PALLADIUM BOOKS PRESENTS

REVISED

UIIL.M.TED

Sample file

1 This Work is Dedicated to Mom, for her courageous battle against the foulest of all villains.

Other tities in the Heroes Unlimlted series include: Villains Unlimited'"' Aliens Unlimited'"'

Coming in 1996! The Nursery The UFO Conspiracy

Other Palladium RPG titles include: The Compendium ofWeapons, Annor, and CastIes~ The Compendium ofContemporary Weapons~ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turt1es~ and Other Strangeness After the Bomb"' Ninjas and Superspies~ The Palladium~ RPG Robotech"' RPG Macross Ir RPG ~ Rifts~RPG Nightspawn~

Sample file Twelfth Printing - January 1996

Copyright © 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984 by

Cover Art Copyright © 1984 by James Steranko.

Palladium Books, Rifts and Megaverse are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda. S.D.C., P.P.E., Heroes Unlimited, Villains Unlimited, Beyond the Supernatural, Ninjas & Superspies and other titles are trademarks owned and licensed by Kevin Siembieda.

Superhero(s) and Superpower(s) are registered trademarks held jointly by D.C. Comics, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, Inc. Their use in this text is solely as a descriptive term and is in no way meant to infringe upon said trademark.

All rights reserved under the Universal Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. All incidents, situations, institutions, governments and people are fictional and any similarity, without satiric intent, of characters or persons living or dead, is strictly coincidental.

Revised Heroes Unlimited is published by Palladium Books Inc., 12455 Universal Drive, Taylor MI 48180. Printed in the U.S.A.

2 PALLADIUM BOOKS PRESENTS

REVISED

Written By: Kevin Siembieda

Editors: Alex Marciniszyn Florence Siembieda

Cover Art and Logo: James Steranko Interior Art: Michael Gustovich AdditionalSample Art: file Jeff Dee Kevin Siembieda Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird

Typography: Maryann Siembieda Key lining: Matthew Balent

Special Thanks to Randy Cartier, Roger Cartier, Chester Jacques, , Maryann and all my play testers.

3 T ABLE OF CONTENTS Page Page How to Play ...... 6 Bionic Characters ...... 60 Glossary of Terms ...... 8 Creating the Bionic Character ...... 60 Creating a Character ...... 8 Bionic Components ...... 61 Step One: The Eight Attributes ...... 8 Major Body Parts ...... 61 Attribute Bonuses ...... 9 Increasing P.S., P.P. & Speed ...... 61 Physical Strength and Weight ...... 9 Bionic Ear Features ...... 61 Step Two: Hit Points & S.D.C...... •.... 10 Bionic Eye Features ...... ~ ...... 62 Recovery of Hit Points & S.D.C...... 10 Bionic Hand Weapons ...... 63 Surviving Coma And Death ...... 11 Other Weapons ...... 64 Optional Damage Rules ...... 11 Bionic Lungs Features ..•...... 65 Bionic Mouth/Throat Features ...... 65 Step Three: Determining Super Abilities ...... 12 Bionic Body Armor ...... 67 Random Power Table ...... 12 Experiments (characters) ...... 69 Step Four: Education and Skills ...... 12 The Super-Soldier Option ...... 71 Step Five: Rounding Out One's Character ...... 13 The Hardware Character ...... 73 Alignments ...... 13 Creating the Character ...... 73 Experience Points ...... 16 The Electrical Expert ...... 73 Experience Levels ...... 17 The Mechanical Genius ...... 74 Optional Ways to Round Out a Character ..... 18 The Weapons Expert ...... 76 The Crazy Hero (optional) ...... 19 Weapon Gimmicks ...... 78 Frenzy ...... 19 Building the Super Vehicle ...... 80 Power by Association ...... 20 Magic Characters ...... 88 Multiple Personality ...... 21 Enchanted Weapons ...... •... 88 The Crazy Man ...... 24 Enchanted Objects ...... 90 Insanity Tables ...... 24 Mystic Study ...•...... 91 The Wizard and Spell Casting ...... 92 Education and Skills ...... 27 The Magician and Illusionary Magic ...... 94 Educational Level ...... 27 Magic Spell Descriptions (Wizard) ...... 96 Available Skill Programs ...... 27 Illusionary Spell Descriptions (Magician) ...... 101 Secondary Skills ...... 28 Wizards and Circle Magic ...... 103 Skill Descriptions ...... 30 Protection Circles ...... 104 Skill Notes ...... 36 SamplePower file Circles ...... 104 Hand to Hand Combat ...... 37 Summoning Circles ...... 105 Combat Terms ...... 38 Monstrous Mystic Villain Creation Tables ...... 106 S.D.C. Table ...... 39 Other Creatures of Magic ...... 107 Hand to Hand Combat Skill Abilities ...... 40 Mutant Characters...... 108 Combat ...... 41 Creating a Mutant Human ...... , 109 Modern Weapon Proficiencies ...... 41 Creating a Mutant Animal ...... 111 Robot and Vehicle Combat ...... 42 Biological Energy Points (animals) ...... 112 Called Shots ...... 43 Human Features (animals) ...... 114 Missiles ...... 43 Mutant Animal Powers (animals) ...... 115 Dodging Guided Missiles ...... 44 Mutant Animal Psionic Powers (animals) . . . .. 116 Mutant Animal Descriptions ...... 117 Car Combat ...... 44 Maneuvers & Techniques ...... 45 Physical Training Characters ...... 124 Crash and Damage Rules ...... 46 Psionic Characters ...... 127 Loss of Control Table ...... 47 Determining Psionic Abilities ...... 127 Pedestrian Impact Damage ...... 48 Psionic Power Descriptions ...... 128 Critical Damage Table ...... 49 Secondary Psionics ...... 133 Air and Space Combat ...... •...... 50 Robot Characters ...... 136 Aerial Maneuvers & Techniques ...... 50 Robot Intelligences ...... 136 Damage and Crash Rules ...... _...... 51 Robot Body Types ...... 137 Random Tables ...... 52 Skill Programs ...... 139 Emergency Landings ...... 52 Background Data ., ...... 140 Outer Space Combat ...... 53 Robot Construction...... 141 Body Frames ...... •...... 141 Alien Characters ...... 55 Power Supply ...... 143

4 Page Page Legs and Locomotion ...... 144 Vehicles 221 Arms and Hands ...... 145 Military Vehicles ...... 222 Sensors and Optics ...... 146 Helicopters ...... 224 Weapons ...... 147 Helicopter Optional Rules ...... 226 Animal Features ...... 150 The Quick Roll Villain ...... 228 Body Armor ...... 150 Vigilantes ...... 230 Pilot Operated Systems ...... 150 The Law ...... 231 Miscellaneous ...... 151 World Hot Spots ...... 231 Special Training ...... 153 Adventures ...... 233 The Ancient Master ...... 153 The Mall of Terror ...... 233 The HunterlVigilante ...... 155 One Dam Thing ...... 235 The Secret Operative ...... 156 Character Sheets ...... 238 The Stage Magician ...... 158 The Super Sleuth ...... 160 Determining Super Abilities ...... 162 Random Tables ...... 162 Super Abilities Descriptions ...... 163 Minor Super Abilities ...... 163 A Quick Find Reference Table Major Super Abilities ...... 169 Attribute Bonuses ...... 9 Weapons and Equipment ...... 193 Random Power Table ...... 12 Ancient Weapons ...... 193 The Crazy Hero ...... 19 Oriental Weapons ...... 195 Available Skill Programs ...... 27 Modern Weapons ...... 198 Hand to Hand Combat Skills ...... 40 Tissue Damage Ratings ...... 198 Aliens ...... 55 Cartridges (bullets) ...... 199 Bionics ...... 60 Revolvers and Automatic Pistols ...... 200 Experiments ...... 69 Sub-Machineguns ...... 203 Hardware ...... 73 Rifles ...... 204 Magic ...... 88 Machineguns ...... 207 Mutants ...... 108 Heavy Weapons ...... 207 Mutant Animals ...... 111 Energy Weapons ...... 208 Physical Training ...... 124 Incendiary Weapons ...... 209 Psionics ...... 127 Gases and Grenades ...... Sample.. 210 Robotics file ...... 136 Firearm Accessories ...... 211 Special Training ...... 153 Other Equipment...... 212 Super Abilities Random Tables ...... 162 Optics ...... 213 Minor Super Abilities ...... 163 Communication Equipment ...... 214 Major Super Abilities ...... 169 Surveillance Equipment ...... 214 Weapons & Equipment ...... 193 Sensory Equipment ...... 215 The Quick Roll Villain ...... 228 Detection Equipment ...... 216 Underwater Equipment ...... 216 Clothing ...... 219

5 with deterioration. On the face of the sagging structure is a dirty, sun INTRODUCTION faded sign pleading "Office Building for Rent or Lease 220,000 square feet." As the sun dips behind the building the last of the downtown Welcome to the REVISED Heroes Unlimited. The origirwl Heroes commuters heads for home. Unlimited appeared on the game shelves in August 1984. One of the last entries in a tidal wave of nearly twenty superheroic-type games. Can you picture this scene? Try to keep the mental image in your We published Heroes Unlimited then. because we felt that it offered head. Don't worry if you forget the details; one of the great things more than its competitors. More variety, more detail , and more accu­ about role-playing is the way your memory is improved with practice. rately captured the super world of comic books. Three years later, Now you are ready for the next step. Heroes Unlimited is one of the few superheroic fantasy role-playing Imagine The Setting games on the market and selling better than ever. A dark sedan crawls out of the shadows, its pace slow and deliberate, What's that you say? If it's so good, why change it? To make it as if looking or waiting for somebody. A light flickers from one of the better, of course. Heroes Unlimited was Palladium Books' first, major second story windows . A moment later the front door opens; its frame RPG book after the Palladium Role.Playing Fantasy Game. We pub­ filled with the bulk of a massive man. As he steps out, his hair brushes lished it when we did, not to cash in on the "superhero craze", but the top of the door frame . Your guess is that the man must stand 7ft because we had some ideas for what we believed to be an excellent tall and weigh a good 500lbs . You position yourself on the opposite and most importantly, a FUN game. We succeeded, but the original roof for a better view. It would seem Benny the Stooly's tip might be fonnat was clumsy. Many of the ideas were overshadowed by others. dead on this time. The bottom line was that I was not 100% satisfied with the finished Okay, we've established a setting and some atmosphere. Now let's product. There were many things I would have done a little differently. figure out where you, the player, fits into this. In addition to my own lack of complete satisfaction, Palladium Books would get letters, or comments at conventions like: "How come you Imagine The Character only get one (granted elaborate) power in Heroes Unlimited? I've mod­ Now here comes the tricky part . YOU are not on the neighboring ified it so you get two. " (Hasn't everybody?). The other gnawing com­ rooftop, but there is somebody whose eyes you see through. That person ment was always: "Gee, I thought Heroes Unlimited was supposed to is your character. An imaginary individuaL that is your playing piece be the definitive super character game on the market. So how come it in this game. It is your imagirwry character who has tracked down a doesn't have magic powers? How come no games really do magic?" lead regarding a drug operation. It is this imaginary "super" character Good questions. My answer was that I personally dislike magic in who reacts and interacts with the other playing pieces ... the other superhero comic books, so I didn't put it in my game. That seemed characters. okay at the time, but it sure didn' t satisfy the garners. Maybe I've Normally, you will spend an hour or more developing a new player softened on my anti-magic in superhero comic books stance. I think character. Once the character has been created, you will probably con­ mostly it drove me nuts that we were not giving our readers/garners tinue playing the character for many weeks, perhaps years . everything they wanted . I mean , after all, the title of the game is Heroes In our example your character is peering over the edge of a somewhat Unlimited! No magic sounds like a limitation to me. To make matters smaller, six story building across the street. Just picture yourself, as worse, comic books seemed to be coming up with more and more magic your hero, crouched at the edge of the roof watching the scene unfold powered or mysticaIJy oriented superheroes. Especially the big two, on the street below. Marvel and D.C. Comics. What's a publisher to do? Due to popular demand, Palladium Books proudly presents the RE· Imagine The Action VISED Heroes Unlimited, complete with multipLe power seLectionsSample Actually,file you need one, important, extra ingredient to make a role­ and magic!'! Oh, there's more to it than that. I've beefed up and playing game work, the Game Master. The game master (G .M.) is redefined many of the extraordinary powers and character classes. Com­ another player (a real person!) who controls all the characters in the pletely streamlined the clumsy and excruciatingly long task of selecting game, except the different players' characters. In this case, You are the skills and education. Added more possibilities for robot design. Included only player and I am acting as the game master (G .M.). are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness animaL The game master says to you: "You hear a faint clunk behind you. mutation rules and vehicle rules . Plus, a few new twists, like the What are YOU going to do?" optional crazy hero. When we couldn't fit aIJ this great stuff into the At this point you must decide what your playing piece, you character, old page count we just added more pages. Now this book I'm satisfied is going to do. Does he spin around quickly, weapons drawn, ready with. I hope you are too. for attack? Or does he casuaIJy glance back, trying not to let on that Oh, one last comment. The term "superhero" is a registered trademark he's heard his would-be assailant sneaking up on him. The decision is held jointly by the Marvel Entertainment Group and D.C. Comics. The yours. The game master wiIJ have your opponent(s) react appropriately tenn "superpowers" is a registered trademark of D.C. Comics. Except 10 your character's actions. Like improvisational theatre. You, your in this introduction, where I specificaIJy refer to real comic books, I feIJow players and game master are all building an adventure, a story, can NOT legaIJy use those two words: superhero or superpowers. Terms together. When the game is over you'll have a complete chapter of a all us comic book readers know and love. WeIJ I'd hate to be sued, so larger story locked in your memory. A story that you helped create. you'll see references like super abilities, extraordinary powers, superhu­ In a role-playing game there are no simple answers. There are also man, superbeings and so on. Sheesh, what a business, eh? almost no limits to what you can do. The only restrictions are that you HOW TO PLAYA ROLE·PLAYING GAME can not go beyond the physical, mental and emotional limits of your character. Role-playing games are really just an advanced form of regular board games. In fact, they are so advanced that they no longer use a board. What You Need To Play Some of the elements are still the same; you still need paper and pencil, dice and players, but the main thing you need to playa role-playing Other than imagination, players, and a game master, you wiIJ also game is IMAGINATION. need the folJowing: Lets Take It A Step At A Time 1. Dice: 2 four-sided, 4 six-sided, 2 eight-sided , 2 ten-sided and 2 twenty-sided. Imagine The Scene 2. Plenty of Pencils and Paper. Picture a shabby looking building; the brick is dull and crumbled 3. Game Master and players (at least a total of 2 plus the G.M.). 6