Matt Frisbee Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers First and foremost -- check out San Angelo: City of Heroes. There are several character examples within its pages of normals with low-end superpowers, including a street gang of metahuman teenagers. Some other ideas: A criminal with Invisibility only vs. standard forensic techniques, dependent upon a Criminology skill roll, of course. A law enforcer (or stuntperson) with damage resistance to make him or her slightly bulletproof. A cameraman with the ability to fly, making him or her a living steady-cam. A fire fighter with Life Support (that costs endurance) vs. Intense Heat and Self-Contained Breathing, (limited by the need to take a deep breath first), linked with an END Reserve to power them both. A superstrength mechanic who literally can be his or her own vehicle jack (also works for various tow truck duties). Anybody with Danger Sense with a reasonably reliable roll to be right. A stock broker with precognition, only to predict stock prices and dividends, takes extra time and material resources (information on the corporation in question). A zookeeper with Telepathy, only vs. animals. An arsonist with a no-range RKA vs. flamable materials. A lifeguard with LS: Breathe in Water. A chemist with a Transform power to change chemical compounds, only in lab with extra time. Ye olde trench coat effect: Variable Power Pool, only to produce useful items that others need in a pinch, OIF - Trench Coat, no conscious control (others' needs determine objects produced), gestures (has to physically search trenchcoat pockets), Requires END (effort to search), no skill roll to change. Hope this helps! Matt "Always-making-the-effort" Frisbee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewings Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers 1 pip aid to COM, maximum 10 characters points' worth, buy up the fade rate to years or decades. Who needs plastic surgeons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers A parent that always knows exactly where their children are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers there where some good ones in the short lived district X/mutopia x series from marvel. it was a story set in the marvel world equivalent of jokertown so most of the main character where mutants or the family of mutants. the wife of one of the main characters( Ishmael the norm cop on the district x beat) was a mutant who's power was to generate an impervious cocoon around her self but only when she slept this caused problems in there marraige as she was totally shut off until morning . another good one was toad boy who was a fairly normal if fat and ugly teenage boy apart from the fact that his sweat contained a potent and highly addictive hallucinogenic drug which resulted in him being kidnapped and used as a drug lab by the local crime boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted December 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Somehow when I started this thread I'd completely forgotten about Alan Moore's "Top 10" series about an entire city where everyone has powers of some kind. My favorite was the blind cabdriver who had this zen ability which gave him the unerring ability to always take you where you need to go (whether or not it's where you wanted to go.) Except of course...he was still driving blind so he couldn't see the other cars... Then there was the two-faced (literally) police dispatcher, who could receive reports with one face and dispatch officers with the other. Of course, she had a tendancy to argue with herself... A less helpful power was the Human Airbag guy who, when under stress, inflated into an enourmous beachball. Darn, gotta go re-read that again. bigdamnhero "...and that’s when I shot him, your honor." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers so ... this mean you're looking at starting the New Champs campaign again soon :looks hopeful: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Some of my favorites: The guy with 16 REC and a Physical Limitation: Hyperactive. This guy works 16 hours straight, hopefully, on what you wanted him to work on. The gal with Change Environment ("Clean Room") and Cosmetic Transformations ("Redecoration and Renovation"). She whistles while she works. And don't forget, 5 STR TK with Physical Manistation ("Woodland creatures"). The unlucky kid brother, 2D6 RKA, no range, No Conscious Control "I didn't mean to break it!" The nerdy kid with KS based on all the books that he's managed to read (Eidtic Memory). "Sure, it probably the hyperstatic disenbobulator. Now, I don't know how to fix it. But, that was clearly on page 45, 'the hyperstatic disenbobulator regulates the control flow of gravatrons.'" The gal with Safe Short Range Teleport, 0 END, lots of extra mass. She had a nasty habit of rearranging the furniture. Six Pack. The guy that could make 5 other duplicates. They were all slightly different (bought with Summoning) and he argued with himselves. I think one of them was actually female. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Stop me if you've heard this one before... A celphone, rollerblades, and a parrot for a sidekick See in the dark, blind in the light Scream really loud Impressive-looking (but not very good) armored costume Really bendy thumbs Extra elbow in your arm Really good hypnotist Throw your voice like a champ X-ray vision (not through solids) Owns giant-robot shoes (but not the rest of the robot) Perfect rhythm Transform: Nothingness into really great (but nonvaluable) accessories/jewelry Limbs can come off and act independantly (to the best of their limited ability) Give everyone within 20' or so a cold, whether you want to or not Perfect hair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Hmm. A variable-effect Summon useable only for small, known-to-be-nearby-but-I-don't-know-exactly-where inanimate objects would be handy. Where are my keys again? Oh, in my other hand. Fine, let's go. That's the most useful idea I've seen. I'd kill to have that IRL. Repped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Multiform with a lot of forms, but Lims of "only for humans," "no form can have Primary Characteristics above 13," "No Skill may cost more than 5 oints," "no martial arts," etc. The most expensive form is 25 points (and can never go up). Basically, he can turn into any of a few dozen very ordinary folks. No combat use (at least in most combats), but he can do a passable job at a large number of tasks. That, and he's got the ultimate disguise power. If the Mulitform has Instant Change, he can tail people, "disappear" in a crowd, etc. Quite useful out of combat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Multiform with a lot of forms, but Lims of "only for humans," "no form can have Primary Characteristics above 13," "No Skill may cost more than 5 oints," "no martial arts," etc. The most expensive form is 25 points (and can never go up). Basically, he can turn into any of a few dozen very ordinary folks. No combat use (at least in most combats), but he can do a passable job at a large number of tasks. That, and he's got the ultimate disguise power. If the Mulitform has Instant Change, he can tail people, "disappear" in a crowd, etc. Quite useful out of combat. Now that is an interesting and powerful character. Add Duplication, a Mind Link, Ressurection to keep all of them alive, and name him Legion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinanju Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Summon, any 25 point creature, amicable, arives under own power. The character is the Most Popular Girl in the World. Teleport, 1", megascale may be scaled down, 1 fxed location, only to that location. As long as she's at least 1 KM from her bed, the character can always click her heels together three times and wake up at home. There was a character mentioned in the first Wild Cards novel--he didn't make the cut into the novel itself, he was just mentioned as a possibility at one point. His wild card talent was the ability to make any starlet he wished fall from the ceiling of his bedroom. That's it. He couldn't control them. He couldn't put them back. They tended to beat him up before storming out. Good way to get sued as well--or arrested and tried for kidnapping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers There was a character mentioned in the first Wild Cards novel--he didn't make the cut into the novel itself, he was just mentioned as a possibility at one point. His wild card talent was the ability to make any starlet he wished fall from the ceiling of his bedroom. That's it. He couldn't control them. He couldn't put them back. They tended to beat him up before storming out. Good way to get sued as well--or arrested and tried for kidnapping. I remember him. They also never used Cycle ****, nor did we learn her power. Imagine playing in that Superworld campaign. Talk about your dream gaming group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinanju Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers The Man With N-Ray Eyes. The only thing he can't see thru? Human flesh. He can ogle attractive women all he wants and they'll never know. (And he can still sleep at night, because he can't see thru his own eyelids.) He also makes a good security guard. He can scan people for weapons on their persons or in their bags. He can step into a room, scan it--and anyone hiding behind or inside another object will be immediately apparent to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Stop me if you've heard this one before... A celphone, rollerblades, and a parrot for a sidekick See in the dark, blind in the light Scream really loud That would be: Air Wave Doctor Mid-Nite Black Canary I spotted some of the others too, but hopefully this is enough to show that these are all "real" superheroes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Now that is an interesting and powerful character. Thanks. However' date=' he wouldn't be all [i']that[/i] powerful, except for "ultra-disguise." A bunch of Standard Normals to turn into, with none built as a specialist. Still, very interesting. Add Duplication' date=' a Mind Link, Ressurection to keep all of them alive, and name him Legion. [/quote']Now that's a completely different can of worms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCMaenza Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Okay, I saw the title of this thread and the first thing I thought of was the Douglas Adams novel of the same title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethosos Posted December 6, 2005 Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Add Duplication' date=' a Mind Link, Ressurection to keep all of them alive, and name him Legion. [/quote'] 'Ey! That's my character I'm workin' on! More powerful, of course, but still... *grumbles* Regardless... some money powers! 16 Counterfeiting: Duplication (creates 10 0-point Duplicates), Cannot Recombine (+0) (20 Active Points); Gestures (must touch the money to be duplicated) (-1/4) 0 Perhaps I missed a few things with this one, but hey, any criminal worth his salt would like this. Also, I figure, it's easy to dispell the effect by burning it... 20 Making Correct Change: Duplication (creates 10 0-point Duplicates), Easy Recombination (Half Phase Action at 1/2 DCV), Variable Limitations (Only to make change of equal value, or create a larger denomination of sum value) (requires -1/4 worth of Limitations; +0) (25 Active Points); Gestures (must touch the money to be duplicated) (-1/4) Now who doesn't want this? You can easily make a decent buck by providing change services for a bank all day long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted December 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers so ... this mean you're looking at starting the New Champs campaign again soon :looks hopeful: Actually, this particular question was for one of the con games I'm putting together. But I promise I haven't forgotten about the home campaign. Soon. Any day now. (I hope.) bigdamnhero "I'll send the boat back for you." "When?" "Soon!" "How soon?!" "Very soon!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers 16 Counterfeiting: Duplication (creates 10 0-point Duplicates), Cannot Recombine (+0) (20 Active Points); Gestures (must touch the money to be duplicated) (-1/4) 0 Perhaps I missed a few things with this one, but hey, any criminal worth his salt would like this. Also, I figure, it's easy to dispell the effect by burning it... 20 Making Correct Change: Duplication (creates 10 0-point Duplicates), Easy Recombination (Half Phase Action at 1/2 DCV), Variable Limitations (Only to make change of equal value, or create a larger denomination of sum value) (requires -1/4 worth of Limitations; +0) (25 Active Points); Gestures (must touch the money to be duplicated) (-1/4) Now who doesn't want this? You can easily make a decent buck by providing change services for a bank all day long! I think both of those need Usable As Attack. Other than that nitpick, I really like these ideas. "thumbup: Repped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lethosos Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Why UoA? It's making money, not punching people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers Why UoA? It's making money' date=' not punching people. [/quote'] Duplication only duplicates the user, plus any clothing and equipment permitted by the GM, and has an absolute limit of the number of duplicates you've paid for. The GM might let you duplicate your wallet and its contents, but duplicating money requires special permision. It should also be lost when you re-merge. Everful Purses are better built as an SFX of the Wealthy perk, maybe Wealthy with an OAF. Duplicating money directly is also probably best built as an SFX for Wealthy, or maybe as a transformation attack (thin air to money). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted December 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers I think both of those need Usable As Attack. Other than that nitpick' date=' I really like these ideas.[/quote'] Why UoA? It's making money, not punching people. Well, I suppose if you *really* wanted to you could throw bags of cash at people, ala Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2. Or duplicate them in mid-air over your opponent, ala Bugs Bunny. bigdamnhero “Your mouth is moving. You might want to see to that.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cenobite Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers It wasn't Champions, but in another game I was involved in I wrote up an NPC who could alter the temperature of anything he touched. I suppose superhero jargon would call it tactile thermal kinesis. A nice side effect was that he was immune to frostbite, being burned, and any other effects of extreme heat or cold. In theory it could make a useful attack power, but this character went to school and became a chef. Why wait for the pot to boil when you can just put your hand on the side and speed up the process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Re: "Mostly Harmless" powers How about someone who literally never gets tired? STR and natural movement powers (Running, Leaping, Swimming) are all bought as 0 END, and they also have Life Support: No Need For Sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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