S.M.A.S.H. Revised Core Rulebook

What makes a hero?

The first key component to the game is the idea of splitting up what makes up a superhero into two main aspects: a Power Source and an Archetype. Whilst the archetype was possibly the most obvious option, basically covering what the superhero does, by separating that from how they get their powers - their power source - S.M.A.S.H. is able to reduce the number of archetypes needed. For example, a power suit hero like Iron Man, who basically flies around blasting stuff, could be a Blaster in the same way as the Human Torch, who also flies around blasting stuff. This method also maximizes the total number of options by multiplying out the different combinations. With eight archetypes and eleven different power source options, there are a total of eighty eight different combinations for building characters. There’s also a third, somewhat lesser, building block to your character: your alter ego, which determines your skills and what you can do outside of your superpowered abilities.

Another key concept for all characters is Stats. S.M.A.S.H., like many roleplaying games, has stats that are used to determine your character’s basic capabilities: Defence (DEF), Power (POW) and Skill (SKL). Defence determines your defensive capabilities, whether it represents agility or toughness, Power represents the strength of your superpowers, and Skill is used to both determine your ability to use different skills, but also highlighting the difference between those heroes who focused on the skill of how they apply their powers rather than the raw power they wielded. Think about the difference between Captain America and Superman.