Power Profile: Strength Powers

Some heroes fly through the air, throw energy blasts from their hands, or play with thoughts like a puppet’s strings—then there are those who are strong. Strength Powers looks at the things you can do with sheer muscle power and physical strength far beyond that of any mere mortal. Who needs other powers when you can be the strongest there is?

ter’s Toughness defense by descriptor, meaning effects which alter, lower, or by Toughness may do the same for those powers.Note that while great Toughness often accompanies great Strength, there is no requirement that it do so. An M&M character can have superhuman Strength while being no tougher than an ordinary person or have incredible Toughness without any great degree of Strength. In more realistic settings, Gamemasters may require some parity between the two traits to reflect the greater toughness needed to exert tremendous strength without harm to the character (punching through stone without damaging the character’s hands or arms, for example).

Strength Descriptors The following are important descriptors for strength powers. The descriptors from the Kinetic Powers profile (particularly force) may also be useful in dealing with strength powers. •

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Strength: M&M quantifies “strength” with the ability of the same name, which includes certain “built in” effects. In particular, the Strength ability allows characters to exert force to lift objects (with mass rank equal to Strength rank), make Str-based skill checks, and inflict Damage in close combat equal to Strength rank. Other powers—like those in this profile—may be thematically linked to Strength by descriptor, meaning anything affecting the character’s Strength may affect them as well. If a character has other offensive powers based on Strength (particularly as part of an array), then a Weaken Strength effect can weaken them as well, and other effects that keep the character from exerting Strength can likewise prevent those attacks. Toughness: Similar to Strength, M&M quantifies a character’s “toughness” with a numerical defense rating. Other power effects may be tied to the charac-

Power Profile: Strength Powers

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Countering: The degree to which Strength (and strength powers) can counter other effects depends greatly on the style of the series. In some settings, it is not unusual to see super-strong types fending off things like energy blasts or similar ranged attacks by literally punching them! More realistic applications of strength allow it to counter effects easily pushed or blown away by force, such as a super-strong clap dispersing a cloud of gas or mist. There is also the direct use of Strength Damage to disrupt or destroy the manifestations of some powers, like Create or Afflictions resisted or overcome by Damage.

Strength Features Some potential Feature effects associated with Strength Powers include the following. If the GM approves, any character with sufficient ranks in Strength and/or Toughness may have some of these Features automatically at no cost.

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Knockback Options Great strength is often associated with sending opponents flying with a punch. The M&M Gamemaster’s Guide discusses a by-the-numbers approach to handling the knockback caused by damaging attacks on pages 192– 193. Gamemasters can also handle knockback with a more narrative approach, simply describing it for some attacks (with no game system implications) or applying a temporary complication when the knockback causes problems for the hero, awarding the player a hero point in the process. For attacks that just fling targets away, you can use the Move Object effect, modified by the target’s weight rank, with effect rank minus weight rank equalling the distance rank the target is thrown. The target gets a Strength check against the Move Object rank +10 to avoid being thrown. Optionally, you can base the distance on the difference between a failed Strength check and the Difficulty Class (effect rank + 10), with a maximum distance of (effect rank – weight rank), for a system similar to the knockback caused by damage described in the Gamemaster’s Guide.

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Hands Like Tools: You have sufficient strength and toughness to use your bare hands to do things like pound nails, loosen or tighten lug-nuts and heavy bolts, and even carve metal and stone with nothing more than your fingertips. You can do a great deal of work without the circumstance penalty for lacking proper tools.

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Strongest There Is: In any contest or comparison of Strength, you win against anyone else with the same Strength rank, rather than tie. This Feature is often coupled with advantages like Ultimate Strength.

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Mental Strength: Your strength is more a manifestation of mind-over-matter than physical muscle power, even if it appears to be the latter. You can exert your full Strength even when you do not have any sort of leverage or freedom of movement.

Strength Arrays Strength is a trait virtually all M&M characters have to one degree or another, so many of the powers in this profile can be Alternate Effects of the Strength ability’s built-in Damage effect.

Offensive Powers Strength’s default offensive power is its built-in Damage effect—namely hitting things, and hitting them hard. Great strength opens up a number of other offensive powers, many of which may be Alternate Effects (see Strength Arrays, previously).

Bullet Toss You can fling small, hard objects like pebbles or coins with enough velocity that they hit like bullets. The listed power is for flinging one or two projectiles at a single target, if you can use a handful of them, and spread them out over

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multiple targets, add the Multiattack modifier, increasing cost by +1 per rank. Bullet Toss: Ranged Damage (ballistic), Quirk (requires objects to throw, –1 point) • 1 point for rank 1, +2 points per additional rank.

Cracking the Whip You can tear up flooring, pavement, or even sod and snap it like a carpet, creating a wave that bowls over anyone in its path. The default version is a standard line area: 5 feet wide and 30 feet long. Cracking the Whip: Line Area Affliction (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed and Vulnerable, Prone and Stunned), Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Limited to targets on an appropriate surface • 1 point per rank, +1 point per rank per +1 increase in area distance rank.

Cutting Loose When you cut loose, there’s almost nothing your strength can’t tear or smash through. Cutting Loose: Penetrating on Strength Damage • 1 point per rank.

Finger Flick So great is your strength that the merest flick of your finger is enough to do damage. Even a foe engaged in fighting you is hard-pressed to notice this casual gesture as a threat. The casualness of it can make an effective surprise attack, as well as a potential circumstance bonus to Intimidation checks against those who see it in action! Finger Flick: Subtle 1 on Strength Damage • 1 point.

Massive Knockback You not only hit hard, but deliver considerable momentum with your punches, enough to send targets flying. If you successfully hit, and the target fails a Strength check against your effect rank, they are flung back a distance equal to your effect rank minus their mass rank. Massive Knockback: Move Object, Close Range, Limited to Flinging Targets Away, Linked to Strength Damage • 1 point per 2 ranks.

Shockwave With a stomp or strike to the ground, you create powerful shock waves that ripple out, knocking everyone within a 30 foot radius of you off their feet. Shockwave: Burst Area Affliction (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed and Vulnerable, Stunned and Prone), Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Limited to targets on the ground • 1 point per rank, +1 point per rank per +1 increase in area distance rank.

Power Profile: Strength Powers

Sleeper Hold You can apply your strength to pressure points, quickly rendering a grabbed opponent unconscious. This is a more effective form of the Chokehold advantage, since it has its own resistance rank rather than starting at DC 10 and escalating like normal suffocation. If the target escapes from your grab, the effect ends. Sleeper Hold: Affliction (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Progressive, Grab-Based • 2 points per rank.

Thunderclap Just clapping your hands together can create a loud shock wave capable of stunning everyone in a 30 foot radius around you. If the Thunderclap is loud enough to potentially deafen targets in the area, apply an additional Extra Condition for Impaired and Disabled hearing. Thunderclap: Burst Area Affliction (Resisted by Fortitude, Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Stunned), Extra Condition, Limited Degree • 2 points per rank.

Defensive Powers Most defensive strength powers stem from the sheer toughness that tends to accompany super-human strength, although some defensive powers rely on more active uses of strength.

Bracing When you plant your feet and focus, you are strong enough that nothing can move you against your will. Bracing: Immunity 10 (being moved), Sustained • 10 points.

Stonewall Foes striking you bare-handed are in for a surprise, since punching you is literally like “hitting a stone wall”—attackers are more likely to hurt themselves than they are you! Stonewall: Reaction Damage (to being hit), Limited to effect rank or attack’s Damage rank, whichever is less • 3 points per rank.

Super-Endurance You may not be completely immune to harsh environmental conditions, but you can ignore them far longer than ordinary people, even enduring hazards like the vacuum of space or the depths of the ocean for a time. Super-Endurance: Immunity 10 (Life ), Quirk (limited to approximately 30 minutes at a time, –1 point) • 9 points.

Power Profile: Strength Powers

Throwing Things Another “built-in” offensive capability of Strength is the ability to throw things as makeshift ranged weapons (or to throw properly designed ranged weapons, for that matter). As described on page 12 of the Hero’s Handbook, a character can throw an object a distance rank of (Strength rank – object’s mass rank). Of course, throwing something and throwing something accurately are two different things. A Strength 12 hero can hurl a fist-sized rock over 100 (!) miles but is not going to have any control over what that rock hits when it lands. When throwing things as weapons, determine the character’s range using Strength rank like a ranged effect (Hero’s Handbook, page 95): short range of (Str x 25 feet), medium range of (Str x 50 feet) and long range of (Str x 100 feet) with a –2 circumstance penalty at medium range and a –5 penalty at long range. Beyond (Str x 250 feet) range, the character can only hit a target it the player rolls a natural 20 on the attack check. If you want additional detail for throwing distances, apply a –1 to the distance rank for objects that are unbalanced (a top-heavy lamppost, for example) and an additional –1 for objects that are especially non-aerodynamic (such as a large tree). These modifiers only apply to throwing distance, not to the attack check to use those items as weapons.

Area Attacks Throwing an especially large object (anything bigger than five feet on a side) may count as an area attack (Hero’s Handbook, page 138), in which case targets in the area make the usual Dodge check (DC 10 + thrower’s Strength rank) to halve the Damage rank of the impact by dodging out of the way. Note that area attacks should be limited to a damage rank no greater than the attacker’s power level.

Throwing Other Characters Lastly, a strong enough character can throw another character as a makeshift weapon! If the other character is a willing partner, this is a standard action for the thrower, who makes a ranged attack check to put the thrown character on-target. The thrown character gets to make either a charge or a slam attack using the throwing distance rank as speed rank (Hero’s Handbook, page 194 and 198, respectively), and the thrown character’s initiative moves to directly after the thrower’s. If the thrown character is not willing (another opponent, for example), then the thrower must first grab the character. If the grab is successful, the attacker can pick up and throw the victim. This occurs as a free action following the grab if indiscriminately hurling the grabbed character away, on the following round as a standard action (using a free action to maintain the hold until then) if throwing the character at another target. Treat a thrown character as an unbalanced, non-aerodynamic throwing weapon, with the throw doing Strength rank damage to the target and the thrown “weapon”!

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Super-Toughness You are incredibly tough. Whether it is muscle and bone like rock, armor plating, a leathery hide, or some mysterious force permeating your entire being, you shrug off damage that would seriously hurt most people. SuperToughness is often Impervious, allowing you to completely ignore lesser attacks. If its effects are obvious (having a rocky hide or armored scaled, for example), apply the Noticeable modifier. Otherwise, you look just like anyone else—until somebody hits you. Super-Toughness: Protection • 1 point per rank.

Tug of War You are strong enough to simply flex an opponent grabbing you right into a punch, head-butt, or other strike, making wrestling you a much more difficult proposition. This includes yanking ranged grabbers using an effect with a descriptor that allows you to exert force on them, such as a tether or similar connection. Tug of War: Reaction on Strength Damage (when grabbed) • 3 points per rank.

Movement Powers Strength-based movement powers tend to rely on the character’s muscles: a few ranks of Speed or Swimming may represent enhanced running or athletic abilities, for example. Note that high-Strength characters can easily achieve the Athletics check results needed for speed boosts to climbing, running, and swimming described on pages 64–65 of the Hero’s Handbook.

Makeshift Handholds You can dig your hands and feet into hard surfaces in order to climb them more easily. When climbing any surface with a material Toughness (Hero’s Handbook, page 192) less than your Strength modifier, you do not need to make Athletics skill checks to climb. One rank lets you climb at your ground speed minus 1 rank; two ranks lets you climb at your full ground speed, plus you are not vulnerable while climbing. Makeshift Handholds: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling), Limited to surfaces with material Toughness less than Strength modifier • 1 point per rank.

Super-Leaping Super-strong leg muscles can send you hurtling through the air with powerful leaps, perhaps even carrying you for miles! Super-Leaping: Leaping • 1 point per rank.

Unstoppable Once you get moving, nothing stands in your way for long. You simply smash through anything in front of you and

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continue moving at a steady pace, leaving a trail of destruction in your wake. Unstoppable: Penetrating Burrowing • 2 points per rank.

Utility Powers These powers enhance strength in different ways.

Power-Lifting You have sheer lifting ability out of proportion with your size and apparent strength. Power-Lifting: Enhanced Strength, Limited to Lifting • 1 point per rank.

Strength Boost You can temporarily increase your Strength rank, going from normal to superhuman strength or from superhuman to truly godlike. The default Strength Boost simply requires a moment’s concentration to activate, and then fades away at a rate of 1 rank per round. Your boosted Strength must remain within the limits of the series power level, so some characters have normal Strength below the limit or apply the Inaccurate modifier to compensate. Strength Boost: Enhanced Strength, Fades • 1 point per rank.

Other types of Strength Boost are circumstantial, such as the following examples:

Absorption Boost You boost your strength by absorbing external energy and converting it into sheer muscle power. The energy may be electricity, heat, kinetic, or any other suitable source. Note that the power does not grant any resistance to the energy source; apply the appropriate Immunity effect for that. See energy-based profiles like Electrical Powers and Kinetic Powers for examples. Absorption Boost: Enhanced Strength, Fades, Limited to the lesser of effect rank or absorbed energy rank • 1 point per 2 ranks.

Raging Strength The madder you get, the stronger you get. Your higher Strength rank is Limited to when you are angry (see the Temper complication, following); at your emotional “baseline” you cannot access your Enhanced Strength. Raging Strength may also be accompanied by Side Effects like becoming vulnerable (heedless of your own defense) while raging. Raging Strength: Enhanced Strength, Limited to while angry • 1 point per rank.

Power Profile: Strength Powers

Crazy Strength Stunts Some comics go much further with the kinds of crazy stunts characters can do with their superhuman strength. In a light-hearted or Silver Age series, the GM might permit Strength-based power stunts like squeezing lumps of coal into diamonds (Transform), lifting truly massive amounts (putting all Strength Damage ranks into Power-Lifting, effectively doubling the character’s Strength rank), reshaping materials with a combination of friction heat and pressure (Transform), or really out there effects like “punching” through time or the barriers into other dimensions (Time- or Dimensional Travel), or altering reality through sheer muscle power!

Other Strength Powers Kinetic Powers are strongly linked to strength and strength-based effects. Growth-based powers from the Size Powers profile also involve increases in Strength, and giant characters may make use of some strength powers as well.

Strength Complications The potential complications of tremendous strength depend on the ability and willingness to control it, and the side-effects of having it.

Accident Accidents happen, especially when your slightest move can smash through a wall or accidentally throw something into orbit! A super-strong character can become a bull in a china shop with regard to the fragile objects (and people) of the world, and may need to observe great restraint to avoid doing unwanted damage. Certainly, super-fights involving especially strong combatants are likely to result in a lot of collateral damage!

Addiction Muscle-bound types might not get that way naturally, resulting in addictions to exotic steroids or other strengthenhancing drugs. In addition to the potential for Power Loss (see the following), the character may be physically or psychologically addicted to the drugs’ effects. Use or abuse of such chemicals may also lead to complications like an out of control Temper.

Disability While not common, a super-strong type limited by a physical disability can be an interesting combination. Imagine a blind powerhouse with the strength to level a bunker, but needing to rely upon sensory enhancements to avoid doing unintentional damage, for example. Super-strong aliens or other non-humans may have disabilities as well, at least in relation to normal humans. A particular Disability complication for strength powers is lacking some degree of the assumed advantages for

Power Profile: Strength Powers

other super-strong characters. For example, if most superhuman strength gets to largely ignore the laws of physics (lifting massive objects like buildings completely intact), but the character is subject to some or all of them (having massive objects collapse under their own weight), that is a complication worth a hero point when it crops up.

Power Loss If strength powers come from a source other than sheer enhanced musculature, then it is possible for characters to lose the use of those powers under the right circumstances. Strength-enhancing drugs, chemicals, or devices might be taken away or removed from the character’s system. Mystical or miraculous blessings could be dispelled, suspended, or removed by whoever grants them or by outside forces. Strength based on the character’s own self-confidence could be lost if doubt fills the character’s heart.

Prejudice Strength powers sometimes come with radical changes in a character’s appearance, from simply being more muscular than any ordinary human to looking like a real monster. Combine that with the tendency to assume anything that looks huge and strong is probably also dumb, and these characters can face considerable prejudice.

Rivalry Who is “the strongest one there is”? Characters with this complication intend to find out, no matter what it takes. Strong types often have a rivalry ranging from what could be called “friendly” (if fierce) competition to almost mindless anger directed at other powerhouses.

Temper A classic complication of tremendous strength is a temper to match, with the character flying into a rage or a “berserker fury” when pushed too far. The exact circumstances vary, from the blood lust of battle to the taunts and cruel jibes of “normal” people to absorbing too much energy at once, but the character is a time-bomb just waiting to go off, and capable of doing considerable damage.

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Credits & License Mutants & Masterminds Power Profile: Strength Powers Writing and Design: Steve Kenson Editing and Development: Jon Leitheusser Art Direction and Graphic Design: Hal Mangold Interior Art: Chris Stevens for Udon Playtesters: Leon Chang, James Dawsey, Nathan Kahler, Jack Norris, Aaron Sullivan Publisher: Chris Pramas Green Ronin Staff: Bill Bodden, Joe Carriker, Will Hindmarch, Steve Kenson, Jon Leitheusser, Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass, Marc Schmalz Mutants & Masterminds Power Profile: Strength Powers is ©2012 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. Mutants & Masterminds, Super-powered by OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or ed trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

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Power Profile: Strength Powers