Gameplay
Masterminds are the PCs who are driving a particular storyline. If the
storyline reaches a high enough level of completion with the mastermind
being used heavily in most of the activity that has powered it, the
storyline can use two different types of finale: ascension and tyranny.
Ascension allows the mastermind to move up a tier by completing a
crisis event and spending karma, allowing them to bypass normal tier
restrictions. Ascended PCs are considered one tier higher than normal
for all purposes, including how monstrous/villainous they are.
Tyranny allows the mastermind to become a Tyrant of Haven, gaining huge
powers over all other PCs, including the ability to use breaksanctuary
on anyone, or have people detained at very low cost. Tyrants can be
overcome with a special type of operation called 'psychic.' This
operation is not based on faction, with characters instead signing up
for or against the target. The target gains a bunch of soldiers to defend
themselves, but if they win the amount of soldiers they gain goes down
by half each successive attempt.
PCs wishing to reach ascension or tyrant must be featured as a mastermind
in at least 3-4 of the plots involved in the storyline, and the storyline
must reach 200%. If ascending, they will ascend as soon as the crisis
scheme fires. NPCs can serve as the "go between" for the mastermind and
the PCs on the plots, but the mastermind should not be obfuscated in any way.
PCs that have been put into stasis can still be used as masterminds.
Operations and encounters can also have a mastermind set, if the activity
in question makes sense for the storyline.
Mastermind
Masterminds are the PCs who are driving a particular storyline. If the
storyline reaches a high enough level of completion with the mastermind
being used heavily in most of the activity that has powered it, the
storyline can use two different types of finale: ascension and tyranny.
Ascension allows the mastermind to move up a tier by completing a
crisis event and spending karma, allowing them to bypass normal tier
restrictions. Ascended PCs are considered one tier higher than normal
for all purposes, including how monstrous/villainous they are.
Tyranny allows the mastermind to become a Tyrant of Haven, gaining huge
powers over all other PCs, including the ability to use breaksanctuary
on anyone, or have people detained at very low cost. Tyrants can be
overcome with a special type of operation called 'psychic.' This
operation is not based on faction, with characters instead signing up
for or against the target. The target gains a bunch of soldiers to defend
themselves, but if they win the amount of soldiers they gain goes down
by half each successive attempt.
PCs wishing to reach ascension or tyrant must be featured as a mastermind
in at least 3-4 of the plots involved in the storyline, and the storyline
must reach 200%. If ascending, they will ascend as soon as the crisis
scheme fires. NPCs can serve as the "go between" for the mastermind and
the PCs on the plots, but the mastermind should not be obfuscated in any way.
PCs that have been put into stasis can still be used as masterminds.
Operations and encounters can also have a mastermind set, if the activity
in question makes sense for the storyline.