Claim the Sky to Become a Superhero with this Cypher System Expansion

Claim the Sky is the newest expansion for Monte Cook Games’ Cypher System – and everyone is sleeping on it. Now, I’m not talking about literally napping on the hardcover book, which would be uncomfortable. But why is nobody talking about this book? Claim the Sky offers a streamlined, user friendly superhero RPG experience. In fact I’d go so far as saying Claim the Sky offers the most user friendly superhero RPG in any system, Cypher System or otherwise.

A super system

Obviously there are generic RPGs offering even more simplified superhero narrative potential but none of these is specifically tailored for supers like Claim the Sky. One of the keys to making a superhero RPG so flavorful is the modular nature of power building combined with enough crunch to facilitate a mechanically satisfying RPG experience.

Cypher does an amazing job of balancing crunch and narration. I’ve said it many times — Cypher System is my personal favorite tabletop roleplaying game system. It’s elegant yet crunchy, simple yet deep. And the entire system is ripe for homebrew content. Honestly, I could spend the entire post gushing the praises of Cypher but you came for supers talk, I’d wager. So let’s talk superheroes and how Claim the Sky facilitates superhero games.

If you’re into video format, check out the review I did on my YouTube channel for Claim the Sky.

Perfect design for your superhero at the core

While every superhero is unique in their own right, archetypes exist for a reason and the core of most superhero RPGs comes down to some key features, shuffled around for a unique experience. This is the core of what makes Cypher System’s characters. The unique adjective / noun / verb formula makes everything modular.

Your adjective (called a Descriptor) is much like your background. It offers a series of benefits from the outset of character creation and it never changes with level (or tier, in Cypher’s case). This Descriptor is integral to who your character is as a person. Unlike the verb, which describes what your character chooses to do, your character’s Descriptor could never be changed without compromising who the character is on a fundamental level.

Your noun (or Type) is one of four: Adept (someone who manipulates the world around them with their mind or technology), Explorer (someone who can get into and out of places and situations, even if obstacles exist), Speaker (someone who operates by interaction with other sentient beings either charismatically, through ESP, technology or magic), or Warrior (someone who solves problems with brute force). Each of these Types offers a unique way for your character to interact with the world and setting.

Lastly is your character’s verb (or Focus). This is represented beginning with the word, “who…” This is a choice your character makes and pursues much like a profession or it can be something the character became or gained somehow. If Type is an inherent skill set, Focus is the tools implemented in the skill set.

Together these three elements make up your character, who can be represented by a sentence as follows: “[Name] is a [Descriptor] [Class] who [Focus].” The modular nature of character creation inherent to the base game is exactly the sort of system where a superhero game can thrive.

From comics to cosmics

Claim the Sky is perfect for supers, from comic-style adventures stopping bank robbers and mad jesters to the cosmic threats of aliens, eldritch horrors and more. The book does a phenomenal job of breaking down what makes the various superhero genres. It offers advice for running different types of superhero universes, from gritty and modern mutants to alien threats in a sci-fi cruiser. There’s a ton of advice for how to really capture the comic book feeling in the world.

This book has so many amazing resources that bleed even beyond the superhero genre. Not the least of these is ideas for player character bases, whether a furnished cavern or a tower in the middle of the city. There are even descriptions and artwork for a space station base, much like in Justice League Unlimited.

Of course, we get an old rule presented in this book, but with more ideas and inspiration in the form of a section on Power Shifts. Power Shifts are what really define a superhero RPG in Cypher.

There’s a section on impermanent death (a staple of the super hero genre) and we even get advice for swapping individual features from classes and foci, a welcome offering to really make the individual character of your nerd dreams.

Nerdarchy’s new supers game

If you’re not quite sold on this underrated gem of an RPG book then maybe you need a live demonstration, eh?

With Nerdarchy’s beloved Robin Miller out of commission for a time, they aren’t quite ready to dive back into Those Bastards on Nerdarchy Live, the YouTube channel where we at Nerdarchy game every Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST. So after wrapping up our current dark fantasy campaign, Ashes of Ardor, we’ll be delving into Cypher System once again with a comedic superhero game. If you haven’t make sure to subscribe to Nerdarchy Live to see the campaign trailer when it drops. We’ll also be inviting a new friend to the table, someone you might know from the D&D TikTok space, but we’ll keep that secret for just a bit longer.

We’ll spill this much: the game is going to be called Nobody’s Heroes and will follow the escapade of some B-Listers.

We’ll be using Cypher for our new campaign, as well as both Claim the Sky and Unmasked expansions for the game. Oh yeah! Did I forget to mention? Cypher 2E is completely backwards compatible and the new expansion is too! How cool is that?

Suffice it to say I can’t wait for our new Claim the Sky campaign with Cypher. It’s my personal opinion this book is definitely worth the price tag and would make a great holiday gift.

If D&D is more your speed, we’ve got several digital and a few physical products in the Nerdarchy Store that might strike your fancy, and there’s even a clothing shop, too! Whatever your nerdy desires, we’ve got something for everyone.

We hope to see you on Nerdarchy Live for our Cypher System game, and until next time, nerds, may all your holiday adventures be super!

*Featured image — Whether your love is comic book superheroes or the blockbuster films of recent years, Claim the Sky gives you guidelines for recreating all your favorite characters, building your own heroes from scratch, and sending them out into fun, fast-paced RPG adventures and campaigns.

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