Flaws

The following section lists available flaws, starting with the flaw's name and the amount it reduces effect cost (in character points per rank or flat value), along with a description of how the flaw modifies effects in game terms.

A flat-value flaw cannot reduce an effect or power's final cost below 1 character point.

Table: Flaws

Activation Flat -1 Or -2 Points

A power with this flaw requires an action to prepare or activate before any of its effects are usable. If the power requires a move action to activate, the flaw is -1 point. If it requires a standard action, it is -2 points. Activation taking less than a move action is not a flaw, although may qualify as a complication (see the Power Loss complication for details). Whenever the power (or group) is deactivated it goes through Power Loss (although usually ammunition is not affected).

Activation has no effect other than making the power or group's effects available for use. The effects themselves still require their normal actions to use. You can use a power's effects in the same turn as you activate it, provided you have sufficient actions to do so. If the power is deactivated--either voluntarily or involuntarily via effects like Nullify--you must activate it again in order to use any of its effects not to be confused with ending an effect's duration. A device may have this modifier to represent a requirement to first turn the device on.

Activation applies to an entire power and all of its effects. Activating the power brings all of its effects "online" and makes them available. If you have to activate different effects separately, apply this flaw to each of them, requiring separate actions for each.

If Activation is not automatic, apply the Check Required flaw to the entire power as well and have the player make the necessary check in order to activate the power. If the check fails, the power does not activate, and the character has to take the activation action to try again.

Activation And Permanent Effects

The Activation flaw does allow permanent effects that are part of a power to be turned off, but only if the power as a whole is deactivated. It does not affect the other aspects of permanent duration, including the inability to improve the effect with extra effort. The GM should decide if allowing a permanent effect to have an Activation is appropriate based on the specific effect and any others it is combined with in the power.

Example: Stonewall has the power to turn into a super-strong rock-form. This is a combination of the Enhanced Strength, Impervious Protection, and Power-Lifting effects. Stonewall's player applies the Activation flaw to the power, saying Stonewall has to concentrate and take a standard action to assume his rock-form. That reduces the total cost of all three effects by 2 character points (not 2 points each for 6 points) and means unless Stonewall takes a standard action to activate his rock-form, he cannot use any of the power's effects, even including permanent ones like Protection.

Alternate Effect Flat -? (-1/2) Points

This modifier allows you to "swap-out" the effect for an entire other, alternate, effect! For example, a Damage effect with the descriptor of "laser" might have a visual Dazzle as an Alternate Effect: the same light beam can be used to damage or blind a target, just not both at once. Think of Alternate Effects as different "settings" for a power. (For combinations of effects that work simultaneously, see the Linked modifier in this section.) A set of Alternate Effects is called an array.

An Alternate Effect can have any rank, or combination of modifiers. Alternate Effects may also have different descriptors, usually thematically linked, within reason. This allows you to have two versions of a Damage effect, for example: such as a fire blast and an ice blast. Permanent effects cannot have Alternate Effects, nor can they be Alternate Effects (since they can't be turned on and off).

An Alternate Effect can have a total cost in character points no greater than the primary effect. So a rank 10 primary effect costing 2 points per rank, for a total of 20, can have any Alternate Effect with a cost of 20 character points or less. This cost does not include the cost of the Alternate Effect modifier itself. So if the 20-point power has 5 Alternate Effects, each Alternate Effect is still limited to a total value of 20 points (including any modifiers it may have), that of the base effect.

To determine the cost of an Alternate Effect first count how much the effect would normally cost (this must be less than or equal to the main effect) then divide that by 2 rounded down. For clarity: the point value of Alternate Effect is rounded down meaning the power total cost is rounded up. For example a power that would normally cost 3 points as an alternate effect instead costs a total of 2 points.

Like any power, an Alternate Effect may be made up of two or more effects, but their total cost cannot exceed the cost of the primary effect.

Alternate Effects cannot be used or maintained at the same time as other Alternates in the same array; they are mutually exclusive. Switching between Alternates requires first to deactivate (stop maintaining as a free action) the current power then take whatever action is required for the next effect, this can be done once per turn. If anything disables, nullifies, or drains any power in an array, all of them are affected in the same way.

Ammunition -1 Cost Per Rank

A power with this flaw can only be used a certain number of times between reloading. The number of times must be at least 50% hindering in the same fashion as the Limited rank flaw. Choose how many uses per what time interval the power has such as 1/day or how many times it can be used until needing to reload such as 5/reload. Reloading is by default a standard action and by default you have unlimited Ammunition clips to reload with. You may take a complication for running out of clips of Ammunition. This flaw may be applied again for the number of uses to be reduced to 25% effectiveness such as 1/(2 weeks). For effects that are not Instant duration instead use a total amount of usage time such as 20 rounds/day. Also see the rank flaw Fades and complications.

Example: A gun-toting vigilante, Marksman has a variety of guns (acquired via the Equipment advantage). Each must be reloaded periodically. He wears a belt of ammunition clips so that reloading isn't a concern, no matter how many shots he fires or how many thugs he guns down. When, during a long fire-fight, the Gamemaster decides that Marksman's belt has used up every clip, the player gets a victory point for the complication, forcing the hero to come up with a new plan, fast!

Check Required Flat -1 Point Per Application

An effect with this flaw requires a check of some sort--usually a skill check--with a difficulty class equal to the applications of Check Required. If the check fails, the effect doesn't work, although the action required to use it is expended (so attempting to activate a standard action effect takes a standard action whether the check is successful or not).

If the check succeeds, the character gains the use of 1 effect rank per point the check exceeds the DC. Thus a check result of 14 allows the character to use up to 4 ranks of the effect. If a lesser rank of the effect doesn't do anything, then it's the same as failing the check.

The required check occurs as part of the action to use the effect and provides no benefit other than helping to activate it. Normal modifiers apply to the check, and if you are unable to make the required check for any reason, the effect doesn't work.

A critical success or critical failure can still occur normally on this check. So there is always a small chance the effect won't work, regardless of the character's check bonus.

This check must be in addition to any check(s) normally required for the effect. So, for example, the normal perception check made in conjunction with a sensory effect does not count as an application of this flaw, and applying it means an additional check is required before the effect's normally required check(s).

Example: A spellcaster has Senses 4 (Detect Magic, Ranged, Acute, Analyze) with Expertise: Magic Check Required 4. The player needs to make a DC 4 skill check to successfully cast the spell, followed by the normal Perception check to pick up on anything present, and perhaps another Expertise check to interpret what the character senses.

Check Examples

Skill checks an effect may require include:

Acrobatics: Suitable for effects requiring a measure of coordination or complex maneuvering.

Deception: Good for effects intended to deceive, particularly sensory effects like Concealment or Illusion, and disguise or form-altering effects like Morph.

Expertise: An Expertise skill check might represent having to know something about the subject of the effect or having to know something about the effect itself.

Intimidation: Useful for effects intended to inspire fear as well as similar offensive effects like Affliction.

Stealth: Best suited to sensory effects, particularly Concealment.

Technology: Operating a complex device may require a Technology check.

Decreased Duration -1 Cost Per Rank Per Application

The duration for an effect is grouped in order as follows: Permanent, Continuous, Sustained, then Concentration. See Duration for details. This modifier decreases an effect's duration from left to right. Each duration decrease cost -1 except going from Permanent to Continuous which is +1 therefore going from Permanent to Sustained is free. Effects that have a base duration of Instant can't have their durations changed. Also see Increased Duration modifier.

Going From Permanent To Sustained

A permanent duration effect that becomes sustained duration now requires a free action to use (rather than none, like other permanent effects). The benefit is the sustained effect can be improved using extra effort, including using it to perform power stunts. The drawback is the effect requires a free action during each of your turns to maintain it, and being unable to do so means the effect shuts off.

Example: The Protection effect is permanent by default, meaning it always protects the character, but concentrating or trying harder does not make the effect more protective, nor can the character use it for power stunts. Sustained Protection can be turned on and off, improved with extra effort, and used for power stunts. It might represent a power like a personal force field, or increased density requiring a modicum of concentration to maintain.

Diminished Range Flat -1 Point

Diminished Range reduces the effect's short, medium, and long ranges. This flaw reduces the effect's short range by 1 distance rank keeping in mind that medium range is 1 more than short range and long range is 2 more than short range so that the 3 distances are 15 ft, 30 ft, and 60 ft. This flaw can't be applied again, for that use Reduced Range to change the effect from ranged to close range (although the active defense changes from dodge to parry).

Distracting -1 Cost Per Rank

Using a Distracting effect requires more concentration than usual, causing you become vulnerable when you use the effect, until the start of your next turn. After that point you are no longer vulnerable and if the power has a duration other than instant you may continue to use the power without being vulnerable. The power's duarion doesn't need to be concentration. This flaw can be applied to Instant effects as well as lasting ones but not Permanent since they are never activated.

Fades -1 Cost Per Rank

Each time you use an effect with this flaw, it loses 1 rank of effectiveness. For effects with a duration longer than instant, each round is considered "one use." Once the effect reaches 0 ranks, it stops working. A faded effect can be "recovered" in some fashion, such as recharging, rest, repair, reloading, and so forth. The GM decides when and how a faded effect recovers, but it should generally occur outside of combat and take at least an hour's time. The GM may allow a hero to recover a faded effect immediately and completely by spending a victory point.

Feedback -1 Cost Per Rank

You suffer damage when a manifestation of your effect is damaged. This flaw only applies to effects with physical (or apparently physical) manifestations, such as Create, Illusion, or Summon Minion, for example. But it may also be applied to any power if the descriptor contains something physical, such as using Nanobots or is Flight with the Platform flaw. If your power's manifestation is damaged, make a defense check against the attack's damage rank, using your effect's rank as the defense check bonus. For example, if a manifestation of a rank 10 effect is attacked for damage 12, you must make a defense check against damage 12 with a +10 bonus (the effect's rank) in place of your normal Toughness.

Fragile Flat -? (-2 - 1 Per Application See Below) Points

This can only be applied to a device, that is to say that the effect must first have the removable flaw. This flaw subtracts 1 flat point for every 1 point of toughness it loses (see material toughness table in Damage: Damaging Objects) and an addition flat 2 point reduction for having the same limitations as equipment (see Gadgets & Gear: Equipment). The additional 2 points are not optional meaning this flaw is always worth at least 2 points. Fragile can't reduce a device's Toughness to less then 0. Note that equipment has both removable and fragile and is so cheap is due to it being commonly available for any citizen with exceptions for government regulations on weapons and technology availability.

Inaccurate Flat -1 Point Per Application

An effect with this flaw is hard to control or wildly inaccurate. Each application gives you a -2 penalty to attack checks with the effect.

Limited -1 Cost Per Rank

An effect with this flaw is not effective all the time. Limited powers generally break down into two types: those usable only in certain situations and those usable only on certain things. For example Only While Singing Loudly, Only While Flying, Only on Men (or Women), Only Against Fire, Not Usable on Yellow Things, and so forth. As a general rule, the effect must lose about half its usefulness to qualify for this modifier. Anything that is effective more than half the time is better handled as an occasional complication. This flaw can be applied again if an effect is only about 25% as effective. Also see Unreliable.

Partially Limited

If your effect is only somewhat effective in particular circumstances, apply the flaw to only some of its ranks. For example, an attack effect that does less damage against targets with Protection (to represent a diminished ability to penetrate armor, for example) applies the Limited flaw to only those ranks that are ineffective.

Noticeable Flat -1 Point

A continuous or permanent effect with this modifier is noticeable in some sort of way (see Noticing Power Effects). Choose a noticeable display for the effect. For example Noticeable Protection may take the form of armored plates or a tough, leathery-looking hide, making it clear the character is tougher than normal.

Quirk Flat -1 Point Per Rank

A Quirk is some minor nuisance attached to an effect, essentially the reverse of a Feature (see Feature under Extras). A Quirk is generally worth, at most, 2-3 character points, and many are simply 1-point flaws.

As with Features, the GM should ensure a Quirk is truly a flaw (albeit a minor one) and not simply part of the power's descriptors. For example, the fact that an attack with a "sonic" descriptor likely will not travel through a vacuum is not a Quirk, simply part of the "sonic" descriptor (especially since the attack may be enhanced by a medium such as water). On the other hand, a shapeshifter unable to change color (losing some of the power's utility), or a telepath unable to lie while using Mental Communication, do have Quirks to their powers.

The GM sets the rank (and therefore value) of any given Quirk for an effect, based on how troublesome it may be, similar to setting ranks for the Benefit advantage and Feature effect (see those trait descriptions for details). Having multiple quirks is possible but should not sum up to more than 5.

Reduced Range -1 Cost Per Rank Per Application

An effect has a range of perception, ranged, or close in decreasing order. Decreasing an effect's range by one step (from ranged to close, for example) is worth -1 cost per rank but going from Perception to Ranged is worth -2. So that going from Perception to Close is worth a total of -3. Effects that are close range can't further decrease their range to personal instead see Side Effect.

Removable Flat -? (-1/5 Or -2/5 See Below) Points

Effects with this flaw can be "taken away" from you, removing your access to the effects until you regain it. Typically, this means a power that resides in an object, called a device, which someone else can remove. There are two different versions of this flaw covered in the following paragraphs; the first is Removable and the second is Easily Removable.

A removable power may only be removed when you are both stunned and defenseless, essentially unable to resist, and cannot be removed during action time. This means opponents can generally only remove the power after defeating you (leaving you incapacitated) or through some sort of scheme outside of a conflict, such as a plot to break into your headquarters and steal a device kept there, for example.

An easily removable power can be taken away with a disarm or grab action (see Gameplay Rules). This typically represents a hand-held device (such as a weapon, magic wand, remote control, or the like) or some worn item easily snatched from you, like a hat or cloak.

Point Value

Removable applies to the power as a whole and not individual effects, although it may apply to a power with only one effect. The flaw is worth -1 point (-2 points for Easily Removable) per 5 total character points of the power's final cost, after applying extras and flaws to its effects. Meaning that an easily removable 99 point group will cost a total of 60 (see following example). Because this modifier applies to a group its value is determined after Alternate Effect. The flaw value is always rounded down since it occurs every 5 points only. However for easily removable you should multiply by 2/5 then round down so that 4 points easily removable becomes 3 points. Technically easily removable is -1 point per 2.5 total character points.

Example: Mistress Marine's armor provides Veronica with a number of effects, including Damage, Enhanced Strength, Flight, Protection, and Senses. The total character point cost of all the armors effects is 99 points, including extras and flaws applied to those effects. Dividing the total cost by 5 is 19.8 which becomes 19 after rounding down. So the Removable flaw reduces the cost of the Mistress Marines armor by 19 points, from 99 to 80 character points. However the armor can be taken away, disabled, and so forth, and the player receives no victory points for a complication when it happens due to the nature of the flaw.

Example: Harry Potter has a wand which has 99 points worth of powers. It is easily removable (it can be disarmed in combat) so to find it's point value first multiply 99 by 2 which is 198 then divide by 5 which is 39.6 which rounds down to 39. This means that the easily removable flaw reduces the total cost by 39, from 99 to 60.

Damage

Removable devices can be damaged, possibly even destroyed (see Damage effect description for details). So long as the character has character points invested in the device, it can be repaired, eventually. This usually requires time between adventures, perhaps even a special adventure to find certain rare parts, specialized help, or other components.

Devices have a base Toughness equal to the total points in the device divided by 5 (rounded down, minimum of 1). This base Toughness is counted before removable and fragile are applied.

Complications

The temporary loss of a removable power does not constitute a complication, any more than the result of any other flaw. You can have a device or power-object as a descriptor without this flaw, if you wish, in which case the power cannot be removed or taken away from you without a complication applied by the GM (earning you a victory point) or the use of an effect like Nullify, which has predefined conditions for recovery.

Resistible -1 Cost Per Rank

When applied to an effect that doesn't normally allow a defense check, this flaw gives it one. Choose the defense when the flaw is applied. Since effects that work on others allow a defense check by definition, this nearly always applies to personal effects that allow someone interacting with them to circumvent the effect with a successful check. The DC for the defense is equal to power rank whether for a skill or defense check, the skill used must be possible to perform untrained.

For example, an Enhanced Parry defense effect might reflect a low-level reading of a target's mind to anticipate and avoid attacks. It allows a Will defense check to overcome the effect, denying you the defense bonus against that opponent (and applying this flaw to the effect). Likewise, your Concealment effect might be illusory rather than a true physical transformation, permitting an Insight (Awe) skill check for someone to overcome it. A sustained Protection effect might be some sort of "kinetic field" that permits an attacker a Fortitude defense check to overcome it.

When applied to an effect that does normally allow a defense check, this flaw gives it an additional one, which may be the same as its normal defense, or different. The target makes both defense checks and applies the better of the two to determine the effect's result.

For example, a Weaken effect based on a poison dart might add a Toughness check to see if the dart penetrates the target's skin in addition to making the usual Fortitude check against the effect and the Dodge check due to being a ranged effect the order of them is Dodge, Toughness then Fortitude.

Sense-dependent -1 Cost Per Rank

The target of a Sense-Dependent effect must be able to perceive the effect for it to work. This can't be applied to personal range effects because you can always sense yourself and therefore isn't a limitation (instead see complications). The target gets a Dodge defense check. Success means the target has managed to avert his eyes, cover his ears, etc. and the effect doesn't work. Otherwise the effect works normally and the target makes the usual defense check against it, if any. Some senses can't be averted such as tactile in which case this flaw is worth nothing and many exotic senses in which case this flaw is worth even more.

Opponents aware of a Sense-Dependent effect can also deliberately block the targeted sense: looking away, covering or blocking their ears, etc. This provides a +2 bonus to defense checks against the effect, but gives others partial concealment from that sense. An opponent unable to use a sense (blind, deaf, etc.) is immune to effects dependent on it. Opponents can do this by closing their eyes, wearing ear- or nose-plugs, or using another effect like Concealment. This gives you total concealment from that sense.

Sensory effects are Sense-Dependent by definition, and cannot apply this flaw. To give a target additional resistance to a sensory effect, use the Resistible flaw.

Side Effect -1 Or -2 Cost Per Rank

Failing to successfully use an effect with this flaw causes some problematic effect. Failure includes missing an attack check, or the target successfully resisting the effect. If the side effect always occurs when you use the effect, whether you succeed or fail, it is worth -2 cost per rank.

The exact nature of the side effect is for you and the Gamemaster to determine. As a general guideline, it should be an effect about the same in value as the effect with this flaw. So an effect with a cost of 20 points should have a 20-point side effect. Typical side effects include Affliction, Damage, Weaken, or maybe Nullify. The Side Effect does not require an attack check and only affects you, although the GM may permit some Side Effects with the Area modifier on a case-by-case basis. You get a normal defense check against the Side Effect. If you are immune to your own powers, you aren't immune to its side-effect.

The GM may also allow a Complication Side Effect, which essentially imposes a complication on you without awarding a victory point. See Complications for more information.

Slower Action -1 Cost Per Rank Per Application

The action type for an effect is grouped as follows from fastest to slowest: Reaction, Free, Move, Standard, Full, and Slow. Each application slows down the action from that effect's action type (free to move, for example) and is worth -1 cost per rank. Permanent effects have an action type listed as None which can't be modified. See Gameplay Rules: Action Types for a full description of each type.

System Dependent Flat -2 Points

The System Dependent effect must be able to enter the target's system for it to work. Such as inhalation, eating, skin contact, injection, etc. Effects with this modifier can be avoided by holding breath or not eating etc. depending on the description.

Tiring -1 Cost Per Rank

An effect with this flaw causes you to suffer a level of fatigue when you use it. You recover from this fatigue normally, and can spend a victory point to overcome it at any time. In essence, the power requires extra effort in order to use it (see Extra Effort). This makes Tiring a useful flaw for creating an effect you can only use with extra effort.

Tiring is often applied to just some ranks of an effect to represent a higher level of the effect, usable only through extra effort. For example, a hero might have a rank 12 Damage effect, but routinely use only 8 ranks of it. The remaining 4 ranks are Tiring, so using them quickly fatigues the hero.

A Tiring effect can be combined with extra effort, but the fatigue stacks, causing a minimum of two levels of fatigue per use.

Uncontrollable Entirely -5 Cost Per Rank

You have no control over an effect with this flaw. Instead, the Gamemaster decides when and how it works (essentially making it a plot device). This flaw is best suited for mysterious powers out of the characters' direct control or effects the GM feels more comfortable having under direct, rather than player, control. You can no longer even choose to activate it, this is very cheap since the GM can cause spontaneous effects anyway. The GM controls every aspect of it: activation, duration, target, etc.

Example: The great sorcerer Abraham Lincoln has a magic talisman that gives him advice of what to do next however he can't seem to activate it and only receives advice from it when he is really stumped or going in a completely wrong direction.

Uncontrollable Result -1 Cost Per Rank

The result is random, this only applies to powers with variable results such as Create, Illusion, and variable Summon Minion. This is difficult at best to do randomly so the GM will decide how to handle what happens. An example would be choosing to use Illusion and who it targets but not what they see, this is fitting for hallucinations. For Create and Variable Summon Minion you choose to activate it (and the location if applicable) but the GM chooses what exactly is created or summoned.

Uncontrollable Target -1 Cost Per Rank

You can't control what the effect targets to some extent. This can't be applied to personal range effects, ones with the Selective modifier, or ones that affect an Area. All characters who are within the effect's range and that you can accurately perceive, including yourself and allies, have an equal chance of being the effect's target.

For another application of this flaw instead of targeting a random character the effect targets a random square on the map that is within range and that you can accurately perceive for a total of -2 cost per rank. Every square, including your own, has an equal chance of being the target and if that square contains a character (being on the other side of an invisible wall is out of range unless the effect is perception ranged) then that character is targeted otherwise it targets whatever is in that square: objects, the ground, air, etc.

In either case it is recommended that the GM rolls dice or has some way of determining the result randomly. And if the target is invalid, such as effects that can't target yourself or targeting an object and you can't affect objects, then the effect is countered.

Unreliable -1 Cost Per Rank

An Unreliable effect doesn't work all the time. Randomly determine if the effect functions each round before you use or maintain the effect, including continuous and permanent durations. Either flip a coin or roll a single Fudge die having the effect function on positive or heads, and it doesn't work on tails or negative (reroll 0). Even if the effect fails to work you've still used the action the effect requires. Spending a victory point on your reliability roll allows you to succeed automatically (since the roll is then at least a 1).

Roll when first activating the effect and each time you maintain it. If you fail the duration ends as normal and you must take the normal action needed to activate the effect again. If you fail the roll when you first activate the power instead the effect is countered. You are aware that you effect's duration ends and continuing to concentrate would be pointless without first reactivating it. If you fail the roll with a permanent duration effect it is considered countered until your next turn. Permanent effects use no action and will reactivate even if you can't take any actions.

For another application the effect is only 25% reliable requiring the functional check twice each round. Powers that are only occasionally unreliable (less than about 50% of the time) are better handled as complications (see Complications).