MIMIC (TRAIT)
Effect: Alteration
Action: Standard
Range: Touch
Duration: Sustained
Cost: 1-5 points per rank
Optional: Fatigue
You can imitate one (or more) of another character’s traits: abilities, skills,
feats, or powers. You can mimic a total of (rank × 5) character points in traits
per subject. No trait can have a bonus or rank greater than your Mimic
rank, or the subject’s rank, whichever is lower. For example, Mimic 8 allows
you to mimic up to 40 points in traits, no one of which can have a rank or
bonus greater than 8.
The cost per rank determines the traits you can mimic:
• 1 point: Choose a particular type of trait (ability scores, skills, feats,
or powers). You can mimic one trait of the chosen type at a time.
For example, if you choose ability scores, you can mimic a subject’s
Strength, then touch a different subject and mimic his Dexterity (losing
the previous subject’s Strength), and so forth. One type of trait
is a subject’s appearance. If you choose to mimic it, you gain the
benefits of Morph (see page 94): a +5 bonus on Disguise checks per
Mimic rank to imitate that subject.
• 2 points: You can mimic any one trait (ability scores, skills, feats, or
powers), one at a time.
• 3 points: You can mimic all of a target’s traits of a particular type (ability
scores, skills, feats, or powers of a particular type or descriptor) all at once.
• 4 points: You can mimic all of a target’s powers at once, including
enhanced abilities and power feats.
• 5 points: You can mimic all of a target’s traits at once.
You must touch the subject (requiring a melee attack roll) you are mimicking.
Mimicked traits last as long as you maintain your Mimic effect. If
you are unable to maintain it, you lose any mimicked traits. Mimicked
traits do not stack with yours or other mimicked traits; only the highest
trait applies. Any mimicked traits require their normal action, checks, and
so forth to use.
At the Gamemaster’s option, you can trade off maximum trait rank
for total character points you can mimic: lowering the maximum rank by 1
increases total character points by 5, while raising it by 1 lowers total power
points by 5. For example, Mimic 4 is normally (4 × 5) 20 character points at
up to rank 4, but you could change it to up to 35 character points up to rank
1 (broader, but less powerful) or 10 character points up to rank 6 (narrower,
but more powerful). Narrowing character points available for Mimic can limit
the rank it can reach, except for low-cost traits like skills.
EXTRAS
• Continuous (+1): You can retain mimicked traits as long as your
power is active, although you cannot exceed your maximum number
of mimicked subjects.
• Extra Subject (+1): You can mimic the traits of two subjects at
once. You must touch each subject separately and each counts as a
separate use of your Mimic power. Multiple traits of the same type do
not stack; use only the highest bonus. Each additional time you apply
this modifier, move the maximum number of subjects one step up the
Time and Value Progression Table (5 subjects, then 10, 25, etc.).
• Perception (+2): You can mimic any subject you can accurately perceive
without the need for an attack roll.
• Ranged (+1): You can mimic subjects at normal range by making a
ranged attack roll against the subject.
• Residual (+1): You can mimic a subject’s powers using the residual
energy they leave behind in places and objects. This generally
requires powers that affect others, and the GM decides what powers
and descriptors suit your Residual Mimic effect. You must touch the
place or object to absorb any residual energy there.
• Stacking (+1): Your mimicked traits stack to a limited degree. You
gain the highest mimicked trait and increase it by +1 each time you
mimic the same trait. For example, if you mimic three subjects, all
with Super-Strength, you take the highest Super-Strength rank and
add +2 ranks for the other two subjects. The total stacked bonus still
cannot exceed your power rank.
FLAWS
• Limited (–1): You can only mimic a particular type of subject. For
example, you might only mimic the traits of animals or inanimate
objects. Generally, “only humans” doesn’t constitute a sufficient
limitation, but it may, if nonhumans are especially common in the
campaign.
• Overload (–1): If you attempt to mimic a trait with a higher rank
than your power, you suffer a Side-Effect (see page 115). Typically
this is a Blast, Fatigue, or Stun equal to the targeted effect’s rank or
bonus. For example, if you have Mimic 8 and try to copy a rank 10
power, the attempt fails and you suffer a rank 10 Side-Effect.
• Resisted (–1): Subjects get a Will saving throw when you attempt to
mimic them (DC 10 + Mimic rank). If the save succeeds, you cannot
mimic that subject for the next 24 hours.
• Tainted (–1): You acquire your subject’s drawbacks (see Drawbacks,
page 124) as long as you mimic the subject.
