Icons:Powers

Powers put the "super" into superhero characters. Like abilities, powers have levels rated on the 1 to 10 scale. Also like abilities, power levels are used for tests, although some powers require tests of other abilities as well; such as a close combat power requiring a Prowess test to hit a target. Other powers don't require tests; the power's level is just a measure of its effectiveness.

Power Descriptions

The following are the descriptions of the various powers. Each description includes general ways in which the power can be used. The Game Master sets the difficulty (see p. XXX) for specific actions attempted by characters with their powers.

Power Groups ★

As with specialties, some powers (such as Elemental Control or Resistance) are actually power groups of similar abilities, indicated by the group icon shown in the header. You don't take the Alternate Form or Elemental Control power; you choose one of the powers from within that group, such as Energy Form, Gaseous Form, Fire Control, or Magnetic Control.

Each power within a group is considered separate, although some effects may include all powers in a group for ease of reference.

Bonus Powers

Power descriptions refer to bonus powers; these are choices when creating a character (see Character Creation, p. XXX). You can have a bonus power replace one of your rolled powers. So, for example, if you come up with Elemental Control for your hero, you can choose to replace one of the hero's other powers with a Blast power of the same element.

Bonus powers are optional, you don't have to take them, but if you choose not to do so, you can't go back and take one later. You can make use of bonus powers you chose not to take initially as power stunts later on (see Power Stunts, p. XXX).

Devices

A device is an item providing a power or powers, rather than the power residing in the character. Devices range from relatively mundane items like swords, guns, and armor to super-science gadgets and magical talismans.

Devices have their own independent power-source, although they may need periodic recharging; having a device suddenly run out of power, break down, get stolen, or otherwise pose a problem for its owner is a suitable challenge (see Challenges, p. XXX).

Heroes with the Trained and Gimmick origins can only have powers from devices. Other characters may choose whether or not a power comes from a device or is innate when the power is acquired. If you want to determine this randomly, roll 2d6: on a 4 or less, the power comes from a device, otherwise it is innate.

Alteration Powers

These powers alter the character's body in some fashion.

Alteration devices can take many different forms, including, but not limited to: pills and "wonderdrugs;" belts, suits, or harnesses; magical talismans, or gloves or gauntlets for touch-range powers like Power Duplication or Theft.

Ability Boost ★

Unlike Ability Increase (see the following), this power is a temporary boost to any one ability (chosen when the power is acquired). Ability Boost is actually a power group of six powers, one for each ability: Prowess Boost, Coordination Boost, Strength Boost, and so forth. To determine the boosted ability randomly, roll 1d6: 1 = Prowess, 2 = Coordination, 3 = Strength, 4 = Intellect, 5 = Awareness, 6 = Willpower.

Once each scene you can boost the chosen ability's level up to the power level, lasting for a number of pages equal to the newly boosted level. Then the affected ability's level is reduced to one lower than its normal level for the same amount of time while it recovers. So, for example, Strength Boost 8 raises your Strength level to 8 for 8 pages, then your Strength drops to 1 less than its normal level for 8 pages while you recover.

When you determine the level for this power, any result equal to or less than your existing ability level should be re-rolled until you get a higher level. Level 10 abilities cannot be boosted.

Ability Increase

When this power is selected, permanently increase the level of one of the character's abilities by +2, to a maximum of 10. Select an ability or roll 1d6: 1 = Prowess, 2 = Coordination, 3 = Strength, 4 = Intellect, 5 = Awareness, 6 = Willpower.

Ability Increase only counts as a power for figuring your starting Determination if the final level of the ability is 7 or greater. You can choose another Alteration Power as a bonus power.

Alter-Ego

Your hero can transform into an entirely different alternate character! Create a second character as your Alter-Ego. The new character automatically has one less power. The GM may require certain traits, notably origin and mental abilities, to remain consistent between the two characters. If your hero simply has an "ordinary" human identity with no powers, that is most likely a Challenge rather than an instance of this power.

Serial Alter-Egos: If you roll this power twice, you can take the following option: stop rolling and discard all other powers. In their place, you can assume a series of superhuman alter-egos! You either have a set number of alter-egos equal to the number of initially rolled powers (minimum of two) or an unlimited series of random superhuman forms (generate a new character for each identity assumed).

In both cases, you can assume alter-ego form at will, but must revert to your normal form afterward for an amount of time equal to the time spent in your superhuman form(s).

Alternate Form ★

You can transform into a form other than flesh and blood, selected from the list below, at will. While transformed you possess the properties of the material and gain Invulnerability (p. XXX) equal to the power's level.

Depending on the form and Game Master approval you can use the level of this power to determine damage when attacking in close combat (punching with fists of steel, igniting things while made of fire, suffocating with gas or water, burning with acid, etc.).

Each type of Alternate Form is a power group, so you have Electrical Form, Fire Form, Gaseous Form, Metal Form, Water Form, and so forth, as individual powers.

Energy You transform into energy (choose electricity, fire, light, radiation, etc.). When in energy form you can do such things as:

• Jump into power lines and travel through them. (Electricity)
• Ignite flammable objects by touch. (Fire)
• Move at the speed of light. (Light)
• Cause radiation burns and sickness. (Radiation)

Gaseous You transform into a cloud of gas. You can flow through any opening that's not airtight and move through the air at your normal ground movement speed.

Liquid You transform into a liquid like water. While in liquid form you can flow like water, running through cracks and other small spaces.

Solid You transform into a dense material like metal or stone. You gain Strength equal to the greater of your power level or your normal Strength +1 while in solid form.

Aquatic

You are equally suited to living and moving underwater and on land. You can breathe normally under water and your Coordination and Awareness are the better of their normal levels or this power's level while submerged. You can swim at a speed based on your power level: 3 is a swift swimmer like a dolphin, 5 is as fast as a submersible, 7 like a torpedo, while higher levels are faster than any known sea-creature or vessel.

If you have this power, but cannot breathe air (that is, you "drown" out of water, see Swimming, p. XXX), it does not count against your total number of powers when figuring Determination, since you essentially have a permanent "challenge" associated with it.

Chameleon

Your body, as well as worn or carried items, can change color, allowing you to blend into your surroundings. This is similar to Invisibility (see p. XXX), except it is easier to detect; anyone searching for you makes an Awareness test against a difficulty equal to your Chameleon power level. If the Awareness test fails, you remain hidden.

Density

You can control your body's density, increasing it to become heavier, stronger, and tougher, but slower.

When your power is active, your Strength equals your Density level or your normal Strength +1, whichever is greater, and you gain Invulnerability equal to your Density level.

However, your Coordination equals the lower of your normal level or 10 minus your Density level, and at Density 10, you are unable to move without making a Willpower (10) test, which allows you to move a few steps.

If you have Density, you can choose Phasing as a bonus power, representing the ability to both increase and decrease your density.

Duplication (x2)

You can produce exact duplicates of yourself out of nowhere. You can create a number of duplicates equal to your power level, so one duplicate with Duplication 1, two with Duplication 2, and so forth. (The power to create virtually unlimited duplicates is off the scale.)

Duplicates have the same traits as you, except they lack this power (duplicates cannot themselves create duplicates). You and your duplicates share the same "pool" of Determination, like a team (see Team Determination, p. XXX). Duplicates act as independent characters, although the GM may want to use the guidelines for cooperation with a group of duplicates (see Combining Abilities, p. XXX).

A dead or unconscious duplicate disappears. If you are knocked out or killed, all your duplicates disappear as well.

Extra Body Parts ★

You have additional body parts, either a completely new part (such as a tail) or more of an existing part (like four arms instead of two). Choose one of the following options or roll 2d6:

Roll	Body Part	Benefit
2–3	Carapace	You have a hard shell, granting Invulnerability equal to your power level.
4–5	Claws	You have the Strike power at a level equal to your power level.
6	Extra Arms	You have the Fast Attack power at a level equal to your power level.
7	Extra Legs	You can move faster, using your power level for your speed like the Super-Speed power.
8	Tail	You can use your tail as if it were an extra arm. You gain the Fast Attack power at a level equal to your power level.
9–10	Tentacles	You have powerful tentacles with Strength equal to your power level. They might grow out of your shoulders, back, or sides, or even be made up of long, prehensile hair.
11–12	Wings	You gain the Flight power at a level equal to your power level.

Growth

You can grow larger at will, increasing your strength and toughness, but also becoming easier to notice and hit.

While enlarged, your Strength level becomes the greater of your power level or your normal Strength +1 and you gain Invulnerability equal to your power level.

Your height is based on your Growth level, as shown on the table, and you have a penalty to your defense based on your increased size, since it's easier for opponents to hit you.

Level	Height	Defense
1	9 feet	-0
2	12 feet	-1
3	15 feet	-1
4	18 feet	-1
5	21 feet	-1
6	24 feet	-2
7	27 feet	-2
8	30 feet	-2
9	60 feet	-3
10	120 feet	-3

Invisibility

You can become invisible at will. Sound, scent, heavy rain, and similar methods can still give away your presence and location.

You can also attempt to turn objects or even other characters invisible by touching them. Roll an Invisibility (5) test, with success the item or character becomes invisible and remains so as long as you are touching it. Use your power level to determine the maximum mass of an object you can affect, as if you were trying to lift it (see Lifting, p. XXX).

You can choose Invisibility Ray as a bonus power, allowing you to make other things (and people) invisible at a distance.

Phasing

You can become less substantial, transforming into ectoplasm, altering your density or atomic valence, or perhaps phasing out of the physical world in some fashion. You gain Immunity to physical attack and can pass harmlessly through solid objects. Make a power test to pass through energy fields (like a force field) with a Difficulty equal to the field's level. You're also unable to physically affect the world while you are out-of-phase, although you can still use mental powers, and they may be used on you.

As a bonus power, you can use an offensive power you possess to affect the physical world while you are out-of-phase. However, you must in turn choose some effect that works on you even while you are phasing.

Material Duplication (x2)

By touching a substance or energy you can take on its properties like the Alternate Form power (p. XXX), except you can assume different alternate forms, but only by touching the appropriate material or energy first.

If you choose to do nothing in your panel except duplicate the properties of an incoming attack, you become immune to that attack and take on its form. So, for example, if you choose to adapt and are hit with a flame-thrower, you assume a fire form and the flame-thrower attack has no effect. If you're hit with multiple attacks in a page, you choose which (if any) you duplicate. Attacks with no material or energy qualities -- such as Life Drain or Mental Blast -- are impossible to duplicate.

Power Duplication (x2)

By touching another character, you can duplicate their powers and use them yourself.

You gain all the target's powers at their existing level or your Power Duplication level, whichever is less. So if you have Power Duplication 4, any powers you duplicate are limited to a level no greater than 4.

You retain any duplicated powers until you choose to duplicate another set or you are rendered unconscious, in which case you lose any previously duplicated powers.

As a bonus power, you can duplicate the powers of two subjects at the same time, but only the highest level of any given power applies. Each additional bonus power allows you to duplicate an additional subject. You must still touch the subjects one at a time to duplicate their powers.

Power Theft (x2)

By touching another character, you can steal their powers and use them yourself!

Subtract your power level from the levels of all the target's powers. You gain the powers at that level (the lesser of your Power Theft level and the target's original level). The target retains any remaining power level. So if you have Power Theft 4 and touch a target with Fire Control 7, you gain Fire Control 4 and your target retains Fire Control 3. If your power level exceeds the subject's power, you gain it at the target's level and the target loses it entirely. Multiple touches have a cumulative effect, until all of the target's power levels are gone (at which point there is no more left for you to steal).

You retain the stolen powers for ten times your Power Theft level in pages. Then you lose 1 level from each stolen power per page, and your target regains 1 level per page, until the stolen powers are completely gone.

You can steal powers from multiple targets, but only the highest level of any given power applies.

As a bonus power, you can make a power theft attack at extended range. You must make a Coordination test to hit the target of your attack.

Shrinking

You can become smaller at will, down to a minimum height as shown on the table on the next page.

When using Shrinking your Strength level is unaffected. You also gain the modifier listed on the table as a bonus to defense and attack tests against normal-sized opponents.

Microscopic Size: At Shrinking 9+ you can reduce your size below that visible to the naked eye, down to the microscopic or even atomic or sub-atomic levels. You essentially exist in a separate "world" on another scale. You no longer interact directly with the larger world and your Strength is limited to interacting with things at the same scale. On the other hand, at microscopic and smaller sizes you can do things like slip through tiny openings or even between molecules (at atomic size).

At the GM's discretion, you might even be able to reduce "below" the sub-atomic to enter a "microuniverse" or similar alternate reality. This could be considered a bonus power, depending on the setting.

Growth Momentum: As a bonus power, you can enlarge rapidly under a target, using the momentum of your growth to enhance an attack; add the modifier for your Shrinking level given on the table as a bonus to your unarmed damage (with a maximum of +3).

Level	Size	Modifier
1	4 feet	+0
2	3 feet	+0
3	2 feet	+1
4	1 foot	+1
5	6 inches	+2
6	3 inches	+2
7	1 inch	+3
8	insect	+3
9	microscopic	—
10	atomic	—

Stretching

Your body and limbs can stretch, allowing you to reach or attack someone out to extended distance (see Distance, p. XXX). Use the lower of your normal ability or your Stretching level when you extend your reach, so abilities greater than your Stretching level are reduced to that level, to reflect the difficulty of doing things at an extended distance. The GM may require a Stretching test for extreme distances or uses of your ability.

You can choose Invulnerability (representing your body's extreme flexibility) as a bonus power.

Transformation (x2)

You can transform into other things (animals, other characters, objects) although you retain your normal mass (unless you also have Growth or Shrinking).

You gain the physical properties of the assumed form, up to your Transformation power level. Turning into other people doesn't grant you their powers, however. For that, see Power Duplication (p. XXX).

If convincingly imitating a particular form is an issue, your Transformation power level is the difficulty for an Awareness test to notice something amiss.

You must have a limitation on your Transformation power. Choose one of the following or work out a similar suitable limitation with the Game Master:

• You're limited to turning into a particular type of shape, such as only animals, machines, humanoids, and so forth.
• You do not gain the physical properties of the forms you assume, just their appearance; you can look like a brick wall, but you're not as strong or tough as one.
• You have a "tell" that's always apparent, such as an inability to change color or texture, or having a version of your normal face always visible, making your power less useful for disguising yourself without using other measures, such as make-up.

You can choose Growth, Shrinking, or Stretching as bonus powers, expanding your control over your form.

Control Powers

Control powers provide control over different energies, elements, forces, or materials.

Control Devices often take the form of directed items: guns, wands, and other sorts of things you can point at a target. They can also be worn items like a crown, circlet, or helm, a ring, or a pair of gloves.

Alteration Ray ★

This power group is made up of Alteration Powers you can use on others rather than yourself (see Alteration Powers). Choose an option from the list below, or roll 1d6.

Roll	Type	Effect
1	Density Ray	You increase the target's density.
2	Growth Ray	You enlarge the target.
3	Invisibility Ray	You make the target invisible.
4	Phasing Ray	You make the target intangible.
5	Shrinking Ray	You shrink the target.
6	Transformation Ray	You transform the target into a different shape, like a use of Transformation.

You have to make a Coordination test to affect the target. A successful hit subjects the target to the effect of the Alteration Power. See the individual power descriptions for details.

Animation

You can endow inanimate objects with the ability to move and act on your command. Objects have Strength equal to their Strength (see Bending & Breaking, p. XXX), Prowess and Coordination equal to your power level, and Stamina equal to their Strength. They have no mental abilities. The attacks and movement abilities of animated objects depend on their shape and size, but are generally based on their new Strength and Coordination. You can only animate objects with Strength of your power level or less, and weighing no more than Strength of your power level could lift (see Lifting, p. XXX).

Elemental Control ★

This power group includes abilities to control different elements. Each type constitutes a separate power: Air Control, Darkness Control, and so forth. Choose one of the listed options or roll 2d6, the first die indicating one of the first six or one of the second six, the second die indicating which of those six options is selected.

You can only manipulate an existing source of the element; you do not possess the ability to spontaneously create it. The GM may limit your effective power level based on the amount of the element available for you to control. Light Control is limited in areas of dim illumination, for example, and useless in complete darkness. Clever foes may try to cut you off from your element to weaken you or render you powerless.

Choose two of the following power effects you can perform with your Elemental Control. You can acquire the others as bonus powers:

Attacking: You can wield your element as an attack, like a Blast (p. XXX) at your Elemental Control power level.

Creating: You can spontaneously create your chosen element, giving you an unlimited source of it to control.

Defending: You can use Elemental Control to defend against attacks like a Force Field (p. XXX) at its power level.

Detection: You can detect the element you control, like the Detection power (p. XXX) at your Elemental Control level.

Moving: You can use Elemental Control to lift and move objects of your chosen element, and possibly others as well, by using the element as a medium. You do so with Strength equal to your Elemental Control level.

Shaping: You can control your chosen element to form different shapes as you will, up to an amount you can move (based on your power level). You can shape the element into walls and simple geometric forms, and even more complex shapes with a suitable power test; the GM sets the difficulty level based on the desired shape. Such objects retain their shape for as long as you maintain them, although stable forms (such as shaped earth or metal) may remain so, at the GM's discretion.

Rolls	Element	Effects
1-3, 1	Air	You can manipulate winds to attack, create protective barriers, move objects, etc.
1-3, 2	Darkness	You can manipulate darkness and shadows to blind opponents, block sources of light, etc.
1-3, 3	Earth	You can manipulate the ground to attack, create walls of earth that act as armor, move objects, etc.
1-3, 4	Electrical	You can manipulate electricity to attack, create force fields, move objects, etc.
1-3, 5	Fire	You can manipulate fire to attack, increase or decrease the temperate of a flame, create a wall of fire like a force field, etc.
1-3, 6	Gravity	You can manipulate gravity to make things lighter or heavier, create gravitic shields, move objects, etc.
4-6, 1	Light	You can manipulate light to attack, blind opponents, create force fields, etc.
4-6, 2	Magnetic	You can manipulate ferrous metals to attack, create walls of metal that act as armor, move metallic objects, etc.
4-6, 3	Radiation	You can manipulate radiation to attack, create force fields, heat up objects, etc.
4-6, 4	Sound	You can manipulate sound waves to attack, deafen, create force fields, etc.
4-6, 5	Water	You can manipulate water to attack, create walls of water that act as armor, move objects, etc.
4-6, 6	Weather	You can manipulate the weather. This power can be especially powerful since it allows a character to manipulate air, lightning, rain, fog, and any other aspect associated with storms/weather so the Game Master may choose to have Weather Control count as two power choices.

Healing

You can restore lost Stamina and Strength to others by touch. You heal up to your power level in Stamina per use and you can use Healing up to twice on any given subject per day. Additional Healing uses cost you a point of Determination per use.

A use of Healing can also restore one lost Strength level. This requires a Healing (3) test. If the test fails, the lost Strength is restored, but the healer loses a level of Strength, which must be recovered normally through rest. Healing 8+ automatically succeeds at this test, you don't have to roll.

At the GM's discretion, Healing may be able to eliminate the effects of some diseases and toxins -- apart from simply restoring Stamina and Strength -- as a bonus power. This generally requires a Healing test, with the difficulty based on the potency of the disease or toxin, and at least a moderate success, although major success may be required in some cases, with moderate success just holding the malady at bay temporarily, rather than curing it.

Plant Control

You can control plants within extended range, forcing them to twist and turn and using them to wrestle, attack opponents, or block attacks (see p. XXX) using your Plant Control level in place of the usual abilities for those actions.

Plant Growth: As a bonus power, you can make plants grow rapidly in an area, giving you more to control.

Power Nullification

You have the ability to nullify -- completely negate -- the powers of another within extended range. Roll a Power Nullification test, with the opposing power's level as the difficulty. If the attempt fails, you suffer damage equal to one-half (round up) the level of the targeted power. With a moderate success, the targeted power works at half its effectiveness (round up). With a major or better success, the power is negated (reduced to an effective level of 0) for a number of pages equal to your power level.

As a bonus power you can choose to suffer no feedback damage. On a failed Power Nullification test, the power simply has no effect.

Probability Control (x2)

You can exert some influence over random chance. This power gives you extra Determination equal to its level (see Determination, p. XXX), usable only for determined effort and retcons. These points renew along with your normal Determination but are not otherwise affected by changes to your Determination total.

When you get this power, roll the dice without any modifiers:

• On a positive roll, you gain Probability Control for "good luck." • On a negative roll, you gain Probability Control for "bad luck." • On a roll of 0 you can choose whether your Probability Control is good or bad luck. • On a roll of +5 or –5 your Probability Control is good for both good and bad luck.

Good luck Probability Control is good for determined effort and retcons explainable as "lucky breaks."

Bad luck Probability control works in reverse: you can use determined effort to reduce the efforts of others, the opposite of determined effort for yourself, setting a maximum effect the target can achieve and paying Determination to reduce their result to that level. You can also retcon "unlucky breaks" for others.

Unlike normal uses of Determination, the points from your Probability Control do not require tagging one of your aspects to use them. In effect, your power itself is the associated "aspect" for the points: you’re "tagging" your "good luck" or "bad luck" to use them.

In some cases, the GM may require you to make a power test against an appropriate ability of a target (such as Willpower) to inflict bad luck on them.

Telekinesis

You have the ability to move objects in visual range without touching them. The power's level is treated as its Strength for lifting and moving things. Use your Willpower as your telekinetic "Coordination". You can also acquire the following bonus powers:

Attacking: You can strike targets with bolts of telekinetic force -- using Willpower in place of Coordination for the Blasting or Throwing test. A successful attack deals damage equal to your Telekinesis level.

Defending: You can use your Telekinesis like a Force Field (see Defensive Powers) at your Telekinesis power level.

Moving: You can lift and move yourself, giving you Flight (see Movement Powers) at your Telekinesis power level.

Time Control (x2)

You can exert control over the flow of time, allowing you to perform a number of effects. Choose two you can do when you get this power, the rest you can acquire as bonus powers:

• Slow down time relative to you, giving you Super-Speed at your Time Control level.
• Slow down time for those within close range, giving you Fast Attack at your Time Control level.
• "Freeze" time around a subject, like the Paralysis power (p. XXX) at your Time Control level.
• Place someone (including yourself) in a state of suspended animation, with time slowed to suspend the effects of a condition like poison or the loss of Strength levels while dying. One minute passes for the subject for every (power level x 10) minutes in the outside world.
• Summon duplicates of yourself from alternate timelines, like the Duplication power (p. XXX) at your Time Control level.
• Travel in time, going into the past or future or alternate timelines. It's up to the GM whether or not you can actually change history by traveling into the past; by default, assume you create a divergent or parallel universe if you "change history." Likewise, any future you visit is only a "possible future," not necessarily set in stone. See Postcognition and Precognition under Sensory Powers for more about interacting with the past and future.

Transmutation (x2)

You can transform chemical elements and compounds, turning non-living materials into different non-living materials. Transmutation doesn't affect living beings and can't create animate beings out of inanimate matter (see the Transformation Ray and Animation powers to do those things).

To transform an object, make a Transmutation test against the object's Strength (see Bending & Breaking in the Taking Action section): success turns the object into the desired material. You can only affect objects as a whole and only as much mass as Strength of your power level could lift.

You also must have a limitation on your Transmutation power. Choose one of the following or work out a similar suitable limitation with the Game Master:

• You must touch objects to transmute them. (Transmutation normally works at extended range.) • Your transformations only last for 10 pages, then revert to normal. (Transmutation is normally permanent until reversed.) • You affect a very limited mass, less than the amount for level 1 Strength, as little as a few pounds. • You can only affect a particular state of matter: solid, liquid, or gas, and can't transmute other matter. (Transmutation normally affects all states of matter.) • Transmutation is especially taxing for you, causing you 2 points of Stamina damage each time you use it. • You must spend a point of Determination in order to use Transmutation.

Wizardry ★ (x2)

You have the ability to do virtually anything, duplicating the effects of other powers at your Wizardry power level. You can only use one Wizardry power per page, although you can maintain multiple Wizardry powers equal to your power level.

Your Wizardry power level is linked to one of your mental abilities (Intellect, Awareness, or Willpower) and cannot exceed your level in that ability, reduce a rolled value above that level to your ability level. At the GM's discretion, an appropriate Specialty (such as Occult) may increase the effective level of your ability.

Choose one of the following types of Wizardry. You can also make up other types with the Game Master's permission.

Cosmic Power (Awareness): You can simply will effects into being using a cosmic or primal power. Choose a suitable weakness for your Cosmic Power, such as an inability to affect a certain subject (material, color, etc.).

Gadgets (Intellect): You have or can produce a wide range of devices, giving you various powers. Your gadgets can be taken away from you, however, just like other devices.

Magic (Willpower): You can cast spells to create magical effects. Most spells require the ability to freely speak and gesture. If you are held (see Wrestling, p. XXX), gagged, or otherwise unable to gesture or speak, you cannot cast spells.

Choose two power effects you can duplicate with your Wizardry. Additional effects are available as bonus powers; essentially, any power is a potential Wizardry power stunt (see Power Stunts, p. XXX).

Defensive Powers

These powers protect the character in various ways.

The most common defensive devices are suits of armor and shields, although they may include various belts, bracers, or other items providing a defensive power.

Absorption

You are resistant to damage inflicted by a specific element or energy type (select one under Elemental Control, see p. XXX) up to the level of this power, like the Resistance power (see Resistance, p. XXX). Any levels of damage over the level of this power are suffered normally. You can use the absorbed energy in one of the following ways (and you can acquire the others as power stunts or bonus powers):

Ability Boost: On your next panel after absorbing damage, you can use the absorbed energy as an Ability Boost with a level equal to the damage absorbed. The affected ability is chosen when you take this option, and each ability counts as a separate option. Attack: On your next panel after absorbing damage, you can unleash the absorbed energy as an attack. Treat it as an appropriate Blast attack with a level equal to the damage absorbed. Healing: You instantly recover Stamina equal to the level of damage absorbed, up to your maximum Stamina level.

You can also choose to broaden your Absorption as a bonus power. If Absorption counts as two powers, it protects against all physical or all energy damage.

Force Field

You have the ability to generate a personal force field that acts as Invulnerability equal to your power level (see Invulnerability, following). If you are stunned for any reason, your Force Field stops working until you recover. You can make a Willpower test to keep your Force Field working while you are stunned: your effort on the test is the level of Force Field you maintain. So, for example, if you have Force Field 7 and generate an effort of 5 on the Willpower test to maintain it, you effectively have Force Field 5 until you recover from the stun.

Immortality (x2)

You do not age and cannot die. You still suffer damage, even to the point of death, but you can recover from having your Strength reduced to 0. Your body slowly regenerates lost parts so, short of atomizing you or exposing you to a constant source of damage (in a volcano or the heart of a star, for example), you'll always come back eventually.

If your Strength is reduced to 0 (or any other time you "die" and recover), you lose all your current Determination and must accumulate more starting from 0.

Immunity ★ (x2)

You are completely immune to a particular type of effect or attack. Choose an effect from the Resistance list (see Resistance). The chosen effect simply doesn't work on you.

Immunity counts as two powers, but every additional Resistance you acquire can be changed to an Immunity at no additional cost.

Invulnerability

You are resistant to physical damage, subtracting your Invulnerability level from the damage caused by an attack, which may reduce it to 0 or less, meaning you suffer no damage. Attacks reduced to 0 damage may still stun or slam you, however, even if you suffer no actual damage from the attack. Attacks reduced below 0 damage have no effect at all.

Your Invulnerability may come from armor plating, a leathery hide, skin made of something other than flesh (such as metal), or just a general superhuman toughness, you decide.

Device: A character who has this power from a device may choose to have a suit of armor that provides the Invulnerability and incorporates any or all of the character's other powers into it.

Life Support

You can ignore certain physical needs like breathing, eating, or sleeping. For each level of Life Support, choose one of the following needs to ignore. At Life Support 10, you automatically ignore them all:

• Cold (atmospheric or environmental low temperatures)
• Breathing (you don't need to breathe at all)
• Eating (including thirst and the need to eliminate waste)
• Heat (atmospheric or environmental high temperatures)
• Pathogens (atmospheric or environmental diseases)
• Pressure (you can survive extremely high pressures)
• Radiation (atmospheric or environmental radiation levels)
• Sleeping (although not fatigue from exertion)
• Toxins (atmospheric or environmental toxins)
• Vacuum (you can survive extremely low pressures)

Surviving unprotected in deep space requires Life Support 4 to deal with the cold, airlessness, radiation, and vacuum.

Life Support does not provide protection against damaging attacks, for that see Resistance (following).

Reflection (x2)

You can reflect the effects of an attack back at the attacker. You test your Reflection power as a reaction, with the attacking ability as the difficulty. On a failed result the reflection attempt fails and you suffer the normal effects of the attack. With a moderate success, you are unaffected by the attack, but neither is the attacker. On a major success or better, the attack is reflected back and the attacker suffers its full effect.

Regeneration

You heal quickly, recovering Stamina equal to your power level every 10 pages, spread out evenly over that time. If you have Regeneration 10, you recover 1 point of Stamina per page. You also recover lost Strength levels equal to your Regeneration level per week. If you have Regeneration 7 or higher, you recover one lost Strength level per day.

Resistance ★

You are especially resistant to a particular type of effect. Choose one of the following: Afflictions, Binding, Blinding, Cold, Corrosives, Electricity, Heat, Magical Attacks, Mental Attacks, Radiation. Subtract your Resistance level from the level of any such effect. If the level is reduced to 0 or less, it doesn't work on you at all. You can create Resistances to other effects with the GM's permission.

Mental Powers

Mental powers influence the minds of others, or tap into the psionic potential of the mind.

Mental power devices are often worn on the head, in the form of helmets, headbands, skullcaps, hats, and so forth. Mental devices are often magical, but may be technological, particularly for Telepathy or controlling powers.

Animal Control

You can communicate with and control animals. To control all animals within visual range, roll a power test with a difficulty equal to the highest Willpower among the affected animals.

If you can only control one type of animal, you gain a +2 bonus to your power's level (maximum of 10). Choose the type of animal affected, or roll on the following table:

2d6	Animal Type
2–3	Avians
4–5	Insects
6–7	Mammals
8–9	Reptiles
10–12	Sea Creatures

Astral Projection (x2)

You can separate your astral form (the vessel of the mind and spirit) from your physical body, allowing it to travel elsewhere. Your body remains in a coma-like state, although you are aware of any harm befalling it. Should your body perish while your astral form is away, you remain trapped in astral form.

Your astral form can observe, but not affect, the physical world and cannot be detected by physical means, although Astral Detection and Telepathy reveal it. You can use mental powers against nonastral beings, but with a –2 penalty to your level. Your powers work normally against other astral beings.

While in astral form, you can pass harmlessly through physical objects and fly, like the Flight power at your level. You can also travel into other dimensions linked to the astral plane like the Dimension Travel power at your Astral Projection level.

You can choose Astral Detection as a bonus power.

Emotion Control

You can exert a kind of Mind Control (see Mind Control, following), influencing how a target feels, rather than acts. To influence someone with Emotion Control, they must be in visual range and you need a successful power test with the target's Awareness as the difficulty. If you fail an Emotion Control test against someone, you must make a determined effort to attempt to control them again in the same scene (see Determination, p. XXX).

You can instill a single emotion in the target at a time (see the following table for emotional effects). The target is affected until you choose to release them or they are led to do something opposed to one or more of their aspects (see Aspects, p. XXX) at which point you must roll a new Emotion Control test to maintain the effect.

If you are limited to instilling a single emotion, increase your power level by +2 (to a maximum of 10). Choose one emotion, or roll on the following table:

2d6	Emotion	Effect
2–3	Doubt	Beset with doubt, the target always acts last and may not make determined efforts.
4–5	Fear	Filled with terror, the target either flees or cowers, if unable to do so.
6	Hate	The target is filled with hatred towards a subject great enough to attack it.
7	Love	The target loves a subject and will help and defend it as much as possible.
8	Pleasure	So filled with good and pleasurable feelings, the target just sits around doing nothing.
9–10	Respect	Instilled with great regard for a subject, the target will do anything possible to assist it.
11-12	Sadness	Overwhelmed with sadness and despair, the subject can’t do anything.

Illusion

You can project false sensory impressions into other minds, creating very realistic hallucinations. Your power has no effect on non-intelligent machines like cameras, microphones, or other sensors.

Targets treat your illusions as real unless they have some reason to disbelieve them, in which case roll an Illusion test against the target's Awareness; failure means they overcome the illusion and know it to be false. Otherwise, they react normally to the illusion, even suffering imaginary damage from illusory attacks, although "death" only results in unconsciousness (like a failed test to avoid being stunned).

Although illusions can fool others, they still have no effect on the physical world. An illusory wall might block people who think it's real, but an illusory floor won't support any weight and things fall right through it, illusory fire doesn't actually burn things, and so forth.

Images: Optionally, your Illusion power can create real sensory images, affecting machines like cameras and ignoring mental resistance, but lacking the ability to choose who perceives your illusions, as they don't exist solely in the subject's mind. Images cannot be disbelieved, only revealed as false. They cannot cause damage.

Mental Blast

You can strike other minds within visual range with blasts of mental "force." Roll a Willpower test, with a difficulty equal to the target's Willpower and read the results like a blasting attack (see Blasting, p. XXX). You inflict damage equal to your power level and can stun, but not slam, your target.

Mind Control (x2)

You can take over the minds of others. A target of Mind Control must be within visual range and have a Willpower level less than the level of this power or your own Willpower, whichever is greater. Those with greater Willpower are immune to your control unless you first tag one of their aspects (see Tagging and Compelling under Determination).

To take control of another, roll a Mind Control test with a difficulty of the target's Willpower. If successful, the target is under your control until you choose to release them or you order the target to do something opposed one or more of their aspects (see Aspects, p. XXX) at which point you must roll a new Mind Control test to maintain your control. If you fail a Mind Control test against someone, you must make a determined effort to attempt to control them again in the same scene (see Determination, p. XXX).

While you can command a target to take any action, you cannot force targets to make determined efforts or otherwise spend Determination.

Mind Shield

You have a mental shield protecting you from outside influences. Subtract its level from the level of any hostile mental power used against you. If your Mind Shield reduces the attacking power's level to 0 or less, it has no effect. Otherwise, it works normally at the reduced level.

Possession (x2)

You can take over someone else's body, much like Mind Control, except your mind is "inside" the victim and controls their body, rather than issuing orders. Your own body is unconscious and immobile while you possess someone else. Otherwise, this power works just like Mind Control.

Since your mind is in control of the target's body, you can spend your own Determination for tests you make using the possessed target (unlike Mind Control). If you place the target's body in a life-threatening situation, you must make a Possession test against the target's Willpower each round, with failure meaning the target shakes off your influence.

Merger: As a bonus power, your own body disappears and merges with the target when you possess them. You reappear near the target when the possession ends.

Telepathy

You can read the minds of others and transmit your thoughts to them.

You can read the mind of any character with a Willpower level lower than your Telepathy level or Willpower, whichever is greater. Minds with greater Willpower are closed to you unless you first tag one of their aspects (see Tagging and Compelling under Determination). Roll a Telepathy test against the subject's Willpower to read their thoughts.

You are automatically aware when someone attempts to read your mind and may attempt to block the attempt; both telepaths roll power tests and the greater effort wins.

Movement Powers

Movement powers allow characters to move and get around in a number of different ways.

A movement device may be a special vehicle of some sort, from a souped-up car to a plane or dimension-travel capsule. Movement devices also include personal items from jet-packs to antigravity harnesses, wall-walking boots and gloves, and teleport belts.

Burrowing

You have the ability to tunnel beneath the earth, moving at a rate equal to your normal speed (see Movement, p. XXX) through any subterranean area with a material Strength equal to or less than your Burrowing level (see Bending and Breaking, p. XXX, for some comparative Strength levels). You cannot "burrow" through other characters; for that sort of attack, see Strike under Offensive Powers.

Dimension Travel

You can move at will between dimensions. You may freely travel to any dimension you have previously visited but visiting a new dimension requires a power (3) test. A failure means you don't go anywhere, and trying to reach that dimension requires determined effort. A moderate success means you arrive at the destination dimension stunned and must spend the next panel recovering (taking no actions that page). A major or better success means you reach the dimension with no problems. Dimension Travel 8 or greater does not require a test (you automatically succeed).

Flight

You can fly, either through the use of an item or by innate means. Flight 5 is sufficient to cross to visual range in one panel. Flight 7 is roughly Mach 1, the speed of sound, with higher levels of Flight orders of magnitude faster. Flight 10 is sufficient to go anywhere in the world in a single panel.

Leaping

You can jump across great distances. Leaping 7 can take you out to visual range in a single bound, and levels beyond that can cover miles in a single leap!

Super-Speed

You can move at superhuman speeds. Super-Speed 5 is sufficient to cross to visual range in one panel. Super-Speed 7 is roughly Mach 1, the speed of sound, with higher levels orders of magnitude faster. Super-Speed 10 is sufficient to go anywhere in the world in a single panel.

You can choose Air Control, Fast Attack, Phasing (by vibrating your molecules), or Regeneration as bonus powers, along with the following:

Defending: As a bonus power, you can substitute your Super-Speed level for your Coordination and Prowess to avoid attacks.

Surface Speed: As a bonus power you can use your extreme speed to do things like run up walls (momentum defying gravity) or across the surface of water (moving fast enough not to break the surface tension).

Swinging

You can swing along on a line or cable; this might be self-generated webbing or lines of force, or a device like a grappling gun or lasso. Substitute your Swinging level for your Coordination, if it is higher, for maneuvers while you are swinging (including avoiding attacks).

You can also use your swing line to catch onto things and pull them to you rather than you to them with a successful Coordination test.

Your swing lines have Strength equal to your power level.

Teleportation (x2)

You can disappear in one spot and reappear in another some distance away. Teleport 5 is sufficient to go anywhere in visual range, while higher levels have ranges measured in tens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of miles. Teleport 10 is enough to go virtually anywhere.

Teleporting requires a power level (2) test. Failure means you arrive at the destination stunned and spend the next panel recovering (taking no actions that page). Teleport 7 or greater does not require a test (you automatically succeed).

If you accidentally teleport into a solid object -- which can include the ground -- roll a power level test against the object's Strength. Failure immediately bounces you to the nearest safe open space and leaves you stunned for 10 pages. Any other result immediately bounces you back to the starting point and leaves you stunned for one page.

Wall-Crawling

You can move normally across vertical and upside-down surfaces (walls and ceilings, for example). Game Masters should require a power test when attempting to move across a particularly slick or slippery surface, with the difficulty based on the surface.

Offensive Powers

These powers allow you to make different sorts of attacks.

An offensive device is, by definition, a weapon, although it may or may not take the form of a conventional weapon. A Blast, for example, may be a blaster pistol or goggles that shoot energy beams, while a Strike could be a hand-held weapon like a sword or hammer, or a ring or gauntlet that provides a powerful kinetic impact.

Affliction

You can cause a fast-acting affliction -- like a disease or toxin -- by touching a target. Test your Affliction level against the target's Strength each page; success results in power level damage. Failure means no damage, but the Affliction continues and another test is required on the following page. Failure by 3 or more also ends the effect.

A victim reduced to 0 Stamina begins dying and losing Strength levels, although medical attention can arrest this loss, substituting an Intellect test (with Medicine specialty bonus) for the Strength test against the Affliction.

You can remove your Affliction at will, simply by touching the victim, halting any further damage.

As a bonus power, you can use your Affliction at close range without having to touch the target.

Aura

You can surround yourself with a damaging effect like fire, raw energy, sharp spines, or acid, for example. Choose the effect of your Aura when you gain this power. Anything touching you suffers power level damage; this includes anyone attacking you unarmed (or their weapon if they attack with one). If you deliberately touch an opponent (including wrestling them), they suffer your Aura's damage.

Binding

You can project an attack that binds or traps the target such as glue, ice, mud, webbing, or the like. Make a Coordination test against the target's Coordination to hit with the attack, treating the outcome like a wrestling test (see Wrestling, p. XXX). Your Binding has Strength equal to its power level.

Blast

You can project a damaging blast at a distance. Choose the effect of your Blast -- from pure force to an element or energy -- and whether or not it is a blasting or shooting attack (see Coordination under Taking Action) when you get this power. Your Blast inflicts damage equal to its level.

As a bonus power, you can project an explosive blast, affecting all targets in a close area around the target point.

Blinding

You can project an effect that temporarily blinds the target; it could be dazzling light, a chemical spray, a gob of mud or anything similar.

Make a Coordination test against the target's Coordination to hit. With a moderate success, you blind the target for 1 page, with a major or better success, the target is blinded for 1 page per Blinding level.

The Resistance power (p. XXX) can reduce the power level of your Blinding; if it's reduced to 0 or less, you cannot blind the target.

Optionally, you can have your attack affect a sense other than sight, usually hearing to deafen the target, although you could also target a sensory power like Danger Sense or Detection. It works the same way, just targeting the other sense.

As a bonus power, your Blinding affects two senses at once rather than one, simultaneously blinding and deafening, for example.

As a bonus power, you can project a blinding burst, affecting all targets in a close area around the target point.

Fast Attack

You can attack more than once per panel, with your total number of attacks based on your power level. Make each attack test separately.

Level	Attacks Per Panel
1-5	2
6-7	3
8+	4

Life Drain

You can drain a target's life-force by touch; roll a Prowess test to touch the target. If successful, subtract your power level from the target's Stamina and add it to your Stamina, which can't increase above its normal maximum. Targets drained to 0 Stamina must make a Strength test against your Life Drain level with failure meaning they begin losing Strength levels (see Killing, p. XXX).

As a bonus power, your Life Drain can increase your Stamina above it's normal maximum, up to your power level. You lose this additional Stamina at a rate of 1 point per page after a number of pages equal to your power level.

Also as a bonus power, you can use Life Drain at close range without having to touch your target.

Paralysis

Your touch can render opponents unable to move. To paralyze an opponent you must roll a test to touch the target and a Paralysis test against your target's Strength. With a moderate success the target is paralyzed for one page. A major success paralyzes the target for pages equal to your Paralysis level.

As a bonus power, you can use Paralysis at close range, without having to touch your target.

Strike

You have some sort of close combat attack like claws, spines, or a melee weapon of some sort. Choose the effect of your strike and whether or not it is a bashing or slashing attack (see Prowess under Taking Action) when you get this power. A slashing Strike inflicts damage equal to its level. A bashing Strike does damage equal to its level or your Strength+1, whichever is greater.

Sensory Powers

Sensory powers expand or enhance the character’s senses in various ways.

Sensory devices are typically scanners or sense-enhancers like helmets with heads-up displays, amulets, goggles, or the like. They might also be magic items like crystal balls, scrying mirrors, and so forth.

Danger Sense

You have a special sense for danger, moments before it strikes. You can substitute your Danger Sense level for your Awareness for surprise attacks, for your Prowess for evading, and for your Coordination for dodging (essentially making your Danger Sense level the difficulty to hit you in combat).

If you generate a Danger Sense level equal to or lower than your Awareness level, re-roll until you generate a higher level.

Detection ★

You have the ability to detect a specific form of energy, power, or presence with Awareness equal to your Detection level. Select one type of Detection from the following list or roll 2d6:

Roll	Type	Effect
2	Cosmic	You can detect cosmic-level beings, cosmic energy, and universe-affecting events.
3–4	Emotion	You can detect emotional states or particular emotions like fear or love.
5	Energy	You can detect different types of energy and follow energy trails. You can identify different energy types with a power test.
6	Magic	You can detect magical energy -- spells, artifacts, those with the ability to use magic, etc.
7	Magnetic	You can detect magnetic fields -- including uses of Magnetic Control.
8–9	Power	You can detect the use of certain powers -- when a power is used or someone possesses a power, such as mutant or mental powers.
10–11	Radiation	You can detect radioactive energy and sources of radiation, including uses of Radiation Control.
12	Spirit	You can detect spiritual activity – such as ghosts or astral forms.

The above is by no means a complete listing of available detection powers. Players wanting a form of detection not listed here are encouraged to discuss the idea with their Game Master.

In some cases, the GM may use an opposing ability, like Coordination or Willpower, as the difficulty for a power test to detect a subject deliberately trying to hide from you.

ESP

You have ESP—Extra-Sensory Perception—allowing you to perceive things in distant locations as if you were actually present. Use the lower of your power level or Awareness for tests to notice and search for things in the location. If a location is shielded against your ESP, make a power test against the level of the shielding. The GM may also require ESP tests for areas completely unknown to you, determining what you sense based on the result.

As a bonus power, you can extend your ESP into other dimensions, like a use of the Dimension Travel power (p. XXX).

If your ESP is limited to only seeing or hearing (clairvoyance or clairaudience), rather than all your ranged senses, increase your rolled power level by +2.

Interface

You can access information from and interface with computers at visual range. Use the higher of your Interface or Intellect levels when operating computers. Against intelligent computer systems, including self-aware robots, this power works like Telepathy (see p. XXX).

Postcognition

You can perceive things that happened in the past. You must touch a place or object in order to sense its past and make a power test, with the difficulty based on how long ago you want to perceive.

On a success you pick up strong feelings or impressions associated with the subject and time; with a massive success, you have a vision, as if you were actually present at the time. A failed test gives you no information, and you must spend Determination to try again.

The GM can also choose to give you a postcognitive vision at any time, saying you pick up on the "strong impressions" left on a particular subject.

Difficulty	Time
1	A day
2	A few days
3	A week
4	A few weeks
5	A month
6	A few months
7	A season (four months)
8	Half a year
9	A year
10	More than a year

Precognition

You receive visions of what may happen in the future. Sometimes these visions come unbidden, provided by the GM as plot hooks or helpful hints.

A deliberate attempt at Precognition requires a power test, rolled secretly by the GM against a difficulty based on how obscure or distant the future events are you are trying to see. A moderate success gets you some cryptic clues and visions open to interpretation. A major success gets you clearer information, perhaps a name or a face, while a massive success gets you a very clear and detailed vision, although not necessarily all the information about the events.

The GM can also choose to give you a precognitive vision at any time, having you pick up on particularly strong premonitions as a plot hook to further the story.

Precognition also allows you to spend Determination differently: you can choose to make a determined effort on a test after rolling the dice and seeing the result. You can also avoid certain hazards: with a major or better success on a Precognition test and a point of Determination, you can retcon an event that just happened so it wasn't real at all, but a precognitive warning!

Example: Prometheus ("foresight") has Precognition 7. He and his teammates are dealing with a stolen nuclear weapon that's counting down to detonation. Prometheus' teammate clips the wrong wire and the bomb goes off! Prometheus' player declares an immediate use of Precognition, a determined effort to get a major success. He gets it, spends another point of Determination, and retcons the scene that just happened as a visionary warning. To the other characters, Prometheus comes out of a fugue just as his teammate is about to cut the wire. "Don't!" he warns. "You'll set it off!" Disaster is averted, for the moment.

You can use both these benefits (spending determination after a roll and retconning events) a maximum number of times per issue equal to your Precognition level, in whatever combination you choose.

If you have Precognition, you can choose Danger Sense as a bonus power.

Supersenses ★

You have enhanced or extraordinary sensory abilities. Each level in Supersenses grants you one of the following abilities. Choose one or roll 1d6. You can choose some abilities more than once, in which case their effects are cumulative. If you have Supersenses, you can choose Danger Sense or Detection as a bonus power.

Roll	Type	Effect
1–2	Additional	You have more than just the five normal senses; each level gives you a new sensory ability, like infravision, radar, sonar, or x-ray vision (the ability to see through solid objects). Discuss the details of the new sensory abilities with the GM.
3–4	Enhanced	Each level adds a +1 bonus to Awareness tests using a particular sense, much like a specialty; e.g. Enhanced Vision, Enhanced Hearing, etc.
5–6	Extended	Each level reduces the effective range to sense something by one. For example, you can see things at visual range as if they were only at extended range.