A step-by-step guide to re-creating your favorite hero in the Marvel Universe ready to roll, or making your own original character who would fit right into the Avengers!

How to Create a Character for the Marvel Multiverse RPG

Gather together your friends from anywhere in the world and play as your favorite heroes from the Marvel universe together on these virtual tabletops.

What is the Best VTT for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game?

In the Marvel comic book universe, the version of Earth most stories take place in is known as Earth-616. It's like a code for which universe that world exists in out of the many possible versions in the Multiverse. The d616 system is a nod to the reality in which Marvel sets most of its superhero stories.

Why is it called the d616 Role-Playing System?

The abilities are Melee, Agility, Resilience, Vigilance, Ego, and Logic. Eagle-eyed readers might notice that these stats spell MARVEL, another reference to the universe in which this system's stories are set. Each stat has an active use, when a character uses it for Action Checks, as well as an associated defense, when their enemies attempt to attack their body, mind, and spirit.

Ability scores range from -3 to +9, and occasionally even higher, if a character is exceptionally powerful!

What are the different abilities in the d616 system?

Rank represents an overall power level, rated from one to six. Rank 1 characters are still superhuman, but rookies, street-level, or otherwise not at their full potential. Rank 6 characters are cosmically powerful, capable of unimaginable feats and dealing with planetary threats and dangers. 

Rank determines a character's available pool of bonus points to ability scores, the number of superpowers they have, and acts as a multiplier to damage rolls. It's possible for characters to ascend in rank, though depending on the campaign, the game master might have a "rank cap" or maximum rank the players can reach.

How does Rank work in the d616 Role-Playing System?

At character creation, players choose a number of superpowers based on their rank. They might specialize in a specific "set" of powers, like martial arts, teleportation, or magic, or take some powers from different sets. They can gain more as they increase in rank. Generally, these powers exist in "trees," where lower-level powers must be taken before gaining improved versions of those powers. These trees might also specify a minimum rank to acquire certain powers.

How do superpowers work in the d616 Role-Playing System?

d616 Role-Playing System

The d616 Role-Playing System is a set of rules and game mechanics originally designed for the Marvel Multiverse RPG. The system uses three six-sided dice, one of which is designated the "Marvel die," and has a Marvel logo in place of the 1. The core mechanic is the Action Check, when a hero attempts something dangerous, like fighting a supervillain. So how does it work?

To make an Action Check, a player rolls two normal six-sided dice and the Marvel die, then sums the total of the roll. Whatever the result, players also get to add one of their six ability scores, whichever is most relevant to their action, and compare the total roll to a target number set by the game master. This target number is based on the difficulty of the action and strength of the opposition. If the final result is equal to or greater than the target number, the action succeeds!

The Marvel die is special, and if it rolls the Marvel logo, it counts as a 6 and the action becomes Fantastic, granting an additional edge to the character whether they succeed or fail. If they roll two 6s on the other two dice as well, it's an Ultimate Fantastic Success, and automatically succeeds with bonus benefits.

Characters might also have edges or trouble, which can modify their rolls. Edges represent circumstantial advantages or momentum from previous Fantastic Successes, and allow players to re-roll any die they choose. Trouble comes from unfavorable circumstances or lack of expertise, and forces players to re-roll their highest die.

As characters grow more powerful and increase in rank, their challenges often increase in difficulty, as do their powers and abilities. This way, you can start as street-level heroes who grow over time into near-cosmic forces to be reckoned with!

Browse d616 Role-Playing System TTRPGs Explore one-shots, campaigns, and homebrew adventures run by expert GMs across Roll20, Foundry VTT, Discord & more. Find your perfect game on StartPlayingGames!