What if you could have just one or two powers?

[Beholder]

I posted this over at RPG.net and just realized that here was realy the best place to post this, so, for those who are also on RPG.net, sorry for the double post:

 

I'm currently brainstorming for a Sci-fi setting I would like to build which would permit powers(somehow) and I thought, why not ask the people here what would be their favorite powers over all of the others; Mind control, invisibility, flight, Fire blasts, Teleport..? Whatever... One (or possibly two) powers, not a powerpool, not an Elemental control and not a Multipower... just one or two powers (think Heroes TV show).

 

Then, the second part, In starwars, there is the force, in Dune there is the Weirding Way and in Fading suns there are psionics. What would be the overall reasoning for these powers. I want to create a setting with a specific focus on the cause of those powers (again like the force or the weirding way for example.)

 

To start, here are my powers:

-A completely safe Teleport that could take me anywhere I already went to once or that I can see at the moment of the teleportation (including see through TV).

-Complete life support(including do not age, not affected by disease, poisons, can breath in any environement, not affected by deep pressure or vacuum. etc.)

 

...and my reasoning:

For me, it would be an implanted Alien device at the base of brain of those who would have those powers.

 

Someone(Called NPC) at RPG.net posted this and I found the reasoning VERY interesting:

 

- the complete life support package (which should include a decent healing/regrowth factor)

- complete and detailed (e.g. full body, just a hand, just a finger, etc.) density control of my body&equipment, from "almost solid" to "almost invisible ghost that can walk through walls, ignore bullets and laser beams etc."

 

reasoning:

Symbiosis with a strange and rare kind of energy creature, commonly called "wraith", who sometimes are found on remote asteroids and planets or even floating in space.

 

Any other ideas?

[Mister E]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

What would be the overall reasoning for these powers.

 

...and my reasoning:

For me, it would be an implanted Alien device at the base of brain of those who would have those powers.

 

My current SF setting functions under the "Simulation Hypothesis;" which basically means that this universe (and all others) are artificial quantum simulations; and we are all merely native software programs living our lives unaware of our simulated natures.

 

If you were using Alien devices attached to human brains as an interface to give people 'super-powers' within a simulated-reality; you should be able to assume that the Alien technology breaches the simulation and manipulates reality from the 'outside;' giving users limited access to the source-code of the Cosmos for rewriting.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

Well, first, this sounds in part like you're asking us to write your material for you -- I may be mistaken, if I am, I apologize for the implication. But I'm not going to burn 1000 words on a great setting for someone else. So there's that.

 

As far as two powers? I only need one. Unfortunately, you said "Not an EC/MP/VPP" which actually goes against what HEROES does, as Peter, Sylar, and the little Asian Dude both have VPP esque suites (I don't know just how deep little Asian Dude runs, but he clearly has some nutty firepower under the hood).

 

So my one power would be ... Spirit Speech. The ability to perceive & communicate with spirits/the Umbra, and my second power would be to slide from here to there.

[McCoy]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

As I've said before, healing, invisible power effect, useable at range.

 

Though duplication would be sweet.

[Beholder]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

Well' date=' first, this sounds in part like you're asking us to write your material for you -- I may be mistaken, if I am, I apologize for the implication. [/quote']

 

LOL, no don't worry, I just wish for a few sentences and ideas, absolutelly no Hero System technicality up until now was wished for in the design process. So yes, many of these ideas could eventually end up as Multi powers but they will ultimatelly be designed by me, not my players and once the powers are created, this is how the settings possible powers will function.

In other words, when I said no power framework, it was really more targeted at the rule rapist of my group which is able to build monsters with multipowers

 

I don't want someone to design a whole power theme like the force for me, I'm just trying to find out what would be the most appreciable power someone could get which would make him happy beyond anything and then build a power system (more a power theme really) with those.

 

So, here are what my RL friends had as ideas (those who will play in the setting in question):

 

To build this setting's signature power system I will add some technical details in parenthesis just to get the idea of the power

 

1) Mind control (Mind control or Followers for a more permanant mind control(like the Vinculum in V:tR))

2) Total life support (Full package life support 30ps IIRC)

3) Teleport (Long and short Teleport linked with Long range Clairvoyance to be able to safelly land anywhere inside the teleport's range)

4) Possession of creatures (like some kind of desolid linked with some kind of extremelly efficient mind control and possibly a power pool to absorb some skills from the host + surely more technicalities to actually disable the host as an active NPC)

5) Telekinesis (move objects, bash, push, pull, Flight )

6) Mutation of creatures into something (with associated authomatic Control afterward) (This is the most tricky one (and, unfortunatelly, really what the PC would like to play with))

6.1) (Transformation of the body linked with a powerfull mind control

*OR*

6.2) Transformation of the Body linked with a transformation of the Soul(or mind I don't remember the one to use in this case) to be completelly loyal to the transformer)

*OR*

6.3) Summon (Some kind of summon that in fact uses another living creature, transforms it and then, once transformed, becomes a new creature based on the original one but with new habilities )

6.4) Here I'm open to ideas from you but I might end up asking for help in the Hero System rule forum.

7) Awareness : precognition and divination, a classic.

8) Time control (Extra speed, extra dex, extra DCV, short range teleport, etc,etc)

 

Finally, following an idea someone brought up at RPG.net, the idea of having some kind of wraith parasite, found in specific locations in space, that would merge with humans and grant these powers appealed to me and I most probably intend to use this idea. They would also serve as some kind of overall super secret plot device that will lead the campaign up until the end where they would eventually explain why the merged with the human and why they granted these powers.... (something as important as the force in SW)

 

But, I digress here, I will eventually start a new thread with details on my setting when I'm ready to do so.

[Remjin]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

Call me shallow, but just being an immortal brick/tank type would make me happy. I guess that kind of makes 3 powers, though... superstrength, resistant defenses of some kind, and a life support package. I'll take the last 2 and sweat out some strength.

[Cancer]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

potentially relevant old thread 1

 

potentially relevant old thread 2

[Thia Halmades]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

Oh, and from a girl I was talking to the other day:

 

Atomic level matter manipulation.

 

I win.

[eternal_sage]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

dude! marry her!

 

no seriously, my wife made a character with those powers, and i'm very happily married...what don't see the logic?

 

well...me either, actually....

[Thia Halmades]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

LMAO -- I'll take it under advisement, how's that?

[The Monster]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

There's something to be said for a package that includes all (or nearly all) skills, bolstered by +10 Universal Skill Levels.

Even with just Sciences, Knowledges & INT skills (i.e., a brain/cybernet link), that can go long way toward toward making life sweet. Especially since that would include Inventor - you could invent just about anything else you want!

[eternal_sage]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

one power? easy. wolverine style regen (what like 5 body a turn or something, geeze!) that way i could feel confident in doing a whole bunch of stupid things and know i'll be ok afterwards.... probably...

[Eodin]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

(1) Full and absolute Retrocognition, all senses, as easy to control as a combo DVD and Digital Camera ("no, Mr. Simpson, you walked over here and dropped the glove like so...")

 

(2) Spirit Form (combined Desolidification, Invisibility, and use of powers and STR on Real World).

[palaskar]

Re: What if you could have just one or two powers?

 

Omitting the obvious Life Support power most people would sanely want (I mean, live forever -- who wouldn't want it?) my faves off the top of my head are Duplication combined with Superspeed. Call it "limited time control" -- summon copies of your self from the near past or future, and distort time to give superspeed.

 

Basically, it's like doing a manga "triple shot" or "triplicate" posted elswhere on the forums.