# SuperHeroQuest

The HeroQuest rules are very simple, at their heart, and very flexible. In fact, they are so simple and flexible that they are ideal for using in a Super Hero setting. Here are some ideas as to how to use SuperHeroQuest.

Most SuperHero rules system concentrate on the rules, the strength of the characters, their powers and so on. This approach is very restrictive, it is far better to concentrate on the SuperHeroes themselves and let the rules take care of themselves. HeroQuest allows this very easily.

## Basic Rules

The basic rules for SuerHeroQuest (SHQ) are the same as for HeroQuest, however there are some important differences. SHQ has no rules for the Otherworld as SuperHero games do not normally have such a setting, SHQ does not have a concept of Animist, Theist or Sorcerer in the same way as HQ - in SuperHero games most people have no magical abilities and do not belong to cults. However, if a SuperHero does belong to a cult and gains specific magical abilities from the cult then use the standard HQ mechanics. Professions do not play such a large part in SHQ, as most SuperHeroes are SuperHeroes first and lawyers, soldiers or whatever second. SuperHeroes do not go on HeroQuests, so those rules do not apply.

## Character Generation

To keep SHQ as fexible as possible, character generation is very easy. First, write the standard 100 word essay, detailing a brief history and summary of the SuperHero's powers and abilities. Then work out what Keywords the SuperHero will have, if any, and the major abilities. Finally, detail the secondary abilities, relationships, flaws and so on. Depending n the power level of the game, the SuperHero would have a certain number of Hero Points to spend on his abilities as standard HQ.

To make the generation process simpler, the Narrator may want to use Keywords. However, Keywords in SHQ have less importance than those in HQ. They are more like guidelines for the character profession process. Narrators may want to create their own Keywords for professions, members of SuperHero Teams or other groups, or they can use variations on the standard HQ Keywords.

If a SuperHero belongs to a profession and takes a Keyword then he will gain a number of abilities relating to that profession. However,those abilities will often play only a minor part in a SuperHero game. So, a SuperHero who is a lawyer, such as Daredevil, may have lawyer skills but rarely uses them in his SuperHero guise. However, a SuperHero such as The Punisher has a Soldier Keyword and uses many of these abilities in his SuperHero guise.

Most SuperHero games are set in a modern, or fairly modern, setting. So, the Keywords should be modified to relate to this. So, someone with the American Keyword may gain a skill of Drive Automobile and someone with the Entertainer Keyword may get Play Electric Guitar or Play Keyboards skills.

Some Narrators may want to have some SuperHero abilities as Templates. These aresimilar to Affinities in HQ in that each Template contains a certain number of abilities that the SuperHero may, or may not, take. Sample Templates are:
Stretch (Elastic Limbs, Bounce, Enlarge Body, Fit Through Gaps)
Strong (Strong, Tough, Ignore Blows)
Flight (Fly, Carry Passenger, Aerobatics)

The Narrator may want the Template to have a single skill, in the same way as Affinities, or may want to give each ability a different rating. I would prefer the latter approach, if only to make SuperHeroes disticnt. So Superman might be tougher than The Hulk, but not as strong.

So, let use look at a few sample SuperHeroes. Here, I will use SuperHeroes from comics and films as examples, even though they are Copyrighted. I do not mean to break Copyright by using them, but it is easier to use a known SuperHero as an example than create a new one. These are only brief sketches, anyone using these rules to create actual SuperHeroes should take more time over the actual character generation.

### Superman

Superman has Keywords of From Krypton, American and Journalist. The Narrator has created the Keywords as follows:
From Krypton - Templates (Flight, Strong, X-Ray Vision, Freezing Breath), Vulnerable to Kryptonite
American - Speak English, Literate, Drive Automobile
Journalist - Curious, Probing, Tenacious

After some jockeying with the Narrator, Superman's Character Sheet is something like thi,s, bear in mind that I am not an expert on Superman or any other SuperHero:

Keywords: From Krypton American, Journalist
Skills: Speak English, Literate, Drive Automobile
Templates: Flight (Fly, Carry Passenger, Aerobatics, Fly Fast)
Strong (Strong, Tough, Ignore Blows, Leap Over Buildings)
X-Ray Vision (See Through Walls, See Through People, Blocked By Lead, Heat Ray Eyes)
Freezing Breath (Freeze Person, Freeze Water, Super-Cold Breath)
Flaws: Vulnerable to Kryptonite, Secret Personality
Relationships: Loves Lois Lane, Enemy of Lex Luther, Loves Parents, Works for Daily Planet
Personality: Curious, Probing, Tenacious, Honest, Just

Depending on the power level of the game, the player will have a number of Hero Points to allocate to each ability.

### Spiderman:

Spiderman has Keywords of American and Photographer, The Narrator has not created a Keyword for Spider Powers, so the player must make these up himself.

His character sheet will look something like this:

Keywords: American, Photographer
Skills: Speak English, Literate, Drive Automobile, Take Photos, Compose Photos, Develop Photos
Abilities: Strong Web, Sticky Web, Shoot Web, Fly Using Web, Spider Sense, Strong, Tough, Agile, Acrobatics
Relationships: Loves Aunt, Loves Mary Jane, Secret Personality, Hunted By Police
Flaws: Vigilante, Self Doubt

## Special Rules

SuperHeroQuest will have some rules not required for normal HQ. These rules are merely extensions of the standard rules, used in the specific setting of SuperHero games.

### Gadgets

Many SuperHeroes have gadgets, some are nothing without their gadgets. Gadgets in SHQ are similar to Magic Items in HQ.

Sidekicks

### Shared Resurces

Some SuperHeroes have special resources that are shared with other SuperHeroes. Typically, these resources are bases or organisations. So, Batman and Robin both have the Bat Cave, the Tracys have Tracy Island and so on. These shared resources usually have a character sheet of their own and act as another SuperHero connected to the players' SuperHeroes. Shared Resources are generated in thesame way as Followers and are treated similarly. They can be given abilities of their own that can e used by the SuperHeroes. The cost of this is the same as giving abilities to followers.

So, Batman has the Bat Cave. This has the abilities of Secret Location, Hidden, Technologically Advanced, Safe Hideout. The Bat Plane has Fly, Tough, Armour Plated, Aerobatics, Fly Fast, Shoot Missiles, Machine Gun, Remote Pilot. The Bat Car has Tough, Armour Plated, Fast, Machine Gun, Shoot Missiles, Remote Control, Voice Activated.

The Tracys have Tracy Island (Secret Location, Hidden, Technologically Advanced, Armoured, Remote Location).

If someone wants to try and find the Batcave, they must match a relevant skill against the Batcave's Hidden, augmented by Secret Location and Safe Hideout. So, if the Penguin (Clever 10W3, Perceptive 10W2 and Lucky 5W2) tries to findthe Batcave (Hidden 10W4, Secret Location 10W3, Safe Hideout 5W3), he must match 10W3 (+5 + 5) = 20W3 against 10W4 + 7 + 7 = 4W5, giving 20 vs 4W2, so he doesn't have much of a chance.

Adding abilities to a Shared Resource can be done indivdually or as a group. So, Batman could add extra security to the Batcave simply by spending his wealth (10W5) and gaining an ability of Secure Defences. He could only increase or create abilities that are available, so Batman cannot add Robotic Defenders unless he employed a scientist skilled in Robotics.

### Magic

Standard HQ magic is not normally available in SHQ, because SuperHeroes generally do not use HQ magic. If SuperHeroes use magic then the type of magic must be agreed on by the player and Narrator. If the SuperHero is in a cult, then the HQ rules on Theism can be used. If the SuperHero is a shaman then use the Animist rules. Some magical SuperHeroes will use the Sorcery rules. The Narrator may wish to allow the SuperHero to have certain magical abilities rather than using the standard rules.

So, Jaguar Man is a SuperHero who was raised in the Amazon by Indians and is a shaman. He can summon and control spirits and can travel the Spirit Plane in a form of Astral Projection. The Mummy is a SuperHero who was mummified and awakened thousands of years after, he is a Priest of Ra and has the Affiities Sun Disk (Glow Like the Sun, Sun Spear, Cure Disease, Blind Foe) and Ruler (Endow Pharoah, Cow Priest, Command Mummies).

SHQ is simpler in many ways than HQ, so magic use is also simpler. Contests are decided by matching relevant abilities vs relevant abilities, augmented by other abilities. So, The Mummy uses Blind Foe against Mirrorman, but Mirrorman uses his Reflect Light ability augmented by Many Mirrors and Reflect Attack to send the blinding ray back to The Mummy, dazzling him.

## A Sample Hero Group

To illustrate the SHQ rules, here is a sample Hero Group, The Men of Iron.

Men of Iron: SuperHero Group
100 Word Essay: The Men of Iron was formed ten years ago by Ironheart. He found the Iron Rings and put one on, becoming Ironheart. His friends each put on an Iron Ring and became SuperHeroes. Soon afterwards, they were attacked by the Crystal Men who wanted the Iron Rings for themselves and the Men of Iron fled, hiding away in an ancient fort. From there, they operate in secret, fighting the Crystal Men and protecting their families.

Members: Ironheart, The Brand, Mangetoman, The Vice
Resources: The Iron Fort
Enemies: The Crystal Men, Rust Boy

Ironheart
100 Words: Ironheart was an archaeologist who searched for many years for the Iron Rings, relics of Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire. He found them and put one on, finding himself transformed into Ironheart. He persuaded his friends to try on the rings. They all did, with the exception of Rusty who spat on the ring he held. As his friends were transformed, he saw Rusty fall to the ground in agony as his body turned the colour of his ginger hair. Thus, Rust Boy became his enemy and fled. Ironheart became cold and hard as iron, he found himself more intelligent and ruithless.

Skills: Ancient Languages, Literate,
Abilities: Clever, Intuitive
Relationships: Leader of the Men of Iron, Enemy of the Crystal Men
Flaws: Cold, Emotionless, Stern, Unflinching, Determined
Special Items: Iron Ring

Magnetoman

Skills:
Abilities: Magnetic Personality, Attract Metal, Affect Compass, Lightning Bolt, Repel Metal
Relationships: Member of the Men of Iron, Enemy of the Crystal Men, Enemy of Rust Boy
Personality: Attractive, Loyal,
Flaws: Clinging, Secret Personality
Special Items: Iron Ring

The Brand

Skills:
Abilities: Heat Metal, Fiery Glance, Hot Touch, Brand Enemies
Relationships: Member of the Men of Iron, Enemy of the Crystal Men, Enemy of Rust Boy
Personality: Passionate, Fiery, Intense
Flaws: Hot Tempered, Impulsive, Unforgiving
Special Items: Iron Ring

The Vice

Skills:
Abilities: Strong, Tough, Skin of Iron, Grip of Steel
Relationships: Member of the Men of Iron, Enemy of the Crystal Men, Enemy of Rust Boy
Personality:
Flaws: Slow Moving
Special Items: Iron Ring

[End]