TEXT: WATCHER SHEET ™ & © 2012 MARVEL AND SUBS                                  
  TO PLAY, YOU NEED:  
   The Operations Manual and a MARVEL HEROIC Event. 
   Datafiles for each player. 
   Tokens to represent Plot Points (PP). 
   Index cards and pencils. 
   A FOUR, SIX, EIGHT, TEN, and TWELVE-SIDED DIE for each player: 
   
   
  SETUP 
   Read the Operations Manual and MARVEL HEROIC Event. 
   Have each player choose a hero datafile.  
   Go over the datafile's traits, SFXs, limits, and Milestones. 
   Players may replace one or both of their Milestones with Event-
  Based Milestones. Players can choose the same Milestones. 
   Players start with 1 Plot Point (PP). At the start of each Act, 
  PP reset to 1. So spend them before the Act ends! 
   The Doom Pool starts at 2D6, unless specified otherwise. 
   Write any Scene Distinctions on index cards. 
  TELL THE PLAYERS 
   They don't need to know Marvel comics to play this game. 
  Everything they need is on their datafile.  
   Don't worry about playing your hero "incorrectly". And if you 
  have a player who is an expert on Marvel comics, be very 
  clear that every character is different depending on who 
  writes them. Right now, you are the writer!  
  GLOSSARY 
   Trait: words that describe something important to our story 
  and a die (bigger is better) that tells us how important it is. 
   Dice Pool: a collection of dice from the traits on your datafile. 
   Die Size: your die's number of sides (a D4 has 4 sides). 
   Die Value: the number on your die after you roll. 
   Step back: switch out a trait's die size for a smaller die.  
   Step back a D4: that trait is removed from the game. 
   Step up: switch out a trait's die size for a larger die.  
   Step up a D12: something special happens! For example: 
  stress past a D12 means a target can no longer act this scene. 
   Spend: when you spend something, remove it permanently. 
  Rolling the Doom Pool does not spend the dice rolled. 
   Watcher: Player responsible for the rules, the Event, and 
  characters in the story that aren't the main Heroes. 
  WHEN TO ROLL 
  Roll the Dice when…  
   You’re not sure if your hero will succeed or fail.  
   You want to try something that’s challenging or dangerous.  
   You want to hurt, help, or heal another character.  
  Don’t roll the Dice when…  
   The outcome isn’t an interesting part of the story.  
   There’s nothing or nobody to stop your hero.  
   The situation is outside your hero’s ability to change.  
  ROLLING DICE 
  Taking Action!  
  1. Decide who you want to hurt (attack), help (support), or 
  heal (recover) and describe how.  
  2. Build your dice pool. (see p1)  
  3. Spend Plot Points (PP) or doom dice on your pool. (see p2)  
  4. Roll your dice. 
  5. Set aside opportunities (dice that roll a 1, you can't use them). 
  6. Add together two dice for your total (higher is better). 
  7. Choose a die (from your remaining dice, not in your total) as 
  your effect die. If you have none, it's a D4. 
  8. Spend PP or doom dice on your roll. (see p2) 
  9. Declare your final total, effect die, and opportunities.  
  10. Opponents may buy your opportunities with PPs. (see p2) 
  11. Opponents try to stop you (reaction rolls) by following 
  steps 2-10 above. If you want to hurt a target, they roll dice 
  from their datafile. If you want to help or heal a target, the 
  Watcher rolls the doom pool (plus any affected traits). 
  12. You win if your total is equal or higher (you win ties).  
  13. Adjust and use effect die. (see p1, bottom right) 
  Building Your Dice Pool  
   Quick version:  grab one trait from every box on your datafile.  
   Detailed version:  Look at your datafile then add… 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Adjusting Effect Dice  
   If your total's value is 5 or higher than your opponent's total, 
  for every 5 over, step up your effect die. If you step it up 
  past D12, you may use a second effect die from your roll. 
   If you try to hurt your opponent but their effect die size is 
  larger than yours, step back your effect die. 
  Using Effect Dice 
   Create a trait equal to your effect die size.  Stress is used to 
  hurt a target and lasts till recovered (see p3).  Complications 
  are like Stress but last 1 scene.  Assets are used to help, last 
  1 roll, can be given to someone else, and starts at least as a D6. 
   Step up or down a trait (except trauma). If stress or complications 
  exceeds D12, target can take actions till recovered. (see p3) 
   Shut down or remove a trait if your effect die size is equal or 
  larger (except trauma).  
   Add your effect die to the Doom Pool. 
  …one die from your 
  current Affiliation.  
   
  (solo if you're alone, buddy 
  if you're with an ally, team 
  if you're with 2+ allies) 
   
  …one Distinction, either 
  as a 
   or a 
  +1PP. 
   
  (
   means your Distinction 
  gives you trouble but you 
  also get 1 Plot Point) 
   
  …one die from each 
  Power Set. 
   
  …one die from a Specialty. 
  …if available,  one asset die,  one push, stunt, or resource die,  
  one complication die,  and one of our opposition’s stress dice.  
  Datafile 
  
  WATCHER SHEET ™ & © 2012 MARVEL AND SUBS                                  
  SPENDING PLOT POINTS (PP)  
  Before You Roll 
   Add an extra trait (from your datafile or other sources). 
   Add a D8 stunt die (if you use a Power or Specialty creatively).  
   Add one of your stress dice (not trauma). Then step up it up. 
   Add a D6 push die.  
  After You Roll 
   Use an effect die from your reaction roll as a counter attack! 
   Add an extra die to your total (from your roll).  
   Use an extra effect die (from your roll). 
   Change stress you’ve taken to another type of stress. 
   Make an asset last till the end of this scene.  
   Make a complication last till the end of the next Action scene.  
  Anytime 
   Use special effects (SFX) that cost PP to activate.  
   Activate a Villain's Limit. Assuming it makes sense in the story. 
   If a power could easily remove a trait, ask the Watcher and they 
  may let you skip rolling, spend a PP, and succeed automatically! 
  In Transition Scenes  
   Create resource linked to a Specialty. D6 for Expert, D8 for 
  Master. Lasts until end of next Action Scene. Only you can use it. 
  When Watcher Rolls Opportunities  
   Step up a push, stunt, asset or create a resource (lasts 1 scene).  
  EARNING PLOT POINTS (PP)  
   Use your or a scene Distinction against yourself.  
   Activate a Limit on your Power Set.  
   When the Watcher buys your opportunities with PP. 
   Watcher may reward you if you roleplay being stressed out. 
  DOOM POOL 
  Starting Doom Pool 
   The Doom Pool resets at the start of each Act. 
   By default, the Doom Pool starts at 2D6. 
   If the stakes are High, step up the dice to D8s. 
   If the stakes are Catastrophic, step up the dice to D10s. 
   If the threat is Global, increase the number of dice to 3D. 
   If the threat is Cosmic, increase the number of dice to 4D. 
  Spending Doom Pool Before a Roll  
   Add a doom die to a villain’s dice pool.  
  Spending Doom Pool After a Roll  
   Use an effect die from your reaction roll as a counter attack! 
   Add an extra die to your total (from your roll) but the doom 
  die spent must be at least equal in size to the extra die. 
   Use an extra effect die (from your roll) but the doom die 
  spent must be at least equal in size to the extra die. 
  Spending Doom Pool Anytime  
   To use any affect that normally costs a Plot Point. 
   Use special effects (SFX) that cost doom dice to activate.  
   Split a hero off from other heroes or force them together.  
   Activate a Hero's Limit. But first offer to pay them 1 PP instead. 
   Create a new Scene Distinction (costs a D8 or higher). Anyone 
  may use this Distinction instead of their own Distinctions.  
   To have a Villain interrupt the Action Order.  
   Activate Scene or Event effects.  
   Spend 2D12 to end a scene immediately. If the Heroes were 
  close to winning, ask them to describe how they get most of 
  what they want and then present them with a tough choice, 
  you win but X happens or at Y cost. If the Heroes were not 
  close to winning, ask them to describe how they lost or what 
  they had to sacrifice (something significant) to win. 
  Growing the Doom Pool 
   When a player rolls an opportunity, give the player 1 PP to 
  step up the doom pool's lowest die or add a D6.  
   If the player rolls multiple opportunities, do the above 
  multiple times or give the player 1 PP and step up a D4 for 
  every opportunity rolled, and then add it to the doom pool. 
   Add effect dice from a villain's action to the doom pool. 
   When a Villain uses a Distinction as a D4 or activates a limit, 
  add a D6 or step up the smallest die in the doom pool.  
  VILLAINS HELPING OTHERS 
   When Villains want to help someone, don’t roll, just take an 
  action and give someone one of their traits (as an asset). 
  THE ACTION ORDER  
   The Watcher chooses a hero to go first.  
   After the chosen hero acts, they choose who acts next.  
   The person who goes last can choose to go first at the start 
  of the next action order.  
   Everyone, including Villains, must act before anyone acts again.  
   The Watcher may interrupt the action order to have their 
  character go next (or first) by spending a D6 from the doom 
  pool or a die at least equal to the highest Reflexes or Senses 
  powers a heroes possess. 
   Use index cards to track who is in the scene. When the action 
  order starts, everyone puts a token on their index card. After 
  your character acts and it's time to pick the next character to 
  act, remove your token so that it's clear you've acted. Once 
  everyone has taken an action and it's time for a new action 
  order, put your token back on your index card. 
   You can make unlimited reaction rolls. They don't cost actions. 
  EVENT STRUCTURE 
   Events are single, overarching story-lines. Usually 2 or 3 Acts. 
   Acts represent multiple Scenes, leading up to a climax.  
   Action Scenes involve the characters doing something to 
  drive the story along and move it forward.  
   Transition Scenes connect Action Scenes together and are 
  used to recover, gather information, or plan the next Scene. 
   Panels are moments in a Scene representing action. If it can fit 
  into a comic book panel, it's doable with a character's action.  
  
  WATCHER SHEET ™ & © 2012 MARVEL AND SUBS                                  
  STRESS 
   There are three types of stress: physical, mental, and emotional.  
   When rolling against someone, if their stress affects their 
  ability to succeed, add 1 of their stresses to your dice pool.  
   Stress starts out equal to the effect die size that inflicted it.  
   If you already have stress of a certain type and take more of 
  it, compare the old and new stress dice size. If the new die is 
  larger, replace the old with the new. If the new die is equal 
  to or less than the old, step up the old die. 
   Once any stress exceeds D12, the character is stressed out 
  and can't take any actions until they recover.  
   If a hero roleplays how they are stressed out, the Watcher 
  may reward them a Plot Point. 
  TRAUMA
   Anyone who is stressed out gains a D6 of trauma (emotional, 
  mental, or physical) that takes longer to recover from.  
   Trauma or stress (not both) can be added to opposing die pools. 
   If you're already stressed out in a Scene and take more 
  stress, it translates directly to trauma.  
   If any trauma is stepped up beyond D12, your character dies. 
  RECOVERY  
  Stress during Transition Scenes  
   Step back all stress by one.  
   If you were stressed out last scene, remove all of that stress. 
   Each stress and trauma must be recovered separately. 
   Build you dice pool. Add in a trait from another hero, if  
  appropriate, but you need to hand them a Plot Point for it, or 
  they can roll their own support action to give you an asset. 
   Watcher opposes with the doom pool plus the stress you're 
  trying to recover. 
   If you win and your effect die size is equal to or greater that the 
  stress die size, it's gone. If it's smaller, step down the stress.  
   Spend a Plot Point to keep an additional effect die to try 
  again, comparing it to the same stress at its new die size. 
  Stress during Action Scenes 
   You can't make a recovery action during an Action Scene 
  unless you have a power trait or SFX that lets you. But an ally 
  can use an action to roll against your stress and the doom pool.  
   If they win and their effect die size is equal or greater than 
  your stress, it steps back. If it's smaller, nothing happens.  
   If the action fails, your ally makes things worse and your 
  stress steps up. Your ally can choose to use multiple effect 
  dice with PP to step your stress back more than once. 
  Trauma 
   Trauma steps back at the start of an Act. 
   Recovering trauma works like stress. See recovering stress 
  above. But if the effect die size is smaller, nothing happens 
  and if the recovery action fails, the trauma die steps up! 
   The Watcher may frame an Action Scene for your hero where 
  your trauma makes things worse, so you can immediately 
  step back the trauma at the beginning of the next Transition 
  Scene and recover it like stress (instead of trauma). 
  XP 
  Gaining XP 
   You may hit the 1 XP Milestone trigger as often as you like. 
   You may hit the 3 XP Milestone trigger once per Scene.  
   You may hit the 10 Milestone XP trigger once per Act. Once 
  you hit this trigger you may choose a new Milestone. 
   Gain 1 XP when the Watcher spends a D12 doom die.  
  Spending XP 
   You may only spend XP during Transition Scenes.  
   Spend 1 XP to gain 1 Plot Point. This increases the minimum 
  PP you start each session with by +1 to a maximum of 5 PP. 
  But PP resets to 1 at the beginning of a new Act. 
   You can spend 5 XP to:  Switch two Affiliations.  Replace a 
  Distinction with a new one.  Add or replace a Limit in a 
  Power Set.  Unlock a minor Event resource. 
   You can spend 10 XP to:  Add a new SFX to a Power Set.     
  Step up a D6 or D8 power trait.  Add a new D6 power trait 
  to a Power Set.  Remove a Limit from a Power Set that has 
  two or more Limits.  Unlock a major Event resource. 
   You can spend 15 XP to:  Step up a D10 power trait.                
  Replace an existing Power Set with a new one.  Add a new 
  Expert Specialty or upgrade an Expert to Master.  
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Marvel Superheroes/Marvel - Heroic/Watcher Cheat-Sheet.pdf