Capt. Adrian (Hawk) Martel, Cortex Prime

Capt. Hawk is the leader of the newly formed spear's edge, Eco squad. After promoting his way up the elite and prestigious first company he was hand picked by General Sans to lead this newly formed spearhead unit.

Physical D6

Social D10

Mental D8

Keeping it frosty

Pack leader

"Don't believe everything you read kid".

"I'm not here to be your buddy"

D4(+1pp) or D8 

Aim D10

Athletics D6

Dodge D6

Pilot D8

Fighting D10

Notice D12

Bluff D6

Command D6

Cool D10

Knowledge D6

Twin Paladin auto pistols D8

* SFX Two for the price of one, keep a second  effects die, the second die is applies to a second nearby target.

* SFX In my crosshairs, step up an Aim die.

* Flaw pistols ran out of ammo, 1 turn to reload.

* Flaw pistol jams, this power can't be used til the gun is repaired, step up the next use of fighting skill.

Listen up knuckleheads D8

* SFX give command, after using Notice skill in an action, step up one skill die of a soldier under his command used in the same round.

* flaw Make the wrong call, 1pp to another player who agrees, step down any one die in their next roll. They choose and describe it's effect.

Lobo x-1 body armor d10

* SFX sealed system environmental reaction system, step up for environmental resist rolls. Lasts until danger is over.

* SFX Sensor sweep, step up notice die.

* Flaw the armor takes damage gain 1pp to step back armor die until repaired. (Can be reduced more than once).

Cortex Prime impressions of the SRD pt3

Another area of the SRD I find interesting is the options for Life points (hit points), and stress. Again Classic cortex has been included in the mix giving the option of hit points if a stress track just isn't your thing.

Once again I don't see why I should have to pick one. I could see playing with both. Life points for combat using cortex classic weapon damage codes or reading the effect die. While at the same time using effect die and stress for social and mental conflict.

I could see stress tracks being good for all kinds of tasks actually. Everything from picking a lock to fast talking a guard could be assigned a die code that is the amount of stress needed to complete a task. Each go at it adds stress towards completing the task.

Life points could be used the same way really, assign a difficulty total to tasks (between 8 and 24 for example). Subtract the number on the effect die (or effect die type if you perfer) from the Total. When the task points reach 0 you complete the task.

These options make weapons and health as abstract or as close to hard numbers as fits the setting or the groups taste. Again I find this level of customization really refreshing and fun.

Cortex Prime impressions of the SRD pt2

I'm reading heavenly into all the options in the Cortex SRD. My impressions part 1 is here. One of the things that jumps out at me is the ability to mix and match options. Prime looks to be very modular game allows for cherry picking of mechanics.

For example something I think would be great for lower level heroic games, like street level supers is mix heroic dice with doom pool. Allow the players to bank dice specifically to do things better (add to the total of rolls). While the GM gets dice to  make the bad guys a bigger threat, both without specifically raising the power level of the game. More or less normal people (although possibly highly skilled) pulling off heroic feats when they need them.

Characters turning a great success in one area into greater success in another, which I love. It feels to me like story momentum.

I came up with a variant as well, allow player to bank spoilers as hero dice, each banked spoiler becomes a banked d6 hero dice. GMs can set a limit to the number of hero dice that can be banked from a single roll if they fear the players would gain hero dice too fast.

I like the idea that it doesn't cost plot points when banking hero dice, it gives the player a way to take advantage of spoilers even when they are out of plot points. Then gives them (another) motivation to play their flaws and negative distinctions to come up with plot points to use the hero dice.

Cortex Prime impressions of the SRD pt1

Reading through the most up-to-date SRD (01-01-18) for Cortex Prime I'm really impressed. +Cam Banks​ has done an amazing job creating a core tool box that can accommodate a lot of styles of play.

I was someone who played the original sovereign stone and loved classic cortex. When Heroic came out in Marvel I didn't get it. I didn't get the abstract nature. It took me a while to 'get' the system. Once I did I really liked it. Some incarnations of Plus took me a while to warm up to.

This tool box approach allows for a mix and match of different options from all the past application of Cortex, as well as some new levers to push and pull to get new effects and styles of play. I love the idea that the system can bend and stretch to be what best facilitates the fiction and action. I'm really looking forward to the finished product.

Specialist Cason (Kano) Kowalski, Cortex Prime

Specialist Kowalski requested to join Eco squad. His motivations for doing so are his own and isn't something he wants to talk about. A former member of the federal special intelligence unit, Specialist Kowalski joined military intelligence as part of its lone wolf program where he was paired with his phase tech armor. Very little is known about Specialist Kowalski's past, what is known is that he has a higher security clearance than anyone else in Eco squad, his official record has only one line not classified, "asset redirected".

Physical D6
Social D10
Mental D10

Trained by all the right people you've never heard of.
"You don't have high enough clearance for that information".
Cut like a surgeon, move like a shadow.
"Dont tell me the odds"
D4(+1pp) or D8 

Aim D6
Athletics D10
Dodge D8
Pilot D8
Fighting D10
Notice D8
Bluff D8
Command D6
Cool D12
Knowledge D10

Avenger vibro knife D8
* SFX like a surgeon, keep a second  effects die.
* SFX pinpoint, keep an extra resolution die for this attack.
* SFX can opener, step up two resolution die when attacking scenery.
* Flaw The vibro blades power cell runs out, 1 turn to reload. 1pp
* Flaw lost in a scuffle, Vibro blade is dropped, can only be used after a failed attack. 1pp must be recovered.

Background & Connections  D10
* SFX pull up data, pull up standard and classified data on a person when making a knowledge roll. Keep 1 additional resolution die.
* SFX I know a guy, gain a contact in the local area. For a second pp they owe you one.
* SFX Remember that time in Cairo?, add a second effect die when making a bluff roll.
* Flaw asset burned, you have not contacts in this area, cannot use I know a guy until you change locations. 1pp
* Flaw Cover blown, step back on all bluff rolls until you change locations. 1pp
* Flaw my enemies enemy, when you use I know a guy, his enemies in the area become your enemies. 1pp

Phase Tech  body armor d8
* SFX Stealth mode, step up Athletics die when using armor with Athletics to sneak.
* SFX phasing Camo, forgo movement and add a second effect die to any hide action.
* Flaw the armor takes damage gain 1pp to step back armor die until repaired. (Can be reduced more than once).

Specialist Samantha (eyes) longmire, Cortex Prime

Specialist Longmire, "eyes" to her unit is a recon specialist. Longmire is also a decorated marksman. After her tour with Alpha company where she served with the then Lt. Hawk, she did a few jobs in the private sector. Capt. Hawk called her back to active duty, his first pick when forming his Eco squad. Capt. Hawk is responsible for the nickname eyes, after her forward scout report was questioned for "inaccuracies", at the battle of Baltimore, the then Lt. Hawk stated he trusted Longmire more than he trusted his own eyes.

Physical D6
Social D8
Mental D10

Elite recon specialist
Olympics level marksman right out of school.
"I don't do it for the money".
"The service didn't make me a crack shot, it just made me better at choosing my targets".
D4(+1pp) or D8 

Aim D12
Athletics D8
Dodge D8
Pilot D4
Fighting D6
Notice D12
Bluff D6
Command D6
Cool D6
Knowledge D6

Sanctiforum sniper rifle D8
* SFX Reach out and touch someone, keep 2 effect die instead of one, choose a disability (called shot, story element) to the target.
* SFX adjust my scope, step up the Aim die on its next use (+1 forward to next roll).
*  Rifle jams, this power can't be used til the gun is cleared, spend one action to clear. 1pp

Relay intel D10
* SFX collect and upload data, creates a D6 ongoing asset on a target. Acessable to entire team.
* SFX get eyes on it, step up all notice rolls of the unit. Last until Longmires next turn.
* Flaw Target obstructed, Longmire can't use sniper rifle or Relay Intel until next turn. 2pp: one pp for her, one for another effected team member.

Communication array. D8
* SFX Request support. #
* SFX Request supply drop, all out of ammo or until repair flaws are refreshed. #
* SFX Request hop or extraction. #
* Flaw Communication relays are down. Communication array can't be used til repaired.

# Time to support, drop, extract, is equal to 8 subtract effect die number of rounds minimum 1.

Sgt. Sonny (shin) Shinwell, Cortex Prime

Sgt. Shinwell was part of the original Eco squad, before the spear's edge initiative. Shinwell was the lone survivor of the overrun of Chicago during operation Onyx wall. Sarcastically Nicked named "sunshine" by his men, because of his always serious demeanor. Nicknamed Shin when he is within earshot.

Physical D10

Social D6

Mental D8

Not on my watch

"If it's not a double tap, it's a love tap"

"Try not to die, I hate paperwork"

Would sacrifice himself to save his men

D4(+1pp) or D8 

Aim D8

Athletics D8

Dodge D8

Pilot D4

Fighting D10

Notice D8

Bluff D6

Command D8

Cool D12

Knowledge D10

Divine right combat shotgun D10

* SFX full spread, split effect die with a step down to up to two targets close together. Split effect die 3 times with two step downs to up to three targets close together. 

* SFX silver laced slug,  add a second effect die (usable on demons only).

* Flaw Completely out of ammo, must refresh ammo stock to use again. Step up the next use of Dodge skill and gain 1pp.

* Flaw gain malfunctions, this power can't be used til an action is used to repair. 1pp

Inspiration D8

* SFX give pep talk, after using command skill in an action, target character gains 1pp.

* SFX pull yourself together, target gets a step up on cool die to fear resistance roll for the rest of the scene.

* flaw Over confidence, 1pp to another player who agrees, target gets no assets or bonuses for cover and can't make a dodge skill roll on their next turn. 

Access to Intel d8

* SFX know your enemy, make a knowledge roll to create an ongoing D6 weakness asset to attacks against the same target.

* SFX Access maps and area information available to the mainframe.

* Flaw 1pp Bad Intel, gain 1pp, the mainframe was wrong. Maps or area knowledge is wrong, player describes how.