Minor Super Abilities Part 1

Ahead to the second part

Unless otherwise stated, all powers were created by Brett Hegr

Absorb/Release Energy

Range: 90ft +10ft per level of experience.
Damage: 2d6 +1d6 per level can be released, depending upon the amount of stored energy.
Duration: Absorbed energy can be held for two melees per level. If energy is still held at the end of this duration, it fizzles out and causes 1d4 points of S.D.C.^tm damage per five points of unused energy.
Maximum Absorbtion Limit: 50 points, +10 points per level. Every five points of energy damage, or fraction thereof, is transformed into 1d6 damage that can be directed and released. 1-2 points of damage can only produce a 1 point zap, 3 points are needed to generate 1d4 damage, 4-5 points are required for 1d6 damage, and 2d6 damage can be produced per 10 points.
Attacks Per Melee: Counts as one hand to hand attack.
Strike Bonuses: +2 to strike aimed, no bonus on a wild attack. P.P. bonuses are applicable.
In Rifts®: Maximum damage changes to 1d6 M.D.C.^tm +1d6 per level and the maximum absorbtion limit is halved for M.D.C.^tm, but everything else is unchanged.

The character is able to absorb any kind of energy attack directed against him be it pure energy, electricity or lightning, fire (not heat), or lasers/ light energy. Particle beams, microwave beams, cold attacks, sonic blasts, and kinetic energy (punches, kicks, and pure force blasts) cannot be absorbed.

Absorbing energy from batteries, cables, or power plants is also possible. Anything weaker than a car battery is useless. A car battery can provide 10 points of energy, an E-Clip can provide 20 points, an electric cable produces 20 points per melee, a chemical power supply gives 30 per melee, nuclear power supply (whether a power plant or a vehicle power source) 50 per melee, and a contemporary coal power plant generates 40 per melee. The character needs to physically touch the medium through which the energy is carried - could cause 3d6 points of damage in the case of holding an electrified cable, while a nuclear power plant might only be 1d6 damage but carry a danger of radiation poisoning.

If there is damage overflow from absorbtion (the mutant hits the stated limit) or touching power feeds, reduce it according to whatever energy resistance abilities are possessed.

The absorbtion is automatic (a reflex) but the character must see or sense the attack coming and spend a melee action to focus his absorbtion power. The character can perform absorbtion while attacking or defending, but no bonuses can be added to the rolls. Energy absorbed does no damage - at least, not to the character's outside. Absorbed energy slowly eats away at his internal structure (!) beginning on the melee after the absorbtion. If an attack is not absorbed it does the normal damage (perhaps none, if resistance powers are possessed). Absorbtion can be performed through clothing up to full environmental body armor, but not through the hulls of power armor, robots, or vehicles.

If the amount of energy absorbed is less than 10 points per level no damage is taken. However, the super being suffers 1d4 damage direct to hit points per melee per 30 points of absorbed energy (or fraction thereof) larger than the previous amount. Thus, a 4th level mutant (limit of 90 points) could absorb up to 40 points with no hit point loss. If he absorbed 90 points he would only suffer damage from the 50 points of damage beyond the 40, and would take 2d4 per melee round. Limited damage reduction can be applied to this - beings who feed on energy and characters with Energy Resistance, Energy Absorbtion, APS: Plasma, APS: Electricity, or APS: Fire take half damage, never less.

If you prefer the old limitation to this power, the roll to absorb the energy attack, it's a +1 to absorb energy at each odd numbered level and the absorbtion roll must tie or exceed the strike roll. Energy Absorbtion, Energy Resistance, APS: Fire, APS: Energy, and APS: Plasma all grant a +1 bonus to absorb an energy attack. GMs might choose to use one or both of the limitations, but having no such restriction on this power could be unbalancing to the game.

An example: 2nd level mutant with this power falls victim to a sneak attack from a 6th level mutant with the Energy Expulsion: Radiation and Energy Expulsion: Light powers. He absorbs a 40 point radiation blast and can relase up to 8d6 in radiation damage. He then takes a laser blast doing 32 points of damage - absorbing 30 of it and taking 2 points damage from overflow because he hit his limit of 70 points. When his attacks come around he unleashes two radiation bolts of 4d6 damage (his limit) and then two laser beams doing 3d6 damage each against his opponent, who is surprised to get a taste of his own medicine.

Note: The character cannot transmute one form of energy into another with this power, though it is related. Should the GM and player decide to break this rule the player should pay for the ability. The player should sacrifice five hit points and 10 S.D.C.^tm (as long as the character doesn't have ample amounts of either) and up a total of 3 points from among his attributes.

If the character has Energy Absorbtion, he can opt to give up one of the abilities listed in that power to possess this minor super ability. Sacrificing two of those abilities nets him this minor power and also lets him transmute the absorbed energy. On the other hand, some GM's might just decide to include it with that power outright (I'm one of them).

Advanced Energy Expulsion

This minor power can only be acquired by characters with an energy expulsion or ranged attack power, whether as a minor super power or as part of a major one. If rolling for random powers and this one is rolled, allow the player to finish rolling for all other powers and if no minor energy expulsion or ranged attack powers and no major super abilities with energy expulsion powers are rolled, then the player must drop this power for the character and choose a different minor super ability. It is, like always, ultimately the GM's decision whether or not to allow this power.

Characters with this minor power have more control over their attack powers than most others. They are able to regulate damage in 1d6 increments at level one, plus they can perform the dual attack normally avaliable at level three (see pg. 72 of HU 2nd Ed.). In addition, this minor power gives the capacity to twist the attack powers in new ways. For lack of a better term, call them 'special effects'.

Although the special effects here can be applied to any attack power, they can only be used to enhance one such attack power at a time (GMs might ignore this, depending on what players want to combine). Other attack powers can be used, but only one can utilize a special effect at any given time. Further, only one special effect can be applied to an attack power at a time though multiple effects might be known. Unless otherwise stated, the special effects all require one melee action of concentration to initiate usage (to bring it online, so to speak) and one melee action to attack with it. Changing the special effect in use and/or the attack power it is being used in conjunction with can be done once per melee and requires one melee action.

Note 1: Some GM's preferred the 'old' style of this power, in which players could sacrifice attribute points or S.D.C.^tm to acquire special effects. If you prefer it that way, let the player pick one special effect per two selections of penalties from this list:

-1 penalty on the character's I.Q., M.E., P.S., P.P., or P.E. (player picks one).
-2 penalty on the character's M.A. or P.B. (player picks one).
-2 penalty on the character's Spd., or -10 MPH from the top speed for super speed or flying characters.
-1 to save vs. poisons/toxins.
-1 to save vs. mental attacks (psionic, super power, or magical in nature).
-1 to save vs. magic.
-3 penalty on hit points.
-7 penalty on S.D.C.^tm (or M.D.C.^tm if in Rifts®)
Lose one secondary skill (spent the time developing the special effect).

Note 2: GM's might also decide to let the 'blaster' characters develop a special effect or two during the course of campaigns, as levels are gained. The special effect should be limited to being used with only one specific energy or ranged attack.

Note 3: Beings with Super- Energy Expulsion could trade their Aura Effect and Ricochet Blast for other powers listed here, and instead of having to focus those powers they could use them at will (and so use of them isn't mutually exclusive and no attacks are required to enable them). If this is done all penalties, bonuses, and range reductions are cumulative. The effects can, of course, be turned off to have a normal ranged blast.

Players may choose two special effects from this list, plus one more at levels three, six, and ten. No duplicates are allowed.

Affects Insubstantial: Different from the phasing modification, the power gains the ability to affect nearly all beings like astral travellers, intangible or APS: Mist super beings, and some supernatural beings and entities (ghosts are a good example). Note the difference between seeing the insubstantial enemies and attacking them. The character may need some means of visual enhancement. The attack still affects physical beings. Mist- form vampires and other beings with unique vulnerabilities do not take damage from this effect (unless the mutant has abilities that can normally harm vampires).

Armor Piercing: The blasts are super- focused and able to punch through tough structures. For strike purposes, treat them as you would armor piercing bullets - good for those pesky APS: Metal fellows! Add a +2 to strike at level one, +1 more at levels four, eight, and twelve. Apply this bonus only when attacking targets with an armor rating, natural or from body armor. Think of it more as lowering a high A.R. rather than as a strike bonus. A natural roll of 18-20 will partially penetrate forcefields (does half damage to the field and half to the thing inside it) and will even do half damage to invulnerable beings! Each armor piercing blast has 25% of the normal attack range.

Aura Effect: Same as ability #3 described in the Super- Energy Expulsion power, page 293 of HU 2nd Ed. Me? I'd change the range to 10ft +2ft per level of experience and increase the damage to 3d6 +1 per level of experience (it has to keep up with Energy Expulsion: Electrical Field), both for this special effect and the Super- Energy Expulsion version.

Continuous: Cannot be chosen until level three or beyond. The character needs only one successful strike per melee to hit with the power, and the victim suffers damage until a successful dodge of the attack roll is made. He cannot attack anything else in any way, though he can drop a current continuous attack on one target and move to another (with a new strike roll, of course). The main drawback to a continuous attack is the virtually complete lack of defense. Knockdowns, explosions, and unconciousness will obviously interrupt the continuous attack, as will intense pain and stun attacks.

When using this special effect, the character's dodge bonuses are reduced to a maximum of +2 and only two dodges per melee can be made (speedsters can add an extra +1 and get a third dodge per melee). Only normal dodges can be made - not automatic or multiple ones. Parries are not possible. To keep the continuous attack on, it may be necessary to chase the target.

Further, the character must use three melee actions to initiate a continuous attack - a failed strike means he must concentrate and try again. If the strike roll is 4 or less it fails as normal. While continuously attacking, the character cannot perform any other attack or utilize special powers that require concentration - no shapechanging, no using control powers, no bending light, and no super speed attacks. The only powers that can be utilized during a continuous attack are instinctive and/or automatic ones like the Personal Force Field, Sense Super Powers, and extraordinary attributes.

Though there are several limitations to this effect, the benefits are impressive. For the strike roll add the P.P. bonuses and the normal energy expulsion attack bonuses. Also add a +1 to strike for an M.E. of 16-21, a +2 to strike if the M.E. is 22-27, or a +3 bonus for an M.E. of 28 or higher. The strike is one made of experience and intense concentration. The victims can still dodge but that dodge must be a normal dodge - automatic dodges aren't effective against this. The victim may use up any number of attacks trying to dodge the assault, but he must tie or exceed the continuous attack strike roll. Apply the rules for natural 20's as normal (a natural 20 continuous strike can be a real problem!)

Against moving targets a new strike roll must be made each consecutive melee, but the new strike roll requires no melee actions! All the character's attacks are devoted to damaging the target. Stationary targets don't require additional strike rolls. On consecutive melees, if the strike roll fails even once the character must start all over. For the total continuous damage in a melee roll the damage of one attack and multiply it by the number of melees spent attacking, plus one more.

An Example: A third level mutant with four melee attacks and a pure energy attack doing 6d6 per level has an M.E. of 22 bonus and a +1 P.P. bonus. If he does a continous attack, he uses his first three melee attacks to continously strike with a total bonus of +6. That leaves him one melee action to dump some damage on an enemy. If the enemy fails to dodge, the attacking character will roll 6d6 and multiply the result times two (one melee action of attacking plus one more). Every consecutive melee that the character makes a successful strike roll, the damage is applied. On the consecutive melees, the character does 6d6 times five damage (four melee actions plus one more)!

Counterblast: Beyond using the attack power to strike, the character has learned to use it to interrupt oncoming projectile/ energy/ ranged attacks. The character can 'parry' one such attack per counterparry at level one - normally, parrying such an attack has a -6 penalty but the level one character does so with no penalty at all! At levels two, four, six, eight, ten, and twelve add a +1 to parry with a counterblast. No other bonuses can be added to the parry roll. The counterblast parry counts as one melee action.

The types of energy or attack power involved do not matter, to keep things simple. A counterblast can parry any kind of ranged attack (from arrows and bullets to energy blasts and missiles), and does half the normal damage (useful to know with missiles) with half of the normal range. If used to parry a melee attack the character takes no damage from the melee attack, but the attacker takes the standard damage (which is half the normal damage of the usual attack).

Cutting Torch: It isn't possible to use this effect during combat - not the focus here. Instead, the character can tune his attack powers to a beam just a few millimeters wide - perfect for cutting. The beam can do anywhere from a point of damage up to half of the normal damage times the number of melee actions - per melee applied! A strike roll must still be made every melee, but if the roll is between 1 and the target's A.R. then only half damage is done to the target (a quarter of the normal attack power maximum).

This could also be utilized as a torture device by evil beings (victims are -4 to save vs pain or -20% to resist interrogation) but the target must be non- moving, tied up or otherwise bound.

Range of this effect is only five inches, plus one inch per level of experience. The control is so fine after level three that it is even possible to utilize this for surgery and electronics work (depending on the power). Note that the attack form need not be limited to fire and energy. A cold/ ice, sound, or vibration attack can be used to 'crack' targets instead of cut them. Radioactive energies could break down atomic bonds and swiftly separate the matter along the path desired.

Note: To cut a passage through a wall or door, only a third of the S.D.C.^tm (per 10ft square section) has to be depleted.

Death Blow: Cannot be selected until level six. The range of a death blow blast is drastically limited - it is only 30ft. The attack requires a declared death blow, a natural roll of 19-20, and the character must use three melee attacks to perform it. Reduce the required natural roll to 18-20 at level ten. Success means that double normal damage is done direct to hit points and failure means that only double S.D.C.^tm damage is done.

While preparing the death blow blast the character cannot parry, but he can dodge without the benefit of bonuses. It won't damage hit points through any kind of body armor, but will cause double S.D.C.^tm damage to the armor. It is also effective against natural A.R. and will do double S.D.C.^tm damage when rolls are less than the natural A.R.

Dodge Enhancement: A unique defensive use of the attack power! It is tuned to provide an acceleration away from an oncoming attack. While in use, the power can't be used to attack with - instead, the character uses it as a dodge booster, providing an additional +3 to dodge at level one, +1 more at levels two, five, and nine. Reduce the bonus by half on an automatic dodge. Thus, a blast of flame or pulse of radiation can propel the character away from an oncoming attack. As an alternative use, if the character does not have an automatic dodge he can instead use the dodge enhancement to provide an automatic dodge with a +2 bonus (does not increase - use only for those without an automatic dodge ability).

Explosive Effect: When the attack hits a target it virtually explodes, doing full damage to the target and half damage to everything within a 4ft +1ft per level radius. The primary victim also suffers knockdown - the loss of their next attack and no initiative. This penalty applies even if the victim is immune to the attack form. The explosive blasts have half the normal range.

Extra Attack: Though the character can always use melee actions to use the attack power, this gives the character one extra melee attack to use attack power. One extra attack is possessed at level one, plus one more at levels four, eight, and twelve. If a 5th level character has four normal hand to hand attacks, he could do anything he wished with his four normal hand to hand attacks but the extra two could only be used to fire his attack power.

Note: These extra attacks cannot be used with any extra damage blasts (as per below) or with super blasts fired by Super Energy Expulsion or Power Blast.

Hard Impact: The victim of this blast suffers knockdown (lose initiative and the next melee attack) if they fail a maintain balance roll. After level five the character can also increase the force up to a critical knockdown (lose initiative and the next two attacks). Or, the 5th level character can instead cause normal knockdown by doing an area affect burst. It is effective against 1d4+2 targets, does a quarter normal damage against each, and has 25% of the normal range.

The impact is so severe that the character can reduce the maintain balance roll by -1 at level two, -1 more at levels four, six, and nine. APS: Stone, APS: Metal, Invulnerable, Bio- Armor, robots, power armor, androids, and other super- tough characters are all +6 to maintain balance unless otherwise stated (or in special circumstances). The range of the hard impact blast is not affected, but the special penalization effect is limited to half the normal range (only targets within the limited range will suffer the balance penalty, which would be one eighth of the normal range for an area- affect burst).

Homing: Cannot be chosen until level three. The attack will arc around structures and non- targets on its way to the intended recipient, as long as he is visible. It will also follow targets around corners and into buildings, so long as the target was initially visible to the character. Using the power for extra- accurate called shots is also possible. The attack gains an extra +1 to strike, +1 more at levels three, eight, and twelve. The strike roll also never fails - anything lower than an 8 after bonuses is treated as an eight. Dodging a homing blast is always possible, just more difficult. The homing blast range is only 25% of the normal range.

Wild shots still get the strike bonus (probably the only bonus there is), but if the roll is less than eight it is not treated as an eight (i.e. wild homing shots can still miss).

It is also possible to perform 'arcing' blasts that can boomerang back to hit targets. When hitting something from behind a -4 dodge penalty is applied, unless the target has Radar - they do it without the penalty. Arcing blasts can also hit targets hiding behind objects for cover. However, low rolls are not treated as eights and they miss outright. Arcing blasts do not benefit from P.P. bonuses, only the attack power bonuses and the homing bonuses. Arcing shots also require two melee actions to produce.

Long Range: The character can focus his attack power to have triple the range, but the damage is halved and the distance attack requires two melee actions. Long range combat is 60ft and beyond, and requires an 8 or more to strike (as opposed to the usual 5 or higher).

Phasing: The power can pass through one object (plus one more at levels three, six, nine, and twelve) without damaging it and do full damage to a target just beyond it. If used on a character wearing armor, it passes through the armor and the character. Useful in hostage situations, for penetrating walls, against vehicles, and when fighting in crowded conditions. This power will not penetrate any sort of force field and the phasing blasts have half the range of a normal shot. Best combined with some sort of penetrating vision.

Protective Field: The character can coerce his attack power to encircle himself, shielding him from attacks. The barrier acts like a low power force field that absorbs all damage (no A.R. - total shielding). It has an S.D.C.^tm base of 40, +5 more per level of experience, and recovers at a rate of 4d4 S.D.C.^tm per melee. When the attack power is bent into a field, it cannot be used to fire ranged attacks.

The shield does a quarter of the normal damage or 1d6 damage (whichever is more) to those who touch the field. Also add this damage to any hand to hand strikes or melee weapon attacks. This special effect requires some concentration to maintain - the character loses one melee action and -2 on initiative when it is in use.

The shield takes no damage from similar energies (fire, heat, and microwaves can't damage a flame shield, lasers can't affect a light shield, etc.) Kinetic energy shields are the only exception, which instead are resistant to kinetic energy/ impacts and take half damage from them. The shield absorbs half the damage from falls, heavy impacts (like ramming attacks), and supernatural strength attacks - the other half hits the character. All other damage is soaked up by the barrier.

Halve the shield recovery rate, halve the S.D.C.^tm base, and turn both into M.D.C.^tm for Rifts®.

Ricochet Blast: Same as ability #4 described in the Super- Energy Expulsion power, page 293 of HU 2nd Ed.

Spheres: The character can channel his attack power into concentrated balls of energy (or sound, or light, etc.), which will follow the character and stay within 5ft of him. These spheres can be used to attack targets much like mentally- directed missiles. This ability cannot be selected until level three.

One sphere can be maintained per two points of M.E., and one melee action is required to generate two spheres. There is no limit to the time that a sphere can be maintained, but while this is done no non- automatic or constant use powers can be used (no gravity manipulation, no teleporation, no shapeshifting, no control powers, etc.) The spheres have range of attack of 90ft +10ft per level of experience (which is 120ft at level three). Each sphere does half of the normal attack power damage. The only bonuses to strike that are valid are the normal +3 to strike aimed and +1 to strike wild and a special M.E. bonus. Add a +1 to strike for an M.E. of 16-21, a +2 to strike if the M.E. is 22-27, or a +3 bonus for an M.E. of 28 or higher.

The main benefit of the speheres is that they act much like missiles do. Volleys of any number can be fired at a target. Use the standard volley rules. The spheres do not have a blast radius - they can damage only what they are fired at and do not affect the area around the victim. Also, ten points of damage will disrupt the containment field and destroy the sphere before it can damage a target (a called shot of 15 or higher is necessary to target a sphere). The spheres can, however, be used for called shots (normal missiles cannot).

Accelerate Healing

The character has the capacity to enhance the healing process in other living creatures. This ability is limited to some degree in that it cannot be used to ressurect or restore severely wounded people and it cannot destroy deadly diseases like cancer and AIDS. However, it is useful to help others recover from injuries or temporarily negate symptoms of diseases. The healing benefits are administered by a touch to the head, chest, or wounded areas. Little or no scarring results from the healing, but severe burns and mutilations can still leave noticable marks. The healing causes little pain.

Special Abilities and Bonuses:

The character automatically has the First Aid skill (instinctive), or instead gains a +15% bonus to First Aid, Paramedic, Holistic Medicine, or Medical Doctor if taken as a skill. Only one skill gets the big +15% bonus, any other medical skills get a +5% bonus.
Add a +2 to the P.E. attribute and a bonus of +10 hit points (or M.D.C.^tm if a mega- damage^tm being).
Heals at triple the normal human rate.
Can even sense the life force in living creatures and estimate how healthy or near death they are (or if they are in a state of undeath) and can accurately judge their medical condition (diseases, internal injuries, tumors, scar tissue, diabetes, drug addiction, wear and tear, etc.) Visual range of about 120ft.

The mutant can perform one of the following at the cost of one hit point (which recovers normally), with one melee of concentration:

Negate all pain for 15 minutes per level - this will allow the recipient to fight up to 20 hit points below zero.
Heal 2d6 S.D.C.^tm
Heal 1d4 hit points or M.D.C.^tm
Destroy all traces of weak viral or bacterial infections (such as the flu, common cold, or sinus infections)
Give a person another chance to recover from a coma with a +10% bonus.
Give a person near death a +20% bonus on their next save throw.
Give a person infected with a poison or toxin another save throw against it with a +4 bonus (half for psionic, magic, or lethal toxins).
Give a person infected with a parasitic or fungal infection another save throw against it with a +2 bonus (half for psionic, magic, or lethal ones).

At the cost of 3 hit points (recovers normally), the character can perform one one of the following major healing powers with a minute of concentration (cannot heal at all for 5 minutes afterwards):

Immediately restore 2d6 hit points and 1d4x10 S.D.C.^tm (or 1d4x10 M.D.C.^tm)
Immediately destroy one debilitating toxin in the patient's body or give him a +6 bonus and a chance to save if it is lethal, magical, or psionic in nature.
Immediately bring a comatose patient up to 3 hit points above 0 and stabilize their condition (stops bleeding, binds wounds, etc.) for 15 minutes per level. More medical attention may be necessary.
Destroy any Negative Chi in the character's body and give him one point of Positive Chi (for Ninjas and Superspies^tm purposes - not effective against Dim Mak).
Destroy all traces of strong viral or bacterial infections (such as gangrene, pneumonia, etc.)
Slow the progression of a parasitic or fungal infection, essentially halting its growth for 2d4 hours per level of experience. Halve this for magical, psionic, or lethal ones.

After using any of the major healing techniques the character is -2 on initiative, loses one attack, and is -1 on all combat rolls for 10 minutes afterwards. Multiple uses won't increase the penalties, but the duration of the penalties begins with the last usage of the power. He is slightly woozy and weakened, but still able to function normally.

Alternate Form

This minor ability gives the character to transform into a second physical shape, making him a minor shapeshifter. The secondary body is a bit stronger and tougher, and allows the character's true identity to be well hidden. This power is not appropriate for those whose powers are magically bestowed - it is more applicable to mutants and experiment characters. The second form has the following limitations:

Changing into the second form requires a full melee at level one. At level two the character gains the expertise to change in less than that time, taking up half his melee actions. After the third level the character can change within two melee actions.
The character's human form possesses no super abilties of any kind, not even extraordinary attributes or senses. All powers are usable only in the alternate form. All attribute bonuses are present only in the alternate form.
On the upside, the human form does not register as being out of the ordinary, save for a few (apparently latent) mutant genes.
Any mutant traits or experiment side effects are present only in the alternate form. The character's human form is perfectly and completely normal.
There is no limit to the amount of time spent in the altered form. If rendered unconcious, the character reverts to the human shape.
The character's clothes and possessions do not change - if they are not removed they'll certainly rip if the alternate form is large. Body armor will be rendered useless if the character changes from human to altered state while wearing it, plus he'll take 3d6+10 damage (subtract from the altered state). The Bio-Aura power can get around this though.
The form can have any one appearance, chosen by the player. Also choose a new height and weight (usually, but not always, larger than that of the human form). It could be horrifying, strangely attractive, or just different. Roll for 1d4 cosmetic mutations from the tables in this file to round out the form. Nothing with major bonuses can be acquired (GM's use discretion).
The Negate Super Powers ability has full effect on all of the character's super abilities except the Alternate Form power.

The alternate form has the following as a base:

P.S. is considered extraordinary.
Horror/awe factor of 7, or add a +1 bonus to a higher H.F.
The character gets a one- time bonus of +10 hit points. Hit points are the same, whether in the human or in the alternate form.
The alternate form has a completely separate S.D.C.^tm base of 1d4x10+40. The alternate form heals that S.D.C.^tm at double the normal rate, no matter which form the character is in.
Skill based S.D.C.^tm bonuses do not apply to the alternate form, only the human one. On the other hand, only the alternate form benefits from super ability S.D.C.^tm bonuses.
All other attributes are the same as in the human form unless altered by super abilities.

The player can also customize the alternate form - choose five of the following. Attribute and S.D.C.^tm bonuses can be chosen up to two times, everthing else is limited to one selection. GM's could also allow bonus- granting selections found in this file of new mutant traits, such as optic enhancements, claws, natural armor, etc.

Add +3 to P.S.
Add +3 to P.E.
Add +3 to P.P.
Add +2 to P.B.
Add +10 to Spd.
Add +3d6+20 S.D.C.^tm
Natural A.R. of 8, or add +1 to a higher A.R.
Increase the horror factor to 10 (or add +2 to a higher one), but reduce the P.B. to 1d6+2. The H.F. is limited to 18.
+1 attack per melee
Add a +1 on initiative and a +2 to strike.
Add a +2 to parry, dodge, and roll with punch, fall, or impact.
Add a +10% to the Prowl skill.
Add a +15% to the Climbing skill.
Add a +20% to the Swimming skill.
Nightvision - 120ft range
Thermovision - 60ft range

Animal Speech

Created by Andrew Darling

The character may converse with animals, though the communication is extremely limited by the animal's intelligence. Dogs are like three year olds, but animals such as fish can only understand words such as "Boo" and "Food." There is no guarantee that an animal will be cooperative, or even friendly. Most won't take commands unless there is some sort of compensation.

Astral Transference

Range: Self and astral plane.
Damage: Character's punches and other attacks do damage to the astral S.D.C.^tm of beings.
Astral S.D.C.^tm: Equal to twice the hit points and S.D.C.^tm (or M.D.C.^tm) combined. If this is all destroyed, the mutant is killed and doesn't return to material form. Add +10 to the astral S.D.C.^tm per level of experience.
Duration: Requires 1d4 minutes of concentration to enter or exit the astral plane. There is no limit to the amount of time spent in the astral plane.

This is quite similar to the Nightbane^tm talent of Astral Self and the super psionic power Astral Transference, the character is able to transform his body into a non- corporeal counterpart and roam the astral plane. The astral plane is described fully on page 37 of Nightbane^tm World Book Two: Beyond the Shadows^tm.

Special Abilities and Limitations:

Naturally see astral beings and portals to the astral plane, whether in material form or astral form.
Can return to physical form at will - no skill roll required.
Can navigate in the astral plane with a skill of 25% +5% per level. Use the same bonuses and penalties as listed under the Astral Navigation minor psionic power (pg. 116 of Beyond the Shadows^tm).
Can take along up to 15lbs of non-living matter (besides clothes) per level of experience, but each 15lbs requires an extra melee of concentration (so 120lbs would require an extra two minutes beyond the standard 1d4). However, objects taken are not able to harm astral beings.
Cannot bring living creatures into the astral plane.
Cannot create an astral domain (doesn't have the psychic talent), but can collaborate on the creation of one, provided the other person(s) have the ability to do so.
All super abilities that cause damage are able to affect astral beings, whether the character is astrally transformed or not.
Can stay in the ethereal plane (the 'real world' as it were) as if the character had the Intangibility major power. This takes a lot of effort, however, and the character must roll 14 or better, M.E. bonuses applicable, every two minutes or the character 'pops' into the astral plane. Returning to the ethereal plane from the astral plane takes 1d4 minutes of concentration. The character can move at a speed equal to three times the M.E. in the ethereal plane.

Attraction/Repulsion Beam

Range: 80ft +10ft per level of experience
Duration: Can be maintained for one minute per level of experience. Needs a melee to rest after using to maximum duration.
Bonuses: +3 to strike aimed and +1 to strike wild. P.P. bonuses are applicable.
Attacks Per Melee: Counts as one hand to hand attack.
Equivalent Strength: The beam has an extraordinary strength equivalent to the character's M.E., +3 per additional level of experience. This is the combined P.S. required to break free of its hold.

The character has the ability to create a beam of force that can attract or repulse physical objects. Up to 50 pounds per equivalent P.S. point can be attracted or repulsed. Victims who fail a dodge will be dragged towards (or pushed away) from the character a number of feet per melee per 3 points point of strength of the beam per melee. Smoke, paper clips, dust, debris, vaporous entities, chemical gases, etc. tend to circulate around the path of the beam. This is a power with possibilities.

Disarming an opponent with the beam is effective - add a +2 bonus at levels two and four, +1 more at levels seven, and ten. Halve the bonus if the character is attempting to snatch a weapon away and into his own hand.

At second level, it is possible to use the beam as a climbing tool (+25% bonus, or use that as a base skill). Swinging from buildings, lamposts, and trees is done with the greatest of ease.

At third level, the character can fire a repulsion blast that requires a victim to dodge or suffer knockdown and take 1d4 damage per 10 points of the beam's P.S. The victim is also pushed back a number of feet equal to the beam's P.S.

At fourth level, using it as a jump booster is possible (can jump a total number of feet equal to twice the beam's P.S.)

In Rifts®: Increase the range to 100ft +20ft per level, and a focused repulsion blast can do 1d6 S.D.C.^tm damage per 5 points of beam strength, plus knockdown.

Barrier Force Field

Range: Can be projected up to 25ft away, +5ft per level.
Area: Maximum of 12 square feet at level one, plus 4 square feet at every even numbered experience level.
Duration: 25 minutes +5 minutes per level of experience, with an amount of rest equal to a third of the duration of use between the uses (use it for fifteen minutes you have to rest for five).
Maximum S.D.C.^tm of the Force Field: 10 times the character's unmodified P.E. attribute (no bonuses - just the total initially rolled for the character!) plus 10 per level of experience.
Attacks Per Melee: Creating the barrier requires one melee action. Moving it (for blocking) or changing its size can be performed up to twice per melee. The barrier can also be centered on an object (a person, an arm, a car even) for use as a force- shield (no actions are necessary to manipulate the shield then).
Bonus: +2 to use as a defensive action, +1 more at levels four, eight, and twelve. If used as a traditional shield, ignore these bonuses and use the W.P. shield bonuses instead.

The character can generate a protective energy wall, half- dome, bubble, or barrier that absorbs damage. It has a base S.D.C.^tm equal to 10 times the P.E. attribute plus 10 per level of experience. So, at first level a character with a P.E. of 10 should have a force field with 110 S.D.C.^tm The force field regenerates 1 S.D.C.^tm per minute when in use, or double that when not in use.

The character must be concious to use the force field, gases can still penetrate it, and only one field can be created (not multiple ones). It can be moved around at a Spd. of 22, about 15mph, which is fast enough to use in melee combat. Unlike a Personal Force Field this minor force field power lets the mutant protect groups of people and/ or large areas. Sprays/ bursts of bullets can be blocked, as can multiple missiles and oncoming vehicles. Players can certainly think of other uses for the power - as a bridge, blocking bullets near the person firing them, making an obstacle for speedster characters, use it as a jumping platform, bounce a ricochet shot off it, keep it centered on the arm for use as a conventional shield, make a near invisible wall for speedsters to run into (a Challenging perception roll of at least 14), putting it low on the ground for tripping villains or friends, make a barrier to deal with those really annoying speedster characters, etc. The only restrictions are that the force field cannot be used as a raft or as a means of slowing one's descent during a fall.

Bio-Aura

The character's aura is able to extend the effect of the character's super abilities to certain objects carried and clothes worn. His super powers extend through his aura. Thus, a person who can transform into electricity or water affects their clothes too. A shapeshifter can alter their form while wearing full environmental armor. A person with growth or shrinking abilities needs not find a set of clothes to suit them - their clothes and armor are affected just as if they were part of the character's body.

When dealing with armor and super powers, use the higher A.R. of the two. As for the S.D.C.^tm, count the armor's S.D.C.^tm as a bonus and subtract damage from that first. Remember, the character's armor takes on the same traits as the character himself (if the character is impervious to fire and heat, so is the armor).

Electronic and mechanical devices do not change with the character, but they aren't damaged either. This includes firearms, energy weapons, binoculars, flashlights, and other such objects. Personal items (watches, glasses, wallets, rings) are affected easily. Assume that the character's aura affects normal amounts of clothes and personal items, one suit of armor worn, and a couple melee weapons. If an object is droppped after being affected (whether by Growth or by Alter Physical Structure: Electricity) it retains the character's properties until the character discontinues use of their super abilities.

If the character possesses the Alternate Form minor ability (described above) or shapeshifting, the Bio- Aura kicks in when the change begins. The character's clothes and armor are not damaged by the transformation into another form, but do not exist in the alternate form either. When the character turns back into the human shape, the clothes and armor are there just as if nothing happened.

With this power, copies of clothing and personal items can be made for clones via the Multiple Beings/Selves power. Modern weapons and armor (complex structures) are not duplicated.

Bio- Aura has the effect of 'negating' the influence of worn clothing and objects so that they don't count towards weight or object limitations, leaving more 'space' or weight availiable for use.

Bio-Energy Transference

With a single touch, the character is able to act as a conduit through which various forms of bio- energy can pass. This also has the secondary ability of letting the character drain this energy from others and store it within himself. He can drain Chi, P.P.E.^tm, or I.S.P.^tm and either use it to refill his own personal stores or transfer it to others (or into objects). The following is a list of notes and limitations:

The character himself is +4 to save vs any draining attack.
Energy is drained at the rate of 3 points per melee action, +1 per level of experience. So, at level two the character can drain five points with a single touch. Multiply the drain rate by five to determine the total amount of energy moved in a melee of constant transference.
The character can only drain one kind of energy at a time.
The character can not store more energy than he naturally possesses.
The character can not store a type of energy he doesn't possess - thus, a non- psionic can't store drained I.S.P.^tm (but can still transfer it).
Unstored energy is immediately dispersed, returned to the cosmos, and cannot be tapped. This applies to both excess energy and energy forms that the character cannot tap into.
To transfer energy into one recipient from a donor, the character must touch both (unless the character is the recipient or donor - then he must only touch the other person).
Draining energy from an unwilling donor is difficult. The donor gets a roll to save vs draining (target number of 12 or higher, +1 more at levels three, five, and eight), plus the victim can add in any P.E. bonuses. Success means that no energy was drained. Roll once per melee for continuous draining.
Draining energy from a person experienced in its use (like P.P.E.^tm from a spellcaster or Chi from a martial artist) is even more difficult - the victims get a +4 bonus in addition to P.E. bonuses. This bonus does not apply for energy forms the victim has no control over, so taking Chi from a magician is as easy as doing it with most others.
All life forms have Chi and P.P.E.^tm, but not I.S.P.^tm If desired, he can transmute his life essence to produce necessary energy that he may not have - one hit point can be used (recovers normally) to provide one Chi, two P.P.E.^tm, or four I.S.P.^tm.
It is possible for the character to transfer energy into objects too. This isn't for use with normal objects - the energy just dissapates. The focus is for magical, psionic, and Chi artifacts.

Charm

Created by Andrew Darling

This is similar to Extraordinary Physical Beauty or Mental Affinity, however, the charmer will receive the high charm/impress percentile or trust/intimidate percentile even if he is socially odious and has terrible personal hygine. Thus a five hundred pound Deal-a-Meal poster-boy and Klu Klux Klan member could achieve dates with Cindy Crawford. At first level, the charmer receives those percentiles as if he had a 17 (the 'virtual attributes') in both M.A. and P.B. The virtual attributes are increased by +1 for each level of experience beyond the first. This is a pseudo-psi power which works on all those who hear the charmer's voice. Mind Block or other forms of psychic resistance reduce the chance of charm/impress or trust/intimidate by half when attempted on the resistant being.

Combat Instinct

The character has an extraordinary combat skill. This is enough to turn an untrained character into a capable fighter and transform an experienced combatant into a deadly adversary. Follow this experience chart for the bonuses and abilities - the combat instinct functions like a hand to hand form with bonuses that are added to any fighting style. The character can perform many complex combat manuevers, but relies more on P.P. bonuses than skill bonuses.

Note: This minor ability, unlike Natural Combat Ability, is fully compatible with hand to hand combat skills. A character cannot have both this power and Natural Combat Ability. Your GM wouldn't like that. I've also toned it down to make it more of an enhancement instead of a complete hand- to- hand combat form.

First level knowledge:

Parry, dodge, pull punch, roll with punch, fall, or impact, entangle, and disarm.
Automatic dodge (no bonus).
One hold of choice (see page 68 HU).
Snap kick - 1d6 damage.
Karate kick - 2d4 damage.

Abilities gained with experience:

Level 2: +1 on automatic dodge, +2 to entangle.
Level 3: +1 melee action, +2 to disarm
Level 4: One kick or hold of choice.
Level 5: +1 to initiative, +1 to strike, +2 to dodge.
Level 6: +2 to parry, body throw/flip (1d6 damage plus knockdown).
Level 7: One kick or hold of choice.
Level 8: +1 on automatic dodge.
Level 9: Critical strike (double damage) or knockout from behind, pick one.
Level 10: +1 to initiative.
Level 11: One kick or hold of choice.
Level 12: +1 melee action.
Level 13: +1 to disarm and entangle.
Level 14: +1 to strike.
Level 15: +1 on automatic dodge.
Level +16: Add a +1 to any one combat skill (strike, pull punch, entangle, etc.) at each level past 15.

Combat Quickness

Note: This minor ability should not be combined with Natural Combat Ability or any super speed powers, but the GM can of course do whatever he wants.

The character is extremely swift in melee and grappling combat range. This might be from a heightened awareness, a super- adrenaline surge, a feral nature, etc. The character gains the following:

+1 melee action at levels one and seven.
+2 on initiative at levels one, six, and ten.
+4 to dodge (normal).
Automatic dodge, +1 bonus at level one. Add +1 at levels two, five, and nine.
Character can dodge multiple attacks with a single normal dodge.
When knockdown is imminent, the character does not suffer the loss of one melee action and loss of initiative. He loses one melee action or initiative (his choice) so the penalty is effectively halved. Critical knockdown, the loss of two melee actions and initiative, is also reduced to normal knockdown.
At level three the character is fast enough to attack twice for each melee attack! However, these attacks can only be hand attacks (maybe a knife, but no other weapons) and the strike and damage bonuses are halved. One- two punches, double kicks, and punch/ kick combos can be performed. This does not impede automatic parries.

Control Temperature

Created by Andrew Darling

The character may increase or decrease the temperature within 100 feet plus 10 feet per level. The area of effect is a five foot radius sphere, +1 foot per level of experience. The temperature may be changed by 10 degrees Farenheit (roughly 5 degrees Celsius) per melee action of focus, with a maximum temperature change of 30 degrees Fahrenheit plus 10 per level of experience (equal to about 15 degrees Celsius plus 5 per level of experience).

Note that this power in no way enables the character to withstand extreme temperatures, though he is able to counteract some of the special powers of Alter Physical Structure: Fire characters.

Copy Minor Super Ability

Range: 25ft +5ft per level.
Duration: Lasts until the minor super ability is changed, or for 2d4 minutes of the copied person leaving the range.
Attacks Per Melee: Can be performed only once per melee but the action of copying a power counts as an extra melee action.

Like the major super ability of Mimic, the character can replicate the ability of another mutant. However, he is limited to copying one ability at a time. That ability can be either one minor super ability, a single sub- ability of a major super ability, or any one psionic ability (used without I.S.P.^tm cost at a strength equal to half the level of the copied psychic). Essentially, the character is able to temporarily replace this power with a copy of someone else's. The copied power can be instantly discontinued at any time (uses no attacks to cancel a power).

The character must know about the power he is trying to copy, if done at a distance. If the character can physically touch (skin on skin) the person he wants to copy, he gains basic knowledge of their powers (great strength, create laser blasts, nightvision, create sandstorms, etc.) and can instantaneously pick what he wants to copy. Sense Super Powers allows the character to do this scanning at a distance. Except for the above, this power is much like the Mimic ability (HU 281).

Note: It is allowable to target an APS: Metal, APS: Stone, Bio- Armor, or Invulnerable being to siphon a fraction of their strength and durability. Where applicable, the character gains 25% of the target's S.D.C.^tm base, gains the same vulernabilities and invulernabilities of the form (if copying Invulnerability attacks do half damage - this is the only protection that is acquired), weight increases by 25% (for APS and Bio- Armor), and the strength increase (if any is granted by the copied power) is limited to 25% of the one listed in the power description.

Corrosion

Created by Andrew Darling

The character secretes highly caustic substances through his skin. As such, he does 1d6 of acid damage per level whenever he physically strikes someone, and 1d4 per level through casual contact. Strength bonuses are still applied to damage in strikes. Note: This ability can be turned on and off. When it is activated, the character's skin will dissolve clothing, weaponry he is holding, and anything else that is not treated against his corrosive agent. At level five, the character gains enough control to secrete the corrosive agent through just one or two parts of his body (hands, ankles, head, etc.) A strike roll tying or below the A.R. of an armor means that the damage is done to the armor, but in the case of a natural A.R. the living target will take half the damage from the corrosive agent.

If touching an inanimate target with the intent of dissolving it the character does 1d4 damage per level, per melee action. Thus, a level four character with four melee actions can do 4d4 points of damage to a steel vault door four times per melee! This is a great way to break into and out of sealed areas, escape ropes, chains, and handcuffs, burn open locks, destroy evidence, carve graffiti into stone, and sabotage machinery.

In a Rifts® world, double the damage from the acid. It remains S.D.C.^tm, though the character can damage M.D.C.^tm structures with enough concentration. He can do one point of M.D.C.^tm damage per two melee actions of concentration at level one, +1 more point of M.D.C.^tm damage at levels four and eight.

Damage Overload

This allows the character to use his personal vitality to push his attack powers beyond their normal limits. The power is designed to use hit points, but could be changed to use Chi or P.P.E.^tm (I.S.P.^tm isn't that appropriate, but allowable with GM approval). This minor super power is not really suitable for use with any power that doesn't give a special damaging attack - the 'shooter' characters, which includes beings with Power Channeling and Absorb Energy Attack and anything that does damage, benefit the most. Damage from super strength punches can't be increased with Damage Overload - you must use the Overload power to boost a characters raw P.S. attribute.

Special Bonus: The character gets a one-time bonus of +10 hit points.

Recovery of Hit Points: Hit points used to fuel an overload recover at the rate of three per hour, +1 more at levels four and eight. Double this rate during sleep or meditation, and halve it for periods of heavy exertion. Be sure to keep a record of the hit points used for this power, since they recover differently from hit points lost due to damage.

Limits: The only limit on how many hit points can fuel a damage overload is the character's current hit point level - he can go all the way down to 0 hit points (becomes comatose at that point)! Channeling is not possible when the character has less than 0 hit points.

Penalties: These apply only when the character suffers hit point loss and the majority of it is from overloading.

If more than 50% of the character's hit points are used for overloading, he is afflicted by weakness and fatigue after the time limit of the effect run out. Speed and P.S. are cut by 25%, strength drops one level (supernatural becomes superhuman, superhuman becomes extraordinary, and extraordinary becomes normal), and he also loses a -2 on initiative and one melee action. Invulnerable characters also start to suffer 25% of the normal damage from attacks - some of their invulnerability goes away!

If more than 75% of the hit points are used for overloading, the above penalties are suffered plus another -2 on all combat rolls (including initiative - becomes a -4 penalty), -10% on skill rolls, and the loss of another melee action.

Using more than 90% of the hit points will double all penalties! Further, invulnerable characters suffer a full 50% of the normal damage from attacks!

If the character goes all the way to zero hit points by overloading, he is in no danger of death. He is, however, unconcious for 1d4+2 hours and only a medical doctor can determine that he isn't dead.

As soon as the character recovers enough hit points to get above the 50%, 75%, or 90% level, the penalties associated with the special hit point loss dissappear.

Note that you do not include hit points lost to damage in the above. If a character has 30 hit points, suffers 14 hit points of damage from a hard blow, and then uses 15 to fuel a super- strong energy blast he is at 1 hit point (down to less than 10% of his hit point base) but suffers the penalties of 50% use (because the 90% of the hit points that are gone weren't used for overloading, just around 50% were). Note that in the weakened state it is easier to be killed.

Ability to Increase Damage:

Add +1 die (almost always a 1d6) to the damage of an attack power per two hit points used. This extra damage lasts for one melee per odd numbered level of experience! Thus, at level five it is possible for a character to expend ten hit points for an extra 5d6 damage on an energy blast and the increase will last for three melees. To channel life force into damaging powers for an extended duration such as this causes the loss of one melee action and a -2 on initiative, due to concentration.

In the alternative, 3 hit points can instead give a static +10 damage bonus to a single attack - the benefit here is that the extra damage is not rolled and so more damage on average is done. The damage limit is half the maximum normal damage - 1d4x10 could have up to +20 added for 6 hit points and 1d6x10+30 could have up to +45 added for 15 hit points. An attack that is charged for extra damage suffers a -1 strike penalty per 30 points or fraction thereof (+45 damage creates a -2 strike penalty).

It is not a good idea to use a large number of hit points to perform these channeled blasts, since it is easier to be killed while in the drained state.

Dark Aura

Created by The Magus (with expansion by Brett Hegr)

Range: Self
Duration: Two minutes plus one per level. Activation requires one melee action.
Attacks Per Melee: Counts as one melee action to initiate or maintain.

The character effectively absorbs all light reflecting off his person rendering him a wavering shadow. While in use, the character gains the following benifits:

Opponents are -7 to strike with any ranged attack, -5 with melee combat in a very dark area (no moonlight, shadows everywhere).
Opponents are at -5 to hit with any ranged attack, -3 with melee combat in a dimly lit area (moonlight, lots of shadows).
No special bonuses in daylight or well lit areas (a walking shadow in broad daylight is easy to see).
Shadow meld at will (as per sub- ability two of Darkness Control, HU 272).
Darkness blasts do no damage.

Dreamstream (tm) Transference

Range: Self and the Dreamstream^tm.
Damage: Character's mental attacks do 2d6 damage +1d6 per level of experience to a dream persona's S.D.C.^tm However, he can only 'attack' via manipulation a maximum of two times per melee at level one, plus one more at levels three, seven, and eleven.
Dream Persona S.D.C.^tm: Equal to the hit points and S.D.C.^tm (or M.D.C.^tm) combined. If this is all destroyed, the mutant is killed and doesn't return to material form. Add +10 to this dream S.D.C.^tm per level of experience.
Duration: Requires 1d4 minutes of concentration to enter or exit the Dreamstream^tm. There is no limit to the amount of time spent there.
Bonuses: Can battle in dream manipulation/combat with a +1 bonus at level one, +1 more at levels two, four, eight, and twelve in addition to M.E. bonuses.

This is quite similar to the Nightbane^tm talent of Dreamer and the super psionic power Dreamdance, the character is able to transform his body into a non- corporeal counterpart and roam the Dreamstream^tm (described fully on page 82 of Nightbane^tm World Book Two: Beyond the Shadows^tm).

Special Abilities and Limitations:

Naturally see portals to the Dreamstream^tm and can tell whether a being encountered in the stream is an actual sentient being or a dream construct.
Can enter and affect a person's Dream Pool in the standard ways.
Can return to physical form at will - no skill roll required.
Can take along up to 15lbs of non-living matter (besides clothes) per level of experience, but each 15lbs requires an extra melee of concentration (so 120lbs would require an extra two minutes beyond the standard 1d4).
Cannot bring anyone into the Dreamstream^tm.
Cannot create or take part in the creation a dream domain.

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