[Powers] Cheap powers for low-level supers

[awesomenessofme1]

This is an idea I've been bouncing around since yesterday. I was building some 100-point characters and I noticed that it was at least possible to build very low-level supers, which I'd never considered before. So I built a few powers that were cheap (20 points was my eventual number) and would have some level of practical use on their own. If anyone else has any ideas, feel free to post.

Alternate Form (Any 0-point form) (Absorptive Change (None), +5%; Reduced Time 2, +40%; Costs Fatigue 1, -5%; Super, -10%) [20]

Flight (Breakable (DR25, Machine, SM-2), -30%; Can Be Stolen (Must be forcefully removed), -10%; Superscience, -10%) [20]

Invisibility (Affects Machines, +50%; Can Carry Objects (No Encumbrance), +10%; Switchable, +10%; Maximum Duration (10 minutes), -50%; Breakable (DR2, Machine, SM0), -50%; Can Be Stolen (Must be forcefully removed), -10%; Superscience, -10%) [20]

Telekinesis 10 (Attraction/Repulsion, -30%, Visible, -20%, Super, -10%) [20]

Super Jump 4 (Costs Fatigue 1, -5%; Full Power Only, -10%, Vertical Only, -25%, Super, -10%) [20]

Warp (Reliable 2, +10%; Anchored (Fixed Site), -80%; Super, -10%) [20]

[DangerousThing]

Where is full-power only from? I thought that advantages had to be used at full power unless they had the variable enhancement.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

Where is full-power only from? I thought that advantages had to be used at full power unless they had the variable enhancement.

It's a special limitation for Super Jump. Normally, you can jump any amount up to your maximum jump height/distance for your situation, but if you have SJ with Full Power Only, you can only jump normally or your max height for your situation. It's from Powers, I believe.

[AlexanderHowl]

A low powered super is 250 CP. A 100 CP super would be a 'Deuce', in the parlance of Wild Cards, and should probably not have more than 10 CP in abilities. For example, a character with Super Throw 1 (Super, -10%) [9] could be such a character (and they might not even notice that they are a super, just that they have a phenomenal throwing arm).

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

A low powered super is 250 CP.

Actually, a low-powered super is anything up to 400 points. Not sure where you're getting that from.

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

A 100 CP super would be a 'Deuce', in the parlance of Wild Cards, and should probably not have more than 10 CP in abilities.

What? According to whom? Plenty of 100-point characters have several dozen points in advantages, it's totally reasonable to have a 20-point ability.

[kirbwarrior]

It doesn't quite fit, but Hedgewitchery is a long time favorite of mine;

Hedgewitchery [34] - Modular Abilities: Cosmic Power 1 (Cosmic +50%, Physical +100%, Social +50%, Reflexive +40%) [34]

I actually played a 20pt 'super' with the above power (sans Cosmic) and it was incredibly fun. The Friend perk in particular was great when able to switch it around.

Alternate Form with No External Change +50% is another close one (and probably works with a power source). Danger Sense is a power in some settings and is great. Add a few levels of Reliable in case Per is low. Weak Allies can come with Minion and either Summonable or Conjurable (second is preferable in low points because your ally can't afford Unkillable to be 'eternally summonable')

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Hedgewitchery [34] - Modular Abilities: Cosmic Power 1 (Cosmic +50%, Physical +100%, Social +50%, Reflexive +40%) [34]

What does the Cosmic enhancement give it? And what kind of available skill or perk would make Reflexive worth it?

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Alternate Form with No External Change +50% is another close one (and probably works with a power source). Danger Sense is a power in some settings and is great. Add a few levels of Reliable in case Per is low. Weak Allies can come with Minion and either Summonable or Conjurable (second is preferable in low points because your ally can't afford Unkillable to be 'eternally summonable')

Where do No External Change and Conjurable come from? I don't remember seeing them before.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

A low powered super is 250 CP. A 100 CP super would be a 'Deuce', in the parlance of Wild Cards, and should probably not have more than 10 CP in abilities. For example, a character with Super Throw 1 (Super, -10%) [9] could be such a character (and they might not even notice that they are a super, just that they have a phenomenal throwing arm).

Those thresholds seem arbitrary and not obviously useful.

Here's some from a low-power teen supers game:

'Null State'
Insubstantiality (Reflexive +40%, Carry No Enc.+10%, Super -10%, Unreliable 14- -20%, Max Duration 1 minute -65%, Costs Fatigue (2/min) -5%, Temporary Disads (Colorblind-10%, Hard of Hearing -10%, No Sense of Smell/Taste -5%, Nuisance: Reduced sense of touch -5%) Net -80%. [16]

'Nullifryer'
Innate Attack (Burning), Malediction +150%, No Signature +20%, Super -10%, Unreliable 14- -20%, Minimum Range 5yds -10%, Requires Ready-10%, Limited Use 10/day -10%, Net +120% =11/D dmg) [1d dmg] [11]

'Moebius Screen'
DR (Absorption (heal only)+80%, Forcefld+20%, Super -10%, Only when conscious -30%, Net +60%. [8 per +1 DR] DR2 = [16]

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

What does the Cosmic enhancement give it? And what kind of available skill or perk would make Reflexive worth it?

Cosmic was just because it currently always takes it (or a renamed version like Higher Magic) as the power source. Reflexive lets you change your skill midcombat to (say) Karate to parry or Immunity to Specific Disease/Poison if you can recognize what gas the trap is using in time. You still can only change once per turn, so if you used it early in the turn to have Climbing, you can't move it to defend yourself with a new skill.

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

Where do No External Change and Conjurable come from? I don't remember seeing them before.

NEC is just Cosmic to get rid of the condition where others can kick you out of AF, but I separated the power source from rules breaking (without my houserules, it would just be Cosmic). I use it more than not because not often does it make sense for what I or the player imagines. Conjurable I believe is Powers, which changes the ally from someone specific to one of a particular group. For instance, you can use it to summon some wolf from the spirit realm, but neither of you know each other so Reaction is checked when summoned to see how much it'll help you, but if it dies you can just summon another (after so much time? That part I forget).

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

Actually, a low-powered super is anything up to 400 points. Not sure where you're getting that from.



What? According to whom? Plenty of 100-point characters have several dozen points in advantages, it's totally reasonable to have a 20-point ability.

For what it's worth, the lowest level suggested in GURPS Supers is "Wild Talents" at 100-200 points with 200-400 being low powered. If you want a character that feels like a superhero, you'll want at least 250 points and probably more like 400. But you can certainly do people with powers at a low level.