The Architecture of Heroes
Creating a Champions character is like designing a custom car. You start with a vision - maybe a sleek sports car or a rugged off-road vehicle. Then you allocate your budget across engine power, handling, comfort features, and safety equipment. Some choices enhance performance while others provide reliability or style. The end result should feel cohesive and purposeful.
In Champions, your "budget" is Character Points, and every choice shapes both your hero's capabilities and their story. Let's walk through this process step by step, building a complete character from the ground up.
The Seven Steps of Hero Creation
Step One: Concept and Origin Story
Before spending a single point, you need to know WHO your character is and WHY they became a hero. This is like choosing the genre of movie you're making before writing the script.
The Five W's Framework
WHO are they?
Name, age, occupation, personality. Are they a college student, a veteran soldier, a brilliant scientist, or a street performer?
WHAT are their powers?
What makes them super? Flight, super strength, telepathy, magic, high-tech gadgets?
WHERE did they come from?
Their background and origin. Lab accident, alien heritage, mystical training, genetic mutation?
WHEN did they become a hero?
Recently or years ago? Are they experienced or just starting out?
WHY do they fight crime?
Personal tragedy, sense of responsibility, redemption, protecting loved ones?
Common Origin Story Patterns
Step Two: Determine Point Totals
Think of this like setting your construction budget. Champions Complete has one standard starting point for superheroes, and your GM can move it up or down to suit the campaign:
Street Level / Low-Powered Heroes (below 400 points)
Think: Daredevil, early Spider-Man, skilled vigilantes
- Limited powers or high-skill normal humans
- Local neighborhood focus
- Realistic consequences and limitations
- The GM sets a lower total and a lower Complications cap
Standard Superheroic (400 Total Points)
Think: Classic comic book heroes
- The Champions Complete default: 400 Total Points, including up to 75 points of Complications
- Solid superpowers with some vulnerabilities
- City, national or occasionally global threats
- Examples: Flying brick, energy projector, telepath, martial artist
High-Powered Superheroic (above 400 points)
Think: Major league superheroes
- Multiple powerful abilities
- National or global threats
- Members of the world's top superhero teams
- The GM sets the total; experienced heroes also get here by spending Experience Points
Cosmic Level (far above 400 points)
Think: Gods among mortals
- Reality-altering powers
- Universal scope threats
- Galactic or dimensional protectors
- Examples: Silver Surfer, Doctor Manhattan
A word on vocabulary: in the wider HERO System, "Heroic" campaigns are games without superpowers (fantasy, pulp, espionage), where characters are built on far fewer points and buy their gear with money. Champions games are "Superheroic".
Complications: Points Inside Your Total
Here's where Champions gets clever. Complications (called Disadvantages in older editions) are the problems that make a hero's life interesting: a code against killing, a Secret Identity, a villain who hunts you. In 6th Edition they don't add points on top of your total; they are part of it. A standard hero has 400 Total Points, and up to 75 of those come from Matching Complications. Take fewer Complications and you get fewer points: a hero with 50 points of Complications has 375 points to spend, and one with none has 325.
Complication Rules for a Standard Superheroic Game
- Starting total: 400 Total Points, including Complications
- Complications cap: up to 75 points of Matching Complications
- Fewer Complications: a smaller total (325 points plus whatever Complications you take)
- Other campaign levels: the GM sets both the total and the Complications cap
Step Three: Buy Characteristics
This is like choosing the engine, transmission, and basic framework of your car. Your characteristics define your hero's fundamental capabilities. In this step you buy the main six; every one of them starts at 10, the value for a normal human, and each also gives a characteristic roll of 9 + (characteristic ÷ 5) or less on 3d6.
Point Costs for the Main Six
| Characteristic | Cost | Base (Normal Human) | Comic-Book Standouts |
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 1 point per +1 | 10 | Superman, the Hulk |
| DEX | 2 points per +1 | 10 | Spider-Man, Quicksilver |
| CON | 1 point per +1 | 10 | Wolverine, the Hulk |
| INT | 1 point per +1 | 10 | Reed Richards, Lex Luthor |
| EGO | 1 point per +1 | 10 | Professor X, Dr. Strange |
| PRE | 1 point per +1 | 10 | Captain America, Superman |
Raising DEX from 10 to 18, for example, costs 8 × 2 = 16 points; raising CON from 10 to 20 costs 10 points.
Characteristic Strategy: The 80/20 Rule
Like investing in stocks, you want to concentrate your points where they'll have the most impact. Here's a strategic approach:
🎯 Primary Stats (40% of points)
Invest heavily in 1-2 characteristics that define your hero's core concept. A brick character needs high STR, a speedster needs high DEX and SPD.
⚖️ Secondary Stats (40% of points)
Boost characteristics that support your primary role. Most heroes need decent CON for survivability and reasonable mental stats.
📊 Baseline Stats (20% of points)
Keep remaining characteristics at or slightly above human average (10-13). Don't leave glaring weaknesses unless they're intentional, and if one is a real problem in play, consider writing it up as a Complication.
Step Four: Buy Combat Values, Speed and Defenses Separately
Older editions of the HERO System calculated PD, ED, SPD, REC, END and STUN from your STR, DEX and CON, a bit like a car whose fuel efficiency is fixed by its engine. 6th Edition throws that out. There are no figured characteristics: every one of the remaining eleven characteristics has its own fixed base and its own cost, and you buy each one separately. A strong hero isn't automatically tough, and a nimble one isn't automatically fast. That makes it easy to build a frail genius with a high INT or a slow, unbreakable brick.
Combat Values (OCV and DCV)
Base and cost: both start at 3; +1 costs 5 points
What it does: OCV is your accuracy, DCV is how hard you are to hit. An attack hits on 3d6 if the attacker rolls 11 + OCV - DCV or less.
Example: OCV 6 against DCV 6 needs an 11- roll, a 62.5% chance.
Mental Combat Values (OMCV and DMCV)
Base and cost: both start at 3; +1 costs 3 points
What it does: The same job as OCV and DCV, but for mental powers such as Mind Control and Telepathy. Heroes without mental powers often leave OMCV at 3.
Speed (SPD)
Base and cost: starts at 2; +1 costs 10 points
What it does: How many Phases (actions) you get in each 12-Segment Turn.
Example: SPD 4 acts on Segments 3, 6, 9 and 12.
Physical and Energy Defense (PD and ED)
Base and cost: both start at 2; +1 costs 1 point
What it does: PD reduces the STUN and BODY of physical attacks; ED does the same for energy attacks. They don't reduce the BODY of killing attacks unless they are Resistant (bought with a power such as Resistant Protection).
Recovery (REC)
Base and cost: starts at 4; +1 costs 1 point
What it does: The STUN and END you regain each time you Recover, including the free Recovery everyone gets after Segment 12.
Endurance (END)
Base and cost: starts at 20; +5 END costs 1 point
What it does: Your stamina pool for using STR and powers. Most powers cost 1 END per 10 Active Points each time you use them.
Body (BODY)
Base and cost: starts at 10; +1 costs 1 point
What it does: Your actual physical health. Below 0 BODY you are dying and keep losing BODY until someone stabilizes you.
Stun (STUN)
Base and cost: starts at 20; +2 STUN costs 1 point
What it does: How much battering you can take. When your STUN runs out you are Knocked Out.
Example: Buying Rabin "Flamethrower" Alba's Characteristics
The Main Six (42 points)
- STR 13 (3 points, 12- roll) - slightly above average for a firefighter
- DEX 18 (16 points, 13- roll) - quick reflexes, essential for the job
- CON 20 (10 points, 13- roll) - tough as nails; she handles smoke and heat
- INT 13 (3 points, 12- roll) - smart problem solver
- EGO 16 (6 points, 12- roll) - strong-willed and brave
- PRE 14 (4 points, 12- roll) - natural leader, reassuring presence
Everything Else, Bought Separately (82 points)
- OCV 6: +3 × 5 = 15 points (accurate with her fire blasts)
- DCV 6: +3 × 5 = 15 points (hard to pin down)
- OMCV 3 / DMCV 3: 0 points (left at base; she has no mental powers)
- SPD 4: +2 × 10 = 20 points (acts on Segments 3, 6, 9 and 12)
- PD 8: +6 = 6 points (tough but not superhuman)
- ED 10: +8 = 8 points (good heat resistance even before powers)
- REC 8: +4 = 4 points (recovers quickly)
- END 40: +20 END ÷ 5 = 4 points (good stamina)
- BODY 12: +2 = 2 points (healthy but mortal)
- STUN 36: +16 STUN ÷ 2 = 8 points (can take a beating)
Characteristics total: 42 + 82 = 124 points. Notice that her CON 20 gave her no free END and her STR 13 gave her no free PD; under 6th Edition she paid for each one.
Complete Example: Building "Resonance"
Let's build a complete standard superheroic character from start to finish on the Champions Complete default of 400 Total Points. Meet Dr. Marcus Webb, a sound engineer who gained vibrational powers in a laboratory accident.
Step 1: Concept
WHO: Dr. Marcus Webb, 32, acoustic engineer and music producer
WHAT: Controls sound and vibrations - fires sonic blasts, wraps himself in a vibrating shield, and rides sound waves through the air
WHERE: Gained powers during earthquake research when experimental sonic equipment overloaded
WHEN: Six months ago - still learning his abilities
WHY: Wants to use his scientific knowledge and new powers to help prevent disasters and protect people
Step 2: Point Budget
Total Points: 400 (standard superheroic)
Complications: 75 points (the maximum), already counted inside the 400
Total to Spend: 400 points (325 + 75 from Complications)
Step 3: The Main Six Characteristics (73 points)
| STR 15 | (5 points) | Average build, keeps fit |
| DEX 23 | (26 points) | Quick reflexes for fine audio work; 14- roll |
| CON 23 | (13 points) | His powers have toughened him; 14- roll |
| INT 23 | (13 points) | Brilliant scientist; 14- Perception Roll |
| EGO 18 | (8 points) | Focused mind; 13- roll |
| PRE 18 | (8 points) | Quietly commanding on stage; 13- roll |
Main six total: 5 + 26 + 13 + 13 + 8 + 8 = 73 points
Step 4: Combat Values, Speed and Defenses (159 points)
- OCV 8 (25), DCV 8 (25), OMCV 3 (0), DMCV 6 (9)
- SPD 6 (40) - acts on Segments 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12
- PD 10 (8), ED 15 (13), REC 15 (11)
- END 60 (8), BODY 15 (5), STUN 50 (15)
Characteristics total: 73 + 159 = 232 points
Step 5: Powers (142 points)
Sonic Blast - 60 Active Points, 48 Real Points
Game Stats: Blast 12d6 (12 × 5 = 60 Active Points), 6 END per use
Limitation: Gestures (-¼): he has to sweep his hands to aim the sound. Real Points = 60 ÷ (1 + ¼) = 48
Description: Focused sound waves that can shatter glass or knock people down
Sonic Shield - 54 Points
Game Stats: Resistant Protection 18 PD / 18 ED (36 points of defense × 1½ = 54 points)
Description: A humming field of cancelling vibrations. With his PD 10 and ED 15 he has 28 PD and 33 ED, 18 of each Resistant, so even killing attacks struggle to hurt him.
Ride the Sound - 40 Points
Game Stats: Flight 40m (1 point per metre), 4 END per use
Description: He surfs a wave of focused sound across the city skyline
Powers total: 48 + 54 + 40 = 142 points
Step 6: Skills (26 points)
- Computer Programming, Deduction, Electronics, Inventor, Systems Operation - INT-based, 14- each (3 points each = 15 points) - his professional expertise
- Acrobatics, Stealth - DEX-based, 14- each (3 points each = 6 points) - learned the hard way in his first months
- Persuasion - PRE-based, 13- (3 points) - talks nervous civilians out of danger
- Familiarity with Paramedics and Climbing - 8- each (1 point each = 2 points)
Skills total: 15 + 6 + 3 + 2 = 26 points
Step 7: Complications (75 points, inside the 400)
- Social Complication: Secret Identity (15 points) - Must protect the Dr. Webb identity
- Psychological Complication: Code Against Killing (20 points) - Won't use lethal force
- Vulnerability: Sonic Attacks (10 points) - Takes extra damage from sound-based attacks
- Psychological Complication: Protective of Innocent Bystanders (15 points) - Will risk himself to save civilians
- Hunted: the company that built the sonic equipment (10 points) - They want their "prototype" back
- Rivalry: a former research partner (5 points) - Professional, and bitterly personal
The point values above are illustrative: work out each Complication's real value with your GM from the Complication rules, which rate how often it comes up and how badly it affects the hero.
Final Point Tally
| Characteristics: | 232 points |
| Powers: | 142 points |
| Skills: | 26 points |
| Total spent: | 400 points |
| Where the 400 came from: | 325 points + 75 points of Complications |
Try It at the Table
Exercise: Character Concept Workshop
Create three different character concepts using the same origin but different focuses:
Origin: "Caught in an experimental teleportation accident"
Variation A: The Scientist
Focus on intelligence, analysis, and precise teleportation abilities
Variation B: The Warrior
Focus on combat teleportation, appearing behind enemies, teleporting objects
Variation C: The Rescue Hero
Focus on mass teleportation, evacuating civilians, reaching disaster zones
Your Task: Write a one-paragraph description for each variation, explaining how the same accident led to different heroic paths.
Exercise: Point Allocation Challenge
You have the standard 400 Total Points (including up to 75 points of Complications) to build a "Flying Brick" (Superman-type) character.
Required Powers:
- Super Strength (must lift at least 1 ton)
- Flight (at least 60 mph)
- Damage Resistance (survive bullets)
- Enhanced vision or hearing
Constraint: No single power can have more than 60 Active Points
Challenge: Plan your point allocation before looking up exact power costs. What would you prioritize?
Exercise: Complication Design
Create meaningful Complications for these character concepts that enhance the story rather than just providing points:
- Fire-controlling hero: What weaknesses make sense?
- Telepathic detective: What moral or practical limitations?
- Time-traveling vigilante: What prevents abuse of time powers?
Remember: Good Complications create interesting story moments, not just mechanical penalties.