Editing MTH:Weaknesses

=WEAKNESSES=
Not all superpowers function as effectively as they could; some of them rely on devices that a character could be parted from, others will not function (or only function) under certain conditions, and others simply have a shorter range or less kick than other powers of that type.  A power can have any number of weaknesses or limitations attached to it; doing so reduces the power's Class by one, no matter how many weaknesses are attached to the power.

The following is a list of general weaknesses that a power might have.  This list is by no means comprehensive; players and Storytellers are encouraged to make up other weaknesses to add to it.  The Storyteller is the final arbiter of whether any given drawback is significant enough to reduce a power's Class.

==ACTIVATION COST==
The power with this weakness is dormant, and requires an additional activation cost above and beyond any other normal requirements to be able to use it in at all during a scene.  The cost can be nearly anything, and only needs to be paid once per scene.  Generally cannot be combined with the Permanent weakness, though the Storyteller may allow it for particularly steep activation costs and certain powers.  The Storyteller is the final arbiter of whether the cost is enough to qualify for a Class decrease.  A low activation cost for a power that is normally permanent might count as an extra instead!

Common activation costs: Verve, bashing health levels, lethal health levels, aggravated health levels (one is almost always sufficient for the Class decrease), consumable items (used up when activating the power).

==ANIMA FLARE==
The character manifests an anima whenever she uses this power.  The anima takes on an appearance appropriate to the character's power, such as a blazing aura of light or a roaring bonfire that surrounds the character's body, or angelic wings that erupt from her back.  While impressive, the character's anima makes her extremely conspicuous, and any attempts to hide her presence or act with stealth fail automatically while her anima is flaring.  A character's anima cannot benefit that character mechanically, EG dealing damage or providing a bonus to Intimidation rolls; such benefits are the purview of actual superpowers.

==COSTS HEALTH==

The power's activation cost is paid in health levels rather then Verve.  This is advised only if the power has a one or two Verve activation cost or if it has a scene long duration.  If neither is the case, then the cost is paid in health only the first time in a scene, after which the cost is paid normally.  

Note: The conversion from Verve Cost to health cost prevents the Reduced Verve Cost extra from reducing the health levels taken! (we can't have people getting free lethal Force Bolts without any downside at all now, can we?)  However, if the power only costs health the first time in the scene because of the expense, then the reduced cost will apply to further uses in the scene.

==DEBILITATING==

When the power is activated, it causes some kind of drain or loss of control.  While the power is active, the character has three fewer attribute dots in one attribute.  This can lower that attribute to zero for the purposes of rolls and resistance to rolls.  If this lowers Resolve or Composure (and thus Willpower), it will only reduce that score by two dots.  If this lowers Stamina (and thus Health), it will only reduce the score by one dot.

For a Class three power, the player can choose to take 'Highly Debilitating' as two weaknesses, lowing the power to Class one (an exception to the usual rule which only allows one weakness to reduce the Class of a power one step).  This version of the weakness means the character looses 6 dots from no more then two attributes.  If this lowers Resolve or Composure (and thus Willpower), it will only reduce that score by four dots.  If this lowers Stamina (and thus Health), it will only reduce the score by three dots.

In both cases the weakness cannot be applied to attributes which would be rendered less then zero.

==DECREASED DAMAGE==
The wounds dealt by this power are not as grievous as they could be.  This weakness may only be given to powers that deal lethal or aggravated damage.  If the power previously dealt aggravated damage, it now deals lethal; if the power previously dealt lethal damage, it now deals bashing.

Note: Since bashing damage to a character that is incapacitated spills over into lethal, this is still worth a Class decrease if used on a power that normally does lethal.  If the player truly wishes to render their power unable to kill, this can be arranged, but that counts as an extra, which will remove the Class decrease.

==INCREASED VERVE COST==
It takes more than the usual amount of effort for the character to use her powers.  The cost of using a power with this Weakness increases by 1 Verve.  This may apply to powers which have no Verve cost to begin with.

==INHIBITOR==
The presence of a given substance, or certain local conditions, will prevent the character from using this power.  For example, Telepathy or Telekinesis may be blocked by a lead shield, or a strong electromagnetic pulse may prevent a character from using flight.  The player and Storyteller should discuss ahead of time how exactly this weakness manifests: how close the substance or condition has to be to nullify the power, or whether the power simply doesn't work on objects made of a certain substance.

==LOUD==

Activating the power generates a spectacular sound, as loud as a gun shot.  The exact nature and sound are up to the player, and should match the effect.  Whatever the specifics, it usually isn't a sound that can be covered up.

==LOW VELOCITY==
The character's power manifests as a ball of energy, a shockwave in the air, or some other physical representation--a physical representation that's easy to see and doesn't move particularly fast.  Whenever the character attempts to use this power on a target, the target's Defense applies as a penalty to the character's activation roll (or applies twice if it already applied).

==OBJECT FOCUS==
The character's power is tied to an item of some sort: a technological device, a mystical artifact, or perhaps some worthless fetish that holds significance only in the character's mind.  If the character is separated from the object that provides this power, that power will not function.  Furthermore, if another character gains access to the object focus, ''that'' character may be able to use the associated superpower; the player and Storyteller should decide ahead of time whether the object focus can transfer its power in this manner.  Should it be able to do so the object will only function for the new individual with the addition of another weakness in addition to Object Focus.

==PERMANENT==
The character is unable to "turn off" the power when he wishes.  Perhaps he steals health from everybody he ever touches, or permanently looks like a hulking pile of rock.  The character's Verve pool is permanently reduced by the amount of Verve required to activate this power.  The weakness also applies a penalty to the character's presence rolls equal to the number of dots in the power, either because of the strange appearance caused by this weakness or because he is unable to interact fully with others.  This Weakness is not suitable for all powers - the player should decide with the Storyteller whether the Power may be made Permanent as a Weakness.


==Power Up Form==
The character has a secondary form they are required to enter before activating this power. The way of entering this form is between the storyteller and the player. This does not require any sort of shapeshift or morphing power as it is the nature of the weakness itself. The weakness gives no benefit on its own except giving access to the powers.

==SINGLE TECHNIQUE==
The character's powers are less versatile than normal.  This weakness may only be applied to powers that have multiple techniques available to them, such as Entropy Control or Cyberkinesis.  The character has access to only one of the listed techniques for the power; he may not learn or use any other listed technique.

This also may be applied to an attack power that allows a choice of damage between bashing and lethal: this locks the power into one or the other.  Loss of either the ability to pull punches, or the ability to do lethal damage usually warrants a Class decrease.

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