Multiform

[GCMorris]

I'm building a character similar to Colossus of the Xmen. He's a very normal guy until he goes into Hero mode in which he "powers up". In his powered up state he has the same personality but is big strong and durable. All his physical characteristics change but not his mental. He can't stay in this form forever though. Would you do this as Multiform even though he keeps his personality or would you link them all together in a multipower and do an activation?

 

He has these powers so far which all turn on at once:

Growth 5 points

Density Increase 5 points

Physical characteristics increase

Hardened resisant defense, visible

Leaping

[Nothere]

I don't have 6th so my first question s obviously did they get rid of the only in hero id disad?

[GCMorris]

Actually I have 4e. Sorry, I keep forgetting to mention.

[Cancer]

I had a multiform hero with 5eR, who had three or four different super forms, depending on which power pill he took. Each pill could last only a short time. He kept the same personality in all forms, but had quite different physical abilities and stats. In terms of mechanics, I don't see anything wrong with your concept, though it has been long enough that I don't remember much about the particulars of the power build.

 

I'm not sure I ever saw 4th edn, though; everything I've done with supers (as opposed to Fantasy Hero or pulp-type genre) has been in 5eR.

[Hyper-Man]

6e now calls it Only in Alternate ID.

 

The issue with that Limitation, no matter the edition, is that it requires defining a way to stop the transformation (examples: cover Billy Batson's mouth before he can say SHAZAM!, prevent Tony Stark from putting on his Iron-Man armor, etc...).  AFAIK, there isn't a way to stop Colossus from changing besides knocking him out or mind control.  Due to this most builds I've seen posted here by various folks have replaced OIHID with Linked and made some form or Resistant Defense (the power that replaced Armor from previous editions) the main ability that everything else was Linked to.

 

See this old thread for an example of what I mean:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/topic/90494-uthanar-character-builds/?p=2407518

 

HM

[Heroic Halfwit]

Personally, I would just link all of the stuff together, put Visible limitation where appropriate and have done.  He doesn't change form so much as get slightly bigger, heavier, shiny and bullet resistant.  Besides it's a lot cheaper and simpler than going the multiform route as they will still have the same skills, skill levels etc.

 

One tip, you may wish to put Persistent on the Growth, DI, Resistances etc. so just in case he gets knocked out he doesn't revert to squishy man. I know at least once Colossus was knocked out while armored up and stayed that way in the books.  YMMV

[Cassandra]

I only have 5th Edition.

 

Only in Alternate Form seems appropriate though.

[GCMorris]

He does revert back to Squishy Man when he runs out of END. He's turning out to be really powerful with all those limitations that aren't major limitations I've put on him. It requires an activation/skill roll to power up plus he can only use it in hero ID. He has a huge weakness though. Whenever he runs out of END he reverts back. He only has a 4 Recovery. All his powers are linked to his (high) END reserve. Your imagination can take it from there. I might make him a villain.

[Christopher]

This is a toss up between Multiform and Only in Heroic Identity/Only in Alternate Identity. It also overlaps a bit with the "How to build Hulk" question, so I will answer as if to that one:

Multiform with "Puny Banner" being the obviously weaker baseform does come to mind (weaker because it has to pay for the Multiform).

But there are a few cases where puny Banner is not quite as puny:

Some interpretations have him be a super-genius, that uses Tony Stark/Reed Richards level technology to defeat foes only the Hulk could normally beat.

Others (like the two most recent Avengers and the recent Agent of Smash cartoon Series) have him stay "Hulked out" 24/7. Here Hulk simply is the Character, with Banner maybe making one appereance over multiple seasons.

 

"Growth 5 points
Density Increase 5 points"

As far as Powers go, Growth and DI are basically just "Brick Powers, light".

It gives you STR and defenses, but at the same time costs you endurance and applies some limitations.

[Cassandra]

When I've built Colossus I've built his "Armor" as a No END Force Field.  He reverts to his non-armored form when he's stunned or knocked unconscious.

 

Apparently the "Deadpool" version was a little tougher, even if he was a classic "Code of the Hero" type hero.

[Christopher]

When I've built Colossus I've built his "Armor" as a No END Force Field.  He reverts to his non-armored form when he's stunned or knocked unconscious.

 

Apparently the "Deadpool" version was a little tougher, even if he was a classic "Code of the Hero" type hero.

I would say that Colussus suffered from the Superman Problem:

If he would not be a total Boyscout (or whatever the Russian equivalent is), he would be right scary at that powerlevel.

 

It is also noticeable that this version of colossus stayed like that. Even when driving a cab.

[dmjalund]

this version of Colossus may be actually stuck in that form (I do not remember a scene where he wasn't metallic)

[L. Marcus]

He was all CGI in Deadpool -- he would have looked weird without the chrome.