Superlite: Stats
Superlite: Stats
Superlite: Stats
SuperLite is a game of four color comic book action. It's based on Greywulf's excellent Microlite version of the
d20 system. The core of its superpower system is loosely inspired by the classic FASERIP ranking system. Using
this ranking system has the happy side-effect of making the game kinda-sorta compatible with write-ups
available from a large number of classic superhero RPG supplements. Unless otherwise noted, assume all rules
are as per Microlite20.
• Both sides make skill checks each round. Usually Add attack bonus to d20 roll. If equal to higher than
these skill checks will be versus static DC's, your opponent's Armour Class (AC), it’s a hit. Natural
representing maneuvers. 20 is automatically a critical doing maximum damage.
The highest successful skill check total wins 1
pt of Lead, either towards the Hunter's or the A natural 20 also affects the power level a super power
Prey's advantage. will fire at (see the section on super powers for more on
this).
Depending on what these maneuvers are, additional
benefits or penalties may accrue in the following Dodge. You can forgo your next attack at any time and
round. dodge out of the way. Roll Dex + Phys. The total is
your effective AC until your next attack comes up. If it's
If neither skill check passes, the Lead lower than your real AC, well, you zigged when you
remains unchanged and additional unpleasant should've zagged.
effects may ensue as expected for a failed skill roll of
that type (crashing, falling, losing the audience's The GM may modify your check by +2 or -2 (or more)
interest, whatever). to reflect the amount of cover in the area and how the
local terrain affects your mobility.
If only one side fails their check, one or more
extra points of Lead may accrue to the other Grab. Make a hit roll on your target. If successful, the
side depending on how badly the roll failed target and attacker make opposed Phys+Str rolls. If the
by. attacker wins, the target is grappled and loses his Dex
bonus to AC (if positive). If the target wins, the grapple
Risky Maneuvers: For a DC penalty, you can fails. Every time the target's action comes up he can
attempt to change the Lead in one attempt by 2 or more make another opposed roll to either throw off the
points. Describe what you're doing, then take a +5 DC grapple or reverse the grapple.
penalty for every extra point of Lead you want. Failure
will usually have pretty serious consequences. Every time the attacker's action comes up, he can do
something, such as inflict unarmed damage, strip an
Combat item from them, or move or throw the target
somewhere (potentially also doing unarmed damage).
If HP reaches 0, characters are knocked out. It's the GM's judgment call if an action is reasonable or
Unlike stock Microlite, death does not happen unless not.
the attacker specifically states that as a goal.
Healing. Characters recover their Strength score in
A combat round lasts 6 seconds. The order in which HP per day as long as they get full bed rest and
characters and NPC's act is called “initiative order”. treatment.
Each level adds +1d6 to Hit Points, +1 to all attack rolls Except in a few specific circumstances (such as
and +1 to all skills. advancing powers), only 1 Hero Point can be spent on a
given action.
Every other level adds +1 to AC.
Recovering Hero Points
If the level divides by three (i.e. level 3, 6, 9, etc.) add 1
point to STR, DEX or MIND. Stats that have been • Every time your character does something
replaced by superpowers are not affected. If you don't particularly impressive or achieves a goal of some
want to add a point to a stat, you may add +5 HP. sort, the GM may award one or more Hero Points.
If the level divides by five (i.e. level 5, 10, 15, 20, etc) • Every time you roll a natural 20, you gain 1 Hero
you can choose one of the following benefits: Point.
• Acquire a Signature Move. Name and describe • Every time you start a new session, the Hero Point
one Signature Move. Whenever you perform that pool is fully refreshed. Any unused Hero Points
move, you gain +1 to hit and effect and another +1 to from the previous session will be lost.
hit and effect for every 5 levels you've attained (i.e. a
15th level character would be at +4). Every time you Don't hoard your Hero Points--they're meant to be
take this, it applies to a different Signature Move. used!
• Add +1 AC permanently.
Hero Points
Characters begin each session with 3 Hero Points .
Each Hero Point can be used in several ways:
X-Men. You can have 1 broad power with a rank of • Gain 3 specific powers, starting at Typical, 2
Monstrous. specific powers at Good or 1 specific power at
Excellent.
Street Level. You can have 1 broad power with a rank
of Remarkable or 3 specific Remarkable powers. • Raise 1 broad power by one rank, up to
campaign limits. This only applies to powers bought
Skip the follow section if you dislike (moderate) with points.
complexity and are happy with your character as it
stands. Otherwise... 8 points
You can trade down your powers' ranks to gain Any unspent points are converted to experience at a 1:1
different abilities. Lowering one of your broad ratio.
powers to one rank below your campaign start will net
you 8 points or 16 for two ranks below campaign start. Things To Think About When Buying Powers
Lowering one of your specific powers to one rank • Powers can replace attributes. If a power
below your campaign start will net you 2 points or 4 for replaces an attribute, it will do so while that power is
two ranks below campaign start. active. If a power isn't active, then your character's
rolled ability score takes over. When your attribute
You can spend these points on the following: is boosted, your hit points increase to the new level.
Example: Norse Storm Hammer Guy is an Avenger 2. Describe it and what you want to do with it.
class super hero. He is immensely strong If it's not a cut and dried case, this is the point where
(Monstrous rank super strength), can summon you and the GM will decide how the power works. See
storms (and other dramatic weather phenomena) the section on “Common Effects And Actions” for some
at Amazing rank, fly at Good speed and has a Good guidelines.
ability to travel to other dimensions.
3. The GM assigns mods depending on how
The player decides that his storm summoning, reasonable/appropriate the description is to the
flight and dimensional travel should all come from problem.
an intimidatingly large hammer. Their values
increase to Monstrous, Excellent and Incredible, 4. Roll to hit if the action you're attempting is
respectively. The hammer's material strength is targeting something elusive. Rolling to hit is a
Monstrous, should anyone attempt to break it. standard combat to hit roll, with all the usual bonuses
and penalties.
Since the hammer itself is an artifact, forged of
Uru-metal at the dawn of time, the player feels that A natural 20 on this roll means that you automatically
it should be more indestructible than that. He roll a 20 on step #5.
spends his remaining 4 points to increase it 2 ranks
to Shift-X material strength. It is now a very tough 5. If the power hits, roll for effect. To determine
hammer indeed. the effective power rank, roll 1d20 + Power Rank +
modifiers. Refer to the DC column on the Power Chart.
• Powers as skills. Some heroes are so good at Round your total down to the next lowest threshold.
something that it can't be natural. Martial arts, This is the effective Power Rank you achieved.
detective work, languages or science are all
possibilities. In those cases, take the skill as a If the power's rank is reduced to less than
power. You gain half the power's rank (rounded Feeble, the power fizzles.
down) as a bonus to all skill checks in that power's
realm. For these purposes, Typical rank gives a +1 Example #1. Your cosmic power ring gives you the
bonus, Poor is worth nothing and Feeble actually Remarkable (+15) ability to make objects out of force
fields. You want to throw a force bubble around your for and run with it—in the end, the important thing
mortal enemy, The Crimson Plague. After successfully is that game play not be slowed down.
making a ranged attack roll, you roll a 13 on d20 for
effect. 13 (the d20 die roll) + 15 (from your power ring) Oftentimes when confronted with a new situation, you
= 28 = Remarkable rank. can pick a similar mechanic and then base the result off
that. Your character wants to use his laser blast to
The Crimson Plague will need to break through a blind his opponents without hurting them? Use the
Remarkable barrier to escape. mod column instead of damage to give them a penalty
on all skill and attack rolls for a short period of time.
Example #2. Davey Jones is attempting to send
Manhattan to the watery depths. He has Monstrous Your villain wants to use his magnetic powers to wrap a
(+30) control over water. Since he plans on flooding superhero in steel rebar? Sounds similar to how a force
the city with a massive tidal wave, the results will be field works, only the material strength will act as a
an attack on all objects in the city and a lot of barrier to keep the hero in, rather than keep damage
drowning people. out.
Manhattan gets a -14 size modifier (from the modifier If it's somewhat different from the power's usual
table following the Power Chart), but since this is a uses (using weather manipulation to zap someone with
fairly extreme application of power, the GM doubles lightning), then you might rule that the power is at -1 or
that to -28. -2 ranks for that purpose. You can also require several
more skill rolls and extra time as the hero concentrates
Davey Jones rolls 1d20 and gets a 14. 14+30-28 = 16, on getting it “just right”.
for a Good result. Everything in Manhattan takes
Good (+5) damage from the flooding. The GM rules If it's very different than the power's usual uses
that living creatures will “merely” have to make swim (using weather manipulation to fly), you'll want to refer
checks (this is a comic book universe after all) if to the section on learning new uses for your powers
they're in harm's way. Hope everyone remembered to (Advancing Powers, at the end of this document).
bring a life preserver...
Attacking, Inflicting Damage With Powers. A
If it's not dramatically important, then you can assume typical attack will do 1d6 + the effective power rank
a roll of ten on the effect roll. Most movement falls bonus in damage. Armor can subtract from this
under this category. number (see Defense). The minimum is zero damage.
Using Normal Abilities Against Superpowers Attacking, Hitting Things With Other Things.
Sometimes, you may want to attack multiple targets at
Sometimes, a situation will arise when someone with no once by throwing a big object at them (or merely
superpowers could reasonably affect something with a swatting them with it).
power rank. For example, trying to overcome a force
field with your own strength or using your normal To do so, you have to have the object in hand, which
senses to detect an invisible girl... means you'll have to use an action to pick it up. Then
make an attack roll vs the area you're attacking (usually
In cases like that, roll for effect as normal, but instead AC 10, plus range modifiers)—if successful, you do
use the bonus from their most appropriate attribute. In damage to all opponents in the area targeted in an area
some situations, skill bonuses can also be applied. proportional to the size of the object (i.e. if you want to
swat a small crowd of evil-doers, you'd better have an
Example: Captain O'Malley has been imprisoned by object at least the size of a house at hand).
Gluemaster in a blob of rubbery goo of Good strength.
To resist, O'Malley rolls 1d20, plus his Str bonus of +2. The damage done is equal to 1d6 + your effective
He totals 8, which is Poor. The good cop isn't going strength rank. If the effective strength rank is greater
anywhere tonight. than the material strength of your weapon it may break
it (see Breaking Things), but it still does damage to the
targets.
Common Effects And Actions
The GM may allow the targets a chance to make a
The following situations are intended as guidelines on saving throw for half damage, if he deems they have the
how to handle superpower effects. Not all situations movement capability to get out of the way of the object.
will be or can be covered. When in doubt, just pick If they are very fast and roll very well on their save, they
a column on the Power Chart that returns make take no damage at all.
numbers that look close to what you're looking
Breaking Things. In order to break an object, you Defense, Force Fields. Force Fields usually need to
must target it (sometimes at a penalty on your to hit be turned on before they start protecting you.
roll, varying depending on its size) and beat its material
strength (for sample material strengths, see the table They can work either like Body Armor or they can be
below). expanded to protect a greater area. When expanded
(usually to radius = the Prog column in meters as a
If you do so, it's damaged. Hit it again, exceeding its maximum), they act like a bubble composed of a
material strength, and it's destroyed. If you exceed the material of the same strength as your effective power
material strength by two ranks or more on the initial rank.
attack, it goes straight to destroyed.
If the attack is greater than the FF's material strength,
Use common sense--if it's a really big object and your the shield goes down and the targets inside are
attack is relatively small in size, then you just make a vulnerable and potentially take the excess damage,
hole or render it nonfunctional rather than pulverizing depending on the situation. If a FF goes down
the object. it can't be reestablished for another 1d3 rounds, but it
can be reverted to Body Armor on the next action.
If a gadget has been hit hard enough to be damaged
(either because it has been directly targeted or simply Defense, AC Bonus. Some powers make the target
because it is in the way of an attack) 1d3 of the gadget's harder to hit. While active, use the power rank's bonus
powers will be reduced by 1d6 ranks each. If a power from the mod column of the Power Chart as a bonus to
drops below Feeble rank, then that power is destroyed. AC. The mod column bonus may also be used to modify
Gadgets are repaired automatically after each session, the roll when performing the Dodge combat maneuver.
unless there's a good plot reason not to do so. This bonus can apply to either psychic or physical AC,
as appropriate to the power's details.
Rank Some Sample Material Strengths
Fb Paper Mind Control. After hitting with a psychic attack roll
Pr Plastic
vs psychic AC, roll the effective power rank and
Ty Rubber, soft metals
Gd Brick, light metals compare to the highest defensive power active on the
Ex Concrete, iron, bulletproof glass target, as long as it would reasonably apply to the
Rm Reinforced concrete, steel situation. Failing that, use the most appropriate stat
In Solid stone bonus plus the most appropriate skill to resist (usually
Am Granite Mind + Subt or Knowl). If there's any doubt which is
Mn Diamond, super heavy alloys
more appropriate, then use the highest total.
Un Adamantium
C5K Neutronium
Give the defender a +5 bonus if it's something they're
Defense. Defensive powers work in one of several not usually inclined to do. If it's something that's
ways. Either your power works like body armor, a completely against their nature, give them +10.
force field or gives a bonus to your AC.
The target gets to roll to resist every round. Each
Depending on the way your power's described, it might following attempt is at an additional +1. If you fail to
not work at full value against certain types of damage, if mind control a target and try to mind control them in
at all. For example, metal skin may be great against the same way again later that encounter, they get an
physical attacks, half value against energy attacks and additional +1 for each extra attempt.
worthless against electricity.
Power vs Power. There are going to be some
Defense, Body Armor. Body armor subtracts from situations where two superheroes will go head to head,
any damage you take, with a minimum of 0 points using their powers directly against one another. For
taken. It works at 1/2 rank all the time, rounded down. example, a villain with magnetic control might try to
For the purpose of rating body armor, Typical power use his power to throw a school bus off a tall cliff while
ranks have a full bonus of +3, Poor as +1. Feeble a hero with telekinesis tries to stop him from doing so.
defensive powers have no effect.
In cases likes this, you can do a quick roll between the
You can also perform a total defense—your character characters—1d20 + power rank + appropriate
hunkers down and braces himself for damage. It's the modifiers, with the highest effective power rank
only thing you can do in an action save move slowly, winning. A tie means the characters are deadlocked
but you get to use your full rank as armor. and must roll again next round.
For more involved situations, make it a Contest, as Again, a to-hit roll may be useful to make sure you wind
noted under the Skills section on page 1. up in the right spot.
For very stressful situations (and the school bus Example: Captain Establishment is an Olympic class
example would qualify), each participant takes 1d6 athlete with Excellent Strength. His body weight is
damage from fatigue and stress for every round they Typical. Excellent is 2 ranks greater than Typical.
participate in the struggle. With a running start, he can jump 4 rows down the
progression column (1 for the throw, 1 for the running
Pushing Powers. You can always use a power at its start)–10 meters, or 3 down with a standing start—5
own rank level. If you need to push your abilities, you meters.
have to roll for it. Pushing is a free action and can be
combined with other actions, as the GM permits. Knockback. Fights between very powerful
combatants can be dramatic—a successful hit may
You can only attempt to push a power to one rank cause the target to go flying backwards quite a distance.
higher and every round you successfully do so, you take On a successful hit, treat knockback as a throwing
2d6 damage. It is, however, possible to exceed an attempt, except subtract 2 from the number of ranks
Unearthly rank in this manner. over the target's weight. Use the effective strength of
the attack instead of the attack's listed ranks. Body
Pushing a power requires a Mind roll vs DC 15. You can armor, force fields and other such defenses have no
add +4 to this roll by taking another +2d6 points of effect on knockback unless the defender is braced for it.
damage, or +8 by taking +4d6 damage.
Some attack powers aren't appropriate for knockback—
Example: You have Amazing weather control but for for example, psychic powers, a lot of martial arts
one round, you need to push it to Monstrous. You have abilities and so on—none of these tend to cause
a Mind of 13 (+1). Roll 1d20 + 1 (your Mind) vs DC 15. significant knockback in comic books. The GM is the
If successful, you take 2d6 damage but can extend final arbiter on this.
your power much farther.
Example: Norse Storm Hammer Guy belts a robot
If you fail a Push roll, your power is at -2 ranks until with his hammer. NSHG has a Monstrous strength
you take an action to catch your breath and regroup. and the robot weighs 200 kg (Good rank). Normally,
his attack strength is Monstrous, but he rolls well,
Throwing Things/Jumping/Knockback. getting an Unearthly result. Unearthly is 6 ranks
greater than Good. Subtracting 2, that's 4 levels of
To throw something, your lifting power (strength, knockback, or 10 meters.
telekinesis, whatever) must be equal to or greater than
the weight of the object you are throwing. To find out Transmutation. Transmutation involves changing
how far they fly, count up the number of ranks your something from one form to another: lead into gold,
lifting power is in excess of the object's weight and add people into bunnies, cars to carrots, whatever. You can
1. Count down that many ranks on the Progression only transmute up to your power rank on the weight
column on the Power Chart from the top. Multiply that column on the Power Chart.
number by 1 meter.
Transmutations that affect people must last for a set
A successful to-hit roll may be required to get the amount of time--refer to the duration table below the
subject of your toss anywhere near the target. Power Chart at the end of this document for some
sample durations. If it's a minor transformation, use
Example: Norse Storm Hammer Guy has a the number listed. If it's a major transformation,
Monstrous strength. Spying an enemy fleeing across double the modifier. If the target is inanimate, the
the aircraft field, he grabs one of his team mates and duration is as long as the plot requires (no duration
throws him at the enemy. His teammate has a Typical penalty required).
weight. Monstrous is 6 ranks over typical. Looking 7
rows down on the Progression column, he finds a After hitting with an attack roll, roll the effective power
multiplier of 100. He can toss his friend a total of 100 rank and compare to the highest defensive power active
meters. on the target, as long as it would reasonably apply to
the situation. Failing that, use the most appropriate
Jumping is a similar situation, except that you are stat bonus plus the most appropriate skill to resist
throwing yourself. Use your own weight to calculate (usually Str+Phys). If there's any doubt which is more
distance. If you can take a running start first, add an appropriate, then use the highest total. Objects resist
additional row to the number of rows you count down. with their material strength rank.
Advancing Powers
You can advance your powers in several ways.
DC 5 Fail
DC 10 -3 ranks
DC 15 -2 ranks
DC 20 -1 rank
Modifiers to roll
Range Area of Effect
-2 Several seconds
-4 Several minutes
-6 Several hours
-8 Several days
-12 Several weeks
-14 Several months
-16 Several years
-18 Centuries
-20 Indefinite