Combination Powers

Combination powers are those which draw upon aspects of multiple ascendant abilities to function. They may make use of every aspect of their component powers or just enough of them to produce the combined effect. The fifteen combination powers presented below are abilities that either require several component powers to function, or were simply included to show examples of the combining powers power in use.

B

Berserker
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: reassignment, unyielding will, any number of physical weaponry powers.

While many characters lose their cool in battle and get more than a little bit reckless, there are few who can attain a true berserker rage. This super-human level of fury can actually overwhelm its user, causing physical and mental changes within that make them nigh-unstoppable! They accomplish this with a combination of the reassignment and unyielding will powers.

When entering a berserker rage, a character's Intellect and Awareness traits will suffer immediate negative Row Shifts, dropping them to rank value 2. In turn, their Melee and Brawn traits will benefit from like positive Row Shifts. As an example, a body with rank value 6 statistics will lose 2 RS of his or her Intellect and Awareness when going berserk, only to see a 2 RS gain on both their Melee and Brawn.

Furthermore, the berserker will also develop the ability to 'store' damage per unyielding will, soaking up an amount of such equal to his or her power rank value - regardless of the form it takes. Any additional damage suffered, whether it occurs in the form of a large number of weak attacks or one overwhelming assault, will affect the berserker normally.

A berserker rage lasts for the duration of a battle, plus the 1d10 turns it takes for a berserker to either mellow out or simply run out of steam. At this point, his or her traits will revert to their standard levels, and any outstanding combat damage stored during their frenzy will discharge into their body, albeit at a -2 RS to the original amount inflicted.

D

Dyad
Type: Combination Power
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: shape change, detachable parts.

A curious combination of both detatchable parts and shape change, dyad allows its wielder to divide themselves into two distinct components. These components are typically of equal mass, each comprising half of the character's total volume, though exceptions to this rule are not uncommon. Once split, the character's masses each change shape to assume a more functional, semi-independent configuration.

When divided in two, the bodies of a character with dyad can take almost any form. They can be two smaller versions of the character, a normal and a fantastic version of them, two bodies that are completely different from their original, or anything else that works for them. These forms generally remain consistent from one use of dyad to another, though variable bodies can be acquired as either enhancements or power stunts.

If one of the character's dyad-granted forms are to be given super-human characteristics, these may be other powers determined via the character generation process, or those purchased later in the event of character advancement. Such abilities, only accessible while dyad is active, are considered weakly limited if both forms have access to them, or strongly limited if only one of their two bodies can utilize it.

Their consciousness split between two distinct bodies, the wielder of dyad receives one additional action each turn, though their total number of actions are split between their forms. Generally, this only becomes complicated if dyad's possessor can attempt more than one action each turn before taking it into account, the character having to divvy up a sum of actions that are not divisible by two wherever they best fit over time.

While active, the two bodies of the character with dyad may range anywhere within Near distance of each other and still be effective. Exceeding this distance causes dyad to quit functioning, the two bodies it formed for the character snapping back together again. Most often, this occurs at a point halfway between the two masses that previously comprised the character, but can vary if their dyad forms have differing volumes.

Finally, should they be so inclined, characters may enhance dyad when first acquiring it, spreading their mass over even more bodies. Triad, breaking oneself down into three distinct forms, is a strong enhancement of this power. Tetrad, on the other hand, would be considered an extreme dyad enhancement, allowing its wielder to divide themselves into four, much smaller bodies with which they can interact with the world.

E

Environmental Pocket
Type: Combination Power
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: environmental independence, environmental sense, jelling, transmutation, various 'control' powers.

An environmental pocket is a safe zone that exists as a sort of encapsulated habitat around its creator. When invoked, an environmental pocket will transform the area within Very Near distance into a space more hospitable to its creator's form of life - regardless of prevailing conditions outside. An environmental pocket only lasts as long as one actively concentrates upon its continued existence.

Sort of a 'group' version of environmental independence, this power allows its wielder to share his or her ability to survive in alien surroundings with friends - or anyone else that's close. A combination of transmutation and various 'control' powers, environmental pocket is an entirely involuntary affair; its user cannot control aspects of the environment created - it simply changes things to make it survivable to him or her.

How the power works is that it first encloses the area of effect in a sphere that normalizes the pressure within, and prevents harmful energies from entering, with power rank value ability. Such energies can consist of any environmental calamity, from intense heat to radiation to crushing gravity. The power then transforms the matter within into something its possessor can use to breathe, extending his or her life.

If conditions outside the environmental pocket are able to overwhelm its rank value, they are at least diminished by its intensity. Thus, a rank value 10 environmental pocket could cut ambient radiation of value 20 by half - which is at least something of an improvement. Hostile energies that erupt inside an environmental pocket (such as a sudden energy attack) are not defended against, however.

While active, an environmental pocket constantly refreshes the air (or whatever) its wielder must breathe to survive, and actively resists the effects of matter animation and transmutation used by others to disrupt its habitat with power rank value ability as well. Thus, this ability can be used to avoid such powers as well as inherently hostile environments or situations, making it quite handy to the adventurer on the go.

An important consideration with this power, however, is that an ideal environment for one being might be anathema to another. Using this power on a world full of methane gas might allow its wielder to survive, but any natives wandering into its area of effect will immediately begin to suffocate. As such, the power can be used offensively as well, even if completely unintentionally!

Environmental Sense
Type: Combination Power
Duration: maintenance + 1d100 turns
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: atomic sense, biological sense, energy sense, macro sense, object sympathy, weather control.

Characters with an environmental sense can attain a deep, intimate awareness of their surroundings. Such individuals can become familiar with conditions anywhere within Near distance of their person, may readily perceive the weather both above and below the surface, and attain an awareness of disruptions to the 'natural' conditions in that area.

These disruptions can include dangerous chemicals, excessive energy discharges, and even biological hazards of various stripes. This sensory ability incorporates aspects of the atomic sense, biological sense, and energy sense powers, making it quite useful. Alternately, this ability grants a truly staggering amount of information, and narrowing down one's focus can be tricky at times.

Though knowing when something is 'wrong' in the area of effect requires no roll, finding the general nature or location of a disruption requires a red action, while pinpointing the specific location or type said disruption requires a blue environmental sense result. Yellow actions are typically only necessary when something is actively working to mask its presence in the environment to some extent.

The only problem with an environmental sense is that, once invoked, one cannot readily turn it off. The process of tying oneself into the nearby biosphere links a character to it for at least 1d100 turns, during which time they are inundated with various data regarding their surroundings, and tuning it all out for 1d10 turns requires one pass a successful, blue Willpower ACTION roll first.

Evolution Control
Type: Combination Power
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: reassignment, shape change.

Individuals with the ability of evolution control can slide themselves up and down the developmental trajectory of their species at will. Combining aspects of both rearrangement and shape change, evolution control allows its possessor to directly shift around the rank values in their traits and powers to better simulate such changes - whether forwards or backwards through the crucible of natural selection.

When a character moves backwards along his or her evolutionary path, they typically lose prowess in their mental traits, while gaining some in their physical capabilities. The idea is that cavemen are dumber than us modern, enlightened types, but also a whole lot tougher. This change occurs on a rank-value-per-rank-value basis, with each decrease in a mental trait corresponding to an increase in a physical trait.

On the other hand, a character simulating an advanced evolution does the reverse, increasing their mental traits at the expense of their physical statistics. However, this operates under the assumption that humans will become even more cerebral over time; it's possible that a character could express several possible evolutionary paths for his or her species, considering the vagaries of future outcomes.

A character may include their other powers in this process, having physical powers become more prominent when devolving while mental powers do the same when ascending beyond the norm. In this, evolutionary control can exceed the limits of normal reassignment, as powers can be reduced below rank value 2 in this manner. This represents abilities that either become vestigial or have yet to develop.

When adjusting the rank values of one's powers with evolutionary control, keep in mind that a power which costs double (or triple, or whatever) the price of a normal ability counts 'more' for the purposes of increasing or decreasing its potency. Raising ultimate power by +1 RS would require 5 RS of reductions to other powers - though as is usually the case with rank value reassignment, the reverse is also true.

If a character's power is only available in one evolutionary form, consider it weakly limited. A primary example of this includes a Neanderthal form having access to super climbing and super tracking, while a post-human form instead has access to flight and telepathy. A character can have powers that are completely independent of this ability, of course, though this sort of breaks its 'theme' without a good explanation.

The maximum level of any attribute modified by this power is evolution control's own rank value (before accounting for form limitations, that is).

In the end, this power provides its possessor wide flexibility in play, making him or her capable of developing a broad array of abilities to handle differing conditions. However, it pays to work out exactly which evolutionary forms the character possesses in advance, and precisely what each is capable of - even if a player comes up with a vast number of 'in-between' stages with which to maximize their mutability.

H

Hostility Screen
Type: Combination Power
Duration: maintenance
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: animal sympathy, antigravity, deflection, device sympathy, emotion control, empathy, gravity control, object sympathy, plant sympathy.

A hostility screen is an aversive field which prevents entities actively hostile to its possessor from approaching. A strange combination of both empathy and antigravity, hostility screen scans the area within Very Near distance of its wielder while active, and applies a repellant force when beings directing aggression towards said wielder attempt to wander any closer to him or her.

This repellant force works with power rank value intensity, and requires overcoming its might to approach any closer to its projector. Of course, the wielder of this power can use its repulsive properties to push themselves away from offensive individuals who can overcome it, doing so with like force - as if the hostility screen were a similarly potent propulsion power.

While a hostility screen is great against animate opponents, it's sort of at a loss against the unliving. Unfeeling machines, reanimated zombies, and even bullets are completely unaffected by a hostility screen - primarily because its empathic component cannot sense them whatsoever. This limitation can be bypassed, however, if the possessor of a hostility screen has access to the pertinent sympathy powers.

Device sympathy, for example, would add the ability to screen out non-sentient robots, while object sympathy would cover those bullets and zombies.

I

Ice Generation
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: aura (cold, ice or water), cold generation, energy absorption (cold or heat), fluid animation (water), matter absorption, solid animation (ice), temperature control, transformation / self (cold, ice or water).

Ice generation is a specialized ability which combines facets of both matter absorption and cold generation. How this power works is that it collects ambient moisture from one's environment, and then allows its possessor to instantly expel that moisture. The trick is that the water's flow is consciously controlled, and immediately frozen such that the wielder of this ability can seemingly create ice from nowhere.

The potency of ice generation varies depending on how much moisture is present in its wielder's surroundings. Using ice generation on (or in) a body of water allows it to work at +2 RS, while doing so in rain or fog gives it a +1 RS bonus. Wielding ice generation in especially dry and/or hot country will reduce its effectiveness by -1 RS, possibly even -2 RS if an area is particularly arid (such as the Sahara Desert).

Initially, the possessor of ice generation can only use it as a projectile attack. The form of damage it inflicts will be either Bashing (ice column) or Slashing (ice spear), depending on the shape chosen at the time. Developing additional uses for ice generation involves the mastery of power stunts, one for each kind of trick its possessor would like to perform with this versatile ability.

Stunts common to ice generation involve the creation of icy restraints around a foe, building ice slides to increase one's movement speed, constructing a protective icy aura, or otherwise generating large structures or sculptures. Slightly less common power stunts involve aspects of ice generation's component abilities, performing advanced feats to manipulate either cold or water to some extent.

An important, often overlooked consideration with ice generation is that its products are quite chilly. If a target is exposed directly to the ice this power generates (while held in an icy restraint or when skewered by an ice spear) they will also suffer cold-based damage. The frigid Energy damage indirectly inflicted by ice generation is SD in nature, and may cause numerous unforeseen effects based on how it is used.

J

Jeopardy
Type: Combination Power
Duration: permanent (no maintenance required)
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: between, dimensional transit, macro sense, precognition, time travel.

Characters with the power of jeopardy are never at a loss for excitement. This is because jeopardy is a strange combination of both the macro sense and teleportation abilities - that functions involuntarily. Jeopardy is always active, you see, and constantly scanning the space within range of its possessor. Whenever it recognizes a crisis within its wielder's ability to solve, it will transport him or her there immediately!

Jeopardy functions as does standard teleportation: on the Far range table. This generally keeps its wielder upon their home planet... or at least within its vicinity. However, the power may be given a strong enhancement to bump it up to the Very Far range table, or an extreme enhancement to push it out into rangeless territory. Such boosts to jeopardy allow it to drop its wielder on other planets - or maybe even in other galaxies!

Furthermore, it has a distressing habit of co-opting control of any other non-adjacent movement ability its wielder may possess. A character with jeopardy who also has dimensional transit or time travel may find themselves drawn to other universes or time frames to deal with crises that only they can solve. And woe be the character with jeopardy that also has access to the Between!

Once a character with jeopardy arrives at the scene of a crisis, he or she is generally in it for the long haul. Their movements are restricted to within Near distance of the situation they've been summoned to avert or resolve. Attempting to move further away from 'ground zero' will draw the character with jeopardy back to their arrival point - whether they try to leave voluntarily or are pulled away by external influences.

To aid a character with jeopardy in the resolution of one crisis after another, he or she has the ability to transport additional mass with them into a hot spot. This amount of matter is a weight intensity that an equivalent Brawn trait could carry. For example, a rank value 30 jeopardy power could haul along up to a ton of additional mass, which may or may not amount to one's fellow adventurers.

After a crisis has passed, whether the character with this power has successfully resolved it or not, he or she is sent home. They are then off the hook for a short period of time, during which they may attempt to recover before the next emergency. This vacation is 1d10 days, which may or may not be enough time for the person with jeopardy to fully heal from whatever has befallen them in the last emergency.

As is stated above, jeopardy is an involuntary ability - it is always ready to thrust its possessor into mortal peril. However, its wielder will know it is preparing to function, and may attempt a yellow power ACTION to hold it at bay momentarily. This ACTION must be passed each turn, and upon its failure the character will immediately blip off to deal with whatever cataclysm jeopardy has found for him or her to deal with.

Though even a few turns worth of delay might be enough for the character with jeopardy to call in sick from work!

M

Missile Generation
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 1 point per rank value
Related Powers: edges, gyration, propulsion, wings.

Missile generation is the ability to spontaneously generate objects which manifest as ballistic projectiles. A combination of device generation and propulsion, missile generation can generally create but one item when the power is first generated, the shape of which is at the player's discretion. This shape will determine what form of damage (Bashing, Slashing, or Piercing) the initial projectile can inflict.

Projectiles created by missile generation will possess a maximum material value equal to its power rank value. They also manifest with considerable velocity, having an effective range as is determined on the Near range table. Items fired at others by missile generation will inflict its power rank value in damage on impact with whatever they hit, whether or not what they hit was the intended target.

A missile generator can fire many, though not an infinite, amount of projectiles with this power. Generally, the number of such one can manifest within an hour is equal to its power rank value. A missile generator may opt to create more missiles after this initial amount is expended (sometimes emergencies dictate that you have to shoot even more people, after all), at a cost of one Health point per additional missile.

Missiles generated by this power are typically very simple in both form and composition. However, the power can be used to develop highly advanced and specialized missiles as power stunts. Building syringes containing poisons or drugs is one such option, as are glass spheres full of corrosive or incendiary compounds. Such stunts can greatly expand the types of damage of a missile generator can inflict.

Alternately, other powers may be further combined with the original two to create such missiles 'out of the box'.

N

Nanotechnology Generation
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank value
Related Powers: device generation, device sympathy, disintegration, matter generation, organic circuitry, organism generation, super invention.

The power of nanotechnology generation allows its wielder to create themselves a small robot. This at first sounds like device generation, and it is similar, after a fashion, save for the staggering extremes of scale involved. You see, the 'small' descriptor is the major distinction, in that the power actually generates robots at the atomic scale - in other words, about as small as a mechanical item can physically be!

In practice, the power generates a large number of like atomatons (atomic scale automatons) at once; one could be built to do the intended work, but the time scale involved may very well be prohibitive. As is the case with all matter generation powers, nanotechnology generation costs its user one Health point per use, a strain on the body caused by the manipulation of extreme forces in the creation of physical matter.

Similarly, the amount of time an atomaton (or swarm of such) created by this ability persists varies, based on variables extant when it is utilized. A black ACTION makes it last for a number of turns equal to this power rank value, a red ACTION lets a nano-device exist for a number of minutes equal to this power rank value, and a blue ACTION allows a microscopic item to persist for a number of hours equal to this power's rank value.

Finally, a yellow power ACTION creates nano-scale devices that last indefinitely.

One can only generate nanotechnology within Very Near distance of their person, and then only if nothing is physically between the nanotechnology generator and his or her target.

But what can atomatons do, you ask? Quite a lot, really, the tasks involved being limited only by the programming of the atomatons themselves. Wielding nano-scale robotics, one can easily engage in the fabrication of other items from the atom up - for as long as the raw materials are available. This often involves stripping extant objects in the environment for those raw materials.

Thus, one can wield atomatons for both constructive and destructive purposes. These effects simulate the device generation and disintegration powers - both functioning at the nanotechnology generation power rank value. The benefit of letting atomatons build things, instead of wielding device generation directly, is that one loses just the initial Health caused by the atomatons' creation when manufacturing gobs of devices.

Mind you, atomatons are capable of more... a whole lot more. In truth, their function can be limited solely by the imagination - and programming ability - of their creator. The above uses for nanotechnology generation are the standard, of course, though a myriad of additional tasks can be given to atomatons, each of which can be mastered as a power stunt of this incredibly versatile ability.

Common atomatonic abilities include (but are by no means are limited to) the following:

* One can program atomatons to simply dismantle things for the sake of doing so. This invokes the disintegration portion of the atomatons' basic function, without the intent of reassembling the resultant molecular detritus into anything else. Against living beings, this inflicts power rank value Metabolic damage against anything not resistant to like attack at a similar rank value - or not encased in a force field.

* An expanded use for atomatons is to bolster and modify existing items on a molecular level. Using nano-scale robots to re-manufacture an extant item, one can drastically reduce its weight, doing so by subtracting a percentage equal to this power's rank value (to a minimum of ten percent). Similarly, by properly aligning the molecules of a device, atomatons can increase its material strength by +2 RS.

* Another involves introducing atomatons to a device on a permanent basis, giving an item the power of regeneration! These robots will act to trim wear and tear on a device, constantly working to keep it in a pristine, new state. Even direct damage to an item will be repaired in short order, the atomatons quickly acting to restore the device to its pre-damaged state (power rank value regeneration).

* Alternately, one can introduce atomatons to a living system (i.e., an organism). When this is done, these machines can perform all manner of work inside the body, ranging from protecting it from poison and disease to repairing damage caused by natural aging and artificial events. This can thus give a body power value resistance to disease and poison, or eventually even longevity or regeneration!

O

Organic Circuitry
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 3 points per rank value
Related Powers: animal sympathy, device generation, device sympathy, disease, eidetic memory, matter generation, nanotechnology generation, organism generation, plant sympathy, super invention.

A variant form of both organism and device generation, this ability allows its possessor to create living machinery. This is done by using one's cellular matter as a template, and then weaving ambient subatomic particles in the vicinity together to generate organic devices. Each use of this ability costs its wielder one Health point per turn, but the nature of its creations can mitigate this penalty somewhat.

Organic circuitry can take on one or two specific forms. The first is that of a modular sort of cell. These can be produced in bulk to build any device the wielder of this power knows how to. What's better is that these living building blocks can be reconfigured on the fly, much like a swarm of atomatons can be, allowing the stack of organic circuitry to serve multiple purposes, as determined before their creation.

Alternately, however, a character with organic circuitry can build a specific living device. These items cannot be reconfigured as can the 'building block' form of organic creations this power can produce, but they gain the benefits of being specialized devices. While organic circuitry stacks can only work at up to this power rank value in effectiveness, a dedicated organic device operates at this rank value +1 RS.

Caring for organic circuitry and devices is quite simple. They need food, water, air, and rest, but these are easy needs to fulfill. Usually, chemical solutions can be brewed that provide all the food and water needed, applied to a special 'port' designed to accept it. Air is only a problem if their creator hangs out in hostile environs often, and the device will let you know when it needs rest (when it stops working, usually).

The interesting thing about an organic device is, while it is an artificially built thing, it can easily repair itself. Such items have an effective Fortitude trait equal to the organic circuitry power rank value, and will in time heal any damage taken. Also, organic machines can be designed so that they reproduce. This makes it real easy to stockpile a small arsenal of organic devices, provided they're cared for.

In fact, with a greater understanding of biology, a character can actually build organic devices that will hibernate if deprived of nutrition for a long period of time. This keeps them from starving to death, and subsequently forcing the organic circuitry creator to make themselves an all-new arsenal of living machinery. Which is a good thing, as making these devices is quite a drain on the body.

Organic circuitry can create mass equal to its power rank value, in pounds, each turn. Building something larger requires that one spend more than a single turn generating the desired object. For example, rank value 75 organic circuitry can produce seventy-five pounds of material per turn. To make something that weighs three hundred pounds, that rank value 75 organic circuitry must spend four turns creating it.

Unlike most matter generating powers, the products of organic circuitry are almost always made of complex, carbon-based materials - unless one specifically attempts to produce something functioning on a different biochemistry. Red ACTIONs are required under normal circumstances to create organic circuitry, but more 'exotic' biochemistries require a blue (or greater) ACTION, depending on how alien they happen to be.

As is the case with organism generation, this ability cannot produce living matter willy-nilly. Anything it creates has to come in the form of memorized patterns, organic circuitry that can be used in some fashion. In other words, the possessor of organic circuitry can make a stack of organic machinery cells or even a laser blaster with it, but they must first commit designs for the living creations involved to memory first.

One can recall a number of distinct designs that is equal to their Intellect trait. No matter how complicated or large it ultimately is (or will grow to be), an organic device counts as a singular being. If an organic device has other organic devices that can interface with it, however, these must be designed and memorized separately (such as smaller shuttle craft that will launch out of a larger carrier vehicle).

The amount of time such spontaneously generated living devices persist is determined by a second ACTION roll, made after an initial success. A black ACTION makes it last for a number of turns equal to this power rank value, a red ACTION lets a living device exist for a number of minutes equal to this power rank value, and a blue ACTION allows an organic item to persist for a number of hours equal to this power's rank value.

Finally, a yellow power ACTION creates organic devices from nowhere that last indefinitely.

Organic circuitry functions within Very Near distance of its wielder, and then only within one's direct line-of-sight. Wielding this power at rank value 50, for example, would allow its possessor to generate living matter anywhere within 50 yards of his or her person - assuming nothing lies between them and where they would like to create it. Such things have no inherent velocity, but gravity definitely affects them immediately.

P

Plasma Generation
Type: Combination Power
Duration: instantaneous effect
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: aura (plasma), various energy generation abilities (based on one's plasma type), energy absorption (various), matter absorption, transformation / self (plasma).

Plasma generation is a specialized ability that combines facets of matter absorption with one of several energy generation powers. How it works is that it collects ambient loose particles, which its wielder instantly expels. The catch is that the flow of these particles is both consciously controlled and highly energized, such that the possessor of this ability can seemingly generate plasma from nowhere!

The question, then, becomes just how the plasma was energized in the first place. Plasma can be produced by exposing particulate matter to intense heat (or fire), electricity (or magnetism), or radiation (or light). All of these energies used to coax matter into a plasma phase are interrelated, and thus generally produce the same result, though each will behave in a slightly different fashion.

Initially, plasma generation can only be used as a powerful projectile attack, on anything within Near range. This energetic, fourth form of matter can thus be used to inflict Armor Piercing Energy damage with each strike, having an SD damage effect based on the form of energy used to excite it into plasma in the first place. This SD effect, regardless of its type, can be resisted with one's Fortitude trait.

To use plasma generation in any other fashion, one must develop power stunts with the ability first. Such stunts generally resemble those a charactet can concoct with the various energy control powers, such as creating plasmatic restraints around a foe, building semi-sentient constructs from generated plasma, or even surrounding oneself in a powerful aura of plasmatic material.

Less common power stunts one can develop with plasma generation involve the component abilities which comprise it. Developing these, one can often manifest energy generation and control tricks based on the form of energy they use to excite ordinary matter into plasma in the first place, or perhaps can even learn how to absorb energy on top of the material required to create plasma!

R

Regenerative Armor
Type: Combination Power
Cost: 3 points per rank value
Related Powers: age control / self, environmental independence, healing / self, longevity, resistance (disease and/or poison), revival, stasis, transfixture, unyielding will.

The name of this power is something of a misnomer, really, in that it's not an active defense at all. What this power represents is someone who regenerates from injury at a staggering rate, immediately recovering from an amount of incoming damage that is equal to their power rank value - while recovering the rest soon afterwards, as if the character also possessed power rank regeneration.

For example, say a hero with rank value 30 regenerative armor was struck by intensity 75 lightning. He takes the full brunt of this Energy damage, but immediately heals back his power rank value - 30 - in response. That still puts him down by 45 Health points, which will subsequently regenerate at a rate equal to his power rank value divided by ten each turn (three points per turn for this individual).

The true advantage of this ability, aside from rolling protection and healing into a singular power, is in its blindness to various forms of damage. Since it acts after the fact, regenerative armor is equally effective against differing forms of attack, whether they be physical, energy, or even deionic in nature. This facet of regenerative armor makes it great for bypassing the costs of, say, purchasing equivalent resistances.

However, the power has all the downsides of regeneration (such as they are). For one thing, the power is particularly vulnerable to any form of SD damage, most often taking the form of corrosion, fire, or poison. While subject to the lingering effects of such damage, regenerative armor cannot repair the harm it has inflicted; the healing it provides (both in a burst and afterwards) must wait for the SD effect to cease first.

Secondly, as a reactive defense, the possessor of regenerative armor is still subject to Kill results of equal to or less intensity than this power's rank value, since the damage is still suffered. A standard bullet can kill a character with regenerative armor on a lucky hit, no matter how potent this power is. If the Kill check fails, the character's body will still attempt to stitch up the damage, though the damage may yet be fatal.

If the character can heal the damage that caused the Kill result before it's too late (i.e., he or she dies), they may attempt another Kill check to see if they stop dying. Only a red Fortitude ACTION is required at this point, assuming the lethal damage has since been repaired. If successful, this represents the character's body jump starting itself upon healing from its (formerly) lethal wounds.

Of course, the Fortitude rank values lost after such occurrences, if any, must be recovered normally.

T

Teleformation
Type: Combination Power
Duration: special
Cost: 3 points per rank value
Related Powers: aggregation, atomic sense, clairvoyance, detachable parts, healing / self, internal universe, item generation, locational sense, longevity, object projection, revival, shape change, solid animation, spectral freedom, stasis, various special abilities related to the teleformer's bodily composition (when limited).

The curious power of teleformation is a combination of both teleportation and reformation. In essence, it can be used to transport the driving consciousness and life force of a character anywhere within its range, and then subsequently build an entirely new body for him or her on the spot. When this is done, one's 'old' body generally falls apart in rapid order, disintegrating into its component molecules within 1d10 turns.

Teleformation normally functions within Far range of its wielder's current location, but when strongly enhanced, it can function with Very Far range. Similarly, if extremely enhanced, teleformation is essentially rangeless, being capable of instantly sending its wielder's anima anywhere in his or her current universe, where it will subsequently build a new body from which they may act.

Upon their arrival in a new location, teleformers immediately assemble a body to house their consciousness, doing so from readily available inanimate matter. This will produce something of a caricature of the character, and provide him or her the teleformation's power rank value in Health. In time, however, the character will slowly shape that matter into something better matching their self-image.

Each subsequent minute that passes will allow a teleformer to recover a like amount of Health points, as if they possessed similarly valued regeneration. A rank value 10 teleformation power, for example, would leave its user with ten Health points upon their arrival after its use, and they would recover that many more Health points each minute. Divide by ten to determine how many Health points are recovered each turn.

As this Health point recovery takes place, the teleformer's appearance will slowly change. The materials used to craft their initial body will begin to transition in both shape and composition, a process that continues until the teleformer recovers all their Health points. By the time this process is complete, a teleformer's new body will be indistinguishable from their old one - whatever that happened to be.

If injured at any time, a teleformer's body will recover as if they were in the process of rebuilding it. In other words, the regeneration-like effect that builds them a frame with which to interact with the world persists even after its initial work is done. This requires solid matter the teleformer can use to repair themselves, however; the power is generally useless in vacuum - or even in the ocean!

Any equipment that teleformers have with them upon transporting from one location to another is left behind, and they cannot produce any items besides themselves - at least, not with this power alone. Of course, a variety of matter control or creation powers can serve this purpose, but such capabilities are beyond the scope of the teleformation power, as is bringing others along for the ride.

While the above details the normal function of teleformation, it may be limited to customize it somewhat - or, if desired, to 'even out' any enhancements provided to grant it a greater range.

For one thing, the power may be constrained such that it can only build a new body from a certain kind of material, such as stone or wood or sand or whatever. Similarly, teleformation might not change the composition of material used to build a body for its wielder, making him or her constantly resemble a being made out of various materials. One's appearance will generally be similar, even if their exact composition isn't.

Both of these features are strong limitations to teleformation. If combined, they add up to an extreme limitation overall, which will generally curtail the power's use anywhere that the chosen material is not present in the environment. Characters that do not revert to their original, fleshy (or whatever) nature benefit from maximized environmental independence, as well as the characteristics of their composition (per transformation).

W

Weather Control
Type: Combination Power
Duration: 1d100 turns + maintenance, if desired
Cost: 2 points per rank value
Related Powers: cold generation, cyclone, electricity control, electricity generation, environmental sense, flight, gliding, heat generation, ice generation, invulnerability or resistance (cold, electricity, heat), sound control, sound generation, temperature control.

The power to control the weather is one of mankind's most sought-after abilities. Characters with this power need not rely upon unproven science and snake-oil salesmen to induce changes in the weather - they simply inflict such alterations as they see fit! A combination of various matter animation abilities, one can perform a wide array of tricks with weather control, both immediately and over time.

In play, a controller of the weather can alter it as he or she sees fit, inducing changes ranging from the subtle to the extreme. To do so, however, a weather controller must first pass a power ACTION roll against the intensity of whatever weather is currently active - or, if in competition with another weather controller, against the rank value of the opposing weather control power.

Weather alterations come about at a rate of 1 RS per turn. For example, a beautiful summer afternoon with only the slightest of breezes is menaced by a rank value 30 weather controller, who feels that it's literally time to rain on the parade of the 'unwashed masses'. Each turn her weather control is applied, the weather within her area of effect will change to reflect her wishes.

Rain begins to fall (increasing from rank value 0 intensity to rank value 2 intensity on the first turn) out of nowhere, until it peaks at a maximum intensity equal to the weather control power rank value on the sixth turn, which is described in the Advanced Battle Concepts as a raging thundershower! Once the power is no longer maintained, weather will return to its 'normal' state in a like fashion.

The immediate weather that a character can control is that within Near distance. Our rank value 30 weather controller, for example, may control weather as she sees fit within eighty-eight sectors. The weather within this area will interact with that without, however, leading to a buffer zone between the normal weather and the weather controller's, which extends out to Middle distance (one mile, for the above weather controller).

By themselves, weather changes can cause a wide variety of penalties to combatants in its area of effect. Powerful winds, extreme temperatures, heavy precipitation, and even fog are serious hindrances to a character's ability to fight, particularly when experienced in tandem. The only problem with this, of course, is that the weather does not discriminate, and affects everyone present in an equal fashion.

All of the above, in addition to the ability to reliably predict the weather, even without changing it, can be managed without mastering a single power stunt. However, weather control truly shines in how readily it can be modified with stunts to greatly extend its capabilities. Perhaps the most obvious power stunt of weather control is the ability to generate lightning - and direct it at one's foes!

Return to the Transnormality Treatise!