Marvel heroes and origins.

[smurf]

I have been trying to work out the difference in 'foci' for GURPS powers.

Some like the Avengers, Wolverine grow up to be supers, that they are mutants.

The Inhumans are a seperate species that can spread through terragenisis.

And of course there are the 'experiments': Hulk, Capt America, Spiderman etc.

Technically the mutant and the inhuman are both born with their abilities but are manifested in different ways. The mutant is usually a coming of age story, that is they grow up to be the super. The inhuman appears to through a metamorphosis that is either: willing, forced, or accidental.

What is the best way to demonstrate this in GURPS to add some flavour?

[roguebfl]

The Marvel Superheroes Games Broke the Categories down into Mutants, Altered Humans, High Tech Wonders, Robots and Aliens

[Culture20]

The following is my way:

The genetically altered (spider-man, Hulk, etc), and mutants (Cyclops, Wolverine), can both be affected by “genetic power dampeners” and inhibitor fields/bands, so I usually make them “Super”. Mutants are special in that their powers can be specifically detected as mutant and there are inihibitor fields that specifically target mutant powers, so I classify them further with another -5%
If someone has elemental powers like ice-man, they also get the elemental power modifier. (mutant and ice; inihibtors and high heat/low humidity can affect his powers)

Also, even though RAW forbids it, I allow psychic as an elemental power modifier, so Prof X can have his powers blocked by anything that blocks mutant powers (inhibitor) or anything that blocks psi (psi static).
I think this works better because there are human psychics like SHIELD psi teams or Moondragon who are not cancelled by mutant cancelling or genetic cancelling tech; their abilities are purely psi.

Aliens with inherent abilities are sometimes wild (Lockheed, Technarch Warlock**) or cosmic (Silver Surfer, Captain Marvel, Gladiator, Thor). If they’re genetically enhanced powers, like some of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, then they’re Super. Inhumans are just Super with shared origin fluff. I can think of no “Inhuman only” nullifiers.

And don’t forget about magic (Strange), and gadgets(Cap’s Shield), or magic gadgets(Cloak of Levitation), cosmic gadgets(Mjolnir, Quantum Bands), mechanical gadgets (Webshooters), etc.

Things can get complicated pretty quickly.

*Wolverine is an unusual example: Most of his abilities are mutant in nature, but his adamantium bones and claws use the wild modifier instead since they mostly can’t be cancelled). A cyborg like Cable (technorganic or later healed regular ‘borg version) would have some mutant abilities and some with electronic or mechanical power modifiers. I just remembered: both Wolvie and Cable have very short Terminally Ill with a mitigator of their mutant abilities (regen and TK), so if they lose their abilities, their clock starts ticking again.
**Warlock’s abilities are either electronic or wild; I’d say wild since technarchs seem well shielded. But... many of his mental disadvantages that make him kind and merciful have the mutant modifier and are removed when he is subjected to inhibitor fields (his mutation is to be nice).

[whswhs]

I don't think what you're describing gives rise to different abilities (unlike Rogue's mention of robots, who might be expected to have different powers). I'm not sure it would show up on the character sheet at all. Of course Marvel has the "persecuted mutants" angle, which would be a social stigma, but that's a trait created by their society and affecting their role in it, not their powers.

Where I think this would take effect is more in the narrative of the character. For example, mutants in Marvel are a narrative about reaching puberty, breaking away from your family, and becoming alienated from your society. I've thought for some time about a supers campaign based on the Indian idea of the sadhu or sadhvi, an elder who leaves their family, is declared dead to society, and goes on the road to beg, meditate, and gain superpowers—that would be a very different narrative, but the powers need not be any different.

[roguebfl]

Marvel's version of Super PM has the quirk of inhibitor and blocks must be special tailored to the individual as opposed to the Mutant PM which Detector and Blockers don't they work on any mutant. without prior knowledge. MSH also give Mutant a +1 bonus to their endurance.

[smurf]

Some stuff is easy to do, ninja or martial artist could have Chi powers. Telepaths etc have the various psi powers

Altered humans like the Hulk etc are 'Supers' in this sense.

The gadgeteers can get mechanical or electrical modifiers.

I therefore suppose that Wolverine and co are 'mutants' but for all intents and purposes so are the Inhumans.

The dilemma is whether or not the divergence is worth noting or just keep it simple.

[Bengt]

Originally Posted by smurf

The Inhumans are a seperate species that can spread through terragenisis.

Inhumans activate their powers through terrigenisis, it doesn't spread the species. During the terrigen cloud story line it could reveal people with inhuman heritage that were living as humans (e.g. Kamala Khan).

[Phantasm]

I use several power modifiers. Mutant and Psionic are both sub-sets of Super, and Mutant Psionic is a subset of both; Mutant Biology is a -0% power modifier for stuff like Angel's wings, Beast's foot-hands, and Wolverine's claws - basically, mutations that would otherwise be wild advantages - but is technically a sub-set of Mutant. (They can be detected as Mutants and can possibly benefit from Power Talents as 0-point features.)

Other power modifiers I use are Magical (Hellstorm), Divine (Juggernaut), Demonic (anyone who is at risk of the empowering entity depowering them on a whim at the wrong time), Chi (Iron Fist), Chemical (Kraven), and Electronic (Iron Man). I've also used Biological and Passive Biological, though I can't think of examples offhand; Nanotech/Passive Nanotech is also viable for some folks (Molten Man from the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon), but I haven't messed with it.

For the most part, Inhuman powers are either Super or Psionic. I suppose that it's possible to have an Inhuman power modifier equivalent to Mutant, but ... not seeing the difference.



Marvel has a lot of different origins, not just "mutant, altered human, or tech-based". Scientific accidents, deliberate experiments, radioactive spider bites, deals with the devil, study of the cosmic cheat codes, enlightenment via alien martial arts, empowerment from irradiated moon rocks, demonic parentage... and many more. I daresay the origin is less important - in GURPS terms - than the means to shut the power down.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by roguebfl

The Marvel Superheroes Games Broke the Categories down into Mutants, Altered Humans, High Tech Wonders, Robots and Aliens

You would also need to add, at least, magic (Doctor Strange) and amazing but mundane skill (Hawkeye).

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by RyanW

You would also need to add, at least, magic (Doctor Strange) and amazing but mundane skill (Hawkeye).

Fairly certain the current Marvel RPG has six categories: Mutant, Skill, Science, Mystic, Cosmic, and Tech.

Not everyone is a perfect fit, though, which is why I prefer to handle things on a case by case basis.