Color Control

Effect: Transform, Limited

Action: Standard (active)

Range: Ranged

Duration: Sustained (lasting)

Saving Throw: Reflex (see description)

Cost: 2 points per rank

This somewhat odd power is the ability to change the colors of things: making an apple blue or purple rather than red or green, for example, or an orange... well, something other than orange. You can transform the colors of objects occupying a cube five feet on a side per power rank; mobile targets get a Reflex save to avoid being “colorized” (no effect on a successful save). The changes in coloration last as long as your power does.

On the face of it, Color Control doesn’t seem all that useful, but is capable of a number of things, including:

• It can aid in disguise and camouflage, providing a +5 bonus for Disguise or Stealth checks when properly colorized.

• Since color is used to carry information (black type on a white background, for example), changing the colors changes the information; white text on a white background is unreadable.

• You can “color-in” transparent objects, making them opaque, doing things like blacking out windows, monitor screens, and such.

• Color Control effectively provides the user with “pigments” and the ability to apply them anywhere: turning a villain’s costume hot pink, changing a vehicle’s color to allow it to blend in, giving a green- or blue-skinned teammate normal human flesh tones, and so forth.

COUNTERING

Since colors are made up of different frequencies of light, Color Control implies the ability to influence light in various ways, meaning it can potentially counter light- and darkness-based effects. For example, Color Control could alter the frequency of a laser or “scatter” light across the spectrum. Likewise, it could alter the opacity of an obscuring medium, allowing light to pass through so things like smoke or fog don’t inhibit vision. By the same token, Darkness Control and Light Control (and related power effects) may be able to counter Color Control in much the same way.

ALTERNATE POWERS

• Blinding: Rather than simply dazzling a target with colors, you can blind a target that relies on lenses for sight (including the human cornea) simply by turning the lenses opaque. This is a perception range Visual Dazzle effect, with a rank equal to two-thirds your Color Control rank.

• Dazzle: You emit a blinding burst of colors that works as a Visual Dazzle effect at your Color Control rank. You may also acquire a Burst Area Visual Dazzle that affects a radius of (rank x 5 feet) around you as an alternate for the same cost and rank.

• Illusion: Fine enough control over colors allows you to create Visual Illusions with a rank equal to your Color Control. The GM may require the Precise powerf feat in order to have this Alternate Power, just because creating convincing visual illusions requires fine control over your ability to alter colors.

• Nauseate: With a swirl of clashing colors, you induce vertigo and nausea, a Ranged Nauseate effect with rank equal to two-thirds your Color Control rank. Alternately, replace the Nauseate with a Stun effect for the same cost.

• Obscure: The ability to control color allows you to inhibit the passage of light through an area, “coloring in” the air itself and creating a Visual Obscure effect at your Color Control rank.

• Transparency: You can remove color from an object, making it transparent and giving it partial visual concealment (see Concealment, M&M, page 161). Uses include things like “chameleon” camouflage or turning opaque barriers transparent to see what’s behind or inside them (and being able to affect those things with perception range effects).

POWER FEATS

• Precise: Your can apply your Color Control as if with an infinitely fine “brush.” The GM may call for Concentration or Craft (artistic) checks for particularly delicate uses of your power.

ASSOCIATED EFFECTS

• Light Control: The ability to control color implies the ability to influence light as well. A character with Color Control might have the Light Control power as well.