How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

[SteveBerman]

Hi all,

 

I am building a character and I want her to have the ability to mentally activate other metahumans' powers from a distance. I know there's Mind Control but I wanted to see if there's another way.

 

Originally I considered an easy form of this would be just as an Energy Blast, Indirect with Variable Special Effect, to mimic activating energy beams from the eyes or causing the brick to punch something.

 

But the GM said that if I did this with one of the other players, they would get upset at me influencing them/forcing them to act, without making any form of a roll. So I suggested a limitation of an Ego Roll check.

 

But I'm open to suggestions.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

[Blue Jogger]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Well, that one is just hard. In Hero, forcing a player to do something is much harder than doing the equivalent thing TO the player.

 

A fast and dirty way would be a Multipower with various slots of attack powers with Indirect and Varable Special Effect. Add a requires skill roll (contested Ego roll) and you're good to go. However, unless you add Invisible Power Effect, people can tell (with some difficulty) that something you're doing is causing someone else to use their powers.

 

You might want to add an END Drain as well, after all, the target just use one of his powers. The END Drain also represents that it is tiring... to resist... using... your superpowers....

 

You do need to be polite to the other character's wishes. If you take control of Supernegaman's Eye Laser-thingies and make him (seemingly) violate his Code Vs. Killing, he rightfully might be upset.

 

However, if you power gives the Brick the power to hit more people with his fists (his actions as well as yours), well he might feel quite happy about that, even if it makes him tired.

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Apparently there is an Advantage or Adder to Transfer in some supplement that allows you to actually steal others' powers. I would probably use that, plus a Limitation that says the Transfer Fades immediately after a single use (or after a Phase if not used), or some other custom Limitation. This might also be Linked to a Naked Indirect that says the Power always comes from the victim. Eh.

[Fitz]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

How about a VPP "Mimic" Pool, all powers bought Indirect (originating from the target character)?

[Duke Bushido]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

heh heh heh heh----

 

here's a can of worms:

 

How about 'useable by others' with an advantage "useable as attack" that modifies the 'useable by others,' such that you effectively force them to give you control of their powers? >

 

Okay,

 

that's offered in cheezy jest. Call it my "homage to Sean."

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

heh heh heh heh----

 

here's a can of worms:

 

How about 'useable by others' with an advantage "useable as attack" that modifies the 'useable by others,' such that you effectively force them to give you control of their powers? >

 

Okay,

 

that's offered in cheezy jest. Call it my "homage to Sean."

I like that myself, but it was officially turned down in preference to the unknown Transfer Adder/Advantage.

[SteveBerman]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

The one problem is that the GM worries that without some ego type roll or such, that the other players might feel my activating their powers at will to be intrusive. My character is an ex-villain with some mentalist powers.

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

The one problem is that the GM worries that without some ego type roll or such' date=' that the other players might feel my activating their powers at will to be intrusive. My character is an ex-villain with some mentalist powers.[/quote']

Well, undoubtedly it is at least going to require an attack roll. Whatever you come up with, I'm sure you can apply a RSR for an Ego or Ego vs. Ego if it will make your GM happy. (Slightly) Limited Mind Control would certainly work as well.

[Duke Bushido]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

What P said,

 

plus a suggestion:

 

if at all possible, you might want to find a way to build it on some kind of roll that the player can contest with you, ala a dodge kludge of some sort. Simply watching you roll dice, hoping for a failure, isn't going to make them feel much better about it if they have no chance to affect the outcome.

 

perhaps an EGO contest or some such thing.

 

Yes, I know there are ways to do it that make such completely uneccessary; call it a meta-device for ensuring happier players.

[Sean Waters]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

heh heh heh heh----

 

here's a can of worms:

 

How about 'useable by others' with an advantage "useable as attack" that modifies the 'useable by others,' such that you effectively force them to give you control of their powers? >

 

Okay,

 

that's offered in cheezy jest. Call it my "homage to Sean."

 

 

Heh! I was just going to suggest that!

[Sean Waters]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

OK Duke, I'll see you and raise...

 

Duplication or summoning to mimic the opponent, coupled with an EDM to get rid of the real one, then you actually become the opponent and can do what you like...

[Lucius]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

heh heh heh heh----

 

here's a can of worms:

 

How about 'useable by others' with an advantage "useable as attack" that modifies the 'useable by others,' such that you effectively force them to give you control of their powers? >

 

Okay,

 

that's offered in cheezy jest. Call it my "homage to Sean."

 

You mean....a "naked" advantage of "usable by others" and then you put "usable as attack" on the naked advantage....let's see....

 

 

that puts the advantage on someone's power, whether they wanted it or not, but it still doesn't FORCE them to use it...

 

but it's a brilliant idea....

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary thinks Lucius Alexander took 3d6 NND from that idea....

[Duke Bushido]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

OK Duke, I'll see you and raise...

 

Duplication or summoning to mimic the opponent, coupled with an EDM to get rid of the real one, then you actually become the opponent and can do what you like...

 

uuuhhhh....

 

my head's all swimmy....

 

How about T-form to a character that gives me the use of their powers?

 

Or --

okay, how do we do it with Desolid?

[Duke Bushido]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

You mean....a "naked" advantage of "usable by others" and then you put "usable as attack" on the naked advantage....let's see....

 

 

that puts the advantage on someone's power, whether they wanted it or not, but it still doesn't FORCE them to use it...

 

You're right!

 

We need a _second_ useable as attack to again modify the Useable by Others so that the Useable by others can be used against their will as well....

 

 

This could get pricey......

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

You're right!

 

We need a _second_ useable as attack to again modify the Useable by Others so that the Useable by others can be used against their will as well....

 

 

This could get pricey......

Especially because you need to buy it based on the maximum points in the power you're going to force someone to use. Depending on how big a power you can "switch on", that could get really pricey...

[prestidigitator]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

You mean....a "naked" advantage of "usable by others" and then you put "usable as attack" on the naked advantage....let's see....

 

 

that puts the advantage on someone's power, whether they wanted it or not, but it still doesn't FORCE them to use it...

 

but it's a brilliant idea....

Actually, no. If you apply a Usable As Attack Power on someone, you, "give it to them," but it is you who control it. Take Flight, for example: if I have UAA Flight and I attack a target with it, the target has Flight, but I control that Flight, so I can make the target shoot into the air, over a cliff, or into a wall. So logically you should control the use of the UBO Advantage if you force it onto someone else with UAA. Therefore you could force them to give their power away to you, your teammate, your grandma, or anyone else.

 

I proposed this kind of build to Steve Long a while ago, and it was officially rejected (not that I will let that stop me until I actually see the official mechanism). I guess the DEMON supplement has the Transfer Advantage I mentioned a few posts ago.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

I proposed this kind of build to Steve Long a while ago' date=' and it was officially rejected (not that I will let that stop me until I actually see the official mechanism). I guess the DEMON supplement has the Transfer Advantage I mentioned a few posts ago.[/quote']I remember that, and wondered at the time at Steve's response. It seems a perfectly valid (if horribly abusive) construct. I doubt I'd ever let a PC have it, and if I gave it to an NPC I'd use it sparringly indeed, but I don't see anything illegal about it.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Your first build is the simplest and best. To deal with the 'players will complain', simply slap on:

 

'Requires an ECV to Hit Roll Against a Target With The Appropriate Power'

and maybe

'Requires an EGO vs EGO contest with Owner of the 'forced' Power'

 

That should be a nice little limitation on what should be a rather expensive power (given it needs indirect and variable SFX) - probably -1 or more in total, I think, for both.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Mind Control: "Use your Powers!" command.

[L. Marcus]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

. . . Hey! I was gonna say that!

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Mind Control: "Use your Powers!" command.

 

Frankly, I agree that that's the simplest build, and the most appropriate given your circumstances. It would do what you want, fits your character's SFX, and requires a successful Attack Roll and a Breakout Roll by the target.

 

If you want to get more exotic, though, there's always Mental Transform to give the target a Psychological Limitation, "Must Activate Powers At Your Command." At any level below Total the target may try an Ego Roll to resist succumbing to the Disadvantage. You could define the Healing condition for the Transform as any length of time, number of power activations, or other condition that you like.

 

For the really exotic, how about Extra-Dimensional Movement, One Dimension ("place" where the character's Power is under your control), Usable As Attack? There has to be a Defense defined against this attack, of course, and a successful Ego Roll might be one that your GM would allow, although many others are possible.

[radioKAOS]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

OK Duke, I'll see you and raise...

 

Duplication or summoning to mimic the opponent, coupled with an EDM to get rid of the real one, then you actually become the opponent and can do what you like...

 

*looks at his cards*

 

I'm in.

 

What about EDM [uAA] to get rid of the opponent, then Images [with IPE] to mimic the opponent, coupled with a multiform to make yourself into a tiny little devil that sits on the [now fake] opponent's shoulder and tells him what to do. Then indirect EBs with Variable SFX or perhaps some TK with Martial Arts.

 

Or you could do it with Desolid [uAA] and Invis [uAA] to get rid of the opponent, Shapeshift to turn yourself into the opponent and using Presti's 'power shifting power' to be able to mimic their powers. Of course this option leaves out the 'little shoulder devil', and I kind of like that bit.

 

Or...

 

I could just go to bed and not think about other ridiculous ways to make this power.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Mental Illusions: Your Character Sheet has a secret limitation that lets me trigger your powers!

[radioKAOS]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Mental Illusions: Your Character Sheet has a secret limitation that lets me trigger your powers!

 

Oh sheesh, that's just a transform that adds that disad to a character sheet... should have thought of that sooner!

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: How do construct the ability to activate others' powers?

 

Oh sheesh' date=' that's just a transform that adds that disad to a character sheet... should have thought of that sooner![/quote']

Don't forget, though, you need a very expensive Advantage on that. Forget "Affects Physical World" at its puny +2 cost -- you need "Affects the REAL World" which is a +20 Advantage, at least...