Lucha Libre HERO A Genre Book for the HERO System Authors: Darren Watts and Jason Walters Editing and Developing: Steven S. Long Layout & Graphic Design: Bill Keyes Cover Illustration: Sam Kennedy Cartography: John Lees Interior Illustration: Brett Barkley, DT Butchino,Sample Andrew Dobell, file Brendon & Brian Fraim, Edd Ghent, Mark Helwig, Bill Keyes, Matt Lemmons, Bradley K. McDevitt, Kurt Wood, Jonathan Wyke Dedication: This book is dedicated with much gratitude to the following people who have provided us with so much fun over the years: El Santo, Blue Demon, Mil Mascaras, Tinieblas, Lorena Velazquez, Elizabeth Campbell, Rene Cardona, Enrique Vergara, Federico Curiel, Fernando Oses, K. Gordon Murray, El Hijo del Santo, Shocker, La Parka, Perro Aguayo, Mistico, Octagon, Fray Tormenta, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Misterio Jr. & Sr., Pierrotito, Satoru Sayama, FWAK!, Keith Rainville, Los Bros Chap, Rafael Navarro, Los Straitjackets and Big Sandy, The Phantom Surfers and Don Francisco. We’d also like to dedicate this book to the loving memory of Andy Mathews. Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. Except for the blank character sheet, no part of this book may be reproduced Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includ- reserved. ing photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by any information stor- age and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: Champions © 1981-2008 Cryptic Studios, Inc. All rights reserved. DOJ, Inc., 226 E. 54th Street, #605, New York, NY 10022-48541. “Champions” and “Hudson City” are trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. “Champions” and “Hudson City” are used under license from Cryptic Printed in Canada. First printing May 2009 Studios, Inc. Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Stock Number: DOJHERO401 Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-58366-107-9 Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Danger International, West- www.herogames.com • www.champions-online.com • www.crypticstudios. ern Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. com TABLE OF CONTENTS ¡BIENVENIDOS! .........................................5 ESCAPES, DODGES, AND REVERSALS . 73 Chapter Six: WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?!? .......5 GIMMICKS AND SPECIAL MANEUVERS . 74 A Lucha Libre Adventure A Note From Jason Walters .................5 CUSTOMIZING LUCHA LIBRE MANEUVERS A Note From Darren Watts ..................7 75 CONTRA TODO MAL ...............................137 SIGNATURE MOVES AND FINISHERS ...75 INTRODUCTION ..................................138 Chapter One: THE RULES OF LUCHA (SUCH AS THEY ADVENTURE SUMMARY ......................138 Lucha Libre ARE) ...................................................75 Scene One: La Arena LLM ................138 Stipulations (Apuestas) ......................76 Scene Two: The National Museum Of LUCHA LIBRE.............................................9 Mexican History .............................139 WHAT IS LUCHA LIBRE? .........................9 ROLEPLAYING LUCHA COMBAT ...............77 Scene Three: Copilco de Bajo .........140 AN ABRIDGED HISTORY OF PROFES- IN THE RING .........................................77 Scene Four: The Ice Factory ...........141 SIONAL WRESTLING ............................9 OUT OF THE RING .................................78 Scene Five: Dr. Muerte’s Secret Lab 142 From A Sport To An Event ....................9 Game Mastering Out Of The Ring Combat CONCLUSION .....................................144 WRESTLING COMES TO MEXICO .......10 79 THE SILVER MASK AND THE SILVER ADDITIONAL RULES .................................80 Chapter Seven: SCREEN ..........................................11 COMBAT STUNTS AND TACTICS ...........80 The Hero System Rules LUCHA IN AMERICAN FILM, TV, AND POP Flair ...................................................80 CULTURE ...........................................14 Disarm And Takeaway ........................80 INTRODUCTION .....................................147 LUCHA IS A STATE OF MIND .................15 Double Team Maneuvers ....................80 Where Can I Get Some Help? ...........147 THE ELEMENTS OF LUCHA ACTION Losing A Caida ...................................81 BASIC RULES & CONCEPTS ..................148 STORIES ............................................15 Move By/Move Through .......................81 GAME BASICS ....................................148 Like Superheroes, But Not Quite .......15 Routines .............................................82 CHARACTER CREATION ......................148 To Preserve And Protect ....................16 Throwing And Being Thrown ...............83 COMBAT .............................................149 Other Common Lucha Tropes .............16 Transitioning ......................................83 LUCHA LIBRE HERO CHARACTER SHEET .. Kayfabe, Smarts, And Marks .............17 LESSER LUCHAS ..................................83 Everyman Lucha .................................84 151 Chapter Two: Monster Lucha ...................................84 Front Side ........................................151 Putting On the Mask Otros Martial Arts Contra Lucha Libre 8 4 Back Side ........................................152 OPTIONAL RULES: OTRO WAYS TO PLAY . CHARACTER POINTS .............................156 CHARACTER CREATION ...........................20 84 CHARACTER POWER LEVELS ..............156 CHARACTER ARCHETYPES ...................20 Variation Uno: Extra Pow For Your Peso Realistic Lucha Characters ..............156 A Family Affair (Or, You Think The Flash 84 Standard Lucha Characters ............156 Is Confusing..). ................................21 Variation Dos: Stripped Down To The Superheroic Lucha Characters ........156 Los Maestros......................................21 Bone ................................................85 Restrictions On Spending Points ......157 Los Minis ............................................21 Variation Tres: Beyond The Bone.......85 LUCHADORE ABILITY GUIDELINES TABLE . THE GIMMICK: MASKS AND COSTUMES 2 2 157 PACKAGE DEALS .....................................23 Chapter Four: CHARACTERISTICS ...............................159 THE BASIC LUCHADOR PACKAGE DEAL 24 GamemasteringSample Lucha file Libre Primary Characteristics...................159 WRESTLER PACKAGE DEALS ...............24 Figured Characteristics ...................159 RUNNING LUCHA LIBRE HERO ................87 BRAWLING RUDO ...............................24 Movement ........................................159 CREATING THE CAMPAIGN ...................87 CRIMEFIGHTING LUCHADOR ..............25 PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS TABLE ..159 Campaign Settings ............................87 NON-WRESTLER PACKAGE DEALS .......30 FIGURED CHARACTERISTICS TABLE ..159 LUCHA LIBRE IN OTHER GENRES AND MOVEMENT TABLE ..............................159 ACTION STUNTS .....................................36 METAGENRES ....................................88 STRENGTH TABLE ..............................160 OFFENSIVE ACTION STUNTS ................36 Dark Champions .................................88 EXPLANATION OF CHARACTERISTICS 160 DEFENSIVE ACTION STUNTS................41 Horror Hero .......................................89 Primary Characteristics...................160 MOVEMENT ACTION STUNTS................43 Champions .........................................90 Figured Characteristics ...................161 SENSORY ACTION STUNTS ..................44 Star Hero ...........................................90 REDUCING CHARACTERISTICS...........162 PSYCHOTRONIC ABILITIES ...................46 Ninja Hero ..........................................91 Characteristics For Luchadores .......162 LUCHA LIBRE GADGETS ..........................47 Other Genres .....................................91 BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER ................91 SKILLS ..................................................163 BUYING SKILLS ..................................163 Chapter Three: PLOT SEEDS ...........................................93 SKILL ROLL TABLE ..............................163 Bodyslams & Brawls ADVENTURES OUT OF THE RING ..........93 SKILL MODIFIERS TABLE ....................164 ADVENTURES IN THE RING ..................96 LUCHA AS A MARTIAL ART .......................50 TIME CHART .......................................164 BASIC LUCHA LIBRE MANEUVERS ........50 Chapter Five: USING SKILLS ....................................164 Creating Lucha Libre Maneuvers ........51 THE SKILL LIST ..................................165 GRABS AND SUBMISSION HOLDS ........51 A Lucha Libre Sourcebook SKILL DESCRIPTIONS ........................166 Grabs .................................................60 HEROES ..................................................98 FLUENCY TABLE .................................169 Submission Holds: Mat Holds ............61 RANGE SKILL LEVEL TABLE ................170 VILLAINS ...............................................110 Submission Holds: Standing Holds ....63 SKILL LEVELS TABLE ..........................171 MONSTERS ...........................................120 Submission Holds: Takedown Holds ..65 PERQUISITES (PERKS) ..........................173 PRESSURE SQUEEZES AND CRUSHES 66 MEXICO CITY .........................................130 PERK DESCRIPTIONS .........................173 STRIKES AND TAKEDOWNS .................66