Devices
The skills required to create a super science device are more varied than just Knowledge: Technology. Listed below are examples of the additional Knowledge specialty to build a particular effect into a device or invention.
- Energy Weapons, Force Field, Teleporter Physical Sciences
- Healing Tank, Super Soldier Serum, Strength Booster Life Sciences
- Earthquake Machine Earth Sciences
Most super science devices will utilize Physical or Life Sciences. Staff might rule that you need more skill or additional skills to create devices at their discretion.
Mystical Devices or Rituals require Knowledge: Arcane Lore and might require other Knowledge skills for their design phase such as Theology & Philosophy, or even Art.
What can I build?
First and foremost whatever you want to build must fit your concept, in other words if your schtick revolves around manipulating fields of force to generate a variety of effects it would be unlikely for you to build much in the way of chemical weaponry.
The Mutants & Masterminds core rulebook has guidelines for temporary inventions on p. 131 that serve as a rough guideline to use to figure out what level of skill is required. Essentially if your skills aren't able to hit a DC equal to 10 + the effective Power Point cost of a given ability then you don't have the skill needed to make it without aid.
Example The Neuron wants to make a device to read people's minds and alter their memories. The device has the following powers:
- Telepathy 10 (20 effective PP)
- Transform 10 (Mental, Change Memories/Recollections, Continuous duration; 20 Effective PP)
The GM rules that the knowledge skills that apply are Technology for the overall design, and Behavioral Sciences for the mental powers. The DC would be 30 for either power in the device, meaning that The Neuron would need a skill of 20 to have a 50% chance to succeed with the design. This is a good benchmark to aim for when making a design but be aware that staff reserves the right to deny any invention or alteration of existing devices or artifacts if they feel they do not fit the character concept or are abusive.
Drawback: Normal Identity
Your normal identity is built on half your points and limited to half your power level. You may have no extraordinary powers or abilities that violate your normal identity's level caps. For example, you could have Strike with the source Training to represent martial arts expertise, but you could not have Super Strength, or the ability to fly.
As a 3 point drawback your transformation takes only a free action; the drawback is worth 4 points if it takes a full round, and 5 if it takes longer than a full round.
Remember that there must be a reasonable means of preventing your transformation for this flaw to be approved. DC's Captain Marvel had to speak a magic word, while Marvel's Thor had to strike his walking cane against the ground to transform into his heroic form. Your character stats should be those of the powered form and your normal form a viewable +note.
Falling Damage
The core rules mechanic for falling makes it far too lethal to accurately reflect the world of the comics. As written it is possible for a very tough brick to take falling damage that in the comics would not happen. To better model comic book 'reality' falling damage is computed as normal but the player can subtract their toughness save bonus from the damage bonus, as well as all of their impervious toughness bonus.
- Example: Neutronium Lass falls from 300'. Max damage from a fall is 20 lethal, but Neutronium Lass has 10 Impervious protection and a total save bonus of +12 for a total reduction of 22 points. As 20 minus 22 is less than zero she will take no damage at all from any fall without extraordinary circumstances coming into play.
- Example 2: Sky Dancer is a skill based character. Were he to fall the same distance of 300' the chance of his getting hurt would be much greater. He has a +10 damage save, none of which is impervious. His toughness bonus reduces the 20L attack to a 10 Lethal, he has to roll a DC25 Toughness save, needing a 15 or greater to escape unscathed. Note that Acrobatics can reduce the distance of a fall, and is applied before any other modifiers. This would not affect things in the example cited above, but could and should come into play in less harrowing falls.
Headquarters Feature: Computer
If you wish to have an AI computer it costs an additional feature for the Headquarters. An AI computer can be built on 10 power points per level of the character that purchased the feat. For example, a PL8 character would make their AI with 80 PP using the rules found on page 148 of the Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition rulebook. The AI has the same level limits as the character that purchased it, so in the example cited above the AI is limited as if a PL8 character.
Mass Combat
We will be using the Mass Combat Rules from the Paragons adventure A More Perfect Union by Steve Kenson for combats involving large numbers of NPCs or minions. These rules essentially treat a force of multiple units as a single entity to simplify large scale fights. The rules are reprinted here: Paragons Mass Combat Rules.
For fights involving 10 or less units use standard combat rounds instead of the longer ones listed in the Mass Combat Rules.
Skill Difficulties
The above skill difficulties were taken from Chris Finney's compilation document: M&M 2E Benchmarks.
Teams
Two or more player characters may form a team, and to encourage this teams get three benefits:
- Teams can apply for a private Channel.
- Teams can apply for a team Bulletin Board.
- For every two members of the team they get an Equipment feat that applies only to their team Headquarters. So if a team has four members they get two equipment feats applied towards the HQ they wish to build.
Alternate Initiative
Choose either Wisdom or Intelligence, from this point on you substitute the one chosen for your Dexterity bonus when calculating your base initiative. Intelligence based initiative stems from quick wits and the ability to anticipate probabilities. Wisdom based initiative is based off of being perceptive and having the self control to react decisively in a crisis situation.
Artificer, Inventor & Ritualist
You start the game having researched Rituals or Inventions (Super Tech or Magical) numbering half your power level and with a maximum power point cost equal to your PL. A PL8 character could therefore start with 4 Rituals or Inventions that simulate powers with an effect that would cost up to 8PP each. Note that these feats are all carefully scrutinized and must fit your concept and may have other requirements at staff discretion. With GM permission you may spend a Hero Point to invoke one of these rituals at the start of an encounter or to say you have one of the inventions on hand without having to make a normal jury rigging check and without taking the normal time to ready the rite or invention for that encounter.
Benefit: Famous Super (New)
You are quite famous and well thought of in your area of influence. The authorities are generally helpful to you, and most people know your name. Almost everyone in your area of influence starts with a Friendly attitude towards you (see Diplomacy, p 46 Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition), though there are exceptions. Rank 1 in this ability allows you to benefit from your fame within your base of operations. Rank 2 extends the area affect to your home country, and rank 3 extends it globally.
Equipment
You need not allocate equipment points for any equipment that is commercially available and within your financial means. Armor, Criminal Gear, Headquarters, Surveillance Gear, and Weapons are specifically exempt from this. Staff might rule that other gear requires the expenditure of equipment points.
Equipment: Element X: (New)
Effect: You carry a supply of exotic materials for use with your equipment based weaponry such as cold iron, mercury, or silver. With this feature you can designate that you happen to have the right material on hand when you need it, subject to GM approval.
Normal: If you wish to have an exotic material you'd either need to list a number of such that you carry or else find them in game, or via the expeniture of a hero point.
Cost: 1 equipment point
Note: This feature is one that must fit your character's theme and special effects, it it not something that is appropriate for all characters and is meant to simulate how Batman would often carry Kryptonite for example.
Improved Critical
Your critical threat range for Ranged or Melee attacks (chosen when you acquire this feat) is increased, allowing you to score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Only a natural 20 is an automatic hit, however, and an attack that misses is not a critical. Each additional rank increases your threat range by one more with the chosen attacks, or can be used to select the other type.
If your attack bonus exceeds your damage bonus you can acquire up to two ranks in improved critical with a given category (Three ranks in rare cases if it is particularly appropriate to your concept). If your attack bonus and damage are equal you can buy one level of improved critical. If your damage bonus exceeds your attack bonus you are ineligible for this feat.
Improved Grab
You cannot damage via grappling in the same round as you used this feat with a damaging attack.
Second Chance: Clarification
The Second Chance feat is a little vague on how they define it, so here is how it will work at Steranko Institute MUSH. Second Chance applies via Hazard, or by power effect type. The effect type is roughly equivalent to a doubly flawed Immunity of the five point variety, so use those as guidelines as to what Second Chance can apply to. It is of course up to the GM if the effect in question fits the description of the Second Chance, and such things as the special effects and descriptor are key.
Virtuoso Performer (New)
Your mastery of the performing arts allows untrained use of any of the specialties of the Perform skill as if trained in them. For those specialties that you have trained ranks in you gain a +4 bonus. This bonus cannot increase your total effective skill rank higher than the campaign’s power level limit.
Acrobatics and Athletics
The Climb and Swim skills do not exist.
Instead, Acrobatics (Dex) and Athletics (Str) represent the two main axises of raw physical ability: coordination-related for Acrobatics and strength and stamina-related for Athletics. There is a great deal of overlap. For general physical fitness, a character can use either skill in a check. For example, a basketball player or football player could use Acrobatics or Athletics, depending on the sort of player they see themselves as being. A character may use either skill to determine the maximum length he or she may jump.
However, the following uses of the skill are set by default:
- Acrobatics may be used to balance and tumble.
- Athletics may be used to climb and swim.
Replacement Feats
There are a variety of feats used throughout the books such as Monkey Climber in Warriors and Warlocks and Up the Wall in Mecha and Manga. Replace these feats with the following feat.
Athletic Versatility
The character may use his Acrobatics for Athletics checks or his Athletics for Acrobatics checks. The character accomplishes Athletics tasks through raw agility or accomplishes Acrobatics tasks through raw grit and stamina.
Note: Like any other feat, it has to make sense to take this feat. Some huge brick with a Str of 30 and Dex of 8 isn't likely to be approved with the feat.
Computers
The DCs listed in the core rules for Computers are quite simply insane. They are designed to make things difficult for PL10 heroes, the problem with this is that as written normal criminals wouldn't be able to do much of anything even with max human level attributes, max skill ranks, masterwork computers, and programs written to assist them. The solution is rather simple, the DCs for all computer checks will be lowered by 10 points from what is listed in the core rules.
To better simulate high end computer skills, super-computers and well crafted software the following additional rules will be used.
+2 circumstance bonus for Software (Attack programs, Firewalls, etc)
+2 equipment bonus for Hardware (If you're using a masterwork computer)
To generate the base DC to hack your systems you get one roll with applicable mods due to software, hardware, and feat modifiers such as Ultimate Effort, or the best of two rolls with Second Chance: Computers or hero point expenditure; or the best of three rolls with BOTH Second Chance: Computers and HP Expenditure.
The result becomes the system's Hacking DC until your Computers skill improves or if the GM rules that circumstances have changed enough to allow a new roll. You can make it take longer to hack your system by converting DC into additional required successes on a 1:1 basis. If you lower the DC by 3 for example it means that the would be hacker needs three more successes, for a total of four. This Hack DC should be recorded on your Wiki page and requires a staffer handle the rolls with you.
This applies to PCs and significant NPCs, otherwise use the standard (but lowered) DCs from the core rules.
If the system is being monitored and actively defended the Defender rolls as above but generally cannot roll less than the Hacking DC for the system. A defender also has the option to simply shut down the system or cut external access entirely (as appropriate) which will end the hack immediately but also disable the Computer system for a time.
Example: EMPulse has Computers +19 and has the Computer feature in her base, having rolled a 15 on her check the base has a Hack DC of 38, but she lowers the DC by 3 to 35, requiring a hacker to get four successes to get in. Link has Computers +20 and wants to hack into EMPulse's system, unfortunately he does so when she is logged in, so they end up in a contested Computers check. EMPulse is rolling at 19 for her Computer skill, and gets a software bonus of +2, and a hardware bonus of +2 for total bonus of +23. Her minimum result is going to be 35 due to that being the Hack value of the base computer. Link is rolling at 20 computers, has a MW Laptop and is using attack ICE he wrote for a further +4, giving him a total bonus of +24, he needs a total of four successes to win the hack.
Disable Device
Disable Device is another example of the game designers losing their minds when the DCs are concerned. To open a lock or disable a security device the DC is lowered by 10 from what is listed in the core rules. You can take 10 on any Disable Device check, or you can take 20 to open locks. Failure by 5 or more will generally cause issues, in the case of a lock it might jam, a security system or trap will likely be triggered. The GM will rule if the particular action being attempted takes greater time than usual, but it is at least a full-round action.
Corrosion & Disintegration
Use the costs from Ultimate Power when buying Corrosion & Disintegration; Corrosion is 3 points per rank, and Disintegration 5 per rank.
Drain Effects
Drain effects can be very nasty and as such they need careful moderation in a MU* environment.
If any drain effect, such as but not limited to Corrosion, Disintegration, Drain, and Transfer targets a trait with a cost equal to or less than 2/Rank such as Attack, Defense, Skills, or any trait that influences Saves, the amount drained is capped at a maximum of half PL and quite probably less at staff discretion.
If it targets an object or generalized trait that is more expensive, such as many powers or some ability scores, the drain effect follows normal stacking and level limits.
Multi-trait drains are much harder to get approved, in most cases they will not be permitted. Note that characters may still add additional ranks to the first category to increase the Save DC, but not the amount drained.
Growth
Use the cost from Ultimate Power when buying Growth. Each rank of Growth costs 3 power points instead of the 4 listed in the Mutants & Masterminds rulebook.
Super Senses: Accurate Tactile Senses
Since Tactile is blocked only by Insubstantial if you wish to take an accurate tactile sense it requires Accurate x2 for a total of 4PP.
Super Senses: Radio
You can “hear” radio frequencies including AM, FM, television, cellular, police bands, and so forth. This allows you to pick up on Radio Communication (see page 78). A second rank allows you to transmit to a limited area; max range is a radius equal to your INT bonus in miles. A third rank allows effectively planetary range through sheer power, or by satellite relays or use of cellular towers. The Subtle power feat encrypts your signal. To break the encryption is DC 20, or the better of 10 + Concentration or Knowledge: Physical Sciences (Or some other skill if the GM deems it appropriate).
Super-Speed
Reduce the cost of Super-Speed to 3/Rank and remove the bonus power feat as cited in the core rules. Super-Speed now provides three core benefits: Speed, Quickness, and +4 to initiative per rank.
Transform
Transform is a power that can be abusively powerful in that it has an all or nothing effect that can effectively KO a victim with a single failed save no matter how much they fail by. Other attack effects have degrees of failure, not so with Transform as written in the core rules. At SI MUSH Transform will be modified to no longer be all or nothing as follows:
- Save failed: Transform effect taking hold, the victim is Dazed due to the stress of the change. (Victim can take no actions but retains dodge bonus to defense)
- Save failed by 5+ or 2nd failed save: Transform partially effective, the victim is Stunned due to shock, pain and systemic stress. (Take no non-reaction actions, lose Dodge bonus to defense, -2 penalty applied to Defense)
- Save failed by 10+ or 3rd failed save: Transform wholly effective, the victim is subject to whatever conditions are inherent to the particular Transform.
This will bring the effect in line with other attack abilities that can incapacitate their target such as Stun, or Paralyze.