MTH:Weaknesses
Contents
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 Rank 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 Rank.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. This weakness applies a penalty to the character's Social 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.
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.
