The Teen Titans Using SFX! Kapow! The Super RPG

Cameron Corniuk is a professional writer. but also a big comic book fan and avid roleplayer. He is currently involved in a number of projects related to content creation and RPGs and looks forward to making his big debut in the RPG scene. Some of his favorite systems include Pathfinder, Fate Core, Rifts, and--of course--SFX! He chills out on Hubpages, dealing mainly with personal projects. He also looks forward to hearing your feedback--don't forget the comments and upvotes at the bottom of the article.

I lay no claim to ownership of either SFX! or DC Comics' properties. This is a work of fan fiction, in a way, and I hope we can all enjoy it without getting any lawyers involved.

For those who have been following me online at Google Plus or Hubpages, it should come as no surprise that the SFX! System has become my favorite roleplaying system. There is so much that can be done. Thanks to +Joshua Macy, I’ve been able to cobble together a much better understanding of the rules, which makes a lot of sense, since he’s the guy that wrote it. The difficulty comes from two aspects, I believe. The game is very different from many others, giving the appearance of a very rules light system, but having plenty of crunchiness when you dig into it a bit deeper. Furthermore, the book could perhaps use a little bit better organization and layout. Rumor has it Second Edition is in the works to address these issues.

I decided to take a page out of my buddy Jacob’s book and showcase the system a little bit here by showing off ways to create popular characters from the industry. While the game is certainly designed to encourage your own creativity, getting an idea of how some powers might be represented within the SFX! system might help out. For my first run at this, I have decided to tackle the Teen Titans. Now, there have been a lot of different members to the Teen Titans over the years. I plan on focusing on some fan favorites and core characters to the group: Beast Boy, Cyborg, Kid Flash, Raven, Robin, Starfire, Superboy, and Wonder Girl.

Toughness 2

Will 1

Stamina 2

Actions 3

Complications

I Could Have Saved Them (Major)

Gar still feels responsible for his parents’ death. He suffers from a level of survivor’s guilt. This comes up from time to time as he cannot ignore potentially saving anyone.

Easily Identifiable (Minor)

While Beast Boy is a shape changer, he always maintains his green coloration, making him immediately recognizable in any situation.

The Trust Fund

Still the heir of a rather large inheritance, Beast Boy is sometimes faced with tedious paperwork and requests based upon his family’s fortune.

Garfield Mark "Gar" Logan was stricken with a rare illness (Sakutia) at a young age. In a desperate attempt to save their son, Gar’s parents inject him with an experimental serum. The untested drug has unforeseen consequences as Garfield’s skin and hair turn green and he is granted the ability to change shape into any animal he chooses. After his parents die in a boating accident, Garfield finds himself in trouble, helping two criminals and is entrusted to a court appointed guardian, Nicholas Galtry, who ended up being a criminal himself. He is later adopted by Rita and Steve Dayton of the Doom Patrol.

Gar often presents a cheerful and wise cracking demeanor, although this only serves to hide the torment he has built up inside him. Through many hardships, Gar has triumphed as a hero in his own right, but that does not change the past.

Powers:

Claws of the Beast 6 (Flexible)

Beast Boy’s powers allow him to change into any animal he can think of. As a result, he has a myriad of different attacks he can perform from bear claws to tiger bites and bee stings to snake bites.

Shape of the Beast 6 (Automatic Defense, Flexible, Can be Hindered)

Able to shapeshift quickly to adjust to varying conditions, Beast Boy can become a hulking elephant to withstand an attack or a tiny sparrow to avoid it complete (or a variety of other similar effects).

Speed of the Beast 6 (Flexible, Movement)

Being able to transform in any beast he can think of, Beast Boy is never without a way to move through difficult terrain. He can quickly become a bird to fly, a monkey to swing from branch to branch, or even a shark to speed through the water.

Martial Arts Training 6

From his time spent as a hero, Gar has received advanced combat training and become quite proficient in martial arts.

Utility Powers:

Senses of the Beast 5 (Ultra-Flexible)

Beast Boy can rely upon the senses of the animal he turns into granting such abilities as a bat’s echolocation, an eagle’s keen eyesight, or a wolf’s sense of smell.

Street Smart 5

From the time spent running with the wrong crowd, Gar learned about the other side of the law, allowing him to make contacts with the criminal element, know the beat of the street, etc.

Toughness 3

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 2

I’m a Monster (Major)

Cyborg is still burdened by the fact that he was unwillingly turned into the cybernetic powerhouse he is today, often questioning himself as to whether or not he is more machine than man.

Shattered Family (Minor)

With Victor’s estrangement from his family, it only grew worse since his mother was killed and he was turned into the Cyborg.

Nearly Invulnerable Neuronet (Minor)

Victor has a wide variety of cybernetic implants including processors throughout his brain and central nervous system. While shielded, his cybernetic components have been known to come under attack in the past.

Victor Stone’s journey toward becoming a Teen Titan started early in life. He parents has made him the unwitting (and later unwilling) participant in intelligence enhancement projects. There were several disagreements between them as a result, especially when Victor decided to spend more time with sports than academia and even began hanging around with the wrong crowd. One day, visiting his parents at their place of employment—Starr Labs—a dimensional portal experiment turned tragic when a gelatinous monster ripped through the lab, killing Vic’s mother and horribly mutilating him.

In a desperate move to save his own son, Victor’s father used experimental cybernetic implants of his own design. When Vic awoke, he saw that—in his eyes—his father had turned him into a freak. The implants were clearly visible, chromed metal that covered most of his body including his face. Returning to his previous life was impossible as he was no longer to participate in sports and his grades had fallen enough that he was in danger of being kicked out of school. Not long after, he found a home with the Teen Titans who he often considers more his family than his surviving bloodline.

Powers:

Firepower 8 (Flexible)

Cyborg’s cybernetic implants have made him a veritable walking arsenal. He can call upon a wide variety of weaponry from automatic projectile weaponry to rocket launches and even electrostatic and flamethrower like offenses.

Cyber-Enhanced Frame & Nano Healing 6 (Automatic Defense)

Most of Cyborg was replaced with cybernetic implants. The alloys his cybernetic components are made of is extremely durable. For the few remaining flesh parts of his body, nantechnology allows him to help resist damage and quickly repair it even in the heat of battle.

Cyber-Link 6 (Flexible)

Cyborg’s computer part of his brain allows him to link up to machines directly through a cyber-link. He can then hack computers and security systems, override flight controls and other similar tasks.

Cyber-Enhanced Strength 6

Cyborg’s cybernetic implants and pneumatic servos allow him to accomplish feats requiring inhuman strength as well as dish out additional damage while fighting hand-to-hand.

Remarkable Intelligence 6

Due to the experiments Victor was subjected to as a child, he retains some of the enhance genius bestowed upon him, making him an expert tactician, able to quickly find weak spots and superior tactical maneuvers.

Bart Allen is a descendant of the West/Allen family tree and an inheritor of their super speed abilities. Born in the 30^th Century, it was hard to tell at first if Bart would survive with all the challenges he had to face. First, due to his genetic anomaly and tie to the Speed Force, he has a super-fast metabolism and also aged very quickly—looking age 12 when he was still only 2. His family was attacked when he was still a baby by Professor Zoom—an arch nemesis of the Flash’s who did not approve of his and Allen’s descendants marrying. Add on to that Bart’s capture by Earthgov followed by subsequent experimentation. They were able to grow his mind to match his physical appearance, but he was soon going to die of old age. That was before his grandmother sent him back to the present to be taught how to control the Speed Force by Barry Allen.

Bart was first known as the superhero Impulse, but later took on the Kid Flash mantle. He has served as a loyal and resourceful member of the Teen Titans. During a period of healing when his knee was shattered by Deathstroke, Bart spent time reading every book in the public library.

Toughness 2

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 4

Arrogance (Major)

It seems to run in the family--an arrogance that encourages Bart and the West-Allen brood to bite off more than they can chew.

Haunting Legacy (Minor)

As a member of the fastest family, Bart often finds himself battling the enemies of his predecessors and mentors.

Out of Time (Minor)

Bart’s true family was lost far in the future. While the Speed Force allows travel through time, he knows that messing with the timeline is very dangerous. As a result, he is sometimes haunted by what he knows he can change, but should never attempt.

Powers:

Accelerated Healing 6 (Automatic Defense)

Being connected to and learning how to control the Speed Force allows Bart to not only slow down his aging, but also accelerate his healing allowing him to heal many less damaging wounds almost instantaneously and even more serious wounds faster than usual.

Superhuman Speed 6 (Movement, Hardened)

The fastest kid alive!

Super Sonic Pummel 6

Kid Flash can use his superhuman speed to deliver a series of super fast melee strikes to his opponents.

Vortex 5 (Flexible)

By spinning very quickly, there are a number of effects that Kid Flash can accomplish including blowing up debris, entangling enemies, tunneling into the ground or through walls, etc.

Flight 6

By putting his arms out at his sides and spinning around in circles, Kid Flash can actually take flight.

Utility Powers:

Phasing 5

Bart can actually vibrate himself at such speed that he spreads out his molecules, granting him temporary intangibility for short periods of time.

Supercharged Brain Activity 5

Bart is able to tap into his mental facilities engraining snippets of the Speed Force allowing him to quickly formulate and test hypotheses, make use of his photographic memory, and more.

Speed Aura 5

When running through water or into a burning building, the protective aura that allows Kid Flash to withstand the friction and G forces from travelling at such superhuman speeds can be extended to those he is touching, pulling, or carrying.

Share Speed 5

Kid Flash can extend his superhuman speed to friends and family members travelling alongside him.

Toughness 2

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 2

Raised in the realm of Azarath, Raven is the offspring of the demon Trigon and a human woman named Arella. Her earlier years were spent amongst monks who instructed her in how to control both her powers and her emotions. However, she left Azarath and fled to Earth after learning of her destiny to be used in Trigon’s plan to take over the universe.

Arriving in a place called Jump City, Raven found the Californian city fraught with danger and turmoil as the Gondorians sought Starfire, escaped princess of Tamaran. Raven allied herself with the heroes Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin to help track down and save Starfire.

Raven’s powers are a result of the demonic blood that runs through her veins and the training she received from the extra-dimensional monks of Azarath. They are mostly based on magic and afford her a versatility in both function and form.

Dark Destiny (Major)

Taven knows that prophecy foretells of her betraying her friends and assisting her demon father in taking over the universe. She both tries to hide this fact and do as much good as possible to hopefully make up for the wrong she is certain she will do one day.

Tumultuous Relationship - Beast Boy (Minor)

Beast Boy and Raven have a fiery relationship, both being deeply in love with one another, but also both having severe personality clashes with one another.

Haywire Emotions (Minor)

Sometimes, Raven’s emotions get the better of her. She is constantly wrestling for control with her darker self. This often manifests physically, from her skin changing to dark gray, outfit changing colors, and eyes also turning to match her emotions.

Powers:

Demonic Mysticism 9 (Ultra-Flexible, Very Erratic, Slow)

Raven’s abilities run the gamut from turning intangible and teleportation to mystic bolts, healing, and even precognition. Her powers are, however, effected by her emotions and she needs to focus and often whisper an incantation or enter a trance for many of them to work.

Mystic Defenses 9 (Automatic Defense, Ultra-Flexible, Very Erratic, Can be Hindered)

Raven is able to vanish in an instant, step through shadows, or even create a magical shield to protect her and her allies. If her hands and arms or mouth are bound, however, it if very difficult for her to pull off such defensive actions.

Demonic Mysticism 7 (Ultra-Flexible, Very Erratic, Slow)

Raven’s abilities run the gamut from turning intangible and teleportation to mystic bolts, healing, and even precognition. Her powers are, however, effected by her emotions and she needs to focus and often whisper an incantation or enter a trance for many of them to work. This ability is taken a second time in order to give Raven a chance to defend, move, or otherwise use her abilities even if she has already used the power once. It is weaker, because she is exerting her powers further, if she chooses such an action.

Toughness 2

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 3

Sometimes Darker than Intended (Major)

Tim had chosen to work with Bruce Wayne to even Batman out. What he failed to realize is that when you stare into the darkness, sometimes the darkness stares back. Sometimes, he is prone to fits of rage or goes just a little bit too far in his efforts to be a hero.

Sins of the Father (Minor)

Robin is still allied with Batman and as such must often face his mentor’s adversaries on his own.

Batman’s Sidekick (Minor)

Robin is still Batman’s sidekick. Sometimes, he finds that conflicting with his duties as a Teen Titan.

Timothy Drake was a young child when he saw the tragic demise of the Flying Graysons at the circus. It would be some time later when he saw Batman and Robin in action and saw a remarkable resemblance in the way Robin moved compared to that of the once-child star, Dick Grayson. Later, he found that Grayson was Bruce Wayne’s ward and things started to come together.

Tim Drake is an excellent detective in his own right and understands strategy and timing. After seeing how Batman grew more reckless and aggressive after the Joker killed the second Robin, Jason Todd, Tim decided it was time to act. Contacting Nightwing, who then brought Drake to Bruce Wayne, Timothy took the first opportunity to prove himself with his own combat abilities.

Drake was accepted finally by Batman and then trained by Bruce, Alfred, and Nightwing. He was also sent of a whirlwind tour around the world to learn from some of the best. With Bruce’s gadgetry and backing, the new Robin was born and became a founding member of the Teen Titans.

Powers:

Martial Arts 8

Tim Drake has trained under Batman as well as world renowned martial artists around the globe, making him a formidable opponent for even super powered foes.

Acrobatics 7 (Automatic Defense, Can be Hindered)

Robin is a very skilled acrobat and gymnast, allowing him to quickly change direction and dodge enemies.

Gadgets 6 ( Ultra-Flexible, Easily Disabled)

Robin has a variety of gadgets similar to Batman’s including smoke and knockout gas, grappling hooks, etc.

Acrobatics 6 (Movement)

Robin is a skilled acrobat. In conjunction with his grappling hooks, he is able to move quickly from rooftop to rooftop or across any field of battle.

Battle Staff 8 (Easily Disabled, Combine Self Only)

Robin’s battle staff can be used a bo staff or come apart to be used as escrima, but can also be used to distract enemies with the eerie whistling sound it makes when spun rapidly.

Utility Powers:

Investigation 5

Even before serving under Batman, Tim Drake possessed excellent powers of deduction and was an accomplished detective in his own right properly ascertaining the true identity of Batman.

Stealthy 5

Robin is able to move through the shadows quickly, gracefully, and quietly. This enables him to avoid detection by his enemies, getting away from them or getting the drop on them when it counts.

Toughness 2

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 2

Princess of a Fallen World (Major)

For Starfire, the loss of her home was a choice she had to make, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t regret it. She returns from time to time, but things have changed so much.

From the alien planet Tamaran, Princess Koriand'r was a victim of her older sister’s jealousy and endured years of torment and torture as a result of a truce between her homeworld and the Citadel. This was before being handed over to the Psions who were committing sadistic experiments to see how much energy she could hold before being consumed by it. Koriand'r was able to escape to Earth where she took on the moniker Starfire after being aided by the future founding members of the Teen Titans.

Powers:

Superhuman Strength 6

Between her Tamaran physiology and her ability to absorb ultraviolet energy including the enhanced abilities bestowed by the Psion’s experimentation, Starfire possesses superhuman strength.

Superhuman Durability 7 (Automatic Defense)

Like her superhuman strength, Starfire also possesses superhuman durability.

Flight 7 (Movement)

Starfire is able to propel herself through sky and space with a trail of expended ultraviolet energy that seems to trail from her hair.

Starbolts 8

As a result of the experiments conducted on her, Starfire is able to fire destructive bursts of ultraviolet energy known as starbolts.

Energy Absorption 7 (Limited)

Starfire can absorb the ultraviolet energy from nearby enemies, which is useful is defending against a foe who relies upon such energy for their abilities (i.e. Kryptonians or plant monsters).

Utility Powers:

Ravishing Beauty 5

Starfire is known for her power and her intense beauty. She was even a fashion model on Earth for a time.

Commanding Presence 5

As both a royal and a warrior, Starfire is able to gain and command respect in a room, especially when laying out plans or delivering orders.

The one called Conner Kent is also known as Kon-El. He is a genetic clone, artifically aged by the Cadmus Project. He was freed before the project was completed and he could be fully grown and safety measures could be taken to control him. He first travelled to Metropolis after The Death of Superman and originally claimed to be the original Superman. That story was soon found out to be false. He had meant no harm, but he was trying to find his place in a world he had just discovered.

Once the real Superman was back in Action, Superboy accepted his new name and role and went on a world tour to establish his new identity. He later returned to Cadmus to find that he was not a clone of Superman, but rather a clone of a human genetically modified to look like Superman and mimic his abilities mostly through a form of tactile telekinesis. Later, Superman would confide in Superboy that he considered him part of his family and allow him to visit the Fortress of Solitude where he would visit Krypton through virtual reality and be given the name Kon-El, which would later lead to him being known as Conner. Later discoveries would indicate that Kon-El was, in fact, in possession of at least some Kryptonian DNA from Superman. His powers aren’t as great as Superman’s, but they are still staggering.

Powers:

Tactile Telekinesis 7 (Flexible)

Superboy’s original power was merely tactile telekinesis, which allowed him to lift objects, fly, and otehrwise mimic many of Superman’s powers.

Super Strength 7

Once Superboy was able to unlock his Kryptonian heritage, he gained the natural superhuman strength of his Kryptonian heritage.

Kryptonian Durability 8 (Automatic Defense)

Superboy is nearly indestructible as are all Kryptonians. He is also able to withstand great pressures, temperatures, the vacuum of space, and more.

Heat Vision 7

Conner is able to emit heat rays from his eyes that are able to blast foes and melt through and even ignite objects.

Superboy Stats

Toughness 2

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 2

Complications:

Conflicting Heritage (Major)

Being the genetic clone of mixed DNA from both Lex Luthor and Superman has often left Conner torn. He knows he wants to be a hero, but he sometimes worries if his genes will overpower him.

Discovering Powers (Minor)

Conner is still discovering the extent of his powers. those who have travelled to the future have indicated his powers will grow with him. As a result, he is somethings stronger than he knows.

In Love with Wonder Girl (Minor)

Superboy and Wonder Girl have a relationship. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but hurt feelings in the time of battle or trying to protect one another can become an issue from time to time.

Toughness 3

Will 2

Stamina 2

Actions 3

Public Identity (Major)

Everyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past decade or so knows Wonder Girl’s true identity, which makes it difficult for her to lead a normal life and potentially puts those she cares about at risk.

Maternal Powers (Minor)

Wonder Girl’s powers can be deactivated by her mother.

Born Cassandra Sandsmark to Helena Troy with the absentee father, Zues, Cassie would become a problem child at an early age. Transferring from school to school, cassie spent a lot of time at her mother’s work, the Gateway City Museum of Antiquities. Impressed and awe-inspired by the heroine, Wonder Woman, Cassie tried to help even before having powers. She would provide her with useful items such as the Sandals of Hermes.

When Cassie’s time to ask Zeus, as her father, for a boon, she asked for real super powers. He granted his request with the caveat that her mother could disable the powers when she chooses--something she almost never does. First teaming up with Wonder Woman, during the destruction of Gateway City, Casie was ordered to help with crowd control and assist the wounded, not to even bother putting on her costume/disguise. This led to Cassie revealing her true identity in front of the world.

She later went on to Young Justice and then the Teen Titans, serving with many of the same members. She still enjoys being a super heroine and has a relationship with Conner Kent (aka Superboy).

Powers:

Demigod Strength 7

As a demigod, Cassie possess superhuman strength.

Demigod Speed 6 (Movement)

Wonder Girl, like Wonder Woman, can move at supersonic speeds.

Demigod Durability 6 (Automatic Defense)

Cassie’s ability to withstand punishment is truly a gift from the gods. She is able to withstand blunt force trauma and pressures easily.

Demigod Reflexes 6 (Automatic Defense)

Wonder Girl is not impervious and thus has the ability to use her bracers to deflect bullets, which she does with ease.

Flight 6 (Movement)

Cassie is able to fly, like Wonder Woman, including at supersonic speeds.

Advanced Martial Arts 6

Wonder Girl has been extensively trained both in hand to hand combat and the art or the sword.

Utility Powers:

Leadership 6

Cassie has been trained to be a leader in times of stress allowing her to command attention, control a crowd, and similar feats.

I am a big fan of comic books. I was raised on them. I used to make decent money selling them and even took a stab in the industry as a writer and editor. However, I am not the uber geek who knows all the background and continuity—not even all the characters and their powers. I had to do a bit of research for this piece and I may not have gotten things exactly how someone more familiar with the source material remembers them, but it was never meant to offend anyone. I just wanted to have fun with a cool system. I enjoy these characters, but like Larry Hama, I enjoy the story for what it is—what the characters are doing here and now. I hope you have all enjoyed my little experiment and I hope you keep coming back for more, because more is sure to follow.