Super Hero Syndrome (SHS)

Super Hero Syndrome (SHS), also known as James Bond Syndrome, is where a character, vessel or story-line transcends the reasonably believable in a way that is inconsistent with the canon parameters and often destructive to the enjoyment of others. SHS has been a large problem in internet role playing for years and contrary to myth it is found as much in experienced 'senior players' as often as younger inexperienced players.

The following are common examples of SHS:

• A character manifests advanced knowledge or skills that have no basis in his/her experience or background.

• A character 'saves the day' single handedly, alone and in an unexpected manner, perhaps James Bond style.

• A character appears to have super-human strength, fitness or inexplicable resistance to certain weapons.

• A character is universally admired or liked for no established reason.

• A character has possessions that are inconsistent with canon or the environment (for example a mobile telephone or samurai sword).

• A character displays knowledge of which he/she would not be aware (for example a Medical Officer would be unlikely to know the Captain's tactical plans).

• Consider a CONN Officer. He or she would be able to pilot starships, runabouts and other small craft. He or she would be able to engage in tactical planning and lead away missions. He or she may have some technical knowledge of propulsion and able to perform rudimentary command tasks on the bridge. It would be assumed he/she has a base line of competencies, for example, use of a tricorder, first aid, knowledge of first contact procedures, survival training, use of a hand phaser etc. However, he or she would be unlikely to be able to perform complex surgery, engage in sophisticated computer programming or necessarily be a natural born leader. It is acknowledged that the TV series had a number of exceptionally talented regular characters, for example Data and Dr. Bashir. These characters are not, however, infected with SHS as their skills and talents are specifically recognized as exceptional in the series and are written into the character backgrounds and histories. It is likely that Starfleet has a great number of very talented individuals, but it is extremely unlikely to have more than a couple of a genetically modified humans or an unseen Soong-type android. As a rule of thumb: if the character, event, item, skill or trick would not be believable as part an episode of Star Trek is it not believable in game. SHS is often first presented in the choice of species in character biographies. Therefore care must be taken with which species we play. COs will never permit nigh-omnipotent races such as the Q, Organians or Bajoran Wormhole aliens and rarely races which ‘cross over’ from other science fiction genres. Equally United Federation of Planet (UFP) non-member races will need some character-specific justification for their presence. Care should also be taken with long-lived canon races such as El-Auriens and Trill to ensure that they are not so powerful or skilled as to render all other characters irrelevant. SHS is generally not tolerated and all players ought to avoid it. Where you are in doubt ask your CO.

Why is it so bad?

SHS is destructive to the enjoyment of others. If one player or character always single headedly saves the day it takes writing opportunities away from other players. Also if one character has done everything, seen everything and knows everything the story as a whole loses the potential for the mystery, wonder and genuine heroism that underpin real character development.