Category: Urban Shadows RPG: Discussion

So, I’m enjoying watching the show “Alphas”. I had the thought last night that an “Alpha” could make an interesting addition to the ranks of the Urban Shadows play books. Maybe, maybe not, we’ll see. This is just a spot to discuss it.

If you’re not familiar with the show, an “Alpha” is a human who has taken a large step towards the next phase of evolution, where a natural function of the body is enhanced one-thousand fold.

Here are some examples of Alpha abilities;

Hyperadrenal: able to utilize the fight-or-flight response to increase their strength and speed for short periods of time, before becoming a danger to the Alpha.

Synesthete: able to control sensory processing in the brain. A typical use of this ability is to refocus mental resources from other senses into one. The one focused sense is enhanced to a superhuman degree, but the other senses are temporarily reduced to practically nothing.

Transducer: ability to intercept communications and encrypted messages with their minds. They can literally “see” electromagnetic wavelengths but have also been shown to hear noises produced from the frequencies that even a synesthete can’t hear.

Influencer: able to override the willpower of others.

Hyperkinetic: the mind’s imaging systems and muscle control are perfectly in tune with the motor skills center of the brain. Hyperkinetics possesses flawless aim, perfect balance, and greatly enhanced motor skills. Perfect aim, perfect balance, perfect synchronization between thought and action.

As I sit here writing this, however, I’m not sure if this would translate well into a play book. Would the play book be “Evolved” (or whatever), and then they choose a single one of these examples as a move… and then what? Or would there have to be a different play book for each type? That would be too much.

Thoughts? Maybe this is too complicated or maybe it doesn’t jive with elves, werewolves, hunters, and immortals.