MURPG Street (House Rules for Non-Supers)

WHY GO STREET?

For the Batmen, Punishers, Wolverines, Daredevils, Super (and not so super) Soldiers and etcetera. There are many players who like to play lower-keyed characters, with more basic and human adventures.

Weaknesses of the MURPG System at Street/Human Level
- Lack of variety, diversity and options
- Lack of capability against powered opponents
- Lack of general excitement

These house rules attempt to deal with these issues. They are not meant to deal with the energy conservation issues that are a large part of the MURPG system, or with the pass/fail aspect of the stone mechanic. They are simply created to allow martial arts and gun toting human-skilled characters to be diverse and competitive.

Alternately, this could be developed into a full scale "Daredevil's Guide to Martial Arts" or similar.

NEW MECHANICS

REVERSALS/COUNTERS (+1 CL Option)
- To do a Reversal/Counter: Exceed Attack in reversal and send both attacks back at them at once. Stones spent in reversal do not count as defense in case reversal fails or secondary opponent attacks.
- Reversals can only be countered if attacker is within range of the reversing action. Close Combat reversals cannot defeat a ranged combat reversal at a distance, for instance.
- Represents when attacks interact, such as martial arts counters and wrestling, or beam struggles.

COMBINING ACTIONS

Combining two or more Actions into a single Action box will be possible, however it will cost Lines of Experience, and must occur after the game has started. The base cost is 3 lines, but for actions that cost extra cost levels (such as Force Field which costs +3 cost levels) you must pay a number of additional lines equal to the total of extra cost levels among the Actions you wish to combine. For example, combining Technology (AN+2) and Inventing (AN+6) would cost 11 lines of experience. Options, Advantages, and Disadvantages applied to Actions also modify the number of lines required. These actions must have the same AN.

CUSTOM ACTIONS

Players can create new actions during character creation by combining the effects of existing actions by paying for each additional action as an option, with an additional +1 cost level for combining them. For instance, if someone wants Tentacle Whip (+2) combined with Fireworks (+1) Then the action would be CL = AN + 4. The exception is Close Combat actions, which can be combined without the additional +1 "combined with" option.

This is not to be confused with the "can always combine with Close/Ranged Combat" option, which keeps the actions separate, and allows for the ANs to be cumulative. This form of combining actions into one box saves space for the 9 action limit and and leaves only one action number. The choice is up to the player how they'd like to build their character.

MAXIMUM STATS

Traditionally, non-superhuman stats stop at 3, however, in MURPG Street, the maximum is 4 to represent the select few individuals who virtually transcend human limits by human means. Daredevil is a classic example, where he can manifest effectively superhuman agility. Other characters may be the culmination of decades of breeding for strength. Still others may have naturally adapted to a high gravity world. In one way or another, there are exceptions to the rule of 3, a rule which extends to other physicality-based modifiers, such as toughness and senses. It is advised when running a 'street campaign' that basic stats not exceed 4. This allows the importance of equipment and other things to emerge.

STRENGTH of 7 and up

Like characters of Speed more than 7 can run on water, post-STREET, characters with a strength of 7 and up can create an area effect attack with either a ground pound or thunderclap by spending more than 7 stones of strength. This does not combine with or affect Close Combat.



NEW ACTIONS

Capoeria (CL = AN + 1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Agility or Strength Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- Stones moved to defense are doubled
- Inspired by Forcefield

Tai Chi (CL = AN + 1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Int or Agility Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- Can Save unused stones for later panels, or reabsorb them into energy reserve at will
- Inspired by Fireworks
- Efficient for free

Jeet Kun Do (CL = AN +1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Agility or Speed Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- Limited Prescience on Action
- additional +1 to attacks or Weapon Modifier
- Inspired by Tentacle Whip
- Radar Sense at AN (+1w)

Boxing (CL = AN + 1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Strength or Durability Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- 3x Damage
- One Target Only

Jujitsu (CL = AN + 1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Strength or Agility Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- Stones moved towards reversal are double
- Inspired by Forcefield

Muy Thai Kickboxing (CL = AN + 1)
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- Strength or Agility Bonus or Weapon Modifier
- Stones Spent ignore resistance less than AN
- Deals 2x Damage
- Inspired by Unstoppable

Wushu (CL = AN + 1)
- Agility Bonus or Weapon Bonus
- Includes Acrobatics
- Area Effect



SUPERIOR COMBAT ACTIONS (Both New and Revised)

Mastery of Kung Fu (CL = AN + 2)
- Close and Ranged Combat Action
- Agility and Strength Bonus or 1 Ability and Weapon Bonus
- Catch Projectiles (+1w)
- Multiple Enemies (+1w)
- Blind Fighting (+1w)
- Balance (+1w)
- Evaluate "Kung Fu" (+1w) Can detect action numbers used against them up to AN
- Create new Kung Fu Techniques (+1CL)
- Substitute Mastery for Strength (+1CL)
- Substitute Mastery of Intelligence (+1CL)
- Substitute Mastery for Agility/Speed (+1CL)

Ninjitsu (CL = AN + 2)
- Close and Ranged Combat Action
- Agility and Weapon Bonus or Dual Weapon Bonus
- Wall Crawling (+1w)
- Disguise (+1w)
- Animal Training (+1w)
- Assassination (+1w) Accumulate stones in a 'build up' panel for up to double AN
- Concentration (+1CL)
- Stealth Movement (+1 CL)
- Superhuman Ninja (+1 CL) (-1 CL to Invisibility, Teleportation, and Mastery of elements)

Gun Fu (CL = AN + 2)
- Close and Ranged combat Action
- Dual Weapon Bonuses or Intelligence and Agility Bonus
- Blind Fighting (+1w)
- Multiple Opponents (+1w)
- Bullet Blocking (+1w) - Defense can be used to help others
- Escalation (+1w) - adds +1 free stones to attack for every consecutive panel attacking the same foe, up to AN free stones.
- 2x Defense vs Ranged Combat (+1 CL)
- Reflexive Dodge Negation (+1 CL)
- Prescience on Gun Fu (+1 CL)

Sniping (CL + 2)
- Ranged Combat Action, AN Range
- Intelligence or Agility Bonus and Weapon Bonus
- Takes Time to Prepare, 1 panel to set up position and weapon
- One Target Only
- Does not take time to prepare (+1w)
- Natural Scope (Telescopic Vision at AN), (+1w)
- Can Split for Multiple Targets (+1w)
- Armor Penetrating (+1 CL)
- Line Up Shot: Accumulate Energy (+1 CL)
--- Can build up 1 stone/panel of additional effect, up to AN
- 2x Damage (+1 CL)
- 3x Damage (+2 CL)

Chi Mastery (CL = AN+3)
- Int Bonus (+2 CL)
- Stones put in this action act as a weapon bonus for the duration of the battle
- Inspired by Psi-Weapon

Mastery of Self (CL = AN + 8)
- A Character with this action has transcended human limitations by training, study or meditation. All things are possible for them.
- Close Combat Action, Range: 1
- All Ability Bonuses or Two Ability and Weapon Bonus
- Any Close Combat Action
- Any Mental, Physical or Social action at Range: 1
- Inspired by Power Cosmic



NEW AND REVISED MODIFIERS

Armory (CL = MN + 3) - Various Mundane Weapons at MN Level
- Characters with this modifier have access to a variety of weapons at their Armory MN and below. They may have a virtually limitless armory, or easy access to weapons dealers. Ideal for characters like Punisher or Blade who have so many guns and swords that listing or purchasing them all would be unwieldy.
- These items can be kept wherever the player chooses, provided there is enough space. They may have a hidden wall in their apartment, or a tricked out van, or a bat-ridden cave below their backyard.
- OPTION
-- Powered Armory Option (+1w) Purchase Powered Armor Weaponry at Powered Armor Costs up to MN.

Deep Reserves (Cost = MN x Durability red stones)
- Increase your Energy Regeneration by the Modifier Number

Defend + Attack Weapon (special)
- Weapon acts as a defensive mod, even when used to attack, like Captain America's shield. Pay for both aspects of the weapon at MN+1. This concept works also for Multi-Function Weapons like Daredevil's Billy Clubs. Pay for each option separately.

Companion/Sidekick/Familiar/Contact (5 Stones per CL, CL = AN + 4)
- Great Action to represent Redwing/Oracle, to access rarely used surrogate actions for flavor or create recon units.
- Bad Action to represent Lois Lane/Robin, or to create a second character of nearly equal power, or for roleplay purposes as the GM has full control of the character.
- Character is under GM control. This is basically an NPC request from the player that costs stones. Like other powers whose effects are determined by the GM, such as Hex Spheres or Destiny Force, this can backfire, and players may find themselves with fighting their sidekick or mourning them, depending on the adventure.
- Sentient/Human Companion (+1 CL)
--- If Companion is able to speak intelligently, they cost more.
- Combat Companion (+1 CL)
--- If Companion has any combat or healing actions, mental or physical, they cost more as well.



NEW OPTIONS

Vehicle Ops
- Vehicular Combat (+1 CL) In terms of Old Vehicle Rules: Characters gain additional Action for Combat while on vehicle, can use weapon or vehicle combat modifier. If attacking with the body of a vehicle, generally +2 for Motorcycles, +3 for Cars, +4 for Large Trucks or small planes and +5 for immense vehicles, such as commercial jets.

Close Combat
- Reversals/Counters (free for all Close Combat actions)
- Additional Fighting Style: Additional Close Combat actions can be purchased by adding their + CL to the cost of their combined close combat action.
--- These fighting styles may be used separately, but not combined.
--- For example Batman may purchase Boxing and Tai Chi as part of his Close Combat, this would make his close combat cost CL = AN + 2 since each of those styles are a +1 CL style. Batman could then, when using close combat, declare either Tai Chi or Boxing, and take advantage of the abilities in those actions.

Ranged Combat
- Reversals/Counters (+1 CL) - See Above
- Snipe (Accumulate Stones for up to double AN) (+2 CL)
- Trajectory: Can throw weapons so that they return (+1CL) and bounce weapons off AN walls, each wall decreasing the attack by 1.
- Delayed Shot (+1w) Character can fire projectiles high into the air which will return to targeted spot after either 4 or AN panels, whichever comes first.
- Multiple Targets (+1w) Character gets 1 additional free stone to every target whenever they split stones across multiple targets.
- Zen Archery (+1w) Character can shoot blind, and ignores visual penalties

Leadership
- By Example (+2 CL) stones of leadership spent towards an action the Leader is taking themselves are free. Still requires an action to use.
- The Speech (+2 CL) stones of leadership can be held by other characters and used at will until the end of the issue.

Business Skills
- Board (+1w) - Player can access GK at AN of Business and their Industry, chosen at character creation.
- Corporation (+1w) - 1 CL to Wealth

Black Ops
- Undercover +1CL - Beyond a disguise speciality, the characer can mimic a target mannerisms and voice and surface thoughts, creating a challenge to detection.

Performance (Revision of "Dance") CL = AN + 1
- Basic Performance/Hobbyist - -1CL - Cannot persuade, inspire or enchant with their performance.
- Band/Troupe Member - +1w - Can combine stones with bandmates.
- Dance is one of many specialties available including: Singing, Guitar, Drums, Poetry, Oration and Acting as well as other genre specialties.

Swimming
- Breathe Underwater (+1w)

Iron Will
- Chi Weapon Option (+2CL)

Nerve Punch
- Break Solids: Power works against walls and structures of all sorts as well. Breaks if Strikes. (+3 CL)

Bone Weapons
- +5 modifier (9 white stones)

Weapon
- Exclusive (+1w)
- Collapsible/Portable (+1w)
- Electrification (+1CL)
- Armor Penetration (+3CL)


NEW VEHICLE RULES

Vehicles in MURPG Street are powered armor. They are created and purchased the same way, with the exception that they must have speed and do not necessarily have to have any intelligence. If using a vehicle, the player uses the vehicle in the same way they would a powered armor character, with the exception that they get a free modifier towards their movement actions equal to their character's Vehicle Ops.

Additionally, if the character has Vehicular Combat as an option for their Vehicle Operations action, they have one additional action during the panel to use one of their driver character's actions while driving. The stones for this are technically free, but they cannot exceed that character's regeneration/panel.

Example: Jean Grey is flying the Blackbird, which has a V.I. of 2, chasing down a Sentinel. The Blackbird has a Durabilty of 4, and so from her pool of 12 stones, she spends 2 on Flight to fly at a speed of 750 mph, and 6 on Ranged Combat to fire the Blackbird's machine guns. Since she has Vehicle Combat on her Vehicle Ops, she gets an Extra Action. She spends 5 stones, her regeneration limit, of Telekinesis to break one of the jets of the Sentinel's feet. At the end of the panel, the Blackbird has 4 stones left, and will regenerate 4 at the start of the next panel.

Keep in mind, just as with Powered Armor, you can use your character's Ranged Combat skills in order to fire a vehicle's weapons if they have that specialty.

An Ordinary Car
V.I.: 1, Str: 5 Agi: 2 Spd: 4 Dur: 2
Tougness (+2)

A Super Car, like the Knight Industries Two Thousand
V.I.: 5 Str: 5 Agi: 3 Spd: 5 Dur: 4
Computers: 5 (remote connection) Voice Projection: 3
Holographic Projection: 1, General Knowledge: 3
Toughness (+5) Rocket Launcher (+4) Machine Guns (+4)
Cybernetic Senses: 4

MULTI-PILOT VEHICLES

Some vehicles have multiple pilots. As such, multiple players can pilot them. In this case, the regeneration stones and power pool are split evenly amongst each pilot, who then spends stones towards actions that stack with those of other players.


Example:

The Blackbird
V.I.: 4 Str: 0 Agi: 6 Spd: 3 Dur: 4
Flight: 6 Laser Guns: 5
Toughness +3, Rapid Regeneration, Hover Jets [Flight] +1

The X-Men's Blackbird is piloted by Cyclops and Storm. They are battling against Bastion high in the atmopshere. By splitting the actions, pool and regeneration between the two of them evenly, each pilot gets two actions, a pool of 6 stones and 3 stones/panel.

Cyclops puts 4 stones of flight into Defense. Because Scott also has vehicular combat, he has a third free action where he can use up to 3 stones, his regeneration, on actions. He uses two stones of leadership to tell Storm to man the weapons. Storm puts 5 of her stones into the Laser Guns and 1 stone into flight, shifted to defense as well.

When the panel starts, Bastion has an agility of 4, which is higher than Storm or Cyclops, but since the Blackbird has an agility of 6, it goes first. It opens fire with a 7-stone laser attack, which Bastion, with his toughness of 4 and flight defense of 1 is unprepared for. He takes 1w damage.

Now, Bastion has his turn and unleashes the remainder of his energy bank, 11 stones of Force Blast at the Blackbird! 6 stones Hard flight by Cyclops and his Copilot attempt to dodge the blast, plus an additional flight modifier, also put in defense since that's where most of the stones of flight went to. Four stones still strike the jet's toughness, and one stone gets through! The jet takes a stone of damage, it shakes, panels spark and sputter!

Cyclops begins the next panel with 5 stones and Storm with 3.


COMMENTS? QUESTIONS?