CHARs as Powers

[Brick]

This has been bugging me for quite some time; if it has been corrected already, I am sorry. Let's say a character is hit by an Adjustment Power that affects all Mutant Powers at once. Said character IS a mutant - along other things, he has STR 40, DEX 30 etc. - Characteristics which are clearly non-human. Strictly speaking, the Adjustment Power cannot affect the CHARs since they are not defined as powers.

Which leads to my opinion that, starting from a certain point, high CHARs should automatically be considered as Powers...

[Steve Long]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

This isn't a rules question, it's an observation, so I've moved it. I'm not going to comment except to point out that the term "Mutant Powers" (a special effect) as used in conjunction with Adjustment Powers (or the like) is not necessarily the same thing as Powers (a game element).

[Snarf]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

I don't see anything wrong with letting drain mutant powers work on characteristics.

 

In my games, players define how much of their characteristics were from their normal human body and how much are from psi powers at character creation time. The enhanced characteristics have the special effect of psi powers and can be drained and aided as psi powers.

[Dust Raven]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

The Psi powers example is a good one. I have a few character with extra CON defined as "inner strength".

 

In any case, it's perfectly fair to use Adjustment Powers to affect Characteritics. Specifically says so in their descriptions. If a certain amount of a character's STR and/or DEX is "mutant", then it should be affected. The trick is figuring out how much is mutant and how much is "normal".

[Lord Liaden]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

Both Champions and Champions Universe have tables showing what the default human maximum for each Characteristic is (higher than "Normal Characteristic Maxima" BTW); anything higher than that is "superhuman" and must by definition have some exceptional circumstance to justify it. In a pinch you could always use those standards as the thresholds for Chars augmented by mutation or other factors.

[Solomon]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

Notice, however, that a characteristic may be defined as having a superhuman or mutant origin even if it doesn't exceed the deafult human maxima. You could have, for instance, a mutant demi-brick with STR 30 (within Champions Universe human maxima) and define that, say, 15 points of STR originate from his mutant powers.

[Dust Raven]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

Notice' date=' however, that a characteristic may be defined as having a superhuman or mutant origin even if it doesn't exceed the deafult human maxima. You could have, for instance, a mutant demi-brick with STR 30 (within [b']Champions Universe[/b] human maxima) and define that, say, 15 points of STR originate from his mutant powers.

Exactly. This could explain all those fit looking heroes who can, with moderate effort, lift a Cadillac, but aren't built like Mr. Universe.

[Trebuchet]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

A characteristic need not even meet or exceed Normal Human Maxima to be superhuman. A 2-year-old mutant or super with a 10 STR clearly is superhuman because a typical 2year-old should have a STR of 0 or even -5. My character Zl'f has a 15 STR which I define as superhuman because a normal woman her size (4' 10"; 98 lbs) in the real world would have a STR of 3 or 5. Instead, Zl'f is as strong as an NFL fullback and if she were a real person could probably compete in Olympic weightlifting. (STR 15 pushed to 25 for deadweight lift could lift 800 kg; or 1763 pounds. That's well over the world record.)

 

So there is no need to be narrow in your definition of what is superhuman. It's whatever the GM and player decide within certain parameters

[Blue Jogger]

Re: CHARs as Powers

 

I would place "all Mutant Powers" higher than a +2 if it not only affects most powers, high stats and is a common special effect (X-men universe).