DC Heroes RPG – Stock security guard stats
Context
This is a semi-technical article for the DC Heroes RPG.
It presents, mostly for gamemasters, stock stats for various kinds of security guards in stories.
The photos are stock corporate promotion stuff from the Internet, mostly to separate the stats blocks.
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DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
These sets of generic stats in this article are presented in rough order of fighting power and rarity in stories. From the weakest and most common to the most elite.
So we’re much more concerned about threat level in action stories, than in the various types of qualifications that exist for real-world security employees.
Warm body
A person with minimal training, no special background, and a loose part-time contract.
These employees are chiefly useful to check for fire hazards, watch cameras, call the police if there is a problem, check for open windows and unlocked doors, etc..
Warm body
| Dex: 02 | Str: 02 | Bod: 02 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 000 |
Skills:
Vehicles (Land): 02
Advantages:
Usually none.
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
Usually none.
Motivation:
Salary.
Wealth:
003
Equipment:
Heavy flashlight [BODY 03, Enhance (EV): 01 (cap is 04), Flash (Stdy. illum. only): 03, Limited Penetration, Descriptor: Blunt].
Nice knickers, mate.
Security guard
Guards ensuring the security of a private area. Such as a mall, warehouses, an industrial park, a gated community, etc..
These are not usually armed. They are to observe and report, not create legal exposure and PR problems.
However, this varies hugely depending upon local laws and attitude toward firearms. In the US, what is true in one city might be illegal in the next.
This entry errs on the action-ish side of things by assuming that such guards :
- Are in good physical shape.
- Carry basic less-then lethal weaponry.
Security guard
| Dex: 02 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 000 |
Skills:
Vehicles (Land): 02
Advantages:
Usually none.
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
Usually none.
Motivation:
Salary.
Wealth:
003
Equipment:
- Heavy flashlight [BODY 03, Enhance (EV): 01 (cap is 04), Flash (Stdy. illum. only): 03, Limited Penetration, Descriptor: Blunt].
- Basic pepper spray [BODY 01, Chemical attack (0 APs Range): 04, Ammo: 04, Bonus: No Unskilled Penalties].
- Radio [BODY 01, Radio communications: 05]. Some models nowadays have a built-in video cameras – they’re worn on the lapel of the uniform vest and film what is in front of the guard.
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K9
Trained dogs are important to security work, particularly large breeds such as rottweilers or dobermans. Less impressive-looking dogs are unlikely to be featured in stories.
The stats for large dogs are in our famous Animals File, but are reproduced below for easy reference.
The handler will be any of the guard profiles, plus Animal Handling (K9): 03.
Attack dog
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 02 |
| Int: 01 | Wil: 01 | Min: 01 |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 00 | Spi: 01 |
| Init: 005 | HP: 000 |
Powers:
Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 07, Claws: 03, Extended Hearing: 03, Running: 04, Shrinking: 01, Super Hearing: 03, Ultra Vision: 03
Drawbacks:
MPR (color-blind).
May or not be a good boy.
Armed guard
Trained private security carrying a pistol.
This means that they are guarding an area sensitive enough to justify the risk of a firefight on the premises. Which means most of the locations where RPG and comic book stories are going to take place.
In such stories it is possible that these guards will attempt to take on intruders by themselves without warning the police. Usually to protect some secrets their employers do not want to see exposed.
Armed guard
| Dex: 02 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 006 | HP: 000 |
Skills:
Vehicles (Land): 02, Weaponry (Firearms): 02
Advantages:
Usually none.
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
Usually none.
Motivation:
Salary.
Wealth:
003
Equipment:
- Heavy flashlight [BODY 03, Enhance (EV): 01 (cap is 04), Flash (Stdy. illum. only): 03, Limited Penetration, Descriptor: Blunt].
- Radio [BODY 01, Radio communications: 05]. Some models nowadays have a built-in video cameras – they’re worn on the lapel of the uniform vest and film what is in front of the guard.
- Glock 19 9mm pistol [BODY 03, Projectile weapon: 04, Ammo: 15, R#03].
- CONCEALED VEST [BODY 03, Blunting: 04, Limitation: Partial coverage (Vest), Drawback: Real armour].
I really should take some time in 2023 to modernise the stock modern body armour stats.
Bouncer
Usually a large, intimidating man with a background in fighting sports and/or the martial arts.
His main job is to escort out persons causing a disturbance — often as a result of drunkenness — on private premises. Such as a discotheque, a bar, a strip club, etc..
Competent real-world bouncers have a number of social and observation skills. But those are unlikely to play a role in most superhero stories.
Bouncer
| Dex: 03 | Str: 03 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 03 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 008 | HP: 000 |
Skills:
Accuracy (Wrestling): 04, Charisma (Intimidation): 03, Vehicles (Land): 02
Advantages:
Usually none.
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
MIA toward Machismo.
Motivation:
Power.
Wealth:
004
Equipment:
Usually none, though it greatly varies depending upon local laws and political climate.
Sorry sir, no Zardoz cosplaying on the premises.
Paramilitary guard
Security guards who look very much like tactical police or soldiers, are heavily armed and protect an important site.
Most of them will be ex-police or ex-military.
In RPG, video games and comic book stories, what they are guarding is likely to be quite sinister and thoroughly dangerous and illegal.
Violent mobs in countries with poor rule of law will also have such people guarding their bases.
Paramilitary guard
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 02 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 007 | HP: 000 |
Skills:
Vehicles (Land): 02, Weaponry (Firearms): 03
Advantages:
Usually none.
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
Occasionally a Minor Rage.
Motivation:
Salary.
Wealth:
004
Equipment:
- Surplus night-vision goggles [BODY 01, Shade: 01, Ultra-vision (Limited to night vision): 04, R#3]
- BODY ARMOUR [BODY 05, Blunting: 06, Flame immunity: 01, Skin armour: 01, Limitation: Partial coverage (vest), Drawback: Real armour]
- Semi-automatic pistol [BODY 03, Projectile weapon: 04, Ammo: 15, R#03]
- One long arm among these:
- Assault Carbine [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 06, Ammo: 08, R#02, Advantage : Autofire]. The most likely weapon to be used nowadays – probably a M4, a paratrooper-type AK variant or a modern European rifle such as a H&K G36C.
- Repeater Shotgun [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 06 (Diminishing), Range: 03, Ammo: 07, R#03, Recommended STR: 02, Advantage : Scattershot, Limitation: Projectile weapons has No Range – use the Range given next instead, Drawback: Very Long Reload]
- Submachinegun [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 05, Ammo: 07, R#02, Advantage : Autofire]
- Marksman’s Rifle [BODY 01, Projectile weapon: 06, Telescopic vision: 02, Ammo: 06, R#02]
Comic-book armoured guard
Ex-military guards wearing high-tech armour – looking a bit like light power armourStrength-enhancing body armour, like Iron Man’s., but without the powered part.
Some near-future/cyberpunk settings might have something similar.
All of this is terribly expensive. These types will therefore only be seen guarding critical, opulent corporate buildings (such as advanced research labs) and some government bases.
Heavier, more powerful grades of security armour are no longer “stock”. But see our Secbots profile for a famous example of security power armour.
Armoured guard
| Dex: 03 | Str: 03 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 02 | Wil: 02 | Min: 03 |
| Inf: 02 | Aur: 02 | Spi: 02 |
| Init: 007 | HP: 005 |
Skills:
Vehicles (Land): 02, Weaponry (Infantry weapons): 03
Advantages:
Familiarity (Military equipment and protocols).
Connections:
Usually none.
Drawbacks:
Usually none.
Motivation:
Salary.
Wealth:
005
Equipment:
SECURITY ARMOUR [BODY 06, Blunting: 07, Flame immunity: 02, Lighting (No Range): 05, Lighting immunity: 01, Projectile weapons: 05, Sealed systems: 05, Shade: 03, Skin armour: 02, Advantage; Projectile weapon has Autofire, Drawback: Real Armour, MPR (one-handed — right hand is covered by the integral submachinegun)].
