Tom Cowan

Oh, yes. Sometimes even on purpose. Other times the players made it so through their choices. And sometimes it was just the dice.
 
There's a reason my Supermage playtest campaigns ended up dubbed "The Keystone Konjurors." One PC reducing Power cost with Actiovation and Side Effects is, hm, risky. Three of them doing so practically guarantees adventures going off the rails. Frequently. Well, it helped me develop my skills at improvisation. "Oops, I rolled another 18 on my Control Roll to EDM the group. Where did we end up this time?"
 
Dean Shomshak

Or maybe high levels of hydroxychloroquine.

(added emphasis mine)
 
In your examples, the mage is also using "gadgets;" they're just gadgets with magical SFX instead of technological. I agree with LL that I don't necessarily buy the premise that GMs generally don't like Power Frameworks; I think it depends on the GM, and maybe even more so on the player using the Power Framework and the speed and ease with which the VPP can changed.
 
However, in my experience, when I have seen what you describe, it's typically because a gadget-based VPP is a bit easier for the GM to plan around, often because it takes at least a bit of time to change. The VPPs that give some GMs heartburn are the ones that can be whatever whenever, as LL notes. Those tend to magic spells, not gadgets. I've never encountered a GM who would frown on a VPP of a wizard's magic items, but be fine with a VPP of technological gadgets, for example.

That's hilarious and disturbing.

I'd make it a quadrifecta along with Change Environment.

Picture of words!
 

 
 

That's planning ahead.
 
 
Then the people who make them up should be considerate enough to spell them for you.

The PRE attack charts have some modifier that can be applied.  
 
+1d6 for exhibiting a power
+1d6 - +3d6 for violent action (assuming the illusion appears to be doing something violent)
+1d6 - +2d6 for appropriate setting
+1d6 - +3d6 for soliloquy (could be monster roaring or other appropriate vocalization)
+1d6 for target being surprised 
+1d6 - +2d6 for making an acting roll.
 
So potentially you have a +12d6 to the PRE attack.  If this happens while in combat you will get a -1d6 for being in combat.  If any of the characters have any physiological complications the bonus could go higher.  If this is a well-known monster and the caster can duplicate it well enough you could impose a 0 point psychological complication on the targets for an additional +1d6 - +3d6 bonus.  
 
If all the factors line up the PRE attack could go as high as 17d6 with a 10 PRE caster.  Chances are it is going to be a lot less, but it will still be enough to get the job done.  
 

Even the first shot should be pretty effective in reducing your chances of serious consequences if you do contract Covid-19 before the second, so you can start unloading worry now.

I got my first one last Saturday (3/6). Just a sore arm so far. Scheduled for 2nd one on 3/30. Been sweating blood (figuratively) for weeks waiting for my turn because of my co-morbidities. I'll be glad when I get the second jab. It will be a load off my mind.

https://www.herogames.com/clients/purchases/

I went for the school theme game.
 
Right now the quickest way to lose my interest is yet another villain based game.  Pretty much everything has been around a villain being treated like they were heroes.
 
If I wanted to play a villain I'd play Vampire.
 

Always a boom

"Dear Penhouse, you'll never believe what just happened to me ..."

I once used the term “shelf porn” to describe a buddy’s new acquisition of some Star Wars figures he was putting on his bookshelf with pride.  His wife hated that term with the fire of a thousand suns, and let me know it.  She went on at length saying that men would spend their money on any stupid thing, even if they couldn’t ever touch it.
  She was even more unhappy when without a word,  I walked her over to the six foot tall, glass and mirrored display case for her ceramic Pocket Dragons.  I made a “Ta-Daaaa!” motion with a lot of Vanna White waving of hands.  
  She is one of the smartest people I know, but it took her a disturbingly long time to get it.