Microwave Control

Effect: Array (Damage)

Action: Standard (active)

Range: Ranged

Duration: Instant

Saving Throw: Toughness

Cost: 2 points per rank

You can emit and control microwaves (and radio waves), allowing you to project a blast of microwaves as a Ranged Damage effect, along with developing a number of Alternate Powers.

ALTERNATE POWERS

The following are some suitable Alternate Powers for a Microwave Control Array:

• Microwave Beam: Rather than a concentrated “maser blast,” you project a beam of microwaves that damage the target from the inside out. This is a Fortitude Damage effect, with a bonus of two-thirds your Microwave Control rank.

• Microwave Burst: You emit a burst of microwaves in every direction, inflicting heat damage in a radius of (rank x 5) feet equal to your Microwave Control rank.

• Radio Burst: You emit a radio-frequency burst in a radius of (rank x 5) feet, a Dazzle effect against any radio senses in the area (with the usual Reflex save to avoid and Fortitude save to recover). Devices do not recover until they are repaired or reset, typically requiring a Craft (electronic) check.

• Radio Jamming: You can create radio static in a radius of (rank x 5) feet at normal range, an Obscure effect against any radio senses in the affected area.

• Surge: A microwave beam can disrupt the functions of electrical equipment as a Nullify effect at your Microwave Control power rank. Normal equipment doesn’t function until it’s repaired, requiring a Craft (electronics) skill check.

ASSOCIATED EFFECTS

• Flight: Super-heating the air to provide lift and propulsion grants you the Flight effect.

• Force Field: You can surround your body with a protective field of energy that deflects some of the force of incoming attacks, giving you the Force Field power.

• Microwave Aura: You surround yourself with a field of microwaves that inflict heat damage on anyone coming into contact with you (see Energy Aura power for details).

• Radio Communication: The ability to emit and control radio waves gives you the ability to broadcast and receive like a living radio, a Radio Communication effect (see the Communication effect for details). If it needs your focus, this might be an Alternate Power rather than an independent associated power.

• Super-Senses: Radio-senses go right along with the ability to generate and control radio and microwave frequencies, this includes Radio Communication (previously) along with radar (see Super-Senses for details).

• Transmit: You might have the ability to not only control microwaves and radio waves, but to transform into them in order to travel along broadcast carrier waves! This is the Transmit power via radio waves. You can move instantly (at the speed of light) from a radio or microwave transmitter to a receiver (including various cellular and wireless communication systems). This power is generally limited to no more than 10 ranks if you’re limited by the speed of light, as actual radio broadcasts are.