Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
(Jumpchain-compliant CYOA)
By HeavensAnon
Version 0.1

You are greeted with nothing. A black, all-encompassing nothing. The nothingest of nothings that never not did nothing. Whatever that’s supposed to mean, anyways. A second later, someone takes the bag off of your head and you’re immediately somewhere else.

Namely, it’s an ornate palace of some kind. It looks like its seen better days, though, and there’s a lot of ruins and rubble around you. Plus several dirty magazines that a knife-eared demon is sleeping under. Before you can move or give much thought to this, a very flamboyant man with an open jacket stands in front of you, his arms spread wide.

“Welcome, Jumper, to the Netherworld! I am Vyers, the Dark Adonis, and I will be your guide today!”

A subtitle beneath his name appears, reading ‘Mid-Boss’. An enemy? Seconds before you can ask a question or immediately prepare to defend yourself, he raises his arms defensively and takes a step back. Even the most innocuous response will earn this reaction.

“W-wait, wait, calm down! I’m doing this because that person asked me to! Please, don’t harm my beautiful face!”

...what on earth has your benefactor told him about you? After an awkward pause, he clears his throat and spreads his arms out again. While he’s speaking, you can vaguely hear something in the back of your mind...[Psst. It’s me. I’m still around, I’m just letting this doofus do the legwork this time around. I’ll fill you in on interesting little facts about this world as we go, just keep your ears open.]

“As I was saying, this is the Netherworld. It is a dimension full of powerful and evil demons, who commit all sorts of terrible sins! Murder, stealing, jaywalking, tax evasion, and worse!” Moments after this proclamation, he leans in and whispers to you. “Truth be told, it’s not as bad as it could be. Most demons are more concerned with looking strong or what a Saturday morning cartoon would consider ‘bad’ instead of doing something truly unforgivable. There are exceptions, though...”

Before you can ask more, he steps away from you and motions towards a long hallway. “Come. Let’s get you settled in. Not to worry, that person has assured me nobody will notice your arrival until we’re finished here. They told me to remind you that you have 1000 points to spend. Whatever that means!”

After a few minutes walking in awkward silence within what looked suspiciously like a loading screen, he directs you to a gaudy and hot pink mirror. “Let’s start by getting a good look at you, Jumper! How old you are, your gender, and your Species...all such wonderful innate qualities.”

If you point out he can literally see you right now and can probably tell these things already, he glares at you and folds his arms. “Alright, fine, it’s just a framing device for you to choose these things. Happy now? Anyways, you best hurry, I’m being paid based on how long this takes.” [Heh. Framing device.]

You gaze forward into the mirror and see a…

Human [Free]
Not very different from how you used to look, actually. Though your hair looks a bit more shiny and...animesque? Alternatively, you look exactly how you’d want to look as a human being who was shoved into an anime or video game like a terrible fanfiction plot.
+It’s the vanilla classic form!
+The same potential as Demons and Angels, if not more!
+Demons in the Netherworld will underestimate you.
-Demons will bully you and make fun of you, Angels will treat you like a child, and other Humans are still jerks.
-It will be harder to earn respect in the Netherworld or Celestia. The former may treat you as a ‘hero’, and thus an enemy, if show yourself to be strong...unless you can prove you’re ‘evil’ somehow. But not too evil.
Age: 12+1d8 – Standard protagonist age range!
Gender: Your choice! I won’t judge. Much.

Demon [Free]
You look pretty demonic, actually. If demonic meant some sort of technicolor hair and pointed ears, anyways. Your eyes might also be a weird color, and you have some inhuman features – wings, up to four tentacles, things like that. Nothing too out-there, but telltale signs you’re obviously a demon. Or you just look like a weirdly colorful human.
+You are a Netherworld native, and thus blend in super easily.
+Merely being a Demon means you have no shortage of employment options as a vassal...or the potential to become a Lord yourself.
+Easy access to Prinnies and other disposable minions.
-Demons respect only two things: Evil and strength, more the latter than the former. You’re expected to act, at minimum, like a schoolyard bully to save face or you’ll be accused of going soft.
-At the same time, committing things that are ‘too evil’ - destroying the entire Netherworld, committing genocide, or other wonderful things above a PG-13 rating – Demons will unite and gang up on you for going too far.
-Expect to constantly have to fight or dominate to keep your own vassals in order, especially if they’d prefer to sit around and be stupid instead of following orders or leaving you alone.
Age: Anywhere from 12 to 1,000. Note this won’t give you any free levels, and Demons tend to be awfully immature even with their long lifespan.
Gender: Your Choice

Angel [Free]
You look pretty angelic, actually. You also have technicolor hair and eyes of your choosing, but instead of ugly or monstrous features, you have a pair of functional feather-clad wings on your back. You may also, at will, glow with a shining aura that lets all who witness you know you’re a holy figure...or have a flashlight strapped to your back. It’s the thought that counts, right?
+You are a native of Celestia, and thus welcome in the setting equivalent of Heaven, which is much more peaceful and orderly than the Netherworld.
+Merely being an Angel gives you access to other Angels as comrades and helpers, and some nice places to relax.
+Humans and other non-Demons will naturally trust you more on a first meeting. After all, who ever heard of a bad angel?
-You’re expected to act virtuous and good wherever possible, or at least advance the ‘cause’ of Good.
-Even if you yourself are actually ‘good’, other Angels can either be incredibly naive and stupid, or even worse than Demons. You’re going to be roped in with one of those camps if you’re not careful.
-Celestia is amazingly boring compared to the Netherworld, and going to the Netherworld means Demons will usually hate or distrust you by default.
Age: Anywhere from 12 to 1,000. Note this won’t give you any free levels, and Angels tend to be awfully immature even with their long lifespan.
Gender: Your choice!

Prinny [+100]
Wait, why is the mirror suddenly taller than you are? Why can’t you feel your fingers? What’s going on? You look into the mirror and see a short cartoon penguin staring back at you. Aw, crap, dood. You’re a Prinny, the reincarnated soul of a sinner who did anything from mass murder to committing suicide to save someone’s life. It’s messed up, dood.
+You’re a cartoon penguin, dood.
+You can somehow handle objects and items despite lacking opposable thumbs, dood.
+This race is so common you can blend in like a chameleon, dood.
-You are effectively part of an underpaid slave race, dood.
-You’re starting off really weak compared to the others, dood.
-You can’t stop saying dood whenever you talk, dood.
Age: 1d8+Penguin, dood.
Gender: Doesn’t really matter, dood. Whatever floats your boat.

Vyers doesn’t miss a beat once you’ve finished processing your new form. Oddly, he doesn’t even react to you being an Angel or a Prinny if you had chosen either. “It looks good on you! Not as good as it does on me, but, you know. A five out of ten isn’t bad. Now, how about where you came from? Or...will have come from. In the past. And not right n-look, I don’t know how this usually works for you, but your boss does! Just pick something, please.”

Suddenly the memories come flooding back…

Drop-In [Free]
The memory that you’re a Jumper and that memories from this crazy place are for nerds. You’re not a nerd. Or whatever you consider derogatory. You reply to Vyers with a helpless shrug.
+No stupid memories.
+Nobody knows you.
-No helpful memories.
-Nobody here cares about you.

Netherworld [100 – Free Demon]
You’re from the Netherworld, whether as a native Demon or some unfortunate sap who ended up trapped within. You might be incognito or Fallen if you’re an Angel, or a lost adventurer of some kind if you’re a Human. Either way, you’ve been surrounded by evil and powerful Demons for many years, and you’ve learned their only real law: Might makes Right. And boy, are you mighty. And kind of evil. And mean.
+You’ve survived in the Netherworld and have an idea of the in-setting cosmology at large.
+You have enough experience and levels to deal with the rank-and-file mooks and weaker demons easily.
+You might be a candidate for Overlord, or a Vassal to someone similar.
-Everyone, and I mean, EVERYONE wants to pick a fight with you at some point.
-You won’t get far without either a lot of power or a lot of minions.
-You’re probably kind of a jerk by now, by necessity.

Celestia [100 – Free Angel]
You’re from Celestia, whether as a native Angel or one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Virtuous humans or those personally favored by an Angel are sometimes allowed in, but Demons are almost never welcome except in extraordinary circumstances...like being hired muscle, for instance. It’s a heavenly, flower-filled place where everyone is either incredibly orderly and polite, or insufferably obsessed with things like virtue, love, and pop culture. This can range anywhere from harmless to fanatical intensity...why are Angels supposed to be better than Demons, again? Either way, you’ve lived in this place for years, and are used to the peace and quiet. And my God, is it boring.
+A very nice place full of good Angels.
+Lots of flowers and delightful scenery.
+The Angels trust you enough to use their Dimensional Gate, so you can leave anytime.
-It’s so boring and saccharine that you’re likely a bit stir-crazy by now.
-There’s a non-zero chance you’re going to be sent on dangerous solo missions in the name of good. Unlike Demons, you don’t have easy minion access except for Prinnies and any Angels you can convince to come along.
-’Virtue’ does not mean ‘good’ - some angels go more than a little too far in their duties, to the point a Demon would tell them to chill the heck out. You might be among these, or a target of one.

Earth [100 – Free Human]
Planet Earth – the Human World, a race the above backgrounds may call insignificant and backwater. One they will raise their noses at and turn their backs. But not you! You are a true Earthborn human or someone who has been swayed to the cause of defending it! Sure, it’s amazingly overpopulated and polluted and we’ve probably had a couple dozen nuclear wars before now, but this time will be different, damn it! You’re either a member of the Earth Defense Force or an independent vigilante or villain who receives their gear and support from a mysterious benefactor. No, not that one, someone else.
+Highly advanced technology! Who needs magic when you have superior human engineering?!
+A place of great heroes and villains, great for anyone who’d rather not stick with a single alignment!
+Mostly-familiar geography that has only been blown up about five times!
-The EDF and the government surrounding it is hopelessly corrupt, currently planning to abandon Earth and find a new world to colonize.
-You’re considered the bumpkins and total jokes of the in-setting multiverse. Good luck getting any respect, even as a great hero of your world.
-No minions available, just soldiers and any poor sap you can rally to your cause. Most humans never make it past a certain level threshold, and will be useless against stronger Demons or Angels without training (that is, level grinding). Depending on what you have or what you lack, you may end up with very few reliable allies, or entirely on your lonesome!

Once you’ve settled into your new memories and identity, you prepare for the inevitable location roll, only for Vyers to clear his throat. “Honestly, no matter where you begin, all three realms of this universe have incredibly diverse and vast locations. You may start wherever you please in any of the three realms, though I would advise picking some kind of settlement near a Dimensional Gate, or starting with such a device yourself. Whether or not you serve a lord yourself or aspire to be one will depend on the details your memories have given you. I would also...caution against starting somewhere you know a powerful foe will be waiting for you. The Item World is off limits as a starting location.”

You pocket your d8 after grumbling in mild disappointment at the laziness of the one who made the jump.
“Now then, let’s decide the Perks to your stay!” Vyers proclaims. “Let’s get some of the basics out of the way!”

I’ll take it from here. Every individual of note (that is, not some worthless NPC) has something to consider: Potential. As described below.

Level One [Free, Mandatory] – You’ve probably heard some interesting things about this world. Angels that can call down meteors that destroy entire continents, magic that can shatter planets like glass, ice cream that never melts! Some of these may be gross exaggerations, but one thing cannot be denied: This is a place of great heroes and villains, even if they’re just silly parodies more than half of the time.

That said, you can have the flashiest, galaxy-destroying lightshow on the planet and it won’t actually do squat for damage to anyone or anything unless you work for it. (You’ll probably be a hit at parties, though!) This place works on RPG logic, not ‘real’ logic. Most humans, demons, and even Angels don’t really bother improving their potential past what you’d consider common for most ‘mooks’ in stories, but the exceptions to this rule are powerful indeed, and more than likely match up to the legends you hear.

Where do you fit in? Well, that depends. Your true potential from perks and powers from this world depends on one thing: experience. Or, to be more accurate, obscene amounts of level grinding! Every perk and class in here come with a set of powers that all depend on your ‘level’, that is, the amount of skill and training you have, in addition to how many powerful foes you’ve defeated from this point on. You start at Level One – fresh but full of potential, with plenty of room for growth! While your level won’t reflect what you gained before now, things that improve training, learning, and fighting ability can speed up your growth a little for each source of ‘help’ you have, though don’t expect to blaze through levels every five seconds. Early levels involve things you’d see in most ‘low-key’ anime or video games, or what you youngsters call ‘peak human’. And from there, the sky is the limit, but you must work and train hard to hope to match things such as powerful demons or Overlord candidates...or worse, actual Overlords, who may be far beyond you if you don’t dedicate every waking minute to grinding like a madman.

Be warned. However you choose to see how power and people work in this world, it goes both ways: Any peak of power you can obtain using these perks can be obtained by others who are dedicated enough. And mark my words: while the common man, Demon, Angel, and Prinny will never come close to you if you work hard enough, you WILL run into main character material that will kick your butt into next week eventually if you get cocky.

How your abilities will manifest will depend on your Features, which we will get to later. For now, let’s look at the basics!

[Drop In]

What a Ripoff! [100, Free for Drop-In] – Something you’ll notice very quickly is that this world runs on archetypes. The bratty Overlord kid, the love-obsessed angel, the bombastic hero, the devious villain...and so forth. And then you have things like the tsundere, the other tsundere, a comic relief frog-look, point is, everyone on here on a surface level is some kind of character type you’d see in an anime. You can now imitate any such archetype of your choosing to convincingly make someone think you fit that character type to a tee – even if it doesn’t match your real personality or intentions at all. People will be more prone to accepting what you say at face value, but it won’t stop later suspicions or a lack of acting ability make it eventually apparent you’re hiding something. Still, with enough practice…

Hiding Your Power Level [100, Free for Drop-In] – Whether this is your first stop or not, it can be a little annoying when people immediately identify you as the scariest thing in the room...or immediately target you first. Sometimes you just want to relax and go out for a milk run. You can now hide the amount of energy, skill, or power you have that can be sensed by anyone else. This only lasts until you actually use said abilities in any form, but others will be more easily convinced you’re a civilian or underdog. This includes your level and title, by the way, which will read ‘Level 1: Loser’, when in use.

Hidden Depths [200, Discount for Drop-In] – Contrary to what TV will tell you, people don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. There’s a lot below the surface level of someone’s behavior, things you’ll often never learn about someone without being very close to them. You now have a ‘sixth sense’ for when someone’s actions have an ulterior or obscure motive, and a vague idea of how much that action means to them. This doesn’t give you anymore clues than that, but some investigative work can reveal a lot of things you might not have never guessed. In addition, this works for you as well – you’ve learned how to stop yourself from using tells, and managed to overcome the anime bad habit of making cryptic statements when you think nobody can hear. In short? You have a perfect poker face and can hide your intentions like a true con artist – doesn’t do anything for physical evidence, but, you know.

Who You Gonna Call? Jumper! [200, Discount for Drop-In] – I am not sorry for that. Anyways, you have to admit, an interdimensional tourist can have a lot to offer the rest of the multiverse. And wouldn’t you know it: Demons, Angels, and humans are all equal-opportunity employers here. If you want, you can offer your services in some fashion – as a vassal, a shopkeeper, a janitor, or even a Main Character. Sure enough, fate will conspire to rope you into your chosen role at the hands of a major figure in the world, maybe even the protagonists themselves. You don’t have precise control over who will be the one contacting or running into you in the first place, but they’ll generally be someone whose personality or goals mesh with yours. You could fish for someone you specifically know you won’t get along with, of course...if only to take all their stuff or make some kind of weird buddy cop duo. Hey, I won’t judge. Be warned, if you choose something like ‘the hero’ or ‘main character’, fate won’t automatically give you the ability to survive such an ordeal on its own – you best not bite off more than you can chew!

Fan Favorite [400, Discount for Drop-In] – ...really? Alright, fine. For starters, your hair color can now change to whatever you want at will, and nobody will ever question you on it unless you want them to. Second, you will continually find ways to attract numerous members of your desired sex without actually meaning to, often ensuring you’ll end up with some size of admirers who would happily follow you to the ends of Earth. If that’s not your thing, you’ll instead just get a fanbase that forms and grows in size as time goes on, who will happily do favors for your praise – though while Demon fans and morally ambiguous sorts will happily beat others up for you, humans and Angels, along with people from other jumps, may not be cool with their idol telling them to do sketchy things. Third, using this in a world where the internet exists will ensure a massive amount of fanfiction and art will be made of you. Have fun.

Silent Protagonist [400, Discount for Drop-In] – A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So how about a weirdo just staring blankly at you for a few seconds? Perfect! You now have a rather unique ability – you can accurately communicate with someone just by making eye contact or pantomime, and get your point across perfectly. Alternatively, you can make someone think you’re saying exactly what they want to hear, which will make even the most clever and villainous think you’re either their buddy or a convenient ally. This won’t overpower common sense – an enemy is still an enemy, after all, but you’d be surprised the sort of conclusions people will jump to. That said, you can’t communicate any other way at all when using this perk – including telepathy or holding up a sign.

I Will Be The Main Character! [600, Discount for Drop-In] – So you want to be the protagonist. Not just a main character, THE protagonist. To have your own game, to have your own supporting cast of characters, to finally escape development hell! Well, first, shut up Asagi. Second, you may or may not be able to supplant a protagonist with what you have now, but you certainly have the growth of one. You can now apply the principle for experience points – fighting bigger, tougher, better enemies than you – to any skill or power you currently have. In short, the more outmatched you are and the harder you get your butt kicked, the more your abilities will increase in potency and skill. If you survive, anyways. Actually defeating said enemies while the power gap is wide (and it has to be an up close and personal affair – no using a doomsday weapon in the safety of a moon base or something) will result in an even greater boost. That said, this is a high-risk, high-reward sort of ability – a low risk will give you little to nothing, while something that beats you within an inch of your life and has a real chance of ending your chain will make you rise like a phoenix. You know, if you don’t die.

[Netherworld]

Maximum Bully [100, Free for Netherworld] – A demon is evil, EVIL! And while you may or may not be one yourself, the only people who get by in the Netherworld are the baddest of the bad. The maddest of the mad. The killers of kings and destroyers of worlds! Okay, not really, but still. You need to act the part. You can now pull off a perfect Saturday Morning Cartoon villain act and know how to look the part. You’re also very good at making small children cry and become a master of internet trolling. You know, because that’s a useful skill.

The Wickedest of Them All [100, Free for Netherworld] – Demons don’t have soft spots or ‘good’ in them! And neither do humans or any other residents worth their salt here! And you’ll prove it! You can now read as ‘evil’ to any alignment detectors that work on you, and mask your actions as obviously malevolent even if they’re contradictory – you weren’t SAVING that Angel, you were just murdering the competition so you could kill them later! You weren’t FEEDING those orphans, you were torturing them with sugary candies and tooth decay! You aren’t REALLY in love with that human, you’re just deceiving them and taking a REALLY long time to spring the trap! In short, you can convince everyone you’re a villain with minimal effort, but those close to you (as if!) will probably see through the facade.

Slave Driver [200, Discount for Netherworld] – You know what really helps a work force get the job done in a hurry, especially those lazy Prinnies? Working them to their full potential! You can now use encouragement (abusive shouting), motivation (literal whip cracking), and reward (a 1-hour break in a 23-hour work schedule) to get any source of manpower you have working at twice their efficiency. They will appreciate you (not) and your efforts, and will be more loyal (terrified) as a result. Just try not to slack off in your motivational efforts, or else they’ll be back to their lazy selves in no time! (They also have a distressing tendency to revolt if you go overboard.)

Showmanship [200, Discount for Netherworld] – A cape flowing in the wind, an intimidating aura, and nailing down the evil laugh JUST right. These are the marks of a true villain! You become an absolutely hamtastic actor and spotlight stealer, chewing on the scenery like it’s delicious candy. Your evil laugh is now perfect, your dialogue is always on-point, and you speak in BIG BOLD LETTERS at will. You get a minor intimidation boost as well as incredible acting ability, which is amplified the more loud and hammy you’re being. Not very good for subtlety.

Demonic Job Security [400, Discount for Netherworld] – By nature, those who live here tend to range between lazy good-for-nothings or folks who regularly betray their bosses to get ahead. But that’s just how things work here, and you can now extend this logic to any sort of job or position in a faction you have. So long as you’re not at the top of the hierarchy or damage the organization beyond repair, you’ll find not doing your job or even betraying said faction will be more easily forgiven. You’ll still have to butter them up a bit or actually get your hands dirty when the chips are down, but what’s more evil than someone who eats payroll all the time and then does nothing? If that’s not enough, your new friends tend to be conveniently forgetful about the fact you set your old allies on fire on the way out, and won’t suspect it if you plan to do the same to them...unless you’re too obvious about it, of course.

Might Makes Right [400, Discount for Netherworld] – Demons make a big show about being evil and mean, but there’s really only one thing they truly respect: Power. Others may disagree, but if you’re strong enough to bring all who defy you to heel, you can say or do whatever you want as a leader or ruler. This is half of the reason the Netherworld bent the knee to King Krichevskoy while he still lived. The more raw, destructive power you have compared to the one you’re speaking to, the stronger both your charisma and intimidation towards the subject will be. Whatever your desired result – for them to fear you, to love you, to be inspired by you – you will find them more receptive to that so long as you hold a clear difference in power over them. This is temporary, however – people won’t betray their principles or risk their lives for you, and the heroic or strong-willed will resist you anyways. But, if you treat your subjects, minions, and allies well, this hierarchy transforms into true loyalty – those who you protected or guided will remember you fondly, and you’ll find that even those who still disagree with you and your methods will develop a grudging respect.

Noble Demon [600, Discount for Netherworld] – This is the other reason King Krichevskoy is mourned and missed by his demonic vassals, even now. Good and evil are just words, as are demons and angels. True good comes from one’s actions, not where they came from or what they’ve done. And while you have a role to fulfill, you have principles that you refuse to give up or break. You can now make an oath to yourself, that has meaning to you - ‘never will I break my promise to her, never will the Netherworld suffer under my rule, never will I kill an innocent’ - whatever the case, the oath must be morally binding and must actively restrain you from doing something heinous you’d consider if your options ran short.

So long as you do not break this oath, you will find your natural weaknesses – holy weapons, a type weakness, big-breasted women shouting love and encouragement to you – will be much less effective, mitigating the advantage they would hold over you. You also receive a huge boost in willpower, and mind control directed to try and make you betray your oath or principles is as effective as a wet sock against a hurricane, and everything you do to protect or enforce said oath is boosted greatly in power and execution. Finally, your charisma receives a huge boost, especially when used in tandem with Might Makes Right. You know what you are. Become a magnificent villain, Jumper.

[Celestia]

Soft Warmth [100, Free for Celestia] – There is good and love in all things, and you’ve learned how to properly express such to those who need it. You have an absolutely charming or adorable smile and demeanor, and will find it easy to make a good first impression on others, especially those who are down in the dumps or in need of encouragement. Alternatively, you can appear dumber and more adorable than you actually are (sort of like a braindead puppy), which is disarming in more ways than one. Works best when meeting someone for the first time or when they’re not sure what to expect from you.

Love & Peace [100, Free for Celestia] – Did I mention love is in all things yet? I don’t think I did, just wanted to make sure. You are now an expert in all things love-related...that is, what TV tells you about love. You can come up with passionate speeches about love and goodness in all things with a sincerity seen in only the pure-hearted or amazingly stupid. You might make a decent relationship consultant if you apply this with actual experience or knowledge, too.

Sorrowful Angel [200, Discount for Celestia] – A tender heart is not a weakness. Angels and Demons live for a very long time and see many things – and so does a Jumper. Yet even as entire millennia roll on by, you don’t forger what your emotions tell you. A morning is still a brand new day, love is still as wonderful as your first, and an adventure always holds a newness to you. In short, age, cynicism nor mind control can dull or weaken your emotions in any capacity, and your common sense won’t suffer for it either.

A Flower in the Desert [200, Discount for Celestia] – It’s strange. Maybe it’s because of your affable demeanor, or that you seem naturally weak compared to your allies or the rest of your species. Regardless, those who would otherwise be your natural enemies seem to tolerate your presence enough to let you hang around them. This doesn’t mean they respect you, exactly, but this may provide the rare opening you need to befriend someone or understand an enemy’s perspective...acting against them in any way will make this crumble for good, however. You wouldn’t take advantage of their kindness, would you?

Morality Pet [400, Discount for Celestia] – It’s not enough to just be friends or an annoying sidekick to someone, however. It’s about bringing out the best in them, and to turn them over to the side of goodness! Or at least make them stop bullying you. The longer you’re around someone and make an effort to reach out to them, the more you’ll grow on them – your better qualities will start to rub off on them and they’ll feel increasingly hesitant to disappoint or hurt you in any capacity. In short, they get a soft spot for you and start picking up some of your habits and traits. Of course, you could use this to corrupt someone into a worse villain or turn them against their friends...but, why?

Wheels Within Wheels [400, Discount for Celestia] – Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Honesty. Friends. Family. An entire episode of Super Love Ranger. This is a truth you’ve learned to accept, and for it, you’ve become a master of subtlety and manipulation. You can overturn an entire organization or conspiracy with the right words to the right people, or perhaps the other way around. Century-long plans unravel in your hands, and what’s worse, only the most intelligent or most determined will ever find it out was you – as far as anyone else knows, you were just sitting in your garden all day.

Only the Pure of Heart [600, Discount for Celestia] – A unique property of Celestia’s equipment and abilities is being especially damaging or resistant to the wicked, to the point where they can’t even hold important artifacts without being burnt severely. You have internalized this and applied it to your abilities – now, any power or ability you use can damage the wicked. What constitutes as ‘wicked’ can vary, but so long as the target has willingly committed some sort of sin or misdeed, this will increase the damage they take from the attack. A jaywalker will feel an extra burn, while a homicidal maniac responsible for genocide will burn with the intensity of a sun. With some practice, you can adjust this power to apply also for what you would constitute as a ‘sin’...whether it would be ‘denying love’ or ‘defying me’, where the same rules of weight and intensity apply. Smite the wicked.

[Earth]

JUMPER, HERO OF THE MULTIVERSE! [100, Free for Earth] – You’re not just any dimension-hopping neer-do-well, no sir! You are JUMPER, HERO OF THE MULTIVERSE! Not only that, but when you do desire it, others will recognize you and have a passing knowledge of your reputation, pointing it and you out loudly and confirming that you are indeed JUMPER, HERO OF THE MULTIVERSE! As a bonus, if you so wish, it will always be in a loud and bold voice that echoes into the distance, and will always call you by your name and title, such as JUMPER, HERO OF THE MULTIVERSE!

Ham and Cheese [100, Free for Earth] – A hero must be many things! Loud! Bold! Italics! Gallant! You are now a master of giving heroic, hot-blooded speeches and a master of posing dramatically. You can even temporarily pause the action and chaos around you by announcing your presence or making such a speech, making everyone stop and listen. It doesn’t guarantee they’ll be IMPRESSED, but they’re sure as hell hear you!

A Cry for Help! [200, Discount for Earth] – What is a hero without people to save?! Probably someone in a safe neighborhood, but damn it, that’s not where you’re needed! You can now sense when a nearby innocent is being harmed or threatened, along with a general idea of the intensity of the threat level or actual danger. All actions you take to arrive on the scene will conspire for you to arrive in the nick of time, but only if you devote all of your effort to doing so. Never fear! Jumper is here!

The Hero of Smiles! [200, Discount for Earth] – Even a bumbling, unlucky everyman forced into the shoes of a hero – or just a really dumb man with a talent for heroics – can inspire entire generations. When you do a good deed or significant act of heroism, someone will find a way to witness it, and the act will be an inspiration to those who follow a similar cause. Others will follow in your footsteps and tell your story for years to come, and you’ll be an idol to youth everywhere. Of course, this can equally apply to infamy...if you’re some VILLAIN. Which you aren’t, right? This can be toggled if you prefer discretion. Be aware that the public’s opinion of what happened, while still glowing and positive in most cases, tends to...exaggerate.

Never Give Up! [400, Discount for Earth] – A true hero never backs down, even against the hordes of powerful demons or the unsettling fact of how tiny Earth is in comparison. True power comes from a heart full of courage! Your own determination grows to the point you are utterly fearless against all but the most eldritch of foes, and all attempts to control your mind or make you feel despair will burn away like ice against a hot summer day. This perk is greatly intensified if you are screaming at the top of your lungs in some capacity. Heroic speeches optional, but preferred.

My Comrade [400, Discount for Earth] – There are times when you must put aside your differences and work together with the villains, or help them see the light and abandon their nefarious ways. When a mutual enemy appears, your enemies will be more willing to temporarily ally with you as a necessity. More than that, when you defeat a foe, you can convince them to abandon their destructive or evil ways – and so long as a willingness for redemption and a slight hint of good is within them, it is likely you will succeed. If not, your enemy will continue on, but likely become more cordial to you and treat your rivalry more like a game or a daily occurrence than an actual life-or-death struggle...so long as some good is within them and you aren’t forced to put them down, of course. Absolute, irredeemable monsters need not apply.

The Unlosing Jumper [600, Discount for Earth] – The greater multiverse calls Earth insignificant, and humans a backwater species about as relevant as disco is to the present day. They scoff at the heroic spirit of humanity and heroes as a whole, who shout with hot-blooded determination against the screaming darkness of evil. After all, such a thing is absolutely useless and laughable in the long run, right?

They’re wrong. And you know it.

You’ve either managed to unlock a hidden power within yourself or managed to become delusional enough to bend reality a particular way. Whatever the case, your determination is no longer stupidity or stubbornness alone – it is a very real power. You can create energy born of your heroic spirit instead of mana or innate power in your body, limited only by your strength of character and your soul’s might. That’s not it, either. The more you fit the archetype of a hero as a Ranger, a Rider, or anyone else the innocent can look up to with hope – unsubtle, loud, hot-blooded, kind-hearted and determined – the more potent the roaring power of your passion. A losing battle becomes a climactic struggle, a declaration of protection becomes a turning point in history, and a confession of love becomes the moment a villain finally sees the light.

At a low level, this acts as a durability boost and an alternate energy source...but at high levels, and with the right amount of determination? There will be very little a true hero cannot do.

[General Perks]

Professional Peanut Gallery [Free] – At least a day before a major event happens to you, or before a new jump begins, Etna herself (or some of your companions) will give a hilariously inaccurate ‘next episode’ preview of what will happen. They tend to involve her taking the spotlight somehow, even if she’s dead or otherwise unavailable in later jumps. You and your companions are free to act as a peanut gallery to this, but it won’t have any real bearing on your adventures. Occasionally, Etna’s predictions will be dead serious and completely accurate...but by then, you’ll be so used to the silliness that it will be hard to believe or see coming. Can be toggled on and off.

Theme Song [Free] – What is a good character without a good theme song?! A dork, that’s what. You’re not a dork, are you? You now have a dedicated theme song with lyrics that perfectly describe your personality. There’s a bias towards quirky, upbeat tunes in this world, but it will be whatever genre or style that you desire. Nobody except you will hear it unless you decide otherwise, and others will likewise only comment on it if you will it so (or if they notice the fourth wall with any regularity). Tends to play whenever you do something cool or take the spotlight.

Moe [Free/100] – There’s no such thing as an ugly main character! Okay, well, maybe not the monster classes...but don’t judge! Point is, you look some form of beautiful, sexy, handsome, or adorable. Maybe even some combination of all of the above. Those who work out can be deceptively thin and boyish or made of rippling muscle, ladies can be short, adorable and flat or have large...erm, tracts of land. Muscular ladies work fine, too, as do particularly androgynous boys. You know who you are. Everyone here looks like this to some extent, but for an extra 100 points, you look especially gorgeous or awesome even among the locals. Expect a fanclub.

Mana Burst [Free/300] - ‘Mana’ is the life energy in all things, and is where the source of most power from Angels and Demons comes from. It’s most often used for the incredibly flashy abilities that people throw around like candy in battle. In short, this energy and its use is what powers most special attacks or abilities in this world. Though it’s rare for Humans to be able to use it, choosing that as your Species will give you access to this all the same. You start with a fairly small pool of it, enough to create small bursts of power or strength in your attacks, and the occasional finishing move blast. It will steadily recover with rest or standard RPG item use. As you grow in experience and level, your mana pool will grow a bit larger with you, letting you accomplish greater feats. Exactly what that manifests as is up to you, but note that mana-effects tend to be biased towards flashy, combat-y things, and doesn’t really wander into the world of the conceptual or utility most of the time...with some exceptions. Raw power is where it’s at, here.

That aside, if you’d rather get a head start on the competition, you can spend 300 mana to both considerably increase the growth of your pool and to double the starting amount you have. This lets you throw around flashier attacks with less experience. With enough time and training, you’ll be a match for even Overlords. And with this extra boost? You’ll get there faster.

Reincarnation [Free/300] – For...obvious reasons, a Jumper can’t safely benefit from reincarnation in this world. The whole ‘dying’ part and all. However, you can instead willingly channel your energy into the power of rebirth, creating a sort of pseudo-reincarnation. Your Level and all of your abilities (except for skills) will be reduced to their lowest possible intensity, and will slowly recover over time. In exchange for this temporary power-up letdown, your growth and learning rate greatly intensifies, especially if you go right back to punching above your own weight during the reduction in power. You can also willingly use a lesser version of this perk to weaken yourself or lower your level, then scale it back up or down from full power at will, though it will lack the growth boost. For 400 points, you can use this in any jump past this one.

Item World [Free/400] – Every weapon, armor, and gear has untapped potential. A sword, a gun, a plastic spoon – anything can become an artifact of legend with the right motivation. Such as journeying into the item’s own ‘world’, made of thousands of islands connected to each other via Dimension Gate, and beating the crap out of its imperfections. If it's something you wear or use, it's an item. If it's something you command or position like a unit, it's not an item, and thus you cannot enter its World.  You and up to nine other people can enter this world, which will be entirely random and full of various monsters. The weaker the item is, the weaker the monsters will be, and vice-versa...truly powerful items of legend will create terrifying opponents indeed – Item Kings and even Item Gods, titanic foes who will slaughter the unwary party.

The further you journey into the item, the stronger it will become – and the stronger the enemies inside will be. Imperfections will disappear, and even a common household item can become worth ten times more than its weight in combat. This won’t directly improve or modify complex devices or weapons with a lot of working parts, but it will increase their output or raw power when in use. Be wary – you can’t bring the item whose Item World you’re entering with you, so bring a backup weapon or any extra gear you need. If the item is destroyed with you and company in it, you will be killed along with it.

Thankfully, there is a chance every ten floors that you will find a town full of Innocents, a place without monsters you can rest and recover in. With the right amount of determination and sufficiency, one could journey for a long time in the Item World...but be wary of both the growing enemies and the fact time is still marching on outside of the World!

Main Character [500]* - You’re not just anyone, you’re a protagonist! The star! The shining beacon of hope or despair! The one people constantly complain about on the internet and wish one of your companions took the lead instead! Well, screw them.  You’ve even got a unique portrait to show for it. Your weight and importance to this world gives you the ability to unlock the same potential within others – in exchange for a considerable but temporary decrease in your power and energy reserves, you may unlock the potential within others – effectively granting them the Level One perk as well as the free version of Mana Burst. They will have none of the skill or training available from beings in this world – but with a certain handsome Jumper training them hard enough, they can now reach greater heights of skill and power. It doesn’t completely remove their limitations – but that particular ceiling is now much, MUCH higher. This also unlocks the true potential of the various abilities of the realms, as follows…


Drop-In: You can now apply the experience-gain perk via defeat and narrow victories to your students.

Netherworld: Your Noble Demon tendencies will draw followers and minions to you, many of whom will be loyal to you and your chosen principles.

Celestia: Purification, corruption removal.

Earth: Make items fueled by heroic spirit, like Ranger belts or other Toku nonsense.

[Features]
Features are basically areas where your gained experience in this world and beyond will manifest as. While most of these can be accessed and learned regardless of your choice, what you choose here is what you will have starting experience and skill in, and will grow within a bit faster as you gain levels.  You will start with two for free, and any beyond that must be bought with 200 points each.

Brawler – They have many names. Monks. Martial Artists. Street Fighters. Delinquents. They are masters of beating the crap out of things bigger than them just using their bare hands. And legs. Or tentacles. Point is, you know kung fu. Your experience will teach you new martial arts styles and make learning others faster, as well as letting you specialize into using mana as a sort of ‘ki’ to enhance your brawling attacks. Using this will make you stronger, faster, even punchier. With enough effort and training, you do things such as punching someone into orbit, use mana to lift things WAY above your weight and move faster than the untrained, underleveled eye can follow.

Weapon Master – Want to get up close and personal, and show off that shiny sword of yours, Jumper? Or axe? Or spear? Or kitchen table leg? Rest assured, I have you covered. Pick a single type of melee weapon. You now have years of practice with that weapon. Not only that, but while you don’t have the training in other weapon types, you’re really quick at learning how to wield whatever you pick up as a deadly weapon, so long as it’s for using it in melee? Guns? Bows? Not so much, unless you’re hitting someone with them. Axes? Spears? Giant mallets? Someone’s own skull? THERE we go. You can focus your mana into making the weapon stronger and more damaging for a few swings, smash extra hard, or create flying ‘cuts’ of mana to launch at an enemy. Your physical abilities are likewise boosted so long as you’re wielding said weapon, scaling similarly to Brawler.

Magic – See, if you’re some kind of NERD, you can actually refine mana into something besides generic energy blasts or cutscene attacks. Namely, you can form classic RPG elements – fire, water, and so on – using a smaller amount of mana than you would throwing it around like an idiot. It even has use outside of combat, too. The only downside is that it needs a lot more concentration, setup, and study as opposed to just tossing raw power around. With enough time and experience, you can bathe cities in fire, flood them, or even ruin the day of the local weather reporter. You might be a tiny bit more fragile than the average fighter, though, if you don’t keep up your stamina or physical training – wizards never seem to jog very much. Comes with a free Skull Mask or Witch Hat.

Boring Magic – Okay, maybe you’re not really into the whole ‘slinging around fire and lightning like a madman’ kind of magic. Maybe you prefer a more passive, supportive approach. Either that or you’re a companion who got shafted back into the healing role. It’s okay, I understand. This is one of the odd exceptions I mentioned earlier, where instead of blowing the crap out of stuff, you actually heal and restore others. Close up wounds, purge diseases from the body, things like that. With some extra practice, you can form powerful barriers or defensive buff spells, along with being able to restore lost limbs, organs, and even broken hearts! Nah, I’m just kidding about that last one. One thing, though – reviving the dead is actually incredibly rare here, outside of reincarnation or the services of the various Netherworld hospitals. You won’t be able to learn that sort of thing without some kind of help, even if you grind your butt off. That sort of thing usually results in sacrificing your life for others, and I’m pretty sure that’s something you might want to avoid.

Onmyo Disciple – Another one of those exceptions to the rule. The Onmyo are something of an odd duck, but are extremely necessary for the dedicated Item World explorer. Instead of combat ability or direct support, they are able to navigate and alter Geo-Panels using their magic, changing the environment or battlefield to suit their needs. Geo-Panels can make or break a battlefield, providing passive ‘buffs’ or ‘debuffs’ to the ones standing on them, from gradually injuring them to increasing the damage they inflict. They become an increasingly frequent occurrence deeper into the Item World, as well. Past this world, an Onmyo disciple can create Geo-Panels entirely on their own, perhaps even find other ways to alter the environment…

Thief – And here’s another one. A thief is...well, really good at stealing things. Picking pockets, sneaking around, using small and quick weapons, that sort of thing. But you can become really, REALLY good at it. Like, stealing someone’s weapons mid-swing, taking their wallet while they’re distracted by the plot, or removing someone’s pants without them noticing. Fun things like that. You become better at stealing and sneaking as you gain experience, to the point you could take things like ‘memories’ or ‘strength’ and WOAH CALM DOWN! DOWN, JUMPER, DOWN! These aren’t as exciting as they sound. It mostly means stealing a fraction of the ‘stats’ of an enemy to boost yourself or inflicting ‘status effects’. You can’t really put to use the things you steal in other ways, much less steal abilities. They don’t actually last very long or anything quite as exciting as permanently stealing things like those, but they’re definitely useful in battle. Still, never underestimate the ability to take a chunk out of someone’s physical strength, okay?

Beast Soul – Werewolf. Beastmaster. Catgirl. These are but many manifestations of one with the soul of a Beast. Whether from demonic heritage, a freak lab accident, or really dedicated cosplay – you have the features and some of the physical abilities of a single Earthborn mammal. The agility and claws of a cat, the senses and teeth of a dog, and so forth. And of course, you have the fluffy tail to show for it. The real meat of this form doesn’t come from the physical boosts and appeal, however. First, you can enter a frenzied state of animalistic rage for an increase in physical strength, speed, and durability, those it will be difficult to control yourself while in this state. Second, you can impose your will onto non-sapient animals not being directly controlled by a stronger will, potentially taming them and bringing them to your side as minions or turncoats. Things with human-level intelligence or above don’t count, but it can make for an excellent intimidation boost as a consolation. Howl with the soul of the wild, Jumper.

Ninja – Nin, nin, nin! Masters of the shadows, connoisseur of assassination, looks really good in black. You become very fast and good at dodging as you grow with experience, and likewise very good at sneaking and wielding weapons like knives, kunai, and shuriken. You become especially deadly at sneak attacks, and can become good enough at dodging to avoid bullets by making a shimmy and a shake. You’re fast, you’re sneaky, you’re hard to hit. Consider the ninja lifestyle.

Gunner – This town ain’t big enough for the two of us, pardner. You are really good at using guns, being a quick and careful sharpshooter. Not only does your aim become increasingly precise (and improbable) as you grow in power, you can augment guns you wield with mana, making them much more powerful in your hands. A standard pistol can become a magical bullet of pain and doom in your hands, and from there, the sky’s the limit. It’s high noon.

Archer – The other side of the equation is...well. It’s Gunner with bows. That’s it. That’s literally it. Just read the above and pretend it’s a ranger instead of a cowboy.

Armor Knight – Okay, so throwing around damage and running around is all well and good, but what about SURVIVING it? You naturally become more durable as you gain experience, but what if you want to go the extra mile? This Feature gives your general ‘HP’ a considerable growth boost, as well as letting you move about in heavy, durable armor with as much trouble as you would putting on a normal t-shirt and pants. That is, not much. This doesn’t increase your combat ability, but it does increase how much damage you can tank, until you’re shrugging off or just being tickled by the attacks of others. It won’t make you totally invincible – you’ll still take scratch damage – nor will it give you healing ability. Still, you will eventually be at the point you can walk through mundane gunfire with only really tiny bruises instead of real wounds, and be able to survive the crazier stuff in this world. Take your best shot.

Monstrous – Mothman. Dragon. Succubus. Demons, some Angels, and a few unfortunate humans don’t gain power from mana, but instead from the natural abilities that come with their biology. In short, this is the monster class option. You may choose a single monster class from Disgaea 1 or D2, with the associated abilities that come with them – Succubi are beautiful and have a considerable talent for magic (in addition to, well, succubus things), a Mothman is a giant moth that weakens enemies that are close to it, and so on. If you’re an Angel or a Human, you’re free to make up whatever appropriate backstory that resulted in your feature’s circumstance. Or just blame me. That usually does it. One thing – you may not choose Majin or Prinnies among the classes. That comes later.

Prinny [Restricted and must be chosen first for Prinny] – Where did you go wrong?! You’re a tiny cartoon penguin. You have an uncontrollable verbal tic and you can’t really use mana in as flashy a fashion as others. On the plus side, you have a natural aptitude for penguin-sized swords and can wield them with the same amount of skill and flexibility as a Weapon Master. You also explode if somebody throws you...though unlike a ‘normal’ Prinny, you won’t die from someone doing so. It’ll still hurt a little, though, so try not to make it a habit. Post-jump, the downsides to this form disappear. You can keep the ‘exploding if somebody tosses you’ ability and give it a toggle option, if you like.

Transforming Hero! - This takes one of two forms. You’re either someone who can change into some colored spandex who gains a boost to all physical power in exchange for what may be mild embarrassment and an urge to pose at random, or you instead get a frilly dress outfit that gives you a tremendous boost to magical power. You may switch these around, but you only get one outfit and one boost, so choose carefully. A transformation sequence and loudly declaring your intent to fight for (in)justice is absolutely mandatory. Like all features, these will grow in power along with your experience.

Majin Soul [400] – What, you want to go right for the cheat option? Seriously?! I even went through the trouble of detailing all of the above! Ugh. Fine. Non-Prinnies can forsake the ability to take Features and just take this one, though it can’t be taken for free and costs 400 instead of 200. You have the soul of a mighty Majin, giving you an across-the-board growth rate and potential increase in all stats and mana use, though you won’t gain any of the special abilities of the other features and will have to learn them at the same, boring pace as you would normally. But you will master the use of weapons quickly, and have an increased mana pool to throw around power with. It will be a literal grind, but you will become a master of battle and a terror on the field with enough experience, dishing out raw power like candy. If you’re a Demon, you will be an actual Majin, if you so wish.