ACQUIRING POWERS
Players spend character points on various powers for their characters, much like
acquiring skills or other traits.
POWER COSTS Powers are acquired in ranks, much like skill ranks. The more ranks a power
has, the greater its effect. Each power has a standard cost per rank.
POWER MODIFIERS (EXTRAS x FLAWS)
Power modifiers change how a power works, making it more effective (an
extra) or less effective (a flaw). Extras increase a power’s cost per rank
while flaws decrease it. For more information see Power Modifiers, on
.
POWER FEATS
Powers also have power feats, minor enhancements or additional things
they can do, much like regular feats. Power feats have the same cost as
regular feats: 1 power point each. For more information see Power Feats.
The final cost of a power is determined by base cost, modified by extras
and flaws, multiplied by the power’s rank, plus any power feats.
Power cost = (base cost + extras – flaws)
× rank + power feats
POWER DESCRIPTORS
The rules in this chapter explain what the various powers do, that is, what
their game effects are, but it is left up to the player and Game master to
apply descriptors to define exactly what a power is and what it looks (and
sounds, and feels) like to observers.
A power’s descriptors are primarily for color. It’s more interesting and
clear to say a character has a “Flame Blast” or “Lightning Bolt” power than a
generic “Blast.” “Flame” and “lightning” are descriptors of the Blast power.
Descriptors do have some impact on the game since some powers work
only on or with effects of a particular descriptor. A character may be immune to
fire and heat, for example, so any effect with the “fire” or “heat” descriptor
doesn’t affect that character. The different sense types
are descriptors pertaining to sensory and concealment powers. Different
allegiances may also be descriptors.
Generally speaking, a descriptor is part of what a power is called
beyond its game system name. For example, a weather-controlling character
has the following powers: Blast, Environmental Control, and Obscure.
Her Blast is the power to throw lightning bolts, so it has the descriptor
“lightning.” If a villain can absorb electricity, then his power works
against the character’s damage (since lightning is electrical in nature).
Her Environmental Control is the power to control the weather, giving
it the descriptor “weather.” Obscure creates thick banks of fog, giving
it the “fog” or “mist” descriptor. If an opponent transforms into mist,
with the ability to regenerate in clouds or fog, he can regenerate inside
the character’s Obscure area. If the character’s power comes as a gift from
the gods, it may also have the descriptor “divine” or “magical.” On the
other hand, if it comes from her mutant genetic structure, then it has
the descriptor “mutant.”
The number of power descriptors is virtually limitless. The players and
Gamemaster should cooperate to apply the appropriate descriptors to
characters’ powers and use common sense when dealing with how the different
descriptors interact. Just because one character throws “lightning” and
an opponent can absorb “electricity” doesn’t mean the villain’s absorption
doesn’t work because it’s not the exact same descriptor. Lightning is a
form of electricity. A certain amount of flexibility is built into descriptors,
allowing them to cover the full range of possible powers. As in all things,
the GM is the final arbitrator and should be consistent when ruling on
whether or not a particular descriptor is appropriate and how all powers
and descriptors interact in the campaign.
The powers in this chapter provide additional examples of descriptors.
Feel free to create as many of your own as desired.
SAMPLE DESCRIPTORS
• Allegiances: Anarchy, Chaos, Evil, Good, Justice, Law, Liberty,
Tyranny
• Elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water, Weather
• Energy: Acid, Chemical, Cold, Cosmic, Darkness, Electricity, Gravity,
Heat, Kinetic, Light, Magnetic, Radiation, Sonic, Vibration
• Phenomena: Colors, Dimensions, Dreams, Entropy, Ideas, Luck,
Mimic, Mind, Quantum Forces, Space, Thought, Time
• Sources: Alien, Biological, Chi, Divine, Magic, Mystic, Mutant,
Preternatural, Psionic, Psychic, Skill, Technology, Training
REQUIRED DESCRIPTORS
In some campaign settings, the Gamemaster may require certain descriptors
for all powers. Usually, a required descriptor reflects some common element
of the campaign. For example, if all characters with powers are mutants,
then all powers have the “mutant” descriptor, unless the player comes up
with a good explanation why they shouldn’t. If all superhuman's are psychic
mutants, then all powers have both the “psychic” and “mutant” descriptors.
Likewise, if all powers derive from quantum forces in some way, “quantum”
might be a required descriptor. The GM sets the rules as far as what descriptors
are required (or restricted) in the campaign.
NOTICING POWER EFFECTS
Instant, Concentration, and Sustained powers must be noticeable in some
way. For example, a Blast effect might have a visible beam or make a
loud noise (ZAP!), or both. Some powers are quite obvious, such as Flight,
Insubstantiality, Growth, or Shrinking. Powers with a Continuous or
Permanent duration do not need to be noticeable (although they can be,
if you wish).
If an Instant, Concentration, or Sustained power’s duration is changed
using power modifiers, it remains noticeable. So a Sustained Blast
or Permanent Insubstantiality remains noticeable! A Continuous or
Permanent power made Instant, Concentration, or Sustained duration
becomes noticeable. The Subtle power feat can make
noticeable powers difficult or impossible to detect. The Noticeable drawback
makes a normally subtle power effect noticeable.
POWERS THAT AREN’T
“Powers” in Mutants x Masterminds refer to all extraordinary traits other
than ability scores, skills, and feats. Whether a character with powers is
“super-human” or not is largely a matter of opinion. For example, there
are lots of comic book characters with superhuman traits still considered
“normal” humans. Their amazing powers come from talent, training, self discipline,
devices, or some similar source, with appropriate descriptors.
They’re still “powers” in game terms, but they don’t necessarily mean the
character is something other than human.
Ultimately it’s up to the GM to decide if having certain effects makes
a character something “other than human,” (and what, if anything, that
means) depending on the nature of powers in the campaign setting.
POWER EFFECT TYPES
Powers have various effects, which fall into certain categories or types.
Effects of the same type follow similar rules and provide descriptors for
certain uses of powers. This section discusses the different effect types
and the rules governing them.
ALTERATION
Alteration effects change or transform the body in some way. Most alteration
effects work on their user, but can be modified to work on others as
well. Alteration effects targeting other creatures require a standard action
and an attack roll and offer a saving throw.
ATTACK
Attack effects are used offensively in combat. They require an attack roll
and damage, hinder, or otherwise harm their target in some way. Attack
effects require a standard action. Their duration is usually Instant,
although their results—whether damage or hindrance—may linger until
the target recovers from them. Attack effects always allow for a saving
throw.
DEFENSE
Defense effects protect in various ways, typically offering a bonus to saving
throws, or granting immunity to particular effects or conditions. Most
defense effects work only on the user and are Permanent, functioning at
all times (but also cannot be turned off or improved with extra effort).
GENERAL
General power effects don’t fit into any particular category. They’re not
governed by any special rules other than those given in the effect’s
description.
MENTAL
Mental effects influence the mind. Any power requiring an initial Will saving
throw is considered a mental effect.
Mental effects are unnoticeable except to characters with mental
senses like mental awareness . However,
the target of a mental effect can sense it, and the effect’s source, unless
the effect has the Subtle power feat. So the target of
Mind Reading, for example, can sense the mental intrusion, and has
a feeling where it is coming from, unless the Mind Reading power is
Subtle.
MOVEMENT
Movement effects allow characters to get around in various ways. There
are three types of movement: normal move, accelerated move, and all
out movement. A normal move is a move action and allows you to move
your speed. An accelerated move is a full action (two move actions) and
doubles your speed. All out movement is also a full action and quadruples
your speed. You lose your dodge bonus while moving all out
but gain a Defense bonus based on your speed.
Movement powers always require at least a move action to use, but the
move action is counted as part of the character’s normal movement.
SENSORY
Sensory effects enhance or alter the senses. Some sensory effects improve
the user’s senses while others grant new senses or fool the senses in some
way.
SENSE TYPES
Senses are grouped into sense types, descriptors for how different sensory
effects work. The different sense types, and the senses included in them,
are:
• Visual: normal sight, dark vision, infra vision, low-light vision, microscopic
vision, ultra vision, X-Ray vision
• Auditory: normal hearing, blind sight (sonar), ultrasonic hearing
• Olfactory: normal smell and taste, scent
• Tactile: normal touch, blind sight (vibration), tremor sense
• Radio: blind sight (radar), radio
• Mental: blind sight (mental), ESP, mental awareness, Mind Reading,
Precognition, Post cognition
• Special: the catchall for other sensory descriptors not given above,
including unusual senses or exotic descriptors like cosmic, gravitic,
magical, and so forth.
TRAIT
Trait effects influence a target’s traits: abilities, saves, skills, powers, and
so forth. Most trait effects are touch range and require a standard action.
Trait effects don’t work on traits with the Innate power feat .
TRAIT TYPES
Traits are grouped into trait types, descriptors for how different trait effects
work. The different trait types, and the traits included in them, are:
• Abilities: all ability scores and saving throws
• Skills: all skills, attack bonus, and defense bonus
• Feats: all feats
• Powers: Each power effect type is considered a separate trait type.
Alternately, all powers of a particular descriptor (regardless of effect
type) may be considered a single trait type.
HOW POWERS WORK
Using powers is a fairly simple matter. Some powers work automatically,
with effects given in their descriptions. Other powers—particularly those
affecting other people—require some effort, an attack roll, or a power
check to use. Powers affecting others allow saving throws against their
effects.
POWER CHECKS
In some cases, you may be required to make a power check to determine
how well a power works. A power check is just like any other check: 2d10,
plus the power’s rank, plus any applicable modifiers, against a Difficulty
Class set by the Gamemaster. Unlike skill checks, ability modifiers are not
added to power checks. The results of various power checks are described
in this chapter.
Power Check = 2d10 + power rank +
modifiers vs. Difficulty Class
TAKING 10 AND 20 ON POWER CHECKS
You can take 10 on a power check if you are not under pressure, the same
as with a skill check. You can take 20 on a power check if you are not
under pressure and there is no penalty for failure, also the same as a skill
check. Taking 20 requires 20 times the usual time to make the power
check.
OPPOSED POWER CHECKS
In some cases, usually when one power is used directly against another,
an opposed check is called for . If a contest
is entirely a matter of who’s power is greater, a comparison check
is called for; the character with the higher power rank wins
automatically.
POWER VS. SKILL CHECKS
On occasion a power may be opposed by a skill or vice versa. This is a normal
opposed check, comparing the power’s check result against the skill’s
check result. The same is true when an ability score opposes a power (and
vice versa).
ACTION
Using a power requires a particular amount of time. Some require a
full round or longer. See Actions, for details about the different
types of actions. Power modifiers may change the action a power
requires.
• Reaction: It requires no action to use the power. It operates automatically
in response to something else, such as an attack.
• Free: It requires a free action to use or activate the power. Once a
power is activated or deactivated, it remains so until your next round.
As with all free actions, the GM may limit the total number of powers
a character can turn on or off in a single round.
• Move: Using the power requires a move action. For powers with
movement effects, the power use is part of the character’s movement
that round
• Standard: Using the power requires a standard action.
• Full: Using the power requires a full-round action. Some powers require more than a full action to use, as given in the power’s description.
RANGE
Each power has a default range, which may be changed by power modifiers.
• Personal: The power works only on you, the user.
• Touch: The power works on anyone or anything you can touch.
Touching an unwilling subject requires an unarmed attack roll against
the subject’s Defense.
• Ranged: The power works at a distance with a range increment of
(rank × 10 feet) and a maximum range of ten increments. So a ranged
rank 10 power has a range increment of 100 feet and a maximum
range of 1,000 feet. A ranged power suffers a –2 penalty to attack
rolls for every range increment past the first.
• Perception: The power works on any target you can perceive with an
accurate sense, such as sight (see Super-Senses, for more
on accurate senses), without any need for an attack roll. If the target
has total cover or concealment from your accurate senses, your power
cannot affect it. The GM may require a Notice check to determine if
you can perceive the target sufficiently to affect it with a perception
range power. Since perception range powers do not require attack
rolls, they cannot score critical hits.
• Extended: The power works at a fixed range determined by its rank,
as shown on the Extended Range Table.
DURATION
Each power lasts for a particular amount of time, which may be changed
by power modifiers.
• Instant: The power’s effect occurs and ends instantly, although its
results may linger. Most attack effects are Instant; the attack’s effect
happens immediately, although it may take some time for the target
to recover.
• Concentration: The power lasts as long as you concentrate on
maintaining it. Concentration is a standard action (see Standard
Actions) and distractions may cause your concentration
to lapse (see the Concentration skill, for details). If your
concentration lapses (voluntarily or because of a failed Concentration
check) the power stops working. You can maintain a Concentration
power as a move action rather than a standard action with a
Concentration skill check (DC 10 + power rank) once per round. A
failed check means the power lapses.
• Sustained: The power lasts as long as you wish, requiring only a
free action each round to maintain it. If you are incapable of taking
free actions (stunned or unconscious, for example), the power turns
off. You can maintain a Sustained power as a reaction (allowing you
to attempt to maintain it if you are stunned, for example) with a
Concentration skill check (DC 10 + power rank). A failed check means
the power lapses.
• Continuous: The power lasts as long as you wish, without any concentration
or effort on your part. Once activated, it stays that way
until you deactivate it, even if you are stunned or knocked out.
• Lasting: A Lasting duration denotes a power with a lasting effect
the target must recover from by making additional saving throws,
with a cumulative +1 bonus per previous save. A successful save ends
the power’s effect. An Instant Lasting power allows a new saving
throw each round on the initiative count when the effect occurred. A
Concentration Lasting power allows a new save for each interval on
the Time and Value Progression Table (see below) that passes,
starting one minute after the power takes effect. A Sustained Lasting
power allows new saves at the same intervals, except it requires only
a free action to maintain, and if you concentrate during a time interval
(taking a standard action each round), the subject does not gain
the cumulative +1 save bonus for that interval. If you stop maintaining
a Sustained Lasting power, its effects continue until the target
successfully saves to shake off the power’s effects. A Continuous
Lasting power does not allow new saves against it at all; it lasts until
the power’s effect is countered or reversed in some way, even if you
switch to an Alternate Power.
• Permanent: The power is always active and cannot be turned off,
even if you want to. A Permanent power cannot be improved using
extra effort. Permanent powers can only counter
other powers at the GM’s discretion (see Countering Powers,
below).
PROGRESSION
TIME AND VALUE PROGRESSION
| RANK |
TIME |
VALUE |
RANGE |
| 1 |
3 seconds (1 action) |
1 |
10ft |
| 2 |
6 seconds (1 round) |
2 |
100ft |
| 3 |
1 minute (10 rounds) |
5 |
1,000ft |
| 4 |
5 minutes |
10 |
1 Mile |
| 5 |
20 minutes |
25 |
5 Mile |
| 6 |
1 hour |
50 |
20 Miles |
| 7 |
5 hours |
100 |
200 Miles |
| 8 |
1 day |
250 |
20, 000 |
| 9 |
1 week |
500 |
2, 000 Miles Continental |
| 10 |
1 month |
1,000 |
20, 000 Miles - Earth to Moon |
| 11 |
3 months |
2,500 |
2 Million Miles |
| 12 |
1 year |
5,000 |
20 Million Miles |
| 13 |
5 years |
10,000 |
200 Million Miles |
| 14 |
10 years (decade) |
25,000 |
2 Billion Miles |
| 15 |
50 years |
50,000 |
Anywhere in the same solar system |
| 16 |
100 years (century |
100,000 |
Nearby star system |
| 17 |
500 years |
250,000 |
Distant star system |
| 18 |
1,000 years (millennium) |
500,000 |
Anywhere in the galaxy |
| 19 |
5,000 years |
1 million |
Nearby galaxy |
| 20 |
10,000 years |
2.5 million |
Anywhere in the universe |
Many power effects are measured in time, distance, area, mass affected, and
so forth. The Time and Value Progression Table handles these measurements
for effects in Mutants x Masterminds. Uses of the table are referenced
in the individual power and modifier descriptions in this chapter.
SAVING THROW
Powers affecting other characters allow a saving throw to resist. The type
of save (Toughness, Fortitude, Reflex, or Will) depends on the power and
its modifiers. The DC of the saving throw is 10 + the power’s rank. So
the DC of a Reflex save against a rank 12 Snare is 22 (10 + rank 12).
Toughness saves have a DC of 15 + the attack’s damage bonus (usually
equal to the power’s rank).
A successful save means there is no effect. In some cases, the target’s
saving throw bonus increases the DC of the power check, which may
reduce or eliminate the power’s effect.
Saving Throw Difficulty Class = 10 + power rank
Willing characters can forgo their saving throw against a power, if they
wish. This includes characters who think they’re receiving a beneficial
effect, even if they’re not! You can’t forgo Toughness saves.
Immunity allows characters to automatically succeed on
saving throws against certain effects.
COUNTERING POWERS
In some circumstances the effects of one power may counter another,
negating it. Generally two powers must have opposed descriptors to counter
each other. For example, light and darkness powers can counter each
other, as can heat and cold, water and fire, and so forth. In some cases,
such as with mental effects, powers of the same descriptor can also counter
each other. The GM is the final arbiter as to whether or not a power of
a particular descriptor can counter another. The Nullify power can counter any power of a particular descriptor or even any power
at all!
HOW COUNTERING WORKS
To counter a power, you must take the ready action . In
doing so, you wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to
use a power. You may still move, since ready is a standard action.
You must be able to use the readied power as a standard, move, or free
action. Powers usable as a reaction do not require a ready action; you can
use them to counter at any time. Powers requiring a full action or longer
cannot counter another power in combat (although they may counter
ongoing effects, see the following section).
If an opponent attempts to use a power you are able to counter, use
your countering power as your readied action. You and the opposing character
make power checks (2d10 + power rank). If you win, your two powers
cancel each other out and there is no effect from either. If the opposing
character wins, your attempt to counter is unsuccessful. The opposing
power works normally.
COUNTERING ONGOING EFFECTS
You can also use one power to counter the ongoing or lasting effect of a
power, or the lingering results of an Instant power (like flames ignited by
a fiery Blast). This requires a normal use of the countering power and an
opposed power check, as above. If you are successful, you negate the effect
(although the opposing character can attempt to re-establish it normally).
INSTANT COUNTERING
You can spend a Conviction to counter another power as a reaction, without
the need to ready an action to do so. See Conviction, for details.
POWER DESCRIPTIONS
This section describes various powers available in Mutants x Masterminds.
Here is the format for power descriptions:
POWER NAME
Effect: Action:
Range: Duration:
Cost:
Effect: The type of effect the power has.
Action: The action required to use the power.
Range: The range at which the power functions.
Duration: The power’s duration. Lasting powers have “(Lasting)” listed
after their duration.
Cost: How many character points the power costs per rank.
Saving Throw: The saving throw used to resist the power’s effects.
A description of the power and what it does in game terms follows.
POWER FEATS
A listing of any power feats relevant to the power.
EXTRAS
A listing of any extras relevant to the power.
FLAWS
A listing of any flaws relevant to the power.
If any of these entries do not apply, they are omitted. So if a power does
not require or allow a saving throw, for example, the saving throw entry is
absent. Likewise, if a power has no particular extras associated with it, the
extras entry is omitted.
ALTERNATE POWERS
A particularly important power feat is Alternate Power, which allows you to use one power to essentially duplicate the effects of another. So, for example, you can
use your Telekinesis to create a powerful kinetic blast, or your Fire Control to forms sculptures of flame. Many of the powers in this chapter list potential Alternate
Power feats suitable to the power’s effects. The listing in the Power Feats section describes Alternate Powers in detail but the important limitations to keep in
mind is that a set of Alternate Powers (called an array) must all have the same costs and you can only use one of them at full power at any one time.
