The superteam known as the Justice Rangers gathers in their hidden base to discuss their old foe Doctor Righteous, whose latest escapades threaten to blow up the moon. The radioactive superhero Curie blazes across the cityscape to confront Nine Legs, a colossal insectoid mutant who's taken an entire skyscraper hostage. The vigilante Roundhouse slinks through the shadows, on the trail of a group of toughs employed by the Oppenheimer crime syndicate. Galaxiar, glowing with cosmic energy, ventures into uncharted space to prevent an interdimensional invasion from the alien beings whose name translates simply to "Eaters."

The superhero genre puts extraordinary powers in the hands of relatively few heroes and villains in a world that otherwise looks much like our own. Depending on the setting, superheroes sometimes operate openly, other times in the shadows. Either way, heroes try to save the day, whether the public appreciates it or not.

As a superheroic character, you'll probably take on dangerous missions, confront superpowered threats, and perhaps grapple with whether the justice you seek to preserve is legitimate in the face of the rule of law. Regardless, you'll have superhuman strength, flight, energy manipulation, or some other extraordinary power that gives you a leg up on regular people.

If you've read Marvel or DC comics featuring Iron Man, Thor, Superman, the Flash, and a whole host of others, or watched MCU or DCU movies, you're familiar with the superhero genre.

As usual, superhero PCs gain access to special abilities. However, character creation involves several additional facets that characters in other genres don't usually have access to, including power shifts and origin superhero abilities. In addition, you may face really impossible tasks (challenges that go from 1 to 15 instead of 1 to 10).

Superhero types are different than types in other genres, as they are ranked from 1 to 5. Each rank indicates a higher power level than the one before. Only superheroes have ranks. Thus, a rank 1 Vigilante is basically a well-trained, well-equipped human, but a rank 3 Superhuman is far capable than a normal mortal.

Before choosing a type, create your core character.

Skills: Refer to the Superhero Skills list for skills you can choose from when creating and advancing your character. However, depending on the game, your GM might give you choices from the Fantasy Skills list and/Science Fiction Skills list. Your choice of background skill, and possibly the extra skill you might get if you also choose a meaningful inability, also come from the same list of genre skills.

Some of these skills are tier restricted, meaning there's a minimum tier requirement before you can become trained or specialized in them.

Superhero Skills

These skills are appropriate for games in superhero settings. When you have the option to choose skills, choose from the following.

Animal care

Astronomy

Athletics

Attacking (tier-restricted)

Biology

Charm

Chemistry

Crafting

Deception

Defending (tier-restricted)

Disguise

Driving

Engineering

Escaping

Farming

Firefighting

Forensics

Gathering information

Geology

Gunnery

Gymnastics

Hacking

Healing

Heavy equipment operation

History

Identifying

Initiative

Intimidation

Lockpicking

Magic lore

Mathematics

Mechanics

Mining

Navigation

Outdoor survival

Perception

Performance

Philosophy

Physics

Pickpocketing

Piloting

Psychic lore

Psychology

Publishing

Recognizing motive

Religious lore

Riding

Scavenging

Skilled trade

Stealth

Systems operation

Tracking

Character Species: Superhero settings usually feature Humans, whether or not your GM is using the optional species rules. Alternatively, your superpowers might come from being an alien, in which case it's not really your species that is important, but your type and focus. But given how the genre tends to draw in elements from fantasy and science fiction, alternate species may be something your GM also wants to explore.

Foci: The list of suggested superhero foci effectively includes every focus in the game, given the rambunctious, wide-open nature of the genre.

Suggested Foci for a Superhero Game

Abides in Stone

Blazes With Fire

Builds Allies

Carries a Gun

Casts Spells

Changes Shape

Commands Mental Powers

Consorts With the Dead

Controls Beasts

Crafts Illusions

Doesn't Do Much

Employs Magnetism

Entertains

Explores

Fights Dirty

Fights Unarmed

Fights With Panache

Fuses Flesh and Steel

Fuses Mind and Machine

Grows to Towering Heights

Howls at the Moon

Hunts

Infiltrates

Leads

Masters Telekinesis

Masters Weaponry

Moves Like the Wind

Never Says Die

Performs Feats of Strength

Quells Evil

Reveres a Supernatural Force

Rides the Lightning

Sneaks Through the Shadows

Solves Mysteries

Speaks for the Land

Stands Like a Bastion

Strikes With Mystic Might

Talks to Machines

Tends to the Wounded

Walks Through Walls

Wears a Sheen of Ice

Works for a Living

Equipment: Many superheroes don't worry about mundane equipment. If characters have devices that they regularly use as weapons or that are the source of their power---such as an advanced suit of armor or a utility belt filled with gimmicks---these should be represented by abilities as if they were inherent powers. Thus, a gadget-using hero might be a Crimefighter who has the Amazing Tools origin superhero ability. Or they could emulate the effect by adapting the Casts Spells focus, with each "spell" represented by a gadget.

Superhero types do not get a mundane weapon as additional equipment; your super abilities usually provide you with a way to attack foes. However, you can still choose a weapon as one of your other items, or gain one later during the game.

In other words, from a story point of view, your character might be all about equipment, but from a game mechanics point of view, it's not equipment at all---it's part of your character. If an armored hero is ever caught without their suit of armor, they have no special powers other than their skills, but that's entirely true to the genre, so it works.

However, you may care what equipment you have as part of your secret identity; if so, see Secret Identity Equipment Bundle.

You might have standard equipment as part of a secret identity. If so, choose the following equipment bundle to quickly outfit your character, or assemble your own starting equipment.

Appropriate clothing, a raincoat, a used vehicle, a smartphone, a smartwatch or wireless earbuds, a laptop or tablet computer, a basic purse or wallet, a sticky notes pad and pen, a tin of breath fresheners, a bottle of painkillers, and a penknife. Your character also starts with currency equivalent to a moderately priced item.

Manifest Cyphers: These are possible, in the form of high-tech gadgets, strange serums, power jewels, and alien technology.

Wound Rallying: Unlike in other genres, a superhero character can rally a major wound by using an action and spending 10 Might.

Wound Treatment: The superhero genre is usually heroic in the sense that fantastic things can and do happen. Using treatment to remove a wound takes a Last action for a minor wound, one minute for a moderate wound, and ten minutes for a major wound.

Currency: The currency underlying price categories in a superhero setting is whatever currency is in use in the real-world backdrop. In some games, that will be dollars; in other games, euros, pounds, or pesos.

Background Options: Each type includes suggestions for your character's background. Choose one or create your own.

Rank: Every superhero type has a rank from 1 to 5 measuring its general power level. Starting rank 1 types are close to the power level of regular starting Cypher characters; higher-rank types are significantly more powerful. Your GM will let you know which rank to use as a basis for your superhero character.

Power Shifts: Your character gains a number of power shifts depending on their rank.

Origin Superhero Ability: You gain an origin superhero ability at tier 1, in addition to any other ability choices you have as a tier 1 character.

This ability choice is intended to supplement your superhero character concept in case you are missing an ability you can't get from your descriptor, type, and focus. It's not meant to augment abilities you already have, but to ensure your superhero's theme or starting power suite is complete. Rather than choosing an origin ability that doubles down on the powers you've already gained from your type and focus, choose an ability that complements your character concept or makes that concept possible.

Example: Teri wants to make a speedster character. If she chooses the Moves Like the Wind focus (which gives her various speed powers), she shouldn't also take the Incredible Velocity origin ability (which increases movement speed). She could take the Intangible origin ability (allowing her to pass through physical barriers), with the idea that her character is vibrating through walls like the Flash. Another way to build that sort of character is to take the Walks Through Walls focus and the Incredible Velocity origin ability.

Example: Bear wants to create a superhero who'd be an effective team leader. He could choose the Leads focus and the Powerful Blast origin ability to make a hero like Cyclops, or take the Unyielding Shield ability if he wants a character like Captain America.

Your character's type and focus might already cover all the powers you want. In this case, consider an origin ability like Power Cypher Use, Superhero Versatility, or Team-Up Ally.

Genre Abilities for Your Superhero Character: At tier 3: Your character gains a mid-tier ability from the list of Fantasy Genre Abilities or Science Fiction Genre Abilities, and at tier 6 you gain a high-tier ability from the same lists. In addition, at tier 6, you can replace one of your mid-tier genre abilities with a different mid-tier ability.

Superheroes can do things that other people cannot. As a superhero, you might be able to throw a car, blast through a brick wall, leap onto a speeding train, or cobble together an interdimensional gateway device. A power shift is one way to enable these incredible effects. A power shift might mean you're incredibly strong, durable, agile, or smart, or it might improve some other aspect of your character beyond the norm for a tier 1 character.

In most cases, a power shift is like a permanent free level of Effort that is always active for certain tasks. It doesn't count toward your maximum Effort use. For example, for a power shift that affects an attack, each shift eases the attack roll. For a power shift that affects an ability's damage, each shift adds +3 damage.

The following are some example power shift categories. Shifts marked with an asterisk (*) have special rules and don't act like a free level of Effort.

Every superhero type includes at least two power shifts. When you create your character, assign your power shifts however you want, but place no more than three in any one category.

For example, if you're playing a superstrong Powerhouse character, you might put three of your shifts in Strength. Whenever you lift something heavy, smash through a wall, or throw an object, you ease the task by three steps before applying Effort, skill, or assets. Therefore, any strength‑based task of difficulty 3 or lower becomes routine for you. If you put your other two shifts into Resilience, you ease blocking tasks by two steps.

As another example, if you're playing a masked Enhanced Hero with great acrobatic skills and a utility belt full of gadgets, you might put one shift in Accuracy and two in Dexterity. Whether you're actually superpowered or just tough and well trained is up to you.

When it comes to enhancing attack combat abilities, assigning your power shifts is usually a "pick any two" situation: attack roll, effect, or damage. Which choice makes sense for you depends on your idea for your character.

You also can assign your power shifts among these three options so they overlap and give you the exact result you want. For example, if your character is a brawler with a very big punch, put a shift in Single Attack for your punches and another shift in Strength; you'll ease your punch attack roll and get bonus damage from Single Attack and also from Strength (for a total of +6 damage). If you have a psychic blast that can add an extra effect when you use Effort (like a stun or knockback), put one shift in Single Attack and one in Power; you'll ease the attack roll with your blast, get the special effect on every attack, and get extra damage from both shifts.

You apply your keen intelligence to outwit the dark forces, reveal corruption, and put a stop to illegal activities. Though some see you as a super-detective able to piece together fragmented clues and unravel complex mysteries that stump the police, you can also hold your own in a fight. You might be skilled in various martial arts, tactical combat, and/or strategic use of nonlethal gadgets, ensuring you can subdue opponents of all kinds.

You often work alone in the shadows, but sometimes you join other heroes, especially when they are looking for a way forward against a particularly cunning villain. You being part of the team means they gain something of your reputation---a terrifying enigma who will pursue criminals wherever they might lead.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Always Tinkering: You build a single-use technological device. You can choose its effect from the Low-Power Manifest Cyphers table. Your device cypher counts toward your cypher limit (or to the limit of anyone you give the device to). If you are already at your cypher limit, your choice of one of your current cyphers shorts out, had to be salvaged for parts to create the new device, or something similar, and the new device takes its place. Ten minutes to build.

At tier 3: You can choose a low or medium-power manifest cypher as a single-use device.

At tier 6: You can choose a low, medium-, or advanced-power manifest cypher as a single-use device.

Each time you use Always Tinkering, you can choose a different manifest cypher you want to build.

Sleuthing (3 Intellect): When you're tracking a target, looking for anything out of the ordinary (such as a clue or a single piece of evidence) at the scene of interest, or otherwise attempting to learn something about a mystery, you can ask your GM one question about the task and get a very short, helpful answer that might be obvious to your character, but not to the player who doesn't have their character's experience. Action.

Super Combatant: You are trained in a specific attack of your choice, such as eye lasers, punches, or guns; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on.

At tier 2: You can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally (such as from a character advancement).

At tier 6: You can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in), but you must gain the skill normally.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

You use your fists, your agility, and your speed to bring justice to the streets, even if that means operating outside the law. You're driven by a personal code, and maybe a tragedy from your past that yet lingers. You probably have no inherent superpowers, but instead rely on extensive conditioning, relentless martial arts training, and an unwavering desire to eliminate corruption and protect the innocent.

When you team up with other heroes for jobs that are too big for you to tackle alone, you make an ideal choice for scouting, getting in and out of places before anyone even realizes you're there. But if your foes do notice you, you're usually the first to react. And if a stand-up fight against villains is unavoidable, well, your entire body is a honed instrument of justice.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Nimble (2 Speed): As a First action, you move up to a short distance and then can take another First action, such as attacking with a light weapon or opening a door (the movement happens before the First action, not the other way around). Unlike a normal situation of taking an action and moving a short distance, this movement doesn't hinder your tasks. Enabler.

Sneak Attack (1 Speed): If you use a light weapon to attack a foe under one of the following conditions, your attack inflicts +5 damage. (This ability doesn't work with medium or heavy weapons.)

First action.

Super Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such as swords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on.

At tier 2: You can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally (such as from a character advancement).

At tier 6: You can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in), but you must gain the skill normally.

As a Vigilante, you probably choose unarmed attacks as your Super Combatant training.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

You're more than human. Something made you that way---your abilities might be due to cutting-edge cybernetics; a freak accident, such as exposure to exotic energies or chemicals; an experimental serum or genetic therapy, unlocking latent potential or rewriting your very DNA; an alien artifact or mystical ancient relic; or something else. Whatever the source of your enhancement, your abilities allow you to perform feats that are impossible for normal people.

Your abilities include those that lend themselves to combat, which means that a team-up with others usually has you among those taking the brunt of any hostilities, protecting allies whose enhancements aren't quite as fearsome as your own.

You gain all of the following benefits:

No Need for Weapons: Your unarmed attacks (such as punches, kicks, elbows, or knees) inflict an additional 2 damage.

Press Advantage: When your damage-dealing attack roll is 17 or higher, you deal +1 damage with the attack. If you roll a 19 or 20, you inflict the extra damage regardless of whether you choose to deal additional damage or take a special minor or major effect.

Successive Attack (2 Speed or Might): Once per turn if you take down a foe, you can immediately make another attack on that same turn against a new foe within your reach as an extra action on your turn. You can use this ability with melee attacks and ranged attacks. Enabler.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

You have a single, often spectacular, core superpower. Beams of energy shoot from your eyes, the power of magnetism is yours to command, your flesh can burst into flames, you can generate lightning, or something equally amazing. This ability forms the backbone of your heroic identity, allowing you to attempt incredible feats, though sometimes posing unique challenges in controlling your gift in all circumstances.

With a Powerstar on the team, the obstacles villains throw your way are easier to break, burn, or otherwise demolish. Most heroes welcome you into their ranks (or in a temporary team-up), as long as you can keep your volatile abilities leashed.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Enhanced Energy: When you succeed on an important task using your powers as determined by your GM, you regain 4 points to your Intellect Pool. Each time you do, you regain 1 less point. This ability renews after you take a ten-hour recovery. Enabler.

Power Prowess: You inflict +1 damage with any attack you make involving your powers.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

Wider Use: When you pick your focus, in addition to choosing two tier 1 abilities, you also choose one tier 2 ability.

Your suite of extraordinary powers elevates you far beyond human capabilities. You might have a versatile combination of special attributes, possibly including enhanced strength and durability that allow you to withstand immense impacts and lift incredible weights, or super-speed for rapid movement and reaction, or even more exotic abilities like flight, energy manipulation, or advanced telepathy.

Superhumans are capable in a variety of different situations, though your particular specialty will determine how many ways you can benefit your group or allies during a team-up.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Inspiring Suggestion (2 Intellect): Choose an ally who can see and easily understand you. Suggest a specific action for them to take, such as "attack the leader" or "climb the wall." If the ally chooses to take that exact action, they gain two assets on that task. First action.

Push on Through: Instead of a ten-minute recovery, you have a second one-action recovery. Thus, your first two recoveries are one action, the third is one hour, and the fourth is ten hours.

You can take one more moderate wound than normal.

You can use one of your one-action recoveries to allow an ally to use one of their ten-minute recoveries as an action.

Successive Attack (2 Speed or Might): Once per turn if you take down a foe, you can immediately make another attack on that same turn against a new foe within your reach as an extra action on your turn. You can use this ability with melee attacks and ranged attacks. Enabler.

Super Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such as swords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on.

At tier 2: You can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally (such as from a character advancement).

At tier 6: You can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in), but you must gain the skill normally.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

You embody raw, overwhelming power, making you a one-person force to be reckoned with. You have a formidable array of abilities, starting with amazing stamina, fluid dexterity, and a cutting intellect. But that's the least amazing thing about you---few can stand against you unless they are literal gods. And even those may fear your wrath.

Powerhouses are effective in almost every situation, though your particular suite of abilities could provide even more amazing aid to your allies, depending on the circumstances.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Always Mighty: Every time you use a recovery, if your Might Pool isn't already full, you get 1 extra point to restore to your Might Pool. You can select this ability up to three times.

One way you could choose Always Mighty again is if your focus is Performs Feats of Strength, which includes this ability as an option.

Enhanced Energy: When you succeed on an important task using your powers as determined by your GM, you regain 4 points to your Intellect Pool. Each time you do, you regain 1 less point. This ability renews after you take a ten-hour recovery.

Push on Through: Instead of a ten-minute recovery, you have a second one-action recovery. Thus, your first two recoveries are one action, the third is one hour, and the fourth is ten hours.

You can take one more moderate wound than normal.

You can use one of your one-action recoveries to allow an ally to use one of their ten-minute recoveries as an action.

Super Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such as swords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on.

At tier 2: You can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally (such as from a character advancement).

At tier 6: You can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in), but you must gain the skill normally.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

Literally a divine being and part of a divine pantheon (or this powerful for some other reason), you use your amazing abilities to end injustice and defeat evil. Whether you're a child of Mount Olympus, Asgard, or some other mythology; from a distant dimension or star; or the result of an experiment or process that bequeathed you unbelievable power, you've thrown in your lot with regular people, at least for now.

What can't a living god do, or at least credibly attempt? Your presence on a team almost ensures its eventual success, assuming the foes you face aren't also gods.

The rank 5 Living God type is extremely powerful, allowing PCs who emulate superheroes along the lines of Thor, Superman, and similar ultrapowerful beings.

You gain all of the following benefits:

Hover (2 Intellect): You float slowly into the air. If you concentrate, you can control your movement to remain motionless in the air or float up to a short distance as your action; otherwise, you drift with the wind or with any momentum you have gained. This effect lasts until you use a ten‑minute or longer recovery. Action.

Push on Through: Instead of a ten-minute recovery, you have a second one-action recovery. Thus, your first two recoveries are one action, the third is one hour, and the fourth is ten hours.

You can take one more moderate wound than normal.

You can use one of your one-action recoveries to allow an ally to use one of their ten-minute recoveries as an action.

Second Focus: You have two foci instead of one. At tier 1 you gain two abilities from each of them. When you advance to a new tier, you gain a new ability from each focus.

Super Combatant: You are trained in a specific weapon attack of your choice, such as swords, axes, or bows; or in a broader category of attacks such as light bashing weapons, light bladed weapons, light ranged weapons, medium bashing weapons, medium bladed weapons, medium ranged weapons, and so on.

At tier 2: You can choose to become specialized in the same attack method you chose at tier 1, but you must gain the skill normally (such as from a character advancement).

At tier 6: You can become an expert in a specific attack method (either the one you chose at tier 1 or another weapon skill you're already specialized in), but you must gain the skill normally.

Superheroics: Choose one Pool: Might, Speed, or Intellect. For tasks using your chosen Pool, add your rank to the amount of Effort you can apply, allowing you to apply additional levels of Effort to tasks in that Pool.

In addition, you can choose to push yourself so hard that you take a moderate wound in exchange for two free levels of Effort you can apply to tasks in your chosen Pool (as long as this doesn't push you past your Effort limit for that Pool).

Finally, add your rank as a bonus to your recovery, with those points going only into the Pool you have chosen.

In superhero games, due to conventions of the genre, difficulty caps at 15 instead of 10. In a regular Cypher game, difficulty 10 is labeled "impossible," but that label is for regular folks. For superpowered characters, "impossible" means something different, thanks to power shifts.

Think of each difficulty above 10 as being one more step beyond impossible. Although a GM in another genre would say there's no chance that you could leap 100 feet (30 m) from one rooftop to another, in a superhero game, that might just be difficulty 11. Picking up a city bus isn't something normal characters could do, but for a strong superhero, it might be difficulty 12.

In theory, NPCs in such a game can go up to level 15 as well. Levels above 10 represent opponents that only a superhero would consider taking on: a robot that's 1,000 feet (300 m) tall (level 11); Galashal, Empress of Twelve Dimensions (level 14); or a space monster the size of the moon (level 15).

Normally, characters are limited to six levels of Effort on any task (from spending Pool points and using free levels of Effort). Superheroes have an ability called Superheroics that allows them to exceed that limit and reach for really high difficulties.

More guidance on this topic can be found in the Cypher GM's Guide.

Adhesive Mobility: You can effortlessly adhere to most physical objects and surfaces nimbly enough that you can effectively walk or run up walls and ceilings as if they were level ground, using as much or as little of your body surface as makes sense. For example, you could simply hang from a surface with one hand or lie across a wall for maximum surface contact. In addition, you rarely drop objects, and others can't easily take objects away from you; your tasks related to retaining your grip on an object are eased.

Amazing Invulnerability: Choose one kind of energy, such as cold, electricity, fire, psychic, radiation, and so on. You reduce the severity of wounds you take from this energy by three steps (major, moderate, and minor to none). You can't become invulnerable to kinetic energy using this ability. You can use this ability to become invulnerable to damaging magical blasts (but not magical effects that aren't based on damage, such as mind control or telekinesis).

Amazing Tools: You have a utility belt, supersuit, or other device that provides you with a useful effect when you need it. Pick a low-power manifest cypher accessed through this device. You can activate the device as an action, costing 2 Intellect. The chosen ability does not count toward your cypher limit. Unlike when using a cypher, you do not lose this ability after activating it.

Whenever you take a ten-hour recovery, you can change which cypher you've incorporated into this device.

If you lose your device, you can (depending on your skill) craft a replacement or arrange for one to be made for you, requiring 1d6 days of concerted effort.

Armored Body (rank 2+): You are very resistant to damage due to your body being composed of rock or metal, your incredible toughness, or a similar reason.

You ignore minor wounds.

You can take an additional moderate wound and major wound.

Astonishing Teleport: You can instantly teleport anywhere you can see or that you know exists.

You can instantly teleport to a location within immediate range and then take a First action, such as attacking with a light weapon or opening a door (the teleportation happens before your First action, not the other way around).

You can take an action, then teleport within short range as an extra action on your turn.

As a Last action, you can teleport to a location within long range.

First action, action, or Last action.

Awesome Force Field: An invisible force field surrounds you, lasting until you take a ten‑minute or longer recovery. This allows you to try blocking attacks with an eased Intellect defense roll instead of a Might defense roll; if you succeed, you reduce the severity of the wound by one step. If the blocked attack would still inflict a wound, you can spend 5 Intellect to completely negate it, shattering your force field until your next turn.

Effort: Create a level 6 force field up to a short distance away that is identical to a force field cypher, lasting until you take a ten-minute or longer recovery. You can have more than one such force field active at a time, but each one beyond the first requires you to use an additional level of Effort to activate it (two levels for a second force field, and so on). Your personal force field doesn't count toward this total.

Action.

Duplicate (2+ Might): You cause a temporary instance of yourself to appear at any point you can see within short range. It persists until you use a ten-minute or longer recovery. The instance is a level 2 follower that appears with copies of your clothing and equipment (minus any cyphers and artifacts) and has all your memories. The instance obeys your commands and does as you direct. The instance dissipates earlier if you dismiss it as an extra action on your turn, if you use this ability again, or if it is killed. When the instance disappears, any clothing or equipment it appeared with also vanishes, and any new equipment it acquired remains behind. Each time an instance is killed, you take a moderate wound.

Normally, you can only have one instance at a time; creating a second makes the first one disappear.

Effort: Spawn one additional duplicate of yourself, which is simultaneously active with the normal duplicate from this ability; each duplicate can be individually dismissed as an extra action on your turn. Increase the level of one of your duplicates by 1.

Action to initiate.

Extraordinary Leap: When you move, instead of walking or running you can jump up, down, or across to anywhere you choose within long range if you have a clear and unobstructed path to that location. For example, you could jump to the top of a ten-story building or down to the ground from the top of that building.

If you do nothing but jump for three actions in a row, you can go farther with each leap until you're jumping a very long distance each round, effectively moving at around 55 miles per hour (88 kph) for up to about ten minutes.

Fantastic Armament: You have a weapon, either mystical or technological in nature. You can freely use this weapon. Work with your GM to determine its origin, its history, and whether it's a ranged or melee weapon.

You wield this weapon as a medium weapon that inflicts an additional +2 damage.

Your weapon also has one power of its own. Choose an ability from the Low‑Power Manifest Cyphers or Medium‑Power Manifest Cyphers table. You can use that power as your action, costing 3 Intellect if it's a low-power ability or 5 Intellect if it's a medium-power ability.

If you lose your weapon, you can (depending on your skill) craft a replacement or arrange for one to be made for you, requiring 1d6 days of concerted effort.

Fantastic Vehicle: You have a vehicle, either mystical or technological in nature, that you can freely use. Work with your GM to determine whether it's a flying vehicle, a burrowing vehicle, a land vehicle, a watercraft, or something else.

Your vehicle can comfortably carry you and up to six other creatures of your size.

Your vehicle also has one power of its own. Choose an ability from the Low‑Power or Medium‑Power Manifest Cyphers table. You can use that power as your action, costing 3 Intellect if it's a low-power ability or 5 Intellect if it's a medium‑power ability.

If you lose your vehicle, you can (depending on your skill) craft a replacement or arrange for one to be made for you, requiring 1d6 days of concerted effort.

Incredible Instinct: If you are attacked by surprise, whether by a creature, a device, or simply an environmental hazard (such as poison gas from a vent), you move an immediate distance before the attack occurs. If moving prevents the attack, you are safe. If the attack can still potentially affect you (the attacking creature can move to keep pace, the attack fills an area too big to escape, and so on), your defense against it is eased.

When you roll for initiative and your roll is less than a 9, treat the roll as a 9. (This means you don't get a GM intrusion if you roll a 1.)

Effort: Increase the minimum number rolled for this ability by 3.

At tier 3: The minimum number rolled for this ability increases to 12.

Incredible Velocity: You can move a long distance as a First action (instead of moving only an immediate distance as a First action), but your tasks are hindered by two steps until the end of your next turn.

Alternatively, you can take an action, then move a short distance as part of your turn (instead of only an immediate distance), without your tasks being hindered until the end of your next turn.

If you do nothing but move for three actions in a row, you accelerate greatly and can move up to 700 miles per hour (1,100 kph) for up to about ten minutes.

Intangible: You (including your clothing and equipment) can pass through physical barriers of up to level 5 at a rate of 3 feet (1 m) per round as your action. You can perceive while phased within a barrier or object, which allows you to peek through walls. You can't pass through energy barriers.

In addition, you could take an action, and instead of moving up to an immediate distance afterward, you can phase through a physical barrier. (You can't use this ability as a First action.)

Effort: Increase the maximum level of the barrier you can pass through by 1. Use the ability as an enabler to ease your dodge defense roll against an attack by one step.

Action; enabler if used defensively.

Invisible Knack: When you wish, you (including your clothing and equipment) becomes invisible. The effect ends if you do something to reveal your presence or position---attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on---but you can become invisible again on your next turn.

If you use an action, you can confer the invisibility effect on a creature or object you touch instead of, or in addition to, yourself. This invisibility lasts until the affected target does something to reveal their presence, the object is struck or forcibly moved, or they or you use a ten‑minute or longer recovery.

Effort: Affect a creature or object within long range instead of touch range.

Enabler for yourself; action for another creature or object.

An invisible character's attack is eased by two steps. Attacks on an invisible character are hindered by four steps or are nearly impossible if the attacker has no idea where they might be.

Power Cypher Use: You can bear one additional cypher or power boost cypher at a time.

Powerful Blast: You can emit a long-range blast of energy inflicting 4 damage with a successful attack roll, or 6 points if you use a Last action to attack. Work with your GM to determine the type of energy comprising your blast (cold, electricity, fire, and so on). Action or Last action.

Regenerative Healing: Your healing factor is constantly at work, healing your wounds automatically without requiring your will or actions.

You automatically heal one minor wound each round.

If you have no minor wounds, you can heal one moderate wound each round if you spend 2 Might to do so.

If you have no minor or moderate wounds, you can heal one major wound each minute if you spend 5 Might to do so.

If you would be killed by wounds but spend 5 Might to heal a major wound, your regeneration keeps you alive but unconscious while it's healing that wound.

You decide whether or not to spend Might to heal a wound, even if you are unconscious or unable to take actions. (In other words, you don't have to spend Might to heal if you don't want to.)

Shrink (1+ Might): Your size proportionally decreases to a height of 1 inch (3 cm) until you use a ten-minute or longer recovery. Your clothing and equipment changes size with you. While small, you add 7 points to your Speed Pool and add +2 to your Speed Edge. While you are this small, your dodge and stealth tasks are eased by two steps and your movement speed is one-tenth normal; your melee attacks still inflict normal damage because the force is concentrated in a very small area.

Each time you use Shrink, the Might cost increases by 1. The cost returns to 1 after you take a recovery.

First action; enabler to use again to remain shrunken.

Skill Exemplar: You are among the best of the best when it comes to your area of expertise. Choose one skill that you are trained or specialized in (other than an attack skill or defense skill), such as healing, athletics, stealth, physics, pickpocketing, hacking, gymnastics, and so on. When you roll for this skill and your roll is less than a 15, treat the roll as a 15. (This means you don't get a GM intrusion if you roll a 1.)

Effort: Increase the minimum number rolled for this ability by 3.

At tier 3: The minimum number rolled for this ability increases to 18.

Stretchy: Your body is elastic and rubbery, granting you the following benefits.

You can take an extra moderate wound.

As your action, you can stretch and reshape your body and limbs thin enough to easily pull free from mundane bindings, or squeeze through a tight spot as small as half an inch (1 cm) in diameter.

You can stretch your arms up to a long distance, allowing you to touch, grab, or interact with anything you can see as if you were standing next to it and could use your hands normally.

You can attempt to grab a creature as an eased attack by enveloping yourself around them or wrapping them in extra lengths of your stretchy limbs. If you hit, you prevent them from moving on their turn, and their physical attacks are hindered. If they try to escape, you must succeed at a Might task to maintain your grip. As your action, you can automatically inflict 4 damage to a grabbed target by squeezing them.

Superhero Versatility: Gain 12 Pool points, dividing them among your Pools as you wish.

Team-Up Ally: You have an NPC ally who is a level 4 superhero. They have one ability from the Origin Superhero Abilities list (other than Team-Up Ally) and the modifications of a level 4 follower. You and your GM must work out their name, appearance, and personality, and how their superhero ability works as an NPC ability. (Alternatively, your ally could be an unusual super-powered pet, such as a tiny dragon from an alternate dimension, a strange alien techno‑organic being, or something else unexpected.)

Anytime you wish to have your ally accompany you on an outing, your GM decides if they're available, depending on circumstances, and you must succeed at a difficulty 2 charm task.

If your ally is supposedly killed, they were actually only knocked unconscious or severely hurt. They can be restored using your resource points plus several weeks of care you arrange or provide.

Telepathic Prodigy: You can speak telepathically with a creature within long range. Communication is two-way, but the other party must be willing and able to communicate. You don't have to see the target, but you must know that they are within range.

Effort: Read an unwilling creature's surface thoughts if you succeed at an Intellect task against them; this also allows you to telepathically speak to them even if they don't want to listen, and lasts until you use a ten-minute or longer recovery. Enabler.

Unbelievable Transformation: Your body physically changes from its base state, allowing you to alter your posture, voice, hair, skin, features, and size (up or down by an apparent 50 percent). You can even change the clothing and equipment you appear to wear or carry; however, these are actually part of you and, as such, have limited functionality.

You can choose random features or adopt the appearance of a specific individual you've spent at least one minute carefully studying within short range. Effectively, you don't need a disguise kit to attempt a disguise, nor do you require the minute or more it normally takes to apply a mundane disguise. If this disguise comes under direct scrutiny or challenge, you gain two additional assets to your disguise task to maintain the deception.

Last action.

Uncanny Flight: You can fly. You can move a short distance and take an action, or move a long distance as your action. You have fine control over your flight, can hover in place, and can attempt complicated flight maneuvers. You can carry one creature of your size or smaller (or possibly much more, depending on your strength).

Unyielding Shield: You carry a nearly unbreakable shield. If it takes a major wound for you, instead of it being destroyed, you lose your next turn from the force traveling through the shield (or the GM may instead trigger a GM intrusion).

Whenever you take a recovery, remove all minor and moderate wounds from the shield.

You can freely use the shield in one hand as a light melee weapon. You can throw your shield as a short-range light weapon. Whether the thrown shield hits or misses, you can attempt a difficulty 2 Speed task for it to bounce back to your grasp.

Effort: A successful hit with the shield also hinders the target for one round.

If you lose your shield, you can (depending on your skill) craft a replacement or arrange for one to be made for you, requiring 1d6 days of concerted effort.

If you want more type options than those presented in the superhero genre, you can adapt or reskin a type from another genre, such as a dungeon fantasy Monk or a space opera Psion. When translating the alternate types to the superhero genre, your character also gains the following:

For example, adapting a Monk into a rank 2 superhero gives you the additional Pool points benefit of an Enhanced Hero or Powerstar (instead of the Monk's +2 to Might and +2 to Speed), one origin superhero ability, the Superheroics ability and three power shifts, plus all of the Monk's special abilities and other benefits.