Isolated: Superhero Game
Setting
The Posthuman
The world's most well-known superhero, the Posthuman is responsible for keeping Earth safe from the superpowered threats that plague it. Super-intelligent as well as super-potent, she is also responsible to the prolifieration of hypertech across the globe. She is the creator of the Cases, and of the space station Isolate Island.
However, the Posthuman's strong personal code has become a problem for Earth. She applies her own code of morality – do not kill, do not involve yourself in non-superpowered crime or natural disasters, do not take public office or claim dominion over territory, do not reveal your real identity – to all superpowered individuals, heroes and villains. As such, she takes it upon herself with her army of robotic soldiers to apprehend any who do not live by the Posthuman Code, and incarcerates them in the great prison with the criminals they catch.
Origin: Science
Isolate Island
Constructed in 2005 by the Posthuman and her robotic Cases, this space station serves as a prison facility for superpowered criminals. It resembles a large diamond orbiting the Earth, with a tower jutting from each point – the docking access. Prisoners are incarcerated in the core of the facility, behind the combat-Case-filled outer layer. There, robotic soldiers and superhumans serve as wardens for the various supervillains and vigilantes.
Power Origins
Your powers come from somewhere. Maybe you just woke up and manifested them, or maybe a glowing figure bestowed them upon you. Maybe you are a product of science.
But while the details of one's rise to Superhuman status is unique, there are general trends that
Science: You gained your powers through scientific modification, exposure to radiation or other experiments. This differs from device, in that the powers are actual alterations to yourself, rather than from an external machine or object. Transhuman modification falls under this category, as do cybernetics.
Magic: Your powers come from a magical source. While there are possibly infinite kinds of magic, all with different rules, all magic shares the characteristics of defying and directly altering known physical laws in ways that should be, frankly, impossible. Magic is commonly associated with the Astral Plane, a realm that defies technological manipulation and holds any number of wonders. Demon summoners, necromancers, those who throw fireballs, and those who ensorcel minds all have magic as their origin.
Device: You are a normal person; your superpowered status comes from a device you carry or wear, granting you extraordinatry abilities. Powered armour, a dial that lets you jump dimensions, or a ring that lets you shoot energy count as 'device'. You are generally pretty powerless without your devices; no better than a normal person. Your device can be magical or technological, though it is more often the latter.
Innate: Your powers are a fundamental part of your being – you were never a normal person to begin with. You're a robot, grown in a lab, a golem, or an alien. You could be magical or scientific or natural, which you should define as it may have effects.
Attributes
There are three attributes in this game: Physical, Mental, and Social. These attributes cover all of the mundane stuff you can do. It also applies to certain rolls with your powers, as well as defensive rolls. Note that physical is not the god-stat – which physical is used for most normal attacks and such. Things like energy blasts and power attacks use Mental, and psychic manipulation use Social.
First Priority gives you 3 dice, Second gives you 2 dice, and Third gives you 1 die.
Powers
You receive two power slots. Each of these slots can be used to describe an aspect of your power (mind manipulation, fire control, flight, superstrength, regeneration, superspeed, shapeshift, ESP, power armour, plasma blaster, teleport/teleporter, super-weaving). These are intentionally pretty broad; it's meant to have a guideline the GM can use. They should also fit with your origin (a line or two to describe why you have these powers is cool).
Powers apply one extra die to anything that directly uses the powers (that the player describes). Also supernatural abilities let you do stuff that would be entirely impossible to those without them, so that's factored in (no real stat bonus for that – it's mostly stunt fuel).
Template
- Origin:
- Prioritization
- Primary (3 dice)
- Secondary (2 dice)
- Tertiary (1 dice)
- Powers
- [insert power here]
- [insert power here]