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Old 05-15-2007, 07:47 PM   #1
Phantasm
 
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: On the road again...
Default [Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

A side project of mine involves a total reboot of the mainstream Marvel Universe. Basically, it's a quick fix for what I perceive as some of the worst mistakes of the current crop of writers and editors, making the Marvel Universe completely alien to someone who grew up on the titles of the 70s and 80s. So while the histories may be a bit different, the abilities are roughly as they were.

For the most part, my sources for a lot of the power set comes from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition, ca 1986, published during the same time period as the Secret War II limited series.

Because of the way Marvel handles its powers, I've had to sort through my sources to come up with some basic ground rules.

First: Mutants can be detected as being different from normal humans via superscience scanners, even if those mutations result in abilities that would be considered "wild" in other settings (such as wings or a sixth finger on each hand). Mutants, however, are accepted as a minority, but still suffer from some inequality, real and perceived. (No more or less than all other minorities, for the record.) There is no outcry against the "Mutant Menace".

Second: There is some overlap between power modifiers. There are mutants who have psionic powers, but not every psionic character is a mutant, and not every mutant has abilities that are considered psionic. Super power dampeners work on the majority of superhumans regardless of whether the super is a mutant, a psi, or otherwise.

Third: Magic exists. The primary foci of most magicians involve innate mental powers, manipulating ambient magical energy (mana), and extradimensional sources. The majority of sorcerers on Marvel Earth are ritual magicians, with the innate mental powers being developed as Powers. Ceremonial magic is available for the extradimensional sources.

Fourth: As some characters (such as Illyana Rasputin/Magik) have traditionally been limited in their spell-casting to certain realms (frex, Magik cast most of her spells in Limbo or Asgard, but was weakened on Earth), the normal mana level of Earth is considered low, with certain extra-dimensional realms (Asgard, Olympus, Limbo, etc) being normal- to high-mana areas. Some areas on Earth are also considered aspected normal- to high-mana areas.

Fifth: Time travel is possible via technology, mutant powers, or magic. Alterations made to the timeline will create divergences that would create alternate futures. It is not possible to make changes that will retroactively alter the mainstream timeline.

Sixth: Faster-than-light travel is possible using hyperspace jump drives. Aliens exist (I'm keeping the Kree, Skrulls, and Shi'ar as the main alien races), but all known alien races exist in the Milky Way Galaxy. I figure, might as well keep things small scale; we're in a fairly large galaxy, as all things go. Earth is at a potentially strategic position between the three major powers of the Galaxy.

Seventh: Certain long-time Marvel standbys such as the Celestials, Eternals, Deviants, and other folks associated with them do not exist post-Reboot. Jack Kirby once stated he never intended them to be in the mainstream Marvel Universe anyways, so I'm removing them. :)

Eighth: The Mutant Registration Act, and its more recent version, the Superhuman Registraction Act which sparked the "Civil War", . . . Worst. Ideas. Ever. They're outta here!

I'm nowhere near done, and I could use some help with some of the characters so far. I'm trying to stay true to their roots, but I'm allowing for some alterations to their skillsets and histories. I'm placing the original X-Men in college at Empire State, for instance, having graduated from the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, a recognized "Mutant High".
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The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation.
Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting

Last edited by Phantasm; 10-15-2015 at 05:15 AM.
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avengers, captain america, captain marvel, chandley, character creation, chargen, iron man, marvel, phantasm, supers, thor, x-men

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