In reply to Prince of Boredom (msg # 28):

How do you see that looking? Would it be just you or others to? Would it be night crawler type of effect?

The only reason I ask is I was thinking my character actually opens doors using their infernal powers perhaps through a demon dimension and steps through them allowing them to move others rather than a personal power

Oh his would definitely be a personal power, although he might be able to take someone with him if they're holding hands or something.

I plan on him being a mutant, so no traversing another plane or something, just instantaneous transport to another location (bending space or some such effect).

For my character I will probably look at something with lightening style effects. I really just like the thought of him having these massive displays of power with lightening flashing everywhere, things sparking and blowing apart while he tries to reign in the power. Very cinematic in my mind at least.

I would love some type of Troubleseeker power, where I am teleported to where I am needed.

If we were allowed multiple powers, portals would be high on my list, but I grabbed healing already, so it is only fair that you get to grab your first priority power also... :)

In reply to OakMaster (msg # 32):

I've been looking at the harbinger playbook and posted the gm for approval of its ok with them I was going to take teleport portals power as my main abilities

Nice power choice.  I would like to do a portal-powered character someday...  :)

My character will probably be more devout, and may not want to traverse via your power source...  :o

In reply to OakMaster (msg # 34):

That might be a good in character situation as I saw my character as a result of a dark magic ritual gone wrong so if your character is devout in nature and mine is internal in nature the character interplay could be interesting

Wow!  This game has taken off like wildfire.  I am very grateful, believe me.

Give me a day or two to catch up to y'all.  Some quick notes:

If you can read this, you are IN the game! :-)  I just haven't had time to process you yet.  Don't worry about how many players this game can have at this time.  Just join if you want.

OK, for those that know Masks; I likely have access to any playbooks you do and will generally approve of any playbook otherwise.  In short, it is probably allowed.  You don't have to worry about duplicating another player's choice of playbook.  Players using identical playbooks almost can't help still making very different characters.  And I could actually use nearly identical playbooks for a few players.  I have some plot ideas regarding twins or clones (possibly involving the otherwise difficult Joined playbook).  You may freely choose what powers go with what playbook, even if those powers aren't listed under that playbook's abilities.

I am happy to say that I seem to have some very insightful players.  Also there is a very cosmopolitan mix of players in real-life.  Enough that I think I can make the game more international in scope.  Both major comic houses tend to be rather pro-U.S. centric at times and this would be a welcome change of pace.

Initially, I had thought to make this first super-group very formal and adult supervised.  But I think this group might be mature enough I can take off the training wheels.  I would like to keep the boarding school aspect if that is not unpopular as that is so Marvel.

I am writing a few pages on character creation.  But it may take a day or two.  So, I think I can take a chance on this group and say that if you want to write down a paragraph of your character idea in plain English while we are waiting, the concept will almost certainly be legal (and the rest will probably just need a little tweaking).  If you do know Masks, you can use game terms like Playbooks and Moves but it is not obligatory.  And if you would rather wait until I get the full character design notes up (so as to have to repeat yourself), that's fine as well.

I will get back to work...

Well I'm more or less set on my basic concept / powers and I was thinking of using the code name Gateway for them

I envision my character as a devout and dedicated empathic healer who is drawn to where there is need for such abilities.

That could mean MSH-Troubleseeker-Style being teleported to the scene, or that could mean some type of spidey-sense vision ("Uh oh...  The Clueless Klutz just fell off the bridge!  I've got to get over there right away!").

At this point I am leaning toward a thirteen-year-old Chinese female.

Would game balance allow for any other Empath-related powers (empathy, telepathy, precognition, postcognition, etc.)?  Only our Faithful GM knows for sure... :)

I cannot think of any fatal objection to any character idea I have heard so far.  Which mean just will probably work just fine second glance as first blush.

In this game, raw power is really just a storytelling factor as much as the lack of power is.  In most games, the Nova (barely controlled powers) character is usually as powerful as the rest of the team put together.  But the Nova has the burdens of trying to maintain control and the ethical use of great power, such as to even use it at all.

In short, add the powers you wish.  Nothing is truly infallible in this game and sometimes a heartfelt moment of sharing may save the world as easily as a cosmic bolt.

Hi all.

I'll be working on figuring out masks for a couple days.

I think you're still too hung up on your powers,  which are really almost ancillary to the game itself. Like Krazny said, Masks is really more about character interaction and drama, than what your particular powers are.

So I'd recommend looking at these descriptions of the playbooks and see which seems most to fit the personality of the character and figure out the powers later.

Main Book:
THE BEACON - The heart of the team. Low powered, low angst. They’re a hero because they  want  to be, and they’re driven always upward.

THE BULL - The bruiser with a heart of gold. Created to be a weapon. Caught between being a cold, gruff fighter and caring deeply about teammates.

THE DELINQUENT - The troublemaker and attention-seeker, rabblerouser and rebel. Tricks, deception, and  provocation are their hallmarks.

THE DOOMED - The dramatic martyr. Cursed to ultimately lose their self to some terrible fate, and up against a terrible nemesis.

THE JANUS - The hero with a dual life. Required to have a secret identity; they struggle to manage two lives at once.

THE LEGACY - T he latest in a family of heroes. Part of a larger tradition of heroism with its own enemies, rules, and obligations.

THE NOVA - The overpowered conflagration. They can reshape the world—but it’s hard to control so much power, and if they fail, others get hurt.

THE OUTSIDER - The alien with strange powers. They’re from somewhere else. And they’re trying to decide between staying here or  going  home.

THE PROTÉGÉ - The extremely well-trained understudy. Defined by a strong relationship with one adult figure—their mentor.

THE TRANSFORMED - The monstrous appearance and human mind. They used to be a regular person, but they were changed forever.

From Halcyon City Herald Edition:
The Innocent  – a younger version of a modern-day villain, come forward in time.

The Joined – a “second-half” connected to and bonded with another hero.

The Newborn – a brand new entity, just come into existence.

The Reformed – a former villain, attempting to redeem themselves.

The Star  – a celebrity with a demanding audience.

From Unbound:
The Harbinger:  A time traveler  come back to  fix  the  future by  changing the past...but unsure how exactly to do that.

The Nomad: An experienced roamer of the cosmos, settling down a bit.

The  Scion:  The child of a major supervillain, doing everything in their power to prove they’re different.

So, with this game being set in a marvel dimension, are most people basing their character off of a canon-ish Marvel character or is it mostly originals?

I mean, Masks really is based off such things and embraces the tropes so I think we would all find ourselves being either inspired or similar to an actual character from the comics.

Well my character is very loosely based on Magik from new mutants minus the sword and the like

I am going to electrocute creepy smiley face mask men.

That observation about Masks is useful and informative.

I suspect that my initial focus upon powers is because (1) my power preferences were less settled than my character's values/personality/goals/etc., and (2) none of the playbooks are quite an exact fit.

Of the possible contenders included above, I'd say Beacon is closest.  Whether or not "heart of the team" or "low powered" apply, she is more low-angst and driven always upward...

If we were going to be playing existing characters I was going to go with Gwen Stacy/Ghost-spider/Spider-Gwen - in masks by tweaking background a bit I could fit that character to any of: The Janus, Protégé, Legacy, and maybe others.

So it seems like they'll be some flexibility.

If no one else is using an existing character I'll make a new one as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:03, Sat 01 May 2021.

It's a sad thing but a young Justin Bieber keeps popping into my head as a visual inspiration for this character. I'm sorry.

I have Callum, going by Cal, picked out as his name. Pretty standard, upper middle class kid from the Southern region of the United States. I really want to stick with him having a sort of "charmed life" feel to him. The weight of his power and what it really can do being a slowly growing weight on his conscious.

Otherwise though he is that kid that seems to know everyone, smiling and trying to talk to whomever and get them interested in having fun.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Sat 01 May 2021.

I will definitely be going with a new character. But you could go with a Protege or Legacy connected to Gwen Stacy.

Definitely a new character for me, especially given how clueless I am about the Marvel Universe... ;)

OK, I have some spare time.

I am trying to catch up to all you written.  Other GM's would kill for such problems.  Please don't fret if I haven't responded to you specifically and directly yet.  I want to and I am working towards that end.

There are some other things I need to attend to first to keep this game's momentum going.  Let me get started.

With so many players applying, it is time for me to get you some character instructions.

For now, I just need a few sentences of your character idea in simple words.  Formal Character Creation in Masks is so very easy, it can take place at the end of the process.  In fact, it is so simple, I could make your character from your paragraph in about five minutes.  So just describe your hero as you would to a good friend who likes comics but doesn't necessarily understand gaming.

You see, Marvel, then Masks, then Me are so forgiving, practically any character idea you have will be acceptable without you having to read pages of rules.  And the few that aren't initially kosher need just a bit a tweaking.

Let me give you the general bounds:

1. You are playing a teenager:  For regular humans, this would be between the ages of thirteen and nineteen inclusive.  If your character does not have a typical human lifespan, you have been rated as an adolescent at least psychologically.  The range of age allows you to play a minor character or an actual legal, albeit young, adult.  For this game, I recommend a minor but won't preclude the older teens.  The Masks game proper suggests ages sixteen to twenty inclusive and I think that is a good idea (so you can actually be twenty if you want).

2. You are superhuman:  You have rare powers and abilities beyond the scope of most people.  Or you are one of the few 'ordinary' humans so capable and trained that you can compete with actual empowered characters.   Were you not moral, you could easily dominate normal folks and how to use that power wisely is a constant test for you.

3. You live in the Marvel Universe:  More specifically, you live in one of countless ultimate timelines in what is more rightly called the Marvel Multiverse.  What this means is that you can use or ignore Marvel continuity as you see fit, at least in terms of your character.  For now, our game world of Earth-682 is almost identical to the Mainstream Marvel Earth-616 except where you tell me it isn't  Truly world-shattering changes will need my approval but you should be able to shape the character history you want.

But you should include at least one Marvel Universe Multiverse element in your character.  Here's my rule of thumb, if Marvel would sue if your character was published by another company; you did good.  For those that know Marvel, you are basically playing a What If comic based on your character.  You can use public domain characters and make them Marvelous as Marvel did with public domain Thor, turning him into the Mighty Thor.

You are allowed to use settings that Marvel is allowed to use:  For example, you can use Marvel's New Universe or The Ultraverse (Malibu Comics' setting, now bought by Marvel).  Here is a partial list of possibilities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...verse_(Marvel_Comics)

And, finally, as Marvel is owned by Disney, you can draw from (grits teeth) any Disney property (subject to my approval).  It is possible for some Disney princesses or Jedi to be singular dimensional castaway PCs.  I say this partly because one of my most talented real-life players played a modern-day Frozen's Princess Elsa to fantastic and tragic effect (a runaway Nova, for those who know Masks).

4. Per the Masks book...:  You want to do good, even the more delinquent characters deep down (maybe really deep down).  You have chosen to be a part of this group.  There is nothing that keeps here but your choice and will.  You are not a killer and you hope you will never have to be.  To the general public, you are still an unproven hero who deserves a chance to succeed or fail (they are taking bets).

5. Your characters can be from other countries, or even more exotic places:  The X-Men really picked up in sales and gravitas when Chris Claremont added X-Men from beyond the U.S.  We have a very cosmopolitan and urbane group and it would be a shame not to use and feature that.

6. I welcome you to use the full spectrum of humanity in making your characters:  Marvel has been rather forward-thinking on this issue and I wish to continue that.

7. Here is a far-from-complete list of character possibilities:  You will come up with even better ideas.

You could be an already existing mainstream Marvel teen hero (well, this Earth's version of) played as true as this game will allow:  Marvel has great Masks characters right 'off the shelf'; Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Cloak and/or Dagger, any of the X-Men when they were teens.  This would be a bit like a new actor in the role of James Bond.  The challenge is to bring something new to such a narrow portrayal.

You could be Earth-682's teen version of an adult Mainstream Marvel Earth-616 hero:  Many classic Marvel heroes started their hero career as adults but it doesn't have to be this way.  Perhaps you had your 'origin' early.  Or you have been 'de-aged' (see below).

You are a existing hero but with a different... gender/nationality/orientation/ethnicity/race/religion/etc:  She-Hulk started out a merely 'girl Hulk' to claim copyright on such a character before another company could claim it (a distant possibility under then copyright law) but became a character in her own right.

You are a heroic version of a Mainstream Earth villain:  The best villains were almost heroes but had one really bad day.  And some probably would have worked better as heroes to start with.  Maybe Magneto was rescued by the Allies before the Nazis kidnapped his family and was thus inspired to be a hero, as just one example.  Or maybe here, you are truly wanting to repent and redeem yourself.

You are the child of existing Marvel heroes:  You like both these characters.  You like both their powersets.  So give them a kid.   If regular children aren't possible from such a combination, there is always magic or weird science.

You are a dimensional exile from a Marvel-owned property:  Perhaps you fell from the New Universe, the Strikeforce Morituri Universe, or the Ultraverse setting among many others.  You will find your way home but first you need to find friends here.

You are a member of a superpowered minority: In the Marvel Multiverse, there are races of beings that have innate superpowers at a low level.  A small sample could be; Inhumans, Eternals, Asgardians, Mole Men, Skrulls, Werewolves, Vampires, etc.  On Earth-682, peaceful members of such communities are considered minorities, not monsters (and they are probably peaceful because they are recognized as people).  So, in addition to, say, Chinatown, there may be a 'Vampire Town' in major cities.

You could be 'merely' human:   It is possible for a plucky kid, with gadgets and training, to compete with at least minor heroes.  After all these years, 'superhero' has become a career option for ordinary people.  It is bit like trying to be the Top Model, Top NFL Draft Pick, Olympic Gold Medalist, Movie Star, Rock Star, etc.  It is possible but very unlikely.  That doesn't stop most kids from giving it a try and then, dreams crushed, picking a more sensible and sane career.

There are two special origins available to this game:

You are a fully-aware clone, with your donor's memories and identity as well as their genes.  And the original is already living 'your' life with the family you remember: Mr./Ms. Sinister (among others) often clone existing heroes, hoping to get an army of their most hated nemeses working for them.  It always fails but what happens to the poor clones, especially the ones with donor memories and not just genes?  In the Ultimate Universe, Spider-Man was cloned into a female version but with his original cismale memories.  In the DC Young Justice series, a clone of Superman was made and the noble Superman's honest awkwardness at facing his 'son' (essentially 'born' of Superman's violation) are poignant for both characters.

You are an adult hero, now de-aged:  In this game, not long before the start, the world's heroes foil a magical plot to give the villains immortality by stealing life energy from the rest of the world.  The plot is foiled but many heroes are de-aged to a teenage form.  They still have their adult memories but a teenage neurology.  And there are moral and technical wrinkles to be dealt with.  Slight spoiler:  Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four and the most well-adjusted 'Mom' character has been de-aged to a thirteen year-old girl.  Her kids are 'older' than her now and her attraction to Reed Richards is now more remembered than felt.  And that young Namor is awfully cute.  This is just one example of how sudden youthening can wreak havoc.

You are an 'expy', a character from another copyrighted universe that you really <b><i>want to play:</i></b>  Talk to me, maybe you are 'Ratman' whose parents were murdered in front of you in, um, 'Gothic' City.

That's it for now.  And you will likely come up with even better options...

A number of folks were thinking of creating new characters.  Is that OK, or do you specifically want us to play some variation or relative of existing characters?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:57, Sun 02 May 2021.