Ascendant is a "super-powered role-playing game" designed by Alexander Macris (Autarch). It is famous—and sometimes feared—for its hard-science, simulationist approach. Unlike games that use "abstract" power levels, Ascendant uses real-world physics and logarithmic math to determine exactly what your hero can do. This post picks right up from
Ghost of Hong Kong by Steve Miller Pulp Hero As An NPC for The Ascendant RPG Including NPC Villains, Trophies, and more!
Here is the breakdown of how the engine works and why it feels different from other superhero RPGs.
1. The Core Mechanic: The Logarithmic Scale
Everything in Ascendant is measured in Sovereignty Points (SP). The scale is logarithmic, specifically a base-10 scale where every 3 SPs represent a 10x increase in power/mass/distance.
1 SP: The strength of an average human.
4 SPs: 10x stronger than an average human.
10 SPs: 1,000x stronger than an average human.
Why this matters: This allow you to have a street-level hero like the Black Bat (Might SP 3) and a cosmic powerhouse like Stardust (Might SP 15) in the same game system without the math breaking. You simply subtract the defender’s SP from the attacker’s SP to find the "Effect" on a universal table.
2. The Universal Challenge Table (UCT)
In most RPGs, you roll against a Difficulty Class (DC). In Ascendant, almost every action is resolved using the Universal Challenge Table.
The X-Axis: Your Attribute or Power (e.g., Might or Agility).
The Y-Axis: The Difficulty or Resistance (e.g., the Weight of a car or the Defense of a villain).
The Result: You roll 1d100. The table tells you if you got a Color Result:
Black: Failure.
Green: Marginal Success.
Yellow: Solid Success.
Orange: Great Success.
Red: Critical Success.
3. Physics-Based Heroism
Ascendant is obsessed with "how things actually work." If your hero has Super-Speed SP 10, the book doesn't just say "you move fast." It tells you exactly:
How many kilometers per hour you run.
How much kinetic energy (Damage SP) you generate if you punch someone at that speed.
How much sonic boom you create when you break the sound barrier.
The game handles these complex physics equations internally through the SP system, so you don't need a calculator during play—you just compare the SP values.
4. Power Customization
The game uses a "Point Buy" system. You start with a Power Level (PL)—for a Golden Age pulp campaign, this is usually PL 8 or PL 10.
Attributes: Might, Agility, Stamina, Mind, Resolution, Perception.
Skills: These are "Perks" or "Drawbacks" that modify how your powers work.
Power Suites: You build powers by choosing a Primary Effect (like Projectile or Mobility) and adding Modifiers.
Example: The Black Bat’s smoke pellets are built as Obscuration with the Fragile (one-use) and Range modifiers.
5. The "Who" and "Why" (Motivation)
Characters in Ascendant are defined by their Alignment and Motivation.
Heroic Alignment: Acting for the benefit of others.
Pragmatic Alignment: Acting for the benefit of self/team.
Villainous Alignment: Acting to the detriment of others.
Your hero earns Hero Points by acting according to their Motivation (e.g., Justice, Fame, or Protection). These points are spent to "shift" your d100 rolls from a Green success to a Red success when the stakes are highest.
Summary: Is it right for your 1940s campaign?
Yes, specifically because:
Lethality: Because the math is precise, a "normal" gun (Projectile SP 4) is genuinely dangerous to a hero with no Protection SP.
Gadgets: It treats a high-tech gadget exactly like a superpower, which is perfect for the Black Bat and Spider Queen.
Scale: You can start with street thugs and naturally progress to stopping Nazi "Uber-mensch" or giant robots using the same consistent rules.
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