Little Powers

[matrix3]

"Little Powers" is the name I came up with for a campaign idea. Sort of a cross between "Heroes" and "The Specials", I wanted a stock-normal, mundane world, where a smattering of people discovered limited special powers.

One guy always generates 120V, 60Hz AC between the thumb and pinky of his left hand. He has to wear an insulating glove at all times.

A girl has the ability to effortlessly and instantly change her hair and skin color any shade she chooses, but can't change her body proportions in any way.

One guy isn't detectable by metal detectors or motion sensors. He can still be photographed and picked up by CCTV, though.


I wasn't thinking of this as a comedic game, but not really drama, either. I don't have a source for these powers yet, and I don't have any dark, brooding organization gathering these folks up for experimentation. Just a few ideas I wanted to toss out there.

Anybody got some other "Little Powers" ideas?

[Arkham]

There's a few I used as the failures in a Superhero reality show, West Coast Supers.

I don't know if you want those with just limited utility, or limited flash, as one can have dubiously useful powers that are otherwise really extraordinary, like a guy who can turn into a car. ( but, like a car, needs someone else to drive... )

The characters I used were; a guy who glows very, very brightly all the time. He had to cover himself, every inch, in thick clothes, a hood, gloves, and welders goggles, leaving not an inch uncovered. Otherwise he would blind everyone around him. There was a guy who, upon drinking milk, could will his hair and nails to instantly grow. There was another character who could will himself to sweat on command, and then re-absorb the moisture again. And Dr. Time, who could, by explaining his theories on time travel, make 5 minutes feel like an hour.

[Vulcan]

I think I had a class with Dr. Time in college! :eek: :D

[Certified]

There's always the classic Deuse example: Just enough Telekinesis to move a penny.

[Houston GM]

Anybody got some other "Little Powers" ideas?
Levi's biggest fan:
Levi, the team telekinetic was Hunted (stalked) by his biggest fan. This fanboy had 10 STR Telekinesis with fine manipulation that manifested as a floating, transluscent hand. He repeatedly appeared in our campaign, and would happily draw lots of attention to Levi's presence.

Ezekiel Zackerly is immune to all poisons. He has never been poisoned, so he doesn't know this yet.

Pete Flynn has webbed hands and feet, which allow him to swim almost as fast as a fish. His lungs are normal, though.

Olfactor is a chemist who manufactures perfumes. He has the superpower to create Images to the Smell sense group.

Wit can stop time with a thought. He can't move while time is stopped; he can only think. He mostly uses this power to think up the perfect snappy comebacks.

Big Brass has +20PD/+20ED Armor, only to hit location 13.

[LoresLost]

OddHat Posted a few characters that were 25 pointers that where actually frighting (true egg shells with hammers) In this thread (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29859). Warning, he put up the characters of Viper Girl and the Duck Knight before the forums turned off HTML markup. So the Ideas have been around here for a while.

[matrix3]

Thanks for the ideas, everybody! :)

[Tech]

I think I had a class with Dr. Time in college! :eek: :D

Everybody who's been in college has him at some point or another. ;) I mean, I had him in High School as well!

[Grimble]

I've used and NPC named Bloodeye in several super campaigns. He has the ability to shoot a stream of blood from his tear ducts up to 10 meters away. He is also a very skilled accountant. Every time I've had him tryout for the PCs super team they always end up hiring him to be their acountant. He's never actually been used in combat.

In combat, I'd have given him a small flash to sight and a bonus to presense attacks.

[bigbywolfe]

Ezekiel Zackerly is immune to all poisons. He has never been poisoned, so he doesn't know this yet.

Wit can stop time with a thought. He can't move while time is stopped; he can only think. He mostly uses this power to think up the perfect snappy comebacks.

I love the idea of stopping time to come up with a snappy comeback! If I ever play a time manipulating character, that is going to be one of his main powers, and an excuse to buy bonuses to Social Skills.
Will Ezekiel ever find out about his power?


I've used and NPC named Bloodeye in several super campaigns. He has the ability to shoot a stream of blood from his tear ducts up to 10 meters away. He is also a very skilled accountant. Every time I've had him tryout for the PCs super team they always end up hiring him to be their acountant. He's never actually been used in combat.


In combat, I'd have given him a small flash to sight and a bonus to presense attacks.

Is this power based on the horned lizard with similar defenses?

[Grimble]

Is this power based on the horned lizard with similar defenses?

That is exactly where I got the idea for Bloodeye. Thank you Animal Planet!:thumbup:

[Split Decision]

Communicates with corn

Really bendy thumb

Handy with a hairpin

Can use own toenails as dangerous projectiles (10 charges, return every 6 months)

Razor-sharp shoulder blades

Used to have a giant mecha-style suit of armor, but everything but the shoes was destroyed.

Throws toilet plungers

Best regards

[Karmakaze]

Eyes in the back of her head - a schoolteacher discovers that her peripheral vision extends to almost (but not quite) 360 degrees.

Olfactory Empathy - character can not only smell fear, but any emotional state that results in a chemical/pheromone change

Brownout - some people find that they can't wear wristwatches because they always stop. This poor fellow finds the effects extend to any small electronics - watches, calculators, cell phones, mp3 players...

[Grimble]

The Man of a Thousand Faces: He has the ability to change the features of his face (Limited Shapeshift-face only). Limited to 1000 preset faces. All are still human-looking and keep his original coloration. Facial hair still takes the normal time to grow.

[wagnern]

You instantly know what ever activity any person would rather be doing than what they are doing now.
"He would rather be fishing, He would rather be . . ."

or it was in a movie, um, 'The Unbreakable' is a prime example. Some damage reduction (no life support) and a clarisentiance that tells you the last bad thing done by someone you touch.

[Karma]

You instantly know what ever activity any person would rather be doing than what they are doing now.
"He would rather be fishing, He would rather be . . ."

or it was in a movie, um, 'The Unbreakable' is a prime example. Some damage reduction (no life support) and a clarisentiance that tells you the last bad thing done by someone you touch.

He also had scad loads of Strength. As for 'some damage reduction' the guy survived a train crash so apart from a weakness to drowning he might be invulnerable. Also he seemed to be able to see everything bad youd ever done (see end of movie).

Little powers:
Uncontrolled Precog while sleeping (great for giving players missions), even while awake if it results in 'blackout' (Ie. you can't sense the world around you while it's going on).

Healing (Only when naked) (got this idea fom a book where the Cleric needs to be in his undershorts to perform his curing spells (female party members are asked to look away).

Ongoing Regeneration: Must take foreign objects out of wounds quickly or they get 'healed' in and/or bones set where they are when healing and wounds scar (IOW the power increase the characters natural healing rate to insane levels not 'Wolverine regen')

Desolid: Only to objects touching character's skin when power is used (Clothes for example, but also a useful escape power).