With Great Power...

Although some heroes and villains rely solely on skills and feats, most are set apart by their super-human powers. Mutants & Masterminds characters can lift tanks, fly through the air, throw lightning from their hands, shoot lasers from their eyes, or any number of other amazing things.

Mutants & Masterminds 2e has over a hundred powers (107, to be exact)—more if you count the variations of powers like Element Control and Summon Minion. Like the first edition of the game, it also has a selection of options for customizing powers, allowing you to create a virtually infinite range of abilities.

Here we look at a couple additions to the Powers chapter in M&M: power descriptors and countering powers.

Power Descriptors

The rules explain what various powers do, that is, what their game effects are, but it is left up to the player and Gamemaster to apply descriptors to define exactly what a power is and what it looks (and sounds, and feels) like to observers.

A power’s descriptors are primarily for color. It’s more interesting and clear to say a hero has a "Flame Blast" or "Lightning Bolt" power than a generic "Blast" power. "Flame" and "lightning" are descriptors of the Blast power. Descriptors do have some impact on the game since some powers work only on or with effects of a particular descriptor. A hero may be immune to fire and heat, for example, so any effect with the "fire" or "heat" descriptor doesn’t affect that character. The different sense types are descriptors pertaining to sensory and concealment powers. Different allegiances may also be descriptors.

Generally speaking, a descriptor is part of what a power is called beyond its game system name. For example, a weather-controlling heroine has the following powers as part of Weather Control: Blast, Environmental Control, and Obscure. Her Blast is the power to throw lightning bolts, so it has the descriptor "lightning." If a villain can absorb electricity, then his power works against the heroine’s damage (since lightning is electrical in nature). Her Environmental Control is the power to control the weather, giving it the descriptor "weather." Obscure creates thick banks of fog, giving it the "fog" or "mist" descriptor. So if an opponent transforms into mist, with the ability to regenerate in clouds or fog, he can regenerate inside the heroine’s Obscure area. If the heroine’s power comes as a gift from the gods, it may also have the descriptor "divine" or "magical." On the other hand, if it comes from her mutant genetic structure, then it has the descriptor "mutant."

The number of power descriptors is virtually limitless. The players and Gamemaster should cooperate to apply the appropriate descriptors to characters’ powers and use common sense when dealing with how the different descriptors interact. Just because one hero throws "lightning" and an opponent can absorb "electricity" doesn’t mean the villain’s absorption doesn't work because it's not the exact same descriptor. Lightning is a form of electricity, after all. A certain amount of flexibility is built into descriptors, allowing them to cover the full range of possible powers. As in all things, the GM is the final arbitrator and should be consistent when ruling on whether or not a particular descriptor is appropriate and how all powers and descriptors interact in the campaign.

Countering Powers

In some circumstances the effects of one power may counter another, negating it. Generally for two powers to counter each other they must have opposed descriptors. For example, light and darkness powers can counter each other as can heat and cold, water and fire, and so forth. In some cases, such as with mental powers, powers of the same descriptor can also counter each other. The GM is the final arbiter as to whether or not a power of a particular descriptor can counter another. The Nullify power can counter any power of a particular descriptor or even any power at all!

How countering works: To counter a power, you must take the ready action. In doing so, you wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to use a power. You may still move, since ready is a standard action.

You must be able to use the readied power as a standard, move, or free action. Powers usable as a reaction do not require a ready action; you can use them to counter at any time. Powers requiring a full action or longer cannot counter another power in combat (although they may counter ongoing effects, see the following section).

If an opponent attempts to use a power you are able to counter, use your countering power as your readied action. You and the opposing character make power checks (d20 + power rank). If you win, your powers cancel each other out and there is no effect from either. If the opposing character wins, your attempt to counter is unsuccessful. The opposing power works normally.

Example: Siren, goddess of the seas, is fighting the White Knight. The hate-mongering villain hurls a Blast of white-hot fire. Having readied an action, Siren's player says she wants to counter White Knight's fire Blast with her Water Control. The GM agrees the two powers should be able to counter each other, so he asks Siren's player to make a Water Control check, while he makes a power check for White Knight. Siren's player rolls a result of 26 while the GM rolls a result of 19 for White Knight. Siren successfully counters the flame Blast, which fizzles out in a gout of steam.

Countering ongoing effects: You can also use one power to counter the ongoing or lasting effect of a power, or the lingering results of an instant power (like flames ignited by a fiery Blast). This requires a normal use of the countering power and an opposed power check, as above. If you are successful, you negate the effect (although the opposing character can attempt to re-establish it normally).

Example: Mastermind has placed Johnny Rocket under his Mind Control. Lady Liberty has the power to break such bonds (the Nullify power). She shines the light of liberty on her teammate and makes a power check (d20 + her Nullify rank). The GM makes a power check of d20 + Mastermind's Mind Control rank. If Lady Liberty wins, Johnny is free of Mastermind's control. If she fails, the Freedom League will have to come up with another plan to neutralize their super-fast teammate without hurting him.

Instant countering: You can spend a hero point to counter another power as a reaction, without the need to ready an action to do so.

Example: The witch Seven and her teammates face off against Malador the Mystic, who hurls a powerful spell at them. Seven's player chooses to spend a hero point, allowing Seven a shot at countering the incoming spell with her own Magic before it hits. She and Malador make power checks (d20 + Magic rank). Seven manages to win and block the necromancer's spell... this time.

Next: More powers than you can shake a power ring at! We give you previews of some of the power write-ups in Mutants & Masterminds including Alternate Form, Animate Objects, and Quickness.