Every starting character gets ten free Bonus Points to spend on Upgrades. Characters may take on negative Upgrades in order to earn more Bonus Points.

Bonus Points: Skills, Stats, and Upgrades

Stats

Firstly, let it be known that adjusting Stats with Bonus Points is intended for Naturals only; Super-Powered Beings have other ways of achieving incredible physical attributes. That being said...

Stats are rather prohibitively priced at multiples of five, or in other words, five times the level the Stat is increasing to, per level. Yes, that means taking a Stat from 3 to 4 would cost twenty Points and increasing a Stat from 2 to 5 would cost, wait for it, sixty points! Such are the costs of maximizing a character.

Bonus Skills

Not satisfied with your starting Skill levels? Want to be a great detective instead of just making the grade? Think that your character is surely better at Math than merely average? Good news, everyone! Additional levels in Skills already acquired and completely new Skills may be purchased with Bonus Skill Points!

"How, oh how, can I ever get the Bonus Skill Points about which I have heard so much," you ask?

• Bonus Skill Points = 3 * INT

• Bonus Skill Points buy Skill Levels on a one for one basis.

Simplicity!

Upgrades

These are what separate the Super from the Natural.

Character Upgrades can be divided into four basic categories:  Advantages, Disadvantages, Powers, and Weaknesses. Yeah, Weaknesses do not sound much like an "Upgrade", but go with it. Every character, barring special exceptions, may purchase any positive Upgrade found here if he or she meets all applicable prerequisites. Similarly, any character may, if all requirements are met, take on any negative Upgrade and earn Bonus Points that may be spent elsewhere.

Advantages are all those things that may help a character out, give them the edge over their competition, or actually change their genetic structure to a positive end.

Disadvantages are all those things that hinder a character in some way. Nobody likes a Little Miss or Mister Perfect, so having a disadvantage or two not only makes a character more interesting, but also seems to make a character more likable.

Powers are Supernatural abilities. The great majority of these abilities will not be available to Naturals and a few will not be available to starting characters. Powers are not to be taken lightly because of the responsibility involved in possessing them, to rephrase a great quotable quote.

Weaknesses are Supernatural disadvantages. The difference is that Disadvantages are most often severely debilitating whereas Weaknesses are usually quite deadly. More-so than any other Upgrade, Weaknessses require careful consideration.

There is no cap on the number of Weaknesses or Disadvantages one character may collect nor on the Bonus Points gained. Yes, you may certainly bear the burden of every single negative Upgrade for which your character is able to meet the requirements in order to maximize on Powers. Your character will probably not last even a single session before it explodes and takes out the city, but hey, it's your character. The catch is that you must roleplay every flaw at all times. Good luck.

Now that we know the difference, it's time to look at some specifics: