 
  will always be uncommon enough to stand out 
  from everything else. It’s the standing out that 
  makes something hard to conceal. Just like Poe’s 
  The Purloined Letter, clues are hardest to find 
  when they aren’t hidden. Thus a GM should 
  allow characters and NPCs to make concealment 
  rolls to hide something in plain sight. No amount 
  of Enhanced Senses should help a character to 
  find an object hidden in this manner. Even an 
  appropriate Detect shouldn’t be of any help, if 
  the setting is right. Using Detect:  Magic Objects 
  to find a magical bracelet in an ordinary living 
  room should be easy as pie. However, scanning 
  for the same bracelet in the inner sanctum of 
  Doctor Bizarre, the Sorcerer Extreme, is not 
  going to be so easy. 
  WHAT WAS THAT NOISE? 
   
   
   
  Another complaint I received from a GM 
  about one of my enhanced-sensing characters is 
  that he could hear anything, and thus no major 
  crimes could take place without him noticing. 
  There’s no reason why many of the same 
  modifiers listed above couldn’t be applied in 
  some form to people with various types of 
  enhanced hearing. Yes, most crimes generate 
  noise – but so does most human activity. 
  BLAM, BANG, BOOM! 
   
   
   
  The only noise that crimes regularly 
  generate that can be considered at all unique, or 
  unusual, is gunfire. Guns are loud – very loud. 
  But they are not the loudest things in a city, or 
  the only ones that go “bang” (and let’s not forget 
  silencers). Of course, crimes generate other 
  noises that are also quite loud, and even 
  attention-grabbing. Screams, impacts, and 
  security alarms are all sounds with which 
  criminals must concern themselves. The 
  following events are common to any modern city 
  setting and loud enough to cover virtually any 
  crime that doesn’t involved large amounts of 
  explosives. This is especially true if the noisy 
  event is taking place closer to the enhanced-
  sensing character than the crime it conceals. 
  • 
  Construction noises:  Hammering in the first 
  beams of a new building (you can feel it in 
  your fillings from two blocks away), jack-
  hammering, and riveting  
  • 
  False Security Alarms:  car alarms, burglar 
  alarms, etc. 
  • 
  Garbage trucks 
  • 
  Leaf blowers 
   
  The following list of events, while not 
  common in modern cities, are not unheard of and 
  are often announced well in advance – allowing 
  criminals to make their schedules accordingly. 
  • 
  Fireworks displays 
  • 
  Aerial stunt shows (i.e., the Blue Angels) 
  • 
  Building demolition 
  • 
  Military ceremonies which include “21 Gun 
  Salutes” 
  • 
  Outdoor concerts 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  31
   
  That is not to say that every crime needs to 
  be orchestrated like the climax of “The Man 
  Who Knew Too Much” (where an assassination 
  is planned to take place during a dramatic 
  cymbal clash in a concert to conceal the sound of 
  the gunshot). However, these ideas can be used 
  to conceal important, major criminal events or at 
  least allow a GM to explain to a player why they 
  cannot simply pick up on every crime in the city. 
  THE SCANNER AND THE CRIMINALS 
   
   
   
  If a superhero regularly patrols a city and 
  sniffs out crime with Enhanced Senses, then the 
  criminal community will take appropriate steps. 
  In the real world, criminals do very similar 
  things to deal with increasingly advanced police 
  surveillance techniques. Mobsters may start 
  wearing very similar clothes, even padding them 
  in key places for additional conformity. A 
  gangster fleeing the scene of a crime may 
  “suddenly” walk into a crowd of men all his size 
  and wearing the exact same clothes. Much as you 
  would like to, you can’t bust a guy for wearing 
  plaid. 
   
  With an enhanced-sensing hero running 
  around town, criminal groups might switch their 
  criminal activities from crimes which require 
  fixed locations and equipment (like 
  counterfeiting, smuggling, or “chop shops”) to 
  crimes which are more mobile, like selling drugs 
  and running numbers. They may also change 
  their operations from a few really large 
  operations to several small operations. It may be 
  an administrative headache for the cartel to run, 
  but when Captain Infrared busts a drug runner, 
  it’s less than 1% of the day’s revenue. 
   
  Any criminal organization in a world with 
  superheroes would operate in very different ways 
  in order to combat things like Enhanced Senses. 
  Imagine entire conversations and planning 
  sessions between criminals done entirely on 
  paper, so that Enhanced Hearing is effectively 
  useless. “Are they planning a crime, or making 
  out a grocery list?” Imagine lead-based paint 
  being applied in thick coats in a lot of warehouses. 
   
  Mobs under super-surveillance may also 
  take to shipping items that are not, in and of 
  themselves, illegal, but which were obtained and 
  or shipped illegally. Illegal shipping methods 
  bypass lots of middlemen (like customs agents), 
  which illegally reduce the prices of the shipped 
  items. Goods like furs and diamonds get marked 
  up by 800% or more, so illegal shipping of these 
  goods can be very profitable. If a crime cartel 
  works something out with local shippers and 
  truckers’ unions, they can have crates filled with 
  contraband mixed in with perfectly legal goods. 
  All the Enhanced Senses in the world don’t give 
  you the patience to check endless amounts of 
  shipping manifests – or the skill necessary to 
  spot illegitimate ones. 
  THE EGO PRINCIPLE 
   
   
   
  I am speaking about the human Ego, not the 
  characteristic EGO, but the part of our minds 
  devoted to sorting all of the brain’s input into 
  something usable. All of us are constantly 
  bombarded by sensory input (even those who 
  live in the country). Every photon of light, every 
  vibration of sound, has to be put in its proper 
  place. Do we know the source and meaning of 
  everything that comes in to us? Not always. 
  What do most of us do with sensory input that 
  we don’t understand, or know the source of? 
  Most of the time we ignore it. If the input is 
  minor in scale, like a quiet conversation that you 
  can hear but not make out the words of, or a sign 
  too far away to read, we usually assume it 
  doesn’t concern us and ignore it. We have to; 
  otherwise, we would never be able to progress in 
  our lives for all of the distracting sensory input. 
  So it would have to be for people with super-
  human senses. A hero with Radio Hearing might 
  not notice that a stranger across the street is 
  emitting a regular radio pulse. Lots of things in 
  cities emit radio pulses. The stranger could be 
  carrying a cell phone, a radio, or even an anti-
  theft tag from a clothing store. 
  PAYING FOR BLINDNESS 
   
   
   
  A friend of mine once told me about a GM 
  who insisted that characters with N-Ray Vision 
  could not see anything. This was back in the 
  ancient days of the third edition Champions 
  when N-Ray Vision cost 25 points and wasn’t 
  blocked by anything. His thinking was that if N-
  Ray Vision is not stopped by anything, then it 
  sees through everything, including what the N-
  Ray Vision-user is looking for. My friend’s 
  response was, “So, I’m paying 25 points to be 
  blind?” This is the sort of thinking that we want 
  to avoid when thinking about setting up these 
  challenges for our enhanced-sensing heroes. A 
  character with Radio Hearing can still scan for 
  someone who emits a radio pulse. However, no 
  character should expect what they seek – 
  whatever that should be – to be delivered to them 
  by virtue of how they spend their points. 
    
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  32 
  The $50 Million Dollar Man by Michael Surbrook 
   
  The Solider of the Year 2025 
   
  Recently the Massachusetts Institute of 
  Technology was awarded a five-year $50 million 
  dollar grant to develop new technologies for the 
  next generation of United States armed forces 
  infantry. This grant was used by MIT to create 
  the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, which 
  hopes to design and develop new, lightweight 
  materials and technologies in order to create new 
  uniforms and equipment for the 21st Century 
  fighting man. 
   
  Although a lot of the ideas being expressed 
  at the ISN sound like science fiction (such as a 
  uniform which responds to injuries received by 
  its wearer), both the ISN and the United States 
  Army is quite serious in its intent. Already news 
  detailing some of the Institute’s research subjects 
  has come to light, allowing for some speculation 
  as to the final results. This is where this article 
  comes in. 
   
  The ideas and goals of the 
  ISN are very reminiscent of the 
  sort of “super gear” used by 
  many comic book and comic 
  book RPG agencies, both lawful 
  (such as UNTIL) or criminal 
  (such as VIPER). The difference 
  is that the ISN creating devices to 
  be used in the real world, and in 
  real combat situations, not on the 
  pages of a comic book. However, this shouldn’t 
  stop anyone form adapting these ideas to their 
  own superhero campaigns (or near-future 
  campaigns for that matter). This article will 
  attempt to take some of those ideas and present 
  them in HERO System terms, so that GM and 
  players can adapt and use these ideas in their 
  own campaigns. 
   
  Weapons Pod 
  The Gear 
   
  Much of the equipment the ISN hopes to 
  create will be based around various applications 
  of nanotechnology – devices and materials far 
  smaller (and much lighter) than anything made 
  now. In theory, electrical nanotechnological 
  components would be one-millionth of a meter 
  in width, or only about ten times larger than a 
  single atom. Similar advances made with 
  microengineering would result in mechanical 
  devices built on the scale of microchips. The 
  objective is to make the soldier’s gear both 
  stronger and lighter. In this case, the weight-load 
  of a fully kitted soldier would be roughly 30 
  pounds, 42 if he carries the assault rifle described 
  below. Compare that to the 90 pounds of 
  equipment a modern solider currently carries. 
   
  A theoretical breakdown of the future 
  soldier's kit is as follows:  
            SABR Rifle 
  SABR (ALLIANT TECHNOSYSTEMS 
  SELECTABLE ASSAULT BATTLE RIFLE) 
   
   
   
  Also known as the Objective Individual 
  Combat Weapon (or “OICW”), this weapon 
  combines a 5.56mm carbine with a 20mm 
  munitions launcher in a compact over-and-under 
  configuration. Designed to replace the M-16 
  assault rifle/M-203 grenade launcher weapons 
  system used by the current armed forces, the 
  SABR allows a wide variety of options on the 
  battlefield due to the variable ordinance available 
  for the munitions launcher. For gaming purposes, 
  however, the launcher’s variable munitions can 
  easily be simulated by the Explosion Advantage, 
  and the Indirect Advantage, which simulates the 
  ability for rounds to detonate at a set point (like 
  after passing through a closed window). 
   
  The SABR comes with an integral laser 
  sight and a high-resolution infrared targeting 
  scope. The former is used when the soldier is on 
  the move, while the latter is normally used to 
  place rounds fired by the munitions launcher. 
                                                             
  artwork by Chris Watkins 
  FUTURE 
  WARRIOR 
   
   
   The project 
  described here is 
  known as the Future 
  Warrior 2025 
  program, and 
  represents the sort of 
  equipment the 
  standard infantryman 
  of 2025 can expect to 
  be carrying. A 
  precursor of the 
  Future Soldier 
  program is something 
  the Army is calling 
  the Objective Force 
  Warrior program, 
  which will be fielded 
  around 2010. The 
  Objective Force 
  Warrior program will 
  combine full body 
  armor, a physical 
  sensor system, and 
  communications 
  equipment to act as 
  stepping stone 
  between the current 
  military model and 
  the desired 2025 
  model. 
   
  WEAPONS POD 
   
   
   Initially, the Future 
  Soldier design called 
  for a forearm-
  mounted weapon’s 
  pod. Game Masters 
  wishing to use such a 
  pod should rename 
  the Combat Pistol the 
  Combat Pod and 
  make it an OIF 
  instead of an OAF. 
   
  BIBLIOGRAPHY 
   
   
  Popular Science. 21st 
  Century Soldier 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  33
   
  A mere 33” long and weighing only 12 
  pounds, the OICW is due to enter service in the 
  year 2009. 
  COMBAT PISTOL 
   
   
   
  This large gunmetal handgun has four 
  barrels arranged in a square, with a fifth over it. 
  The lower barrels carry rocket-propelled rounds. 
  Fired through use of a conventional trigger, the 
  weapon is voice-activated, and can’t be used by 
  an enemy if the soldier is killed or captured 
  (making the pistol a Personal Focus). The rocket 
  rounds lock on to their target’s heat signature, 
  and can make course corrections in mid-flight 
  (hence the Advantage No Range Modifier). The 
  rockets have a range of 1,000 meters, which 
  actually exceeds the maximum range of the 
  device as written (which is roughly 670 meters). 
  GMs may want to apply the Increased Maximum 
  Range Advantage to make up the difference. 
   
  Combat Pistol 
   
  The fifth barrel is a 4.6mm firearm with a 
  300-meter range. Such a weapon would do about 
  1d6+1 of Killing damage, although such details 
  as OCV, Range Modifiers, and Charges are 
  difficult to determine at this point. The write-up 
  is based off of the 9mm pistol in the HERO 
  System Rulebook. 
   
  Photographs show the Future Soldier with 
  rocket rounds slipped into pouches on the chest 
  and leg. A rough estimate gives the soldier 34 to 
  40 rounds. GMs may wish to take this into 
  account when setting the number of Charges for 
  the weapon. For what it’s worth, it’s highly 
  unlikely a soldier would carry this weapon and 
  the SABR, but this write-up includes both for 
  completeness’ sake. 
  COMBAT KNIFE 
   
   
   
  This is the standard military combat knife. 
  Some versions of this knife can be thrown, and 
  should have the Ranged Advantage added to 
  reflect this. 
  BODY ARMOR 
   
   
   
  The future soldier's body armor is made 
  from a lightweight multilayered fabric covering 
  the entire body with the exception of the face. It 
  is reasonably bulletproof, and can stop most 
  small arms fire and fragments. Aside from its 
  protective qualities, other systems are built into 
  the suit, which are detailed below. 
   
  Body Armor, Helmet, and Boots 
  HELMET 
   
   
   
  Resembling a motorcycle helmet (complete 
  with faceplate), the future soldier’s headgear is 
  designed to protect the face and eyes from all 
  manner of threats, ranging from physical to 
  energy to biological. Additional systems are built 
  into the helmet, as defined below. 
  SUPERCHARGED FOOTGEAR 
   
   
   
  One of the aims of the ISN is to develop an 
  exoskeleton for the future soldier, so he can carry 
  more, lift more, and move farther. One such 
  application would be the ability to leap great 
  distances, such as clearing a 20-foot wall with a 
  single bound. 
  HELMET-MOUNTED DISPLAY 
   
   
   
  The future soldier's helmet is central to his 
  ability to outfight the enemy. Aside from its 
  protective qualities, it also has a built in video 
  processor, which can transmit what one soldier 
  sees to the rest of his squad. This power has been 
  bought as Clairsentience, as it allows a soldier to 
  see remote images easily. However, this power 
  shouldn’t be considered a form of “all-seeing 
  eye” in which any one soldier can see everything 
  on the battlefield. The Clairsentience cannot be 
  activated by a soldier who wishes to see 
  something at a distance, but instead a soldier 
  must decide to transmit an image he feels is 
  important enough for the rest of his squad to 
  look at (A hidden enemy is one such example.). 
  The image transmitted is also under control of 
  the transmitting character and anything seen will 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  34 
                            Helmet Display 
  be from his point of view, regardless of his 
  squadmate’s wishes. On the other hand, if the 
  man transmitting the image is wounded or killed, 
  his helmet will continue to work, at least until 
  the power supply runs out or the helmet is 
  destroyed. 
  HELMET MICROPHONE 
   
   
   
  Internal pickups in the helmet will let the 
  soldier hear in a full 360o arc around his body. 
  STEALTH SUIT 
   
   
   
  One of the layers of the future soldier’s 
  uniform/armor will have the ability to alter its 
  coloration, allowing the soldier to blend in with 
  the background. Naturally, this process won’t be 
  instantaneous and the coloration won’t be able to 
  adapt fast enough to hide a moving soldier. 
  However, it will aid in concealing a soldier who 
  has gone to ground and is either attempting to 
  avoid and escape enemy detection or setting up 
  an ambush.  
   
  Stealth Suit 
   
  The future soldier’s uniform will also utilize 
  a layer of coolant to hide the soldier’s infrared 
  signature. As written, this ability only works if 
  the character is not moving, so GMs may wish to 
  give the soldier two different forms of 
  Invisibility. One would be the “chameleon 
  effect” and only affect Normal Sight, while 
  the other would affect Infrared Perception 
  and work at all times. 
  MICROCLIMATE CONDITIONING 
   
   
   
  The future soldier’s belt will have an 
  environmental subsystem built into his belt, 
  which will serve to warm the soldier in cold 
  weather and cool him when it is hot. This 
  belt-mounted device will connect to one of 
  the underlayers of the soldier’s armor. 
   
  Microclimate Belt 
  HELMET RECEIVER 
   
   
   
  Another helmet-mounted system will be a 
  radio receiver/transmitter. Using a bone-
  induction link, the radio will be effectively 
  inaudible to any nearby listener, hence the 
  Invisible Power Effects Advantage. 
  ZOOM CAMERA VISOR DISPLAY 
   
   
   
  For viewing and targeting distant objects, 
  the helmet has a camera with zoom lens with 
  sufficient power to be able to view human-sized 
  objects at distances of 1,000 meters clearly. This 
  zoom lens is highly useful when combined with 
  the wrist-fired munitions and the display 
  function, allowing a soldier to engage targets at 
  great distances, as well as show such targets to 
  the rest of his squad. 
  OPTIONAL SYSTEMS 
   
   
   
  The systems described here really only 
  scratch the surface of what is theoretically 
  possible and probable for the future soldier. 
  Several articles on the future soldier program 
  comment on how the soldier’s uniform will react 
  and respond to outside stimuli, such as chemical 
  attacks. The uniform will also contain sensors 
  which constantly transmit data back to a central 
  command point, letting a unit commander know 
  the soldier’s status at all times. At the same time, 
  the soldier’s helmet will contain an internal 
  communications system (beyond what is already 
  described) that allows the soldier to receive 
  information and data from a number of sources, 
  such as his squadmates, other squads in the area, 
  central command, or even remote sensors and 
  drones. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  35
   
  To fully simulate this effect, each helmet 
  could be built with its own internal computer. 
  This computer would have all the appropriate 
  senses (such as High Range Radio Perception 
  and Infrared Perception) and even a Mind Link 
  to all of the other computers on the local network 
  (and even the computer in a remote command 
  and control vehicle and/or base). This would 
  allow for secure communications and broadcast 
  of images from computer to computer (and thus, 
  from soldier to soldier). 
   
  This internal computer could have other 
  duties as well. The ability to detect biological 
  and chemical hazards could be a form of Detect 
  while the response systems would be a form of 
  Life Support (such as internal filters in the 
  helmet itself). In addition, the computer will 
  monitor the soldier’s health and will activate 
  certain measures if the soldier is wounded. This 
  would be defined as the Paramedics skill, while 
  the uniform’s ability to detect bleed and apply 
  pressure could be defined as either Paramedics, 
  or a limited form of Healing which can only 
  counteract BODY loss due to bleeding. 
   
  Aside from the computer, there are a number 
  of other systems that could be built into the 
  future soldier’s helmet. Life Support (such as air 
  filters) has already been mentioned, and it seems 
  likely that every helmet will come with either 
  Extended Breathing or Self-Contained 
  Breathing. The former version of Life Support 
  would be defined as air filters and would allow 
  the soldier to resist the effects of smoke and/or 
  tear gas. The latter version would require some 
  sort of air-supply (either in the helmet or in the 
  soldier's backpack) and allow the solider to 
  operate in heavy smoke, thick gasses, or even 
  underwater. In addition to Life Support, Flash 
  Defense seems a likely option. A polarized 
  faceplate would provide Sight Group Flash 
  Defense against such weapons as “flashbang” 
  grenades, as well as more mundane effects as 
  flashlights and spotlights. Since the helmet fully 
  encloses the head (much like a motorcyclist’s 
  helmet), ear protection is another logical choice, 
  as Hearing Group Flash Defense would protect 
  against “flashbang” grenades as well as loud 
  explosions and the effect of firing a weapon to 
  close to another soldier's head and ears. 
   
  A final note on END usage. All of the future 
  soldier's equipment will run of electricity and 
  will require some sort of power source. 
  However, since one article about the Future 
  Soldier program described a microturbine with a 
  six-day supply of fuel (along with rechargeable 
  three-hour battery backups), it seemed simpler to 
  apply the Reduced Endurance Advantage at the 0 
  Endurance level than try and build an Endurance 
  Reserve that would act in the manner described. 
  The Character 
   
  The following write-ups represent various 
  generic soldiers, fully equipped for the battlefield 
  of the 21st Century. The stats are taken from 
  those of the Skilled and Competent Normals on 
  page 224 of the HERO System 5th Edition 
  rulebook, while the skills were developed using 
  various HERO System resources. Although 
  meant to be soldiers in the United States Army, 
  the characters can easily be adapted to be a 
  member of any number of superagencies, or even 
  turned into an independent superhero/villain 
  character (with a little modification). GMs who 
  decide on such a course of action might want to 
  change the Killing Attacks to Normal Attacks, 
  however. 
   
  Three write-ups are presented. The first is a 
  200-point “basic” soldier, with above-average 
  characteristics and a simple assortment of 
  equipment. The second is a 250-point soldier, 
  and represents a “standard” infantryman of 2025. 
  The third write-up is for a 350-point 
  “experienced” (or “super-”) soldier, with many 
  of the optional systems included. 
   
  Basic Soldier 
  SANS EQUIPMENT
   
   
   Here are the point 
  totals for each soldier, 
  not counting their 
  equipment:   
  • Basic:  58 points. 
  • Standard:  81 
  points. 
  • Experienced:  153 
  points. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  36 
  Basic Soldier 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   13 STR 
  3 12- 150 kg; 2½d6 HTH [1] 
   11 DEX 
  3 11- OCV:  4/DCV:  4 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   10 INT 
  0 11- PER Roll:  11- 
   11 EGO 
  2 11- ECV:  4 
   11 PRE 
  1 11- PRE Attack:  2d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  4 PD 
  1 
   Total:  12 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  3 ED 
  0 
   Total:  11 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  9 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  5 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   24 STUN 
  0 
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  25 
  Movement: Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   22 Alliant Technosystems Selectable 
  Assault Battle Rifle (SABR):  
  Multipower, 60-point pool; OAF (-1), 
  Real Weapon (-¼), Two Hands 
  Required (-½) 
   1u 1)  5.56mm Carbine:  RKA 2d6-1, 
  Autofire (3 shots; +¼), 30 Charges 
  (+¼); Beam (-¼), STR Minimum 12 
  (STR Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus 
  +2 OCV, +2 RMod 
  [30] 
   1u 2)  20mm Munitions Launcher:  RKA 
  2d6, Explosion (+½), Indirect (+¼); 6 
  Shots (-¾), STR Minimum 12 (STR 
  Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus +1 
  OCV, +1 RMod 
  [6] 
   
   
  8 SABR Scopes:  Multipower, 17-point 
  pool; All OAF (-1)  
   1u 1)  Laser Sight:  +1 OCV, +1 RMod; 
  Limited Range (64") And Limited Use 
  In Smoke, Rain, Snow (-¼) 
  0 
   1u 2)  Scope:  +4 RMod; Only If Braced 
  Or Set (-½) plus IR Vision; Only If 
  Braced Or Set (-½) 
  0 
   
   
  5 Combat Knife:  HKA 1d6-1 (1d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-¼), STR 
  Minimum 6 (-½) 
  0 
   10 Body Armor:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  Activation Roll 15- (-¼), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  8 Helmet:  Armor (11 PD/11 ED); 
  Activation Roll 8- (-2), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  2 Move Soldier!:  Running +1” (Total 7”) 1 
   35 Helmet-Mounted Display:  
  Clairsentience (Sight Group), x8 
  Range (800”), Persistent (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF 
  (-½), Only Through The Senses Of 
  Others (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Helmet Microphone:  Increased Arc of 
  Perception (360o Perception) (Normal 
  Hearing); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   20 Stealth Suit:  Invisibility to Sight 
  Group; Persistent (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase; -¼), IIF (-¼), Chameleon 
  (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Microclimate Conditioning:  Life 
  Support (Safe Environment:  Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Helmet Receiver:  HRRP (Radio 
  Group), Invisible To Hearing Group 
  (+½); IIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Zoom Camera Visor Display:  
  Telescopic (+12 versus Range) (Sight 
  Group); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
   Skills 
   
  5 +1 with Ranged Combat 
   
   
  3 Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  2 KS:  Army History And Customs 11- 
   
  1 KS:  Ceremony And Drill 8- 
   
  2 KS:  Military World 11- 
   
  1 KS:  Nuclear, Biological, Chemical 
  Warfare Procedures 8- 
   
  1 KS:  Weapon Identification 8- 
   
  3 Navigation 12- 
   
  1 PS:  Forward Observer 8- 
   
  2 PS:  Soldier 11- 
   
  1 Systems Operation 8- 
   
  6 WF:  Small Arms, Grenade Launcher, 
  HMG, Knife, Rocket Launcher 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  178 
   
  Total Cost:  200 
   
   100+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Uniform (Easily 
  Concealable) 
   10 Hunted:  The Enemy 8- (As Pow) 
   10 Hunted:  US Army 8- (More Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Sense Of 
  Duty (Common, Strong) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Very Frequently, Major) 
   40 Experience Points (or choice of 
  Disadvantages) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  200 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  37
  Standard Soldier 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   13 STR 
  3 12- 150 kg; 2½d6 HTH [1] 
   14 DEX 
  12 12- OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   13 CON 
  6 12- 
   10 BODY 
  0 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   11 EGO 
  2 11- ECV:  4 
   13 PRE 
  3 12- PRE Attack:  2½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  2 
   Total:  13 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  4 ED 
  1 
   Total:  12 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  6 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   26 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  1 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39 
  Movement: Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
  6½”/9” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   22 Alliant Technosystems Selectable 
  Assault Battle Rifle (SABR):  
  Multipower, 60-point pool; OAF (-1), 
  Real Weapon (-¼), Two Hands 
  Required (-½) 
   1u 1)  5.56mm Carbine:  RKA 2d6-1, 
  Autofire (3 shots; +¼), 30 Charges 
  (+¼); Beam (-¼), STR Minimum 12 
  (STR Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus 
  +2 OCV, +2 RMod 
  [30] 
   1u 2)  20mm Munitions Launcher:  RKA 
  2d6, Explosion (+½), Indirect (+¼); 6 
  Shots (-¾), STR Minimum 12 (STR 
  Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus +1 
  OCV, +1 RMod 
  [6] 
   
   
  8 SABR Scopes:  Multipower, 17-point 
  pool; All OAF (-1)  
   1u 1)  Laser Sight:  +1 OCV, +1 RMod; 
  Limited Range (64") And Limited Use 
  In Smoke, Rain, Snow (-¼) 
  0 
   1u 2)  Scope:  +4 RMod; Only If Braced 
  Or Set (-½) plus IR Vision; Only If 
  Braced Or Set (-½) 
  0 
   
   21 Combat Pistol:  Multipower, 67-point 
  pool; OAF (-1), STR Minimum (STR 
  Doesn’t Add Damage; -1), Real 
  Weapon (-¼) 
   1u 1) 4.6 mm Pistol:  RKA 1d6+1, 20 
  Charges (+¼); Beam (-¼), STR 
  Minimum 7 (STR Doesn’t Add 
  Damage; -1) 
  [20] 
   2u 2) Heatseeking 15mm Munition:  RKA 
  2d6, Explosion (-1 DC/2”; +¾), No 
  Range Modifier (+½); 4 Charges (-1), 
  STR Minimum 12 (STR Doesn’t Add 
  Damage; -1) 
  [4] 
   
  5 Combat Knife:  HKA 1d6-1 (1d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-¼), STR 
  Minimum 6 (-½) 
  0 
   10 Body Armor:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  Activation Roll 15- (-¼), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  8 Helmet:  Armor (11 PD/11 ED); 
  Activation Roll 8- (-2), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  3 Supercharged Footgear:  Leaping +4” 
  (6½” forward, 3” upward), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), No 
  Noncombat Leap (-¼) 
  0 
   
  2 Move Soldier!:  Running +1” (Total 7”) 1 
   35 Helmet-Mounted Display:  
  Clairsentience (Sight Group), x8 
  Range (800”), Persistent (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF 
  (-½), Only Through The Senses Of 
  Others (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Helmet Microphone:  Increased Arc of 
  Perception (360o Perception) (Normal 
  Hearing); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   20 Stealth Suit:  Invisibility to Sight 
  Group; Persistent (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase; -¼), IIF (-¼), Chameleon 
  (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Microclimate Conditioning:  Life 
  Support (Safe Environment:  Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Helmet Receiver:  HRRP (Radio 
  Group), Invisible To Hearing Group 
  (+½); IIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Zoom Camera Visor Display:  
  Telescopic (+12 versus Range) (Sight 
  Group); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
   Skills 
   
  5 +1 with Ranged Combat 
   
  3 +1 with SABR 
   
   
  1 Breakfall 8- 
   
  1 Bureaucratics 8- 
   
  3 Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  2 KS:  Army History And Customs 11- 
   
  1 KS:  Ceremony And Drill 8- 
   
  2 KS:  Military World 11- 
   
  1 KS:  Nuclear, Biological, Chemical 
  Warfare Procedures 8- 
   
  1 KS:  Weapon Identification 8- 
   
  3 Navigation 12- 
   
  1 Paramedics 8- 
   
  1 PS:  Forward Observer 8- 
   
  3 PS:  Soldier 12- 
   
  1 Systems Operation 8- 
   
  1 Tactics 8- 
   
  1 TF:  Wheeled Military Vehicles 
   
  6 WF:  Small Arms, Grenade Launcher, 
  HMG, Knife, Rocket Launcher 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  38 
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  211 
   
  Total Cost:  250 
   
   150+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Uniform (Easily 
  Concealable) 
   10 Hunted:  The Enemy 8- (As Pow) 
   10 Hunted:  US Army 8- (More Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Sense Of Duty 
  (Common, Strong) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Very Frequently, Major) 
   20 Experience Points (or choice of 
  Disadvantages) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  250 
   
  Standard Soldier 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  39
  Experienced Soldier 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH [1] 
   14 DEX 
  12 12- OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   15 CON 
  10 12- 
   12 BODY 
  4 11- 
   13 INT 
  3 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   13 EGO 
  6 12- ECV:  4 
   15 PRE 
  5 12- PRE Attack:  2½d6 
   10 COM 
  0 11- 
   
   
  5 PD 
  2 
   Total:  13 PD (8 rPD) 
   
  4 ED 
  1 
   Total:  12 ED (8 rED) 
   
  3 SPD 
  6 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   
  6 REC 
  0 
   30 END 
  0 
   30 STUN 
  2 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  56 
  Movement: Running: 
  7”/14” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
  6½”/9” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   22 Alliant Technosystems Selectable 
  Assault Battle Rifle (SABR):  
  Multipower, 60-point pool; OAF (-1), 
  Real Weapon (-¼), Two Hands 
  Required (-½) 
   1u 1)  5.56mm Carbine:  RKA 2d6-1, 
  Autofire (3 shots; +¼), 30 Charges 
  (+¼); Beam (-¼), STR Minimum 12 
  (STR Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus 
  +2 OCV, +2 RMod 
  [30] 
   1u 2)  20mm Munitions Launcher:  RKA 
  2d6, Explosion (+½), Indirect (+¼); 6 
  Shots (-¾), STR Minimum 12 (STR 
  Doesn’t Add Damage; -1) plus +1 
  OCV, +1 RMod 
  [6] 
   
   
  8 SABR Scopes:  Multipower, 17-point 
  pool; All OAF (-1)  
   1u 1)  Laser Sight:  +1 OCV, +1 RMod; 
  Limited Range (64") And Limited Use 
  In Smoke, Rain, Snow (-¼) 
  0 
   1u 2)  Scope:  +4 RMod; Only If Braced 
  Or Set (-½) plus IR Vision; Only If 
  Braced Or Set (-½) 
  0 
   
   21 Combat Pistol:  Multipower, 67-point 
  pool; OAF (-1), STR Minimum (STR 
  Doesn’t Add Damage; -1), Real 
  Weapon (-¼) 
   1u 1) 4.6 mm Pistol:  RKA 1d6+1, 20 
  Charges (+¼); Beam (-¼), STR 
  Minimum 7 (STR Doesn’t Add 
  Damage; -1) 
  [20] 
   2u 2) Heatseeking 15mm Munition:  RKA 
  2d6, Explosion (-1 DC/2”; +¾), No 
  Range Modifier (+½); 4 Charges (-1), 
  STR Minimum 12 (STR Doesn’t Add 
  Damage; -1) 
  [4] 
   
  5 Combat Knife:  HKA 1d6-1 (1d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-¼), STR 
  Minimum 6 (-½) 
  0 
   10 Body Armor:  Armor (8 PD/8 ED); 
  Activation Roll 15- (-¼), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  8 Helmet:  Armor (11 PD/11 ED); 
  Activation Roll 8- (-2), OIF (-½), Half 
  Mass (-½), Real Armor (-¼) 
  0 
   
  7 Protective Helmet:  Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (5 points), Hearing Group 
  Flash Defense (5 points); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Supercharged Footgear:  Leaping +4” 
  (6½” forward, 3” upward), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), No 
  Noncombat Leap (-¼) 
  0 
   
  2 Move Soldier!:  Running +1” (Total 7”) 1 
   35 Helmet-Mounted Display:  
  Clairsentience (Sight Group), x8 
  Range (800”), Persistent (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF 
  (-½), Only Through The Senses Of 
  Others (-½) 
  0 
   11 Automatic Injury Response:  Healing 
  1d6 BODY, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Persistent (+½), Trigger 
  (soldier takes BODY damage; +¼); OIF 
  (uniform; -½), Only Works On Cuts, 
  Punctures, And Similar Injuries (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Helmet Microphone:  Increased Arc of 
  Perception (360o Perception) (Normal 
  Hearing); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
  3 Helmet Visor:  Infrared Perception 
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   20 Stealth Suit:  Invisibility to Sight 
  Group; Persistent (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase; -¼), IIF (-¼), Chameleon 
  (-½) 
  0 
   
  6 Chemically Treated Uniform:  Life 
  Support (Immunity:  All Terrestrial 
  Poisons And Chemical Warfare 
  Agents); OIF (-½), Chemical Warfare 
  Agents Only (-¼) 
  0 
   
  3 Microclimate Conditioning:  Life 
  Support (Safe Environment:  Intense 
  Cold, Intense Heat); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Helmet Receiver:  HRRP (Radio 
  Group), Invisible To Hearing Group 
  (+½); IIF (-½) 
  0 
   12 Zoom Camera Visor Display:  
  Telescopic (+12 versus Range) (Sight 
  Group); OIF (-½) 
  0 
   
   Talents 
   
  1 Electronic Compass:  Bump of 
  Direction; OAF (SABER; -1) 
   17 Years Of Combat Experience:  Danger 
  Sense (out of combat, sense, intuitional) 
  12- 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  40 
  Skills 
   
  5 +1 with Ranged Combat 
   
  6 +2 with SABR 
   
  3 +2 OCV with Autofire 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  5 Accurate Sprayfire 
   
  3 Analyze Combat Technique 12- 
   
  3 Breakfall 12- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 12- 
   
  3 Climbing 12- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  2 KS:  Army History And Customs 11- 
   
  2 KS:  Ceremony And Drill 11- 
   
  2 KS:  Military World 11- 
   
  2 KS:  Nuclear, Biological, Chemical 
  Warfare Procedures 11- 
   
  2 KS:  Weapon Identification 11- 
   
  3 Navigation 12- 
   
  3 Paramedics 12- 
   
  2 PS:  Forward Observer 11- 
   
  3 PS:  Soldier 12- 
   
  5 Rapid Attack (ranged) 
   
  5 Rapid Autofire 
   
  3 Systems Operation 12- 
   
  3 Tactics 12- 
   
  1 TF:  Wheeled Military Vehicles 
   
  6 WF:  Small Arms, Grenade Launcher, 
  HMG, Knife, Rocket Launcher 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  294 
   
  Total Cost:  350 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 Distinctive Features:  Uniform (Easily 
  Concealable) 
   10 Hunted:  The Enemy 8- (As Pow) 
   10 Hunted:  US Army 8- (More Pow, NCI, 
  Watching) 
   20 Normal Characteristic Maxima 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Sense Of 
  Duty (Common, Strong) 
   20 Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders 
  (Very Frequently, Major) 
   70 Experience Points (or choice of 
  Disadvantages) 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  350 
   
   
  Experienced Soldier
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  41
  Incomplete Character Rules by James Jandebeur 
   
  Introduction 
   
  It all started with spirits. Back when the first 
  Hero Almanac came out for HERO System 4th 
  Edition, it contained the Spirit Rules, an optional 
  system for dealing with the disembodied. While 
  they did cover the subject, they were a departure 
  from the normal character creation rules, adding 
  completely new rules to the system rather than 
  using (or broadening) existing powers to 
  accomplish the goal. Now, this was really 
  nothing new, since Automatons, Computers, 
  Vehicles, and Bases had done this for years. 
  Still, it seemed that it might be useful to have 
  one set of rules unifying all of these concepts, 
  one a bit closer to normal character creation 
  rules. This line of thought began the project that 
  became the Incomplete Character Rules. 
   
  All of the “characters” mentioned above, 
  including those using the Spirit Rules, do have 
  one thing in common:  they lack one or more of 
  the characteristics that go into normal character 
  creation, making them “incomplete”. For 
  instance, the standard Automaton lacks Ego and 
  possibly Stun. Therefore, most of the Incomplete 
  Character Rules are guidelines for what happens 
  when each characteristic is deleted from a given 
  character. A few rules are added or modified 
  outside of this, in order to unify the various 
  systems. 
  WHY DO THIS? 
   
   
   
  There are three advantages to having one set 
  of rules for all characters: 
  1. Simplicity. While more complex than, 
  for example, Vehicles, the Incomplete 
  Rules are in some ways simpler than the 
  Vehicle, Computer, and Automaton 
  Rules taken together. 
  2. Consistency. By having all characters 
  use one set of rules, balance issues are 
  fairly straightforward. 
  3. Flexibility. It is quite possible to use the 
  Incomplete Rules to create more 
  character types than currently exist 
  without having to work from scratch. In 
  fact, just about anything can be written 
  up as one form of Incomplete Character 
  or another, from important items such 
  as foci to trivial things like rocks or 
  cereal bowls. 
  The Rules 
   
  For the remainder of this article, the term 
  Incomplete shall be used to refer to any character 
  that lacks one or more Characteristics. Like most 
  HERO System character creation rules, the 
  reasons for a character to be an Incomplete can 
  vary by special effect. For example, Lacks 
  Presence can be used when representing a 
  computer, or may indicate a person so detached 
  from his feelings that he can neither be 
  impressed nor have real emotional impact on 
  others. 
  Modifications 
   
  In order to unify the character creation rules 
  for all characters, some modifications to the rules 
  need to be made. While these modifications 
  apply to general character creation, they should 
  be strictly regulated by the GM, in effect having 
  the Stop Sign notation:  they can cause problems 
  if used for regular characters rather than 
  Incompletes, but may still prove useful in some 
  circumstances. 
  AUTOMATON SPECIAL POWERS 
   
   
   
  The Automaton Special Powers should be 
  considered regular powers, with the exception of 
  Does Not Take Stun, which is replaced by Lacks 
  Stun (see the Removing Characteristics section). 
  In particular, the options Does Not Bleed and No 
  Hit Locations are appropriate for some 
  characters. The former could be used to simulate 
  part of the ability of a regenerating character or 
  one able to psychically regulate his own blood 
  flow, while the latter can be for horrible 
  protoplasmic forms and the like (see the HERO 
  System Bestiary, page 190). Cannot Be Stunned 
  is free for an Incomplete which Lacks CON, and 
  should rarely be taken by regular characters. 
  PACKAGE DEAL DISADVANTAGES 
   
   
   
  While it is not normally appropriate, the 
  Disadvantages from Package Deals can be 
  considered to not count against the total or 
  category maximums. Instead, they subtract from 
  the overall cost of the Package. This should only 
  be done if the abilities in the Package are 
  considered to redefine the basic character, rather 
  than increasing his overall power level. 
  Example:  An alien race senses radio 
  waves, giving it High Range Radio 
  Hearing and Radar, 25 points worth of 
  powers, but is Blind for a 25 point 
  Physical Limitation. The GM decides 
  that this simply replaces one sense with 
  another, and so the race costs 0 points. 
  In a Standard Heroic game, a member 
  EDITOR’S NOTE 
   
   
   The contents of 
  this article are not  
  “official” HERO 
  System rules. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  42 
  of the race could still take 25 points in 
  Physical Limitations and 75 points in 
  total Disadvantages. 
   
  Lacks Stun is a 45 point Power in 
  these rules. Many Automatons take the 
  Physical Limitation:  Loses Functions 
  When Taking Body (Frequently, Greatly 
  Impairing) to reduce this cost to 30. 
  Disadvantages allowing the Automaton 
  to be incapacitated could also subtract 
  from this total, as it is simply replacing 
  the ability to be rendered unconscious 
  by taking Stun with other methods. 
  ADVANTAGE/LIMITATION PAIRS 
   
   
   
  Similarly to the Package Deal 
  Disadvantages option above, sometimes it may 
  be appropriate for Advantages and Limitations to 
  cancel each other out. This is done in much the 
  same way as Nonselective subtracts from the 
  cost of Area Of Effect powers, rather than being 
  considered a normal Limitation. For example, 
  the Advantage Usable By Others, allowing one 
  other to use the Power for a +1/4, could be 
  cancelled out by Only By Others, to create a 
  weapon or system for a Vehicle. 
  INCOMPLETE SECONDARY 
  CHARACTERS 
   
   
   
  Characters often purchase Disadvantages 
  that cause others to be associated with them in 
  some way. Any of these can be an Incomplete 
  with the GM’s approval. For example, a 
  character can be Hunted by powerful Automaton 
  programmed to kill him, or have a DNPC that is 
  an ancient family heirloom. 
   
  A Duplicate can be an Incomplete, but if it 
  belongs to a different character type than the 
  main character it usually need some level of the 
  Altered Duplicate Advantage. If everything is the 
  same other than it being an Incomplete, it is the 
  +1/4 Advantage, increasing for other differences 
  as usual. However, if the GM decides the 
  Duplicate is simply a part of the whole character, 
  this restriction can be waived. 
  Example: An Evil High Priest is able to 
  separate his Spirit from his Body, 
  effectively splitting himself into two 
  Incompletes. This is purchased as 
  Duplication (see Astral Form on page 
  101 of the Hero System 5th Edition). 
  Because the Duplicate is a portion of 
  the main character, and is otherwise 
  identical, the GM rules that it does not 
  require Altered Duplicate. 
   
  With the GM’s permission, Summon can 
  also be used with Incompletes, allowing a wide 
  variety of item creation powers or “conjuring up” 
  a distant item. This is an alternative to Transform 
  (for creating items) and Teleport (for conjuring 
  them), so it should be watched closely if allowed 
  at all. Many Incompletes require the use of the 
  Amicable Advantage on the Summon Power. For 
  example, conjuring up a weapon requires at least 
  Friendly (it will not turn on the conjurer, but it 
  could be taken and used against him), while 
  creating water would probably require Slavishly 
  Loyal (it is useful and unlikely to be used against 
  its creator). 
   
  Finally, it can be appropriate for a Follower 
  to be any kind of Incomplete. This can remove 
  the need for a separate Vehicle or Base Perk. 
  Thus, a character could purchase four 100 point 
  Followers: a sidekick, a house, a car, and a 
  computer. This would cost 30 points. 
  Alternatively, different Incompletes could also 
  be different Perks, much as they are in the 
  official rules, requiring them to be purchased 
  individually. 
  Additions 
   
  When creating an Incomplete, the 
  Characteristic(s) to be removed are simply 
  crossed off the character sheet. Usually, the 
  benefits and drawbacks are considered to 
  roughly balance, resulting in no cost. In some 
  cases, it is primarily a drawback to lack a 
  Characteristic, in which case a Disadvantage is 
  given for it, but not all Incompletes qualify for 
  the extra points.  
  Example:  A standalone Computer 
  Lacks Strength, a Physical Limitation 
  normally worth 15 points. However, if 
  that same computer were integrated 
  into an Automaton or a Vehicle (and not 
  simply considered part of the other 
  character), it would no longer get the 
  points for this Disadvantage. 
   
  Stun is the only Characteristic that actually 
  costs points to remove. 
   
  An Incomplete may purchase any deleted 
  Characteristic as a Power. This should not be 
  done often, especially if it is bought without 
  Limitations, as it usually indicates that a regular 
  character is more appropriate. If this is done, the 
  Base Characteristic is considered to be 0 for 
  calculating the total. If lacking the Characteristic 
  is normally a Disadvantage, the value should be 
  reduced or eliminated entirely. Some 
  characteristics, like Recovery and Stun, make no 
  sense to buy back. 
  Example:  Standard Automatons are 
  immune to Presence Attacks, but can be 
  quite intimidating themselves. Under 
  these rules, this is done by the 
  Automaton taking Lacks Presence and 
  then buying Presence as a Power. 
   
  An Incomplete lacking one or more Primary 
  Characteristics can only purchase Skills based on 
  INCOMPLETE 
  HISTORY 
   
   
   Originally, the 
  Incomplete Rules did 
  not provide or cost 
  points. This has been 
  modified, both to 
  bring them closer to 
  the standard rules and 
  because some of the 
  Characteristics never 
  quite balanced 
  properly. If lacking a 
  Characteristic is a 
  Disadvantage, it is 
  still very appropriate 
  to balance it with an 
  equal cost ability, but 
  the specifics are left 
  in the GM’s (or, 
  rarely, player’s) 
  hands. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  43
  them with GM’s permission. All such Skills have 
  a starting roll of 9- (unless the Characteristic is 
  bought as a Power and is applicable), though 
  they may be bought up normally. This is how 
  laboratories are purchased for Vehicles and 
  Bases. If the Incomplete is using the Skill itself, 
  it will generally fail at any but the most 
  rudimentary tasks, however much the roll is 
  made by. This is especially true in Skill vs. Skill 
  contests. The GM has the final say on this 
  matter. 
   
  For purposes of calculating Figured 
  Characteristics, the deleted ability is considered 
  to be 0. Since the deleted Characteristic is not a 
  part of the Incomplete, it cannot be altered by 
  Adjustment Powers. If bought back, the Power 
  can be altered, but the Incomplete will never 
  acquire the penalties of having a negative score. 
  NEW POWER ADVANTAGE:  RIGID 
  DEFENSE
   
   
   
   
  This Advantage is applied to Defense 
  Powers, though it is most useful when applied to 
  PD and ED or similar abilities. A Power with 
  this Advantage stops all Stun damage if the Body 
  done does not exceed it, in exactly the same way 
  as a Force Wall. Unlike a Force Wall, it is not 
  destroyed or damaged when this happens, and it 
  does not prevent attacks from being thrown 
  through it by the character. This is a +2 
  Advantage. If the defense is broken when it is 
  exceeded by an attack, it is reduced to a +1. 
  Rigid Defense must be taken on all Defense 
  Powers, PD, and ED by any Incomplete which 
  Lacks Stun, unless the GM decides otherwise. 
  Rigid Defense Cost Multiplier:  +2 if the 
  defense does not drop when exceeded by the 
  Body of the attack; +1 if it needs to be re-
  established when it is exceeded by the Body. 
  Removing Characteristics 
   
  This is the most important part of the 
  Incomplete Character Rules, what gives them the 
  name. Lacking each of the fourteen 
  Characteristics is defined, but these are only 
  example definitions. If the GM should decide 
  that these definitions are inappropriate, either for 
  a specific use or in general, they should be 
  changed to something more suitable. In 
  particular, Lacks Body, Physical Defense, 
  Energy Defense, or Stun can be unbalancing and 
  should be tightly controlled. All Disadvantages 
  assume that having the Characteristic is useful, 
  but not vital, to the character, and should be 
  adjusted up or down accordingly. 
  LACKS STRENGTH 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Strength is 
  incapable of exerting physical force. Usually, it 
  should sell back its base Running and 
  Swimming, since these abilities often depend on 
  some form of physical power, but this is not 
  necessary. Movement Powers should take 
  Cannot Be Used For Move By/Move Through (-
  1/4), if applicable. Computers and AI’s Lack 
  Strength, and this might also be appropriate for 
  cyberspace personas and spirits, among other 
  things. Lacks Strength is usually a Physical 
  Limitation, Frequent, Greatly Impairing, for 15 
  points. 
  LACKS DEXTERITY 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Dexterity cannot 
  react to the physical world. Attacks targeted with 
  OCV generally will not hit, though the GM can 
  allow them to be used at OCV 0. Because of this, 
  it usually can only use OCV targeted attacks that 
  are Area Of Effect at no range. If it is using 
  Mental Powers exclusively in a phase, it may act 
  normally at its Ego. If doing anything that uses 
  Dexterity for initiative, action is declared at the 
  top of the phase and performed at the end, 
  allowing normal characters to escape before the 
  action is completed. While no characters in the 
  standard rules Lack Dexterity, it might be used 
  in the creation of creatures of pure mind or 
  certain devices not needing Dexterity to function. 
  Lacks Dexterity is usually a Physical Limitation, 
  All The Time, Greatly Impairing, for 20 points. 
  Example:  For a Space Opera style 
  campaign, a number of characters in 
  the Galactic Defense Force are in 
  possession of Psi Crystals, semi-sentient 
  creatures capable of boosting their 
  owners’ psychic abilities. They also act 
  to some extent on their own. They are 
  given Lacks Strength and Lacks 
  Dexterity, which would normally be a 
  total of 35 points in Physical 
  Limitations. However, since they only 
  need to operate psychically, the Lacks 
  Dexterity is considered Frequent, 
  Slightly Impairing, reducing its value to 
  10 points. 
  LACKS CONSTITUTION 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Constitution is not a 
  living creature, at least in the normal sense. It has 
  no normal biological processes. It gains Cannot 
  Be Stunned for free, because it does not go into 
  shock from pain. At the GM’s option, it will also 
  react differently from living characters when 
  deprived of its needs, shutting off rather than 
  taking damage. Life Support can be bought 
  normally, removing needs like fuel (Diminished 
  Eating) and maintenance (Longevity). 
  Example:  A car is created that Lacks 
  Constitution. If it runs out of gas, it 
  doesn't take damage from not having 
  "food", it just stops running. It does not 
  die in the desert heat, but may very well 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  44 
  stop, and if thrown into an active 
  volcano (which is considered an attack) 
  will still melt. 
   
  The primary drawback for Lacks 
  Constitution is that it is 0 for purposes of Figured 
  Characteristics. Because of this, if bought back 
  as a Power it must take the Does Not Add To 
  Figured Characteristics Limitation. Vehicles are 
  an example of Incompletes that Lack 
  Constitution. Lacks Constitution is considered to 
  be worth no points. 
  LACKS BODY 
   
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Body cannot be 
  killed or destroyed by normal means. An 
  alternate means of destroying it must be defined. 
  Frequently, another characteristic must be 
  reduced to negative its normal value to cause the 
  Incomplete’s destruction. All attacks must take 
  the Affects Physical World Advantage unless the 
  GM determines otherwise. The Incomplete does 
  not actually have Desolidification:  it cannot 
  move through objects, and Affects Desolidified 
  attacks are not able to do Body to it. This is not 
  considered a Disadvantage or a Power. There are 
  no real examples of this in HERO System 5th 
  Edition, the best example still being the previous 
  edition’s optional Spirits, which were destroyed 
  by reducing their Ego score. 
  Example:  At some point in the past, a 
  Pulp Era campaign world was somehow 
  crossed with a universe in which 
  cartoons existed, and the world was 
  never the same. These creatures cannot 
  be permanently harmed by ordinary 
  means, though they can be rendered 
  unconscious or Stunned. They can only 
  be killed using some form of excessively 
  strong paint thinner or the like. 
  LACKS INTELLIGENCE 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Intelligence is 
  incapable of processing information or 
  perceiving for itself. Instead, an operator is 
  needed to give it orders. Some form of control 
  system should be defined for each of the 
  Incomplete’s abilities. Usually, this requires 
  some form of physical contact, like a car’s 
  steering wheel and pedals, but with the GM’s 
  permission it can respond to one normal sense, 
  though this gives it no perception beyond 
  receiving orders (e.g., voice control). More 
  esoteric forms of control (radio control or even 
  Mind Link) may be purchased as Powers. To 
  give the Incomplete the means to respond to 
  more than one form of control, give it a 
  Knowledge Skill:  Control Type, for each one 
  after the first, as well as any required Powers. 
  Any abilities the Incomplete does not somehow 
  perform itself should be bought with Usable By 
  Others or, more often, through a Universal 
  Focus. 
  Example:  The Movement Powers for a 
  Vehicle are used by it, though at the 
  direction of a pilot. They work at its 
  initiative and on its Phases, and move 
  the Vehicle itself. However, a vehicle 
  mounted weapon might be fired by a 
  gunner, independently of what the 
  Vehicle is doing, and should be bought 
  in such a way as to allow this. 
   
  The Incomplete’s controller can give it 
  directions only on his Phases. Because of this, it 
  usually acts on the lower of the controller’s or its 
  Dexterity (or Ego for Mental Powers) and Speed. 
  If appropriate, it can act on its own, but it will 
  simply repeat what it did when last given orders, 
  even if the action is useless or even detrimental. 
  See the Hero System 5th Edition, pages 321-322, 
  for the basics of controlling this type of 
  character. Vehicles are the primary example of 
  this type of Incomplete, though any device that 
  needs to be controlled from outside to function 
  could also be built this way. Lacks Intelligence is 
  a Physical Limitation, All The Time, Greatly 
  Impairing, for 20 points. 
  LACKS EGO 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Ego is incapable of 
  original thought. Unlike a character with a low 
  Ego, it is not weak-willed, but has no will at all. 
  It is unaffected by most Mental Powers, and 
  cannot possess them without GM permission. If 
  affected by a Mental Power that works against its 
  class of mind, Intelligence may be substituted for 
  Ego for both ECV and effect, at the GM’s 
  discretion. The precise results in this case depend 
  on common sense and dramatic sense, as well as 
  the effect roll:  Mind Controlling a computer 
  may not have the same results as doing so with a 
  self-willed creature. 
   
  In order to function without outside 
  instructions, the Incomplete needs “programs”, 
  which are bought as Knowledge Skills. These are 
  usually bought for some very specific task, and 
  do not normally require a roll. With the GM’s 
  permission, broader skills can be purchased, with 
  a higher roll to compensate for the complexity. 
  Example:  A starship computer has the 
  program KS:  Attack Enemy Ship, at 8-, 
  for 1 point. This is very straightforward, 
  and once an “Enemy Ship” is identified 
  for it and the order given, the computer 
  can carry out the task with some 
  competence. This will not normally 
  require a roll. This is the typical 
  program, and is equivalent to the 
  official rules. 
  COMPUTERS 
   
   
   While Computers 
  in the rules 
  technically do not 
  have Body, PD, or ED
  by the rules, this is 
  because they are 
  generally a part of 
  something else, 
  whether another 
  Incomplete (such as a 
  Base Computer) or a 
  Focus. Therefore, 
  they do not follow the 
  rules presented here 
  for these three 
  Characteristics. If 
  building a standalone 
  Computer, it should 
  have them, or have 
  Defense and Body. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  45
   
  On the other hand, a human 
  emulation program for a spy android 
  could be much more complex. If 
  allowed as a single skill, it should be 
  bought up quite a bit, perhaps to 18- or 
  even higher. Rolls against this skill will 
  be needed fairly often, sometimes with 
  penalties, to pass unnoticed in human 
  society. 
   
  In addition to the standard examples that 
  Lack Ego (including Computers and 
  Automatons), a creature that is purely instinctive 
  might also. For example, insects actually have 
  fairly simple behaviors that can be programmed 
  into computers, so they might be built this way. 
  Due to the immunity granted to most Mental 
  Powers, as well as such things as torture and 
  other methods of coercion based on Ego, Lacks 
  Ego is not considered a Disadvantage. However, 
  it should be made one if Mental Powers that can 
  affect it are particularly common in the 
  campaign. 
  LACKS PRESENCE 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Presence is unable 
  to feel or inspire an emotional response. This 
  renders it immune to Presence Attacks. It is also 
  immune to Interaction Skills used to influence its 
  behavior, but they could still be used against it in 
  other ways. For example, it is generally immune 
  to Seduction, but it could be convincingly lied to 
  with Acting. The Incomplete is always noticed 
  when in a social situation, effectively giving it a 
  Distinctive Features (Concealable). The specifics 
  should be defined when the Incomplete is 
  created, but it is usually obviously emotionless 
  (monotone voice, never gets excited, and so on). 
  Automatons and Computers are among the usual 
  examples of this type of Incomplete. Because of 
  the immunity to Presence Attacks and skills, 
  Lacks Presence is considered to be worth no 
  points. 
  LACKS COMELINESS 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Comeliness creates 
  no emotional response from its physical 
  appearance. It is not ugly, but is also not really 
  average or attractive:  it is just there in the 
  background. Most everyday things fall into this 
  category, as do Vehicles, although optionally 
  these things can have a Comeliness score to 
  represent artistic merit or luxury. Since Lacks 
  Comeliness has no significant game mechanical 
  effect, it is not a Disadvantage. 
  LACKS PHYSICAL DEFENSE 
   
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Physical Defense 
  does not interact with the material world. It 
  ignores attacks targeted against PD, and passes 
  through barriers composed of matter. This is 
  largely similar to Desolidification, but PD 
  targeted attacks will not harm it even if bought 
  Affects Desolidified. However, this lack of 
  interaction renders the Incomplete deaf, mute, 
  and without smell, taste, or touch, as these senses 
  rely on physical contact. The senses can be 
  bought back at the normal costs (see Hero 
  System 5th Edition, pages 227-229) and with the 
  GM’s permission. It is usually appropriate to 
  purchase Invisibility to the senses listed except 
  for Touch (it is considered Desolid for this 
  purpose as well). It generally cannot purchase 
  physical attacks, and other attacks require the 
  Affects Physical World Advantage. Spirits from 
  4th Edition are the only examples of this type of 
  character. Lacks Physical Defense is considered 
  to be worth no points. 
  LACKS ENERGY DEFENSE 
   
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Energy Defense 
  does not interact with forms of energy, most 
  obviously electromagnetic energy. It ignores 
  energy based attacks and can pass through most 
  Force Walls. This is largely similar to 
  Desolidification, but energy attacks will not 
  harm it even if bought Affects Desolidified. 
  However, this lack of interaction renders the 
  Incomplete blind, as it cannot perceive light. 
  Sight may be bought back at the normal costs. It 
  is usually appropriate to buy Invisibility to the 
  Sight Group. It generally cannot purchase energy 
  attacks, and other attacks require the Affects 
  Physical World Advantage. Spirits from 4th 
  Edition are the only examples of this type of 
  character. Lacks Energy Defense is considered to 
  be worth no points. 
  LACKS SPEED 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Speed can never 
  take actions. It cannot activate powers, so only 
  Persistent powers work for it normally. These 
  should also usually be Inherent, if this makes 
  sense for the power. It can be given powers for 
  others to use, either because it also Lacks 
  Intelligence, by making them Usable By Others, 
  or putting them in Universal Foci. This is 
  obviously not a playable character, but Bases are 
  a standard example of such Incompletes. Lacks 
  Speed is a Physical Limitation, All The Time, 
  Fully Impairing, for 25 points if taken on its 
  own. Lacks Speed is worth no points if the 
  Incomplete Lacks Dexterity and Ego, as it can 
  already take no actions. 
  LACKS RECOVERY 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Recovery does not 
  have any form of renewable energy, and does not 
  heal from wounds. Instead, it must be recharged 
  and healed (or repaired) by others. If its abilities 
  are reduced by an Adjustment Power, it does not 
  recover the points normally. For example, most 
  non-living things, including Vehicles and Bases, 
  PRESENCE 
   
   
   While an 
  Incomplete that Lacks 
  Presence cannot 
  normally make 
  Presence Attacks, its 
  actions may warrant 
  one. In this case, it 
  only gets the bonus 
  dice for the 
  circumstances, unless 
  it has purchased 
  Presence as a Power. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  46 
  have no Recovery score. Lacking Recovery is 
  normally considered to be a Physical Limitation, 
  Frequent, Greatly Impairing, for 15 points. 
  Alternatively, Recovery can be reduced to 0 if 
  this would be worth more points (and if no other 
  Figured Characteristic has been reduced), but 
  this is still considered to be a Physical 
  Limitation. Usually, Incompletes taking Lacks 
  Recovery should also take Does Not Bleed, 
  canceling out the Disadvantage, but this is not 
  necessary. 
  LACKS ENDURANCE 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Endurance has no 
  natural reserve of energy. It cannot use Stun as 
  Endurance, and cannot Push. It must use other 
  means of fueling all of its abilities, whether 
  through the Reduced Endurance Advantage, 
  Charges, or an Endurance Reserve. This is not 
  actually considered a Disadvantage, but the 
  characteristic can be sold back to 0 normally. 
  LACKS STUN 
   
   
   
   
  The Incomplete without Stun cannot be 
  knocked out, though it can still be Stunned. The 
  benefit of this is obvious, but the Incomplete 
  must purchase all defenses with the Rigid 
  Defense Power Advantage, paying for this even 
  on its starting defenses (or with the GM’s 
  permission dividing them by 3). Also, as the only 
  obvious way to stop the Incomplete is to destroy 
  it, that is what many opponents will try to do. 
  Many Automatons are an example of 
  Incompletes that Lack Stun. Usually, this is 
  worth 45 points. 
   
  A number of circumstances should be taken 
  into account when determining the final cost of 
  Lacks Stun. Disadvantages related to the 
  Incomplete’s nature should reduce its cost. If it is 
  little or no more difficult to incapacitate it than a 
  character with Stun, the Rigid Defense 
  Advantage can be reduced or eliminated entirely. 
  Finally, in some campaigns it may not be much 
  of a benefit to Lack Stun, perhaps because highly 
  lethal attacks are common and Entangles and 
  similar powers are rare. Of course, there is also 
  the possibility that of the cost being increased in 
  some campaigns. 
  Example:  The Amorphous Assassin 
  Android, or AAA, is an Incomplete with 
  Lacks Stun, costing it 45 points. While it 
  can never be Knocked Out, if hit hard 
  enough it needs a Phase to reform itself. 
  Therefore, it does not take Cannot Be 
  Stunned and has a Constitution score. 
   
  A somewhat friendlier android, 
  named Facts, is being constructed as an 
  Incomplete that Lacks Stun and Cannot 
  Be Stunned (it is designed to simulate a 
  living thing, so it has a Constitution), 
  for a total of 60 points. It loses 
  functions if damaged (15 points), it can 
  be turned off with a hidden switch (15 
  points), and it is Susceptible to certain 
  forms of electromagnetic radiation (3d6 
  INT Drain per Turn, 25 points). These 
  reduce the cost of the overall Package, 
  the final cost of which is 5 points. The 
  GM further chooses to reduce the Rigid 
  Defense Advantage to +1, because it is 
  not much more difficult to disable Facts 
  than a normal character in his 
  campaign. 
  Adding Characteristics 
   
  When creating new character types, it may 
  be decided that new Characteristics are required. 
  For example, standard Bases have a Size 
  Characteristic, and their Body score somewhat 
  differently from that of a normal character. 
  These can often be developed from existing 
  abilities, in much the same way as new Powers 
  are sometimes added (see HERO System 5th 
  Edition, page 354, for examples of creating new 
  Powers from existing ones).  
   
  After figuring what would normally be the 
  Real Cost of the power, simply make that cost 
  the Active Cost for the new Characteristic. It can 
  then be bought as a Characteristic or as a Power, 
  as appropriate. It may be necessary to fudge a bit 
  to get a straightforward Characteristic cost, and 
  some adjustment should be done if necessary to 
  get a cost the GM feels is fair. 
  Example:  The writer of a Digital Hero 
  article sits down to re-create the three 
  Characteristics for Bases from existing 
  powers. Because the Body is spread out 
  over the Base, he decides to use 
  Entangle as the base power. After a bit 
  of work, he finds that buying up the 
  Defense and Body of this Entangle and 
  then doubling its area comes out to be 6 
  Real Points, so he assigns 3 points of 
  that to Defense, 1 to Body, and 2 to 
  Size. 
  DELETING ADDED CHARACTERISTICS 
   
   
   
  In some campaigns, the GM may add new 
  Characteristics to the game (see HERO System 
  5th Edition, page 351, for some examples). These 
  become part of normal characters, and so are 
  different from adding Characteristics to 
  Incompletes. In this case, it may be appropriate 
  to define what lacking these new Characteristics 
  might mean. 
  Example:  In a horror campaign, the 
  GM has added the Characteristic, 
  Sanity (SAN), as a measure of how 
  stable a character is at any given time. 
  He decides to define Lacks Sanity to 
  mean that the Incomplete has a different 
  STUN 
   
   
   Because Lacks Stun 
  is being separated 
  from Cannot Be 
  Stunned, the cost has 
  been reduced from the 
  official Does Not 
  Take Stun Power. 
  Very often the two 
  will be taken together, 
  or an Incomplete that 
  Lacks Stun will also 
  take Lacks 
  Constitution. 
  However, the option 
  is there to not take 
  both. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  47
  world-view from normal characters:   
  perhaps it is one of the Things Man Was 
  Not Meant To Know, or has an 
  unshakable belief system that cannot be 
  altered by experience. As this is both 
  beneficial and detrimental (while it can 
  never go insane, it is less flexible than 
  most characters), Lacks Sanity is 
  considered to be worth no points. 
  Examples 
   
  This section describes several possible ways 
  to use the Incomplete Character Rules. They are 
  written up as Package Deals, and assume that 
  Disadvantages will be subtracted from ability 
  costs. An Incomplete is usually meant as a 
  redefinition of the base character, so all of these 
  examples have a total cost of 0. For example, it 
  does not cost anything to be a Vehicle or an 
  Automaton, so it is likewise free to be a Spirit or 
  a Net Persona. 
  EXISTING INCOMPLETES 
   
   
   
  The Incomplete Character Rules are largely 
  derived from character types currently in the 
  rules. For example, Lacks Stun and Lacks Ego 
  are both directly developed from the Automaton 
  rules. During the updating of these rules for the 
  Hero System 5th Edition, all of the existing 
  “character” types were designed and balanced to 
  0 points. They are not included here because, 
  useful as they were in the development process, 
  they will not add anything to most people’s 
  games. After all, these character types are 
  already perfectly well done in the regular rules. 
  4TH EDITION SPIRITS 
   
   
   
  The Spirit Rules first appeared in the HERO 
  System Almanac and later in Horror Hero, both 
  4th Edition books. They were not only the 
  impetus for the Incomplete Rules, but are also 
  the reason that certain things work as they do. 
  Specific ideas drawn from the Spirit Rules were 
  Lacks Body, Lacks PD, and Lacks ED. 
   
  Spirits as written existed in the Spirit World, 
  a universe that exists “next to” the physical 
  world and works by its own laws. All Spirits 
  received the advantages and disadvantages of 
  existing in that realm. This idea has merit for a 
  number of concepts, but is beyond the scope of 
  this article. What is presented here is the design 
  of the Spirits themselves. 
   
  Two assumptions are made about the nature 
  of the Spirit Realm. One is that physical force is 
  meaningless, and so Lacks STR is not worth a 
  Disadvantage. Similarly, the cost of Lacks Stun 
  is waived, along with the need for taking Rigid 
  Defense, because such damage is virtually 
  unknown there. 
   
  SPIRITS PACKAGE DEAL 
   
   
  Ability 
  Cost 
  Lacks CON 
  0 
  Lacks BOD 
  0 
  Lacks PD 
  0 
  Lacks ED 
  0 
  Lacks STUN 
  0 
  Disadvantage 
  Value 
  Physical Limitation (Lacks STR) 
  0 
  Lacks END 
  0 
  Total Cost Of Package:  
  0 
   
  Because they Lack Body, Spirits are 
  destroyed when their Ego is reduced to the 
  negative of its normal score. They have a 
  Recovery, and so will regain points lost from 
  Drains normally, but its base is 0 (they Lack both 
  Strength and Constitution) and should not be 
  bought up. Because of the drawbacks of Lacks 
  PD and Lacks ED, most Spirits cannot perceive 
  the world around them, and either drift aimlessly 
  or (for ghosts of the dead) go through some 
  routine they had in life, and never truly 
  understand their current state. Spirits buying 
  normal Senses might see the physical world, 
  while Detect Spirits might be used to see their 
  own reality, but this depends on the rules the GM 
  has developed for the Spirit World. 
  ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES 
   
   
   
  In the Hero System 5th Edition, characters 
  that are naturally larger or smaller than humans 
  are given a Physical Limitation for their size and 
  abilities to simulate the advantages of being that 
  size. This could also be applied to the building of 
  Vehicles, in which case the Size Characteristic is 
  removed. For every doubling of mass, it would 
  need 5 points of Strength, which should take 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) to carry itself 
  and Knockback Resistance for -1”. While it 
  might also take an extra point of Body, there are 
  several reasons not to (e.g., low structural 
  integrity). 
  DETAILED FOCI 
   
   
   
  The idea of certain types of Foci being 
  purchased instead as an Incomplete has been 
  around for a while. Specifically, Powered Armor 
  suits have sometimes been presented as Vehicles 
  (see The Ultimate Vehicle, page 83). This allows 
  some extra options and a greater level of detail. 
  It can be abused, with the low cost combined 
  with the way Vehicle Defenses work, but it is a 
  valid option if carefully used.  
   
  Other items can also be purchases as 
  Incompletes. This would use the Follower Perk, 
  but different items should be purchased 
  separately rather than as multiples of Followers. 
  Multiple items of the same type could be bought 
  that way. This gives an added degree of control 
  at the cost of complexity. For example, here are 
  EXISTING 
  INCOMPLETES 
   
   
   If there is an 
  interest in seeing the 
  test write-ups for the 
  existing character 
  types, the author can 
  be contacted at 
  james@gamephil.com
   
  POWERED 
  ARMOR AND 
  VEHICLES 
   
   
   As an option 
  specifically for the 
  Vehicle as Powered 
  Armor, it may be 
  useful to have its 
  Defenses work as 
  normal Armor for the 
  occupant, rather than 
  working as Rigid 
  Armor. The Defense 
  works as usual for 
  protecting the 
  Vehicle/Armor itself. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  48 
  Nebula’s Duress Gauntlets, from Conquerors, 
  Killers, and Crooks, written up as a Follower. 
  They are 39 Real Points, so are a 195 point 
  Follower. Because are not inconvenienced by the 
  Characteristics they Lack, the Disadvantages are 
  worth 0 points. 
  Nebula's Duress Gauntlets 
   Val Char Cost Notes 
   
  1 BODY -18  
   
  0 PD 
  0 Total:  0/12 PD (0/12 rPD) 
   
  0 ED 
  0 Total:  0/12 ED (0/12 rED) 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -18 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   75 Duress Gauntlet Powers:  60-point 
  Multipower, Only Usable By Nebula 
  (+0), Usable By Other (+¼) 
   36 Durable Focus:  Armor (12 PD / 12 
  ED) 
  0 
   22 Durable Focus:  Healing 1 BODY 
  (Resurrection), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Persistent (+½); Extra Time 
  (Regeneration-Only) (1 Turn; -1¼), 
  Only If Being Repaired (-½) 
  0 
   50 Purchased Focus:  Luck 10d6, Only For 
  Being Found By Nebula (+0) 
  0 
   29 Inaccessible Focus:  Clinging (100 
  STR), Only To Stay With Nebula (+0); 
  Can Be Overcome In A Turn Out Of 
  Combat (-½) 
  0 
   
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  212 
  Total Cost:  194 
   
   
  The Purchased Focus Power is based on the 
  principle that Foci tend to return to their owners 
  eventually. This gives a device roughly 
  equivalent to a Durable OIF, but can be refined 
  very easily. For example, Luck can be sacrificed 
  for Body, meaning that they will be harder to 
  break but if stolen can be harder to find. The 
  Regeneration was bought on the assumption that 
  Nebula could fairly quickly repair the item in a 
  shop, but the Time Delay could be increased, 
  rare materials could be used up as an Expendable 
  Focus, and so on. The item could also 
  completely change its nature:  change Purchased 
  Focus to Wishes To Return To Dark Master, give 
  it Lacks Body instead of Regeneration, and drop 
  the Inaccessible Focus power and it becomes the 
  Scepter of a Demon Prince, banishing  those 
  offensive to him to Hell. 
  QUICK OR TRIVIAL EXAMPLES 
   
   
   
  The typical inanimate object has Body, PD, 
  and ED (or Armor), and Lacks all other 
  Characteristics. Load-bearing objects, such as 
  bridges or tables, could also have STR, with 
  Reduced Endurance and Persistent, Only For 
  Supporting Weight (-1), to determine exactly 
  how much it can hold before it starts taking 
  damage. 
   
  A Net Persona, existing only in Cyberspace, 
  could be developed in a similar manner to 
  Spirits. It exists in the “dimension” of 
  Cyberspace rather than the Spirit World, with a 
  different set of rules to follow. An additional 
  option is to give it back a STR score, but only for 
  carrying “equipment,” or programs, which would 
  be given a weight and Defense and BODY 
  scores of their own. Thus, STR would become 
  the new Characteristic, Memory (MEM), and the 
  Persona would be restricted in how much it 
  could carry based on this. 
  Acknowledgements 
   
  Thanks to the following people for their 
  suggestions and support (and apologies if I’ve 
  misspelled any names or forgotten anyone): Bill 
  Svitavsky, Bob Greenwade, Charles T. Badger, 
  Gary Sturgess, Geoffrey Speare, Geoff Heald 
  (for efforts to make Incompletes official), Derek 
  Hiemforth (most recently for the Focus 
  suggestion, though perhaps unintentional), John 
  Taber of the former Checkered Daemon, Dave 
  Mattingly (for accepting the article and his 
  patience), Hero Games, and RuneQuest 3rd 
  Edition, where I first encountered similar rules. 
   
  And special thanks to Anthony Vargas, for 
  the original write up. 
    
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  49
  Variations on Areas Of Effect by Dave Mattingly 
   
  Alternate Shapes for AOEs 
   
  Areas Of Effect don’t have to be limited to 
  just lines, cones, and circles. There are many 
  other ways to use the existing rules to affect 
  more interesting shapes. 
   
  With GM’s permission, these variations on 
  Area Of Effect can be used for powers. As 
  always, use what works best for your campaign. 
  AREA OF EFFECT (RICOCHET) 
   
   
   
  By taking the Advantage Area Of Effect 
  (Line) with the Conforming modifier, an attack 
  can continue in a straight line until it hits a 
  surface, then will “bounce” and continue until 
  the Line’s distance is used up. If the Reduced By 
  Range Limitation is used a power with these 
  Advantages, it can be determined at the time of 
  purchase that the power loses a DC for every 
  bounce, instead of every Range Increment. 
   
  An attack power with these Advantages will 
  bounce any time that it hits an object with greater 
  DEF + BODY than the DC in the attack 
  (otherwise the attack would destroy the object, 
  and continue through). Against a “soft target” 
  such as a person, the attack will bounce if it does 
  not knock the target down. 
   
  Area Of Effect (20” Ricochet) 
  AREA OF EFFECT (TRAIL) 
   
   
   
  To attack targets in a straight line by running 
  (or otherwise moving) past them, Area Of Effect 
  (Line) can be linked to a Movement Power, as 
  has already been done in Ninja Hero (Charging 
  Slash option 3, page 38), The Ultimate Vehicle 
  (Smoke Generator on page 25), and others. 
   
  But if the character doesn’t want to limit his 
  movement to a straight line, by adding the 
  Conforming modifier (and the No Range 
  Limitation, if it’s normally a ranged attack), an 
  attack will continue along the character’s path, 
  no matter what turns he might take. The area 
  affected cannot be longer than the character’s 
  movement during that Phase.  
   
  This can be useful for vehicular smoke 
  trails, oil slicks, and other effects that follow 
  behind a vehicle. It can also be useful for 
  speedsters that leave sonic booms, undertows, 
  and other effects behind them. Many speedsters 
  will also need to buy area doublings for the Area 
  Of Effect, so that all of their inches of movement 
  will be covered. 
   
  Example:  Bullet Train has 24” of Running, 
  and creates a wind tunnel behind himself when 
  he runs, so that everything he runs past gets 
  sucked into his path, and trails behind him for a 
  time. This is bought as Telekinesis 15 STR, Area 
  Of Effect (24” Line, Conforming, three area 
  doublings, +2¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END, 
  +½) (82 Active Points); No Range (-½), Linked 
  to Running (-½), Only To Pull Objects Behind 
  Him (-1), Gestures (throughout, -½) (total cost: 
  23 points). Once he stops running, everything 
  that he’s been towing will drop. Sure, he may not 
  have a lot of muscles, but by running past a 
  crowd of bystanders, he can clear an entire room 
  all at once, since each of the hexes behind him 
  can lift/pull two men. 
   
  As a GM’s option, for simpler bookkeeping, 
  this package of Advantages and Limitations can 
  be grouped into a single +1 Advantage – Area Of 
  Effect (Trail). 
   
  Example:  Bullet Train has 24” of Running, 
  and Telekinesis 15 STR, Area Of Effect (24” 
  Trail, three area doublings, +1¾), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) (71 Active Points); 
  Only To Pull Objects Behind Him (-1), Gestures 
  (throughout, -½) (total cost: 28 points). 
  AREA OF EFFECT (RANDOM) 
   
   
   
  By taking the Advantage Area Of Effect 
  (Radius) with the Non-Selective modifier, and 
  the Limitation Limited Conscious Control (-1), 
  an attack will move from target to target 
  randomly, until a target is missed. The effect will 
  begin its journey on the target that was first 
  indicated (so that the attacker can control the 
  general area in which the attack will begin), but 
  once the first target has been struck, the attacker 
  has no choice where the attack will strike next. 
   
  After the first target, the attack will strike 
  the nearest target that has not already been 
  struck. If there is a choice of targets at the same 
  distance, roll randomly. 
   
  If the Reduced By Range Limitation is used 
  on a power with these Advantages, it can be 
  determined at the time of purchase that the 
  power loses a DC for every hit, instead of every 
  Range Increment. Or, it can be determined at the 
  time of purchase that the power loses 1 OCV for 
  every hit, instead of every Range Increment. 
  Both of these versions of Reduced By Range 
  EDITOR’S NOTE 
   
   
   The contents of 
  this article are not  
  “official” HERO 
  System rules. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  50 
  Limitations can be purchased for the same 
  power. 
   
  For an additional -¼ Limitation, Slow 
  Spread, the attack will start on the attacker’s 
  initiative, and then take an extra initiative point 
  to move from target to target. So, for every target 
  after the first, characters with a DEX score 1 
  lower may then act. If a target leaves the area 
  before the attack gets to him, he’s no longer a 
  viable target. Conversely, if a target enters the 
  area before the attack has petered out, he 
  becomes a viable target. 
   
  Example:  Arkelos has a Lightning Chain 
  spell defined as RKA 2d6, Area Of Effect (3” 
  Radius, non-selective, +¾) (52 points); Limited 
  Conscious Control (-1), Reduced By Range 
  (loses 1 OCV per hit, -¼), Slow Spread (-¼), 
  Incantations (-¼), Gestures (-¼), Requires A 
  Skill Roll (-½), Concentration (½ DCV, -¼), 
  OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾) (total cost: 10 points). 
  He casts it into a group of five adjacent goblins. 
  The first goblin is struck on Arkelos’ DEX of 14 
  and OCV of 7. The goblins don’t get to move 
  until their DEX of 11 comes up. So, on 13 and 
  12, two more goblins get attacked by the 
  lightning, the first with an OCV 6, and the 
  second with an OCV 5. Both attacks hit. On 
  DEX Count 11, the remaining two goblins 
  scatter, leaving Arkelos and his party as the 
  nearest remaining targets. Uh oh. Arkelos is 
  attacked on 11 with an OCV of 4, and is hit 
  (curse that Concentration Limitation!). On 10, 
  with an OCV of 3, the lightning attacks the 
  nearest target to Arkelos, which is Chiron. 
  Thankfully, Chiron’s DCV is enough to evade 
  the 3 OCV attack, and he lightning spell fizzles 
  out, now that it has missed. 
   
  Depending on the special effects of the 
  power, the attack might be diverted before it 
  misses. For example, a lightning strike might be 
  just as likely to hit an anvil as a person, if they 
  were equal distances apart. 
   
  As a GM’s option, for simpler bookkeeping, 
  this package of Advantages and Limitations can 
  be grouped into a single +½ Advantage – Area 
  Of Effect (Random). 
   
  Example:  Arkelos’ spell is defined as RKA 
  2d6, Area Of Effect (Random, +½) (45 points); 
  Reduced By Range (loses 1 OCV per hit, -¼), 
  Slow Spread (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Gestures  
  (-¼), Requires A Skill Roll (-½), Concentration 
  (½ DCV, -¼), OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾) (total 
  cost: 11 points). 
  AREA OF EFFECT (LINE OF SIGHT) 
   
   
   
   
  According the rules, by taking the 
  Advantage Area Of Effect (Radius or Cone) on a 
  Mental Power, all targets within the area can be 
  affected, whether the attacker can see them or 
  not. 
   
  But if the character wants to mentally attack 
  everyone within Line Of Sight, not just those 
  within a certain distance, he could instead buy 
  Area Of Effect (16x Length Cone, +2); No 
  Range (-½), Requires Line Of Sight (-¼), Flash 
  Defense Adds to Mental Defense (-¼), Takes 
  Perception Penalties (-½). 
   
  The attacker must be able to see (or perceive 
  with some other Targeting Sense) each target 
  clearly. This power will not work through Mind 
  Scan, unless the Mind Scan also was bought 
  Area Of Effect. 
   
  Perception Penalties, such as coverage and 
  concealment modifiers, apply. If one target were 
  partly hidden behind another, the attacker would 
  be at a penalty to hit the partly hidden target. 
  When facing a crowd of people, generally, the 
  first line of faces can be hit with no penalty, the 
  second line at a -2, the third at a -4, the fourth at 
  a -8, and so on. So, usually, this Advantage only 
  really extends to the first two or three people 
  deep. 
   
  Attacking from above with this Advantage 
  begins at a -4 OCV, since (standing) people 
  beneath an elevated character are considered 
  Prone compared to the attacker’s position. 
   
  Example:  Morpheon can induce sleep with 
  but a thought. Sleep Beams:  3d6 Ego Attack, 
  Area Of Effect (64” Cone, +2) (90 Active Points); 
  No Range (-½), Requires Line Of Sight (-¼), 
  Flash Defense Adds to Mental Defense (-¼), 
  Takes Perception Penalties (-½), Not versus 
  Targets with Life Support: Never Sleeps (-¼). 
  Total cost:  33 points. 
   
  When infiltrating a VIPER nest, and seeing 
  two dozen agents 12” away at the end of the 
  corridor, he attacks them with his Sleep Beams. 
  Since the corridor is wide enough for three 
  agents, he’s able to get the first three at his ECV 
  versus their ECV. The second row has partial 
  coverage, and is at an additional -2. This third 
  row is at a -4 for coverage. So, he’s able to get a 
  total 9 agents with his blast. Half of them are 
  Stunned by the attack, and stagger aside, so the 
  next time, he’ll still be able to see them, plus a 
  few more that are no longer hiding behind them. 
   
  Some time later, Morpheon is up against 
  Gargantua. Since Morpheon can easily see 
  Gargantua from two blocks away (Gargantua’s 
  PER bonus for being so large counteracts any 
  distance penalties for perception), Morpheon is 
  able to attack against Gargantua’s normal ECV, 
  minus 2 for partial coverage from some 
  buildings (he’s only visible from the waist up at 
  this angle). 
   
  As a GM’s option, for simpler bookkeeping, 
  this package of Advantages and Limitations can 
  be grouped into a single +½ Advantage – Area 
  Of Effect (Line Of Sight). 
   
  This Advantage has a Big Ol’ Stop Sign. 
   
  DECOUPLING 
  DISTANCE AND 
  POWER 
   
   
   The Advantage 
  Area Of Effect (Line 
  Of Sight) is set at a +2 
  for the length of the 
  cone. Instead of 
  basing the length on 
  the Active Points of 
  the Power, since this 
  Area Of Effect is 
  supposed to cover the 
  field of vision (or 
  other sense), a flat +2 
  can be assumed to 
  cover the necessary 
  distance, regardless of 
  the points in the 
  power. 
   This can change, if 
  there are Enhanced 
  Senses bought for the 
  appropriate Sense 
  Group. 360o Vision 
  will change the shape 
  from a Cone to a 
  Radius; Telescopic 
  will need a +¼ for 
  Area doublings for 
  every +2 Telescopic; 
  and so forth. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  51
  AREA OF EFFECT (PERCEPTION) 
   
   
   
  Instead of basing the Area Of Effect on 
  those that the attacker can perceive, as in Area 
  Of Effect (Line Of Sight), some special effects 
  need to be based on those targets that can 
  perceive the attacker. 
   
  By taking the Advantage Area Of Effect 
  (Radius) with three levels of range doublings 
  (for a total of +1¾), an attack will hit everyone 
  within a large area. Applying the Advantage 
  Personal Immunity, and the Limitation No 
  Range, will center the effect on the attacker. 
  Adding the Limitation Requires A Skill Roll 
  (with the modifiers No Active Point penalty to 
  Skill Roll and RSR Skill is subject to Skill 
  Versus Skill contests, -¼) will require each 
  defender to succeed at a PER Roll, or else escape 
  the effect. Adding a final -¼ Limitation, Flash 
  Defense Applies, allows the defenders to deduct 
  Flash Defense (of the appropriate sense) from 
  their PER Roll. 
   
  Example:  The Minstrel has Ego Attack 3d6, 
  Area Of Effect (32” Radius, three area 
  doublings, +1¾), Personal Immunity (+¼) (90 
  Active Points); No Range (-½), Requires A Skill 
  Roll (Hearing PER, -¼), Flash Defense Applies 
  (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Gestures (-¼), OAF 
  (lute, -1) (total cost:  26 points). He sings this 
  lullaby while on stage in an auditorium. The 
  acoustics were designed so that every seat in the 
  house could hear well, so every member of the 
  audience must fail a Hearing PER Roll (which 
  the GM rules is at a +4 due to excellent 
  acoustics) in order to avoid the effects of his 
  sonic attack. His minions are wearing earmuffs 
  (8 points of Flash Defense), so would get a -8 on 
  their PER Rolls (for a total of -4) against his 
  song. Singing this song a few more times will be 
  enough to ensure that they can loot the entire 
  audience before anyone wakes up. If The 
  Minstrel were to sing this same song on a 
  crowded street corner, he’d have to compete with 
  the background noise, so the GM might rule that 
  the crowd has a -4 PER Roll (making them less 
  likely to hear, and thus be affected by, his song).  
   
  As a GM’s option, for simpler bookkeeping, 
  this package of Advantages and Limitations can 
  be grouped into a single +1½ Advantage – Area 
  Of Effect (Perception). 
   
  Example:  The Minstrel has Ego Attack 3d6, 
  Area Of Effect (Hearing Perception, +1½), (75 
  Active Points); Incantations (-¼), Gestures (-¼), 
  OAF (lute, -1) (total cost:  30). 
  AREA OF EFFECT (SHAPE) 
   
   
   
  By taking Area Of Effect (Any Hexes) 
  Advantage with a ¼ less Limitation, the shape 
  can be set as predefined shape (like the letter Z, a 
  crescent moon, or a treble clef). 
   
  Example:  Arkelos is trapped in a large 
  cavern with over a dozen goblins. He casts his 
  deadliest spell, The Penny Loafer Of God, which 
  is defined as the shape of a shoe that covers 48 
  hexes (which is exactly the size of the shoe that 
  Arkelos’ player wears), roughly in a 6 by 10 inch 
  block. The player takes off his own shoe, and 
  places it on the map, to show which hexes are 
  about to get stomped on. If the cavern weren’t 
  large enough for the entire shoe to fit, Arkelos 
  wouldn’t be able to use this spell (unless the 
  Foot was powerful enough to also Stomp 
  through the walls, as well). 
   
  Area Of Effect (48” Fixed Shape) 
   
  It is recommended that the shape, at the 
  desired size, be handy during game time. If the 
  shape is that of a human skull (complete with 
  eye- and nose-holes that aren’t affected), it helps 
  to have one that’s already cut out at the desired 
  shape and size, which can be just laid down on 
  the map to show what area is covered. 
  AREA OF EFFECT (CAGE) 
   
   
   
  The Champions book (page 14) shows how 
  to construct an Energy Cage, by combining the 
  Advantages Area Of Effect (One Hex) and 
  Continuous with the Limitation Targets Only 
  Take Damage If They Touch Cage Or Move 
  Into/Out Of The Affects Hex (-½). 
   
  By increasing the Advantage to Area Of 
  Effect (Radius), a larger cage can be constructed, 
  which deserves a consequently larger Limitation 
  since the targets have much more space to move 
  around in – the -½ Limitation increases to a -1.  
   
  Some of the Entangle and Force Wall 
  Advantages and Limitations can also apply. 
  Since Cage constructs must be Constant (either 
  through the power’s default duration, or the 
  Continuous Advantage), there must be a way to 
  shut off the power. In many cases, this will be by 
  doing a specified amount of damage to the cage 
  itself. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  52 
   
  Takes No Damage From Attack can specify 
  that certain types of attack will not harm the 
  Cage. A Cage made of electricity, for example, 
  might not take any damage from electrical or 
  insulated attacks. 
   
  Cage And Character Both Take Damage 
  will make it dangerous for those on the outside 
  to free their trapped friends. Sure, Captain Spigot 
  can put out the Fire Cage in a deluge of water, 
  but his friends inside might drown if he does so. 
   
  Cannot Be Escaped With Teleportation is 
  certainly a nasty surprise for teleporters who 
  expect an easy way out. 
   
  Opaque can block senses from passing in 
  and out of the Cage (but doesn’t stop senses 
  within). A Cage like this can be made 
  soundproof, for example, while still allowing full 
  view inside and out, but those within could still 
  speak to each other – it’s only the Cage wall 
  itself that would stop sound. 
   
  Transparent can allow the attacker to 
  encircle himself in a Cage, and attack from 
  within, if he buys the Cage as being Transparent 
  to his normal mode of attack. A Cage like this 
  might have “bars” that can be seen through and 
  attacked through (ranged attacks only, since 
  hand-to-hand attacks would trigger the damage), 
  without “tripping” the attack. 
   
  Does Not Prevent The Use Of Accessible 
  Foci will still allow those within the cage 
  freedom of movement, including the use of 
  gadgets. 
   
  Cannot Form Barriers will prevent the cage 
  from forming a “net” that could, for example, 
  block a hallway – the cage has to form an entire 
  unit. 
   
  Susceptible or Vulnerable will make the 
  cage easier to destroy or escape from. Cages with 
  some sort of lock will often have one of these 
  Limitations against the Lockpicking Skill. 
   
  All of these Modifiers can be appropriate to 
  a Cage. Personal Immunity is also very handy. 
   
  Example:  Arkelos has been trapped in a 
  Fire Cage (RKA 2d6, Continuous (+1), One Hex 
  (Cage, +½)). He can see through it, cast spells 
  through it, but if he were to try to touch the cage, 
  or escape, he’d get burned. 
   
   
  a 2” Radius Cage 
  SMALL EXPLOSION 
   
   
   
  The new +½ Advantage Small Explosion 
  splits the difference between the Advantages 
  Explosion and Area Of Effect (One Hex). A small 
  explosion power covers one hex at full power, 
  the surrounding six hexes at half power, and 
  stops there. This Advantage is a good choice 
  when an explosion would work well against a 
  group of enemies, but when there are too many 
  friendly targets within the normal blast radius. 
   
  an 8d6 Small Explosion 
  EXPLOSIVE CONE 
   
   
   
  By applying the Limitation Reduced By 
  Range to an attack with the Area Of Effect 
  (Cone) Advantage, the character can define the 
  power as power losing Damage Classes not on 
  the distance from the attacker, but from the 
  centerline of the Cone. 
   
  an 8d6 Explosive Cone 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  53
  Force Fields Enhanced by W. Jason Allen 
   
   
  Force Field has long been a staple power of 
  many genres. Supers wield personal force fields 
  like a second skin. Wizards cast force fields 
  around themselves when they fear the charging 
  orcs may cause some injury. Massive starships 
  raise their shields when some powerful alien 
  vessel challenges them. 
   
  Yet, there are only a few options for Force 
  Field presented in the HERO System rulebook. 
  This article will present an explanation of how 
  some Advantages can enhance the Force Field 
  power, as well as by adding a few new options 
  specifically for Force Field. Only those 
  Advantages not normally applied to Force Field 
  are detailed here. Those whose effects are self-
  explanatory are omitted. 
  STANDARD ADVANTAGES 
   
   
  Affects Desolidified (+½):  By itself, this 
  advantage offers no benefit to a Force Field. 
  Coupled with the Area Of Effect advantage, it 
  creates a field of energy that Desolidified 
  characters cannot pass through. 
   
  Area Of Effect (+½, +1):  More often associated 
  with attack powers, Area Of Effect can be 
  applied to Force Field, creating a bubble of 
  energy with the character in the middle. Any of 
  the Area Of Effect shape options can be used, 
  though One Hex, Radius, and Line would be the 
  most common choices. Applying this advantage 
  turns the Force Field into a barrier that cannot be 
  torn down, but can be penetrated. To penetrate, 
  the attacker must do enough BODY to pierce the 
  Force Field. Once breached, a hole in the Force 
  Field is created that lasts until the owner of the 
  Force Field takes a Half Phase action to repair 
  the torn Force Field. Until the hole is repaired, 
  objects can pass freely through the hole. If the 
  Area Of Effect Force Field is the character’s 
  only defense, he is defenseless against attacks 
  from inside the Force Field. However, this 
  advantage is useful in protecting multiple people 
  or objects that would not fit inside a normal 
  Force Field, and can also act as an effective 
  barrier. Note that Desolidified characters can 
  pass through an Area Of Effect Force Field 
  unless the special effect of the Force Field is one 
  that will affect the Desolidified character, or the 
  Force Field is bought with the Affects 
  Desolidified advantage. 
   
  Does Knockback (+¼):  This advantage 
  normally applies to attack powers that do not do 
  Knockback. When applied to Force Field, it can 
  simulate a sort of “repulsor shield” that protects 
  the wielder and can also force back those who 
  come in contact with it. Since Force Field is not 
  a power based on dice, the mechanic for 
  determining Knockback is as follows:  for each 5 
  points of defense in the Force Field (rounding 
  down), the character gets 1d6 for the purpose of 
  doing Knockback. For example, a 10/10 Force 
  Field would get 4d6 of Knockback, while an 
  18/18 Force Field would receive 7d6. After 
  determining the number of dice, roll them as 
  damage, counting Body to get the number of 
  Knockback inches. Then subtract 2d6 inches as 
  per normal Knockback rules. 
   
  Double Knockback (+¾):  This advantage can 
  only be purchased in conjunction with the Does 
  Knockback advantage. Otherwise, its effect is as 
  detailed in the HERO System rulebook. 
  New Options 
  ADVANTAGES 
   
   
  Adaptable (+½):  This advantage represents a 
  Force Field that can be strengthened against 
  either physical or energy damage by lowering the 
  other on a one-for-one basis. It takes a Half 
  Phase action to shift defense points, regardless of 
  the number of points shifted. No more than half 
  of the Force Field’s physical or energy defenses 
  (rounded down) can be shifted. 
   
  For example, a cybernetic villain has 
  Adaptable Force Fields. In the course of a battle, 
  he realizes his opponents are relying almost 
  entirely on energy attacks. He adapts his 15 
  PD/15 ED Force Field to have greater defense 
  against energy attacks. Taking a Half Phase to do 
  so, he shifts his defense to the maximum 
  allowed, making his Force Field 8 PD/22 ED. 
   
  Variable Harmonics (+½):  This advantage 
  simulates Force Fields that operate on a specific 
  frequency that can be altered at the character’s 
  option. Altering a Force Field’s frequency has 
  the effect of adding +5 Defense versus the 
  special effect of the last attack that got through 
  the character’s Force Field. For example, if a 
  character is damaged by a punch, he can alter his 
  Force Field harmonics to match punching 
  damage, gaining an extra +5 Defense against 
  punches. It takes a half phase action to alter a 
  Force Field’s harmonics. 
   
  This advantage can also be applied to attack 
  powers. Doing so enables that power to gain an 
  extra Damage Class versus the last special effect 
  the character was able to do damage against. 
   
  It is possible for opponents to have their 
  Variable Harmonics Force Fields and attack 
  powers at matching frequencies. The effects do 
  not change; they each have +3 Defense and +1 
  Damage Class against each other. 
  EDITOR’S NOTE 
   
   
   The contents of 
  this article are not  
  “official” HERO 
  System rules. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  54 
  LIMITATIONS 
   
   
  Regenerating Shields (-½):  This limitation 
  simulates Force Fields that get weaker as they 
  are hit. Unlike Ablative, which causes defenses 
  to have an Activation Roll as they take damage, 
  Regenerating Shields causes Force Field to lose 
  Defense as it takes damage. Many space vessels 
  have Force Fields with this limitation. 
   
  When a Regenerating Force Field is hit and 
  damage done to the character, the Force Field 
  loses Defense. For each 1 BODY and/or 5 STUN 
  that gets through the Force Field, 1/1 Defense is 
  removed from the Force Field. For example, if a 
  12/11 Force Field is hit with an attack that does 
  13 BODY and 26 STUN, then the Force Field 
  will lose 1/1 DEF from the BODY damage and 
  3/3 DEF from the STUN damage. The 12/11 
  Force Field becomes an 8/7 Force Field. Note 
  the character’s other defenses (such as natural 
  PD and ED or Armor) do not add to the Force 
  Field’s defense for this purpose; the Force 
  Field’s defense is considered to be “on top,” 
  meaning it protects the character against damage 
  first, before any other defenses. If anything gets 
  through the Force Field to be applied against the 
  character’s other defenses, then the Force Field 
  loses defense. 
   
  The Force Field regenerates 1/1 Defense at 
  the beginning of each phase the character acts. 
  For example, the character whose FF was just 
  reduced to 8/7 has a 23 DEX and 5 SPD. On 
  segments 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 the character’s FF will 
  regenerate 1/1 DEF at the beginning of his action 
  at DEX 23 until the Force Field reaches full 
  defense. This regeneration occurs automatically, 
  with no effort required from the character, as a 
  zero phase action before the character takes any 
  other action during his phase. 
   
  Only Against (Special Effect) (var):  This 
  limitation restricts the Force Field to only 
  protecting against the indicated special effect. 
  The value is based on the commonality of the 
  special effect – -¼ for Very Common, -½ for 
  Common, -1 for Uncommon. 
   
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  55
  Mathias Aromak by David Storch 
   
   
  “Wolf-one-six-actual, this is wolf-
  one-four, I have the enemy in my sights, 
  over.”  
   
  “Excellent, call in the strike. Give 
  them a full spread; line up shockers at 
  the perimeter.” 
   
  Commander Hargbin triangulated 
  the targets’ position. In mere seconds, 
  the enemy would be crushed by the 
  raining death of heavy artillery. He 
  radioed the forward observer from 1st 
  Dragon Battalion, “Forty targets in the 
  open. Range three zero, left one five. 
  Willie P in effect. Over.” 
   
  “Acknowledged, wolf-one-four. 
  Willie P in effect. Out.” 
   
  Moments later, high explosive 
  rounds from guns positioned some 
  fifteen kilometers away showered the 
  area. A mixture of White Phosphorous 
  smoke and tear gas surrounded the 
  enemy. As the enemy left, they were 
  gunned down from heavy gauss rifle 
  fire set to full automatic.  
   
  “Was the information secured?” 
   
  “Yes, Minister. I myself have it 
  with me,” Commander Hargbin said, 
  tapping his breastplate. Mathias flipped 
  the control panel of his chair’s console, 
  toying with the button. 
   
  “And the rebels? They’ve been... 
  relocated?” 
   
  “Yes Minister. Shall I bring you the 
  data now, or transmit it to you?” 
   
  “No thank you, Commander, that 
  really won’t be necessary.” Mathias 
  said, pressing the button on the console. 
  Commander Hargbin’s body exploded 
  where he stood, in the middle of town 
  square.  
   
  Background/History:  Decades ago, the planet 
  Sirex was a cesspool of corruption and anarchy. 
  Warlords came and went with the flow of the 
  tides. Mikel and Jalnette Aromak were as lucky 
  as anyone in the world could hope to be:  Mikel 
  had a steady income and a newborn son who 
  would someday take over his father’s job. 
  Jalnette taught their son, Mathias, how to read, 
  write, and do arithmetic. An exceptionally bright 
  child, Mathias clung to everything his mother 
  could teach him. He wanted to be a teacher, like 
  her, once he finished his schooling. Sadly, he 
  never got that chance. 
   
  The Killswords, a group of off-world 
  mercenaries, had been hired to kill everyone in 
  their area that resisted them in an effort to goad 
  the local leaders into a war. Jalnette never saw 
  the bullets coming. Her bloody corpse fell on 
  Mathias, sheltering him to a degree. Mikel took 
  days to find him, but when he did, they left 
  quickly. They gathered up what they could, and 
  Mathias paid special care to grab his mother’s 
  precious books. Mathias looked back on his 
  home from the hilltop, not to return until after 
  several years had gone by. 
   
  Mikel and Mathias decided to make the 
  most of things. They were strong, like their 
  ancestors had been. Mikel had been a traveling 
  merchant for years. All he needed to do was 
  adapt his business. He and Mathias decided to 
  play one warlord against the other. Mikel wasn’t 
  very well suited to this, however, and was forced 
  to make Mathias leave. Killswords shot his 
  father in the head moments after. 
   
  Having seen both his parents murdered 
  drove him nearly insane, but Mathias truly was 
  resilient. He learned to channel his anger and use 
  it to drive him to action after, rather than before 
  thought. He learned everything he could from 
  then on about revenge. Mathias turned his 
  father’s business into a front for information 
  gathering for different warlords and petty 
  criminals. He learned the secrets of military 
  tactics. He learned how to survive.  
   
  One of the places his mother was going to 
  show him, right before she died, was an 
  abandoned library in the ruins of what used to be 
  a capital city. Mathias spent months looking for 
  the place. When he got there, he was awe-struck. 
  Books were everywhere, just as his mother had 
  said. He found all sorts, but his favorite was a 
  Pre-Collapse book titled The Prince by some 
  being called Machiavelli. Mathias read the book 
  religiously. 
   
  Over the next few years, Mathias began to 
  come into his own, and thirsted for power. He 
  wanted to destroy those responsible for 
  destroying his life. He vowed to rid his planet of 
  all destructive elements. A resourceful man, 
  Mathias built upon each of his successes, 
  eliminating anyone who got in his way and 
  consolidating business ties with those who 
  didn’t. He quickly found others who shared his 
  dreams of ridding the world of its problems. 
  Replete with success, he and his associates 
  proposed setting up a State, one that would 
  change the face of their world. With everything 
  he did, Mathias began to extend his reach….  
   
  Mathias rose to power, slowly at first, then 
  with increasing speed. In the period of a few 
  short years, he was able to gain the support of 
  the common people who supplemented a few of 
                                                             
  artwork by Asbjorn Scholtens 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  the anarchists still plaguing Sirex. With each 
  triumph, he gained more and more support. 
  Those who opposed him were quickly dealt with 
  by any means necessary and with amazing 
  efficiency. He proved to be as competent a 
  military commander as he was an economic 
  genius. Those he couldn’t buy, he simply 
  destroyed. 
   
  Today, Mathias has the planet Sirex under 
  his boot, and is “Big Brother” incarnate. 
  Following his career of Unification, he was 
  legally elected as the Chancellor of the 
  Assembly. He has been reelected during every 
  election. Mathias is in theory nominally 
  responsible for answering to the Assembly, and 
  ultimately, the People. In reality, Aromak is a 
  full-blown dictator who holds the planet Sirex 
  under his boot. A true megalomaniac, he is in 
  complete control and he knows it. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Mathias Aromak is 
  intelligent, well loved, and well aware of it. He is 
  calculating, methodical, and very good at 
  convincing people of what they want. He stops at 
  nothing to get people to do what he feels is in 
  their best interests, whether they like it or not. 
  Mathias loves to hear himself talk and hates to 
  be interrupted. 
   
  Mathias sees himself as the savior of his 
  planet. He genuinely believes he has their best 
  interests at heart. His selection of whom he is 
  protective of is a bit twisted, however, as is his 
  definition of “protection.” In his mind, he sees 
  absolutely nothing wrong with forcibly 
  relocating people, surveying their private lives, 
  and monitoring everything about them. For the 
  most part, he leaves the citizens alone, provided 
  of course they do what they’re told and follow 
  his vision. Dissidents, criminals, and freethinkers 
  are a constant annoyance to him, and he has 
  vowed to deal with them.  
   
  Mathias poses as the benevolent leader of a 
  productive trade world, and projects this image 
  to all who deal with his planet. Whatever he does 
  must be the best for his people. Mathias knows 
  people wouldn’t support him if his intentions 
  were made known, and because of this, he has 
  become somewhat withdrawn. This, in turn has 
  increased his inclination for violent action. 
   
  Mathias loves his son. He feels somewhat 
  responsible for the death of his parents even to 
  this day, and because of this, Mathias always 
  treats his son to the best life has to offer at the 
  expense of all else. He also loves books, thanks 
  to his mother, and is always looking for new 
  information on whatever holds his interest. He 
  especially prefers books on sociology and 
  history, and his library contains ancient books 
  describing various empires throughout history. In 
  particular, his favorite ancient texts include but 
  are not limited to: “The Prince,” “Rise and Fall 
  of the Third Reich,” “The Republic,” “and 
  Utopia,” and “The Communist Manifesto.” He 
  tries whenever possible to model his state after 
  these examples. 
   
  Quote:  “You and your kind are viewed with 
  some distaste here. For your safety, I think it 
  prudent that you be relocated.” 
   
  “Captain, escort our ‘guest’ to its new 
  ‘quarters.’” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  At the heroic level, Mathias 
  Aromak possesses no powers, as all of his 
  “powers” are bought as equipment, with money. 
  He prefers to use his guile and overwhelming 
  intelligence to manipulate, rather than fight. 
  Mathias never runs from a fight, however. 
  Whenever he can, he has his Personal Guards 
  fight in his stead, wearing an opponent down if 
  not killing him outright. His intelligentsia 
  normally keep an eye out for his enemies, but if a 
  character should prove particularly troublesome, 
  he conducts surveillance himself. 
   
  Mathias for the most part, leaves most of his 
  minions alone to do as they please, provided they 
  also do as they are told. However, he keeps his 
  enemies and potential threats nearby. If the 
  Player Characters are viewed as even a vague 
  threat, they will receive his utmost attention and 
  hospitality. This falls in line with his axiom of 
  “keep your friends close and your enemies 
  closer.” 
   
  Assassination is his favorite weapon, with 
  mind control running a close second. In regards 
  to the general public, he keeps most of his people 
  in line through power of suggestion. The exact 
  means for this can vary with the power level of 
  the campaign (see campaign uses). Mathias 
  never leaves a trace when pulling a sensitive 
  mission, especially one meant to extend his 
  economic reach. 
   
  Mathias keeps himself in top physical 
  condition, having mastered several martial arts 
  he employs whenever he is forced into physical 
  combat. 
   
  Campaign Use:  Mathias was designed for use 
  as the main villain in a Star Hero campaign. His 
  best use is as a direct antagonist trying to disrupt 
  events on the PCs’ homeworld. He could also be 
  used as an employer. When hiring PCs, they will 
  most likely be used in a covert operation, with 
  Aromak working behind the scenes. It should be 
  very difficult to trace any link back to him. 
  Should the PCs figure out his true nature, 
  Mathias should hunt them down with every 
  available resource to prevent them from “outing” 
  him. The GM could also use him as a Hunted 
  either for PCs or NPCs right from the start. 
  MATHIAS 
  AROMAK PLOT 
  SEEDS 
   
   
  Gift Bearer:  Trade 
  negotiations on the 
  campaign homeworld 
  have broken down. 
  The local space lanes 
  have been attacked by 
  a group of pirates. 
  The attacks seem 
  unusually 
  orchestrated at times, 
  particularly those 
  around Russick Drift; 
  a prominent trading 
  station in low 
  geosynchronous orbit 
  above the campaign 
  homeworld. 
  “Fortunately,” 
  Minister-General 
  Aromak of Sirex is 
  there to provide 
  military security…. 
   
  Apartheid:  Several 
  Sirexan locals have 
  smuggled themselves 
  on board a freighter 
  bound for the 
  campaign homeworld. 
  They have come 
  seeking political 
  asylum from 
  “inhuman violation of 
  basic sentient rights, 
  and torture.” They’re 
  members of a splinter  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  57
   
  Mathias Aromak is recommended for use in 
  a Star Hero campaign with PCs built on a 100-
  point base with 100 points of Disadvantages. For 
  low-level campaigns, leave him as he is. This 
  serves to make him more dangerous. For a truly 
  low-powered campaign, one with say 25 
  Character Point PCs, reduce all non-figured 
  characteristics by 3, leave figured characteristics 
  as they are, and reduce skill levels to base roll 
  levels, accordingly. For something a little more 
  high-powered, buy up his STR, DEX, and INT. 
  You may also want to consider giving him some 
  more PD and taking his SPD up to 5 or 6. 
   
  Mathias is a megalomaniacal dictator, with 
  dreams of empire. It’s suggested he be used as 
  the main villain or one of a group of recurring 
  villains. When he’s encountered, he always has 
  with him at least four of his Personal Guards 
  either right next to his person or in the 
  immediate vicinity. GMs are advised to play up 
  his outwardly friendly demeanor, while making 
  his plans as diabolical as possible. Also, GMs 
  should remember to have an explanation for his 
  population being so docile and compliant. 
  Suggestions for this include some form of Mind 
  Control device bought as equipment, or as a 
  Power bought with a Focus (as in high point 
  level campaigns). In campaigns where the PCs 
  will be on just one world, instead of Sirex being 
  an entire planet, scale it down to a continent, 
  hemisphere, or a large country. 
   
  Appearance:  Mathias Aromak is a thirty-eight 
  year-old male, approximately 5’10” in height. He 
  has black, straight hair cut in a “high and tight” 
  military style. He usually wears finely woven 
  silk shirts and the finest suits (or whatever 
  clothes your campaign calls for). He is also fond 
  of military dress, especially when appearing in 
  public and when addressing the Assembly. He is 
  in top physical shape, never has anything on his 
  clothes out of place, and is generally considered 
  to be extremely handsome.  
  Aromak’s Personal Guards 
   15 STR 
  15 DEX 
  20 CON 
  15 BODY 
   10 INT 
  10 EGO 
  15 PRE 
  10 COM 
   3 PD 
  4 ED 
  4 SPD 
   7 REC 
  40 END 
  32 STUN 
   
  Abilities:  +1 with Ranged Attacks; Access; 
  Ambidexterity (no Off-Hand penalty); Combat 
  Sense 11-; Danger Sense (immediate vicinity, 
  out of combat) 11-; Breakfall 12-; Combat 
  Driving 12-; Fast Draw (Small Arms) 12-; PS: 
  Bodyguard 11-; Security Systems 11-; Systems 
  Operations 11-; Teamwork 12-; TF: Common 
  Ground Vehicles; WF: Common Melee 
  Weapons, Common Martial Arts Melee 
  Weapons, Small Arms 
   
  75+ Disadvantages:  Distinctive Features:  
  Uniform (Easily Concealed, Extreme Reaction, 
  Noticed and Recognizable); Psychological 
  Limitation:  Protective Of Mathias Aromak 
  (Uncommon, Total); Social Limitation:  Subject 
  To Orders (Very Frequently, Major [character 
  suffers punishment for disobedience]) 
  group of radicals that 
  have broken away 
  from the ghettoes and 
  refused to undergo 
  “re-education….” 
   
  The Banks of the 
  Styx:  Aromak, a few 
  members of the 
  Sirexan Assembly, 
  and various military 
  leaders, all of whom 
  are loyal to him, have 
  gathered for a 
  meeting in an 
  undisclosed location. 
  They’ve decided a 
  “Final Solution” 
  should be developed 
  to solve the 
  “Dissident Question.” 
  Rumor has it that 
  those not in support of 
  the current regime 
  and their “Great 
  Plans” will be asked 
  to relocate to 
  somewhere on the 
  barren southern 
  continent…. 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  Mathias Aromak (Minister-
  General Of Sirex) 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15 STR 
  5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH [1] 
   16 DEX 
  18 12- OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   20 CON 
  20 13- 
   20 BODY 
  20 13- 
   16 INT 
  6 12- PER Roll:  12- 
   15 EGO 
  10 12- ECV:  5 
   18 PRE 
  8 13- PRE Attack:  3d6 
   15 COM 
  3 12- 
   
   
  4 PD 
  1 
   Total:  4 PD 
   
  4 ED 
  0 
   Total:  4 ED 
   
  3 SPD 
  0 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   10 REC 
  6 
   40 END 
  0 
   35 STUN 
  0 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  91 
  Movement: Running: 
  6”/12” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
  3”/6” 
   
   
  Swimming: 2”/4” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   
   Martial Arts:  Generic 
   
   Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 
   
  4 Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort 
   
  4 Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Abort 
   
  5 Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  7d6 Strike 
   
  4 Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  5d6 Strike 
   
  3 Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  STR + v/5; Target 
  Falls 
   
   Perks 
   45 Followers:  50 Personal Guards (75 
  Character Points Base each) 
   10 Fringe Benefit:  Head of State (planet 
  Sirex) 
   15 Money:  Filthy Rich 
   
   Talents 
   
  9 Ambidexterity (no Off-Hand penalty) 
   
   Skills 
   16 +2 with All Combat 
   
   
  3 Acting 14- 
   
  3 Bureaucratics 14- 
   
  3 Combat Piloting 14- 
   
  3 Computer Programming 14- 
   
  3 Conversation 14- 
   
  3 Disguise 14- 
   
  2 Gambling 14- 
   
  3 High Society 14- 
   
  3 Interrogation 14- 
   
  6 Navigation (Air, Land, Space) 14- 
   
  3 Oratory 14- 
   
  3 Scholar 
   
  6 1)  KS: Economics 15- 
   
  9 2)  KS: Government Administration 18- 
   
  5 3)  KS: Military Theory/History 14- 
   
  2 4)  KS: Pan-Galactic History 11- 
   
  2 5)  KS: Philosophy 11- 
   
  9 6)  KS: Politics 18- 
   
  3 Systems Operations 14- 
   
  3 Tactics 14- 
   
  3 Teamwork 14- 
   
  4 TF: Small Ground Vehicles, Personal 
  Military Spacecraft 
   
  6 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Martial Arts Melee Weapons, Small Arms 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  205 
   
  Total Cost:  296 
   
   100+ Disadvantages 
   
  5 DNPC:  Mikel Aromak II (Aromak’s son) 
  8- (Slightly Less Powerful; Fully aware of 
  his father’s position) 
   15 Enraged:  when leadership questioned 
  (Uncommon, go 14-, recover 14-) 
   25 Enraged:  when empire or interests attacked 
  (Very Common, go 8-, recover 8-) 
   20 Hunted:  Rebels 14- (Less Pow, NCI, Kill) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Needs To Be 
  In Control (Common, Strong) 
   25 Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Very Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Hates Non-
  Humans (Very Common, Moderate) 
   76 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  296 
   
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  59
  Mathias Aromak 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  Stonework by W. Jason Allen 
   
  Background/History:  Unfortunately for Peter 
  Goldstein, there isn’t much of a market for 
  cave-wall paintings. However, he fulfilled his 
  childhood dream when he bought some land 
  with natural caves near Atlanta, and began 
  exploring the caves and painting the walls. It 
  was just for fun; he made paintings in all sorts 
  of styles, including the classic “cave painting” 
  style. He even copied some of the more famous 
  cave paintings from France. 
   
  Some news stories had been done about his 
  work, and a lighting system he set up in the 
  caves near the surface displayed his work to the 
  tourists who came to visit. After a few years, 
  Peter had explored fairly deeply into the cave 
  system. 
   
  One day, while exploring deep in the caves, 
  nearly half a mile below the surface, Peter came 
  upon a small chamber that had obviously been 
  carved and shaped. While examining the chamber, 
  he accidentally tripped a hidden switch, and a 
  cleverly hidden door opened. Passing through the 
  door, he found the most amazing thing he had 
  ever seen. Here, deep within the earth, was an 
  enormous abandoned city! 
   
  Exploring cautiously, Peter found what 
  seemed to be a library, and a book that, 
  surprisingly, was in English. Reading the 
  massive, dust-covered tome, he learned about the 
  city, once called Nargoria, and its former 
  inhabitants, the dwarves of the Nar-Gorath 
  nation. He also learned the book was magical in 
  nature, translating itself into the language of the 
  reader. Recorded within its pages was the history 
  of the dwarves who once lived here. The entire 
  nation left the city to fight against Takofanes, the 
  Undying Lord. Those few who returned after the 
  war could not maintain the city, and eventually 
  abandoned and sealed it, to join dwarves who 
  lived in the west. Only the king stayed behind, in 
  case others returned. 
   
  The palace of the dwarven king was even 
  more extraordinary. Sitting on the throne was the 
  statue of a dwarf, wearing a crown made of a 
  silvery metal with blue highlights. When Peter 
  approached the statue, however, it moved and 
  spoke, nearly scaring him out of his wits! 
   
  “Who are you, human?” Peter had a little 
  trouble making out what the king said, but 
  understood his words. After calming himself, as 
  the statue made no aggressive move, he 
  answered. 
   
  “My name is Peter. I’m an artist. What – 
  are you?” 
   
  “I am Kilarn, last king of Nar-Gorath. Stay, 
  and speak with me. Long has it been since last I 
  spoke with another living soul. I would learn 
  what has become of my people.” 
   
  Peter and Kilarn spoke for a long time of 
  many things, and Kilarn was saddened to learn 
  that not only had Takofanes been freed from his 
  tomb, but the dwarves had vanished and become 
  nothing but legend. 
   
  “Peter, you seem a good and kind soul. The 
  time of my people has passed, and I now wish to 
  join my ancestors. I would give you that which 
  has kept me alive for so long. Bear it well, and 
  do what good you can with it.” 
   
  Kilarn’s stone body shifted, and became 
  flesh. He was an old dwarf, his hair thin and 
  white, joints twisted with age. 
   
  “I am not long for this world, my friend. I 
  give you the Heart Stone, an ancient ruby gifted 
  with Dwarven Earth magic. Use it wisely and 
  well, and it can preserve you for ages, should 
  you choose. I ask only this:  search for signs of 
  my people. Though they have likely all perished, 
  some may yet survive in other hidden cities. 
  Read through my private library on the third 
  floor; much lore is recorded there. Learn of our 
  ways and make them yours, and you will 
  prosper. Seek out my people. If you find them, 
  tell them that Takofanes has returned, and to 
  make themselves known to the new world. After 
  all they sacrificed, they have a right to coexist 
  with men. 
   
  “Peter, I make you my heir, and by dwarven 
  law, that appointment may not be refused nor 
  denied. Take this, my royal crown, as your own. 
  It is made of Dwarven silversteel, and will not 
  tarnish. If any ask you what right you have to it, 
  tell them, ‘by right of adoption, by the will of 
  Kilarn.’ Say that, and they will know you speak 
  true. You are the first human to be so honored, 
  but I have no choice. At least, now that I pass on, 
  Nar-Gorath still has a king. If you can, bring the 
  dwarves back to glory. If not, be content to live 
  well.” 
   
  Kilarn passed quietly from life, and Peter, 
  though sad, was determined to do everything he 
  could to find the dwarves. 
   
  Unfortunately, life got in his way. After 
  joining with the Heart Stone, and realizing it 
  gave him extraordinary power, he decided that 
  being a superhero would be a good way to help 
  people while trying to find the dwarves. Calling 
  himself Stonework, he foiled a VIPER theft, and, 
  finding their agents rather easy to defeat, 
  continued to interfere with their operations. 
   
  It didn’t take long for VIPER to figure out 
  who Stonework really was. They threatened to 
  kill his sister, Marla, unless he joined VIPER. At 
  first he refused, but when they brought Marla in, 
  blindfolded and crying, he gave in. He spent a 
                                                             
  artwork by Derrick Thomas 
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  61
  year working for them before he could no longer 
  tolerate the guilt of villainy, and turned himself 
  in to a hero team he had fought against several 
  times. The heroes tried to rescue his sister, but 
  they were moments too late. Stonework fled, 
  cursing the heroes, himself, and VIPER. Her 
  death haunts him to this day. 
   
  Stonework has removed himself from the 
  hero scene, and concentrates on finding the 
  dwarves. He doesn’t know what will happen if he 
  should find them, and frankly, he doesn’t care. He 
  couldn’t keep his promise to keep Marla safe, so 
  keeping his promise to find the dwarves, and 
  occasionally tormenting VIPER, is all he has left. 
   
  Personality/Motivation:  Once a happy-go-
  lucky hero, confident in himself and his ability to 
  trash the villain and rescue the world, Stonework 
  has fallen hard. VIPER threatened his family, 
  forced him into villainy, and beat down his spirit 
  until he couldn’t take it anymore. When he 
  finally tried to resist and turned himself in, his 
  sister got killed. 
   
  Tortured by his conscience, Stonework is for 
  the most part unwilling to risk being a hero 
  again. If he stumbles across someone in 
  immediate need of help, he’ll do what he can, but 
  he doesn’t go out of his way to help people 
  anymore. Why bother? He’s still wanted for the 
  crimes he was forced to commit. The one time he 
  tried to come clean, his sister was murdered and 
  the judge at his trial refused to believe he had 
  been coerced. His only reason for living now is 
  to find the dwarves and get revenge on VIPER, 
  two goals he pursues incessantly. 
   
  Given to quiet brooding, Stonework can 
  sometimes be found in various parks across 
  Campaign City, imitating a bench or statue, or 
  sitting in a bar somewhere, brooding with a drink 
  in hand. If he were to learn his sister still exists, 
  even as a ghost, he would cheer up considerably. 
  Until then, it would take tremendous sympathy 
  and goodwill from someone who truly cared 
  about him to make him want to be a hero again. 
   
  Quote:  “Leave me alone! I’ve lost enough 
  already thanks to ‘heroes’ like you!” 
   
  Powers/Tactics:  The Heart Stone is a 
  magnificent ruby the size of a human heart, 
  enchanted with ancient dwarven magic. It has 
  joined with Peter, enabling him to transform into 
  living stone. He will keep these powers until he 
  willingly gives the Heart Stone to another or 
  someone manages to kill him and remove the 
  stone from where his heart would be. As 
  Stonework, Peter can shape his stone body at 
  will, able to become any shape and stone 
  imaginable. 
   
  This gives Stonework several remarkable 
  talents. He can shape his body to create several 
  different effects:  fists the size of small boulders, 
  sharpened into granite picks or formed into 
  diamond axe blades, and arm shields of amethyst 
  to deflect attacks that can cleave most barriers. By 
  forcing the crystalline structure in his arms to 
  grow at a phenomenal rate, he can effectively 
  stretch his arms several meters, reabsorbing the 
  crystals to shrink them back.. A similar method is 
  used to meld his legs and feet into the ground to 
  resist being knocked back by an impact. Melding 
  completely with the earth allows him to travel 
  underground, leaving little trace of his passage. 
  His stone body protects him from damage and 
  harsh elements, and gives him practical 
  immortality (he does age, but so slowly he can 
  live, as Kilarn did, for tens of thousands of years). 
   
  After reading more about the history of the 
  Heart Stone in Kilarn’s library, Stonework 
  learned how to breach the barrier between 
  dimensions and cross into the Elemental Plane of 
  Earth. He also found a spell that enabled him to 
  summon an earth elemental, loyal to his 
  commands. Though he had no training as a 
  wizard, the Heart Stone absorbed the spell, 
  making it a part of Stonework’s natural abilities. 
   
  The silversteel crown provides magical 
  protection against various life-draining and 
  altering effects, though not in any obvious way. 
  Stonework molds his head to keep the crown 
  securely in place. 
   
  In combat, Stonework will normally fight 
  toe-to-toe, until it becomes clear that other 
  tactics may be more effective. When faced with 
  an opponent that fights from the air, or one that 
  manages to evade him while stretching, he will 
  resort to the classic tactic of Throwing Things 
  Around. If Stonework has no way of affecting a 
  target, he will change targets, or flee by 
  tunneling. If he is pursued by another tunneler, 
  he will most likely escape to the Elemental Plane 
  of Earth. 
   
  The Boulder Fist and Diamond Pick Hand 
  powers both require GM permission, as they are 
  naked Advantages inside a Multipower. If you 
  prefer not to allow that, either replace them with 
  a Hand Attack with the same Advantages, or 
  simply ignore them. 
   
  Campaign Use:  No longer desiring to be a hero, 
  Stonework focuses almost entirely on finding the 
  dwarves. He knows that an ancient Dwarven city 
  once existed beneath the Rocky Mountains 
  somewhere near the San Francisco area, and 
  concentrates most of his efforts there. Several 
  other Dwarven cities were once located across 
  the continent, and he searches for them when his 
  efforts in Bay City are frustrated. He has been 
  spotted in New York, Millennium City, and 
  <Campaign City>. The city of Nargoria has 
  remained a secret, and Stonework still owns the 
  land with the cave entrance leading to the ancient 
  city, somewhere in the mountains of Georgia. 
  STONEWORK 
  PLOT SEEDS 
   
   
   Trying to find any 
  lead he can on a 
  Dwarven city that 
  once thrived in what 
  is now the mountains 
  of New York, Peter 
  spends a few days 
  browsing several of 
  New York City’s 
  museums. While at 
  the American 
  Museum of Natural 
  History, he recognizes 
  a Viking sword ‘of 
  unusual design and 
  material’ as being 
  made of Dwarven 
  silversteel! He learns 
  it was donated by an 
  English family 
  descended from 
  Vikings whose family 
  lore holds the sword 
  was found during an 
  expedition to America 
  with Eric the Red. 
  Unwilling to let such 
  an artifact lie in the 
  hands of the ignorant, 
  Stonework returns 
  that night to claim the 
  sword in the hopes of 
  researching its true 
  origins. 
   
   While nursing a 
  drink in a bar, he 
  overhears two VIPER 
  agents talking about 
  an upcoming mission. 
  He follows them, 
  beats more detail 
  from them, and tries 
  to stop their plan. PCs 
  arrive in the middle of 
  the fight. 
   
   Unable to coerce 
  Stonework to work 
  for them, the Circle of 
  the Scarlet Moon 
  decides on the direct 
  approach – a spell 
  binding him to their 
  service, forcing him 
  against his will to do  
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  Stonework 
   Val Char Cost Roll Notes 
   15+35* STR 33 12-(19-) 200kg (25 tons); 3d6 
  (10d6) HTH [1(5)] 
   
  20 
  DEX 30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7 
   15+15* CON 34 12-(16-) 
   15+5* BODY18 12-(13-) 
   
  15 
  INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll:  12- 
   
  13 
  EGO 6 
  12- 
  ECV:  5 
   15+10* PRE 13 12-(14-) PRE Attack:  3d6  
   
  16 
  COM 3 
  12- 
   
  (5d6) 
   
   5+30*† PD 
  16 
   Total:  30 PD (30r) 
   5+30*† ED 
  20 
   Total:  30 ED (30r) 
   
  3+1* SPD 
  8 
   Phases:  4, 8, 12  
   6/16† REC 
  0 
    
  (3, 6, 9, 12) 
   30/60† END 0 
  *:  OIHID (-¼) 
   31/60† STUN 0 
  †:  includes figured 
  characteristics from 
  OIHID characteristics 
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  186 
  Movement: Running: 
  10”/20” 
   
   
  Leaping: 
  12”/24” 
   
   
  Tunneling: 8”/16” 
  Cost Powers  
  END 
   20 Stone Body Shaping:  Multipower, 25-
  point reserve; all slots OIHID (-¼) 
   2u 1)  Boulder Fist:  Area Of Effect (1 Hex; 
  +½) for 50 STR (see text); OIHID (-¼) 2 
   2u 2)  Granite Pick Hand:  Armor Piercing 
  (+½) for 50 STR (see text); OIHID (-¼) 2 
   2u 4)  Diamond Axe Hand:  HKA 1½d6 
  (3d6+1 with STR); OIHID (-¼) 
  2 
   1u 3)  Amethyst Shield Arm:  Force Wall 
  (5 PD/5 ED); No Range (-½), OIHID 
  (-¼) 
  2 
   1u 5)  Crystalline Arm Growth:  
  Stretching 5”; Limited Body Parts 
  (arms only; -¼), No Noncombat 
  Stretching (-¼), OIHID (-¼) 
  2 
   1u 6)  Earthen Foot Melding:  Knockback 
  Resistance -7”; OIHID (-¼), Costs 
  Endurance (-½), Only When In Contact 
  With The Ground (-¼), Visible (-¼) 
  plus Clinging (normal STR); OIHID  
   
   (-¼), Costs Endurance (-½), Linked  
   
   (-½), Only To Earth/Stone (-½), Only 
  When In Contact With The Ground  
   
   (-¼), Visible (-¼) 
  2 
   
   12 Stone Powers:  Elemental Control, 15 
  points; OIHID (-¼) 
   20 1)  Stone Passage:  Tunneling 8” 
  through 8 DEF, Fill In; OIHID (-¼), 
  Only Through Earth/Stone (-½) 
  5 
   14 2)  Self-Sculpting:  Shape Shift (Sight 
  Group, any stone form), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent 
  (+½); OIHID (-¼), Extra Time (Full 
  Phase; -½) 
  0 
   
  7 3)  Planar Shift:  Extra Dimensional 
  Movement (one location in the 
  Elemental Plane of Earth), x250 mass 
  (25 tons); OIHID (-¼), 1 Charge (-2), 
  Costs Endurance (-½), Extra Time (Full 
  Phase; -½), Increased Endurance Cost 
  (x2; -½); Only When In Contact With 
  The Ground (-¼) 
  [1]/10 
   15 4)  Earthen Ally:  Summon 377-point 
  Earth Elemental, Loyal (+½); OIHID  
   
   (-¼), Activation Roll 14- (-½), 1 Charge 
  (-2), Concentration (0 DCV; -½),  
   
   Costs Endurance (-½), Extra Time 
  (Delayed Extra Phase; -1), Gestures 
  (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Only When 
  In Contact With The Ground (-¼) 
  [1]/11 
   
   20 Stone Skin:  Damage Resistance (30 
  PD, 30 ED); OIHID (-¼), Visible (-¼) 
  0 
   40 Stone Body:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality); 
  OIHID (-¼) 
  0 
   
  8 Silversteel Crown:  Power Defense (10 
  points); IIF (-¼) 
  0 
   
  8 Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -5”; 
  OIHID (-¼) 
  0 
   
  6 Swift Runner:  Running +4” (10” 
  Total); OIHID (-¼) 
  2 
   
  4 Perceive Thermal Energy:  Infrared 
  Perception (Sight Group); OIHID (-¼) 
  0 
   
  5 See Through Earth:  N-Ray Perception 
  (Sight Group); Only To See Through 
  Earth/Stone (-½), Limited Range (25”;  
   
   -¼), Nonpersistent (-¼) 
  0 
   
   Talents 
   
  3 Bump Of Direction 
   
   Skills 
   10 +2 with Hand-to-Hand Combat 
   
   
  3 Climbing 13- 
   
  3 Concealment 12- 
   
  3 Conversation 12- (14-) 
   
  3 Jack of All Trades 
   
  1  1)  PS:  Artist 11- 
   
  2  2)  PS:  Cave Artist 12- 
   
  2  3)  PS:  Painter 12- 
   
  2  4)  PS:  Sculptor 12- 
   
  1  5)  PS:  Spelunker 11- 
   
  2 Language:  Dwarven (fluent conversation) 
   
  3 Power (Stone Powers) 13- 
   
  3 Power (Strength Tricks) 13- 
   
  3 Scholar 
   
  1  1)  KS:  Art World 11- 
   
  2  2)  KS:  Cave Art 12- 
   
  1  3)  KS:  Dwarven Art and Artifacts 11- 
   
  1  4)  KS:  Dwarven Culture 11- 
   
  1  5)  KS:  Dwarven History 11- 
   
  2  6)  KS:  Paintings 12- 
   
  2  7)  KS:  Sculptures 12- 
  as they command. 
  What dark deeds have 
  they in mind for him? 
  Will he find a way to 
  thwart them, or will 
  his sanity snap at the 
  horrors forced upon 
  him? 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  63
   
  1 SS:  Archaeology 8- 
   
  2 SS:  Geology 11- 
   
  3 Stealth 13- 
   
  3 Streetwise 12- (14-) 
   
  4 Survival (Mountains, Temperate/ 
  Subtropical) 12- 
   
  3 Traveler 
   
  2  1)  AK:  Bars & Parks 12- 
   
  2  2)  AK:  Caves 12- 
   
  1  3)  AK:  Dwarven Cities 11- 
   
  1  4)  AK:  Elemental Plane of Earth 11- 
   
  2  5)  CK:  Atlanta, GA 12- 
   
  1  6)  CK:  Campaign City 11- 
   
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  267 
   
  Total Cost:  453 
   
   200+ Disadvantages 
   10 Distinctive Feature:  Mystic Aura (Not 
  Concealable; Detectable Only With 
  Unusual Senses) 
   15 Hunted:  Circle of the Scarlet Moon 8- 
  (Mo Pow, Imprison/Enslave) 
   15 Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, Kill/ 
  Imprison) 
   10 Hunted:  Law Enforcement Agencies 8- 
  (As Pow, Imprison) 
   15 Physical Limitation:  Weighs 3200kg 
  In Heroic Identity (Frequently, Greatly 
  Impairing) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Brooding, 
  Feels Guilty Over Sister’s Death 
  (Common, Strong) 
   15 Psychological Limitation:  Code 
  Against Killing (Common, Strong) 
   20 Psychological Limitation:  Obsessed 
  With Finding Dwarves (Common, Total) 
   10 Reputation:  ex-VIPER villain, 11- 
   15 Social Limitation:  Secret Identity 
  (Frequently, Major) 
   10 Vulnerability:  2x STUN from Sonics 
  (Uncommon) 
   93 Experience Points 
   
  Total Disadvantage Points:  453 
   
  Occasionally, Stonework sets off to attack 
  VIPER installations or operations, after brooding 
  over his sister’s death. Such attacks often spill 
  into the streets, causing massive property 
  damage and sometimes casualties. He is also still 
  wanted by the FBI and other law enforcement 
  agencies. 
   
  A minor member of the Circle of the Scarlet 
  Moon happened to observe Stonework shifting 
  from park bench to human form one evening. 
  The Circle has been observing Stonework 
  discreetly since, hoping to find the source of his 
  powers or a way to force him to work for them. 
  Their one attempt to ‘recruit’ him was a 
  miserable failure; he thrashed them soundly, 
  nearly killing two of their members and leaving 
  one of them owing a serious debt to a demon 
  lord. 
   
  Allowing Stonework to learn of his sister’s 
  continued existence could reform him, turning 
  him from his morose brooding and occasional 
  larceny back to the road of heroism. 
   
  Stonework has noticed that several of his 
  abilities are similar to those of Temblor, of the 
  Crowns of Krim. He suspects that the Heart 
  Stone was made specifically to counter the Stone 
  Crown, but has so far found little evidence to 
  support this theory. 
   
  Appearance:  Peter is a handsome man in his 
  mid-twenties, well-built and tall. His black hair 
  is long, usually worn in a ponytail. His eyes are a 
  vibrant hazel green, but often reflect a deep 
  sadness. 
   
  Stonework is a man made of stone with 
  emerald green eyes. He can appear to be made of 
  any stone, and can take any shape, so 
  recognizing him for who and what he is may be 
  difficult. 
   
  
  DIGITAL HERO #10 
   
  Stonework 
   
  64 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/DIGITAL_HERO/Hero System - Digital Hero 10.pdf