Second String
This is the wiki page for the Second-String game, run in Tiny Supers with eijk_djeq as GM. The elevator pitch is that the world's greatest heroes have gone missing, and the players will have to step up to the plate.
Contents
Introduction[edit]
New York City has been subjected to far more supervillain attacks, alien invasions and natural disasters than any other city in the world. We don't know why, but historically if you wanted to show your stuff as a superhero, this was the stage to be on. Other countries, particularly in the Global South, grumble at the implicit American hegemony, but none of them could stop the snowball effect as all of their best and brightest abandoned home to join the Paragons, New York's home superhero team.
For a while, this arrangement worked... adequately. Enough heroes stayed home for whatever reasons to (just about) handle the domestic crises, but the world's attention was always on the Big Apple. Until May 2 2024, the day the Paragons vanished. At first people weren't too concerned: this was probably just some cosmic ret-con or magic spell gone awry, and everything would be back to normal soon enough. But things haven't gone back to normal. While most people still have faith the heroes will return, the Paragons' support staff are privately going into meltdown.
Since that day, the heroes of Earth's greatest team (according to TIME Magazine, at least) have been nowhere to be seen, but the villains and other threats that plagued New York haven't let up at all. Panicking, the Paragons' administration has put out the call to those heroes they once spurned, to the countries they took and took from, to anyone who will listen: we need your help. Please save us.
For whatever reason, you weren't a part of the superheroic elite, but here you are, ready to do your part and show the world you've got what it takes to play with the big boys!
Characters[edit]
This follows the standard character creation rules on page 20 of Tiny Supers, with the Super Team! adjustment: you receive five Power Traits instead of three, which can be exchanged for regular Traits as normal. When creating a character, try to think of a reason why they weren't one of the famous elites before: whether that's because of lack of experience, some personality flaw, or just an attachment to their home.
Player Characters[edit]
| Player | Character |
|---|---|
| ade1965 | Placeholder |
| Aether | Bode Ward, LP |
| Bates | RA PC |
| Fred | BIG |
| impoverishedlackey | Placeholder |
Non-Player Characters[edit]
Paragons Administration[edit]
Cecilia Chen: Middle-manager type, who relays directives and instructions from above to the heroes working in the field. Used to dealing with the glamorous elite and world-class heroes, she starts off under incredible pressure after the Paragons' disappearance, and with little faith in these newcomers' (regardless of their actual experience) ability to live up to her expectations.
House Rules and Notes[edit]
As a quick note: to save posts spent checking whether a roll has Advantage or what-have-you, roll the maximum number of dice you think you might qualify for. If I wouldn't have granted Advantage, or I'd have given you Disadvantage, I'll read the dice from left to right and use only the first for Disadvantage, the first and second for a normal roll, and the first, second and third for Advantage. Hopefully this will speed up gameplay for the most part, and if there are any edge cases we can work them out on the spot.
Advancement[edit]
After completing an adventure, or after reaching some other milestone, all players will be awarded 5 Experience. You may buy upgrades for your characters at the following rates:
- 3 Experience = Permanently increase Stress Capacity by 1
- 4 Experience = Gain a new Proficiency or Mastered Weapon
- 5 Experience = Gain a new Trait
Hero Points[edit]
We'll be using Hero Points from page 13 of the Gallantverse Campaign Guide. At the start of each encounter, each player will receive one Hero Point. At the same time, there will be a communal group of Hero Points equal to the number of players (currently 5) available to anyone. You may spend a Hero Point (yours or one of the communal points) to grant another character (not yourself) one of the following benefits:
- Heroic Surge: Take an extra action on their turn
- Heroic Effort: Roll an extra die on any Test (over the limit of 3), ignoring any one die of their choice
- Heroic Reserves: Upgrade a Power one level for one action (or gain a Trait for one action), subject to GM approval
- Heroic Resolve: Recover 1d3 Stress Capacity
Villain Points[edit]
Villain Points are found on page 14 of the Gallantverse Campaign Guide. At the start of each encounter, a solo Villain receives Villain Points equal to the number of Heroes facing them, and a team of major Villains receive Villain Points equal to twice the number of Villains on the team. A Villain may spent a point for one of the following benefits:
- Villainous Surge: Take an extra action on their turn (two for a Solo Villain)
- Demoralise: Give one Hero Disadvantage on a Test before they roll
- Villainous Resolve: Recover 1d3 Stress Capacity
New and Modified Traits[edit]
Martial Artist[edit]
You gain Unarmed as an additional Proficiency if you do not already have it, and you gain Mastery of a form of unarmed attack. Once per encounter, you may re-roll a failed Unarmed Attack or Evade Test.
