ICONS is a relatively lightweight superhero game that uses the FATE engine (in its d6 minus d6 version), and which shoots for a vibe that's about one notch less serious than the DC Adventures aminated TV shows and (as the cover suggests) has a similar visual aesthetic. The character creation system offers a lot of random-generation tables to play with, and I'll be using most of them to create the character developed below.
Because the assumed setting of the game is both pretty vague and familiar to most audiences (the modern world, only cartoonier), there won't be a lot of setting backstory to explain as I walk through character creation ("when did you start doing that?" I hear some readers ask). With a little luck, that'll mean I can keep this post relatively short.
The first step of character creation is to determine your Origin. Since I'm using the tables, I roll 2d6 and consult the Origin Table. A roll of 8 makes my Origin a Gimmick, which means that all my super powers come from some sort of device or devices. As a bonus, I'll get to add 2 to one of my mental ability scores (on account of how I know how to make superpowered gadgets, I suppose).
Next, I'll determine my Ability Scores. There's a chart for randomly determining the power level of abilities (and super powers), and I'll roll once for each of six abilities: Prowess (fighting skill), Coordination, Strength, Intellect, Awareness, and Willpower. These aren't straight rolls; the chart imposes a curve on the 2d6 roll so you're more likely to be in the average-to-exceptional range for non-super humans. You're supposed to roll them straight down the list, but I will have the option to switch two scores at the end (after I've applied my Gimmick modifier).
My starting Prowess level is 3, which corresponds to the average for plain folks. Coordination and Strength both start at 5, which are considered exceptional but still within regular human ranges. Those are the physical abilities--now, on to the mental ones. My starting Intellect level is 6, which is at the top of the "normal" human range, and entirely appropriate for someone who builds super-powered gadgets. My roll for Awareness was much lower, and my starting level is 2, which is below average for regular folks. Unless I do something about that, I'm likely to get blindsided a lot. Finally, my initial Willpower level is 7, which is at the low end of superhuman.
Now, because of my origin I get to add two levels to one of my mental abilities, and also I can switch two ability scores. I'm tempted to boost Awareness, but having a weak spot makes for good superhero stories. And I'm really not sure where a swap is going to do the most good. So instead of making my mind up now I'll see what powers I roll up and hope that they provide some direction.
Determining Powers starts with a 2d6 roll to see how many powers you get to roll. (Whee!) A 9 gets me 4 Powers, all of which are driven by devices. For each of these I'll roll to determine the type of superpower I get, then roll on that type's table to get the precise power.
The first power comes from the Defensive Powers chart, and it's Absorption. I'll be able to absorb one type of energy attack (which I can choose from a list) and convert it to one of three types of benefit: an ability boost, an energy attack (of the same type that I can absorb), or healing. I'm going to defer these decisions until I see what else the power tables bring me. My Absorption power level is 6, which will factor against the power level of whatever attacks I'm trying to absorb.
The second power also comes from the Defensive Powers chart, and it's Regeneration. Now I know that using my Absorption for healing will probably be overkill. but I have two powers left to roll, so I'm still holding out. For this power I get a level of 7, which means I'll be able to heal a point of Stamina roughly every round and a half of game time.
The third power comes from the Mental Powers chart, and it turns out to be Telepathy. I can't see how that really affects any of my pending decisions, so I'll just note it and move on to the last power. It comes in at a power level of 4, which isn't very strong, but I can also substitute my Willpower level when I'm using it to read minds, so I don't have to worry about that.
Power number four comes from the Offensive Powers chart, and the dice give me Energy Drain, which allows me to take Stamina (which is basically your endurance meter) from other characters and add it to my own (if I've lost any, that is). That gets a level of 5. So now I have two powers that can replenish lost Stamina, and I will definitely make Absorption serve one of the other purposes.
So now's a good time to revisit those decisions I've been putting off. Using Energy Drain requires me to touch a target with a successful test of Prowess, so I've got some incentive to boost that number. On the other hand, I like my mental abilities more or less where they are, so I'll apply that +2 bonus to Intellect (bringing it up to 8) and swap Prowess with Strength so that the former is 5 and the latter is only 3.
I still have to figure out how my Absorption power works. Regeneration and Energy Drain suggest to me some sort of life-energy theme, so I look at the energy types chart to see what might fit. Electricity strikes me as a good match--it can be biologically generated--and although I kind of like the idea of shooting back bioelectric bolts like an electric eel, I decide to go with Ability Boost instead. That necessitates another decision--which ability will this Absorption boost?--and I can see where boosting Prowess occasionally will make my Energy Drain more effective.
After Abilities and Powers comes Specialities, which are kind of like skills. Each will grant me a small bonus on rolls related to that Speciality. Once again I make a 2d6 roll to see how many I get, but this time I'll actually be able to choose them. The roll of 10 gives me 3 Specialities, and because I'm a gadget guy I figure I should apply at least one or two to STEM fields. I take Specialities in Electronics, Computers, and Biology.
Next, it's time to calculate Stamina, which as I mentioned before is the character's endurance meter or hit point equivalent. It's the sum of Strength and Willpower, which is easy math and adds up to 10.
After that, we've got some creative work to do: Background and Description. Our hero's background is already shaping up--he's a biologist who apparently studies bioelectricity and its possible applications. Through his research he's managed to develop devices that let him read minds and manipulate his own and other people's bio-energy. Why he decided these would be good things to invent remains kind of an open question; perhaps he was trying to cure a condition, but just as likely he was just trying to find out what could be done with his discoveries. His low Awareness level suggests the absent-minded professor type, focused on his work (very focused, given his superhuman Willpower) and oblivious to distractions until they blow up in his face, literally or metaphorically.
As far as his physical description is concerned, I'm not entirely sure where to go. He could have pretty much any ethnicity. He's probably pretty wiry and spry given his high Coordination and Prowess but average Strength levels. Glasses would certainly fit the cliché. I feel certain he's the type to wear lab coats on a regular basis. For his hero gear, I think he'd want a helmet (for Telepathy as well as general protection) and some kind of gloves (for Energy Drain), perhaps linked through a chestplate (which also handle his Absorption and Regeneration powers), worn over the usual superhero catsuit or leotards. (If he were less physically fit I might go for a coverall, but if you've got it you might as well flaunt it.) Metallic green for the gear (because biology), over gold clothing (for electricity, and because it looks good with green).
But he's going to need both a regular name and a superhero name, and I'm still kind of at a loss. Of course he has a Ph.D., so it's Doctor Something, which might also work for his superhero name. Doctor Leech? (Too villainish, I think.) Bio-Battery? (Descriptive, but kind of dull.) Still, I can't think of anything better. Bio-Battery it is. And for a personal name, how about "Dr. Luis Galvan?" A little tip of the hat to a pioneer of bioelectrical research.
But we're not done with mechanics yet. ICONS is a FATE-based game, and FATE characters need Aspects. Aspects are short phrases that capture something important about the character--a career, a personality trait, a skill set, an organizational affiliation--that can either help or hinder the character depending on the context in which it arises.
ICONS makes developing Aspects a little easier by dividing them into categories. The first division is between Qualities, which skew more positive than negative, and Challenges, which skew the other direction. I can choose up to five of each, which to be honest seems like a lot to keep track of. I'll select no more than five altogether.
Quality categories include Catchphrase (which you would tend to say at key moments), Connections (people who regularly provide assistance), Epithet (such as Dr. Strange's "Master of the Mystic Arts"), Identity (such as Billionaire Industrialist or Mild-Mannered Reporter), and Motivation (such as, let's say, saving orphans or protecting Nature). Identity seems like an easy one for this character; outside of superheroing he's a World-Class Biologist. I can potentially call on that when dealing with plant- or animal-related problems. He doesn't seem like the catchphrase type, but a Connection would be appropriate. Let's say he's got a longtime collaborator, an academic who doesn't do the hero thing: Connection: Prof. of Zoology Kyoko Tanaka.
And two Challenges should round this character out nicely. Challenge categories include Bad Luck, Enemy, Personal (a physical or psychological hindrance), Social (a social hindrance, such as from an unusual appearance or perhaps a poor reputation), and Weakness (such as kyptonite). Bad Luck is an easy, all-purpose choice, so for simplicity's sake I'll take it. And then I'll give him an Enemy, somebody who has done similar work but turned it to evil ends. Let's call this enemy Doctor Leech, since we decided earlier this name was too villanish for our hero.
Now we have to calculate how many Determination points Bio-Battery has. You need Determination points to invoke your Aspects for advantage, and you get them when the GM invokes (or "compels" to use FATE-speak) your Aspects as a hindrance. Starting Determination is six minus the number of powers you have, so I'll start with 2 Determination.
And that's all we need. Here's our hero's stat block put together:
Name: Dr. Luis Galvan, aka Bio-Battery
Abilities: Prowess 5, Coordination 5, Strength 3, Intellect 8, Awareness 2, Willpower 7
Powers: Absorption (Electricity, Boost Prowess) 6; Regeneration 7, Telepathy 4, Life Drain 5
Specialities: Electronics, Computers, Science: Biology
Qualities: Identity: World-Class Biologist, Connection: Prof. of Zoology Kyoko Tanaka
Challenges: Bad Luck, Enemy: Doctor Leech
Stamina: 10 Determination: 2
Backstory: The world's foremost expert on bioelectricity, Dr. Luis Galvan developed a set of devices to harness that power for the forces of good. Now as Bio-Battery he uses the power of bioelectricity to fight crime and evil, including the fiendish Doctor Leech!
Description: Bio-Battery wears a metallic green helmet, chestplate, and gloves over a gold bodysuit. The helmet enables his telepathy; the gloves enable his energy-draining powers, and the chestplate powers his ability to absorb electricity and regenerate.
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