POWER PROFILE: TALENT POWERS There is often a fine line between “powers” and the kinds structure of 1 power point per rank, whereas talents of amazing talents displayed by comic book characters. have a variable cost based on their effects. With the right training, drive, and discipline, some charac- ters with no true powers can stand with (or against) those • Innate: The Innate extra (Hero’s Handbook, page 142) with superhuman abilities. This profile looks at super- has a particular relationship with talent powers. Innate powers that aren’t: Talent Powers. effects cannot be nullified. Essentially, the extra is a 1-point Immunity to Nullify applied to a specific power. While it may seem like talent powers should all be TALENT DESCRIPTORS innate—given they are inborn or natural traits—this is not necessarily the case. One can certainly imagine The following descriptors are important for talent powers disorienting, memory-affecting, or other descriptors and their effects. for a Nullify Talents effect. Thus, Innate has not been • Talent: The key descriptor for the powers in this applied to the powers in this profile unless they are profile is “talent.” Talent usually refers to an inborn truly things no one should be able to Nullify. If you knack or capability, but in this case it also refers to the want to apply the Innate modifier to any of the other development of abilities that might be better called powers, feel free to do so on a case-by-case basis. “skills” except Mutants & Masterminds already has a • Countering: Talent powers tend to be so diverse that system of skills. If necessary, Gamemasters can dif- it is easier to handle the effects they can counter— ferentiate between the talent and skill descriptors to and those that can counter them—on an individual reflect inborn or natural capabilities versus learned basis. For example, the Pressure Points power (see ones. The important thing to note is that talents are Offensive Powers) might contain techniques able “natural” abilities, that is, not acquired from a power to counter certain other afflictions (especially those source other than extraordinary human capabil- based on pain or control of the nervous system), and ity. Characters with talent powers are still “normal” Fearsome Presence could potentially counter powers humans, in so much as the term applies to a super- reliant on concentration or self-confidence. Similarly, heroic setting. effects targeting body, mind, or spirit could poten- • Advantages: Closely related to talents are advan- tially counter some talent powers by disrupting the tages (Hero’s Handbook, page 79). Indeed, talents user temporarily. In some cases, the GM may wish to and advantages could be considered essentially the consider that if a talent power is unable to counter, same descriptor, since they do much the same thing: then it is fair to assume it generally cannot be coun- provide otherwise normal characters with particular tered either, a combination which balances out and edges and capabilities others do not possess. The matches the advantage descriptor (since they simi- primary difference is advantages fit into the cost larly do not counter and cannot be countered). POWER PROFILE: SKILL POWERS 1 Jonathan Lotzer (order #3533764) 71.123.169.106 Flurry: Multiattack, Variable Descriptor 2 (any attack effect you TALENT FEATURES wield, only up to the attack’s rank) • 2 points +1 point per rank. Given the close similarity between talent powers and ad- vantages, talent Feature effects can easily be thought of HURT ANYTHING as advantages and vice versa. For example, the Number Cruncher and Speed Reading talents (see Utility Powers) Everything has a weak point, at least so far as you are con- could just as easily be advantages. Any talent power with cerned. Any Damage you wield is Penetrating, up to the a 1 power point per rank cost structure (such as Striking rank you choose, allowing you to potentially affect targets Power, Tough, or Acquired Immunity) could easily be others with the same attack could not. made into an advantage. Hurt Anything: Penetrating, Variable Descriptor (any Damage SKILL KNACKS Effect you wield) • 1 point +1 point per rank. A particular Feature that works well with talent powers PRESSURE POINTS in conjunction with skills is the Skill Knack, allowing the character to ignore one type of circumstance penalty You’re trained in how to precisely apply pressure to for skill-use. Existing examples include Improvised Tools certain points of the body to cause disorientation, pain, (which removes the circumstance penalty for not having and even unconsciousness. Generally, this ability is ac- tools) or Animal Empathy (which removes the circum- quired as an Alternate Effect of your Strength Damage at stance penalty on using interaction skills with animals). a rank equal to your Strength rank (also making it a useful Other possibilities include removing circumstance penal- power stunt). You can even acquire multiple versions of ties for Acrobatics or Athletics (moving at normal speeds, this attack, representing different types of strikes or nerve not vulnerable while in use, etc.), penalties for difficult manipulation, with different conditions imposed by the disguises with Deception, using an interaction skill more Affliction. True mastery of Pressure Points might apply the quickly (as a move action rather than a standard action), Variable Condition modifier to the Affliction (see the Illu- and so forth. sion Powers profile). Pressure Points: Affliction (Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), OFFENSIVE POWERS Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude • 1 point per rank. Offensive talents range from enhancing existing attack effects (including Strength Damage) to providing new of- STRIKING POWER fensive capabilities, such as the sheer intimidation of Fear- some Presence or the secrets of Pressure Points. You have trained to harden and strengthen your hands and to focus the power of your blows, increasing your FEARSOME PRESENCE sheer striking power. The GM may limit this power to just a few ranks (say 2–3) or to a maximum you can increase Your very presence can strike terror into the hearts of your your total Strength damage, such as rank 6. foes, allowing you to win some battles without having to do anything more than show up! Striking Power: Strength-based Damage • 1 point per rank. Fearsome Presence is also an effective model for other interaction talents with extraordinary influence over DEFENSIVE POWERS people, such as a Befuddling Lie based on a Deception check and inflicting the Entranced, Stunned, and Unaware The Defensive Roll advantage (Hero’s Handbook, page 83) conditions, for example. can be thought of as a defensive talent power: a version of Sustained Protection dependent on the character’s ability Fearsome Presence: Perception (Visual) Area Affliction (Resisted to actively defend to avoid the brunt of attacks. and Overcome by Will; Impaired, Disabled, Paralyzed), Selective, Subtle, Intimidation Check Required (DC 11) • 3 ACQUIRED IMMUNITY points per rank. Through natural talent or careful buildup, you have an ac- FLURRY quired immunity to toxins and pathogens that allows you to more easily resist their effects. You can launch a virtual whirlwind of attacks against your foes, applying the Multiattack modifier to your attack, Acquired Immunity: Immunity 2 (diseases and poisons), Limited up to the rank of the modifier or the attack, whichever is to Half Effect • 1 points. lower. Therefore with 3 ranks in Flurry, you can Multiattack with a light pistol (Damage 3) even though it is normally PERFECT DEFENSE not capable of Multiattack fire. If you only flurry with a subset of attacks—such as guns or melee weapons— Your mastery of combat technique is so great that when reduce the Variable Descriptor modifier to 1 rank. you choose to go on the defensive, you are virtually un- 2 POWER PROFILE: TALENT POWERS POWER PROFILE: TALENT POWERS Jonathan Lotzer (order #3533764) 71.123.169.106 touchable. You either parry and slip around close attacks, high-wire, and never have to make a check to avoid falling or nimbly dodge and evade ranged attacks. Doing so under such circumstances. takes virtually all your concentration, however; you’re limited to move and free actions while using your Perfect Perfect Balance: Movement 2 (Wall-crawling 2), Limited to Defense, and it does not protect you from attacks that upright movement • 2 points. do not target you in the ways you are trained to avoid, so things like area and perception ranged attacks still affect SPEED-CLIMBING you normally. You must also be able to defend yourself: If you are vulnerable or defenseless, your Perfect Defense You can climb quickly and easily, like a trained “human does not work, either. fly”. With the Check Required modifier, you still suffer the normal results of failing an Athletics check while climb- Perfect Defense: Immunity 30 (attacks targeting Dodge or ing (Hero’s Handbook, page 64) but you move twice as fast Parry), Concentration Duration • 15 points (30 for both) (speed –1 rather than speed –2). With 2 ranks of Move- ment, you climb very quickly (at your normal ground TOUGH speed). Without the flaw, you also climb unerringly: you never fall or fail to make a climb. You are tougher than you look, perhaps a good deal tougher. You have ranks of Protection (increasing your Speed-Climbing: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling 1), Athletics Check Toughness defense) attributed to natural ability or train- Required (DC 11) • 1 point. ing. Like other talent powers, the GM may limit you to no more than 2–3 ranks. SPEED-SWIMMING Tough: Protection • 1 point per rank. You’re a powerful swimmer, swimming at your speed rank –1 (rather than –2 like most swimmers). Note this talent UNFAZEABLE does not exempt you from Athletics checks to swim, or allow you to breathe underwater.