- Time - A single phase of play is completed only after every C involved in the scene has had their say. This is meant to prevent Players running away with any particular scene. (IE: Cannonball, Husk and Colossus are facing several troops, and the Guthries spend some time planning their attacks while Colossus makes three quick 'Attack' posts - which ends the conflict before the Guthries can participate.) Characters with relevant Lightning Speed are allowed two stated actions per phase. If a player decides to not take an action, then they are permitted to 'pass' as their contribution to forwarding the scene/time - but may not 'save up' several pass phases for a flurry of action in any subsequent phase. By the same token, a player may not 'pre-script' a series of actions for their C in advance.
- Dice and Modifiers - Since we can't use the Fate Deck, any action that affects another C will have to be determined via d20. Since we also don't have Trump cards to speak of, we'll handle skills as thus: Skill = 1 point modifier, Master Class = 2 points, World Class = 4 points. Weapons do not add to-hit bonuses unless the Attacker is using a Weapon skill, but do add damage. However, two Cs using the same skill against each other (ie: both using Martial Arts) will lower each others' skill grade due to familiarity. IE: A Character with World Class vs. a C with Master Class grants the C with World Class a +1 and the C with Master Class no skill bonus. A Character with Master Class vs. a C with only the skill grants the C with World Class a +2 and the normal skilled C no bonus. Skills of equal level negate both C's skill bonus.
The skills themselves affect the given difficulty as per usual, but cannot adjust the total difficulty modifier below zero. (IE: A World Class would not have a doubled bonus even for an action with a Difficulty of Automatic.) Again, this is only for when both Cs have the same skills at work for determining respective attack and defense - so one could defend with a different skill than is being used to avoid the mutual negation. For example, instead of trying to block with Martial Arts, a C could use Acrobatics instead. This adds an element of strategy, and explains why folks like Captain America rely more heavily on their unique abilities (like throwing a shield at World Class Shields skill) in battle.
However, if a defense is of a Trump attribute to a given attack, for instance Martial Arts (AGI) used to defend against an Energy Blast (AGI trump), then the trumping defense raises the attack Difficulty one grade.
This is the formula: Applicable Stat + Edge + Skill Modifier + d20 - Adjusted Difficulty VS Opposing Stat + Edge + Skill + d20 - Adjusted Difficulty of the defense. Highest total prevails. This reflects the occasional occurance of 'lucky shots' that happen in battle.
- Hero Points - To encourage participation, we'll be using the Hero Point rules for every session - which the players may use to increase their abilities, or hold in reserve to use during play. Only the STs may award points, and only after official storylines. Players roleplaying scenes together may not award each other HPs.
- Edge and Health Points - Since we can't do 'hand size' to determine the amount of damage a C can withstand, every C will be assigned a Health Point score in accordance with their Edge, as follows.
- Edge 0, 10 Health
- Edge 1, 17 Health
- Edge 2, 25 Health
- Edge 3, 30 Health
- Edge 4, 40 Health
- Defense Attrition - All Characters will have their Strength score for purposes of defense lowered by one per game phase they suffer an attack of at least an Intensity half of their current value - even if the attack did them no harm. This is meant to reflect the fact that defenses erode over time, and to prevent Cs from making themselves out to be Unstoppable Tanks. Resistances, Body Armor (except for Powered Armor) and Invulnerabilities do not decrease, only Strength for the purpose of counting defense. The Strength itself, however, does not change. For instance, a C with Strength of 15 takes a hit that is Intensity 9. The next phase, that Strength will count as only 14 for the purpose of resisting damage, but will otherwise operate as the same 15 it says on the statsheet. Willpower for the purpose of defending against psionic attacks will likewise decrease in this regard. Multiple attacks do not lower the available defense multiple times per phase.
Yes, some characters are extraordinarily resistant to damage. However, arranging powers of even canon Cs to the point that nothing short of a thermonuclear meltdown can so much as muss their hair is not going to fly. For example, a C with 18 Str, +4 Body Armor, and several common attack Resistances at +6 provides a total defense of 28, which according to MSHAG makes them able to pretty much shrug off even Thor belting them upside the head with Mjolnir. If a Cs Total Defense against all manner of attack is above 10 without factoring Strength, then that C will be considered a Cosmic, and thus not playable. Certain Cs which are 'tanks' against certain attacks, but not others, will not be considered as Cosmics. Yes, the Hulk is pretty tough against physical attacks, but he's not very tough against mental ones. On the other hand, a Hulk with a +12 Psi-Screen will be considered Cosmic Invulnerable. Having a C vulnerable to only one or two kinds of attack is not permissible even if they are Fatally Vulnerable to them. No Superman knockoffs here.
- Concentrated Fire - If a C has Tactics or Leadership, they can call for a Concentrated Fire Attack with another C. This reflects the comic standard of even nigh invulnerable Cs taking damage when the characters use teamwork. What this means in practice is that a C that calls for a CFA with another C will add one-half of that Cs Intensity to the Leader's Power Intensity for a single Cumulative Intensity attack. This can be used both for distance attacks and hand-to-hand. However, a third and subsequent additional contributions to the concentrated attack will provide only a +1 Intensity per each added member to a maximum of +3 regardless of total Cs piling in, and the Edge of only the Leader which calls for the CFA will be used for tabulating additional damage. However, the C calling for the CFA cannot defer their Intensity to a support role to ramp up the damage; ie: A C with an Energy Blast at 10 calls for a CFA with someone with an Energy Blast Intensity of 18, then the CIA is 19 points, not the 23 it would be if the Intensity 18 called for the CFA.
Of course, Wide-Angle and Radius type attacks cannot be used in Concentrated Fire capacities.
- One Hit Death - If a C takes damage after Defense Adjustment that is more than twice their available health, then they must make a Death Save at an unadjusted Challenging Difficulty (12 or better) or die. If a C takes wound damage that reduces them to 0 HP or less, they become comatose and will die in d6 phases unless successfully stabilized by someone with Medical skill. What this means is if Ultron nuclear blasts Aunt May, then she's probably not going to survive it.
Certain types of attacks which normally result in immediate death (eg: slit throat, neckbreaks, sniper attack, etc.) will (primarily in cases of PvP) have a -10 modifier to the attack roll. An unsuccessful resistance to a 'killing attack' requires the aforementioned Death Save, provided the attack inficts enough damage to bypass all other passive defenses. For instance, a normal human (STR 4) with a normal knife (+2) will never be able to OHD against Juggernaut (STR 19, Body Armor +7). However, other Cs might, provided the attack occurs after sufficient attrition (qv.) of his defense.
OHD attacks cannot be done in conjunction with Concentrated Fire Attacks.
Furthermore, since we really don't want to encourage bullying in here, if a Player's C constantly attacks weaker Player's Cs, then it will be considered a violation of player conduct rules and dealt with accordingly.
- WOE IS Powers: Wipe Out Everything In Sight type powers should be used sparingly. This includes Area-Effect and similar 'unavoidable' type attacks - especially if these are also of the largely indefensible variety (ie: Psychic Screams). Use of what constitutes a WOE IS power two phases in a row will result in a 'burnout', which will permanently lower that power's Intensity by one.
- Armor Piercing - Certain attacks may be allowed the 'Armor Pierce' bonus. Defense scores against these attacks counts as half its actual intensity. For example, a C with a STR 8 wearing Body Armor +2 has a base defense of 10 - but only 5 vs. AP attacks. Armor Piercing attacks cannot be used in conjunction with Concentrated Fire.
- Stunts: If a Player wants their C to attempt a new utilization of their power (aka: Stunt) during play, then the ST will assign that application a difficulty and add 1d10 to it. The player must then surpass this total to achieve this stunt. If the player fails, then that C may never use that particular stunt - and must list it as a failed stunt on their statsheet. Conversely, if the Player decides to make a Stunt during downtime with their Hero Points, this is permissible without a roll. The staff has final approval/veto on all stunts, regardless of their origin.
- Player Bases - Some Cs will have homes, bases, etc. that they can find sanctuary in. The Player may hold scenes with other Players within this area as they like - however, much as with vampires - if the invited C does any damage to home or hearth after being invited in, the inviting Player cannot file complaints regarding the other C's behavior unless that player also violated one of the play rules. For instance, if Dr. Doom invited Susan Storm to his castle and while she was his guest she was terse with him over his being fresh out of Earl Gray Tea, we don't expect Dr. Doom's player to file a complaint against Susan's player - even if Sue dumped the teapot on Doom's lap or similarly acted out/did damage. However, if Doom's player invites Susan to his castle and then attempts to overpower or similarly impose his will upon her, then that will be considered a violation.
Another player may not arbitrarily invade/disrupt that sanctuary without the Player's permission. Conversely, if the enemies of a C can find them, then the STs may do a 'home invasion' - provided the Player is told of the planned story line in advance.