Masks: A New Generation

2017

About this Game

A giant robot is smashing down Main Street. Your best friend tried to kiss you. Your mom thinks your grades need work. Your mentor thinks your team is bringing you down. Oh, and your costume is ripped. Just another day in Halcyon City... Masks: A New Generation is a superhero roleplaying game in which a team of young heroes fights villains, saves lives, and tries to figure out who they are—noble paragons? Dark avengers? Or regular kids? All against the backdrop of Halcyon City, the greatest city in the world.

Mechanics

How to play Masks: A New Generation

Masks makes use of the same rules-light engine as Apocalypse World, Monsterhearts, Dungeon World, Urban Shadows, and Epyllion to create stories about young superheroes in the vein of Young Justice, Young Avengers, and Teen Titans.

Classes

The Beacon

Hopeful, excited, understanding, human. The Beacon is the most directly mortal and least strange of all the playbooks. They haven't been shaped by anything else they could choose to leave this life behind, if they wanted. Which is exactly the point. They're here because they want to be here. They want to do this. And that gives them a purity compared to the other characters.

The Bull

Gruff, tough, passionate, big-hearted. The Bull’s a heavy hitter with big feelings. They get into a lot of fights, both interpersonal and superheroic, especially thanks to their signature move, The Bull’s Heart. A lot of the time, they’ll be Angry. They’re a big, gruff wrecking ball, and you should have fun smashing them into things.

The Delinquent

Rebellious, joking, attention-seeking, manipulative. The Delinquent is the class clown, or the punk with the stash of weed, or the rebel without a cause. They’re the spoiler, most often just because they can be more than out of any particular desire. They trick other people, they mess with people, they cause problems.

The Doomed

Tragic, melodramatic, powerful, driven. The Doomed is a character best served by long-term play, even though their story is about time pressure and not knowing how long they have left. They’re the only character who starts with a clear-cut enemy—their nemesis—and a dangerous timer on their character’s lifespan. They’re also the only character that explicitly faces death by the end of their story. As a result, adding a Doomed to your campaign inherently adds a level of drama, gloom, and danger to your game—death, while not a constant element, is now on the table.

The Janus

Stressed, responsible, dual, heroic. The Janus is two people in one, and their struggle is about balancing that paradox. You have your regular life and all its responsibilities on one side, and your superheroic life and all its madness on the other. And ultimately, you don’t want to give up either one—but they both pull and pull at you, building up the tension until you feel like you’re going to snap. That’s okay, though. Your story’s all about that tension, and overcoming it, especially thanks to the people around you.

The Legacy

Capable, impressive, burdened, famous. The Legacy comes from a long line of superheroes, meaning they have a superheroic family, either biologically related or connected through their shared legacy. Their story is about the support of that family, and the pressure of carrying on the family name. They have many benefits and advantages that the other PCs might not have—the name of their legacy itself probably carries weight with the city— but at the same time, the expectations and responsibilities placed on them are even higher.

The Nova

Powerful, unrestrained, vulnerable, destructive. The Nova is power incarnate, capable of aﬀecting the world and changing reality on a level their teammates can’t possibly match—but that power comes with enormous risk, both to the Nova and to the world around them.

The Outsider

Strange, curious, naïve, arrogant. The Outsider isn’t from here, but that won’t stop them from creating a life for themselves right here on this planet. At least, for now. But can they find a place here? Will they even want to, once they get to know this world more? Or will they answer that siren call, and go home?

The Protege

Focused, well-trained, driven, unsure. The Protege is defined by two things: their training and their mentor. A Protege has a level of skill and preparation beyond nearly any of the other PCs—even the Legacy wasn’t necessarily as well-trained as the Protege. The Protege might have innate powers, sure, but they were also guided in how to use those abilities and more by their mentor. That also means they’re devoted to being a superhero in a way that none of the other PCs may be—a Protege made at the start of play has been training for quite some time to get into this life.

The Transformed

Troubled, titanic, grotesque, lamentable. The Transformed used to be human, without any powers or superhuman elements, until something happened and they were changed, obviously and permanently. They might be a cyborg, or a strange monster, or made of electricity—just so long as they’re strange and inhuman, with no way of hiding it. The Transformed’s story is about what you do with your new life and form, and how you react to the way other people treat you now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there different play styles or approaches to TTRPGs?

There are a nearly endless number of play styles in TTRPGs. Whether you're looking for intense tactic driven combat, puzzle filled dungeon crawls, character focused and narrative driven storytelling, or anything in between, there is a group for you! Finding a game and play style that fits your preferences and those of your group is key to ensuring you have a great time playing.

What is a Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG)?

Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) are games where the players play as characters embarking on an adventure or story, and are usually guided by a Game Master (GM). Players can describe what they want to do and make choices as their characters, and the outcome of those choices are controlled by the rules of the game, the dice rolls, the GM’s guidance, and the collaborative storytelling of the group!

What is the difference between a Game Master and a player?

The Game Master (GM) is responsible for creating and running the game world, including setting the scene, portraying non-player characters (NPCs), and adjudicating rules. Players control characters in the game world, making decisions and taking actions that affect the story. The GM and players work together to create an immersive and enjoyable experience for everyone.

What is the difference between a one-shot and a campaign?

Typically a one-shot will consist of a self-contained adventure that will take place all in one session, which will usually take a few hours to complete. They are meant to be completed in one sitting, and will usually have a very focused plot or objective. A campaign on the other hand, is a longer adventure that takes place over multiple sessions. Short campaigns may be only 2-3 sessions, while longer ones may be played over months, or even years!

What if I'm not comfortable with certain themes or content in Masks: A New Generation?

Games like Masks: A New Generation can cover an impressive range of topics and styles, including violence, horror, romance, and many many more! However, if there are specific themes or content that you’re uncomfortable with, let your group and GM know before the game, and have an open conversation about these topics. Any group worth playing with should be respectful and understanding of your concerns and the game can be adjusted so everyone is having fun. Many tables also use “Safety Tools” which help ensure that these conversations are handled easily, and everyone has a voice at the table.

Do I need to know all the rules before I can play Masks: A New Generation?

Knowing every rule of the game may be helpful to some, but many players will learn the game as they play! If you want to read the rules ahead of time you absolutely can, but if you are a hands-on learner you can also just start playing, and if there is something you don’t understand never be afraid to ask questions, because everyone starts somewhere!

Do I need to be good at math to play Masks: A New Generation?

While Masks: A New Generation may involve some level of basic math, like if you are totaling up dice rolls, you don’t need to be a mathematician to enjoy the game. The system will provide tables and simple tools to make the math as simple as possible, and if you are playing online, the Virtual Table Top you use may even handle all the math for you!

What supplies do I need to play Masks: A New Generation?

Obviously this will vary from table to table, but here are some good places to start! If your game is played in person, most likely you will want to get a set of dice, something to write with, and paper to take notes. If your game is hosted online instead, you will probably need to make accounts on a few sites for things like character sheets, access to the Virtual Tabletop for maps and tokens, and sites like Discord or Zoom for video/voice calls during the session. You won't always need to have the rulebooks to start, but if you want to read through them to make sure you know all the rules, this might also be a good option.