POWER PROFILE: DREAM POWERS “To sleep, perchance to dream...” Dreams have been • Dream Dimension: In many comic book settings, omens and harbingers throughout history and power the realm of dreams is an entire alternate reality char- over dreams means near-omnipotence in that misty acters may visit, complete with its own rules, native nighttime world of sleep and imagination. Dream powers inhabitants, and dangers. The dream dimension is range from crafting cunning illusions to nightmares able commonly thought of as a version of the “collective to traumatize, or even kill. unconscious”—a psychic realm connecting individu- al dreamscapes at a deep, fundamental level. All dreamers might visit the dream dimension, DREAM DESCRIPTORS at least at some level, although individual dreams- The following are important descriptors associated with capes are often separate and distinct from the greater dream powers. expanse of the dimension. “Travel” to the dream di- mension may be purely mental/sensory, and limited • Dream: A series of images and sensations that occurs to effects like Remote Sensing and Mind Reading, or while asleep (see Sleep, following). Although there are it may be possible to go there bodily using the Di- numerous theories concerning the causes and purposes mensional Travel effect of Movement, translating the of dreams, apart from evidence of brain activity during physical into a “dream-stuff” and back again as part of certain stages of sleep, there is no definitive under- the transition. standing about them. Dreams may be anything from As dream dimensions are imaginary realms, even psychological processing of information and experi- those lacking dream powers may have unusual abili- ences to psychic insight into another layer of reality (see ties or options there. After all, the “physical laws” of a the Dream Dimension, following) or some measure of dream are arbitrary, and lucid or strong-willed dream- both, with other elements mixed in. The key elements of ers may be able to alter them. Gamemasters should the dream descriptor are the internal imagery and their consider loosening the guidelines for power stunts, occurrence while asleep, although “daydreams” may editing scenes, and heroic feats (Hero’s Handbook, occur when in a light waking trance (essentially the en- page 20) for characters in a dream dimension, allow- tranced condition, Hero’s Handbook, page 19). ing for anything the character can imagine (and the If a power requires dreaming—either on the part of player can describe) perhaps using Will as a base rank the user or the subject—and that requirement is no for some power stunts, such as gaining an entirely longer fulfilled (the subject wakes, for example) then new power, or non-powered characters exhibiting the power stops working. What that means may vary; superpowers in the dream dimension! As with all in- for some, the power just stops, in other cases, a dream stances of extra effort and hero point spending, these traveler might be lost in the depths of the dream di- options are primarily limited by the character’s avail- mension or face other complications. able fatigue and hero points. POWER PROFILE: DREAM POWERS 1 For examples of dream dimensions, see Book of entranced condition (Hero’s Handbook, page 19), Magic (pages 35–37), the Imageria from the Paragons keeping your eyes open and maintaining your posi- sourcebook (pages 32–41), and the Dreamtime from tion (sitting up, even riding a walking mount, but not the Wild Cards sourcebook (page 45). moving under your own power). Daydreamer fulfills the requirement for dream powers where you must • Mental: Dreams are mental phenomena, making be asleep. most dream powers mental in nature as well. See the Mental Powers profile for additional descrip- • Fast Sleeper: You can go into the asleep condition tors related to mental effects. In particular, dream at-will with just one round to prepare, and choose powers are often Subtle, and perhaps Insidious, when you will come out of it (from one minute to leaving no noticeable sign of their effects, and they several hours) barring some other circumstance tend to be Perception Ranged, often in conjunction waking you. with an accurate mental sense, able to influence sleeping targets from afar. See the Dream Touch • Light Sleeper: You only need one degree of success power in Utility Powers for an example. “Limited to on a hearing Perception check to awaken from the Dreams” is a suitable flaw for many mental powers, asleep condition, rather than three. turning them into dream powers, usable only while • Lucid Dreamer: When you sleep, you can choose the wielder is asleep. Similarly, “Limited to Sleeping what you dream and you remain conscious and Targets” can apply to mental powers that only work aware that you are dreaming while you dream. Ad- on sleeping subjects in their dreams. ditionally, each rank grants you one use of Edit Scene • Nightmare: A nightmare is simply a dream with (Hero’s Handbook, page 20) while dreaming. unpleasant, frightening, or traumatizing imagery or sensations. Nightmares often have fear or terror de- OFFENSIVE POWERS scriptors, working primarily through scary images. Thus characters with the Fearless advantage or other Offensive dream powers combine disturbing nightmare Immunity to fear effects may be able to ignore night- images with control over sleep for effects ranging from mares or their effects. mental shock and fatigue to putting targets to sleep against their will. • Sleep: Asleep is a condition defined in the Hero’s Handbook (page 19) wherein a character is defense- DREAM TRAP less, stunned (unable to take actions) and unaware, however a hearing Perception check with three or You cause a sleeping target to go into a coma, trapped in more degrees of success can wake a character who the dream-world and unable to wake. Although the tar- is asleep, as can any sudden movement or any effect get’s condition is asleep, until the transformed condition requiring a resistance check of any kind. Thus asleep is removed, the target cannot awaken. A more gradual differs from incapacitated (unconsciousness). Many version of this power may have the Cumulative or Pro- dream powers require either the user to be asleep, gressive modifier. the subject to be asleep, or both. • Countering: Given the ephemeral nature of dreams, Dream Trap: Perception Ranged Affliction (Resisted and Overcome by Will; Transformed—Asleep), Limited Degree dream powers would not seem overly useful for coun- (third only), Limited to Sleeping Targets • 1 point per rank. tering any effects other than their own. However, dreams are deeply connected with both the mind (particularly the unconscious or subconscious) and NIGHTMARE BLAST perception. Therefore, dream powers may be useful in countering some mental powers, particularly mind- Putting your target through a terrible nightmare, you or emotion control, or illusion powers. They “awaken” are able to inflict psychic trauma so profound as to have the subject from those effects, much like waking real consequences in the waking world. The exact nature from a dream, pitting the power of the dreaming of the trauma and its effects depend on the nightmare mind against the foreign power. Similarly, illusion and imagery, ranging from the classic “if you fall to your death mental powers might be able to counter some dream in a dream, you die in reality” to inducing coma (incapaci- powers, extending their influence past the conscious tated), psychological conditioning (controlled), or even mind into the unconscious or dreaming self. changes in personality (transformed). This power is nor- mally limited to affecting a sleeping target’s dreams. If you remove the Limited modifier, you can project a Nightmare DREAM FEATURES Blast into the mind of any target you can perceive, waking or sleeping. This power uses the Variable Conditions extra In addition to an Enhanced Trait version of the Trance advan- from the Illusion Power profile. tage (Hero’s Handbook, page 88), potential Feature effects associated with Dream Powers include the following: Nightmare Blast: Perception Ranged Affliction (Resisted and • Daydreamer: You need the Light Sleeper Feature Overcome by Will; conditions vary), Variable Conditions, (following) to have this one. You can enter the asleep Variable Descriptor 1 (nightmares), Limited to Sleeping condition while in a light trance state similar to the Targets • 1 point + 4 points per rank. 2 POWER PROFILE: DREAM POWERS SLEEP SLEEPLESS You can place a target into a deep sleep, simply by looking You do not ever need to sleep or dream, although you at them. In addition to the usual resistance check to over- may choose to do so, if you wish (as a descriptor of the come the asleep condition, the target can be awakened Immunity effect). If you are incapable of dreaming, then by normal means (see Sleep under Dream Descriptors). you also have the Dream Immunity power (previously). This power may be both Subtle and Insidious, meaning Note that this power does not grant immunity to physical the target is unaware you are causing sleep; they simply fatigue: you still tire from exertion and need to rest, you feel more and more drowsy until they finally drop off. simply do not sleep or tire from mental activity. Sleep: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction (Resisted and Sleepless: Immunity 1 (Sleep) • 1 point. Overcome by Will; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep) • 4 points per rank. MOVEMENT POWERS SLEEP DEPRIVATION Most dream movement powers are concerned with shift- ing in or out of a dreaming state or the dream dimension. You leave a target unable to sleep, or at least unable to In addition to those powers, characters in a dream may rest, their sleep troubled by disturbing images and night- possess movement capabilities they do not in waking mares such that it provides no recovery from fatigue.