[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[chandley]

For Mesmero, I would use Alternative Enhancements for his Pain Affliction. Seems like there isnt much benefit to inflicting multiple levels of pain on someone, plus the way you word his Selectivity, it seems he only uses one at a time anyway. P.13 of Gurps Powerups 4, basically exactly like alternative attacks, but for enhancements inside of an ability: 100% of most expensive, 1/5 of all the others.

Affliction (Pain; Will-4) (Based on Will (Target Roll), +20%; Incapacitation: Agony, +100%; Alternative Enhancements (Irritant: Moderate Pain, +20%; Irritant: Severe Pain, +40%; Irritant: Terrible Pain, +60%) +27%; Malediction (Uses Speed/Range Table), +150%; Mutant Psionic, -10%) [155]

Saves yah 90 points.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Now to work on a guy who I really have no idea how to pull off: Mimic. Even if I go with the Exiles powerset of being limited to duplicating five "powers", that still gives him potentially two dozen wildly differently priced advantages in a Modular Ability setup.

Sounds like a simple case of Neutralize (Cosmic +300, Power Theft +200%, Extended Duration (??), and Doesn't Neutralize (-100%).)

I don't know if you need to buy it multiple times to mimic multiple powers, or simply a limited Compartmentalized Mind.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Sounds like a simple case of Neutralize (Cosmic +300, Power Theft +200%, Extended Duration (??), and Doesn't Neutralize (-100%).)

I don't know if you need to buy it multiple times to mimic multiple powers, or simply a limited Compartmentalized Mind.

He doesn't steal powers, does he? Well, suppose I should swallow my pride and look it up.

Okay, going by Wikipedia (so take this with at least a grain of salt), he can copy "knowledge, skills, and powers" (if any) within a certain range of him"... with the range varying quite a bit depending upon the writer, and usually (but not always) he loses said abilities once out of range of the owner. The original X-Men are supposed to be an exception due to time spent with them.

No limit on how many, but the more he copies the harder it is to juggle, and he also copies knowledge so its easy for him to use them (unless he goes overboard). The other person doesn't lose what he copies, so Power Theft doesn't seem to fit. I think it is something he can (at least to an extent) control, because apparently he can copy anyone and everyone he gets near (but its hard to do too many at once). As it includes knowledge... not sure if that means memories in general or just because of the reason this project exists: the Marvel Universe was designed to run on GURPS (so knowledge and skills are two different things).

Modular Abilities with Enhancements and Limitations (some obvious, like the one to allow both Mental and Physical traits) would seem appropriate, I think.... except for the original five X-Men (assuming he's been around them long enough by this point), in which case he's got at least some level of their powers (and the skills to use them).

[Otaku]

For the record, having finally gone back to read the original post (...my apologies for not having done that sooner), while it is obviously both an alternate and a more recent take on the character, I strongly recommend looking to Mimic from Exiles: I read the book before it started to get too convoluted. Yes, for an "X-family" based Marvel Comic book, using alternate time lines and parallel realities actually makes things simpler, or at least it did by that point. XD

Anyway, Mimic being a main character meant his powers were better defined, including being limited in a way other than the Mary Sui-licious "So powerful they sometimes are overwhelming!" issue the Earth-616 Mimic has. This is the version I am most familiar with, and he makes a lot more sense; he can copy of up five powers, give or take some occasional "residual" trait (which I interpret as the GM allowing earned CP to buy some incredibly weak powers): the example I remember is him having just enough residual telepathy to use Cerebro from having copied Marvel Girl's powers long ago.

Mimic has to spend a lot of time in close proximity to a target he wants to "mimic", but after that he gains their "powers" but not knowledge or skills (so he still has to learn how to use said powers if there is anything to really figure out). I think this version was also limited to mutant powers, and was clearly a mutant himself (the Earth-616 was unofficially retconned into one, if Wikipedia can be trusted on this particular issue).

Mimic copies such powers at roughly "half strength", but again since I suggest Modular Abilities, I'd fudge that as he copies them as best as he can on his budget. This will make him a very expensive character... but the concept is one of those that make me like referencing GURPS when designing characters for fiction, anyway, because what sounds like a big restriction often isn't. XD Still, as Mimic in Exiles demonstrated, the capacity to give up one of his powers (or power sets in some cases... it still isn't clear) to convert it to something else (even if it requires being in close physical proximity to someone for a little bit) is still a significant advantage. Is there a Limitation along the lines of "Needs template?" (note the lower case "t") for Modular Abilities?

Mimic in Exiles seemed (at least when I read it) to have a "better" (because it was thought out since it had to be) power set most of the time and in his reality, a much better origin that I personally would rather see integrated (at least partially) into the reboot, because thankfully since it was 2001 at least some of the cast got backgrounds that weren't all "grimdark". Copying it whole clothe is probably out, but actually allowing Mimic a little more face time and with the alternate's powers, he could be a recurring character while being interesting on both a personal and an "action" level.

[Refplace]

Power Theft without Neutralize doesnt take away the subjects powers, just copies them.
So it is the right build as Aesir suggests.
I think the limitation for not neutralizing is too high and its been talked about on the forums before.
Not in the Official FAQ though.
But that is a hefty limitation and allows you to copy your allies powers wiithout hurting them so I do not consider it very limiting, in fact its a bonus.

[Bandii]

For Masque, why Control Flesh instead of something like Affliction (Morph) or something of the sort? If I am not mistaken Control only allows you to shape a substance to a certain degree, which seems to not represent the sort of fine control that something like Morph could do. Just wondering.

M

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Power Theft without Neutralize doesnt take away the subjects powers, just copies them.
So it is the right build as Aesir suggests.
I think the limitation for not neutralizing is too high and its been talked about on the forums before.
Not in the Official FAQ though.
But that is a hefty limitation and allows you to copy your allies powers wiithout hurting them so I do not consider it very limiting, in fact its a bonus.

I am a bit confused... I thought Neutralize was the Advantage in question, and Power Theft was an Enhancement for it. What is this from? There is a lot I don't know, hence why I am asking. XD

I am likely mistaken, but I seem to recall a discussion within the past year discouraging or possibly forbidding the ability (at least to PCs) to copy advantages of another, because it is such a powerful Enhancement, though it is a bit misleading since one has to start with Neutralize, Enhance it for Power Theft, and then remove the primary benefit of the original Neutralize Advantage... basically gutting the original advantage and sticking in something new that shares its name.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Otaku

I am a bit confused... I thought Neutralize was the Advantage in question, and Power Theft was an Enhancement for it. What is this from? There is a lot I don't know, hence why I am asking. XD

It is a common (but pseudo-RAW) construction to use a limitation to remove the main part of the advantage while leaving behind the results of its Enhancements.

It's no different, really, than taking No Injury on an Innate Attack--you do it because you want the other effects without the main effect of the power.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Otaku

I am a bit confused... I thought Neutralize was the Advantage in question, and Power Theft was an Enhancement for it. What is this from? There is a lot I don't know, hence why I am asking. XD

I am likely mistaken, but I seem to recall a discussion within the past year discouraging or possibly forbidding the ability (at least to PCs) to copy advantages of another, because it is such a powerful Enhancement, though it is a bit misleading since one has to start with Neutralize, Enhance it for Power Theft, and then remove the primary benefit of the original Neutralize Advantage... basically gutting the original advantage and sticking in something new that shares its name.

Here is what I found on the forums, both posts are in the same thread.
PK's price suggestion
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...05&postcount=4

and by Kromm sying probably should not be allowed...
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...17&postcount=7

EDIT
Hey your in that thread!
Personally I think the fairest way to go is improvised forms with Morph, at least your paying for the cap so no unlimited powers.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Personally I think the fairest way to go is improvised forms with Morph, at least your paying for the cap so no unlimited powers.

Modular Abilities would be self limiting also, but probably costlier, and Morph is a good conceptual fit.