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I'd go with a Computer Follower(perks) as the "Man in the Chair" assisting the PC with added skills Can the alien sentience take over the armor if the character is knocked out? if so then I would add a multiform where the armor is a robot character with defenses and LS Usable Simultaneously to protect the KO'ed character then the suit does more to get the character to safety, than continue the fight

No. That's not how I read it. Ronin is down the points, yes...but not any of his alternates. If a 250 point character pays for a 250 point Multiform...the multiform does NOT have to set aside the 50. Only the base form does. Now in 4E, you're right. Page 82, slightly abridged...max total points the second form can have is equal to the total points in the base form, minus all multiform costs. That's saying the second form, like the duplicate, has to pay for the Multiform cost. 5E 211: The cost for Multiform, which only the true form pays for, is 1 CP for every 5 CPs the most expensive alternate form is built with. 6E 266 mirrors this. 5E and 6E explicitly say they DON'T have to...because, I suspect, they recognized it was too great a power loss. This isn't entirely on point but it's pretty close: I haven't gone through all the Q&A, but Steve never says anything like "the alternate form has X points to spend, minus the cost of Multiform itself."

So reading rules as written Multiform cannot be used to turn into a vehicle, automaton or other character type. However when a general rule does not work advantages can be used to price in the rite option. I want to make a character who in his natural state is a 12' tall robot. He then turns into a sport compact car (like Transformers). What is a good/reasonable value for being allowed to change character type with Multiform? Considering I would want to be consistant. For example if I want a Wizard who can turn into a Clay Golem, I would use the same modifier value. What do you all think is reasonable? I know it has to have been considered because transformers is such a popular IP.

Problem I have found with multiform is skill, knowledge, and even disadvantage wise have a tendency to not be the same. Now if you were like the Hulk or a Werewolf who are completely different people when changing multiform is the best way. But when someone has the ability to take another shape with some abilities but still has all of the exact same personality and skills then shapeshift with linked powers may work much better (and require less work from the G.M.).

The key with Multiform is to make sure that the characters are to design, not just "I wanna do a lot of different stuff". In other words, use multiform to build a character with a theme and a concept, not just to have lots of characters. I did make a guy who could turn into like 20 different superheroes, each a different build, but... they were random. He never knew what was going to activate when he turned on his superpower, and the GM chose them at random for me. The concept was kind of like Miracleman's body suit thing, where they were all in this stasis and he could tap into them, but had no control over who. It was kind of fun, but sadly the campaign didn't last long enough to really explore how it would play out. So it was a tight concept, and controlled. The GM could at any time just say "you get to be aqua boy this time" at will instead of rolling a random character, even if we were in the desert.

From 6e v1 p 266 So only the "true form" pays for Multiform. No, they do not. Page 268 is clear and unambiguous. What is the "main form" - you have introduced an undefined term to the discussion. The character must have a true form, which can be any of the forms. Again from 6e v1 p 266 As a result, many find Multiform overpowered. The true form, Willie Weenie, can spend all his points on Multiform, and spend all his time in alternate forms. When the Multiform is unlimited, most GMs will restrict alternates to the campaign normal point totals, so no 1,000 point alternate form in a 400 point game. Even so, having eight alternate forms, each at campaign maximum, plus a true form that sinks all those leftover points into skills and perks, can make the rest of the team feel entirely redundant.

Checking to see if the power Multiform can be used in and Elemental Control, a Multipower, or a Variable Power Pool. It does show as a Standard and is even in the same class as Growth and Density Increase but I have seen a bit of controversy on this. Was hoping to see what people think.

With 5 point doubling of Forms, I doubt that the MP will save points. Time Limit of 1 hour is a -3/4 limitation. Time Limit is generally intended for powers with some activation requirements, which I suppose the pills could qualify for, as well as only being able to activate 8 times per day. Charges would have to be Continuous, so 8 Continuing Charges 6 steps down the table would be a +1 advantage. Given that Multiform is already both Persistent and 0 END, that's not a reasonable result. The rules also suggest capping Continuing Charges at -0, "especially if Time Limit is an Advantage". Multiform is, however, an exception from the normal rule for charges, with each change consuming a charge. That includes the change back, so 16 charges would allow changing to and back from an alternate form 8 times per day. Feels like all paths lead to neither an advantage nor a limitation for 8 alternate forms per day. So that leaves us either a VPP of Multiform or multiplying the forms. The rules suggest only putting the base Multiform, not the multiple forms option, in the VPP. In this instance (he can have any number of forms, but only 8 available at one time), I think I disagree. EDITED FOR 450 point base forms We want 450 maximum point Forms, so 90 point base for the Multiform. I don't think we want the Hero standard OAF, Fragile potion so let's go with an OIF pill or small flask used to change, -1/2. They can certainly be taken away if the character is helpless. That's -1 1/4 total limitations, for a base cost of 40. Tack on 15 points for 8 possible forms and we get 105/2.25 = 47. So our VPP could be either: Option A: 40 point pool; control cost based on 90 points, Cosmic (+2), One type of power (Multiforms; -1/2 RAW), 16 charges (-0), OIF Pills (-1/2), 1 hour time limit (-3/4), 49 points for a total cost of 89. Option B: 47 point pool; control cost based on 105 points, One type of power (Multiform with x8 forms; -1/2 RAW), 16 charges (-0), OIF Pills (-1/2), 1 hour time limit (-3/4), only changes between scenes (takes hours to make new pills, -1/4) 18 points for a total cost of 65. The advantage of Option A is that he can select his 8 forms on the fly ("How fortunate that I brought along EXACTLY the right pill!"), while Option B requires the player pick out the right pills in advance (although I guess he could have 8 pills for each form, not be limited to one hour of each form - the remaining pills become dormant, or maybe the strain of changing limits him to 8 per day). For 89 points, he could have over four million alternate forms, which is also basically Option 1's "select any form you want, any time you want". 200 points (90 base + 22 doublings for 110) / 2.25 = 89. He could have 11 doublings for 55 points, so over 2,000 alternate forms, plus 90 base = 145/2.25 = 64 points - close enough to Option B. It seems unlikely that the character would use more than 2 thousand different forms over the course of the campaign, so the only reason to take the 89 point approach would be the flexibility to have just the right form for this occasion picked out. Note, however, that 11 doublings still allow him to choose any form on each switch. Perhaps we might allow a further limitation on the doublings only for restricting his choices to 8 pre-selected forms that can only change between scenes; the same -1/4 a VPP would have seems reasonable. That would leave us with a 450 point Multiform (90 AP) 16 charges (-0), OIF Pills (-1/2), 1 hour time limit (-3/4) 40 RP; + 11 doublings (2,048 forms) (55 AP), must select 8 at one time and can only change between scenes (-1/4), OIF Pills (-1/2), 1 hour time limit (-3/4) 22 RP = 62 points. Pretty close to that VPP after all that work. He could shave off some doublings and not lose a lot of utility. Depending on the vision of the base character, the cost may be irrelevant - he has over 350 points left over to spend on his base form regardless of which approach we take.

Yeah, it's at least a Shape Shift. It might arguably be a multiform, if the inherent abilities change...but that's a lot more trouble and work. The kelpie resembles seaweed...but it's still a kelpie. It can reach out and grab you...that's not something seaweed can do. And there are often clues, if you know what to look for...the reversed hooves is one example. But it isn't a disguise, in that you can't look through it to see it's a kelpie. You have to know the clues why it's not what it appears to be.

Multiform is definitely one of the two classic methods by which official shape-shifting characters have been built in Hero System. For characters with a large number of alternate forms, published examples favor a Variable Power Pool, Only For Multiform; although for speed and efficiency you should still specify the alternate forms' abilities, or draw them from a source with many game-statted examples, such as the Bestiary. The other classic is to give the character Shape Shift, and a variety of Powers that are Linked to the appropriate shape, e.g. Flight for a shape that has wings. The Powers can be in a Multipower for a few forms, or a VPP representing many forms. Again, having a pre-written Powers list will speed up play.

You have to buy all the multiforms in the main form making that character weaker. You have to buy every form your multiform can turn into, making each of them weaker. 5th made it less penalizing than 4th by giving you the doubler effect (5 points for each x2 forms) but still, say you make Ronin who can turn into 5 other forms, but those are still points that the main form gets no use from. That's 250 points/5 for the first form, then +5 for 2 forms, +5 for 4 forms and +5 for up to 8 forms, in this case 5. So your base "true" form is now 65 points down from every other character. "But," you say, "everyone pays for powers!" Indeed they do. But these powers directly impact the characters ability, they can use all of those powers in their single form. Multiform points are points in your character that this character never uses. Its just points gone from their total. So Ronin is a 195 point character in a world of 250 point characters. Each form that the other forms can change into are also crippled in this way. See, Duplication you're using all those forms at the same time, so you're using all of that power at once. Multiform you only use one power set at a time. The reason I see this as a problem is playing the campaign and seeing "dang Ronin is just flat out weaker than everyone else" in action. It was frustrating for the player, and for me as the GM. Being able to turn into a different set of powers is valuable, but not that valuable.

I have only just last week been introduced to the term "ensh!tification" (thanks, Chris! It is much less offensive and slightly more accurate than the term I was familar with before). (There is a Wikipedia entry, for anyone not familiar). It started, I think, when Vampires went from cold-blooded, calculating monsters to neo-gothic Edwardian fops (I hope that means what I think it does; if it doesn't, then sincere apologies to anyone offended: it was not intentional), then moved to werewolves, and suddenly we have Disney zombie high-school romances. Gad! Alternatively, make it cost END (say 1 pt per Phase or something) run it from and Endurance reserve, etc. Still not cheap, but sometimes it breaks out a bit cheaper than a fuel charge, especially if you put limitations on the reserve and throw it in a framework. Well that's new (-ish. New to me, anyway. Multiform was new in 4e (to our group). We dqbbled with it a bit, but have never used it after that. However, your xomment has left me with the idea of "non-combat Multiform," which has me gigling like an idiot. "Let me show you de move dat make me famoos..." Sorry; that's a quote from one of those shot-on-VHS movies from 30 years ago. I wish I could remember the title, becauae I would love to watch it again. anyway, here is how Multiform became verboten at my table. I have mentioned Davien many times before- a habitual problem player to the point that I have recieved three or four PMs over the years asking me if he is am amalgamation of my problem players over the years. I am saddened to report that he is not. He was just a purebred jackass. He loved to demonstrate his "incredible intelligence" by finding unique ways to rape the rules. (If he was as smart as he thought he was, he would have realized that we could _all_ see the loopholes and we chose not to exploit them in favor of the spirit of the game.) When the rules changed so that the base character no longer had to be rhe most powerful form, Davien turned in a character that, like the Kevin Bacon social experiment, was six degrees from God. Essentially he turned in a character whose only power was Multiform, upon which he had spent almost all of his points. His alternate form spent most of its points on a Multiform of its own, which had a Multiform, which- and so on, until we got to the point that he was trying to bring a 1200-and-some-point character into a 300-point game. fortunately, after that argument settled, he decided he didn't want to play in that campaign, leaving the rest of us to saner devices. (yes: the God-Tier form was positively crippled with Disadvantages, but _still_....) yes; I know evertthing wrong with this (there was an argument, after all), but _still_, it did point out the potential for framework abuse. Even then, though, these forms could be simulated via a Power by pre-building each form. And there is the "double forms for 5 points thing- the initial spell is expensive, but once you learn it, it isnt too difficult to get better at it.

If your Hero uses an instant power like Aid Entangle, or Barrier and then multiforms into a different form without those powers, do they immediately go away or do the effects remain? What about healing?

You are both correct, but Noose has only 5" of stretching, amd apparently,just her arms (the better to choke you with, My Dear...). Anyway, @Ninja-Bear, two more I found in 4e (forgive how long this ia taking; there is a _lot_ of 1e through 4e material to read through, even just for Champions. The possibility of shapeshifters in Fantasy means that for completeness, I will probably have to re-read through that, too.) Anyway: Kingdom of Champions (do you know just how hard it is to see "gaol" and not have a hyper-rabid Brazilian sports caster scream "GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!" inside your skull? Now imagine the book you are reading _insisted_ on this as part of its flavor.... ) Anyway, 4e, Kingdom of Champions p155: Nightmask. Minor shapeshifter (I know: not what you are looking for, but bear with me) who can look like anyone. Yes; that is done regularly with shapeshifter. However, he was when it clicked that all "chameleon" shapeshifters accomplish this with Disguise- not as a skill, but as a power. If it wasn't for Dark Champions (You know: no super Powers, but _dannn_, look at the voodoo that actually works!) We find Disguise used,as a power more than as an actual skill. This is really a 'nothing' in the scheme of what you are looking for, but I feel vindicated for proposing this no matter hiw many times it gwts ahot down. you know: sharp minds think alike; soft minds run together- I'm pretty happy either way. Anyway, je is immediately followed by Wolfbairn, who Multiforms between two specific shapes and precedes by Hag, who.... Wow. Somebody really overthought this.... Or rather, really deeply discounted it by literally _stacking_ frameworks... Anyway: She starts the way I have always donw shapeshifters that actually become other things: a laundry list of powers with a variant of OIHID: "Only in Appropriate Form," amd claims a -1/2 for this limitation. That doesn't seem "cost effective" enough, so there is an empty Multipower rack in there which also takes a limitation "all slots require an appropriate animal form," into which these various powers can be placed. Fortunately, the author took the liberty of pricing these powers in such a way that, when placed into the empty Multipower, they pick up a few extra dice or inches or other effect because- well, the points are spent, and at this price level, that means I get more. That still comes out seriously expensive, especially if I want a lot of skills amd magic stuff, so why don't I place this multipower laundry list of skills, powers, and abilities into a Multiform, and cut 80 percent of the cost right off? At any rate, while it may be "book legal," so was PlanetMan. If this character sheet landed on my table, it would be ceremoniously introduced to the Zippo of Shame Hiding almost as fast as the Harbinger of Bullets, but that really isnt a reflection on anything but personal standards, I suppose. Dr. Samaine is on p 159, but he is just a chameleon-type shapeshifter, and not truly pliable. For that, we skip ahead to The Mutant File and on p84 we find Flex, who comes off as a low-powered Plastic Man type. Honestly, take his base and sprinkle in a couple of select abilities from The Ooze, and I believe you could build a terrifyingly-effective villain able to stand toe to toe with an entire team of 4e supers. Gonna run; still tons of reading to do.

Does the PC who takes damage from sunlight have to buy an attack? Does the PC who loses his power when exposed to a special kind of rock need to buy a drain? Does the PC that loses control when angry have to buy a multiform? Then why should a character that shrinks have to buy extra-dimensional movement for this. All of these are complications not powers. Again, this is for a NPC, and while an NPC does not necessarily need to always have the required amount of complications having complications is a very useful thing. They often give the players something to exploit when dealing with the NPC and can help the GM define the character. By listing it as a complication it makes the NPC more complete and makes sure the GM does not forget that this happens to the character. Using it as a complication does not prevent the character from later learning how to control the ability.

All the answers you have received are correct; I just wanted to add a bit for clarity in understanding the reasoning: Multiform is a power. There is a lot that goes with it; you can have all kinds of powers when you activate it, and a whole new body or whatever, but Multiform is the power. The time limit you want affects the single power "Multiform." It is to the cost of that power that the modifier would be applied, and it would be paid for by the 'form' that paid for Multiform. If a character had Flight with a time limit, the limitation is applied to Flight and paid for by the character that paid for Flight. Like Every power, Multiform is treated the same way. For what it's worth, I have always argued it should be classified as a framework- still work the same, but be classified as a framework. But it isn't.

Multiform would work because you simply include your own abilities in the multiform. In 6th edition they removed the requirement that the base form has to be the most expensive. You build a multiform that has everything your character has but has enough spare points to include the abilities you gain from the creature you killed. Your true form would be the character without any abilities from the target and the VPP. The VPP would be used to create a new multiform when you killed someone. The multiform would include all your skills and abilities you want to use and then you would just add whatever other abilities you stole from the target. Give the multiform a KS of the character you killed on and extremely high roll to simulate stealing the memories. I would suggest it should be a minimum of a 15 or less but might even be higher. Some things may be missing because people forget things and you can’t steal what someone does not have. You still have all your own memories and skills because you paid for them in the multiform. Your true form is more for bookkeeping purpose. When the character is in use you will almost always be in the multiform. Multiform allows you to switch between forms without having to revert to the “true” form so you can switch from one target to another without having to assume your true form. Your true form will probably be less powerful than the campaign normal as you will need to reserve some points for the skills you steal.

I know there are short descriptions of all Powers in 6E1 and CC. But I think they are insuficcient to get an overview fast (you have to read through every power first to understand "what does what"). I know that space constraints simply allow not for a more detailed treatment. I am a programmer and I sometimes have likened Hero to a programming language. I know that for them a good first overview is important to get a grasp of the ideas and paradigms behind the design. I want to give a better explanation, to help navigate the powers easier for new GM's and players. It also might give a prospective buyer just enough insight to roughly understand published Character sheets before buying a book (I will of course excempt anything like a cost-structure). Okay, here goes my try: Absoprtion: When you are hit by an attack you can absord, you recieve a effect almost identical to Aid. However there is limits how much can be absorbed (both in short time and in total). It normally does not protect against the thing it absorbs, but that functionality can be added (but remains limited to what can be absorbed). The thing you absord should be an actual danger (otherwise it is Aid). Examples: Energy Absorbers. "Getting stronger the more he is hit". Aid: This power allows you to directly bolster the Active Points of the power or characteritics you bought it for, but the effects fades on it's own. Even with repeated use it cannot go beyond a certain maximum effect (highest dice result possible). You can use it on anyone who has such a Power/Characteritics. Examples: Combat Stims. Granting temporary Stun, End or Body. (thus useable as for of healing). Boost: A variant of Aid. Unlike normal Aid it does not fade over time, but in turn has to be maintained with Endurance and Concentration. If either is cut, the power ends instantly. Examples: Power Enchancer. Barrier: Allows you to create a barrier as impenetrable as a normal wall, but it is only as durable (defenses, Body) as you buy it to. Can also be used to "Englobe" and Trap a target. Does not blocks senses by default. Usually self-sustained once used. Examples: Forcefields and Walls. Summoning Stonewalls. Certain Interpretations of Shields. Sometimes used to "Block" attacks that are normally unblockable. Blast: Deals Normal Damage* at Range. Does not recive any bonus from Strenght the way HTH-attacks do. Examples: A Superheroes Blast. Sleepgas. Sleeppoision. Sleeping dart. "Phasers to (heavy) Stun". Magic Bolt that mostly knock people out. Sleep spells, Green Lantern Energy Fist, a Telekintic blast (more effecitve at dealing damage then Telekinesis). Cannot be Stunned: High amounts of Stun Damage can disable a target for a short time (usually loosing his next action, among other things). This power deactivates this rule for the Character. It does not prevent the target from being totally knocked out, only short time stunning. Examples: Many minions, especially "unintelligent" robots and undead are built with this power or even "Takes no Stun". Generally not adviseable for player Characters. Change Environment: It is one of two powers that jump in when no other seems to quite fit the effect. Often used to mimic minor weather effects and can cause Environmental Damage as defined in 6E2, but by no means limited to that. It can affect Skill Rolls, Characteristics Rolls, Movment ability, Combat Values, Temeprature or Wind Level. Not as powerfull or absolute as Darkness or Invisibility or simply dealing direct damage, it is still cost effective. Often a Skill/Characteristics Roll, Life Support or Alternative Sensesn can Negate it's effect. Examples: Fog, Icesheets of the ground, Rain that hinders sight. But also personal Stealthsuites or Stealtharmor (wich are not on par with Invisibility). Weak jammers. Making the Air "thick" so it is hard to move. Changing Wind, Temperature or Radiation Level, Confusion Spell, Fear Aura. Locking Spell. Characteristics****: Most of the time you just buy characteristics directly. Buying them as Powers allows you to place advantages or limitations on them. Examples: Strenght that only works in heroic identity, Strenght that comes from a Power Armor (Focus Limitation), Strenght which use does not tire the character (0 END; often a way to build tools or skill based increase in effecitve STR). ED/PD, Resistant (+1/2); Super steroid pills (that usually not used on anybody else - otherwise it would fall under AID) Clairsentience: Allows the character normal Sense to be used "on distance" - locally, temporally or both. Cannot be used to target Attacks or Teleports as precisely as direct personal obersevation. Examples: Cristall Balls. Video Surveilance System. Remote controlled Robots (at least the telepresence part of it). Looking into the past. Looking into the future(premonitions). Sometimes even how normal TV is built. Clinging: Allows the character to move along solid surfaces regardless of relative angle, simply using normal foot movement (running). Can also be used to "stick" things to the character - even other characters. Examples: Magnetic boots. Superclimbing. Gecko-grips or soles. Tarbaby effect. Damage Negation****: A defense that lowers the power of the attacks by eliminating Damage Classes before the damage/effect is even rolled. Thus the only defense aside from Knockback Resistance that can reduce Knockback. Difficulty to use in game when Attacks have advantages. Examples: Shields that do not translate momentum. Most other form of defense can be moddeled by this. Damage Reduction****: Negates a certain amount of damage, that has passed through all other defenses the character has. Ignored by Penetratings minimum effect. Examples: Big creatures, for wich many things are "just a scratch". Mastervillains that must take on entire superhero-teams at once. Magic Resistance, Energy Body Darkness: Makes an area simply impervious to the bought senses. Can not be overcome with any Sense Modifiers, only circumvented by using other sense (groups) or being dispelled. Examples: Smoke (thick enough visibility is almost 0). Impenetrable Fields of Darkness or Silence. Impenetrable radio jamming. "White noise" generator. Deflection: Allows the characters to block (totally negate) ranged attacks that do not target him, but anyone nearby as well. Requires the active use of a "Block" maneuver. Examples: dedicated point-defense vessels in a fleet. "Telekinetic Deflection". Density Increase***: Character can increases his mass, wich augments durability, strenght and makes him harder to move (both voluntarily and involuntarily). Cost endurance to maintain and could cause problems when the surface can't hold his weight. Examples: As growth, a cheap way to get high strenght and durability. Especially superhero "ersatz bricks", "Stone Body", "Iron body". Desolidification: The character ignores almost any attack and can walk through walls, but is unable to attack or influence the world in any way (unless the attack/power is bought with a very expensive advantage). Target stays vulnerable to Mental Powers and most forms of Flash attacks. Examples: Ghosts. certain variants of Etheral or Astral forms. Smokeform. Ultimate Dodging or Escape technique (usually with limitations). Swarms, where hurting a dozens or hundreds of parts does no do any real damage to the whole (specialised Swarm rules are in the Bestiary). Phase Shifting (but that one also often includes invisibility or is even the way to become invisible). Dispel: Allows a character to break a power that was already used, but only works on powers that have to be maintained (are constant). Can also be used to "intercept" powers (even attacks) when they are activated. Usually does not impede reactivation in any way. Example: "Dispel Magic"., Fire Extinguisher. Does not bleed: When character takes too much Body damage, they start "bleeding to death" (might not actually involve bleeding). This power deactivates this rule for the character. Examples: See "Cannot be Stunned". Potentially superhealing abilities or advanced medical equipment could use it as well. Drain: Directly counters or drains the Active Points of the defined powers. Negative analog to Aid. Same fading as aid, but no maximum effect (other than that nothing can be drained below 0). Examples: Certain power drains. Transfering the enemies power or strenght to your own (when combined with Aid on yourself). Spell of Fear (variant). Stun gas grenade and other attacks wich do not heal with normal Recovery. Duplication: Character can get controll of another - rule technically totally seperate - character, under full controll of the player. That Duplicate is usually an exact copy and deviation in abilities is expensive. Duplciates require time before they can act. Duplciates must spend the same points on the power as main character, without any benefit. Examples: Duplciators/Splitters. Twins (wich are played and controlled as one character). Multi Headed hydra. Some Astral/Etheral Forms. Telekintic Sidekick Note: many duplciator abilities are built with totally different powers wich only have a special effect of "creating a duplicate". Endurance Reserve: Gives the character an additional set of endurance and recovery, that is unaffected by what happens to the character (continues to work even when he can't recover or can't spend endurance or even if he is dead). The recovery is per turn (at tops) and cannot be increased with actions. Think of it an cheaper alternative to 0 END and Persistent, or more detailed Fuel Charges (or Charges in general). Powers can normally only draw from Endurance Reserves or personal Endurance, not both. Examples: Batteries. Main Reactors. Weapons that have overheating limits. Self-replenishing amunition. Enhanced Senses: Covers a Multitude of Special Sense, either inherent or aquired through equipment. Extra Senses can be used to circumvent Sense Affecting Powers. Examples: Night-, UV- and IR-Vision. X-Ray vision. Radios, TV's, Cellphones. Ultransonic hearing. Mental Awareness. Sonar, Radar, magical sense of surroundings, detecting targets in combat with smell instead of sight, Daredevils Sight and many, many more. Entangle: Restrains character movement and combat abilities, but can be broken with STR or attacks and tends to protect target somewhat. Very similar to a ranged grab, but does not require furhter attention on the side of the attacker. Enxamples: Glue pistol. "Encase in Ice" Setting on Frost Gun. Handcuffs. Paralysis spell, poision or beam. Extra-dimensional movement: Allows the travel to alternate dimensions, realities or even through time. Examples: Time machine, entering heaven/hell. Entering the shadowrealm. Enter the Microverse. Entering Cyberspace. Stopping time (Move to a dimension where everything but the character is frozen and cannot be affected in any way). Putting something behind a very powerfull barrier. Move to the rock of eternity. Extra-limbs: Character has more than the normal human limbs, making him harder to completly restrain with Grabs or limited Entangles (like Handcuffs). Does not impart any combat ability using those extra extremities. Examples: Extra arms. Prehensible (or at least weaponizeable) tail. Steel tentacles (Dr. Octopus). Faster than light Travel: What it says on the tin. Mostly used on plot level. Examples: Hyperdrive. Warpdrive. Stutter Warp. Magical/Technological Flight Rings with interstellar Range. "Light form" Travel. Flash: Shortly blinds a target senses, thus depriving it of thier use. Can greatly affect combat ability when targetting sight and somewhat when targetting touch. Can't apply any disablement longer then a few actions (that would be a Transform). Examples: Flashbang grenades. Pepperspray. Neurally/Mentally disconnecting the eye-nerves. Spell of Blinding Light. Stinkbomb. Flash Defense: Reduces the effects of Flash. Must be bought on a "per Sense group" basis. Flight: Allows the character or vehicle to fly through the air. However also often used for "Speedster movement". Also includes Gliding. Examples: Superman. A plane. Starships at STL. Jetpack. Gravity Manipulation. Wings. Spell of Airwalk. "Running so fast you can move over water and even run up vertical surfaces as long as you don't stop". Walking (not running) on water and "spectacular acrobatic movement". Parachute (Gliding) Growth***: Per level the character can double his Size wich also increase his weight by 8 times (each level has three levels of density increase figured into it, plus other bonuses). Character can walk faster and has longer reach. At certain sizes HTH-attacks affect areas. Character is easier to percieve and hit, weight might cause problems as Density Increase and power cost endurance to maintain. Examples: GiantMan. As Density Increase, a cheaper way to get high Strenght and durability HTH-Attack: Character does more normal damage* in hth combat. Increases damage as extra STR would do, but on a lower price. Examples: Training in Unarmed Fighting. Quaterstaff, Club, "Steel Fist", Energy Gauntlet and other Blunt Weaponry. Healing: Allows a character to heal damage - both ones from from Regular Damage (Normal or Killing) and unusual damage like Drains, Flashes and Transforms, but must be bought to target the right power or Charactersitic. Maximum amount healable per character/day can varry depending on campaign rules and how "wounds" are tracked and treated. Even resurrecting the dead is possible. Example: Healing Spell. Healing potion. "Repair Item/Wall/Building" Spell. Resurrection Spell. Images: Creates fake sensory impressions, for any sense bought. Images can be interactive and might even "feel" real to light touch, but can't do any damage or support weight. Can be detected by perception Roll, but usually have a build in penalty to that Roll. Also used to create light and megaphones/loudspeakers, by "inverting" the Perception Roll Penalty to a Bonus. Examples: Holodeck. Hologram, Flashlight, Megaphone, Illusion Spell, Tracking Bug (like Flashlight but targgeting Radio Group) Invisibility: Makes the character inpercieveable by certain Senses. Usually detectable up close (fringe), but that can be modified. Doing something obvious (like most attack powers) allows pinpointing location. Does not impart any penalty on foes (other than effectively fighting "blind" against this character), but may allow for surprise attacks. Examples: Cloaking device. Stealth field or Stealth armor. "Chameleon Effect" (only while not moving or attacking). Cap of Invisibility, Ring of Invisbility/The one Ring, Stealth Plane, hiding in Shadows or "Supersneaking" Skill Killing Attack: Delivers Killing damage** in HTH-Combat (STR adds damage) or ranged combat (does not add STR). Examples: Claws & Bites, Swords, Knives, Laser Swords, Throwing Spears (Ranged Killing Attacks that add STR to the damage) Guns & Laser Pistols, Lightning Bolt or Firebolt Spells. "Phasers to kill/vaporize". "Deadly Palm technique". Knockback Resistance: When the game uses Knockback rules, this power reduce both how far the target is thrown and the damage it takes when impacting. Examples: Growth and Density Increase have KB-Resistance from extra weight included. Also "combat stances" (KB-Resistance only agaisnt attacks the character is aware off. Bracing for impact). Leaping: a lot like flight, except that you can't change course once you "jumped off". Cheaper than most other movement abilities. Examples: Hulk is often said to have Leaping with Megascale advantage. Spring boots. Acrobatic Leaping. Life Support: Immunity to environmental conditions like Heat, Cold, Thirst, Need to Sleep, nead to breath, aging and others. Also includes immunities to to things like poisions (that are built the right way): NND (no Normal Defense) form of AVAD (Attack vs. Alternate Defense) often uses a Life Support as the defense. A poision might be built as "Blast, NND [immunitiy to poision]" and thus LS against the specific poision and "all poisions" would block it Examples: Many robots have "Full Spectrum" Life Support (they don't need food, drinking or need air). Also Survival Equipment might be built using it: Spacesuit (LS: Vacuum, No need to breath [on a fuel Charge or other time limitation], Radiation, Heat & Cold]). Gas mask. Arctic Survival Suite. Stim Pill (no need to sleep) Luck: You can buy a luck roll. Everythime the GM thinks luck might tip the scales in favor of a character he makes a roll and counts the amount of 6's he threw. The more, the better. Note: Entirely up to the GM how it is interpreted and how often it is used. Examples: He just has luck, or maybe is favored by the gods. Mental Blast: Attacks a targets mind. Like Blast (normal damage*), but more expensive (1d6 equals 10 points), ignores any physical defense [PD, ED] and can't do Body by default. Examples: Neural Scrambler Gun, Attacking the Mind directly with mental powers. Psionic Pain inducer, Sleep Spell Mental Defense: The only defense that blocks Mental Powers. It affects any mental Power, unless they are bought with NND. Example: Strong Willed. Psy-Shield. Mental Illusion: Can change how characters percieve the environment. Change entirely in thier head and cover all senses (targets mind makes up whatever would be missing). High EGO and opposing complications provide resistance. Like most mental Powers, there are four tiers of Sucess: Ego Score+0. Ego Score +10. Ego +20 and Ego +30. Target recieves incerasingly easier breakout rolls to shake it off. Example: Switching Colors and other cosmetic Changes. Letting foes appear as freinds. Giving the illusion that it got totally dark around the character (making him "blind" in his mind). Letting him overlook small details or even important obejcts. Appearing as a Loved one (could also be Mind Controll). Appearing as Greatest Fear (could also be Mind Controll). Mind Controll: Allows characters to controll other characters actions. High EGO and opposing complications provide resistance. Like most mental Powers, there are four tiers of Sucess: Ego Score+0. Ego Score +10. Ego +20 and Ego +30. Ego +30 being able to overwrite even the strongest complications and totally control Characters. Target recieves incerasingly easier breakout rolls to shake it off. Example: Mind Controller. Mentalist. Hypnosis. Mind Control Drug, "Cupids Touch" or Love Potion, Fear Infliction. Mind Link: Allows to establish and hold a telepathic connection with a single or a group of willing participants. Nobody is forced to divulge any information and anyone can speak with anybody in the Link. Mental powers can be used through link. The only way to intercept communciation is Telepathy. Examples: Mind Link from Young Justice. Sometimes used for hard to Decipher Comsystems (affected as audio & radio instead of mental), as it requires a Telepathy built (not simply finding the frequency) to listen over. (Twin/True Love) Psychic Bond Mind Scan: Allows the character to "Scan" for a mind in an area and "lock" onto it. Depending on sucess can allow telepathic pinpointing (direction, distance), targetting with mental powers, save teleport to location or even unhindered fighting only with "the minds eye". Examples: Mentalist Power. "Searching for his Mind". Psychic Sight. Brainwave-Scanner. Multiform: One of two ways to deal with "Multiple personalities/powerset characters" (usually the cleaner way; the other is the Only in Alternate ID, short OIAID, Limitation). The character has one or more alternate Forms, each with his own complete Sheet. He can switch at any time to any of his other sheets. Different sheets can have totally different complications, powers and personalities. His "true form" tends to be the weakest, as it alone has to pay for the entire Multiform power. Examples: "Hulking out". "Shazam" (but opinions differ on both, with Hulk usually being the cleaner example). Spell of Eagle/Badger Form. D&D animal Form. Amulet of Dragon Form. Curse of Lycantrophy/Werewolf Form(s). Vari-Armor. No hit Locations: Some campaign (especially heroic ones) use a rule that different regions of a body are differently vulnerable to damage. (headshots vs. legshoot). This power disables this rule for a character. Examples: Like Takes no Stun, but potentially rarer (even robots have "brain" equivalent, even if you can't stun it). Power Defense: Only defense protecting against Drains and Transforms. Examples: Talisman agaisnt Sorcery. Chemical Resistance (against apropirate attacks). For most part a "Gametechnical" effect so these powers do not go without defense, nothing that can be easily used to give a universal example. Some consider (minor) gods to be a likely example, but it depends strongly on the world an how certain powers are built. Some game use Power Defense as a more granular Poision or Environmental Resistance then Life Support. Reflection: Ranged Attacks directed at the character can, after being blocked, reflected back at the attacker or even other targets - all as part of one Block action. Has to be bought at a big enough amount for the attack or suffers steep roll penalties. Exampels: Blaster vs. Jedi. Using Warpportals or "Spacebending" abilities to redirect attacks to where they came from. Grabbing and Throwing Back Thrown Weapons. Regneration: Continually Heals a certain amount of Body every specifc time increment, but can target stuff other then BODY just like normal healing Examples: Wolverine. Spiderman. Hulk and other "Healing Factors". Higherlanders. Vampiric/Werewolf Regeneration (and even self-resurrection after death) Note: Extremely strong regeneration is often better done with big Resistant Defenses and small regeneration - character heals faster than he takes damage. Only very strong attacks make any lasting damage. Resistant Protection****: Protects against normal Body Damage, Killing Body damage and normal/killing Stun damage. Is considered different form "PD/ED, Resistant" for Drain & Aid but effectively costs the same and has the same game effect. Examples: (rigid or non-natural) Armor is often build this way. Shields/Personal Force Field. Spell of Protection from X. Really strong regeneration. Combat Luck (the "missed by a millimeter" effect). Running: The ability to move on two (or more) legs. Also covers wheeled and tracked vehicle movement and many other ground movement forms. Examples: Walking. Running. Vehicles driving. Scateboards & Rolerblades. Rocketboots Note: Speedster Running is often built as limited flight, see there for details. Shape Shift: Allows the character to appear different to certain sense groups than they are. Only changes the appereance, not the powers or abilities of the Character (unless where imitation allows to use targets Authority). A character might look, sound (voice), smell, feel, taste or even have a different "mental signature" than what he truly is. The number of fooled senses and number of shapes is depending on the point investment. Just appering as "some else" (not imitating a real person) is automatic. Actually immitating someone needs Skills (Disguise, Mimicri, Acting) or a Adder (at wich point it becomes impenetrable to simple skills). Forensic details (Fingerprints, Iris, DNA) require extra Adders. Aside from failed atempts at immitation, normal senses cannot figure that this is a fake. Examples: "Disguise Self" Spell, Speech Imitators, Superdisguise, Holographic Disguise, Scent Manipulation, ShapeShifters. Shrinking***: The character can shrink in Size wich makes him harder to see an hit, but increase the distance of Knockback and costs Endurance to maintain. Examples: the cheap way to getting good stealth/DCV, similar to Growth and Density increase. Nice for ersatz-martial Artists or people not wanting to spend much on PD/ED/Special Defenses. Skills: Same as with Characteristics. Usually you just buy them normal as Skill, but sometimes you want to apply power modifiers (very often Focus). Can be used for Skill Levels, Penalty Skill Levels or Combet Skills Levels as well Examples: A Tricorder/Handscanners Library (KS: Chemistry, Biology, Physics). Masterfull Lockpicks (several 2 points Skill Levels for Lockpicking Skill), Sniper Scope (Telescopic for sight; Range Penalty Skill Levels for the weapons attacks) Lockgun/Autolockpick, Autopilot or Autodoc. Stretching: Increase the characters reach, allowing his normal STR to be used at greater distance and without Range penalties. More powerfull and cheaper than telekinesis, but also more vulnerable (it is for all intents and rules a HTH-Attack) and any stretched bodypart can be grabed or attacked and will suffer from damage Shields. Example: Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards. The Special "Power" Reach - wich simulates the advantage of having a long weapon - is also based on Stretching with modifiers. A lasso or grapling hook can be built that way. Note: If the user would not be subject to a Damage Shield and there is no Focus/Material Manifestation to take the damage isntead, consider Telekinesis. Summon: You can call a being or vehicle from "someplace" or create it from scratch. This being is usually highly replaceable (literally cannon fodder), can act on it's own (after two phases orrientation) but you also have to earn your controll over it (EGO contest, wich can be easier or harder, depending on modifiers). You might also be limited to "standart versions" of a being/vehicle dependign on GM. Examples: Nanobots that built robots from piles of junk. "Create Zombie" Spell. Call "Magical Coach in Pumpkin shape - horses included". Call alternate self from paralell universe. Call histroic/fictional character from someplace to aid you. Create Golem Spell. It was even used to "create" temporary bases on the spot or simulate the "I'm so rich, I hire or buy what I need" effect. The ability of a mind controller to always find some poor people to controll and throw agaisnt the heroes. Werewolf or Vampire calling for Wolfs/Bats. "Instant Martian Pill (just add water)". Suppress: Variant of Drain. Negative equivalent to Boost. Examples: Energy/magic Dampening Field. Power dampening collar (with power/End source) Swimming: Works almost exactly as a flight that only works in and under water. Examples: A Characters Swimming ability, a subarines or surface ship main propulsion. Even what keeps a rowing boat afloat. Jetski, Swimfinns (bonus to normal swimming). Swinging: Like leaping, a limited form of flight. Examples: Spiderman. Bat-grapler or grapling guns in general. Jungle Vines&Tarzan. Takes No Stun: The ultimative in defense.vs STUN. The character is simply impverios to any STUN damage. However it drastically worsens staring value and costs of all other defenses. Also depending on the version, he character might loose abilities everytime they take body damage. Killing damage often only way to overcome user. Examples: As cannot be stunned. A character with this power can only be beaten in combat by killing him (so it's not a good idea for PC's or anything mayor, ever), unless you are willing to always have the bad guys entangle him. Telekinesis: Allows you to use "Strenght on range". It is more expensive (both Acitve Points and Endurance) than normal STR and you propably won't get strenght at campaign limit. You can have more then one "instance" of the power running at the same time. Examples: Telekinesis Spell or Mental Power, Tractor beam, Artificial Gravity & Gravity Pinner; Metallokinesis (Magneto), some version of Gree Lanterns ability to hold foes in Energy Constructs. Telepathy: allows you to search through a persons mind and memory. Can be as simple as detecting surface thoughts or as deep as finding repressed memories. The only thing that can break into a Mind Link. Telepathies link can also be used to attack with other mental Powers. Examples: Reading Minds. Truth Serum or "Lasso of Truth" (if enough effect is archieved, you know if the target tells the truth or what the true answer is eitehr way). "Deductive Observation". Teleportation: Movement Power. Allows to instantly disappear and reappear nearby (limited by usual movement rules) The maximum weight you can take along is independent from your strenght. If it is not too heavy you can take along what you have grabbed that you can transport. Can penetrate walls and does not leaves any tracks or sings of movement through an area. Any form of long range teleport (NCM, Megascale) takes extra time to execute. It requires certain information about the target area (ideally sight, but Clairsentience or Mind Scan might do) just to land at the right point. An extra adder is required to not accidently land in an object when teleporting half or fuly blind. Examples: Teleporters. Transporters. Sometimes "movement in the blink of an eye" is done with it. Megascale Teleport can be used as FTL and gates are possible. Transform: one of the "final catch" powers like Change Environment. Transform can - depeding on severity/strenght make any lasting effect on a character - from painting him pink (no ill effect), to turning him into a frog, stone or sending him into the cornfield. It can give and take powers or complications. It can make people into willing slaves. It can't create life (use summon or follower for that) and can't take life totally (use body damage for that), but those are about the only limits. It also should have a healing condition. (Frog->kiss of a princess; painted pink->heals[wears off] normally) Examples: A attack that permanently blinds a target. Turn to frog/stone/slave. Relevant modifiers to every charactersitic and damage. Even "psionic surgery" is possible. The "Instant Change" ability is bought as a Tunneling: This power allows you to more trough barriers. Not only the ground, but also ordinarry walls or even the "barrier" power - asuming the material is not to hard. Examples: A Mole diging. A Mole-people digging machine. A characters ability to punch through walls that aren't too "tough". "Set phaser to really high to create a tunnel" (could also just be the result of a really big Killing Attack). *Normal Damage can be just as dangerous as a sword if too much is applied, but it is overall much less likely to deal any body damage past defense and much more likely to disable a foe (deals big amount of STUN). It is the damage type of choice in most Superhero games. It's also used for blunt weapons and unarmed attacks in many "deadlier" settings. A even safer variant could be limited do stun only(no body) (as mental blast does). **Killing Damage - as the name implies - is more lethal than normal Damage. 1d6 of Killing damage (15 Points) is roughly equivalent to 3d6 of normal Damage (15 points) in magnitude and danger. While the average body is only slightly higher than Normal Damage Attacks, only a part of the defense (those who are bought "resistant"; percentage allowed varies by campaing) apply to the attack so more damage will get past defenses. It does less Stun than normal damage. Aside from being used for almost any slashing and piercing weapon in non superhero games, it can be usefull in superheroic games: It excells at taking out Walls/Barriers, Entangles, Breaking Weaponry or armors, and of course any minion that is unaffected by STUN. All things "Code vs. Killing" does not apply too. ***Density Increase, Growth, Shrinking - These powers are for people who can change these things on the fly. Characters (or alternate Forms) who a "permanently" big/small heavy should use simply increased Values + Complications (see Size Templates). Alternatively you can emulate this power by taking the modifiers listed in the "toolkitting" box near each of those powers and simply remove cost endurance from the list of Limitations, then calculating the real price. **** For defenses the biggest questio is not how they look and feel but how they work in the game System. Defenses (bought as Characteristics) and Resistant Defenses are the most common one. They are also the only one that can cheaply protect from BODY damage. Damage Negation reduces the attack before it is rolled and as such also lowers Knockback. However it can be hard to use when the Attack is Advantaged and especially if the attack is an Area of Effect attack. So many games do not use it. It is also not very good at preventing BODY damage cheaply. Damage Reduction affects Damage after all other Defenses have been taken into account. It is very expensive and cannot block damage totally. Summon, Duplication, Multiform and Follower are a "quartet" of powers/perks that allow you acess to additional characters sheets. However the limits are widly different. Summon gives you the least controll, but also the most disposable and variable assitance that can act on it's own. Duplication is a lot more problematic - if a duplciate dies it stays dead and making them different is expensive, but it also offers the best controll aside from Multiform. Follower is somewhere in the middle. Moderately replaceable, moderately well controlled, but still an NPC. Multiform gives you another sheet as well, but one that can't act "together" with your base form or any of your other alternate forms. And you usually have to write up the forms in advance. History: V1.0 First Version V1.1 Added Boost & Supress. Added more examples. Overworked several descirptions. Feedback is aprecaited.

The big issue I see with Multiform is that you don't really become someone new. Especially if you retain spellcasting or other abilities, you end up having to buy a lot of your abilities twice. And how does that work with adjustment powers? I think Shapeshifting with a Multipower is the correct approach. I see the "no multipowers" rule cited above, but that has to do with putting unrelated spells in a Multipower. I don't think it applies to a standalone supernatural power, and certainly, I've never seen issues with creating a multipower for a spell that does multiple things. The D&D 3e version of a druid, which involves paging through a half dozen books to pick out the most advantageous "animals" and casting in animal form is probably more like a VPP, but I don't think that was the intention. Assuming a druid has a number of forms related to local species, I think you could get away with a Multipower that lets you slip in Growth and Shrinking, natural weapons, movement changes, special senses, boosted STR, and a little ED and PD. If all you do is turn into a wolf or a bird, all the easier.

Has anyone ever created a character that mimics the shapeshifting ability of a Druid? The Multiform power seems the most likely way to go. Hopefully won't chew up too much of the PC's character points. Anyone have ideas for a better method?

Assuming 250 point characters (pretty low for Supers, but just as an example), that VPP will need 50 AP to hold the Multiform and a 50 point Control Cost assuming we want no skill roll but are OK with a full phase to change. I note from 6e V1 p 410 that "only multiform" is specifically contemplated. For the concept in question, I'd say it only changes under specific circumstances (-1/2), is only Multiform to access memories and skills of the target (-1 1/2, the maximum "only one power" limit). So that's a control cost of 17. We might be able to Limit the multiform and get by with a lower pool to hold the limited power, but those limitations would apply equally to a Multiform purchased outside a framework. 15 points would get 8 different forms, so we're saving some points getting to unlimited for less than the cost of 16 forms. Assuming a standard Multiform, so our control cost is only a -1/2 limitation (if that - we can access any powers), the control cost is 33 points, or 64 forms + 3 points. How many different forms did you need? We're assuming this is a game where VPPs are permitted. How much more would it cost to just have a straight VPP rather than Multiform? Is it susceptible to abuse? Sure. That's why VPPs have a stop sign and Multipowers have a Caution sign. Oddly, Multiform does not. Would I allow a construct that allows one player to step on everyone else's toes and unbalance the game? No. Might I allow a SuperMage to slot his DragonForm spell into a Multipower? Depends on the game, and the specifics of the spell, but maybe, at least.

You are probably using the rules for multiform from 4th edition or earlier. In 5th edition only one form pays for the multiform.

Well if you abuse the system anything can be overpowered, but as I have only run Multiform in previous editions, it may be less problematic than it definitely was in the past. Thanks for the update on the way Multiform is built, I was running from memory of 5th (I think? Might have been 4th) edition. In any case, the character that I ran a game for was definitely underpowered.

Hugh is right on this. I have written up a couple of characters using multiform that were anything but underpowered. Write up the “main form” with the multiform and non-combat skills and abilities. Then write up multiple highly specialized combat or exploration forms. If you are not careful you end up with a character who can dominate the campaign. When you are out of combat your “main character” is a better detective than the detective of the group, and at the same time has more scientific knowledge that the scientist. In combat your brick from is the strongest in the group, your speedster form is the fastest in the group. You can literally be everything that is needed. As a GM any character with more than two form is going to get a very close look to make sure they are not going to be overpowered.

Gang: I have a game that is at 165CP and I have a calculator that has a sliding value for Max AP in the game, so as the characters increase their CP, their AP cap increases. I have a character that wants to play a Multiform "Brick", and tried to set the AP value for the Multiform to 80 whereas my cap is 40...if I cap it at 40, the character's multiform would ONLY be like 200CP, which is not much more than 165. I was thinking of allowing him for this particular power to do an additional 10-15AP on his Cap, so allow his multiform to run 50-55AP, making the alternate form 250-275CP...which is more powerful than the 165CP limit. Is there a general rule on this or is it open for GM interpretation? The Player's Guide as well as Adv Player's Guide doesnt' appear to have anything on this. Any info greatly appreciated. Chuck D. aka "Jujitsuguy"