TEXT: Table of Contents
  Introductory Material:
       1.   Introduction
       2.   About Role-Playing
       3.   Getting Started
       4. Creating a Character
  Game Mechanics:
       6. Time & Activity
       8. Difficulty Checks
       9. Combat Basics
     10. Taking Damage
      11. Stat Reduction
  Character Development:
     12. Experience
     13. Awards & Rewards
  Appendices & Errata:
     14. Sample of Gameplay
     16. List of Worldbooks
     17. Worldbook Sample Content
     18. Character Sheet
     19. Key Charts and ID Card
  POW!, Power Grrrl, Decay, Sacour, Red Mist, Orclympics,  æthereal FORGE and their logos are  © and ™ 1996-2004 æthereal FORGE. All featured artwork is copyright its original creator.
  Credits
  Concept, Writing, Editing & Layout: Michael Fiegel
  POW! Logo Design  & Add’l Writing: Kenshiro Aette
  Thai Wrap Recipe: Jeni Pleskow
  Add’l Editing: Morbus, Slowmind, Luther, Kuja, XKiseki
   
  Artwork:
   
  Lazarus Ray Berry (p. 7)
   
    • http://electricorange.keenspace.com/
   
  Jesus & Javier Carmona Esteban (pp. 15, 16)
   
    • http://www.carmonaart.com/
   
  D.J. Coffman (p. 18)
   
   • http://www.djcoffman.com/portfolio/
   
  Carlos Cruz (p. 1)
   
    • http://www.themediaguys.com/
   
  Gary Dupuis (pp. 4, 6, 8, 13)
   
    • http://www.gdupuis.com/
   
  Phil Evans (pp. 10, 14)
   
    • http://www.wizzbang.biz/
   
  Ian Hurst (pp. 2, 12)
   
    • http://ian.dezineunit.com/
   
  Jason McCuiston (pp. 1, 3, 5, 9, 11)
   
    • http://www.jasonjmccuiston.com/
  Version 1.01
  11/01/04 20:00:00
  http://aeforge.com/pow/
  
  POW!
  - 1 -
  W
  elcome to the POW! Core Rules, the centerpiece of 
  a simple, adaptable game system designed for quick-
  moving, action-based role-playing sessions. POW! 
  is simple enough for beginners, yet flexible and expandable 
  enough to appeal to the most battle-hardened role-player.
        True mastery of the POW! engine can only be achieved 
  through years of difficult physical chores, daily meditation, 
  and the careful yet obscure guidance of Shaolin monks. No, 
  wait... that’s Kung Fu. Actually, POW! is easy to pick up. In 
  fact, you should be well on your way once you read through 
  this set of Core Rules.
        A quick look around the Internet will turn up dozens of 
  “Generic Role-Playing Systems,” most of them easy-to-use, 
  many, like POW!, also free. So what makes POW! different? 
        Lights, Camera, and of course Action! 
        
  • POW! is Rules-Light. This means that the engine has very 
  few dice mechanics, very few variables, and almost no specific 
  rules for Dodging Arrows while Riding a Heavily Encumbered 
  War Elk Through a Swamp at Midnight. POW! leaves out many 
  of the crunchy bits in favor of more streamlined gameplay.
  • POW! is Camera-friendly. Which isn’t to say that it 
  photographs well, but rather that the style of gameplay is 
  camera-like. POW! games move along in frames, snapshots 
  of action that give everyone a chance to act, much like scenes 
  from a comic book, or photographs in a scrapbook.
  • POW! is Action-centric. While this is a role-playing game 
  (defined in more detail on the next page), POW! doesn’t 
  pretend to be the sort of game which demands that players 
  spend six hours trying to negotiate peace treaties. You can do 
  that if you like, but POW! isn’t designed for it. POW! means 
  action, as in SNAP, CRACKLE, CRASH, BANG, BOOM!
  About These Core Rules
  These rules contain information intended for 
  both players and Moderators, those chosen 
  to run the game. Numerous pages give tips 
  and hints to Moderators on how best 
  to do their business. But nothing in 
  here is intended to be a secret, 
  so even if you never plan 
  to run a game, go ahead 
  and read it all. It won’t 
  hurt to understand how 
  things work.
        And who knows... 
  one day you might wind 
  up running a game too!
  About Worldbooks
  You could describe the POW! system as 
  what’s known as “Beer and Pretzels,” 
  meaning a system which is designed for 
  informal, one-night gaming sessions as 
  opposed to long-term campaigns. And 
  to an extent, this is true. You can play 
  a session of POW! in a few hours and 
  never again use the same characters. 
        But the POW! Core Rules are not at all designed to be used 
  all alone. POW! is intended for use with POW! Worldbooks, 
  which provide an assortment of settings that can all be used 
  with the same core ruleset. POW! is the skeleton, a framework 
  giving shape and support while allowing many different skins 
  (the Worldbooks) to be wrapped around the outside.
        Thus, while the POW! Core Rules are simple, designed to 
  allow for free-flowing, fun sessions not bogged down by dice 
  or numbers, the Worldbooks add a depth of detail  that’s greater 
  than a typical Beer and Pretzels game can offer. 
      
   So sure, it’s Beer and Pretzels Role-Playing. But 
  one night you might be in the mood for Chocolate-
  Raspberry Ale and Parmesan-Sourdough Pretzels, 
  and the next you might just want a nice Lager and 
  some crunchy pretzel bits with mustard. 
   Whether you follow everything in here exactly as 
  it stands, or adapt the rules for use in your own way, we 
  sincerely hope that you will use POW! to have fun. That’s why 
  we designed POW!, and we hope that’s why you picked it up.
  Introduction
  Options, Notes and Samples
  Throughout the text, you’ll often see little grey boxes like this 
  one. Each of these features either: a sample to illustrate a rule 
  in the text; a special note to further explain something; or an 
  optional rule, which may be used or ignored, as your particular 
  gaming group decides. You can read through the entire POW! 
  Ruleset and ignore every one of these if you wish. But of 
  course, then you’d miss the Thai Chicken Wraps.
  
  POW!
  - 2 -
  About Role-Playing
  I
  f you’re already familiar with tabletop style role-
  playing games, you can just skip right ahead to 
  Getting Started. But if you have never played a 
  role-playing game before, you should read this section 
  to familiarize yourself with some of the basic 
  concepts of this sort of game.
        Role-playing games (RPGs) are based on 
  the concept of controlling and playing out the 
  actions of an imaginary person in an imaginary 
  world. Like in a movie, events within the story 
  move the main characters through the course 
  of a plot. In an RPG, however, the story is 
  determined not by a single writer or director, but 
  by the players, who act out the roles of the main 
  characters, known as Player Characters (PCs).  
        Much of the action of a role-playing game is 
  determined by the rules of the game. Unlike a story, 
  where the author determines what happens in 
  advance, an RPG relies on rules to keep things 
  fair, and to make sure the players know the 
  limits of the world. Each Character has 
  a variety of Statistics (Stats), which 
  define what that character can do. 
  These Stats determine Success 
  or Failure when the character 
  performs an action that can’t be role-played. Many 
  actions thus hinge on Dice Rolls.
        But you shouldn’t worry that you’re going to be 
  rolling dice and consulting charts all the time. Far 
  from it. Dice rolls are kept to a minimum, and kept 
  simple, to ensure that when you MUST roll the dice, 
  you can get the rolling out of the way. Action does not 
  mean rolling lots of dice. It means a fast-paced, fun 
  atmosphere where things move along quickly.
   
  The most important thing you should know about 
  RPGs is that they are not necessarily about winning or 
  losing. Your characters will have many different goals 
  to achieve and many different obstacles to overcome, 
  and through the course of an an adventure they might 
  win or lose, succeed greatly or fail miserably... or die. 
   No matter what happens, it’s important to remember that 
  your characters are characters, and this is just a game.  
  Sometimes your character will get to 
  his/her goals. Sometimes he/she won’t. 
  The experience of getting there is the fun 
  part; it’s the journey that’s the point of the 
  game, not the destination. There’s no real way 
  to “win” in an RPG, but when you think about 
  it, all that means is that you can’t lose, either!
  Getting Started
      Aside from a group of friends and a bit of spare time, 
  you’ll  need the following items on hand:
   
  • POW! Core Rules (what you’re reading )
   
  • Two 6-sided dice (more to speed things up)
   
  • Pencil and paper (best results if these are 
   
    sharp and blank, respectively)
   
  • POW! Worldbook(s) of your choice 
   
  • Character Sheets for your Worldbook(s)
   
  • Assorted beverages and/or snacks 
   
  Having collected these items, settle into your role-
  playing spot. Generally this will consist of chairs around 
  a table, although you can probably make do in the living 
  room as long as no one falls asleep on the couch. You may 
  also opt for some music to set the mood, such as anime 
  soundtracks for Power Grrrl, fantasy movie scores for Red 
  Mist, or your old Rocky Horror Picture Show album 
  for a Rock Opera session.
  Actions - Individual, specific “moves” a character makes that 
  describe what he or she is doing within the game.
  Character Points - A number of points (typically 10 to 20) 
  which you spend on your PCs Stats and Specials.
  Dice Roll - A roll of 2d6, plus a Stat, compared to a Difficulty 
  to determine Success (if the roll is higher than the Difficulty) or 
  Failure (less than the Difficulty).
  Difficulty - A number (typically from 0 to 20) determined by the 
  Moderator to represent how hard an action is to perform.
  Experience Points - Reward given to Characters and Players 
  for good role-playing, used to increase Stats and Specials.
  Frame - A loose representation of the time it takes for every 
  character in a given situation to use up all their actions.
  Moderator - The person who describes the action within the 
  game instead of playing the game him/herself.
  Player Characters (PCs) - The imaginary people whose roles 
  are acted and described by the people playing the game. Those 
  acted by the Moderator are Non-Player Characters (NPCs)
  Role-playing games (RPGs) - Game in which players take on 
  the roles of imaginary people, reacting to events described by a 
  Moderator. You can’t win or lose - you can only have fun.
  Specials - Skills, Traits and Powers characters possesses that set 
  them apart from normal people; the heart of POW!
  Statistics (Stats) - Numbers that describe what a PC is capable 
  of doing. Players add Role-Playing; the Stats make it a Game.
  Stat Pools - Multiply your Stat score by itself to get its Stat 
  Pool, which represents damage that Stat can take over time.
  Glossary
  
  POW!
  - 3 -
  The Moderator
  To keep things on track and help manage the game, POW! 
  sessions usually have one person appointed by consensus to 
  act as a Moderator. The Moderator is called different names 
  in different POW! Worldbooks (and rather different names by 
  the players, under their breath), but the role is the same. Many 
  of the notes in this book pertain only to Moderators, but even 
  if you’re only going to be a player all the time, you can read it 
  all. It will help you understand the game a bit more.
        The Moderator is nominally in charge of the game, and 
  acts as the primary storyteller. He or she helps the other players 
  keep track of the rules, and resolve any disputes which might 
  arise. Most importantly, the Moderator’s job is to make sure 
  everyone enjoys the game and to keep things moving. This role 
  can often be difficult, so she gets first choice of snacks.
        Choosing a Moderator is important to having a good 
  gaming experience. The Moderator is usually the person who 
  knows the most about the rules and has the most experience 
  playing the game, but someone who’s a great player might be 
  a bad Moderator if they’re not good at thinking on their feet, 
  or are uncomfortable being in charge. 
        As the Moderator usually does not play the role of a PC, 
  but rather assumes the roles of other characters in the game 
  story, called Non-Player Characters (NPCs), he or she 
  should be comfortable at play-acting various voices, somewhat 
  organized, and able to think on-the-fly for when players ruin 
  carefully laid plans. Not everyone’s cut out for Moderating, so 
  don’t feel bad if it doesn’t work out for you. 
        If disputes arise over who is going to be the Moderator, 
  you are taking it way too seriously, so we suggest a round of 
  thumb wrestling or perhaps the old Scottish game of Caber-
  tossing (boulder hurling) to settle the dispute*.  Alternately, 
  just give the role to whoever happens to be the oldest. They’ll 
  be honored that you’re acknowledging the greater wisdom that 
  comes with age. Or something like that.
        After you pick a Moderator, everyone else should create 
  characters and get ready to play, at which time the Moderator 
  should claim a copy of the rules and jot down all the names and 
  Stats once players have finished making their characters. And 
  then it’s Game On!
  Getting Started
  *æthereal FORGE assumes no liability for any damage, injuries, death, arrests, or kilt jokes which may result from such activities.
  Special Note - What’s Missing?
  Experienced role-players will no doubt quickly notice that 
  several things are missing from the POW! system; things that 
  are present in most other Role-Playing Games. These include 
  items such as Race, Class, Skills, Proficiencies, Saving Throws, 
  Hit Points, Magic Spells and the like. 
     These omissions fall into two categories. First are things that 
  are specific to a particular world setting, and do not apply to 
  all game worlds. Magic Spells and Race fall into this category. 
  Such things will be dealt with in specific Worldbooks on a case 
  by case basis. While one world might have Elves and Magic, 
  another might not. 
     Also falling into this category are such things as the way 
  gravity and time work; since POW! games can take place in 
  a wide assortment of worlds and universes, we feel it would 
  be naive to assume that the physics of all those places work in 
  identical ways. Hence, they are dealt with in Worldbooks.
     The second category includes items that are simply not part 
  of the POW! system. The reason for their omission here is 
  simplicity. While the general evolution of Role-Playing Games 
  has been towards more complex and realistic rulesets, with an 
  emphasis on skills and numerous classes, we feel that adding 
  such elements to the POW! engine would have created a more 
  unwieldy game system. There are enough of those out there.
  The search for the right Moderator for your group may be grueling,
  but it’s worth it. A good Moderator makes a world of difference.
  
  POW!
  - 4 -
  H
  aving a POW! character sheet or a piece of paper in 
  hand, each player should create a character, a process 
  which should only take a few minutes. Each Worldbook 
  has more info about making characters, so be sure to review it 
  first, but in general the same five-step process applies:
  Step 1 - Pick a Name and Basic Concept 
  Give your character an appropriate Name. If you’re playing 
  a game about teen heroes, Spy Girl or Electro Boy might be 
  appropriate; the same would not be true in a desert wasteland. 
        Your Basic Concept is a brief (10-15 word) statement 
  about your character, such as “A barbarian warlord who is 
  quick to fight” to “A high school student in search of the 
  world’s best pizza.” This concept will help the Moderator 
  decide what your character is able to do, so be specific.
        When you have time, you can further describe your 
  character (eyes, hair color, etc.) or draw a sketch using the 
  space provided. Go wild!
  Step 2 - Pick Statistics (6 stats, 0 to 5 points each)
  Depending on the Worldbook you’re using, you will get 
  between 10 and 20 Character Points to divy up among your 
  character’s six Statistics. These are a set of numbers that help 
  to define what your character can do. The six Statistics, which 
  are organized in alphabetical order, A through F, are:
         
  Agility - Quickness, speed, dexterity.
         
  Brawn - Strength, mass, physical power.
         
  Cognition - Mental strength, IQ, wisdom.
         
  Damage - Constitution, health, toughness.
         
  Energy - Endurance, mental power, willpower.
         
  Fellowship -  Charm, leadership, sex appeal.
        You can spend as many as 5 and as few as 0 points per 
  Stat, but  it’s usually a good idea to put at least 1 in each. Any 
  remaining points can be used to buy Specials (Skills, Traits and 
  Super Powers) in Step 4, so you will probably want to save a 
  few, unless you’re intentionally creating someone “normal.”
        If for some reason you wish to randomly generate scores, 
  roll 1d6, treating a roll of “6” as a “0.”
        
       Here’s an idea of what scores mean:
         
  0 - Inept - Can’t tie your shoes, can’t read, have no  
         
       real close friends, etc.
         
  1 - Average - Just like everyone else in your world.
         
  2 - Above Average - Smarter/faster/superior than 
         
       most people in your character’s world.
         
  3 - Great - Enough to get on the varsity team, or 
         
       your name in the newspaper headlines.
         
  4 - Ultra - Heroic, borderline superhuman. People 
         
       talk about you around the water cooler.
         
  5 - Super - Your character may get his or her own 
                  comic book one day.
  Creating a Character
  Optional Rule - The Price of Greatness
  As spending time on one thing limits the amount of time you 
  can spend on another, having a “Super” ranking in one Stat can 
  limit you. If a Stat is raised to 5 (during creation or afterwards), 
  you acquire a “‘greatness flaw” relevant to that Stat. This is also 
  true if you raise a Stat during gameplay; if it would conflict, you 
  must lower the other Stat before you can raise the new one.
     Agility - Being so incredibly agile means you have to 
  sacrifice a lot of body mass, and a significant amount of muscle 
  tone as well. Brawn limited to a maximum of 4.
     Brawn - You spend more time in the gym, lifting weights and 
  exercising, than you do in the library, learning stuff. Cognition 
  is limited to a maximum of 4.
     
     Cognition - You spend more time reading, investigating and 
  studying than you do paying attention to your health. Damage 
  is limited to a maximum of 4.
     Damage - All that thick skin and extra flab might make you 
  harder to hurt, but it also means you fatigue easier than others. 
  Energy limited to a maximum of 4.
     Energy - Your razor-sharp, monklike focus on internal 
  Ki energy means you don’t have to make a lot of friends. 
  Fellowship limited to a maximum of 4. 
     Fellowship - You spend a lot of time sitting down for drinks 
  to chat with others, which has given you all sorts of joint 
  problems. Agility limited to a maximum of 4.
  Creating a character is about being someone you can’t be in real life.
  
  POW!
  - 5 -
  Step 3 - Calculate Statistic Pools (Stat x itself)
  Now that you’ve finished picking your Statistics, you need to 
  figure out your Statistic Pools. These are used to keep track 
  of things your character has which can be depleted, such as 
  energy or health.There is one Pool for each of your Stats - 
  Agility has an Agility Pool, Brawn has a Brawn Pool, etc.
        Each pool is equal to the appropriate Stat score multiplied 
  by itself. Thus, a Stat of 1 gives a 
  Point Pool of 1 (1x1 is 1); a score 
  of 2 means a pool of 4, and so on.  If 
  applicable, a Stat of 0 means a pool of 0. 
   
  You can record this 
  however you want: on 
  the POW! Character 
  sheet, these show as 
  a series of bubbles, 
  and you fill 
  in those that 
  don’t apply, starting from the right, 
  leaving the valid ones empty. But 
  you can also record these as a series of 
  numbers on scratch paper, crossing them 
  out and making tick marks, or whatever 
  works best for you.
  Step 4 - Pick Specials 
  In each POW! Worldbook, there are a 
  list of Specials, grouped by Statistic. 
  These are actions, powers and abilities 
  unique to that setting which give your 
  character an advantage over ordinary 
  people. Without any Specials, there’s not 
  much that’s Special about your character, 
  so you’ll certainly want to take a few. 
        Here’s an example:
  Ambidexterity (Agility-based Special)
  Minimum Score: 3 
  Purchase Cost: 2 
  Pool Cost: 0 
  Action Cost: 0 (always in effect)
  Effect: The character can wield two one-handed weapons 
  at the same time, one in each hand. If the weapons are 
  identical (two pistols, two swords), there is no additional 
  action cost - one action is spent for both attacks (although 
  two rolls must be made). If the weapons are different (a 
  gun and a knife, a knife and a pickle), then a separate 
  action must be spent for the second attack, both actions 
  taking place simultaneously without an increase in 
  difficulty. Both actions affect the same target.
  Upgrade Cost: 1 
  Upgrade Effect: The character can attack two separate 
  targets in range, simultaneously, spending one action, 
  even if the two weapons are different.
        Each Special has a Statistic and a minimum score 
  associated with it. You can only take that Special if your 
  matching Stat meets or exceeds that minimum.  For example, 
  if your character had a 5 rating in Brawn, she could pick from 
  any of the Brawn Specials. However, if she only had a 3 in 
  Brawn, and there was a Special that required a Brawn of 4, 
  she’d  be ineligible. Most Specials require scores of at least 
  2 or higher, so keep that in mind when creating a 
  character.
   
  You can select as many Specials as 
  you like, provided you have enough 
  points after picking Stats. Each 
  has a point cost, with better ones 
  costing more points than others. 
  Some might have “Upgrades,” which allow 
  you to boost that Special’s capabilites.
   
  Specials might have some other 
  requirements; some may require your 
  character to have a piece of equipment 
  (which you will need to buy in Step 5), 
  and some might require other Specials 
  as prerequisites. The description of 
  each will explain what is required.
  Step 5 - Buy Your Character Stuff 
    Inside each POW! Worldbook 
  you’ll find a list of equipment that 
  your character can buy. This is the 
  equipment your character starts out with 
  at the beginning of the game, and the list 
  will be different for each Worldbook, 
  as will the type and amount of money 
  your character starts out with.
  Optional Rule - Size Category
  In general, you’ll be playing someone or something that’s 
  about as large as an average human, so your Size Category 
  will almost always be a 0. This will make things like combat a 
  breeze, since your “0” won’t be modifying anything from the 
  default Difficulty (explained later). However, if you choose 
  (and the Moderator allows), you can be smaller or larger: 
  Description    Height/Length              Examples                Category
  Microscopic          < 1 inch           ant, mosquito, wasp                  -5
      Miniscule             1-6"              hummingbird, mouse                 -4
              Tiny             6-12"             rat, bird, kitten, pixie                 -3
   Extra-Small          1-2 feet           small dog, cat, rabbit                 -2
             Small             2-4'           average dog, child, dwarf             -1
        Average              4-8'              large dog, elf, human                  0
             Large            8-12'              horse, half-ogre, orc                   1
   Extra-Large           12-16'             ogre, minotaur, troll                   2
             Huge           16-20'            elephant, rhinocerous                  3
         Massive           20-24'                  cyclops, giant                        4
   Gargantuan            > 24'               mecha, giant robot                    5
  Creating a Character
  Stat Pool Chart
   Statistic        Pool
         1                 1
         2                 4
         3                 9
         4                16
         5                25
  
  POW!
  - 6 -
  Time and Activity
  E
  very POW! session, regardless of the particular setting, 
  is run as if the action were taking place in a comic book, 
  in panels or Frames. This is not to say that everyone 
  speaks in word balloons and strikes funny poses (unless you’re 
  playing Power Grrrl, that is). Rather, what’s important is the 
  concept of how time works, frame by frame.
        Think, for a moment, of how a comic book is laid out. Each 
  page is filled with a series of frames, each frame containing a 
  chunk of time devoted to a particular action. During character 
  development arcs, a single full-page frame can represent hours 
  or days of time, while in the middle of a full-blown brawl, each 
  frame can represent a single exchange of blows. POW! divides 
  time up into frames in just this way. 
  Non-Combat Situations
  When in a non-combat situation, a frame is as long as it needs 
  to be, so long as everyone gets a chance to participate in the 
  action taking place (i.e., they’re “in frame”). Outside of combat, 
  an action can even be a complex series of smaller actions. For 
  example, acting in a Broadway play could be a single action 
  although it consists of many Acts, scenes and lines. However, 
  if you wanted to actually role-play your character role-playing 
  a role in that play, you could split it up into multiple actions.
        For the most part, players can feel free to have their 
  characters perform any uncontested actions that are appropriate 
  at that time and help to move the plot, and the Moderator should 
  give players a certain amount of leeway in determining exactly 
  what’s appropriate, using each character’s Basic Concept as a 
  guide (see page 8). Everyone should get a turn.
   Combat Situations
  When entering a challenging or combat situation, time is 
  compressed. Each frame now represents all the actions that 
  can be performed by each person involved. Once those actions 
  are used up, the frame ends. Two Stats are used in determining 
  what you can do within a frame - Agility and Energy. 
        A character’s Agility Stat, plus 2d6, determines his or 
  her Initiative, which is the order in which those involved can 
  perform their actions within the frame. Each participant in an 
  activity rolls 2d6 and adds their character’s Agility Stat (with 
  ties being broken by additional rolls, as necessary). Order then 
  proceeds from highest to lowest, with each participant using 
  one or more of their actions as they see fit. 
        A character’s Energy Stat determines the Number of 
  Actions he or she can take in each frame: with an Energy of 2, 
  a character can take 2 actions. If for some reason a character 
  has an Energy of 0, he still gets a single action, but it always 
  comes at the end of the Frame, after everyone else has gone.
        Your character can burn actions as fast as you want him 
  to (for example, if he had an Energy of 5 you could use all 5 
  actions at once, when his turn came up), or you could opt to 
  use actions selectively as responses to other actions later in the 
  frame. You may even opt to hold all your character’s actions 
  until later in the frame if you prefer, using them whenever you 
  see fit to do so. 
        However, you may not carry actions from one frame to 
  another. If you opt to skip one of your character’s actions, it is 
  lost when the frame ends.
  Sample Frame of Combat
  Adam, Bob and Chuck meet in an alley. Chuck pulls out a knife 
  and declares his intention to attack the other two. Each player rolls 
  2d6 and adds their Agility. Chuck is first, Bob second, Adam last:
      Adam: Agility 2, Energy 2, roll 7, total Initiative 9
      Bob: A3, E3, roll 10, total Initiative 13
      Chuck: A5, E3 roll 11, total Initiative 16
  Chuck’s Turn: Chuck has an Energy of 3, so he
  gets 3 actions in the frame. He spends two
  to attack Adam and Bob once each. Adam, 
  with an Energy of 2, gets 2 actions in the 
  frame, and he spends one to dodge Chuck’ s 
  attack on him. Bob has an Energy of 3, and 
  he also spends his first action dodging
  Chuck’s attack. Chuck opts to hold his 
  last action, so it’s Bob’s turn.
  Bob’s Turn: Bob spends his second action 
  attacking Chuck, who spends his final 
  action dodging. Bob attacks again with 
  his third action, and Chuck (who is 
  out of actions) can do nothing. Bob 
  lands a blow and ends his turn.
  Adam’s Turn: After Bob’s done, Adam has one action yet to 
  spend. He rushes in to throw a kick at Chuck, and since Chuck is 
  still out of actions (having spent two of them attacking right away), 
  he is again unable to defend against Adam’s attack.
  
  POW!
  - 7 -
  Time and Activity
  So What Can I Do?
  In stress situations or combat, actions have 
  limitations. For any Single Action, a participant 
  can do one of the following (or an equivalent):
        • Attack (melee) any opponent that’s in range 
          (range = your character’s height).
        • Attack (ranged) an opponent within range (varies).
        • Actively Defend against one attack.
        • Change a weapon or other object in hand with another.
        • Use an object (drink a potion, throw a grenade, etc.).
        • Move up to twice your character’s height (rounded up).
        • Use a Special, unless the Special says otherwise.
         Full Frame activities begin when the character enters the 
  Frame, and end when the Frame ends. Examples include:
  • Reloading most weapons, as it takes a 
  Full Frame to eject a clip, put a new one 
  in, and ready the weapon.
  • Move at top speed up to ten times your 
  character’s height (rounded up).
  • Complex series of actions which must 
  be done in sequence to achieve a goal. 
  For example, “I unlock the car, open 
  the door, get inside, start the engine, 
  put it in Drive and pull away.”
  To perform a Full Frame activity, a character 
  must spend all their actions for that frame. 
  Once they’ve spent an action singly in the 
  Frame, they can no longer do Full Frame 
  activities. there’s just not enough time.
  Parry, Riposte, & Dodge
  Actions can always be spent to react to other actions (such as 
  dodging), even if a character’s turn (based on Initiative) has 
  not come up; they can’t initiate, but they can react if they have 
  actions to spend. If a character is out of actions, it doesn’t mean 
  she’s just standing there taking punches, but it does mean that 
  she’s not able to reply effectively. Try to save a few actions.
  Using Specials
  To use a Special, a character must have enough 
  Pool points, Stat points and Actions. The character 
  spends any costs associated with the Special (listed in 
  the Special’s description) and then makes a Difficulty 
  Check (see next page) as with any action. Whether the 
  check succeeds or fails, the points spent are gone.
   The Moderator may decide at times that a Difficulty 
  check is not necessary. For example, if the characters 
  are all going to fly off 
  to the villains’ lair, they 
  may not need to make 
  checks to fly there; it could be 
  assumed that if they have the 
  Specials, they know what they’re 
  doing. When they get there and 
  start dueling, it’s another story.
  Why Can’t I Do That?
  In most cases where a character’s actions 
  are contested, a Difficulty check 
  can be applied to determine the 
  outcome of the situation. If it 
  seems impossible, the Difficulty can reflect 
  that (see next page). However, when it comes 
  down to a decision as to what’s possible in 
  a certain situation, the Moderator’s decision 
  should always be final. If the Moderator 
  says that a character can’t cast a magic 
  spell because he just took a big bite 
  of tunafish sandwich, the player in 
  question must abide by the ruling.
        If things get heated and a 
  player insists on disputing a call, 
  try one of these:
        • Have the players vote. If they agree that a player is right, 
  let ‘em have one.
        • Compromise. “I’ll let you do X but you can’t do Y later 
  on, OK?”
        • If possible, save the dispute for after the game. Clearer 
  heads often prevail when character lives aren’t on the line. 
  Optional Rule - Party Fouls & The Die O’ Fate
  A Party Foul is an action that is unfun and counter to the gaming 
  experience, like spilling beverages, going to the bathroom when 
  it’s your turn and making everyone else wait, spending too much 
  time rules lawyering or arguing a Moderator call, etc. Common 
  sense must be applied – no one should be penalized for having 
  to go home, getting sick, or other such unfortunate things.
     When a player calls a Party Foul on another, the players must 
  come to a consensus on whether the foul was indeed committed. 
  If yes, the person who committed it is a Fouler. If not, then the 
  one who called it is the Fouler.  If no consensus can be reached, 
  you are taking things too seriously and need to stop it.
      Party Foulers are dealt with by rolling the Die O’ Fate. The 
  roll must come to rest on a hard surface (often the table, although 
  the floor will also suffice if the roller gets a bit overzealous.) 
     The fate of the Fouler is as the Die O’ Fate dictates:
       
  1 - Stand in the corner for d6x10 seconds.
       
  2 - Bow on the floor and beg forgiveness.
       
  3 - Drop and give me 2d6 pushups, soldier!
       
  4 - Apologize in pig-latin.
       
  5 - Take a 1d6 penalty on your next roll.
       
  6 - Off the hook. The Fouler goes unpunished.
      Remember, this is supposed to be fun, not vengeful or 
  humiliating. If your group isn’t into it, don’t press the issue.
  Height vs. Length
  Where “height” appears, 
  substitute “length” if it 
  is appropriate (e.g., dog, 
  pony, etc.). If both apply 
  (e.g., centaur), use the 
  longer axis.
  
  POW!
  - 8 -
  M
  ost attempts to do anything in the POW! system rely 
  on one of your six Statistics, compared to a Difficulty 
  Number. If the Stat is higher than the Difficulty, the 
  attempt automatically succeeds; no roll is necessary. 
        In most cases, however, a character’s Stat will be lower 
  than the Difficulty, in which case that player will roll two 6-
  sided dice (2d6) and add it to his character’s Stat, giving a 
  typical result falling somewhere between 2 and 17 (Attribute 
  range = 0 to 5, 2d6 range = 2-12). If the total result is equal to 
  or greater than the Difficulty of the action, the check succeeds. 
  If lower, the check fails, as does the attempt.
        Difficulty is determined in one of several ways, depending 
  on the activity. It can be predetermined (as in the case of some 
  Worldbook adventures),  derived from an opponent’s Stats, or 
  determined by the Moderator on a case by case basis. This 
  will always be subjective, but clever Moderators will learn to 
  keep track of the insane things that players try to do, and the 
  Difficulty ratings applied in those situations.
        In general, a Difficulty will fall within a range of 0 to 20:
        0 - Infantile - A baby could do it, blindfolded.
        5 - Easy - Failure is possible, but it’s unlikely.
        10 - Average - Just about anyone can do it, given time.
        15 - Hard - The action is actually quite difficult.
        20 - Impossible - Luck/cooperation is needed.
        Note that “Average” does not imply 50/50 odds on a single 
  attempt, but merely that an average person could eventually 
  accomplish the task under normal (non-stressful) conditions.
  “Skill Checks”
  POW! is skillless, assuming that a character knows the basic 
  skills they need to survive, as defined by their Basic Concept. 
  Adults in a modern setting can drive and do taxes, but adults 
  in a medieval setting might instead know heraldry or farming. 
  A cheerleader would know how to cheer, tumble and flip, but 
  might have a hard time with math homework or heavy combat. 
  A barbarian would be highly skilled in combat, but would 
  probably be bad at cheering (as well as math homework).
        Actions that fit a Basic Concept are Difficulty 5.  If the 
  action doesn’t fit (i.e., a cheerleader disarming a bomb, or a 
  barbarian writing a poem), add 5, 10 or more, as appropriate.
  Difficulty Modifiers
  To the basic Difficulty rating of 0 to 20, various OPTIONAL 
  modifiers can be applied, as the situation warrants and the 
  Moderator sees fit. These might include the following:
  Cooperation - For each additional ally who assists in a given 
  task (breaking a code, bandaging a friend, fighting a foe), the 
  Difficulty decreases by 1 (maximum of 5).
  Bad Weather - Fighting in the rain, building a fire in a swamp, 
  or driving a car over ice increases Difficulty by 5. Trying to 
  read in a storm, or find water in the desert, increase it by 10.
  Darkness & Light - Low light increases Difficulty by 5, and 
  total darkness increases it by 10. Operating where there is too 
  much light can result in increases of 5 or 10, as appropriate.
  Distractions - Someone chattering while you’re picking a lock 
  or defusing a bomb might increase Difficulty by 5. Loud music 
  or a jackhammer might increase it by 10 or more.
  Prone - Anyone knocked prone during battle (from tripping, 
  etc.) adds 5 to their attack Difficulty, and their foes take a -5 
  Difficulty modifer to hit them in return. It takes 1 action to 
  stand up from a prone position during combat.
  Simultaneous Actions - Typically, actions are sequential. But 
  should a character explicitly try to do two things at once (i.e., 
  run and shoot), the Difficulty for each action increases by 5.
  Size Modifer - Hitting big things is easier than hitting small 
  things. A human (0) vs. an ogre (+1) reduces Difficulty by 1; 
  an ogre (+1) vs. a dog (-1) increases it by 2. (see page 5)
  Surprise - Surprise gives an advantage of 5 to the individual 
  who is not surprised, reducing their Difficulty from 10 to 5 for 
  the initial action in that frame (see next page).
  Difficulty Checks
  Stats Make The Difference (or, Why 2d6?)
  Two guys attempt to do a cartwheel – average Difficulty (10). 
  The janitor, with an average Agility of 1, needs a 9 or better 
  on a 2d6 roll, possible about 28% of the time. The Olympic 
  gymnast with a 5 Agility needs a 5 or more (83% chance). 
  Given a few tries, anyone can do it, but in a stressful gymnastics 
  competition the gymnast will beat the janitor easily.
  John wants Roland the Mighty to leap from the sarcophagus, twist in the air, 
  kick the zombie in the chest and then swing his bastard sword at its head. 
  John’s  generous Moderator assigns this move a Difficulty of 15.
  
  POW!
  - 9 -
  Combat Basics
  Shrike rolls a critical. Now he just needs to roll a few dozen more to survive.
  N
  o matter how hard you try, sooner or later diplomacy 
  is going to fail, and your character is going to face a 
  fight-or-flight situation. It’s quite possible to simply 
  run away all the time, but that would probably get pretty dull. 
  A much better option is learning how to fight back.
        Combat is handled in the same way as other Difficulty 
  Checks. When making combat checks (attack, defend, etc.), 
  the Statistic used is Agility, added to 2d6, which is compared 
  to the Difficulty. If none of the modifiers on the previous page 
  apply, the default Difficulty for combat is your foe’s Agility 
  plus 10. However, this can vary from situation to situation.
        If an opponent is surprised or otherwise unaware of an 
  attack, or the attacker is exceptionally sneaky, the attacker’s 
  Difficulty is Agility plus 5 (Easy). If an opponent is actively 
  dodging (which requires they spend an action, and declare that 
  they are doing so as their opponent decides to attack them), 
  then the Difficulty becomes Agility plus 15 (Hard). This might 
  also be the case if the characters are fighting someone who has 
  a tactical advantage, such as a giant ape in a jungle setting.
        Note: those with average combat skills who choose to 
  simply flail away at their target, Frame after Frame, will miss 
  quite a lot, especially when their foe does not wish to be hit. 
  Cooperation, strategy and the use of Specials will make the 
  difference between victory and defeat. The POW! system is 
  designed that way on purpose.
  Ranged Combat
  In the Worldbooks you’ll find base attack ranges (Difficulty 
  10) for missile weapons; firing weapons at twice that range 
  adds +5 to the Difficulty, at triple range adds +10, and so on 
  until the shot becomes impossible. Firing at point blank range 
  (0 feet, not merely melee) subtracts 5.
  Causing Damage
  Damage done by a successful unarmed attack is equal to the 
  attacker’s Brawn Stat - a Brawn of 3 thus does 3 damage. 
        Damage done by a melee weapon is equal to the weapon’s 
  damage value plus the character’s Brawn. So a club that does 
  2 damage plus a Brawn of 3 would cause 5 damage. 
        Damage done by most ranged weapons 
  uses only the weapon’s value, but weapons 
  that can be used in both melee and ranged 
  combat (i.e., knives, axes, etc.) do 
  add in Brawn. 
        In all cases, weapon damage 
  values and Brawn allowances 
  are listed in each of the 
  POW! Worldbooks. 
  Optional Rules - Doubles, Triples and Criticals
  The addition of special circumstances based on certain die 
  results is an obvious and often fun addition to a game. Any or 
  all of the following can be used as the Moderator sees fit:
         Doubles Rule: If a player rolls doubles, he can roll again 
  and add the result to his total. This can be repeated as many 
  times as the player keeps rolling doubles, offering an additional 
  shot at success if the initial roll was a failure. Thus, if you roll 
  snake eyes (two 1’s), you roll again. If you get a 7, you add 7 
  and 2 and get 9, which is then added to the relevant Stat and 
  compared to the Difficulty. (Odds are 1 in 6, or about 17%)
         Triples Rule: Since two dice are being added to a Stat 
  which ranges from 0 to 5, it is possible that the Stat will match 
  the two numbers on the dice (e.g., You roll two 4’s, and the 
  relevant Stat is also a 4). In this case, a “natural triple” gives an 
  automatic success, no matter what the Difficulty is. This allows 
  characters with a Stat of 1 to “luck out” and do amazing things 
  by rolling Snake Eyes. (Odds 1 in 36, or roughly 3%)
         Criticals Rule: If a player’s total (natural initial roll plus 
  Stat) exactly matches the Difficulty, the action has double 
  effects (double damage in combat, etc.) This option is best 
  saved for high-drama, high-powered games where characters 
  are more capable of heroic feats. (Odds vary)
  Optional Rule - Combat Tactics and Leadership
  Agility, Brawn, Damage and Energy all play an important role 
  in combat... but what about Cognition and Fellowship? Indeed, 
  they can, and if you choose to use them, here’s how to do so:
      Fellowship is, in part, your ability to inspire and lead others, 
  and can be used to determine “Combat Leadership.”  For every 
  Full Frame in which a character does nothing but explicitly 
  offer tactical advice to another, their Fellowship Stat is added 
  to that other person’s roll for any combat-related action. 
     The Moderator may allow players to use Cognition in a 
  similar way. For every Full Frame in which they do nothing but 
  EXPLICITLY STATE that they are sizing up the situation, and 
  thinking about “Combat Tactics,” they can add their Cognition 
  to the first Difficulty check they make in the next frame.
      More on Full Frame activities can be found on page 7.
  
  POW!
  - 10 -
  Taking Damage
  Y
  our Damage Pool is a numerical representation of 
  the amount of damage your character can take before 
  suffering serious injury. For every point taken during an 
  attack, you cross out one point from your character’s Pool (or fill 
  in a bubble, or make a check, etc.). Taking damage in this way 
  causes no real effect. A character might be getting small cuts or 
  bruises, or suffering fatigue, but he’s well enough to function.
         When the Damage Pool is depleted, any additional damage 
  taken affects the Damage Stat directly. Thus, with a Damage Stat 
  of 4, his Damage Pool is 16, one can take 16 points of damage 
  with no effects, followed by 4 points to the Damage Stat.
         With a reduced Damage Stat, a character is still capable of 
  functioning, but she can no longer use any Specials that have a 
  higher minimum Stat (see next page). At 0, the character remains 
  alive, able to function and move, but in danger of death. 
  Stat Saves
         If a blow lands that would reduce your character’s Damage 
  Stat below 0, you must roll his current Damage score or less on 
  a d6. If you succeed, the character’s Damage is 0. If you fail, the 
  character’s Damage falls below 0, as indicated by the damge.
         If a character’s Damage Stat is reduced to less than 0, he is 
  rendered unconscious and dying, or dead, as circumstances and 
  the Worldbook dictate; in Red Mist, death is frequent, but in 
  Power Grrrl, it might be impossible to die.
  How Armor Works
  Wearing armor can help prevent some of the incoming damage 
  from reaching the vital portions of your character’s  anatomy, 
  and so one of the key pieces of equipment she’ll probably 
  want to invest in is some sort of armor. Since armor varies 
  from setting to setting, it’s not discussed much here; instead, 
  each POW! Worldbook will have a section devoted to armor 
  appropriate for that setting. Here’s what it looks like:
  Spiked Padded Armor
  Frame Rating: 3 
  Damage Rating: 20 
  Cost: 3 Gold Shils 
  Description: Cheap padded armor with some spikes 
       at the shoulders and wrists. Quite uncomfortable.
        All armor has two values: a Frame Rating, and an overall 
  Damage Rating. The Frame Rating is the maximum amount 
  that the armor can absorb within a single Frame of combat; 
  any damage received above this number is taken by the victim. 
  Damage Rating represents the armor’s overall total damage 
  capacity; once this number is exceeded, the armor becomes 
  totally worthless and can no longer absorb any damage 
  whatsoever until it is repaired (assuming that’s possible).
  Sample Frame - Armor and Damage Demo
  Dave and Ed, not particularly skilled warriors, nevertheless get 
  into a scuffle. Both of them have a Brawn of 1 and a Damage 
  of 2, giving them each a Damage Pool of 4. Both are also 
  wielding clubs that do 4+Brawn damage.
   Dave wins Initiative and swings his club at Ed. His action is 
  a success, and he hits, doing 5 points of damage. Since Ed is 
  not wearing any armor, he takes the full 5 points. Ed depletes 
  his entire Pool of 4, and subtracts the remainder of 1 from his 
  Damage Stat, leaving 1. Ouch.
   Ed now strikes at Dave, using the same sort of club. He hits, 
  doing 5 points of damage. Dave is wearing Spiked Padded 
  Armor with a Frame Rating of 3, however, so he subtracts 3 
  from 5 and takes 2 points from the attack, leaving 2 points in 
  his Damage Pool. He also subtracts 3 points from the Damage 
  Rating of the armor, leaving 17.
   But Ed has another action, and he again hits Dave, doing 
  another 5 points of damage. Since this is the same Frame, Ed’s 
  armor can’t absorb any more, so he takes the full 5 points. 
  His armor is unharmed. Unfortunately for Dave, he only has 
  2 points left in his Damage Pool. The blow depletes his Pool, 
  sending 3 points through to his Damage Stat.
   Since his Damage is only 2, normally this blow would kill 
  Dave (or at least knock him unconscious), but Dave gets one 
  last chance to stay alive. He rolls a 1d6 and compares the result 
  of 1 to his Damage Stat. Since he rolled his Stat or lower, he 
  survives, but barely. His Damage is reduced to exactly 0. If he 
  had failed the roll, he would be at -1 Damage, and dying.
  Corin the Brave politely helps Akbar the Cursed test his armor.
  
  POW!
  - 11 -
  Stat Reduction
  W
  hile most attacks cause reduction to Damage, some 
  attacks and circumstances result in reductions of 
  a similar nature to other Stats. As with Damage, 
  reduction is first drawn from the appropriate Stat Pool. When 
  the Pool is depleted, further reductions are taken from the Stat 
  itself. So with a Brawn of 2, and a Brawn Pool of 4, a character 
  can take 4 points to her Brawn Pool, then a further 2 points 
  directly to her Brawn Stat.
        As with Damage, any situation that would reduce a Stat 
  below 0 allows a 1d6 roll; if the result is less than or equal 
  to the Stat, the Stat is at 0. If the result is higher, the Stat is 
  reduced below 0, and that Stat cannot be used for anything 
  (combat, other actions, Specials, etc.). 
        For example, if Brawn is reduced to 0, a character can 
  still attack, lift light objects, carry things, and so on. However, 
  if her Brawn is reduced below 0, she cannot do anything that 
  requires Brawn, such as causing damage, lifting objects, etc. 
  Specials and Stat Recovery
        Most Specials require minimum Stat scores, and if a Stat is 
  reduced below that number, a character cannot use that Special 
  until he recovers those lost points. This effect is immediate; 
  if points are lost, any actions after that point, even within the 
  same frame, are subject to this limitation.
        Stat points (including Damage) are regenerated at a rate 
  of one point per day of rest (meaning no action can be taken 
  during that day). This includes “negative” points, so a Brawn 
  Stat that was reduced from a score of 3 to -2 would require 5 
  days of rest (from -2 to -1, -1 to 0, 0 to 1, 1 to 2, and 2 to 3). 
        Pools (including Damage) refill at a rate of one point per 
  frame of rest (no actions may be taken that frame). However, 
  a Pool can only refill in relation to the current Stat score, so if 
  an Energy of 5 was reduced to 4, that pool could only refill to 
  16 (4x4). Only after a day’s rest, when Energy returned to 5, 
  could the Stat pool refill back up to a total of 25 (5x5).
  Optional Rule - Scars and Wounds
  When a Stat is reduced below 0, permanent effects may set in 
  even after the Stat has been returned to normal. This should 
  have role-playing consequences, but typically shouldn’t 
  penalize Stats or Specials in any mechanical, numerical way 
  (Moderator discretion). They can include:
      Agility - The character develops a limp, muscle twitch  
           or other noticeable affliction.
      Brawn - The character is in constant pain from a serious 
           muscle pull or dislocation.
      Cognition - The character suffers a nasty head wound,  
       
  concussion or chronic headaches.
      Damage - The character suffers from ugly, permanent,  
       
  noticeable scars or open wounds.
      Energy - The character suffers from depression, fatigue,  
           insomnia or a like condition that causes tiredness.
      Fellowship - The character suffers a scar, or develops 
           a lisp or other speech impediment.
  Thai Chicken Wraps
  RUB - In a small dish, mix equal parts salt & sugar, as much 
  pepper as you like and about that same volume of crushed 
  garlic. A few drops of sesame oil is a nice touch, but don’t add 
  too much! A little goes a long way.
  CHICKEN - Take two boneless, skinless breasts of chicken. 
  Pat them dry with paper towels, then rub them with the above 
  garlic mix. Broil until cooked through - don’t overcook! When 
  it’s done, let it rest for a few minutes, then slice it into strips.
  RICE - Boil some water and prepare a cup of Minute Rice.  
  When it’s done, drain it and set it aside. Couscous also works.  
  CARROTS - While the chicken is cooking, peel two whole 
  carrots and a medium-smallish lump of ginger. Grate them both 
  and sauté them together in a small amount of olive oil. If you 
  like, add a few drops of sesame oil at the end.
  PEANUT SAUCE - You can use bottled Peanut Sauce 
  (available in the Asian Foods section of your supermarket), or 
  mix equal parts chunky peanut butter and rice wine vinegar until 
  smooth. Add sugar to taste and stir until mixed thoroughly. It 
  should be smooth, but not runny.
  PREPARATION - Take a flour tortilla (one per person, 
  naturally) and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Place a 
  spoonful of rice on the center of the tortilla, then a bit of carrot 
  and some chicken. Add peanut sauce to taste, and a few fresh 
  mint leaves. Roll and enjoy. Serves four.
  Jj’bar the Scout is about to have his Damage Stat reduced.
  
  POW!
  - 12 -
  Experience and Improvement
  C
  haracters can, of course, earn experience based on their 
  adventures within the game world. But Players, too, 
  earn experience for participating.
  Character Experience
  All characters should get an Experience Point award at the 
  end of each game, based on how well they accomplished their 
  in-game goals. Every character should receive one point, and 
  then one or more points based on how much they contributed:
        0 - Inept - Did nothing, just along for the ride.
        1 - Average - Helped in fights, not much else.
        2 - Above Average - Helped win a few combats,  
   
         
  used Specials to aid the party quite a lot.
        3 - Great - Really saved the party’s hide more
         
  than one time, or solved a major puzzle.
        4 - Ultra - Accomplished some major task, 
         
  saved a major figure, saved the party’s life.
        5 - Super - Literally saved the world.
        Characters will gradually accrue 
  experience points over time, which 
  can then be used to improve their 
  Stats and purchase Specials between 
  (but never during) game sessions. 
  The formula used to determine Stat 
  increase costs is the same used to 
  generate Stat Pools - the cost is equal to 
  the desired Stat score, times itself. Thus, 
  a desired Stat of 3 costs 9 points.
   The cost for purchasing or upgrading 
  Specials is determined in much the same 
  way - the cost is the initial purchase 
  cost of the Special (as if bought during 
  character creation) multiplied by itself. 
   
  For example, a Special that costs 2 
  points during Creation costs 4 points to 
  buy later. It’s obviously cheaper to start 
  out with a Special than it is to purchase it 
  later on in the life of the character.
  Player Experience
  Players should get experience points based on how well they 
  role-played, and how they participated as a member of the 
  gaming group. Everyone should receive at least one point per 
  game unless they were being a total goof-off the entire time, 
  and giving out more than 5 at a time should be quite rare. 
        When in doubt, give out one point to everyone, and extra 
  points for anyone who played well, reserving larger awards for 
  truly exceptional circumstances. In determining their awards, 
  it might be helpful to use the same scale used for Characters:
        0 - Inept - Contributed nothing, was disruptive.
        1 - Average - Showed up, rolled dice, nothing special.
        2 - Above Average - Actively participated and interacted 
         
  throughout the session.
        3 - Great - Did a fantastic job of role-playing.
        4 - Ultra - Really got into character and did heroic stuff.
        5 - Super - Was a real delight to play with, and/or had  
         
  everyone laughing and/or crying.
        Player Experience may be used for 
  the same things as Character Experience, 
  but the points may be spent on ANY of 
  that player’s characters, present or 
  future. 
        These may also 
  be used to “alter fate,” 
  allowing a single reroll at 
  any time by spending one 
  point.
  Stat Increase Chart
  Desired Stat       Cost
           1                    1
           2                    4
           3                    9
           4                  16
           5                  25
  Optional Rule - Secret Ballot
  The Moderator can ask each player to secretly pick one other 
  player whom they felt was the best Role-player that session. 
  Gather up all the secret ballots and award an extra point or two 
  to the player who got the most votes. If everyone votes for him 
  or herself, nobody gets the award. And if everyone conspires to 
  help each other earn awards, you’ve got them cooperating!
  Optional Rule - Rank and Level
  Many systems keep track of a character’s power 
  increase through “levels” gained at specific 
  experience increments. Instead, the POW! system 
  encourages awarding “levels” during the course 
  of gameplay. Teen Freshmen gain “a level” by 
  passing 9th grade and becoming Sophomores, 
  and a warrior might gain “a level” by increasing 
  in rank from Sergeant to Lieutenant. 
         If this isn’t quite enough for your particular 
  gaming group, award them each a “character 
  level” when they complete a gaming session, as a 
  means of tracking how many adventures they’ve 
  managed to survive!
  
  POW!
  - 13 -
  Awards and Rewards
  B
  esides Experience points, characters can and should 
  receive other, more concrete rewards as a direct result 
  of their actions.  
        Specific examples must be determined with regard to the 
  POW! Worldbook you’re using, but provided here are some 
  generic things that can be doled out at the end of a session, or 
  at the end of any important action sequence, if you feel that the 
  characters really deserve some sort of reward, and you haven’t 
  thought of anything beforehand.
        Simply choose something appropriate to the particular 
  group of characters you’re working with. If you can’t decide, 
  you’ll notice that these are numbered from 2 to 12, to allow 
  you to roll 2d6 randomly. 
        Any or all of these “rewards” could easily have negative 
  repercussions in the long run; such is for the Moderator to 
  decide, as the situation warrants. As always, the Moderator’s 
  supreme sense of logic should take precedence over a random 
  roll. If it doesn’t make sense,  just don’t do it.
   
  2 - Transportation. The bad guys having been dispatched, 
  their horse/wagon/limousine/sailboat/spaceship is now 
  yours. The keys are under the sun visor.
   
  3 - A Mascot. A non-humanoid lifeform of some sort takes 
  a liking to the characters; could be a dog, alien, robot, 
  ghost, animated plant, etc.
   
  4 - Armor/Clothing. Maybe that villain’s breastplate 
  survived, or the Baron replaces your wet, torn clothing 
  with a new outfit.
   
  5 - Weapons. If the bad guys were using them, so can 
  you. If appropriate, these might be magical, or merely 
  high quality.
   
  6 - Jewelry. The princess rewards you with a medal, or 
  the bad guys had matching amulets, or there was a ring in 
  the gutter, etc.
   
  7 - Cold, Hard Cash. 2d6x100 units of whatever the local 
  currency is (Gold, Credits, Dollars, Euros, etc).
  8 - A Job. Having completed one particular task, another 
  job opportunity has now presented itself (possibly related, 
  possibly not).
   
  9 - A Career. A source of recurring, semi-permanent 
  employment has opened up; the legality of such is another 
  issue entirely...
   
  10 - A Follower. Impressed by your actions, someone (a 
  local, the princess you rescued, etc.) decides to join you 
  in your quest.
   
  11 - Press. Somehow, the media has noticed your exploits, 
  and before you know it the entire town/world/galaxy is 
  talking about you.
   
  12 - Keys to the City. Your group will be treated better 
  the next time they return to the city/bar/etc. They may not 
  know this until they get back, however. 
  Felonius the Unfortunately Named Rogue reaps the rewards of victory.
  
  POW!
  - 14 -
  Sample of Gameplay
  A
  mber, Bart and Charlie are playing a group of teenage 
  superheroes in the world of Power Grrrl. Amber’s 
  character is called Electrobabe, and has the power of 
  electricity; Bart’s character is Electrobabe’s pet dog Sparky, a 
  giant (human-sized) Irish Wolfhound; and Charlie is Cutter, 
  Electrobabe’s skinny next door neighbor who has a thing for 
  knives. The game is moderated by Daphne -  her comments 
  are indicated in Italic. 
  Daphne: “The ground in front of you erupts and the sidewalk 
  splits open, a small tremor knocking you off your feet. Green 
  smoke pours out of the hole.”
  Amber: “Oh no. I think I broke a nail.”
  Charlie: “Cutter pulls out a knife and says ‘Come here, let me 
  fix it for you.’”
  Bart: “Sparky growls at Cutter.”
  A: “No thanks! I’ll just make an appointment with my 
  manicurist. I pull out my cell phone.”
  D: (Rolling) “Three large, green Lizard-men crawl out of the 
  ground and stalk towards you. Only Sparky notices them, due 
  to all the thick gray smoke and your chattering.”
  B: “Woof woof woof! I try to get their attention.”
  A: “Down Sparky. I just fed you. Bad dog!”
  D: “You two notice Sparky going crazy, and look up in time to 
  see three Lizard-dudes step out of the thick smoke. They’re all 
  holding clubs and dripping with sewer slime. The smell is really 
  and truly awful. It smells like a sewery-smelling sewer.”
  A: “Ewww, gross. Sic ‘em, Sparky.”
  B: “Ok. I mean, woof. I attack the nearest lizard.”
  D: “Not so fast. First we need to determine Initiative. 
  Everyone roll 2d6 and add your Agility.” (The group rolls and 
  adds: Amber gets 7, Bart 12, Charlie 11 and Daphne 13 for the 
  Lizard-men.)
  D: “The Lizards win initiative. One attacks each of you. They 
  look pretty darn steamed that you’re ruining their nap.” (She 
  determines that since no one is surprised, the Difficulty for 
  combat actions is Agility plus 10. Since the Lizards have 
  Agility scores of 2, the characters have a Difficulty of 12, 
  while the Lizards need a 12, 13 and 15 to hit Electrobabe, 
  Sparky and Cutter, respectively.)
  D: “The first Lizard-guy swipes at Electrobabe. Are you going 
  to try and dodge? 
  A: “No, I want to save my actions for now.”
  D: “Ok, he swings and (rolls a 10 and adds the Lizard’s 
  Agility) he gets a 12. It’s a hit. His club does 2 points and he 
  has a Brawn of 3, so that’s 5 points.”
  A: “Ow! I only have 4 left in my Damage Pool. You boys 
  better do something.”
  C: “You’re the one with super powers. Fry them.”
  A: “Duh. I will, when it’s my turn.”
  D: (Rolling) “The other two fail on their actions, and they all 
  save their other actions for now. It’s Sparky’s turn.”
  B: “I growl and jump on the nearest Lizard and rip his slimy 
  throat out. (rolls a 4) I got a 4, plus Agility is 7. I hit?”
  D: “Nope. You miss by a lot.”
  B: “Grrrr. Ok, I use my second action and attack him again (He 
  rolls a 9). That’s 9, plus 3 is 12. That hit?”
  D: “Yep. What’s your Brawn?”
  B: “Woo hoo! Brawn is 5, plus my teeth do 3, so 8 damage.”
  D: “You rip into him, but he’s still alive and functioning.”
  
  POW!
  - 15 -
  C: “Not for long. I ignore the Lizard in front of me and hurl 
  one of my trusty throwing knives at the one Sparky just bit.”
  D: “He sees you looking towards him and decides to use his 
  second action to dodge whatever you’re throwing.”
  C: “We’ll see about that. (He rolls a 10) That’s 10, plus 5 is 
  15. Does that hit?”
  D: “It would have, but he dodged. The knife flies right by him.” 
  (The default difficulty is 10, plus the Lizard’s Agility of 2; by 
  spending an action to dodge, the Lizard increased difficulty to 
  15, plus 2 is 17. Hence, a miss.)
  C: “Fine by me. There’s more where that came from. I throw 
  another knife at him. (He rolls a 9). That’s 9 plus 5 is 14 to hit. 
  Dodge this, buddy. ”
  D: “He’s out of actions so he can’t dodge. You hit him.”
  C: “That’s 1 for the knife and 3 for Brawn, since my knives 
  allow me to add that, so a total of 4.”
  D: “He’s taken 8, so that’s 12 total. Let’s see...” (The Lizard’s 
  Damage Stat of 3 gives him a Pool of 9. The extra damage 
  from the knife drains the rest of the Pool, and leaves 3 spillover 
  damage, which is taken directly from his Damage Stat. This 
  puts the Lizard at exactly 0 Damage.) 
  D: “The Lizard goes down, apparently wounded and dying. 
  He’s not dead yet, but he’s not in a fighting mood any more.”
  A: “Can I go yet?”
  C: “I’m holding my other two actions for now. Go for it.”
  D: “Not so fast there. In all the confusion, the Lizard in front 
  of Electrobabe decides not to wait any longer, and he attacks. 
  Since he had a better Initiative than you he can go first. (She 
  rolls a 6). Total of 8, so he missed.”
  A: “Eat electric death, pond scum. I zap him with a Lightning 
  Bolt. (Rolling) I got a 9, plus I add Energy instead of Agility 
  for this because it’s my Lightning Power, so I got a 14 to hit.”
  D: “That hits. Roll your damage.”
  A: (She rolls 5d6, one per point of Energy) “19 points. Zap!”
  D: “Wow. OK, let’s see here...” (The Lizard’s Pool of 9 is 
  erased, leaving 10 damage. Since this will reduce the Lizard’s 
  Stat below 0, he gets a Stat Save. Daphne rolls 1d6 and gets 
  a 4. Since this is higher than the Lizard’s Damage Stat of 3, 
  he fails the save. Which means...)“Nineteen points blows right 
  through his Damage Pool and fries his Damage Stat as well, 
  with points left over. There’s nothing left of the Lizard but a 
  little black smudge on the pavement.”
  A: “I strike a heroic pose and shout, ‘Take that, evil-doer!’ 
  How’s that for Girl Power?”
  D: “Your theme music starts playing. Just don’t forget to drain 
  your Energy Pool, Ms. Superhero.”
  A: “Right. (Her Special Lightning Power costs 10 Energy per 
  use, so she subtracts 10 from her pool of 25; she has 15 left.) 
  Now I zap the one by Charlie.”
  C: “Yikes! Before she starts shooting lightning at me, I’m 
  spending an action to run behind a tree.”
  D: “Fine, but you all forgot that the Lizard had an action left 
  too. He runs the other way and before you can shoot at him, he 
  jumps back into the hole and flees to the Lizard Kingdom.”
  If there were still people to fight, the next frame would 
  continue with everyone acting in the same order. But with 
  no more enemies to fight, the frame ends and so does the 
  combat. Now the characters can  pursue the remaining Lizard 
  into the sewers to find the evil Lizard King, or spend some 
  time recovering from their wounds, or maybe just head to the 
  mall to buy some clothes. Anything is possible in the world of 
  Power Grrrl (check out the Power Grrrl Preview on page 17).
  Sample of Gameplay
  
  POW!
  - 16 -
  Worldbook Settings
  Decay - The Philadelphia project was just a story... or was it? 
  Vodun necromancers, ruthless armies of zombies and Tesla-
  era technology meld into a horrifying collage in the realm of 
  Decay. (Alternate History/Horror)
  Elves! - Little elves, big elves, poison elves, light elves, dark 
  elves, Carey Elves, Elvis elves and more all battle it out in a 
  world where humans are just a myth, and magic is just a forest 
  away. (Fantasy/Humor)
  H4X0RS: teh l33t h4x0ring g4m3 - r u l33t? If so,  plunge 
  headlong into a world of camping, gibbing, defacing, script 
  kiddies, bad techno and rollerblading. Be sure to bring your 
  s3x 4pp34l. (Humor)
  Orclympics - What do you do when you’ve finally conquered 
  the planet and enslaved the lesser races, like elves and humans? 
  You throw an Olympic-style game to celebrate, as only Orcs 
  can. (Fantasy/Humor)
  Iconoclast - In the 22nd Century, the world is run by 
  corporations who use people like icons on a chessboard. Can 
  you and your cybernetically-augmented, genetically-altered 
  friends become Iconoclasts? (Cyberpunk)
  Power Grrrl - The fate of the world rests in the well-manicured 
  hands of Power Grrrl and her band of teenage super-heroines 
  who battle the insidious villainy of Madam Maple, Dr. Fute, 
  and their evil cronies. (Supers/Anime/Humor)
  Red Mist (from the world of Sacour) - Savage, barbarian 
  warlords roam the cold plains of the planet Sacour’s main 
  continent, turning all who stand in their way into a fine, red 
  mist. Ride on! (Fantasy)
  Robot Wars - Bring out your gestalts and strap on a few extra 
  heat sinks, because the sparks are gonna fly when bots big and 
  small go head to head and tread to tread in an all-out Bot Battle 
  Royale. (Sci-fi/Humor)
  Rock Opera - More motorcycles, mad scientists, greased hair, 
  leather jackets, rainstorms, scary castles and bad puns than any 
  other game set in a mythical 1950s. Let’s do a Transylvanian 
  time warp, baby. (Alternate History/Humor)
  Sacour - Bickering city-states, factions and tribes battle for 
  dominance in a world trapped between primitive barbarism 
  and a brand new Renaissance, as bold adventurers strive to 
  stay alive. (Fantasy)
  Creating Your Own Worldbooks
  You may use the POW! Core Rules to create your own 
  POW! Worldbooks, provided that you only distribute those 
  Worldbooks and the POW! Core Rules free of charge, in 
  unaltered format. We ask only that you send us a copy and 
  allow us to link to and/or distribute them on our website.
  Licensing the POW System
  We also license the POW! Core Rules, allowing  you to create 
  and sell an infinite number of Worldbooks and distribute 
  them as you see fit, royalty free, provided you always 
  distribute the POW! Core Rules free of charge, in unaltered 
  format. Email af@aeforge.com for more information.
  
  POW!
  - 17 -
  WorldBook Sample 
  W
  hat’s in a Worldbook? Here are some samples taken 
  from the Power Grrrl Worldbook, featuring new 
  Specials, World-specific rules, Bad Guys, new Awards, 
  the Power Grrrl FAQ, and much more...
         Yesterday, you saved the city from destruction by stopping an 
  alien invasion. Just after breakfast, you single-handledly captured 
  two wanted supervillains and defeated a double handful of robotic 
  assassins. But all of that’s nothing compared to the single biggest 
  challenge that lies before you on this fateful day, worse than aliens 
  and robots and villains all put together – Gym class.
         Welcome to the world of Power Grrrl, where teenage 
  superheroes battle evil supervillains in a world where youth 
  equals power. You’ll face off against the deadliest bad guys 
  imaginable, honing your secret skills to precision, all the while 
  trying to maintain a passing Grade Point Average at school. Are 
  you up to the challenge?
  Dozens of New Specials
  Burst of Strength (Brawn-based Special)
  Minimum Score: 2
  Purchase Cost: 2
  Pool Cost: 4
  Action Cost: 1
  Effect: The character can temporarily (but immediately) 
  boost Brawn by a number equal to a d6 roll. This Brawn 
  lasts for a single frame. The character can spend an additional 
  action and 4 points from her pool to maintain the Brawn for 
  an additional frame (and so on after that, until out of points). 
  Effects do not stack (i.e., two Bursts cannot be used at the same 
  time), although this does work with other Brawn powers.
  Upgrade Cost: 3
  Upgrade Effect: As above, but add 2d6 points of Brawn for the 
  same cost (if optional Criticals rules are being used, the ability 
  to “die-double” applies).
  Nasty Bad Guys
  Madame Maple is Power Grrrl’s most hated enemy, appearing 
  in 10 different episodes, more than any other villain. Being an 
  adult, she has no official super powers, 
  but she is pretty darn smart, and almost 
  manages to foil the Power Grrrl gang a 
  few times before she’s ultimately defeated 
  by friendship, loyalty and the American 
  Way. She speaks with a Canadian accent.
       Stats for Madame Maple:
   A:1     B:1      C:4     D:2     E:2     F:0
  Gordy is Madame Maple’s moose. He can’t talk, 
  and it’s doubtful he can even think, but he always 
  manages to show up just in time to pull Madame 
  Maple out of the clutches of our heroes.
       
  Stats for Gordy, Madame Maple’s moose:
    
  A:1     B:2     C:1     D:2     E:4     F:0
  Additional Game Mechanics
  Subjective Gravity - Gravity works differently on different 
  people within the Power Grrrl universe. For ordinary Joes 
  like adults, it pulls with about the same force as  it does in our 
  world. But for those with Super powers, it pulls with far less 
  intensity, somehow being altered by the energies that surround 
  a teenager possessed of such power. 
        It’s this subjective gravity that allows one to fly, even 
  though their bones are “realistically” far too dense to make 
  that possible. It’s also what allows characters to jump farther 
  and higher, run faster, and achieve many of the other fantastic 
  feats they pull off on a daily basis. Exactly how it works is a 
  mystery to the scientists of the Power Grrrl universe; all they 
  know is that it’s the way things work.
  Tons of Cool Gear
  Suburban Cowboy Getup
  Frame Rating: 5 (4)
  Damage Rating: 70 (56)
  Cost: $300  ($240) 
  Description: Don’t break my achy-breaky 
  heart, or my face either. Heavy oilskin duster, 
  big black cowboy boots, leather chaps, thick 
  gloves and spurs, topped off with a ten-gallon hat 
  and a bandana to boot.
  Adventure Ideas
  14 - Bad Hair Day - Power Grrrl has to get to school for 
  a biology test, but she’s all out of conditioner! She scrambles 
  madly around the house and around town, but all the stores are 
  closed! Returning home, she checks the calendar and discov-
  ers that it’s a holiday - she doesn’t have school at all. She goes 
  back to bed. 
  A Complete Game Setting
  Metro City is a mid-sized city located in the Northeast part of 
  the mythical country that is Power Grrrl’s world. Despite the 
  northern climate of the surrounding area, Metro City benefits 
  from a pecularity of the local weather sys-
  tems which keeps it moderately warm 
  all year long – summers are cool and 
  dry, with temperatures averaging 75 
  to 80, and winters are rainy but warm, 
  with temperatures rarely falling below 
  50 degrees. It snows in the nearby moun-
  tains, but never within the city.
  Go, Go Power Grrrl!
  You’re Pretty Tough!!!
  www.powergrrrl.com
  
  Character Name:
  Character Experience:
  Concept:
  Size Mod:
  Worldbook:
  Player Name:
  Player Experience:
  Description:
  STATISTICS  (Max/Current) 
   
   
          SPECIALS
   
  Name 
  Stat / Min  
  Pool Cost 
  Action Cost
  Agility:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  Brawn:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  Cognition:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  Damage:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  Energy:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  Fellowship:          /          
  ❍			❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍			❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍❍
  EQUIPMENT
  (cont. on back)
  Permission is given to make and freely distribute photocopies of this character sheet, and the entire POW! Core Rules. 
  POW!, Power Grrrl, Decay, Sacour, Red Mist, Orclympics, æthereal FORGE and their logos are © and ™ 1996-2004 æthereal FORGE.
  
  Step 1 - Pick Name And Basic Concept.
  Step 2 - Pick Your Statistics (6 statistics, 
  0 to 5 points)
  Step 3 - Calculate Statistic Pools (Stat 
  multiplied by itself).
  Step 4 - Pick Specials.
  Step 5 - Buy Stuff.
  Step 1 - Determine Difficulty.
              0 - Infantile - A baby could do it, blindfolded.
    
  5 - Easy - Technically failure is possible, but it’s unlikely.
  10 - Average - Chances of success are close to 50/50.
  15 - Hard - Success is not assured, the action quite difficult.
              20 - Impossible - Luck or cooperation will be required.
  Step 2 - Determine appropriate Stat.
  Step 3 - Make Check (Stat, plus 2d6, compare to Difficulty)
  Step 4 - Reduce Stat (if applicable).
  Step 5 - If Stat would go below 0, make a 1d6 Stat Save. If the result 
              is greater than the Stat, reduce to 0. Otherwise, reduce normally.
  Combat
  Statistic Checks
  Hi, My Name Is:
  Character Name:
  Basic Concept:
  FOLD HERE
  FOLD HERE
  FOLD HERE AND TAPE  TO 
  OTHER SIDE TO STAND UP
  FOLD HERE AND TAPE TO 
  OTHER SIDE TO STAND UP
  Step 1 - Determine Initiative. (Agility Stat + 2d6); highest goes first
  Step 2 - Choose Actions. (Energy Stat = # of Actions per Frame)
              • Attack (melee) an opponent in range (your character’s  height).
              • Attack (ranged) an opponent within your weapon’s range.
              • Actively Defend against one opponent’s attack.
              • Change a weapon or object in hand with another.
              • Use an object (drink a potion, throw a grenade, etc.).
              • Move up to twice your height (round up) in any direction.
              • Use a Special.
              • Use all Actions for Full Frame activity (Moderator discretion)
  Step 3 - Make Check. (Agility Stat, plus 2d6, compare to Difficulty, 
               which = Target Agility + Modifier).
              +5 - Easy; target is surprised or unaware
              +10 - Average, typical modifier
              +15 - Target is actively dodging (costs 1 action)
  Step 4 - Determine Damage. (Weapon modifier + Brawn).
  Step 5 - Reduce Armor (if any), Pools and Damage (or other Stats).
  Step 6 - If Stat would go below 0, make a 1d6 Stat Save. If the result 
              is greater than the Stat, reduce to 0. Otherwise, reduce normally.
  Character Creation
  (Repeat Steps 2-6 as needed)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pow/Pow Corebook.pdf