7 Devices and Equipment

From blaster rifles to anti-gravity belts, teleportation rings, and battlesuits, heroes and villains develop all manner of gadgets. Villains are forever coming up with doomsday machines and fiendish deathtraps while heroes use devices to aid them in their fight for justice. This chapter looks at various sorts of devices and equipment. It also describes vehicles, headquarters, and constructs, ranging from zombie minions to giant robots.

Devices

A device is an item that provides a particular power or powers (see the Device power, page 81). If the character doesn’t have the device, he doesn’t have access to those powers. While devices are typically creations of advanced science, they don’t have to be. Many heroes and villains have magical devices such as enchanted weapons and armor, magical talismans, wands and staves of power, and so forth. Some devices are products of alien technology so advanced they might as well be magical, or focuses of cosmic power beyond the understanding of both magic and science. All devices work the same way in game terms,

Regardless of their origin or descriptors. Just like other powers, devices cost power points. Characters who want to have and use a device on a regular basis have to pay power points to have it, just like having any other power. The device becomes a part of the character’s abilities. If the device is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the character can replace it, given time, since the device is considered a permanent part of the character. Only a re-allocation of the character’s character points will change this, and Gamemasters should allow characters to re-allocate character points spent on a Device if it is somehow permanently lost.

In other cases, characters may make temporary use of a device. Most devices are usable by anyone able to operate them, in which case characters may loan devices to each other, or may pick up and use someone else’s device (or even steal a device away from someone in order to use it against them). The key concept here is the use of the device is temporary, something that happens during a single encounter or, at most, a single adventure. If the character wants to continue using the device beyond that, he must pay power points to make the device part of his regular abilities. Otherwise the GM can simply rule that the device is lost, reclaimed by its owner, runs out of power, breaks down, or whatever, and is therefore no longer accessible. Characters with the Inventor and Artificer feats can also create temporary devices for use in an adventure.

Gamemasters may require characters to spend a victory point to make temporary use of a device that doesn’t belong to them. This helps to limit the loaning and temporary use of devices.

Battlesuits

A common staple of comic books is the battlesuit, also known as power-armor. It is an advanced suit of technological armor, giving the wearer powers.

Battlesuits commonly grant the following powers:

• Protection: This is the foundation power for a battlesuit. Whether it is armor plating, metallic mesh, flexible ballistic material, or some combination of these and other cutting-edge technology, a battlesuit protects its wearer from damage. Some battlesuits provide a Force Field, either in place of or in addition to their Protection.

•Immunity: A part of the protection a battlesuit offers is a sealed environment, offering Immunity to various conditions. Many battlesuits provide Immunity (life support). Some might have more extensive or specialized forms of Immunity.

• Attacks: Battlesuits are typically equipped with some kind of weapon or weapons, based around various attack powers, particularly Blast. A battlesuit with an array of weapons may have a primary attack powers and several others as Alternate Powers (see page 108).

• Super-Strength: A battlesuit might have servomotors or other mechanisms to magnify the wearer’s Strength. This is typically done with the Strike and Super-Strength powers, allowing a normal-Strength wearer to strike for increased damage and lift tremendous weights. A battlesuit may also simply provide Enhanced Strength, or some combination of the two options.

• Movement: After defense and offense, battlesuits typically allow the wearer to get around, whether it’s hydraulic-assisted Leaping, bootjets or anti-gravity repulsion for Flight, turbines for Swimming, or some other movement effect.

• Sensors: Finally, battlesuits often come equipped with a suite of sensors providing Super-Senses (see page 103). Blindsight (radar or sonar), darkvision, direction sense (possibly from a global positioning system), infrared vision, radio, time sense (from a chronometer), and ultra-hearing are all common battlesuit sensors.

Costumes

In addition to being stylish, costumes may be made of unusual materials much tougher than they appear (courtesy of super-science or magic), allowing them to provide a Protection effect. Costumes may have other properties and can even be the source of a hero’s powers, such as in the case of battlesuits (above).

Comic book costumes are usually immune to their wearer’s powers. They don’t burn, tear, or otherwise suffer damage when the wearer changes size or shape, bursts into flames, freezes, and so forth. In a fourcolor superhero campaign, the GM can assume this is just a feature of all costumes. It costs no points, since everyone has it. In a more realistic campaign, Gamemasters may wish to make Immunity (wearer’s powers) a 1-point feature and require characters to pay for it if their characters have such a costume. Otherwise characters have to make do with ordinary clothing (which may be damaged or destroyed when they use their powers).

Enhanced Equipment

Some devices are otherwise normal equipment (see page 132) with special properties. Magical items, normal equipment imbued with magical properties, are examples. Magical weapons may have greater damage bonuses or grant attack roll bonuses while magical armor has no armor check penalties and provides greater protection. Such enchantments move archaic weapons and armor from the realm of mundane equipment to devices. The same is true of super-alloys, bulletproof cloth, and other wonders of super-science.

UNDER THE HOOD: DEVICES VS EQUIPMENT

There can sometimes be a fine line between devices and equipment. The primary differences are devices are part of the character’s abilities, they grant

effects beyond the capabilities of normal equipment, and they’re only ever lost or taken away temporarily. If an item is integral to the character’s

concept or abilities, it’s probably a device. Equipment, on the other hand, is limited to fairly “mundane” things, can be taken away or even destroyed

with impunity, and merely supplements the character’s traits. Equipment doesn’t grant “powers” per se (although equipment does provide certain effects

similar to powers). Here are some examples of devices vs. equipment:

• A high-tech suit of powered armor. Device.

• A utility belt full of items like grapple lines, handcuffs, pepper spray, and throwing weapons. Equipment.

• A sword or other mundane melee weapon. Equipment.

• A magical weapon able to slice through tank armor. Device.

• The character can summon weapons out of thin air. These weapons never run out of ammo and vanish when taken away from the character, who

can summon another weapon as a free action. Neither. This is just a descriptor for various attack effect powers. Since the “weapons” can’t really be

taken away, they’re not Devices or Equipment.

• The character wears a cape allowing him to glide on air currents. Device.

• The character has a commlink installed in her costume. Equipment.

• The character has an implant allowing him to “hear” radio waves. Neither. Although it has a technological descriptor, the implant can’t be removed

without surgery, so it isn’t a Device or Equipment. The same is true of devices like bionic claws or other implants.

Ultimately, it is up to the Gamemaster whether or not a particular item is considered a device or equipment, depending on the nature of the campaign

and the characters.

Weapons

Weapons are common devices, ranging from super-powered versions of ordinary weapons like swords, bows, or guns to more exotic weapons like magic wands or alien power rings. A weapon device usually has one or more attack powers but may have virtually any power the player wants to include. Weapon devices often have several different attacks as Alternate Powers. One example is a set of magic rings, each with its own power, but only usable one at a time.

Other Devices

The full range of devices Mutants & Masterminds characters can create and use is limited solely by your imagination. Essentially any item with a power is considered a device. Players and GMs may well come up with additional devices beyond those described here. Use the guidelines in this chapter and in Chapter 5 to handle any new devices and their capabilities.

Plot Devices

A plot device is an item or even character whose function is important to the story, but is not a part of a character’s regular abilities. Therefore the actual character point cost or sometimes even game statistics of a plot device are irrelevant, so long as the device fulfills its role in the story. Technically, nearly any character or device the heroes don’t directly interact with can be seen as a plot device, freeing the GM up from having to assign game stats to every single thing in the game world.

For example, part of an adventure is planned to take place on board a vast alien city-ship. While the GM may want to know things like the Toughness of the city-ship’s walls or the game stats of the alien soldiers the heroes may fight, it’s not important to assign game statistics to the city-ship’s engines or it’s planet-busting main gun. They’re plot devices. It’s also not necessary to determine how much the ship costs in character points, unless the player characters are going to use it as their regular vehicle or base of operations. It’s sufficient to know the city-ship can get where it needs to go and its main gun will shatter any planet it’s fired at unless the heroes manage to stop it in time. Likewise, consider a cosmic device able to reshape reality at will. This is far beyond any of the powers in Chapter 5, so it’s best to simply treat it as a plot device: the wielder of the object can make anything happen, as called for in the adventure. Plot devices are best kept in the hands of the Gamemaster, since unlimited power in the hands of the players can quickly spoil everyone’s fun. If the heroes aren’t wise enough to reject absolute power, the GM can come up with any number of reasons why a plot device no longer works once the heroes get their hands on it. It may run out of power, be attuned only to particular users, or perhaps cosmic beings reclaim it. It’s fine to allow a hero to use a plot device occasionally, such as the hero who takes the Master Crown from a villain and uses it to undo all the damage the villain has done before casting the Crown into the heart of the sun (or something similar). But long-term use (and abuse) of plot devices can ruin a game, and the GM would be wise to have the Cosmic Crown disappear or have powerful entities reclaim it before heroes to abuse its power. If you’re looking for some inspiration for a plot device or what to call one, roll a couple times on the following table. Optionally, roll twice for the first column, ignoring duplicates, for gadgets with three-word names (e.g. Ultimate Cosmic Neutralizer or Quantum Spatial Disruptor).

RanDom poWeRful Device names

D20 rO l l fr S t wO r D SE c O n D wO r D

1-2 Cosmic Control Rod

3-4 Infinity Disruptor

5-6 Negative Energizer

7-8 Quantum Gauntlet

9-10 Spatial Generator

11 12 Spirit Inhibitor

13 -14 Stellar Neutralizer

15 -16 Temporal Nullifier

17 -18 Ultimate Projector

19-20 Universal Weapon

Inventing

Characters with the necessary Knowledge and Craft skills and the Inventor feat (see page 62) can create inventions, temporary devices. To create an invention, the inventor defines its traits and its total cost in character points. This cost is used for the necessary skill checks, and determines the time required to create the invention. Inventions are subject to the same power level limits as other powers in the campaign.

Design check

First, the inventor must design the invention. This is a Knowledge (technology) skill check. The DC is 10 + the invention’s character point cost. It requires an hour’s work per character point of the invention’s cost. The character can take 10 or 20 on the check. In the latter case, the design process takes 20 times longer (20 hours per character point). You can halve the design time by taking a –5 on the Knowledge check.

Design Check = DC 10 + invention’s point cost

If the check is successful, you have a design for the invention. If the check fails, the design is flawed and you must start over. If the check fails by 10 or more, the character is not aware of the design flaw; the design seems correct, but the invention won’t function (or at least won’t function properly) when it’s used. For this reason, the GM should make the design check secretly and only inform the player whether or not the character appears to have succeeded.

Construction Check

Once the design is in-hand, the character can construct the invention. This requires four hours work per power point of the invention’s cost, so an invention costing 10 points takes 40 hours (about a week’s work normally, or working two days straight without rest) to construct. When the construction time is complete, make a Craft skill check, using the Craft specialty appropriate to the invention (generally chemical, electronic , or mechanical). The DC is 10 + the invention’s power point cost. You can’t take 20 on this check, but you can take 10. You can halve the construction time by taking a –5 on the Craft check.

Construction Check = DC 10 + invention’s point cost

Success means the invention is complete and functional. Failure means the invention doesn’t work. Failure by 10 or more may result in a mishap, at the GM’s discretion.

Example: Inventor needs to whip up a mind-shielding device to confront Lady Mentality, who has seized control of his teammates in the Revengers, and plans to use them as her army to conquer Moon City. Inventor’s player considers and decides 10 ranks of the Mind Shield power (see page 93) will suffice. It has a cost of 10 character points, so the Knowledge (technology) check is DC 20 (10 + 10) and takes 10 hours. Inventor’s skill bonus is +22, so he succeeds automatically.

The GM decides Craft (electronics) is the appropriate skill for the construction check, also DC 20 (10 + the device’s cost). It takes 40 hours. Inventor’s skill bonus is +20, so against he succeeds automatically. However, that’s 50 hours total to build the mind-shield, and Lady Mentality plans to launch her attack in just a few hours. Daedalus needs the new device right now, so he’s going to need to speed things up....

Using the Invention

Once the invention is complete, it is good for use in one encounter, after which it breaks down or runs out of power. If the character wishes to use the invention again, there are two options. The first is to spend the necessary character points to acquire the Device power and make the invention a part of the character’s regular traits; in this case, the new device can be used like any other. The other option is to spend a victory point to get another one-encounter use out of the invention. Each use costs an additional victory point, but doesn’t require any further skill checks.

Although it’s possible to prepare certain one-use devices in advance, the GM should carefully enforce the guidelines for having items on-hand (see page 133). If an inventor wants to have a particular previously-constructed invention on-hand during an adventure, the GM should require the player to spend a victory point.

Jury-Rigging Devices

An inventor can choose to spend a victory point to jury-rig a device; ideal for when a particular device is needed right now. When jury-rigging a device, skip the design check and reduce the time of the construction check to one round per power point of the device’s cost, but increases the DC of the Craft check by +5. The inventor makes the Craft check and, if successful, has use of the device for one encounter before it burns out, falls apart, blows up, or otherwise fails. You can’t take 10 or take 20 when jury-rigging an invention, nor can you speed up the process any further by taking a skill check penalty. You can jury-rig an invention again by spending another victory point.

Example: Needing to get the mind shield device ready right away, Inventor's player decides to spend a hero point to jury-rig it. He skips the design step altogether and reduces construction time to 10 rounds (a minute). The DC of the construction check increases to 25, but still well within Inventor's abilities. His

player rolls a 28 on the check and, a minute later, the immortal inventor has a makeshift mind-shield he hopes will protect against Lady Mentality’s power long enough for him to try and free the rest of the League from her influence.

Mishaps

At the GM’s discretion, failure by 10 or more, or a natural roll of 1, on any required inventing skill check may result in some unexpected side-effect or mishap. Exactly what depends heavily on the invention. Inventing mishaps can become a source of adventure ideas and put the heroes in some difficult situations. They may also be setbacks, suitable for hero point awards (see page 122).

Magical Rituals

Characters with the Ritualist feat (see page 63) and the Knowledge (arcane lore) skill can perform magical rituals. They are similar to inventions: one-time powers requiring some time and effort to set up.

For rituals, substitute the Knowledge (arcane lore) skill for both the design and construction checks. The design portion of the ritual takes 4 hours per character point of the ritual’s cost (pouring over ancient scrolls and grimoires, drawing diagrams, casting horoscopes, meditating, and so forth). The performance of the actual ritual takes 10 minutes per point of the ritual’s cost. So a ritual costing 10 power points takes 40 hours to research and 100 minutes to perform. As with inventing, the ritual is good for one encounter. Failing the research check means the ritual isn’t usable and failure by 10 or more results in a mishap (at the GM’s discretion).

“Jury-rigging” a magical ritual has the same effects as mentioned previously. This allows the ritualist to skip the design check and perform the ritual in a number of rounds equal to its cost. A Knowledge (arcane lore) check against a DC equal of (15 + the ritual’s cost) is needed to successfully perform the ritual.

Magical Inventions

For magical inventions, use the normal inventing rules, but use the Knowledge (arcane lore) skill for the design check and the appropriate Craft skill (probably artistic or structural) for the construction check.

Equipment

In addition to their amazing devices, characters often make use of various mundane equipment—ordinary things found in the real world—ranging from a simple set of tools to cell phones, laptop computers, and even common appliances. These items are called equipment to differentiate them from devices. Tools allow a character to use a particular skill properly (see Tools, page 137).

Equipment Cost

Equipment is acquired with points from the Equipment feat (see page 60). Each piece of equipment has a cost in points. The character pays the item’s cost out of the points from the Equipment feat and it becomes part of the character’s regular equipment.

Equipment Effects and Features

An item’s equipment cost is based on its effects and features. Effects cost the same as corresponding powers (see Chapter 5), so a ranged weapon costs the same as the Blast power (which inflicts damage at range). Features are particular minor things equipment can do, similar to feats. Generally, each feature costs 1 equipment point, although some features are more expensive (or actually involve multiple features). Various equipment features are described in this chapter.

Wealth (optional)

The Mutants & Masterminds game, like the comics, doesn’t pay much attention to money. A character’s wealth has little or no impact on the game. However, some may prefer to keep track of character wealth and resources, in which case the following system may be used. Every character has a Wealth bonus which reflects buying power—a composite of income, credit rating, and savings. A character’s Wealth bonus serves as the basis for a wealth check, used to purchase equipment and services.

Wealth bonus

A character’s base Wealth bonus is +8. The Benefit feat (see page 59) provides a +4 Wealth bonus per rank. The Profession skill (see page 53) grants a bonus to Wealth: +1 per 5 full points of skill bonus. Decreases to base Wealth grant power points, like decreasing an ability score: 1 point for a Wealth bonus of +4, 2 points for a Wealth bonus of +0. Over the course of play, your Wealth bonus decreases as you purchase expensive items. A character’s Wealth bonus can never fall below +0, and there is no limit to how high Wealth bonus can climb. If your Wealth bonus is +0, you don’t have the buying power to purchase any item or service with a purchase DC of 10 or higher, and you can’t take 10 or take 20 on Wealth checks.

Making Purchases

Wealth bonus reflects your buying power. Every item and service has a purchase Difficulty Class based on how expensive it is. To purchase something, make a Wealth check against the purchase DC. As a general guideline, the equipment purchase DC equals 10 + the equipment’s point cost. The GM sets the Wealth check DC for any particular purchase.

The Wealth Check

A check is a d20 roll plus your current Wealth bonus. Wealth bonus is fluid; it in creases as you gain Wealth and decreases as you make purchases. If you succeed on the Wealth check, you purchase the item. If you fail,you can’t afford the item at this time. If your current Wealth bonus is equal to or greater than the DC, you automatically succeed.

If you successfully purchase an item with a purchase DC higher than your current Wealth bonus, your Wealth bonus decreases by 1 point for every 5 points the purchase DC is higher than your current Wealth bonus (1 point for 1–5 points higher, 2 points for 6–10 points higher, etc .). Lost Wealth bonus returns at a rate of 1 point per month.

Try Again

You can try again if you fail a Wealth check, but not until the character has spent an additional number of hours shopping equal to the purchase DC of the object or service.

Taking 10 and Taking 20

You can take 10 or take 20 when making a Wealth check. Taking 20 requires 20 times as long as normal. (You’re shopping around for the best price.)

Shopping and Time

Buying less common items generally takes a number of hours equal to the purchase DC of the item, reflecting the time needed to locate the item and close the deal. Getting a license or buying a legally restricted item also increase the time needed to make purchases.

Financial Aid

You can make an aid attempt (DC 10) to help someone else purchase an item. If the attempt is successful, you provide the purchaser with a +2 bonus on the Wealth check. If you aid a Wealth check for an item with a purchase DC higher than your current Wealth bonus, it decreases as normal.

Wealth and Inventing

Gamemasters may wish to add a Wealth check to the inventing process (see page 131). Once the inventor has come up with a design for the device, make a

Wealth check to obtain the necessary components (DC = device’s point cost). A failed check means you can’t afford the materials. Spending a hero point to jury-rig the device out of materials at hand allows you to skip the Wealth check.

On-Hand Items

Characters may not necessarily carry all their equipment with them at all times. The GM may allow players to spend a hero point in order to have a particular item of equipment “on-hand” at a particular time. This is essentially a one-time use of the item for one encounter, and the Gamemaster rules whether or not having a particular item on-hand is possible. For example, a hero out for an evening in his secret identity might have something like a concealed weapon or other small item on-hand, but it’s unlikely the character is carrying a large weapon or item unless he has some means of concealing it.

Restricted Equipment

The Gamemaster may rule some equipment is simply not available to characters or they must pay for an additional feature (or more) in order to have it. This may include certain kinds of weapons, vehicles, and anything else the GM feels should be limited in the campaign.

Masterwork Equipment

Some items are especially well-made, custom-built, or otherwise superior to normal equipment. These masterwork items grant a bonus greater than a normal item, usually a +1 with an attack roll or +2 with a check made with the item. Masterwork quality is considered an additional feature for the item of equipment. At the GM’s discretion, superior masterwork items may grant higher bonuses for additional features.

Concealed Items

Characters may attempt to conceal items on their person. It’s assumed the character is wearing clothing offering places to conceal things. To conceal a weapon or other object, make a Sleight of Hand check. If you conceal an object before heading out into public you can usually take 10 unless you are rushed, trying to conceal it when others might see, or under other unusual constraints. Sleight of Hand can be used untrained in this instance, but you must take 10 to do so.

Size and Concealment

The object’s size affects the check result, as shown on the Concealing Weapons and Objects Table. The type of holster used or clothing worn, and any attempt to make a weapon easier to draw, can also affect the check.

CONCEALING WEAPONS AND OBJECTS

Melee weapons work like the Strike power (see page 100) adding the wielder’s Strength bonus to the damage. Ordinary melee weapons are limited by their Toughness in terms of the amount of Strength bonus they can add. If a wielder’s Strength bonus exceeds the weapon’s Toughness (4 for wooden weapons, 7 or 8 for metal weapons), the weapon breaks when it is used. Melee weapons have the following traits:

• Category: Melee weapons are categorized as simple, archaic , and exotic.

• Damage Bonus: The weapon’s damage bonus on a successful hit. Melee weapons add the wielder’s Strength bonus to their damage (the Mighty power feat, page 100), costing a base 1 point. Each point of damage bonus costs 1 point.

• Critical: The threat range for a critical hit with the weapon. Some weapons have a larger threat range than others. Increasing a weapon’s threat range by 1 costs 1 point.

• Damage Descriptor: Melee weapon damage is classified as bludgeoning (weapons with a blunt striking surface, like a club), piercing (weapons with a sharp point), and slashing (weapons with a sharp edge). Some characters may be resistant or immune to some types of damage.

• Range Increment: Melee weapons designed for throwing can also be used to make ranged attacks. This costs 1 point. Thrown weapons have a range increment just as other ranged weapons do—but the maximum range for a thrown weapon is five range increments. Any attack at less than the given range increment is not penalized for range. However, each full range increment causes a cumulative –2 penalty on the attack roll.Size: Size categories for weapons and other objects are defined differently from the size categories for creatures. The relationship between a weapon’s size and its wielder’s size defines whether it can be used one-handed, if it requires two hands, and if it’s a light weapon. A Medium or smaller weapon can be used one-handed or two-handed.

A Large weapon requires two hands.

• Equipment Cost: This is the weapon’s cost in points. Characters pay this cost from their equipment points to have a weapon of this type as part of their regular equipment.simple

Melee Weapon Descriptions

• Brass knuckles: Pieces of molded metal fitting over the fingers,brass knuckles allow you to do +1 damage with your unarmed strikes.They include similar items like armored gaunlets.

Club: Any of a number of blunt weapons used to strike, including nightsticks, batons, light maces, and similar bludgeoning weapons.

• Knife: A bladed weapon with a length less than 18 inches or so. This includes daggers, stilettos, sais, switchblades, bowie knives, and hunting knives, among others.

• Pepper spray: A liquid sprayed in a target’s face at close range to blind them. Pepper spray combines a visual Dazzle effect with a Stun effect. If the attack roll hits, the target makes a Reflex save (DC 15). Failure means the target is blinded. A blinded target makes a Fortitude save (DC 15) each round to recover, with a +1 bonus per save. A target blinded by pepper spray must also make a Fortitude save (DC 15). On a failure, the target is stunned. The Fortitude save to recover from being blinded is also used to recover from the stun effect.

• Quarterstaff: A fighting staff between four and six feet long, including the bo staff used in martial arts.

• Sap: A bludgeoning weapon intended to knock out targets without permanently injuring them.

• Stun gun: A stun gun hits its target with a powerful charge of electricity, requiring a Fortitude save (DC 17) to avoid a Stun effect.

• Tonfa: Police officers often carry and use a tonfa to subdue criminals. It’s also a common martial arts weapon.

Archaic Melee Weapons

• Battleaxe: A heavy-bladed axe that can be used with one or two hands.

• Sword: A blade between 18 and 30 or more inches in length, single or double-edged. It includes longswords, katanas, sabers, scimitars, and similar weapons.

• Spear: A bladed pole-arm. Most spears can also be thrown.

• Warhammer: A heavy hammer or mace that can be wielded with one or two hands. Warhammers can also be thrown. exotic melee Weapons

• Chain: You can wield a weighted chain to strike a target up to 10 ft. away. You can use it to make trip attacks and to disarm opponents with a +2 bonus, like the Improved Trip and Improved Disarm feats (and its benefits stack if you already have those feats).

• Chainsaw: A tool that sometimes sees use as a weapon, particularly against zombies and other slasher-flick monsters. You do not add your Strength bonus to a chainsaw’s damage.

Nunchaku: A popular martial arts weapon, made of two wooden shafts connected by a short length or rope or chain.

• Whip: A whip can strike targets up to 15 ft. away. You can use it to make trip attacks and to disarm opponents with a +2 bonus, like the Improved Trip and Improved Disarm feats (and its benefits stack if you already have those feats).

Ranged Weapons

Ranged weapons include both thrown and projectile weapons. Thrown weapons add the wielder’s Strength bonus to their damage. A thrown weapon has a maximum range of five increments. Projectile weapons include bows, crossbows, and guns as well as energy weapons like lasers and blasters.

ProJectile Weapons

• Holdout pistol: A low-caliber, easily concealed pistol, typically used as a back-up or secondary weapon.

• Light pistol: A common handgun, found in the hands of police officers and criminals alike.

• Heavy pistol: A high-caliber handgun, usually used by those who want a lot of stopping power.

• Machine pistol: A small automatic weapon, usable in one hand.Machine pistols are autofire weapons.

• Submachine gun: Compact automatic weapons that fire pistol ammunition, submachine guns are common military weapons, also used by criminals with access to more serious firepower. Submachine guns are Autofire weapons.

• Shotgun: A shotgun can fire shot, which does +5 damage with a +2 bonus to hit due to the spread, but it does only +3 damage against targets with any increase in their natural Toughness save bonus. It can also load solid slugs, which inflict +6 damage.

• Assault rifle: Rifles designed for military-use with both single-fire and autofire options.

• Sniper rifle: Rifles designed for long-range use, typically in conjunction with a powerful scope or targeting system.

Energy Weapons

• Blaster pistol: A pistol that fires a coherent bolt of energy.

• Blaster rifle: A larger rifle-sized weapon that fires a more powerful bolt of energy.heavy Weapons

• Flame-thrower: A flame-thrower shoots a stream of fire 5 feet wide and 25 feet long in front of the attacker as an area attack (see Area Attack, page 159).

• Grenade launcher: A grenade launcher fires various types of grenades, generally fragmentation grenades. Increase cost by +1 for each additional type of grenade carried.

• Rocket launcher: A rocket-launcher is generally an anti-tank weapon, although they also make useful anti-superhero weapons as well. It has the Area: Explosion extra (see page 111). Most rocket launchers can fire only one or two shots before they must be reloaded as a full-round action.

Other Ranged Weapons

• Bolos: A set of weighted cords intended to entangle an opponent like a Snare (see page 99).

• Boomerang: A common throwing weapon for heroes, a thrown boomerang returns to the thrower ’s hand, ready to be thrown again on the next round. Boomerang wielders often acquire the Ricochet feat (see page 110), allowing them to throw their weapon so it hits the target on the return arc as a surprise attack (see page 163).

• Bow: Although outdated, some heroes and villains favor the bow as a weapon and it can be quite effective in the right hands. Bows add the wielder’s Strength bonus to their damage (although most bows are only designed to add up to a +5 Str bonus at best). A bowwielding character may have various “trick” arrows with different powers; such bows and arrows should be treated as Devices (see page 128).

• Crossbow: Similar to a bow, and used for the same reasons. A crossbow does not add the user’s Strength bonus to its damage.

• Javelin: Light, flexible spears intended to be thrown. Javelins can also be used in melee combat.

• Shuriken: Flat metal stars or spikes for throwing. Shuriken can be thrown in groups (applying the Autofire extra, page 112). Although they are thrown weapons, shuriken do not add the thrower’s Strength bonus to damage.

• Taser: A compressed-air weapon firing a pair of darts. On impact they release a powerful electrical charge, requiring a Fortitude save (DC 15) against a Stun effect.

Weapon Accessories

The following accessories can be added to the projectile weapons in this section. Each is considered a feature, which costs 1 equipment point.

• Laser Sight: A laser sight projects a non-damaging laser beam showing where the weapon is aimed. This grants a +1 bonus on attack rolls with that weapon.

• Stun Ammo: Ballistic weapons can fire rubber bullets while bows can fire blunt-tipped arrows or quarrels. This ammunition is intended to inflict nonlethal rather than lethal damage. Switching between ammo types is a move action (or a free action for a character with the Quick Draw feat).

• Suppressor: A suppressor muffles the noise of a ballistic weapon, giving it the Subtle power feat (see page 110) and making it difficult for normal hearing to detect it.

• Targeting Scope: This item gives a weapon the benefits of the Improved Aim feat (see page 61), doubling the normal benefits of aiming.

Grenades and Explosives

• Fragmentation grenade: A common military grenade that sprays shrapnel in all directions.

• Smoke grenade: A smoke grenade fills an area with thick smoke (colored as desired) providing total concealment to all visual senses except for X-ray vision (see Concealment on page 161).

• Flash-bang grenade: A flash-bang grenade gives off a bright flash and a loud bang that can render targets temporarily blind and deaf (targets save separately against each Dazzle effect, Reflex save, DC 14).

• Sleep gas grenade: This grenade fills a 40-ft. area with a fatigue inducing gas (Fortitude save, DC 14).

• Tear gas grenade: This type of grenade releases a cloud of gas that irritates the eyes and lungs, causing temporarily blindness and nausea (visual Dazzle plus Nauseate, Fortitude save, DC 14).

• Dynamite: A common explosive. The damage on the table is for a single stick of dynamite. Each increase of the amount of explosive on the Time and Value Progression Table increases damage by +1.

• Plastic explosive: Another common explosive, which can be worked into different shapes. The damage listed is for a 1-lb block. Each increase of the amount of explosive on the Time and Value Progression Table increases damage by +1.

Armor

With so many weapons and super-powered attacks around, characters may need armor to protect them. Some heroes are innately tough enough to stand up to a lot of punishment, while others rely on their high Defense. Others choose to wear armor, ranging from ancient metal armors to modern composites or ultra-modern battlesuits. All armor is based on the Protection power, providing a bonus to Toughness saves. Like other equipment, armor bonuses do not stack with other bonuses or each other, only the highest bonus applies.

Archaic Armor

Some characters in superheroic settings still wear ancient or archaic armor, either because they are from a place or time where such armor is common or because it is tied to their motif or powers in some way. If you want realistic archaic armor, halve the armor’s Toughness bonus against modern weapons (especially firearms) and ignore it altogether for

futuristic weapons like lasers or blaster bolts.

• Leather: Heavy leather plates covering the torso and other vital areas.

• Chain-mail: A shirt of heavy metal chain, often with a coif (hood) to cover the wearer’s head.

• Plate-mail: This is chain-mail augmented with a metal breastplate, greaves (leg-guards) and arm-guards.

• Full plate: A full (and heavy!) suit of articulated metal plates, like that worn by medieval knights.

Modern Armor

Modern body armor is common among superheroes and villains, but even more so among people like police officers, soldiers, criminal agents, and so forth.

• Leather jacket: A heavy leather jacket (like that worn by motorcyclists) provides a measure of protection.

• Undercover shirt: A thin shirt of ballistic armor that can be worn under street clothes.

• Undercover vest: A somewhat heavier vest worn by undercover police officers and others in need of discrete protection.

• Tactical vest: A heavy bulletproof vest worn by police officers and soldiers.

• Armored jumpsuit: A full-body suit of ballistic cloth and padded armor.

Shields

Shields provide a dodge bonus to Defense, much like the bonus provided by cover, since shields are basically mobile forms of cover. Additionally, shields provide some measure of the Deflect power (see page 81), allowing the wielder to block ranged attacks. The dodge bonus is based on the size of the shield, while the Deflect power is based on the shield’s size and material composition (what sort of attacks it can resist, and therefore deflect).

Vehicles

Not every hero can fly, teleport, or run at super-speed. Sometimes heroes make use of various vehicles to get around. Vehicles are used primarily for transportation, although they may come with additional capabilities—including weapons—making them useful in other situations as well. Vehicles are considered equipment and purchased with equipment points. The vehicle tables list two costs; the one before the slash is the equipment point cost and the one after the slash is the vehicle’s power point cost. “Vehicles” with limbs, manipulative capabilities, and other humanoid characteristics (such as giant, piloted robots) should be created as constructs rather than vehicles (see Constructs, page 148).

Vehicle Trait Cost

Features

Certain features are considered “standard” on any vehicle. These include seating, headlights, safety harnesses or seat belts, air bags, heating and air-conditioning, radio receiver, and similar things. The following features are “optional extras” for vehicles and cost 1 point each. The GM can determine if other features are included in the vehicle or cost points. Some “features” are actually powers, described in the following section.

• Alarm: The vehicle has an alarm system that goes off when an unauthorized access or activation attempt is made. A Disable Device check (DC 20) overcomes the alarm. For each additional equipment point, the DC increases by 5.

• Caltrops: A vehicle may be equipped with a dispenser for caltrops (see page 135). Activating the dispenser is a standard action. Caltrops automatically blow the tires of ordinary vehicles that run over them (consider such vehicles “minions”). Heroes and villains can make Toughness saving throws for their vehicles; tires are Toughness 3, the DC of the save is 15. An injured result halves the vehicle’s movement while a disabled result brings the vehicle to a stop.

• Hidden Compartments: The vehicle has hidden compartments or cargo areas holding up to a tenth of the vehicle’s medium load in cargo. A Search check (DC 20) allows the searcher to find the hidden compartment. For each additional equipment point, the DC increases by 5.

• Navigation System: The vehicle has the equivalent of the direction sense Super-Sense (see page 103), granting a +5 bonus on all skill checks related to navigation. This can be increased by +5 per additional equipment point to a maximum of +20.

• Oil Slick: The vehicle can release an oil slick, covering a 20-ft. by 20ft. area and forcing the driver of a pursuing vehicle to make a Drive check (DC 15) to retain control of the vehicle. Releasing the oil slick is a standard action.

• Remote Control: The vehicle’s owner can operate it remotely using a transmitter and control device. Remotely controlling a vehicle requires the same kind of action (usually a move action) as if you were actually behind the wheel of the vehicle.

• Smokescreen: The vehicle can generate a smoke screen, visually obscuring an area behind it 10 feet wide and up to 50-feet long (see Obscure, page 95). Activating the smoke cloud is a standard action.

Powers

A vehicle can have various powers of its own, usually reflecting the vehicle’s systems. Attack effects are suitable for vehicle-mounted weap-ons, while defense effects protect the vehicle (and often the passengers) from harm. Vehicle powers have their normal power point cost for the vehicle (meaning they cost one-fifth the normal amount for the vehicle’s owner, since the effects are incorporated into the vehicle and not always available).

• Armor: Armor provides Protection for a vehicle in addition to its normal Toughness, possibly including Impervious Protection. Ablative armor (Protection with the Ablative modifier, see page 96) is also common for vehicles. Some vehicles may have Force Fields instead of, or in addition to, Protection.

• Cloaking Device: A vehicle may have a “cloaking device” granting Concealment from visual senses. Some vehicles may also have Concealment from auditory senses or things such as radar, giving them a “stealth mode.”

• Immunity: While vehicles are immune to many environmental conditions, they may also provide immunity to their passengers. Vehicles that travel in space or underwater provide life support for their passengers at no additional cost.

• Weapons: Vehicle weapons are based on attack effect powers, particularly Blast with various modifiers. Vehicles may mount versions of some of the weapons listed elsewhere in this chapter.

Ground Vehicles

Most cars include such standard features as air conditioning, air bags, antilock brakes, cruise control, keyless entry, and an AM/FM radio with CD player. Luxury (masterwork) vehicles often also include extras such as power seats, leather upholstery, and a sunroof.

• Tanks are heavily armed and armored vehicles. The standard tank comes equipped with a cannon (Blast 10, Explosion) and a heavy machine gun (Blast 6, Autofire). It takes a full-round action to get into or out of a tank, and another full-round action to start it up. Half of a tank’s Toughness (or 6) is Impervious.

• APCs or Armored Personnel Carriers, are designed for carrying troops. They come with a smaller cannon (Blast 6, Explosion), and are set up so soldiers on board can fire their personal weapons from behind the cover of the APC’s armor. One-third of an APCs Toughness (or 4) is Impervious.

Water Vehicles

Water vehicles range from small boats and outboards to massive seagoing ships.

• Cutters are used by the Coast Guard and the Navy. They’re often equipped with light machine guns (Blast 6, Autofire).

• Destroyers are main naval ships, carrying heavy guns (Blast 10, Explosion).

• Battleships have massive gun batteries (Blast 13, Explosion) and heavy armor.

• Submarines are equipped with torpedoes (Blast 8, Explosion) and often ballistic missiles (Blast 15, Explosion, higher if the missile has a nuclear warhead).

Air Vehicles

Air vehicles are all capable of flight, some of them at very high speeds.

• Military helicopters are equipped with machine guns (Blast 6, Autofire) and rockets (Blast 9, Explosion).

• Fighter jets have machine guns (+6 Autofire Blast) and air-to-air missiles (Blast 11, Explosion, Homing).

• Bombers may have machine guns and missiles, but also have powerful bombs (Blast 12 or higher, Explosion) they can drop on targets. Bombers are also capable of carrying nuclear weapons and similar payloads.

Space Vehicles

Space vehicles are intended for use outside the atmosphere, some of them for interplanetary or even interstellar travel. Generally space vehicles are found in the possession of alien civilizations, although the GM may choose to allow some organizations and individuals on Earth to have space vehicles.

• Space fighters are armed with blaster cannons (Blast 10).

• Space cruisers have larger beam weapons (Blast 12) and often energy torpedoes (Blast 12, Explosion, Homing).

• Space battleships have the biggest weapons: blaster cannons (Blast 15) and high-energy torpedoes (Blast 15, Area: Explosion, Homing).

Special Vehicles

These are unique vehicles, most likely found in the possession of super-villains, aliens, or eccentric inventors.

Headquarters

Whether it’s an underground cave, the top floors of a skyscraper, a satellite in orbit, or a base on the Moon, many heroes and villains maintain their own secret (or not so secret) headquarters. Teams of characters also may even pool their equipment points to have a headquarters they share, with the Gamemaster’s approval.

A headquarters is unlike other “equipment” in that it is fixed and serves as a home base, not something normally carried around. An especially large vehicle may serve as a kind of mobile headquarters, and the GM may allow characters to install some headquarters features into vehicles of Gargantuan or greater size.

A character can even have multiple bases of operation. This is more common for villains, who have back-up plans and secret bases they can retreat to when their plans are defeated. If a character’s headquarters is destroyed, the character can choose to rebuild it or build a new headquarters with different features. Supervillains often go through a succession of different headquarters. At the Gamemaster’s option, characters can have additional headquarters as “Alternate Power” feats of the first (see Alternate Power, page 108), since they aren’t likely to be used all at once.

Headquarters Traits

Headquarters have two main traits—Toughness and size—and a number of possible features. Each of these costs equipment points to improve.

Headquarters Trait Cost

Toughness

A headquarters’ Toughness indicates the strength of its structural materials, particularly its outer structure (walls, ceiling, etc .). Toughness 5 is typical for most wooden structures, Toughness 10 for steel-reinforced or concrete structures, and Toughness 15 or more for special alloys or armored structures. A structure’s Toughness may be higher if its walls are

especially thick. See Damaging Objects, page 166, for more information. A structure starts out with Toughness 5 for 0 points. +5 Toughness costs 1 equipment point.

Size

A structure’s size is measured similar to that of a character or vehicle, and gives a general idea of the overall space it occupies and how much space is available inside it. Structures are measured on a different scale, however. See the Structure Size Categories Table for guidelines. A headquarters starts out at Small size for 0 points. Each increase in size category costs 1 point, each decrease in size category gives you an additional point to spend elsewhere on your headquarters.

Structure Size Categories

Features

A headquarters may have a number of features, chosen from the list below. A headquarters automatically has the basic structural amenities like doors and windows, power outlets, utilities, and so forth at no cost. Each feature costs 1 equipment point.

COMBAT SIMULATOR

A combat simulator or “danger room” is a special room equipped with various devices intended to test characters’ powers and skills and allow them to train in realistic combat situations. Generally, a combat simulator has a suite of devices that can simulate any appropriate attack effect at a rank up to equal to the campaign’s power level. A combat simulator normally has safety interlocks so its attacks are always nonlethal damage, but these can be disengaged so the simulator’s attacks do lethal damage. For an additional feature, the combat simulator also can project realistic illusions, allowing it to recreate or simulate almost any environment. Combat simulators are useful for training and short “war games” (pitting the characters against each other or simulated opponents). Clever heroes also can try to lure intruders into the combat simulator or an intruder might override the simulator’s control systems and trap the heroes in it, turning it into a deathtrap.

COMMUNICATIONS

A communications system allows the headquarters to receive and transmit on a wide range of radio and TV bands, monitor police and emergency channels, coordinate communications between members of a team, and so forth. It includes communications equipment, consoles, and monitors.The system’s access to restricted communication bands depends on the clearance and skills of the user. Heroes often have access to special government channels, while a successful Computers skill check (DC 25) can grant a user illegal access to restricted systems.

COMPUTER

A state-of-the-art computer system serving the entire headquarters (a mainframe or mini-frame system). This allows characters to make full use of the Computers skill and the computer can be programmed to handle routine base functions (including monitoring communications channels and controlling defensive systems). For an artificially intelligent computer system, see Constructs, page 148.

CONCEALED

The headquarters is hidden from the outside world in some way. It may be camouflaged behind a false façade, buried underground, and so forth. Note this is in addition to the isolated Location feature, if any. An isolated headquarters is difficult to reach, while a concealed headquarters is difficult to find in the first place. Skill checks to locate the headquarters (Search, Knowledge, etc.) have their DC increased by +10. Each additional feature applied to this increases the DC +5.

DEFENSE SYSTEM

A defense system consists of various weapon emplacements defending the exterior and interior of the headquarters. A defense system can have any attack effect with a rank no greater than the campaign’s power level. These attack devices try to disable or restrain anyone approaching or invading the headquarters. Their attack bonus is equal to the campaign’s power level. Heroic HQ’s usually have nonlethal weapons while villainous defense systems are often lethal.

DOCK

A dock houses water vehicles (see Vehicles, page 142) and includes access to a nearby waterway, an airlock or lock system for moving vehicles in and out of the dock, and dry-dock facilities for repairing and maintaining water vehicles. The GM may require the headquarters be located within reasonable distance of a body of water in order to have this feature.

FIRE PREVENTION SYSTEM

The headquarters is equipped with an automatic system for detecting and extinguishing fires. Any large open flame sets the system off (beware, fireusing heroes!). It functions like the Nullify power (see page 94) at rank 5 against fire. A computer-controlled fire prevention system can be programmed to ignore certain sources of fire or the system can be placed on manual control (requiring someone to throw a switch in order to activate it).

GARAGE

A garage houses ground vehicles (see Vehicles, page 142) and includes a ramp or other access to move vehicles in and out, facilities for repairing and maintaining vehicles, and a sliding access door.

GYM

A gym consists of weight-training and other exercise machines, space for working out, stretching, and similar exercises, and all the necessary amenities (lockers, showers, etc.). Some HQs may incorporate the gym feature into the combat simulator, for a multi-purpose training room.

HANGAR

A hangar houses air and space vehicles (see Vehicles, page 142). It includes a hatch and/or runway for the vehicles to launch and facilities for repairing and maintaining flying vehicles. For some HQs the launch facilities of the hangar may require a long tunnel or other access to the outside.

HOLDING CELLS

These are cells for holding prisoners, usually temporarily, although some headquarters might have more permanent holding facilities. The cells are equipped with Nullify devices (ranked at the campaign’s power level) or their basic Toughness is increased by 50%, which option should be agreed upon by both player and GM (both options for two features). Heroes use holding cells to contain captured villains until they can be turned over to the proper authorities while villains use them to keep heroes prisoner until they can dispose of them in their latest deathtrap.

INFIRMARY

An infirmary consists of hospital beds and equipment for the full use of the Medicine skill. An infirmary can provide treatment for a number of characters equal to the base’s power level at one time and it can be assumed to have the necessary facilities to handle any unusual physiology of the base’s owner(s).

ISOLATED

Headquarters with this feature are situated somewhere out of the way like the Antarctic, the bottom of the ocean, on top of a lonely mountain peak, even in orbit or on the Moon. The base’s owner doesn’t have to worry about things like door-to-door salesmen or other unwanted visitors but the headquarters is also far from civilization (which can be limiting for heroes unable to travel fast). The headquarters is assumed to provide all the necessary life-support for its location, but it doesn’t provide characters with the means to get to the base or travel back. They need the appropriate powers or a vehicle.

LABORATORY

A laboratory is a facility for the use of Knowledge skills in performing scientific tests or experiments. It contains all the necessary scientific equipment, including dedicated computers, if the headquarters doesn’t have its own computer system. Characters can use the laboratory to perform research, study unusual phenomena (including many super-powers), and so forth.

LIBRARY

A library allows for use of various Knowledge skills when doing research. A library may consist of printed matter (books and periodicals), microfilm, computer databases, or a combination of all three. A library allows characters to take 20 on most Knowledge skill checks unless the information they’re looking for is particularly obscure (in the GM’s judgment).

LIVING SPACE

The headquarters includes all the necessary amenities for people to live there full-time. This is usually a number of people equal to the HQ’s power level (possibly more, at the GM’s discretion). It includes bedrooms or private suites, kitchen facilities, dining area, and common living areas.Characters can live in a headquarters lacking this feature short-term, but

they’re not likely to be very comfortable.

POOL

The headquarters has a large heated pool, which may be part of a gym area. At the owner’s discretion, the pool can provide access to an outside body of water (connected to a lake, river, or even to the ocean), to the base’s dock, or both at no additional cost.

POWER

A headquarters can be given any appropriate power as a feature with the Gamemaster’s approval. The power cannot have a total cost greater than twice the campaign’s power level or a rank greater than the power level. Powers are assumed to affect either the headquarters itself or its occupants, if they do both, they count as two features.

POWER SYSTEM

A power system makes the headquarters completely independent of outside power. It has its own generators (which may be solar, geothermal, nuclear, or anything else the designer wants). They provide for all the base’s power needs. The headquarters also has emergency back-up power should the generators fail. This generally lasts for a number of hours equal to the HQ’s power level.

SECURITY SYSTEM

Various locks and alarms protect the headquarters from unauthorized access. A Disable Device check (DC 20) overcomes these systems. Each additional feature increases the DC by +5. The security system may be tied into a defense system (if the headquarters is equipped with that feature), so triggering an alarm activates the defense system to disable or Restrain the intruder(s).

WORKSHOP

A workshop has all the facilities for use of various Craft skills. It includes tools, workbenches, supplies, and so forth. The Gamemaster may rule certain Craft skills cannot be used in a workshop, or require a workshop of their own (which is an additional feature). For example, a workshop can easily handle woodworking, metalworking, and machining, but might not be suitable for creating magical inventions (see page 132), which require a separate dedicated workshop.

Sample Headquarters

Gamemasters can use the following sample headquarters as ready-made lairs for supervillains, while players can use them as bases for their heroes.

ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

Size: Medium; Toughness: 10; Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed, Garage, Gym, Living Space, Power System, Security System. Cost: 10 equipment points. moon-base Size: Awesome; Toughness: 20; Features: Combat Simulator, Communications, Computer, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Gym, Hangar, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Isolated, laboratory, Living Space, Pool, Power System, Security System (DC 25), Teleport (Affects Others), Workshop. Cost: 27 equipment points.

ORBITING SATELLITE

Size: Colossal; Toughness: 20; Features: Combat Simulator, Communications, Computer, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Gym, Hangar, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Isolated, Laboratory, Living Space, Power System, Security System, Teleport (Affects Others). Cost: 23 equipment points.

SANCTUM SANCTORUM

Size: Medium; Toughness: 15; Features: Concealed, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Security System, Workshop. Cost: 9 equipment points. sea-base Size: Gargantuan; Toughness: 15; Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed, Dock, Fire Prevention System, Isolated, Living Space, Power System, Security System. Cost: 15 equipment points.

SKYSCRAPER (5 FLOORS)

Size: Large; Toughness: 10; Features: Communications, Computer, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Gym, Hangar, Infirmary, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security System, Workshop. Cost: 16 equipment points.

STATELY MANOR

Size: Huge; Toughness: 10; Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed, Dock, Garage, Gym, Hangar, Infirmary, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security System, Workshop. Cost: 18 equipment points.

UNDERGROUND LAIR

Size: Huge; Toughness: 15; Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Garage, Holding Cells, Isolated, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, security System. Cost: 17 equipment points.

URBAN FORTRESS

Size: Large; Toughness: 15; Features: Combat Simulator, Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Garage, Gym, Holding Cells, Infirmary, living Space, Power System, Security System, Workshop. Cost: 18 equipment points.

Constructs

Armored robots, humanlike androids, even magically-animated golems or zombies are all examples of constructs, non-living things capable of acting on their own to one degree or another, carrying out pre-programmed instructions, or even possessing independent thought. Since they are capable of action on their own (rather than just improving their owner’s abilities), constructs are considered minions rather than devices or equipment and are acquired using the Minions feat (see page 63).

Animate Objects (see page 76) creates temporary constructs, while the Summon power (see page 101) can summon them to serve a character. Constructs are subject to the same power level limits as other characters and the Gamemaster should require constructs controlled by the players to observe these limits.

CONSTRUCT TRAIT COST

Ability Scores

Constructs have ability scores like characters do. They lack certain basic abilities, however. Constructs have no Constitution score, because they are not living beings. Constructs always fail Constitution checks. Constructs do not recover from damage; they must be repaired instead. Constructs are immune to effects requiring Fortitude saving throws unless the effect works on inanimate objects. Constructs also have either no Intelligence and Charisma scores or no Strength and Dexterity scores.

These qualities of constructs: lacking three ability scores (–30 points) and Immunity to effects requiring Fortitude saves (30 points) average out to 0 points. Constructs without Intelligence and Charisma are automatons, operating on simple instinct or programmed instructions. They are immune to mental effects and interaction skills and automatically fail Intelligence and Charisma checks. Constructs without Strength and Dexterity scores are immobile intellects, like an artificially intelligent computer or a sentient magic item. They cannot undertake physical actions on their own, although they may be able to control other constructs. They cannot move or exert force, and automatically fail Strength and Dexterity checks.

A construct can buy up one of its nonexistent ability scores from 0 by spending power points; +1 ability score point per power point. This gives the construct the normal use of that ability. Note a construct with Intelligence but no Charisma is intelligent but non-sentient (not self-aware) and a construct needs at least 1 point in both Strength and Dexterity to be able to move and act physically. Constructs cannot buy Constitution, since creatures with Constitution are by definition living beings and not constructs.

Toughness

Like inanimate objects, constructs have a Toughness score, which measures their ability to resist damage. A construct starts out at Toughness 0 and can increase its score by +1 for 1 character point.

Skills

Constructs can have skills just like characters at the same cost (1 character point per 4 skill ranks). However, constructs cannot have skills based on abilities they lack. A construct with no Intelligence cannot have skills like Craft or Knowledge. A construct with no Dexterity cannot have skills like Acrobatics or Stealth, and so forth.

Feats

Constructs can have feats at the same cost as other characters (1 character point per feat rank). Some feats are less useful or even useless to constructs.

Powers

Constructs can have various powers, just like characters do. Some powers are less useful or even useless to constructs and the GM has final say as to whether or not a particular power can be assigned to a construct.

Size

Constructs larger or smaller than Medium must pay power points for Permanent Growth or Shrinking, as shown on the Size Table (see page 34). Larger Constructs gain +2 Toughness per increase in size category above Medium (but do not gain the additional Constitution from Growth).

Commanding Constructs

A construct’s owner can give it orders verbally or through any other means the construct understands. Commanding a construct is a move action. Constructs follow orders to the best of their ability. Non-intelligent constructs do exactly as they’re told, without creativity or initiative, while intelligent constructs have the ability to interpret and improvise based on their Int score. An owner can also give a construct a series of basic orders for it to fulfill, such as “stay and guard this place and attack anyone who comes here other than me.” In the absence of new orders, constructs follow the last order they were given.

Damaging and Repairing Constructs

Constructs suffer damage like inanimate objects (see Damaging Objects, page 166). Constructs do not heal or otherwise recover from damage. Instead, they must be repaired using the Craft skill (see page 45). Repairing the construct requires the same amount of time as a recovery check for its damage condition, and a skill check in place of the recovery check. A failed check means no progress. Attempting repairs without the proper tools is at the usual –4 penalty, and the GM may require special materials or facilities to repair a construct. Constructs with the Regeneration power are self-repairing and can make recovery checks (see Regeneration, page 97).

Sample Constructs

For some examples of constructs, Supporting Cast and Monsters in Chapter 11.