Popularity measures public reputation in a character's normal environment. Tracked as a rank with a rank number. Heroes generally have positive Popularity; villains generally have negative. Karma cannot be spent on Popularity FEATs.
Secret IDs have a separate Popularity from public IDs — Peter Parker's Popularity is distinct from Spider-Man's.
Rolled against the character's Popularity rank to determine reactions from NPCs and crowds. The result needed depends on the target's attitude toward the hero:
| Target Attitude | FEAT needed | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly | Green | Fans, established allies, the cheering public |
| Neutral | Yellow | Strangers, bystanders, casual contacts |
| Unfriendly | Red | People the hero has annoyed; bureaucrats with rivals; J. Jonah Jameson |
| Hostile | Impossible | Active enemies, sworn foes — won't even listen |
Exception: a Hostile target may help if there's something in it for them (e.g., Spider-Man convinces Jameson he might get killed pursuing the Vulture — a goal Jameson would benefit from).
The nature of the request modifies the FEAT column:
| Situation | Shift |
|---|---|
| Target benefits from the request | +2CS |
| Target is placed in danger | −3CS |
| Item requested is up to Good value | −1CS |
| Item requested is up to Remarkable value | −2CS |
| Item is unlikely to be returned | −2CS |
| Item is unique | −3CS |
Charismatic villains (Doctor Doom), terrifying brawlers (Rhino, Juggernaut), and unfortunate heroes (bad-press mutants) operate on negative Popularity. The system inverts in a specific way:
Popularity FEATs are used only when dealing with NPCs (by players or other NPCs). A Popularity FEAT is never used against players to force them to act against their wills (normally).
Resources is a rank, not a points-tracking system. Replaces the 1984 Resource Points model — you don't track dollar amounts. Instead, the Resource rank determines whether you can buy a given item.
Every item has a Resource rank, not a cost. To purchase, compare your Resource rank to the item's rank and make a Resource FEAT. Karma cannot modify Resource FEATs.
Once per week, a character may make a Resource FEAT. Any additional Resource FEATs made within seven days automatically fail.
Compare item rank to character's Resource rank:
Failure indicates cash flow problems for that week — character can't get the item this week, may try again next week.
Example: Tony Stark has Excellent Resources (20). He wants a Good-rank car (10). Green FEAT — usually succeeds; failure means cash flow's tight, he doesn't have it on hand. Buying a Typical-cost night out: automatic, no FEAT.
From the canonical Advanced Players Book and Chapter 4 (Hardware). Use as a guideline for setting unfamiliar items' ranks.
| Resource Rank | Number | Lifestyle / Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Feeble | 2 | Subsistence (food, basic shelter, bus fare, used clothing) |
| Poor | 4 | Working poor (rent for a small apartment, low-end car) |
| Typical | 6 | Working class (handgun, mid-range car, decent meal out) |
| Good | 10 | Middle-class professional (luxury car, decent house, professional gear) |
| Excellent | 20 | Affluent (Tony Stark salary, sports car, mid-tier mansion, private aircraft hire) |
| Remarkable | 30 | Wealthy (private jet, yacht, security firm contract) |
| Incredible | 40 | Industrialist (Large Corporation — Stark, Stane Intl. tier) |
| Amazing | 50 | Multinational corporation (Stark Industries pre-takeover) |
| Monstrous | 75 | Small country (Doctor Doom — Latveria) |
| Unearthly | 100 | Major nation (the U.S. Government) |
| Shift X+ | 150+ | Planetary or cosmic (Galactus, the Skrull Empire) |
A team like the Avengers uses team Resources, distinct from any member's personal Resources. Tony Stark personally has Incredible Resources; the Avengers' team Resources (paid for by Stark Foundation grants, government funding, etc.) are a separate rank. Buying for the team uses the team rank.
Pooling personal Resources for one purchase is possible but takes time — Judge's call on how multiple character contributions affect a single FEAT.
CMF's Resource Points reintroduces a weekly point pool and detailed item cost lists (vehicles, real estate, gadgetry materials, etc.). Some Advanced tables use this in place of the canonical rank system. See House Rules: Resource Points for the full alternative.