bigdamnhero Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 I'm looking for some ideas for non-hero mutants, who have powers that are beyond the ken of mortal men but not of much use in combat/crimefighting. I'm not looking for completely useless comic relief stuff, like "causes lightbulbs to glow in 10' radius" or "can transform boxers into briefs" and the like. I'm thinking of low-level powers that might be moderately useful in real life but doesn't qualify you to put on a cape and take on Dr. Bad. The kind of powers the Hero's kid-sister DNPC might have. Ideas? bigdamnhero "Oh, yeah, this is a laugh-riot. This is where I would most like to be - standing in the freezing cold being called a liar by a nun and coerced by a Wax Lion to commit crime. It's so much fun!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmurie Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers 10-20 Active points of anything can provide more interest than you might imagine. My favorite for non-heros was always slightly boosted defenses and various life supports.2d6 of Drain is nothing to a hero, but for norms it's pretty huge. One of my player's character's only real powers was LS: Doesn't Age and some light regeneration. The other 230 points was all in wealth, base, followers, and skills. He was one of the most effective characters in the game just because he was always the "go to guy". Plots couldn't progress without him, because he was the only one with any serious skills or connections. Of course that was twenty years back when Champs characters were base 250 points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karmakaze Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers clairsentience/psychometry is useful, yet not combat effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers -Sense mutant powers -Precognition only for other people -Speed reading, eidetic memory -Talk to inanimate objects -A really high defensive power, but no attack abilities -Someone with lots of cool powers that can't use them because of some mundane physical impairment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooligan x Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers I always wanted to light cigarettes by snapping my fingers. Not much use in combat, but it would be great at the bar. Oh, and nice Jaye Tyler quote! You likee all the series that Fox cancelled too soon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Almost anything if you have a 10 DEX, 2 SPD and normal human defenses. Seriously. A STR 30 construction worker will make a good living, but if he's not bullet proof he isn't going to be fighting crime. Precogition, Retrocogniton, and Healing are classics. Telepathic Wall Street trader, information broker, or psychiatrist. Enhanced Senses Gambler or Scientist. Detective with Discriminatory Smell and tracking Scent. PRE 30 actor, actress, politician or confidence trickster. INT 30 almost anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gojira Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Light (lot's of animals make light), enhanced senses (night vision, infravision, enhanced smell -- like a bloodhound), improved agility and movement but no training to go with it, stealth and a darkness to sense group power. Brainy kid brother Corky: 15 point gadget pool. Another idea is just to give them above average characteristics and physical skills, but no powers. So maybe around agent level, but no gadgets. Then of course they could always "aquire" any gadgets they might need for a given scenario. Possibly they steal something from whomever is threatening them, or they just pick up a gun. So basically it's Robin before he becomes Robin, and maybe he doesn't want to be a superhero or a sidekick, he wants to be a chef or a race car driver, he's just got "talent" inherited from his older sib. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted December 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Oh' date=' and nice Jaye Tyler quote! You likee [i']all[/i] the series that Fox cancelled too soon? "Cancelled in mid-season by Fox" = quality. Thanks for the ideas, gang - these are just the sorts of things I'm looking for. bigdamnhero "So, how long have you been using the Republican Party as a lesbian dating service?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marketeer Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers A human being built on 200-250 points or so could have 5 Overall Levels. At that number of Overall Levels, he or she would be omnicompetent, and then some. Such a person could do things like win Jeopardy with consistency... Strictly speaking, it's not a "power", but with the right Special Effects attached to the Overall Levels, it could represent any and everything from "the luckiest man alive" to someone who can semi- or sub- consciously analyze the best way to approach anything--a human tactical computer, as it were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Look at various Life Supports. someone with LS: Immune to Cold and a penchant for exploring might like it in Antartica or as a mountain climber. LS: Immune to Heat would make a very effective fire fighter, but wouldn't save him from actual fire damage. Just give him an edge. an inch of Stretching would be useful, but not amazing enough to want them to take up a mask and cape. It would be interestng as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i3ullseye Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Well, the light light-bulbs thing actually has some decent potential. Maybe the characters touch, or a 1 hex area, can power most devices. Use cell phones or PDAs without ever having batteries in them for example. Sense color by touch. Speak with animals. Universal translator is a great one. Empathy is always a great one also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Mental Illusions, Self Only, No Conscious Control? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Back in high school we came up with a concept I've always loved: The ability to grow hair at will. Useful for party tricks and the like. Oh, and he would potentially be a master of disguise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Mental Illusions' date=' Self Only, No Conscious Control?[/quote'] you mean "Gamer" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Healing abilities, but not dramatic instant-wound-closing, raise-dead kind of things. The ability to cure diseases, counteract poisons, or purify water (probably mostly done with Transform) have little to no combat use, but would be enormously beneficial in the many parts of the world where these problems are common. Detects can have a wonderful range of practical uses. Imagine the mining corporations breaking down the door of a character known to be able to Detect gold, or other valuable minerals. And the classic dowsing ability (Detect water) can literally save the lives of people in desert regions. Change Environment is another great one. Nobody in a super battle is likely to notice if you can bring on rain, but you'll be a hero to drought-stricken farmers. Or how about removing dust and dirt from a large area instantly? That's the basis of a very profitable cleaning business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Hell, Transform: Dirty Dishes to Clean Dishes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers How about low STR telekinesis, say about 5 STR? Enough to let you get the remote you left across the room, or tools, keys, pick up the coffee table so you can vaccuum under it, etc, but the ability to pick up 50-100 lbs from the other end of the house is not going to set the world on fire as a hero, however useful it would be in real life. Or the ability I've often wished I had: to be able to reach my hand through phone lines (and hit/strangle the telemarketer or customer [dis]service rep on the other end). Although that could make for a very interesting crime wave of "locked room" assaults/murders to solve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Hmm, how about Ranged Touch with Invisible Power Effects? For an even more amusing power, link it with TK with a very small amount of STR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Flight, 5", no non-combat multiple. Think Blimp from Inferior Five. STR 10 TK, no fine manipulation Force field, mental defense only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers 1 PD/ED Force wall. Congratulations you are Umbrellaman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers How could I have forgotten? My last character's DNPC suspected he was a metahuman. My character told part of the truth, demonstrated Instant Change, could clean and repair the clothing he was wearing. "Please don't tell anyone." "About my brother, the Amazing Laundry Man? Don't worry. No one will ever hear it from me!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers How could I have forgotten? My last character's DNPC suspected he was a metahuman. My character told part of the truth, demonstrated Instant Change, could clean and repair the clothing he was wearing. "Please don't tell anyone." "About my brother, the Amazing Laundry Man? Don't worry. No one will ever hear it from me!" that's so clever! Was that Paladin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers I'm not looking for completely useless comic relief stuff' date=' like "causes lightbulbs to glow in 10' radius" or "can transform boxers into briefs" and the like. I'm thinking of low-level powers that might be moderately useful in real life but doesn't qualify you to put on a cape and take on Dr. Bad. The kind of powers the Hero's kid-sister DNPC might have. Ideas?[/quote']Hmmm, I keep thinking of the Mystery Men, but these guys were actual crimefighters, so probably not what you want. - A guy with copious amounts of Luck. He could do things like tap random numbers into a security keypad, and it just happens to be the passcode to open the door. The more ridiculous the possibility, the more likely he is to succeed. - Telekinesis with a 0 or 5 STR. - Insane levels of any PS or KS or AK. - Being able to throw objects extremely long distances , but with regular STR to heft the object (i.e. STR w/LIM: usable only for throwing) and regular human DEX/OCV, and full range penalties for accuracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers that's so clever! Was that Paladin? Yep. And thanks for remembering him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShinDangaioh Posted December 2, 2005 Report Share Posted December 2, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Transform limited to raw materials(silk, lycra, poly, leather, cotton, wool, rayon) to clothing Area affect killing attack limited to ants, cockroaches, termites, fleas, ticks, etc. Maybe another that takes care of rats. Slow healing that is limited to machinery (The muffler on my car has rusted out, can you do anything? Give me about an hour.) Similar healing ability that goes for parchment, paper, and other readin materials. Probably linked with the ability to understand languages. The Historian If you have the book Superheroes-Theme Music Man might not be a ture hero, but he does have his uses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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