Hero Games - Ultimate Brick Dojhero107-OEF
Hero Games - Ultimate Brick Dojhero107-OEF
Hero Games - Ultimate Brick Dojhero107-OEF
A WORD OR TWO extensive discussion of the Brick archetype when it seemed unlikely
my manuscript for The Ultimate Brick would ever get published.
OF APPRECIATION Steve adds: We’d also like to thank the Digital Hero playtesters and
testreaders who reviewed the UB manuscript. All the “heavy lifting”
Additional Contributors: Special thanks to the following, who around here comes in the form of crunching numbers and reviewing
directly or indirectly contributed snippets to this book through chapters, and it’s great to have the help of fans dedicated to making
the Online USPD or other means: Bob Greenwade; Chad Riley; our books as good as possible!
Dean Shomshak.
Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by
Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
The Ultimate Brick © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. First printing May 2004
Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Dark Champions, Pulp Hero, Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Stock Number: DOJHERO107 • ISBN Number: 1-58366-028-3
http://www.herogames.com
THE ULTIMATE BRICK TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ..................................... 4 Power Advantages ......................... 43 Bricks And The Environment ........ 103
Power Limitations .......................... 45 The Mass Of Objects.................... 103
CHAPTER ONE: Power Frameworks ........................ 46 Breaking Things ........................... 103
BUILDING THE BRICK Disadvantages ............................... 47 The Basics Of Breakage ............. 103
Masses Of Materials Table ....104-06
Strength ........................................... 6 Brick Tricks .................................... 49 Expanded Object Table ........107-112
Strength and Endurance................... 7 Offensive Powers ........................... 50 Living In A Fragile World ............. 112
Strength Damage ............................ 8 Defensive Powers .......................... 68 Realistic Uses Of Strength .......... 114
Lifting ............................................. 9 Healing Powers ........................... 74 Gravity ........................................ 116
Expanded Strength Table.........10-13 Movement Powers ......................... 75 Zero Gravity .............................. 117
Leaping......................................... 14 Sensory Powers ............................. 77 Plots Seeds For Bricks ................. 118
Throwing Things ............................ 15 Miscellaneous Powers.................... 77
Throwing Table ............................ 15 Density Powers .............................. 80 CHAPTER THREE:
Negative Strength .......................... 17 Growth Powers .............................. 82 A PILE OF BRICKS
Advantages for Strength ................. 18
Brick Basics ................................... 19 CHAPTER TWO: Champions Bricks ........................ 120
Brick Backgrounds......................... 19 BRICK CAMPAIGNING Grond ......................................... 120
Brick Personalities ......................... 21 Ogre ...................................... 121
Bricks In Combat ........................... 88 Der Westgote .......................... 122
Brick Archetypes............................ 23 Entering Combat: Stopping
Bricks Genre By Genre ................... 25 White Rhino ............................ 124
Moving Objects ........................... 88
Characteristics............................... 27 Heroic Bricks ............................... 126
Combat Modifiers .......................... 89
Combat Maneuvers........................ 90
Caber ..................................... 126
Skills .............................................. 29 Burgida .................................. 128
Perks And Talents .......................... 32 Determining Damage ..................... 97
Knockback .................................... 98
Sygyl ...................................... 130
Powers ........................................... 33 Johnny Kwon .......................... 132
Other Combat Actions And Effects .. 99
Power Modifiers ............................ 43 Bill Ferguson .......................... 134
Dashana................................. 136
4 HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
STRENGTH
VERSUS INTRODUCTION archetypes and the game elements used to create
bricks and their intriguing abilities. At the end of
strength Brick: Slang term for a character whose main
the chapter there’s an extensive selection of “brick
tricks” — abilities and powers that represent some
attribute is high STR (usually coupled with a high of the things characters can do when they have
Throughout this book,
degree of resistance to injury). prodigious strength.
Strength (or STR) refers
to the HERO System —HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, page 16 Chapter Two, Smashing Fists And Bouncing
O
Characteristic and/or Bullets: Brick Campaigning, covers the subject of
ways to use it. The term ne of the most popular and enduring playing bricks and using them in the campaign. It
strength (uncapitalized) archetypes in legends and genre fiction is discusses combat tactics for bricks, expanded rules
refers to the concept the brick, or strongman — a character who for breaking things, optional “realistic” rules for
or uses of strength in
possesses phenomenal strength, usually throwing and lifting, and so forth.
a commonplace or
everyday sense. In game accompanied by equally-phenomenal resilience Chapter Three, A Pile Of Bricks, brings
terms, a character’s and endurance. Mythology gives us the first bricks, together the information and perspectives from the
Strength represents his in such forms as Hercules, Thor, Gilgamesh, and previous two chapters by presenting several sample
strength. Atlas — the stereotypical strongmen from whom brick characters. These characters cover a multitude
many later bricks derive thematically. Early adven- of genre and character types, showcasing the flex-
ture fiction developed these concepts into the likes ibility of the “brick” concept.
of Paul Bunyan and Doc Savage. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready for some
The brick really came into its own as a concept heavy lifting — it’s time to put your Strength to use!
with the debut of comic books, where not just high
strength but super-strength was possible. Some of STRENGTH AND REALISM
the most popular superheroes of all time — Super- Strength is unique among HERO System game
man, the Hulk, Captain Marvel, the Thing, and elements in that its usage and effects are easily
countless others — fight their foes with super-hard quantifiable in real world terms. There are no rules
fists and superhumanly-strong muscles. for how many joules of energy each die of Energy
With so much history behind them, it’s no Blast includes, for how INT correlates with IQ,
surprise that bricks are one of the most popular or for precisely how much pressure each point of
character archetypes for roleplaying games. From Force Field PD can withstand. But the rules say
Fantasy Hero to Champions and beyond, the high- exactly how much a person of a given STR can
STR character appears in just about every game both lift, and from that it’s a relatively simple matter to
as a player character and as an adversary for the determine how many newtons of force the charac-
PCs to defeat. Not only are bricks lots of fun in the ter can exert.
game — who can resist the excitement of swinging In the minds of some gamers, this raises all
the biggest sword, or throwing cars at a supervillain? sorts of concerns about “realism.” How hard can
— they’re relatively easy to create and play, making a character with, say, STR 60 really hit? How far
them an attractive choice for many gamers. can he really throw something? How closely do
The Ultimate Brick is Hero Games’s look at the the rules model what one can determine about the
rules for and uses of the Strength Characteristic physics of STR?
(STR) in the HERO System, and at characters who Generally speaking, the answer to these ques-
have high STR and related attributes. For the pur- tions, and others like them, is “Who cares?” This is a
poses of this book, a brick is any character whose game, not a physics textbook; it takes into account
strength (and usually resistance to injury as well) is many things other than the pure simulation of
greater than the average character in the campaign, “reality” (including, for example, game balance).
and who is defined to some degree by these attri- The HERO System is designed to reflect a “dra-
butes. In addition to expanding the rules and rules matic reality” within the context of a game, not to
options for such characters, The Ultimate Brick pro- precisely model “the real world.” After all, different
vides players and GMs with guidance on designing people often disagree as to exactly what’s “realis-
more interesting and distinctive brick characters tic” and what’s not in many situations. And given
and integrating bricks smoothly into a campaign, that most roleplaying campaigns involve fantastic
irrespective of genre. Since characters can do more powers that have never existed in the real world,
with STR the more they have, a lot of the informa- who’s to say exactly how something like high STR
tion in this book focuses primarily on Champions, would “really” work?
but it’s just as applicable to Fantasy giants (or wiz- Therefore, The Ultimate Brick devotes little
ards with STR-augmenting spells), science fiction attention or page space to issues of “realism.” Here
war-robots, cyber-warriors with artificial muscle and there (particularly on pages 114-15), in the
implants, and the like. interest of full coverage of various subjects you’ll
Chapter One, Strength Upon Strength: Build- find discussions of the “realistic” implications of
ing The Brick, is the main chapter in the book. It high STR — but even then, when rules are involved,
opens with a discussion of the rules for STR itself; they’re likely to depend on abbreviated or sum-
this section includes all the STR rules from the 5th marized real-world information. You won’t find a
Edition, Revised core rulebook, plus much more whole lot of science in here... just lots of informa-
information. Chapter One goes on to review brick tion and options to make your games even better!
chapter one:
BUILDING A BRICK
CHARACTER CREATION
6 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
STRENGTH
T
Action, not a Zero-Phase Action.
he Strength Characteristic represents the
STRENGTH ROLLS
character’s raw physical power: how much
damage he does in HTH Combat; how Normally, when you want to find out the effect
much he can lift, carry, and throw; and of exerting STR, you roll the character’s damage
so forth. STR also adds to the base values of PD, dice from STR (see the Expanded Strength Table)
REC, and STUN. and count the Normal Damage BODY. If two
One point of STR costs 1 Character Point. characters compete in a test of STR, each rolls his
Every +5 Character Points of STR represents +1d6 STR dice, and the character with the most BODY
damage and a doubling of the character’s lifting (or a predefined number of BODY) succeeds. In
capacity. some cases, it may be quicker to ask for a STR Roll
(9+(STR/5) or less) instead; the character who
CASUAL STRENGTH makes his roll by the most wins the contest.
Every character has a Casual STR equal to half The standard rules for Skill Versus Skill Rolls,
his STR. For example, a character with STR 40 has a which apply to Characteristic Roll contests such as
Casual STR of 20. STR Versus STR Rolls, indicate that the roll made
Casual STR is the STR the character can exert by the second character must equal or exceed the
without conscious effort or taking much time — in roll made by the character who initiated the contest
other words, when using it as a Zero-Phase Action. — in other words, ties go to the second character.
Characters use Casual STR to barge through As an option, the GM can rule that ties go to the
crowds, smash through minor obstacles, carry stronger character. That way a character with, say,
things effortlessly, and so on. Characters can also STR 21 derives a little extra benefit from spending
use Casual STR to shrug off Entangles and Grabs that extra point when he’s wrestling with a charac-
without wasting an Action (see pages 166, 387, and ter who has STR 20.
423 of the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised rule-
INCREMENTAL STRENGTH
book). A character may try to use his Casual STR to
break free from a Grab or Entangle in a Phase, and Sometimes characters want to buy their STR
if he fails then use his full STR to try again. in increments. Typically they do this so they can
Characters may use any method of increasing Partially Limit the STR, or for similar reasons. In
STR (such as a Movement Power, in some situa- this situation, the default rule is that all the STR
tions) to increase Casual STR, but all such methods adds together before you calculate damage, Leap-
only add half as much STR (or STR damage dice) ing, and the like. The GM may change this rule in
as they normally would. Furthermore, applying any the interest of common sense, dramatic sense, spe-
bonuses this way converts the use of Casual STR to cial effects, or maintaining game balance.
a Half Phase Action. Example: A character has STR 13, and buys
Using Casual STR costs END, though the char- +12 STR as a Power. He does 5d6 ((12+13)/5
acter only has to pay END for the STR used (not = 5) damage and can Leap 5”; he does not do
for his full STR) if that’s all he uses. As noted below, 4½d6 damage ((13/5 = 2.5) + (12/5 = 2)).
a character only pays END once per Phase for STR
no matter how many different ways he uses it; if However, you should derive STR-based Figured
the character later uses more than his Casual STR Characteristics, and the END cost for STR, on an
during a Phase, he has to pay the rest of the END incremental basis where possible, since different
required (see below for examples). modifiers (such as Reduced Endurance or Increased
If a character normally has a negative STR (as Endurance Cost) can affect them differently.
many small animals do), determine his Casual STR
COMBINED STRENGTH
by halving his normal lifting capacity (see below).
For example, -10 STR can lift 6.4 kg. Half of that is Sometimes two or more characters want to
3.2 kg. A -15 STR character can lift 3.2 kg, so the combine their STRs to accomplish some task none
character has a Casual STR of -15. of them can perform individually. For example, a
As stated on page 423 of the HERO System 5th group of brawny warriors might try to lift a port-
Edition, Revised rulebook, a character can never use cullis together. In that situation, add up all the char-
his Casual STR to attack another character or cause acters’ lifting capacities based on their individual
damage to him. The GM may waive this rule if STRs, then use that overall lifting capacity to deter-
desired, but if so, the use of Casual STR is an Attack mine the “group STR” score of the people involved
(use the next lowest STR rating if the lifting capac-
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 7
ity doesn’t match some rating exactly). character has to pay END once for each attack. “I’M AS STRONG
Example: Five cargo robots — STR 10, 15, 15, ENDURANCE AND PARTIAL STRENGTH AS TEN MEN!”
20, and 25, respectively — want to lift a cargo If a character uses only part of his STR during
pallet. Their lifting capacities are 100, 200, 200, It’s not uncommon in
a Phase, he only pays the END for the amount of some genres for char-
400, and 800 kilograms, respectively, for a total STR he used. If he uses more of his STR later in acters to define their
of 1,700 kg. Looking at the Expanded Strength that same Phase, he has to pay the rest of the END high STR as represent-
Table, that’s how much STR 30 could lift (actu- required. Similarly, if the character’s Leaping costs ing being as strong as
ally, it’s more than STR 30, but less than STR less END than the full END for his STR, and later some number of men.
31, so you round down to 30, the next lowest in the Phase he uses STR to the extent it costs more For example, a Golden
rating). Therefore, as a group, the five robots END than he used for his Leaping, he has to pay Age superhero might
have “STR 30” for lifting purposes. Here’s the difference in END when he uses his full STR. have the ability to make
hoping the pallet weighs less than 1,600 kg.... himself “as strong as
Example: Grond has STR 90, so his Casual ten men!,” or a Potion
STR is 45. On his Phase in Segment 6, he uses Of Threefold Strength
in a Fantasy Hero game
STRENGTH his Casual STR to escape from an Entangle.
This costs him 4 END. If that’s all he does in might make the imbiber
AND ENDURANCE that Phase, that’s all the END he spends for his
STR. However, if he then uses his full 90 STR
as strong as three men.
Incremental Throwing Distance Example: The Visigoth has STR 60, meaning
Running Throw distances go up by increments he can do up to 12d6 damage. If he throws a
of 2”. At the GM’s option, characters with STRs boulder at someone (DEF 5, BODY 13), he does
ending in 2 or 7 may throw an object for the inter- his usual 12d6 of damage. If he threw a lamp-
mediate extra inch. For example, a character with post (DEF 5, BODY 3), he could only do 8d6
17 Throwing STR could throw an object 13”, while damage, since the maximum damage he can do
one with 42 Throwing STR could throw one 33”. is his STR damage or the DEF+BODY of the
thrown object, whichever is less.
Hang Time
As a default for the HERO System, a thrown If a character picks up another character
object travels the full distance thrown immediately; and throws him into something — the ground, a
there’s no “hang time” or delay in reaching a distant wall, a vehicle, or the like — the victim takes the
target. The GM may, if he wishes, develop rules for character’s full STR damage (or as much of his STR
arc, wind resistance, and the like, or adapt the rules damage as the character cares to use).
for long-distance Leaping to thrown objects.
The Range Modifier
Realistic Throwing The Range Modifier applies to attacks made
For more “realistic” rules for throwing objects, by throwing an object. An object’s shape affects
see page 114. the Range Modifier, as indicated by the Thrown
Objects Range Modifier Table.
THROWING DAMAGE
The GM determines whether a particular
Characters often want to throw objects not object is balanced or aerodynamic.
for distance, but as a form of attack. This requires a
standard Attack Action and Attack Roll, modified CATCHING THROWN OBJECTS
by the balance and aerodynamic properties of the If a thrown object is bought by the thrower as
object (see below) and possibly the object’s size and an ability or gadget (such as a drug-tipped dart or a
shape (see page 382 of the HERO System 5th Edition, thrown billy club), or is defined with Powers or other
Revised rulebook). The damage done by throwing game elements, usually characters cannot catch it
an object is the same as
that for using an object to
hit someone with in HTH THROWN OBJECTS RANGE MODIFIER TABLE
Combat: the thrower’s
Range Modifier Object is
STR damage, up to the Normal Balanced and aerodynamic (a boomerang, a spear)
DEF+BODY of the object -2 Balanced but not aerodynamic (a tomahawk, a grenade, most rocks)
in dice. -2 Aerodynamic but not balanced (a jetpack)
-4 Neither balanced nor aerodynamic (another character, a bale of hay)
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 17
unless they pay Character Points for that ability (typi- Disarm or Grab) lets him apply 5 STR to accom-
cally this is bought as some form of Missile Deflec- plish that effect. (GMs desiring greater “realism” can
tion) and use the rules for that ability. reduce this by -1 STR per full -5 STR the character
In the case of ordinary objects used as has, to a minimum of 1 STR.)
impromptu thrown weapons (boulders, cars, beer
NEGATIVE STRENGTH AND MOVEMENT
mugs, and the like), the GM has several options.
First, he can only allow characters to catch them as Negative STR impairs a character’s STR-based
if they were bought attacks (i.e., if they’ve paid for movement. Typically this includes Running, Swim-
the ability to do so). ming, Swinging, Tunnelling, and Flight or Gliding
Second, he can allow characters to catch based on muscle power (such as most types of wings).
impromptu missiles by making a roll of some sort. At STR 0, halve the character’s STR-based movement;
Typically this means a DEX Roll, but possibly an halve it again for every -10 points of STR (rounding
OCV versus OCV “Attack Roll” (similar to the roll down). The GM may choose to allow a character a
made for a Block). The size of the object may modify minimum of 1” full move (a crawl) until he reaches
the roll (see page 382 of the HERO System 5th Edition, -30 or -STR (whichever is better for the character). A
Revised rulebook). The GM may rule that characters hero with a STR of 15 and a ground movement of 6”
can only do this if they Abort to this Action (or have would have 3” of movement at STR 0, 1” of movement
a Held Action), or he may allow them to do it as an at STR -10, and 0” of movement at -20 STR (or per-
Action that takes no time. haps a minimum of 1” in a crawl).
If a character catches an impromptu thrown The Expanded Strength Table indicates the
weapon using these rules, he takes no damage from effects of negative STR on Leaping — at STR 0 and
it and has it in his hand; he may, if appropriate, throw below, characters have no inches of Leaping derived
it at someone when he next has the opportunity to from STR at all. If a character with 0 or lower STR
make an Attack Action. If he fails to catch the object, has some outside or artificial means of increasing
the attacker still has to succeed with the Attack Roll his Leaping (purchased extra inches of Leaping,
to hit him. enchanted Boots of the Cricket that allow him to
If a character wants to catch a thrown object Leap further than normal, or the like), then the
that’s not an attack, but for some other reason (to halving effects of negative STR apply to that “extra
keep it from hitting the ground and breaking, to score Leaping” in the standard manner described above.
the game-winning touchdown, or the like), typically In most cases the GM should allow characters a
he makes a DEX Roll, as described above, to do so. minimum of 1” Leaping.
NEGATIVE STRENGTH AND DCV
NEGATIVE STRENGTH Negative STR affects DCV the same way it
affects movement: halve DCV at STR 0 and again
The Strength Table describes the lifting capac- at every -10 STR thereafter. At -30 STR (or the
ity and other effects of negative STR. Some addi- negative of his initial STR value, whichever is better
tional considerations and rules apply. for the character), he has DCV 0.
Rules for the effect of negative STR on move-
ment and DCV generally only apply when a char- OTHER RULES
acter with positive STR is Drained or otherwise For every 2x mass a character has above the
reduced to negative STR. Beings with natural nega- standard human mass of 100 kg, the effects of nega-
tive STR, such as many small animals, don’t nor- tive STR on movement and DCV occur 5 points of
mally suffer such effects, but might if their STR was STR sooner, while for every x½ mass they occur 5
Drained or reduced below its normal level. points of STR later. Other aspects of negative STR
(the need to make STR Rolls to perform Actions, and
NEGATIVE STRENGTH AND DAMAGE the like) are not affected by the character’s mass.
Characters with 0 STR or a negative STR do
no STR damage when they strike without a weapon, Example: Moth Girl has x¼ mass due to her
unless they use a Maneuver which adds damage Shrinking, so her movement and DCV aren’t
(such as a Martial Strike). If they try to wield a affected until -10 STR. On the other hand, Iron-
weapon in a campaign which uses the STR Minima clad weighs 2,000 kilograms (20 times normal
rules, those rules apply normally (making it unlikely human mass, which falls into the “x32” [or “five
they can do much damage with most weapons). doublings”] category for doubling purposes),
If a character has 0 or negative STR, a so he begins to suffer the movement and DCV
Combat/Martial Maneuver lets him do 1d6 STR effects of negative STR at STR 25.
damage, add +1 DC to a Normal Damage weapon, If a character with negative STR wishes to use
or add +0 DC to a Killing Damage weapon. STR to perform an Action, he must succeed with a
If a character has 1 or higher STR, a Combat/ STR Roll. This includes Actions such as aiming an
Martial Maneuver lets him double the damage he’d attack, pulling a trigger, or changing a clip. Using a
do with STR or a weapon, per the normal rules (again Power doesn’t require a STR Roll per se; but while
subject to STR Minimum and other such rules). a character may be able to trigger his Energy Blast
Other exceptions, such as for adding Normal without a STR Roll, he’ll need to make a STR Roll
Damage in Superheroic campaigns, may also apply. to aim his attack at his target. If a character has
If a character has zero or negative STR, an bought a power with the Gestures Limitation, he
Exert-based Combat/Martial Maneuver (such as a
18 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
Example: Grond (STR 90) wants the ability to
do a “Shockwave” — to slam the ground with
his fists and damage anyone standing nearby.
He buys that as a naked Explosion Advantage
for his STR, with certain Power Modifiers:
Explosion for up to 90 STR, Hole In The Middle
(the one hex Grond stands in when he uses the
power; +¼) (56 Active Points); Only Affects
Targets On The Ground (-¼), Extra Time (Full
Phase; -½), Only Does Knockdown, Not Knock-
back (-0). Total cost: 32 points.
If a character wants to purchase an Advantage The GM may grant exceptions to this rule as
for his STR, he typically buys it as a “naked” Advan- he deems appropriate. For example, some GMs
tage (see page 244 of the HERO System 5th Edition, allow characters to buy the Reduced Endurance
Revised rulebook). He doesn’t have to buy his STR a Advantage for only part of their STR.
second time with an Advantage. These rules do not, however, apply to Pushing.
If an Advantage affects STR, it automatically applies
to the dice obtained from Pushing.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 19
BRICK
BASICS
B
y definition, all bricks share at least one Similar to Accident is the Super-Science origin,
thing: high STR (though what counts as in which the character gains his high strength from
“high” varies from genre to genre). They the deliberate, planned use of science. A character
often have many other attributes, such as might even have some super-strength powers that
a high degree of resistance to injury, in common were deliberately engineered, but others that mani-
as well. Thus, in some campaigns one brick some- fest by accident as side effects of the process.
times begins to look an awful lot like another. What
ALIEN
makes a brick distinctive tends not to be his basic
powers and abilities, but his background, personal- The character’s high strength results from
ity, and the like. (This may, in turn, indicate Skills the fact that he’s not native to this world — he
and abilities the character would have beyond the comes from another planet, dimension, or the like.
standard ones for bricks.) Although he has normal strength for his species
The sections below provide guidelines and when he’s at home, on Earth he’s far stronger than
suggestions, not restrictions. There are many pos- the average human. This may have to do with expo-
sible origins and designs for bricks; the ones listed sure to Earth’s sun, air, or biofield, or it may relate to
here are simply the most common and archetypical. some sort of mystic or dimensional “flux.”
They’re provided to spark ideas and help gamers An alien brick often has to discover the world
organize their thoughts when they set out to create around him, including not just facts about daily life
a distinctive and enjoyable brick character. but things like how much force is appropriate for a
given situation. He may have the Physical Limita-
tion Unfamiliar With Earth Culture, but even if
BRICK BACKGROUNDS he does not, many details about Earth life may be
unknown or mysterious to him. However, if the
Movies, literature, and comic books pro- character’s background assumes he’s been on Earth
vide plenty of inspirational examples of how an for a long time already, or that he grew up on Earth,
individual becomes stronger than his peers. DC’s he may be every bit as familiar with Earth culture
Superman, Marvel Comic’s the Hulk, and Robert E. as its natives. An alien brick who deliberately comes
Howard’s Conan are all bricks, but they have vastly to Earth as an intergalactic policeman will have a
different origins and backgrounds. In this sense, different set of Skills, knowledge, and equipment
“background” and “origin” basically refer to the than one whose spaceship crash-landed on Earth
same thing: the source of the character’s powers. when he was an infant.
(This may also relate to his personality or design;
see below.) ITEM OF POWER
This catch-all category covers bricks who get
ACCIDENT
their strength from some sort of object other than
The character has high strength because of an powered armor or technology — if the character
unintentional exposure to some chemical, radia- loses his item of power, he loses his enhanced
tion, biomatter, or similar scientific substance or strength and related abilities. Typically an item of
phenomena. If the accident occurred when the power is a Focus, but wouldn’t be if it cannot easily
character was very young, the character may be no be taken away from the character.
different than if he were born with these powers, This brick origin most commonly occurs in
but in most cases the character is a teenager or an Fantasy Hero, where magical items like enchanted
adult when the accident occurs. belts, bracers, or rings might give a character the
As a result of his transformation, the charac- strength of a giant. (Similarly, many STR-enhancing
ter has to adjust to his new abilities. Early on he items of power in Champions and other genres are
may have the Doesn’t Know Own Strength Physical magical in nature.) In a Star Hero game, the item
Limitation (page 48), or other Disadvantages rep- of power might induce an anti-gravity field that
resenting his inability to control his strength with makes it easy to lift even the heaviest object.
precision. If he has any “brick trick” powers, they’ve
probably got Activation Rolls, Required Skill Rolls, MAGIC
or other significant restrictions. Even if the player The Magic background encompasses many
assumes his character has already adjusted to possible origins (except for magical Items of Power;
having vast strength before the campaign begins, see above). The character could be a magical crea-
the character’s self-discipline could slip in moments ture — a troll or dragon-man, for example — trans-
of stress. ported to Earth somehow (which may also make
20 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
him an Alien). He could be the earthly avatar of a a race of super-strong beings, such as giants. While
god associated with strength, such as Thor, Hercu- they possess normal strength for their kind, and
les, or Huitzilopochtli. He could be the recipient thus don’t seem unusual when they grow up among
(or victim!) of some sort of spell, enchantment, or their own people, they’re far stronger than average
curse that increases his STR somehow. for the campaign. If they grow up among normal-
Given the breadth of this origin, it often grants STR folk, they may cause problems, find themselves
the character other powers (or obligations) in addi- cut off from normal “human” interaction because
tion to high STR. Increases to other Characteristics they’re afraid of hurting someone one, or take on
are one good option, but just about any other type the role of protector... or bully.
of ability is possible — after all, magic can, by defi-
POWERED ARMOR
nition, do almost anything.
Closely related to the Magic Brick is the This background is an archetype as much as
Cosmic Entity brick — a character who represents an origin. A Powered Armor brick’s high strength
Nature, the sun, the cosmos, or some metaphysi- derives from an incredibly sophisticated suit of
cal force, and who has tremendous strength as a mechanized armor (or, more rarely, magical armor).
by-product of his generally vast powers. However, In many cases, Powered Armor bricks have a wide
because they do have vast powers, Cosmic Entity assortment of powers which represent the weapon
Bricks generally are only playable in some types of systems and other capabilities of their armor —
Galactic Champions campaigns (or other games everything from built-in oxygen supplies, to boot-
where characters are built on large numbers of jets, to gauntlet-mounted blasters. (See pages 71-92
points). A weakened Cosmic Entity Brick would of Gadgets And Gear for plenty of examples, as well
probably seem most like the Magic Brick in back- as guidelines for creating suits of powered armor.)
ground. Powered Armor bricks often take the No Fig-
ured Characteristics Limitation on the STR and
MUTANT other Primary Characteristics they get from their
Characters who are Mutants — who are born armor. The fact that a suit of armor allows a charac-
with unusual abilities, typically resulting from ter to lift more and punch harder doesn’t inherently
altered genetics — appear mostly in superhero make his flesh and bones tougher. Then they buy
campaigns, but exist in some Science Fiction set- increases to PD and the like through their armor
tings as well. (A Fantasy campaign might have as well, representing the protection the armor pro-
“mystical mutants” of some sort.) vides. Similarly, instead of using their own END to
The most important question for a Mutant power the armor, they usually buy an Endurance
origin is: when does the character’s super-strength Reserve for it to represent batteries or other such
manifest? If it doesn’t emerge until he’s a teenager power sources.
or an adult, he may have an easier time adjusting to
TECHNOLOGY
it, but the adjustment period may not have ended
by the time the campaign begins. On the other Besides Powered Armor or Items of Power,
hand, a child who develops mutant strength at an there are several other ways to explain a brick’s
early age may wreak tremendous havoc (due to his powers as Technology.
inexperience and immaturity), but has had years to First, the brick could be an artificial being — a
get used to his ability by the time the game begins. robot or android, typically, but possibly a golem
Another important issue is how the character’s (or the like) instead. Usually he’s sentient and self-
super-strength works, and whether it’s the char- willed, but in some instances some other being
acter’s only ability. In many cases mutant powers may control him. If the brick is a PC, the issue of
come with unusual side effects or restrictions, par- emotions and interacting with normal humans is
ticularly early in the character’s career. For example, usually an important one for him; if he’s a villain,
a mutant’s super-strength may depend on solar he may want to subjugate or destroy the “puny
power, fluctuate throughout the day, only work in organics.”
certain situations, or emit energy that’s harmful to Second, the brick could be cybernetically
other people or the environment. Mutant strength augmented. Artificial muscle grafts, neurostimula-
may be one manifestation of a broad suite of tors, super-steroids, and gene therapy could turn an
related powers, such as psychokinesis or the power ordinary man into a guy who can move cars around
to absorb and redirect energy. with his bare hands and punch through solid oak
In the Champions Universe and many other doors. Cyber-bricks usually aren’t as strong as arti-
settings, a Mutant character has to take a Distinc- ficial bricks or Powered Armor bricks, but they also
tive Feature, Mutant, to reflect the fact that others don’t have to worry as much about having their
can perceive his mutant nature with special scan- armor stolen or fitting in with humanity.
ners and the like. This is worth 10 points (Not Like the Powered Armor brick, Technology
Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable Only By bricks often have many different powers not nec-
Unusual Senses). In many campaigns, people view essarily associated with high STR. For example,
mutant characters (regardless of their powers or robots and androids usually need full Life Support,
actions) with suspicion or hatred, which may entitle and often have numerous Enhanced Senses; cyber-
the character to take a Social Limitation. warriors may have all sorts of built-in weapons and
Similar to the Mutant Brick is the Natural useful devices.
Brick — a super-strong character who comes from
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 21
Typical Disadvantages
for a Beast brick include:
Berserk: in combat (Very
Common), go 11-, recover 8-:
40 Character Points
Enraged: in combat (Very
Common), go 11-, recover 8-:
30 Character Points
Distinctive Features: mon-
strous appearance (Not Con-
cealable; Causes Major Reac-
tion): 20 Character Points
Psychological Limitation:
Likes To Cause Destruction
And Pain (Common, Strong):
15 Character Points
Psychological Limita-
tion: Casual Killer (Very
Common, Strong): 20 Char-
acter Points
Psychological Limitation:
Short-Tempered (Very
Common, Moderate): 15
Character Points
THE BRUTE
Although often respon-
sible for causing as much
property damage as a Beast,
a Brute usually lashes out
because of some combina-
tion of stupidity, fear, frustra-
TRAINING tion, hunger, or ignorance. His high STR is usually
The character has greatly enhanced his coupled with relatively low INT, EGO, and PRE to
strength through an intense physical training regi- reflect his low intelligence and poor social skills. A
men, years of hard physical labor, or the like. This Brute’s not necessarily a bad person, he just doesn’t
is the typical source of unusual strength for charac- react well to a lot of situations... and when some-
ters in many Heroic genres, such as Fantasy Hero or thing’s bothering him, he lashes out. Characters
Dark Champions; in a superhero campaign it may can often calm down Brutes by exposing them to
justify giving higher-than-normal STR to a charac- things they like: attractive members of the opposite
ter with other powers. gender; cute children; cartoons; adorable animals;
ice cream; and so on.
Typical Disadvantages for a Brute brick
BRICK PERSONALITIES include:
Just as bricks have certain archetypal origins, Berserk: when taunted (Very Common), go 11-,
gamers often associate certain personality types recover 11-: 35 Character Points
and roles with them. Enraged: when taunted (Very Common), go 11-,
THE BEAST recover 11-: 25 Character Points
The Beast brick has a violent, often erratic, per- Distinctive Features: monstrous appearance (Not
sonality. Many of them are not human — or at least Concealable; Causes Major Reaction): 20 Charac-
not fully so — while others look and act like ordi- ter Points
nary people until something attracts their atten- Physical Limitation: Illiterate (Frequent, Greatly
tion or angers them. Unlike the Brute, who often Impairing): 15 Character Points
becomes violent out of frustration or stupidity, and
the Bully, who intimidates people to improve his THE BULLY
own self-esteem, the Beast causes destruction and This is the personality of the classic bully from
pain for no other reason than that he enjoys doing the playground. The Bully likes to use his strength
so. (Or, at best, he has some motivation ordinary to oppress and intimidate people weaker than
people find loathsome, such as wanting to feed on himself, either as a way of compensating for some
human flesh.) Monstrous bricks, demonic bricks, past mistreatment he suffered, to build up his self-
and sociopathic killers with high strength and resil- esteem, or because he enjoys inspiring fear and ser-
ience all tend to fall into this personality archetype. vility in others. Unlike the Hired Muscle, who’s usu-
22 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
ally all business, Bullies often like to toy with their ally means he takes Psychological Limitations like
opponents... but they also tend to have a streak of Code Against Killing and True-Blue Hero. In Heroic
cowardice that’s quick to manifest if they’re out- genres the Knight’s more likely to belong to an
numbered or out-powered. organization and subscribe to its moral code. This
Typical Disadvantages for a Bully brick code rarely forbids killing outright, since Heroic
include: genres usually feature lots of deadly weapons and
Psychological Limitation: Bully (Common, Strong): adventurous combat, but it may have some unusual
15 Character Points quirks and turns, such as “never fight women” or
“never strike the first blow.”
Psychological Limitation: Wants To Be The Center Typical Disadvantages for a Knight brick
Of Attention (Very Common, Moderate): 15 Char- include:
acter Points
Psychological Limitation: Code Against Killing
Psychological Limitation: Fear Of Being Outnum- (Common, Total): 20 Character Points
bered (Uncommon, Strong): 10 Character Points
Psychological Limitation: Code Of Chivalry
Psychological Limitation: Dislike Of Intellectuals (Common, Total): 20 Character Points
(Uncommon, Strong): 10 Character Points
Psychological Limitation: Honorable (Common,
THE GENTLE GIANT Total): 20 Character Points
Although he seems imposing, even frighten- Psychological Limitation: Overconfidence (Very
ing, the Gentle Giant is actually a sensitive individ- Common, Moderate): 15 Character Points
ual protective of those weaker than himself. Despite
Psychological Limitation: True-Blue Hero (Very
a possible lack of self-confidence, he’s a particularly
Common, Strong): 20 Character Points
good team player. As the name indicates, Gentle
Giants are slow to anger, but once angered can THE ORDINARY GUY
become extremely dangerous and destructive Some bricks just want to be left alone to do
(though rarely to innocent bystanders). their jobs, care for their families, and pursue their
Typical Disadvantages for a Gentle Giant brick hobbies. This attitude appears most frequently in
include: bricks who are everyday people until they gain
Enraged: when innocents threatened or harmed their super-strength in an accident or the like.
(Common), go 8-, recover 11-: 15 Character Points Ordinary Guys don’t go looking for adventure, but
Psychological Limitation: Protective Of Innocents somehow adventure finds them. Often the Ordi-
(Common, Strong): 15 Character Points nary Guy tries to return to his old way of life after
the adventure ends, but usually another reason to
THE HIRED MUSCLE use his super-strength comes along soon. In some
The Hired Muscle is a classic enforcer and cases, the Ordinary Guy tries to use his strength
backup villain. Whether he’s a dumb bodyguard to become more successful at his job, or wealthy.
getting by on brute strength, a stylish super-strong In a superhero setting, he might hire himself out
hit man, or some sort of super-mercenary, the as a one-man wrecking crew, in a Fantasy game he
Hired Muscle gets paid to use his strength. That’s might be the best blacksmith for leagues around.
what sets him apart from other bricks — the desire Typical Disadvantages for an Ordinary Guy
to make money with his brawn. While most Hired brick include:
Musclemen are selfish, evil, or cruel, they don’t have Dependent Non-Player Character (varies; usually
to be; the King’s Knights or a professional super- wife, children, and/or friends)
bodyguard might fall into this category.
Psychological Limitation: Loyalty To Community
Typical Disadvantages for a Hired Muscle
(Common, Strong): 15 Character Points.
brick include:
Psychological Limitation: Code Of The Mercenary THE SCIENTIST
(Common, Total): 20 Character Points This type of brick is something of a contradic-
Psychological Limitation: Loyal To Boss (Very tion in terms: great brawn and great brains all in
Common, Moderate): 15 Character Points one package. Despite the fact that he’s known for his
enormous strength, the Scientist has an academic
Psychological Limitation: Greedy (Common, frame of mind, and may see using his strength as a
Strong): 15 Character Points poor substitute for using his intellect. His life revolves
Psychological Limitation: Subservient To Boss (Very as much (or more) around his studies and field of
Common, Strong): 20 Character Points expertise as it does around his strength. He usually
has a lot of Science Skills and Knowledge Skills.
THE KNIGHT Typical Disadvantages for a Scientist brick
The Knight fights for justice, helps the weak, include:
and protects the innocent — in short, he’s deter-
Psychological Limitation: Scientific Curiosity
mined to use his strength and toughness for good
(Common, Moderate): 10 Character Points
and noble ends. Typically he follows a code of
honor of some sort. This could range from the Social Limitation: Poor Social Skills (-1 on all Inter-
chivalric tenets of an actual order of knights to his action Skill Rolls) (Occasionally, Minor): 5 Char-
own personal moral code. In Champions, this usu- acter Points
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 23
CHARACTERISTICS
M
ore than any other type of character, INTELLIGENCE AND EGO
bricks are defined by their Characteris- Most bricks tend to skimp on these Character-
tics. While they’re best known for high istics, leaving them at their base levels or spending
STR (see page 6), they often spend a lot only a few points on them. For one thing, they can
of points on other Characteristics as well. often make better use of the points elsewhere; for
DEXTERITY another, the “big, dumb brick” is a time-honored
stereotype of genre fiction that many gamers enjoy
Because they spend so many points on STR,
playing to. (Though it’s worth noting that even the
CON, and other Characteristics representing physi-
base levels of INT and EGO represent a character
cal prowess, bricks often have relatively low DEXs.
with more mental acuity than the average person;
The big, lumbering, clumsy hulk of a strongman is
for a true “dumb brick,” you should sell back a few
a stereotypical adventure character. In game terms,
points of INT, at the very least.)
a brick having a low DEX helps to balance out the
A smart brick — such as a Scientist personality
effectiveness of his STR and defenses — it means
type, or one who’s engineered his own Super-Sci-
his Phase occurs later in the Segment and his CV is
ence origin — might have a high INT instead. That
lower than average. He makes up for the difference
gives him a resource to draw upon that may take
with Combat Skill Levels and the fact that he can
his opponents by surprise, since few people expect
shrug off amounts of damage other PCs avoid with
a brick to be highly intelligent.
their higher DCVs.
However, it’s often fun to turn the stereotype PRESENCE
on its head and create a brick who’s faster and more Bricks’ size and raw, almost elemental, power
agile than expected. By lowering his STR slightly mean they usually have high PREs. Even if size
to buy more DEX, you can create a character with alone didn’t do it, the knowledge of his high resis-
more versatility and room to grow. However, GMs tance to injury tends to make a brick overconfident,
may want to examine high-STR, high-DEX charac- aggressive, and/or unwilling to back down from
ters carefully; the combination of the offensive ver- confrontation. As a result, bricks with less than
satility of STR and the strong OCV and initiative 15-20 PRE are rare, even in Heroic games — and
provided by a high DEX may prove unbalancing for in Superheroic games, PREs of 30 or higher aren’t
many campaigns. unknown.
CONSTITUTION COMELINESS
After STR, CON often tends to be a brick’s Bricks’ COM is all over the spectrum.
highest Primary Characteristic — CONs of 30 to The handsome, strong superhero is a staple of
40, and sometimes even higher, are common for adventure fiction... but so is the character whose
bricks in most Superheroic campaigns, and Heroic strength came at the price of being demonically
bricks usually have at least an 18-20. Their high possessed or horribly mutated, and thus becom-
CONs make bricks difficult to Stun, and enhance ing hideously ugly.
their Figured Characteristics to appropriate levels
for a character type that’s supposed to be the pin- PHYSICAL DEFENSE AND ENERGY DEFENSE
nacle of physicality. Other than high STR, the thing that most
defines a brick tends to be his resistance to injury.
BODY
Most bricks can shrug off punches and Energy
BODY is another popular choice for bricks, Blasts that would leave other characters battered
especially those in Heroic games where Killing and bleeding. Thus, high PDs and EDs are virtu-
Attacks (in the form of weapons) are the main ally required for bricks (and in Superheroic games,
form of attack. Every point of BODY increases the usually with accompanying Damage Resistance so
character’s chance of not dying and adds +1 STUN, the brick can withstand bullets and sword-blows).
making it well worth buying for many bricks. PD often tends to be higher than ED, but in the end
On the other hand, big muscles do not neces- it depends on the nature of the character’s powers
sarily imply a big body or a strong will to live. A and special effects.
brick who’s a scrawny professor, a goblin under
the effects of a long-term strength-augmenting Frail Bricks
spell, or the like might have an average or below- Of course, not all bricks have to have high
average BODY score due to his relatively small defenses. The idea of an immensely strong but
size or other factors. physically frail character has a certain amount of
roleplaying appeal. It also raises the question of
28 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
how exerting tremendous strength could harm the is only 5, he takes (8 - 5 =) 3d6 damage every
character himself if he’s not physically capable of time he uses his full STR in combat... and he
taking it. gets no defense against that damage! If he used
As an optional rule, suitable primarily for 30 STR to lift something, he would take ((30/5)
campaigns stressing “realism,” the GM can establish - 5 =) 1d6 damage.
a threshold beyond which exerting STR can hurt
the character using that STR. If the character uses SPEED
STR above the threshold, he takes damage (and no In much the same way that they often have
defense applies to reduce that damage). comparatively low DEXs, bricks often have low
Typically, the threshold depends on the SPDs. For example, in a Champions campaign
character’s STR in comparison to his PD — PD in where the average character has SPD 5-6, bricks
this case reflects how well the character’s body is often have SPD 4-5, and in some cases their SPDs
built to withstand the use of his own STR. Possible may dip to 3. This suits the stereotype of the
thresholds include: extremely strong character as a big, slow-moving
■ if the dice of STR damage exceed the character’s person who doesn’t react as quickly as other char-
PD acters... but when his time comes can dish out tre-
■ ifthe dice of STR damage exceed some multiple mendous damage.
of the character’s PD (such as 2 x PD, or 3 x PD) Not every brick needs to be slow; there’s no
prohibition against bricks buying high SPDs if
For lifting or throwing, which don’t involve they can afford them and want them (and the
rolling any dice, divide the STR used by 5 and com- GM allows it, of course). While adventure fiction
pare that to the character’s PD. Obviously, the lower contains many slow-moving bricks, it also features
the threshold, the more characters will restrict plenty of characters described as “moving with
themselves from using high STR unless they abso- great speed for someone of his size and strength.”
lutely have to. (“How could someone so big move so fast?”)
The character takes 1d6 Normal Damage for RECOVERY
each die of damage (or STR/5) done beyond the
Thanks to their high STRs and CONs, bricks
threshold. This represents muscle strain, torn ten-
usually have high RECs. And it’s a good thing, too,
dons and ligaments, internal injuries, and similar
since they usually expend a lot of END by using
injuries. He gets no defense against this damage.
their STR every Phase. A high REC also simulates
Example: The GM establishes a “frail brick” how difficult it is to put a brick down and keep him
threshold of 1 x PD. Belgarn the Alchemist down — the concept of “resilience” often includes
(PD 5) uses a Potion Of Gigantic Strength to not just the ability to withstand damage, but the
increase his normal 10 STR to 40 STR. That capacity to quickly shake off the effects of attacks
means he does 8d6 damage. But since his PD that manage to hurt the brick. Some bricks even
spend Character Points to boost their already-high
RECs even higher for just this reason; a high-REC
brick makes an extremely effective and durable com-
batant.
ENDURANCE
Most bricks use a lot of END, since they rely on
STR in combat and buying Reduced Endurance for
STR is relatively uncommon (though not unheard
of). If a brick’s END from CON covers his standard
END expenditure (assume, for this purpose, that he
uses his STR and a Movement Power every Phase),
then he probably doesn’t need to buy any more END
— if not, then he should consider spending Character
Points to increase his END total. Of course, a brick
with other powers he’d want to use during a Turn,
like a fiery Damage Shield, should also make sure
he has the END to cover those abilities as well, or be
prepared to pick and choose what to spend END on
(or to use STUN for END if necessary).
STUN
Bricks’ high physical Primary Characteristics
usually mean they have high STUN totals... which
only makes sense, since in adventure fiction other
characters usually have a tough time knocking
them unconscious. If a brick has a few extra Char-
acter Points to spend, increasing his STUN total is
always a good way to spend them.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 29
SKILLS
W
hile many people think of bricks as the fact that they’re fast on their feet. If appropri-
big, dumb brutes who aren’t good for ate, a brick could even take a -½ Limitation, Only
anything but fighting, there’s no reason To Reduce/Avoid Damage From Falls And Knock-
a HERO System brick has to follow that back, to reflect how Breakfall works for him. This
stereotype. There are plenty of Skills suitable for means he can’t use the Skill to stay on his feet or
extremely strong characters... and of course, just get to his feet as a Zero-Phase Action; he can only
being strong doesn’t necessarily prevent a character use the damage-resisting aspects of the Skill. For
from learning how to do things. example, if he took Knockback and succeeded with
his Breakfall roll, he’d still fall to the ground, but he
ANALYZE
wouldn’t take any Knockback damage.
Bricks with enough savvy to learn how to
apply their STR to best effect sometimes buy this CLIMBING
Skill in various forms. For example, Analyze Con- Bricks often climb cliffs, walls, and the like by
struction, Analyze Vehicle, or the like help them smashing handholds into the surface. You can rep-
determine the best way to pick up those objects resent this in several ways. First, the GM can have
without damaging them... or the best way to break the brick roll his STR dice for each Phase of climb-
them. The accompanying table describes some gen- ing, and if he does BODY damage to the surface,
eral parameters for the use of Analyze pertaining he’s made handholds and can keep climbing (this
to large, inanimate objects; see the description of limits the brick to a climbing speed of about one
the Hoist Skill, below, for an explanation of “damage body length per Phase, at most). Second, the char-
prevention points.” acter can buy Climbing with the Limitation Side
Effects (always causes relatively minor damage to
the environment [the surface being climbed]; -0).
ANALYZING LARGE OBJECTS Third, the character could buy Clinging with the
same Limitation (see page 75).
Made Roll By Results
Exactly Character’s lifting capacity increases by COMBAT PILOTING
10% for purposes of lifting, or causing For some reason, this Skill tends to be fairly
damage to, the object at this time; any common among bricks. Many of them start out as
damage prevention points the charac- pilots of some sort before gaining their heightened
ter gains are increased by 10% STR; others take on the role of “team pilot” after
1-2 Character’s lifting capacity increases by the game begins. Of course, if the brick’s back-
20% for purposes of lifting, or causing ground or powers make him larger and/or heavier
damage to, the object at this time; any than normal, he may only be able to use specially-
damage prevention points the charac- manufactured or -reinforced aircraft. For example,
ter gains are increased by 20% the Champions’ V-Jet (Champions, page 194) has
3 or more Character’s lifting capacity increases by “Structural Enhancements” (+20 STR for lifting) so
30% for purposes of lifting, or causing it can carry Ironclad (who weighs 2,000 kilograms
damage to, the object at this time; any and pilots the craft).
damage prevention points the charac-
ter gains are increased by 30% COMBAT SKILL LEVELS
Half Character’s lifting capacity increases by Rare is the brick without at least a few Combat
40% for purposes of lifting, or causing Skill Levels. Typically they have 5-point Levels with
damage to, the object at this time; any HTH Combat, since that lets them improve either
damage prevention points the charac- their OCV or DCV with not just punching, but
ter gains are increased by 40% Grabs, Haymakers, Move Throughs, and more. Less
experienced or intelligent bricks may have 2-point
BREAKFALL OCV Levels with Punch, or 3-point Levels with up
to three favored maneuvers (often Punch, Grab, and
Breakfall is most often associated with mar- Move Through).
tial artists and other agile characters. But it’s not Characters cannot buy Levels that apply to
necessarily out of line for a brick, even if he has a “Strike” and use them to improve OCV and/or
very low DEX. Since characters can use Breakfall DCV with any form of Strike. They have to specify
to diminish the damage from falls and Knockback, what type of Strike the Levels apply to — Punch,
bricks could take the Skill for that purpose alone Sword Slash, Kick, Thrown Dagger, or what have
— it represents their ability to withstand injury, not
30 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
you. (For a brick, it’s usually Punch.) At the GM’s roll may temporarily increase the character’s STR
option, a character can buy a 3-point Level with only for purposes of this particular lifting task. This
HTH Strikes or Ranged Strikes (he must specify simulates the character figuring out the most effec-
which type when buying the Level), and can then tive way to lift the object, the character somehow
use that Level with any type of Strike of that type. obtaining improved leverage, or the like. The GM
(These Levels would not apply when using Hay- determines if the character can use Hoist this way
maker or Sweep with Strike.) in a given situation; it may not always be possible. If
While a brick’s Combat Skill Levels usually the GM allows it, the character’s STR for purposes
represent his experience and skill with combat, he of that lifting task increases as follows: if the roll
can also buy them to reflect his form or the nature succeeds exactly, by +1 point; if it succeeds by 1-2,
of his powers. For example, a gigantic brick might by +2 points; if it succeeds by 3-4, +3 points; if it
buy OCV Levels with Punch to simulate the fact succeeds by half, +4 points.
that it’s easier to hit people with his enormous Second, a character can make a Hoist roll to
fists. Similarly, 5-point DCV Levels might repre- determine the best way to lift a large object without
sent the fact that the character’s super-tough body breaking or damaging it. This most often applies
“bounces” attacks easily — the special effect is not in campaigns using the “realistic” lifting rules on
that the attack missed, but that it hit the character page 115. For each point by which a brick makes
and had no effect. (Though this does the character his Hoist roll, he can reduce the BODY damage
little good against area-affecting attacks and the an object suffers due to weight stress by 5. He
like, of course.) can spread these “damage prevention points” out
however he pleases — he can use them all at once
CONCEALMENT
as soon as the object starts to break, or he can use
If a brick is larger than normal, the GM should some in one Phase, and others in later Segments.
apply the PER Roll bonus that others have to per- (Since stress damage applies per Segment, the GM
ceive him (see page 38-40) to people who try to should allow the brick to allocate Hoist damage
find him when he hides himself with Concealment. prevention points even in Segments when the brick
NEW SKILL: HOIST doesn’t have a Phase.)
At the GM’s option, bricks (and other charac- Example: Ironclad has Hoist 18-. He picks up
ters) can buy a new Skill called Hoist to improve a building to keep it from collapsing on some
their lifting ability. schoolchildren. Due to weight stress, the build-
This Intellect Skill allows a character to deter- ing suffers 14 BODY damage when he picks it
mine the best way to lift heavy objects. This has two up, and starts to break apart. Ironclad makes
effects. First, in appropriate situations a successful a Hoist roll and rolls a 13. That gives him “25
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 31
POWERS
A
lthough bricks typically spend more of Defense and Mental Defense, may or may not be
their Character Points on Characteris- appropriate for bricks, depending on their powers’
tics than on anything else, you shouldn’t special effects and so forth. (One, Lack Of Weak-
forget that there are lots of ways to simu- ness, is appropriate for just about any brick.) Many
late the effects of having a high STR with Powers. GMs prefer not to see bricks buy exotic defenses
This section of The Ultimate Brick contains some (or at least not all of them), since that leaves an
general notes on these applications; for dozens of “Achilles heel” through which enemies can affect
specific examples, see the Brick Tricks section on the brick: energy bolts may bounce off his skin, but
pages 49-86. a Drain STUN or an Ego Attack still works. A brick
who has lots of every defense in the book may
ADJUSTMENT POWERS
unbalance the game.
You can design many brick tricks that involve
a character temporarily becoming stronger for Hardened
a particular purpose, or perhaps even rendering Many bricks buy the Hardened Advantage for
another character weaker. Super-Wrestler’s Grip, their defenses (or some of them) to represent being
on page 65, is a good example, but there are many even tougher than the normal brick.
other possibilities. If a character buys Hardened for his normal
PD and ED, he calculates the cost based on the
DEFENSE POWERS value of the PD/ED Characteristic, not just on the
Most bricks have some form of Resistant points he spent on it. For example, if a character
Defense — in fact, it’s not uncommon for all, or wanted to buy Hardened (+¼) on 20 PD (which
nearly all, of their defense to be Resistant. That’s cost him, say, 16 Character Points), he pays 5 Char-
how they can bounce bullets off their chests, use acter Points (20 x (1 + ¼) - 20).
their hands to deflect ninjas’ sword-blows without A character cannot have partially Hardened
getting cut, and so on. defenses. A given defense must be all Hardened, or
For most bricks, Damage Resistance is the pre- it’s not Hardened at all. A character can, however,
ferred power by which they gain Resistant Defense. have some defenses that are Hardened, and others
Since they already have high PD and ED in most that are not. For example, a brick could Harden his
cases, Damage Resistance is a cheap and easy way natural PD and ED, but not his Armor. If a char-
to make their natural defenses Resistant. See page acter has some defenses that are Hardened, and
36 for more information. some that are not, the Hardened defense applies
Bricks who have skin that’s unusually thick, in full against an Armor Piercing attack, and non-
covered with tough plates, made of metal, or the Hardened defenses have half value as usual. Against
like may prefer Armor to Damage Resistance. Penetrating or Indirect, any Hardened defense, no
Alternately, a character may combine Armor and matter where it’s layered in, stops the Advantage
Damage Resistance in some ratio to represent both from affecting the character. (Of course, GMs
his unusual skin and the general durability of his should remain wary of players who attempt to
body overall. unfairly exploit this rule by buying a tiny amount
Some bricks skip the basic Resistant Damage of some defense and making it Hardened just to
powers in favor of Damage Reduction. If bought stop Penetrating attacks.)
at high levels — 50% or 75% — Resistant Damage
Layered Defenses
Reduction becomes an effective substitute for more
If a character has some defenses that are Hard-
mainstream Defense Powers. However, GMs should
ened, and some that are not, the issue may arise as
beware of high defense-Damage Reduction com-
to which defense applies first. In most cases this
binations, which may make a brick very difficult to
won’t matter at all, but if it does, here’s how the GM
harm and thus unbalance the game. See page 36 for
should deal with it.
more information.
First, there are two primary rules regarding the
Bricks rarely buy Force Field or Force Wall as
“layering” of defenses:
their form of Resistant Defense. The common spe-
cial effects associated with those powers just don’t 1. If a character has Ablative defenses, those
fit the “feel” for most bricks. Can’t Hurt Me, page 70, defenses are always “on top” — they get affected
is an example of one exception; another would be first, before any other defenses. Otherwise the
a brick who has super-strength because his body is Limitation may not actually restrict or hinder the
made of energy. character to any significant degree.
More exotic Defense Powers, such as Flash 2. If a character has Damage Reduction that applies
34 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
to an attack, it applies last — after all ordinary (sub- mum roll would be 24 BODY. Therefore, a power
tractive) defenses diminish the damage. built with Force Wall (24 PD) effectively makes
In light of the guidelines below, as well as a character immune to damage from swords.
common sense, dramatic sense, and considerations Sure, a giant with a giant-sized sword might do
of game balance, the GM may change or ignore enough damage to get through the Force Wall, or
either of these rules. But in general they should an enchanted blade might slice right through the
always apply, since they help to maintain the bal- magical barrier, but for the vast majority of situa-
ance between attacks and defenses in the HERO tions, the spell offers total invulnerability.
System. Once you have an ability that effectively cre-
Second, in general, characters should apply ates the absolute effect you want, have the GM
“layered” defenses in the following order: declare it as being a true absolute effect. (If you like,
1. Force Walls and other defenses that manifest out- you could even include the phrase “Absolute Effect
side or away from the character’s body. Rule” in the ability’s write-up.) If he agrees, then, by
campaign ground rules, the ability has a true abso-
2. Force Fields and other defenses that manifest at lute effect. Using the example above, if the Force
or around the character’s body, but which surround Wall (24 PD) ability has the Absolute Effect Rule
the body in such a way as to cover worn defenses. applied to it by the GM, it now provides absolute
3. Worn defenses — defenses bought through a invulnerability to sword damage. It doesn’t matter if
Focus such as a suit of powered armor, an armored a sword is Armor Piercing, or does 53 BODY — it
costume, or the like — and other defenses immedi- can’t affect the character, because the power makes
ately next to the character’s body. him totally immune to damage done by swords.
In HERO System terms, there are two ways to
4. Innate defenses — defenses the character has
create total invulnerability/immunity to a specific
or buys as innate abilities that aren’t listed above,
attack form. The first is a Force Wall, Hardened,
including his standard PD and ED, Damage Resis-
with enough DEF to resist the highest BODY
tance, some special effects of Armor, defenses pro-
damage roll that type of damage could, given an
vided by Density Increase, and so forth.
average attack, achieve in the campaign. The second
is Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% plus Armor,
Of course, these are guidelines, not necessarily
Hardened (30 PD or ED) (or, alternately, the same
rigid rules. No set of rules can account for every
Active Points’ worth of just Hardened Armor).
possible combination of Powers, special effects, and
To keep this from becoming unbalancing, the
in-game circumstances, so the GM should modify
character must declare a specific type of attack or
these guidelines as he sees fit.
special effect that his invulnerability applies against
Invulnerability: The Absolute Effects Rule — swords, fire, magic, punches, or the like. Charac-
Some bricks in adventure fiction claim to be ters can’t buy invulnerability to everything.
“invulnerable,” either to a particular type of harm, The Absolute Effects Rule is, of course, com-
or to any form of injury. While these claims often, pletely optional. The GM can use it or not, as he
if not always, turn out to be spurious — there’s sees fit.
something, no matter how rare or unusual, or some
ABSORPTION
special form of attack, that can penetrate the char-
acter’s defenses and hurt him — some gamers take The “absorbing brick” archetype discussed on
the word “invulnerable” to heart and want to create page 23 relies on this Power as his defining ele-
characters who have that property. ment. The Harder You Hit Me, The Stronger I Get on
The HERO System has few, if any, absolutes. page 78 is an example of a typical brick-oriented
There’s no way to create an attack that always hits Absorption power.
its target, a power that always kills its target, or the Absorbable Attacks
like. And that includes defense; there’s no way to Most forms of Absorption only work against
absolutely, positively, guarantee that a character is attacks or forces that cause BODY damage. How-
“invulnerable” to damage (be it all damage, or some ever, in the GM’s discretion, a character can Absorb
types of damage). The only way you can create an from STUN-only attacks, if doing so would be
“invulnerable” character is for the GM to institute reasonable according to the special effects involved
the Absolute Effects Rule. To do this, you use the and not unbalance the game. For example, a char-
HERO System rules to create protective powers acter with physical Absorption might be able to
that provide effective absolute defenses. What this Absorb from an NND Energy Blast defined as a
means is that, while the rules for an ability do not rubber bullet (because it has a definite physical
specifically say, for example, “this power provides impact), but not from a tranquilizer dart or an
complete protection from fire, regardless of the Enervator Ray. If the attack is one the character
damage rolled,” you can effectively achieve absolut- can Absorb (for example, it’s an energy attack, and
ism based on the campaign’s general parameters he has Absorption (energy)), count the Normal
and standards. All you have to do is build the ability Damage BODY. That represents the amount of
to cover the vast majority of circumstances. BODY he can Absorb from that attack, even though
For example, suppose that most swords in the the attack itself doesn’t cause BODY damage. The
campaign do 1½d6 Killing Damage. The biggest same reasoning can apply to Powers that don’t
sword does 2d6, which STR and other bonuses directly “damage” the character, like Dispel, though
could raise to as much as 4d6. On 4d6, the maxi- the GM should be even warier about allowing char-
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 35
acters to Absorb from them than from STUN-only by buying a Linked Defense Power with the Limita-
attacks. tion Only Up To Amount Rolled By Absorption. Any
such defenses work normally according to their
Maximum Effect
standard rules. For example, a defense power like
Once a character reaches his maximum
Armor or Force Field applies against both STUN
Absorption amount, he can use his Absorption
and BODY damage as normal, and offers the full
again when at least some of the points he Absorbed
value rolled on the Absorption dice against any
have faded, but still only up to the maximum. For
attack the character Absorbs from.
example, if a character has Absorption 2d6, he can
Absorb a maximum of 12 BODY worth of effect. Example: Absorbo has Absorption 6d6 and 30
If he Absorbs the full 12, he can’t Absorb any more points of Armor that protect him Only Up To
until some of those points fade. After a Turn, 5 Amount Rolled By Absorption. He’s attacked
points fade. He can now Absorb again, but only 5 with a 30 STUN, 10 BODY. He rolls his Absorp-
points — up to his defined maximum of 12. tion dice and gets 26, so he can Absorb 26 BODY
When determining whether a character worth of attacks that Segment. His Armor pro-
reaches his Absorption maximum, only the BODY vides 26 points of protection against attacks he
Absorbed matters, not the character’s roll. For suffers that Segment that he can Absorb. So, he
example, suppose a character has Absorption 6d6 takes 4 STUN, 0 BODY from that attack.
(maximum of 36 BODY). He’s hit with an attack
Absorbo is then hit with a 25 STUN, 5 BODY
that does 10 BODY. He rolls his Absorption dice
attack. He Absorbs all 5 BODY, leaving him 11
and gets 19. He Absorbs the full 10 BODY, and has
BODY worth of Absorption left this Segment.
26 BODY worth of Absorption left. The roll of 19
His Armor offers 26 points of protection against
doesn’t matter; it’s the 10 BODY he did Absorb that
the attack, so he takes no damage.
counts.
Absorbo is then hit with a 38 STUN, 12 BODY
Fade Rate
attack. He can Absorb 11 BODY, but not the
If a character defines his Absorption as going
twelfth point of BODY damage. His Armor pro-
to two or more things (such as STR and STUN, or
vides 26 points of protection against this attack,
CON, PD, and ED), the points should fade from the
so he takes 12 STUN, 0 BODY.
affected things at as equal a rate as you can achieve
without using fractions. If a choice has to be made Absorbo is then hit with a 27 STUN, 8 BODY
to avoid a fraction, the player makes that choice attack. Since he can’t Absorb from this attack,
when the character buys the power, and cannot his Armor provides no protection for him at all.
alter it thereafter except with the GM’s permission.
If the GM wants to simplify how Absorption
Example: Absorbo has Absorption (half to works as a defense, try this optional rule: double
STR, half to PD) that fades at the rate of 5 the cost of Absorption (to 10 Character Points per
points per Turn. Ordinarily that would mean die), but have the total rolled on the dice count as
2.5 points from STR and 2.5 points from PD both PD and ED which the character can apply
each Turn, but that causes fraction problems. against any attack he Absorbs from that Phase. This
Absorbo decides his STR loses 2 points and his defense is Normal (non-Resistant), but the charac-
PD 3 points per Turn. ter can make it Resistant by applying a +½ Advan-
tage to his Absorption. If the character does not or
If the Absorption affects two or more Char-
cannot Absorb from an attack, he cannot apply his
acteristics (or the like) simultaneously because the
“protective Absorption” against it.
power has the Variable Effect Advantage, the points
fade from both at the full rate simultaneously. AID
Absorption And Damage Aid is the ideal power for many brick tricks
If a character uses Absorption to increase his that represent how a character’s STR (or related
STUN (or END), and then takes STUN damage (or Characteristics) increase temporarily in specific
uses END), the STUN lost (or END used) come out situations, but where the gain in STR isn’t always
of the boosted part first, just as with Aid. predictable or uniform. Adrenaline Surge (page 50)
If a character has Absorption that goes to a and Rage-Augmented Strength (page 61) are two
Characteristic that can be reduced by attacks (typi- good examples. If predictability is necessary or
cally, STUN or BODY), and he’s hit with an attack desirable, use the Characteristics Power instead.
he can Absorb that damages that Characteristic, Similarly, spells and enchanted items in Fan-
apply the damage that gets through his defenses (if tasy games often use Aid STR for strength-enhanc-
any) first. Then apply the effects of Absorption. ing effects. This not only lets the spellcaster use the
If a character’s Absorption feeds his PD or ED spell on other characters without difficulty, it has a
(or a Defense Power), the increase obtained from random element that suits the often-unpredictable
Absorption applies against attacks suffered later in nature of magic.
that same Segment. Using Aid requires an Attack Roll, which
means it constitutes an Attack Action, and is sub-
Absorption As A Defense ject to all rules on Attack Actions, even if it’s used
As described on page 132 of the HERO System on one’s self or a willing subject. Characters can
5th Edition, Revised rulebook, characters can simu- get around this difficulty by applying the Trig-
late having Absorption protect them from attacks
36 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
ger Advantage to an Aid-based power, or the GM damage caused by it.
might rule that a self-only Aid such as Rage-Aug- The Armor Piercing Advantage does not reduce
mented Strength can be activated as a Zero-Phase the effects of Damage Reduction, but does affect
Action. the defenses used to reduce damage before Damage
Some brick-oriented Aids, like Rage-Aug- Reduction applies.
mented Strength, have the Continuous Advantage. Characters may apply the Hardened Advantage
In this case, the character rolls the Aid dice every to Damage Reduction. The Damage Reduction then
Phase until he reaches the maximum effect. The affects Penetrating attacks normally; the special
normal rules for the fading of the Aid apply, but as rule stated on page 144 of the HERO System 5th Edi-
soon as the Aid fades by even a point, the power tion, Revised rulebook no longer applies.
activates again in the character’s next Phase (prob-
Multiple Damage Reductions
ably in Segment 2 or 3, assuming the fade occurs
A character may have two or more Damage
every Post-Segment 12), and keeps activating until
Reduction-based abilities if he wishes (and the GM
he’s back up to maximum effect.
permits). However, this is usually only appropriate
DAMAGE REDUCTION if each ability is somehow distinct (they have differ-
As mentioned above, Damage Reduction is a ent Power Modifiers, or the like). If a character has
valid option for many brick characters. However, two or more Damage Reduction powers that could
GMs should beware bricks with high defenses apply to the same attack, he can only apply the
and Damage Reduction. As a preliminary rule of largest/most effective one — he can’t apply multiple
thumb, the GM should convert the points spent Damage Reductions to keep reducing the damage
on Damage Reduction to the character’s stan- from a single attack.
dard form of defense and see what the character’s DAMAGE RESISTANCE
“total defense” would be if that’s how he’d spent
If a character buys Damage Resistance, the
them. That might tell the GM right there that the
Advantages on his base PD/ED and the Damage
character has an unbalancingly large amount of
Resistance have to match. If the base PD/ED
defense. Even if the brick’s defenses are within the
already have an Advantage, the Damage Resistance
realm of reason using that analysis, the GM has
has to have it, too; if he wants to apply an Advan-
to consider the other effects of Damage Reduc-
tage to his Damage Resistance, he has to apply it to
tion — for example, the fact that it can apply to
his base PD/ED as well. Otherwise, the Advantage
attacks that might otherwise affect the brick, like
has no effect. A character cannot, for example, buy
NNDs or Drains — and decide whether that addi-
Damage Resistance as Hardened unless his base
tional utility makes the power too effective for
PD/ED are also Hardened; if he does, the Advan-
the campaign. (The GM may also want to take the
tage has absolutely no effect.
character’s DCV into account; high defenses plus
Damage Reduction tend to be more balanced with DENSITY INCREASE
a low-DCV character.) The definitional power for most characters
If the Damage Reduction seems like “too of the “heavy brick” archetype, Density Increase
much” for the campaign, the GM has several applies to characters who can change their density
options. First, he can forbid it altogether. Second, at will. If a character is always heavier than normal,
he can require the character to buy a lesser amount he he should buy a suite of powers and Disad-
of Damage Reduction. Third, he can require the vantages reflecting that state, not DI. For every
character to apply Limitations that reduce the effec- doubling of mass, the character should buy +5 STR
tiveness of the Damage Reduction (such as making with the Limitation No Figured Characteristics (-½),
the Damage Reduction only apply against specific +1 PD, +1 ED, and Knockback Resistance -1” (total
types of attacks). cost: 7 points per doubling of mass). He should
Applying Damage Reduction also take a Physical Limitation representing the
When a character applies Damage Reduction inconvenience of being so heavy all the time, which
and gets a fractional result, the damage rounds in makes it difficult to ride in vehicles (or on mounts),
favor of the character
with Damage Reduction
per the standard HERO
System rounding rules.
HEAVY PHYSICAL LIMITATION
If a character has Character’s Mass Is... Physical Limitation
Resistant Damage Reduc- 2-3 times normal (200-399 kg) Infrequently, Slightly Impairing: 5 points
4-7 times normal (400-799 kg) Frequently, Greatly Impairing: 15 points
tion, but his PD and ED
8-15 times normal (800-1,599 kg) Frequently, Greatly Impairing: 15 points
are not Resistant, he may 16-31 times normal (1,600-3,199 kg) Frequently, Greatly Impairing: 15 points
not apply his PD and ED 32-63 times normal (3,200-6,399 kg) Frequently, Greatly Impairing: 15 points
against the STUN caused 64 or more times normal (6,400+ kg) All The Time, Greatly Impairing: 20 points
by Killing Attacks.
The listed Disadvantage values are only guidelines. The GM should feel free to change
If a character lacks them to suit specific characters, the campaign setting, or other factors. For example,
the defense to an NND Ironclad (Champions, page 184) gets 20 points for weighing 20 times normal human
or AVLD attack, he can weight, since he lives in a city with a lot of skyscrapers, often finds himself in situations
still apply his Damage where someone has to carry him, and so forth.
Reduction to reduce the
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 37
to walk on the upper floors of buildings without strength and materials in the environment to stop a
falling through, to avoid leaving tracks almost dangerous phenomenon. For example, Burgida the
everywhere he walks, and so forth. The accompany- half-giantess might tear down a tapestry so that it
ing table lists the value of the Physical Limitation falls on and smothers a fire. If appropriate, the GM
based on mass. can resolve the outcome of such an action by con-
A character can use the STR he gets from Den- verting the character’s points of STR to the Active
sity Increase for any purpose he could normally use Points in a Dispel. If Burgida has 30 STR, the GM
STR for — it doesn’t just help him move his extra might roll her attempt to put out a fire with a tapes-
mass around, it affects how much he can lift, how try as a Dispel Fire 10d6.
hard he punches, and so forth. Density Increase does
DRAIN
not reduce a character’s STR-based forms of move-
ment, such as Running and Swimming (though there Bricks can use this versatile Attack Power
are optional rules for the effect of mass on Leaping to create a wide variety of brick tricks and like
on page 14, if the GM wants to use them). abilities. If you want your brick character to be
If a character uses both Density Increase able to do something that makes other characters
and Growth at the same time, all mass multipliers temporarily less effective or competent, a Drain
add together. Thus, a character with 15 points of is often the best way to construct that ability. The
Growth and 5 points of DI has x16 normal human Numbing Grip (page 60) and Super-Wrestler’s Grip
mass. If a character uses both DI and Shrinking at (page 65) strength stunts are good examples. If the
once, determine the character’s mass based on the brick wants the effect to last a long time, apply the
use of Shrinking, then double that mass for each Delayed Return Rate Advantage.
level of DI in effect. EXTRA LIMBS
Characters of great mass may be able to injure
their foes simply by crushing them. See page 99 Thematic bricks whose powers derive from
regarding crushing damage. some sort of animal often have Extra Limbs — a
tail, another pair of arms, or the like. Given bricks’
DISPEL emphasis on HTH Combat, an Extra Limb provides
You can use Dispel to create various abilities a big tactical advantage. It allows a brick to Grab
through which bricks can eliminate, remove, or more people at once, to keep punching someone
snuff out dangerous substances or phenomena. The after Grabbing him, or the like. A brick who’s highly
Super-Strong Breath power (page 65) provides an skilled at using multiple arms in combat could buy
example of the most common brick trick of this Skills or Powers to simulate that (see Multi-Limbed
sort — blowing out fires, or using breath to disperse Combatant, page 59).
gases and mists.
In some cases, a brick may try to use his
38 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
FIND WEAKNESS
Bricks in general have a reputation for causing LARGE CHARACTERS
tremendous amounts of destruction and damage
to the local environment when they fight — and Cost Size: Large (up to twice human size)
this Power is one reason why. With a little bit of 15 Greater Strength: +15 STR
Find Weakness, a brick can destroy a building even 6 Greater Mass: +3 BODY
6 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3”
quicker than normal (perhaps with the intent of
5 More Impressive: +5 PRE
collapsing it on his foes), or simply find his enemy’s 12 Long Legs: Running +6”
weak spot and hit it as hard as he can. 3 Tougher: +3 ED
FLIGHT 4 Reach: Stretching 1”
-5 Physical Limitation: Large, up to twice human
Although Flight has no real connection to size and/or mass (4m, or 2”) (character is at -2
the special effects that explain most bricks’ super- DCV, and others receive +2 on their PER Rolls to
strength and other powers, the idea of a super- perceive him) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
strong person being able to fly dates all the way Total cost: 51 points, 5 points of Disadvantages.
back to Superman. Therefore it’s usually appro- Cost Size: Enormous (up to four times human size)
priate for bricks to buy Flight, provided they can 30 Greater Strength: +30 STR
come up with some quasi-plausible special effect/ 12 Greater Mass: +6 BODY
explanation for it. (See also Brick Flight, page 75, for 12 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -6”
a leaping-like power built with Flight.) 10 More Impressive: +10 PRE
24 Long Legs: Running +12”
GROWTH 6 Tougher: +6 ED
The definitional power for most characters 9 Reach: Stretching 2”
of the “giant brick” archetype, Growth applies to -15 Physical Limitation: Enormous, up to four
times human size and/or mass (character is at
characters who can increase their height at will. If a
-4 DCV, and others receive +4 on their PER
character is always taller than normal, he he should Rolls to perceive him) (8m, or 2.1-4”)
buy a suite of powers and Disadvantages reflect- (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
ing that state, not Growth. The accompanying text Total cost: 103 points, 15 points of Disadvantages.
box lists the appropriate abilities for each category
Cost Size: Huge (up to eight times human size)
of height above normal human size. (See also page 45 Greater Strength: +45 STR
114, regarding the “collateral damage” large charac- 18 Greater Mass: +9 BODY
ters can cause.) 18 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -9”
15 More Impressive: +15 PRE
DCV Modifiers
36 Long Legs: Running +18”
Listed with the abilities is the appropriate 9 Tougher: +9 ED
Physical Limitation for being that size all the time. 17 Reach: Stretching 4”
The Disadvantage includes a DCV penalty for two -15 Physical Limitation: Huge, up to eight times
reasons: first, it almost never varies from the stan- human size and/or mass (character is at -6 DCV,
dard; second, because the rules for negative DCV and others receive +6 on their PER Rolls to
Levels (HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, page 54) perceive him) (16m, or 4.1-8”) (Frequently,
are optional. However, the value of the negative Greatly Impairing)
DCV Levels (using the standard cost of 5 Character Total cost: 158 points, 15 points of Disadvantages.
Points per Level) exceeds the points the character Cost Size: Gigantic (up to 16 times human size)
gets from the Physical Limitation. If you prefer, you 60 Greater Strength: +60 STR
can adopt the negative DCV Levels rule, and then 24 Greater Mass: +12 BODY
instead of including the reduced DCV as part of 24 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -12”
the Physical Limitation (list it as a separate Physical 20 More Impressive: +20 PRE
48 Long Legs: Running +24”
Limitation with value equal to the negative Levels’
12 Tougher: +12 ED
cost). 34 Reach: Stretching 8”
A character attacking a Grown character does -15 Physical Limitation: Gigantic, up to 16 times
not get Target Size bonuses in addition to the DCV human size and/or mass (character is at -8
penalty the target suffers. The Target Size modifier DCV, and others receive +8 on their PER Rolls
is generally used only for objects which don’t have to perceive him) (32m, or 8.1-16”) (Frequently,
defined CVs. Greatly Impairing)
Total cost: 222 points, 15 points of Disadvantages.
Growth Momentum
The rules for Shrinking on pages 218-19 of it on. The target has to be larger than or directly
the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised rulebook above the character. That includes beings taller
discuss the concept of growth momentum. Using it, than he is, overhangs on buildings (but not build-
a Shrunk character “grows” back to normal height ing walls themselves), ceilings, and possibly even
underneath a foe, uppercutting him in the process characters using Flight who are directly above the
and using the momentum of growing to do more character.
damage than normal. If the GM permits, characters Growth-based growth momentum does +1d6
with Growth can use growth momentum as well... per -1 DCV the Grown character suffers. The char-
though of course they’re going to have a lot harder acter also gets to apply the extra STR he gains from
time finding targets larger than themselves to use
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 39
weapon as a normal HTH Combat weapon and use KILLING ATTACK — HAND-TO-HAND
the Throwing rules (page 15-17) to inflict damage While an animal-based thematic brick might
with it as a thrown object. have claws, fangs, or talons, a brick doesn’t need
If a character has an Uncontrolled HA, the pool natural weaponry to justify buying an HKA. With
of END used to power the ability must cover the his STR, his entire body is a weapon! By employ-
END for both the HA itself and the STR used with ing his tremendous strength to crush, shatter, tear,
it. He must pay this cost each Phase, but if he uses rend, and/or pierce instead of simply battering his
his STR for something else in a Phase, he doesn’t foe with his fists, he can inflict Killing Damage. See
have to pay END again, per the usual rules — he Crushing Grip (page 55) or Tear You Limb From
only pays END once in a Phase for all uses of STR, Limb (page 66) for some examples.
but in this case the END comes from the Uncon-
trolled pool. The amount of damage done with the KNOCKBACK RESISTANCE
attack depends on the character’s STR (which adds Heavy bricks usually get plenty of Knockback
at a low rate, since it has to take the Continuous and Resistance through Density Increase or their suite
Uncontrolled Advantages into account). An Uncon- of density-related abilities. Other bricks have to buy
trolled HA should have “target moves out of HTH KBR separately to represent their size and weight,
Combat range” as the condition (or one of the con- the ease with which they can brace themselves
ditions) that causes the Uncontrolled effect to cease. thanks to their prodigious strength, and the like.
Bracing (page 69) is a good example of this sort of
HA And Endurance
power.
An HA does not count as “STR” for purposes
While normal means of resisting Knockback
of the rule that a character only has to spend END
(described on page 420 of the HERO System 5th
once per Phase for all his uses of STR (page 17). If
Edition, Revised rulebook) only reduce the inches
a character uses an HA, he pays END for it, regard-
of Knockback, not the damage, Knockback Resis-
less of whether he uses STR that Phase or not.
tance reduces both. That’s one of the reasons it’s an
If a character applies the Increased Endur-
attractive purchase for many bricks, even though
ance Cost Limitation to his HA, the END multiplier
they can always use their STR to resist Knockback
applies only to it, not to the END he spends from
if they want.
STR when using his HA. Similarly, a character who
has Reduced Endurance (0 END) on his Hand-To- LACK OF WEAKNESS
Hand Attack still has to pay END for the STR he Bricks buy Lack Of Weakness more than just
uses with it. about any other character type. A brick is used
HEALING to being virtually invulnerable, and having some
marksman or martial artist ruin his day with a
With their tough and powerful bodies, bricks
couple of Phases of Find Weakness and a well-
can justify shrugging off the effects of injuries,
placed attack is unpleasant. For just a few points, a
and even Drains and other attacks, more quickly
brick can make this tragic event much less likely.
than other characters can. A brick with heightened
metabolism might even have regenerative abilities. LEAPING
See Fast Healer (page 74) for an example. For most bricks, Leaping is their preferred
mode of movement — they start out with plenty
of inches derived from their high STR, and they
can buy more cheaply. It’s not uncommon for really
strong bricks to be able to leap for miles. Depend-
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 41
ing on the nature of the character’s STR and other target. For example, if a brick has MegaLeaping
abilities, you can buy this as ordinary Leaping defined as 1” = 1 km, and he misses his Attack Roll
with lots of Noncombat Multiples, or you can buy by 2, he’s off-target by 2”, or 2 kilometers. (The GM
a naked MegaScale Advantage for the character’s may reduce this effect in the interest of dramatic
standard Leaping. In either case, the Accurate sense or the like.)
Adder is often worth considering.
LIFE SUPPORT
A character may sometimes want to make
a Half Move upward to attack someone. In that With their stronger-than-normal physiologies
case he completes his move on the next Segment, and resilient bodies, most bricks can easily justify
landing in that Segment on his DEX. For a really buying many forms of Life Support if they want it.
high vertical Leap, landing might take more than Super-strong lungs allow them to have Extended
one Segment (use the Falling rules as a guideline). Breathing, for example, and they’re so tough that
During the time he’s “in the air,” he’s at half DCV, all the Safe Environments and Immunities make
just as if he’d performed a Noncombat Leap. perfect sense. See Super-Physiology (page 79) for an
If a character makes a Leap that takes multiple example.
Phases to complete, he only pays END once, in the MISSILE DEFLECTION
Phase when he starts the Leap. Acceleration with
Leaping, whether it’s a single-Phase or multiple- As demonstrated by the I Ignore Your Puny
Phase Leap, is the same as for any other form of Energy Blast power (page 71), Missile Deflec-
movement. tion represents a way to make a brick immune
to Ranged attacks no matter how many dice of
MegaLeaping damage they do. Of course, this still leaves the brick
As mentioned above, bricks sometimes use open to attack by area-affecting powers, Entangles,
MegaScale for really long Leaps. A MegaLeap takes and the like, but he’s got plenty of ordinary defenses
one Phase per unit of measurement defined by the and STR for use against those attacks.
MegaScale. For example, if a brick bought Mega-
Scale (1” = 1 km) for his Leaping, then the Leap MULTIFORM
takes 1 Phase per kilometer. If it were 1” = 10 km, Multiform is ideal for thematic bricks who
his leap would take 1 Phase per 10 km. See Super- want to change shape into animals or the like. It’s
Leaping on page 76 for an example. even better for Jekyll/Hyde-type monstrous bricks
If a brick uses MegaLeaping, he must be able who look like ordinary people most of the time,
to perceive his target hex to land there accurately. but transform into ravening, super-strong fiends.
If he has no way to perceive over Mega-distances, It’s not necessary to buy Multiform just because the
or he misses his Attack Roll, the MegaScale effect character has two different shapes — he can justify
applies to the game inches by which he misses the the change in appearance as part of activating his
42 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
powers, as described in the HERO System 5th Edi- TUNNELING
tion, Revised rulebook, but if the two forms have Tunneling is a common form of brick move-
radically different abilities and/or personalities, a ment. With their massively powerful limbs, bricks
Multiform may be appropriate (possibly with Acci- can easily burrow through rock, earth, and other
dental Change; see page 47). substances. Fast-moving bricks with Flight or like
Example: Dr. Brandon Bruce is normally a powers might even turn their bodies into “living
highly intelligent scientist, a talented researcher drills” by rotating at incredible speeds. They can
dedicated to bettering the lot of Humanity also use Tunneling to simulate their ability to rip
through Science. Unfortunately, due to a lab through virtually any sort of wall or door. See
accident, he’s undergone a fundamental genetic Super-Digging (page 75) and Super-Strength Smash-
change that he cannot reverse. When he experi- Through (page 76) for examples.
ences stress or is subjected to certain chemicals Once created, a tunnel remains in existence
or radiations, he transforms into the incredible until filled in, collapsed, or otherwise changed
Klonk, a ten-foot-tall, superhumanly strong or destroyed. Tunneling works a lasting physical
monster. Since Klonk doesn’t have any of Dr. change on the environment, in much the same
Bruce’s memories, Skills, or abilities, Multiform way that an Energy Blast used against an inani-
is an appropriate way to represent this “power.” mate object can inflict lasting destruction. Deac-
If Klonk kept all of Bruce’s abilities, Multiform tivating Tunneling does not cause a character’s
might not be necessary — the change to Klonk tunnels to vanish.
would simply represent the activation of the Restrictions On Tunneling
character’s powers. Characters cannot use Tunneling to Tunnel
through a vehicle (though a GM might allow a
STRETCHING character to use Tunneling on the side of a large
Stretching is a particularly useful Power for vehicle, such as to tear through the back of a trac-
bricks since it allows them to apply their STR “at tor-trailer truck). Nor may they Tunnel through
range.” However, relatively few common special another character as a way of inflicting harm, or
effects or origins justify combining high STR with Tunnel through a Force Wall.
pure Stretching powers; instead, most bricks have Characters may not apply the Attack Versus
to have a Focus to buy a little Stretching. A chain Limited Defense or No Normal Defense Advantages
(with or without wrecking ball on one end!), a to Tunneling as a cheap way of Tunneling through
fighting staff built to withstand the brick’s strength, any substance regardless of its DEF. Nor may they
or the like can give a brick not only an extended use Find Weakness to halve the DEF of substances
reach, but some combat options that an “unarmed” they Tunnel through, or apply the Armor Piercing
brick lacks. or Penetrating Advantages to Tunneling.
Characters may not Tunnel through air or
TELEKINESIS liquids; Tunneling only works on solid substances,
As a form of “ranged STR,” Telekinesis allows such as soil.
you to create brick-like characters. A telekinetic has
the high STR of a brick — not as high as a brick Fill In
built on the same amount of points, usually, but Bricks’ Tunneling rarely includes the Fill In
Telekinesis offers some added utility that pure STR Adder, but it could if the brick defined it as “throw-
lacks, creating balance between the two types of ing the dug material behind me so it fills up the
characters. tunnel.” If Tunneling has Fill In, the filling in occurs
Telekinetics tend to differ from bricks in two automatically as the character tunnels (it doesn’t
ways. First, they don’t have nearly as much inher- require any extra Actions or time). Other persons
ent defense. Many telekinetics aren’t significantly can, with the Tunneler’s permission, follow him and
more resilient than a normal human. They may use the tunnel as well, but they must remain in the
have Force Field, Force Wall, and other defense same hex as him (unless the GM permits other-
powers defined as “telekinetic shields” and the like, wise in the interest of common sense and dramatic
but their bodies lack the sturdiness of a brick’s. sense). A character cannot follow the Tunneling
Second, they don’t normally buy “brick trick”-type character against the Tunneling character’s will
powers, even when they have the STR to use them. before he fills it in; if that’s attempted, the tunnel
Instead, they buy “telekinetic trick” powers, such as simply closes on the hapless follower (the GM can
Telekinetic Travel (Flight, defined as moving one’s determine the effects of that as he sees fit).
self with one’s own Telekinesis), Telekinetic Fists A character who’s bought Fill In doesn’t have
and Spears (Energy Blasts and RKAs, defined as to use it if he doesn’t want to — as stated in the
shaped bolts of telekinetic force), Telekinetic Point rules text, a character can fill in the tunnel behind
Defense (Missile Deflection, defined as telekineti- him, but he’s not required to. To build a form of
cally knocking missiles out of the air), and the like. Tunneling where the character must fill in the
(See page 220-26 of The UNTIL Superpowers Data- tunnel behind him, the character should buy Fill In
base for many more examples.) However, there’s and apply a Limitation, Fill In Always Occurs (-0).
no reason a telekinetic couldn’t buy some types of
brick tricks if he wanted to.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 43
POWER
MODIFIERS
H
ere are some notes about Advantages and AUTOFIRE
Limitations that often affect bricks, or Buying the Autofire Advantage for STR allows
to which special brick-related rules may a character to apply Autofire to his punch (Strike).
apply. It does not apply to other Combat Maneuvers or
Martial Maneuvers.
POWER ADVANTAGES DOES KNOCKBACK, DOUBLE KNOCKBACK
These two Advantages work well for creating
Bricks use a wide variety of Advantages to
various brick tricks, such as Distance Punch (page
create brick tricks. In fact, some brick tricks are
55), Giant’s Smash (page 57), and Super-Strong
nothing more than a naked Advantage for STR. See
Breath (page 65). In Heroic games (which typi-
page 18 for rules about applying naked Advantages
cally use only Knockdown, not Knockback), Does
to STR (either all of a character’s STR, or part of it).
Knockback lets a high-STR character do actual
AFFECTS DESOLIDIFIED Knockback, which looks mighty impressive.
Few bricks use this Advantage; being Desolidi- INVISIBLE POWER EFFECTS
fied tends to be one of the best ways to avoid being
Since STR costs END, it has to have a per-
hurt by a brick’s massive fists. However, some bricks
ceivable “special effect.” That special effect is what
with mystic powers (such as a “divine avatar” brick)
others see and hear when the character exerts
might have the ability to affect intangible beings;
himself — they can perceive him picking up tre-
see Ghost Touch (page 57) for an example.
mendously heavy objects, punching with immense
AREA OF EFFECT, EXPLOSION force, and so on. There’s no requirement that STR
Many brick tricks use Area Of Effect (or be perceivable beyond that. A brick doesn’t have to
Explosion) to represent effects that the brick can be bulging with muscles just because he has a high
create all around him with his strength. Shockwave STR; he could be an ordinary looking person (even
(page 63) and Thunderclap (page 66) are the most an ordinary-looking child). Therefore, there’s no
common examples. need to buy Invisible Power Effects for a character’s
Applying Area Of Effect or Explosion to STR STR to make him look “normal.”
(almost always as a naked Advantage) typically MEGASCALE
means the character can perform Strikes against
Buying MegaScale as a naked Advantage for
everything in an area. Usually it simulates large
STR lets a brick vastly increase the Knockback
hands/limbs, gigantic feet, or the like. However, it
distance of his punches or how far he can throw
could also allow a character to Grab or lift every-
things. In most campaigns, brick tricks bought
thing in an area, assuming he’s strong enough to do
this way should have Limitations restricting them
so and has some way to grab everything at once.
so they apply to only one aspect of STR — for
The GM can adjudicate other effects on a case-
example, Stratospheric Punch (page 64) affects
by-case basis, taking special effects, game balance,
Knockback, and Stratospheric Throw (page 64)
common sense, and dramatic sense into account.
affects distance. MegaScale that could apply to any
If a character buys Area Of Effect or Explo-
aspect of STR would be unbalancingly powerful in
sion for his STR, he must apply the same damage or
most cases.
effect to everyone in the area affected. For example,
If a character buys a naked Area Of Effect
if a brick has STR 50 with Area Of Effect, all per-
Advantage for his STR, he could also buy Mega-
sons within the 5” radius area around him must
Scale to increase the size of the Area. Some GMs
take 10d6, or must all be Grabbed and fight against
might require this for characters who want to lift
his 50 STR to escape — he can’t choose to use 50
or move really large objects (like aircraft carriers,
STR against some of them, 40 STR against others,
skyscrapers, or planets) as a way of representing
and so on. (With Selective he could, of course,
how they “get a grip” that still allows the object to
choose not to affect some people at all.)
maintain its physical cohesion.
At the GM’s option sometimes a character
Characters cannot use MegaScale to increase
may buy a No Range Area Of Effect (Radius) and
the damage they do with STR, their lifting capacity
have the center hex not be the hex he’s standing in.
based on STR, or the like.
Instead, he stands on one edge of the Area, just like
with a No Range Cone or Line.
44 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
DISADVANTAGES
H
ere are some notes on Disadvantages that DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
are particularly appropriate for bricks, or In some campaigns or settings, a brick’s mas-
which they often take. (See also the notes sive muscles may distinguish him from other
about Physical Limitations under Density people around him in ways that qualify as a Dis-
Increase and Growth, above.) tinctive Feature. Usually this a 5-point Feature,
ACCIDENTAL CHANGE since they’re relatively Easily Concealed and are
just Noticed And Recognizable. However, if the
Bricks whose powers derive from changing to
character’s muscles make him look particularly
another form — whether they define the change
threatening or suspicious, the Feature may Cause
as the special effect of activating their powers, as a
Major Reaction instead.
Multiform, or as the special effect for the OIHID
On the other hand, in some settings (such as
Limitation — often take Accidental Change as a
a Champions game with lots of superhumans, or a
Disadvantage. The character who transforms into a
Fantasy Hero or Star Hero campaign with a pleth-
super-strong monster when he gets angry, experi-
ora of odd-looking races), just having big muscles
ences stress, smells blood, or the like is a staple of
isn’t that distinctive. A brick would need some
comic books and adventure fiction.
really unusual-looking features — like Grond’s
In some cases, a character can access his super-
four arms and green skin! — to stand out from the
strong form only by Accidentally Changing. In that
crowd.
case he should buy those powers with the -1 ver-
sion of No Conscious Control (representing the fact ENRAGED/BERSERK
that he can’t control their activation, but can use This is a classic Disadvantage for bricks, par-
them at will after they activate). Alternately, the GM ticularly monstrous ones. Heroic bricks usually
may require him to buy those powers without a restrict themselves to Enrageds; villainous bricks,
Limitation, but grant him +10 Character Points (or or those with less self-control for some reason,
more) for his Accidental Change Disadvantage. The often choose Berserk instead. Examples include:
latter approach makes more sense if the character
Value Disadvantage
has some chance of activating his change — for
Fire
example, if he changes when angry, and can expose
15 Enraged: when confronted with fire
himself to things that make him angry when he
(Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-
needs to change form.
25 Enraged: Berserk when confronted with fire
At the GM’s option, a brick without an alter-
(Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-
nate form could take Accidental Change to repre-
sent the chance that something accidentally reveals In Combat
his super-strength. (This assumes, of course, that it’s 35 Enraged: Berserk in combat
not obvious from his appearance that he’s a brick, (Very Common), go 11-, recover 11-
or superpowered.) The GM should roll the Disad- 45 Enraged: Berserk in combat
vantage at the beginning of each game session (or (Very Common), go 14-, recover 8-
scenario); if the roll succeeds, something happens Protection
during the game session (scenario) that reveals the 20 Enraged: when those under his protection are
character’s true nature. Maybe there’s an accident harmed (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 11-
that would injure a normal person but from which When Frustrated Or Thwarted
the character emerges unscathed, or someone 20 Enraged: when frustrated or thwarted
catches a glimpse of the character making casual (Common), go 11-, recover 11-
use of his tremendous STR to perform chores or 30 Enraged: Berserk when frustrated or
the like. thwarted (Common), go 11-, recover 11-
DEPENDENT NPC 40 Enraged: Berserk when frustrated or
thwarted (Common), go 14-, recover 8-
Many heroic bricks take the DNPC Disad-
vantage for dramatic reasons. DNPCs provide a When Hurt (defined as “when is Stunned or takes
contrast to the brick. While the brick may be con- BODY damage”)
siderably tougher than a normal, the brick’s family, 15 Enraged: when hurt (Uncommon), go 11-,
friends, and co-workers generally aren’t — and that recover 11-
gives the GM a lever to use against him, since even 25 Enraged: Berserk when hurt (Uncommon),
if Dr. Villainous can’t hurt a PC, he can threaten the go 11-, recover 11-
hero’s DNPCs.
48 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
HUNTED Hates Puny Humans (Very Common, Moderate; 15
It’s not hard for bricks to acquire Hunteds. points): Whether he’s a malicious elitist who loathes
Authorities pursue destructive bricks to capture ordinary people as weaklings, or a monstrous brick
them and keep them from causing harm. A mon- who’s come to hate humanity because people have
strous brick may find mystic cults chasing him persecuted him for so long, the brick intensely dis-
to enslave him, or torch- and pitchfork-wielding likes other people. Usually he just wants to be left
peasants coming after him to drive him away or kill alone; if pressed he may become violent, lashing
him. Evil scientists or wizards may Hunt bricks to out at the mundane people. The GM may require
obtain tissue and blood samples for study and rep- him to make an EGO Roll to work peacefully and
lication, or again to enslave the brick. constructively with ordinary people; in the case of
the “I hate them because they torment me” brick,
PHYSICAL LIMITATION a simple act of kindness by a normal person may
In addition to the Heavy and Size Physical provide bonuses to the roll.
Limitations described in conjunction with Density Loves Combat (Common, Strong; 15 points): A brick
Increase and Growth, the following Physical Limi- with this Disadvantage (sometimes called Revels
tations pertain especially to bricks: In Combat or Lives For Battle) loves to fight. If an
Doesn’t Know Own Strength (Frequently, Slightly opportunity for a brawl arises (particularly with
Impairing; 10 points): When the character interacts someone who can stand up to him for a good
with delicate or fragile items — or people — the knock-down-drag-out fight), he almost always
GM occasionally calls on him to make a DEX Roll. takes it; once he’s in a fight, he usually has to make
(The GM may choose to make the roll for the player an EGO Roll to stop fighting, even when it’s obvi-
without informing him of the fact, the better to sur- ous he (or his team) is losing.
prise him with possible consequences.) On a failed Overconfidence (Very Common, Moderate; 15 points):
roll, the character accidentally exerts his Casual STR When you’re incredibly strong and nigh-invulner-
on whatever he’s holding, possibly damaging it. The able, what’s to worry about? You can handle it!
GM may also choose to make this roll whenever the
character Pulls his Punch, tries to use less than his Won’t Use Full Strength (Common, Strong; 15 points):
full STR in combat, or the like; if the roll fails, the The brick worries about the effects of using his full
character uses his full STR or otherwise does not STR on others — he’s concerned he might acciden-
diminish the impact of his action. tally hurt someone (or hurt them a lot worse than
Alternately, you can change this Limitation he intends to). When he’s fighting someone, he has
to Infrequently, Greatly Impairing for the same to make an EGO Roll; if he fails, he won’t use more
point value. This means the GM makes rolls for the than 75% of his STR against them directly, nor Push
character less often, but when a roll fails something his STR against them directly (he could still use
really bad happens. his full STR for indirect purposes, such as escap-
ing from an Entangle or Grab, smashing through a
Medical-Resistant Skin (Infrequently, Greatly wall, or stopping a bus from running over a child).
Impairing; 10 points): The character’s skin is so If he fails the roll badly (by 4 or more), the GM may
tough that it defies some forms of conventional restrict him to 50% of STR (or less).
medical treatment — it’s one of those ironic situ-
ations where the brick’s strengths become a weak- REPUTATION
ness. He can’t get injections with normal needles, Not surprisingly given their usual modus ope-
some types of scanning technology won’t easily randi, many bricks have a Reputation as destructive
penetrate his body, performing surgery on him is or violent. Villainous bricks don’t mind this at all,
next to impossible (unless the surgeon is super- but a heroic brick may have real problems getting
strong himself, or has special tools such as mono- people to trust him or help him if they’re afraid
molecular-blade scalpels), and so on. he’ll hurt them (deliberately or accidentally).
Reduced Tactile Sense (Infrequently, Slightly SUSCEPTIBILITY
Impairing; 5 points): The character’s skin is so thick
(or so dense, so metallic, so covered with armor While bricks’ general resilience tends to argue
plates...) that his tactile senses are reduced. He suf- against their taking this Disadvantage, many of
fers a -2 on all PER Rolls made with Touch Group them do take it to represent an Achilles heel of
Senses, and the GM may occasionally have him some sort. Superman and kryptonite is the most
make DEX Rolls to hold onto small or slippery obvious example, but plenty of others exist. From a
objects. game standpoint, a Susceptibility helps to balance
the brick out a little bit. From a dramatic stand-
PSYCHOLOGICAL LIMITATION point, a Susceptibility gives a brick something to
Bricks are just as likely to fall in love, devote fear and the GM a “hook” to use to bring the brick
themselves to a cause, follow a code of honor, or into stories, making for a much more interesting
have hatreds and prejudices as any other character. character. (A brick might take Vulnerability for
The following Psychological Limitations are par- much the same reasons.)
ticularly appropriate for them:
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 49
BRICK TRICKS
A
lso known as Strength Tricks, Strength THE POWER TEMPLATE
Stunts or, more prosaicallly, Strength and This section describes each power with a
Toughness Powers, Brick Tricks represent standard template. The information provided
the sort of abilities that a character with a applies only to the standard power; the options
super-strong, super-tough body might possess. In may have different areas of effect, ranges, END
short, they’re example powers for bricks. Some of costs, and so forth.
them originally appeared in The UNTIL Superpow- Name indicates the name of the power. You
ers Database and other Hero Games publications, can, of course, rename it to suit your own character
but they’ve been updated, expanded, or otherwise if you prefer.
altered to take advantage of the information pre- Effect lists the basic game effect of the power
sented in this book, or to better reflect how they in simple terms: Energy Blast 8d6, Explosive;
typically apply to brick characters. Desolidification; Telekinesis (30 STR). This tells you
Some brick tricks are built as naked Advan- quickly what a power can do so you don’t have to
tages for the character’s STR, using 60 STR as a delve into the full game write-up.
basis, with options for other levels of STR (typically Target/Area Affected describes who or what the
40, 75, and/or 90; adjust the cost up or down for power affects. An Attack Power usually indicates
characters with different STRs). Some “brick” char- “One character” or the area covered due to the
acters buy Variable Advantage for their STR so they Area Of Effect or Explosion Advantages. (Of course,
can use many of these powers. At the GM’s option, sometimes even a “one character” power can be
characters can place these powers in a Multipower Spread, or used with Rapid Fire or Sweep to affect
or other Power Framework, even though that’s nor- more than one target; a power’s shorthand descrip-
mally not allowed. tion doesn’t override the rules.) “Self ” indicates the
50 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
power only works on the character using it (though
it may still “affect” other characters; for example, OFFENSIVE POWERS
other characters can perceive the effects of Shape Several of the powers below have a Side Effect
Shift, even though it’s a “Self ” power.) indicating that they cause damage to the nearby
Duration lists the power’s duration, typically environment — typically because the character rips
Instant, Constant, Persistent, or Inherent (see the something up to use as a weapon. The character
HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, page 98). cannot use this aspect of the power to deliberately
Range lists the range for the power. Ranged cause damage to objects and buildings as a sort of
powers usually have a range in inches (Active “free attack,” but the GM should, if appropriate,
Points x 5” in most cases), but may have “LOS” take the consequences of the character’s action into
(Line Of Sight) range. “No Range” indicates that account. For example, using one of a building’s walls
the power has No Range; “Self ” that the power to Crack The Whip may cause the building to col-
only affects the character using it; “Touch” that the lapse; at the very least, the building’s owners will
power involves having to touch another character probably demand compensation from the character.
(which usually requires an Attack Roll).
END Cost lists the power’s Endurance cost. ADRENALINE SURGE
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty indicates the penalty Effect: Aid STR 4d6, Self Only
for using the Brick Tricks form of the Power Skill Target/Area Affected: Self
(page 31) to use the ability, either because the Duration: Instant
power has the Requires A Skill Roll Limitation or Range: Self
for times when the GM permits the character to END Cost: 4 Charges
use the power as an impromptu “brick trick” based Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
on a Skill Roll. It’s calculated by dividing the Active
Point cost of the ability by 10. As usual, a charac- Description: The character can, to a limited extent,
ter shouldn’t use his Brick Tricks Skill to perform control the flow of adrenaline within his body. On
one of these abilities repeatedly; if he wants to use command he can cause an adrenaline surge that
a brick trick frequently, he should pay Character boosts his Strength for about a minute.
Points for it. “N/A” indicates that characters can’t Game Information: Aid STR 4d6 (40 Active
activate that ability with a Brick Tricks roll — it’s Points); Self Only (-½), 4 Charges (-1). Total
not a “trick” so much as it is an innate power a brick cost: 16 points.
might possess.
Description provides a (usually brief) textual Options:
description of the power. This section notes any spe-
1) Strong Power: Increase to Aid STR 5d6. 50
cial rules or rules applications relevant to the power.
Active Points; total cost 20 points.
Game Information is a full write-up of the
power in game terms, including Active Point and 2) Weak Power: Decrease to Aid STR 3d6. 30
Real Point costs. (If only one point total is listed, that Active Points; total cost 12 points.
means the Active and Real Point costs are the same.) 3) Rapid Surge: Normally activating the Surge
Lastly, many powers have Options listed below takes an Attack Action. With this form of the power,
the game information. These describe various ways the character can start the Surge more quickly. Add
to alter the power to create a slightly different ability. Trigger (mental command; +¼). 50 Active Points;
total cost 20 points.
4) Long-Lasting Surge: The Surge lasts for a long
time. Add Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the
rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +½). 60 Active Points; total
cost 24 points.
5) More Adrenaline: Increase to 8 Charges (-½).
Total cost: 20 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 51
Options:
1) Strong Wrap-Up: Increase to Entan-
gle 8d6, up to 8 DEF. 80 Active Points;
total cost 27 points.
2) Weak Wrap-Up: Decrease to Entan-
gle 4d6, up to 4 DEF. 40 Active Points;
total cost 13 points.
3) Wriggle Free Wrap-Up: The materials
the character uses are too tough to wrap
targets up tightly; a victim who loos-
ens them a little can wriggle free. Add
Entangle Has 1 BODY (-½). Total cost:
17 points.
4) The Really Big Wrap-Up: The charac-
ter can wrap up lots of people at once if
he has enough materials and the targets
are lined up right. Reduce to Entangle
4d6, up to 4 DEF and add Area Of
Effect (16” Line; +1). 80 Active Points; BREAKING
total cost 27 points. Effect: Dispel Technological
5) Skillful Wrap-Up: The character has to do the wrap- Object 16d6
up just right or it doesn’t work. Add Requires A Brick Target/Area Affected: One technological device
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 17 points. Duration: Instant
Range: No Range
BOXER’S FLURRY END Cost: 6
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6
Effect: Autofire (5 punches; +½)
for up to 60 STR Description: The character applies his immense
Target/Area Affected: One or more characters strength to break a technological object (or, at the
Duration: Instant GM’s option, just about any other sort of object that
Range: Touch he might otherwise have trouble breaking). This
END Cost: 3 per punch includes most Foci used by characters and most
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -3 devices defined with the OIHID Limitation. Once
broken (Dispelled), a technology-based power must
Description: The character can punch with great
be repaired or replaced before it will work again.
speed, hitting one character multiple times, or up to
five targets within arm’s reach one time apiece, in a Game Information: Dispel Technological Object
single Phase. 16d6, any one Technological Object power one
at a time (+¼) (60 Active Points); No Range
Game Information: Autofire (5 shots; +½) for
(-½). Total cost: 40 points.
up to 60 STR. Total cost: 30 points.
Options:
Options:
1) Strong Breaking: Increase to Dispel Technological
1) Strong Flurry I: Change to for up to 75 STR.
Object 20d6. 75 Active Points; total cost 50 points.
Total cost: 37 points.
2) Weak Breaking: Decrease to Dispel Technological
2) Strong Flurry II: Change to for up to 90 STR.
Object 12d6. 45 Active Points; total cost 30 points.
Total cost: 45 points.
3) Improved Breaking I: Decrease to Dispel Techno-
3) Weak Flurry: Change to for up to 40 STR. Total
logical Object 14d6 and increase to any two Tech-
cost: 20 points.
nological Object powers simultaneously (+½). 63
4) Skillful Flurry: Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll Active Points; total cost 42 points.
(-½). Total cost: 20 points.
4) Improved Breaking II: Decrease to Dispel Tech-
5) Slow Flurry: Decrease to Autofire (3 shots; +¼). nological Object 12d6 and increase to any four
Total cost: 15 points. Technological Object powers simultaneously (+1).
6) Restricted Flurry: The character can only use his 72 Active Points; total cost 48 points.
Flurry on a single target. Add All Shots Must Be 5) Improved Breaking III: Decrease to Dispel Tech-
Used Against Same Target (-¼). 30 Active Points; nological Object 10d6 and increase to all Tech-
total cost 24 points. nological Object powers simultaneously (+2). 90
Active Points; total cost 60 points.
6) Skillful Breaking: The character has to apply
his super-strength precisely to achieve this effect.
Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost:
30 points.
54 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
BURIED Options:
Effect: Entangle 5d6, up to 5 1) Strong Casual Effectiveness: Increase to +60
DEF, Stops Sight Group, STR. 60 Active Points; total cost 24 points.
Requires Appropriate
2) Weak Casual Effectiveness: Decrease to +30
Materials
STR. 30 Active Points; total cost 12 points.
Target/Area Affected: One character
Duration: Instant 3) Skillful Casual Effectiveness: Add Requires A
Range: No Range Brick Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 13 points.
END Cost: 6
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6 COMIN’ THROUGH!
Description: The character can pick up a large Effect: HA +6d6, Only With
pile of rubble, sand, or some similar substance Move Throughs
and dump it on the target, pinning him beneath it Target/Area Affected: One character
(which also keeps him from seeing anything) but Duration: Instant
not hurting him in the process. Range: Touch
END Cost: 3
Game Information: Entangle 5d6, up to 5 DEF, Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -3
Stops A Given Sense (Sight Group) (60 Active Description: Some bricks are better than others
Points); OIF (appropriate materials of opportu- at dishing out damage when performing Move
nity; -½), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; Throughs, and this ability represents that. The HA
-½), Defense Depends On Materials Used (-½), dice are part of the overall damage, and thus affect
Extra Time (at least a Full Phase, and often the damage the character himself takes from per-
longer, depending on how long it takes to get forming the Maneuver.
the materials; -½), No Range (-½), Side Effect
(may cause considerable damage to the envi- Game Information: HA +6d6 (30 Active
ronment; -0). Total cost: 17 points. Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), Only
Works When Performing A Move Through
Options: (-1). Total cost: 12 points.
1) Strong Burial: Increase to Entangle 6d6, up to 6
DEF. 70 Active Points; total cost 20 points. Options:
2) Weak Burial: Decrease to Entangle 4d6, up to 4 1) Strong Charge: Increase to HA +8d6. 40 Active
DEF. 50 Active Points; total cost 14 points. Points; total cost 16 points.
3) Big Burial: The character can cover lots of 2) Weak Charge: Decrease to HA +4d6. 20 Active
people at once, if he has enough rubble. In this case, Points; total cost 8 points.
the character is not at the center of the affected area CRACK THE WHIP
when he uses the power; he’s just outside one edge
of it, as with a Cone or Line that’s No Range. Add Effect: Energy Blast 8d6, Indirect
Area Of Effect (6” Radius; +1). 120 Active Points; (+½)
total cost 34 points. Target/Area Affected: One character
Duration: Instant
4) Burial At Range: The character can hurl the Range: See text
rubble in a tight enough mass to hit the target. END Cost: 6
Change No Range (-½) to Limited Range (10”; -¼). Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6
Total cost: 18 points.
Description: This power allows a super-strong char-
CASUAL EFFECTIVENESS acter to rip up some appropriate material — such as
Effect: +40 STR, Only For Deter- the asphalt of a road, cement of a sidewalk, a length
mining Casual STR of chain-link fence, or the side of a building — and
Target/Area Affected: Self “whip” it so that a wave travels down its length and
Duration: Persistent causes it to smack the target from an unexpected
Range: Self angle. The power only works if the character has
END Cost: 4 access to “whip-able” material (the GM decides
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -4 this) and the target is standing near enough to the
other end of the “whip” to get hit.
Description: The character’s unusually good at get-
ting out of Grabs and Entangles, smashing through Game Information: Energy Blast 8d6, Indirect
minor obstacles, and the like. (always originates with character, but can
strike foe from one of several directions; +½)
Game Information: +40 STR (40 Active Points); (60 Active Points); OIF (appropriate materials
Only For Determining Casual STR (-1½). Total of opportunity; -½), Only Versus Properly-Posi-
cost: 16 points. tioned Targets (-¼), Limited Range (limited to
length of “whip”; -¼), Side Effect (may cause
considerable damage to the environment; -0).
Total cost: 30 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 55
4) No Skill Required: Remove Requires A Brick 1) Strong Distance Punch I: Change to for up to 75
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 45 points. STR. 56 Active Points; total cost 28 points.
2) Strong Distance Punch II: Change to for up to 90
STR. 67 Active Points; total cost 33 points.
3) Weak Distance Punch: Change to for up to 40
STR. 30 Active Points; total cost 15 points.
4) No Skill Required: Remove Requires A Brick
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 30 points.
56 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
DISTANCE THROW up before smashing down a door. Add Extra Time
Effect: +40 STR, Only To Deter- (Full Phase; -½). Total cost: 6 points.
mine Throwing Distance
DUST STORM
Target/Area Affected: Self
Duration: Instant Effect: Change Environment, -3
Range: Touch to Sight Group PER Rolls
END Cost: 4 Target/Area Affected: 8” Radius
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -4 Duration: Uncontrolled
Range: No Range
Description: While most super-strong characters
END Cost: 4
can throw things long distances, this character can
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
hurl objects (or other characters!) even farther than
normal. Description: By strongly and rapidly fanning his
arms, the character can kick up a tremendous cloud
Game Information: +40 STR (40 Active Points); of dust and dirt to blind his enemies... though
Only To Determine Throwing Distance (-2). he’s stuck in the middle of the cloud himself. This
Total cost: 13 points. power even works underwater, provided there’s
enough silt, mud, sediment, or like material to
Options: cloud the waters.
1) Longer Distance: Increase to +60 STR. 60 Active In game terms, Dust Storm is bought as
Points; total cost 20 points. Uncontrolled. The more END the character feeds to
2) Shorter Distance: Decrease to +20 STR. 20 it, the more strongly he’s waved his arms to create
Active Points; total cost 7 points. the cloud.
3) Effortless Distance: Add Reduced Endurance (0 Game Information: Change Environment 8”
END; +½). 60 Active Points; total cost 20 points. radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls, Uncon-
trolled (won’t work in high winds or rain; +½)
4) Tiring Distance: Add Increased Endurance Cost
(39 Active Points); OIF (dust, sand, and dirt of
(x2 END; -½). Total cost: 11 points.
opportunity; -½), No Range (-½). Total cost:
5) Skillful Throw: Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll 19 points.
(-½). Total cost: 11 points.
6) Injurious Throw: The character’s enhanced Options:
throws aren’t just longer, they hurt more than 1) Strong Storm: Increase to 16” radius. 46 Active
normal throws. Change Only To Determine Throw- Points; total cost 23 points.
ing Distance (-2) to Only For Throwing (-1). Total 2) Weak Storm: Decrease to 4” radius. 31 Active
cost: 20 points. Points; total cost 15 points.
DOOR-SMASHING FISTS FLICK OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS
Effect: HA +4d6, Only Versus Effect: Energy Blast 6d6, NND
Doors Target/Area Affected: One character
Target/Area Affected: One door Duration: Instant
Duration: Instant Range: Touch
Range: Touch END Cost: 6
END Cost: 4 Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -2
Description: The character flicks a foe in the head
Description: A favorite of Pulp-era bricks, this with his index finger, knocking him out without
ability allows a character to smash through doors inflicting any serious harm. But if the character
with ease. miscalculates, the target takes the character’s full
Game Information: HA +4d6 (20 Active Points); STR damage (not multiplied by Hit Location modi-
Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), Increased Endur- fiers). This is represented by a Side Effect, so the
ance Cost (x2 END; -½), Only Versus Doors (- GM should be sure to treat it as an actual Limita-
1). Total cost: 7 points. tion and not just a way for the character to substi-
tute one type of damage for another when he fails
Options: his roll. Doing full STR damage should cause the
character problems (at the very least, it ought to
1) Strong Door-Smashing: Increase to HA +6d6. 30
give him a reputation for clumsiness or brutality).
Active Points; total cost 10 points.
2) Weak Door-Smashing: Decrease to HA +2d6. 10 Game Information: Energy Blast 6d6, NND
Active Points; total cost 3 points. (defense is Lack Of Weakness on defenses
covering the head, or any innate rPD protect-
3) Quick Door-Smashing: The character can smash ing the head; +1) (60 Active Points); No Range
through doors almost without having to slow down. (-½), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½), Side
Add Trigger (when throws a punch at a door; +¼). Effects (if character fails roll, opponent takes
25 Active Points; total cost 8 points. character’s full STR damage; -¼). Total cost:
4) Slow Door-Smashing: The character has to wind 27 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 57
Options:
1) Strong Grip: Increase to Drain STR 5d6. 150
Active Points; total cost 75 points.
60 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
2) Weak Grip: Decrease to Drain STR 3d6. 90 Game Information: Area Of Effect (6” Radius;
Active Points; total cost 45 points. +1) for 60 STR (60 Active Points); Only Works
3) Restricted Grip: The character can only tear the When Performing A Move Through (-1), Only
muscles in one limb at a time. Add Only Affects Versus Groups Of Normal-STR People (-½).
One Limb (-1). Total cost: 40 points. Total cost: 24 points.
RAGE-AUGMENTED STRENGTH
Effect: Aid STR 2d6, Only While
Enraged/Berserk
Target/Area Affected: Self
Duration: Constant
Range: Self
END Cost: 0
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -13
Description: The madder the character gets, the
stronger he gets. As soon as he becomes Enraged (or
Berserk), his fury triggers a reaction in his body that
starts making him stronger. He rolls Aid 2d6 each
Phase and applies it to his STR until he reaches a
maximum of +60 STR. The points gained fade about
20 minutes after he gains them, or immediately if he
recovers from being Enraged/Berserk.
Game Information: Aid STR 2d6, Can Add A
Maximum Of 60 Points’ Worth Of Strength,
Continuous (+1), Delayed Return Rate (points
fade at the rate of 5 per 20 Minutes; +¾), Trig-
ger (becoming Enraged/Berserk; +¼) (132
Active Points); No Conscious Control (cannot
activate power on his own, but can use the STR
freely once it’s activated; -1), Self Only (-½),
Points Fade Immediately If Character Recovers
From Being Enraged/Berserk (-½). Total cost:
44 points.
62 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
RAPID HAYMAKER 3) Weak Ringing: Change to for up to 40 STR. 10
Effect: HA +4d6, Extra Time Active Points; total cost 6 points.
(Full Phase) 4) Ringing Variant: This version of the power uses
Target/Area Affected: One character Energy Blast instead of a naked Advantage so the
Duration: Instant character can affect foes at a distance. Energy Blast
Range: Touch 12d6, Indirect (always from below; +¼) (75 Active
END Cost: 2 Points); Only Affects Targets On The Ground (-¼),
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -2 Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Restrainable (-½),
Description: A character with this power has prac- Only Does Knockdown, Not Knockback (-0), Side
ticed Haymakering so much that he can throw a Effect (may cause considerable damage to the envi-
Haymaker-style punch much more quickly than ronment; -0). Total cost: 33 points.
other characters — it only takes him a Full Phase, 5) Skillful Ringing: The character has to smash
and he doesn’t suffer some of the drawbacks of the ground just right or this power doesn’t work.
the Haymaker Combat Maneuver, either (such as Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost:
losing the attack if the target moves slightly). 7 points.
Game Information: HA +4d6 (20 Active Points); 6) Flinging Ring: This form of Ring The Bell can
Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), Extra Time (Full send the target flying. Remove Only Does Knock-
Phase; -½), Side Effect (-5 DCV, always occurs; down, Not Knockback (-0) and add Double Knock-
-½). Total cost: 8 points. back (+¾) for up to 60 STR. 60 Active Points; total
cost 34 points.
Options:
ROPE REACH
1) Strong Rapid Haymaker: Increase to HA +6d6.
30 Active Points; total cost 12 points. Effect: Stretching 7” using
objects of opportunity
2) Weak Rapid Haymaker: Decrease to HA +2d6. 10 Target/Area Affected: Self
Active Points; total cost 4 points. Duration: Constant
3) Agile Rapid Haymaker: The character’s so good at Range: Self
throwing “Haymakers” that he doesn’t have to stand END Cost: 0
still when preparing one. Remove Side Effects (-½). Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -5
Total cost: 10 points. Description: This strength stunt allows a brick to
4) Skillful Rapid Haymaker: Add Requires A Brick pick up any long, sturdy object — a cable, an I-
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 7 points. beam, a telephone pole, or the like — and use it to
hit someone who’s not near him. He’s so good at
RING THE BELL this he doesn’t suffer any of the usual penalties for
Effect: Indirect (+¼) for up to 60 using an odd-shaped weapon.
STR The inches of Stretching bought for this power
Target/Area Affected: One character are based on the height of the average wooden tele-
Duration: Instant phone pole, which is about 50 feet [15 meters, or 7.5”]
Range: No Range including the part sunk into the ground; poles of
END Cost: 1 various materials vary in height from about 25 feet to
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -1 about 80 feet. The actual inches of Stretching a brick
Description: A sort of variant of the Shockwave gets to use with this power depend on the object he’s
power (see below), this power allows the brick to using; if he’s got a 3” long I-beam, he can only use 3”
strike the ground, using the force of the blow to Stretching. In the interest of common sense and dra-
cause the ground to erupt upward beneath his foe matic sense, if the character picks up an object larger
(though his foe has to be standing right next to than 7”, the GM can let him use that much Stretching
him). It’s a good way to take an enemy by surprise, instead of just 7” (though if the character routinely
or avoid some forms or Force Wall. picks up objects larger than 7”, the GM should make
him pay for more inches of Stretching).
Game Information: Indirect (always from below;
+¼) for up to 60 STR (15 Active Points); Only Game Information: Stretching up to 7” (actual
Affects Targets On The Ground (-¼), Extra length of Stretching depends on object used;
Time (Full Phase; -½), Only Does Knockdown, see text), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
Not Knockback (-0), Side Effect (may cause (52 Active Points); OIF (appropriate objects of
considerable damage to the environment; -0). opportunity; -½), Always Direct (-¼), No Non-
Total cost: 9 points. combat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-
¼), Only To Cause Damage (-½), Range Modi-
Options: fier Applies (-¼), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll
(-½), Side Effect (almost always causes consid-
1) Strong Ringing I: Change to for up to 75 STR. 19 erable damage to the environment; -0). Total
Active Points; total cost 11 points. cost: 15 points.
2) Strong Ringing II: Change to for up to 90 STR. 22
Active Points; total cost 13 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 63
has a harder time getting this brick trick to work SUPER-STRONG BREATH
properly. Change to Requires A Brick Tricks Roll Effect: Energy Blast 8d6 Double
(-1 per 5 Active Points; -1). Total cost: 2 points. Knockback, Dispel Fire
6) No Skill Required: Remove Requires A Brick Powers 8d6, Dispel Gas/
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 3 points. Smoke/Mist Powers 8d6
Target/Area Affected: One character
7) Long-Time Stratospheric Throw: When a char-
Duration: Instant
acter throws with this power, it takes him a Full
Range: 350”/360”/360”
Phase. Add Extra Time (Full Phase; -½). Total cost:
END Cost: 7
2 points.
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -7
8) Haymaker-Style Stratospheric Throw: Performing
Description: The character’s super-strong lungs
a Stratospheric Throw is much like using a Hay-
make it possible for him to breathe with great
maker. Add Extra Time (Extra Segment; -½) and
strength, which has a variety of effects. First, he can
Side Effects (-5 DCV, always occurs; -½). Total cost:
hit his enemies with a blast of breath that sends
2 points.
them tumbling head over heels. Second, he can
STRONGER THAN A LOCOMOTIVE blow out raging fires (and Fire-based superpowers)
the way normal people blow out candles. Third, he
Effect: +40 STR, Only To Stop
can blow away gases, mists, and smokes (or, in some
Moving Objects
cases, suck them into his lungs and then blow them
Target/Area Affected: Self
out somewhere where they can’t cause harm).
Duration: Persistent
Range: Self Game Information:
END Cost: 4 Cost Power
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -4 48 Super-Strong Breath: Multipower, 72-points
reserve; all Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½)
Description: When it comes to stopping runaway
5u 1) Blast Of Breath: Energy Blast 8d6, Double
trains, out of control buses, and other moving
Knockback (+¾); Requires A Brick Tricks
objects, a character with this power’s got what it
Roll (-½)
takes.
5u 2) Blowing Out Fires: Dispel Fire Powers
Game Information: +40 STR (40 Active Points); 8d6, all Fire powers simultaneously (+2);
Only To Stop Moving Objects (-2). Total cost: Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½)
13 points. 5u 3) Blowing Away The Mist: Dispel Gas/
Smoke/Mist Powers 8d6, all Gas/Smoke/Mist
Options: powers simultaneously (+2); Requires A
1) Strong Stopping: Increase to +60 STR. 60 Active Brick Tricks Roll (-½)
Points; total cost 20 points. Total cost: 63 points.
2) Weak Stopping: Decrease to +30 STR. 30 Active Options:
Points; total cost 10 points. 1) Strong Breath: Increase Multipower reserve to
3) Skillful Stopping: Add Requires A Skill Roll (-½). 90 points, slot one to EB 10d6, and the last two slots
Total cost: 11 points. to Dispel 10d6. Total cost: 78 points.
2) No Skill Required: Remove Requires A Brick
SUPER-PUNCH Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 93 points.
Effect: HA +6d6
Target/Area Affected: One character SUPER-WRESTLER’S GRIP
Duration: Instant Effect: Drain STR 5d6, Only
Range: Touch Works On Grabbed Char-
END Cost: 3 acters, Only Works Once
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -3 Per Grab
Description: The character’s punches are so accurate, Target/Area Affected: One character
his muscles so strong, or his fists so hard that he does Duration: Instant
more damage than normal when he hits people. Range: Touch
END Cost: 5
Game Information: HA +6d6 (30 Active Points); Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -5
Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½). Total cost: 20
Description: The character is skilled at Grabbing
points.
people and locking up their arms in clever ways
that prevent them from getting sufficient leverage
Options:
to break free. Even the strongest character is likely
1) Really Super-Punch: Increase to HA +8d6. 40 to have trouble getting loose. The victim will find a
Active Points; total cost 27 points. way to regain full leverage if the character holds on
2) Less Super-Punch: Decrease to HA +4d6. 20 long enough, but by then it may be too late....
Active Points; total cost 13 points. Game Information: Drain STR 5d6 (50 Active
3) Skillful Super-Punch: Add Requires A Brick Points); Must Follow Grab (-½), Only Works
Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 15 points. Once Per Grab (-½), Drained Points Return
66 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
Immediately If Victim Is Freed From Grab In Options:
Any Way (-½). Total cost: 20 points. 1) Louder Thunderclap: Increase to Hearing Group
Flash 12d6. 90 Active Points; total cost 36 points.
Options:
2) Softer Thunderclap: Decrease to Hearing Group
1) Strong Grip: Increase to Drain STR 6d6. 60
Flash 6d6. 45 Active Points; total cost 18 points.
Active Points; total cost 24 points.
3) Thunderclap Variant: This version of the power
2) Weak Power: Decrease to Drain STR 4d6. 40
is slightly simpler to work with. Hearing Group
Active Points; total cost 16 points.
Flash 8d6, Explosion (+½), Hole In The Middle (the
3) Skillful Grip: Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll one hex the character is standing in when he uses
(-½). Total cost: 17 points. the power; +¼) (42 Active Points); No Range (-½),
Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Restrainable (-½).
TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB Total cost: 17 points.
Effect: HKA 2d6 (up to 4d6 with 4) Skillful Thunderclap: The character has to clap
STR) his hands together just right or this power doesn’t
Target/Area Affected: One character work. Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½). Total
Duration: Instant cost: 20 points.
Range: Touch
END Cost: 3 5) Mighty Thunderclap: The force of the character’s
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -3 clap really sends his foes flying. Add Double
Knockback (+¾). 78 Active Points; total cost 31
Description: Rather than using his great strength to points.
smash and batter his enemies, the character uses it
in more lethal ways — to rip them in two and crush 6) Undiminished Thunderclap: The force of the
them. character’s Thunderclap is the same throughout the
area it affects. Change Explosion to Area Of Effect
Game Information: HKA 2d6 (up to 4d6 with (16” Radius; +1½). 72 Active Points; total cost 29
STR). Total cost: 30 points. points.
Options: ULTIMATE EYE GOUGE
1) Strong Tearing: Increase to HKA 3d6 (up to 6d6 Effect: Major Transform 3d6
with STR). Total cost: 45 points. (sighted being to blind
2) Ongoing Mayhem: Once the character gets his being)
hands on a target, he can keep tearing and destroy- Target/Area Affected: One character
ing until there’s nothing left. Add Continuous (+1). Duration: Constant
Total cost: 60 points. Range: No Range
END Cost: 9
3) Skillful Tearing: Add Requires A Brick Tricks Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -9
Roll (-½). Total cost: 20 points.
Description: A favorite of some cruel or villainous
THUNDERCLAP bricks, this trick allows the brick to grab someone
Effect: Hearing Group Flash 8d6, and gouge his eyes out, permanently blinding the
Explosion, Does Knock- victim. If the victim has lots of eyes (such as a giant
back spider, or an amorphous horror), the GM may
Target/Area Affected: 24” radius increase its “BODY” for purposes of determining
Duration: Instant how long it takes for this power to work.
Range: No Range Game Information: Major Transform 3d6
END Cost: 6 (sighted being to blind being; heals back
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6 through eye transplant or the like), Continu-
Description: The character claps his hands together ous (+1) (90 Active Points); Must Follow Grab
with such great strength that he creates a concus- (-½), No Range (-½), Limited Targets (beings
sive wave of sound and air that deafens everyone with eyes; -¼). Total cost: 40 points.
near him, and may knock them back. If he’s Entan-
gled, or someone Grabs him, he can’t use the power Options:
because he can’t swing his arms for the clap. 1) Strong Eye Gouge: Increase to Major Transform
4d6. 120 Active Points; total cost 53 points.
Game Information: Hearing Group Flash 8d6,
Explosion (-1d6/3”; +1), Hole In The Middle 2) Weak Eye Gouge: Decrease to Major Transform
(the one hex the character is standing in when 2d6. 60 Active Points; total cost 27 points.
he uses the power; +¼), Does Knockback (+¼) 3) Skillful Eye Gouge: Performing this brick trick
(60 Active Points); No Range (-½), Extra Time requires a little finesse on the brick’s part. Add
(Full Phase; -½), Restrainable (-½). Total cost: Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½). Total cost: 33
24 points. points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 67
BRACING BREAKOUT
Effect: Knockback Resistance Effect: +20 STR, Only To Escape
-10” From Grabs/Entangles
Target/Area Affected: Self Target/Area Affected: Self
Duration: Constant Duration: Persistent
Range: Self Range: Self
END Cost: 2 END Cost: 2
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -2 Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -2
Description: The character’s size and/or strength Description: It’s tough to keep a character with
make it difficult (at best) for the force of attacks to this power restrained. Grabs, Entangles, handcuffs,
push him back. and the like all break or fall off when he flexes his
mighty muscles.
Game Information: Knockback Resistance -10”
(20 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-½). Total Game Information: +20 STR (20 Active Points);
cost: 13 points. Only To Escape From Grabs/Entangles (-1).
Total cost: 10 points.
Options:
1) Improved Bracing I: Increase to Knockback Options:
Resistance -15”. 30 Active Points; total cost 20 1) Strong Breakout: Increase to +30 STR. 30 Active
points. Points; total cost 15 points.
2) Improved Bracing II: Remove Costs Endurance 2) Weak Breakout: Decrease to +10 STR. 10 Active
(-½). Total cost: 20 points. Points; total cost 5 points.
3) Weak Bracing: Decrease to Knockback Resis- 3) Skillful Breakout: Add Requires A Brick Tricks
tance -6”. 12 Active Points; total cost 8 points. Roll (-½). Total cost: 8 points.
4) Skillful Bracing: Add Requires A Brick Tricks
Roll (-½). Total cost: 10 points.
5) Constant Bracing: The character’s strength,
weight, or other attributes make it difficult to
Knock him Back all the time; he doesn’t have to
spend END or actively brace himself. Change to
Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); Only To
Reduce Knockback (-1). Total cost: 5 points.
70 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
BULLETPROOF Heroic bricks; it explains how they can get bruised
Effect: Armor (20 PD), Hard- up in so many fights during a scenario but always
ened, Only Versus Bullets keep struggling and stay on their feet until they win.
Target/Area Affected: Self Game Information: Physical Damage Reduc-
Duration: Persistent tion, Resistant, 50% (30 Active Points); Requires
Range: Self A CON Roll (assumes CON Roll of 12- or 13-;
END Cost: 0 -¾), Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼).
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A Total cost: 15 points.
Description: The character’s super-tough skin is
particularly proof against bullets. He’s not neces- Options:
sarily immune to them (particularly their stunning 1) Strong Toughness: Remove Requires A CON
impact), but it’s difficult to hurt him with a bullet Roll (-¾). Total cost: 24 points.
(to put it mildly).
2) Weak Toughness: Decrease to 25% Damage
You can, of course, create many similar defen-
Reduction. 15 Active Points; total cost 7 points.
sive powers by changing this one slightly — Fire-
proof, Lightningproof, Bladeproof, and so on. 3) Restricted Toughness: The character can’t reduce
the BODY damage he takes, only the STUN. Add
Game Information: Armor (20 PD), Hardened STUN Damage Only (-½). Total cost: 12 points.
(x2; +½) (45 Active Points), Only Versus Bul-
lets (-1). Total cost: 22 points. 4) Simple Toughness: Rather than worrying about
whether the character’s aware of an attack or has
Options: the CON to withstand it, this form of the power
simply requires a Brick Tricks roll. Replace all
1) Strong Bulletproof: Increase to Armor (24 PD).
Limitations with Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½).
54 Active Points; total cost 27 points.
Total cost: 20 points.
2) Weak Bulletproof: Decrease to Armor (16 PD).
36 Active Points; total cost 18 points. CAN’T HURT ME
3) Variant Bulletproof: This form of Bulletproof Effect: Force Wall (12 PD/12 ED)
uses Force Wall, so that if the bullet doesn’t cause Target/Area Affected: Self
BODY damage, it does no STUN to the brick Duration: Constant
either. If he does happen to take bullet damage that Range: Self
pierces the Force Wall, he has to flex his muscles END Cost: 0
and get the power working again. Unless the GM Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
rules otherwise, he has to buy Indirect for his STR Description: The brick is so tough that attacks
if he wants to punch people while his Force Wall which don’t pierce his skin have no chance of
is active. Force Wall (20 PD, 2” long [sufficient to inflicting STUN damage. However, if the character
completely “surround” character’s body]), Hardened does suffer a wound, he has to use a Zero-Phase
(x2; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persis- Action to flex his muscles and get the power work-
tent (+½) (130 Active Points); Only Versus Bullets ing again. Unless the GM rules otherwise, he has
(-1), No Range (-½), Self Only (-½), Restricted to buy Indirect for his STR if he wants to punch
Shape (always surrounds character and conforms people while his Force Wall is active.
to his body; -¼). Total cost: 40 points.
Game Information: Force Wall (12 PD/12 ED,
4) Variant Strong Bulletproof: 155 Active Points; 2” long [sufficient to completely “surround”
total cost 48 points. character’s body]), Reduced Endurance (0
5) Variant Weak Bulletproof: 105 Active Points; total END; +½) (93 Active Points); No Range (-½),
cost 32 points. Self Only (-½), Restricted Shape (always sur-
rounds character and conforms to his body; -
CAN TAKE A PUNCH ¼). Total cost: 41 points.
Effect: Physical Damage Reduc-
tion, Resistant, 50%, Options:
Requires A CON Roll, 1) Strong Power: Increase to Force Wall (15 PD/15
Character Must Be Aware ED). 115 Active Points; total cost 51 points.
Of Attack
2) Weak Power: Decrease to Force Wall (10 PD/10
Target/Area Affected: Self
ED). 78 Active Points; total cost 35 points.
Duration: Persistent
Range: Self 3) Tough Power I: Add Hardened (+¼). 108 Active
END Cost: 0 Points; total cost 48 points.
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A 4) Tough Power II: Add Hardened (x2; +½). 124
Description: Also known by such names as Tough, Active Points; total cost 55 points.
Shrug It Off, or Chin Block, this power represents a 5) Lasting Power: This form of the power remains
character’s general resilience and toughness. If he’s active even when the character’s Stunned or
aware of a punch (or any other physical attack) and Knocked Out. Add Persistent (+½). 124 Active
can prepare himself for it, he usually takes much less Points; total cost 55 points.
damage from it. This power is primarily taken by
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 71
I IGNORE YOUR PUNY ENERGY BLAST IT’S LIKE HITTING A BRICK WALL
Effect: Missile Deflection (all Effect: HKA 1d6+1, Continuous,
Ranged attacks), +5 OCV Damage Shield
Target/Area Affected: Self Target/Area Affected: One character
Duration: Constant Duration: Constant
Range: Self Range: No Range
END Cost: 0 END Cost: 0
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -3 Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6
Description: The character’s body is so tough and Description: The character’s skin and body are so
resilient that if he take the time to brace himself tough and strong that hitting them is like slamming
slightly, Ranged attacks just bounce right off him, your fists into a brick wall — literally. Anything
no matter how powerful they are. smashed against the character (including weapons
and fists) takes damage and may break. For every
Game Information: Missile Deflection (all
full 15 points of STR the character has, increase the
Ranged attacks), +5 OCV. Total cost: 30
HKA by +1 Damage Class, representing the fact
points.
that a more muscular brick has a tougher body.
If appropriate, the GM may choose to limit the
Options:
damage done by this power to its listed damage or
1) Strong Ignoring: Increase to +8 OCV. Total cost: the DCs of the attack made against the character,
36 points. whichever is less.
2) Weak Ignoring: Decrease to +3 OCV. Total cost: Game Information: HKA 1d6+1 (up to 2½d6
26 points. with STR), Continuous (+1), Damage Shield
3) Extended Ignoring: The brick can reach his (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (60
massive hands out to deflect attacks made against Active Points); Does Not Work Against Persons
people standing near him. Add Range (adjacent Who Grab Or Are Grabbed By The Character
hexes; +½) to the base Missile Deflection. Total (-½). Total cost: 40 points.
cost: 40 points.
Options:
INSTA-BARRIER
1) Tougher Body: Increase to HKA 2d6. 90 Active
Effect: Entangle 6d6, up to 6 DEF, Points; total cost 60 points.
Only To Form Barriers
2) Weaker Body: Decrease to HKA ½d6
Target/Area Affected: Special
Duration: Instant 3) Skillful Toughness: Add Requires A Brick Tricks
Range: No Range Roll (-½). Total cost: 30 points.
END Cost: 6 4) Restricted Toughness: With this form of the
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -6 power, the character can’t use his STR to improve
Description: This power allows the brick to rip up the chances of hurting people who hit him. Add No
a section of the ground, or perhaps tear off the STR Bonus (-½). Total cost: 30 points.
side of a building or the like, and use it to form
an impromptu barrier. The barrier lasts until PAIN TOLERANCE
destroyed. Effect: Mental Defense (10 points
+ EGO/5) plus Power
Game Information: Entangle 6d6, up to 6 DEF
Defense (10 points), Only
(60 Active Points); OIF (appropriate materials
To Resist Pain Attacks
of opportunity; -½), No Range (-½), Defense
Target/Area Affected: Self
Depends On Materials Used (-½), Only To
Duration: Persistent
Form Barriers (-1), Side Effect (always causes
Range: Self
considerable damage to the environment; -0).
END Cost: 0
Total cost: 17 points.
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
Options: Description: Some Mental Powers (primarily Ego
Attack) and some Drains simulate attacks which
1) Strong Barrier: Increase to Entangle 8d6, up to 8
cause intense pain. Some bricks are so tough and
DEF. 80 Active Points; total cost 23 points.
durable that they’re highly resistant to pain, and
2) Weak Barrier: Decrease to Entangle 4d6, up to 4 this power reflects that.
DEF. 40 Active Points; total cost 11 points.
Game Information: Mental Defense (10 points
3) Skillful Barrier: Add Requires A Brick Tricks + EGO/5) (10 Active Points); Only To Resist
Roll (-½). Total cost: 15 points. Pain Attacks (-2) (total cost: 3 points) plus
Power Defense (10 points) (10 Active Points);
Only To Resist Pain Attacks (-2) (total cost: 3
points). Total cost: 6 points.
72 ■ Building A Brick HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
Options:
1) Strong Resting: Increase to +25 REC. 50 Active
Points; total cost 25 points.
2) Weak Resting: Decrease to +15 REC. 30 Active
Points; total cost 15 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 75
Options:
1) Really Strong Legs: Increase to Running +9”.
Total cost: 18 points.
2) Weaker Legs: Decrease to Running +3”. Total
cost: 6 points.
3) Skillful Running: Add Requires A Brick Tricks
Roll (-½). Total cost: 8 points.
4) Running And Swimming: The character can also
propel himself through the water with great speed.
Character also buys Swimming +6” (8” total). Total
cost: 18 points for both powers.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 77
Options: Options:
1) Strong Power: Increase to Major Transform 3d6. 1) Strong Absorbing I: Increase to Absorption 10d6.
45 Active Points; total cost 11 points. Total cost: 77 points.
2) Weak Power: Decrease to Major Transform 1d6. 2) Strong Absorbing II: Increase to Can Absorb
15 Active Points; total cost 3 points. Maximum Of 120 Points’ Worth Of Physical
3) Skillful Power: Add Requires A Brick Tricks Roll Energy. Total cost: 72 points.
(-½). Total cost: 6 points. 3) Strong Absorbing III: Increase to Absorption
4) Slow But Steady Pressure: The character can 10d6 and Can Absorb Maximum Of 120 Points’
keep squeezing the coal until he gets a diamond. Worth Of Physical Energy. Total cost: 80 points.
Decrease to Major Transform 1d6, add Continuous 4) Weak Absorbing I: Decrease to Absorption 4d6.
(+1), and remove All Or Nothing (-½). 30 Active Total cost: 47 points.
Points; total cost 8 points. 5) Weak Absorbing II: Decrease to Can Absorb
Maximum Of 70 Points’ Worth Of Physical Energy.
THE HARDER YOU HIT ME,
Total cost: 47 points.
THE STRONGER I GET
6) Weak Absorbing III: Decrease to Absorption 4d6
Effect: Absorption 6d6 (physi-
and Can Absorb Maximum Of 70 Points’ Worth Of
cal, to STR), Can Absorb
Physical Energy. Total cost: 43 points.
Maximum Of 90 Points’
Worth Of Physical Energy 7) Long-Lasting Absorbing I: The strength the char-
Target/Area Affected: Self acter gains from physical impacts lasts a long time.
Duration: Constant Add Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate of
Range: Self 5 per 5 Minutes; +½). Total cost:
END Cost: 0 Standard Absorbing: 85 points.
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A Strong Absorbing I: 115 points.
Strong Absorbing II: 108 points.
Description: This is the classic power of the “absorb-
Strong Absorbing III: 120 points.
ing brick” archetype (page 23). The character may
Weak Absorbing I: 70 points.
(or may not) start out stronger than normal — but
Weak Absorbing II: 70 points.
once people start hitting him, he quickly gets stron-
Weak Absorbing III: 64 points.
ger and stronger.
8) Long-Lasting Absorbing II: As Long-Lasting
Game Information: Absorption 6d6 (physical, Absorbing I, but change to Delayed Return Rate
to STR), Can Absorb Maximum Of 90 Points’ (points fade at the rate of 5 per 1 Hour; +1). Total
Worth Of Physical Energy. Total cost: 57 Active cost:
Points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 79
Options:
1) Denser Legs: Increase to Knockback Resistance
-12”. 24 Active Points; total cost 16 points.
2) Less Dense Legs: Decrease to Knockback Resis-
tance -4”. 8 Active Points; total cost 5 points.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 83
GIGANTIC SWING (adjust the cost to suit if the character has less than
Effect: +4 OCV with Sweep 60 points’ worth of Growth).
Target/Area Affected: Self Game Information: +20 PRE (20 Active Points);
Duration: Constant Linked (to Growth, gains +5 PRE per 15 points
Range: Touch of Growth; -½). Total cost: 16 points.
END Cost: 0
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: -1 Options:
Description: The character’s large, strong arms can 1) Really Impressive: Increase to +40 PRE (+10
wield large weapons, and he’s particularly skilled at PRE per 15 points of Growth). 40 Active Points;
at using weapons (or even his fists) to make a pow- total cost 32 points.
erful, scything stroke that hits several foes at once.
In game terms, characters should only use
these Levels to Sweep multiple opponents. How- Defensive Growth Powers
ever, since the rules for placing Limitations on CSLs
would actually make this power cost more if it were GIGANTIC DEFENSE
so Limited, it’s not actually built with any Limita-
Effect: +20 PD and ED, Linked
tion — the player just voluntarily agrees to only
to Growth
use the Levels that way, and the GM enforces that
Target/Area Affected: Self
restriction as part of the power’s special effect.
Duration: Constant
Game Information: +4 OCV with Sweep. Total Range: Self
cost: 8 points. END Cost: 0
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
Options:
Description: As he grows, the character becomes
1) Strong Power: Increase to +6 OCV with Sweep. even tougher to hurt than normal growing char-
Total cost: 12 points. acters. He gains +5 PD and ED per 15 points of
2) Weak Power: Decrease to +2 OCV with Sweep. Growth (adjust the cost to suit if the character has
Total cost: 4 points. less than 60 points’ worth of Growth).
Game Information: +20 PD (20 Active Points);
IMPRESSIVENESS
Linked (to Growth, gains +5 PD per 15 points
Effect: +20 PRE, Linked to of Growth; -¼) (total cost: 16 points) plus +20
Growth ED (20 Active Points); Linked (to Growth, gains
Target/Area Affected: Self +5 ED per 15 points of Growth; -¼) (total cost:
Duration: Constant 16 points). Total cost: 32 points.
Range: Self
END Cost: 0 Options:
Brick Tricks Roll Penalty: N/A
1) Really Gigantic Defenses: Increase to +40 PD
Description: As he grows, the character becomes and ED (+10 PD/ED per 15 points of Growth). 40
even more impressive than normal growing char- and 40 Active Points; total cost 32 and 32 points.
acters. He gains +5 PRE per 15 points of Growth
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter One 85
BRICKS IN
COMBAT
B
ricks are often very combat-effective, and STR to slow it down, since he has no way to coun-
have a tremendous capability to manipu- ter its forward momentum. The GM may waive this
late their physical environment. This chap- rule in appropriate circumstances.
ter addresses some of the consequences of Generally, a character can only stop a resist-
having bricks in a campaign — how they fight, and ing object if he has enough STR to lift that object
how they affect the world around them when it’s not in motion. Weaker characters who
try to stop a resisting object simply suffer a Move
Through from the object and get knocked out of
ENTERING COMBAT: the way or dragged along. Characters may also find
STOPPING MOVING it more difficult (or impossible) to properly Grab
and stop some types of objects, such as tidal waves
OBJECTS or avalanches; they may need to have Force Wall, or
a large, flat object, to use as a tool in this situation.
Bricks occasionally need to stop moving The simple, easy to use rule from pages 364-65
objects. You can find rules for catching falling of the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised allows a
objects on page 434 of the HERO System 5th Edition, character to subtract inches of movement from the
Revised, and there are basic rules for using STR resisting object’s velocity each Phase automatically,
to stop moving objects such as vehicles on pages based on his STR. To make the situation more dan-
238-39 of that book. Some GMs also need rules gerous, difficult, and dramatic, the GM may want to
for much bigger moving objects — avalanches and change this a little to render the outcome less cer-
landslides, meteors and comets, and the like. tain: the character must make a STR Versus STR
Any object that applies constant force in Roll against the resisting object each Phase; if he
its forward progress is referred to as a “resisting loses, he doesn’t get to subtract any inches of move-
object.” This category includes vehicles operating ment from it that Phase. (At the GM’s option, if he
under their own power, objects moved by gravity wins the roll by a significant margin, he may sub-
powers or Telekinesis, and the like. tract more movement than normal for that Phase.)
All of these objects have two significant char-
acteristics: their movement rate and their Strength.
For objects moved by gravity or Telekinesis, calcu- EXAMPLE RESISTING
late the strength of the gravity/Telekinesis rather
than that of the object. Gravity has a STR value
OBJECTS
equal to the amount of STR necessary to pick up The following are suggested STR and movement values
the entire resisting object in the first place — if it’s for various resisting objects characters might encounter:
a normal-sized man, gravity acts on it with STR 10;
Asteroid/meteor, small*: STR 40-60, movement 500”
if it’s a 100-ton space shuttle, gravity has STR 60. If Asteroid/meteor, medium*: STR 60-100, movement 500”
the object doesn’t have its own STR Characteristic Asteroid/meteor, large*: STR 100-150, movement 500”
naturally, and isn’t being affected by gravity, the GM Avalanche, small*: STR 30-40, movement 20”
should assign it a STR based on its size, mass, and Avalanche, medium*: STR 40-50, movement 20”
any other factor he deems relevant. Avalanche, large*: STR 50-60, movement 20”
A character trying to stop a moving resisting Bus/truck: STR 40-55, movement up to
object must first put himself in a position to apply 100” Noncombat
movement (opposite to its current direction) to Car: STR 30-40, movement up to
some portion of it (preferably its most forward 125” Noncombat
Tidal wave, small*: STR 30-40, movement
point — that tends to be most efficient, and is the
80-120”
most visually appealing). This usually means the Tidal wave, medium*: STR 40-50, movement
character must use his own movement abilities to 80-120”
get to that point, normally without making a Move Tidal wave, large*: STR 50-60, movement
Through or Move By attack against the resisting 80-120”
object. Once he’s in position, use the rules from Train/subway: STR 55-65, movement 40-80”
pages 364-65 of the HERO System 5th Edition, Noncombat (or up to 336” for
Revised to determine if he can get a hold on the bullet trains)
object and start to slow it down. Typically, a charac- *: Character may need a Force Wall or large, flat object to
ter needs to have an appropriate Movement Power “Grab” this “object.”
to stop a resisting object — a superhero who lacks
Flight usually can’t Grab a flying object and use his
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Two 89
If a character fails to stop a moving object fantastic campaign may want to ignore the Encum-
that he’s Grabbed, in later Phases he can choose to brance rules altogether, allowing bricks to carry up
Squeeze it and damage it instead of using his STR to their full STR worth of weight without suffering
to subtract inches of movement. He cannot Throw any reduction in movement or DCV.
it or use any other option for Grab; all he can do
OFF HAND
is Squeeze. Assuming he does enough damage, he
may destroy the object, bring it to a halt, cause it to The Off Hand rules generally only apply to
crash, or the like. weapons; under the standard rules, a brick could
punch someone with either of his fists and suffer
no OCV penalty for the “off ” hand. However, GMs
COMBAT MODIFIERS interested in fairness or “realism” may want to apply
the Off Hand penalty to barehanded attacks like
The following notes and optional rules apply punches (and many Martial Maneuvers).
when characters of high STR use certain Combat
Modifiers. SPREADING AN ATTACK
Rather than having a brick buy an ability like
AREA OF EFFECT, EXPLOSION
Armsweep (page 51), or use that ability by making
The standard rules for area-affecting attacks a Brick Tricks roll, some GMs may prefer to let
indicate that using such an attack against an adja- bricks Spread their STR as a way of representing an
cent hex means the hex has DCV 0 instead of DCV “arm sweep,” massive fists, or the like. In this case,
3. Adjacent means just that — the hex right next to the brick may only Spread for one hex (unless he
the hex the character is standing in when he begins had Stretching or some other ability that the GM
or launches the attack. A character cannot buy Area felt justified a broader Spread).
Of Effect (One Hex) as an Advantage for his STR Additionally, in some cases the GM might let a
and then use it on other hexes (such as the hex at brick use the Spreading rules for his STR to reflect
the end of a Move By/Through, or hexes reached how he picks up large objects and uses them as “clubs”
with Stretching) at DCV 0 — those hexes have to hit people in HTH Combat, instead of the Weapon
DCV 3 against his attack, since they’re not “adja- Size/Shape rules (see below). In this case, the character
cent” to him when he begins the attack. has to Spread for area, not OCV, and the number of
ENCUMBRANCE hexes Spread must equal the “footprint” of the object.
Since bricks tend to lift heavy objects fre- Example: Grond decides to smash the Cham-
quently, and in some genres are usually loaded pions with a school bus. In game terms, a bus
down with extra gear because their comrades know measures 5” x 2.5” (see The Ultimate Vehicle,
they can carry more, the Encumbrance rules may page 48). Therefore Grond must Spread for 10
come into play. Gamemasters interested in a truly hexes — a footprint 5 hexes long and 2 hexes
90 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
wide (the GM lets him have the additional .5 Acting First
hex of width for free). Therefore he loses 10 If a character successfully Blocks attacks
Damage Classes from his attack and only does from multiple opponents, he gets the “may act
(90-50) 40 STR worth of damage — 8d6. On first in the next Phase, if they share it” benefit
the other hand, he’s hit all five of the Champi- against all of them.
ons at once! If a character successfully Blocks his attacker
and the “may act first in the next Phase, if they
WEAPON SIZE/SHAPE share it” benefit applies, it applies even if the
Bricks are more likely than any other type of attacker decides not to attack the character in his
character to use the Weapon Size/Shape rules, since next Phase. However, the attacker’s DEX for pur-
they’re often the only ones who can pick up objects poses of acting first is not lowered as to any other
that are large enough for those rules to come into character. Unless the character stops the attacker
play. In most cases, the “treat the weapon as an Area somehow, the attacker can attack some other target
Of Effect attack” option works better for bricks than at his normal DEX.
the “treat the weapon as an OCV bonus” option, but The “may act first in the next Phase, if they
some GMs may prefer the OCV method as a way of share it” benefit only applies if the two characters
maintaining game balance. involved both have their normal Phases on the next
Segment. If the attacker Holds and chooses to act
in a Segment in which the character has a Phase
COMBAT MANEUVERS but the attacker normally does not, the characters’
respective Actions occur in their normal order
This section covers Combat Maneuvers that — whichever character has the higher DEX acts
bricks use frequently — such as Block, Grab, Hay- first, despite the Block.
maker, and Move Through — and provides addi-
tional or expanded rules to cover situations that Subsequent Blocks
often crop up in brick combat. If a character Aborts to Block, and then con-
tinues to Block other attacks in later Segments after
BLOCK he Aborted, he may continue to Block in the Seg-
The following additional and expanded rules ment in which his next Phase occurs, but before
apply to Block. When attacked, many bricks are his Phase occurs. For example, if a SPD 3, DEX 15
more inclined to try to “take it” because of their character Aborts his Phase in Segment 12 to suc-
high defenses, but some use Block to represent their cessfully Block an attack, he can Block a second
ability to shrug off even the mightiest punch. attack (at -2) in Segment 4 — when his next usable
Phase occurs on DEX 15 — if his attacker has a
The Applicability Of Block Phase in Segment 4 prior to DEX 15. Furthermore,
A character can normally Block any HTH he then receives his normal Phase when his DEX
Combat attack, including Disarms, Choke Holds, occurs in the initiative order, and may make an
Grabs/Grab Bys, Move Bys/Throughs, and so forth. attack or perform any other Action he normally
He may also Block melee weapon attacks, though could during a Phase. However, the GM may, in his
the GM may impose penalties or other modifiers discretion, change these rules, and/or impose an
for actions like attempting to Block a weapon attack OCV penalty (or other appropriate penalty) on the
with bare hands. However, the GM must apply Action the character takes when his Phase arises.
common sense, dramatic sense, and considerations
of game balance when determining what sort of Block And Multiple Attacks
attacks a character can Block. Although a character Some attacks, such as Sweep or a Multiple
could Block a Move Through performed against Move By, involve a sequence of attacks directed at
him by another character, he probably can’t Block a the target in which if one of the attacks misses, all
Move Through performed by a Vehicle. subsequent attacks automatically miss. For these
If a character Blocks a Move Through, the purposes, successfully Blocking one of the attacks
character making the unsuccessful Move Through in the sequence does not count as a “miss”; the
attack does not take any damage. attacker may continue with the rest of the sequence.
Generally, a character cannot Block a HTH (However, if one of the attacks misses due to the
Combat attack bought with the Area Of Effect or target Dodging or Diving For Cover, that counts as
Explosion Advantages. However, the GM can allow a miss and ends the sequence of attacks.)
a character to Block such attacks in appropriate Sometimes a character wants to Block an
circumstances. For example, if both the attacker Autofire HTH Combat attack that has “hit” him
and the defender had Area Of Effect on their STR, multiple times. Autofire used against a single
bought to represent the enormous size of their target requires a single Attack Roll from which the
hands, the GM might allow each character to Block number of hits are determined. Therefore, the char-
the other’s attacks. acter makes a single Block roll. If he makes the roll
If a character Blocks a Constant HTH attack, exactly, he Blocks one of the hits. For every 2 points
the first roll deflects it entirely; it’s as if the attacker by which he makes the roll beyond that, he Blocks
missed. He does not have to keep Blocking it in another hit. If the character Blocking the attack gets
subsequent Segments. attacked by another character that same Phase and
The CV bonuses obtained from Block apply to wants to Block that character’s attacks, his Block
all characters, not just the character Blocked. roll suffers a -2 for the second attack, -4 for the
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Two 91
third, and so forth. The penalty doesn’t derive from or Squeeze the target; all he can do is apply the
the number of Autofire shots Blocked, because the maneuver’s NND damage.
character only made one Block roll, and Blocking A Choke Hold prevents the use of headbutts. A
some but less than all of an attacker’s Autofire shots Choke Hold does not cut off the victim’s senses, but
does not count as a “missed Block” for purposes of might interfere with them (i.e., cause PER Roll pen-
ending a character’s ability to make multiple Blocks. alties, as determined by the GM). It might cut off,
For an attack like Sweep, which involves mul- or diminish the effectiveness of some powers (such
tiple Attack Rolls, a character must make one Block as a sonic scream), but that’s up to the GM, who
roll for each Attack Roll, at the normal penalty for should make the call in light of game balance con-
making multiple Blocks in the same Phase. So, to siderations, common sense, and dramatic sense — a
Block a three-attack Sweep involves one normal PC shouldn’t be allowed to turn a 4-point Martial
Block roll, a second roll at -2, and a third at -4. If Maneuver into a frequently-used Drain All Powers
another character attacked the Blocking character, Emanating From The Head.
an attempt to Block his attack would be at -6.
GRAB
Block And Invisible Attacks Grab is one of the Combat Maneuvers bricks
Generally, a character cannot Block an attack most frequently use. Because of bricks’ vast STR,
he cannot perceive (or, at best, can only Block most targets have little or no chance of escaping,
with OCV 0). That means the GM has to decide making Grab a good way of restraining someone
on a case-by-case basis whether a character can without hurting him.
“perceive” an attack. If the attack is Fully Invisible
(including the source of the power), then a charac- Standard Penalties For Grab
ter probably has no chance to Block it. On the other The rules list both a -2 DCV penalty for Grab,
hand, if the character can’t perceive the attack but and a ½ DCV penalty for holding onto a Grabbed
can perceive his attacker gesturing at him or ini- character. The -2 DCV penalty applies if the Grab
tiating the attack, the GM might simply apply the does not succeed. If it does succeed, the ½ DCV
penalties for fighting an invisible attacker, or maybe penalty for holding onto another character “over-
a Surprised bonus, to the Block attempt. rides” it, giving the character half his normal DCV.
A character who has Grabbed another charac-
CHOKE HOLD ter cannot let the Grabbee maintain his full OCV
Establishing a Choke Hold involves a Grab, and DCV, even if the Grabbee voluntarily submits
and therefore the normal rules for Grab apply. to the Grab.
For example, the victim gets an immediate Casual
Optional Penalties For Grab
STR roll to break free (and if he succeeds, takes no
As noted on page 388 of the HERO System 5th
damage from the attack), and the OCV/DCV pen-
Edition, Revised rulebook, some GMs may prefer
alties for Grabbing/being Grabbed apply. However,
to vary the penalties for successfully performing a
the character using Choke Hold cannot Throw
Grab based on the relative STRs of the character,
92 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
reflecting the fact that a strong character can hold and the standard amount of time for an Attack
onto someone more easily than a weak one. Action. If the Attack Roll for a Squeeze fails, the
The standard CV penalties for performing a suc- victim remains Grabbed but takes no damage. If
cessful Grab are: the Attack Roll for a Throw fails, the victim is no
longer Grabbed (unless the GM rules otherwise,
Grabber: ½ DCV against all attackers as he might if the Throw is a slam) and suffers no
(including Grabbed character) effects of a Throw (he takes no damage and suffers
Full OCV against the Grabbed no initiative penalty in relation to the character
character who threw him).
½ OCV against other targets (if If a character has Martial Grab or another
attacks are possible at all) Martial Maneuver that adds a STR bonus to Grab,
the STR bonus applies solely for the purposes of
Grabbee: ½ DCV against all attackers
holding on to the target. It doesn’t increase the
(including Grabber)
damage done by Squeezing or Throwing the target,
-3 OCV against the Grabber (if increase the distance a target can be thrown, or
attacks are possible at all) have any other effect. Similarly, characters can
½ OCV against other targets (if use Combat Skill Levels to increase their OCV or
attacks are possible at all) DCV when Grabbing, but not the damage done by
However, if the Grabber’s STR is 20 or more points Squeezing or Throwing.
higher than the Grabbed character’s STR, change See page 99 for rules regarding using a
the penalties to the following: Grabbed character as a “club” or “missile” against
other characters.
Grabber: -2 DCV against all attackers
(including Grabbed character) Squeezing Multiple Targets
Full OCV against the Grabbed In some situations, a character may want to
character Grab and Squeeze two characters. This could simu-
late, for example, smashing two enemies’ heads
-1 OCV against other targets (if together, or simply be a clever combat tactic for
attacks are possible at all) a brick with large arms. To do this, the character
must Sweep Grab two targets, then Squeeze them
At the GM’s option, if the Grabber’s STR is 40 both that same Phase if he succeeds. In later Phases
or more points higher than the Grabbed character’s he’d have to Sweep Squeeze (since Squeezing in
STR, the DCV penalty falls to -1. later Phases counts as an attack), or choose which
Squeezing And Throwing one to Squeeze.
After performing a Grab, a character can only Other Options
Squeeze or Throw the target, or use a Combat or Pages 144-46 of The Ultimate Martial Artist
Martial Maneuver that must follow a Grab (such discuss several options for affecting Grabbed
as Crush); he can’t use any other maneuvers unless characters besides Squeezing or Throwing, such as
circumstances dictate otherwise (e.g., he only Grabs Block, Control, Redirect, and Shove. At the GM’s
with one hand, leaving the other free to punch the option, bricks (and other characters) can use these;
victim) or the GM so permits (and even in that they’re not restricted just to martial artists (though
case, using another attack should mean releasing they’re usually most appropriate for them).
the Grab in most circumstances). (However, pages
145-46 of The Ultimate Martial Artist offer optional The Same Hex
rules for expanding what a character can do to or The rules say that after a successful Grab, the
with a Grabbed character.) Grabber and Grabbee “both occupy the same hex.”
The Throw that follows a Grab can “slam” the By default this means the Grabber’s hex. However,
victim directly onto the ground next to the character, if the Grabber has a Half Phase Action available
or it can hurl the victim a distance (use the Throw- before attacking, he can specify in advance that he
ing Table to determine how far the character can wants to move into the Grabbee’s hex before Grab-
Throw the victim). The Throw has the usual effects bing him.
for a Throw, such as described under Martial Throw
One-Handed Grabs
on page 400 of the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
If a character uses only one hand to Grab, he is at
rulebook. See also pages 146 and 152 of The Ultimate
-5 STR, and can only use half of the STR bonus pro-
Martial Artist for more information about Throws.
vided by any Grab-based Martial Maneuver. But if he
If a character makes a Half Move to a target,
manages to hold on, he can use his free hand for other
Grabs him, and then Throws him, this is a Stand-
attacks. For example, he could hold on to the target
ing Throw. If a character starts a Phase with a
with his left hand, and punch him with his right.
Grabbed victim, he could make a Running Throw
of him if he wishes. Attacks By The Grabbed Character
As noted in the rules for Grab, Squeezing As noted in the rulebook, a Grabbed character
or Throwing a Grabbed victim in a Phase after can try to attack the person Grabbing him. (At the
performing a Grab constitutes an Attack Action. GM’s option, he might be allowed to attack some
That means it requires a standard Attack Roll (the other character instead, using the same abilities
Squeeze or Throw doesn’t automatically succeed) with which he could attack his captor.) The sorts of
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Two 93
attacks a Grabbed character can use in this situa- of inches of Knockback normally. Then roll the
tion depend largely on the special effects involved, Knockback damage dice (the full amount, as if the
common sense, dramatic sense, and the circum- character had hit an obstacle) in a “Strength” Versus
stances. He can never use Accessible Foci, and he Strength Contest against the Grabber’s STR. If the
can always use his own raw STR to try to break free Knockback wins the contest, the Grabbed character
or hurt the character Grabbing him. Beyond that, is knocked out of the Grab and the character who
the GM has to decide whether he can or cannot use was attacked travels a number of inches equal to
an attack, adjust the rules for each specific situation, the ((inches of KB) - (BODY rolled for Grabber’s
based on the special effects and characters involved. STR)). Resolve the damage from those inches of
As a default rule: Knockback traveled normally. If the Grabber wins
■ the Grabbed character can use any of his own the contest, the character takes no Knockback, and
attacks against the character Grabbing him, but no damage from Knockback.
cannot use Combat or Martial Maneuvers unless Example: Squeeze (STR 40) has Grabbed
the GM so permits (since those typically require Brainwave. One of Squeeze’s allies takes advan-
a degree of movement and mobility the character tage of Brainwave’s reduced DCV to shoot
cannot achieve when Grabbed) him with an Energy Blast that does 15 BODY
■ the Grabbed character can only use attacks that damage. The GM rolls 5 on the 2d6 for deter-
are “free” (unhindered by the Grab — such as eye- mining Knockback, so Brainwave would ordi-
beams) against other targets narily take 10” of Knockback. The GM rolls the
10d6 in a “Strength” Versus Strength Contest
On important factor for the GM to keep against Squeeze. The GM rolls 10 BODY, and
in mind is the number of limbs Grabbed. If the Squeeze rolls 8. So, Brainwave is knocked out of
attacker only Grabs one limb, or the victim has Squeeze’s grip and travels (10-8) 2”, taking 2d6
Extra Limbs that are fully manipulable, then the Knockback damage.
victim may be able to use his free limbs to attack The same rules apply to Knockdown.
freely, wield Accessible Foci, or the like.
Grabs And Movement
Grab And Knockback When a character Grabs a moving target, the
A Grabbed character may be attacked by a target immediately gets a standard Casual STR Roll
third party and suffer Knockback (or maybe even to break out. If the GM is using the optional rule on
suffer Knockback from the Grabber, if the Grab- pages 364-65 of the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
ber has more limbs free to attack with). Similarly, rulebook regarding the effect of movement on STR,
a Grabbing character could be attacked and suffer then you should calculate the character’s Casual STR
Knockback. In either case, determine the number with that in mind. If the roll succeeds, the target keeps
94 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
moving until the end of his declared inches of move- from around B. He makes a Grab attack against
ment (assuming he wasn’t there already). If the roll C as normal (keep in mind that C has a reduced
fails, the target’s movement immediately drops to 0” DCV from performing a Grab on B). A may then
(this does not cause him damage), and he remains in pit his STR against C in a STR Versus STR Contest
the hex where he was Grabbed. He has to break out to pry C’s arms from around B, and if he succeeds,
in the usual fashion, without gaining any STR benefit he frees B
from movement.
Breaking Free From A Grab
Multiple Grabs As noted on page 387 of the HERO System 5th
In some situations, two or more characters Edition, Revised rulebook, a Grabbed character gets
may want to perform Grabs on the same target. For to use Casual STR to try to break free immediately.
purposes of analyzing this situation, assume three Unlike most uses of Causal STR, which are Zero-
characters: A, B, and C. Phase Actions, this “immediate” use is an Action
Suppose C has Grabbed B. A also wants to that takes no time (but a character only gets to try
Grab B. If C is willing to have A help him hold B, it that one time, right after he’s first Grabbed).
A simply makes a normal Attack Roll against B’s If a character attempts to use his Casual STR
DCV (which is reduced by the Grab, of course). To to break free from a Grab, and he has an Escape-
break free B must defeat the higher of A’s and C’s based Martial Maneuver (such as Martial Escape),
STRs. Alternately, the GM can add A’s and C’s lift- he can use half the STR from that in addition to
ing capacities together to determine their “group half his innate STR. He may not, however, apply
STR,” as described on page 6, and B has to break any bonus “STR dice” from using Contortionist, or
free from that. If B only wants to free the part of any “bonus STR” from using a Movement Power
his body held by one of his captors, he has to make (assuming the GM permits the latter, in light of
his STR Roll versus that person’s STR, but if he suc- the circumstances and powers involved). In later
ceeds he only frees that part of his body. Phases, he may use half the bonuses from Con-
If C doesn’t want A to Grab B (maybe A is tortionist and/or Movement Powers to increase
trying to pull B free), A has to make his Attack Roll a Casual STR roll to break out, but using either
against the higher of C’s DCV or B’s DCV. If A or both converts the use of Casual STR to a Half-
succeeds, he can then engage in a STR Versus STR Phase Action. He can add full Contortionist and/or
Contest with C to free B (B takes no damage from Movement Power bonuses to a normal, full-STR
this, unless the GM feels it would be appropriate to damage roll to break free; the rules for how much
apply some measure of the STR involved to reflect time this takes are on page 423 of the HERO System
the tugging on B’s body). 5th Edition, Revised rulebook.
Instead of trying to free B by Grabbing him, A As noted on page 386 of the HERO System 5th
might instead Grab C and then try to pry his arms Edition, Revised rulebook, a character often cannot
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Two 95
Grab a target that’s significantly larger than himself. cally takes a Full Phase, regardless of how well the
If a Grabbed character activates the Growth Power, character breaks out). A character cannot Hay-
he may automatically be able to break free from a maker a Grab, but in the Phases after successfully
Grab. Alternately, the GM can convert the Growing Grabbing someone could, with the GM’s permis-
character’s growth momentum to STR (on a 1d6 sion, Haymaker the Squeeze or Throw damage he
= +5 STR basis) to determine the effect of grow- can do to a Grabbed opponent. He could also Grab
ing out of a Grab. (See page 38 regarding growth a target with less than all of his manipulatory limbs,
momentum.) then use one of his free limbs to make a Haymaker
Shrinking to half a character’s size or less Strike on the Grabbed target in a later Phase (in
allows him to slip out of a Grab automatically if he doing so he’d suffer all the penalties for both Grab
beats the character Grabbing him in a DEX Roll and Haymaker, though).
Versus DEX Roll Contest. (At the GM’s option, the
High-SPD Haymakers
shrinking character may use his Power: Shrinking
At SPD 7 and above, characters can have
Tricks Skill instead, if he has it.)
Phases in two or more consecutive Segments. If a
A character may not use a Ranged Attack that
character begins a Haymaker in a Phase before a
exerts force (such as an Energy Blast) to break free
Phase in a consecutive Segment, he’s still perform-
from a Grab, even if it has the No Range Limitation.
ing the Haymaker in the next Segment, and there-
The standard rules for Grab indicate that
fore loses his Phase in that Segment.
the victim’s STR damage roll to break free must
exceed the Grabber’s roll — in other words, ties Example: Thunderbolt (SPD 8) begins a Hay-
go to the Grabber, not the victim. As an option, maker in his Phase in Segment 2. He’s SPD 8, so
the GM can rule that ties go to the stronger he also has a Phase in Segment 3 — but since he
character. That way a character with, say, STR 41 doesn’t finish his Haymaker until the end of Seg-
derives a little extra benefit from spending that ment 3, he loses his Phase in that Segment.
extra point when he’s wrestling with a character
who has STR 40. Stopping A Haymaker
Grabbing And Being Stunned Or Knocked Out The rules note that a Haymaker automati-
A Grabber who is Stunned automatically lets cally fails if the target moves 1” or more during the
go of the Grabbed person (or object) at the end “windup.” The Haymaker also fails if the character
of the Segment unless he succeeds with an EGO performing it suffers any Knockback or Knock-
Roll. The roll suffers a penalty of -1 per 10 points of down, or if he’s Stunned or Knocked Out by an
STUN (or fraction thereof) the character took from attack. Just inflicting damage on the character won’t
the attack which Stunned him. At the GM’s option, stop his Haymaker; the damage has to move him,
even if the character maintains his grip, a Grabbed Stun him, or Knock him Out.
person may receive a bonus to break free (such as Haymaker Endurance
+5 or +10 STR) until the Grabber can recover from A character pays the END for the STR used
being Stunned. to perform a Haymaker in the Segment in which
A Grabber who is Knocked Out automatically he launches the attack (i.e., the Segment after he
lets go of the Grabbed person (or object) at the end begins the attack). For example, if a character
of the Segment. begins a Haymaker during his Phase in Segment 6,
HAYMAKER he pays the END for it in Segment 7. This means he
pays END for it even if he used his STR for other
The Haymaker is a perennial favorite of bricks purposes during his Phase in the previous Segment.
— in fact, it takes its name from the wind-up heavy
punch used in brawls. Since bricks already tend to MOVE BY
have low DEXs and DCVs and get by on resisting A Move By does STR/2 + (vel/5)d6 damage,
damage instead of avoiding it, the DCV penalty as stated in the rulebook. It’s not limited by the
and extra Segment required to execute a Haymaker character’s STR — it does the defined amount of
don’t trouble them as much as they do some other damage listed for the maneuver.
types of characters. Some of them buy “brick tricks” Halve a character’s STR before determining
to improve their Haymakers, such as Augmented the STR damage he does with a Move Through.
Haymaker (page 51) or Rapid Haymaker (page 62). That eliminates potential problems with trying to
Haymaker Applicability halve a half-die of damage.
The rules note that a character cannot Hay- Example: Basher (STR 43) performs a Move By.
maker another Combat or Martial Maneuver — he Normally he does 8½d6 STR damage. But for a
can’t use a Haymaker Offensive Strike, or a Haymaker Move Through, first he halves his STR, giving
Disarm. While technically a Strike (a punch or any him a 22. That means he does 4d6 damage, plus
other attack that doesn’t fall under another Combat his velocity divided by three.
Maneuver) is a Combat Maneuver, it’s an exception
to this rule — Strikes (usually punches) are the one The rules described below for Move Through
Combat Maneuver that a character can Haymaker. velocity damage and the like generally apply to
At the GM’s option, a character can Haymaker Move By as well.
his STR when trying to escape from a Grab or
Entangle (but this means breaking out automati-
96 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
DETERMINING DAMAGE sword had a STR Min of 14, and the barbarian had
STR 18, he couldn’t add a DC from STR (he’d need
The rules on pages 405-09 of the HERO System STR 19 to do that).
5th Edition, Revised rulebook cover the subject of Although all melee weapons are always built
adding damage in detail. Here are a few additional with the Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) Advan-
notes, clarifications, and options based on the use tage, characters do not have to account for that
of STR. Advantage when using STR to increase the the
Page 404 of the HERO System 5th Edition, damage caused by a weapon (as they normally do,
Revised rulebook describes how to calculate the per the rules on page 272 of the rulebook).
Damage Classes in an Advantaged attack. For pur- If a character uses an attack which adds
poses of that rule, Advantages which “directly affect damage from STR (such as an HA or HKA), he can
how the victim takes damage” usually include: also add damage to that attack with a Move By/
Area Of Effect, AP, AVLD, Autofire, BOECV, Con- Through to which he also adds his STR. The GM
tinuous, Cumulative, Damage Shield, Explosion, may, of course, forbid this if it becomes abusive or
Does BODY, Does Knockback, Double Knockback, unbalancing.
MegaScale (in some instances), Penetrating, Sticky,
Transdimensional, Trigger, Uncontrolled, Usable
As Attack, Variable Advantage, and Variable Special KNOCKBACK
Effects. However, the final decision is up to the GM; Due to the power of their attacks, bricks
he may exclude some of these, include ones not frequently do Knockback. The following clarifica-
listed here, or both. tions and rules options expand the information in
The standard rounding rules do not apply the HERO System 5th Edition, Revised concerning
when calculating the damage added by STR (or Knockback.
the like). STR, velocity, and similar methods of
adding damage let a character add Damage Classes, Calculating Knockback
not dice, and there’s no such thing as a “half Extra When calculating Knockback, you use the total
Damage Class.” The character must have a full amount of BODY rolled on the dice, regardless of the
increment of whatever adds a DC to add a DC. For target’s defenses or how much damage the character
example, in the case of a Fantasy barbarian wield- takes after applying them. The one exception is if the
ing a sword, he needs the full +5 points of STR over damage has to first penetrate a barrier, such as a wall
the STR Min to add a DC to a blade — thus, if the or Force Wall. In that case, base the Knockback on the
BODY damage that gets through the barrier; if none
gets through, there’s no Knockback. (If some does
get through, the amount that gets through would be
doubled for Double Knockback purposes.)
Knockback Damage And Other Effects
Knockback damage can be confusing due to the
variables involved. To summarize, the damage from
Knockback depends on two factors: distance trav-
eled and objects impacted.
1. If the inches of Knockback rolled are greater than
the DEF + BODY of the object impacted, the Knock-
back damage equals the DEF + BODY.
2. If the inches of Knockback rolled are equal to or
less than the DEF + BODY of the object impacted,
the Knockback damage equals the inches rolled.
3. If the character doesn’t hit an object (i.e., he hits
the ground when he’s Knocked Back horizontally),
he takes half the inches rolled in damage.
Passing Strike, as part of the attack, but still get thrown). But GMs desiring greater “realism” (and
the typical velocity bonus to damage (or STR) as thus complexity) should consider using the follow-
if performing a Move By. This can cause game bal- ing rules.
ance problems, but may be appropriate for some Density Increase: If a character has Density
situations. Increase active at the moment he’s thrown, use it
The Fastball Special And Movement to determine his mass. If he activates the power in
The basic fastball special rules assume the the middle of the maneuver, re-calculate how far
“fastball” doesn’t have Movement Powers that the thrower could have thrown him. If he’s already
would allow him to reach the target, or that his traveled that far or further, he immediately drops to
Movement Powers aren’t powerful enough to let the ground. If he still has some inches left to travel
him get that far and still attack. But that may not at his higher mass, he travels them, but no further.
always be the case, and a proper combination of If a high-mass character falls on a target, use the
throwing velocity and Movement Powers can yield rules for dropped objects on page 436 of the HERO
some interesting results. System 5th Edition, Revised to determine how much
A “fastball” with any amount of Flight can damage he does (possibly adding a die or two to
use 1” of Flight as a Half-Phase Action to change account for the velocity from the throw, if appro-
the direction he’s traveling as a fastball by up to priate).
sixty degrees (one hex side) without losing any of On the other hand, if the character is heavier
his fastball velocity (or adding to it). At the GM’s than normal when thrown, but then deactivates his
option, if the character applies one Movement Skill Density Increase and becomes lighter in mid-flight,
Level, or makes a DEX Roll at -4, he can turn up to re-calculate how far the thrower could have thrown
120 degrees (two hex sides) without losing any fast- him. Add half the extra inches to the character’s
ball velocity. This is a good way to make a Surprise inches traveled and velocity for damage purposes.
Move or hurl the fastball around a corner. Desolidification: A character has to be solid to be
At the GM’s option, if the “fastball” has more thrown (unless the thrower has STR that can affect
inches of Flight than the number of inches he’s Desolidified objects, in which case consider the
been thrown, he can add the excess to the throwing Desolidified character to have his normal mass for
inches, thus increasing both his distance traveled purposes of calculating the throw distance). How-
and velocity-based damage. For example, if Iron- ever, the character could activate Desolidification
clad throws Sapphire 10”, and Sapphire has Flight after making a Half Move, and thus move through
15”, she can add (15-10) 5” to her distance traveled solid objects in his path. The problem with doing so
and velocity for damage purposes. This counts as a is that the rules would not normally allow him to
Half Phase Action, regardless of how many inches turn his Desolidification off in time to hit the target
of movement the fastball adds. and injure him. In this case, the GM can either
Alternately, but also at the GM’s option, if grant an exception to that rule, or allow an excep-
the “fastball” has any number of inches of Flight, tion if the character successfully makes a roll with
he can add those directly to his fastball velocity, an appropriate Power Skill or other Skill.
“stacking” both of them to achieve a much higher
Duplication: If a character Duplicates while in mid-
velocity (and thus greater distance traveled and
throw, the Duplicates have his same velocity and
damage done). Using the example above, that
trajectory, and hit the target if he would. The GM
would allow Sapphire to travel 25” and do a total
may impose restrictions, based on common sense
of +8d6 damage with a Move Through. This option
and dramatic sense, regarding how many “fastball
can be extremely unbalancing for the game, though,
Duplicates” can hit a single target (two or three is
so GMs should consider carefully before allowing
usually a good maximum).
characters to use it in the game.
If for some reason a “fastball” with Flight Growth: Growth functions just like Density
wants to slow down, he can apply half his inches of Increase regarding the way it increases (or
Flight to counteract his thrown velocity as a Half decreases) mass. At the GM’s option, a Growing
Phase Action. character can use growth momentum against the
If the “fastball” has Teleportation, he can make target (since the target is sort of “above” him as he
a Half Move with his Teleportation during the travels); this may require the character to succeed
throw to either increase the distance he’s thrown with a roll with an appropriate Power Skill or other
(but not the damage from velocity), or to alter his Skill.
direction of attack and thus possibly gain a Surprise Multiform and Shape Shift: If a character uses one
Move bonus (this tactic works best if the fastball of these powers to alter his form in a way that
has the Position Shift Adder for his Teleportation). increases his mass, apply the rules for Density
The Fastball Special And Changing Form Increase to determine what happens. If his change
The fastball special rules assume the “fastball” of shape alters his balance and/or aerodynamic
keeps the same size, form, and mass he had when qualities, apply the worse of the two modifiers
thrown. However, Body-Affecting Powers can from the Range Modifiers For Thrown Objects table
interact with a fastball special maneuver in various (HERO System 5th Edition, Revised, page 35) to the
ways. The easiest thing is for the GM to just ignore thrower’s Attack Roll. For example, if the character
this entirely, except for purposes of determining starts out neither balanced nor aerodynamic (-4 to
the character’s mass (and thus how far he can be thrower’s OCV), but changes shape to a balanced
102 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
object (-2 OCV), the thrower still suffers the -4 Example: Shrinker, at regular height and
OCV. Similarly, if the character starts out balanced mass, is thrown by someone with 30 extra STR
and aerodynamic (-0 OCV), but changes form to be (so she’s traveling 24”). After making a Half
non-aerodynamic (-2 OCV), the thrower suffers a Move, she takes a Zero-Phase Action to Shrink
-2 OCV penalty. down to the point where she weighs .2 kg. At
Beyond that, the GM should use his common that weight, the thrower has 75 extra STR for
sense and dramatic sense to determine the effects throwing purposes (for a distance of 60”). Half
of changing shape. For example, some shapes may the difference is (60-24 = 36) 18”, so Shrinker
be so broad or flat that they slow the character now travels (24+18) 42”, using that velocity to
down, subtracting inches from his velocity. calculate damage if she hits the target.
Shrinking: Fastballs often start out Shrunk, since
that allows the thrower to toss them a long way Stretching: If they succeed with a DEX Roll, char-
(and doesn’t effect the STR with which they strike!). acters with Stretching can time their use of the
If they increase their size in mid-flight, apply the power just right so they can add Stretching velocity
rules above for Density Increase to determine how damage to the damage they do from being “fast-
much they slow down. As discussed under Growth, balls.” Stretching may also allow a character who
above, they may be able to use growth momentum won’t travel quite far enough because of the throw
damage when they hit their target. to “add” a few inches onto the end of the maneuver
Shrinking in mid-throw has an effect oppo- and manage to strike his target. Unusual alterations
site that of Density Increase. When the character of form via Stretching should be dealt with as dis-
Shrinks, determine how far the initial throw would cussed under Multiform And Shape Shift, above.
have thrown him at his new mass. Add half the
extra inches to the character’s inches traveled and
velocity for damage purposes.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Two 103
BODY OF...
EXPANDED OBJECT TABLE
Item BODY DEF Mass* Item BODY DEF Mass*
As an easy-to-use
ARMOR Reinforced Leather Armors
guideline for calculating
Chainmails Studded Soft Leather 3 1 7.0
how much a 1” human
Chainmail 18 6 20 Ring Armor (Soft Leather) 9 3 14.0
being made of a given
Double Mail/Bar Mail 21 7 28 Bezainted Soft Leather 9 3 14.0
material weighs, divide
Reinforced Chainmail 21 7 28 Jazeraint Soft Leather 9 3 14.0
the mass of a cubic hex
Cloth And Hide Armors Studded Heavy Leather 6 2 10.0
of that material by 73.
Heavy Cloth 3 1 3.5 Ring Armor (Heavy Leather) 12 4 20.0
Thus, a person made of
Padded Cloth 6 2 5.0 Bezainted Heavy Leather 12 4 20.0
solid stone (17,551 kg
Woven Cord 6 2 5.0 Jazeraint Heavy Leather 12 4 20.0
per cubic meter) would
Heavy Animal Hides 9 3 7.0 Studded Cuir-Bouilli 9 3 14.0
weigh 240 kilograms.
Leather Armors Ring Armor (Cuir-Bouilli) 15 5 28.0
From that you can vary
Soft Leather 3 1 3.5 Bezainted Cuir-Bouilli 15 5 28.0
the weight up or down
Heavy Leather 6 2 5.0 Jazeraint Cuir-Bouilli 15 5 28.0
depending on character
Cuir-Bouilli (Boiled Leather) 9 3 7.0 Scale Mails
conception, calculate
Plate Armors Brigandine 12 4 20.0
the Heavy Physical
Plate And Chain 21 7 28.0 Lamellar (Splint Armor) 15 5 28.0
Limitation the charac-
Plate Armor 21 7 28.0 Banded Mail 18 6 40.0
ter should have, and so
Field Plate Armor 21 7 28.0
forth.
Full Plate Armor 24 8 40.0 CLOTHING
Reinforced Leather Armors Baldric 1 2 0.4
Studded Soft Leather 3 1 3.5 Belt 1 2 0.2
Ring Armor (Soft Leather) 9 3 7.0 Boots
Bezainted Soft Leather 9 3 7.0 Hard, High 2 2 0.8
Jazeraint Soft Leather 9 3 7.0 Hard, Normal 2 2 0.5
Studded Heavy Leather 6 2 5.0 Soft, High 1 1 0.3
Ring Armor (Heavy Leather) 12 4 10.0 Soft, Normal 1 1 0.1
Bezainted Heavy Leather 12 4 10.0 Cape
Jazeraint Heavy Leather 12 4 10.0 Heavy 1 1 1.0
Studded Cuir-Bouilli 9 3 7.0 Light 1 1 0.5
Ring Armor (Cuir-Bouilli) 15 5 14.0 Dress/Gown
Bezainted Cuir-Bouilli 15 5 14.0 Heavy 1 1 1.0
Jazeraint Cuir-Bouilli 15 5 14.0 Light 1 1 0.5
Scale Mails Gloves 1 1 0.2
Brigandine 12 4 10.0 Hat
Lamellar (Splint Armor) 15 5 14.0 Heavy 1 1 0.1
Banded Mail 18 6 20.0 Light 1 1 0.05
Loincloth 1 1 0.01
BARDING Pants
Chainmails Heavy 1 1 0.2
Chainmail 18 6 40 Light 1 1 0.1
Double Mail/Bar Mail 21 7 56 Pouch, Belt
Reinforced Chainmail 21 7 56 Large 1 2 0.3
Cloth And Hide Armors Small 1 2 0.2
Heavy Cloth 3 1 7.0 Robe
Padded Cloth 6 2 10.0 Heavy 1 1 1.2
Woven Cord 6 2 10.0 Light 1 1 0.6
Heavy Animal Hides 9 3 14.0 Shirt
Leather Armors Heavy 1 1 1.0
Soft Leather 3 1 7.0 Light 1 1 0.5
Heavy Leather 6 2 10.0 Shoes 1 1 0.3
Cuir-Bouilli (Boiled Leather) 9 3 14.0 Slippers/Moccasins 1 1 0.02
Plate Armors Spacesuit 3 2 30
Plate And Chain 21 7 56.0 Tabard 1 1 0.02
Plate Armor 21 7 56.0 Tunic
Field Plate Armor 21 7 56.0 Heavy 1 1 1.0
Full Plate Armor 24 8 80.0 Light 1 1 0.5
Vestments, priestly 2 1 2.0
108 ■ Brick Campaigning HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
A PILE OF BRICKS
EXAMPLE BRICKS
120 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
captured by UNTIL twice, but found a way to ordinary knock-down-drag-out punching brick;
escape both times. In his late 20s he journeyed to showcase his ability to fight intelligently.
America for the first time and committed some To make the Visigoth tougher, increase his
crimes there as well, but he’s shown a marked pref- defenses a bit, and perhaps give him a small Mul-
erence for staying in Europe since then. tipower of “brick trick” powers. If he’s too tough,
In 2002, der Westgote made some political reduce his STR to 50, his SPD to 5, his REC to 20,
comments in an interview with an underground and his related abilities proportionately.
journalist. Fiacho, leader of Eurostar, read the Der Westgote definitely holds grudges; it
interview and approved of what the self-styled wouldn’t take much for him to start Hunting a hero.
“Visigoth” had to say. He tracked the feared brick But if he does, he’ll do so casually (rarely on more
down and had a discussion with him. Since then than an 8-); he prefers to take advantage of oppor-
the two have maintained a cordial, if wary, relation- tunities that come his way (or that he can easily set
ship, mostly based around meeting in obscure tav- up) rather than deliberately stalking someone for a
erns late at night to discuss politics and drink. Fia- long period of time.
cho’s introduced him to the rest of Eurostar as well, Appearance: The Visigoth is a handsome German
and except for Durak they all seem to get along man in his late 20s. He’s extremely muscular, but
with him. It seems likely that if Eurostar ever chose not nearly as much so as a typical Champions
to expand its ranks, der Westgote would receive an Universe brick — he looks more like a body-
offer of membership. builder than a superhumanly strong person. He
Personality/Motivation: The Visigoth is utterly wears his wavy blonde hair at shoulder length,
amoral, a true sociopath who cares about no one and his eyes have a gleam of malicious clever-
and nothing except himself and his own personal ness to them. He doesn’t have a costume like
gratification. He doesn’t feel the slightest shred of most supervillains do; typically he wears black
guilt about committing robbery, murder, and acts of boots and pants, a tan or brown shirt (often with
terrorism — as long as he enjoys himself and gets the topmost three or four buttons undone), and
what he wants, that’s all that matters. He’s interested sometimes black fingerless gloves.
in politics, art, and history, but only in a superficial
way compared to the likes of Fiacho and Mentalla;
he mainly pays attention to intellectual subjects so
he can “look smart” in the company of others.
Quote: “All right, it’s your funeral.”
Powers/Tactics: The Visigoth is an immensely
strong brick, though he’s not quite as resilient as
many superhumans with similar levels of STR.
(On the other hand, he heals very quickly, and it’s
extraordinarily difficult to keep him unconscious.)
What makes him dangerous as a fighter is that
he doesn’t just punch people and throw heavy
objects. He’s taught himself how to use his super-
strength effectively in combat, as reflected by his
Brick Tricks Martial Arts. (He also has the Brick
Tricks Power Skill, and can use it occasionally to
perform some of the abilities listed on pages 49-
86, if the GM permits.)
In battle, the Visigoth usually opens up with a
few straightforward punches to find out just how
much damage his opponent can take. If that’s not
enough to end the battle, he’ll switch to Martial
Maneuvers (particularly Bearhug I) or his Rend-
ing And Tearing ability. He enjoys showing off his
strength by doing something flashy (especially a Fist-
Grab maneuver) and then making a Presence Attack.
Campaign Use: Der Westgote isn’t quite as “butch”
as many other bricks. What sets him apart from
other super-strong characters is that he’s smart.
While his sociopathy compromises his intelligence
at times, he knows how to fight cleverly and with
tactical insight... and when it’s time to retreat and
live to fight another day. Don’t play him as another
124 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
WHITE RHINO WHITE RHINO 3 Streetwise 13-
PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 3 Trading 13-
50 STR 40 19- Lift 12.5 tons; 10d6 [5]
White Rhino smashes 22 DEX 36 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 Total Powers & Skill Cost: 278
a ring of poachers who 35 CON 50 16- Total Cost: 496
were secretly working 20 BODY 20 13-
for Joseph Otanga to 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- 200+ Disadvantages
obtain certain “sup- 15 Enraged: if takes BODY damage (or 30+
10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3
plies” he needed for STUN in a single blow) (Uncommon), go
some mystic rituals. 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack 4d6
12 COM 1 11- 11-, recover 11-
The enraged Otanga
20 Hunted: UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
wants to get rid of him
forever... but decides to 30 PD 20 Total: 20 PD (20 rPD) 20 Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill)
trick the PCs into doing 30 ED 23 Total: 20 PD (20 rPD) 20 Psychological Limitation: Must Protect Cen-
the job instead of sully- 5 SPD 18 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 tral Africa (Common, Total)
ing his own hands. 17 REC 0 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy (Common,
70 END 0 Strong)
White Rhino takes a job 63 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 218 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Lucas
in America that pays a Kintebe) (Frequently, Major)
lot of money, but ends Movement: Running: 12”/24” 191 Experience Points
up captured and put Total Disadvantage Points: 496
Leaping: 10”/20”
in Stronghold. Then
he feels a tremendous
threat to central Africa, Cost Powers END Background/History: Lucas Kintebe was born into a
and appeals to the PCs 18 Horns: HA +6d6, Reduced Endurance poor family in Uganda. He began stealing almost as
to (a) convince his jail- (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), soon as he was old enough to walk, and by the time
ors to release him, and Only Works With Move Throughs (-1) 3 he was a teenager he was an accomplished thief. It
(b) help him save his 15 Toughness: Hardened (+¼) for wasn’t a very good living, though, and he constantly
people and homeland. 30 PD/30 ED 0 yearned for something better.
37 Toughness: Damage Resistance One day he got a tip from a friend about the
VIPER has a lot of (30 PD/30 ED), Hardened (+¼) 0 security guard schedules at a local museum. Think-
interests in Africa, and 24 Rhino Resilience: Knockback ing this might be his big break, he planned care-
some of them may Resistance -12” 0 fully and slipped into the museum at just the right
threaten the central part
10 Mystic Protection: Power Defense moment. He stole a bagful of the most valuable,
of the continent. This,
naturally, would bring it (10 points) 0 easily-carried art objects and treasures he could
into conflict with White 19 Mystic Protection: Life Support (Self- find, then made his escape.
Rhino. Preferring to Contained Breathing; Safe Environment: When he examined his loot, one item — an
eliminate the problem in High Pressure, High Radiation, Intense amulet depicting the legendary white rhino, har-
advance, VIPER manip- Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) binger of good fortune — really intrigued him. On
ulates the PCs into bat- 12 Rhino’s Speed: Running +6” (12” total) 1 a lark, he put the amulet on. Without warning it
tling him. 4 Burst Of Speed: Running +8” (20” total); began to tingle, and then it merged with his flesh,
Increased Endurance Cost (x7 END; -3) 14 sinking into his body. He screamed and fell uncon-
30 Luck Of The White Rhino: Luck 6d6 0 scious.
When he awakened, he wasn’t human any-
Perks more. He looked like some strange cross between a
20 Contacts: 20 points’ worth throughout rhino and a man, with thick, knobbly whitish skin
Central Africa covering his body and two horns growing out of his
2 Reputation: protector of Central Africa head. One look at himself and he fainted dead away.
and friend to its people (among some This time when he awoke, he was his old,
inhabitants of Central Africa) 11-, +2/+2d6 normal self again. After a little bit of concentra-
tion, he discovered he could change between one
Talents form and the other at will. And in his rhino-man
40 Protector Of Central Africa: Danger Sense form, he was super-strong! He spent the next week
(general area [central Africa], any danger, on a crime spree, smashing his way into banks and
sense) 14- stores and taking all the money he could get his
hands on...
Skills ...and then, just as he was planning another
15 +3 HTH job, he got this strange feeling that something was
4 +2 OCV with Move Through wrong in the countryside to the north. Unable to
shake the feeling, he headed that way to find out
3 Climbing 13- what was going on. He discovered an unscrupulous
5 AK: Central Africa 14- diamond mining company exploiting its workers
2 KS: African History 11- and polluting the river. Enraged, he transformed
2 KS: Central African Flora And Fauna 11- into his White Rhino form (as he now called it),
1 Language: English (basic conversation; Swa- smashed the company’s facility into rubble, and
hili is Native) gave all the money and raw diamonds he found in
9 Power: Brick Tricks 16- (DEX-Based) the company’s safe to the workers.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 125
Since then, the White Rhino’s led a sort of and turn him into a true hero?
double existence. Most of the time he’s just a super- To make White Rhino tougher, give him some
powered Lucas Kintebe, with all of his ordinary “brick trick” powers and other abilities — or, to
greed and criminal tendencies. But when a threat to make him more distinctive, give him more mystic
central Africa or her people arises, he feels an irre- powers related to his role as protector of central
sistible compulsion to use his powers to help out Africa but which don’t necessarily have anything
and right the wrong, often playing “Robin Hood” in to do with being super-strong (for example, the
the process. He’s become a hero to many Africans, ability to summon and control rhinos). To weaken
and a despised criminal to others. him, reduce his defenses and other Characteristics
Personality/Motivation: Gaining superpowers a little.
didn’t change Lucas Kintebe’s personality any. He’s White Rhino won’t Hunt characters normally;
greedy and cares nothing for laws or morals; if he there’s no profit in it. However, if someone repeat-
wants something valuable, he finds a way to take it. edly or persistently threatens central Africa, he may
Becoming White Rhino allows him to steal things find himself compelled to pursue and destroy the
he never could have before, and he loves that. He wrongdoer.
usually works by himself, but has no trouble team- Appearance: In his superhuman form, White Rhino
ing up with other villains or working for a master resembles a cross between man and rhino: he
villain. While he doesn’t mind a good fight, he’s not stands on two massively-muscled legs and has two
cruel or murderous, and won’t work with people equally muscular arms, but his face is rhino-like
who are overly violent. He’d fit in well with GRAB. and he has two horns (a large one in front, and a
But the White Rhino powers come with a smaller one behind, like those of a rhino) project-
solemn, unavoidable obligation to protect the cen- ing from his forehead. His skin is thick and knobbly
tral region of Africa (roughly, south of the Sahara like a rhino’s, but it’s got a distinctively pale, almost
to about the twelfth parallel below the equator). If white, coloration (hence his name). He wears a sort
something threatens the region, its people, or its of loincloth-like garment around his waist, but no
environment, the mystic source of his powers com- other clothes.
pels him to investigate and resolve the situation. It As Lucas Kintebe, White Rhino is a fairly
doesn’t care how he resolves it, as long as the threat handsome African black male of average height
vanishes. Lucas has tried to resist the compulsion and a relatively muscular build (but not noticeably
a time or two, but has never succeeded. It’s reached so). He wears the nicest clothing he can find and
the point where he sort of enjoys the accolades he afford; his transformation from human into rhino-
receives for his heroic actions, so he doesn’t nor- human form has an unfortunate tendency to tear
mally fight the mystic impulse anymore. apart whatever he’s wearing at the time.
Quote: “I want that necklace, and you’re not gonna
stop me. Comin’ through!”
Powers/Tactics: White Rhino isn’t exactly the
world’s greatest tactician. He has two basic attacks:
the Punch; and the Move Through (the latter usu-
ally involving his Burst Of Speed ability). Which
one he uses typically depends on whether he’s in
HTH Combat range with his target or not. Some-
times he throws a Grab into the mix as well. A little
bit of training with a skilled tactician would expand
his range of fighting skills considerably.
White Rhino possesses a few abilities most
bricks don’t because of his role as the protector
of central Africa. He can sense danger to the area
(or large numbers of people within it), and has a
certain degree of resistance to mystic attacks (and
related powers). Most importantly, the fates watch
out for him; the GM should make frequent use of
his Luck (though the GM should consider remov-
ing a die or two of Luck when White Rhino’s out-
side of his home territory). Furthermore, he has a
good reputation among many central Africans, and
can often count on their help and support.
Campaign Use: White Rhino presents an interesting
contrast around which the GM can spin stories. By
inclination he’s a thief and robber, more than will-
ing to use his super-strength for personal gain. But
he’s also central Africa’s protector. What happens
when his two Psychological Limitations come into
conflict? Is it possible to appeal to his better nature
126 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
HEROIC
BRICKS
CABER 2 KS: Charlemagne 11-
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 2 KS: The Hudson City Underworld 11-
25 STR 20 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5] 1 KS: The Military/Mercenary/
14 DEX 12 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 Terrorist World 8-
22 CON 28 13- 2 KS: Soccer 11-
17 BODY 14 12- 1 Mechanics 8-
10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- 7 Power: Brick Tricks 14- (DEX-Based)
10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 1 PS: Billiards 8-
20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 2 PS: Scottish Games 11-
10 COM 0 11- 1 PS: Soccer 8-
3 Stealth 12-
10 PD 7 Total: 10 PD (0 rPD) 3 Streetwise 13-
8 ED 4 Total: 8 ED (0 rED) 3 WF: Small Arms, Blades
4 SPD 16 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
9 REC 0 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 97
44 END 0 Total Cost: 208
41 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 111
100+ Disadvantages
Movement: Running: 6”/12” 5 Distinctive Features: Scottish Accent (Easily
Concealed; Noticed And Recognizable)
Cost Powers END 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department
Martial Arts: Dirty Infighting 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
Maneuver OCV DCV Damage/Effect 15 Psychological Limitation: Enjoys Hurting
4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort People (Common, Strong)
4 Eye Gouge -1 -1 Sight Group 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy And Self-
Flash 4d6 Centered (Common, Strong)
4 Kidney Blow -2 +0 HKA ½d6 53 Experience Points
(1d6+1 with Total Disadvantage Points: 208
STR) EQUIPMENT
4 Low Blow -1 +1 2d6 NND(3)
Weapon OCV/RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
4 Punch +0 +2 7d6 Strike
.45 pistol +1/0 2d6-1 +1 9 7
5 Roundhouse -2 +1 9d6 Strike
(carries +2 clips)
3 Throw +0 +1 5d6 +v/5; Target
.38 Special 0/0 1d6+1 0 7 6
Falls
Knife 0/— 1d6-1 0 6 —
5 Power Punch: HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand
Attack (-½), Requires A Brick Tricks Armor: In appropriate situations, Level I body
Roll (-½) 1 armor (DEF 5, covers Hit Locations 9-13)
4 Intimidation: +10 PRE; Extra Time Gear: Caber doesn’t carry any standard gear
(Full Phase; -½), Only To Make Fear/ besides the listed weapons, but can usually arrange
Intimidation-Style Presence Attacks (-1) 0 to get anything he needs (within reason) through
7 Shrug It Off: Physical Damage Reduction, his employer.
25%; Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½) 0
Clothing: Fine men’s suits and shoes
Talents Background/History: Born in Edinburgh, Caber fled
3 Resistance (3 points) Scotland for the United States at age 18 after he nearly
beat a man to death in a barroom brawl. He’d been a
Skills petty thief and legbreaker for years, and it wasn’t hard
10 +2 HTH to find the same sort of work in Hudson City. After
drifting from one petty gang leader to another, he
2 Gambling (Card Games) 11- attracted the attention of the crimelord Charlemagne,
1 High Society 8- who cleaned him up and gave him a job. Since then
5 Interrogation 14- he’s been one of Charlemagne’s right-hand men, doing
2 CK: Edinburgh 11- the same work as ever but learning a lot more about
2 CK: Hudson City 11- crime in the process.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 127
Personality/Motivation: Caber isn’t just a brute by But Caber’s got more to use in a fight than just CABER PLOT SEEDS
appearance, he’s a brute by nature. He cares little a punch. For one thing, he’s picked up some dirty
about most other people, focusing only on what he fighting maneuvers on the streets, so he doesn’t While attending an
wants or the assignments given him by his boss. just have to slug it out Phase after Phase if that’s exhibition soccer match
The only thing he’s ever really been good at in his not working. For times when fisticuffs won’t get in Hudson City, Caber
life is hurting people, and he enjoys doing so; he the job done, he carries a .45 pistol in a shoul- gets drunk and starts a
gets a perverse thrill out of snapping someone’s leg der holster, a .38 in an ankle holster, and a knife brawl... which turns into
in two or beating a man to a pulp. mounted horizontally on the back of his belt so his a riot that engulfs sev-
The only thing Caber enjoys as much as hurt- suit jacket hides it; he can get other weapons from eral neighborhoods. The
police have announced a
ing people is soccer. He’s a die-hard soccer fan; Charlemagne if necessary. He has a sentimental
reward for anyone who
it’s hard to roust him away from the TV if one of attachment to the .45, which he took from first man brings in the man who
his favorite teams is playing (though he’ll jump to he ever killed; he’d go to considerable lengths to get started the riot. All the
obey any order of Charlemagne’s; the man scares it back if he lost it. PCs have to do is find
even him). He has a hatred of smoking (as several Campaign Use: Caber is pretty much a garden-vari- and catch Caber....
of Charlemagne’s other flunkies quickly found out ety thug, enforcer, and legbreaker (and thus a good
after he was hired), and will force anyone in his “template” for many such Heroic bricks), with a few During a bar brawl,
presence to snuff out a lit cigarette or cigar imme- background and personality twists to make him Caber hurts a promi-
diately. On more than one occasion he’s put out nent politican’s son so
interesting. His role is to provide muscle for Char-
a stubborn smoker’s cigarette by ramming it into badly that the son ends
lemagne, which means he’s someone a group of PCs up partly crippled for
the smoker’s eye and then shoving the now-extin- pursuing Charlemagne will encounter frequently.
guished butt down the smoker’s throat. life. The word’s out on
Caber usually doesn’t Hunt people unless the street that the poli-
Quote: ::cracks knuckles:: “I’m gonna have to ask y’ Charlemagne orders him to. But he’s got a long tician’s offering a gener-
again to pay the money y’owe Mr. Charlemagne. I memory for “wrongs” done to him, and if he ous bounty to whoever
won’t be askin’ a third time.” encounters someone who hurt or inconvenienced brings him Caber’s head.
him in the past, he’ll make sure to take it out on But is this true, or a lie
Powers/Tactics: Caber is a big, enormously strong spread by one of Char-
brute of a man. One punch from him is often them now.
To make Caber tougher, give him more “brick lemagne’s rivals?
enough to knock a man out, and if he gets his
hands on one of his foes, broken bones are a likely tricks” appropriate to his character type (includ-
ing beefing up his Damage Reduction to 50%). To A group of Scottish
result. crooks whom Caber
weaken him, reduce his STR
used to work for, and
to 20 and his other Charac- betrayed, comes to
teristics proportionately. Hudson City seeking
Appearance: Caber’s an vengeance. But they’re
enormous bear of a man, so violent and uncon-
standing over six and a half trolled that they may
hurt a lot of innocent
feet tall with a bodybuilder’s
civilians while they look
muscles and thick black hair for him... unless the PCs
and beard. His boss makes stop them.
him dress in dark men’s suits,
but he finds a way to loosen
his tie and unbutton the first
button on his shirt as soon
as possible. He speaks with
a distinctive Scottish accent
that makes him stand out in
the Hudson City underworld.
128 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
BURGIDA Total Powers & Skills Cost: 91
Val Char Cost Roll Notes Total Cost: 252
30 STR 30 15- Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [6]
18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 75+ Disadvantages
25 CON 40 14- 10 Enraged: if insulted or taunted (Common),
20 BODY 20 13- go 8-, recover 14-
15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- 15 Hunted: Skarill 11- (Mo Pow, Limited Geo-
10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 graphical Area [Greyward Mountains], Kill)
20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 15 Hunted: Brotherhood Of Shadow 11- (Mo
16 COM 3 12- Pow, Limited Geographical Area [Aarn], Kill)
5 Physical Limitation: Large, up to twice
12 PD 10 Total: 12 PD (1 rPD) human size and/or mass (4m, or 2”) (Burgida
10 ED 7 Total: 10 ED (1 rED) is at -2 DCV, and others receive +2 on their
4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 PER Rolls to perceive her) (Infrequently,
11 REC 0 Slightly Impairing)
50 END 0 15 Psychological Limitation: Heroic (Common,
48 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 161 Strong)
117 Experience Points
Movement: Running: 12”/24”
Total Disadvantage Points: 252
Cost Powers END EQUIPMENT
Martial Arts: Weapons Combat
Weapon OCV/RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
Maneuver OCV DCV Notes
Great Mace 0/— 2d6 0 15 —
5 All-Out +1 -2 Weapon +4 DC
Greatsword +1/— 2d6 0 17 —
Strike
Dagger# 0/— 1d6-1 0 6 —
4 Attack +0 +2 Weapon +2 DC
Strike Armor: Chainmail (DEF 6)
4 Charge +0 -2 Weapon +2 Gear: Tent and bedroll, flint and tinder, hunting
DC Strike +v/5, horn, lantern, one flask of oil, one week’s rations,
FMove heavy warhorse
4 Defend +2 +2 Block, Abort
5 Probe +1 +3 Weapon Strike Clothing: When adventuring, a sturdy tunic and
4 Forceful Smash: Does Knockback (+¼) for trews suitable to the climate, with a robe or cloak
30 STR; Requires A DEX Roll (-¾) 1 in cold weather; when not adventuring, fine (but
1 Sturdy: Damage Resistance (1 PD/1 ED) 0 not ostentatious or rich) clothing appropriate to the
12 Long Legs: Running +6” (12” total) 1 place and occasion
4 Reach: Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance
(0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No Background/History: Burgida is a half-giantess; her
Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity father was a warrior and adventurer from Vestria,
Damage (-¼) 0 her mother a stone giantess from the Greyward
Mountains. She lived with her mother’s people for a
Skills time, but was scorned as too small and puny. So she
10 +2 HTH went to live with her father’s people, preferring to
be regarded as large and “clumsy” instead.
8 Half-Giantess Warrior Swing: +4 OCV Given her strength and size, it was natural that
with Sweep she’d take an interest in the arts of war. Her father
3 Climbing 13- tutored her as best he could, imparting all his skill
3 Healing 12- and warrior’s wisdom, but eventually she had to
1 AK: Mhorecia 8- develop her own style of fighting to take advantage
1 AK: Northern Mitharia 8- of her size and strength.
2 AK: The Westerlands 11- After she completed her training, Burgida
2 KS: Giants And Giant Culture 11- chose to become an adventurer; the discipline and
2 KS: Orcs And Their Kin 11- regimentation required of soldiers and city guards
2 Language: Kuldrar (fluent conversation; Ves- just wasn’t for her. After adventuring with many dif-
trian is Native) ferent companions for a year or two, she fell in with
2 Language: Trade-Tongue (fluent conversa- an adventuring company called the Vestrian Fire-
tion) Eaters (since most of them came from Vestria or
3 Stealth 13- lands nearby), and has been with them ever since.
3 Tactics 12- They’ve had many thrilling adventures, includ-
1 Tracking 8- ing several clashes with the Orcs and Ogres of the
1 Trading 8- Greyward Mountains, and an escapade in which
4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common they beat the Brotherhood of Shadow (an Aarnese
Missile Weapons thieves’ guild) to a fabulous treasure.
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 129
Quote: “Are you just full of talk, little man? Or can BURGIDA
you actually fight?” PLOT SEEDS
Powers/Tactics: As a half-giantess, Burgida is much
taller and stronger than even the biggest human or Burgida finds herself
orcish warriors, and she puts her strength to good getting weaker and
use in battle. She’s developed a style of weapons weaker for some reason.
Unable to figure out
combat that takes advantage of her abilities, and what’s going on, she
favors weapons like great maces and greatswords turns to the PCs for
that allow her to inflict tremendous wounds at a help.
single blow. Her size gives her an extra game inch
of reach, and she’s not averse to using it to hit her Burgida approaches
foes with her large weapons before they’re within the PCs with a proposi-
range to hit her back. And if she really “puts her tion. In some old giant
shoulder into it” (as she says), she can deliver a lore-books she’s found
punch that often sends her foes flying (i.e., which information about a
does Knockback). fabulous treasure, but
Burgida usually fights with two-handed weap- it’s too well-guarded for
ons and doesn’t bother with a shield, since her size her to obtain herself. She
wants to team up with
makes her so easy to hit anyway; she relies on her them to complete the
natural resilience to shrug off the effects of attacks. adventure and split the
But if necessary, she can wield her weapon in one profits equally.
hand and carry a tower shield in the other.
Campaign Use: Burgida is an unusual NPC hero The PCs (who know and
who would make an enjoyable encounter for most like Burgida) receive a
groups of PCs. Given her height, she might seem message from the Broth-
threatening or dangerous at first, but anyone who erhood of Shadow. It
claims to have captured
treats her fairly and gets to know her soon discov- her, and threatens to
ers what a good person she is. She might even kill her if the PCs don’t
become a romantic interest for a male PC, assum- undertake a mission
ing he’s man enough to fall in love with a woman for it. Is the note real,
who’s so much stronger than he. or just an attempt to
Burgida doesn’t really Hunt people. If she’s on trick the PCs into doing
the trail of an evildoer as part of an adventure, she the Brotherhood’s dirty
Personality/Motivation: Burgida is a kind-hearted won’t rest until she’s caught him, but she doesn’t work?
and heroic warrior who thinks nothing of putting make a point of tracking down people who’ve
her life and property on the line to save innocent harmed her. She just waits until they meet again
folk from harm, or to destroy evil beings and mon- and takes her revenge then.
sters. Not only does she genuinely enjoy helping To make Burgida tougher, give her a few “brick
people, but she loves the excitement of battle and tricks,” such as some Damage Reduction or the like.
risk-taking for a good cause. When not adventur- To weaken her, reduce her STR and other Charac-
ing, she usually finds some worthy way to spend teristics appropriately, emphasizing her “human”
her time, such as using her enormous strength to half instead of her “giant” blood.
help a poor farmer build a new barn. Appearance: Burgida stands nearly twelve feet tall,
Burgida remembers being picked on as a child, and has long, flowing red hair that would make
and the memories still hurt. She doesn’t take well to her stand out in a crowd even if her height did
being teased or insulted, even by people she likes, not. When adventuring, she usually wears a chain-
and may react violently to any taunting. (The GM mail hauberk over leather garb; at other times she
may increase her chance of becoming Enraged if dresses appropriately for the occasion. Her favored
the person insulting her is someone she dislikes or weapon is a great mace scaled to her size, but she
hates.) usually carries a similarly-sized greatsword in a
back sheath as well.
130 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
SYGYL Talents
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3]
18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 Skills
18 CON 16 13- 10 +2 HTH
12 BODY 4 11-
14 INT 4 12- PER Roll 12- 3 Breakfall 13-
14 EGO 8 12- ECV: 5 3 Climbing 13-
15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 3 AK: Mhorecia 12-
10 COM 0 11- 2 KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11-
2 KS: Thaumaturgy 11-
8 PD 5 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) 3 Stealth 13-
6 ED 2 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) 27 Thaumaturgy 24-
4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 6 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common
10 REC 6 Missile Weapons, Staffs, Slings
36 END 0
29 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 91 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 146
Total Cost: 237
Movement: Running: 7”/14”
Leaping: 6”/12” 75+ Disadvantages
Cost Powers END 10 Destitute
40 Thaumaturgic Tattoos: Multipower, 100- 15 Hunted: evil wizard who wants to steal the
point reserve; all Costs Endurance (-½), secret and powers of his tattoos 8- (Mo Pow,
Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires Capture/Kill)
A Thaumaturgy Roll (-½) 15 Hunted: wicked noble whom he defeated
3u 1) Tattoo Of Might: Aid STR and PD 5d6, and humiliated 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited
two Characteristics at once (+½), Delayed Geographical Area, Kill)
Return Rate (points fade at the rate of 5 per 15 Psychological Limitation: Code Of Honor
5 Minutes; +½); Costs Endurance (-½), Ges- (must help those in need) (Common, Strong)
tures (-¼), Incantations (-¼), Requires 10 Psychological Limitation: Vow Of Poverty
A Thaumaturgy Roll (-½), 8 Charges And Asceticism (Common, Moderate)
(-½) [8] 10 Vulnerable: 2 x Effect from Thaumaturgy
2u 2) Tattoo Of The Swallow’s Flight: Aid attacks (Uncommon)
DEX 5d6, Delayed Return Rate (points 87 Experience Points
fade at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +½);
Costs Endurance (-½), Gestures (-¼), Total Disadvantage Points: 237
Incantations (-¼), Requires A EQUIPMENT
Thaumaturgy Roll (-½), 4 Charges (-1) [4]
2u 3) Wildform Tattoos: Multiform (32 Weapon OCV/RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
animals built on up to 300 Character Quarterstaff +1/— 5d6 N — 15 —
Points); Costs Endurance (to change Dagger# 0/— 1d6-1 0 6 —
forms; -½), Gestures (-¼), Incantations Sling 0/-1 1d6+1 +1 8 20
(-¼), Requires A Thaumaturgy Roll (-½), Armor: None
Visible (-¼), 4 Charges (-1) [4] Gear: As an impoverished ascetic, Sygyl carries
Martial Arts: Staff-Fighting little in the way of personal possessions — usually
Maneuver OCV DCV Damage/Effect no more than a bedroll, flint and tinder, and a few
4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort days’ worth of food. He may have more gear if he’s
4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 25 STR heading out on an adventure or expecting to need a
to Disarm roll specific item.
5 Jab +1 +3 Weapon
3 Legsweep +2 -1 Weapon +1 DC Clothing: Loincloth or kilt-like garment
Strike, Target
Falls
Background/History: Sygyl is an unusual sort of
4 Shove +0 +0 30 STR to Shove
wizard. A practitioner of the Art of Thaumaturgy,
4 Strike +0 +2 Weapon +2 DC
he belongs to a small group of Mhorecian thauma-
Strike
turges who don’t cast spells in the usual fashion.
5 Smash -2 +1 Weapon +4 DC
Instead, they tattoo certain thaumaturgic runes and
Strike
mystic symbols on their bodies, and can then call
2 Strong Runner: Running +1” (7” total) 1
on the power of those tattoos a certain number of
3 Strong Leaper: Leaping +3” (6” forward,
times per day.
3” upward) 1
Since completing his training with the order
and receiving the last of his tattoos, Sygyl has wan-
dered the length and breadth of Mhorecia, helping
others and having adventures. He’s never worked
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 131
Powers/Tactics: Sygyl may not look like a typical SYGYL PLOT SEEDS
Fantasy Hero brick, but with his Tattoo Of Might
active, he typically fights with 30 STR or more A small, strange animal
— definitely a brick-class combatant! However, — a squirrel or fox, for
he doesn’t just use his enhanced STR to punch his example, perhaps with
enemies; he fights with grace, speed, and intelli- slightly unusual color-
gence. He favors the quarterstaff as a weapon — but ation — helps the PCs,
his quarterstaff is thicker and heavier than normal, then seems to try to
with iron studs set into it for about the length of a communicate with them
or lead them some-
hand on either end, so it does more damage than a where. It’s Sygyl, who’s
standard staff and can withstand the strength of the somehow been forced to
blows he delivers. remain in animal form
But enhanced STR isn’t Sygyl’s only thauma- and wants the PCs to
turgic power. By activating other tattoos, he can help restore him to his
augment his agility (i.e., his DEX), or even trans- normal shape.
form into the shape of various animals. However,
whereas he can activate his increased STR and PD Sygyl’s thaumaturgic
eight times a day, he can only use the other tattoos tattoos stop working
four times per day each, so he chooses when to call properly — sometimes
on their power carefully. they fail to function,
When Sygyl activates a tattoo, it glows briefly sometimes they func-
tion in unpredictable
in a noticeable way. While the Wildform tattoos ways. He asks the PCs to
have a stylistic resemblance to the animal whose help him find out what’s
shape he assumes, the appearance of the Aid-based happened to him.
ones doesn’t provide any clue as to their function...
but someone who sees him activate one of them Sygyl decides to get a
one time may remember what it does if they meet powerful new thau-
again. maturgic tattoo. This
Unfortunately, Sygyl’s tattoos have one side requires certain rare and
effect: by attuning his body so thoroughly to Thau- valuable substances for
maturgy, they render it Vulnerable to thaumaturgic the tattoo ink, and he
attacks by other wizards. For example, it’s much asks the PCs to help him
easier for a Thaumaturge to affect him with The obtain them.
Bestial Curse of Phogorath Taam or Vandicar’s
with the same group of adventurers for more than a Spell of Stony Doom than it would otherwise be.
few months, preferring to walk his own path.
Campaign Use: Sygyl is an NPC hero who might
Personality/Motivation: Sygyl’s order requires that help the PCs (or oppose them, if he thinks they’re
its members take vows of poverty and asceticism, harming people in some way). Given the limited
so Sygyl eschews all worldly possessions and dis- nature of his magic, he should be able to contribute
play. He owns almost nothing and doesn’t draw to the group’s success without overshadowing the
attention to himself if he can avoid it; in fact, he PCs. He might even lead them into adventure, per-
rarely speaks. He subjects himself to all sorts of haps by persuading them to help him destroy some
suffering — hunger, cold weather, sleeping on hard evil.
ground or floors — that other people go to great Sygyl doesn’t Hunt heroes, but he might start
lengths to avoid. If he gains any treasure or money Hunting an evil person (or a misunderstood PC) if
during his adventures, he gives it away to deserving he fought that person but failed to defeat him. As a
people (the poor, temples that serve the commu- Hunter, he simply follows his quarry’s trail until he
nity, paladins in need of gold to fund an expedition finds him, then attacks using all the powers at his
against evil, and so forth). command.
Sygyl’s order also requires him to take an oath To make Sygyl stronger, give him more tattoos,
to help people in need. This is a fairly broad code or let the ones he has remain in effect longer (i.e.,
of honor; it ranges from fighting to protect inno- increase their Delayed Return Rate). To weaken
cent peasants from exploitation by an evil noble or him, reduce the Active Points in his tattoo powers,
attacks by raiding Orc-bands, to helping a worthy and/or the number of Charges they have.
priest build a new temple for his congregation, to
finding a way to alleviate the drought and famine Appearance: Sygyl typically wears nothing but
afflicting a particular region. Each member of the a loincloth or kilt, leaving the rest of his body
order is free to fulfill the oath as he wishes; for on display. He looks like an odd cross between a
Sygyl, that usually means standing up to evil and strong-thewed warrior and a lean ascetic; he’s thin
fighting it, or going on an adventure to find the and wiry, with the corded muscles on his arms and
money or magic needed to save people from harm. legs showing through the skin. He has mystic runes,
symbols, and pictograms tattooed all over his arms,
Quote: “Sometimes those who speak the least speak chest, and legs. He’s completely bald and clean-
the loudest.” shaven.
132 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
JOHNNY KWON Cantonese is Native)
Val Char Cost Roll Notes 3 Paramedics 13-
20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4] 2 PS: Chinese Cooking 11-
20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 2 PS: Sifu 11-
20 CON 20 13- 1 PS: Marketing 8-
13 BODY 6 12- 3 Stealth 13-
10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common
10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 Martial Arts Weapons
20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
12 COM 1 11- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 115
Total Cost: 216
8 PD 4 Total: 8 PD (0 rPD)
7 ED 3 Total: 7 ED (0 rED) 75+ Disadvantages
4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 10 Distinctive Features: Style (Not Conceable;
8 REC 0 Always Noticed; Perceivable By Large Group
40 END 0 [martial artists])
40 STUN 7 Total Characteristics Cost: 101 10 Hunted: by various martial arts oversight
boards 11- (Mo Pow, Watching)
Movement: Running: 6”/12” 25 Psychological Limitation: Will Do Anything
Leaping: 7”/14” To Win (Very Common, Total)
10 Psychological Limitation: Greedy; Loves
Cost Powers END Material Comforts (Common, Moderate)
Martial Arts: Kung Fu 10 Reputation: vicious, murderous fighter, 11-
Maneuver OCV DCV Notes (Extreme; Small Group [professional martial
4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort artists])
4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 40 STR 5 Rival: Professional (with another profes-
4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all sional martial artist)
attacks, Abort 71 Experience Points
4 Escape +0 +0 45 STR vs.
Grabs Total Disadvantage Points: 216
3 Joint Lock/Grab -1 -1 Grab, 40 STR
5 Kick -2 +1 10d6 Strike Background/History: As a boy, Johnny Kwon was
4 Knife Hand -2 +0 1d6 HKA (2d6 a street-fighter and a bully. Eventually he caught
with STR) the eye of an elderly martial artist, who saw in the
3 Legsweep +2 -1 7d6, Target Falls boy the spark of a true fighter. He thought that
4 Punch +0 +2 8d6 Strike by teaching Johnny discipline, he could instill in
3 Throw +0 +1 6d6 +v/5, Target him respect for others and an inclination to noble
Falls behavior.
4 Tien-hsueh Strike-1 +1 3d6 NND (1) It didn’t quite work that way. Johnny eagerly
8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) learned everything the old man could teach him
11 Resilience: Physical Damage Reduction, about fighting, but he didn’t care one bit about
Resistant, 50%; Must Be Aware Of Attack “honor” or “responsibility.” All he cared about was
(-¼), Activation Roll 11- (-1), STUN himself. When he felt he’d learned enough and
Damage Only (-½) 0 didn’t want to listen to the old man’s yammering
3 Strong Leaper: Leaping +3” (7” forward, anymore, he left and joined the professional martial
4” upward) 1 arts competition circuit. There he quickly made a
name for himself not only for his skill and strength,
Perks but for his ruthlessness in the ring. He won tourna-
5 Money (Well Off) ment after tournament, and in time got endorse-
ment deals and created his own line of martial
Talents arts equipment, but as his star rose the opinion
4 Lightning Reflexes: +4 DEX to act first that other professional martial artists had of him
with Kick plummeted. But he’s not concerned with what they
think; he’s doing well and is stronger and better
Skills than they are, and that’s all that matters.
9 +3 with Kung Fu
Personality/Motivation: A fellow competitor once
described Johnny Kwon as “a rotten son of a bitch,”
3 Acrobatics 13-
and that’s one hundred percent accurate. All he
3 Breakfall 13-
cares about is proving that he’s better, tougher, and
3 Climbing 13-
stronger than his opponents. He wants to win,
2 Gambling (Dice Games) 11-
and he’ll do anything he must to take first prize
1 High Society 8-
in any tournament. Usually he’s content to rely
2 KS: Kung Fu 11-
on his strength and skill, and he never holds back
2 KS: The Martial World 11-
— he’s crippled two opponents and killed one (all
2 Language: English (fluent conversation;
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 133
JOHNNY KWON
In the ring, Johnny’s PLOT SEEDS
main tactic is to strike hard
and fast (unless he wants to A well-known profes-
let the other guy take a shot sional martial artist
or two that he can “shrug claims that Johnny
off ” to impress the crowd). Kwon “poisoned” him
His kicks are lightning-fast, before a tournament
making it hard for other match, but he’s got no
martial artists to dodge proof and doesn’t want
them, so he usually opens to risk being accused
with with a forward kick, of slander. He asks his
friends, the PCs, to
followed by a spinning kick
investigate and find the
with the other leg, and then a proof he needs to go
flurry of punches. He usually public.
doesn’t block or dodge much,
subscribing instead to the The PCs hear rumors
“the best defense is a good that an underground
offense” theory of combat. pit-fighting competition
Campaign Use: Johnny Kwon has arisen in their home
city, and that Johnny
is the sort of martial artist
Kwon’s participating.
other martial artists love to He’s making a lot of
hate, and that’s just how you money, but he’s already
should use him. In a compe- killed three fighters. Is
tition with the PCs, he’s the it true... and if so, what
loud-mouthed, trash-talk- will the heroes do about
ing braggart with enough it?
ability to get through the
preliminary rounds (perhaps Johnny Kwon develops
even eliminating a PC or ties to Chinese orga-
two along the way) until he nized crime, with the
can fight the heroes for high gangsters paying him
a lot of money to use
stakes. Make them hate him
his business (including
from the word “go.” a new chain of martial
in circumstances that cleared him of any official Johnny’s an angry arts dojos) to launder
blame), and many of his foes have left the ring enough person that he’d Hunt someone if he money and smuggle
after suffering broken bones. But if he thinks he wanted to. He’d stalk his quarry from tournament heroin into the United
needs an “edge,” he’s willing to cheat, secretly drug to tournament, participating not to win but for the States. The D.E.A. seeks
an opponent before a match, or anything else. He chance to defeat, humiliate, and hurt his enemy. the PCs’ help to pen-
applies these same tactics in business, finding ways He’d also use his business resources to make his etrate the Martial World
enemy miserable, if he could. and bring Kwon down.
to smear competitors’ martial arts equipment and
make his own look better. To make Johnny tougher, give him some more
Combat Skill Levels with his Martial Arts, or even
Quote: “The whiners who complain about how I some more Extra DCs. To weaken him, get rid of
fight just aren’t tough enough to stand up to real his Extra DCs and a CSL or two.
competition. They’re just upset because they don’t
have any hope of beating me, and they know it.” Appearance: Johnny is a Chinese man of average
height, but extremely muscular; he’s got an air of
Powers/Tactics: Johnny Kwon is practitioner of the confidence and bravado about him that’s visible
ancient fighting art of Kung Fu. He’s a good fighter, from a distance, and almost palpable up close. In
but his prowess derives mainly from his natural the ring he usually wears Kung Fu pants tied with
talent, strength, and speed. He lacks the discipline to a colorful sash, and no shirt; when not fighting he
train hard and develop his skills that most profes- wears expensive casual clothes in the Western style.
sional martial artists have — why should he work so
hard, when he wins so much of the time anyway?
134 ■ Brick Characters HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
BILL FERGUSON BILL FERGUSON Total Powers & Skills Cost: 94
PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes Total Cost: 192
22 STR 14 13- Lift 533 kg; 4d6 [4]
Bill staggers out of the 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 75+ Disadvantages
South American jungle 21 CON 24 13- 20 Hunted: Col. Hermann Eichenwald 8- (Mo
with a fabulous golden 16 BODY 12 12- Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
idol and a strange story 5 Hunted: Dr. Emil Locke 8- (As Pow, Humili-
13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12-
about how he escaped ate and Steal Possessions)
from the clutches of hid- 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3
18 PRE 8 13- PRE Attack: 3½d6 15 Psychological Limitation: Heroic (Common,
eous natives and needs
12 COM 1 11- Strong)
the PCs’ help to go
back in and rescue his 15 Psychological Limitation: Sucker For
friends. Is everything as 10 PD 8 Total: 10 PD (0 rPD) A Pretty Face Or A Hard-Luck Story
it seems, or has he been 6 ED 2 Total: 6 ED (0 rED) (Common, Strong)
brainwashed for some 3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12 15 Rivalry: Professional and Romantic (with
sinister purpose? 10 REC 4 one of his friends, to see who gets things
42 END 0 done most heroically and efficiently, and has
Dr. Emil Locke, an 40 STUN 2 Total Characteristics Cost: 98 the best luck with women; Rival is a Player
unscrupulous archae- Character)
ologist who’s clashed 47 Experience Points
Movement: Running: 6”/12”
with Bill and his friends
on several occasions, Total Disadvantage Points: 192
decides to get his Cost Powers END
revenge with the unwit- 13 Strongman’s Roundhouse: Multipower, 20- EQUIPMENT
ting help of the PCs. He point reserve, all Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½)
Weapon OCV/RMod Damage STUN STR Min Shots
secretly provides the 1u 1) Agile Haymaker: HA +4d6; Hand-To-
PCs with information Colt M1911A+1/0 2d6-1 +1 9 7
Hand Attack (-½), Extra Time (Extra
about a fabulous relic Segment; -½) 2 Armor: None
they should go obtain, 1u 2) Augmented Haymaker: HA +4d6;
and warns them that a Gear: As appropriate for the mission. For example,
Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), Only When on a trek into the jungle to search for a long-lost
group of “criminals” (Bill
Using Haymaker To Punch (-1) 2 ruin, he’d have camping gear, rations, a machete, a
and his friends) are also
trying to find it. 15 Can Take A Punch: Physical Damage pith helmet, and so forth.
Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Requires A
CON Roll (-¾), Character Must Be Clothing: Sturdy explorer’s/outdoor clothing, such
The murderer Bill as denim pants and a broadcloth shirt
helped capture way back Aware Of Attack (-¼) 0
when has escaped from
prison! While in prison Perks Background/History: Growing up on a corn farm in
he swore revenge against 20 Contacts: 20 points’ worth from various Iowa left Bill Ferguson with the desire to see more
Bill, his friends, and all adventures he’s been on of the world. He left home at 18 and worked for
their families. With his
friends out of the coun- several years during the late 1920s and early ’30s as
Talents a circus strongman. One day, a group of explorers
try and Bill himself laid 3 I Can Drunk Just As Good Fight!: Envi-
up with a badly sprained and adventurers got involved with solving a mys-
ronmental Movement (no penalties when terious murder that took place at the circus, and
ankle, he asks the PCs to
track down and recap- drunk) Bill helped them out (and even saved one of them
ture the killer before from being shot by the killer). They asked him to
anyone gets hurt. Skills accompany them when they left, and he jumped
18 +6 with Block, Grab, and Punch at the chance. Since then he’s put his enormous
strength to good use around the world, fighting
3 Climbing 12- Nazis (including the insidious Col. Eichenwald),
1 Gambling (Card Games) 8- exploring long-lost ruins, and saving hidden lands
1 High Society 8- of wonder from evil villains.
1 AK: Africa 8-
1 AK: Europe 8- Personality/Motivation: Bill Ferguson is a true-blue
1 AK: India 8- Pulp hero in the grand tradition. He’s strong and
2 KS: Circuses And Circus Life 11- tough, and never backs down from a fight, but he’s
1 Language: French (basic conversation; Eng- polite and kind to women, children, and the elderly.
lish is Native) At first he was sometimes awed by the rarified
1 Language: Hindi (basic conversation) circles in which some of his friends move, but he’s
1 Language: Swahili (basic conversation) learned to take it all in stride and can now get along
2 PS: Strongman 11- with kings and generals as well as he can with farm
1 SS: Anthropology 8- folk.
1 SS: Archaeology 8- Bill has two blind sides, and they both get him
3 Stealth 12- into trouble from time to time. The first is that he
1 TF: Equines can’t resist a sob story. He’s got a heart as big as all
2 WF: Small Arms outdoors, and if someone tells him a tale of hard
luck and woe, he immediately wants to help that
person out. He rarely has much money in his pock-
The Ultimate Brick ■ Chapter Three 135
Background/History: Ackálian women are known Dashana usually doesn’t bother to Hunt
for being big and strong; they run Ackálian society. people — it isn’t worth the effort. However, if she
And even among Ackálian females, Dashana stands got mad enough, or someone stole her supply of
out. Her size, strength, courage, and aggressiveness her strength-enhancing drug, she could turn into a
made her a top candidate for joining the Ackorsha, Hunter pretty quickly.
the Ackálian military. She excelled as a soldier, even To make Dashana tougher, bump her STR up
becoming a champion at an Ackálian fighting style to 30 and get rid of her Dependence. You could
that Humans call “Military Boxing.” But she chafed also give her some more cyberware, like her bioplas
under the discipline, and the pay stank. implants and the artificial eye she got when she lost
After a few years in the Ackorsha, she’d had her two left eyes to a Thorgon’s knife. To weaken
enough. When the opportunity arose, she went her, reduce her STR (and some other Character-
AWOL and blended into the underground, picking istics), and possibly make her Dependence more
up jobs wherever she could — as long as the pay severe.
was right, she’d do just about anything. She quickly Appearance: Dashana is a tall female Ackálian,
drifted into a career as a renegade, adventurer, and incredibly muscular and strong-looking even for
rogue, and has had many adventures since then. one of her species. Through intensive exercise and
She’s wanted by both Ackálian and Terran authori- steroid-like drugs, she’s made herself even more
ties for various crimes committed in their respec- muscular. She usually wears ordinary armored
tive space. clothes for her species; when expecting trouble she
Personality/Motivation: Dashana is determined to carries a Mark V laser rifle and a large knife.
be the biggest, toughest, strongest person around.
Ackálian society rewards aggression and power,
and she’s learned that lesson well. In fact, when
she was in the military she began a regimen of
strength-enhancing drugs, and had protective
bioplas implanted underneath her skin, to make
her a better fighter (she runs the risk of painful
withdrawal symptoms if she doesn’t keep taking the
drugs). If she meets up with someone who seems
like he might be stronger or tougher than she, she’ll
find a way to challenge him and prove she’s the best.
Quote: “Ha! A weakling like you doesn’t stand a
chance against me.”
Powers/Tactics: Dashana puts her military train-
ing to good use in combat. If possible, she studies
the battlefield and the opponent in advance to find
something she can take advantage of. If not, she
comes in hard and fast, hitting the enemy with
everything she’s got in the hope of overwhelming
him. She’s skilled with a laser rifle, but she really
prefers hand-to-hand combat; nothing’s as much
fun as a fist fight with someone strong and tough
enough to stand up to her... though no one can
stand up to her for long.
Between her military training and her career
as a criminal, Dashana’s picked up a whole bunch
of major and minor Skills. Although she comes
across as nothing but a big, strong, bruiser most of
the time, the truth is that she’s a pretty competent
adventurer.
Campaign Use: The PCs in a Terran Empire cam-
paign will probably encounter Dashana as an
adversary — someone who’s like them in some
ways, but unlike them in so many more that they
probably won’t see eye to eye on most matters. In
the end, Dashana and the PCs’ brick will probably
have to settle matters with an old-fashioned brawl
to prove who’s tougher.
138 HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
INDEX
Absolute Effects Rule .................34 Brick Flight (brick power) .........75 Dark Champions, bricks in .......26 Fastball Special ....................100-02
Absorbing Brick (brick Brick Tricks .................................49 Dashana (example character)... 136 Ferguson, Bill (example
archetype) ..................................23 Brick Tricks (example DCV, negative STR and..............17 character)................................ 134
Absorption (Power)....................34 powers) ................................49-86 Defense Powers ...........................33 Find Weakness (Power) .............38
Accident (brick background/ Brick Tricks Martial Art.............31 Defensive Powers ........................68 Flick Of Unconsciousness (brick
origin) ........................................19 Bricks, generally Demolisher’s Eye (brick power) ..55 power) ........................................56
Accidental Change Archetypes.................................23 Density Enhancement (brick Flight (Power) .............................38
(Disadvantage) ..........................47 Backgrounds .............................19 power) ........................................80 Focus (Limitation)......................45
Adjustment Powers ....................33 Basics..........................................19 Density Increase (Power) Fragile world, living in ............ 112
Adrenaline Surge Character creation ................5-86 Generally ...................................36 Frail bricks .......................... 27, 115
(brick power) ............................50 Genre By Genre ........................25 Effect on fastball special ....... 101 Freight Train (brick archetype) ...24
Advantages Personalities ..............................21 Density Powers ...........................80 Freight Train (brick power).......57
Generally ...................................43 Bricks And The Environment .. 103 Dependent NPC Gentle Giant (brick personality) .22
For STR ......................................18 Bricks In Combat........................88 (Disadvantage) .............................47 Ghost Touch (brick power) .......57
Affects Desolidified Brute (brick personality) ...........21 Der Westgote (example Giant (brick archetype)..............24
(Advantage) ...............................43 Buildings, breaking .................. 113 character)................................ 122 Giant’s Smash (brick power) .....57
Agile Brick (brick archetype) ....23 Bulletproof (brick power)..........70 Desolidification, effect on Gigantic Defense (brick power) ..84
Agile Haymaker (brick power) .51 Bully (brick personality) ............21 fastball special ........................ 101 Gigantic Eyes (brick power) ......85
Aid (Power) .................................35 Burgida (example character) .. 128 Determining Damage ................97 Gigantic Fists (brick power)......83
Alien (brick background/ Buried (brick power)..................54 Dexterity (Characteristic) .........27 Gigantic Legs (brick power) ......86
origin) ........................................19 Caber (example character) ..... 126 Differentiation of damage or Gigantic Muscles (brick
Analyze (Skill) .............................29 Campaigning with bricks ..87-118 throwing distance .................8, 16 power) ........................................83
Archetypes for bricks .................23 Can Take A Punch Disadvantages .............................47 Gigantic Physique (brick
Area Of Effect (Advantage) .......43 (brick power) ............................70 Dispel (Power) ............................37 power) ........................................84
Area Of Effect Can’t Hurt Me (brick power) ....70 Distance Punch (brick power) ..55 Gigantic Resilience (brick
(Combat Modifier) ...................89 Casual STR ....................................6 Distance Throw (brick power) ..56 power) ........................................85
Armful (brick power) ................77 Catching thrown objects............16 Distance, throwing .....................15 Gigantic Size (brick power) .......82
Armor Plating (brick power) ....68 Causal Effectiveness Distinctive Features Gigantic Swing (brick power) ...84
Armsweep (brick power) ...........51 (brick power) ............................54 (Disadvantage) ..........................47 Gigantic Toughness (brick
Artificial Brick (brick Champions, bricks in .................26 Divine Avatar (brick archetype) ..24 power) ........................................85
archetype) ..................................23 Character creation ..................5-86 Does Knockback (Advantage) ..43 Gladiator’s Eye (brick power)....57
Asteroids, mass of .................... 103 Characteristics ............................27 Door-Smashing Fists (brick Grab (Combat Maneuver) .........91
Attached objects, tearing free ...105 Characters as weapons ...............99 power) ........................................56 Gravity ...................................... 116
Augmented Defenses Characters, example .........119-137 Double Knockback Grond (example character) .... 120
(brick power) ............................82 Charges (Limitation) ....................8 (Advantage) ...............................43 Growth (Power) ..........................38
Augmented Haymaker Choke Hold (Combat Drain (Power) .............................37 Growth, effect on fastball
(brick power) ............................51 Maneuver) .................................91 Duplication, effect on fastball special ..................................... 101
Augmented Strength Climbing (Skill) ..........................29 special ..................................... 101 Growth Powers ...........................82
(brick power) ............................80 Coal Into Diamonds Dust Storm (brick power) .........56 Hand-To-Hand Attack (Power) ..39
Autofire (Advantage) .................43 (brick power) ............................77 Ego (Characteristic) ...................27 Handholds (brick power) ..........75
Backgrounds for bricks ..............19 Collateral damage caused by Elemental Controls.....................46 Hardened (Advantage) ..............33
Barrier Penetration large characters ...................... 114 Encumbrance (Combat Harder You Hit Me, The
(brick power) ............................51 Combat, bricks in .......................88 Modifier) ...................................89 Stronger I Get (brick power) ..78
Basics Of Breakage .................. 103 Combat Maneuvers ....................90 Endurance (Characteristic) .......28 Haymaker (Combat Maneuver) .95
Bearhug (brick power) ...............52 Combat Modifiers ......................89 Endurance cost Healing (Power) ..........................40
Beast (brick personality)............21 Combat Piloting (Skill) ..............29 For Leaping ...........................7, 14 Healing Powers ...........................74
Big Wrap-Up, The Combat Skill Levels (Skill) ........29 For STR ..................................7, 43 Heavy (Physical Limitation) .....36
(brick power) ............................52 Combined STR .............................6 Endurance Limitations Heavy Brick (brick archetype) ..24
Bill Ferguson Comeliness (Characteristic) ......27 (Limitation) ...............................45 Hired Muscle (brick
(example character) .............. 134 Comin’ Through (brick power) .54 Energy Defense personality) ...............................22
Block (Combat Maneuver)........90 Commando (brick archetype) ..23 (Characteristic) .........................27 Hoist (new Skill) .........................30
Body (Characteristic) .................27 Concealment (Skill) ...................30 Enraged/Berserk Hunted (Disadvantage)..............48
Body of various substances, Constitution (Characteristic) ....27 (Disadvantage) ..........................47 I Can See For Miles And Miles
mass of .................................... 107 Crack The Whip (brick power) .. 54 Environment, bricks and the .. 103 (brick power) ............................77
Body Of Metal (brick power)....68 Crush You! (brick power) ..........80 Example powers ....................49-86 I Ignore Your Puny Energy Blast
Body Of Stone (brick power) ....68 Crushing damage................99-100 Expanded Object Table ....107-112 (brick power) ............................71
Boxer’s Flurry (brick power) .....53 Crushing Grip (brick power) ....55 Expanded Strength Table.....10-13 Impressiveness (brick power) ...84
Bracing (brick power) ................69 Damage Explosion (Advantage) ..............43 Improvised Weaponry (brick
Breakfall (Skill) ...........................29 From STR ..............................8, 17 Explosion (Combat Modifier) ..89 power) ........................................58
Breaking (brick power) ..............53 Throwing ...................................16 Extra Limbs (Power) ..................37 Incremental STR ...........................6
Breaking Things ....................... 103 Damage Reduction (Power) ......36 Fantasy, bricks in.........................25 Insta-Barrier (brick power) .......71
Breakout (brick power) ..............69 Damage Resistance (Power) ......36 Fast Healer (brick power) ..........74 Intelligence (Characteristic) ......27
150 HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
Intimidation (brick power) .......58 Generally ...................................41 Rapid Haymaker (brick power) ..62 (brick power) ............................76
Introduction ..................................4 Effect on fastball special ....... 101 Realism, Strength and....4, 9, 114-15 Super-Strong Breath (brick
Invisible Power Effects Multipowers ................................46 Realistic Uses Of Strength ...... 114 power) ........................................65
(Advantage) ...............................43 Muscle-Tearing Grip (brick Really Deep Breath (brick Super-Strong Legs (brick
Invulnerability.............................34 power) ........................................59 power) ........................................79 power) ........................................76
Irresistible Strength (brick Mutant (brick background/ Recovery (Characteristic) ..........28 Super-Strong Senses (brick
power) ........................................58 origin) ........................................20 Reduced Endurance (Advantage) power) ........................................77
It’s Like Hitting A Brick Wall Negative Strength .......................17 Generally ...................................44 Super-Wrestler’s Grip (brick
(brick power) ............................71 Nice Try, Little Man (brick For STR ........................................8 power) ........................................65
Item Of Power (brick power) ........................................85 Reputation (Disadvantage) .......48 Superhero genre, bricks in .........26
background/origin) ..................19 No Conscious Control Reputation (Perk) .......................32 Supertough Body (brick power) .72
Johnny Kwon (example (Limitation) ...............................45 Requires A Skill Roll Supertough Form I
character)................................ 132 No Normal Defense (Limitation) ...............................45 (brick power) ............................73
Just Catching My Breath (brick (Advantage) ...............................44 Resilient Healing (brick power) ..74 Supertough Form II (brick
power) ........................................74 Numbing Grip (brick power)....60 Resistance (Talent) .....................32 power) ........................................73
Killing Attack — Objects, BODY and DEF Rhino Resilience (brick power)...72 Supertough Skin (brick power) ...73
Hand-To-Hand (Power) ..........40 of .........................................107-12 Ring The Bell (brick power) ......62 Susceptibility (Disadvantage) ...48
Knight (brick personality) .........22 Object Table, Expanded ...107-112 Rolling With A Punch (Combat Sweep (Combat Maneuver).......97
Knockback ...................................98 Off Hand (Combat Modifier) ...89 Maneuver) .................................97 Sygyl (example character) ...... 130
Knockback Resistance (Power).. 40 Offensive Powers ........................50 Rope Reach (brick power) .........62 Talents ..........................................32
Knowledge Skills (Skill) .............31 Ogre (example character) ....... 121 Scattershot (brick power) ..........63 Tear You Limb From Limb
Kwon, Johnny (example One-Man Army (brick power)....60 Science fiction, bricks in ............26 (brick power) ............................66
character)................................ 132 Only In Heroic Identity Scientist (brick personality) ......22 Tearing off attached objects
Lack Of Weakness (Power) .......40 (Limitation) ...............................45 Sensory Powers ...........................77 or pieces of objects ...........105-06
Large characters ....................38-39 Optional Expanded Growth Shake ’n’ Bake (brick power) .....63 Technology (brick background/
Last Stand (brick power) ...........59 Table ...........................................40 Shape Shift, effect on fastball origin) ........................................20
Layered Defenses ........................33 Orbital throwing ...................... 115 special ..................................... 101 Telekinesis (Power) ....................42
Leaping........................ 14, 115, 117 Ordinary Guy (brick Shockwave (brick power) ..........63 Ten men, strength of ..................10
Leaping (Power)..........................40 personality) ...............................22 Shrinking, effect on fastball Thematic Brick (brick
Life Support (Power) ..................41 Origins for bricks........................19 special ..................................... 102 archetype) ..................................25
Lifting .....................................9, 115 Other Combat Actions Side Effects (Limitation) ............45 Throwing Table ...........................15
Limitations ..................................45 And Effects ................................99 Size (Physical Limitation)....38-39 Throwing Things................ 15, 114
Limited Power (Limitation) ......45 Pain Tolerance (brick power)....71 Size damage, collateral ............ 114 Thud (brick power) ....................73
Linked (Limitation)....................45 Partial Strength, Endurance for ..7 Size, effect on Leaping ................14 Thunderclap (brick power) .......66
Living In A Fragile World ....... 112 Perks .............................................32 Skills .......................................29-32 Traditional Brick (brick
Magic (brick background/ Personalities for bricks ...............21 Solar system gravities .............. 116 archetype) ..................................25
origin) ........................................19 Physical Defense Speed (Characteristic) ...............28 Training (brick background/
Martial arts genre, bricks in ......25 (Characteristic) .........................27 Spreading An Attack (Combat origin) ........................................21
Martial Arts (Skill) .....................31 Physical Limitation Modifier) ...................................89 Tunneling (Power)......................42
Mass, effect on Leaping ..............14 (Disadvantage) ........36, 38-39, 48 Stealth (Skill) ...............................32 Ultimate Eye Gouge (brick
Masses Of Materials Table .. 104-06 Piercing Fist (brick power)........60 Stentorian Voice (brick power)....79 power) ........................................66
Mass of objects, the ................. 103 Planets, mass of/moving ......... 103 Stopping Moving Objects ..........88 Ultra-Impressive (brick power)...67
Materials, mass, BODY, and Plots seeds ................................ 118 Stratospheric Punch (brick Uppercut Supreme (brick
DEF of ................................104-06 Poke (brick power) .....................60 power) ........................................64 power) ........................................67
Mechanics (Skill) ........................31 Power Advantages.......................43 Stratospheric Throw (brick Variable Advantage
MegaLeaping ...............................41 Power Frameworks .....................46 power) ........................................64 (Advantage) ...............................44
MegaScale (Advantage) .......41, 43 Power Limitations ......................45 Strength (Characteristic) .......6-18 Warlord (brick personality) ......23
Metal Man (brick archetype) ....25 Power Modifiers..........................43 Strength Rolls ................................6 Warrior Brick (brick
Mile-Long Leaps (brick power) ..75 Power Skill: Brick Tricks Strength Table, Expanded ....10-13 archetype) ..................................25
Miscellaneous Powers ................77 (Skill)..........................................31 Stretching (Power) Weapon Size/Shape (Combat
Missile Deflection (Power) ........41 Powered Armor (brick Generally ...................................42 Modifier) ...................................90
Missileer (brick power)..............59 background/origin) ..................20 Effect on fastball special ....... 102 Weapons, characters as ..............99
Modern-day genre, bricks in .....26 Powers ..........................................33 Stronger Than A Locomotive Weightlifting.................. 8-9, 31-32
Monster Brick (brick archetype) .25 Powers, example ....................49-86 (brick power) ............................65 Where’s That Waterpipe?
Move By (Combat Maneuver) ..95 Presence (Characteristic) ..........27 Stun (Characteristic) ..................28 (brick power) ............................67
Move Through (Combat Professional Skill (Skill) .............32 Super-Dense Fists (brick White Rhino (example
Maneuver) .................................96 Psychological Limitation power) ........................................81 character)................................ 124
Movement (Disadvantage) ..........................48 Super-Dense Legs (brick Zero Gravity ............................. 117
Fastball special and ............... 101 Pulling A Punch (Combat power) ........................................82
Negative STR and .....................17 Maneuver) .................................97 Super-Digging (brick power) ....75
Movement Powers ......................75 Pulp genre, bricks in ...................26 Super-Leaping (brick power) ....76
Moving objects, stopping ...........88 Python’s Grip (brick power) ......61 Super-Physiology (brick
Multi-Limbed Combatant Rage-Augmented Strength power) ........................................79
(brick power) ............................59 (brick power) ............................61 Super-Punch (brick power).......65
Multiform (Power) Range Limitations (Limitation) . 45 Super-Strength Smash-Through