Do your versions of Superheroes Have an Off Switch?

[Vondy]

Meh, to each their own as always but what's the point of "building" Superman if your not actually going to build him? Superman, in almost every continuity I have seen him in, looses his powers (or at least has them drastically drained) in the presence of Kryptonite. If you don't build that into Superman thats like leaving off Super Strength(or Flight, or Invulnerability, or Heat Vision) and calling him Superman.

Wasn't superman, who has become so much the focus of people's posting in this thread, just an example of a character with an "off switch?"

[Vondy]

While I do make characters with susceptibilities and vulnerabilities, I dislike "off switch."

 

I tend to avoid such concepts like the plague.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Does a battlesuit (or other pure focus) character count as a off-switch type?

[Cassandra]

I think that having one's powers based on a focus (like powered armor or a utility belt) is not so much an off switch as a disadvantage.  In game terms the hero would be at some function in their secret identity when villains show up.  The hero must then find a way to change into their superhero identity in order to preverse their secret identity, and face the villains.  The down side is that the hero is vulnerable to the villain attack until they change.  A superhero with inherient powers would not risk injury in such a situation, but would still have the secret identity problem, which is way if Bruce Wayne is going to a party he should invite Karen Starr to go with him.

[Greywind]

She's not his type. Wayne prefers floozies. Easier to deal with lack of intelligence when he's gotta run.

[Cassandra]

Let's take a classic "off switch" moment.  Wonder Woman's Magic Belt from the Lynda Carter TV show.

 

It was used in order for her enemies to be able to keep her helpless after she is taken prisoner, usually after being chloroformed or knocked out with sleep gas (a definate 2x STUN Vulnerability).  It was only used twice on the show, In Fausta Nazi Wonder Woman, where it was discovered after Wonder Woman was questioned under the Magic Lasso's power, and in Judgement From Outer Space Part 2, where a Nazi ripped it off while her back was turned (appearently Amazons invented velcro). 

 

Wonder Woman was able to get her magic belt back in Fausta because of the arrogance of a Nazi (who wouldn't listen to Lynda Day George, so he deserved what he got), and in Judgement when Aliens froze everyone in the room (not exactly requiring her to do anything but pick it from from a table).

[Cassandra]

Wonder Woman is a floozie?

[bigbywolfe]

She's not his type. Wayne prefers floozies. Easier to deal with lack of intelligence when he's gotta run.

 

 

Wonder Woman is a floozie?

He is obviously referring to the type of women Wayne has dated as cover for 90% of his career, not one of the few actual relationships Batman has had (and that one primarily/only in the DCAU if I remember correctly).

[Greywind]

Wayne having a real relationship is few and far between. Bruce's dating relationship with WW amounted to like, one dinner at his place.

[assault]

Just for fun, here is a character fragment I just wrote up, inspired by this thread:

 

Character with an off switch

Val Char Cost
10 STR 0
13 DEX 9
10 CON 0
10 BODY 0
13 INT 3
10 EGO 0
20 PRE 10
12 COM 1
2 PD 0
2 ED 0
2 SPD 2 (rounds down in absence of enhanced DEX)
4 REC 0
20 END 0
20 STUN 0
Total Characteristics Cost: 25 Points

 

Cost Powers

 

40 Superhuman Strength: +50 STR, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

60 Superhuman Speed: +25 DEX, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

32 Superhuman Stamina 1: +20 CON, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

5 Superhuman Stamina 2: +6 ED, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

 

12 Superhuman Stamina 3: ½ End STR, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

36 Invulnerability 1: Armour 15 rPD 15 rED; Not versus Neonite based attacks (-1/4))

19 Invulnerability 2: Life Support: self-contained breathing, all Safe Environments.

30 Flight: Flight 15”, ½ End Cost, Not in the presence of Neonite (-1/4).

 

Total Powers Cost: 234 Points

Total Cost: 259 Points

 

Background: Transported to Earth from the planet Neon, this character is affected by the mysterious mineral Neonite.

 

NB: “Not in the presence of Neonite” and “Not versus Neonite based attacks” are different. His Armour doesn’t switch off just because there’s a lump of Neonite in the area.

 

With his powers on, his characteristics look like this:

60 STR
38 DEX
30 CON
10 BODY
13 INT
10 EGO
20 PRE
12 COM
12 PD
12 ED
5 SPD
18 REC
60 END
55 STUN

[Cassandra]

Like it, Assault.

[Vondy]

Wonder Woman is a floozie?

 

A very smart, powerful, talented and dangerous floozie.

[Cassandra]

As many of you know I'm a 5th Edition 250 Point character builder.  I also use a series of Character Type Templates for heroes such as Bricks.  I've been able to create a pretty good Superman using them.  What he lacks is the ability to travel faster then the speed of light, and regenerate body damage.  He has extended breathing, which limits his time in outer space.  Using limitations on his characteristics and powers would allow me to purchase those abilities, but at the cost of making him a helpless victim some of the time.

 

I also don't like using susceptibility in my characters.  I think it's up to the villain to put the hero in peril, and not get it for free.