About the Random Superpower Generator
The list covers the obvious powers and then keeps going. Flight, invisibility and super strength are all present, but so are echolocation, technopathy, dream walking, probability control, friction control and bone hardening. Eighty-six entries in total, written as plain ability names so they slot into a character sheet without editing.
Drawing two or three at once is where it gets useful. A single power is a costume, while a combination is a character: regeneration plus pain immunity suggests somebody reckless, while precognition plus emotion sensing suggests somebody exhausted. Game masters often draw three and let a player discard one, which gives choice without letting everybody pick flight.
Writers use it to break the habit of reaching for the same four abilities, teachers use it for creative writing prompts, and tabletop groups use it for character generation. To attach a codename to the ability, the Random Superhero Generator does both at once, and the Random Scenario Generator supplies a situation where the power has to earn its keep.
How to use
- Choose how many powers to draw, usually one to three per character.
- Keep repeats off so a group of players all get different abilities.
- Press Generate, reroll if the set is unplayable, then copy it down.
Common questions
- How many powers are in the list?
- Eighty-six, ranging from the familiar to the awkward, with no duplicates.
- Should I draw more than one?
- Two or three combined usually produce a more interesting character than any single ability on its own.
- Are any powers from specific franchises?
- The names are generic ability descriptions such as heat vision or shape shifting, not character specific powers from a particular universe.
- Can I use it for tabletop character creation?
- Yes. Draw three, keep two, and let the discarded one become a weakness or a limit.