Hero High Design Journal #6
Legions of Super-Pets
So, you’ve found yourself in an alternate reality or on an alien planet. Next thing you know, something’s following you around. It’s about a 10 on the cute n’ plushy scale, it talks by making adorable noises, and it likes you. Should you take it back home with you? Probably not. Are you going to take it with you? Of course you are! You’re a teen hero, a bundle of angst, hormones, and super-powers all rolled into one. Bad ideas are your specialty.
That’s not to say that keeping an alien super-pet is always a bad idea. But if you come across a ravaged world in fiery ruin and the only survivor is something cuddly with big, adorable eyes, something that looks too cute to have survived on its own… run. You’re probably looking at what smoked the planet in the first place.
Super-powered pets, or SPPs for short, can be anything from super-dogs to pet dragons to blobs of goo with saucer-cup eyes. Freedom City even has its own set of powered chimps… I mean, whose bright idea was that? Most villains move on after beating you, but super-chimps do things to you after blasting you silly. I don’t really want to get into details, but let’s just say your costume needs an extra spin in the “rinse” cycle....
Finding SPPs
This is the bad news/good news kind of deal. Bad news is it isn’t easy to find a super-powered pet. It’s kind of in the once-in-a-life-time department and takes some effort. Why is that good news? Well, the fact that an SPP doesn’t come standard on all teen hero models is good news for the rest of the world. One of these things is bad enough, but having an army of them could wreak havoc.
But, if you’ve got your heart set on getting one of these suckers, it’s like getting a sidekick. Use the Sidekick feat (M&M, page 64) to create your pet, or better yet, tell your Gamemaster what you want and let him spend the points. That way, the cute & fuzzy critter is a surprise for you to discover and learn about. Just bear in mind that really crafty Gamemasters might not give you your SPP just yet, and that thing you’re petting isn’t exactly good news.
Another option is that the SPP is the team mascot, in which case the whole team can contribute to its purchase. You may be wondering why you can’t use the Minion feat (M&M, page 63) to buy the pet. That’s because minions are expendable, sidekicks are not. Minions imply a commodity, but sidekick implies a relationship.
Where might you find an SPP? During the course of your adventures, naturally. Here are some suggested locales or situations where you might find an SPP:
Accidental: Who let the dogs out… into that chemical bath? Or maybe curiosity killed the cat, but you have no clue what resurrected him (and no, it wasn’t satisfaction; the Rolling Stones were nowhere near him). Doesn’t really matter, though, now the family pet has powers and maybe a small boost to the ole’ noggin. Hopefully, that gives it enough sense to not go running through the streets at Mach .5 or shattering windows with its high decibel bark.
Alien Ruins: On Earth, in some forgotten jungle or hidden cave system, lay the ruins of an alien civilization that predates Earth by a bunch. Maybe the critter you found was mutated from the local wildlife by some malfunctioning alien tech, or maybe it’s the last descendent of an alien critter. Regardless, it’s intelligent, and it likes you.
Alien World: On a distant alien world, a place harsh enough and nasty enough to forge the bonds of friendship more easily, lives this critter. Maybe it’s the only one of its kind to survive for so long, or it’s a creature that just got trapped here by mistake. Regardless, it needs the teenagers’ help to survive and escape, and they might need it to lead the way to safety. Naturally, it doesn’t speak anything they understand, but that doesn’t stop it from pushing and prodding them to follow.
Bottled: The critter in question was bottled and shelved, maybe for a long time. Now you’ve found it, whether in a market in Marrakech, on the shelf of a sorcerer’s workshop, or in some villain’s base. Just by freeing it, you’ve purchased its loyalty for years to come, so treat it well. By its nature, it has some magical or protean qualities.
Derelict Ship: The ship is found drifting, whether in space or on the seas. The crew is dead, except for the plucky pet of one of the shipmates, and whatever killed them is still on board. This SPP will certainly deserve a home for warning you of impending danger.
Villain’s Lair: You’re not the only prisoners trapped inside the villain’s lair. A strange creature, one slated for dissection, is also imprisoned. If you can help free it, it’ll help you escape as well and become a lifelong friend. The creature’s origins and species are a mystery, as are the circumstances that allowed the villain to first find it.
Sample SPP
Here’s a sample SPP to give you ideas. Two more await you in the pages of Hero High...
Flitter the Angry Goldfish (Power Level 1/ Sidekick Rank 1)
Str 2, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 5
Skills: Craft (Electronic) 2 (+4), Notice 4 (+6), Stealth 2 (+2)
Powers: Flight 2 (25 MPH), Immunity 2 (Dehydration, Drowning [in air]), Mental Blast 1 (Flaws: Full Action) Shrinking 16 (Power Feats: Innate; Flaws: Permanent)
Combat: Attack +8 (melee; includes +8 due to size change), Damage –4 (unarmed), +1 (mental blast), Defense +8 (includes +8 due to size change), Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness –1, Fortitude –1, Reflex 0, Will +2
Abilities –7 + Skills 2 (8 ranks) + Powers 10 = Total 5
And just why would a goldfish be angry? Because it remembers, and for more than just three minutes. It remembers every minute of every hour of every day trapped in that tiny fishbowl. It remembers every single face that tapped on the glass. And it remembers how to build electronic devices… strange.
Maybe it has something to do with those flashes of memory from a former life where it ruled over millions as some kind of psychic despot before some uppity heroes thwarted its plans? Could be. Regardless, it’s loyal to its new friend and companion… for now.
