B.P.R.D. RPG
REQUIRED TEXTS
Call of Cthulhu d20 (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)
Marvel Superheroes (TSR, 1984, 1986, and/or 1991)
OPTIONAL MATERIALS
Any Hellboy or B.P.R.D. comic books
Hellboy: The Companion
GURPS: Hellboy
FIRST THING I WOULD DO
Get rid of the three color Universal Table FEAT chart thing.
This is optional. Some people may like it. Me, not so much.
If you do decide to use the original table, just keep in mind that each -/+1 in the d20 system is approximately -/+1 column shift in Marvel Superheroes.
And anything that changes a rank or shifts a column by one will add or subtract 5% in this conversion.
So here is how to replace it and convert from the original rank scores to a percentage score.
Use the rules from Marvel Superheroes to play the game unless otherwise noted.
All will be explained.
Original Rank = New % Score
Feeble (2) 40
Poor (4) 45
Typical (6) 50
Good (10) 55
Excellent (20) 60
Remarkable (30) 65
Incredible (40) 70
Amazing (50) 75
Monstrous (75) 80
Unearthly (100) 85
Shift X (150) 90
Shift Y (200) 95
Shift Z (500) 97
CHARACTER CREATION
1. Roll or Pick an Origin.
01-10 Altered Human. (Abe Sapien, Johann Kraus)
11-20 Mutant. (Elizabeth Sherman)
21-80 High Tech. (Lobster Johnson(While alive), "Normal")
81-90 Robot. (Roger the Homunculous)
91-00 Alien. (Hellboy)
"Normal" people and agents will be High Tech origins with access to unusual equipment or weapons and expert training.
Any of the origins can be based on magic, genetics, or technology.
2. Generating Primary Abilities
After rolling abilities, convert the Rank into the percentage score listed on the table above.
This is the roll needed to get a Green result in the Marvel Superheroes game.
That percentage score minus 30 is the roll you need for a Yellow result.
The "tens" digit of the percentage score is the roll you need for a Red result.
All three of these numbers can be written on the character sheet like this, "Green#/Yellow#/Red#".
For example, I rolled an Excellent(20) rank for Fighting.
This is converted to a score of 60%.
I can write it down like this, "Fighting:60/30/6"
Or, I roll Monstrous(75) Agility. I write it like this on my sheet, "Agility:80/50/8"
3. Generating Secondary Abilities
Health and Karma are based on adding up the second, or "Yellow", scores of the Primary Abilities.
Example: Adding up the Health score.
Fighting:50/20/5
Agility:65/35/6
Strength:50/20/5
Endurance:75/45/7
Health = 20+35+20+45 = 120
Rules for Resources will vary depending on which edition you are playing. Generate the score as normal, then convert it to a percentage score on the table above.
Remember, a change of one rank equals five percent, up or down.
Popularity also varies with edition. Determine the rank and convert it.
4. Generating Special Abilities
In Marvel Superheroes, roll for the number of powers, talents and contacts.
Powers should probably be picked by the player. Weird abilities in the comics are usually based around a theme. Rolling powers randomly can make it difficult to describe a logical origin, but not impossible.
Instead of talents, characters get feats from the d20 system. Not all rules from the d20 game will translate to Marvel Superheroes. The basic intent and spirit of the feat can be used to give the characters some bonus in these situations as adjudicated by the GM.
As stated earlier, the High Tech origin represents "normal" humans. Their powers are in the form of either high tech gadgets or magic items. They may also exchange any number of their powers for two feats or skills apiece, to represent superior training.
Rules for contacts are unchanged.
5. Skills
Skills can either be chosen based on occupation, as per Call of Cthulhu d20, or a more free form approach can be taken.
Characters normally start with twelve skills.
Below is a list of suggested skills. Those marked with a "*" require specialization to define what they focus on.
Animal Empathy
Appraise
Balance
Bluff
Climb
Computer Use
Concentration
Craft*
Demolitions
Diplomacy
Disguise
Drive
Escape Artist
Forgery
Gather Information
Handle Animal
Heal
Hide
Innuendo
Intuit Direction
Intimidate
Jump
Knowledge*
Listen
Move Silently
Mythos
Open Lock
Operate Heavy Machinery
Performance*
Pilot
Psychic Focus
Psychoanalysis
Read Lips
Repair
Research
Ride
Search
Sense Motive
Sleight of Hand
Spellcraft
Spot
Swim
Tumble
Use Rope
Wilderness Lore
Everything Else is Cake
Using the FEAT and combat rules from Marvel Superheroes, remember that the ability's first number is the Green roll. The second number is the Yellow roll. The third number is the Red roll.
To measure the damage, effectiveness or power level of something, use the Yellow number.
Any questions? Send 'em my way.
Now lock and load and go get 'em, cupcake!
