Aberrant Rules Conversion
From Mutantsandniz
Contents |
Quantum Pool
Characters may take a ‘quantum pool’ limit on the use of powers. Each power taken this way has a limit on number of uses or duration of use. Activating a power costs 1 quantum, maintaining a power costs 1 quantum per [Power Level of Character] turns. Treat this as a drawback, reducing the cost of any powers taken thus by a fixed number of power points.
25 Quantum = -1pt
10 Quantum = -2pts
5 Quantum = -3pts
Example: Blast (Quantum Bolt) Rank 8 costs 16 power points. If the Quantum Bolt had a limit of 25 shots it would cost 15 power points. 10 shots would cost 14 power points. 5 shots would cost 13 power points.
Example 2: Flight Rank 5 (assuming a starting PL8 nova), costs 10 power points. 25 ‘uses’ would cost 9 power points, and the character could maintain the power for 200 turns (20 minutes; 8 times 25). 10 ‘uses’ would cost 8 power points and the power could be maintained for 80 turns (8 minutes). 5 ‘uses’ would make the power cost 7 power points, and it could be maintained for 40 turns (4 minutes).
Recovering - Quantum Pool is recovered at the end of a scene/encounter for every power. A character may also use extra effort to instantly replenish the quantum pool of a power.
Unreliable (Highly Limited Quantum Pool) - Characters can take the Unreliable Flaw (-1/rank to power cost) on powers with extremely limited quantum pools. This flaw allows the character to use the power only 5 times per session as opposed to per encounter uses. Each additional use of the power costs 1 hero point, or gaining 1 point of Taint.
Taint
Characters acquire Taint through a variety of means.
- Extra Effort (Maxing) - In place of suffering fatigue, a character may take a point of temporary Taint to use extra effort. Tainted Extra Effort does not count toward a character’s limit on using extra effort once per action.
- Power Botch - If a character rolls a natural ‘1’ when using a power they have applied Extra Effort to, they risk gaining Taint. Make a Fortitude Save (even if you are Immune to Fortitude Effects), at a DC of 10 + [Power’s Enhanced Level]. Failure garners the character 1 point of Taint for every application of Extra Effort applied.
- Madness - In extreme situations, mental stress may cause Taint on its own. The GM may call for a Will save, DC 10 + [the character’s Power Level], modified by the situation. Failure gives the character a point of Taint.
Effects of Taint
Each point of Taint a character gains is added to a pool. Once the pool reaches [Character’s Power Level], the character gains a Rank of Taint. Each Rank of Taint must be used in one of the following ways:
- Reduce an Ability Score by 1. This reduction is permanent, and that Ability may not be increased with Experience without GM permission.
- Example - Wisdom 15 becomes Wisdom 14.
- Gain an ‘Aberration’. The character acquires a Drawback worth one power point. The character does not gain bonus PP or Hero Points for this Aberration.
- Example - The character’s Skin gains a Metallic Sheen (Protection becomes Obvious, the Noticeable Drawback).
- Defer the Taint. The character may store this Rank of Taint and allocate its effects later.
- A character may defer up to 5 Ranks of Taint, at which point all five ranks are spent at once on one of the two previous effects (lowering an Ability by 5, or gaining a 5-point Drawback).
- Ranks of Taint may be allocated at any time, until rank 5 is reached when they are allocated immediately. This allows a character to end up with a 2-4 point drawback, or lose 2-4 points in an Ability.
Character Creation
Starting Novas are built as follows:
Step 1 - Make a human. 50 Power Points, and a general cap of +5 on - Strength and Constitution Modifiers, Attack, Defense, Toughness. +10 Cap on - Total saving throw modifiers, Skill Ranks, Ability Modifiers (aside from Strength or Constitution).
Step 2 - Nova. Add 70 more Power Points, and increase caps by 3. You are now a Power Level 8 Nova.
Additional Character Notes
- Eufiber - Device 1, 4 power points.
- The colony (clothes) changes with the host, and is unaffected by the host’s powers.
- With a moment (free action 1/turn) of focus, the wearer may change the appearance of the Eufiber to virtually anything.
- Eufiber has a third effect that may be changed once per encounter/scene: the suit has 3 points that can be assigned to negating Quantum Pool drawbacks (see above), or act as Protection.
- For example, in one scene, 1 point could be assigned to negate the effects of a -1pt Quantum Pool on a single power, while the other 2 points are assigned to ranks of protection (providing +2 toughness, up to normal caps).
- Node - The ability to sense other Novas is a Super-Sense. To represent the basic sense, use the following:
- Super-Senses 3: (mental sense - Node) Detect Novas, Quantum Awareness, Ranged. 3 power points.
- This provides the basic awareness of the presence of a Nova or Quantum Power at normal detection range. For additional accuracy, the sense could be purchased as Accurate (2 ranks, allowing targeting of a quantum signature) or Acute (1 rank, allowing for more information about the subject beyond its presence). It could also be supplemented with Radius (1pt) to detect in all directions, and Extended (1/rank) to increase the detection range at a factor of x10 each purchase.
