Masks RPG Playbook - Janus


Wake up. Breakfast. School. Work. Homework. Sleep. Repeat. It burns you up, being stuck in this life, unable to make a real difference. That is... until you put on the mask. And then, you can be someone else: a hero.

Look

Abilities

Your appearance is unchanged by your abilities, and you can keep your powers hidden. You have heightened physical abilities (strength, agility, toughness), and choose two unique abilities:

Labels

(at character creation, add +1 wherever you choose)

Danger

Freak

Savior

Superior

Mundane

Conditions

(-2 to directly engage a threat)
(-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
(-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
(-2 to unleash your powers)
(-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)

Backstory

Once you’ve finished your backstory, introduce your character to the other players, and then determine what happened when your team first came together, the relationships between you and your teammates, and who has Influence over you.

When our team first came together...

We saved the life of someone important, either to the city or to us.

Relationships

knew you from your civilian life first.
You refused to tell your secret identity when they asked.

Influence

You look up to your teammates; they seem to have this superhero thing figured out. Give two of them Influence over you.

Janus Moves

(You start with The Mask and two others of your choice)

You wear a mask and hide your real identity. Choose what Label you try to embody while wearing your mask:
Once per session, you can affirm either your heroic or secret identity to switch your Mundane with your mask’s Label. When you reveal your secret identity to someone who didn’t know it already, mark potential.
When you commit yourself to save someone or defeat a terrible enemy, mark a condition and take +1 ongoing to all rolls in direct pursuit of that goal. At the end of any scene in which you don’t make progress towards that goal, mark a condition. When you fulfill your goal, mark potential.
When you spend time talking to someone about your identity, you can ask them which Label they want to impose on you; their player will tell you honestly. If you accept what they tell you, take +1 forward and either mark potential or clear a condition.
When you try to use your civilian identity to deceive, trick, or slip past someone, roll +Mundane. On a hit they buy your facade. On a 7-9, choose one:
  • you’re still under observation
  • you leave something incriminating behind
  • you’re forced to make a fool of yourself to sell it
On a miss, one of your civilian obligations rears its ugly head.
You’re willing to pay high costs to keep your loved ones safe. Reveal your secret identity to someone watching or mark a condition to defend a loved one as if you rolled a 12+.
When you reveal a trap you’ve left for someone using your powers, roll + your mask’s Label. On a hit, your opponent trips into it, and you get an opening or opportunity against them. On a 10+, take +1 forward to pursuing it. On a miss, the trap inadvertently leads to a dangerous escalation..

Secret Identity

Your mundane life comes with a series of obligations. Choose a total of three obligations.

Moment of Truth

The mask is a lie, and some piece of you has always known that. Doesn’t matter if others can see it. You’re the one that can do the impossible. Mask off. Costume on. And you’re going to save the damn day. Of course, you better hope nobody nasty is watching...

Team Moves

When you share a triumphant celebration with someone, ask them if they see you as the person wearing the mask or the person underneath. If the former, mark potential and clear a condition. If the latter, take Influence over them if you reveal yourself.

When you share a vulnerability or weakness with someone, tell them a secret about who you really are. Give them Influence, and shift your Mundane up and your mask’s Label down.

Potential

Advancement

When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below.

Take another move from your playbook
Take another move from your playbook
Take a move from another playbook
Take a move from another playbook
Change your masks's Label; add +1 to your masks' new Label
Someone permanently loses Influence over you; add +1 to a Label
Take drives from the Beacon's playbook
Unlock your Moment of Truth

When you’ve taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the list below.

Unlock your Moment of Truth after it’s been used once
Change playbooks
Take an adult move
Take an adult move
Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your choice
Retire from the life or become a paragon of the city

Notes / Other Moves

Masks RPG Character Sheet - Save and Bookmark to store your character.
by Joe Fulgham / Adventure For Hire
Twitter: @joefulgham | Facebook: /joefulgham | Twitch: joefulgham | PayPal: joefulgham | Buy me a coffee
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