Power Profile - Life Powers PDF
Power Profile - Life Powers PDF
Power Profile - Life Powers PDF
Life Powers grant influence over the essential stuff of life • Life Force: Life powers may reference the concept of
itself: not just biological systems, but also the mysterious, “life force” for their origin or medium, using a wide
vital “life force” differentiating the animate and inanimate. range of terms from vital force to elan vitale, chi, ki,
Users of these powers can heal—perhaps even restore life or essence, to name a few. It is up to the Gamemas-
to the dead—but also harm, literally holding the powers ter (and the definitions of the setting) to determine
of life in their hands. whether or not all of these things refer to the same
descriptor or they are distinct in some fashion. Pure
• Biological: Originating from or affecting a living or- • Divine: Life powers may derive from a metaphysical
ganism. Broadly speaking, living organisms in Mutants “higher power” such as a deity, or from the power
& Masterminds can be defined as creatures possessing user’s belief in such a power, whether or not one
a Stamina rank, whereas those that do not are typi- exists. This power source and descriptor is suitable
cally constructs. Still, some constructs—undead for for the abilities of faith healers or divinely-appointed
example—may be biological in origin even though clerics or champions, particularly servants of deities
they are no longer living. Likewise, certain powers or or faiths focused on life, vitality, and healing. Some
effects may have the biological descriptor because divine healing powers may be based on the patient’s
they target biological organisms, living or otherwise. belief as much as the healer’s, in which case the flaw
Limited to the Faithful is appropriate.
• Life: In the context of life powers, the life descriptor
is almost inseparably intertwined with the biological • Magic: Magic tends to have an unusual relationship
descriptor (previously). Life is biological, referring to with life powers in source material like the super-
“living organisms”. In particular, even though beings hero comic books. Specialized mystics like “empathic
like androids, ghosts, spirits, and the like may be in- healers” may wield magical or mystical life powers—
telligent and self-aware, they are not “alive” in terms often with the burden of suffering some measure of
of the descriptor. As a good guideline, creatures their subjects’ pain. More general magicians or sor-
lacking Stamina or possessing Immunity to Forti- cerers, on the other hand, tend to have little, if any,
tude Effects may not fit into the “life” descriptor. So a power over the forces of life and may not be able to
Healing effect, for example, does not benefit a robot heal a simple cut or bruise. Instead, their powers focus
or other construct, and some life powers may have on the metaphysical and maladies of the psyche and
no influence over a being that is not truly “alive.” spirit. A magician can exorcise a demon or remove a
• Countering: Life powers influence the body and • You’re aware of your own physical condition with the
life force, either bolstering or diminishing them. degree of a battery of medical tests, at all times. So,
One use of life powers may potentially counter if you suffer a disease or injury, for example, you au-
another, such as using Healing against a Patho- tomatically know what has occurred and its severity.
gen or Bio-Disruption. Bolstering life powers may The GM may require an Expertise (Medicine) or Treat-
also counter other things that directly weaken ment check to describe the condition in detailed
or harm the body, such as diseases, toxins, and technical terms.
similar Affliction, Damage, or Weaken effects.
Metaphysically, life powers are opposed to (and
opposed by) death powers, and the two may counter
Offensive Powers
each other, although in some instances life powers Although life powers most often work to preserve and
have no further influence once a subject has fallen protect life, they are also capable of disrupting or even
under death’s sway. So a burst of pure “life force” might destroying it, since the power to heal often includes the
have a detrimental effect on, say, an undead creature, power to harm as well.
or it might have no effect at all, since the creature is
not alive, merely animated. Bio-Disruption
With a touch, you can cause a significant disruption of the
Healing & Regeneration biological systems of a target’s body. The effect is tem-
porary, but can be quite distracting, and often painful. If
Two primary effects for life powers, Healing and Regen- the Gamemaster allows, it can even be lethal, if pushed
eration approach a similar problem—repairing damage— beyond mere incapacitation (see Lethal Damage in the
in slightly different ways. Healing is an all-at-once effect Gamemaster’s Guide, page 193). With the broad range
involving at least a modicum of effort, since it requires of potential conditions this can cause, Bio-Disruption
a check and can potentially fail. Regeneration is a more may have the Variable Conditions modifier (see Illusion
gradual effect, spread out over time, but steady and re- Powers). If you can disrupt targets at a distance, add the
liable. Which effect should be used for a particular life Ranged or Perception Ranged modifier. With both Vari-
power depends on the power’s intended purpose. able Conditions and Increased Range, Bio-Disruption can
incorporate the other Affliction effects in this section.
Healing is a broad-spectrum effect: eliminating condi-
tions caused by Damage as well as providing a bonus on
Bio-Disruption: Cumulative Affliction (Resisted and Overcome
resistance checks against disease and poison effects (typi- by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) • 2 points per rank.
cally Afflictions), usable on yourself or on others. Limit
flaws can remove some of these capabilities, for a Healing
effect which only works on Damage, for example, or one Bio-Override
that only affects others. Conversely, a number of extras
can further expand Healing’s capabilities to treat fatigue, You exert control over your target’s gross motor func-
weakness, or even death. tions, manipulating them like a puppet. The victim’s mind
remains untouched, but you are in control of their body
Regeneration is a specific effect, speeding up the recovery and actions.
time of Damage conditions, but having no effect on any-
thing else, working automatically and only on the user by Bio-Override: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction
default. It’s possible to use modifiers to grant Regeneration (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Entranced, Compelled,
to others, but most such effects should simply use Healing. Controlled) • 4 points per rank.
Seizure Lifeport
You can move from place to place through the field of “life
You cause your target to suffer a seizure, stunning them force” surrounding concentrations of living beings. Your
for a time until they are able to shake off the effect. The power cannot take you into areas that are truly lifeless or
basic power is often enhanced by extras like Perception with nothing more than scattered life-forms.
Ranged, Cumulative, or Progressive, and may be Subtle or
Insidious as well. Lifeport: Teleport, Quirk (Not into areas where there is little or no
life, –1 point) • 1 point for rank 1, +2 points per rank.
Seizure: Affliction (Resisted and Overcome by Will; Dazed,
Stunned, Incapacitated) • 1 point per rank.
Utility Powers
Defensive Powers Life powers have a wide range of other uses, involving
control over one’s own life functions or those of others to
Defensive life powers primarily involve the enhancement control over biological matter itself.
of biological systems to better resist disease, pain, toxins,
injury, or hostile environments. Adrenal Control
Bio-Adaptation You have conscious control over the body’s production
of adrenaline, capable of enhancing strength and ath-
Your body adapts to deal with harmful circumstances, a letic ability temporarily. Realistically, this power should be
kind of hyper-Mithratism, where once you have suffered limited to just a few ranks, but there are instances of people
a harmful biological effect, you instantly develop a resis- under stress demonstrating incredible “hysterical strength”
tance or immunity. So you might suffer the effect of a flu that could justify higher ranks. Some versions of Adrenal
strain, for example, after which you become completely Control add the Side Effect flaw with an Affliction effect
immune to it. after the enhancement wears off (Resisted and Overcome
by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated).
Bio-Adaptation: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects), Limited to
effects you have experienced at least once • 15 points. Adrenal Control: Enhanced Strength, Fades • 1 point per rank.
Addiction Quirk
Imagine the addictive possibilities for someone able to It’s common for wielders of life powers to develop a code
control the basic functions of the body: releasing potent against doing harm (similar to a doctor’s Hippocratic
neuro-chemicals, endorphins, or adrenalin at will. Now Oath) or to become pacifists, unwilling to use violence to
add to that powers like Pharmacopeia (under Utility solve problems, or even in self-defense in extreme cases.
Powers) and it’s easy to see how life powers can lead to Pacifism can be a challenging Quirk to roleplay in a super-
serious addictions. What’s worse, a life controller could be hero RPG, where so much of the action revolves around
an enabler or “pusher” of addictions for others, providing combat, and players should keep this in mind.
virtually untraceable highs without the need to carry or
smuggle drugs or paraphernalia. Responsibility
Similarly, life controllers could become addicted simply
to the process of using their powers. Perhaps there’s a Literally possessing the power to grant life is a heavy re-
euphoric “high” that comes with healing (or controlling) sponsibility, and those with life powers may be strongly
someone else, or it could just be the psychological effect, motivated to use them to protect and preserve life when-
the “god-complex” of being a healer, which some medical ever and however they may. Of course, complications
professionals encounter. can arise when there are questions over the appropriate
use of such powers. Is a super-powered healer practicing
medicine without a license? Are there questions of patient
Fame consent or legality? Can you sue a healer for malpractice?
Moreover, is it selfish for a healer to want things like a per-
Life is perhaps the most precious thing in the world, so sonal life or time away from treating the sick and injured,
someone with known power over it is sure to become or to triage or prioritize patients?
famous—and extremely in demand. A super-healer or
flesh-sculptor (able to cure deformities, scarring, and
other damage) could name his or her price from any hos-
Secret
pital or medical institution in the world, but would likely
Given the heavy burden of life powers, some may choose
also face blistering criticism for “withholding” such a pow-
to keep the true nature or extent of their powers secret
erful gift from those unable to pay that price.
so as not to have to deal with the judgments of others.
Of course, this renders the character vulnerable to black-
Honor mail and limits circumstances where those powers may
be used. It also means, should the secret come out, the
A life controller might take an oath similar to a doctor or effects will be that much worse for being hidden from the
other medical professional to use such powers wisely and public in the first place.
well. Indeed, in the case of mystical or divine life control-
lers, such an oath may be an essential part of their train-
ing. In particular, a healer may be sworn to help those in
Weakness
need, including injured or ill criminals!
The most common “weakness” for healers is the Empathic
flaw for the Healing effect (Hero’s Handbook, page 111)
Phobia where healers suffer the conditions they cure. It is not a
complication, however, but included in the power’s cost.
Those with life powers may shrink from the approach of
the forces of death, fearful of unliving creatures like the Those with life powers may be so attuned to the life
undead or unnatural beings like robots, golems, or other around them they suffer similar “empathic backlash”
simulacra. when others are injured or killed, dealing with the
equivalent of an Affliction effect that can daze, stun, or
Knowledge of life and all of its complex vulnerabilities incapacitate them with the onslaught of others’ pain and
may also bring about germaphobia (fear of infections and suffering.
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