JustX Action Group 77
JustX is a worldwide organization dedicated to protecting mutant rights and ensuring the freedom and safety of individual mutants, and while its cause may be a noble one the methods it utilizes are often illegal at best, and over the line into outright terrorism at worst. Many of the following members of Action Group 77 have tragic backstories and could be played as sympathetic figures bent on rescuing similarly abused mutants from imprisonment, but they can also be used as more outwardly villainous types bent on doing whatever it takes to discourage violence and bigotry toward mutants. They work best as a team, although all six of them rarely show up at once and lesser members (including non-mutant supporteres of JustX) might show up as lieutenants and minions.
Overdrive X
Maggie Hamilton is a mutant whose powers erupted in her late teens. She has a variety of psychic abilities including cross-species telepathy, ESP, and a high degree of relatively subtle mind control, as well as an unusual talent for copying the talents and abilities of others. She might have used these powers as a superhero if her parents and siblings hadn't been killed by anti-mutant bigots in a "cleansing" crusade shortly after her powers developed. She barely survived herself, and while recovering under guard in a nearby hospital she was contacted and recruited by JustX, a radical mutant rights group that was willing and able to use violence to support their goals. It didn't take long for Maggie to see those goals as her own, and she escaped government "supervision" with the group's assistance. Now she works for the cause under the supranym of Overdrive X, looking for both revenge and recognition of her own rights and humanity.
Description: Short, curvaceous young woman with striking violet eyes and a frizzy mop of dark hair. Wears a medium blue bodysuit with a short orange skirt and jacket over it and white boots and gloves.
Gender: Female Age: 24 Height: 5'4" Eyes: Violet
Hair: Black Skin: Light Brown Build: Compact
Approach: Adaptive
Archetype: Formidable (Weakness: Penalties from psychic/morale/confusion effects)
Health: 40 + (5 x H)
Powers: Suggestion d10, Remote Viewing d8, Telepathy d8, Animal Control d6
Qualities: Persuasion d10, Conviction d8, Leadership d8, Psychic Mimic d8
Status: No weakness penalties - d12 / Both penalties and bonuses - d8 / Only weakness penalties d4
Abilities:
Borrowed Mastery (A) Use an action ability of a nearby ally.
Discouraged Aggression (R) When Attacked, Defend yourself by rolling your single Suggestion die. Boost yourself with that roll.
Enhanced Demand (A) Boost using Suggestion. Use your Max die. That bonus is persistent and exclusive. Attack with your Mid die.
Expanded Awareness (I) On your turn, whenever you attack a target you haven't dealt damage to yet this scene, also Boost yourself using your Max die.
Synchronized Focus (A) Boost yourself using Telepathy. Use your Max die. Boost a nearby ally using your Mid die. Boost another nearby ally using your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Hardier Minions + 5 Health. Gain Enhance Minions (A) Upgrade a number of your minions equal to the number of heroes in the scene by increasing their die size by one (max d12).
Master of Conquest (I) As long as you are in command of your own forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to seize an area or capture civilians.
Tactics
Overdrive X switches up her tactics a lot based on her current allies, and will rarely try to continue a fight if she's left by herself. She does her best to help keep her allies in the fight, often opening with Enhanced Demand to grant herself an ongoing bonus followed by Synchronized Focus to Boost herself and her allies further. Borrowed Mastery lets her use any nearby ally's action ability. She can also defend herself with Discouraged Aggression and attack with Enhanced Demand (suggesting her foes surrender or harm themselves), both of which also Boost her along with Expanded Awareness as she cycles through fresh targets.
With her upgrade she can also empower and heal any minions she has, and her mastery makes them more efficient at doing their jobs.
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Mongrel X
John Doe (or "John Dog" to bullies and bigots) was abandoned by his unknown biological parents in a small town in Texas, and spent his childhood bouncing between orphanages, foster homes and scientific research programs as the politics of the day changed. He was born with his extensive somatic mutations, and grew into a young man who was stronger and faster than most humans, as well as being blessed with incredibly keen senses. It took until his early twenties to finally work himself loose from the system that had made him part lab animal, part pet, part charity case through no fault of his own, something he'd grown to resent more and more over the years.
Once he was finally free to make his own choices he quickly became part of the mutant rights movement JustX. After going through a paramilitary "boot camp" program he volunteered to join the same Action Group as Maggie Hamilton where they serve as co-commanders. The two work well together, and have expanded their team considerably over the last four years. Adopting the sardonic supranym Mongrel X in response to old slurs from his youth, John fights against bigotry and hate. JustX's methods have led them to be branded as terrorists by the powers that be, and they do show little hesitancy about breaking laws they see as unjust.
Description: Muscular mutant with canine features including a digitigrade stance, short body fur, pointed motile ears, and a blunt snout with powerful jaws and pronounced carnivore's teeth. Wears an orange singlet under medium blue shorts and jacket with white piping.
Gender: Male Age: 26 Height: 5'10" Eyes: Brown
Fur: Black, White Belly Skin: Black Build: Powerful
Approach: Relentless Archetype: Squad
Health: 25 + (5 x H)
Powers: Awareness d10, Strength d8, Speed d6
Qualities: Close Combat d10, Leadership d8, Canid Mutant d8, Conviction d6
Status: (# of other Villains) 3+ - d10, / 1-2 - d8 / 0 - d6
Abilities:
Defensive Tactics (A) Boost using Leadership. Boost another target using your Max die. Defend against all attacks against you until your next turn using your Min die.
Go For the Throat (A) Attack and Hinder using Close Combat. If the target has a d6 or less status die, use your Max + Min dice. If the target has a d8 status die, use your Max die. If the target has a d10 or greater status die, use your Mid die.
Guard Dog (R) When another villain is Attacked, Defend against that Attack by rolling your single status die. Boost yourself using the amount of damage reduced.
Take Every Advantage (I) Whenever a nearby opponent would Attack you, you may destroy a bonus on yourself or a penalty on that opponent to reduce the Attack by the value of that mod.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Pack Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of Conquest (I) As long as you are in command of your own forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to seize an area of capture civilians.
Tactics
Mongrel X is very much a team fighter, and keeps a close eye on his allies during a battle using Guard Dog at every opportunity. He'll usually try to keep at least one bonus on himself and as many allies as possible, using Defensive Tactics if needed. On offense he relies on Go For the Throat against the most vulnerable looking target. Take Every Advantage lets him burn mods for defense without using a reaction, which can be very strong with the right teammates.
With his upgrade he's better at dealing damage, and his mastery reflects his practiced tactics when working with allies.
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Shift X
Shift X's origins are unclear. They admit to having had their suite of mutant powers since before birth, and to have spent a few years play-acting at being a "normal" child before growing bored of it and seeking their own path. Beyond that they are unwilling to discuss their past, and even their friends see them as someone very, very unusual even by the standards of the mutant community.
They walked into a JustX planning meeting over a year ago and offered their services to the organization of their own free will. After undergoing telepathic examination they were passed as (probably) loyal and assigned on a mission-by-mission basis to several different action groups before settling in with Overdrive X and Mongrel X's team. They have no qualms about the tasks JustX has asked of them, but the more time they spend with their current team the more they seem to "grok" human behavior and morals.
Description: Shift X looks like any organic creature of roughly human mass that it wants too, and can make a fair stab at imitating inanimate objects for short periods. If they have a "base state" no one knows what it is. Their taste in clothing is as varied as their physiognomy, and their shapeshifting talents means that their "clothing" is their integument as often as not.
Gender: Variable Age: Unknown Height: Variable From 3' to 8' Eyes: Variable
Hair: Variable Skin: Variable Build: Variable
Approach: Skilled Archetype: Indomitable
Health: 35 + (5 x H)
Powers: Shapeshifting d10, Suggestion d8, Wall-Crawling d6
Qualities: Conviction d10, Insight d10, Acrobatics d8, Finesse d8, Doppleganger d8, Stealth d8
Status: Always d8
Abilities:
Compel (A) Attack using Suggestion. Hinder that target using your Max die, or Defend yourself using your Min die and you and the target wind up elsewhere in the scene.
Flexible Expertise (A) Take any basic action using your Max die. Recover Health equal to your Mid die.
No Vital Organs (I) Reduce all damage to you by 2.
Unshakeable (I) Whenever you gain a penalty, reduce the value of that penalty by 1.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Calming Aura (I) +10 Health. The heroes act as being in the Green zone for status dice, ability access, and all abilities. Heroes may remove this ability with three Overcome successes. If a hero takes a minor twist, you may use a Reaction to Hinder them by rolling your single Suggestion die.
Master Manipulator (I) As long as you are not directly involved in the fray and are using your influence indirectly, automatically succeed at an Overcome to manipulate a situation.
Tactics
Shift X is a versatile spy, infiltrator, and manipulator, but not an overwhelming combatant. No Vital Organs and Unshakeable make them resistant to damage and penalties, and Flexible Expertise grants some healing along with whatever basic action they need from round to round. Compel does some minor damage, but is more effective at either Hindering the target or forcing them to accompany Shift X to somewhere with allies waiting.
The Calming Aura upgrade further impairs nearby foes, and Master Manipulator plays to her ability to imitate others or remain inconspicuous.
Design Notes
Yes, the name is a Marvel Super Heroes FASERIP reference. Respect those who have gone before.
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Irradiant X
Carrie White grew up in a peaceful rural town with loving parents, supportive teachers, and a wide circle of school friends - until her powers manifested and she became a walking nuclear catastrophe on her first day of seventh grade. The government took her away with the survivors' blessing, and she lived as a lab rat for the next nine years. Agents of JustX eventually freed her and recruited her to their cause, and their psionic training helped her master her considerable power in ways the scientists had never managed. Adopting the supranym Irradiant X, she's joined the action group led by Overdrive X (one of her psychic mentors) and Mongrel X. She still dreams of somehow reclaiming her old life, but every mission for JustX puts that farther out of reach.
Her physiology is decidedly inhuman, running on an inexplicable internal atomic reaction that appears to be fully self-sustaining. She also possesses potent telekinesis and teleportation abilities which may be related to the quantum processes that sustain her radiation. Food, drink, shelter, even sleep are things she remembers from her youth, but they aren't something she needs any more. Sympathy and human contact, those she misses more.
Description: A skeleton glowing with blue-white radiation, burning so brightly that her flesh is transparent and her bones mere shadows. If she's wearing clothing it's lost in the light too. Wrapping up in radiation-resistant ultratech fabrics can damp her light down enough to make her a little less obvious, but she's not known for stealth.
Gender: Female Age: 23 Height: 5'6" Eyes: Glowing White
Hair: None Skin: Glows From Within Build: Rail-Thin
Approach: Overpowered Archetype: Bruiser
Health: 55 + (5 x H)
Powers: Nuclear d12, Telekinesis d10, Teleportation d10
Qualities: Atomic Mutant d8, Self-Discipline d8, Conviction d6
Status: Green Zone Health - d6 / Yellow Zone Health - d8 / Red Zone Health - d10
Abilities:
Atomic Vortex (A) Attack using Nuclear. Use your Max + Mid + Min dice. Hinder yourself using your Max die. Take physical damage equal to your Mid + Min dice.
Feedback Loop (R) When Attacked, use the amount of damage taken from the Attack to Boost yourself.
Bonded Molecular Structure (I) Reduce physical or energy damage dealt to you by 1 (if you are in the Green zone), 2 (if you are in the Yellow zone) or 3 (if you are in the Red zone).
Vitalizing Radiation (A) Boost using Nuclear. Recover Health equal to your Max die. Each nearby ally Recovers Health equal to your Min die. Each of your nearby minions or lieutenants whose die sizes have been degraded increase their die sizes by 1.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of Superiority (I) As long as you are manifesting an effect related to a power you have at d12, automatically succeed at an Overcome involving usage of those powers.
Tactics
Irradiant X is a self-harming offensive powerhouse, putting out huge damage with Atomic Vortex at the cost of damage and penalties. Vitalizing Radiation is the flipside of that, offering a Boost (not always to themselves), major personal healing and mass healing to nearby allies. Feedback Loop offers reactionary self-Boosting while Bonded Molecular Structure reduces incoming damage.
Her upgrade increases the damage from Atomic Vortex even further, and her mastery plays into her overwhelming Nuclear power. Outside of combat abilities, she has strong telekinetic powers that can lift enormous weight (albeit not with much finesse) and teleportation powers that can be used to transport willing allies with an Overcome.
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Breaker X
Miguel Diaz was born with his mutations, and his mother died in childbirth because of them. He was grudgingly raised by relatives but never allowed to forget the circumstances of his mother's death, and as his powers grew stronger when he approached puberty he was literally sold to [insert sinister organization of choice] by his family. The young boy spent the next decade being brainwashed with drugs and psionics to turn him into an obedient super-soldier for occasions when subtlety wasn't required. He spent his mid-twenties as a super-for-rent to various criminal groups and earned a reputation as potent but dim-witted super muscle that liked violence a bit too much for his own good.
All that changed three years ago when JustX operatives rescued him from his "masters" and broke his conditioning (and his involuntary drug addictions) while indoctrinating him to their own cause. Breaker understood what they were doing and why, but his interests align with the mutant rights cause and he wasn't slow to add the "X" to his supranym and accept assignment to an action group. His methods and ruthlessness have caused some tensions within JustX as a whole, but so far things haven't reached a breaking point.
Description: A hulking humanoid, five feet wide across the shoulders and bulging with muscles. The skin is deep crimson and largely covered with thick scale-like copper plates. The head is disproportionately small with surprisingly human features, surmounted by "hair" made of twisted copper spikes. He wears black trunks and boots and a heavily-insulated electronic bracer (basically a smart phone in terms of functions) on his left forearm.
Gender: Male Age: 29 Height: 7'1" Eyes: Solid Black
Hair: Metallic Copper Spikes Skin: Crimson Under Copper Scales Build: Massive
Approach: Generalist Archetype: Indomitable
Health: 45 + (5 x H)
Powers: Strength d10, Absorption d8, Electricity d8, Vitality d6
Qualities: Close Combat d10, Monstrous Mutant d8, Ranged Combat d8, Criminal Underworld Info d6
Status: Always d8
Abilities:
Electrical Surge (A) Attack multiple targets using Ranged Combat. Hinder those targets using your Min die.
Grand Slam (A) Attack using Strength. Either Hinder that target using your Max die, or Defend yourself using your Min die and you and the target end up elsewhere in the scene.
Reliably Competent (I) Whenever you roll a 1 on a die, reroll that die once.
Power Sink (R) When an ally is Attacked, Defend them by rolling your single Absorption die. Boost yourself with that roll.
Strike & Recharge (A) Attack using Close Combat. Use your Max die. Recover Health equal to your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Power Boost (I) +20 Health. Increase all Power dice sizes by one (max d12).
Master of Annihilation (I) If you can cause massive collateral damage without regard for casualties, automatically succeed at an Overcome in a situation where a show of overwhelming force would help.
Tactics
Breaker X is a melee powerhouse with electrical and energy-absorption powers supplementing his prodigious strength. He prefers to use Grand Slam to batter single targets in melee or (by throwing debris, cars, etc.) at range, or Electrical Surge for dealing with multiple foes at once. When damaged he'll stay close and use Strike & Recharge, sometimes building pools with Absorption or Electricity if Strength doesn't seem to be doing the job. Breaker is Reliably Competent when it comes to rerolling ones, and defends his allies while self-Boosting with Power Sink.
With his upgrade Breaker X has much stronger powers, and his mastery reflects his continued willingness to use the kind of approach he used before joining up with JustX.
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This last character is probably not something you want to read if you're squeamish about insects, and is going to push the body horror button for some folks. You have been warned. Spider-Man she is not - not that Peter's life is exactly a bed of roses either.
Bughouse X
Grace Lin was a very average young girl until her mutations manifested at puberty, when she fell into a year-long coma during which time she underwent massive physiological changes in process that closely resembled pupation. Her body swelled to several times its former volume as weird internal hive structures formed in her flesh and began to spawn bizarre insects by the thousands, and her human eyes were replaced with insect-like compound eyes. She was transferred between several medical facilities while comatose, and eventually taken in to government custody in response to threats of violence against the "monster" she was becoming. A violent racist mob killed her parents eight months into her transformation, and when she finally awoke she was an orphan and an involuntary ward of the state.
Grace spent four years being poked and prodded and denied her freedom by researchers who were more interested in determining if her mutation was somehow contagious than in the rights and desires of a young girl. She'd likely still be there today if JustX hadn't broken her out and offered her shelter and support - and a community where she was a person, not a test subject. She was quick to offer her services to the more proactive wing of the organization. At first they were reluctant to let someone so young and so mistreated take the kinds of risks action group members face, but they quickly discovered that Grace - or Bughunt X, the bitterly ironic supranym she for herself - was very, very persuasive and even harder to evade when she wanted to tag along.
Description: A young Chinese-American woman, tall, apparently badly overweight, with long hair and disturbing compound eyes. Close observation reveals strange wasp-like insects crawling in her hair and in and out of numerous small slits in the skin of of her torso. She wears a blue and orange two-piece "battle bikini" with white boots and gloves when in the field, covering it up with a loose white robe when trying to remain inconspicuous - or at least as inconspicuous as she can manage. She weighs a lot less than she appears to, as a significant amount of her body volume is made up of the hollow hive structures that support her swarms.
Her bugs come in a variety of types, with anywhere from six to ten limbs, two to six wings, and anywhere from one to three stingers. Most are capable of varying the potency and secondary effects of their poisons, ranging from being a lethal threat to an adult human to causing searing pain, interfering with the victim's senses, or even a soothing anesthetic variant. All of them look vaguely like wasps filtered through a nightmare lens.
Gender: Female Age: 19 Height: 5'10" Eyes: Compound
Hair: Black, Waist Length Skin: Light Build: Obese
Approach: Disruptive Archetype: Fragile
Health: 15 + (5 x H)
Powers: Animal Control d10, Awareness d10, Remote Viewing d8, Wall Crawling d8
Qualities: Alertness d10, Conviction d8, Hive Queen d8, Persuasion d8
Status: Green Zone Health - d10 / Yellow Zone Health - d8 / Red Zone Health - d6
Abilities:
Blinding Swarm (A) Hinder using Animal Control. Use your Max die. Recover Health equal to your Mid + Min dice.
Defensive Swarm (A) Hinder multiple targets using Hive Queen. You and any nearby allies Defend using your Max die.
Disabling Swarm (A) Attack using Hive Queen. Then remove all bonuses from the target.
Murderous Swarm (A) Attack using Animal Control. Use your Max + Mid dice. Hinder yourself with your Min die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of the Swarm (I) As long as you are not directly involved in the fray and are applying your influence through your insects, automatically succeed at an Overcome to affect a situation.
Tactics
Bughouse X and her insects share a single consciousness over many bodies, granting her an incredible array of senses and a host of defenders who can tailor their stings to produce different effects. Her xenotelepathic Animal Control also extends to other insects, both "normal" and the kinds of bizarre creatures spawned by mad science experiments and super-chemical spills. In a fight she can employ Blinding Swarm to debuff an opponent while healing by generating more pseudo-wasps and Defensive Swarm to Hinder multiple targets while Defending herself and nearby allies. Disabling Swarm uses more painful poisons to harm an enemy and strip off bonuses. Murderous Swarm is her all-out offensive option, which is somewhat draining to her as well as being so dangerous she's hesitant to use it except in extremes.
With all her abilities revolving around Attacks and Hinders she's pretty vulnerable and her unique physiology isn't very resilient. Her other teammates will need to cover her against major threats or she'll fold pretty quickly. If possible she'll use her Wall-Crawling to find a safe spot to hide while Remote Viewing (through the senses of her swarms and other insects) lets her target foes from relative safety.
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