Post by Ebon on Jul 17, 2013 3:35:43 GMT -8
Matter Conversion Powers
*MCo1/Coloration: The hero has total control over the coloration and color transmitting abilities of any target substance, whether solid. liquid, or gaseous. That's all, folks. Okay, this seems like the prime number one Wimp Power of all time. Wrong, oh ye of little faith; read on and I'll tell you how dangerous this Power can be it is when possessed by a clever hero. This Power enables the hero to alter basic physics and the chemical properties of any target. The Power operates in either of these two modes. In the first mode, the hero can consciously alter the frequency and intensity of light itself. He can change any frequency to any other frequency, including infrared, the visible spectrum, and ultraviolet. Like a prism, the Power can split apart white light into a rainbow or re-combine back into white. He can lower the intensity of light to create normal darkness, even in the midst of brilliant fight, though these shadows lack the opacity of those created by Shadowcasting. In game terms, consider this a -2CS form of both Shadowcasting and Shadowshaping. Different frequencies of light have different properties. By altering the frequency of light, the hero can alter these properties. Infrared light causes objects to heat up. By converting normal light to infrared, the hero can cause a -2CS form of Heat Emission. Conversely, by converting Infrared light, the hero can prevent radiant heating; treat this as a 2CS Force Field vs. Heat. Ultraviolet light causes changes in pigmentation; effects can vary from the tanning of normal human skin to the rapid fading of printed material. It is also the key to photosynthesis. If the light is in a coherent form, like a laser beam, the effects of color become more dramatic. Red lasers carry more heat and do greater damage for the Intensity. Blue-green lasers can pass unhindered through water. Again, change the frequency of light and you change its effects. The second operating mode for the Power is altering the physical coloration of the target material. The color of a object can have great importance both to the fickle aesthetic tastes of humans and to the impartiality of Moms Nature. Coloration determines the type and amount of energy that is either reflected or absorbed by the material in question. White and silvery surfaces reflect all light. Dark colors and black absorb all light. There is the matter of transparency. A perfectly clear substance lets light pass through. Examples include air, glass, and the lens in a human eye. Change the degree of transparency and you stop light from traveling though. A character with this Power can stop anything in its tracks if the target depends on vision to find its way around. Conversely, the Power can make an opaque target transparent. Uses for this vary from humane through mischievous to outright criminal. A humane use is curing those types of blindness that result from the loss of the eye's natural transparency. A mischievous use is turning someone's clothing transparent. A criminal use is turning concealing barriers transparent if the character is seeking information behind that barrier; this can be anything from reading the contents of an envelope or locked file cabinet to studying a lock's mechanism while cracking the combination. Color conveys information. Change the color and you alter or even destroy the message. Consider the effect changing color has on things as varied as comic books, paintings, photographic film, traffilights, feathers, furs, and human skin. Take the last one, for example. The reason why people get so freaked out by the Hulk is not his size or berserk rampages but that he is bright green! Give the Hulk a normal tan and he could work in Hollywood. On a more prosaic level, the ability to change the color of printed or written material can be have immense consequences in an Information Age society such as our own. The possibilities include both vandalism and creation. When using this Power, the hero must make a Reason FEAT to determine how fine his degree of control is. A green FEAT permits him to change all of a target to a single color; think of the target getting a paint can dumped on it. A Yellow FEAT enables him to change the target to several colors. The effect is the same as being caught by a bunch of near-sighted graffiti artists, each with a different can of spray paint. A Red FEAT gives the hero fine control and the ability to alter tiny areas in specific ways; think of a talented artist with a very small brush. When the hero is covering an area, he only affects the exposed surface of any targets. For example, Colorizing a closed book would not harm the printed pages; Colorizing a cow purple wouldn't change the color of a steak later on. As for the question of affecting the eyes of a living target, the Judge and players should assume that the Power only affects the layer of tears that protect the eye. In effect, the target is momentarily blinded by colored water that quickly washes away. Eyes are such a small target that the character must make a specific red FEAT to do so. Note: this bending of the rules does not apply to the lenses of artificial eyes; cameras and robots are on their own. This Power does not actually change the physical nature of a target. Elemental, molecular, and genetic structures remain unchanged except where Light is concerned. A steel safe made glass-like is still as strong as ever. A pane of glass given a steel-like surface shatters just as before. The duration of the Power varies. The normal limit is 1 -100 hours after the Coloration occurs. The hero can immediately reverse any Coloration if he chooses. Sometimes the hero wants an act of Coloration to be permanent, such as when he tries to cure an old man's cataracts. In that case, a red Power FEAT does the trick. Optional Powers include Light Control. Nemesis Powers are Radar or Sonar.
*MCo2/Combustion: The hero has the ability to transform any target into combustible material. Once this Power has been used, spontaneous combustion occurs within 1 -10 turns after. Only the surface layer of matter is converted by this Power. As such, the flames only last 10-20 turns since the combustible material is quickly burned away. The total amount of damage done by this is equal to Power rank Intensity. Example: Rusty Collins, a student of X Factor, has Monstrous Combustion but has not yet achieved full control over it. At present, when he is excited, he can inflict up to Incredible Intensity damage on a target. When his Power first appeared, his accidental target was a woman who subsequently suffered severe burns. The range for the Power is determined on Column A of the Range Table on the inside cover. The maximum amount of target area the hero can initially affect is the number of square feet equal to his Power rank times ten. For example, when he is fully trained in the use of his Power, Rusty Collins will be able to ignite an area of 750 square feet at a distance of 40 areas (1 mile) away. The Power only affects the surface of a target that is in sight of the hero. Using the Power against a gasoline tank would only burn the outside of the tank and any gasoline that had already leaked through bad joints in the tank walls. If the damage were sufficient to rupture the tank or heat the gasoline inside to the combustion point, then the stored liquid could join the blaze. The Power's effects begin to multiply when the power is used against targets that are already flammable or in the immediate vicinity of flammable materials. Most of Mankind’s manufactured items and buildings contain some percentage of flammable material. Even materials not known for their combustible qualities, like plaster, will burn if enough heat is applied. By taking this into consideration, the clever hero can simply use his Power as the spark to start an apparently normal fire. Combustion normally occurs only in the presence of free oxygen. If there's no oxygen in the air or if there is no air, period, Combustion cannot take place. Using this Power on a target under such a circumstance would have no immediate effect on the target. While the Power would still convert some of the target into, flammable, volatile compounds, these would simply and harmlessly evaporate; used under water, the Power would make bubbles suddenly appear on the target. At Unearthly rank or higher, the hero gains the ability to transform some of the target into free oxygen as well as fuel, thus permitting the Power the Power to function in a vacuum or hostile environment. If the target is affected by the Power but the flames are somehow prevented from occurring, the target will only remain potentially flammable for 21 to 30 turns after the Power has had its initial effect. At any point during that time, the target can still burst into flame; after that has elapsed, the target is safe. Means that can prevent Combustion from occurring include Elemental and Molecular Conversion, Fire Control, Thermal Control, Cold Generation, Force Field vs. Energy, and Resistance to Energy. Any of these Powers gives its possessor Power rank Resistance to Combustion's effects. Example: Rusty Collins is battling a Sentinel. He uses his Monstrous Power to set fire to the Sentinel's faceplate. The Sentinel reacts by spraying extinguishing foam on itself. The foam has Unearthly fire retardant qualities and prevents the Combustion-affected area from igniting. Unfortunately for the Sentinel, it only lasts 25 turns after initial application. As the Sentinel grabs Rusty, his faceplate belatedly but still spectacularly bursts into flame. Optional Powers include Fire Generation and Control. Nemeses include Elemental and Molecular Conversion, Cold Generation, Fire Control, and Thermal Control.
*MCo3/Disintegration: This is the ever popular but never explained "Disintegrator Ray." The hero has the ability to convert any matter into pure energy, usually Light although the player can specify another resultant energy when he first creates the character. The energy dissipates harmlessly and does not affect anyone in the vicinity. This Power can affect any target within range and line-of-sight. The range is determined by Power rank; resulting distances are shown on Column A of the Range Table. The maximum amount of matter that can be disintegrated in a single turn is the number of cubic feet equal to the Power rank number. For example, a Typical Disintegrator can destroy six cubic feet of matter at a range of two areas or 264 feet. When creating the character, the player can alter the Power range or effect if he so chooses. Either the range or the amount affected can be increased any number of Column Shifts by decreasing the other factor an equal amount. Example: Ken and Sue are both creating Disintegrators. Ken rolls 97 for his Power rank, an awesome Amazing rank for both range and effect. Sue isn't so lucky and rolls 77, a Good rank for her Cyborg Character. Sue wants deadlier force and chooses to after her range and effect. She decreases her range to Feeble or Contact-only, a loss of -3CS that she can apply to her effect. This increases +3CS to an Incredible effect. Unwilling targets of this Power are allowed to resist it in any way they can. Furthermore, the Disintegrator must make an Agility FEAT to aim this Power on a target. I mentioned the maximum area the Disintegrator can effect, but what of the minimum area? The Power comes in handy for doing all sorts of fine-detailed work like sculpting, surgery, or removing unwanted locks. The hero can Disintegrate as small an area as he can clearly see. With normal, unaided vision, the minimum limit is about 1/128th of an inch. Smaller than that and the hero needs some kind of magnifying device or Power. Note: this limit is proportional to a normally-sized human of about six feet in height. Enlarged or miniaturized characters have a proportional limit. For example, a 36-foot-tall giant would have a minimum limit of 1/21 of an inch, while a one-foot-tall person would have a minimum limit of 1/768th of an inch or about the size of a cell. As stated earlier, the target must be within line of sight since the Power affects the first thing it encounters, excluding air molecules. Actually, some air is accidentally Disintegrated whenever this Power is used-that's why the Power appears as a glowing beam emitted by the hero-but not enough to divert the Power from its intended target. If an unseen or unanticipated barrier is present between the Disintegrator and the target, that barrier takes the full brunt of the Power that turn. Ken's hero, Starburst, sights a Dreadnought and immediately tries to Disintegrate it. Unfortunately, Starburst failed to notice the plate glass window the Dreadnought was behind. The window vanishes in a flash of pretty lights as the Dreadnought ducks around the corner. This Power is frequently given, to weapons systems such as the ever popular Disintegrator Pistols that fill pulp SciFi. In terms of normal contemporary Earth technology, a Disintegrator raygun requires Incredible Reason and Physics Talent to design and an Amazing cost in Resource points to build. The Judge is free to decide the range and effect of such a weapon. Nemeses for Disintegration are Phasing (to protect the hero) and Ionization (to protect others) as the Power cannot affect intangible matter.
*MCo4/Elemental Conversion: (*): This power is so powerful that it costs twice as many character power options as other 'normal' powers. Whereas a normal PC might start off with four character options, this power would eat up two of those slots.
The hero can convert any matter into a specific element. The matter to be converted can be any one element or a combination of elements. The resulting element can be any of the hundred-odd natural, artificial, and mythical elements. Natural elements are those numbered 1 (Hydrogen) to 92 (Uranium) on the Periodic Table; these require a green FEAT to create. Artificial elements are those numbering higher than 92 and do not naturally occur on Earth outside of man's experiments; such elements include Neptunium, Plutonium, and the like. A yellow FEAT is required to create these. Mythical elements include Vibranium and any other imaginary element the Judge decides to add to this category; a red FEAT is required to create these. Note: it has never been established whether Vibranium is an element or a compound; Judges are therefore instructed to decide which category Adamantium fits into in the Judge's campaign. The hero can alter a finite amount of matter per turn. The maximum amount per turn is the number of pounds equal to the Power rank number. The amount of matter weighs the same in its original and transformed states. If the hero converts matter into denser elements, the volume decreases. Converting matter to lighter elements increases the volume. For example, one cubic foot of lead weighs the same as 17.5 cubic feet of carbon. Just exploiting this little fact of life can lead the hero to develop a variety of Power Stunts. For example, the hero might cause a sudden vacuum in a room by converting all air to a dense solid, like bismuth. Normally, when matter is converted by this Power, it retains its new nature permanently or at least until a reverse transformation is forced on it at a later date. At the time the hero is created, the player has an option of increasing his Power rank by making the Power's effect temporary. The hero can gain +1CS by reducing the duration of his transformations to the number of turns equal to his Reason rank number. For example, a hero with Good Reason and Poor Elemental Conversion can convert four pounds of material that reverts to its original state in ten hours. The normal form of this Power is fatal if used on a living target. Tissue transformed by the Power suffers instantaneous death. If the hero chooses the option of temporary effect, the Power has a different effect on living tissue. The affected area enters Suspended Animation until it reverts to its original state. This can also be developed into a variety of Power Stunts. Of course, if only part of the living target is transformed, the rest of the body still suffers the shock of having part of itself transformed into nonliving elements. The minimum amount of matter that can be transformed is limited only by the hero's sight. If the hero can see it, he can transform it. The practical limit for unaided human vision is 1/128th of an inch. Lest you think your hero is going to retire to Brazil and spend the rest of his days turning weeds to gold, let me warn you about the drawbacks. Each pound of matter the hero converts temporarily costs him a point of Health. This is automatically regained, after 24 hours. On the business side, there is the question of selling the raw elements. Gold, platinum, and other rare, valuable elements are kept strictly accounted for by a variety of governmental and business organizations. If your hero makes a habit of coming up with large amounts of bullion, someone is going to begin to notice. That someone could be anyone from a relatively benign IRS agent come to audit your hero's accounts to a sinister agent of the Gold Cartel come to shut down the new competitor (i.e., kill your hero). About the only choice your hero has is selling small amounts to local precious metals dealers. Going this route can raise your hero's Resource rank +3CS; any more than that and somebody will notice and take action. The range at which the Power can operate is determined by the Power rank. Distances are shown on column A of the Range Table. When creating the hero, the player can choose the option of increasing either the amount affected or the range by decreasing the other factor an equal amount. For example, a Typical rank can convert six pounds of matter at a distance of two areas. Either factor can be modified a maximum of 2CS. One way produces a hero who has Feeble effect (two pounds) but Excellent range (6 areas). Going the opposite route produces a hero with Excellent effect (20 pounds) but Feeble range (contact only). Stationary, non-living, unprotected targets are automatically affected. Moving targets require an Agility FEAT by the hero to hit the target. Living targets are allowed to Resist this Power just as they could any other attack. Protections against this Power include Force Field vs. Energy Attack, Resistance to Energy Attack, True Invulnerability, various Magics, and various Power Controls. Any of these completely protect against a lesser ranked Elemental Conversion and have a limited affect against equal or greater ranks. The Judge is free to decide the results of partial protection against this Power. Optional Powers include Matter Animation and Molding. The Nemeses include Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, and True Invulnerability.
*MCo5/Ionization: The hero has the ability to change the state of energy in a target. This can have a variety of effects on the target. A target can be electrified by this Power; the target's atoms begin to change into electrically-charged particles. The initial effect this has is to charge the target with static electricity. Next the target actually emits Electricity at -1CS Intensity. At this point the target will itself suffer an equal amount of damage, provided it is electrically grounded in some way. Finally, the charged atoms begin to fly off in an ionized cloud. Nonliving targets can be destroyed in this manner as the molecular bonds break down. Used this way, the Power does damage equal to 2CS Disintegration. Okay, what about beneficial uses for this Power? Well, electricity isn't the only energy the hero can charge a target with when he uses this Power. The hero can excite the atoms sufficiently to create warmth; this is treated as a -2CS form of Heat. More interestingly, the hero can charge atoms in such a way that he can make them temporarily ethereal. A target thus affected can Phase through solid matter as easily as someone already in possession of that Power. This comes in handy when the hero is trying to protect a target from any of the Matter Conversion Powers. He can use this Power to Phase something threatened by the other Power or made threatening because of it. The range at which Ionization can occur and its duration are determined by the Power rank. Range is shown on Column A on the Range Table. Duration is a maximum number of rounds equal to the Power rank number. For example, a Feeble rank can charge a target within reach for two turns. The amount of material affected is generally limited to a man-sized continuous mass. If the target is a specific area of a much larger mass, the Ionization will directly affect only the mansized area, although the rest of the mass can experience secondary effects based on whatever the hero is trying to do. For example, The Shocker has to Ionize a safe in which some people are trapped. He plans to try to Disintegrate a section of the safe large enough to permit fresh air to enter. There is a danger of electrocution to those trapped within, so Shocker tells them to stand on something that can insulate them from the metal walls and floor. They hurriedly cover themselves with stacks of $100 bills. Outside, Shocker summons his Power. The safe is a 15-foot cube with walls two feet thick. Selecting a section of the safe's wall with no essential mechanisms inside, he begins. He has a Incredible rank. In the first turn, static electricity crackles in the air; inside the safe, loose bills stand on end. In the second turn, electricity of Remarkable Intensity begins to be generated by the affected area. The safe's lock shorts out as the electricity flows throughout the metal sections of the safe; inside the safe the air begins to smell of ozone. In the third turn, Disintegration of Excellent Intensity begins to occur. Shocker is bathed in a cloud that resembles a fluorescent lamp without the tube. The safe walls are constructed of reinforced concrete and steel, giving it Remarkable material strength. For Shocker to execute any meaningful Disintegration, he needs to make a red FEAT based on the diminished Disintegration rank, rather than his normal Ionization rank. Shocker's player needs to roll a 95 or higher to burn through the safe. It takes him 11 turns or over a minute to finally accomplish the deed. Hours later it occurred to The Shocker that he could simply have used his Power to make part of the safe temporarily out-of-Phase with the rest of the world. Had he done that, those trapped inside could simply have walked through the temporarily ethereal wall. The Nemesis Power is Energy Sponge.
*MCo6/Molecular Conversion: (*): This power is so powerful that it costs twice as many character power options as other 'normal' powers. Whereas a normal PC might start off with four character options, this power would eat up two of those slots.
The hero can transform any material into a desired compound. This Power is an enhanced version of Elemental Conversion. Whereas that Power could only create a single specified element, this Power can create a number of elements simultaneously and arrange them in a desired molecular configuration. The matter to be converted can be composed of any element, compound, or combination thereof. The elements that result can be any of the hundred-odd natural, artificial, and mythical elements. The compounds they form can likewise be real or mythical. An example of a fictional compound is the alloy Adamantium, a steel alloy that only exists in the Marvel Universe. Mythical compounds or compounds that incorporate a mythical element (like Vibranium) require a red FEAT to create. Note: it has never been established whether Vibranium is an element or a compound; while I choose to refer to Vibranium as an element, Judges are free to decide for themselves whether it is an element or a compound in their campaign. Most other compounds require either a green or yellow FEAT to create. The more complex a compound's formula is, the harder it is to create. As a rule of thumb, a compound whose molecules incorporate from two to twenty atoms can be created by a green FEAT. A compound with molecules of from twenty-one to one hundred atoms, or alloys of various compounds, requires a yellow FEAT; examples include hydrocarbons. More complex molecules or alloys require a red FEAT; examples include polymers, proteins, and other compounds essential to life. Obviously, playing this Power requires knowledge of basic chemistry. At the least the player must have a crib sheet filled with various useful compounds and their formulas. The hero can after a finite amount of matter each turn. The mass limit is the number of pounds equal to the Power rank number. The amount of matter converted weighs the same either before or after Conversion. The heavier the resulting compound, the smaller its volume. Conversely, the lighter the compound, the more volume it has. This simple fact can be exploited as a variety of Power Stunts. For example, a fistsized rock can be transformed into a roomful of the mixture of gases we humans consume as air. The maximum range at which the Power can affect a target is determined by the Power rank; distances are shown on column A of the Range Table. At the time the hero is created, the player has the option of increasing either the Power's range or amount affected by decreasing the remaining factor an equal amount. For example, an Amazing rank can Convert 50 pounds at a range of 20 areas. Either factor can be modified by up to 7CS. This can produce such extreme combinations as Feeble range (Contact only) and CL3000 effect (3000 pounds per turn) or CL3000 range (10,000 miles) and Feeble effect (two pounds). The player also has the option of increasing the Power +1CS by making its effect temporary. Normally, Conversions are permanent or at least remain until a reverse Conversion occurs. If the player chooses the temporary option, the Conversion only lasts a maximum number of turns equal to the hero's Reason rank number. While permanent Conversions may be fatal to living targets (it depends on what was Converted and what the result was), the temporary form has the side-effect of placing the target area into a form of Suspended Animation until the Conversion wears off. Of course, the Conversion can have severe, even fatal, effects on the rest of the living target if the entire body is not Converted. The target must be in line of sight of the hero for the Conversion to occur. The Power can function even if a normal, transparent barrier such as glass separates the hero and the target. The minimum amount of material that can be affected by the Power is limited only by the hero's eyesight. In practical terms, the smallest size a Normal Human can see is 1/128th of an inch. Below that requires the use of something to enhance the hero's vision. Stationary, non-living, unprotected targets are automatically affected by this Power. Moving targets require an Agility FEAT in order for the hero to hit the target. Living targets are allowed to resist Molecular Conversion just as they would any Energy Attack. Targets can be protected from being effected by this Power through the use of other Powers including Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, True Invulnerability, various Magics, and various Power Controls. Such Powers will completely protect against a lesser or equal rank Molecular Conversion and offer partial protection against higher ranks. The Judge is free to decide the results of partial protection. Optional Powers include Matter Animation and Molding. Nemeses include Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, and True Invulnerability.
*MCo1/Coloration: The hero has total control over the coloration and color transmitting abilities of any target substance, whether solid. liquid, or gaseous. That's all, folks. Okay, this seems like the prime number one Wimp Power of all time. Wrong, oh ye of little faith; read on and I'll tell you how dangerous this Power can be it is when possessed by a clever hero. This Power enables the hero to alter basic physics and the chemical properties of any target. The Power operates in either of these two modes. In the first mode, the hero can consciously alter the frequency and intensity of light itself. He can change any frequency to any other frequency, including infrared, the visible spectrum, and ultraviolet. Like a prism, the Power can split apart white light into a rainbow or re-combine back into white. He can lower the intensity of light to create normal darkness, even in the midst of brilliant fight, though these shadows lack the opacity of those created by Shadowcasting. In game terms, consider this a -2CS form of both Shadowcasting and Shadowshaping. Different frequencies of light have different properties. By altering the frequency of light, the hero can alter these properties. Infrared light causes objects to heat up. By converting normal light to infrared, the hero can cause a -2CS form of Heat Emission. Conversely, by converting Infrared light, the hero can prevent radiant heating; treat this as a 2CS Force Field vs. Heat. Ultraviolet light causes changes in pigmentation; effects can vary from the tanning of normal human skin to the rapid fading of printed material. It is also the key to photosynthesis. If the light is in a coherent form, like a laser beam, the effects of color become more dramatic. Red lasers carry more heat and do greater damage for the Intensity. Blue-green lasers can pass unhindered through water. Again, change the frequency of light and you change its effects. The second operating mode for the Power is altering the physical coloration of the target material. The color of a object can have great importance both to the fickle aesthetic tastes of humans and to the impartiality of Moms Nature. Coloration determines the type and amount of energy that is either reflected or absorbed by the material in question. White and silvery surfaces reflect all light. Dark colors and black absorb all light. There is the matter of transparency. A perfectly clear substance lets light pass through. Examples include air, glass, and the lens in a human eye. Change the degree of transparency and you stop light from traveling though. A character with this Power can stop anything in its tracks if the target depends on vision to find its way around. Conversely, the Power can make an opaque target transparent. Uses for this vary from humane through mischievous to outright criminal. A humane use is curing those types of blindness that result from the loss of the eye's natural transparency. A mischievous use is turning someone's clothing transparent. A criminal use is turning concealing barriers transparent if the character is seeking information behind that barrier; this can be anything from reading the contents of an envelope or locked file cabinet to studying a lock's mechanism while cracking the combination. Color conveys information. Change the color and you alter or even destroy the message. Consider the effect changing color has on things as varied as comic books, paintings, photographic film, traffilights, feathers, furs, and human skin. Take the last one, for example. The reason why people get so freaked out by the Hulk is not his size or berserk rampages but that he is bright green! Give the Hulk a normal tan and he could work in Hollywood. On a more prosaic level, the ability to change the color of printed or written material can be have immense consequences in an Information Age society such as our own. The possibilities include both vandalism and creation. When using this Power, the hero must make a Reason FEAT to determine how fine his degree of control is. A green FEAT permits him to change all of a target to a single color; think of the target getting a paint can dumped on it. A Yellow FEAT enables him to change the target to several colors. The effect is the same as being caught by a bunch of near-sighted graffiti artists, each with a different can of spray paint. A Red FEAT gives the hero fine control and the ability to alter tiny areas in specific ways; think of a talented artist with a very small brush. When the hero is covering an area, he only affects the exposed surface of any targets. For example, Colorizing a closed book would not harm the printed pages; Colorizing a cow purple wouldn't change the color of a steak later on. As for the question of affecting the eyes of a living target, the Judge and players should assume that the Power only affects the layer of tears that protect the eye. In effect, the target is momentarily blinded by colored water that quickly washes away. Eyes are such a small target that the character must make a specific red FEAT to do so. Note: this bending of the rules does not apply to the lenses of artificial eyes; cameras and robots are on their own. This Power does not actually change the physical nature of a target. Elemental, molecular, and genetic structures remain unchanged except where Light is concerned. A steel safe made glass-like is still as strong as ever. A pane of glass given a steel-like surface shatters just as before. The duration of the Power varies. The normal limit is 1 -100 hours after the Coloration occurs. The hero can immediately reverse any Coloration if he chooses. Sometimes the hero wants an act of Coloration to be permanent, such as when he tries to cure an old man's cataracts. In that case, a red Power FEAT does the trick. Optional Powers include Light Control. Nemesis Powers are Radar or Sonar.
*MCo2/Combustion: The hero has the ability to transform any target into combustible material. Once this Power has been used, spontaneous combustion occurs within 1 -10 turns after. Only the surface layer of matter is converted by this Power. As such, the flames only last 10-20 turns since the combustible material is quickly burned away. The total amount of damage done by this is equal to Power rank Intensity. Example: Rusty Collins, a student of X Factor, has Monstrous Combustion but has not yet achieved full control over it. At present, when he is excited, he can inflict up to Incredible Intensity damage on a target. When his Power first appeared, his accidental target was a woman who subsequently suffered severe burns. The range for the Power is determined on Column A of the Range Table on the inside cover. The maximum amount of target area the hero can initially affect is the number of square feet equal to his Power rank times ten. For example, when he is fully trained in the use of his Power, Rusty Collins will be able to ignite an area of 750 square feet at a distance of 40 areas (1 mile) away. The Power only affects the surface of a target that is in sight of the hero. Using the Power against a gasoline tank would only burn the outside of the tank and any gasoline that had already leaked through bad joints in the tank walls. If the damage were sufficient to rupture the tank or heat the gasoline inside to the combustion point, then the stored liquid could join the blaze. The Power's effects begin to multiply when the power is used against targets that are already flammable or in the immediate vicinity of flammable materials. Most of Mankind’s manufactured items and buildings contain some percentage of flammable material. Even materials not known for their combustible qualities, like plaster, will burn if enough heat is applied. By taking this into consideration, the clever hero can simply use his Power as the spark to start an apparently normal fire. Combustion normally occurs only in the presence of free oxygen. If there's no oxygen in the air or if there is no air, period, Combustion cannot take place. Using this Power on a target under such a circumstance would have no immediate effect on the target. While the Power would still convert some of the target into, flammable, volatile compounds, these would simply and harmlessly evaporate; used under water, the Power would make bubbles suddenly appear on the target. At Unearthly rank or higher, the hero gains the ability to transform some of the target into free oxygen as well as fuel, thus permitting the Power the Power to function in a vacuum or hostile environment. If the target is affected by the Power but the flames are somehow prevented from occurring, the target will only remain potentially flammable for 21 to 30 turns after the Power has had its initial effect. At any point during that time, the target can still burst into flame; after that has elapsed, the target is safe. Means that can prevent Combustion from occurring include Elemental and Molecular Conversion, Fire Control, Thermal Control, Cold Generation, Force Field vs. Energy, and Resistance to Energy. Any of these Powers gives its possessor Power rank Resistance to Combustion's effects. Example: Rusty Collins is battling a Sentinel. He uses his Monstrous Power to set fire to the Sentinel's faceplate. The Sentinel reacts by spraying extinguishing foam on itself. The foam has Unearthly fire retardant qualities and prevents the Combustion-affected area from igniting. Unfortunately for the Sentinel, it only lasts 25 turns after initial application. As the Sentinel grabs Rusty, his faceplate belatedly but still spectacularly bursts into flame. Optional Powers include Fire Generation and Control. Nemeses include Elemental and Molecular Conversion, Cold Generation, Fire Control, and Thermal Control.
*MCo3/Disintegration: This is the ever popular but never explained "Disintegrator Ray." The hero has the ability to convert any matter into pure energy, usually Light although the player can specify another resultant energy when he first creates the character. The energy dissipates harmlessly and does not affect anyone in the vicinity. This Power can affect any target within range and line-of-sight. The range is determined by Power rank; resulting distances are shown on Column A of the Range Table. The maximum amount of matter that can be disintegrated in a single turn is the number of cubic feet equal to the Power rank number. For example, a Typical Disintegrator can destroy six cubic feet of matter at a range of two areas or 264 feet. When creating the character, the player can alter the Power range or effect if he so chooses. Either the range or the amount affected can be increased any number of Column Shifts by decreasing the other factor an equal amount. Example: Ken and Sue are both creating Disintegrators. Ken rolls 97 for his Power rank, an awesome Amazing rank for both range and effect. Sue isn't so lucky and rolls 77, a Good rank for her Cyborg Character. Sue wants deadlier force and chooses to after her range and effect. She decreases her range to Feeble or Contact-only, a loss of -3CS that she can apply to her effect. This increases +3CS to an Incredible effect. Unwilling targets of this Power are allowed to resist it in any way they can. Furthermore, the Disintegrator must make an Agility FEAT to aim this Power on a target. I mentioned the maximum area the Disintegrator can effect, but what of the minimum area? The Power comes in handy for doing all sorts of fine-detailed work like sculpting, surgery, or removing unwanted locks. The hero can Disintegrate as small an area as he can clearly see. With normal, unaided vision, the minimum limit is about 1/128th of an inch. Smaller than that and the hero needs some kind of magnifying device or Power. Note: this limit is proportional to a normally-sized human of about six feet in height. Enlarged or miniaturized characters have a proportional limit. For example, a 36-foot-tall giant would have a minimum limit of 1/21 of an inch, while a one-foot-tall person would have a minimum limit of 1/768th of an inch or about the size of a cell. As stated earlier, the target must be within line of sight since the Power affects the first thing it encounters, excluding air molecules. Actually, some air is accidentally Disintegrated whenever this Power is used-that's why the Power appears as a glowing beam emitted by the hero-but not enough to divert the Power from its intended target. If an unseen or unanticipated barrier is present between the Disintegrator and the target, that barrier takes the full brunt of the Power that turn. Ken's hero, Starburst, sights a Dreadnought and immediately tries to Disintegrate it. Unfortunately, Starburst failed to notice the plate glass window the Dreadnought was behind. The window vanishes in a flash of pretty lights as the Dreadnought ducks around the corner. This Power is frequently given, to weapons systems such as the ever popular Disintegrator Pistols that fill pulp SciFi. In terms of normal contemporary Earth technology, a Disintegrator raygun requires Incredible Reason and Physics Talent to design and an Amazing cost in Resource points to build. The Judge is free to decide the range and effect of such a weapon. Nemeses for Disintegration are Phasing (to protect the hero) and Ionization (to protect others) as the Power cannot affect intangible matter.
*MCo4/Elemental Conversion: (*): This power is so powerful that it costs twice as many character power options as other 'normal' powers. Whereas a normal PC might start off with four character options, this power would eat up two of those slots.
The hero can convert any matter into a specific element. The matter to be converted can be any one element or a combination of elements. The resulting element can be any of the hundred-odd natural, artificial, and mythical elements. Natural elements are those numbered 1 (Hydrogen) to 92 (Uranium) on the Periodic Table; these require a green FEAT to create. Artificial elements are those numbering higher than 92 and do not naturally occur on Earth outside of man's experiments; such elements include Neptunium, Plutonium, and the like. A yellow FEAT is required to create these. Mythical elements include Vibranium and any other imaginary element the Judge decides to add to this category; a red FEAT is required to create these. Note: it has never been established whether Vibranium is an element or a compound; Judges are therefore instructed to decide which category Adamantium fits into in the Judge's campaign. The hero can alter a finite amount of matter per turn. The maximum amount per turn is the number of pounds equal to the Power rank number. The amount of matter weighs the same in its original and transformed states. If the hero converts matter into denser elements, the volume decreases. Converting matter to lighter elements increases the volume. For example, one cubic foot of lead weighs the same as 17.5 cubic feet of carbon. Just exploiting this little fact of life can lead the hero to develop a variety of Power Stunts. For example, the hero might cause a sudden vacuum in a room by converting all air to a dense solid, like bismuth. Normally, when matter is converted by this Power, it retains its new nature permanently or at least until a reverse transformation is forced on it at a later date. At the time the hero is created, the player has an option of increasing his Power rank by making the Power's effect temporary. The hero can gain +1CS by reducing the duration of his transformations to the number of turns equal to his Reason rank number. For example, a hero with Good Reason and Poor Elemental Conversion can convert four pounds of material that reverts to its original state in ten hours. The normal form of this Power is fatal if used on a living target. Tissue transformed by the Power suffers instantaneous death. If the hero chooses the option of temporary effect, the Power has a different effect on living tissue. The affected area enters Suspended Animation until it reverts to its original state. This can also be developed into a variety of Power Stunts. Of course, if only part of the living target is transformed, the rest of the body still suffers the shock of having part of itself transformed into nonliving elements. The minimum amount of matter that can be transformed is limited only by the hero's sight. If the hero can see it, he can transform it. The practical limit for unaided human vision is 1/128th of an inch. Lest you think your hero is going to retire to Brazil and spend the rest of his days turning weeds to gold, let me warn you about the drawbacks. Each pound of matter the hero converts temporarily costs him a point of Health. This is automatically regained, after 24 hours. On the business side, there is the question of selling the raw elements. Gold, platinum, and other rare, valuable elements are kept strictly accounted for by a variety of governmental and business organizations. If your hero makes a habit of coming up with large amounts of bullion, someone is going to begin to notice. That someone could be anyone from a relatively benign IRS agent come to audit your hero's accounts to a sinister agent of the Gold Cartel come to shut down the new competitor (i.e., kill your hero). About the only choice your hero has is selling small amounts to local precious metals dealers. Going this route can raise your hero's Resource rank +3CS; any more than that and somebody will notice and take action. The range at which the Power can operate is determined by the Power rank. Distances are shown on column A of the Range Table. When creating the hero, the player can choose the option of increasing either the amount affected or the range by decreasing the other factor an equal amount. For example, a Typical rank can convert six pounds of matter at a distance of two areas. Either factor can be modified a maximum of 2CS. One way produces a hero who has Feeble effect (two pounds) but Excellent range (6 areas). Going the opposite route produces a hero with Excellent effect (20 pounds) but Feeble range (contact only). Stationary, non-living, unprotected targets are automatically affected. Moving targets require an Agility FEAT by the hero to hit the target. Living targets are allowed to Resist this Power just as they could any other attack. Protections against this Power include Force Field vs. Energy Attack, Resistance to Energy Attack, True Invulnerability, various Magics, and various Power Controls. Any of these completely protect against a lesser ranked Elemental Conversion and have a limited affect against equal or greater ranks. The Judge is free to decide the results of partial protection against this Power. Optional Powers include Matter Animation and Molding. The Nemeses include Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, and True Invulnerability.
*MCo5/Ionization: The hero has the ability to change the state of energy in a target. This can have a variety of effects on the target. A target can be electrified by this Power; the target's atoms begin to change into electrically-charged particles. The initial effect this has is to charge the target with static electricity. Next the target actually emits Electricity at -1CS Intensity. At this point the target will itself suffer an equal amount of damage, provided it is electrically grounded in some way. Finally, the charged atoms begin to fly off in an ionized cloud. Nonliving targets can be destroyed in this manner as the molecular bonds break down. Used this way, the Power does damage equal to 2CS Disintegration. Okay, what about beneficial uses for this Power? Well, electricity isn't the only energy the hero can charge a target with when he uses this Power. The hero can excite the atoms sufficiently to create warmth; this is treated as a -2CS form of Heat. More interestingly, the hero can charge atoms in such a way that he can make them temporarily ethereal. A target thus affected can Phase through solid matter as easily as someone already in possession of that Power. This comes in handy when the hero is trying to protect a target from any of the Matter Conversion Powers. He can use this Power to Phase something threatened by the other Power or made threatening because of it. The range at which Ionization can occur and its duration are determined by the Power rank. Range is shown on Column A on the Range Table. Duration is a maximum number of rounds equal to the Power rank number. For example, a Feeble rank can charge a target within reach for two turns. The amount of material affected is generally limited to a man-sized continuous mass. If the target is a specific area of a much larger mass, the Ionization will directly affect only the mansized area, although the rest of the mass can experience secondary effects based on whatever the hero is trying to do. For example, The Shocker has to Ionize a safe in which some people are trapped. He plans to try to Disintegrate a section of the safe large enough to permit fresh air to enter. There is a danger of electrocution to those trapped within, so Shocker tells them to stand on something that can insulate them from the metal walls and floor. They hurriedly cover themselves with stacks of $100 bills. Outside, Shocker summons his Power. The safe is a 15-foot cube with walls two feet thick. Selecting a section of the safe's wall with no essential mechanisms inside, he begins. He has a Incredible rank. In the first turn, static electricity crackles in the air; inside the safe, loose bills stand on end. In the second turn, electricity of Remarkable Intensity begins to be generated by the affected area. The safe's lock shorts out as the electricity flows throughout the metal sections of the safe; inside the safe the air begins to smell of ozone. In the third turn, Disintegration of Excellent Intensity begins to occur. Shocker is bathed in a cloud that resembles a fluorescent lamp without the tube. The safe walls are constructed of reinforced concrete and steel, giving it Remarkable material strength. For Shocker to execute any meaningful Disintegration, he needs to make a red FEAT based on the diminished Disintegration rank, rather than his normal Ionization rank. Shocker's player needs to roll a 95 or higher to burn through the safe. It takes him 11 turns or over a minute to finally accomplish the deed. Hours later it occurred to The Shocker that he could simply have used his Power to make part of the safe temporarily out-of-Phase with the rest of the world. Had he done that, those trapped inside could simply have walked through the temporarily ethereal wall. The Nemesis Power is Energy Sponge.
*MCo6/Molecular Conversion: (*): This power is so powerful that it costs twice as many character power options as other 'normal' powers. Whereas a normal PC might start off with four character options, this power would eat up two of those slots.
The hero can transform any material into a desired compound. This Power is an enhanced version of Elemental Conversion. Whereas that Power could only create a single specified element, this Power can create a number of elements simultaneously and arrange them in a desired molecular configuration. The matter to be converted can be composed of any element, compound, or combination thereof. The elements that result can be any of the hundred-odd natural, artificial, and mythical elements. The compounds they form can likewise be real or mythical. An example of a fictional compound is the alloy Adamantium, a steel alloy that only exists in the Marvel Universe. Mythical compounds or compounds that incorporate a mythical element (like Vibranium) require a red FEAT to create. Note: it has never been established whether Vibranium is an element or a compound; while I choose to refer to Vibranium as an element, Judges are free to decide for themselves whether it is an element or a compound in their campaign. Most other compounds require either a green or yellow FEAT to create. The more complex a compound's formula is, the harder it is to create. As a rule of thumb, a compound whose molecules incorporate from two to twenty atoms can be created by a green FEAT. A compound with molecules of from twenty-one to one hundred atoms, or alloys of various compounds, requires a yellow FEAT; examples include hydrocarbons. More complex molecules or alloys require a red FEAT; examples include polymers, proteins, and other compounds essential to life. Obviously, playing this Power requires knowledge of basic chemistry. At the least the player must have a crib sheet filled with various useful compounds and their formulas. The hero can after a finite amount of matter each turn. The mass limit is the number of pounds equal to the Power rank number. The amount of matter converted weighs the same either before or after Conversion. The heavier the resulting compound, the smaller its volume. Conversely, the lighter the compound, the more volume it has. This simple fact can be exploited as a variety of Power Stunts. For example, a fistsized rock can be transformed into a roomful of the mixture of gases we humans consume as air. The maximum range at which the Power can affect a target is determined by the Power rank; distances are shown on column A of the Range Table. At the time the hero is created, the player has the option of increasing either the Power's range or amount affected by decreasing the remaining factor an equal amount. For example, an Amazing rank can Convert 50 pounds at a range of 20 areas. Either factor can be modified by up to 7CS. This can produce such extreme combinations as Feeble range (Contact only) and CL3000 effect (3000 pounds per turn) or CL3000 range (10,000 miles) and Feeble effect (two pounds). The player also has the option of increasing the Power +1CS by making its effect temporary. Normally, Conversions are permanent or at least remain until a reverse Conversion occurs. If the player chooses the temporary option, the Conversion only lasts a maximum number of turns equal to the hero's Reason rank number. While permanent Conversions may be fatal to living targets (it depends on what was Converted and what the result was), the temporary form has the side-effect of placing the target area into a form of Suspended Animation until the Conversion wears off. Of course, the Conversion can have severe, even fatal, effects on the rest of the living target if the entire body is not Converted. The target must be in line of sight of the hero for the Conversion to occur. The Power can function even if a normal, transparent barrier such as glass separates the hero and the target. The minimum amount of material that can be affected by the Power is limited only by the hero's eyesight. In practical terms, the smallest size a Normal Human can see is 1/128th of an inch. Below that requires the use of something to enhance the hero's vision. Stationary, non-living, unprotected targets are automatically affected by this Power. Moving targets require an Agility FEAT in order for the hero to hit the target. Living targets are allowed to resist Molecular Conversion just as they would any Energy Attack. Targets can be protected from being effected by this Power through the use of other Powers including Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, True Invulnerability, various Magics, and various Power Controls. Such Powers will completely protect against a lesser or equal rank Molecular Conversion and offer partial protection against higher ranks. The Judge is free to decide the results of partial protection. Optional Powers include Matter Animation and Molding. Nemeses include Force Field vs. Energy, Resistance to Energy, and True Invulnerability.