Rules

When going over everyone's sheets we noticed that there were a lot of various abilities, powers, advantages, and add-ons that were too much, too little, redundant, or just plain being used incorrectly.

Here is a list of all the powers, add-ons, advantages, and abilities that we've noted across all characters and what we now expect out of them!

## Standard Rules

### **Degrees of Failure & Success**

* 1st degree Success need to meet the DC
* 1st degree Success/Failure: Roll 1 - 5 above/below DC
* 2nd degree Success/Failure: Roll 6 - 10 above/below DC
* 3rd degree Success/Failure: Roll 11 - 15 above/below DC
* 4th degree Success/Failure: Roll 16+ above/below DC

Consequences and benefits are adjusted based on how many degrees you fail or succeed by respectively.

### **Grappling**

Grapple rules follow a specific set of rules for both the person trying to grab and the person being grabbed. Turns out they're a lot different than we all thought.

1. Make a grab attack check. This is considered the same as your normal unarmed check but you can put points in the skill "Unarmed: Grab" to increase this. (Points put into basic unarmed attacks do not count!) This is against your opponent's Parry.
	* You can get bonuses to this attack if you have either the Extra Limbs power (+1 per limb for a max of +5. This also gives the Improved Grab feat for free.) or Elongation (+rank for a max of PL limit)
2. The target then tries to resist with the better of their Strength or Dodge. The two results are compared.
3. If you won the opposed check by one degree of success the target is Immobile and Vulnerable. On two or more degrees the target is Immobile, Defenseless, and Impaired.
4. If you have a Grab-Based power, you may use it now but ONLY if this grab attack wasn't prompted by Fast Grab. (See Grab-Based below for more details.)

If you already have someone in a grapple on your turn, you can choose to make another grab check to strengthen your hold. Degrees of failure on a sustained grab stack! Just be forewarned that the opponent gets a new resistance check every time!

If you're being grabbed yourself, on your turn, you can try an Escape action! Roll either Acrobatics or Athletics against 10+ the grabber's Strength or Grab effect rank (Elongation bonus can apply to the latter, but not the former.) If you succeed, you get out of the grab and also get a free move away from the attacker at a -1 rank penalty.

### **Team Checks and Other Notes about Skills**

Let's get the big one out of the way here. We are going to be stricter on "impromptu" skill checks. It's perfectly fine to ask if a check would be appropriate to roll, but do not just decide you're going to do so without prompting from the GM. Any rolls made without the GM either telling you to do so or giving the okay, will have their results ignored.

Now for team checks. Let's say someone is prompted to roll a skill check. Suddenly everyone else wants to make that same check? Turns out that's not a thing that can happen, what you're attempting is a Team Check. Here's how it works:

1. The initiator/leader of the check makes the main roll.
2. Any others who wish to help can also roll their checks, but this is against a DC: 10 "Assist" roll.
3. If you succeed by one degree, you add +2 to the leader's result. +5 by two or more. The Teamwork feat can give you bonuses to succeeding this attempt.
4. If you fail by two or more degrees, you impose a -2 penalty on the leader's result.
5. The total of successes and failures are tallied up and added, but the final modifier cannot be lower than -2 nor higher than +5.

### **Countering**

Countering effects works similar to what we've been effectively calling "overwatching", in that you hold your action until an opponents' turn and then activate it in response to them using a certain effect. The difference is that your action has to explicitly be able to counter the effect (as determined by the GM). Here's an example of how that goes:

1. The party is fighting a fire-using villain who often attacks with fireballs.
2. A party member with water powers decides to ready an action to counter the fireball.
3. The fire villain throws a fireball, and the water hero's readied action activates as they shoot a blast of water to counter it.
4. Both characters make an effect check (d20 + rank).
5. If the water hero wins, the fire villain's attack has no effect. If the fire villain wins, the water hero's attack failed to counter effectively.

You can also use this to counter ongoing effects (such as Mind Control) or lingering effects (a burning forest caused by a fireball). Countering ongoing and lingering effects can be done on your turn (as they would reasonably still be active at that point). A Hero Point will enable you to Counter without needing to ready an action.

### **Perception**

When rolling perception, keep the following in mind.

* "Normal" base sight without modifiers is 10 feet for full clarity and detail.
* Normal humans are considered to have the following by default. (It should be noted that non-humans need to buy these powers.
	+ Acute: Sight and Hearing
	+ Accurate: Sight and Touch
* When using a perception-based ability, the DM can require you to roll Perception in order to accurately perceive the target. There is a -1 penalty for every 10 feet past your base sense's distance. This can be increased with the "extended" power.

## Advantages

### **Benefit**

No one seems to have this where they should. Is your character rich, famous, part of an organization they have special clearance/permissions in that other party members wouldn't be able to access? That's a benefit. (Looking at you E-COM people!)

**Extraordinary/Ultimate Effort** - You need to declare a type of roll that your effort can apply to.

### **Hide in Plain Sight**

People keep taking this literally. You can't roll a stealth check out in the open. You need to still have at least partial cover to roll stealth. The difference with this advantage is that without it, you can't roll if someone is looking right at you.

### **Improved Initiative**

We're going to take a look at the fact that a lot of people seem to have asinine amounts of this up to the highest being something like +70 initiative. Since there's no real benefit other than "I'm going ***SUPER*** first!" we're leaving it alone for now but do ask yourself why your character has that many points in it.

### **Luck**

This is admittedly mostly GM prerogative due to past issues: Okay, not only are we asking players to give us a justification for the Luck advantage but *do not just declare you are rerolling before we tell you the result of the roll!* We've had several instances in the last few sessions alone where people have been rolling, getting a result they don't like, and rerolling it before the GMs can tell them whether or not they succeeded anyway. We're also instituting a rule that you can't just spam rerolls until you get the result you want. You get ONE roll of luck per check. Too many players have been taking max luck simply to have a mechanical anti-failure measure.

### **Well-Informed**

You only get a preliminary Investigation check on the first time you encounter an entity or organization. You cannot use Well-Informed every time you encounter someone to try and fish for more information. That's what your Investigation score is for.

## Powers

### **The To-Hit/Effect Scale**

*All* powers that affect an enemy need to actually HIT the enemy in order to do anything. There's been some confusion as to what powers need a to hit in order to do something on the enemy so I'm going to list them.

*Reminder: Since we're PL12, the total of to-hit and effect ranks cannot exceed 24. It is technically possible to have a negative accuracy in order to have a really high effect rank but there must be a VERY good justification behind it.*

Here's the list of the abilities that need a to hit:

* Affliction
* Damage
* Nullify
* Teleport
* Weaken

If anything is made an Area affect, it has an automatic to-hit of everything in the range (this includes allies if you didn't take Selective) and has a maximum effect rank of 12.

### **Perception Powers: The Three Types**

We noticed several overlapping ideas on how certain things have been statted as far as how Perception-based abilities work. So we've broken this down into the types based on intent of how the affect works:

* **If it works on a target the user can perceive**, you want "Increased Range: Perception." There is no attack check but the GM may require you to make the appropriate Perception check if the target is far enough away.
* **If it works on ANYONE the user can perceive**, you want "Area: Perception." This operates on the same rules as Range Perception.
* **If it works on anyone who can perceive the user**, you want "Sense-Dependent." This comes with a dodge check (chance to look away, cover ears, etc.) A target aware of the effect can also choose to obstruct the sense as a free action giving a +10 to the check, but also carries a penalty of busying oneself with doing so. Sensory effects have this by default.

It should also be noted that Perception checks have distance penalties at -1 per ten feet past natural range. If you want to increase your personal range of a sense, you need the "Extended Range" on a sense.

### **Affects Others vs. Imposing Conditions**

We had to say this phrase a lot during evaluations: "Affects Others gives someone the ability to use a power, not forcing its activation onto them." For that there is the zero-cost "Attack" modifier that can be added onto the power. This turns the power into an attack, complete with an attack check and subject to all the above attack/effect exchange.

### **Flight and Speed Ranks**

A lot of character seem to be able to fly across the entirely of a continent in the blink of an eye and a lot of characters have ranks in speed that are leaving us scratching our heads. We've imposed a house-rule upper limit on both of 20 though since even rank 5+ allows a character to circumvent a map several times over, we're going to have to ask you to justify how fast you're going.

### **"I'm Immune to X"**

While we were in Heck, basically everyone gained an immunity to its harsh environment. When fighting Demifiend, a lot of people gained immunity to will effects. We understand if a particular situation makes you realize you forgot to give a character something they *should*logically have; but with how many people were doing it, it wound up looking more like everyone just did it so they wouldn't have to deal with it. On top of that, a lot of people stated it wrong. Immunity to most things are one or two points each but anything involving a full-scale defense costs 30 points. It should be mentioned that Immunity Dodge/Parry means you're immune to things that have "Alternate Resistance: Dodge/Parry" NOT that you are immune to outright being hit in the first place. ***NOTHING*** can make you outright immune to being targeted for an attack.

### **Affecting Computers, Machines, and "Hacking"**

We've had this a lot with technological heroes. As a base, Move Object only allows someone to do exactly what it sounds like, pick up an object and move it. Actually using its functionalities requires the Precise modifier and it must have physical moving parts to manipulate. "Hacking" computers to do certain things requires a suite of powers depending on what you want to do. It should be noted that not all computers or machines have easy to access terminals or ports you can just tap into and the "Comprehend: Machines" power is limited by the computer's basic programming and most basic CPU units can only answer in basic terms since they aren't full-blown AI. You're basically talking to a dumber Google.

### **Detect vs. Awareness**

Detect and Awareness are really weird in how they're *almost* the same power. But there is a specific difference in each one.

* Detect is an activated power that finds the passive presence of something. You make a perception check to find your Detect target and are given a yes or no answer on whether or not your target exists in range.
* Awareness is a passive power that finds the activated presence of something. When a power that uses your Awareness target is activated in your range, the GM rolls a secret Perception check to see if you notice its presence. It cannot, however passively detect the presence of something (That's what Detect is for!) If you want to be able to consistently just "sense" the presence of something you need Detect with the Permanent modifier.

### **Equipment vs. Devices**

Equipment and Devices require either the Removable or Easily Removable flaw. However, there's a major difference between the two. Devices are considered powers in physical form that will always be a part of the character. Equipment is a considered far less necessary and thus is bought with equipment points rather than power points. This is the big point here: If a device is stolen or destroyed, the player gets a hero point due to losing powers and are guaranteed to get it back at one point or another. If *equipment*gets destroyed, that's it. You don't automatically get it back later on. No hero points are awarded for losing powers. You have to use wealth ranks and/or Connections with organizations or other party members to either rebuild or buy new equipment. (No, you don't just have a bunch of spares lying around.)

As a side note, equipment also has hard limits because it's a mechanical device. You are ***NOT*** allowed to use Extra Effort or Power Stunts with equipment!

### **Nullifying Powers**

The Nullify effect is a bit weird. First of all, yes, it does have a to-hit. Second off, it only works on a specific descriptor or set of descriptors. (Subject to GM approval.) There is then an opposed check of your Nullify rank vs the rank of the power you're trying to nullify (or the target's Will if that's higher.) If you succeed the power "turns off."

* You can only target one power at a time. unless you have the Simultaneous modifier.
* Nullified powers can be reactivated by the user normally during their next turn unless you have the Concentration modification but the target can use Extra Effort to try and resist again. (Sustained allows you to do this as a Free Action.)
* If you fail a nullify attempt, you need Extra Effort to try again on the same target as they are effectively immune to the nullify for the rest of the combat/scene unless you have the Effortless modifier.
* Nullify can also "target" active effects to shut them down such as created objects, summons, persistent effects/afflictions, etc.
* If a power that has points itself (Summon, Morph, Variable, etc.) is targeted for Nullify, the rank of the power itself is used to resist rather than the points it gives.

### **Variable and Limited**

Variable is a very tricky power in how it actually functions. It can be anything you want. *ANYTHING*. The catch? In order to have Variable, you must first wrap it up neatly in a little assembly of limitations. These are ***NOT*** the Limited flaw. Variable requires an inherent description of how it manifests. Limited as a flaw itself requests that it FURTHER limits how that manifestation functions- more specifically along the lines of *when*. The limits of *how* is automatically inherent in the Variable power no matter how specific it is.

## Modifiers

The biggest issue we've been running into when it comes to modifiers is the question of "Why do you have this?" and we've been asking this a lot. So we've decided to take some of the more impacting, common, and/or controversial abilities and detail how they work and what they would and wouldn't reasonably apply to.

### **Affects Insubstantial**

We had a LOT of people suddenly throwing Affects Insubstantial onto their powers when we started fighting a bunch of insubstantial stuff. We want to take this opportunity to remind you all of a special rule of the Insubstantial power: There must always be a way for an insubstantial thing to be hit regardless of whether you're packing this advantage- some descriptor that can affect them. Insubstantial targets are also not immune to any will-affecting powers by default. This is so people who *don't* have this modifier aren't totally shafted in a fight. It also is meant to encourage players to adjust their tactics rather than just stack their powers against a specific target.

If you have this modifier we're going to ask you to detail out why your selected powers can just hit things that aren't solid.

### **Check Required**

*What it is*: A *minimum* DC that must be met for a power with this flaw to activate. When you meet the check, you do not get the full effect. You only gain ranks in the effect, equal to how much you beat the DC by. Say you have a check required of 16 for a power. You got a 24 on your check. You can only get 8 ranks of your power out of that check, provided you had that many to begin with. (You obviously can't get more ranks than you invested into the power.)

*What it isn't*: Free points back because you have a high enough base check for the extra not to matter. We're fine with a check required being set up so the power works every time but there should be a chance of it being less effective as a result.

### **Grab-Based**

Grab-based effectively replaces your attack-check with a grapple check. All grab-based powers follow this flow of action:

1. Make your grapple check to see if you hit. (Basic unarmed rules apply)
2. The Opponent rolls their Strength or Dodge to avoid it.
3. If you succeed, the grab-based effect goes off without needing an additional to-hit.

Note that this *does not stack* with Fast Grab. A grab-based power is an action by itself and cannot simply be activated after a grab that you got for free after another one. Fighting games offer a good analogy with this. Fast Grab is when you do a throw after a combo. Grab-Based is a command grab special that can't be chained into that same combo.

### **Innate**

Powers that can't be taken away, nullified, cancelled out, etc. in any way.

What counts: Something that's part of the biology and/or permanent physical structure of an alien, mutant, strange creature, robot, etc. (It should be noted these powers should almost all also be permanent.) or something that's explicitly the result of physical training or conditioning.
What doesn't: ***ANYTHING ELSE***

### **Limited vs. Quirk**

Limited is meant to be a major drawback to a power not covered by other modifiers that takes away nearly half the effect and/or renders it only usable in certain situations. Quirks are minor drawbacks that don't limit things nearly as much. We've seen a lot of Limited in powers that either would function better as quirks, were already covered by existing power rules, or simply weren't actual limitations. Here's a list of the common offenders paraphrased and generalized for coverage reasons:

* "Needs a certain environment/condition to work." - That's Source.
* "Interacts with a narrative flaw." - That's a complication.
* "Needs a device or object to work." - This is just how devices work.
* "Limited to a certain direction" - Most directional powers already have a similar flaw like this. Also note that limiting the range or direction of an area might just be a *different* area or range effect as far as the end result goes. (e.g. Move Object already has a flaw literally called "Limited Direction.")
* "Causes a mild but not fully limiting inconvenience." - This is a Quirk.

Limited also has a very special relationship with Variable. As mentioned above, it's not about restricting ***how***the power can function, but about restricting ***when***the power can function. "Limited: Only While Singing", "Limited: Only Against Women", and "Limited: Only In Thunderstorms" are acceptable options for Limited in the Variable power. "Limited to Guns", "Limited: Not (X) Descriptor", and "Limited to X Power" are not.

### **Multiattack**

Multiattack has three distinct ways it functions depending on how you go about it:

* *Single Target*: Make your normal attack check. Increase the effect DC by +2 on two degrees of success or +5 on three or more.
* *Multiple Targets*: Choose a number of targets in range and roll attack checks against each one. You get a -1 on your to-hit equal to the number of targets.
* *Covering Fire*: You can use multiattack to initiate covering fire for an ally. This is the same as giving a cover bonus to an ally, but it cannot be used for an ally who's engaged in close combat, nor can it be used if the enemies and your ally are not in your line of sight. An opponent can choose to ignore the cover provided by your attack, but if they do then you make an automatic attack check against that opponent.

### **Noticeable**

Your power activating is, by itself, noticeable in some way. You're flying, you're shooting an energy blast, you just turned your arm into a chainsaw, etc. But this adds an additional layer of attention toward this power being used, sometimes to the point where people who aren't otherwise putting focus on you know you just did what you did. Noticeable needs to be some sort of additional sensory cue that clues in surrounding people (both allies and enemies) as to the exact power you just did.

### **Sleep**

We noticed that ***no one*** has taken this and several people really should. This is a zero-cost modifier that replaces the Incapacitated condition with the Asleep condition (yes, they're two different things.) If you have a power that has Incapacitated as a condition but you want to skin it as asleep- put this on there!

### **Uncontrolled**

Here's the fun one. Uncontrolled does *NOT* mean that the effect is random or has unreliable effects. Uncontrolled means the GM decides both when and ***how*** the power goes off. This is a sort of power incontinence that puts an ability firmly out of anything resembling the player's ability to control what it does.