Icons:Stock Characters
Icons Game Masters can create villains and other characters to populate their adventures as they see fit. To make things a bit easier, this section presents various "stock" character types, ones that appear in a lot of superhero comics. You can use their traits as-is, just filling in the descriptive details, or modify them to suit the needs of your adventure.
Some stock characters, particularly villainous henchmen, can use the minions option for damage (see the Damage section for details). In this case, ignore their listed Stamina value; any successful attack against them renders them unconscious.
Bystander
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 2 |
| Coordination | 3 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 3 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 3 |
| Stamina | 6 |
Specialties
Possibly something related to the character’s job: Business for a corporate-type, Medicine for a doctor, etc.
Notes
A bystander is pretty much your normal person off the street, the kind menaced by rampaging monsters, alien invaders, held hostage by criminals, and so forth. They are also sometimes taken over by villains with Mind Control or similar powers and turned against the heroes!
Cultist
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 3 |
| Coordination | 3 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 2 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 2 |
| Stamina | 5 |
Specialties
Occult
Notes
Followers of a cult leader or worshipers of dangerous occult entities, cultists tend to operate in secret. They may be armed with weapons like sacrificial knives (slashing damage 3) or more sophisticated modern weapons (see the Henchman and Soldier for examples).
Henchman
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 3 |
| Coordination | 2 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 2 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 3 |
| Stamina | 6 |
Specialties
Typically none.
Notes
The average criminal henchman tends to be a bit on the slow side (both physically and mentally).
Henchmen not relying solely on their fists might have simple weapons like handguns (shooting damage 3–4).
Ninja
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 4 |
| Coordination | 4 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 3 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 3 |
| Stamina | 6 |
Specialties
Martial Arts, Stealth, Weapons (Ninja Weapons)
Notes
This is a ninja henchman for an Asian or martial arts themed villain or group. They're likely to disintegrate or burn to ash when defeated or captured. Typical weapons include a sword (slashing damage 4) and throwing stars (shooting damage 2).
Police Officer
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 4 |
| Coordination | 3 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 3 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 3 |
| Stamina | 6 |
Specialties
Criminology, Investigation, Weapons (Guns)
Notes
The average police officer has some combat training, along with knowledge of criminal investigation and evidence gathering. Equipment includes a sidearm (shooting damage 4), a tonfa or billy club (bashing damage 4), a radio, and handcuffs (material strength 6).
Robot
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 2 |
| Coordination | 2 |
| Strength | 4 |
| Intellect | -- |
| Awareness | 2 |
| Willpower | -- |
| Stamina | 8* |
Notes
This represents a humanoid (and roughly human-sized) robot, suitable as a minion for a technological villain. Not being alive, robots are immune to anything affecting a living metabolism or mind. They have no Willpower, but Stamina equal to twice their Strength instead.
For larger-than-human robots, apply levels of the Growth power, proportionately increasing the robot's Strength. Some robots may also be armored.
Soldier
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 4 |
| Coordination | 3 |
| Strength | 4 |
| Intellect | 3 |
| Awareness | 3 |
| Willpower | 3 |
| Stamina | 7 |
Specialties
Martial Arts, Military, Weapons (Guns). Drive or Pilot are common for some.
Notes
A professional soldier has a fair amount of combat training. Equipment for soldiers in the field includes sidearms (shooting damage 4) and rifles (shooting damage 5).
Thug
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 3 |
| Coordination | 2 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | 2 |
| Awareness | 2 |
| Willpower | 2 |
| Stamina | 5 |
Specialties
Typically none.
Notes
Thugs are henchmen wannabes, small-time criminals operating on their own or in gangs. They're not particularly bright or quick on the uptake. They may have guns (shooting damage 3–4) or other makeshift weapons (good for bashing or slashing damage 3–4).
Zombie
| Abilities | |
|---|---|
| Prowess | 2 |
| Coordination | 2 |
| Strength | 3 |
| Intellect | -- |
| Awareness | 1 |
| Willpower | -- |
| Stamina | 6* |
Notes
These are the walking dead. (Well, shambling, mostly.) Zombies are corpses reanimated by magic or mad science, minions for evil sorcerers and similar foes.
Being both dead and essentially mindless, zombies are immune to anything that affects a living metabolism or mind, including many Afflictions and most mental powers. They have no Willpower, but Stamina equal to twice their Strength instead.