Stalwart ‘85

The World’s Niftiest Superhero RPG

by Dr. Mike Desing

[Link]

This game is released under

a Creative Commons Share-Alike
License CC-BY-SA 4.0.

Characters appearing throughout

are from the public domain.

Include “based on Stalwart ‘85

by Dr. Mike Desing” in derived works.

Many thanks to my friends, family,

and fellow gamers.

Special thanks to the backers of the Kickstarter campaign that made this
book a reality, and which allowed it to be a PWYW release.

Until September 11, you can participate in the

Kickstarter for the Complete Rules and several
bonus items!

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 1

Kickstarter Hall of Heroes
The following individuals were instrumental in bringing this book to life.

(This book will be updated at the end of the Kickstarter Campaign with
those who have contributed).

Your name can be here too!

Paragons

Superheroes

Legends

Titans

Ultimates

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 2

Preface
It’s April 1985. The Comics Inquirer has decided that we are at the end
of the “Bronze Age” of comics, but they also said The Mighty Doc
Stalwart is only #14 on the list of greatest comic series of all time, so
how reliable can they be? You know better. This is a golden age of
comics, and your monthly haul is not complete without Doc’s newest
issue. So, when you learn that they’ve published a RPG based on Doc’s
adventures, you decide this is a must-have. You’re into fantasy gaming,
and it may be time to give superheroes a try as well. You had to wait two
weeks for your local comic store to get it, but on that fateful day, you
rush home on your bike and rip open the cellophane. You cannot wait to
tell Matt, Mark, and Ron. Friday night is going to be epic.

About
Stalwart ’85 is a traditional, ‘rules-lite’, pen and paper roleplaying game.
To play this game, you need these rules, some paper, pencils, and a set of
polyhedrons (dice) including D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D16, and D20.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 3

1.0 Overview
Stalwart ‘85 characters have five attributes that define them: their Tier
(general overall potency) and four Traits (physical and mental abilities).
Measure your attributes in the following ways:
Class represents relative
potency. Each Class has a Class Die SV (½) Descriptor
linked die. Roll this die
whenever you apply this Normal D4 2 (1) Average
attribute.
Expert D6 3 (1) Excellent
Die is the type of die you
roll at this Class. Paragon D8 4 (2) Remarkable

Static Value (SV) is the Super D10 5 (2) Incredible

base value for that Class.
Sometimes, you use half Legendary D12 6 (3) Amazing
the SV, rounded down (in
parenthesis). Titanic D16 8 (4) Magnificent

Descriptor is an Ultimate D20 10 (5) Unbelievable

adjective helping you to
distinguish each Class.
A dice shift moves to the next die up (‘+1 die shift’) or down (‘-1 die
shift’). At D8 with -1 die shift, roll D6. D4 shifts down to D4-1; D20
shifts up to D20+1.
Hero Points (HP) are a pool of Tier dice (equal to your Level) you may
add to any check or resist (rolling your Tier die, adding the result to a
rating or other result); you can use a Hero Point to add a Tier die result to
a check, to your Endure rating vs. an attack, or even to a damage roll.
You can also use a HP to refresh a gift with limited usage. You can only
use one HP per round, and they refresh every day. As a Legendary Tier
character, you have 6 dice in your HP pool, each at D12.
Hits represent how much damage you can sustain before being felled
(see 2.5). Your hits are the dice rating of your Tier + the dice rating of
your Might. At Paragon Tier (D8) with Might D12, you have Hits 20.
A check is a roll you attempt against a Difficulty Target (DT). You
must roll equal to or above the DT to succeed. A natural 1 always fails.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 4

1.1 Traits
Your character has a Tier (the Class representing general overall
potency) and a Level (the SV of your Tier). For example, a character of
Paragon Tier rolls D8 to attempt most actions and is Level 4. Most
actions (including attacks) require you to check your Tier. Traits are the
four primary abilities that govern your character. Each of these is
represented by a die; you roll this die when you check that trait.
Might represents your strength and stamina. Check Might to perform
feats of strength, withstand difficult physical challenges, or for melee
attack damage. Your Might SV is your static Endure rating. Indirect
physical attacks or areas of effect target Endure.
Mind represents your awareness and intellect. Check Mind to solve a
problem, notice something hidden or unusual, or deal damage with
mental attacks. Your Mind SV is your static Focus rating. Mental attacks
or attempts to deceive, trick, or mislead you must equal or exceed your
Focus to succeed.
Power represents your ability to channel raw power of some type. Check
Power to use an applicable gift (superhuman ability) to manipulate or
control an energy, or to deal damage with an applicable gift. Your Power
SV is your static Force rating. Some gifts use Force to set their
effectiveness.
Reflex represents your
agility and coordination.
Check Reflex to perform
feats of dexterity or to
sneak about undetected.
Your Reflex SV is your
static Evade rating.
Physical attacks against
you must equal or exceed
your Evade to hit you.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 5

1.2 Relative Dice Meanings
Die Might Mind Power Reflex

D4 You can lift an You could pass a Your power You can
average adult or high school test. is equal to a throw and
hold your breath candle. catch a
for 1 minute. ball.

D6 You can lift a You have a college Your power You can
refrigerator or education or is equal to a play sports
hold your breath professional fireplace. at a
for 3 minutes. training. competitive
level.

D8 You can lift a You have an Your power You are a

motorcycle or advanced degree is equal to a world-class
hold your breath and remarkable bonfire. athlete.
for 5 minutes. understanding.

D10 You can lift a car You are one of the Your power You can
or hold your smartest and most is equal to dodge
breath for 10 aware people in the an inferno. bullets.
minutes. world.

D12 You can lift a You have alien- Your power You can
tank or hold your level knowledge and is equal to a dodge
breath for 1 hour. awareness. wildfire. lasers.

D16 You can lift an You have a level of Your power You can
airliner or hold insight and is equal to a catch
your breath for a understanding equal volcano. bullets (but
day. to elder demigods. it’ll hurt).

D20 You can lift a You are attuned Your power You have
cruise ship or with the universe, is equal to nearly
hold your breath understanding and the surface limitless
for a week. aware beyond of the sun. agility.
human capacity.
Note: Cosmic is a tier reserved for entities; such creatures are not
typically bound by mortal constraints and are generally immune to the
abilities of mortals.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 6

1.3 Stabilizing Dice
Some players may not like the ‘swinginess’ of a wide range of dice
results for rolling damage and results; it can be disappointing to have
Power D20 and roll 1 for damage. For damage rolls and result rolls,
players may elect to instead stabilize their results. To do this, shift down
two dice, adding the SV for that die to the damage. You cannot stabilize
dice below D8, and you cannot stabilize attack or action rolls. Also, if the
players opt to stabilize their dice, then their foes should as well.
Other players may prefer dice results to fall along a bell curve; in
that case, use the 2D option at the bottom of the chart (which you may
apply to all checks, including attacks and actions; when using 2D
options, a 2 or 3 always fails).

Stabilized Dice Options

Die D8 D10 D12 D16 D20

Stabilized D4+2 D6+3 D8+4 D10+5 D12+6

2D* 2D4 D4+D6 2D6 2D8 2D10

*With an Edge, roll a third die and keep the best two (+1D6 for D10).

1.4 Automatic Success

In a non-combat, low-pressure situation,
you can automatically succeed at any
check with a DT of your trait SV or lower;
with Might D12, any task of up to DT 6 is
an automatic success outside of a
combat/high pressure situation.

No D16?
No problem! If you want to go with
the primary suggested system but
don’t have a D16, roll a D6 and a
D8. On the D6, if you roll 1-3, keep
the D8 at face value; if you roll 4-6,
add 8 to the D8 result.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 7

2.0 Gameplay
Whenever you attempt an action, roll the applicable die (‘check’) against
the difficulty target (DT). Some gifts (special powers and abilities) use
one of your traits instead of your Tier. A result of 1 always fails.

The Basics
• Roll your Tier die to attack, possibly adding a bonus modifier
from a tag (Aim to ranged attacks; Brawl to melee attacks). If you
equal or exceed the foe’s static rating (for example: Evade for
physical attacks), you hit. Different gifts act vs. different static
traits. See individual gift descriptions.
• Roll for damage (using your Might die for most melee attacks,
your Power die for most gifts). Reduce this damage by the foe’s
Impervious, Invulnerable or Resist (as applicable).
• Reduce your foe’s current Hits by this amount. At zero, your foe is
Felled (but not necessarily Defeated – see 2.52).

2.1 Difficulty Targets

Sometimes, you use a gift in an unusual, creative way that is not
governed by the rules. This will usually be against a situational difficulty
target, or a DT. If you want to use your Control Weather to create a light
rain, this is a standard use of the gift (DT 4). If you want to use it to
cause a massive thunderstorm to break out, this is DT 8. Calling forth a
blizzard in the middle of a desert is DT 12. Your GM sets these DTs.
• Any standard use of the gift is DT 4.
• Any exceptional use of the gift is DT 8.
• Any astonishing use of the gift is DT 12.

2.2 Contested Rolls

Sometimes, it is unclear who is ‘acting’ and who is ‘defending’, and a
contested roll may be required. For example, if two characters arm
wrestle, each attempts a Might check, with the higher result winning.
Ties would go to the character with the higher dice value. Another
common situation that may be contested is trying to sneak past a guard
who is looking for you (check Tier to sneak; the guard checks Mind to
see you).

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 8

2.3 Starting Combat
All participants roll their Tier die, acting in order. Higher Tiers win ties
over lower Tiers. Attempt all your actions on your turn. Any surprise
attack automatically wins initiative. Maintain the same rotation
throughout the combat.

2.4 Action Management

Every round (6 seconds), you get one turn; on your turn, your character
may attempt your Level number of actions. Only half your Level
(rounded down) may be attempted without starting to spread yourself
thin; once you pass this threshold, all actions that round are attempted at
-1 die shift or Tier.
For example, at Super Tier
(D10; Level 5), you may attempt
up to two actions at D10. If you
choose to attempt 3, 4, or 5 actions,
all actions are now at D8. This
applies to all of your abilities and
results; your D12 Power shifts to
D10. Your total Hits are unaffected
by this temporary shift, and all your
defensive abilities (Endure, Evade)
are unaffected. Note that the
Hyperspeed gift neutralizes this, allowing you to take your full SV of
actions every round without penalty.

2.5 Suffering Damage

Any time you are ‘hit’ (the attack action is equal to or better than your
defensive rating against that attack), you may suffer damage. Roll
damage, subtracting the resistance (soak) you have (if any) against that
attack.
For example, you have an Evade of 4 (based on your Reflex of 8D).
Any attack result of 4+ hits you. Damage you suffer may be reduced by a
resistant ability; for example, with the Invulnerable gift, any physical
damage is reduced by your Force rating (the SV of your Power); any
points beyond this are temporarily taken from your current Hits. By
resting, you recover 1 Hit per minute.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 9

2.51 Critical Damage
If your total attack result (after bonuses)
equals or exceeds the dice value of your
foe’s Tier, you land a critical hit. On a
critical hit, roll damage twice, but only
count the better of the two results. Against
a super-Tier foe (D10), a total attack
action of 10 or better (after all modifiers)
results in critical damage. On a critical hit,
you can also elect to cause knockback,
sending your foe 1d6 x10’ feet if they fail
a Might check (DT 8; as a free action).

2.52 Being Felled

If you are reduced to zero or fewer Hits, you are Felled. Each time you
are Felled, you have a chance to re-join the encounter at the beginning of
each round thereafter. At the start of each round after being Felled, check
your Tier die (DT 4). If successful, you rejoin combat with half your
starting Hits (rounded down). If you fail, check again each round
thereafter. Once you have been Felled half your Level (rounded down)
times, or if you fail this check three times in a row, you are Defeated.
Once Defeated, you check for recovery every minute. After being
defeated, you must rest for your Level hours to fully recover (you are at
Half your hits until then). If you (or an ally) spend a full round subduing
a fallen foe before they can rise again, you Defeat them.

2.6 Move, Range, & Distance

Unless otherwise stated, characters may move up to 30’ with one action.
Some gifts (Fly, Run) increase this significantly. Ranged powers and
abilities have a default distance of 100’. Anything beyond 100’ (that you
can still see) forces a -1 die shift to the attempt.

2.61 Thrown Weapons

You can throw a weapon (even a found weapon; see 2.7) at range. A
heavy thrown weapon (a hammer, a shield, a car you pick up) deals
damage at -1 die shift. With Might D12, roll D10 for thrown weapon
damage. Trick weapons (i.e. boomerangs) are not thrown weapons.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 10

2.62 Found Weapons
You can gather weapons from your environment. Use 1 action to gather a
found weapon; increase damage by half your Level; it degrades by +1
with each successful strike. For example, at super Tier (D10[5]2) with
Might D10, your found weapon deals D10+2 damage with the first hit
and D10+1 with the second; it is then useless. If you throw this weapon
before using it in melee, it deals D8+2 (since throwing a weapon causes a
-1 shift to the damage die).

2.7 Other Combat Options

The following common situations may arise in combat.
• Actively defending requires you to declare (at the beginning of the
round) that you will sacrifice 1 action on your turn; all actions
against you that round are at -1 die shift.
• Cover Requires foes to suffer a -1 die shift to actions against you.
• Grappling. If you successfully attack a foe in melee combat, you
can choose to grapple instead of dealing damage; you and the foe
attempt contested Might checks. If successful, you get your foe in a
hold. Any attacks against a grappled foe are at +1 die shift. You must
sacrifice all your actions to continue grappling the foe, and you must
win a contested Might check at the beginning of every round to
maintain your hold. You deal Might damage once per round (after
the initial round) from constricting your foe.
• Preparing to act requires 1 action but grants +1 die shift to the
following action check. This could include winding up for a big
punch, energizing your bolt before firing, or aiming your bow before
loosing an arrow.

2.71 Morale
If one side suffers significant losses, they may have to check their Tier
die (DT 6) or turn and flee. The GM will decide when this applies.

2.8 Non-Combat Actions

Outside of combat, you are generally successful with any action at your
die SV or lower; a character with Might D12 can always lift an object of
DT 6 or lower without checking.
You have a reputation based on your Tier; use this to try to
influence people or leverage your renown.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 11

2.9 Hero Points and Stunts
Generally, Hero Points are used to push your character far beyond their
normal abilities for a short duration. You add a Tier die to a Might check
to lift a very heavy object, or you add a Tier die to the damage result
from your Energy Bolt as you try and finish your foe. However, there are
times when you will want to try and do something completely beyond the
pale with your gifts. You may decide to use your Optic Bolt to break
your fall so that you suffer no damage; you could try to use your Phasing
to move between dimensions, trying to shift your entire attunement to
another realm altogether. You could decide to use your Telepathy to send
a message to every person in the city, or your Remote Sensing to scour
the globe for the person you are looking for. Your GM decides how
difficult a stunt is, setting the DT of the check (typically DT 16) and
determining how many Hero Points you will have to spend to attempt it.
You still get to add one Tier die to the check when you perform a stunt.
• Any standard stunt typically requires 1 Hero Point.
• Any exceptional stunt typically requires 3 Hero Points.
• Any astonishing stunt typically requires 5 Hero Points.

2.91 The D20

If you have a trait rated at D20, that trait is so potent as to have almost no
measurable limit. When you attempt an astonishing stunt (as above) with
a D20, you can perform truly world-altering actions. You could attempt
to expand your Forcefield to cover an entire city, or you could use your
Magnetic Control to shut down the entire power grid for the East Coast
(or even turn off the earth’s magnetic core, neutralizing all electricity
across the world). You could try to Run or Fly so fast that you reverse
the flow of time, rolling the clock backwards. You could use your Might
to hold up an entire mountain range. When you have a D20 in a trait and
attempt an astonishing stunt, you can attempt the virtually impossible.

2.92 Maintaining A Stunt

If you perform a stunt and want to maintain it over time (you turned off
the world’s magnetic field, and it is STAYING off), in addition to the
normal cost of 1 action, you have no access to Hero Points; you cannot
earn or use Hero Points while you maintain the effects of a stunt.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 12

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 13
3.0 Character Creation
After discussing this with your GM and other players, decide what Tier
the characters in your game will be (the default assumption is Super).
Follow these steps to build your character:

3.01 Character Building Steps

1. Roll your Tier die +Level for each of your four traits. Each roll sets the
dice rating for that trait (round down). Assign dice to your traits as desired.
If you want, shift down two dice from 1-2 traits to receive +1 die in another
trait.
In Play: I am going to play a Super Tier character (D10). I roll 1D10+5
four times and get 7 (2+5), 8 (3+5), 9 (4+5), and 14 (9+5); my character
has dice ratings of D6 (7 rounded down to nearest die), D8, D8 (9
rounded down to nearest die), and D12 (14 rounded down to nearest die).
I decide to go all-in, and round both D8s down to D6s to get my D12 to
D16. I assign the D16 to Power (bwahaha) and have D6s in all three
other traits. I am not going for a balanced character.

2. Roll 1d6+2 for the number of gifts you receive. Roll randomly for each
gift using D100 (see 3.04). Trade any two gifts you do not want for one
you do.
In Play: I know I will need a gift of some kind that takes advantage of
my tremendous Power, so I’m prepared to swap. On my 1D6 roll, I get 1,
so I only have three gifts. That’s a bit concerning. I roll three times and
get [42], [75], [98]. My gifts are Immunity, Resist, and Wall Crawling.
None of these uses my Power in any meaningful way. I decide to trade
Resist and Wall Crawling for Energy Control (using the list at 3.3), and I
roll 9 (Magnetism); this is a broad, expansive power I can use in many
ways. I will take Immunity to iron-based weapons (since that makes
sense - my body would just reject them). I know that my high Power
rating and the usefulness of the gift still give me a lot of options.

3. Purchase tags. Tags represent training, skills, education and

experience. You have your Level in points to spend on tags, but no
more than half (rounded down) can go in the same tag.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 14

In Play: Since I am at the Super Tier, I have a Level of 5. I want Aim to
help with using my magnetism to pick up and throw things, so I put 2
points there (the maximum). I’m concerned that my relatively low
Reflex will mean I get hit a lot, so I put 2 points into Evade. I put my last
point into Hits to increase my survivability.

4. Determine your Hero Points (HP) and Move.

In Play: You have Hero Points equal to your Level. I have 5 Hero
Points. Your Move is 30’ unless you have a gift that improves it.

5. Determine your Hits. Total the dice ratings of your Tier + Might.

In Play: My Tier is super (D10), Might is D6, and I have the tag of Hits
+1: this gives me a total of Hits 17.

6. Decide if you are going to take a limitation. See 3.4.

In Play: I decide my character now has a Minor Allergy to the same

alien element that was in the meteor that gave him his powers. I
understand that some villains I encounter may be powered by forms of
this same element. I get an extra gift, and I take Fly so that my character
can fly around (at 2,000’ per action because of my high Power!). That
makes me feel a lot better.

7. Name your character, developing a Background and Purpose. You

could decide you are an altered human, mutant, alien, clone, robot, or
even demigod. You could wear an armored suit or carry a mystic
artifact. Whether you are wealthy or poor, a student or retired, a doctor
or a vagrant, make note of it here. Your Purpose is one sentence that
explains how and why you are motivated to be a hero (or villain).
In Play: My character is named Magnesio. He was a miner who
discovered a buried fragment of an ancient meteoroid that granted him
incredible power. Though powerful, he is relatively new to all of this,
and still struggles with how to use his powers and his role. His purpose
will be to ‘use my gifts to help other people’.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 15

3.02 Point-Based Character builds
Some players may prefer more control over their character from the
outset or may have a specific character they want to play. In this case,
use a point-based system: players have the following dice ranks to
distribute among the four Traits, with a maximum of their Tier die
shifted +2. You receive a total number of gifts equal to your Force, and a
total ranks of tags equal to your Level.

Expert Paragon Super Legend Titan Cosmic

20 ranks 28 ranks 36 ranks 44 ranks 52 ranks 60 ranks

For example, at Super Tier (D10), I have 36 ranks of dice to

distribute (max D16 in any trait). I want to make a big bruiser, so I put
D16 in Might, and have 20 left. I put D10 in Reflex, D6 in Power, and
D4 in Mind. My Power D6 gives me three gifts: I take Invulnerable,
Melee (thinking of huge brass knuckles), and Jump. My Tier D10 gives
me 5 ranks in tags. I take Brawl +2, Evade +1, Hits +2. I don’t want any
limitations. Easy-peasy. I see my character as an alien gladiator who
escaped the pits of his home world and fled to earth.

3.03 IRL (Optional Rule)

For long-term play, you and your GM may want to include a mechanic
that has your character’s personal life impact their role as a super. In this
system, your IRL (In Real Life) starts at zero. When you do something
‘good’ in your personal life, you earn +1 IRL. When you fail in a
personal life task, you suffer -1.
• At -1 (or +1) receive a -1/+1 shift to your Tier die when using HPs.
• At -4 (or +4), receive a -2/+2 shift to your Tier die when using HPs.
• At -10, you hit rock bottom. You cannot use HPs at all, and you
suffer -1 edge to every check you attempt; you always roll two dice,
using only the lower result.
• At +10, you are on top of the world. In addition to the +2 shift to
your Tier die for HPs, you have +1 hero point in your bank as well.
The GM determines which events impact your IRL (see 4.4). You may
have to check Mind before the adventure to remember it was your
sister’s birthday (-1 IRL if you forget), or you could have to decide
between helping a stranger in need or a family commitment.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 16

3.04 Gift Quick Reference (Roll 1d100)

[1] Absorption [35] Grow/Shrink [70] Rage

[2] Alter Ego [36] Haywire [71] Ram
[3] Amphibious [37] Heal [72] Reflection
[4] Animal Control [38] Hex [73] Regenerate
[5-7] Bolt [39] Hyperspeed [74] Remote Sensing
[8] Bomb [40] Illusions [75-76] Resist
[9] Boost [41] Immortality [77] Run
[10] Burrowing [42] Immunity [78] Serial
[11] Chameleon [43] Impervious Immortality
[12] Chaos [44] Invisibility [79] Shape Change
[13] Communicate [45-47] Invulnerable [80] Shield
[14] Companion [48] Jump [81] Shockwave
[15] Counter Attacks [49] Ki [82] Sleep
[16] Damage over [50] Levitate [83] Snare
Time [51] Life Tap [84] Sonar
[17] Danger Sense [52] Luck [85] Stretch
[18] Dimension [53-55] Melee [86] Stun
Travel* [56] Mimicry [87] Summon
[19] Disintegrate* [57] Mind Bolt [88] Telekinesis
[20] Drain [58] Mind Control [89] Telepathy
[21] Elite [59] Mind Shield [90] Teleport
[22] Emotion Control [60] Multiplicity [91] Time Travel*
[23] Enhanced Senses [61] Nemesis [92] Transmutation
[24] Energy Body [62] Night Sight [93-94] Trick
[25-27] Energy [63] Nullify Weapon
Control [64] Object [95] True Magic*
[28] Energy Animation [96-97] Utility Belt
Solidification [65] Object Reading [98] Wall Crawling
[29] ESP [66] Phasing [99] X-Ray Vision
[30-32] Fly [67] Possession [100] Unique Gift
[33] Forcefield [68] Precognition
[34] Gadgeteer [69] Prodigy

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 17

3.1 Gifts
Note: Gifts marked with (*) are
quite powerful and should be
considered carefully before being
added to your game.
[1] Absorption. You can convert
one type of energy to healing. Any
damage you suffer from this energy
type is instead added to your Hits
(but you cannot exceed starting
Hits). Ignore your Invulnerable and
any Resists vs. this energy type.
Alternately, you can have
Absorption increase one of your
traits; any time the damage reaches
or exceeds the applicable die
threshold, you shift up dice. You
must use 1 action per round to maintain the increased scores. You can
never exceed your Power die +1 shift in the chosen trait. For example, if
you convert flame damage to Might, your existing Might D6 moves to
D8 if you suffer 8-9 points of flame damage, to D10 if you suffer 10-11
points, or to D12 if you suffer 12 or more. Since your Power is D10, D12
would be the highest Might you could achieve.
[2] Alter Ego. Use 1 action to transform between your super persona and
a regular person. Build your Alter Ego as an Expert Tier character. You
use a command word or device you must activate to change between
forms.
[3] Amphibious. You can move and breathe underwater. Use 1 action to
swim a distance based on your Force (see 3.2).
[4] Animal Control. You can take mental control of animals within
range. Check Power against the animal’s Focus to control that animal.
Use 1 action per round to maintain control thereafter.
[5-7] Bolt. Use 1 action to strike a target at range with an energy (see
3.3), dealing Power die damage. Invulnerable reduces energy damage.
You can strike multiple targets with a single action; each additional
target shifts -1 die for damage.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 18

[8] Bomb. No more than once per minute, you can emit energy in a
massive blast centered on yourself. Use 1 action and roll Power for
damage, adding your full current Hits to the result. You are immediately
reduced to 0 Hits and must check Might (DT 6). If successful, you are
Felled; if you fail, you are Defeated. You emit damage in a radius of 10’
x your Force. All in the area of effect suffer damage, but all check Reflex
(DT of your Force) to suffer only half damage.
[9] Boost. Once per minute, you may attempt to increase one of your
traits +1 shift. Check your Tier (DT 6); if successful, you increase that
trait by +1 Class for your Level number of rounds. If failed, you lose the
action but suffer no additional penalty. If you limit Boost to one trait,
shift +2 instead. Alternatively, you can take this as the ability to Boost
others, increasing traits as above, affecting a creature you can touch.
[10] Burrowing. Move through earth and stone at half your movement
rate. You may be required to check Might to move through clay or rocky
soil.
[11] Chameleon. Use 1 action to change the color of your skin to match
the surroundings. Receive +1 die shift to sneak attempts. Your color
change remains in place until you change back as a free action, or until
you are Felled.
[12] Chaos. Your Level times per minute, you may activate Chaos as a
free action. When you do this, you shift up +1 with the action you
activate Chaos for. If you fail at the action, something over the top
happens instead. For example, you are using your Gadgeteer gift to
cobble together a gravity reverser; you activate Chaos for this, but roll 1
and fail. The device works too well - you reverse gravity in a field all
around you (radius of 10’ x your Level), and this lasts for 1d6 minutes.
Now everything that gets near you suddenly is bouncing around and
floating in all directions, beyond your ability to control it.
[13] Communicate. You can speak with and understand the language of
any one character, creature, or item type (ex: lizards, plants, technology).
[14] Companion. You have a companion (as a second character you
play) who follows you on your adventures. This character is two Tiers
lower than you. This could be (for instance) a sidekick, pet, or animated
object that follows you.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 19

[15] Counter Attacks. Any time a foe rolls a natural 1 to attack you, you
receive an immediate free bonus attack against that foe.
[16] Damage over Time. You have an attack that deals damage over
time (for example, a poison or flame that continues to burn after
activated). This is linked to another attack. If that attack deals damage,
check your Tier die against the foe’s Endure. If successful, you deal an
additional 1 Hit (that can only be soaked with Resist) per round for your
Level rounds. Poison will bypass Invulnerable, but not Resist Poison (for
instance).
[17] Danger Sense. As a free action, attempt an immediate sense (Mind)
check at +1 die shift any time potential danger comes within 100’ to
sense the presence and direction of a danger.
[18] Dimension Travel*. You can travel across myriad dimensions.
Check Power with a DT based on how remote the dimension is: adjacent
(DT 4); remote (DT 8); far-flung (DT 12). Each additional creature you
take with you imposes a -1 shift. A failure will disable this gift for D6
hours, and a natural 1 disables this gift for D6 days.
[19] Disintegrate*. No more than once per minute, use 1 action to check
Power to touch an object and completely destroy it. While common items
are DT 4, particularly durable or resilient objects are DT 8, and all living
things are DT 12.
[20] Drain. Use 1 action to check Power against the Level of a foe at
range. If successful, you reduce one of their traits (select when you pick
this gift) by -1 die for your Level minutes. On a critical success, you
reduce this trait 2 dice. You cannot affect the same creature more than
once per minute.
[21] Elite. Designate one of your traits (or your Tier) as Elite; any time
you check this trait/Tier, roll two dice of the type, counting the better of
the two results.
[22] Emotion Control. Use 1 action to attempt to take control of the
emotions of another creature at range. Check Power against the foe’s
Focus. If successful, they experience an emotion of your choice. Use 1
action per round thereafter to maintain control. Control drops if you or
the target are Felled. You can release control as a free action. Limiting
this to one emotion (ex: fear), grants +1 die shift.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 20

[23] Enhanced Senses. Receive +2 dice shifts to Mind checks to
perceive, and +2 to Focus vs. actions attempted against your senses.
[24] Energy Body. Your body emits an energy (see 3.3). Any foe
attacking you in melee combat must check Reflex (DT 6) or suffer your
Force energy damage.
[25-27] Energy Control. You
control an energy (see 3.3) or
element of some kind,
including plants or the
weather, at range. Whenever
you attempt to activate this
gift, use 1 action and check
Power. Any use of control to
mimic another gift (use
Magnetic Control to fly by
riding magnetic waves; use
Ice Control to emit a Bolt of
cold) reduces your effective
Power -1 die. You can
maintain effects from round to
round, but each requires you
to use 1 action.
[28] Energy Solidification. You may use 1 action to shape energy into
physical objects. Weapons you craft deal your Power damage (and use
Brawling to attack). Other objects have Hits equal to your Power dice
rating. Something you generate to lift or carry has a Might rated at your
Power, or a suit of armor you generate provides your Focus in
Invulnerable. Each item you create through solidification requires 1
action per round to maintain.
[29] ESP. You may read the surface thoughts of another character at
range. Check Power against the target’s Focus. On a 1, the target knows
of the attempt.
[30-32] Fly. Use 1 action to fly a distance based on your Force (see 3.2).
You can always levitate in place as a free action.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 21

[33] Forcefield. Once per minute, use 1 action to generate a Forcefield
with a diameter of up to your Force x10’. Nothing physical may cross
this barrier while it is up. The barrier has Invulnerable equal to your
Force and sustains Hits equal to your Power dice rating before it falls.
You may drop the Forcefield as a free action at any time. Maintaining the
Forcefield uses 1 action every round while it is up.
[34] Gadgeteer. Your Level times per day, use 1 minute to cobble
together a single-use device that emulates one other gift. When activated,
it uses your Mind in place of the applicable trait. Its effects will last no
longer than your Focus rounds. On a natural 1 this device explodes,
dealing Mind damage in a 10’ radius.
[35] Grow/Shrink. You can either grow to fantastic size or shrink to
very small size. Roll 1d10: [1-4] is Grow, [5-8] is Shrink, [9-10] gives
both options. You can change back at any time, using 1 action. You
change back if Felled. Grow lets you replace Might with your Power, if
better (adjust Hits); Shrink lets you replace Reflex with your Power, if
better. Sizes based on Power: D6 (8’/6”); D8 (12’/1”); D10 (16’/1 cm);
D12 (20’/1 mm); D16 (25’/.1 mm); D20 (30’/microscopic).
[36] Haywire. You can cause the gifts and Traits of others to act in
random ways. Check Power against the Force of a foe at range. If
successful, you cause them to suffer strange effects on any failed check;
use likelihoods (4.12) to decide what happens. Some options include the
opposite happening (cold instead of flame), the gift just shuts off
entirely, the gift affects an ally instead, or a gift won’t turn off (you just
start shooting flame indiscriminately). Their strength fails (Might), or
they suddenly cannot form a
sentence (Mind). Use 1 action
per round thereafter to maintain
Haywire; it ends if you or the
foe are felled, or you can
release it as a free action.
[37] Heal. Once per minute,
use 1 action to restore the result
of a Power check in Hits to a
living creature you touch.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 22

[38] Hex. Use 1 action to check Power against the Force of a foe at
range. If successful, you impose a -1 shift to all checks. Use 1 action per
round thereafter to maintain your Hex on that foe. Hex drops if you or
the foe is felled, or you can release it as a free action.
[39] Hyperspeed. You may attempt your full Level in actions every
round without suffering a penalty (see 2.4).
[40] Illusions. Use 1 action and check Power to set a DT for an illusion
you create; creatures who encounter your Illusion check Mind against
this DT or believe that the illusion you have crafted is real. Illusions last
for 1 round, but you may use 1 action per round thereafter to maintain
any illusion you create. Your illusions cannot deal damage, but those
who fail the check will believe in the illusion’s absolute authenticity.
[41] Immortality. Your character cannot die, except by extraordinary
means (your soul would have to be cast into the pit of eternity; your body
would have to be consumed by a star).
[42] Immunity. You ignore all damage of one energy type (see 3.3).
[43] Impervious. You soak physical damage. Check your Power every
time you suffer damage to see how much you soak from that attack.
[44] Invisibility. Up to once per minute, use 1 action to activate; shift +2
dice when attempting to sneak, and receive +2 to Evade. Use 1 action per
round to maintain invisibility; invisibility drops if you are felled.
[45-47] Invulnerable. You soak your Force from any physical damage
you suffer.
[48] Jump. Use 1 action to
leap a distance based on
Endure (see 3.2). You can
also use this for swinglines
your character generates.
[49] Ki. You channel raw
mystical energy in myriad
ways. Your Level times per
minute, you may substitute
your Power die for one of
your other traits (or your
Tier), as needed.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 23

[50] Levitate. You can use 1 action to become weightless. This lasts for
as long as you concentrate but may be maintained indefinitely as a free
action; levitation drops if you are felled.
[51] Life Tap. Your level times per
minutes, use 1 action to attack a foe at
range, dealing Power damage, less that
foe’s Endure. You recover half as many
Hits as you deal. Ignore Impervious or
Invulnerable.
[52] Luck. You may re-roll your Force
number of rolls each minute.
[53-55] Melee. With a weapon, claw, or
bite, deal Might + half your Level
damage. If you have a weapon you can
throw, it always returns to your hand
before your next action.
[56] Mimicry. You can copy the Graits
or gifts of others. When you are affected by a gift (or use 1 action to
touch a foe), check Power (DT 6). If successful, you may elect to mimic
that trait/gift, at the lower of the original rating or your Power rating.
You must allocate 1 action per round to maintain each of your mimicked
gifts and can mimic your Force total gifts; if you have Power D12 and
Force 6, you can mimic any trait or gift of up to D12 and can maintain up
to 6 traits and/or gifts at a time.
[57] Mind Bolt. Use 1 action to mentally attack at range. Check your
Tier against the foe’s Focus. If successful, deal Power damage.
[58] Mind Control. Use 1 action to attempt to take control of the Mind
of another creature at range. Check Power against the foe’s Focus. If
successful, you control them as if they were your puppet. Use 1 action
per round thereafter to maintain control. Control drops if you or the
target are felled. You can release control as a free action.
[59] Mind Shield. You soak your Force in mental attack damage.
[60] Multiplicity. Once per minute, use 1 action to create your Force
number of duplicates of yourself. Roll 1d6 any time you are attacked;
one of your duplicates is hit unless you roll a 1.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 24

Each of your duplicates has Hits 1 (and is then destroyed); each has all
your abilities at -1 shift, but each may only act once per round. Use 1
action per round to maintain duplicates you have generated. You can
dismiss your duplicates as a free action; they disappear if you are Felled.
[61] Nemesis. You have studied a specific foe to learn their weaknesses.
Receive +1 shift with all actions and results against that specific foe. You
may maintain Nemesis against your Force different foes. You must pick
specific foes (‘Amorpho’), not types or groups of foes (‘aliens’).
[62] Night Sight. You can see in complete darkness as if in full daylight.
[63] Nullify. Use 1 action to check Power against the Endure of a foe at
range. If successful, you ‘turn off’ one of their gifts (your choice) for 1
round. You must use 1 action per round thereafter to continue to Nullify
that gift. You can release it as a free action, or it is automatically released
if you or the foe are Felled.
[64] Object Animation. You may use 1 action to check Power,
animating an object to serve on your behalf. Your Power result sets the
Tier of the creation, and then use the point-based rules (3.01) to
determine the abilities of this object. The object requires you to use 1
action per round thereafter to maintain, and it is destroyed when felled. It
has no Hero or Villain Points. Rolls of 5 or lower are D4 objects with D4
traits, Hits 8 and no gifts or tags. For example, you roll Power D12 and
get 7; your object is Tier D6 (7 rounded down to the next Tier). It has 20
ranks to distribute among dice; you give it Might D8, Mind D4; Power
D4, Reflex D4. It gets two gifts from its Force 2 (you pick Invulnerable
and Melee) and 3 tags (you pick Brawl +2 and Hits +1). It has Hits 15.

[65] Object Reading. Use 1 action and touch an object to read its
history, owners, and the events it has witnessed. A difficult object to read
may require a Power check with a DT based on the complexity of the
object or of the knowledge it contains.
[66] Phasing. Use 1 action and check Power to move through solid
objects at your normal movement. While phased, you have Invulnerable
equal to your Focus rating (or +1 to current Invulnerable, whichever is
better). To maintain your immaterial form, you must use 1 action each
round. You can turn off phasing as a free action; it ends if you are Felled.
Most objects are DT 4 to phase through.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 25

[67] Possession. Use 1 action and check Power against the Focus of a
living foe at range to possess that creature, totally taking over their body.
You take your Mind with you, but you assume all of their other abilities.
You must use 1 action each round to maintain possession. You can leave
the host body as a free action; you are expelled if the host is felled. While
you possess another, your body disappears, moving to the astral plane. It
reappears when possession ends, or when you are Felled in that body.
[68] Precognition. You can see the future. Work with your GM to
determine how this works (the GM decides when to give you clues). You
may have dreams or may suddenly see a current event as foreshadowing
a later event. Check Mind every time you have an experience of
precognition. The higher the roll, the more specific and concrete your
understanding is (and the better the clue the GM will give you). A 4 may
reveal a hint about a place or person, while 8 reveals a day or place with
some of the people involved, and 12 reveals the exact time and place
where something will happen, with a sense of who is involved and why.
[69] Prodigy. You are exceptionally well-
trained. You have your Tier die rating
(instead of Level) in tags, and each tag is
capped at your Level -1.
[70] Rage. Your Level times per day, use 1
action to enter a state of rage for your Level
rounds. While enraged, you receive +1
action, +2 to melee attacks, and +1 shift to
Might (along with an increase in Hits). You
cannot willingly leave combat while
enraged, and you cannot end rage early.
[71] Ram. You can use yourself as a
battering ram. You must use 1 action to run
at your foe and shift +1 die to attack and damage (see 2.7); add your
Endure to damage if you succeed with the attack.
[72] Reflection. Once per round, use a free action to attempt to turn an
attack back on the originator (even if it hits you). Check Power against
the initial attack result; if successful, the attack turns back on the one
who attempted it, or against another creature within 100’.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 26

[73] Regenerate. Automatically recover half your Force at the beginning
of each round (even if Felled or Defeated; Defeated ends at half your
hits).
[74] Remote Sensing. Use 1 action to check Power against the Focus of
another creature on the same planet. If successful, you can hear or see
(your choice) through them. You must use 1 action per round to maintain
this. Remote Sensing ends if you or the foe is felled. On a natural 1, the
foe knows you attempted this.
[75-76] Resist. Reduce all damage of the given energy (see 3.3) by your
Force. This stacks with Invulnerable.
[77] Run. Use 1 action to run a distance based on your Force (see 3.2).
[78] Serial Immortality. Every time you are Defeated, you ‘die’… but
are immediately reborn somewhere else at your full hits. You must check
Mind (DT 6) or you are disoriented for 1 minute. If you roll a 1, you
awake with amnesia. Work out the specifics with your GM of where you
awake (at home, in a lab, in the river you died the first time…).
[79] Shape Change. You can change into the
shapes of others. This should be themed (for
example, animal forms). When you change
shape, you keep your Tier and Mind, but
rearrange your other traits; you may have Might
D6 and Power D10 in your normal form, but you
become a huge ape with Might D10 and Power
D6. Adjust hits accordingly. You also gain one
gift (such as Amphibious or Fly). Change back
with 1 action, or automatically when felled.
[80] Shield. You carry a shield or wear a shield-like device (ex: magical
bracers of protection; your armor projects an energy shield). Once per
round, you may check Reflex (DT 4) as a free action to block an attack
that has already hit you.
[81] Shockwave. Once per round, you can use 1 action to emit a
shockwave in a line in front of you. It has a maximum range equal to
your Force x10’ and deals your Power damage to all in the area of effect.
Those in the area may check Reflex against your Force to suffer half
damage. A hero who uses their great strength to clap hands to emit a
shockwave uses Might and Endure in place of Power and Force.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 27

[82] Sleep. Use 1 action to cause a target at range to fall asleep. Check
Power against the foe’s Force. If successful, you cause the foe to fall into
a deep sleep that lasts for your Force minutes. A sleeping creature is
awakened if attacked.
[83] Snare. Use 1 action to strike a foe within 100’. You automatically
hit. Check Power vs. the foe’s Endure. If successful, you bind the foe in
place for your Force rounds. The foe may attempt one action each round
thereafter to break free, checking Might against your original Power
result.
[84] Sonar. Use 1 action to activate sonar to a range of 100’ in all
directions. You can ‘see’ using sound, allowing you to ignore Invisibility
and sneak attempts others make. Use 1 action per round thereafter to
maintain Sonar. It ends if you are felled. You can end Sonar as a free
action.
[85] Stretch. Use 1
action to reach your
Force x10’. Use a
second action to
‘pull’ yourself to
that point, if
needed. Check
Power to do things
like slide under
doorways, shape
yourself into a hang glider, or slingshot another character.
[86] Stun. Use 1 action to check Power vs. a foe’s Endure to stun them
at range for your Force rounds.
[87] Summon. Use 1 action to call several creatures to serve you. You
can either summon one creature at your Power -1, or your Force number
of creatures rated at your Power -2. With Power D12 (6/3), you can
summon one creature of Tier D10 or 3 creatures of Tier D8. Build these
creatures with point-based generation (3.01). You must use 1 action per
round to maintain these creatures; they are dismissed at will as a free
action, or if you are Felled. When Felled, these creatures are
automatically defeated. You could summon animals, animated elemental
energies, or even things like huge carnivorous plants.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 28

[88] Telekinesis. Use 1 action to apply your Power to manipulate objects
at range as if holding them (as if using Might). Use 1 action per round
thereafter to maintain telekinesis.
[89] Telepathy. Use 1 action to communicate mentally with one or more
characters at range. You only need to attempt a check if others resist, or
if you cannot see them (DT 4 in the same city; DT 8 on the same planet).
You can create a ‘conference call’ with a total number of other people
equal to your Force. Use 1 action per round thereafter to maintain
Telepathy.
[90] Teleport. Use 1 action and check Power to move from one location
to another. If it is a location you can see, no check is required; if it’s
somewhere you know in the same region, the DT is 4, if it’s somewhere
far distant or that you know of only a little, the DT is 8; teleporting to a
remote, unknown location is DT 12. Failure means you cannot attempt to
teleport for another 1D6 rounds. Each person you take with you causes -
1 die shift to your Power check.
[91] Time Travel*. You can travel through time. Check Power with a
DT based on how remote the time is: any time on July 4 last summer
would be DT 4; the morning of the Kennedy assassination would be DT
8; the moment that Napoleon chose to cross the Rubicon would be DT
12. Each additional creature you take with you imposes a -1 shift. A
failure disables this for D6 hours; a natural 1 disables this for D6 days.
[92] Transmutation. Use 1 action to change an element you touch into a
different element on a successful Power check (DT 6). If you take the
limitation to one type of element (always change carbon to oxygen), your
DT is 4.
[93-94] Trick Weapon. You have a trick
weapon. It deals base damage of the better of
your Tier or your Reflex. You also have your
Level in special ammunition you can use.
Sample ammunition may be energized
(dealing energy damage at your Tier),
Nullify, Stun, Snare, or provide a Swingline,
rated at your Tier. Develop your own custom
trick weapon with the help of your GM.
Replenish your weapon between adventures.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 29

[95] True Magic*. You can cast magic spells and wield arcane energies
in fantastic ways (See 3.9).
[96-97] Utility Belt. You wear a utility belt (or comparable item). It has
your Level of special pieces, such as objects that Nullify, Snare, Stun, or
grant single-use gifts (lasting no more than your Level minutes) like
Amphibious, Invisibility, or Wall Crawling. Design your own custom
utility belt. Replenish your belt between adventures.
[98] Wall Crawling. You can travel along walls and ceilings at your full
move.
[99] X-Ray Vision. Use 1 action to see through objects; lead blocks this.
[100] Unique Gift. Work with your GM to develop a unique gift.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 30

3.12 Customizing Gifts
Many supers have unique or unusual applications of gifts. If you have an
idea for how you want to customize a gift, work with your GM to build
the customization. You can customize a gift by shifting dice, by limiting
the number of times a gift can be used, by suffering damage when using
it, by losing access to Hero Points for a time, by only having it usable in
certain situations, or by requiring extra actions to activate it. For
example, you want to customize an energy bolt so that it deals necrotic
damage and (in addition to damage) it disables the target’s Heal or
Regeneration for one minute. Each time you attempt to use this gift, you
suffer 1 hit if you roll a 1 on the attack. It now does something a little
more powerful than a regular energy bolt, but it comes with a potential
drawback.
You can also customize gifts to fit your character concept. For
example, if your character has diamond skin (granting Invulnerable), but
you ‘only’ have Power D6, your GM may allow you to use your Endure
or your Level to set your Invulnerable rating. Your GM has final say on
customizing gifts.

3.13 Sustaining Gifts

The rules assume that any gift you use is going to last for only a few
rounds, or possibly a few minutes; however, you may need to sustain a
gift over a longer time: you use your True Magic to magically seal a
doorway to another realm; you use Mind Control to influence the leader
of the U.W.C. for over a year; you set up a Forcefield around a strange
element until you can understand it fully… in each of these cases, you
can allocate a Hero Point from your pool to sustaining the gift. The gift
stays ‘in place’ until it is overcome (as it could be normally) or until you
intentionally release it. You do not have access to that Hero Point while
the gift is sustained in this way.

3.2 Travel Distances by Force

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
30’ 60’ 120’ 250’ 500’ 1,000’ 2,000’ 3,500’ 1 mile

Note: These are the distances you can travel with one action.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 31

3.3 Sample Energies
1. Cold. Includes frost and ice.
2. Concussion. Includes kinetic energies or telekinetic strikes.
3. Cosmic. This is the energy of primal universal wellsprings.
4. Eldritch. Involves channeling raw magical energy.
5. Electricity. Includes lightning.
6. Geo-Forces. Involves the earth, stone, and tectonics.
7. Heat. Includes fire, flame, and magma.
8. Light. Includes the full spectrum of light.
9. Magnetism. Includes the manipulation of ferrous metals.
10. Radiation. Includes all forms of atomic and nuclear energy.
11. Shadow. Includes darkness and solidified shadow.
12. Sound. Includes sonics and acoustics.

3.4 Limitations
You may select one limitation for your character, if desired. With a
limitation, receive +1 gift or tag of your choice.
1. Activate. Your gift requires one extra action to activate each time.
2. Allergy (Minor). Suffer a -1 overall shift within 30’ of the allergen.
3. Allergy (Major). Suffer a -2 overall shift within 30’ of the allergen.
You receive +2 gifts and/or tags of your choice.
4. Complex. You have a fear or compulsion. When triggered, check
Mind (DT 6) or suffer -1 overall shift for 1 minute.
5. Dependency. You must do something often or suffer -1 overall shift.
6. Enmity. A very powerful adversary pursues you. This enemy is
beyond your capacity to defeat.
7. Impaired. One of your traits is weaker; each time you check this
trait, roll 2 dice and count only the lower result.
8. Monstrous. Your appearance is frightening. Shift -2 dice when
checking Tier to influence others or get aid but shift +1 die when
attempting to intimidate or frighten.
9. Secret. You have a secret (possibly a secret identity) you must hide.
10. Vow. You have made a promise you cannot break.
11. Vulnerability. Against one attack form or energy, you are especially
vulnerable. You cannot use gifts to soak this damage, and you
always suffer +1 damage.
12. Unique. Work with your GM to develop a unique limitation.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 32

3.6 Tags
You have your Level to invest in tags. No more than half can go to any
one tag. These are rated as a bonus from +1 to +4 (added to the rating or
check, as applicable); each point you invest increases the bonus by +1.
• Aim. Add the bonus to all ranged action/attack rolls.
• Brawl. Add the bonus to all melee action/attack rolls.
• Willpower. Add the bonus to all mental action/attack rolls.
• Add the bonus to your Endure.
• Add the bonus to your Evade.
• Add the bonus to your Focus.
• Add the bonus to your Force.
• Add the bonus to your Hero Points (or Villain Points).
• Add the bonus to your Hits.
• Add the bonus to Tier checks to Sneak.
• Contacts. You have close relationships with people in key positions
that could provide help. Add the bonus to Tier checks to call upon
your contacts for help. Explain what you are trying to do, and the
GM will set a DT. In general, you can only call upon your contacts
once per game session.
• Infiltration. Add the bonus to Mind checks to foil security systems,
locks, or traps.
• Leadership. As a free action once per round, an ally who can hear
you receives this bonus to one check.
• Martial Arts. Use the better of your Tier or Reflex (instead of
Might) to roll melee damage; add the bonus to unarmed melee
damage.
• Popularity. Add the bonus to reputation (Tier) checks. Shift Tier +1
die if you limit your popularity to one character or creature type (ex:
among the Final Reich; to birds; to undersea creatures).
• Profession. Select a profession; add the bonus to all checks within
that profession (ex: a doctor +2 receives +2 to Mind checks to apply
medical knowledge).
• Resolve. Add the bonus to Tier checks to recover after being Felled.
• Vehicles. Add the bonus to Tier checks to operate vehicles. See 4.2.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 33

3.7 Teamwork
When two or more heroes join together as a team, they can elect to pool
some of their Hero Points. Each member of the team must contribute the
same number of hero points (at least one each), but no more than half
(rounded down) of any hero’s points may be added to the pool. The pool
then matches the investment (as one additional hero), increasing the pool.
This pool can be used by any member of the team as needed, and it
refreshes at the beginning of every day. For example, four heroes join
together as the Guardsmen. Each hero is super (D10), so each has 5 Hero
Points. Each contributes 2 (the max they can) to the shared pool. This
puts 8 points in the pool (that any member can draw upon), and a bonus
of 2 points is given to the pool, bringing the total HP pool to 10.

3.71 Team Actions

Teams may develop maneuvers or strategies that synergize their abilities.
When a team develops a maneuver, they must develop the mechanics of
how it works, and may only attempt this maneuver once per encounter.
For example, the team has three characters; one has Stretch, one has
Might D12, and the third has Melee (claws). They develop a strategy
where the strongman uses the plastic character to slingshot the clawed
character at an enemy. They decide that each must use 1 action. The
strongman must attempt a Might check (DT 4), and the character with
Stretch must attempt a Power check (DT 4). If both are successful, the
clawed character attempts a single attack with a +2 die shift to both the
attack and damage.

3.8 Battle Suits

As an option, you can choose to build a character who wears one (or
more) battle suits.
• Design your character as an Expert (D6), using the point allocation
system (3.01). This means that you have 20 dice ranks to distribute,
with a maximum of D8 in Might, Power, and Reflex. You have 3
points in tags. You have no gifts.
• Then, build your character at the appropriate Tier when wearing the
suit. Your suit cannot shift traits more than +2 ranks beyond its Tier
(for example, a Super battle suit D10 can have no better than D16).
• You have Hero Points based on the suit’s Tier.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 34

• The suit grants your Force number
of gifts (while wearing the suit).
You receive the suit’s Level in
total tags. Select additional tags
that make sense within the context
of a battle suit (per GM approval).
If the suit has an interactive
database with A.I. that provides
instant feedback on medical
procedures, the suit grants a bonus
to your existing profession as a
doctor (for example).
• Suits always take a full minute to
don, but a unique gift (Self-
Donning Suit) reduces this time to one round. Your suit has enough
air for your Power die rating days.

3.81 Suit Limitations

Your suit comes with an inherent limitation: it can be short-circuited or
possibly taken over remotely. Any effort to do so requires at least 1
round of preparation, the expenditure of 1 Hero or Villain point, and a
successful check equal to your Power dice value on the part of your foe;
if you have a super suit (D10) with Power D12, a foe would need to
spend 1 Villain Point, use at least one round, and roll a 12 or better to
deactivate your suit or take it over. Their result would then become the
DT for you to either reactivate the suit or take control back.

GM Note: These should be unusual events. If every fight becomes about

the hero trying to keep her suit from shutting down, it’s going to take a
lot of the fun out of having a super suit. An electricity-wielding foe could
attempt to overwhelm your suit by touching you and checking Power to
channel enough electricity to short circuit it; a foe with Gadgeteer could
try to cobble together a remote-control unit that would hijack your
systems on a successful Mind check. You can purchase a tag (Secure
Battle Suit) that grants a bonus to Power checks to resist.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 35

3.82 Multiple Suits
You can design your Level -2 ‘alternate’ suits; as the owner of a
Legendary suit (D12, Level 6), you have a collection of 4 suits. You have
your standard suit, an armored tank suit, and a covert ops suit with high
Reflex, infiltration and Sneak tags, but lower Might and Power. Each
additional suit is built by re-distributing points, as above.

3.9 True Magic

True Magic is a gift you can purchase, but you must have GM approval.
With true magic, you may use 1 action each round to attempt to cast a
spell; your spell can mimic any other gift (always using Power as the
linked trait). If no DT is given, the spell has a minimum DT 4. It would
be wise to take a basic attack gift (for example, Arcane Bolt), or other
gifts you would use often (for example, Fly) so that these do not count
towards your 1 spell attempt per round limit. Any spell has a duration of
no more than one round, but you can use 1 action each round thereafter
to maintain the spell, as appropriate. If your spell fails, you lose the
action, and you cannot attempt another spell that round.
For example, you decide to cast a spell to give yourself skin of stone
(to mimic Invulnerable). You use 1 action, checking Power (DT 4) and
getting 7; you are successful. Until your first action next round, you have
Invulnerable equal to your Force. If you decide to keep your stone skin
spell in place in the next round, you use 1 action, but can use other
actions to cast another spell or to use another gift… maintaining a spell
from previous rounds does not count towards your 1 spell allowed per
round. In theory, you could have
four or five spells going at once,
assuming you were powerful
enough to have that many actions
available.

Note: True magic is a very

powerful gift, but also requires
considerable creativity on the part
of the player; you must be able to
think on the fly of how you can
cast spells that will maximize your
potential in a variety of situations.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 36

4.0 The Game Master
As the Game Master
(GM), you set up
scenarios, explain the
scenes, and play all the
non-player characters
(NPCs). You determine
how to solve unusual
situations, interpreting dice
results in ways that are fair
and consistent.
You can run Stalwart
‘85 as one-off sessions
between other games you
play, or you can run an
ongoing series, with
individual issues (game
sessions) that tell a longer
story you and your players
build together.

4.1 Making Decisions

While these rules give many suggestions for how to solve in-game
situations, a superhero game by its nature allows characters to defy the
rules of time, space, and physics. Use the system here as a guide, but you
will have to make decisions not explicitly covered by these rules. In
general, let the player try to do something and decide how this would
work mechanically. You can use dice shifts to increase the difficulty or
ease of a task, or you can set DTs higher or lower as appropriate. Note
that any time a gift is used to copy the effects of another gift (a character
decides to use his Energy Control of weather to throw a Bolt of
lightning), all parts of the check are attempted at -1 die shift.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 37

4.11 Stats vs. Story
While it is tempting to have stats in place for everything that could
happen, the game works better when you approach situations with story
at the fore. For example, the heroes come to a door, and villains wait on
the other side. You could decide that the door has Invulnerable of 6 and
that it requires 12 Hits to destroy. You can have the characters start
leveling attacks against the door, trying to wear it down quickly so they
can get beyond…. Or you can decide that the Bronze Man needs to check
Might (DT 4) to rip it off its hinges. If he rolls low, he’s probably going
to use a Hero Point to have the action work - or, it will be a comic bit
where he rips the handle off the door and now has got to punch it down.
Either way, putting story before stats makes for a more interesting and
‘comic accurate’ moment.
In the same way, while many vehicles have game statistics, larger
vehicles like space stations, battleships, and alien motherships are better
viewed as set pieces. If the goal is to destroy or disable the vehicle, there
should be a story-based way to do this (you must break in and disable the
forcefield projector so that allied combat fighters can shoot the alien
mothership down). Huge vehicles should not just be massive piles of
numbers to crunch.

4.12 Likelihood
When you are not sure of something, decide how likely it is, and roll
1D6. The answer is ‘yes’ if you roll the target or lower, ‘no’ if you roll
above the target. This is a simple, fast way to make decisions in play.

Very Unlikely Unlikely Possible Likely Very Likely

1 only* 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5

4.2 The World of the Game

You should collaborate with players to decide on the tone of the game
before making characters. Is your game going to be a dark reality of the
Snyderverse, or the more iconic and traditional world created by people
like Bruce Timm? Is it going to hew closer to Pixar animation or the
MCU? Having players on the same page with the tone of the game will
help everyone make decisions. You can set the game in an established
superhero setting, your own creation, or the official one for this game.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 38

4.21 Environment
The environment in which supers do battle is filled with two potential
types of impediments and props. These often have a durability, reflecting
their overall ability to withstand damage before being destroyed.
• Impediments may get in the way. A vat of acid, a sealed security
door, a room filled with laser beams, or even broken glass and debris
can slow movement, cause damage, or force checks to navigate.
• Props are objects that the characters can interact with. The light post,
garbage truck, amusement park rides and steel girders at the
construction site all are possible props.

4.22 Durability
Light Medium Heavy Great Grand
4 (2) 8 (4) 12 (6) 16 (8) 20 (10)

4.3 Playing the Villain

Villains often think of themselves as heroes, and
act accordingly. They are on the right side in
their own narrative. Their evil is justified, their
ruthlessness for a greater purpose, and their
worldview broken by insanity or trauma (or
both). They have unique goals to accomplish,
and unique ways of achieving those goals.

4.31 Villain Points

Villains have access to Villain Points, which operate like HPs. Villains
have an additional option, tenacity, which allows them to use a VP to
check Tier (DT 4). If successful, they may ignore a successful action that
has been completed against them.

4.32 Henchmen
Villains may have henchmen (typically Goonsquad brawlers) who help
them on their heists. Once per round, a villain may use a free action to
check Tier (DT 6) to get a henchman to ‘take a bullet’ on their behalf,
accepting an attack in place of the villain. Up to Level henchmen will do
this before the others decide it’s probably not worth the effort…

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 39

4.33 Know Your Role
Sometimes, the villain is the main cheese, and the battle with that villain
should be epic. Other times, a villain may serve as a warm-up for an even
bigger villain. At still other times, a group of villains team up against the
heroes. The GM may decide to give villains access to none of their VPs
or may even decide that some of the villains are Defeated when they are
Felled. While Phantom Archer could be a significant challenge for a
newer hero, if he is on a team of villains put together by Baron Doom to
take on Captain Battle, he has no VPs and is Defeated when Felled.

4.4 Adjudicating IRL

The IRL (In Real Life) optional rules (see 3.03) grant bonuses or
penalties based on role-playing situations. As GM, you have a great deal
of latitude in determining how and when to give opportunities for IRL.
Bonuses and penalties can range from +/-1 to +/-5, and can be somewhat
random, based on a check, or based on roleplaying. Ways you could
include IRL:
• At the beginning of every adventure, all players using IRL roll D6.
On a -1, something bad happens out of your control and you suffer -1
IRL (your little sister is very sick and you’re worried for her). On a
6, something great happens (your dad got a promotion at work and
bought you a new gaming system), giving you +1.
• Players may have to attempt a Mind check. Failure means they
bombed a test (-1 IRL), failed an entire class (-3 IRL), or even got
expelled from school for academics (-5 IRL). Success means they
aced the test (+1 IRL), earned honor roll this quarter (+3 IRL), or
even graduated as the valedictorian (+5 IRL).
• Failing a Mind check means that the character forgot medicine (-1),
or that their uncle had a heart attack (-3), or even later died (-5).
Things can spiral like this as well.
• Note that some players could choose to use IRL (they have a big
family support system), and others may ignore it (the character is a
lone wolf with no real life outside of the supers life). Either option is
acceptable, and both carry role-playing implications (your lack of
personal connections means you also never get the bonuses of a life
well lived outside of being a hero, which becomes its own
roleplaying story).

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 40

4.41 Character Advancement
Unlike many traditional RPGs, Stalwart
’85 has no set rules for character
advancement. In general, superheroes
maintain their relative level of power over
time. Any progression should be story-
based rather than based on meeting a preset
threshold of experience. An event like this
should only happen once (twice at most)
over a character’s entire career. Comic
characters normally never move from
Paragon to Legendary Tier, for example.

4.42 Awarding Hero Points in Play

(Optional Rule)
The presumption is that all characters begin the day with their full
allotment of HPs. However, you can instead have characters begin a
session with half their Level in HP, giving opportunities throughout to
earn Hero Points; this provides some rewards for players during an
adventure that can benefit them against more powerful foes.

4.43 Unheroic Actions

A hero who does something unheroic (for example, murder or other
lawbreaking) may temporarily lose access to Hero Points. Based on the
severity, decide how long HPs are lost for, and how to restore them.

4.5 Vehicles & Bases

Over time, the player characters may gain access to vehicles and/or
bases. These things should be accrued naturally through play, rather than
being distributed through a point-based reward system. Accruing,
equipping, and furnishing a base of operations can and should be
something that happens organically over several sessions. For example,
one of the characters inherits an old mansion from an uncle, and another
uses his connections at the local gym to refurbish some second-hand
equipment to train with. Another character leverages a contact to acquire
some experimental technology to upgrade a helicopter that the wealthiest
character on the team is able to purchase. The team is well on its way…

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 41

4.6 Vehicles
Vehicles are built using the following attributes:
• Durability reflects the total damage a vehicle can sustain before
being disabled. Durability is the size rating of the vehicle (see below)
multiplied by the Body rating of the vehicle. Note that a
medium/large (x3) size is possible… the chart (below) represents
common benchmarks.
• Control is a dice value, setting the maximum die this vehicle allows.
Operators use their Reflex to operate vehicles, limited by this value.
For example, a tank may have control of D4, while a nimble combat
fighter has control D12. The SV of control sets the Evade for the
vehicle against enemy attacks. An operator adds their Vehicles tag
bonus to both Control checks and to the vehicle’s Evade rating.
• Body represents how much damage the exterior of the vehicle soaks
from every physical attack.
• Speed is the rate of travel in miles per hour (for miles per round, see
below). Operators must use 1 action each round to operate the
vehicle, but still have other actions available to do other things.
• Upgrades may include special powers or abilities of the vehicle, or
weapons systems. A forcefield generator, plasma cannon, or jump
drive are upgrades. For vehicles, there is no range threshold
(targeting systems mean effective range is what you can see).

Comparative Vehicle Sizes

Small (x1) Medium (x2) Large (x4) Huge (x6) Massive (x10)

Motorcycle; 4-passenger Bus; Airliner Yacht

para glider; car; traffic transport
ATV helicopter helicopter

Miles per Hour vs. Miles per round

30 mph 100 mph 300 mph 1000 mph 3000 mph 10,000 mph
(Expert) (Paragon) (Super) (Legend) (Titan) (Ultimate)

1.5 miles/ 5 miles/ 15 miles/ 50 miles/ 150 miles/ 500 miles/

round round round Round round round

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 42

4.61 Sample Vehicles

Battle Walker - Large (x4)

4-legged combat walker
Durability 20; Body 5; Control D6;
Speed 30 mph; Cannon D12

Traffic Helicopter - Medium (x2)

helicopter
Durability 6; Body 3; Control D8;
Speed 150 mph.

Spy Car - Medium (x2)

undercover car
Durability 10; Body 5;
Control D10; Speed 150 mph
(10 m/rd); Guns D10

Main Battle Tank - Medium-large

(x3) combat tank
Durability 18; Body 6; Control D6
(3); Speed 30 mph; Cannon D16

Moon Girl’s Moonship

Large (x4) Alien Ship; Durability 32; Body 8; Control D12; Speed
10,000 mph; Forcefield (D16); Controlled by Moon Girl’s Amulet.

4.7 Bases
Once a team establishes a team name and invests at least 1 HP each in
teamwork (see 3.7), based on the size of the HP pool, they can establish a
base of operations. The larger the total pool, the ‘cooler’ the base is.
Facilities should generally be within 1 dice rating of the base rating.
For example, a Legendary base (D12) in a converted cave complex may
have a D10 communications system, but a D16 security system. Walls
and doors throughout may have ratings of D12 but the gourmet kitchen is
only D10… so it’s just a regular gourmet kitchen, and not a deluxe
gourmet kitchen.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 43

Class Base Guidelines

Normal Remember that treehouse in the backyard you had when you
(D4) were ten? Good news. You have it again.
2-5 HPs

Expert (D6) The base is simple - a hideout, dedicated apartment, a

6-7 HPs converted garage. It’s just a place to meet and hang out.

Paragon This is somewhat more elaborate. It may be a converted

(D8) section of warehouse, a secret basement in a house, a large
8-9 HPs garage that has been repurposed, or a city loft. It may have
some resources (computers and/or filing systems), a common
meeting area, a kitchen, bathroom, and a sleeping area.

Super This is a true headquarters. It may be a fully-furnished loft, a

(D10) dedicated house, a penthouse, or a facility like a warehouse. It
10-11 HPs has some training facilities, and members can live there full
time, with all resources at their disposal. The team may have a
butler, assistant, or custodian who oversees the facility.

Legendary This is a large headquarters such as a mansion, hidden base,

(D12) or entire floor of a building. It has quarters for all members,
12-15 HPs training facilities, and state-of-the art computers,
communications, and threat-monitoring capabilities. The
headquarters may have an entire team of servants (or a
computer system with automated services). See? A.I. IS
helpful (until it’s not…)

Titanic This is a top-tier headquarters: a converted castle, a satellite, a

(D16) mountaintop fortress, or a huge facility at the bottom of the
16-19 HPs ocean. It has experimental or alien technology, extensive
security, and full training facilities for the team. Such devices
as teleportation platforms, dimensional gateways, and a
hangar bay for a variety of vehicles are all possible. There
may be an entire maintenance team and cleaning crew that
cares for the facility.

Ultimate That’s no moon… it’s a space station.

(D20)
20+ HPs

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 44

5.0 Characters and Creatures
Use these to populate your game world.

5.1 Non-Supers
• Normals (D4 in all traits; Hits 8) include students, laborers,
bystanders, and most regular people, including common thugs.
• Experts (D6 in one trait; Hits 10 or 12) include doctors, scientists,
and reporters (Mind), athletes, police, and soldiers (Reflex).
• Goonsquad Brawlers (D6/3[1]; Hits 12; Might D6; Mind D4;
Power D4; Reflex D6). These goons serve as hired muscle for
supervillains. They often theme their costuming to the villain they
serve.

5.11 Normal Weapons

While superheroes do not carry normal weapons, non-supers sometimes
do (especially the bad guys).
• Knife or Club (Melee weapon; Might +1 damage)
• Axe or Sword (Melee weapon; Might +2 damage)
• Pistol (Ranged weapon; D8 damage)
• Rifle (Ranged weapon; D10 damage)
• Machine Gun (Ranged weapon; D12 damage)
• Grenade (Thrown weapon; D12 damage to all in a 10’ radius; all
check Reflex DT 4 for half damage)

5.2 Animals
• Crocodile (D8[4]2); Hits 16; Might D8; Reflex D6; Bite (D8+2);
Amphibious
• Guard Dog (D6[3]1); Hits 12; Might D6; Reflex D6; Bite (D6+1)
• Lion (D8[4]2); Hits 16; Might D8; Reflex D8; Bite (D8+2)
• Savage Gorilla (D8[4]2); Hits 18; Might D8; Reflex D8; Rage
• Shark (D10[5]2); Hits 10; Might D10; Reflex D8; Bite (D10+2);
Swim 120’
• T-Rex (D12[6]3); Hits 24; Might D12; Reflex D6; Bite (D12+3);
Run 60’

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 45

5.3 Battle Bots
Created by government agencies to fight
super villains, some of these bots have
gone rogue, and others have become
independent, ‘freed’ to fight all super-
powered mortals, who they consider
enemies. These have no Mind per se but
respond entirely to their programming or
their master. At 0 hits, battle bots are
defeated.

Mark I Battle Bot (Expert Tier - 8’ tall)

(D8[4]2); Hits 16; Move 30’
Might D8 (4); Power D8 (4); Reflex D8 (4)
Concussive Bolt; Invulnerable (4); Superhuman Detection (D8)

Mark II Battle Bot (Paragon Tier - 10’) (D10[5]2); Hits 20; Move 60’
Might D10 (5); Power D10 (5); Reflex D8 (4)
Concussive Bolt; Invulnerable (5); Superhuman Detection (D10)

Mark III Battle Bot (Super Tier - 12’) (D12[6]3); Hits 24; Move 60’
(fly 500’); Might D12 (6); Power D12 (6); Reflex D8 (4)
Concussive Bolt; Fly; Invulnerable (6); Superhuman Detection (D12)

5.4 Monsters

Vampire (Typical)
Prodigy Villain (D8[4]2); Hits 18; Move 30; VP 4
Might D8 (4); Mind D8 (4); Power D8 (4); Reflex D8 (4)
Hyperspeed; Immune (normal weapons); Melee (Claws D8+2);
Regenerate; Shape Change (bat or wolf)
Hits +2; Sneak +2
These dark creatures dwell in catacombs, ruins, and desolate places.
They can only be destroyed if Defeated in their coffins and then burned.
When Defeated, they turn into a cloud of gas and return to their coffin to
recover.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 46

6.0 Scenarios
You can develop scenarios any number of ways. For example:
• Structured scenarios have very specific sequences of events, and
are built in linear fashion. In general, these give players less agency,
and tend to feel like players are being forced into prescribed
pathways (because they often are). In general, I suggest avoiding
highly structured scenarios.
• The 5-room dungeon model (which I did not develop but love),
may end up being more structured, but in general these are built in
such a way as to give players some choice in how to explore and
solve the problems presented, and the structure presents a variety of
options for how to overcome the challenges presented.
• Hook-based scenarios are low-prep. You may have a reason for the
adventure, a roster of foes, and a map of a location. You decide as
players go what is where, and how things fit together. For example,
using hook #13 (below), you have a map of a section of the prison
that has been taken over, and a roster of the three villains (and ten
Goonsquad members) who have taken over this section. You then
use likelihoods (see 4.12) to design on the fly. Is one of the
supervillains standing guard by the front doors? Possible. Is someone
monitoring cameras from the control center? Likely. But were the
prison staff able to shut that system down remotely? Unlikely. Is
there a rift between the villains and they’ve turned on each other?
Possible… As you become more
and more familiar with this game,
and gain more experience running
games, you will be more
comfortable run hook-based
scenarios.

In general, you should avoid

creating situations that can ONLY be
solved in one way, with one power.
Giving the players creative freedom to
use their gifts creatively to solve
problems is part of the fun of a
superhero game.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 47

6.2 Twenty Hooks
Here are twenty ways to involve the supers.
1. Amok. Something goes wrong; the computer, robot, or super soldier
goes off the rails. The cloned dinosaur goes rogue.
2. Assassination. Someone wants someone dead, and the heroes get in
the way. The heroes may have to help the bad guy this time.
3. Bad Press. The attacker is news broadcast news and gossip
columns.
4. Blackmail. Someone has a secret, someone knows about it, and
someone is determined to make money from it.
5. Call For Help. Someone from another place, time, planet, or reality
comes in search of assistance. It may even be your arch enemy.
6. Defense. Help to defend a person, place, or vehicle from others.
7. Disaster. A disaster affecting scores of people arises from a man-
made or natural event: flood, earthquake, volcano, or tear in time.
8. Disruption. Foes disrupt something – a trial or election, a parade,
concert, game, or an event like a space shuttle launch.
9. Haywire. Someone’s gifts have gone on the fritz.
10. Hijack. A vehicle is taken by foes, and the heroes help get it back.
11. Infiltration. Time to secretly join a sinister organization!
12. Invasion. Enemies from elsewhere have come – with demands.
13. Jailbreak! Maximum security prison, my butt!
14. Kidnapping. You can pay the ransom – with your fists!
15. Misunderstanding. I know that the guy who stole the matter
transfigurator looked like me, but I’m telling you it wasn’t me.
16. Mystery. The heroes have to solve a mystery. Someone has
disappeared. Something has gone missing. Time has stopped
working. Is this even the real world, or are we plugged into a giant
computer? WE WANT ANSWERS.
17. Robbery. The bad guys want something. The good guys try to stop
them. Let’s not complicate this.
18. Smuggling. You mean it’s illegal to carry Eutonium across state
lines? Since when?
19. Takeover. We have a new boss. Okay, he’s calling himself ‘grand
overlord of all things’, but whatever.
20. War. This can range from a border skirmish between two small
European nations to an inter-realm war involving all realities.

STALWART ’85 – CORE RULES 48