Powers: Emulating Fictional Abilities
This page has not been finished up!
Emulating Fictional Abilities
Each advantage in the Basic Set was designed with iconic fictional examples in mind. For instance, Mind Control establishes an invisible mental connection, depends on the user's mental capacity (IQ), and must overcome the target's willpower (Will). It's a good match for the abilities of hypnotists and telepaths. But Mind Control could result from an injected drug that's resisted by HT, or be a form of machine control that requires the user to "jack in." There are countless valid interpretations...and each requires its own set of modifiers.
The first step when simulating a fictional ability is to choose a few likely advantages and consult their entries under Existing Advantages for advice on adapting them. See "Alternatives" for suggestions on how to choose between similar traits. "New Special Enhancements/Limitations" often introduces modifiers specifically intended to cover important fictional examples.
Don't be afraid to apply plenty of special effects. Even major, game-changing special effects are fine, if they apply to all similar abilities in the setting. For an example, see Stunts. That entire set of rules is simply an extensive collection of special effects that let superhuman abilities work more like they do in anime, comic books, and action movies. Below is some additional advice by genre.
Cyberpunk Abilities
Advantages: Implants ("cyberwear") can grant many mundane and exotic physical advantages, but few if any supernatural ones. Extended sens- es and additional body parts are espe- cially common; see Switchable Body Parts (p. 81) and Weapon Mounts (p. 138) for details. Many cyberpunk worlds feature Chip Slots (see Modular Abilities, p. B71). Modifiers:Most advantages that list a Cybernetic or Digital special modifi- er require that modifier in cyberpunk. Use Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical (-20%) to represent vulnera- bility to electrical overload. Large implants – notably bionic limbs – often have Temporary Disadvantage, Maintenance, 1 person, Weekly (-5%). Experimental implants tend to be Unreliable. See Guns as Innate Attacks (p. 54) for modifiers suitable for built- in weapons. Fantasy Abilities Advantages: Innate gifts are typical- ly mundane (but often cinematic) or supernatural. Learned “spells” can emulate nearly any advantage – notably attacks and mental abilities – and powerful wizards and priests might meet new challenges with Super-Memorization (see Modular Abilities, p. B71). Almost any exotic or supernatural trait would suit some fantasy monster, somewhere. Modifiers: Appropriate power mod- ifiers include Divine, Magical, Moral, Nature, and Spirit. Spells traditionally require fatiguing, time-consuming rit- uals, and aren’t physical, making all of Affects Insubstantial, Costs Fatigue, Malediction, and Takes Extra Time suitable. Glamour and Requires Concentrate often fit, and Terminal Condition suits fairy-tale magic. Such accessibility limitations as “Requires material components,” “Requires ges- tures,” and “Requires magic words” are common, and worth -10% apiece. “Hard” Science-Fiction Abilities Advantages: Most “realistic” special abilities are mundane or exotic, and physical in nature – granted by surgery, genetic engineering, etc. In settings with advanced AI, Computer Brain is likely (see Modular Abilities, p. B71). Modifiers: A new use for a body part that prevents it from serving its original purpose calls for Temporary Disadvantage. Drug-activated abilities have Trigger. Experimental technology is often Unreliable. Mental traits that affect the brain (not the mind) need Based on HT or Requires HT Roll. The Accessibility, Environmental, and Specific limitations can restrict abili- ties to particular atmospheres, gravity fields, materials, etc. Add Costs Fatigue, Limited Use, or Takes Recharge to enforce energy conservation. Horror Abilities Advantages: Low-powered super- natural advantages – typically mental – are likely for heroes. Exotic traits, if allowed, often result from a curse. Cinematic advantages (even mundane ones) can wreck suspense, and are rarely appropriate. Of course, Evil Things can have almost any kind of trait! Modifiers: Much of the discussion under Fantasy Abilities applies, but horror abilities are rarely reliable or flashy. Fitting modifiers include Costs Hit Points, Fickle, Maximum Duration, Nuisance Effect (especially Backlash), Preparation Required (for long rituals), Short-Range, Temporary Disadvantage, Trigger (often involving foul ingredients), Untrainable, and weirder forms of Accessibility (e.g., “Only when the stars are right”). Cultists often end up with Pact, while troubled psis have Unconscious Only and Uncontrollable. Reliable is highly inappropriate. The Things, on the other hand, often have the Cosmic enhancement. Martial-Arts and Pulp Abilities Advantages: The most cinematic mundane advantages, off-limits in many genres, are highly appropriate here – pulp heroes are frequently Gadgeteers, Weapon Masters, and so on. Physical supernatural and exotic traits can represent secret martial-arts techniques. Modifiers: The most common power modifier is Chi, but Biological works for mad science. Based on Will and Requires Will Roll are commonly added to otherwise physical abilities to represent the triumph of discipline over raw, animal power. The modifiers under Horror Abilities fit the bizarre rituals of forgotten civilizations, evil ninja cults, etc. Mythic Abilities Advantages: Heroes and demigods of myth generally have a mixture of supernatural advantages and extreme levels of mundane ones – the more cinematic, the better. For actual deities, Control, Create, and Cosmic Power (see Modular Abilities, p. B71) are de rigueur. Mythic monsters have many exotic advantages. Modifiers: Peculiar usage limits – e.g., “Three times while the sun is in the sky” – call for creative interpreta- tions of Accessibility, Limited Use, Maximum Duration, Minimum Duration, and Terminal Condition. Heroic gifts often come with a Pact requiring total devotion to a patron deity. Divine beings rarely have severe limitations; often, their abilities are Cosmic, and have powerful enhance- ments such as Malediction 3, World- Spanning, and Extended Duration, Permanent.
Space-Opera Abilities
Advantages: Almost anyone worthy of being called a hero has cinematic advantages. Space-opera psis have access to most mental advantages, regardless of type. Cinematic aliens and mutants might have almost any exotic trait.
Modifiers: The Biological and Psionic power modifiers are common. The Unreliable limitation is traditional for experimental rubber-science abilities. Apply the guidelines under "Hard" Science-Fiction Abilities if they would be dramatic ... but don't bother with limitations that merely serve to keep abilities realistic.
Supers Abilities
Advantages: Nearly every advan- tage shows up in some comic book. Traits that let the hero adjust his capa- bilities to suit the situation – e.g., Modular Abilities and Morph – are especially popular. Be sure to use Alternative Abilities (p. 11), too. Modifiers: Any power modifier is possible; Elemental, Psionic, and Super are just the most common. Abilities are often Visible, even if traditionally invis- ible in other genres. Switchable appears on almost any advantage that permits it, Force Field and Reflexive are popular for defenses, and an attack is likely to have Selectivity, Variable, and many enhancements so that the hero can tune it from a 1d-2 jet to a 10d explosion. A handful of special enhancements are meant for supers, notably Super-Speed for Altered Time Rate (p. 42) and Super-Effort for Lifting ST (p. 58).