COMICS-DERIVED CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS

SPARK (A.K.A. MADBOY/GIRL) BASIC TEMPLATE

Abilities
Cost	Ability
5	Thinks Different:  +5 INT
6	"Those Fools, I'll Show Them!":  +3 EGO
5	"Bwahahaha!!!": +5 PRE
3	"You've Built It All Wrong!":  Analyze (Weird Science Device) (INT)
3	Plays With Lightning:  Electronics (INT)
1	"What Do You Think Of This!":  Inventing 8-
3	Mechanical Genius:  Mechanics (INT)
3	"Such Lovely Calculations!":  Lightning Calculator
3	Mad Science Is My Forte!:  SS:  Electronic Engineering, SS:  Mathematics, 
	SS:  Mechanical Engineering (all 11-)
3	Intuitive Grasp Of Complex Things:  Scientist
Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  35

Disadvantages
Value	Disadvantage
(var)	Hunted:  (varies—includes other Sparks, Baron Wulfenbach, and local villagers; 
	may be a Watched)
5	Reputation:  Madboy/girl 8-
Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  5
 

This represents the basic starting template for a Spark as seen in the comic Girl Genius. Sparks seem, for the most part, to think quickly and efficiently, are confident in their skills and inventions, and tend to be unfazed by opposition. Top-end Sparks, such as Agatha, Gil, and herr Baron (among others), can easily redesign and rebuild inventions on the fly and often can spot errors and issues with a new gadget simply by looking at a schematic. The Spark also seems to grant an intuitive understand of basic mathematics and engineering, allowing Spark to start building things even if they lack formal training.

Of course, this is a only a basic template and is geared more toward PC-level Sparks. Low-end Sparks (like the ones in Master Payne's Circus of Adventure) might be missing some or all of these skills—but probably keep the increased Characteristics. High-End sparks (Agatha, Gil, Baron Wulfenbach, the Heterodyne boys), have even higher Characteristics (herr Baron has an INT of 25-30, his son and Agatha are both 20-25), skill levels to match, and will have scads of science skills of all sorts—basic engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, and so on.

It should be pointed out that many Sparks, especially low-end one, are specialized. Thus, we see Sparks who work with food, sound, music, and various forms of shoes (yes, you can have comic-relief sparks). In addition, many Sparks, if not all, or more than a bit off, and some are downright crazy. Since the Spark is also known as the Gift, the Touch, the Curse, the Madness, the Doom, and so on, and Sparks are often referred to (behind their backs) as "Madboys/Madgirls," one gets an idea of what it's like to be a Spark (Megalomania seems to be a common issue with Sparks).

As a final note, when building a top-end Spark, think big. A powerful Spark will have a large Gadget Pool of assorted Weird Science devices, a Base with plenty of labs, Vehicles (of all sorts), Followers (clanks and constructs), Wealth (defined as their territory), and should be more than a match for a small army.

Spark Template Hero Designer File

---

Return to Comic-Derived Character Adaptations