Neutralize
Neutralize
50 points
The Neutralize advantage in Basic Set is Neutralize (Psi), and just one possible version of the more generic trait below.
This attack lets you neutralize all of your victim's powers of a given source. Specify this source when you buy the advantage. Possibilities include magic, psi, spirit, and anything else the GM deems susceptible to neutralization. If "super-powers" are a distinct phenomenon with a single source, the GM might allow Neutralize against those, too. To affect powers from more than one source, buy Neutralize multiple times.
To use Neutralize, you must touch the subject. This requires an Attack maneuver in melee combat. On a hit, roll a Quick Contest of Will. Your victim gets a bonus equal to his best Talent with any of the powers affected. For instance, a psi with ESP Talent 4 and Telepathy Talent 2 would resist Neutralize (Psi) at +4.
If you win, you neutralize your victim's powers for minutes equal to your margin of victory. Should enhancements or super-tech (such as "neutralization manacles") generate an effect that continuously neutralizes the target, this is the residual duration after shutting off the ability or removing the item. If you lose or tie, there's no effect – but critical failure on your Will roll cripples this ability for 1d hours.
Once you've neutralized a given subject, you can't affect him again until his powers recover. Multiple attackers can use Neutralize on the same target. Use only the longest duration; their abilities don’t "add" in any way.
Neutralize only deprives the subject of the abilities of the negated powers. It doesn't affect Talent, powers that don't originate from the affected source, or advantages that don't belong to powers (but see Neutralize and Static vs. Non-Powers).
(Basic Set) Neutralize (Psi): You can neutralize the psi powers of a single psionic individual. This is an active ability with an ongoing effect on the subject. It does not have to be psionic – it might represent a magical or high-tech way to drain psi abilities. To use Neutralize, you must touch the subject (requires an Attack maneuver) and win a Quick Contest of Will. If you succeed, you successfully neutralize all your victim's psionic powers for a number of minutes equal to your margin of victory. This has no effect on the subject's psionic Talents. Once you have neutralized someone, you cannot affect him again until his power recovers. A critical failure with this ability cripples it for 1d hours.
Special Enhancements
Enhancements that often appear in fiction include Based on HT (suitable for drugs that block biological or psi powers), Extended Duration, and Ranged. Specific options for Neutralize are:
- Cosmic: You can neutralize any power, regardless of source. You can only affect one source at a time, but you can attack the same victim repeatedly to affect multiple sources. You still can't drain Talents, or advantages without power modifiers. Cosmic doesn't automatically overcome resistance. It provides incredible scope, but your target always gets a chance to resist. +300%.
- Power Theft: You temporarily acquire the powers you neutralize – including all their enhancements and limitations – for the duration. You can't use Neutralize again until the "borrowed" powers wear off or you "return" them (a free action on your turn). +200%, or +300% if you don't gain the stolen powers but may use their point value to boost your own powers temporarily.
- Precise: You can neutralize specific powers of the affected source, or even individual abilities. For instance, you could use Neutralize (Psi) to drain Telepathy only, or just telepathic Mind Probe, or everything but Mind Probe. To exclude or target a capability, you must know that your victim has it, and you must declare your intentions before you attack. +20%.
Special Limitations
- Derange: You only neutralize your victim's control over his abilities. All affected abilities gain the Uncontrollable limitation for the duration. Your attack counts as "stressful," and immediately causes the abilities to act in unpredictable ways. -20%.
- One Ability: You can only neutralize one specific ability within one particular power; for instance, just Mind Probe within the Telepathy power or just Innate Attack within the Heat/Fire power. This is incompatible with Precise. -80%.
- One Power: You can only neutralize one specific power that stems from a source that has multiple powers associated with it. The most common example is a single psi power (such as ESP or Telepathy). -50%.
Alternatives
Use Leech to steal attributes instead of powers. Take Affliction with Negated Advantage to remove specific advantages regardless of their origin. To disrupt a power's effects on you, get Static.
Powering Up
Neutralize suits anti-powers of all kinds, regardless of source (see Anti-Powers). Any power might be able to neutralize "opposed" powers (see Opposed Powers). In general, a power shouldn't be able to neutralize itself – but the GM is free to make exceptions. Talent adds to Will in the Quick Contest to neutralize powers, but not to the roll to hit the target.