Masks - Unbound Playbooks

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 6
At a glance
Powered by AI
The document outlines the character creation and advancement process for a roleplaying game where players take on the roles of heroes or villains from the future. Characters choose abilities, backstories, relationships and work to earn respect and influence over time.

Characters choose a name, appearance, abilities/powers, backstory, conditions/labels that impact them, and their relationships with other characters. They also determine how their team first came together.

Characters can choose powers like super speed, optimized biology, telepathy/telekinesis, teleportation/portals, futuristic gadgets/implants, or energy absorption/redirection based on where they are from in the future.

You’re from the future,

Moment of Truth and you know how things


Everything you do could affect the future. For all you know, the fact that you saved that one guy turn out. You came back
that one time means that now the future is full of pterodactyls. The connections, the ripples, with a mission - to make
they’re always so hard to track, and you’re still not sure if you’ve helped or hurt—not really. Until sure that history changes
now. Now, in this moment, it’s all clear. You can see the course of events laid out before you like for the better.
a river, and you know exactly what you have to do here, now, to ensure the future outcome you
want. You can reshape the future with perfect certainty. Of course, after this, you’ve changed But things are scrambled.
enough of the timeline to invalidate your prior research—reset all the names in your “Connecting Your memories, not quite
the dots” section. right. You’re not sure how
this world that you’re
Team Moves in becomes the one you
When you confess to a teammate the difference between what you thought they would be and remember from the future.
what they really are, add a Team to the pool, and ask them if you represent a future they’d want. So until you can figure
If they say yes, mark potential. If they say no, mark a condition. it out, you might as well
do what good you can,
When you share a tale of future loss with someone, ask them if they think you have the ability where you can, all the
to avert that loss. If they believe you do, mark potential and give them Influence over you. If they while trying to connect

>> >> >> >> >>


don’t, mark Guilty and shift one Label up and one Label down (your choice). the dots between your
world and this one.
POTENTIAL ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential.

Advancement
THE HARBINGER
HERO NAME
When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below.
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook ❑❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add REAL NAME (IF APPLICABLE)
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook +1 to a Label
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook ❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook ❑❑ Someone permanently loses Influence over you;
Look
add +1 to a Label • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
❑❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White
+1 to a Label • haunted face, optimistic face, average face, “hyper-evolved human” face
• streamlined clothing, “fashion-forward” clothing, simple clothing, casual clothing
• high-tech costume, impossible costume, sleek costume, dramatic costume
When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.
❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth after you’ve used it
once
choice
❑❑ Return to the future and accept its new form,
Abilities
You’re from the future, and that has its benefits, like future knowledge (even though your
❑❑ Change playbooks or jump to a different point in the past to begin
memories are scrambled). Plus, your powers may have had something to do with how you got
❑❑ Take an adult move your mission anew
back to the past—er, the present day, that is. “Now,” as the locals call it. Choose one option from
❑❑ Take an adult move
the list below.
❑❑ Lock a Label and add +1 to a Label of your
❑❑ super speed ❑❑ telepathy & telekinesis ❑❑ futuristic gadgets & implants
❑❑ optimized biology ❑❑ teleportation & portals ❑❑ energy absorption/redirection

Labels Harbinger Moves
(at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose) (Choose two)
❑❑ Stick to the mission: When you defend someone ❑❑You haven’t learned you can do that yet: When
DANGER -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3
or something critically important to the future you tell a teammate about a new, never-before-
FREAK -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 (tell us why), you may mark a condition to shift performed trick that they’ve never considered,
down one Label and shift up Savior before the spend a Team from the pool to allow them to
SAVIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 roll. If you do, you cannot choose to clear a unleash their powers, directly engage a threat,
condition for the defend move. or defend someone using your Superior as if it
SUPERIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 was their Label. Any costs or complications from
❑❑ Tomorrow’s golden promise: When you comfort
their move affect you, as well.
MUNDANE -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 or support someone with tales of what you think
their future will be, you may roll + Savior instead ❑❑ I learned the solution in grade school: When you
of + Mundane. Mark a condition unless you are unleash your powers to extend your senses or
Conditions confident the stories are true. overcome an intellectual obstacle, you may roll +
❑❑ Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat) ❑❑ Applied history: When you pierce the mask of Superior instead of + Freak.
❑❑ Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) someone you believe will shape the future, roll + ❑❑ 21st century studies: When you assess the
Savior instead of +Mundane. situation, you may always ask “what does the
❑❑ Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
future know about this moment?”, even on a
❑❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers) miss. You take +1 ongoing to act on the answers.
❑❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
Connecting the Dots
Backstory You’re from the future, but your knowledge of the past is spotty, intermittent, confused, jumbled.
• How did you travel from the future to the present day? You’re doing your best to put together the clues and your broken memories, though, so you can
• What keeps you from returning to the future? figure out how this world and its people become the ones you know.
• Why don’t you have perfect recollection of the future?
When you push yourself to remember the version of someone that exists in your future, mark
• What is the most important part of your future that you want to avert?
a condition and roll + Memories. On a hit, you connect who they are now to who they are in the
• Why must you join this team specifically to achieve your mission’s goals?
future; choose the role that they fulfill in the future, and the GM will tell you about their future self.
Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then On a 10+, ask a follow-up question. On a miss, they’re not at all who you thought they would be; the
determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and GM will choose their role, or tell you that as far as you know, they don’t exist in the future.
your teammates, and who has Influence over you. Monster: _____________________________ Martyr: ______________________________
Traitor: ______________________________ Builder: ____________________________
When our team first came together... Corruptor: ____________________________ Leader: _____________________________
We averted a disaster from the future’s history books. What was the disaster? What effect do we
hope it had on the timeline? Your Memories score starts at -1, and goes up by 1 (to a maximum of +3) for each name above.
When you write a name above, they gain Influence over you if they did not already have it.

Relationships At the start of each session, roll + Savior to find out how your investigations into the timeline
____________________ turns away from the hero’s path, according to your history books. You have been going. On a 10+, you found a strong lead; choose one figure noted above or one aspect
have to prevent that from happening. of the future world you can remember, and the GM will reveal to you clear detail on the path that
leads to their future form. On a 7-9, you found a lead; choose one figure above or one aspect of the
You’ve always looked up to ____________________, but it’s too awkward to admit it to them
future world and the GM will tell you what lead you have to learn more about their path. On a miss,
now that you’ve met them in real life. Keep it cool, keep it cool.
you’re lost in the present; the GM will tell you how things are so different here, and shift your Labels
according to how it makes you feel.
Influence
Every member of your team has the power to change the future—your future. Give everyone
influence over you.
Maybe one time you had
Moment of Truth a home. A life with a
You basically exist with one foot out the door, ready to leave this place, to go back out into the schedule. people who took
wide expanse of the universe. You’ve never fully committed. That is, until today. Until right now. care of you. But if you
Now, you pour everything you have and everything you are into this moment. You pull off tricks did, that was ages ago.
no one from this planet has ever seen before. You use your tools in ways no one here could have You’ve been on your own,
ever imagined. You devote yourself, here and now, to a cause, and you achieve your goal in ways bouncing around space,
that you never could’ve if you’d only stayed home. Of course, now you’ve proved to everyone that time, and everything in
you really don’t belong here, and the very skills that let you succeed are the ones you earned from between, for years now.
out there... You’ve seen things that
even the adults could
Team Moves never imagine.
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them what they admire about you.
The GM will shift one of your Labels up and one down based on what they say. Except now, you’ve left
those farscapes and come
When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, mark a condition, give them Influence back to Earth. And let-

>> >> >> >> >>


over you, and mark potential. ting other people into
your life is way harder
than traveling to other
POTENTIAL ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ dimensions ever was.
Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential.

Advancement
When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below.
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook ❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth
THE NOMAD
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook ❑❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add ALIAS
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook +1 to a Label
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook ❑❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add REAL NAME (IF DIFFERENT)
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook +1 to a Label

Look
When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below. • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth after you’ve used it ❑❑ Take an adult move • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White
once ❑❑ Lock a Label and add +1 to a Label of your • average body, compact body, modified body, sculpted body, wiry body
❑❑ Change playbooks choice • traveling clothing, garish clothing, extraterrestrial clothing, unassuming clothing
❑❑ Take an adult move ❑❑ Depart for reaches unknown, never to return • weird jewelry, strange greatcoat, eccentric boots, unusual gloves, uncanny belt

Other Moves Abilities


You’ve seen space, time, and everything in between. One might say you’ve seen it all. Besides your
tremendous knowledge, experience, and haphazard on-the-job training, you picked up some neat
toys on your travels. Pick two of your most important.
❑❑ rift generator ❑❑ forcefield projectors ❑❑ modular blaster
❑❑ anti-grav pack ❑❑ cloaking rig ❑❑ wearable ultraprocessor

Labels Nomad Moves
(at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose) (Choose two)
❑❑ No good at being a kid: When you clear a ❑❑ The littlest space bandit: When you directly
DANGER -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3
condition, you can shift Labels, your choice. engage a threat that underestimates you, roll +
FREAK -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 ❑❑ Watched C-beams glitter:When you make Superior instead of + Danger.
a claim about a strange situation or ❑❑ Out of this world:When you plug into the cosmic
SAVIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 phenomenon based on your experience, roll + aether and tune out of this world, roll + Freak. On
SUPERIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 Freak. On a hit, you were right; the GM will tell a hit, you come to a new, interesting insight about
you what opportunity your knowledge grants your current problems and situation; the GM
MUNDANE -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 to you. On a 7-9, your claim is incomplete, will tell you what. On a 10+, you can also shift
flawed, or tangential; the GM will tell you your own Labels according to match your new
how. On a miss, your experiences are deeply understanding. On a miss, you realize something
Conditions incomplete; the GM will tell you what mistake dangerous or terrible; the GM will tell you what,
❑❑ Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat) your flawed understanding leads you to. and shift your Labels accordingly.
❑❑ Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) ❑❑ I hate calling the cavalry:When you call the allies ❑❑ Sharpened eyesWhen you assess the situation,
you made beyond this world to ask them for help, you may always ask one of the following
❑❑ Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
mark a condition and roll + Superior. On a hit, questions, even on a miss:
❑❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers) someone shows up to lend you a hand. On a 7-9, - What’s my best way out/way in/way past?
❑❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence) they’re dragging their own problems. On a miss, - What here would be handy to grab?
your call reaches someone you wish it hadn’t. - Who here is susceptible to my words?
Backstory
• Who took you from the Earth when you were younger? Putting Down Roots
• What farscapes did you explore? You’re here, but not, and it shows. Over time, you may be able to commit to this place, and find out
• Who was your favorite traveling companion? why it is that some people choose to invest in others.
• What brought you back to stay (for now)?
Adults do not have Influence over you by default. No one does. You can only give out a total of
• Why do you care about the team?
6 Influence. During play, you can only give out Influence by revealing a vulnerability or weakness
Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then to someone. You can still give out Influence through the end of session move. You cannot give
determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and Influence to somebody who already has Influence over you.
your teammates, and who has Influence over you. Others cannot take Influence over you; if they would, instead they can mark potential or inflict
a condition on you, their choice. You reject Influence at -2 by default, instead of +0. When
When our team first came together... someone takes advantage of their Influence over you, they can choose two options from the list.
At the end of every session, you can take back 1 Influence from someone of your choice.
We had to deal with a danger I’d met while traveling the farscapes. What was it, and how did we
send it away? If you have given out 0-Influence, you cannot comfort or support anyone. If you would trigger
that move, instead mark a condition as you say exactly the wrong thing. If you have given out
0-Influence and someone tries to comfort or support you, you cannot open up to them.
Relationships
__________________ knows plenty that I don’t about this world, its people, and how to deal with You gain benefits based on how much Influence you have given out. These benefits stack.
them; I should follow their lead while I’m here. ❑❑1-2 Influence: When you defend someone who has Influence over you, you can ignore the Insecure condition.
__________________ is...well...boring. But that’s okay! I’m going to make them more interesting. When you directly engage someone who has Influence over you, you can ignore the Afraid condition.
❑❑3 Influence: When you take a powerful blow from someone with Influence over you, take -2 to the roll.
❑❑4 Influence: When you pierce the mask of someone who has Influence over you, you can always ask them
Influence one question, even on a miss.
You’re here, but not, and it’s going to take some time before you really commit. Give no one ❑❑5 Influence: When you spend a Team to help someone who has Influence over you, it gives them +2.
Influence over you. ❑❑6 Influence: When you accept the words of someone who has Influence over you, mark potential, clear a
condition, or take +1 forward.
You’re the child of a true
Moment of Truth villain. Not a creation,
People have always tried to define you by your lineage. As if from the moment you were born, not an acolyte—just their
you were meant to be some villain to be defeated. But...they’re right, aren’t they? That darkness is friggin’ kid. And when anyone
in you. So right here, right now, you’re not fighting it—you’re embracing it. Both hero and villain, who knows looks at you, all
and greater besides. You’re overcoming impossible odds in ways no hero would approve of, and they can see is your parent.
no villain could comprehend. Of course, after seeing what you can really do when you embrace Like you don’t even matter.
the whole of yourself, the rest of the world isn’t going to forget who you really are... Well, screw that. You’re out
to prove yourself as someone
different from them, and how
Team Moves better to do that than to be
When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if you have earned their
a superhero?
respect. If you have, take Influence over them and mark potential. If you have not, give them
Influence over you and mark potential.

THE SCION
When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, ask them if they would defend you
against those who mistrust you. If they say yes, clear a condition and shift Savior up and any other

>> >> >> >> >>


Label down. If they say no, mark a condition and shift Danger up and any other Label down.
HERO NAME

POTENTIAL ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ REAL NAME


Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential.

Look
Advancement • ambiguous, man, shifting, transgressing, woman
When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below. • Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook ❑❑ Someone permanently loses Influence over you; • stocky body, slender body, scrawny body, statuesque body, taut body
❑❑ Take another move from your playbook add +1 to a Label • hand-me-down clothing, expensive clothing, uniform clothing, rebellious clothing, casual clothing
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook ❑❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add • bright costume, parent’s costume, understated costume, makeshift costume, no costume
❑❑ Take a move from another playbook +1 to a Label
❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth ❑❑ Take The Mask and a secret identity from the Your Lineage
Janus playbook You are the child of a true supervillain, someone with power and the will to use that power to
cause harm. Even though you strive to be different than them , you are what you are because of
When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below. them, in one way or another. Circle at least one option for each question below.
❑❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth after it’s been used ❑❑ Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your What kind of villain are they?
once choice deadly mercenary, master thief, fearsome destroyer, crusader, puppetmaster, grandiose tyrant
❑❑ Change playbooks ❑❑ Retire from the life or become a paragon of the
What is your relationship with them like?
❑❑ Take an adult move city
mostly strangers, actively adversarial, sadly opposed, ever-shifting, redemption/corruption, full of denial
❑❑ Take an adult move
They have an array of abilities, assets, and strengths; what are some of them? (up to 3)
Other Moves superhuman martial prowess, dark sorcery, cosmic might, diabolical machines, endless minions,
unrivaled genius, powerful allies, arsenal of weapons and gadgets, supremely honed skills
What abilities do you use to fight them? (up to 2)
impressive martial prowess, magical aptitude, cosmic energies, machine control, regeneration,
electrokinesis, seismic waves, a powerful weapon or gadget, mastery of a single skillset
Labels Scion Moves
(at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose) (You start with two)
❑❑ I’ll show them: When you defend someone ❑❑ Moldable:When you pierce the mask of someone
DANGER -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3
who doesn’t believe in you, you can always take whose respect you crave, you can always ask
FREAK -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 Influence over them, even on a miss. “How could I gain Influence over you?”, even on a
miss. Take +1 ongoing to acting on the answer.
❑❑ Changed sides: When you mislead or trick an
SAVIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 enemy by pretending to be on their side, roll ❑❑ All the best stuff:You’ve compiled access to
SUPERIOR -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 + Danger. On a hit, they buy your charade for caches of equipment and weaponry other supers
now. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 10+, choose 2. have hidden in the city. When you access a cache,
MUNDANE -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 • You avoid having to provide concrete evidence say whose cache it is. If it’s a hero’s, roll + Savior.
If it’s a villain’s, roll + Danger. On a hit, you find
• You create an opportunity
a tool or intel useful to your situation; the GM will
Conditions • You expose a weakness or flaw
detail. On a 7-9, you leave evidence that you’ve
On a miss, someone else watching comes to the
❑❑ Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat) worst possible conclusion. been here. On a miss, you tripped an alarm and
they’re coming; prepare to explain yourself.
❑❑ Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask) ❑❑ They don’t deserve forgiveness: When you
❑❑ White lies:When you comfort or support
❑❑ Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation) accuse an enemy of being irredeemable, you
someone by telling them how they are your role
can mark two conditions to take Influence over
❑❑ Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers) model as a hero, roll + Savior instead of +
you away from them. When you directly engage
❑❑ Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence) someone who has no Influence over you, you can Mundane. On any hit, if they open up to you, take
Influence over them.
always choose 1 additional option, even on a miss.
Backstory
• Who is your supervillain parent?
• Who told you about your parent’s true nature? Respect
Write down the names of at least two other characters whose respect you need to earn in order to
• Why did you turn from your lineage to be a hero?
differentiate yourself from your parent. You may fill in new names whenever appropriate.
• Who, outside of the team, helps you on your chosen path?
• Why do you care about the team? Your parent’s greatest enemy: _____________ The city’s greatest leader: ________________
Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐ Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then
determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and Your parent’s greatest victim: _____________ The city’s greatest hero: _________________
your teammates, and who has Influence over you. Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐ Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
Your personal idol: _____________________ The city’s biggest celebrity: ______________
When our team first came together... Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐ Respect: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Advancement: ☐
Someone important learned about my lineage and condemned us all. Who? Why?
When you seek out one of the characters named above, roll + Savior. On a hit, you find them
where you expected to. On a 7-9, they’re juggling their own problems, and may not have time for
Relationships you. On a miss, when you find them, the situation is dire; the GM will tell you how.
____________________ is the only one who understands what I’m going through; I told them
If you earn Influence over the characters listed above, instead you mark 1 Respect. If you lose
which part of me I wished was more like my parent.
Influence over the characters listed above, you lose 1 Respect. If you lose 1 Respect and you have
My parent once fought and thrashed _____________________; I’ve got to find a way to make it none marked, you immediately mark a condition, GM’s choice.
up to them.
The first time you reach 4 Respect on an individual, take an advancement.
While you have 4 Respect on an individual:
Influence
This team may be the key to proving you’re different from your parent, but you don’t want to be • You can reject their Influence at a +3 (does not stack with the above).
defined by your peers, either. Give Influence to 2 teammates. • You take +1 to a Label of their choice. (record it next to their name)
If you dip below 4 Respect on an individual, you lose those benefits.

You might also like