23 Jun 2016
Mastermind Heroes are those who tries to avoid violence as far as possible. Like Mentalists and Vernes, they tend to do things using their brains, which many of them have powerfully enhanced. However, while Mentalists focuses in “magical” power, and Vernes on technological premises, Masterminds trust into their mind prowess to do things that could be beyond imagination..
Mastermind Heroes tends to do part of things that Mentalists, Merlins and Vernes does, but they also have some kind of special powers: some can visualize the immediate future and, this way, somewhat “precog” others’ actions. Some can create “special zones” where their will prevails, others can induce people to do their whims, with bigger or smaller limitations.
Masterminds normally tend to “stay out” the danger zone as possible, but at the same time “staying in” as needed to their powers being useful. Many of them tends to be full support, although some (specially villains) tends to use their powers to actively lure people to do what they want.
Invokes and Compels
Masterminds tends to invoke their Power Aspects to draw into their mind prowess to do things, find flaws in their opponents defenses, or coordinate allies moves. Compels can be done to make them deal with informational surges or addictions, mental (and physical) pain resulting of the excessive use of their powers or going into hubris or other mental or psychological problems derived from their own mental prowess.
Power Stunts
Masterminds tends to use Power Stunts that reflect somewhat their mental prowess somewhat. You can take some of Mentalist and Verne stunts, and some new stunts
- Superhuman mind: 2 HP for each +1 into Discernment Rating (at least one required)
- Sensible thought: 1 HP for each +2 into Discernment for Attribute Bonus purpose
- Top of your Class: like the Ajax-Type Stunt
- Bellax Analitica: +2 when Creating Advantages with Investigate to find weak spots or otherwise obtain strategical advantages on a Situation, including Situational Aspects;
- Do as I’ve said!: +2 in some social skill (like Deceive, Rapport or Provoke) to Create Advantages by inducing people on to do something you want. This power needs some restriction, like each victim can only fall under this power one time or you can’t make people do things they wouldn’t reasonably do or something else
- I’ve read about this: by using one FP, you can replace any skill by Academics, as long you can explain why in some reasonable way
- Today I am this: (2 HP) any time during an adventure, pay 1 FP and select a Skill. For the rest of the adventure, or until you opt to exchange this, you’ll roll Discernment instead of it. You can’t change this Skill for at least a scene, and needs to pay 1 FP for exchange. You also need a good explanation on why you’re exchanging this (for example, after seeing some old ER or House episodes, your Mastermind can use this Stunt to roll Discernment instead of Aid)
Power Class Requirement
Same as the Verne-Type, with Discernment + Superhuman Mind + Sensible Thought. +6 for D Class, +7 for C Class, +8 for B Class, +9 for A Class
Variations
Some of them could go under the Puppetmaster type, by using their Stunts to put people under their whims via Do what I’ve Said. You can use this, without Superhuman Mind, to create Master Tacticians, in need by military. Pretenders that simulate being all kind of people relies on Stunts like Today I’m this and I’ve read about that, buffed by Sensible Thought (but not Superhuman Mind). Tensai (geniuses in Japanese) goes for the same way that Pretenders, but with Bellax Analitica instead Today I’m this
23 Jun 2016
Being the littlest boy in a poor neighborhood school normally meaning being called names and thrased a lot by other kids. And that was the “normal day” for Joshua McCarthy into his school. Didn’t help people talked him a sissy, fag, or fairy because he loved too much books and theater and arts and crafts, and throwing balls or run or fight “like a girl” (their definition).
One day, the biggest bully in the school decided to give him a lesson about “being a man” and thrashed it really hard. He didn’t threw a blow, but in the despair, feeling he was being beaten to death, after lots of bruises and even some broken ribs and even a sprained arm, he felt like his mind expanded and he could see more about the places and how to run away, even hurted like he was. He cried “Pretty Please, leave me alone!” and the bully and their friends was put into a freeze from the blows.
Using his newly found breakthrough power, he said for them to “go away from me and no more do what you’re doing” and they got away from him. He just had conditions to get home, before going comatose for 6 months, between life and death, because of the sustained damage, that even get into his internal organs. In the meantime, that bully was sent to Juvenile Reformatory.
When he woke up, his father said that some of the medics discovered about him and his situation and talked about him with Heroes Without Borders and they invited him, as a breakthrough to get into, and that he would receive the best education HWB could provide in the meantime. He chosed to go, still without a name, crest or costume.
In his training in HWB, he discovered his powers goes into three main forms:
- His mind was now somewhat “enhanced” and he know have the same brainpower of great minds like Einstein, Hawking and Sagan (many of them he read about)
- He somewhat developed a kind of supernatural “tactical analysis” that allows him to somewhat precog some of the adversaries moves, so he could develop plans to prevent damage and to support team’s actions. Although not perfect, this power provide him with ways to help his team;
- And the power he used by the first time as a breakthrough, that he called Pretty Please!, that make people lose his fight will and do things he asked for, although no “meanie” thing (like beat other people or try to kill themselves or others) could be achieved this way.
He’s still working on his powers to help people to grew into agreements. As he loved Disney’s Pinnochio and Jiminy Cricket had lots in common with his powers, on counseling good things to the mischievious wood-puppet, he chosed his “cape name” to be Jiminy Cricket, costumed as the Disney’s version of it he bought at Target for Halloween (which put Disney in hot soup when they tried to sue Jiminy for copyright infringement), and crest as the Jiminy’s shadow (or something like that).
Anyway, although not a combatant, Jiminy is very useful with his heightend mind, that leaves him with tasks about collecting intel and counter-intelligence (when needed).
Aspects
| Type |
Aspect |
| Power Aspect |
A-Class Mastermind Hero |
| Hero Aspect |
A Mind Hero, not a Brick |
| Trouble |
A Elementary School Kid with all the world lore |
| Background |
“No more bullies if I can do something on it!” |
| Background |
A Hero Costume from Dress-Up Game |
Attributes
| Attribute |
Level |
| Alertness |
Good (+3) |
| Athleticism |
|
| Physique |
|
| Discernment |
Superb (+5) |
| Willpower |
Fair (+2) |
| Presence |
Great (+4) |
Skills
| Skill |
Level |
| Academics |
Great (+4) |
| Aid |
Fair (+2) |
| Deceive |
Average (+1) |
| Drive |
Average (+1) |
| Engineering |
Fair (+2) |
| Fight |
|
| Investigate |
Good (+3) |
| Larceny |
Fair (+2) |
| Provoke |
Average (+1) |
| Rapport |
Good (+3) |
| Shoot |
|
| Stealth |
Average (+1) |
| Survival |
Average (+1) |
Resources
| Attribute |
Level |
| Contacts |
|
| Reputation |
|
| Wealth |
|
Stunts [ Remaining SFP: 2 ]
- Superhuman Discernment +4 (8 SFP)
- Bellax Analitica: +2 when Creating Advantages with Investigate to find weak spots or otherwise obtain strategical advantages on a Situation, including Situational Aspects; (1 SFP)
- Pretty Please!: using this, Jiminy can Create Advantages using Rapport with +2 by inducing people on their Good feeling. However, he can’t remove auto-preservation sense or make people doing suicidal actions or actions that would be “meanie” (1 SFP)
- I’ve read about this (FC 115, applied to Academics) (1 SFP)
- Shield of Reason (FC 115, applied to Academics) (1 SFP)
Stress and Consequences
| Stress |
Bar |
| Physical |
2 |
| Mental |
3 |
| Resources |
1 |
| Consequences |
Normal |
Extra Physical |
Extra Mental |
Extra Resource |
| Mild (+2) |
1 |
|
|
|
| Moderate (+4) |
1 |
|
|
|
| Severe (+6) |
1 |
|
|
|
23 Jun 2016
André Luis was always a dreamy kid, reading all kind of old-fashioned space opera and science fiction books, from Jules Verne till Perry Rhodan. But his real life hero was in fact Santos-Dumont, the brazilian who made the first aeroplanes that could get out the ground by his own, with 14 Bis and Demoiselle, the first that was really closed.
During the Event, he was working into a experimental jet turbine, part of a graduation work when the Event happened. When he woke up, he saw some people from a bus that fell in the river next him. They had get out the bus, but needed to be rescued.
He just came with the idea to put some superglue on the turbine, put a jacket over it and put this thing on his back.
It was the first version of his own “Demoiselle”.
People didn’t understood from where he came, but he was able to take back people and, when the bus was a little lighter from people, to use the jetpack to help himself to pull over the bus back to the earth, saving people.
With time, he was contacted by Heroes Without Borders to help them: Verne-types are very dear for HWB, specially those multifocused as André. Then, he chosed to homage his inspiration in life to be an inspiration himself: now he’s known as Dumont, dressed on 1930s elegant clothes, a good Swiss analogic wristwatch and the iconic Fedora Santos-Dumont used and now he uses as a crest.
He likes many types of technology, but specially those who looks “pulp-era”: in fact, he’s too much anachronist, disliking computers or cellphones, using it only as much as really needed. He writes with a fountain pen in paper as much as he wants, with lots of projects drawn on it, using his flamboyant calligraphy.
No matter what happens, Dumont is always in his “hero costume”: the 1930 suit, the Fedora Hat he styled as his hero one’s, and he uses as crest (sometimes exchanged by a aviator’s hat) and goggles. He also uses a special holder that helps him to put Demoiselle, his so-called “back-jet”, a jet-pack that unfolds wings and so. He also have on it some afterbuners for special manuevers, a special kind of radar that gives him supersenses, and laser cannons that, sometimes, can be pushed over to provoke a very powerful attack that can bring some pain even for A-Type Atlas or Ajaxes.
Aspects
| Type |
Aspect |
| Power Aspect |
A-Class Verne |
| Hero Aspect |
The Flying Dilettante with his Back-Jet |
| Trouble |
Overconfident in his Demoiselle |
| Background |
Brazilian Pride |
| Background |
Weirdly Anachronist |
Attributes
| Attribute |
Level |
| Alertness |
Great (+4) |
| Athleticism |
|
| Physique |
|
| Discernment |
Superb (+5) |
| Willpower |
Great (+4) |
| Presence |
Fair (+2) |
Skills
| Skill |
Level |
| Academics |
Good (+3) |
| Aid |
|
| Deceive |
Average (+1) |
| Drive |
Fair (+2) |
| Engineering |
Good (+3) |
| Fight |
|
| Investigate |
Average (+1) |
| Larceny |
|
| Provoke |
Average (+1) |
| Rapport |
Average (+1) |
| Shoot |
Average (+1) |
| Stealth |
|
| Survival |
|
Resources
| Attribute |
Level |
| Contacts |
Fair (+2) |
| Reputation |
Fair (+2) |
| Wealth |
Good (+3) |
Stunts [ SFP Remaining: 3 ]
- Lighting Reflexes
- Eureka x4
- Just Give me a moment!
- Gear: Demoiselle the “Back Jet”
- Special Hull: pay 1FP and transfer the attack Dumont suffered to the Armor.
- Supersenses
- Dance with Bullets
- Laser Gun: WR4
- Special Attack (Laser Gun): WR10
Stress and Consequences
| Stress |
Bar |
| Physical |
2 |
| Mental |
4 |
| Resources |
2 |
| Consequences |
Normal |
Extra Physical |
Extra Mental |
Extra Resource |
| Mild (+2) |
1 |
|
|
|
| Moderate (+4) |
1 |
|
|
|
| Severe (+6) |
1 |
|
|
|
