Weight and Basic Characteristics
Weight
Characters can weigh from 151 to 200 lbs. at no cost, which gives them 4 Basic Hits. Lower weight counts as a Weakness, while higher weight costs CPs. Consult the following table:
| Weight (lbs.) | Basic Hits | CPs |
|---|---|---|
| 51 - 100 | 2 | -10 |
| 101 - 150 | 3 | -5 |
| 151 - 200 | 4 | 0 |
| 201 - 250 | 5 | 5 |
| 251 - 300 | 6 | 10 |
For example, Midgetman, who weighs only 90 lbs., gets an extra 10 CPs to spend. On the other hand, Captain Corpulent, who weighs 280 lbs., must pay 10 CPs. Minimum legal weight at this stage is 51 lbs., and maximum legal weight at this stage is 300 lbs. Super powers may modify weight further.
Do not apply the Agility Modifier for your character's weight in section 2.6 B.* If you want your character's Agility to reflect their weight, simply buy an appropriate Agility score.
*In my campaigns, apply the Agility Modifer, paying (or gaining) the CP cost for the new Agility. -B.
Basic Characteristics
All characters are assigned scores in five Basic Characteristics. These are: Strength, Endurance, Agility, Intelligence, and Charisma (seen as "Cool" on some character sheets. -B.). At the start of the game, the GM must assign* a score ranging from 3 (extremely low) to 18 (extremely high) in each of the five Basic Characteristics for each of his players, assuming a score of 10 to be completely average. Some benchmarks are given in the descriptions below.
*The sanctioned method of generating Characteristics in my campaigns is: for each Characteristic, roll 4d6 and add the highest three. Ignore references to "assignment" below. -B.
Strength
This could be described at "musculature in relation to physical size." A very small person needn't have a low Strength score if he's muscled in proportion to Mr. Universe. Likewise, a very large person won't have a high Strength score if he's mostly flab.
Endurance
Physical fitness. Beware! When you ask a player what his Endurance score should be, he'll probably say, "Well, I almost never get sick." Overweight, underweight, athsmatic, etc. players will have rather low Endurance scores. It's difficult to judge whether a player has a high endurance: it comes down to whether you want to take his word for it that he does.
Agility
Balance, coordination, etc. In this case, most people underrate themselves. Observing the player for a few minutes should determine whether or not he/she is right. Again, testing for high Agility is difficult. Don't be swayed by the fact that a player can, for example, juggle. A single acquired skill does not prove a high Agility. However, if the player has an affinity for many activities of that sort, then a good Agility is possible. Smaller people tend to be more agile than larger ones.
Intelligence
Mental Agility. This does not mean knowledge. Intelligence is a rating of overall cleverness, inventiveness, ability to grasp new concepts, memory, etc. Assuming the GM knows his players personally, this should be easy to rate. Caution: accept high grades in school as evidence, but not as proof. Likewise, poor grades do not necessarily signify low Intelligence.
Charisma
This is perhaps the most difficult of all. This is a rating of personal "aura" (ability to win friends and influence people).
Allow players the benefit of the doubt, but be careful not to allow personal feelings to interfere when assigning Basic Characteristic scores. Remember also that scores on either end of the scale are extemely rare and should be given out sparingly. (Assume there's a practical maximum of 20 for "normal"--i.e., unenhanced--humans, which should represent the true peak of human perfection. -B.) Have a heart for a player who truly rates below average in all respects. Record the assigned scores on the player's Character Record Sheet.
Purchasing Characteristics with CPs
Purchase your Strength, Endurance, Agility, Intelligence, and Charisma scores at a cost of 1 CP per point. For example, it costs 15 CPs to have a Strength of 15, but only 9 CPs to have a Strength of 9.
"Nonsentient" Intelligence costs 10 CPs. Nonsentient animals have Ferocity rather than Charisma, which influences the way they react to everyone else the same way "neutral" Charisma does. Animals add Ferocity, not their Intelligence, to their Power score.
If you are using random character generation rules, you may not have a Basic Characteristic score over 18 unless you've rolled a Heightened Charateristic (see below). If you are choosing your own powers, you may purchase any Basic Characteristic score up to 78.** After initial character generation, you may not increase any of your Basic Characteristics beyond certain thresholds. Consult the Experience rules.
**Note that the arbitrary limit of 78 is for purchases. In my campaigns, if you roll that high, you may have whatever stat you roll. -B.
