Power Modifiers: Extras and Flaws
Power modifiers enhance or weaken a power's effects in various ways, sometimes significantly changing how they work. Positive modifiers, called extras, increase a power's cost per rank by 1. Negative modifiers, called flaws, reduce a power's cost per rank by 1.
There are general power modifiers (applying to a wide range of powers) and each power is also listed with specific modifiers, including how particular general modifiers work in conjunction with that power.
Here are some sample modifiers from Mutants & Masterminds 2e:
Alternate Save | +0/+1 modifier |
A power with this modifier has a different saving throw than usual. The power's effects and saving throw Difficulty Class remain the same, only the save differs. This is particularly important for Toughness save powers, which have a base DC of 15 + rank, rather than 10 + rank. If you change a power with a Toughness save to another save, its save DC remains 15 + rank.
When applied to powers requiring a Toughness saving throw, Alternate Save is a +1 modifier and can only make the power's save Fortitude or Will. Fortitude generally represents a toxic effect like a poison, while Will represents a mental or spiritual attack, and makes the power a mental effect. In either case the power only works on targets with the appropriate save: Fortitude only affects living targets with a Constitution score. Will only affects creatures with all three mental ability scores. Neither works on inanimate objects.
Applied to powers requiring other save, this modifier does not change a power's cost (it is a +0 modifier). The GM may choose to add a modifier if the alternate save grants a significant advantage in the campaign, but usually the differences in utility against various targets even out.
This extra applies to personal range powers, making them into attack effects. Examples include Shrinking and Teleport, causing a target to shrink or teleport away. Unlike most extras, the power's cost does not change, although its effects do.
The power no longer works on you, so a Teleport Attack can't be used to teleport yourself. It affects one creature of any size or 100 lbs. of inanimate mass. You can increase the affected mass with the Progression power feat. The power has touch range and requires a melee attack roll to touch the subject. The target gets an appropriate saving throw, determined when the Attack Power is purchased. Generally Reflex or Will saves are the most appropriate, with a DC of 10 + the power's rank.
You must define reasonably common defenses that negate the attack effect entirely, such as force fields or the ability to teleport blocking a Teleport Attack. You control the power, and maintain it, if it has a duration longer than instant.
If you want both versions of an Attack Power, such as being able to Teleport yourself and Teleport others as an attack, take the Attack Power as an Alternate Power feat of the personal power. To be able to use both at once, apply a +1 modifier.
This extra, when applied to a power requiring a Fortitude saving throw, causes it to work like a disease. To apply this to a power with a different save, apply the Alternate Save (Fortitude) modifier first.
If the target's Fortitude save fails, the target is infected, but the disease does not take effect immediately. Instead, on the following day, the target makes another Fortitude save. If that save fails, the power takes effect, if the save succeeds, there is no effect that day. The target makes another save each day. Two successful saves in a row eliminate the disease from the target's system, otherwise it continues to take effect each day. The target cannot recover from the disease's effects until cured.
Healing can counter a Disease power with a (DC 10 + power rank) check. Disease powers have no effect targets without a Constitution score or those with Immunity to Disease.
Using a Distracting power requires more concentration than usual, causing you to lose your dodge bonus on any round the power is used or maintained. Effects allowing you to retain your dodge bonus (such as the Uncanny Dodge feat) do not apply to Distracting powers.
Sense-Dependent | –1 modifier |
A perception range power with this flaw works through the target's senses rather than yours. So a sight-dependent power requires the target to see you, hearing-dependent to hear you, and so forth. You may choose a target able to sense you and automatically affect them unless the target makes a successful Reflex saving throw. The DC is 10 + the effect's rank. A successful save means the target has managed to avert his eyes, cover his ears, etc. and the power doesn't work. Otherwise the power works normally (and the target is allowed the usual saving throw against it, if applicable). A Sense-Dependent power still requires its normal action to use.
Opponents aware of a Sense-Dependent power can deliberately block the targeted sense. This gives you partial concealment from that sense but your Sense-Dependent effect has a 50% miss chance. An opponent unable to sense you at all (blind, deaf, etc.) is immune to the power's effect. Opponents can do this by closing their eyes, wearing ear- or nose-plugs, or using powers like Obscure. This gives you total concealment from that sense.
Note a Sense-Dependent power based on the sense of touch is essentially the same as touch range, since you still need to touch the target. This modifier isn't required; reduce the power's range to touch instead.
Next: That's it for our super-power previews. Next it's on to how heroes manage to go that extra mile, with a look at extra effort and hero points.
