Type: Variable
Action: Standard (active)
Range: Touch
Duration: Sustained
Saving Throw: None
Cost: 1-5 points per rank
You can imitate one (or more) of another character’s traits: abilities, skills, feats, or powers. You can mimic a total of (rank x 5) power points in traits per subject, and no trait can have a bonus or rank greater than your Mimic rank, or the subject’s rank, whichever is lower. So Mimic 8 allows you to mimic up to 40 points in traits, no one of which can have a rank or bonus greater than 8. The cost per rank determines the traits you can mimic:
• Choose a particular type of trait (ability scores, skills, feats,or powers). You can mimic one trait of the chosen type at a time. So if you choose ability scores, you can mimic a subject’s Strength, then touch a different subject and mimic his Dexterity (losing the previous subject’s Strength), and so forth. One type
of trait is a subject’s appearance. If you choose to mimic it, you gain the benefits of Morph (see the Morph effect): a +5 bonus on Disguise checks per Mimic rank to imitate that subject.
• 2 points: You can mimic any one trait (ability scores, skills,feats, or powers), one at a time.
• 3 points: You can mimic all of a target’s traits of a particular type (ability scores, skills, feats, or powers of a particular type or descriptor) all at once.
• 4 points: You can mimic all of a target’s powers at once, including enhanced abilities and power feats.
• 5 points: You can mimic all of a target’s traits at once.
You must touch the subject you are mimicking (requiring a melee attack roll). Mimicked traits last as long as you maintain your Mimic effect. If you are unable to maintain it, you lose any mimicked traits. Mimicked traits do not stack with yours or other mimicked traits, only the highest trait applies. Any mimicked traits require their normal action, checks, and so forth to use. At the Gamemaster’s option, you can trade-off maximum trait rank for total power points you can mimic: lowering the maximum rank by 1 increases total power points by 5, while raising it by 1 lowers total power points by 5. For example, Mimic 4 is normally (4 x 5) 20 power points at up to rank 4, but you could change it to up to 35 power points up to rank 1 (broader, but less powerful) or 10 power points up to rank 6 (narrower, but more powerful).
Narrowing power points available for Mimic can limit the rank it can reach, except for low-cost traits like skills.
EXTRAS
• Duration (+1): With a continuous duration, you can retain mimicked traits as long as your power is active, although you cannot exceed your maximum number of mimicked subjects.
• Extra Subject (+1): You can mimic the traits of two subjects at once. You must touch each subject separately and each counts as a separate use of your Mimic power. Multiple traits of the same type do not stack; use only the highest bonus. Each additional time you apply this modifier, move the maximum number of
subjects one step up the Progression Table (5 subjects, then 10, 25, etc.).
• Perception (+2): You can mimic any subject you can accurately perceive, without the need for an attack roll.
• Ranged (+1): You can mimic subjects at normal range by making a ranged attack roll against the subject.
• Residual (+1): You can mimic a subject’s powers using the residual energy they leave behind in places and objects. This generally requires powers that affect others, and the GM decides what powers and descriptors suit your Residual Mimic effect. You must touch the place or object to absorb any residual energy there.
• Stacking (+1): Your mimicked traits stack to a limited degree. You gain the highest mimicked trait and increase it by +1 each time you mimic the same trait. So, if you mimic three subjects, all with Super-Strength, you take the highest Super-Strength rank and add +2 ranks for the other two subjects. The total stacked
bonus still cannot exceed your power rank.
FLAWS
• Channeling (–1): You can only mimic the traits of a deceased subject by “channeling” their spirit! You require some sort of focus, chosen when you apply this flaw, such as something the deceased owned or used in life, having been present at the deceased’s death or gravesite, knowledge of the deceased’s true name (or some similar intimate personal detail), and so forth. The GM should approve your particular means of channeling. If you can channel any deceased subject
without need for a focus, this flaw becomes a +1 extra, since the limitation of only mimicking deceased subjects is overbalanced by not needing a subject present and the extensive range of possible subjects (everyone who has ever died!). The GM may change this based on the context of the campaign; for example, if there are no deceased superhumans in the campaign’s history, this is a more serious (even crippling) flaw, whereas if nearly all the superhumans
in the setting’s history are deceased (due to some major catastrophe or crisis, for example) it is more of a +0 modifier or an extra.
• Limited (–1): You can only mimic a particular type of subject. For example, you might only mimic the traits of animals, or inanimate objects. Generally, “only humans” doesn’t constitute a sufficient limitation, but it may, if nonhumans are especially common in the campaign. The Channeling flaw is one example of Mimic Limited in this way (see previously).
• Saving Throw (–1): Subjects get a Will saving throw when you attempt to mimic them (DC 10 + Mimic rank). If the save succeeds, you cannot mimic that subject in the same encounter without extra effort.
• Side Effect (–1): If you attempt to mimic a trait with a higher rank than your power, you suffer a Side Effect. Typically this is a Blast, Fatigue, or Stun equal to the targeted effect’s rank or bonus. So if you have Mimic 8 and try to copy a rank 10 power, the attempt fails and you suffer a rank 10 side effect.
• Split Personality (–1): The personality of a subject you mimic can overwhelm your own on occasion. The GM can initiate a mental grapple (See Mental Grapple, M&M, page 157) against you, using the subject’s original mental traits, as a setback. If the invading personality wins, it controls your body like a use of the Possession power. You need to make a successful Will save with a DC of 10 + the possessing mind’s Will save bonus to wrest back control. You also regain control if your power is nullified in some way (along with losing use of the power).
• Tainted (–1): You acquire your subject’s drawbacks (see Drawbacks, M&M, page 125, for details) as long as you mimic the subject.
UNDER THE HOOD: MIMIC
Mimic, especially with the right modifiers, can be a very powerful effect. Gamemasters may want to restrict players to certain levels, possibly
prohibiting the 5-point level (all traits at once), as well as the Continuous, Perception, and Ranged modifiers, or limiting the power to a certain type of target.