Basic Action Super Heroes!

there is an athletics skill which has running in it, but it seems unused.

running speed is based on straight agility

but you can buy up running either buy super running or by increased pace for +1 (I don't have my book right in front of me).

why not base running speed on your Athletics skill instead of your base agility? Normal people can become a bit faster by raising their athletics skill - so you don't need the extra power for normal humans.

the main problem is that a normal person starts with an agility of 1 and without athletics skill. Of course if you made 2 the standard attribute value, then normal people would have a running based on 1 just as they do now.

You could still have it be 3/Agility- just add +1 to the total pace per Slot invested in Athletics (would make a good houserule).

But the SKILL itself is useful in spite of the other stuff. When you are in a chase scene, or trying to arrive at a destination in a certain time- and are doing an extended check- one of the things you've got to do is roll Athletics/Running. The roll impacts your progress by a significant amount. You still probably won't beat a guy in a car (without Super Running) but a person with x3 Athletics/Running will easily chase down someone with x2 Athletics/Acrobatics.

how does super running factor into the skill extended check?

It affects your base move speed- which is added as a Result Bonus to every single roll you make during an extended check that involved movement, such as a chase scene.

For instance, if you have Athletics x4/Running and Super Running 2 (and Agility 3) that would give you a base move of 5x3 = 15 Squares. Then you roll your check, and get a 7 (then reroll because Running is your specialty) and get a 10. 10x4=40+15= 55. Next page, you start with 55 Progress towards your goal.

ah, thanks