Bulletproof Blues 2e EN:Powers

Contents

Powers are those abilities beyond what is possible for ordinary mortals. Flying through the air, reading others' thoughts, and firing blasts of energy from one's jewelry are impossible for the typical man or woman on the street, but these powers are all within reach for a posthuman. Each power costs from one to three character points per rank in the power. The cost per rank of each power is listed in the power's description.

Expertise

A character who has expertise with a power possesses extraordinary competence, above and beyond the skill a character with that power may reasonably be assumed to possess. Expertise in a power costs one character point in addition to the cost of the power itself, and it grants the character a +3 bonus to the task roll to use the power.

Expertise does not give a character a power they would not normally possess, nor does lack of expertise mean that a character incurs any penalty when using that power. A character with the Plant Control power, but without expertise in Plant Control, would still be able to animate and mentally control plants.

Villainous Expertise

Only very unusual villains have expertise. Expertise can have a powerful effect in combat, and it tends to be more powerful in the hands of the GM than in the hands of the players because the GM rolls more dice over the course of the game than any of the players do. For this reason, it is best to restrict villainous expertise to only those villains that truly do have an exceptional amount of control over their powers and abilities. If the Game Moderator is concerned about a villain's ability to pose a challenge to the heroes, remember that the GM can give villains any attribute or power at any rank. If the villain isn't putting up enough of a fight and the game feels like the characters are going through the motions, then the GM should boost the villain's abilities or give them some henchmen to help out. Be creative.

Typical Powers

This is a list of typical powers found in a Bulletproof Blues game. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have a power not listed here, using the guidelines under New Powers and subject to GM approval. However, any new powers should be approximately as useful as these powers, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters.

Some power names have a word in brackets, such as [Element] Mastery. This indicates that the power listed is a general version, and you will need to choose the specific power. For example, a character won't have the [Attribute] Boost power. Instead, they will have Brawn Boost, or Agility Boost, or some other boosted attribute. This choice must be made when the power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.

A few powers are marked with a star (★). This indicates that the power listed is actually a group of related powers from which you will need to choose. For example, a character with the Super Senses power will need to choose which senses they actually have. As with general powers, this choice must be made when the power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.

Activation

The Activation column indicates when or if the power must be turned on. Powers listed as "Always On" are assumed to be active at all times. Powers listed as "Activated" must be turned on by the character using a free action, but will remain on as long as the character is conscious. "Attack" powers require a task action to use, while "Reaction" powers can be used at any time, as often as the GM deems reasonable. See Actions for more information.

Task Roll

The Task Roll column indicates which attribute is used for task rolls to use the power. For most attacks, this is also the attribute used to determine the difficulty modifier. For example, for hand-to-hand attacks, both the task roll and the difficulty modifier are based on Prowess. Ranged attacks are the exception. If the Task Roll column says "Accuracy", the power is a ranged attack: the task roll is based on Accuracy, while the task difficulty is based on the target's Agility.

Target

The Target column indicates who or what is affected by the power. Many powers affect only the character with the power, such as Invisibility. These are indicated as "Personal". Other powers affect either a single target, an area defined by the character, or an area centered on the character with the power. See Radius Effect for more information.

Range

The Range column indicates the useful range of the power. Many powers only affect the character with the power, such as Invisibility. These are indicated with a dash (--). Powers which only work hand-to-hand are indicated as "Touch" powers, while powers which may be targeted at range are indicated as "Ranged". A few powers have ranges based on the specific type of power chosen, or on some other circumstance. These are indicated as "Varies".

The maximum effective distance of "Ranged" powers is based on the rank of the power (the distance on the Benchmarks table under "Affects"). In some cases, the power may be used at greater range, but with severely diminished accuracy. See Range Bands for more information.

Villain Powers

Powers can sometimes work quite differently for villains than it does for heroes. For example, a character with Mind Control will rarely be able to maintain their control over a target for more than a few minutes, but a villain might have an NPC under their control for weeks or even years. Story-based powers can accomplish things that are simply beyond the capabilities of player characters. However, do not overuse this technique, or the players will grow tired of it.

Cost

The Cost column indicates the cost per rank to purchase the power. The total cost of a power may be modified by power enhancements and power defects. See Power Modifiers for more information.

Table: Typical powers

Power	Activation	Task Roll	Target	Range	Cost
Absorption	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Alternate Form	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Amazing Movement ★	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Animal Control	Attack	Power	Radius	Ranged	1
Attack Reflection	Reaction	Power	Single Target	Ranged	2
[Attribute] Boost	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
[Attribute] Drain	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	1
Attribute Invulnerability	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Barrier	Attack	Power	Radius	Ranged	1
Blast	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Blindness	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Clinging	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Combination	Activated	--	Personal	Touch	1
Communication ★	Activated	Perception	Personal	Varies	1
Damaging Aura	Activated	Prowess	Personal	Touch	1
Danger Sense	Reaction	Varies	Personal	--	1
Duplication	Activated	--	Personal	--	3
[Element] Form	Activated	--	Personal	--	2
[Element] Mastery	Varies	Varies	Radius	Varies	3
Element Mimicry	Activated	--	Personal	Touch	2
[Element] Resistance	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Emotion Control	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	1
Extra Attacks	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Flight	Activated	--	Personal	--	2
Force Field	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Growth	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Healing	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Hold	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Illusion	Attack	Power	Radius	Ranged	1
Immortality	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Immunity ★	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Increased Density	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Intangibility	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Invisibility	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Invulnerability	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Life Drain	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	1
Machine Control	Attack	Power	Single Target	Ranged	1
Mind Blast	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	2
Mind Control	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	2
Mind Hold	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	2
Mind Shield	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Object Animation	Attack	Power	Single Target	Ranged	1
Plant Control	Attack	Power	Radius	Ranged	1
Possession	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	2
Power Drain	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	1
Power Invulnerability	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Power Mimicry	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	2
Power Suppression	Attack	Power	Single Target	Ranged	1
Power Theft	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	3
Probability Control	Activated	--	Single Target	Ranged	2
Regeneration	Always On	--	Personal	--	1
Shapeshifting	Activated	--	Personal	--	2
Shrinking	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Stretching	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Strike	Attack	Prowess	Single Target	Touch	1
Super-jumping	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Super-running	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Super Senses ★	Activated	Perception	Personal	Varies	1
Super-speed	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Super-swimming	Activated	--	Personal	--	1
Telekinesis	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Telepathy	Attack	Willpower	Single Target	Ranged	1
Teleportation	Activated	--	Personal	--	2
Time Control	Attack	Power	Single Target	Ranged	2
[Transformation] Ray	Attack	Accuracy	Single Target	Ranged	1
Tunneling	Activated	--	Personal	--	2
[Ultra-power]	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies	3

Power Descriptions

Absorption

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Absorption permits the character to absorb damage from a force or substance and use that energy in specific ways. The character can heal themselves, or they can temporarily gain the power that attacked them, or they can boost one of their existing powers. The specific type of force or substance that can be absorbed must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player may pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval.

The maximum amount of energy which can be absorbed from a single attack is equal to the rank in the Absorption power, or the amount of damage which exceeds the character's protection value (PV), whichever is less. For example, if a character has rank 3 Force Field and rank 2 Absorption (electricity) and is struck by a rank 7 electrical attack, the damage rating of the attack reduces the character's Endurance by 4 (7 - 3 = 4), and the character absorbs 2 ranks of energy. These 2 ranks are added to a pool of absorbed energy which depletes at the rate of 1 rank per round, starting the round after the energy was absorbed.

The energy in the character's Absorption pool may be used in one of three ways, which may be chosen by the character on a case-by-case basis.

• Healing: The character restores an amount of lost Endurance (or other damaged attribute) up to the rank of energy in the pool. Each rank of restored Endurance requires the expenditure of one rank of absorbed energy. Healing themselves in this fashion requires a free action.
• Power: The character gains the power that inflicted the damage, and can use this power to attack others. Each rank of the gained power requires the expenditure of one rank of absorbed energy, and the power lasts for only one round. Gaining the power requires a free action, but using it requires a task action (or whatever action that power normally requires).
• Boost: The character may increase the rank of one of their attributes or of one of their current powers. This requires the expenditure of one rank of absorbed energy for each rank by which the attribute or power is increased, and the boost lasts for only one round. Boosting an attribute or power requires a free action, but using the attribute or power requires whatever action that attribute or power normally requires.

Absorption does not provide protection against an attack: the damage rating of an attack is not reduced by the rank of the Absorption power. If the damage of any attack (regardless of type) would knock the character unconscious or kill them, the character automatically uses their absorbed energy to heal themselves, up to either their full Endurance or the ranks of energy in their Absorption pool, whichever is less.

Enhancements

Delayed Depletion: The absorbed energy depletes at a rate of one rank per minute rather than one rank per round. +1 character point

Alternate Forms

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

A character with the Alternate Forms power has multiple independent identities, each with its own powers and appearance, and potentially even a different personality for each (if the player wishes). The character can only use one alternate form at a time, and changing forms requires activating the power with a free action (although the character can only activate one form per round). The number of alternate forms the character has is equal to the rank of the power. For example, a character with rank 3 Alternate Forms who can consciously control their evolution might have a physically powerful but slow-witted hominid form, a physically weak but mentally potent hyper-evolved form, and an aquatic prehistoric form. The cost for all forms is paid by the base character; the alternate forms are created using the same number of character points as the base character (minus the cost of the Alternate Forms power), and they may not themselves have the Alternate Forms power.

Alternate Forms must be activated with a free action: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the power turns off, and the character reverts to their base form. The character may also turn off their Alternate Forms voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Alternate Forms activated while staggered.

The specific mechanism of the Alternate Forms can vary greatly from character to character, which may offer minor benefits and disadvantages to the character.

Defects

Dial R For Random (major defect): Normally, a character with Alternate Forms has a set of predefined forms and identities. With the Dial R For Random power defect, the knowledge and memories of the character are preserved, but their powers and appearance (and personality, if the player wishes) are that of a completely new person each time the power is activated. With the GM's approval, even the character's skills and advantages might be changed. A character with the Dial R For Random power defect must have at least 2 ranks in the Alternate Forms power. -1 character point

Uncontrollable (extreme defect): The character is unable to control when they change forms, nor which form is taken (if they have more than one). The Alternate Forms may be triggered by the emotional state of character (anger is a popular choice), or the character may change forms on an unknown or immutable schedule. -2 character points

Amazing Movement ★

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Amazing Movement permits the character to move in ways that are unusual even for posthumans. Each rank in Amazing Movement provides the character with a different form of movement chosen from the list below. Amazing Movement is a plot dependent power and may not always be available, at the GM's discretion.

• Astral Travel: The character can detach their consciousness from their physical body and travel to alternate realities and divergent time streams, leaving their physical body behind. The character must succeed at a demanding (task difficulty 15) Willpower task roll to navigate to a specific location in a desired reality or divergent time stream. While using Astral Travel, the consciousness of the traveler is typically invisible, but those who possess extraordinary spiritual or magical awareness may be able to see the traveler's "astral body". The "astral body" of the traveler does not require the Immunity power to survive in other realities or planes of existence, and is usually unable to interact with the strange vistas around them, although they may converse with anyone capable of perceiving them. While the "astral body" is separated from the character's physical body, their physical body appears to be in a comatose state, and the traveler is unaware of anything happening to or around their physical form.
• Dimensional Travel: The character can traverse dimensional boundaries, visiting alternate realities and divergent time streams. Depending on the method used, the character may be able to take others with them. Survival in other realities or planes of existence may require ranks in Immunity, depending on the local environment. See Immunity for more details.
• Etheric Travel: The character can detach their consciousness from their physical body and travel to anywhere on Earth, leaving their physical body behind. The character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Willpower task roll to navigate to a specific location. While using Etheric Travel, the consciousness of the traveler is typically invisible, but those who possess extraordinary spiritual or magical awareness may be able to see the traveler's "etheric body". The "etheric body" of the traveler does not require the Immunity power to survive in the upper atmosphere or under water, and is usually unable to interact with the world around them, although they may converse with anyone capable of perceiving them. While the "etheric body" is separated from the character's physical body, their physical body appears to be in a comatose state, and the traveler is unaware of anything happening to or around their physical form.
• Space Travel: The character can travel into space, visiting distant worlds and returning in a reasonably prompt fashion. Depending on the method used, the character may be able to take others with them. Survival in outer space requires a spaceworthy vehicle or at least 4 ranks in Immunity (Asphyxia, Exposure (Cold), Radiation, and Vacuum). See Immunity for more details.
• Time Travel: The character can traverse the time stream, stepping into the past or the future. Depending on the method used, the character may be able to take others with them. Whether the time traveler can change the past or simply creates a divergent time stream is a bone of contention among philosophers and temporal physicists (the Kalos Universe generally assumes the latter).

Animal Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Radius

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Animal Control allows a character to communicate with and mentally control animals. To successfully communicate with and control all animals within range of the power, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Animal Control task roll. A character's Animal Control might be limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Animal Control task rolls.

Controlled animals have the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operate independently of the character that animated them. Giving a new mental command to the controlled animals requires a free action.

The attributes of the controlled animals are equal to the normal attributes those kinds of animals would have. However, controlled animals are highly resistant to mental powers, having Mind Shield equal to the rank of the Animal Control power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the animated animals are significantly smarter (+1 Reason and +1 Perception). Controlled animals have the normal movement and attack types that those kinds of animals would have.

The character can control animals in an area around themselves based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Affects" column.

Attack Reflection

Activation: Reaction

Task roll: Power

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Attack Reflection permits the character to reflect an attack back at the attacker. Using this power requires an Attack Reflection task roll against the Accuracy of the attacker. If the Attack Reflection task roll fails, the character is struck by the attack and must endure the normal effects of being hit. If the Attack Reflection task roll succeeds, the attack is reflected back and strikes the attacker. If the reflecting character rolls an extreme success, then they may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the attacker.

[Attribute] Boost

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

[Attribute] Boost permits the character to increase the rank of one of their attributes, chosen when this power is purchased. Once every ten minutes, the character may add their ranks in [Attribute] Boost to the rank of their selected attribute (up to rank 14 maximum). The boosted attribute remains at this increased rank for one minute (ten rounds). Once the [Attribute] Boost wears off, the attribute drops to its normal rank (rounded up). Once the character has used their [Attribute] Boost power, it may not be used again for ten minutes.

Defects

Attribute Fatigue (major defect): Once the [Attribute] Boost wears off, the attribute drops to one-half of its normal rank (rounded up) for ten minutes, after which it returns to its normal rank. -1 character point

[Attribute] Drain

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

[Attribute] Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts damage to an attribute other than Endurance. The [Attribute] Drain could be radiation, disease, cold, extreme age, toxic gas, or even darkness or light; both this and the specific attribute affected must be chosen when the [Attribute] Drain power is purchased. The [Attribute] Drain has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.

Using [Attribute] Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the [Attribute] Drain.

Any power or equipment that provides protection for the same attribute as the [Attribute] Drain, such as Attribute Invulnerability, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the [Attribute] Drain. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's attribute.

The damage from [Attribute] Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Enhancements

Ranged: The [Attribute] Drain is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on its rank. Using [Attribute] Drain requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. +1 character point

Attribute Invulnerability

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Attribute Invulnerability provides protection against attacks which inflict damage to an attribute other than Endurance. A character with Attribute Invulnerability subtracts the rank of their Attribute Invulnerability from the rank of attacks that inflict attribute damage. The remaining ranks of the attack are applied against the character's attribute. Attribute Invulnerability does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on.

Barrier

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Radius

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Barrier permits the character to create walls and simple geometric shapes made of a particular force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", for example, would be much too broad.

Creating a simple shape with Barrier (a wall, dome, cube, and so on) requires a challenging Barrier task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the complexity of the desired shape. For example, a "T" or "W" or other angular shape would require a demanding Barrier task roll (task difficulty 15), while an intricate labyrinth would require a frustrating Barrier task roll (task difficulty 18).

The maximum length or circumference of the barrier is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Affects" column. This is the maximum length or circumference of the barrier the character may create.

The Barrier has Endurance and protection value (PV) equal to the rank of the power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the Barrier created is significantly tougher (+1 Endurance). If the damage rating of an attack is less than or equal to the protection value of the Barrier, the attack bounces off harmlessly and the Barrier is undamaged. If damage from an attack exceeds the Barrier's protection value, the remaining damage is subtracted from the Barrier's Endurance, and the attack makes a hole in the barrier large enough for a normal person to walk through. If the Endurance of the Barrier is reduced to zero, the Barrier is destroyed: it crumbles, dissolves, or fades away, as appropriate.

A Barrier may also be used to support weight, as a bridge, support column, or other such structure. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Lifts" column. This is the maximum weight which the Barrier can support. If the load on the Barrier exceeds this weight, the Barrier loses 1 Endurance each round that the weight on it exceeds its lifting capacity.

If a Barrier is not attacked or damaged, it will normally remain in place until the end of the scene, after which it crumbles, dissolves, or fades away, as appropriate.

Enhancements

Permanent: The Barrier is relatively permanent. It does not dissolve at the end of the scene, and will remain in place until destroyed. +1 character point

Blast

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Blast is a ranged attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Blast could be radiation, fire, cold, arrows, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Blast power is purchased. The Blast has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.

Using Blast requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Blast.

Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Blast. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's Endurance.

Enhancements

Explosive Damage: The Blast causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of the target (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Seeking: The Blast has limited independence from the attacker. If the attack misses the target, the attack will circle around and try again on the succeeding round. No interaction or attention is required from the attacker for this second attack. +1 character point

Blindness

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Blindness power renders the target unable to see. The mechanism which causes the blindess must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might not be able to see because they have a layer of glue across their eyes, they might be forced to close their eyes due to a painful chemical spray, or they could literally be blinded by a bright light. Alternately, Blindness could affect a sense other than vision. For example, the target could be rendered deaf, or unable to smell. It is also possible to use Blindness against a Super Sense, such as Danger Sense, Detect Magic, or ESP. If so, this must be specified when this power is purchased.

Attacking a character under the effects of Blindness provides a +6 attack bonus (the standard task roll bonus for attacking a blind target).

Using Blindness requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. To recover from Blindness, the target must make a successful Perception task roll against the rank of the Blindness. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action.

If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Blindness is increased by 1 for the purpose of the target recovering from it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 4 Blindness, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 13 (5 + 8) to recover from the Blindness.

If the blinded character gets an extreme success on the Perception task roll, then they recover as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Blindness, they would need to make a Perception task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and recovering is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not recovered from the Blindness by the end of the scene, then they recover from it shortly thereafter.

Enhancements

Additional Sense: The Blindness affects a sense in addition to vision (or the first affected sense, if it is not vision). For example, the target might be deafened as well as blinded. +1 character point

Mass Blindness: The Blindness power affects everyone within 50 feet of the target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Clinging

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Clinging allows the character to move at their normal ground speed along walls, ceilings, and other surfaces as if they were level. The strength holding the character to the surface is equal to their Brawn plus their rank in Clinging. If the surface is slippery or unstable, the GM might require the player to make a successful Clinging task roll to keep from sliding or falling.

Combination

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Combination permits several characters to merge into a single larger and more powerful character. Every character wishing to combine must have the Combination power, and the maximum number of characters who may combine is equal to the lowest rank of Combination among them. Activating Combination takes one standard action, and requires the characters to all be touching each other. In addition to being more massive, the combined character has Brawn, Prowess, and Invulnerability (if any) equal to the highest rank of any of the combined characters, plus one rank for every combined character after the first.

Example:

Moe, Larry, and Curly each have rank 3 Combination. Moe has Brawn 3 and Prowess 2. Larry has Brawn 2 and Prowess 4. Curly has Brawn 2, Prowess 1, and rank 2 Invulnerability. When Moe, Larry, and Curly combine, they form the mighty Stoopendigous, who has Brawn 5 (Moe's rank 3, plus 2 more for Larry and Curly), Prowess 6 (Larry's rank 4, plus 2 more for Moe and Curly), and rank 4 Invulnerability (Curly's rank 2, plus 2 more for Moe and Larry).

Communication ★

Activation: Activated

Task roll: Perception

Target: Personal

Range: Varies

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Communication permits the character to communicate with others in ways that people normally can't. Communication does not imply control: being able to speak with animals, for example, does not permit the character to control them, but it allows the character to use a Manipulation or Social skill. Also note that being able to speak to something does not grant it any additional powers, such as movement. A building might be able to tell you where the vault is, but it can't unlock the vault for you. To manipulate and control an object, the character must buy the appropriate power, such as Plant Control.

Each rank in Communication provides the character with a different form of communication chosen from the list below.

• Animals: The character can understand animals, and can speak to them in a way they can understand. A character's Animal Communication might be limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on Manipulation and Social task rolls when interacting with that animal type.
• Buildings: The character can understand buildings and other man-made structures, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Computers: The character can communicate with any computer they can perceive, accessing it as if logged in and typing into a keyboard.
• Machines: The character can understand machines, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Mind Link: Two characters who both have Mind Link can communicate telepathically over any distance.
• Plants: The character can understand plants, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Radio: The character can send and receive signals over any standard radio frequency.
• Roads: The character can understand paths, roads, and highways, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Stones: The character can understand rocks and stones, and can speak to them in a way they can understand.
• Universal Translator: The character can understand and speak any language after being exposed to it for a brief period of time. If the character has access to written information, they can read and write the language as well.

Enhancements

Subtle: The communication is difficult to notice for those not involved in the conversation. Anyone not party to the conversation must make a demanding (task difficulty 15) Perception task roll just to notice the conversation. +1 character point

Encrypted: The communication is encoded in a way that makes it very difficult for eavesdroppers to understand. If the eavesdropper has the necessary form of Communication (for example, Radio to eavesdrop on a radio conversation), the eavesdropper must succeed at a nigh-impossible (task difficulty 21) Reason task roll to understand what is being said. +1 character point

Damaging Aura

Activation: Activated

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Personal

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

A character with Damaging Aura can surround themselves with an attack which inflicts Endurance damage against anyone who touches them. The Damaging Aura could be radiation, fire, cold, quills, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Damaging Aura power is purchased. The Damaging Aura has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.

Any opponent that touches the character will automatically be affected by the character's Damaging Aura. This includes those who successfully make unarmed attacks against the character. The character with Damaging Aura may also attempt to touch others and cause damage. Doing so requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the character with the Damaging Aura rolls an extreme success, then they may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Damaging Aura.

Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the Damaging Aura. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Damaging Aura. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's Endurance.

Danger Sense

Activation: Reaction

Task roll: Varies

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Danger Sense permits the character to attempt a Danger Sense roll to avoid being surprised even if there is no way for the character to see the attack coming. The Danger Sense task roll is based on either the rank in Danger Sense or the character's Perception rank +1, whichever is greater. If the character rolls an extreme success, then they know the exact source and nature of the attack.

If the character's Danger Sense has a higher rank than their Prowess, the rank in Danger Sense may be used in place of Prowess to avoid being hit in hand-to-hand combat. If the character's Danger Sense has a higher rank than their Agility, the rank in Danger Sense may be used in place of Agility to avoid being hit in ranged combat.

Duplication

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 3 character points per rank

Duplication allows a character to make identical copies of themselves. These duplicates are independent characters, who each move and act separately each round. However, all of the duplicates share a single pool of Plot Points, and spend their Plot Points as a single character.

One rank in Duplication permits the creation of one duplicate, and each additional rank doubles the number of characters which exist simultaneously. Rank 1 permits two identical characters, rank 2 permits four identical characters, rank 3 permits eight identical characters, and so on. As long as there is more than one identical character, any duplicate which takes Endurance damage ceases to exist. By default, there is no "original" character -- the last duplicate remaining is the "original". Once the Duplication is activated, any of the identical characters may deactivate the power. When the power is deactivated, which duplicate remains behind as the "original" is generally up the player.

The character is not required to activate or deactivate all of their duplicates simultaneously. For example, a character with rank 4 Duplication could create one duplicate this round, create four more duplicates the following round, deactivate two duplicates on the third round, and so on. Duplicates last until they are deactivated or until they take any Endurance damage. When a duplicate is deactivated, its memories and knowledge are absorbed into the remaining identical characters.

The specific mechanism of the Duplication can vary greatly from character to character, which may offer minor benefits and disadvantages to the character.

Table: Duplication

Rank	Characters
1	2
2	4
3	8
4	16
5	32
6	64
7	128
8	256
9	512
10	1,024
11	2,048
12	4,096
13	8,192
14	16,384

Duplicates do not have any special means of communication, but this can be added with a power enhancement.

Enhancements

Mind Link: All of the identical characters may communicate telepathically over any distance. +1 character point

[Element] Form

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term "element" is used very loosely. [Element] Form permits the character to physically transform their body into a force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", for example, would be much too broad.

When transformed into their [Element] Form, the character possesses the traits of the form or substance and gains Invulnerability equal to the rank of the [Element] Form. If the force or substance is appropriate, [Element] Form may also grant the Strike power equal to the rank of the [Element] Form (punching with fists of stone, burning things with an electrical touch, and so on).

With the GM's approval, [Element] Form may grant other powers, as well. For example, Electrical Form might grant the ability to Teleport through conductive material, Water Form might grant Stretching, and so on.

Defects

Vulnerability (major defect): While in their [Element] Form, the character may be damaged by an opposing element. For example, a character with Earth Form, Fire Form, or Electrical Form may take Endurance damage from water, while a character with Darkness Form may take Endurance damage from bright light. The amount of Endurance damage taken will depend on the strength or volume of the opposing element, but should generally be 2 Endurance per attack. The character's Invulnerability or Force Field, if any, does not protect the character from this damage. -1 character point

[Element] Mastery

Activation: Varies

Task roll: Varies

Target: Radius

Range: Varies

Cost: 3 character points per rank

Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term "element" is used very loosely. [Element] Mastery permits the character to create and control a force or substance. The specific type of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", for example, would be much too broad.

A character with [Element] Mastery can shape and manipulate their element in a variety of ways. Reasonable uses of [Element] Mastery include creating walls and barriers (see Barrier), encasing enemies in the element (see Hold), using the element to exert Brawn at range (see Telekinesis), creating a protective shield against attacks (see Force Field), and using the element to inflict direct damage by striking enemies with it (see Blast). Due to the tightly unifying theme of [Element] Mastery, power-altering powers such as Power Drain affect the entire [Element] Mastery.

Any uses of [Element] Mastery must be activated with a free action or a task action (attacks require a task action): if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their [Element] Mastery voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their [Element] Mastery activated while staggered.

The character can affect their element in an area around themselves based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Affects" column. This is the area in which the character may control their chosen element. Use the "Lifts" column in the Benchmarks table to determine maximum amount of the element they may manipulate at a time.

Element Mimicry

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: Touch

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term "element" is used very loosely. Element Mimicry permits the character to physically transform their body into any force or substance they touch. For example, the character could touch concrete and turn into concrete, or touch water and turn into water. The character must be in physical contact with the material in order to mimic it. If the character uses a task action to mimic a force or substance which would injure them, such as an attack, they transform into that attack type and the attack does no damage to them. For example, a character with Element Mimicry who is shot by a laser may choose to use a task action to transform into laser light, taking no damage from that attack (nor from any other laser attacks, while in that form).

While transformed, the character possesses the traits of the force or substance and gains Invulnerability equal to the rank of the Element Mimicry. If the force or substance is appropriate, Element Mimicry may also grant the Strike power equal to the rank of the Element Mimicry (punching with fists of stone, burning things with an electrical touch, and so on).

With the GM's approval, Element Mimicry may grant other powers, as well. For example, mimicking electricity might grant the ability to Teleport through conductive material, while mimicking water might grant Stretching, and so on.

[Element] Resistance

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Owing to Bulletproof Blues being a superhero game, the term "element" is used very loosely. [Element] Resistance provides protection against the Endurance damage inflicted by a specific type of force or substance. The first rank of [Element] Resistance grants resistance to one specific force or substance, and each additional rank of [Element] Resistance adds resistance to an additional force or substance. The specific types of force or substance must be chosen when this power is purchased. Some typical examples are air, earth, fire, water, light, darkness, force fields, electricity, magnetism, gravity, cloth, and plants. The player can pick any force or substance, subject to the GM's approval. "Energy", for example, would be much too broad.

A character with [Element] Resistance subtracts 10 from the damage rating of attacks using the specific type of force or substance. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance.

Additionally, [Element] Resistance acts as a limited form of Attribute Invulnerability, providing protection against attacks which inflict damage to Brawn or Agility. A character with [Element] Resistance subtracts the rank of the power from the attribute damage of attacks using that specific force or substance. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Brawn or Agility.

[Element] Resistance does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on. As always, this protection does not stack with Force Field, Invulnerability, Attribute Invulnerability, or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

Enhancements

Immunity: The character is completely immune to attacks using the specific forces or substances to which the character has [Element] Resistance. The character may be subject to the smashing and staggering outcomes of extreme success, if appropriate, but the attacks themselves inflict no damage at all. +1 character point

Emotion Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Emotion Control power allows a character to influence a target's behaviour by controlling the target's emotional state. The character can only instill one emotion at a time in the target, but may instill in the target any emotion the character desires. A character's Emotion Control might be limited to a specific emotion, such as fear or loyalty. If this is the case, the character gains a +3 bonus on their Emotion Control task rolls.

Using Emotion Control requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Emotion Control is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Emotion Control, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Emotion Control.

To break out of the Emotion Control, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the rank of the Emotion Control. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Emotion Control gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Emotion Control, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not broken out of the Emotion Control by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Enhancements

Mass Hysteria: The Emotion Control power affects everyone within 50 feet of the target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Extra Attacks

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

A character with the Extra Attacks power can gain additional attack actions at the end of a round. The character may use these additional attack actions to attack multiple targets, or they may attack the same target multiple times. All of the character's additional attacks are resolved after all other task rolls are resolved that round. In other words, everyone gets a turn during a round before anyone may use Extra Attacks. If more than one character has the Extra Attacks power and is using additional attack actions, they should alternate their additional attack actions.

During each game session, the number of additional attack actions the character may use is equal to the rank of the Extra Attacks power. The character may only use half of their total additional attacks in any one round, and once an additional attack action has been used, it may not be used again in that game session. The player may wait until the end of the round before deciding whether their character will use any of their Extra Attacks.

Flight

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Firefly

The character can fly, either innately or by using some type of equipment. For example, the character might have wings, they might wear a jetpack, or they may just be able to fly through sheer willpower. The character's base move, double move, and all-out move are based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the values in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as fast as a cheetah, rank 4 is faster than the speed of sound, and rank 7 is faster than a rocket.

Defects

Swinging (major defect): The character is supported in the air by a grappling line, spider web, invisible beams of magnetic force, or some other method of suspension. If there is nothing above the character to attach this "swing line" to, the character is grounded. If the swing line is attached to something which weighs less than the character, the character can pull the object toward them or swing it around. If the object on the other end of the swing line is another character, this requires a Brawn task roll against the Brawn of the other character. If the swing line is a physical object such as a grappling line, its material strength is based on the rank of the power (see the Benchmarks table for more details). A character with Swinging is also likely to have Hold with the "Exposed" defect. -1 character point

Force Field

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Force Field provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything which inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Force Field subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance. As always, this protection does not stack with Invulnerability or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

A character with a Force Field may extend their force field to another person (or person-sized object) by touching them. The Force Field then protects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Force Field is touching the second character. However, multiple forms of protection do not stack: only the greatest protection value applies. For example, a character with rank 6 Invulnerability would not benefit from having a rank 5 Force Field on top of it.

Unlike Invulnerability, a Force Field must be activated: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Force Field voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Force Field activated while staggered.

Growth

Activation: Activated

Task roll: ---

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Growth permits a character to become larger than normal. Each rank of Growth gives the character:

• x2 height
• x8 mass
• +1 Brawn
• +1 Endurance

Additionally, a character with Growth is easier to hit in combat. Anyone attacking a character with Growth is granted a +1 attack bonus for each rank of Growth the target has. Note that this makes it much easier for characters to achieve extreme success when attacking characters with Growth. However, the character's rank in Growth is added to their Willpower task roll for the purpose of resisting being staggered. For example, a character with Willpower rank 2 and 5 ranks in Growth would roll 2d6 + 7 when attempting to resist being staggered.

Table: Growth

Rank	Height	Reach	Mass	Brawn1	Endurance	Defense Penalty2
1	x2 (12 feet)	6 feet	1,600 lbs	1	+1	+1
2	x4 (25 feet)	12 feet	6 tons	2	+2	+2
3	x8 (50 feet)	25 feet	50 tons	3	+3	+3
4	x16 (100 feet)	50 feet	400 tons	4	+4	+4
5	x32 (200 feet)	100 feet	3 kilotons	5	+5	+5
6	x64 (400 feet)	200 feet	30 kilotons	6	+6	+6
7	x128 (800 feet)	400 feet	200 kilotons	7	+7	+7
8	x256 (1,600 feet)	800 feet	2 gigatons	8	+8	+8
9	x512 (3,000 feet)	1,600 feet	13 megatons	9	+9	+9
10	x1,024 (1 mile)	3,000 feet	100 megatons	10	+10	+10
11	x2,048 (2 miles)	1 mile	900 megatons	11	+11	+11
12	x4,096 (5 miles)	2 miles	7 gigatons	12	+12	+12
13	x8,192 (10 miles)	5 miles	50 gigatons	13	+13	+13
14	x16,384 (20 miles)	10 miles	400 gigatons	14	+14	+14

1. Or normal Brawn +1, whichever is greater
2. Not applicable against mental attacks

The Brawn of a character with Growth is either their rank in Growth or their normal (non-Growth) Brawn +1, whichever is greater.

Growth may affect a character's ground movement. The character's base running speed is equal to ten times their Agility in feet or ten times their rank in Growth in feet, whichever is greater. For example, a character with rank 4 in Agility normally has a base walking speed of 40 feet per round, but if their rank in Growth is 5, their base walking speed is 50 feet per round. Growth does not change a character's swimming speed or long jump distance.

If a character is not at full Endurance when changing their size, the amount of Endurance they have lost stays proportionately the same. (It's only fractions: you can handle it.)

For example, if a character with 6 natural Endurance has lost three Endurance to attacks, when they activate 3 ranks of Growth their maximum Endurance will increase to 9, but their current Endurance will be 5. When in doubt, round fractions in the character's favor.

At Growth rank 5 and above, the character's hands are so large that they strike entire areas rather than individuals. Because their hand-to-hand attacks do not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because such attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success.

A character with Growth does not have to use it at full power. A character who has 4 ranks in Growth, for example, could elect to be merely 50 feet tall rather than their full 100 feet.

Healing

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Healing is a ranged power which heals Endurance damage. The specific mechanism which permits the Healing (accelerated time, life energy, advanced medicine, medical nanobots, etc.) must be chosen when the Healing power is purchased. The Healing power heals a quantity of Endurance equal to the rank of the power.

Using Healing requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. If the character with the Healing power rolls an extreme success, then the target of the Healing gains one additional point of Endurance.

Enhancements

Pathogens and Poisons: The Healing power can remove diseases, pathogens, and poisons from the target. The character with Healing may attempt a challenging Healing task roll (task difficulty 12) to cure a single disease or purge a single toxin from the victim's system. If the character with the Healing power rolls an extreme success, then all damage caused by the disease is healed as well as the disease itself being cured. +1 character point

Hold

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Hold power prevents a character from moving or taking physical actions. The mechanism which causes the Hold must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might be entangled in webs, encased in ice, bound by rings of magical force, or they could be paralyzed by some form of toxic gas.

Attacking a character under the effects of Hold provides a +6 attack bonus (the standard task roll bonus for attacking a helpless target).

Using Hold requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Hold is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 4 Hold, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 13 (5 + 8) to break out of the Hold.

To break out of the Hold, the target must make a successful Brawn task roll against the rank of the Hold. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the held character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Hold, they would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not broken out of the Hold by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Defects

Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the Hold, using Brawn or a power which inflicts Endurance damage. This power defect is most appropriate for types of Hold that depend on a physical restraint to keep the target immobile, and the GM may require it in such cases. -1 character point

Illusion

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Radius

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Illusion power permits the character to create realistic three-dimensional phantasms, complete with all associated sensory accompaniment. An illusory lion will roar, illusory snow will feel cold and wet, and so on.

Creating a simple, immobile illusion (a wall, a bridge, and so on) requires a challenging Illusion task roll (task difficulty 12). Creating more complex shapes requires a more difficult task roll, with the task difficulty set by the GM based on the complexity of the desired illusion. For example, a windmill, a lion, or other moving shape would require a demanding Illusion task roll (task difficulty 15), while a city square with moving cars, bicycles, and dozens of people would require a frustrating Illusion task roll (task difficulty 18).

The maximum size of an illusion is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Affects" column. This is the maximum size of the illusion the character may create.

While the illusions created by this power are completely convincing, they don't actually exist. The bite of an illusory dog will not break the skin, the touch of illusory liquid nitrogen will not cause frostbite, and an illusory bridge will not support the weight of anyone. The tactile aspect of an illusion will only be convincing if the contact is fleeting or feather-light: any significant physical interaction with an illusion provides an observer with a good reason to suspect that the apparition is not the genuine article.

Anyone who observes an Illusion and who has a good reason to suspect its true nature may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the power. If the Perception task roll succeeds, the observer sees the Illusion for what it is, and may respond appropriately. If the character with Illusion rolls an extreme success, then the Illusion created is significantly more realistic, and the Perception task roll to see through the Illusion incurs a +1 task difficulty penalty.

Enhancements

Illusory Damage: The Illusion is so convincing that observers who are fooled by the Illusion believe that they are injured by its attacks. Protection powers such as Force Field and Invulnerability are as efficacious against these illusory attacks as they would be to the real thing. The damage inflicted can even "kill" the target (rendering them unconscious), but in fact any damage inflicted is stunning, and therefore temporary. See Stunning for more details. This power enhancement is usually accompanied by the "It's All In Your Mind" power defect. +1 character point

Defects

It's All In Your Mind (major defect): Normally, the sights and sounds created by the Illusion power can be recorded, seen on cameras, and so on. With this defect, the Illusion only affects sentient creatures: cameras and robots do not perceive the illusions, nor do the illusions appear in mirrors. -1 character point

Immortality

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Immortality power grants the character immunity to the ravages of time. An immortal character will never grow old or die from "natural causes". At rank 1, the character simply doesn't grow older, but can be killed just like any other person can. At rank 2 and above, death is temporary. As soon as the cause of the character's demise is removed (the stake being pulled from their heart, the poison wearing off and losing its toxicity, and so on), the character will begin to recover from their mortal injuries. How long this recovery takes depends on the rank of the power.

Additionally, the player must select two means of permanently killing the character. One of these means must be relatively obvious, such as burning the character or dissolving them in acid. The second means may be obvious, but it may also be obscure and specific to that character, such as destroying a specific portrait of the character that they keep in a vault or stabbing them with a weapon made from the bone of a blood relative.

Table: Immortality

Rank	Resurrection
1	--
2	6 months
3	3 months
4	1 month
5	2 weeks
6	1 week
7	4 days
8	2 days
9	1 day
10	16 hours
11	8 hours
12	4 hours
13	2 hours
14	1 hour

Defects

Death Is Preferable (major defect): Normally, an immortal character stops aging when they reach physical maturity, or shortly thereafter. However, some immortal characters continue to age (albeit at a slower rate), becoming gnarled and withered as the years pass. An immortal with the Death Is Preferable power defect looks and feels ancient, although they may still be physically powerful. -1 character point

Offsite Backup (major defect): Normally, when an immortal character recovers from "death", they retain all of the memories from events up to and including their demise. If the character's resurrection is facilitated by an external backup, such as a stored clone or a periodic neural upload to an orbiting satellite, there will be a gap between the time of the last "backup" and the character's demise. -1 character point

Serial Immortality (major defect): Normally, when an immortal character recovers from "death", they remain essentially unchanged. With the Serial Immortality power defect, the knowledge and memories of the character are preserved, but their appearance and personality are that of a completely new person. For example, the character might be a parasitic organism that possesses a new host when the previous one expires, or the character might have a form of cellular regeneration with unpredictable results. With the GM's approval, even the character's advantages and powers might be changed. -1 character point

Immunity ★

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Immunity permits the character to survive in environments and conditions that would impair or even kill normal people. Each rank in Immunity permits the character to endure one additional condition from the list below. These must be selected when the power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.

The protection provided by Immunity is ambient and highly plot dependent: it does not normally protect the character from attacks or from direct forms of damage. Being able to withstand extreme heat and exposure to the blazing desert sun does not mean that a character is immune to a fire blast or can relax in a pool of molten lead. However, Immunity provides protection equal to one-half of its rank against attacks related to some form of Immunity that the character possesses (Exposure (Cold), Exposure (Heat), and Radiation being the most common types of direct damage). As always, this protection does not stack with Force Field, Invulnerability, or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

• Asphyxia: The character does not need to breathe at all; alternately, they may breathe in a single unusual environment.
• Exposure (Cold): The character is comfortable in environments of extreme cold, such as in the Antarctic.
• Exposure (Heat): The character is comfortable in environments of extreme heat, such as noon in the Rub' al Khali.
• Pathogens: The character is unaffected by infectious viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.
• Poisons: The character is unaffected by chemical and biological poisons, toxins, and venoms.
• Pressure: The character is comfortable in environments of extremely high pressure, such as in the ocean depths.
• Radiation: The character is immune to the effects of environmental ionizing radiation.
• Sleep Deprivation: The character may sleep if they want to, but suffers no ill effect from lack of sleep.
• Starvation: The character does not need to eat, drink, or excrete; alternately, they can eat virtually anything.
• Vacuum: The character is comfortable in environments of extremely low pressure, such as in outer space.

By default, immunity to "Asphyxia" permits the character to survive without needing to breathe at all. However, if it makes more sense for the character to be able to breath in just one unusual environment, such as underwater or in methane, they may choose that option instead.

By default, immunity to "Starvation" permits the character to survive without needing to eat, drink, or excrete at all. However, if it makes more sense for the character to be able to eat or drink virtually any nontoxic substance, such as mud or styrofoam peanuts, they may choose that option instead.

For immunity to aging, see Immortality.

If a character dies from an attack related to some form of Immunity that the character possesses, there is a good chance the character might come back. This is highly dependent on the background of the character and how much sense it would make in the context of the story.

For more details on the effects of the environment on a character, see Environment.

Increased Density

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Increased Density permits a character to become more massive (but no larger) than normal. Each rank of Increased Density gives the character:

• x2 Mass
• +1 Brawn
• -1 Agility
• +1 Endurance
• +1 Invulnerability

Table: Increased Density

Rank	Mass	Brawn 1	Agility 2	Endurance	Invulnerability 3
1	x2 (400 lbs)	1	-1	+1	1
2	x4 (800 lbs)	2	-2	+2	2
3	x8 (1,600 lbs)	3	-3	+3	3
4	x16 (3,200 lbs)	4	-4	+4	4
5	x32 (3 tons)	5	-5	+5	5
6	x64 (6 tons)	6	-6	+6	6
7	x128 (12 tons)	7	-7	+7	7
8	x256 (25 tons)	8	-8	+8	8
9	x512 (50 tons)	9	-9	+9	9
10	x1,024 (100 tons)	10	-10	+10	10
11	x2,048 (200 tons)	11	-11	+11	11
12	x4,096 (400 tons)	12	-12	+12	12
13	x8,192 (800 tons)	13	-13	+13	13
14	x16,384 (1,600 tons)	14	-14	+14	14

1. Or normal Brawn +1, whichever is greater
2. Down to minimum rank 0
3. Or normal Invulnerability +1, whichever is greater

The Brawn and Invulnerability of a character with Increased Density is either their rank in Increased Density or their normal (non-Increased Density) rank +1, whichever is greater.

If a character becomes so dense that their Agility is reduced to zero, they have great difficulty moving. They must successfully attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) every round, just to take a step or two.

If a character is not at full Endurance when changing their density, the amount of Endurance they have lost stays proportionately the same. (It's only fractions: you can handle it.)

For example, if a character with 6 natural Endurance has lost three Endurance to attacks, when they activate 3 ranks of Increased Density their maximum Endurance will increase to 9, but their current Endurance will be 5. When in doubt, round fractions in the character's favor.

A character with Increased Density does not have to use it at full power. A character who has 4 ranks in Increased Density, for example, could elect to be merely 400 pounds in mass rather than their full 3,200 pounds. Note that a character with their Increased Density activated in the water will sink like a stone: normal swimming is impossible, but Super-swimming will work as usual. At rank 6, the character is denser than any naturally occurring substance on Earth.

Intangibility

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Intangibility allows the character to become insubstantial and able to pass through physical objects. For example, Intangibility could represent a character who is able to control their molecular density, a character who vibrates at a different frequency, or even a character whose body can turn into radiant energy. The density of the material the character can pass through is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Breaks" column. This is the toughest material which the character may pass through. The character can also pass through force fields and other energy barriers which have a protection value (PV) less than or equal to the rank of the Intangibility.

Intangibility provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything which inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Intangibility subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them while they are intangible. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance. As always, this protection does not stack with Invulnerability or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

An intangible character is unable to physically interact with materials that they can pass through, and the rank of the power is subtracted from the damage rating of any attacks the character makes while intangible. However, an intangible character is affected normally by mental powers, and they may use mental powers against others.

A character with Intangibility may make another person (or person-sized object) intangible by touching the other person and then activating the Intangibility power. The Intangibility then affects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Intangibility is touching the second character.

Intangibility must be activated: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Intangibility voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Intangibility activated while staggered.

Enhancements

Loophole: The character has a power which affects the world normally while they are intangible. However, the character must also define an attack type which affects them normally while they are intangible. +1 character point

Defects

Permanent (major defect): The character is unable to turn off their Intangibility. The character remains intangible even if staggered or unconscious. -1 character point

Invisibility

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Invisibility power allows the character to become difficult to perceive. For example, the character might be transparent, they might bend light around them, or they may blend into their surroundings using camouflage. However the invisibility is achieved, the character is hidden from normal sight unless someone is actively looking for them or there is some environmental circumstance that might reveal the character's location.

If someone is actively looking for the character, perhaps by isolating their heat signature or tracking them by scent, the person trying to locate the invisible character must make a successful Perception task roll against the rank of the Invisibility. If an environmental circumstance might reveal the character's location, anyone in the area may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the Invisibility in order to notice the character. For example, fog might reveal the invisible character's outline, or fresh snow might reveal their footprints.

A character with Invisibility may make another person (or person-sized object) invisible by touching the other person and then activating the Invisibility power. The Invisibility then affects both characters, but only as long as the character with the Invisibility is touching the second character.

Invisibility must be activated: if the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the power turns off. The character may also turn off their Invisibility voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Invisibility activated while staggered.

Defects

Permanent (major defect): The character is unable to turn off their Invisibility. The character remains invisible even if staggered or unconscious. -1 character point

Invulnerability

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Invulnerability provides protection against most forms of direct damage: anything which inflicts Endurance damage. A character with Invulnerability subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance. Invulnerability does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on. As always, this protection does not stack with Force Field or other forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

Life Drain

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Life Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Life Drain could be radiation, disease, cold, extreme age, toxic gas, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Life Drain power is purchased. Life Drain has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.

Using Life Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Life Drain.

Life Drain ignores all normal forms of protection such as Invulnerability and Force Field. The damage from Life Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Machine Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Machine Control allows a character to mentally control electronic and mechanical machines. To successfully mentally control a machine, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Machine Control task roll.

A controlled machine has the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a new mental command to a controlled machine requires a free action.

The Brawn and Endurance of the machine is based on its physical structure and durability (see the "Breaks" column on the Benchmarks table), while the Agility, Prowess, and Accuracy of the machine is equal to the rank of the power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the controlled machine is significantly tougher (+1 Endurance). Controlled machines are not actually alive or aware, so they have no Reason, Perception, or Willpower. The specific details of the how the machine moves and attacks vary depending on the machine itself: an animated soda machine can hop very slowly and shoot out 12 ounce cans of soda, a bulldozer can roll and demolish buildings, and so on.

Controlled machines can also be made to perform their ordinary purpose, such as making an automatic teller machine spit out money, or making a computer terminal display information from a database. If there is no significant security in place, no task roll is necessary for this, but if the character is trying to circumvent security or break into a computer system, the character may attempt a task roll using their power rank in place of the Computing skill, or their normal Computing skill +1, whichever is greater.

The most massive machine the character can control is equal to the power's rank in the "Lifts" column in the Benchmarks table.

Mind Blast

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Mind Blast is a ranged attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Mind Blast is typically some form of psychic attack, but it could also be sound, electricity, cold, or even bacteria, and this must be chosen when the Mind Blast power is purchased. The Mind Blast has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power.

Using Mind Blast requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Mind Blast.

Mind Blast ignores all normal forms of protection such as Invulnerability and Force Field. However, any power or equipment that provides protection from mental attacks, such as Mind Shield, subtracts the rank of the protection power from the damage rating of the Mind Blast. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance.

Enhancements

Explosive Damage: The Mind Blast causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of the target (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Mind Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

The Mind Control power allows a character to control a target's behaviour, forcing the target to follow the character's commands.

Characters under the influence of Mind Control are not as effective as those whose wills are their own. Any task roll attempted by a character under the influence of Mind Control incurs a +1 difficulty modifier, and a mind controlled character is not able to spend plot points.

Using Mind Control requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Mind Control is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Control, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Mind Control.

To break out of the Mind Control, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the rank of the Mind Control. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Mind Control gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Control, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not broken out of the Mind Control by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Enhancements

Blackout: The target of Mind Control will not remember any actions they took while under the influence of the power. These memories may be able to be retrieved through the use of hypnosis, Telepathy, and so on. +1 character point

Mass Hypnosis: The Mind Control power affects everyone within 50 feet of the target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Defects

Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a target is under the influence of Mind Control. With this defect, the Mind Control has a "tell", such as glowing eyes, which makes it visually apparent that something is wrong with the target. -1 character point

Mind Hold

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

The Mind Hold power prevents a character from moving, thinking, or taking any actions. While affected by Mind Hold, only a moment seems to pass for the target, but after they break out of it, they are aware that something unusual has happened, and that they have "lost time". For example, the "lost time" might appear as a brief "white out" of the target's vision, or perhaps the target simply falls asleep for a time. The mechanism which causes the Mind Hold must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might be frozen in time, commanded to "Sleep!", or they could be knocked out by some form of toxic gas.

Attacking a character under the effects of Mind Hold provides a +6 attack bonus (the standard task roll bonus for attacking a helpless target).

Using Mind Hold requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Mind Hold is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Hold, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Mind Hold.

To break out of the Mind Hold, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the rank of the Mind Hold. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the held character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Mind Hold, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not broken out of the Mind Hold by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Defects

Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the Mind Hold, using Willpower or a power which is based on a Willpower task roll. This power defect is most appropriate for types of Mind Hold that place the target into a dormant or somnambulent state, such as a mental compulsion to "Sleep!", and the GM may require it in such cases. -1 character point

Mind Shield

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Mind Shield provides protection against most forms of direct mental damage: any mental attack which inflicts Endurance damage, such as Mind Blast. A character with Mind Shield subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of mental attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Endurance.

Mind Shield also adds to the character's Willpower for the purpose of shrugging off the effects of mental powers such as Emotion Control or Mind Hold. To break out of Emotion Control, for example, the target must make a successful Willpower + Mind Shield task roll against the rank of the Emotion Control.

Finally, Mind Shield acts as a limited form of Attribute Invulnerability, providing protection against attacks which inflict damage to Reason, Perception, and Willpower. A character with Mind Shield subtracts the rank of the power from the damage rating of attacks that strike them. The remainder of the damage is subtracted from the character's Reason, Perception, or Willpower.

Mind Shield does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on. As always, this protection does not stack with other similar forms of protection -- only the highest protection value applies.

Object Animation

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Object Animation allows a character to animate and mentally control inanimate objects. To successfully animate and mentally control an object, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Object Animation task roll.

An animated object has the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operates independently of the character that animated it. However, it will continue to perform the last instruction it was given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as it has no will of its own. Giving a new mental command to an animated object requires a free action.

The Brawn and Endurance of the object is based on its physical structure and durability (see the "Breaks" column on the Benchmarks table), while the Agility, Prowess, and Accuracy of the object is equal to the rank of the power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the animated object is significantly tougher (+1 Endurance). Animated objects are not actually alive or aware, so they have no Reason, Perception, or Willpower. The specific details of the how the object moves and attacks vary depending on the object itself: an animated chair can walk, a carpet can slither, and so on.

The most massive object the character can control is equal to the power's rank in the "Lifts" column in the Benchmarks table.

Plant Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Radius

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Plant Control allows a character to animate and mentally control plants. To successfully communicate with and control all plants within range of the power, the character must succeed at a challenging (task difficulty 12) Plant Control task roll.

Animated plants have the same actions as a normal character (free actions, movement action, task action, reaction), and operate independently of the character that animated them. However, they will continue to perform the last instruction they were given even if that instruction no longer makes sense, as they have a very rudimentary form of intelligence. Giving a new mental command to the controlled plants requires a free action.

The Brawn, Agility, Prowess, Accuracy, and Endurance of the plants is equal to the rank of the power. Animated plants have a very limited form of intelligence, with Reason, Perception, and Willpower of rank 1. However, controlled plants are highly resistant to mental powers, having Mind Shield equal to the rank of the Plant Control power. If the character rolls an extreme success, then the animated plants are significantly smarter (+1 Reason and +1 Perception). Animated plants can bend, twist, and reach in order to attack, but they generally can't move from where they are planted.

The character can control plants in an area around themselves based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Affects" column.

Enhancements

Uproot: With the Uproot power enhancement, animated plants can use a movement action to uproot themselves. Once uprooted, the animated plants can hop or slither around at normal human walking speed (20 feet per round). +1 character point

Possession

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

The Possession power allows a character to seize control of a target, overriding the target's control and effectively making the target a passenger in their own body. While the character is using Possession on another person, their own body collapses into a trance-like state.

A possessed character is not able to spend plot points, but the possessing character can spend their own plot points while controlling a target.

Using Possession requires a Willpower task roll against the Willpower of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Possession is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Possession, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the Possession.

To break out of the Possession, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the rank of the Possession. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the target of the Possession gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Possession, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

Enhancements

Blackout: The target of Possession will not remember any actions they took while under the influence of the power. These memories may be able to be retrieved through the use of hypnosis, Telepathy, and so on. +1 character point

Inhabit: With the Inhabit power enhancement, the range of the power is reduced to Touch, but the body of the possessing character actually merges with that of the target for the duration of the possession. +1 character point

Defects

Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a target is possessed. With this defect, the Possession has a "tell", such as glowing eyes, which makes it visually apparent that something is wrong with the target. -1 character point

Power Drain

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Power Drain is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts damage to one of the target's powers. The character can choose which power they drain, if they are aware that the target has the power; otherwise, the character drains the highest rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Drain affects all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power] defined as Powered Armor, and was using this Powered Armor to generate a Force Field, Flight, Blast, and other powers, then a Power Drain attack would affect all of these powers simultaneously, in addition to the [Ultra-power] itself.

Using Power Drain requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Power Drain.

The Power Drain has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power. Any power or equipment that provides protection for the power being attacked, such as Power Invulnerability, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Power Drain. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's power.

The damage from Power Drain is temporary. It all comes back after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Enhancements

Ranged: The Power Drain is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on its rank. Using Power Drain requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. +1 character point

Power Invulnerability

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Space Captain

Power Invulnerability provides protection against attacks which inflict damage to a character's powers. A character with Power Invulnerability subtracts the rank of their Power Invulnerability from the rank of attacks that inflict power damage. The remaining ranks of the attack are applied against the character's power. Power Invulnerability does not need to be activated, nor can it be deactivated: it is always on.

Power Mimicry

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Power Mimicry allows the character to copy another character's power and use it themselves. The character can choose which power they mimic, if they are aware that the target has the power; otherwise, the character mimics the highest rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Mimicry copies all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power] defined as Powered Armor, and was using this Powered Armor to generate a Force Field, Flight, Blast, and other powers, then a Power Mimicry attack would copy all of these powers simultaneously, in addition to the [Ultra-power] itself.

Using Power Mimicry requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. The mimicked power is limited to the rank of the power being mimicked, or to the rank of the Power Mimicry, whichever is less. The character with Power Mimicry will retain the power until they mimic a different power, or until the end of the scene, whichever comes first. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may make immediately take a second action to use the power they have mimicked (a task action if the mimicked power is an attack, a movement action if the mimicked power provides movement, and so on).

If the character is staggered or goes unconscious, the Power Mimicry turns off and any mimicked powers are lost. The character may also turn off their Power Mimicry voluntarily, of course. A staggered character may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Power Mimicry activated while staggered.

Enhancements

Versatile: Normally, Power Mimicry only allows the character to copy one power at a time. The Versatile power enhancement allows the character to mimic two powers simultaneously (although copying each power is a separate attack action). This enhancement may be taken multiple times: each additional Versatile power enhancement allows the character to simultaneously mimic one additional power. +1 character point

Power Suppression

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Power Suppression prevents a target from using a specific power for so long as the Power Suppression is active. The character can choose which power they suppress, if they are aware that the target has the power; otherwise, the character suppresses the highest rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Suppression affects all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power] defined as Powered Armor, then Power Suppression would affect all of the armor's powers simultaneously. The mechanism which causes the Power Suppression must be specified when this power is purchased. For example, the target might be injected with nanomachines, subjected to an alien energy field, bound by rings of magical force, or they could be shackled with some type of "inhibitor" device.

Using Power Suppression requires a power task roll against the rank of the power to be suppressed. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Power Suppression is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 4 Power Suppression, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a power task roll against task difficulty 13 (5 + 8) to break out of the Power Suppression.

To break out of the Power Suppression, the target must make a successful power task roll against the rank of the Power Suppression. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the held character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 4 Power Suppression, they would need to make a power task roll against task difficulty 12 (4 + 8). If they roll a 15 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action. If the target has Power Invulnerability, the rank of their Power Invulnerability is added to the rank of their power when they are attempting to break out of the Power Suppression.

If the character has not broken out of the Power Suppression by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Enhancements

Blanket: The Power Suppression affects everyone within 50 feet of the target, similar to an explosion (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. Because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. Using a power such as Teleportation to enter an area where that power has been suppressed requires a successful power task roll against the rank of the Power Suppression. If the task roll fails, they are unable to use the power to enter the area. +1 character point

Spectrum: The Spectrum power enhancement allows the character to suppress all of the target's powers simultaneously. To break out of the Power Suppression, the target must make a successful power task roll against the rank of the Power Suppression, using the highest-ranked power which is currently being suppressed. +1 character point

Defects

Exposed (major defect): Other characters can help the target break out of the Power Suppression, using Brawn or a power which inflicts Endurance damage. This power defect is most appropriate for types of Power Suppression that depend on a physical restraint to keep the target's powers inactive, and the GM may require it in such cases. -1 character point

Power Theft

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 3 character points per rank

Power Theft is a hand-to-hand attack which allows the character to temporarily steal another character's power. The character can choose which power they steal if they are aware of the powers the target has; otherwise, the character steals the highest rank power of the target (attributes of rank 5 or higher are considered powers for this purpose). If used against [Element] Mastery or [Ultra-power], Power Theft affects all of the effects made possible by those powers. For example, if a target has an [Ultra-power] defined as Powered Armor, then Power Theft would affect all of the armor's systems simultaneously. The amount of the power stolen is equal to the amount of damage inflicted on the target's power. The character with Power Theft will retain the power until they steal a different power, or until the end of the scene, whichever comes first.

Using Power Theft requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Power Drain.

Power Theft has a damage rating equal to its rank. Any power or equipment that provides protection for the power being attacked, such as Power Invulnerability, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack, and thus also reduces the amount of the power stolen. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Power Theft. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's power, and that number of ranks of the power are granted to the character with Power Theft. The target keeps the remaining ranks of their power.

If the character is staggered, they may attempt a challenging Willpower task roll (task difficulty 12) to keep their Power Theft activated. If the Willpower roll fails or if the character goes unconscious, the Power Theft turns off, and any stolen power ranks are returned to the target. The character may also turn off their Power Theft voluntarily.

The damage from Power Theft is temporary. The power returns to the target after the fight is over, when the target has had a chance to rest and recuperate.

Enhancements

Ranged: The Power Theft is a ranged attack, with an effective range based on its rank. Using Power Theft requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. +1 character point

Versatile: Normally, Power Theft only allows the character to steal one power at a time. The Versatile power enhancement allows the character to steal two powers simultaneously (although stealing each power is a separate attack action). This enhancement may be taken multiple times: each additional Versatile power enhancement allows the character to simultaneously steal one additional power. +1 character point

Probability Control

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

A character with Probability Control can influence the odds, playing fast and loose with the laws of chance. Probability Control does not allow the character to break the laws of physics or make impossible things happen, but a character with Probability Control can make unlikely events likely and likely events unlikely.

Using Probability Control requires the player to describe a favorable or unfavorable circumstance and how that circumstance might have come about. If the GM agrees that the circumstance is possible (however unlikely it might be), then the GM will decide how this unlikely event impacts the characters. The simplest way to translate this favorable or unfavorable circumstance into game terms is to grant a +3 bonus on a task roll if the circumstance is favorable for the character attempting the task or imposing a +3 difficulty modifier on a task roll if the circumstance is unfavorable for the character attempting the task. The use of Probability Control could also influence events in a less straightforward manner, and the GM should encourage players to be creative with the power. Each use of Probability Control should be roughly as useful as a +3 modifier: significant, but not game-breaking.

During each game session, the number of times the character can influence probability is equal to the rank of the Probability Control power. Probability Control may be used to influence a task roll either before or immediately after the roll has been made.

Defects

Conservation Of Probability (major defect): Normally, there is no karmic debt incurred by a character with Probability Control. A character with the Conservation of Probability defect must maintain parity between events so that the ledgers of karma remain balanced. If the character uses their power to grant a +3 bonus on a task roll, for example, they must balance this out with a compensating +3 difficulty modifier on another task roll before the end of the scene. If they don't, the balance will re-assert itself in the following scene in a way that is inconvenient for the character with Probability Control, and the character will be unable to use their power to prevent it. -1 character point

Regeneration

Activation: Always On

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Regeneration power accelerates the healing process and allows the character to recover from injury more quickly. Normally, an injured character recovers half the Endurance they have recently lost after they have had a chance to rest and recuperate for half an hour or so. After that, injuries normally heal only with extended rest or with medical care. With this rest or medical care, the character will regain one Endurance per day; without it, they will regain one Endurance per week.

The Regeneration power drastically reduces this recovery time. However, the best results are still obtained with rest and medical care.

Table: Regeneration

Rank	Recovers Half	Recovers 1
		With Care	Without
1	15 minutes	16 hours	4 days
2	8 minutes	8 hours	2 days
3	4 minutes	4 hours	1 day
4	2 minutes	2 hours	16 hours
5	1 minute	1 hour	8 hours
6	30 seconds	30 minutes	4 hours
7	12 seconds	15 minutes	2 hours
8	6 seconds	8 minutes	1 hour
9	3 seconds1	4 minutes	30 minutes
10	--2	2 minutes	15 minutes
11	--2	1 minutes	8 minutes
12	--2	30 seconds	4 minutes
13	--2	12 seconds	2 minutes
14	--2	6 seconds	1 minute

1. At rank 9, the character may recover half of the damage from an attack with a task action.
2. At rank 10 and above, the character may recover half of the damage from an attack with a free action. In effect, they heal half of every attack as soon as it hits them.

Shapeshifting

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 2 character points per rank

A character with Shapeshifting can change their shape and appearance, but not their mass or size (unless the character also has the Growth or Shrinking powers). The character gains the physical attributes of their new shape, such as Brawn, Agility, Endurance, Invulnerability, claws, wings, and so on. This usually includes any natural movement powers of the new shape. The rank of the new shape's attributes and powers are limited to the rank of the Shapeshifting power or to the rank that the shape would plausibly have, whichever is less.

Assuming the shape of a specific person, creature, or object is more difficult than changing into a generic example of a particular shape. If someone is actively looking at the character, or has any reason to suspect that the character is not the genuine article, the person observing the shapeshifted character may attempt a Perception task roll against the rank of the Shapeshifting. If the Perception roll is successful, the observer can tell that the shapeshifted character is not who or what they appear to be.

Defects

Obvious (major defect): Normally, there is no obvious visual indication that a character is using Shapeshifting. With this defect, the Shapeshifting has a "tell", such as glowing eyes, a distinctive color, or the character's normal face, which makes it visually apparent that the character is not in their natural form. -1 character point

Shrinking

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Shrinking permits a character to become smaller than normal. Each rank of Shrinking gives the character:

• x1/2 height
• x1/8 mass
• -1 Brawn

Additionally, a character with Shrinking is more diffficult to hit in combat. A character with Shrinking is granted a +1 defense bonus for each rank of Shrinking the target has.

Table: Shrinking

Rank	Height	Mass	Brawn1	Defense Bonus2
1	x1/2 (3 feet)	25 pounds	-1	+1
2	x1/4 (18 inches)	3 pounds	-2	+2
3	x1/8 (9 inches)	6 ounces	-3	+3
4	x1/16 (4 1/2 inches)	1 ounce	-4	+4
5	x1/32 (2 inches)	1/8 ounce	-5	+5
6	x1/64 (1 inch)	1/64 ounce	-6	+6
7	x1/128 (1/2 inch)	1/512 ounce	-7	+7
8	x1/256 (1/4 inch)	1/4,096 ounce	-8	+8
9	x1/512 (1/8 inch)	1/32,768 ounce	-9	+9
10	x1/1,024 (1/16 inch)	1/262,144 ounce	-10	+10
11	x1/2,048 (1/32 inch)	1/2,097,152 ounce	-11	+11
12	x1/4,096 (1/64 inch)	1/16,777,216 ounce	-12	+12
13	x1/8,192 (1/128 inch)	1/134,217,728 ounce	-13	+13
14	x1/16,384 (1/256 inch)	1/1,073,741,824 ounce	-14	+14

1. Down to minimum rank 1
2. Not applicable against mental attacks

Shrinking may affect a character's ground movement. The character's base running speed and swimming speed are reduced by the same proportion as their height. The character's jumping distance and any power based movement, such as Super-running and Super-swimming, are unaffected.

At Shrinking rank 14, the character is about as tall as the diameter of a human hair. As small as it is, this is still too large to enter a human body through the pores, and is too large to pass through most air and water filters.

A character with Shrinking does not have to use it at full power. A character who has 6 ranks in Shrinking, for example, could elect to be merely 18 inches tall rather than their full 1 inch.

Stretching

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

A character with Stretching can deform their body and attenuate their extremities. A character with Stretching might have telescoping robotic tentacles, their physical body might be composed of separate pieces held together by elastic tethers, or the character's body may simply be incredibly malleable. This increases the character's effective reach and permits them to perform tasks and make hand-to-hand attacks at greater distances. Hand-to-hand attacks made by a Stretching character are resolved with Prowess task rolls, as usual.

The distance the character is able to stretch is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Throws" column. This is the maximum distance that the character can stretch in a single direction. If the character is stretching in two or more directions at once (to form a tent or parachute, for example, or to type into two keyboards located in two different rooms), the maximum distance they may stretch in each direction is one-half of their usual maximum.

Enhancements

Squeezing: Normally, a character with Stretching is not able to squeeze through any hole smaller than their head. The Squeezing power enhancement allows the character to make their body thinner as well as longer. The character may squeeze through a hole or a gap no smaller than 1 inch divided by the rank of the power cubed. For example, a character with rank 2 Stretching and Squeezing could squeeze through a gap one eighth of an inch wide (1 inch/2³ = 1 inch/8 = 0.125 inch), and a character with rank 7 Stretching and Squeezing could flatten themselves to less than the thickness of an average sheet of laser printer paper. +1 character point

Strike

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Prowess

Target: Single Target

Range: Touch

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Strike is a hand-to-hand attack which inflicts Endurance damage. The Strike could be claws, radiation, cold, a sword, or even darkness or light, and this must be chosen when the Strike power is purchased. The Strike has a damage rating equal to the rank of the power or the character's Brawn rank + 1, whichever is greater.

Using Strike requires a Prowess task roll against the Prowess of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the attacker may choose one of the standard benefits of extreme success, either overwhelming, smashing, or staggering the target of the Strike.

Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating (DR) of the Strike. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's Endurance.

Enhancements

Explosive Strike: The Strike causes damage to everyone within 50 feet of the character (full rank within the first 25 feet, half rank from 25 feet to 50 feet). Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success. +1 character point

Super-jumping

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The character can leap impossibly far and fast, either innately or by using some type of equipment. For example, the character might have legs like a grasshopper, they might wear rocket-propelled shoes, or they may just have massive and powerful thighs. The height and distance of the character's long jump are based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Base Move" column. This is the height and the distance that the character can standing long jump in a single round.

If a character has Super-jumping, then they move at the speed indicated by the power rather than at the speed indicated by their Brawn. Super-jumping does not add to a character's natural (Brawn-based) jumping distance.

Super-running

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The character can run impossibly fast, either innately or by using some type of equipment. For example, the character might have wings on their feet, they might wear rocket-powered roller skates, or they may just move their feet really quickly. The character's base move, double move, and all-out move are based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the values in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as fast as a cheetah, rank 4 is faster than the speed of sound, and rank 7 is as fast as a rocket.

If a character has Super-running, then they move at the speed indicated by the power rather than at the speed indicated by their Agility. Super-running does not add to a character's natural (Agility-based) ground movement speed.

Enhancements

Defy Gravity: The character runs so fast that they can run up or down vertical surfaces without falling and run across bodies of water without sinking. If they stop running, of course, gravity takes over. +1 character point

Moving Target: The character may substitute their rank in Super-running for their Agility or Prowess for the purpose of avoiding attacks. +1 character point

Super Senses ★

Activation: Activated

Task roll: Perception

Target: Personal

Range: Varies

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Super Senses grants the character the ability to perceive in ways unavailable to ordinary people. Each rank in Super Senses grants the character one additional sense from the list below. These must be selected when the power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.

• 360° Vision: The character can see equally well in every direction simultaneously.
• Blindsight: The character can sense shapes and textures as clearly as with ordinary vision, but without the ability to perceive color; this could be a form of sonar, radar, sensitivity to air currents, or some other form of alternate perception.
• Detect [Element]: The character can perceive, locate, and analyze a substance, material, or energy. The player must choose the specific type of detect: detect magic, detect metal, detect temporal anomalies, etc.
• ESP: The character can attempt to make a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception task roll to perceive things at a distance.
• Hyperacuity: The character can attempt to make a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception task roll to sense details far too small or faint for ordinary human perception to detect. They can taste the number of salt grains on a pretzel, read printed text by touching it, see fingerprints on surfaces, identify a person by the sound of their heartbeat, track someone through a city by their cologne, and so on.
• Infrared Vision: The character see in the infrared spectrum. They are able to see an image in the darkest of nights as though it were twilight, and they can see through light fog, rain and smoke. They can detect small temperature differences by looking at them.
• Night Vision: The character can see in pitch darkness as clearly as in daylight.
• Postcognition: The character can see into the past, or can "read" the history of items and people by touching them. Seeing into the past is never completely reliable: Postcognition is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.
• Precognition: The character can see into the future, or can "read" the destiny of items and people by touching them. Seeing into the future is never completely reliable: Precognition is primarily a roleplaying power under the control of the GM.
• Ultraviolet Vision: The character see in the ultraviolet spectrum. They are able to see an image in the darkest of nights as though it were twilight, and they can perceive patterns and colors invisible to normal human vision.
• Vibration Sense: The character can perceive, locate, and analyze things touching the ground (or water, with the GM's permission).
• X-ray Vision: The character can see through objects. The player must define a reasonably common substance, material, or energy that the character can't see through.

Using Super Senses requires a Perception task roll against a task difficulty set by the GM. This is typically a challenging (task difficulty 12) Perception task roll, but it may be higher or lower depending on the ambient "noise" and how obvious the thing being perceived is. If the thing being perceived is relatively obvious (to someone with the appropriate senses), no task roll should be necessary.

Super-speed

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The Super-speed power allows the character to perform everyday tasks at a rate much faster than usual. Each rank of Super-speed moves the time it takes to complete the task one level up the Super-speed table. For example, a character with 3 ranks in Super-speed could accomplish a 15 minute task in 2 minutes (2 minutes is three rows up from 15 minutes in the Super-speed table).

Super-speed is only applicable to everyday tasks, tasks that are routine (task difficulty 9 or less), and tasks performed when the character is under no pressure and there is no penalty for failure. Super-speed does not enhance the character's combat abilities, nor does it grant any other speed-related powers, such as Regeneration or Super-running. However, in cases where the order of play is determined by a Perception roll, a character with Super-speed gets a bonus to the Perception task roll equal to their rank in Super-speed (for example, rank 4 Super-speed would provide a +4 bonus to the Perception roll for purposes of determining the order of play). See Order Of Play for more information.

Table: Super-speed

Task Duration
3 seconds
6 seconds
12 seconds
30 seconds
1 minute
2 minutes
4 minutes
8 minutes
15 minutes
30 minutes
1 hour
2 hours
4 hours
8 hours
16 hours
1 day
2 days
4 days
1 week
2 weeks
1 month
3 months
6 months
1 year

Super-swimming

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 1 character point per rank

The character can swim impossibly fast, either innately or by using some type of equipment. For example, the character might have a powerful tail like a dolphin, they might wear turbo-jet boots, or they may just swim really fast. The character's base move, double move, and all-out move are based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the values in appropriate columns. Rank 2 is as fast as a sailfish, rank 3 is as fast as the Spirit of Australia speed boat, and rank 5 is faster than the speed of sound (which is approximately 3,489 mph in sea water).

If a character has Super-swimming, then they move at the speed indicated by the power rather than at the speed indicated by their Agility. Super-swimming does not add to a character's natural (Agility-based) swimming speed.

Telekinesis

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Telekinesis permits a character to move objects at range. The maximum mass the character can lift with their Telekinesis is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table and look up the corresponding value in the "Lifts" column. Telekinesis is not normally able to inflict damage directly (to do so, use Blast), but it may be used to squeeze a target or hurl a target against unyielding surfaces.

Telekinesis may be targeted using either Accuracy or Willpower. The attribute used by the attacker to hit the target must be chosen when the power is purchased, and may not normally be changed thereafter.

Using Telekinesis requires an Accuracy (or Willpower) task roll against the Agility of the intended target. Grabbing inanimate objects with Telekinesis is generally automatic, unless the GM wants to make it difficult for some reason. To break free of the Telekinesis, the target must make a successful Brawn task roll against the rank of the Telekinesis.

If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the Telekinesis is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking free of it. For example, if a character is being held by a rank 6 Telekinesis, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break free of the Telekinesis.

If the defender succeeds at the Brawn task roll to break free, they may use their remaining movement action. If the character being held with Telekinesis gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break free as a free action instead of a task action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 Telekinesis, they would need to make a Brawn task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking free is simply a free action. If the defender has Telekinesis, they may use the rank of their own Telekinesis in lieu of their Brawn to break free.

Characters being held by Telekinesis are considered "restrained". A restrained character is not helpless, but they can't use normal movement until they break free of the Telekinesis. Attacking the held character is easier (attackers gain a +3 attack bonus when attacking the held character), and their attacks are easier to avoid (defenders gain a +3 defense bonus when the held character attacks them).

A character with Telekinesis may either squeeze or move what they are holding with the power.

If the character with Telekinesis wishes to exert strength in an attempt to hurt the held character, the compression causes Endurance damage, and the damage rating (DR) of this attack is equal to the attacker's rank in Telekinesis. Any power or equipment that provides protection from Endurance damage, such as Invulnerability and Force Field, reduces the amount of damage the target takes from the attack. The protection value (PV) of the protection power is subtracted from the damage rating of the Telekinesis. The remaining damage is subtracted from the target's Endurance.

If the character with Telekinesis wishes to move the held character, the distance an attacker may move the defender is based on the Telekinesis of the attacker and the mass of the defender. First, look up the mass of the defender or object to be moved in the "Lifts" column of the Benchmarks table (rounding to the nearest weight value), and find the corresponding rank for that weight. Subtract that rank from the Telekinesis of the attacker, and look up that resulting rank in the Benchmarks table. Find the corresponding distance in the "Throws" column. This is how far the attacker could move an object of that weight in one round. This rank is also the damage rating (DR) of the impact if the attacker makes the defender hit a solid object such as a wall or the ground. Particularly soft or yielding surfaces can reduce the impact damage by as much as half.

Example:

Darkmind has Telekinesis 7, and wants to move Stone. Stone weighs 800 pounds, which would be rank 4 in the "Lifts" column in the Benchmarks table. Subtracting 4 from Darkmind's rank 7 Telekinesis gives us rank 3. Consulting the "Throws" column for rank 3, we find that Darkmind can move Stone 25 feet per round.

Darkmind uses Telekinesis to smash Stone into an armored car. The impact has a damage rating of 3. After subtracting Stone's rank 7 Invulnerability, the attack does no damage to Stone at all. The armored car has Invulnerability rank 5 and Endurance 5. It is rocked on its wheels a bit, but suffers no real damage from having Stone smashed into it.

Telepathy

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Willpower

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

Telepathy permits a character to communicate directly with the mind of another person. If the target of Telepathy is willing, then no roll is needed. With a willing target or a successful Willpower vs. Willpower roll, the telepath may mentally communicate with the target and may read their thoughts.

The highest Willpower the character may overcome with Telepathy is equal to the telepath's Willpower or the rank of the Telepathy, whichever is greater. For example, a character with rank 3 Willpower and rank 2 Telepathy could attempt to read the mind of an unwilling target with Willpower rank 3, but would be unable to read the mind of an unwilling target with Willpower rank 4. However, if the telepath rolls an extreme success, the highest Willpower the telepath may overcome increases by 1.

Teleportation

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Teleportation permits a character to travel from one point to another without traversing the intervening space. The range the character may travel is based the rank of the power. The character may double-move and all-out move using Teleportation, and incurs the normal penalties when doing so. A teleporter may carry with them whatever they can carry, based on their Brawn. This may include equipment or even other characters.

A teleporter cannot use Teleportation to teleport into a solid object, or into any area that has a Power Suppression in effect which would be sufficient to prevent the character from teleporting out of it; other than this, objects in the physical world generally have no effect on a teleporter in transit. If a teleporter unknowingly attempts to teleport into a solid object, they are staggered and shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, or the teleportation attempt fails entirely, at the GM's discretion.

Enhancements

Radius Effect: The character can teleport with everything in their immediate vicinity, up to the radius indicated by the power's rank. The character can choose the radius affected each time they use Teleportation, up to the maximum granted by the rank of the power. +1 character point

Radius Effect (people only): The character can teleport with everyone in their immediate vicinity, up to the radius indicated by the power's rank. The character can choose the radius affected each time they use Teleportation, but they may not choose which people go with them and which are left behind. +1 character point

Defects

Requires A Medium (major defect): The character may only teleport through a specific medium. For example, a character with electrical powers might only be able to teleport through conductive material. Alternately, the character might only be able to teleport between specific locations. For example, a character attuned to the spirit of cities might only be able to teleport within and between cities, or a character with darkness powers might only be able to teleport within and between dark areas such as shadows. -1 character point

Time Control

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Power

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 2 character points per rank

A character with Time Control can influence the ebb and flow of time, skipping forward and back through the time stream. Time Control does not allow the character to time travel per se, but a character with Time Control can "rewind" time to make different choices. During each game session, the number of times the character can rewind time is equal to the rank of the Time Control power.

How much time may be re-wound is subject to GM approval and is largely plot-dependent. During combat, for example, the player may declare that they are rewinding time at the end of a round in order to play that round over. Out of combat, the player may declare that they are rewinding a 20 minute conversation, or they may wish to rewind time by a half-hour and take a different route through the city. If the GM approves of this use of Time Control, the elapsed time is erased from history, and the status of every character and the world at large is restored to the condition at the beginning of the rewound time period. Normally, the only person aware of this temporal reversal is the character with Time Control, but characters who have some way to detect temporal anomalies would be aware of what has happened. To everyone else, time proceeds as if they had never lived through the rewound time before (although particularly perceptive individuals may get a sense of deja vu).

[Transformation] Ray

Activation: Attack

Task roll: Accuracy

Target: Single Target

Range: Ranged

Cost: 1 character point per rank

[Transformation] Ray allows the character to use a personal power as an attack. The power being used as an attack is under the control of the character with the [Transformation] Ray power; the target of the ray has no control over the power. The specific personal power to be used as an attack must be chosen when this power is purchased. Available personal powers which may be used as attacks with [Transformation] Ray are:

• [Element] Form
• Growth
• Increased Density
• Intangibility
• Invisibility
• Shapeshifting
• Shrinking

The rank of the power being used as an attack is equal to the rank of the [Transformation] Ray, unless the [Transformation] Ray combines two or more powers. For example, a [Transformation] Ray might combine Shapeshifting and Shrinking. If the [Transformation] Ray combines two or more powers, the ranks of the individual powers must add up to the rank of the [Transformation] Ray.

Using [Transformation] Ray requires an Accuracy task roll against the Agility of the intended target. If the attacker rolls an extreme success, then the rank of the [Transformation] Ray is increased by 1 for the purpose of breaking out of it. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 [Transformation] Ray, and the attacker rolled an extreme success, the affected character would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 15 (7 + 8) to break out of the [Transformation] Ray.

To break out of the [Transformation] Ray, the target must make a successful Willpower task roll against the rank of the [Transformation] Ray. If the character succeeds at this task roll, they may use their remaining movement action. If the transformed character gets an extreme success on this roll, then they break out as a free action. For example, if a character is affected by a rank 6 [Transformation] Ray, they would need to make a Willpower task roll against task difficulty 14 (6 + 8). If they roll a 17 or more, they achieve an extreme success, and breaking out is a free action rather than a task action.

If the character has not broken out of the [Transformation] Ray by the end of the scene, then they break out of it shortly thereafter.

Tunneling

Activation: Activated

Task roll: --

Target: Personal

Range: --

Cost: 2 character points per rank

Tunneling enables the character to move through the earth almost as easily as other people do above it. The speed at which the character may dig is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Base Move" column. This is the distance that the character can tunnel in a single round. This assumes the character is not taking any time to shore up the tunnel behind her. If she is attempting to leave a hole through which others may follow, she moves at half normal speed.

The density of the material the character can dig through is based on the rank of the power. Find the rank of the power in the Benchmarks table, and look up the value in the "Breaks" column. This is the toughest material which the character may dig through. The character is unable to pass through force fields and other energy barriers.

[Ultra-power]

Activation: Varies

Task roll: Varies

Target: Varies

Range: Varies

Cost: 3 character points per rank

[Ultra-power] permits the character to use a wide range of powers which have a tightly unifying theme and which all derive from the same power source. Typical unifying themes for [Ultra-power] include trick arrows with varying effects, sorcerous spells and incantations, gadgets and high-tech devices, a suit of powered armor with a number of built-in weapons and sensors, and a cosmic amulet that lets the user create any solid-energy construct they can imagine. The specific unifying theme and power source must be chosen when this power is purchased. The player can pick any unifying theme and power source they like, subject to the GM's approval.

[Ultra-power] may contain any theme-appropriate power with a cost per rank up to 2, and any power made possible with the [Ultra-power] has no more than the rank of the [Ultra-power] itself. For example, a rank 6 [Ultra-power] defined as "Cybervole Powered Armor" might have a rank 6 electrical Blast, rank 6 Tunneling, and any other rank 6 power the player (and the GM) thinks is appropriate for Cybervole. These powers do not need to be chosen until the character wants to use them, but it is a good idea to figure them out beforehand so that the player does not bog down the game by dithering over what their character should do next. Due to the tightly unifying theme of the [Ultra-power], power-altering powers such as Power Drain affect the entire [Ultra-power].

Another character might have a rank 5 [Ultra-power] defined as "Time Mastery". This character could have rank 2 Amazing Movement (Astral Travel, Time Travel), rank 5 Danger Sense, rank 5 Healing, rank 5 Super-speed, and rank 5 Time Control. However, the character could not use their [Ultra-power] to have Duplication, because Duplication costs 3 points per rank. If the player wanted the character to have Duplication, that power would need to be purchased separately from the [Ultra-power].

SIDEBAR: Use And Abuse Of [Ultra-power]

[Ultra-power], which permits the character to use a wide range of powers for 3 character points per rank, is open to abuse by players who care less about having fun than they do about "winning". It's important to stress that the powers in an [Ultra-power] should have a tightly unifying theme and should all derive from the same power source. If the [Ultra-power] is relatively low-powered, then the GM may want to turn a blind eye if the player plays a bit fast and loose with the "tightly unifying theme". After all, there's not much harm in allowing the player some latitude when the rank of the [Ultra-power] is only 1 or 2.

For a character whose main power is the [Ultra-power], enforcing the theme becomes more important. A character who can accomplish anything the player can think of can easily spoil a game and ruin everyone's fun.

It's also important to recognize that just because the [Ultra-power] is rank 6, for example, that doesn't mean that every power in the [Ultra-power] necessarily has rank 6. For example, Scanner's "Psychic Scanner" [Ultra-power] is truly formidable at rank 9, yet he has several powers which are of far less rank than that. His Telekinesis, for example, is only rank 1. The most important thing to consider when choosing the rank of a power in an [Ultra-power] is what makes sense for the character.

The theme and the rank of the [Ultra-power] are important limits on the character, but the most important limit should be what makes sense for the character's background and abilities. A character should never have a power simply because the rules permit it. You control the game, not the rulebook.

Power Modifiers

Power Enhancements

Power enhancements make a power more useful than it normally is. For example, if a character has an explosive fire blast that can burn everything within an area around the target, that would be a power enhancement (Explosive Damage, to be specific), since Blast can normally only shoot at one target at a time.

Most power enhancements increase the cost of the power by one character point. So if the character had a rank 7 Fire Blast with the Explosive Damage enhancement, the power would cost 8 character points.

Power enhancements are under the control of the character with the power. A character can choose whether or not to use a specific enhancement on a case by case basis. Just because a character can burn everything within an area around the target doesn't mean that they must. However, if a character must use an enhancement, and this lack of control can cause serious problems for the character (as it would be, in case of a character throwing fiery explosions), then their lack of control may be a power defect.

Table: Power enhancements

Power Enhancement	Cost
Explosive Damage	1
Increased Range	1-3
Penetrating Damage	1
Radius Effect	1

Explosive Damage

A power with the Explosive Damage power enhancement causes its damage to everyone within a certain range of the target. Because an exploding attack does not need to be aimed at a specific target, the difficulty of the task roll is 9. However, because exploding attacks are not targeted at specific individuals, they do not benefit from extreme success.

The radius of the explosion is assumed to be 50 feet (the same distance as rank 1 on the Benchmarks table under "Affects"). The radius of the explosion can be increased one rank for each additional character point spent on this power enhancement. For example, a rank 3 Blast with four levels of the Explosive Damage power enhancement would cost 7 points and cover an area 3,200 feet in diameter (a radius of 1,600 feet).

The damage rating of the explosion diminishes with distance from the center. If so, the damage rating is at its full value within half of the total radius, and at one-half of its full value in the remainder of the explosion. For example, a rank 3 Blast with four levels of the Explosive Damage power enhancement would cost 7 points, have a damage rating of 3 from the center out to a radius of 800 feet (half its total radius), and a damage rating of 2 from 800 feet out to the limit of its radius of 1,600 feet.

Increased Range

A power with the Increased Range power enhancement can affect targets at ranges beyond the power's default range. Each application of this enhancement increases the effective range of the power by 3 ranks on the Benchmarks table under "Affects". For example, a rank 4 Blast normally has an effective range of 1,600 feet. Adding the Increased Range power enhancement would increase the power's effective range by 3 ranks, to 20 miles. Applying this power enhancement a second time would increase the effective range to 1,200 miles.

Penetrating Damage

A power with the Penetrating Damage power enhancement ignores 50% of the defender's protection (round in defender's favor). The Penetrating power enhancement should only be added to powers that inflict damage directly, such as Blast.

Radius Effect

A power with the Radius Effect power enhancement is centered on the character, and can cover an area up to a radius based on its power rank (see Benchmarks). For example, a character with rank 7 Telepathy that has the Radius Effect enhancement would allow the character to simultaneously read the minds of everyone within 20 miles. For powers which affect others, the character makes their associated roll (a Willpower roll, in the case of Telepathy), and compares that to any targets in the affected area. A character can choose the radius each time they use the power, up to the maximum granted by the rank of the power.

This is a very potent enhancement, and should not be added to powers that inflict damage directly, such as Blast.

Power Defects

Power defects make a power less useful than it normally is. For example, if a character has a Fire Blast that can only be used if there is an existing source of fire, that would be a power defect, since most characters with a Fire Blast can generate their own flame.

A minor power defect, such as the character needing a specific item on hand in order to use their powers (a gun, a wand, a magic ring, etc.), does not affect the cost of the power. Every power has minor defects: some are just more obvious than others. If a player doesn't think of minor defects on their own, rest assured that the GM will think of some for them.

A major power defect, such as a Blast power that needs an existing source of flame, reduces the total cost of the power by one character point. So if the character had a rank 7 Fire Blast with this defect, the power would cost 6 character points.

An extreme power defect, such as a Fire Blast which can only be used once per day, reduces the total cost of the power by two character points. So if the character had a rank 7 Fire Blast which could only be used once per day (a character with some dragon ancestry, let's say), the power would cost 5 character points.

The cost of a power may not be reduced below one character point. Even the most defective power costs at least one character point.

New Powers

You might not have found the power you want in this chapter. After all, the page count of this book is limited, while your imagination is not. If the power you want is very similar to one already listed, the easiest thing to do is just change the name and description slightly, and get on with the game. Talk to the GM and the other players about it, and see if they agree. If they do, your problem is solved. If that doesn't work, see if adding a power enhancement will give you the result you want. In most cases, it will.

On the other hand, not everything that works in a comicbook works in a game. It's entirely possible to create an invisible power that can attack anyone, anywhere, at no risk to the character -- but where's the fun in that? If the power you have imagined is significantly more powerful than anything in this chapter, then maybe you should go back to the drawing board.

"Roleplay" Powers

Sometimes a character has a power that is important for characterization and roleplaying, but doesn't really have an impact on the game. For example, consider a character who is centuries old, and never ages, but who can die from injury or accident just like anyone else. This is definitely a power, but what does it really do? It doesn't give the character a measurable advantage either in or out of combat. It's important to the character, and there is a remote chance that it will be useful in combat if the characters encounter a villain with the power to rapidly age her enemies, but for most games its usefulness will be limited to roleplaying. Powers like this are "roleplay" powers, and they cost a flat one character point.

Don't go too crazy with "roleplay" powers. Unless there is a plausible circumstance where the power might be genuinely useful, just consider it part of the character's background and description.