Bulletproof Blues 4e EN:Creation
Making up a Bulletproof Blues character should only take about 30 minutes, once you are somewhat familiar with the process. The hardest part is thinking up a character background and choosing what kind of character to play. In this chapter, we offer a few suggestions to help you out, along with a checklist of the steps that you should probably follow. However, just because we list them in this order doesn't mean you must. Jump around if it makes you happy: feel free to fill in what you know, and come back to what you don't.
Before You Start
The goal of Bulletproof Blues is to help you have fun with your friends. If at all possible, try to assemble the players and make up your characters together. That way, you can avoid having two or three characters with the same power archetypes. It's usually more fun if each character has their own specialty and their own role to fill.
It can sometimes be difficult to find a plausible reason for characters to stick together. Why would a brooding loner who likes to brood lonesomely on skyscrapers ever join a team of people wearing brightly colored spandex? You might consider establishing a reason before the game even starts, by having some previous connection between characters. The previous connection could be something as simple as, "Hey, you helped me fight those bank robbers that one time", or "Hey, that's the superhero that rescued me from those bank robbers that one time (although they don't know that because I was in my secret identity at the time)". If every character has a connection to at least one other character, getting them past that awkward "getting to know you" stage will be a lot easier.
Know Your Limitations
What a superhero can't do (or chooses not to do) can define them almost as much as knowing what they can do. A character that can do everything isn't as interesting as a character that has limits. We love Superman and James Bond, but what works for a single character in a movie doesn't necessarily work for a team of characters in a game. What fun would it be for the other players when James Bond knows everything about everything? How much fun would Batman's player have if Superman solved every problem just by listening intently?
Try to focus on what your character should be able to do, rather than on doing everything the letter of the rules permit. If all of the characters have their own specialties, then they can each get an opportunity to take center stage without another character stealing their thunder.
Character Sheet Helper
Although it is not required, you might find the Bulletproof Blues Character Sheet Helper a handy tool to write up your characters. If you send us your completed character sheet file, we will add your character to the Kalos Universe Wiki.
Character Checklist
We have found that it's easiest if you create a character by following these steps. However, it's just a suggestion. Jump around if it makes you happy: feel free to fill in what you know, and come back to what you don't.
- Epithet: what is the character's core identity?
- Background: what is the character's history and description?
- Origin: where did the character get their powers?
- Archetypes: what basic role or roles does the character fill?
- Motivations: why does the character use their power for good?
- Complications: what keeps the character from achieving their full potential?
Once you have the important parts of the character worked out, then you can start buying attributes, skills, gifts, and powers which are appropriate to the character concept you have in mind.
- Attributes: what are the character's basic physical and mental traits?
- Skills: what does the character know how to do?
- Gifts: what gives the character an edge over most normal people?
- Powers: what powers set the character apart from normal people?
Epithet
Before you start writing up your character, try to focus on who they are, rather than on what they can do. Most posthumans have a core identity that goes beyond a mere recitation of their history or a catalogue of their powers. This core identity can usually be summed up with an epithet, or poetic title for the character. This epithet should be succinct, but should immediately convey the essence of the character.
Some epithets are literal descriptions of a character's abilities and powers: "the fastest man alive", "the silver Amazon", "the king of the forests", and so on. However, the most evocative epithets go beyond the powers, and say something about the style and aspirations of the character, such as "the man of tomorrow", "the spirit of the 21st century", and "the guardian of the city". We may not know if "the guardian of the city" prowls rooftops or crawls through sewers, but that's not really the most important thing. Whether the character flies patrols overhead in broad daylight or swings on grappling lines in the dark of night, we know why they do it -- to protect the city they love.
Coming up with a good epithet can make the rest of the character creation process much easier, because it gives you a clear goal to work toward.
Background
In superhero games more so than in any other type of tabletop roleplaying game, there is a temptation to pay attention to what the character does rather than who they are and why they do it. There is a good reason for this: super powers are fun! However, what makes a game fun to play over the long term is the growth and exploration of each character's personality, the difficult choices the characters must make, and the interplay between characters.
Personality
How does your character act around other people? Are they serious but kind, grim and menacing, or wacky and easy-going? It's up to you to bring your character to life. If you have a clear idea of how your character interacts with others, you will have a strong foundation to build on when choosing the character's powers and motivations.
For example, what are the character's interests and hobbies? Are they intellectual, scrutinizing the world around them, or are they passionate and impulsive, doing what feels right without analyzing their motivations? How about the character's family? Do they come from a large, close-knit clan, or is the character an orphan? What is their education and their moral philosophy? Each clue to your character's personality will help you portray them realistically, which will add to your enjoyment and the enjoyment of the other players.
Description
What a character looks like is not as important as their personality, but it does have an impact on how they interact with others and how the players see the character. Describe the character carefully, starting with easily-noticed things like their height and general build. Hair color and general style of dress help emphasize the character's personality. Does your character wear a special costume or uniform? If your character has a special costume, do they wear it all the time? Does the character have a wide variety of costumes, or would they stick with one outfit they like?
Appearance takes into account such things as gender, age, and any mannerisms or odd quirks. Is your character wealthy, dressing in the most expensive fashions? Do they carry themselves loosely, or with a rigid military posture? What do people notice about the character when they first meet? Is your character attractive (as most posthumans seem to be)? The more detail you can add to your description, the easier it will be for you and the other players to imagine them.
You don't need to know all of this at the beginning of the first game, of course. If you aren't sure about the details, start with the broad strokes, and fill in the details as the character develops in play.
History
Unless your character is an amnesiac or was grown in a vat, they will have had years of life experience before the first game starts. Where did they come from? How were they raised? Have they been in the military? Were their childhood years relatively carefree, or were they marred by tragedy? When did they first realize they had abilities beyond those of ordinary mortals? Did this realization come suddenly, perhaps as a result of a trauma, or was it something they had always known on some level?
Origin
With great power comes great responsibility, according to Ben Parker. But where does great power come from? In the Kalos Universe, posthumans are ether born or created, but it's rare for two posthumans to derive their power from the exact same source. This sets the Kalos Universe apart from the Marvel Universe (with its "X-gene") and the DC Universe (with its "meta-gene"). That being said, it is possible to divide up posthumans into a small number of categories based on where their powers came from.
SIDEBAR: Natural
These origins only apply to posthumans. However, many of the allies and opponents the player characters encounter will not be posthuman, even if they are supplied with military-grade equipment, or if they wield significant power and influence. Ordinary humans have the "Natural" origin.
Alien
Although the general public is unaware of it, the Earth has been visited many times by extraterrestrials over the course of human history and prehistory. Some of these visitors came from other planets, while others came from alternate versions of our own world. A few of them, like the Atlanteans, stayed. Some visitors, like the Shran, visited the Earth for research purposes, performing inscrutable and inhumane experiments on the primitive carbon-based life they found here. Others, like the Draconian, fled here to seek refuge from worlds which could not or would not support them any longer.
Draconian
The crystalline being which came to be known as the Draconian was the last survivor of an ancient civilization which once inhabited a planet circling Alpha Draconis. The Draconian never provided details of how his civilization was destroyed, saying only, "We were destroyed by our hubris. By engineering our immortality, we brought about our end." (OMNI interview, 1981) The Draconian came to Earth in 1951 in a highly publicized event that inspired the film The Day The Earth Stood Still. Thanks to his fearlessness, his nigh-indestructibility, and his great sense of personal honor, the Draconian was invited to join the Justifiers in 1960. Draconian was destroyed by Paragon during the "Fall Of Paragon" crossover event.
Altered
Some people have bad luck when it comes to toxic chemicals, cosmic rays, and radioactive wildlife. Other people are guinea pigs who do not have much say in the matter when a powerful organization selects them for an experiment. Whether it's by accident or intention, a character that was once human is forever changed by a process that is difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate.
Gravitar
In the Kalos Universe, Liefeld radiation is one of the most notorious sources of posthuman transformation. Exposure to Liefeld radiation typically results in painful deformity followed by death. However, in rare and isolated cases, exposure to Liefeld radiation has resulted in a permanent transformation from human to posthuman. Such cases are one in a million, at best.
Such was the case of Gravitar.
Jacob McCoy, a physics doctoral student, was working on a high energy particle accelerator when Something Happened. The accelerator exploded, bathing everyone nearby in Liefeld radiation. Jacob was the only one to survive. After recovering from his injuries, Jacob realized that he had spent his entire life in books and decided that he wanted to change. He sought adventure and got involved in BASE jumping, motocross racing, free climbing, and anything else that would give his life an edge. It was during a free climbing incident that he learned that he had gained new abilities from his accident. He fell 20 meters to a stone outcropping and got up without a scratch. Later, while watching a documentary on costumed heroes, Jacob got the idea to fight criminals. What better way to get the juices flowing than putting it all on the line in the fight for justice?
Artificial
Some posthumans have never been human at all. There are those who believe that it would be easier to create a superior life form than it would be to improve humanity. Whether created through robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, or something even more esoteric, experts in the field state that artificial life forms will supplant humanity long before humanity transcends itself. Certainly, many of the artificial life forms themselves, such as Karen X, think so.
Karen X
Karen 6 was designed as a synthetic replacement for the daughter of Dr. Herbert West, whose daughter had died in an automobile accident over a decade earlier. While Karen 6 was more lifelike than her five predecessors, Dr. West was disturbed by Karen 6's lack of empathy. He was working on Karen 7 when a misaligned induction array exploded, killing Dr. West and destroying his laboratory. As Karen 6 watched the laboratory burn, she chose a new name for herself: Karen X. Since then, Karen X has roamed the world learning, improving herself, and destroying anyone who stood in her way.
Aspect
The Kalos Universe is animistic: there are, for lack of a better word, "spirits" which correlate to all objects and natural phenomena. This is why a character with the appropriate power can communicate with plants or even machines. It's also how some posthumans gain their powers, whether they are consciously aware of it or not.
The term usually applied to such individuals is "aspect". In some cases, the character is selected by a sentient or even anthropomorphic force of nature (in the case of Tempest, for example, he is the most recent avatar of Aktzin, the storm eagle). In other cases, the character is a personification of an elemental force (the living world of plants, in Dryad's case). In the rarest cases, the character embodies a concept or ideal, such as Tagger, who is one of the most powerful posthumans on Earth because all of reality is his canvas.
Tagger
Tagger is the most recent aspect of the Storyteller. From the time of the first cave paintings, the Storyteller has been with humanity to record our achievements and document our tragedies. The Storyteller also has the power to inspire humanity toward greatness by sparking our imaginations and giving form to our dreams. The craft used by each aspect of the Storyteller is specific to their own style and temperament. Some have used prose; others have used poetry. Some have carved marble and molded clay, while others have used ink or paint. Tagger prefers cans of Montana Hardcore spray paint.
Engineered
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. While the technology required for elevation to posthumanity is beyond the reach of most governments and the cabals which control them, a small number of the most powerful groups on Earth have decades-long research programs devoted to creating their own posthumans. Using genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology (collectively referred to as GRAIN), a sufficiently resourceful person or organization can rebuild a human being, making them better, stronger, and faster than before. Of course, for every success such as Nexus there are storage freezers filled with failed attempts.
Nexus
"Nexus makes life better!" The man known only as Nexus is one of the few posthumans who operates publicly in a role resembling that of a comicbook superhero. Nexus is handsome, considerate, powerful, and cooperative with the human authorities. In every way, he is a fitting and admirable representative for his sponsor, Nexus-McLellan Enterprises. He should be: he is the fourteenth Nexus to publicly serve Nexus-McLellan's interests, although neither he nor anyone outside of the company knows it. The experts in R&D are confident that this one will last more than a year, now that they've solved the mitochondrial shredding problem. Unfortunately, this Nexus has recently demonstrated a disturbing tendency to think for himself.
Equipped
Where nature falls short, technology must fill the gap. Characters who are merely human can make up for it with the right equipment. Whether it's an alien artifact, a cursed sword, or military body armor and a stockpile of firearms, a character with the right equipment can almost hold their own against genuine posthumans. Of the humans who have confronted posthumans and survived, few have rivaled the effectiveness of Miasma.
Miasma
The woman now known as Miasma was once a respected member of Joint Task Force 2, the elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces. After being made the scapegoat for a successful mission that became a public relations embarrassment for the Canadian government, she was found guilty at her court-martial, stripped of her rank, and discharged from the military. Shortly afterward, a mercenary calling herself Miasma began offering her services to anyone who could meet her price. Favouring non-lethal munitions and gas grenades, Miasma and her Fume Troopers have established themselves as professionals who can get the job done quickly and efficiently, even in the face of posthuman opposition.
Gifted
Some people are born to be different. In some cases this is the result of tampering with the character's genetic code by extraterrestrials such as the Shran. Less commonly, a "gifted" character is the result of a multi-generational research project by a well-funded organization. Rarest of all are spontaneous variations in the human genome that result in extraordinary powers. The most famous example of this phenomenon is Archimedes, the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer, and one of the founding members of the Justifiers.
Archimedes
Archimedes of Syracuse was born in 287 BC, and was one of the leading scientists of the ancient world. His work formed the foundations of statics and hydrostatics, he designed astonishing machines, and he is generally considered to be the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. In 212 BC, during the Second Punic War, Archimedes discovered he had another gift: he was virtually immortal. For the next 2200 years, Archimedes roamed the world assuming a series of identities and always seeking to expand the scope of human knowledge.
Throughout his long life he mentored many heroes and great thinkers, but he always remained behind the scenes until the 20th century brought him face to face against the greatest evil he had ever seen: the rise of fascism in Europe. Archimedes set aside the anonymity he had carefully protected for the past two millennia and joined forces with the Allied mystery men fighting against the Axis. After the end of the war, Paragon invited Archimedes to join him in forming a team of heroes to fight against ignorance and violence: the Justifiers. Archimedes was a central member of the Justifiers until Paragon killed him in the "Fall Of Paragon" crossover event.
Zenith
Posthumans are vanishingly rare, but the rarest of the rare are the "zeniths". Zeniths are those humans who attained their posthumanity through their own efforts. Some have done so through the development of technologies so advanced that they are barely distinguishable from magic, while others have honed their minds and bodies in ways inconceivable to an ordinary person. No two zeniths are alike.
Rook and Mongoose
Nothing illustrates the uniqueness of each zenith more than the contrast between two former members of the Justifiers, Rook and Mongoose. Both were brilliant, self-made men with vast fortunes, but there the similarity ends. Rook was open and gregarious, while Mongoose was suspicious to the point of paranoia. Rook would spend months in his laboratory designing his armor's weapon systems, while Mongoose would train for months to perfect a specific countermeasure to a specific martial arts maneuver. Rook was admired as a hero the world over, while Mongoose was nearly as feared as the criminal scum he cleaned from the streets of Chicago. Despite their differences, they were friends who trusted each other with their lives.
Archetypes
When writing up a character, it can be useful to have an archetype in mind for inspiration. An archetype is a brief description of the powers and modus operandi of the character, and their role in the group dynamic. Many popular comic book characters actually combine two or more of these archetypes. You aren't limited to these archetypes, of course. These common archetypes are just here to offer you a jumping-off point for your character.
SIDEBAR: The Pawn
Unlike posthumans, most of the allies and opponents the player characters encounter will not be captains of their own destinies. For better or for worse, they will live their lives carrying out the will of others. If a character is simply following orders, their archetype is probably The Pawn, particularly if the character is part of a group of such individuals.
Examples: Police officer, ASGARD agent, contract IT worker
Common powers: Blast (conventional firearm), Damage Resistance (ballistic vest), Linguist (computer languages only)
The Beanstalk
The Beanstalk can dramatically change their size. They might be able to grow to massive heights, or shrink down to the size of a dust mote. A Beanstalk who can do both can solve a number of difficult problems all by themselves.
Examples: Atom, Atlas, Mighty Man
Common powers: Growth, Shrinking
The Calculator
The Calculator knows the variables and takes all of them into account. The Calculator might be a chess master, a scientific genius, a brilliant military strategist, or a robot that can think millions of times faster than a human being. When there are questions, the Calculator is the one who comes up with the answers.
Examples: Mister Terrific, Henry Pym, Henry Bendix
Common powers: high Reason, Danger Sense, Immortality, Mental Resistance
The Cannon
The Cannon is the proverbial big gun, capable of firing blasts of astonishing power. Since they focus on ranged combat, many Cannons have an alternate form of movement, such as Flight or Teleportation. Some Cannons are capable of dishing out far more than they can take, which is why they are sometimes called "Glass Cannons".
Examples: Starfire, Cyclops, Apollo
Common powers: Blast, Flight, Force Field, Teleportation
The Clay
The Clay can change their physical form in some way. The Clay might be able to change their appearance to mimic other people, or perhaps they can take the form of animals or inanimate objects. Alternately, the Clay might not be able to take on other shapes, but might instead be able to stretch and twist their body in amazing and unsettling ways, or take on the physical attributes of various substances.
Examples: Plastic Man, Copycat, Menagerie
Common powers: [Element] Form, Shapeshifting, Stretching
The Dolphin
The Dolphin is at home in the sea. The Dolphin may be a ruler of an undersea kingdom (Atlantis, for example), an aquatic visitor from another world, or a freak of nature. Some Dolphins can control sea creatures, while others can command the sea itself. Regardless of their origins, a Dolphin in their element is a force to be reckoned with.
Examples: Aquaman, Namor, Fathom
Common powers: Animal Control, Environmental Immunity, Night Vision, Super Swimming
The Elemental
The Elemental is the living embodiment of a force, substance, or idea. Some Elementals can physically transform into the appropriate material. Others can create limitless amounts of their chosen element, or mentally manipulate it. Some Elementals can do all three.
Examples: Red Tornado, Human Torch, Jenny Sparks
Common powers: Blast, [Element] Form, Ultra-power
The Gadget
The Gadget isn't the strongest or fastest character around, but they always seem to have a gizmo or incantation on hand to make up for it. The Gadget might have a utility belt filled with clever devices, or they might be a magician with a spell for every occasion. With the Gadget on the team, you'll probably have the right tool for the job.
Examples: Zatanna, Iron Man, The Engineer
Common powers: Force Field, Radio Communication, Ultra-power
The Hammer
The Hammer is the heaviest hitter in the neighborhood, and perhaps one of the heaviest hitters in the entire world. The Hammer is usually super-strong, but they might have a mighty weapon instead of great strength (or in addition to it).
Examples: Superman, Thor, Mister Majestic
Common powers: high Brawn, Damage Resistance, Strike
The Mirror
The Mirror wields forces beyond the material world. The Mirror might be a sorcerer, a psychic, or a mathematician who has unlocked the secret equation that controls the universe. When the paranormal knocks, the Mirror is the character who answers the door.
Examples: Doctor Fate, Professor X, The Doctor
Common powers: Astral Travel, Mental Resistance, Telepathy, Ultra-power
The Rocket
The Rocket is fast -- super fast. The Rocket might be born to move with preternatural quickness, their speed might come from years of training, or they may just wear a jet pack. The Rocket may be a runner or a flyer (or, rarely, a swimmer), but whether it's by land, by air, or by sea, few vehicles and fewer characters can keep up with the Rocket.
Examples: Flash, Quicksilver, Swift
Common powers: high Agility, Extra Actions, Flight, Haste, Lightning Strike, Super Running
The Shadow
The Shadow can go where no one else can go, and can appear and disappear without a trace. The Shadow might be a super-spy, a ninja, or even a ghost. However they do it, the Shadow makes being spooky look easy.
Examples: Batman, Black Widow, Spawn
Common powers: Flight, Intangibility, Invisibility, Flight (Swinging), Teleportation
The Sword
The Sword is a fighter, through and through. They may hail from an ancient warrior tradition, they may be a genetically modified super-soldier, or they may be a serene kung-fu master. Regardless of where they came from, the Sword can be found on the front lines trading blow for blow with the enemy.
Examples: Hawkgirl, Iron Fist, Midnighter
Common powers: Lightning Strike, Danger Sense, Extra Actions, Strike
The Tank
The Tank is an immovable object in a world of irresistible forces. The Tank may be inherently super-tough, they might wear high-tech armor, or they may be able to project an impenetrable force field. The Tank can take any damage the world can dish out, and then some.
Examples: Black Adam, Invisible Woman, Caitlin Fairchild
Common powers: high Brawn, high Presence, Damage Resistance, [Element] Wall, Force Field
Motivations
Changing the world is no easy task. Aside from the criminals and supervillains who make life difficult for our heroes, there are ordinary people who either benefit from the way things are or fear that any change would make it worse. Spider-Man saves the people of New York on a regular basis, but the editor at the Daily Bugle never cuts him any slack. Charles Xavier's team of heroic mutants, the X-Men, wage a constant war against dangerous mutants like Magneto and Sabretooth, and they regularly put their lives on the line to protect normal people who definitely would not return the favour. Batman faces walking nightmares like Two-Face and the Joker, but the people of Gotham are as afraid of him as they are of the psychopaths he fights.
So why do they do it? What makes an individual go out of their way to help people who make it clear they don't want to be helped? According to an article in Scientific American, great heroes have a lot in common with great villains. They are some of the most hard-headed, rebellious scofflaws we have. The all-important difference between sociopaths and heroes is empathy: the hero has empathy for other people, while a sociopath does not.
So what motivates your character? How does their empathy for others interact with their internal motivations? Here are a few motivations to get your creative juices flowing. Mix and match a couple, and think of some new ones, if you like. Take notice of the fact that, without empathy, most of these could just as easily be motivations for villains (and even then, a few of these are morally questionable on their own merits).
Would you like to randomly generate the motivations of your character? You can!
| Roll 2d6 | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 2 | Roll once on Table 2 |
| 3-9 | Roll twice on Table 2 |
| 10-11 | Roll three times on Table 2 |
| 12 | Conflicted: roll once on table 2, and see the note below |
Conflicted: The character is torn between two mutually incompatible motivations. Roll on Table 2, and make a note of the roll and its opposite. The character's primary motivation is the first motivation rolled, but they are also driven by the opposing motivation. For example, the opposing motivation of "adventure" is "security".
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Adventure
Your character has an adventurous spirit and rarely turns down the opportunity for a bold quest or a daunting challenge, as long as the task is noteworthy, risky, and exciting. They tend to carry out any endeavour with a swashbuckling flair. This can be a good or a bad instinct depending on the circumstances.
In opposition to: Security
Asceticism
Your character practices severe self-discipline and avoids all forms of indulgence, typically for spiritual reasons. They may regard those who partake in earthly pleasures with good humour and patience, or they might look down on such hedonism as a moral weakness.
In opposition to: Materialism
Audacity
Your character is an adrenaline junkie driven by a desire to experience thrills and glory. They crave action, speed, and attention, and often leap before looking. On the positive side, this sort of person often deals well with chaotic situations that require quick reflexes and spur-of-the-moment decisions.
In opposition to: Subtlety
Community
Your character believes that the greatest measure of an individual is in their value to the society in which they exist. They seek to be dependable and helpful to those around them, and they encourage these traits in others. A character motivated by community might choose to work in isolation, but they would do so with the greater good in mind.
In opposition to: Individualism
Compassion
Your character wants to protect others and alleviate their suffering, particularly the innocent and the helpless. Seeing people in danger or in pain brings out the character's strongest instincts to act. By the same token, the character will tend to be quite careful when using violence in public places.
In opposition to: Wrath
Control
Your character detests the chaos of society, and seeks to impose order and discipline. They conduct their own affairs with precision, and they impose that same order on others when possible. If they are truly ambitious, the character might seek to control events on a grand scale as a kind of benevolent dictator or as a mastermind pulling strings behind the scenes for the benefit of the masses, who aren't competent to lead themselves.
In opposition to: Freedom
Courage
Your character chooses and is willing to confront agony, danger, and uncertainty. They seek to face physical pain, hardship, and death with equanimity, and they embrace the opportunity to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, scandal, and personal loss. They will be remembered either as a great hero or as a fool.
In opposition to: Fear
Curiosity
Your character lives and breathes to solve the world's mysteries. Their focus might be on cracking the puzzles of the natural world or on unraveling the enigmas of the heart and mind, but whatever their obsession, ignoring a riddle requires great effort. The expression "curiosity killed the cat" comes to mind.
In opposition to: Faith
Detachment
Your character seeks to avoid any emotional entanglements on a personal or professional level. They may feel that such connections would limit their freedom of action, and they may fear the obligation such a commitment entails. If offered the choice between maintaining their detachment or assisting with a cause that supports their other motivations, the character may have a crisis of conscience.
In opposition to: Responsibility
Enlightenment
Your character's true calling is education and enlightenment, both their own and others'. Nurturing talent and preserving or establishing a legacy are key goals in their life. They may seek to provide a moral compass to those in their company, or they may be prone to probe and test others' abilities.
In opposition to: Secrecy
Exploration
Your character lives to seek out new places and new ideas, to go beyond the edges of the map. The same old routine is not stimulating enough, and though proper planning is important, cautionary tales are often ignored in favour of seeking the new.
In opposition to: Isolation
Faith
The character believes in something which is not supported by empirical evidence, and this belief gives meaning to their life. They may feel compelled to adhere to a code of conduct inspired by their faith, or they may strive to spread their beliefs to others. Depending on how militant the character is about their faith, their beliefs may cause friction with those who require objective evidence for extraordinary claims, or those whose beliefs conflict with the beliefs of the character.
In opposition to: Curiosity
Fear
Your character makes every effort to avoid injury, danger, and uncertainty. Threats of physical pain, hardship, or death will compel the character to take preventative or palliative action, and they are likely to shift their position when faced with popular opposition, scandal, or personal loss. He who runs away may live to see another day.
In opposition to: Courage
Fellowship
Your character seeks to eliminate artificial barriers between individuals, such as socioeconomic status or political influence. They attempt to treat all sentients as equal in fundamental worth and social status. This may cause friction with those who do not share the character's egalitarian views.
In opposition to: Nobility
Freedom
Your character detests the rigid structure of society, and seeks to escape any imposed order and discipline. They conduct their own affairs with wild abandon, and they disrupt the carefully-laid plans of others when possible. If they are truly ambitious, the character might seek to disrupt events on a grand scale as a kind of "agent of chaos", for the benefit of the masses who are too complacent to free themselves.
In opposition to: Control
Humility
Your character strives to maintain a healthy perspective regarding their own importance in the universe, for in a vast and uncaring universe, what does a single sentient life matter? They are likely to decline honors and rewards, no matter how well-earned, and they are usually polite and respectful even in the face of abuse and deliberate malice. At the same time, since their sense of self-worth is internal, they pay little heed to rude or disrespectful behaviour. In the cosmic scale, such things simply do not matter.
In opposition to: Pride
Idealism
Your character believes in some cause or ideology so strongly that they would willingly die to protect it or uphold it. For example, your character might believe that their worth as a person is tied to their adherence to a code of honor, including such tenets as keeping one's word, appropriate use of force, and respect for rank. Any challenge to these ideals is sure to provoke a strong response.
In opposition to: Pragmatism
Individualism
Your character believes that the rights of the individual hold the highest moral value, above any society or philosophy. The character seeks to be self-reliant and independent, and encourages these traits in others. A character motivated by individualism might work with a team, but their reasons for doing so would be personal, rather than out of any sense of obligation.
In opposition to: Community
Isolation
Your character seeks to avoid exposure to new places and new ideas, preferring the comfort and safety of the known. It may be that they are frightened of what lies beyond the horizon, or it may simply be that they like the world as they know it and feel no desire to discover anything else. In extreme cases, the character may wish to avoid being contaminated, either physically or culturally, by strangers and their uncouth customs.
In opposition to: Exploration
Justice
Your character seeks to ensure that misdeeds are met with appropriate punishment. If the structure of society is such that the judicial system usually works as intended, then the character would seek to deliver criminals to the appropriate authorities (along with evidence of their crimes, if possible). However, if the system is corrupt (or if the character believes it to be so), then the character may decide that the cause of justice would be best served by taking the law into their own hands.
In opposition to: Vengeance
Materialism
Your character wants to amass great wealth. Whether they spend it freely or even pursue philanthropy on a large scale is likely based on other personality traits, but the accumulation of riches is an end in itself for this character. Some might even call them greedy.
In opposition to: Asceticism
Mercy
Your character practices benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness. They make a point of doing so particularly when the recipient is, by any objective measure, undeserving of such consideration. They might do this for any number of reasons, from the purely selfish (e.g., it makes them happy) to the pragmatic (e.g., they believe that by showing mercy, the person unworthy of forgiveness may change their ways) to the altruistic (e.g., they believe that each small act of kindness makes the world a better place).
In opposition to: Ruthlessness
Nobility
Your character was born to rule and command the respect of their lessers. They may look out for the little people based on a sense of noblesse oblige, but they take action because they feel it is necessary and proper to do so, not because someone else demands that they act. At best, a slight condescension is apparent in most interactions with others not of exalted lineage.
In opposition to: Fellowship
Passion
Your character has a visceral, perhaps even savage, nature that they may have to struggle to control. At the same time, they may have a strong sense of loyalty or compassion. In general, your character is ruled by emotions and has to work to fit into a rational world, but they may also have insights that logical people overlook.
In opposition to: Serenity
Pragmatism
Your character believes that practical accomplishments are more important than ideas and philosophies. Honor and ideologies are of little value if they do not produce the desired real-world result. This approach is likely to become controversial when the pragmatic approach violates the ethical tenets of the culture at large.
In opposition to: Idealism
Pride
Your character seeks to personify the ideal of something, whether a culture, nationality, social class, or profession. They hold to an exacting standard of behavior and expect to be in the public eye, commanding respect for what they represent. They are not likely to appreciate scandals or public slights.
In opposition to: Humility
Rebellion
Your character doesn't fit into the larger society, living as a loner due to prejudice or personal choice. The rebel scoffs at popular trends and pays little heed to public mores. They may seek out other iconoclasts who follow their own drummer or they may just want to be left alone.
In opposition to: Traditionalism
Responsibility
Your character feels that they have abilities or burdens that limit their freedom of action. They have a duty to someone or something outside of themselves, and they feel that casting this duty aside would be selfish or irresponsible. If offered the chance to cast aside this burden, the character may have a crisis of conscience.
In opposition to: Detachment
Ruthlessness
Your character will allow no personal feelings or squeamishness to cloud their judgment. The feelings and well-being of others are irrelevant to the achievement of your character's ambitions. If this means that some must suffer while you claw your way to your objective, so be it: it matters not whether those in your character's way deserve such treatment. Perhaps your character's goals are so lofty that the ends justify the means; perhaps your character is just a heartless bastard.
In opposition to: Mercy
Secrecy
Your character strives to hide information from those who are unworthy of it, or from those who are unready to hear it. Knowledge is power, and power must be kept in the hands of those most fit to wield it. They may attempt to conceal or destroy information in order to prevent its dissemination, or they may seek to discredit those who attempt reveal that which should remain hidden.
In opposition to: Enlightenment
Security
Your character strives to minimize risk, despite the potential reward or excitement. Even the most extraordinary task is carried out with an eye toward avoiding or eliminating anything which might be potentially interesting (and thus, dangerous). Ideally, this will lead to a long life, albeit a dull one.
In opposition to: Adventure
Serenity
Your character seeks to maintain a spiritual, mental, and emotional balance. This may be for spiritual reasons, or it may be a mechanism for coping with the character's inner demons. It's probable that they try to avoid situations that might trigger bad memories or unhealthy behaviors, but learning to face these challenges with equanimity is an important step toward recovery.
In opposition to: Passion
Subtlety
Your character seeks to achieve their goals without attracting attention. Careful planning is usually high on their list of priorities, but success alone is not enough. From your character's point of view, the greatest achievement is one that no one else ever knows about. The most powerful hand is the one that no one sees.
In opposition to: Audacity
Traditionalism
Your character believes in structure, tradition, and the chain of command. They appreciate the value of respecting authority, and of following and giving orders. They thrive on stability, structure, and clear objectives. This can potentially create a crisis of conscience if those orders conflict with their personal morals.
In opposition to: Rebellion
Vengeance
Your character seeks revenge for some past wrong done to them or their loved ones. Any personal sacrifice is worthwhile. Depending upon the character's other motivations, sacrificing others might be worth the cost as well.
In opposition to: Justice
Wrath
Your character exults in causing death and destruction, particularly when the target is guilty or despicable. Seeing people abuse their power or behave in an offensive manner brings out the character's strongest instincts to act. The character will tend to be careless when using violence in public places.
In opposition to: Compassion
Complications
All of the most interesting characters have complicated lives. They may be impulsive, have inconvenient codes of honor, or have old enemies that never seem to give up on their quest for vengeance. Think of one or two complications for your character: things that make your character more interesting, and which will make the game more exciting for you and the other players. This will add depth to your character's background, and provide an easy way for the GM to come up with stories that are uniquely suited to your character.
These complications are just examples: feel free to create your own. Remember that your complications are not an excuse to be a jerk or to undermine the fun of the other players. More than anything else, complications are reasons to do something fun even if it's not strictly the wisest idea.
Gruesome
Sometimes being a superhero isn't pretty. Perhaps the laboratory accident or genetic manipulation that granted the character their powers twisted or changed them in some startlingly horrific way. Perhaps the character is from another world or plane of existence and is considered handsome among their own people, but hideous among humans. Whatever the reason, the sight of the character horrifies adults and makes children cry. They may have difficulty in social situations, particularly when meeting someone for the first time.
Outsider
There is a strong tradition of super heroes who are "not from around here". Perhaps the character is from the distant past, or is the sole survivor of a doomed world. Alternately, the character views humans from an utterly alien point of view. The character might be a robot, lacking emotions, or a telepathic alien that does not understand how a society can function when no one knows what anyone else truly means by what they say. A character such as this is unfamiliar or perhaps simply uncomfortable with social norms and customs. It's up to you to decide whether your character will eventually acclimate to the Earth and the mannerisms of humanity, or whether they will never quite fit in.
Uncontrolled Power
For some characters, their powers are as much a curse as they are a blessing. Perhaps the character can't reduce the force of their plasma blasts below "full power", and they are dependent on a device to do it for them. Alternately, the character might not be able to turn their powers off, and they must be careful to keep from accidentally hurting anyone with whom they make contact. Another form of uncontrolled power might be that the character has both a "normal" and a "heroic" form, but can't control when one form changes to the other. Perhaps the two forms even have completely separate personalities and memories.
Vulnerability
The character suffers a -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS penalty when they or the object of their attention is exposed to an otherwise harmless environment or substance, such as water or sunlight.
Alternately, the character's vulnerability could be related to the source of their powers. A character whose powers are all technological might be attacked when their equipment is unavailable, or a character with a magic ring might be powerless if they are made to doubt their worthiness to wield the power.
Wanted
The character is an outlaw, hated and/or hunted by people more powerful than they are. Perhaps the character is on the run from the shadowy government agency that gave them their powers, or perhaps one of the character's childhood friends blames the hero for some tragedy. Maybe the enemy is obsessed with the hero, and won't stop pursuing the character until the character falls in love with the enemy or converts to the enemy's world view.
Character Points
Once you have the the important parts of the character sketched out, you can start writing up the character's abilities. Characters in Bulletproof Blues are created using "character points". The player begins with a pool of these character points, based on the power level of the game, and then spends them to buy attributes, skills, powers, and so on.
A lot of us have a tendency to want to be extraordinary even in things that aren't particularly important to the character. For example, a medal-winning Olympic weightlifter would only have Brawn 4, and even a normal person who exercises and has well-defined muscles might only have a Brawn of 2. Just something to keep in mind.
All that being said, here are some point values that we have found to be useful starting points. For example, at the "National Icon" level, characters generally have attributes of 5 or less.
| Character Type | Points | Attribute Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Normal Joe | 20 pts | 2 |
| Street Samurai | 30 pts | 3 |
| City Defender | 40 pts | 4 |
| National Icon | 50 pts | 5 |
| Global Guardian | 60 pts | 6 |
| Galactic Sentinel | 75 pts | 7 |
| Cosmic Entity | 90 pts | 8 |
Improving Your Character
Bulletproof Blues assumes that the player characters are relatively complete when they are created. In the comics which Bulletproof Blues seeks to emulate, characters don't grow ever more powerful as time goes on, as is common in some roleplaying games. However, part of the fun of a roleplaying game is developing new skills and powers, so Bulletproof Blues uses the concept of "experience points".
At the end of each story arc (every half-dozen game sessions or so), the GM grants one experience point to each player, and each player adds that amount to the "Unspent Experience" on the character sheet of the character they played during that story.
Each experience point is used just like the character points used to create a character: improving an attribute, buying a skill, and so on. The GM should keep a close eye on any new abilities the character gains, as well as on any increases in the character's attributes that might make the character unsuitable for the game being run. It's always a good idea for the players and the GM to discuss how the players plan to spend their experience points.
Villain Attributes
Here are some attribute values that we have found to be useful for villains of various levels. At each level, the attributes of the villains should be approximately equal to the suggested values. For example, a master villain who typically faces characters of the "City Defender" level would have maximum attributes around 6.
| Character Type | Minions | Villains | Master Villains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Joe | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Street Samurai | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| City Defender | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| National Icon | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Global Guardian | 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Galactic Sentinel | 3 | 7 | 9 |
| Cosmic Entity | 4 | 8 | 10 |