TEXT: SOURCEBOOK
  GRR2010e
  MIKE MEARLS · GREEN RONIN PUBLISHING
  SOURCEBOOK
  
  Necessity, who is the mother of 
  invention.
     - Plato (427 BC - 347 BC), 
  The Republic
  Getting caught is the mother of 
  invention.
     
  - Robert Byrne
  My mom never invented anything...
  but I sure can!
  - Gimmick
  
  Design Mike Mearls
  Development Steve Kenson
  Editing Jon Leitheusser
  Cover Art Jake Parker
  Executive Producer Chris Pramas
  Art Direction & Graphic Design Hal Mangold
  A GREEN RONIN PRODUCTION
  Interior Art Attilla Adórjány, Dennis Calero, Jonathan Kirtz, Tony Parker, Ramón Pérez, Kevin Stokes 
  Colors Attilla Adórjány, Dennis Calero, Jonathan Kirtz, Tony Parker, Ramón Pérez, Kevin Stokes
  Green Ronin Staff Chris Pramas, Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, 
  Marc Schmalz, Robert J. Schwalb, Steve Kenson & Evan Sass
  Playtesters Bryan Barlow (Tom Gallion, Art Loeffler, Josh Morris, Travis Price, Mike Sopp), DT Butchino 
  and the Midnight Legion (Charity Ens-Butchino, Sara Dean, Ralph Duell, James Kavanaugh, David Laramie, 
  Jamieson Long, James Taylor, John Szczypien), Bill Child (Pat Bussey, James Baxter, Jason Ellenbecker, 
  Joedy Galloway, Robert Oliver, Matt Riek, James Russell, Kenn Westman), Mark “neo” Howe (Mark Sizer, 
  Daniel Scothorne, Mark Billanie, Michael J Young, Alan Moore, Daniel Haslam), Krisztián Nagy
   (Endre Hornyák, Gergely Keresztes Nagy, Zoltán Mészáros, Szabolcs Nemeth, Huba Vilmos Schmidt, 
  Zoltán Szabo), Jesse Perry, Ben Robbins, Johnathan Turner (Lloyd Chatham, Precious Daniels, Vincent 
  Daniels, Greg Harris, James Hurt, Darchan Lake, Pamela Omenukwa, Franklin Ruff, Jerome Satterwhite), 
  Lisa Youngblood (Tommy Beckett, Todd Oliver, Richard Reid, Rob Taylor)
  Original Graphic Design  Sean Glenn
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  
  Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets is ©2005 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge to the 
  respective copyright holders of that material. Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets, Green Ronin, Mutants & Masterminds, and their associated logos are trademarks of 
  Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
  Gimmick is © 2002 Super Unicorn and used with permission. Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of 
  that material.
  The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, Version 1.0a: 
  all character and place names, Power Points, Hero Points, and Villain Points.
  The following text is Open Gaming Content: All stat blocks and descriptions of new game mechanics.
  Printed in Canada
  Green Ronin Publishing
  PO Box 1723
  Renton, WA 98057-1723
  www.greenronin.com
  Gimmick's Guide to Gadgets was typeset in ITC Quay Sans, designed by David Quay in 1990, and
  HTF Gotham, designed by Tobias Frere-Jones in 2002.
  
  SECTION ONE
  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 4
  0.004.01
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION:  
  WELCOME TO THE 
  WORKSHOP .......................... 5
  CHAPTER ONE:  
  CHARACTERS  
  AND GADGETS ..................... 6
  Gadgeteering Powers .........................6
  Robot and Construct Characters ...8
  Alien Construct:  
  The Techno-Creature .................8
  Mystical Construct:  
  The Golem ...................................9
  Psionic Construct:  
  The Metal Man ....................... 10
  Super-Science Construct: 
  The Robot ................................. 10
  Training Construct:  
  The Cyborg ................................11
  New Feats ............................................11
  Construct Feats .............................12
  Science and Knowledge ..................13
  Other Powers & Abilities  ...............16
  CHAPTER TWO: 
  DESIGNING DEVICES  
  & GADGETS .........................18
  Building Devices ................................18
  Device Levels ................................. 19
  Tech Templates ............................. 19
  Tech Levels .....................................20
  Device Size .....................................22
  Device Features ............................24
  Device Power Stunts ...................24
  Device Extras ................................24
  Device Flaws .................................25
  Characters and  
  Gadgets Design ......................25
  CHAPTER THREE:  
  TECHNOLOGY AND  
  THE CAMPAIGN ..................26
  Characters and Devices ................. 26
  Fair Play ......................................... 27
  Design ............................................. 27
  Keep Away ..................................... 27
  Balancing Devices ...................... 27
  Troubleshooting Technology ......... 28
  Advanced Armor .........................29
  Advanced Weapons ....................29
  Other Abilities ..............................29
  Tech Levels and Setting Design .. 29
  Choosing a Discount .................30
  Tech Level Qualifiers ...................30
  Balancing Tech Levels .................31
  Sample Tech Levels ...........................31
  Tech Level: Far Future .................32
  Tech Level: Mecha .......................32
  Additional Rules for Gadgets ...... 34
  Attacking Devices .......................34
  Repairing Broken or 
   Damaged Devices ................35
  Devices and Extra Effort ...........35
  CHAPTER FOUR:  
  GADGETS AND GEAR .........36
  Arcane Devices ................................. 37
  Arcane Features ........................... 37
  Arcane Extras ............................... 37
  Arcane Flaws ................................38
  Armor ................................................... 39
  New Features for Armor ............39
  Armor Extras .................................40
  Armor Flaws ..................................40
  Armor Powers ...............................40
  Powers and Armor ...................... 41
  Sample Armor Designs ..............42
  Biotech ................................................. 43
  Biotech Features ..........................44
  Biotech Extras ..............................44
  Biotech Flaws ...............................44
  Computers .......................................... 45
  Computers: Creation Rules ......45
  Expanded Computer Rules ......48
  Using Computers: The Basics .....48
  Using Computers ........................49
  Computer Actions .......................49
  Computers and Software .......... 51
  Software Categories ................... 51
  Basic Computing Software ......52
  Agents .............................................52
  Data Processing ...........................53
  Data Storage ................................55
  Defense ...........................................55
  Infiltration .....................................56
  Miscellaneous Applications ..... 57
  Program Extras ............................. 57
  Repairing a Computer ............... 57
  Writing Software .........................58
  Cybertech ............................................ 58
  New Features for Cybertech ....58
  Extras ..............................................59
  Flaws ...............................................59
  Cybertech Powers ........................59
  Incompatible Powers ..................60
  Designing Cybertech ..................60
  Sample Cybertech Items ...........60
  Robots and Other Constructs .......61
  Robots: Creation Rules .............. 61
  Robots in Play ..............................63
  Robot Options and Powers .......63
  Sample Robots .............................64
  Ares Model VII  
  Assassin Robot .......................64
  Gladiator Combat Unit .............65
  Hound Dog Security ’Bot ..........66
  Hunter-Killer .................................. 67
  Karthasian Infiltrator  ............... 67
  Roaming Eye Spybot ..................68
  World Crusher  .............................69
  Spytech ................................................ 69
  New Features for  
  Spytech Devices ......................70
  New Extras for  
  Spytech Devices ......................70
  New Flaws for  
  Spytech Devices ......................70
  New Spytech Power ....................70
  Spytech Devices and Skills .......72
  Designing Spytech Devices ......72
  Sample Spytech Devices ........... 73
  Vehicles .................................................73
  New Feat: Vehicle ........................ 73
  Vehicles: Creation Rules ............ 74
  Size ................................................... 76
  Defense Bonus ............................. 76
  Saves ............................................... 76
  Vehicles and Skills ...................... 77
  Powers and Vehicles ................... 78
  Damage and Vehicles ................ 78
  Crew and Vehicles ....................... 78
  Vehicle Features ........................... 78
  Extras ..............................................80
  Sample Vehicles ...........................80
  Weapons, Melee ................................81
  Features for Melee Weapons .... 81
  Extras .............................................. 81
  Flaws ...............................................82
  Melee Weapon Power .................82
  Designing Melee Weapons .......83
  Sample Melee Weapons ............83
  Weapons, Ranged ............................ 84
  Features for  
  Ranged Weapons ...................84
  Extras ..............................................85
  Flaws ...............................................86
  Ammunition Types ......................86
  Ranged Weapon Powers ........... 87
  Designing Ranged Weapons ...88
  Sample Ranged Weapons ........90
  Powers and Devices ..........................91
  Absorption ..................................... 91
  Alternate Form ............................. 91
  Amazing Save ..............................92
  Animation .....................................92
  Armor ..............................................92
  Astral Projection ..........................92
  Blending .........................................92
  Boost ...............................................92
  Clinging .........................................93
  Combat Sense ..............................93
  Comprehend .................................93
  Corrosion ........................................94
  Cosmic Power ...............................94
  Create Object ................................95
  Datalink .........................................95
  Dazzle .............................................95
  Deflection ......................................95
  Density Control ............................96
  Dimension Travel .........................96
  Disintegration .............................. 97
  Drain ............................................... 97
  Duplication ................................... 97
  Elasticity ......................................... 97
  Element Control ...........................98
  Energy Control .............................98
  Energy Field ..................................98
  ESP ...................................................98
  Fatigue ............................................99
  Flight ...............................................99
  Force Field ......................................99
  Gadgets ........................................100
  Growth ..........................................100
  Healing .........................................100
  Illusion ..........................................100
  Immovability ...............................101
  Incorporeal ..................................101
  Invisibility ....................................101
  Leaping .........................................101
  Luck ...............................................102
  Mental Blast ...............................102
  Mental Protection ......................102
  Microscopic Vision ....................102
  Mimic ............................................102
  Mind Control ..............................103
  Natural Weapon ........................104
  Neutralize ....................................104
  Obscure .........................................104
  Paralysis .......................................104
  Plant Control ..............................104
  Possession ....................................105
  Postcognition & Precognition ...105
  Protection .....................................106
  Regeneration ...............................106
  Reincarnate .................................106
  Running .......................................106
  Sensory Protection .....................106
  Shape Matter ..............................106
  Shapeshift ...................................107
  Shrinking ......................................107
  Slick ...............................................107
  Slow ...............................................108
  Snare .............................................108
  Sorcery ..........................................108
  Space Flight ................................108
  Spinning .......................................108
  Strike ..............................................109
  Stun ...............................................109
  Suffocate ......................................109
  Super-Charisma ..........................109
  Super-Constitution ....................109
  Super-Dexterity ...........................109
  Super-Intelligence ...................... 110
  Super-Senses ................................ 110
  Super-Skill .................................... 110
  Super-Speed ................................. 110
  Super-Strength ............................ 110
  Super-Wisdom ..............................111
  Swimming .....................................111
  Swinging ...................................... 112
  Telekinesis .................................... 112
  Telepathy ...................................... 112
  Teleportation ............................... 112
  Telescopic Sense ......................... 113
  Time Control ............................... 113
  Time Travel .................................. 113
  Transfer ......................................... 113
  Transformation ........................... 114
  Transmutation ............................ 114
  Tunneling ..................................... 114
  Weapon ........................................ 114
  Weather Control ........................ 114
  APPENDIX I: NEW RULES .......115
  APPENDIX II: ARCHETYPES .. 120
  The Agent ......................................... 121
  The Inventor .....................................122
  The Sniper .........................................123
  The Warmachine .............................124
  The Cyborg .......................................125
  INDEX ....................................126
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  INTRODUCTION
  SECTION ONE
  0.005.01
  PAGE 5
  G
  immick’s Guide to Gadgets opens up a new world of flashing 
  diodes, clanking robots, and super-science for your Mutants & 
  Masterminds game. Whether you’re a player or gamemaster, 
  this book is a supermarket of technology just waiting for you to 
  cruise in with a turbocharged shopping cart. However, Gimmick’s 
  Guide is more than just a catalog of new devices. Mutants & 
  Masterminds makes designing your own devices a simple process 
  and Gimmick’s Guide presents new options and details to give 
  more depth and flexibility to your gadgets.
  Chapter One: Characters and Gadgets builds the 
  foundation for creating heroes and villains who use 
  gadgets and devices. It introduces two new powers, 
  Scientific Genius and Spontaneous Inventor, feats for 
  constructs, expanded options for classic comic book 
  genius powers, like Super-Intelligence, and skills, such 
  as Knowledge.
  Chapter 
  Two: 
  Designing 
  Devices 
  and 
  Gadgets focuses on options unique to devices. 
  Tech templates break devices down into cat-
  egories, while tech levels allow you to account 
  for the historical era or campaign setting your 
  adventures take place in.
  Chapter Three: Technology and the Campaign 
  takes a detailed look at how technology can alter 
  your game and its setting. It gives advice and 
  guidelines for giving the heroes access to tech-
  nology without overshadowing their powers.
  Chapter Four: Gadgets and Gear is the 
  core of Gimmick’s Guide. It breaks technology 
  down into a few categories, such as ranged 
  weapons or armor, and gives new powers, 
  extras, power stunts, and other options for 
  them. Each category also lists sample devices 
  to use in your campaigns. Finally, every power 
  from the core Mutants & Masterminds rule-
  book receives at least one sample device. 
  These devices include background informa-
  tion that shows you how such technology 
  can be used in your game and provides 
  adventure ideas.
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
  With all of the new options given in 
  this book, you and your players have 
  a new segment of possible charac-
  ters and villains. Technology demands more attention than a list 
  of the bonuses, ranks, and abilities that a particular device might 
  have. Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets was designed to give you a 
  context for devices. The rules and ideas were built with the under-
  standing that adding new rules to a campaign requires thought 
  and effort. If Dr. Digital’s thugs carry energy blasters, what hap-
  pens if Minotaur decides to pick one up and use it? If you want 
  to run a game against the backdrop of a cyberpunk future where 
  cybernetics are common, how does that change the 
  rules? Gimmick’s Guide provides you with advice and 
  rules to answer these and other questions.
  For players, this book expands their options for 
  heroes relying on devices. Whether you want to play 
  a suave superspy who has the right device for any 
  situation or a super-genius inventor, Gimmick’s 
  Guide has what you need. Just as devices don’t 
  exist in a vacuum within a campaign, a comic 
  book character who relies on gadgets usually 
  has talents and abilities developed to comple-
  ment his equipment. Thus, the rules for melee 
  and ranged weapons include new powers for 
  heroes who specialize in using devices. The mas-
  ter swordsman or the expert marksman now has 
  distinct powers they can purchase to reflect their 
  talents. This extra detail makes those characters feel 
  more unique while giving you greater flexibility in 
  their design. GMs can use these rules to design new 
  villainous threats that are more distinctive.
  The sample gadgets presented in this book follow a 
  similar path. They give you more than a rundown on 
  their game traits; they also have backgrounds, story 
  ideas, and other information you can use to help 
  develop your game. A device that can control the 
  weather might serve as the focal point for an entire 
  story arc. Mass-produced power armor changes the 
  face of warfare, and could allow a greedy corpo-
  ration to field mercenaries who equal the heroes 
  in power. Technology plays an important role 
  in shaping society in the real world, and it can 
  do the same for your campaign.
  So, it’s time to grab a shopping cart, 
  ready a list of every gadget you’ve ever 
  wanted, and dive in. From starships to 
  enchanted magical swords, Gimmick's 
  Guide to Gadgets has got it all!
  INTRODUCTION:
  WELCOME TO THE WORKSHOP
  DC
  
  SECTION TWO
  CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTERS & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 6
  0.006.01
  S
  uperheroes and advanced technology go together like pea-
  nut butter and jelly. Heroes exceed the limits of humanity. 
  They lift buses, outrun high-speed trains, and absorb hails 
  of bullets. Just as some heroes have exceptional physical traits, 
  others have towering intellectual talents. A super-scientist might 
  throw together a device transcending the known boundaries 
  of science. An inventor with a thirst for justice could build an 
  advanced suit of armor incorporating lasers weapons, jet-pow-
  ered flight abilities, and plating that can deflect an artillery 
  shell. These heroes use the power of their genius to produce 
  amazing gadgets to battle evil.
  By the same token, many super villains rely on their prodigious 
  intellects to menace society. From giant, rampaging robots to 
  mind control machines to death rays that can disintegrate whole 
  cities, the same inventive impulse giving rise to heroes can spawn 
  the darkest villainy as well. Across the spectrum—from the noblest 
  hero to the foulest villain—gadgetry plays a role in almost every 
  comic book.  
  This chapter provides more detail on the use of gadgets, devices, 
  and technology in your Mutants & Masterminds game. It presents 
  two new powers, Scientific Genius and Spontaneous Inventor, 
  along with new feats, optional new rules for the core book’s 
  Gadgets power, and information on robots, golems, and other 
  constructs as heroes. Hopefully these tools should open up a wide 
  variety of new possibilities for your Mutants & Masterminds cam-
  paign.
  GADGETEERING POWERS
  Let's start things right off with the new power possibilities. This 
  section introduces two new powers that you can use to replace 
  the Gadgets power (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 72). They 
  interface with the equipment creation rules from Chapter Two of 
  this book, providing a hero with a pool of points he can spend on 
  laser rifles, powered armor, force fields, and other gear. 
  You can use the original Gadgets power alongside these new pow-
  ers, but it may cause some confusion amongst the players. For 
  your convenience, this section includes a version of Gadgets that 
  uses the new rules and guidelines for converting characters over 
  to the powers. This section comes after the power descriptions to 
  give you a chance to look at and understand the new rules before 
  going into the conversion process.
  CHAPTER ONE:
  CHARACTERS AND GADGETS
  AA
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTERS & GADGETS
  SECTION TWO
  0.007.01
  PAGE 7
  SCIENTIFIC GENIUS
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You are a master of a variety of sciences, from biology to phys-
  ics. Your work stands far ahead of the efforts of other researchers, 
  allowing you to possibly produce gadgets, machines, and comput-
  ers more advanced than any in the real world. When you embark 
  on a mission, you always have a number of completed tools on 
  hand that could prove useful.
  Note this power might not always produce high tech items 
  exceeding the level of technology in your GM’s campaign. With 
  few ranks in this ability, you can create relatively simple items. 
  As you gain more ranks, you can produce lasers, powered armor, 
  and other advanced items.
  You cannot have more ranks in Scientific Genius than the total 
  of your Intelligence and Super-Intelligence bonuses. For each 
  rank in this ability, you gain 4 power points to spend on gad-
  gets using the construction rules in Chapter Two. You can 
  spend these points to represent devices you have invented. At 
  any given time, you can have gadgets on hand whose point cost 
  equals your ranks in this ability. Thus, when designing items 
  you should keep in mind you cannot have all of those items in 
  your possession at the same time. Some may need maintenance, 
  while others malfunction in testing. If you have six hours to work 
  in your lab, you can exchange the items you have on hand for 
  items from your pool of inventions. You can take the same item 
  more than once to fulfill the point allotment you have on hand.
  For example, Gimmick has 10 ranks in Scientific Genius. This 
  means she has 40 points to spend on inventions and she can 
  have up to 10 points of devices on hand. Thus, from her pool of 
  40 points of equipment she must select 10 points of goods that 
  are currently functioning and useable at the start of a game ses-
  sion. Her inventions are an 8-point suit of armor, a 5-point sonic 
  pistol, a 5-point jet pack, and a 5-point teleport belt in addition 
  to others. At the start of a game session, her player decides to 
  take along her jet back and the teleport belt. During the adven-
  ture, she realizes her sonic pistol would come in handy against 
  the Shadowlurker. She heads back to her lab, spends six hours 
  working, and emerges with two sonic pistols.
  The pool of designs you create remains static until you have 
  sufficient time and resources to create new ones. If you have 
  three days to spend tinkering in your lab, you can reallocate the 
  points in your pool of inventions as you wish. You can keep any 
  items already there, rewrite them, or remove them entirely and 
  create new ones.
  Regardless of an item’s cost, you cannot add features that have 
  more ranks than your power rank. Your GM may allow some 
  exceptions to this rule based on the tech level of his campaign.
  If an item is damaged or destroyed, you can repair it with six 
  hours of work.
  In addition to a pool of inventions, you also gain a bonus on 
  checks with Computers, Repair, and three specialties of the 
  Science skill equal to half your rank in this power (rounded 
  down).
  Note the Device flaw has already been factored into Scientific 
  Genius and cannot be applied to it again.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Frenetic Worker: You can do eight times the work of a normal 
  scientific genius through dedication, tremendous effort (and 
  possibly copious amounts of caffeine). Reduce the time needed 
  to create new inventions, swap out your current gadgets for 
  new ones, or construct new inventions for your pool by half. You 
  may take this power stunt more than once, each time you take 
  it halves the time it takes to swap out gadgets.
  • Tech Specialty: Pick a single power you can duplicate with a 
  device. Reduce the total cost of any gadgets you invent using 
  that power (and only that power) by 2.
  EXTRAS
  • Clever Inventor: You gain +1 point of inventions you can have 
  on hand and +2 points to your invention pool per power rank. 
  You can take this extra more than once, each time increases your 
  on hand and pool points by +1 and +2 per rank, respectively.
  • Expanded Knowledge: You have a broader knowledge of 
  science and technology. You gain bonus ranks in Computers, 
  GADGETS AND THE NEW RULES
  As you can see, both Scientific Genius and Spontaneous Inventor 
  have the same base cost as Gadgets. However, both of these powers 
  feature extras and power feats that you might want to purchase. As 
  a rule of thumb, GMs should allow a character to liquidate Gadgets 
  and any other powers with a super-science origin and then spend 
  those points on Scientific Genius, Spontaneous Inventor, and their 
  related options. Otherwise, a character can continue to use Gadgets 
  as given in the main rulebook, or use the following, altered version 
  of Gadgets:
  GADGETS
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You have the ability to come up with the right device for any situation. 
  You can allocate your ranks in Gadgets and use a half action to 
  produce any item or invention you need. This piece of equipment can 
  cost up to 2 times your ranks in this power and lasts until you choose 
  to create another gadget. You become fatigued when you create a 
  new gadget unless you spend a Hero Point. GMs may wish to require 
  you to spend a Hero Point to use the gadget rather than applying a 
  fatigue result, depending on the device’s special effects.
   Note the Device flaw has already been factored into Gadgets and 
  cannot be applied to it again.
  
  SECTION TWO
  CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTERS & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 8
  0.008.01
  Repair, and one form of Science equal to your ranks in this 
  power instead of half your ranks.
  • Utility Belt: You have a knack for bringing the right invention 
  along with you. If a villain drops you into a shark-filled tank, 
  you just so happen to have your canister of shark repellent on 
  hand. With this extra, you never have to determine the items 
  you carry with you. Instead, you can pull an invention from your 
  pool of designs and spend the points from your pool on the fly. 
  In essence, you reach into your utility belt and happen to have 
  the item you need. You can use this ability only with items that 
  are no larger than a pistol. Note you can use the gadget design 
  rules to make collapsible or micro-sized items you can carry with 
  you. The additional cost balances the benefits you gain from 
  designs with this extra.
  SPONTANEOUS INVENTOR
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You are skilled at using mundane items to produce highly effec-
  tive gadgets and gear. Using baling wire, duct tape, circuit boards, 
  and a TV, you could produce a laser rifle, a hologram projector, or 
  some other gadget.
  If you have sufficient raw materials on hand, you can produce an 
  item duplicating a single gadget or piece of high tech gear with a 
  point cost equal to half your ranks. This item lasts for a short time 
  before its jury-rigged construction fails. The TV you use to project 
  an illusion burns out from the strain placed on it, or your crude 
  laser pistol’s barrel melts. The items you make require attention, 
  care, and constant upkeep. As soon as you use this ability to make 
  something else, the previous item stops working. It lasts only one 
  hour after you begin work on another item. 
  The time needed to create an item depends on its total point cost. 
  It takes 10 minutes per point to complete the item. In addition, you 
  must make a power check with a DC equal to 10 + the item’s total 
  power point cost. If you fail, the items gathered are not sufficient to 
  complete the design. The GM can assign a bonus or penalty to this 
  check depending on the applicability of the materials you have. As 
  a rule of thumb, this modifier should range from +5 to –5. Your GM 
  can rule you have enough material to automatically succeed. He 
  can also decide you simply lack the raw materials needed.
  Your invention cannot have any power with a rank greater than 
  your Spontaneous Inventor rank.
  You also gain a bonus on Repair checks equal to half your power 
  rank (rounded down).
  Note the Device flaw has already been factored into Spontaneous 
  Inventor and cannot be applied to it again.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Technological Mastery: Pick a single gadget power. When 
  producing items using that power, reduce their total cost by 2 
  points.
  EXTRAS
  • Technological Genius: In addition to your talent for invention, 
  you also have thorough training in scientific and technological 
  fields. You gain ranks in two Science skills of your choice equal 
  to your ranks in this power.
  • Talented Inventor: When you build a gadget, you can spend 
  points on it equal to your ranks in this power. Normally, you 
  gain points equal to only half your ranks.
  • Versatility: You have a knack for turning even the most useless 
  items into a finely honed machine. You can multiply the time 
  needed to produce an item by 10, but never fail an attempt for 
  lack of resources. As long as you have something to work from, 
  even coconuts or bamboo, anything is possible. If you choose 
  not to take the added time to produce an item, you can make a 
  power check and take the listed time as normal.
  ROBOT AND CONSTRUCT CHARACTERS
  Robot and construct characters are created in much the same 
  manner as any other hero (see Mutants & Masterminds p. 117). 
  A construct character should select one of the power sources 
  to reflect its origin. The mutation, psionic, and training sources 
  might fit with a construct character, but they do not typically 
  make sense for such a hero. Still, that option is available to you 
  with a good enough reason and your GM’s approval. Any ability, 
  power, or attack that can use Drain against powers that have the 
  same source as the construct can be used to make lethal attacks 
  against these characters. For example, the Devourer has Drain 
  +10 (with the Super Science power source). If he attacks the robot 
  hero R-77 (a construct with the Super Science origin) with this 
  power, he can choose to use Drain as a +10 lethal attack. In this 
  case, the Drain targets the construct’s electrical systems, servomo-
  tors, and other key components.
  In addition to choosing a source, construct characters also gain 
  access to feats and other abilities that are unavailable to other 
  heroes or villains. These abilities are marked as constructs only in 
  their prerequisites, costs, or descriptions.
  Creating a construct hero is simply a matter of picking the right 
  combination of powers and feats to model their unique talents. 
  This section lists an example construct for each of the power 
  sources from the core rules. In addition, it provides feats and pow-
  ers that are a good fit for these heroes.
  ALIEN CONSTRUCT: THE TECHNO-CREATURE
  While organic life is the dominant force on Earth, other worlds 
  may have developed radically different forms. Silicon-based life 
  forms could develop into robot-like creatures, while a highly 
  advanced race might develop technology allowing them to shed 
  their organic bodies for immortal, artificial ones. These constructs 
  might be crafted from advanced plastics, polymers, and other 
  materials.
  A techno-creature might have evolved with silicon, rather than 
  carbon, as its basic building block. On a planet featuring such 
  
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  life, plants and animals might seem to have more in common 
  with computers and machines than living things. The techno-
  creature might have talents and abilities that are mundane or 
  average for its kind, but amongst humans it stands out as power-
  ful and awe-inspiring. These beings may devour rocks, minerals, 
  or even raw energy to survive. Usually, they have a natural affin-
  ity for computers and other advanced machines, and may have 
  trouble viewing carbon-based life forms as truly alive. Techno-
  creatures make great misunderstood villains or heroes who arrive 
  on Earth from a distant planet.
  BASIC FEATS
  Darkvision can simulate a techno-creature’s unique senses, par-
  ticularly if it evolved on a world with a weak sun. Radio Hearing 
  and Radio Broadcast can combine to show how an alien could 
  use a strange set of senses and abilities to talk to the other 
  creatures native to its home. Of the Immunity feats, disease and 
  poison tie into its strange, alien biology, while Suffocation is a 
  good choice for techno-creatures that do not need oxygen. The 
  other Immunities may or may not fit, depending on how you 
  view the alien’s background. Though it evolved from a silicon 
  base, it might still age, need to eat, have organs and joints vul-
  nerable to critical hits, and all the other weaknesses typical 
  of a living creature.
  COMMON POWERS
  Datalink can illustrate the connection between a 
  techno-creature and computers, artificial intelli-
  gences, and other inorganic beings. Otherwise, a 
  techno-creature might have any mix of powers 
  and abilities.
  MYSTICAL CONSTRUCT:  
  THE GOLEM
  The power of magic is strong enough to lend 
  awareness and an independent spirit to a golem, 
  an animated statue constructed from clay, metal, 
  stone, or a similar material. The hero might be res-
  urrected in this form, or he could have no memory 
  of the time before his creation.
  The golem is a primal force. It can batter through 
  enemies with its mighty fists, as chances are 
  it was built to defeat some sort of menace or 
  defend a place or group from enemies. A golem 
  might maintain contact with its creator, espe-
  cially if it is relatively young. Keep in mind the 
  golem’s creator might have sculpted its personal-
  ity along with its body. One crafted to serve evil 
  might have thrown off its master’s influence, 
  but could still be plagued by loyalty to him. 
  A golem could also have a strict moral code it 
  obeys without question. Its creator may have incor-
  porated these strictures into the golem’s personality 
  as a means of controlling it or ensuring it serves as a righteous, 
  heroic figure.
  BASIC FEATS
  As an artificial creature, a golem should have Immunity to aging, 
  critical hits, disease, exhaustion, poison, pressure, starvation, 
  and suffocation. Immunities to different forms of energy might 
  make sense depending on the material used to craft the golem. 
  Stone could be proof against heat, while a wooden golem may 
  ignore cold damage. Power Attack can reflect a golem’s mighty 
  strength. Toughness and Durability tie into the endurance 
  granted by its supernatural nature and the materials from which 
  it was crafted.
  COMMON POWERS
  Golems are usually depicted as tough and durable. Amazing Save 
  (Damage) and Protection allow a golem to absorb a lot of punish-
  ment. Other powers can simulate a golem’s great strength and 
  size. Super-Strength is an obvious choice, along with Growth or 
  Immovability.
  JK
  
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  PSIONIC CONSTRUCT: THE METAL MAN
  A psionic construct could arise in a number of ways. A powerful 
  psychic could transfer his life force into an artificial form. He could 
  inhabit a statue, or even bring life to an object lacking a human-
  oid form such as a pile of junk, a car, or almost anything else. In 
  some cases, a powerful psion could incorporate metal objects into 
  his body, turning himself into a living metal creature.
  The idea of a psionic construct may seem odd, as psionic pow-
  ers are normally associated with living creatures rather than 
  constructs. As described above, though, psionics can bridge the 
  gap between the organic and the artificial. The metal man is 
  more than a robot. Rather, he is a living being that has adopted 
  a wholly artificial body. He can alter and transform metal and 
  plastic in ways beyond the most advanced scientific devices. 
  The metal man might shift his form, spawning new devices or 
  abilities in the space of a moment. He can alter his opponents’ 
  weapons and tools, using his mental powers to manipulate tech-
  nology with the same ease as an expert technician.
  BASIC FEATS
  The metal man probably lacks most of the Immunity feats. At 
  his core, he remains an organic being even though he has a 
  supreme mastery of technology. The same weaknesses affecting 
  other creatures plague him despite his partially artificial nature. 
  Rapid Healing is a good choice for this character, as he can use 
  his psionic abilities to rebuild his body. Minions and Sidekicks can 
  represent followers the metal man has crafted by using his mental 
  abilities to breathe life into machines and metal objects.
  COMMON POWERS
  All of the “classic” psionic powers provide a sensible choice for 
  a metal man. These include ESP, Telepathy, and Telekinesis. This 
  construct could also have the power to control and shape metal 
  objects via powers such as Animation, Shape Matter, Shapeshift, 
  and Transmutation. Whether the metal man uses his powers to 
  alter his own form via Shapeshift or commands an army of metal-
  lic followers via Animation, he has a powerful, innate ability to 
  control and manipulate inorganic matter.
  SUPER-SCIENCE CONSTRUCT: THE ROBOT
  This source is the most common category for constructs in a super-
  heroic setting. Sufficiently advanced technology can produce 
  robots, androids, and other artificial beings. These creations are 
  wholly inorganic. They might exhibit human emotions and pos-
  sess free will, but at their core they are manufactured beings. This 
  doesn’t mean they are soulless, uncaring machines, but it does 
  give them a variety of distinct advantages. Robots never tire, nor 
  do they need food or water.
  A robot character could potentially come from one of a wide range 
  of backgrounds. It could be a machine that looks identical to a 
  human, with synthetic skin and hair over a metal or plastic chassis. 
  KS
  
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  A robot’s form may be tied to its original purpose. One designed 
  to explore caves might have treads in place of legs, and it could 
  be built to stand low to the ground. Other robots could have the 
  typical, humanoid shape, designed to fulfill roles normally taken by 
  humans. A robot’s appearance is limited only by your imagination.
  BASIC FEATS
  A robot should have almost the full array of Immunity feats, 
  including aging, critical hits, disease, energy (cold, heat), exhaus-
  tion, poison, starvation, and suffocation. You may elect to exclude 
  some of those immunities, such as against critical hits and exhaus-
  tion, depending on your concept for how the robot was designed 
  and how it operates. A robot could have fragile or important sys-
  tems that make it vulnerable, while physical exertion might tax its 
  power system. Radio Broadcast and Radio Hearing can represent 
  a robot’s communications gear, while Extra Limb is a common feat 
  for robots designed for combat or heavy industrial use.
  COMMON POWERS
  Drawing from comics and science fiction, there are a few powers 
  commonly linked to robots, whether heroic defenders or rampag-
  ing monsters. Energy Blast is probably the most common robotic 
  attack form, as a society or corporation advanced enough to cre-
  ate independent robots probably has the resources to equip them 
  with energy weapons. A robot designed for combat probably has 
  Energy Field, Force Field, or Protection. Mental Protection is a 
  good choice for many robots, especially as a tool to represent the 
  inability of psychics to affect artificial beings.
  TRAINING CONSTRUCT: THE CYBORG
  Pouring effort into becoming a construct might seem nonsensical, 
  but there are some ways in which you can justify this choice. Perhaps 
  a hero uses intense meditation or an ancient, lost martial art to 
  transform his body into a living weapon. Parts of his body transform 
  into metal, and for game purposes he is now a construct. Learning 
  to use cybernetic systems might require intense training and study. 
  Drawing on the user’s biological processes, these implants are some-
  where between biological and technical in nature. 
  A cyborg can be any character combining mechanical or inorganic 
  tools with an organic body.
  BASIC FEATS
  Immunity feats don’t normally fit this type of character, as his 
  human body continues to function as normal. His artificial compo-
  nents supplement, rather than replace, his natural organs.
  COMMON POWERS
  Most cyborgs train to improve their abilities and enhance their 
  human forms. All of the super-abilites, such as Super-Strength or 
  Super-Dexterity, are good choices for these characters. Strike could 
  represent a powerful physical attack. Energy Blast could represent 
  a laser weapon or a similar device included in the cyborg’s sys-
  tems, or it could even simulate a blast of bioelectricity. Protection 
  might cover a cyborg’s metal or extraordinarily tough body, as can 
  Amazing Save (Damage).
  NEW FEATS
  The following feats and abilities are designed to interact with 
  devices. Some of these feats grant bonuses to characters who 
  make use of gadgets, while others grant defenses or special 
  attacks against such weapons.
  JAM THE SYSTEM
  You have a talent for rendering technology inoperable. You do not 
  destroy a device. Rather, you tweak a switch, stuff a wad of paper 
  in a heat sink, or otherwise disrupt its ability to function for a 
  short period.
  Prerequisite: Monkeywrencher.
  Benefit: As a full action, you can make an attack against a device. 
  The device’s Defense is its user’s total defense +5. If you succeed, 
  the device’s current ranks are cut in half, rounded down, until your 
  next action. A device can only suffer this effect once per round. You 
  cannot use this feat against a device already damaged by this feat.
  LIGHTNING REPAIR
  You can fix things much faster than normal.
  Prerequisite: Repair 4 ranks.
  Benefit: You can make Repair checks in half the normal time. Before 
  you make your Repair roll you may spend a hero point to reduce the 
  time even further. Each hero point you spend cuts the repair time in 
  half. If your Repair check fails, you lose the points spent.
  MONKEYWRENCHER
  You have a knack for destroying technological items.
  Benefit: If you choose to attack an item, such as a suit of power 
  armor, a rifle, or a similar item, you gain a +2 bonus to your dam-
  age. As a rule of thumb, this bonus only applies to mechanisms 
  that have moving parts, require electrical power, or are fueled by 
  a chemical reaction.
  RESURRECT DEVICE
  With a length of baling wire, duct tape, and a few dollops of super 
  glue, you can patch together a shattered device.
  Prerequisite: Repair 4 ranks, Lightning Repair.
  Benefit: You can spend a hero point to immediately repair a 
  destroyed or badly damaged device, construct, or other gadget 
  with a successful Repair check. This item’s ranks are restored to 
  half their maximum value. Obviously, you gain a better value for 
  your hero point if the device has sustained more damage.
  TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
  Your scientific training allows you to quickly determine how a 
  device functions.
  
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  Prerequisite: Science (any) 4 ranks.
  Benefit: With a half action, you can study a device or an oppo-
  nent and make an Intelligence check. You learn the abilities and 
  ranks of every device or power that has the super-science source 
  as long as the result of your check equals or exceeds that device’s 
  ranks + 10. You make the check once, but you may learn about 
  some or all of the target’s devices with that one roll.
  You can use this feat once per encounter per device or opponent.
  WEAPON FOCUS
  Choose one type of weapon. This weapon must be a specific type 
  of pistol, sword, or a similar armament.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using 
  the selected weapon.
  Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not 
  stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of 
  weapon. This feat does not stack with Attack Focus. You can only 
  apply this feat to powers with the Device flaw.
  WEAPON SPECIALIZATION
  You have closely studied the workings of a specific weapon, such 
  as a pistol, sword, or other weapon. You deal extra damage when 
  using that weapon.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5, Weapon Focus with cho-
  sen weapon.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to damage when using the selected 
  weapon.
  Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not 
  stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of 
  weapon. You can only apply this feat to powers with the Device 
  flaw.
  CONSTRUCT FEATS
  The feats in this section are only available to constructs. They draw 
  on their artificial nature to create special tricks and abilities.
  ALTERNATE MOVEMENT SYSTEM
  You have treads, wheels, a hover system, or some other form of 
  locomotion. You cannot gain the ability to fly with this feat (that 
  requires the Flight power) but you can improve your ability to 
  move over difficult terrain.
  Benefit: You gain bonuses to movement in certain situations, 
  depending on the form of movement you use. When you select 
  this feat, choose one of the following modes:
  • Hover: You can move over any flat surface you would normally 
  sink into, such as water, lava, or quicksand. You can avoid haz-
  ards relying on tripwires or pressure plates.
  • Multiple Legs: You have an additional pair of legs. You gain +5 
  feet to your speed and a +4 bonus on all checks or saves to 
  resist being knocked over, pushed, or otherwise moved against 
  your will.
  • Treads: Your heavy-duty treads allow you to cruise over the most 
  difficult terrain. You are never slowed due to uneven ground, 
  such as dirt, potholes, and similar obstacles.
  • Wheels: Your wheels grant you superior mobility and maneuver-
  ability. You can make one turn when making a charge or sprinting, 
  as your wheels allow you to change direction with relative ease. 
  You can charge around corners, but you must be able to see or be 
  aware of your opponent when you start your charge.
  Special: You can select this feat more than once, taking a dif-
  ferent mode each time. In this case, you have a configurable 
  transportation system or multiple systems you can engage and 
  disengage as you wish. You can only gain the benefits and draw-
  backs of one movement mode at a time, and switching to a new 
  one is a half action.
  BACKUP POWER
  You have a secondary, temporary source of power you can access 
  for a few brief moments when your primary systems are offline.
  Benefit: When you are knocked unconscious, stunned, or other-
  wise put out of action, you can take your next action as normal. 
  After you take your turn, you then suffer the condition you tempo-
  rarily avoided.
  COLD ROBOTIC MIND
  Your artificial nature makes it extraordinarily difficult for mental 
  powers to affect you.
  Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on all saves against powers and 
  effects that can directly affect your mind regardless of their power 
  source. If a power does not allow a saving throw, your opponent 
  suffers a –4 penalty to his attack roll or power check, as appro-
  priate. Note this ability only applies to mind-affecting powers. It 
  has no effect on mental powers with a physical effect, such as 
  Telekinesis or Energy Blast.
  CONFIGURABLE CHASSIS
  You have the ability to shift plates on your outer hull, reconfigure 
  your appearance, or morph your form, allowing you to change your 
  appearance and alter your defenses to deflect incoming attacks.
  Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Disguise checks. You can spend 
  a half action to gain a +2 bonus on Damage saves until your next 
  action.
  FEARSOME DESIGN
  Your outer chassis is designed to resemble a fearsome monster, or 
  your features are exaggerated and distorted to give you a daunt-
  ing appearance.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Intimidate checks. If an oppo-
  nent strikes you and fails to damage you, you can immediately 
  make an Intimidate check against that foe. If this check succeeds, 
  your opponent is shaken for one round (–2 to attack, defense, 
  
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  and all checks), as your terrifying design and seemingly invulner-
  able armor strike fear into him. You can use this ability once per 
  encounter per opponent, and you cannot use it against enemies 
  who have successfully damaged you.
  IRON BODY
  You feel no pain, allowing you to turn an opponent’s seeming 
  advantage into a vulnerability. You absorb a strike, catching your 
  foe’s weapon or fist in your chassis and leaving him vulnerable to 
  a counter attack.
  Benefit: When a foe strikes you in melee combat, you can opt 
  to grant him a +1 bonus to damage to gain a +1 bonus to hit on 
  your next action against him. You must choose to grant this bonus 
  after your opponent’s attack hits but before resolving the result of 
  your Damage save.
  ORGANIC FACADE
  Your outer hull or exterior body resembles a living creature’s form, 
  allowing you to pass for a human, animal, or some other creature.
  Benefit: A casual observer mistakes you for a living creature. 
  Seeing through this disguise requires a Spot check opposed by 
  your Disguise or Charisma check. Observers only make Spot checks 
  if they have reason to suspect something out of the ordinary.
  RECHARGE
  You can draw energy from electrical outlets or some other source, 
  allowing you to temporarily ignore damage you have taken.
  Benefit: Select a single type of energy or fuel such as electricity, 
  heat, or even water. By spending a full action to recharge your 
  systems, you can remove up to 5 stun or lethal hits for a period of 
  10 minutes. After this time, you immediately suffer the effects of 
  those hits. You can use this feat once every 6 hours.
  RECONFIGURATION
  Your weapon systems, bionic implants, or the materials that form 
  your body are capable of adopting new forms. By altering how a 
  few key systems function, you can turn a weapon into an energy 
  scanner. These changes take time, but they make you more adapt-
  able than other heroes.
  Benefit: You can reallocate your power points from one ability 
  to a different one, or you can create a new power from the spare 
  points. You can move up to 10% of your total power points in this 
  manner. This process takes 24 hour to complete. During the time 
  of this changeover, you lose the benefits those points provided. 
  You can’t change more than 10% of your total power points at a 
  time from your normal statistics.
  STORAGE COMPARTMENT
  A hollowed portion of your chassis allows you to keep a weapon, 
  device, or some other piece of equipment from view.
  Benefit: You can store a device of up to Medium size or hide 
  one of your powers from plain sight. Anyone studying or search-
  ing you may make a Spot check opposed by your Bluff check to 
  notice the hidden item. You gain a +2 bonus to this Bluff check. 
  Deploying a stored item requires a half action. Any powers that 
  grant enhanced senses automatically see through this deception 
  unless the device has the Disguised extra (see p. 25).
  TELESCOPING ARMS
  Your arms are designed to extend away from your body. You can 
  increase the distance you can reach.
  Benefit: Each time you take this feat, you increase the reach of 
  your melee attacks by 5 feet.
  TELESCOPING HEAD
  You can extend your head or other sensor array away from your 
  body, allowing you to peak around corners or over obstacles.
  Benefit: You can extend your head a distance from your body 
  equal to your height. This distance can be above, below, or in a 
  direction to the side. You gain no bonus to Spot checks, but you 
  can look around barriers and over walls.
  TOUGH AS STEEL
  Your subsystems and backup power systems allow you to battle 
  on even after your chassis has absorbed a tremendous amount of 
  damage.
  Benefit: By spending a Hero Point, you can downgrade the result 
  of a failed Damage save by one category. You can count a bruise 
  or injury as no effect, stunned result as a bruise or injury, or uncon-
  scious or disabled as stunned.
  TURN THE TABLES
  Your artificial body can sometimes absorb an attack in such a way 
  as to put your foe at a disadvantage. A hero might punch through 
  your chassis, damaging you but leaving his hand caught on the 
  pistons and jagged metal.
  Prerequisites: Immunity (critical hits), Iron Body.
  Benefit: When you are hit with a melee attack, you can spend a 
  hero point to make the attacker's weapon or body part become 
  stuck on your chassis. Your opponent must either discard his 
  weapon or make an opposed Strength check against you to pull 
  free. While he is trapped, he loses his dodge bonus to defense.
  SCIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
  The Science and Knowledge skills form a basic foundation for a 
  technology-oriented character’s abilities. However, it is difficult to 
  produce a character who has a strong talent for a variety of sci-
  ences or a broad range of knowledge without sacrificing super 
  powers, feats, ability scores, and other areas. Usually, this isn’t 
  a problem if your GM presents challenges and opponents allow-
  ing a technology-based character to make full use of his abilities. 
  However, since Knowledge and Science lack the flash and excite-
  ment of Energy Blast or a high attack bonus, they sometimes end 
  
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  up on the backburner. Yet, as a player you may want to take ranks 
  in these skills to create the character you want to play.
  GAINING KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE SKILLS
  A brilliant hero might need ranks in biology, physics, chemis-
  try, and mathematics in order to properly model his knowledge. 
  However, gaining proficiency with all of those skills costs 4 power 
  points per rank. That’s the equivalent of the cost of Super-Strength 
  or Elasticity. To reduce this burden on the hero, while still allowing 
  him to gain ranks in multiple areas of Knowledge or Science, use 
  the following optional rules.
  Training in the scientific disciplines does not take place in a bub-
  ble. An expert on astrophysics must also have training in advanced 
  math, several other branches of physics, and possibly engineering 
  and chemistry. Academic study frequently branches out to cover 
  multiple areas of learning. A psychologist or doctor must study 
  biology, chemistry, math, and other related areas in order to form 
  the foundation needed to study medicine. To bring an example 
  closer to comic heroes, the typical scientific genius shows a mas-
  tery of topics from microbiology to theoretical physics. The same 
  character who in one issue might identify an alien virus and cre-
  ate a vaccine against it might build a spaceship to investigate an 
  incoming comet in the next one.
  Rather than choose specific Knowledge and Science and spend 
  ranks in each of them, these rules take the opposite approach. 
  Spending ranks in Knowledge or Science allows you to add more 
  sub-skills to your repertoire. As you learn more about one sub-
  ject, you naturally pick up a foundation in other, related fields. 
  This has a recursive effect as you expand your training and 
  branch out into more and more areas.
  PURCHASING RANKS IN KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE
  When you first purchase a rank in Knowledge or Science, choose 
  a sub-skill your character is trained in. For every additional 2 
  ranks you purchase, you can choose another sub-skill. You use 
  your total bonus for your Knowledge or Science checks for each 
  of these sub-skills. For example, Steve is creating a super-scien-
  tist. He purchases 7 ranks of Science; he gets to choose four 
  sub-skills. At rank 1 he takes astrophysics, at rank 3 he chooses 
  subatomic physics, at rank 5 he takes engineering, and at rank 7 
  he chooses chemistry. He can use each skill at rank 7.
  While it might make sense to pick sub-skills that are closely 
  matched or related, it is not required. You can pick sub-skills from 
  a broad range of areas, or construct a series of choices modeling 
  real world training.
  INTELLIGENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SCIENCE
  A character’s Intelligence covers not only his ability to think, but 
  also in part his general education. A starting character may gain 
  ranks in Intelligence-based skills equal to his Intelligence bonus 
  by spending 1 power point. Obviously, this benefit is best used 
  for characters who have an Intelligence score of 14 or higher. 
  While this option is not applicable to all characters, it makes 
  sense for those who base part of their smarts on advanced train-
  ing and college degrees.
  SUPER-INTELLIGENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SCIENCE
  The Super-Intelligence power is a natural choice to provide an 
  additional benefit with skills. Since Knowledge and Science 
  sometimes allow checks only if a character is trained in them, 
  depending on the GM’s judgment, a Super-Intelligent hero 
  might be left out in the cold. Given that this power could allow 
  a hero to browse through a set of encyclopedias in a few hours, 
  it makes sense to expand the benefits it provides.
  In addition to allowing a bonus to all Intelligence skills, Super-
  Intelligence grants a character a broad range of knowledge and 
  training. Each rank purchased in this power allows a character 
  to count one skill as trained even if he does not have any ranks 
  in it. Note you do not gain any ranks or other bonuses for this 
  skill. You can make checks with it using the appropriate ability 
  modifier even though you do not have ranks in it.
  KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE SUB-SKILLS DEFINED
  Sometimes, it’s useful to have a set list of sub-skills for Knowledge 
  and Science. It makes it a bit easier to design scenarios, since 
  you can add in checks based on a limited list of abilities rather 
  than remembering the characters’ talents. In addition, a limited 
  list helps the players decide how to spend their ranks. Without a 
  clear list of options, they might be confused or unable to decide 
  TP
  
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  apply to your ability to recall a specific scientist or to remem-
  ber the name of a company that developed a man-portable 
  laser weapon.
  • Trivia: You have a deep knowledge and appreciation of pop 
  culture, hobbies, and fringe activities. This sub-skill applies in 
  most cases where none of the others fit a question or check. 
  You cannot use this skill on an alien planet unless you have 
  spent at least a month living there on a full-time basis while 
  in contact with its popular culture, TV programming, or similar 
  facets.
  SCIENCE SUB-SKILLS
  • Archaeology: This Science sub-skill covers the investigation 
  and study of ancient cultures. You know how to organize a 
  dig, and you have a knowledge of the cultures and traditions 
  of civilizations that have passed into history.
  • Biology: You have studied the basic components if life and 
  understand anatomy. This Science skill also includes genetics, 
  xenobiology, botany, and all other similar topics related to liv-
  ing creatures.
  • Chemistry: You know how elements and chemicals interact. In 
  a laboratory setting, you can conduct tests to determine the 
  nature and origin of an unknown substance.
  • Engineering: This skill covers a broad range of subjects, from 
  building a bridge to designing an engine. As a rule of thumb, 
  engineering applies to any machines or artifacts built by an 
  intelligent being. You can also judge the structural integrity of 
  a building, bridge, or similar edifice.
  • Geology: From the study of rocks, minerals, and metals to the 
  analysis of earthquakes, landslides, and similar catastrophic 
  events. You can also use this skill to navigate a cave or deter-
  mine if it is structurally sound.
  • Mathematics: With this skill you can use advanced math, such 
  as calculus, differential equations, and so on. You might need 
  the help of a computer or an hour or so to solve a problem, 
  but you have the educational background needed to utilize 
  such techniques.
  • Physics: You understand the basic, physical laws of the uni-
  verse and many of the highly advanced, theoretical ones. From 
  the physics of stars and galactic cultures to quantum mechan-
  ics, you have broad grounding in the physical sciences.
  • Psychology: You have studied the function of the human mind, 
  allowing you to gain insight into inner workings of a patient’s 
  personality. You understand how people work and can draw 
  connections between their actions and their internal, mental 
  processes. You can only use this skill in cases regarding your 
  own species or those that you have had extensive contact with.
  NEW USES FOR KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE SKILLS
  With the ranks you have invested in Knowledge and Science, you 
  can pull off tricks and stratagems by drawing on your familiarity 
  with science and your wide base of information. The following are 
  some new uses for the Knowledge and Science skills.
  on how to purchase their ranks. Listed here are several sub-skills 
  for both Knowledge and Science.
  KNOWLEDGE SUB-SKILLS
  • Culture: This version of Knowledge reflects familiarity with 
  how a particular nation or ethnic group conducts itself. This 
  includes etiquette and similar rules governing everyday inter-
  actions. You select one culture as the primary basis for this 
  skill. When using it with other cultures on the same planet, 
  you suffer a –2 penalty on checks. For cultures on different 
  planets, the penalty is –4. For those found on other dimen-
  sions, the penalty becomes –6. While you might not have 
  direct contact with these cultures, you can draw on many of 
  the general trends of civilized discourse to make an educated 
  guess or approximation. You can add a new category to this 
  skill by spending 1 power point.
  • Current Events: You have a grasp on important news and 
  events that took place during your lifetime. You can only use 
  this skill to reflect events on your home planet or the place 
  you have called home for at least one month. If you travel to 
  a different world and then return home, you need to spend 
  a week taking in the latest news. Until then, you suffer a –2 
  penalty to your checks.
  • Geography: You have an understanding of the layout of natu-
  ral terrain, cities, and even highways. You can find the nearest 
  gas station when on a highway or when driving around a city 
  by look at the businesses nearby and studying the layout of 
  streets. When dealing with alien landscapes or cultures on 
  other planets or different dimensions, you suffer a –2 penalty 
  to this skill.
  • History: This sub-skill covers events and people beyond the 
  scope of your lifetime or 25 years, whichever is shorter. You 
  have a general knowledge of critical episodes from your home 
  world’s history, and with some thought or research you can 
  uncover specific facts.
  • Occult: From magical practices to folklore and traditions, you 
  have a working knowledge of the various bodies of knowl-
  edge dealing with spells, extra-dimensional beings, and other 
  strange events. This skill works the same even on other worlds 
  and dimensions, as magic remains the same unless your GM 
  rules otherwise. In a world where magic does work in mark-
  edly different manner, you suffer a –2 penalty to your checks.
  • Religion: You have studied a broad range of religions, from 
  Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other sets of beliefs. As a rule 
  of thumb, any religion practiced in the modern world falls into 
  this category. Other faiths are categorized under Knowledge 
  (occult). You can use this skill on alien worlds at a –2 penalty. 
  Many of the principles of religion follow familiar patterns, but 
  unique cultural and psychological differences make it difficult 
  to gain the full benefit of your skill.
  • Science: This sub-skill does not cover the specific knowledge 
  included in the Science skill. Instead, it reflects familiarity 
  with the people, advances, and commercial applications sur-
  rounding scientific development. For example, this skill would 
  
  SECTION TWO
  CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTERS & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 16
  0.0016.01
  TABLE 1–2: NOTICE OPPORTUNITY
  DC
  Result
  30
  +1 bonus on next attack or skill check
  35
  +2 bonus on next attack or skill check
  40
  +3 bonus on next attack or skill check
  OTHER POWERS & ABILITIES 
  In addition to the new uses for skills, powers, and feats given in 
  this chapter, this section expands on a few powers commonly 
  associated with brilliant prodigys and other super-heroic scientists 
  and inventors. It also gives new extras and options for powers to 
  make them fitting choices for genius characters.
  POSTCOGNITION
  This ability may seem better suited to a psychic or other char-
  acter with mental powers, but it can prove useful to scientific 
  genius characters with the help of the following power stunt 
  and extra.
  POWER STUNT
  • Read Opponent: If you succeed in a power check against an 
  opponent’s Defense, he must make a Will save with a DC equal 
  to your power check. If it fails, you gain a temporary insight into 
  the target’s fighting style in the form of a +1 bonus to attack 
  rolls and defense against that opponent until the end of the 
  encounter.
  EXTRAS
  • All Knowing: You can use your ability to read the past to seek 
  out information or knowledge concerning a particular subject. 
  You can make any Knowledge or Science check using half your 
  ranks in this power as your ranks in the appropriate skill. Using 
  Postcognition in this manner taxes your intellect and requires 
  tremendous concentration. It takes an hour to use your power 
  in this manner, and you cannot take 10 or take 20 on the sub-
  sequent skill check.
  SUPER-INTELLIGENCE
  The Super-Intelligence power is a perfect choice for gadgeteers 
  and other heroes and villains who excel at creating devices and 
  building new machines. These rules expand the scope of this 
  power and give you more options to use it and expand the ben-
  efits it offers.
  The following new extras and flaws allow you to expand on the 
  options offered by the Super-Intelligence power.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Mathematical Genius: While a mundane person with an 
  affinity for math can do simple sums, multiplication, and divi-
  sion in his head, you can crunch through massive quantities of 
  large numbers. You compute square roots, work through qua-
  dratic equations, and otherwise complete any mathematical 
  ANALYSIS
  You can study and draw conclusions from an item, event, or other 
  clue that is related to an area of Knowledge or Science in which 
  you are skilled. You must have access to a laboratory in order to 
  use Science or some sort of database or library to complete an 
  analysis using Knowledge. In either case, you spend a day study-
  ing an object or other clue and make a skill check. The DC of this 
  check depends on the difficulty of extracting clues from the item, 
  similar to how the Gather Information skill functions.
  The nature of the information learned and the process by which 
  you complete an analysis are determined by the skill you use. 
  Science (biology) might involve a dissection and chemical tests to 
  analyze blood and fluid samples, while Knowledge (history) could 
  consist of hours of research in a college library.
  TABLE 1–1: ANALYSIS
  DC
  Result
  5
  Common, basic facts that even a beginner could 
  uncover.
  10
  Slightly obscure information, perhaps known to the 
  average college student.
  15
  Advanced or specific information, usually equivalent 
  to what an experienced professor, researcher, or sci-
  entist could easily gather.
  20
  A basic, thorough overview of the object, its impor-
  tance, and its purpose.
  25
  Detailed, advanced clues and information from the 
  object or sample, including detailed information on 
  its origin and nature.
  30
  A new discovery that could push the bounds of 
  knowledge.
  NOTICE OPPORTUNITY
  Drawing on your knowledge, you can notice an advantage or 
  an opportunity that escapes the notice of those who lack your 
  vast knowledge. You may make a skill check and describe how 
  you draw on your Knowledge or background in Science to gain an 
  advantage over an opponent or while attempting an action. For 
  example, in a fight you may use Science (engineering) to notice 
  that your opponent’s power armor has an exposed power cou-
  pling, allowing you to strike at him with a bonus to hit or damage. 
  You must justify and describe your skill attempt, and your GM can 
  always veto an attempt to use a skill in this manner.
  As a rule of thumb, you can use Knowledge or Science in this 
  manner once per game session. This use of these skills is designed 
  to allow you to show off your character’s scientific and practical 
  knowledge, not as an excuse to pointlessly wrack up bonuses. For 
  GMs, make sure that a player who uses Knowledge or Science 
  in this manner earns it. Part of the fun of this use is watching 
  a player create a line pulled straight from a comic book super 
  genius’s mouth. It adds to the game’s roleplaying element while 
  giving brainy characters another tool in their arsenal.
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  CHAPTER ONE: CHARACTERS & GADGETS
  SECTION TWO
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  operation that can be normally completed with a 
  calculator or computer. You can process a math 
  problem of any kind as fast as a top of the line 
  computer.
  • Eidetic Memory: You have perfect, photographic 
  memory. You can recall the smallest details of 
  things you have read, places you have visited, and 
  people you have met.
  • Speed Reader: You can absorb entire books 
  worth of information in a matter of moments. You 
  can read a volume in 1% of the time it would 
  take a normal person.
  EXTRAS
  • Expert: Pick a single skill based on an ability other 
  than Intelligence. You gain your Super-Intelligence 
  bonus when using it due to your intense training 
  and study of methods used with it.
  • Master Linguist: For each rank in Super-
  Intelligence that includes this extra, you are fluent 
  and literate in an additional language.
  FLAWS
  • Idiot Savant: Your Super-Intelligence bonus is 
  limited to certain areas, and only counts towards 
  Knowledge and Science skill checks. You do not 
  gain it for general Intelligence checks or for other 
  Intelligence-based skills.
  SUPER-WISDOM
  While super-human insight and awareness might seem better 
  suited to a martial artist than a mad scientist, gadgeteers and 
  inventors who work with mystical devices might find this power 
  useful. Super-Wisdom denotes an inhuman willpower and the 
  ability to perceive things that escape the typical person’s notice. 
  It makes an excellent fit for heroes who use magical powers or 
  devices as well as people who are hyper-aware of their surround-
  ings and are able to interpret information as quickly as they 
  perceive it.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Intuitive Awareness: Your uncanny ability to perceive your 
  surroundings allows you to gain insight into the people you 
  met and the places you visit. As a full action, with a successful 
  power check (DC 20), you can gain a keen insight into your 
  current situation that grants you a +1 bonus to all attacks and 
  checks for the rest of the current encounter. You might notice 
  something about the layout of the area that gives you an 
  advantage in a fight, or you may gain an intuitive sense of a 
  person’s mood during a negotiation.
  • Mystic Sight: Your keenly honed senses can detect the pres-
  ence of magical energy auras. You see them without any special 
  effort, allowing you to note enchanted items, people who have 
  abilities with the mystical power source, and so on.
  TELEPATHY
  A hero who develops an intellect extending far beyond the normal, 
  human limits might have gained his abilities through mutation, 
  intense training to improve his mind, or some form of super evolution. 
  The same processes might also grant telepathic abilities. In many 
  comics, super-evolved humans are depicted as gaining prodigious psy-
  chic powers, making Telepathy a logical choice for such heroes.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Psychic Bond: You can forge a deep, intuitive link with a will-
  ing ally by concentrating for 5 minutes. While the two of you 
  are linked, you gain a +3 bonus to hit if the two of you flank 
  an opponent rather than +2. You can also choose to act on the 
  lower of your two initiative scores. In this case, you gain a +1 
  bonus to hit if you both attack or target the same opponent 
  with powers and effects. Finally, you each gain a +1 bonus to 
  Spot and Listen checks as you draw on each other’s senses. You 
  can only create and maintain one Psychic Bond at a time and it 
  lasts as long as you sustain it.
  • Transmit Knowledge: You can transfer some of the knowl-
  edge you possess to a person with whom you’re actively using 
  the Telepathy power to contact. This transference lasts for as 
  long as you sustain contact. You can transfer one of your skill 
  ranks to your target per Telepathy rank. The recipient uses these 
  ranks as normal, though you may not use them while you’re 
  transmitting knowledge.
  AA
  
  SECTION THREE
  CHAPTER TWO: DESIGNING DEVICES & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 18
  0.0018.01
  C
  reating a new device is a lot like putting together a power. You 
  select a base effect, add on extras, power stunts, and flaws, 
  and determine the item’s total cost based on its ranks. If you’re 
  familiar with the core Mutants & Masterminds rules, this section’s 
  concepts should be easy to absorb. However, while powers and 
  devices are similar they are not exactly the same. There are a few 
  extra concepts the device creation rules use to give technology a 
  distinct feel from super-heroic powers.
  Tech templates allow you to distinguish a magical sword from a suit 
  of biotech armor that grows on its user’s skin. Templates work like 
  power sources, they determine how a device was created. All devices 
  have a tech template. The default template—advanced tech—allows 
  you to create devices without adding any extra rules.
  Tech levels are tools allowing you to model technology’s effects 
  on your game. They represent a combination of the development 
  and use of inventions within society. They can model historical 
  progress, or you can use them to create a specific feel or tone 
  for your campaign. Tech levels alter the cost of certain powers 
  and abilities. In a campaign where laser pistols and other energy 
  weapons are common, the Energy Blast power may be cheaper. 
  Since every space pirate and cyborg sports a blaster, heroes with 
  Energy Blast are less unique or special. In much the same way, 
  the Flight power is cheaper in a setting where personal jetpacks 
  are as common as automobiles. As a rule of thumb, if technol-
  ogy makes a power obsolete, that power’s cost drops. This change 
  allows you to place your games in the far future, magical realms 
  where everyone can cast a few simple spells, and other exotic set-
  tings that make some super powers not so super. The modern day 
  tech level keeps all of the power costs the same, allowing you to 
  introduce this rule only if you think it would add something to 
  your campaign.
  In addition to these new rules, this section introduces power 
  stunts, extras, and flaws designed specifically for devices.
  BUILDING DEVICES
  Creating a device works a lot like designing a power. First, choose 
  a tech template to reflect the item’s origin. Select a base power or 
  gadget ability that reflects the device’s primary function. You can 
  add secondary functions to a device in much the same way you can 
  CHAPTER TWO: 
  DESIGNING DEVICES & GADGETS
  TP
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  CHAPTER TWO: DESIGNING DEVICES & GADGETS
  SECTION THREE
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  take powers as extras for other powers. In addition, the campaign’s 
  tech level might alter the costs of some powers and abilities. Next, 
  select the item’s extras, power stunts, and flaws. You can also add 
  features—feats designed for gadgets—to reflect useful but minor 
  gadget abilities. Finally, determine the device’s total point cost. If a 
  character wants to use it, simply pay the power point cost.
  As you can see, this process almost exactly duplicates the method 
  for creating powers in the core Mutants & Masterminds book. In 
  many ways, every device simply provides you with a power with the 
  Device flaw. However, the new extras, powers, power stunts, and 
  flaws given in this book help make a real difference between zap-
  ping a thug with Energy Blast and spraying a field with machine 
  gun bullets. By choosing the right extras and flaws, you can turn a 
  device from a machine that simply duplicates an ability to a tool 
  that feels and operates like a gadget in your game. Many of the 
  new abilities given in this book include notes on how to apply 
  them to best make devices feel distinct from powers.
  DEVICE LEVELS
  Like characters, devices can have levels that describe their relative 
  strength. A device’s power level determines the maximum ranks 
  it may have in any power, along with the total power points you 
  have to spend on its abilities and features. As you can see on Table 
  2–1: Device Power Level, most devices receive 5 points per level. 
  However, some complex devices, such as robots and vehicles, receive 
  more. These devices have more attributes compared to guns, armor, 
  or other tools. Chapter Four covers a variety of device types and 
  includes rules for any categories that receive more points per level.
  TABLE 2–1: DEVICE POWER LEVEL
  DEVICE POWER LEVEL
  POWER POINTS
  1
  5
  2
  10
  3
  15
  4
  20
  5
  25
  6
  30
  7
  35
  8
  40
  9
  45
  10
  50
  11
  55
  12
  60
  13
  65
  14
  70
  15
  75
  16
  80
  17
  85
  18
  90
  19
  95
  20
  100
  A device’s level is an optional measure. Not all devices need them. 
  Sometimes, you may want to assign ranks in an ability to a device 
  without worrying about the overall cost. You might need it as 
  part of an adventure’s plot, or you may simply need a weapon or 
  device that poses a proper challenge. A device’s level is a tool you 
  can use to gauge a gadget’s relative strength or power, not a 
  straitjacket that restricts your creativity.
  TECH TEMPLATES
  A tech template grants an item bonuses, drawbacks, and other 
  modifiers based on its origin. A magical sword forged by the 
  gods has different intrinsic properties than a mass-produced 
  energy blade. A tech template also determines the extras, flaws, 
  and other features you can give an item. A biotech gun might 
  be able to manufacture more ammunition if its user feeds it, 
  while cybertech is easy to conceal and difficult to disable.
  Tech templates have costs listed in their descriptions. They add 
  a flat modifier to an item’s total cost. The advanced tech tem-
  plate costs zero points. It represents the basic, most common 
  item template for super-heroic items. The mundane template is a 
  useful tool for creating common items that lack any special abili-
  ties, as is the primitive one. They are included here as guides to 
  help you make sensible choices when designing tools and weap-
  ons from different time periods.
  ADVANCED TECH
  Advanced tech serves as the default template. It reflects gad-
  gets created using advanced technology and scientific methods 
  belonging to science fiction. As a rule of thumb, if an item is 
  extraordinary, advanced, or beyond the common technology of 
  the day, it should fall into this category if none of the other ones 
  fit.
  • Cost: All advanced tech gadgets have the Device flaw, grant-
  ing them a –1 cost modifier per rank.
  ARCANE
  Magical items, enchanted blades, and other devices that draw 
  on mystical energy are considered arcane. Usually these gadgets 
  are swords, suits of armor, and other low-tech tools, but some-
  times a modern computer, pistol, or similar item can feature this 
  template. For example, the Spectral Kid might be a hero who is 
  the ghost of a Texas Ranger. His six shooters are imbued with 
  the magical power of the spirit of justice, making them arcane 
  devices.
  Arcane items can also purchase magical extras at the standard 
  cost of 1 power point per rank and magical power stunts for 2 
  power points each. In addition, an arcane item can never be truly 
  destroyed. The magical energies that created them transcend 
  their physical forms. They never take damage when attacked 
  unless they are struck with another arcane weapon or damaged 
  by a power with the mystical power source.
  • Cost: The arcane template has a base cost of 0. It does not 
  modify a device’s power point cost.
  BIOTECH
  These devices are a byproduct of a highly advanced branch of bio-
  engineering that can produce living items. A biotech gun might 
  
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  0.0020.01
  consume a protein mix and excrete pellets it uses as bullets. In 
  addition, biotech items have an unparalleled ability to interface 
  with their user’s bodies.
  Biotech items regenerate over time, as they heal injuries and 
  replace any ammunition or energy they consume. However, a bio-
  tech item that fails to receive sufficient nutrition slowly withers 
  and dies. Biotech items heal at a rate of 1 point of hardness or 1 
  rank of abilities per day. They restore lost powers, extras, or power 
  stunts at a rate of 1 per day. However, they must be fed and prop-
  erly cared. They do not heal if they are not provided with food and 
  lose 1 rank from each ability for every 2 days they do not receive 
  food. You can assume that a biotech weapon can consume any 
  edible food that is fit for human consumption. Aliens and other 
  strange beings might have to feed their biotech items fuel similar 
  to their own diets.
  Biotech items have a –2 penalty to hardness, with a minimum of 
  0. Their outer shells and bones are tough and durable but they are 
  no match for steel, advanced plastics, and other artificial materi-
  als. In addition, biotech devices have exclusive access to a special 
  set of extras, flaws, and power stunts.
  • Cost: The biotech template, like super-science, counts as the 
  Device flaw. It has a –1 modifier to a gadget’s cost per rank. 
  CYBERTECH
  Cybernetic implants are technological items that enhance their 
  user’s natural abilities by adding machines, tiny computers, and 
  other inorganic improvements to the body. Retractable claws, 
  computerized targeting eyes, and blood filtration units all count 
  as cybertech. This template provides gadgets that are difficult, if 
  not impossible to destroy or disable. While a hero might lose a 
  gun or suction cup boots, the sonic amplifiers embedded in his 
  ears remain intact.
  Cybertech removes the drawbacks of the Device flaw. They cannot 
  be directly attacked as they are as much a part of a hero’s body as 
  his arms or legs.
  • Cost: Cybertech removes the normal drawbacks associated with 
  a device. It does not modify a gadget’s cost per rank.
  MUNDANE
  Items created with this template represent common, every day 
  technology. It includes mobile phones, TVs, radios, pistols, assault 
  rifles, and so on. These devices can only use features, extras, and 
  power stunts specifically listed with the mundane keyword. In 
  some cases, abilities listed as mundane have a rank limit. This 
  means mundane items can have the ability or power in question 
  up the listed limit. Modern technology allows for the duplication 
  of some minor powers, but they cannot match the power’s upper, 
  superhuman limits.
  • Cost: These gadgets have the Device flaw, granting them a 
  –1 cost modifier per rank. Note this is the same rules effect 
  as super-science, but it means mundane devices cannot gain 
  access to many of the special abilities listed in this chapter.
  PRIMITIVE
  Simple swords, suits of chain mail, and clubs all fall into this tem-
  plate. Primitive devices usually lack moving parts and pre-date the 
  development of the internal combustion engine or firearms. They are 
  unreliable and usually offer only limited abilities. This template is best 
  used for heroes who hail from cultures that have yet to develop into 
  modern societies. Thorag the Hunter, a mighty apeman hunter from 
  Primearth’s ancient past, might overcome his foes with a stone club.
  Weapons created with this template can only gain the benefits of 
  a limited number of abilities and extras. These options are flagged 
  with the primitive keyword, much like the selections open to mun-
  dane equipment are noted.
  In some cases, abilities listed as primitive have a rank limit. This 
  means that primitive items can have the ability or power in ques-
  tion up the listed limit. Even the simplest technology allows for 
  the duplication of some minor powers, but they cannot match 
  more technically advanced item’s upper limits.
  • Cost: As independent objects that can be broken, lost, or stolen, 
  primitive gadgets have a –1 power point per rank cost modifier.
  TECH LEVELS
  A tech level describes the current level of technology in your cam-
  paign. As a default, the gadget creation rules assume that your 
  game takes place in a world similar to early 21st-century Earth. 
  Laser weapons are experimental at best, while powered armor, 
  artificial intelligence, and star ships are still the stuff of fiction. 
  However, you might choose to set your game in a different time 
  period. In comic books, the heroes sometimes venture into outer 
  space to deal with advanced alien races. In other series, the heroes 
  are members of an advanced, interstellar civilization.
  Technology in comics, science fiction, and animé rarely follows a 
  straight line. One show might depict a civilization that developed 
  faster than light travel, but its armies still use guns that fire bul-
  lets. Lasers might defend spaceships, but are too big, bulky, or 
  expensive for the average soldier to carry. Another series could 
  include heroes with advanced suits of powered armor, time travel, 
  and cybernetic implants, all against the backdrop of a world where 
  little else has advanced.
  The rules for tech levels allow you to introduce these background 
  elements into your game while keeping the rules balanced. The 
  concept is simple. In a world where the average police officer 
  pilots a small, heavily armored mecha sporting laser cannons and 
  rail guns, the battlesuit hero becomes less unique and less power-
  ful. After all, common thugs probably have powered armor of their 
  own. Another future setting could feature a world where everyone 
  has at least minor psychic powers, making a telepath less like a 
  superhero and more like the average office worker.
  To combat this potential clash, the tech level rules allow you to tinker 
  with the cost of powers to reflect the game setting you have created. 
  If powerful laser weapons are common, a character who has Energy 
  Blast is less important, memorable, and super, in the sense of a super-
  hero. Thus, making that power less expensive allows a hero who takes 
  
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  it to add additional powers to her repertoire. In addition, gadgets 
  built with that ability are cheaper, reflecting the ease in which scien-
  tific geniuses can mimic current tech or advance it to higher levels.
  Tech levels are fully explained in Chapter Three. Be sure to check 
  with your GM before creating a device to see if there are any mod-
  ifications to the cost of the powers it uses.
  INDEPENDENT INTELLIGENCE
  Cost: 2+ (see description)
  Action: None
  Duration: Continuous
  An advanced computer program controls an automated cannon, 
  locating and firing at targets that draw too close to the instal-
  lation it guards. When a truck with the proper markings pulls 
  up, it holds its fire. An enchanted sword contains the spirit of a 
  great hero who lends advice to the champion who wields it. These 
  devices and similar gadgets use complex systems to act indepen-
  dent of a human operator. In some situations, these Independent 
  Intelligences can prove as useful as a sidekick or other helper.
  Independent Intelligence is usually purchased as an extra for devices. 
  Adding this ability to a device allows it to operate on its own. In 
  many ways, it acts like an NPC with the powers that the device has 
  built into it. For example, a gun could fire at targets while a vehicle 
  might navigate without a pilot. Otherwise, the Intelligence represents 
  a highly advanced computer system. In this case, you can create an 
  Independent Intelligence and add powers to it as an extra.
  The device’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores start at 
  3 and can be raised up to its ranks in Independent Intelligence 
  using improvements.
  The Independent Intelligence can activate one of the abilities at 
  its disposal after its user has spent a half action to command it to 
  begin operation. It continues to act until its user spends another 
  half action to deactivate it. Its Intelligence score determines any 
  limits on its actions. All Independent Intelligences can see and 
  hear as well as a normal human.
  Treat the Independent Intelligence just like any other NPC with 
  its Intelligence score. It follows directions to the best of its abil-
  ity, though it may have only a limited array of options. Unless an 
  Independent Intelligence’s capabilities are expanded via extras, it 
  seeks to activate its powers to the best of its abilities each round. 
  For example, a weapon system with an Independent Intelligence 
  shoots the nearest target, while one attached to a portable medi-
  cal system administers painkillers and healing agents to its user. 
  Independent Intelligences with higher Intelligence scores can 
  attempt more complex acts, as detailed below.
  An Independent Intelligence can use powers, skills, and abilities 
  that are built into the device at a maximum ability equal to its 
  rank. Its base attack bonus and the bonus it gains from an ability 
  can never exceed this limit.
  Each round, an Independent Intelligence gains actions as normal. 
  However, it has no special ability to move unless you purchase 
  an extra. Even in this case, the Intelligence lacks physical ability 
  scores. If it is attacked, treat it as a device. Determine its Defense 
  based on its size. If you want to create a mobile device, you should 
  use the rules for constructs.
  Note that while Independent Intelligence may seem like a com-
  puter-specific ability, it can be used to simulate any device capable 
  of acting on its own, from the previously mentioned magical sword 
  containing a spirit to a living, intelligent, biotech device/creature to 
  cybertech containing a complex artificial intelligence (AI) capable 
  of managing its features while its user attends to more important 
  matters.
  The GM must use his judgment to determine if an Independent 
  Intelligence can attempt an action. For example, an intelligent 
  rifle cannot aim itself unless it has the appropriate extras.
  INDEPENDENT INTELLIGENCE PERSONAS
  When creating an Independent Intelligence with this level of complexity, 
  your GM can either opt to create its personality or allow you to do it. 
  Tables 2–3 and 2–4: Independent Intelligence Personas allow 
  you to randomly craft a device’s foibles and characteristics. The device’s 
  gender determines the sound of its voice and its general attitude, though 
  it has no effect on its traits. After rolling on the gender table, roll twice 
  on Table 2–4 to determine its quirks and important traits. Note these 
  traits have no effect on the device’s abilities. They simply give the GM a 
  personality to depict while roleplaying it. Re-roll any contradictory results, 
  such as both optimistic and pessimistic. On the other hand, such a divide 
  could indicate a moody device that flip-flops its attitude.
  TABLE 2–3: INDEPENDENT INTELLIGENCE PERSONAS
  D20 RESULT
  GENDER
  1–10
  Female
  11–20
  Male
  TABLE 2–4: INDEPENDENT INTELLIGENCE PERSONAS
  D20 RESULT
  PERSONALITY TRAIT
  1
  Maternal/Paternal
  2
  Worrier
  3
  Pessimist
  4
  Optimist
  5
  Sarcastic/cynical
  6
  Pedantic
  7
  Stubborn
  8
  Talkative
  9
  Grumpy
  10
  Emotionless
  11
  Excitable
  12
  Arrogant
  13
  Patient
  14
  Kind
  15
  Rude
  16
  Religious
  17
  Childish
  18
  Fearful
  19
  Enthusiastic
  20
  Panicky
  
  SECTION THREE
  CHAPTER TWO: DESIGNING DEVICES & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
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  0.0022.01
  INDEPENDENT INTELLIGENCE SIDEKICKS
  You can purchase a device with this power as a sidekick. For exam-
  ple, a super-heroic pilot might fly an intelligent jet. The section 
  describing gadgets (see Chapter Four) gives you guidelines for 
  assigning devices levels based on their total point cost. Use those 
  levels and their associated pools of points to create your sidekick.
  IMPROVEMENTS
  Unlike extras or power stunts, improvements allow you to cus-
  tomize an AI for a variable cost (which is unlike power stunts) 
  that is not connected to its ranks (which is unlike extras). The AI’s 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores start at 3 and can be 
  raised up to the item’s ranks in Independent Intelligence. These 
  abilities have the normal power point cost (see Table 1–2: Power 
  Point Costs in Mutants & Masterminds p. 21). An AI can also 
  gain skill ranks and a base attack bonus. Skills and the base attack 
  bonus cannot be higher than the device’s Intelligence. The points 
  for these abilities, skills, and attack bonuses are added to the total 
  cost of Independent Intelligence (similar to how a power stunt 
  is purchased), do not increase the cost per rank of Independent 
  Intelligence. Keep a separate tally for these improvements.
  Skills requiring independent movement, such as Hide or Jump, are 
  useless for an independent intelligence. On the other hand, an 
  intelligence capable of speech could find great use for Knowledge 
  and Science skills. In this case, the intelligence could make checks 
  for its user and report back the results. It makes all Intelligence 
  and Wisdom-based ability checks using its ability score.
  Devices, even devices with a basic intelligence cannot normally 
  communicate. If a device has a higher than usual intelligence it 
  comes equipped with some ability to communicate information. 
  Table 2–2: Intelligent Device Capabilities indicate what 
  method of communication (if any) an intelligent device has and 
  what actions it’s capable of performing on its own.
  Normally, an Independent Intelligence cannot attempt skill checks 
  relying on Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. However, in some 
  cases it makes sense for an Intelligence to gain such skills. Your 
  GM should rule on this on a case-by-case basis. As a rule of thumb, 
  if a skill is necessary or useful to using the device the intelligence 
  inhabits, it should be able to purchase ranks in it. If the intel-
  ligence can use such a skill, treat its ability score modifier as +0 
  for skill checks.
  TABLE 2–2: INTELLIGENT DEVICE CAPABILITIES
  INTELLIGENCE SCORE
  COMMUNICATION
  ACTIONS
  3 – 5
  None
  Activate one power
  6 – 9
  Video display
  Activate any power
  10+
  Spoken language
  Standard
  INTELLIGENCE 3–5
  At this level, an Independent Intelligence cannot think for itself. 
  It can activate a single power per round. That power must be cho-
  sen when creating the device. The Independent Intelligence is not 
  advanced enough to switch to a different one based on the situa-
  tion. It always targets the nearest opponent for offensive attacks 
  or its user for defensive or beneficial ones. As a half action, its 
  user can set it to target a specific person or location. It continues 
  to target that person until instructed otherwise.
  INTELLIGENCE 6–9
  The Independent Intelligence can make use of any of the pow-
  ers or abilities built into it. It has a video display allowing it to 
  communicate with its user via text messages. The Independent 
  Intelligence can print up to 50 words at a time on this display as 
  a free action, but its user must spend a half action to read it. This 
  intelligence always attacks the nearest enemy or uses beneficial 
  abilities on its owner or the nearest ally. Its user can spend a half 
  action to give it a general description of a target that consists of 
  no more than 10 words. Examples include “Shoot anyone entering 
  the door” or “Heal any of my friends that Dr. Inferno shoots.” The 
  Independent Intelligence attempts to fulfill this order to the best 
  of its ability, but it lacks the flexibility to stray from the plan.
  INTELLIGENCE 10+
  The device is capable of speaking, and this level comes with a 
  voice system and audio sensors. It acts as an NPC under the 
  GM’s control. While it flawlessly obeys its user, it develops a dis-
  tinct personality and may even argue with its user at times. The 
  Independent Intelligence has full control over all of its abilities 
  and can use them in a creative manner just as a human could.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Feat: Due to its advanced programming or intelligence, the 
  Independent Intelligence gains a feat.
  EXTRAS
  • Independent Aim: This extra allows the Independent 
  Intelligence to alter its aim without the aid of its user. For exam-
  ple, a gun could deploy a tripod and rotate to fire. The gadget 
  cannot move, but it can turn and point in any direction within 
  its current space.
  • Mobility: The device is capable of independent movement. Its 
  speed is 10 ft. and it counts as walking. It cannot run. Any addi-
  tional movement abilities are available only to constructs.
  • Powers: An Independent Intelligence can purchase ranks in 
  Super-Intelligence and Super-Wisdom as an extra, but only if the 
  corresponding non-super score is 10 or higher. Otherwise, it is 
  too simple to handle such abilities.
  DEVICE SIZE
  The gadget creation rules draw on the power point cost of super 
  powers and other abilities. Thus, they carry the implicit assump-
  tion that gadgets are meant to be portable and easy to use for a 
  human-sized creature. In some cases, though, a larger or smaller 
  gadget presents a better fit for the device you have in mind. 
  Doctor Chronos might travel through time using a gateway into 
  the time stream. His palm-sized tracking unit allows him to return 
  to his home time period, but it cannot create a new gateway to 
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
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  SECTION THREE
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  PAGE 23
  a different era. The Legion of Ten 
  could have a computer the size of 
  a small car in their interrogation 
  chamber that uses the Telepathy 
  power to tear trade secrets from 
  the minds of kidnapped busi-
  ness and government leaders. 
  Obviously, these two devices 
  lack the flexibility of a device 
  that can be carried around 
  and used to full effect any-
  where...or anywhen. The device 
  size rules allow you to scale a 
  gadget from a tiny machine 
  all the way up to a house-sized 
  supercomputer.
  A device’s size works like a flaw 
  or extra, though it can reduce 
  or increase the cost of the 
  device by more than 1 point 
  per rank. Table 2–5: Gadget 
  Size and Cost summarizes 
  the point costs and weight 
  of the various gadget sizes. 
  In addition, the device gains 
  the standard size modifier 
  to defense and attacks, if 
  applicable.
  Note these modifiers and 
  rules apply only to gadgets meant to be carried or used by an 
  operator. They do not apply to self-propelled or mobile devices, 
  such as vehicles or constructs. A big, immobile gadget is harder 
  to use, thus the discount. You cannot gain these benefits if the 
  character’s or device’s abilities remove the drawbacks of its size. 
  For example, a character with the Shrinking power with the Range 
  extra could simply turn a massive, ponderous device into a pocket-
  sized trinket. If a character adds movement abilities to a device 
  or otherwise finds a way around its size, remove the size penalty 
  from its cost. The PC must pay back these points via earned power 
  points before he can purchase other powers unless he abandons 
  the gadget or its size once again becomes a hindrance.
  TABLE 2–5: GADGET SIZE AND COST
  SIZE
  COST PER RANK
  Miniscule or Fine
  +2
  Diminutive or Tiny
  +1
  Small or Medium
  0
  Large or Huge
  –1
  Gargantuan or Colossal
  –2
  Awesome
  –3
  MINISCULE OR FINE
  Measuring less than a few cubic inches in size, this device is easy 
  to hide in a pocket or pouch. Only radically advanced technology 
  can produce devices of this size, and many cybernetic implants fall 
  into this category. A miniscule weapon can be mounted as 
  a ring, allowing a user to fire it while carrying some-
  thing else in his hand. Miniscule weapons are too 
  small to wield unless the user is Fine size or smaller. 
  You can conceal a Miniscule item on your person 
  by making a Hide check. Anyone attempt-
  ing to find the hidden item must 
  make a Search check with a DC 
  equal to the result of your Hide 
  check.
  A character could, in theory, 
  carry dozens of items this size. 
  They are small enough to fit 
  into belt pouches, bandoleers, 
  and other small containers.
  DIMINUTIVE OR TINY
  These items are roughly the size 
  of a small box. It includes pistols, 
  daggers, and other smaller weap-
  ons. They are difficult to conceal, 
  requiring a Hide check with a –4 
  penalty opposed by an investigator’s 
  Search check. These items are light and 
  easy to carry. With a backpack or simi-
  lar container, a single character could 
  carry up to a half-dozen of them.
  SMALL OR MEDIUM
  This size rating is the average category for 
  most weapons, including rifles, submachine guns, and swords. 
  Items in this range of sizes gain no special benefits or hindrances.
  LARGE OR HUGE
  These items are too large for a normal character to carry and use 
  with ease. Even a hero with Super-Strength finds them too bulky 
  to handle properly. A weapon might be difficult to balance, 
  while a device that scans for psychic activity must be set up on 
  a tripod and properly arranged for it to function. A sufficiently 
  strong character can carry and use these items, but they cause a 
  –8 penalty to all attacks and checks due to their unwieldy nature. 
  Apply this penalty only if a PC or NPC tries to use the item.
  GARGANTUAN OR COLOSSAL
  These items are the size of a large room or a small house. They 
  are impossible to use unless set down and properly arranged. 
  Supercomputers, incredibly advanced devices that stretch the era’s 
  technology to the limit, and vehicles fall into this category. It takes 
  2 – 8 hours to disassemble or set up an item of this size.
  AWESOME
  These monstrous devices range from world-shattering weapons 
  to starships or the most advanced, complex devices created with 
  everyday technology. An Awesome device cannot be moved and 
  used. It requires a minimum of 24 hours to set up or disassemble 
  for transport.
  KS
  
  SECTION THREE
  CHAPTER TWO: DESIGNING DEVICES & GADGETS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 24
  0.0024.01
  WEAPONS AND SIZE
  Most of the time, you can assume that a character uses a weapon 
  with a size equal to his own. For most heroes, their rifles, pis-
  tols, swords, and other armaments are Medium. In some cases, a 
  character might try to pick up and use a weapon designed for a 
  different-sized warrior. A character can use a weapon for a crea-
  ture one size category larger than him in two-hands, and one size 
  smaller without restriction. For each size category difference beyond 
  the first, the character suffers a –1 penalty to attacks. Remember a 
  character must be strong enough to lift the weapon. For example, a 
  Medium creature probably needs Super-Strength to pick up and use 
  a Gargantuan weapon. Keep in mind the penalty represents smaller 
  or larger handles and grips, kickback from ballistic weapons, and  
  factors other than weight.
  DEVICE FEATURES
  Device features are analogous to power stunts. They are minor 
  modifications to an item that increase its utility or improve its func-
  tion. Adding a feature to a device adds 1 point to the final cost of 
  the device. You can also add these features to any power with the 
  Device flaw.
  • Durable: Crafted from superior materials and built to withstand 
  punishment, this device increases its hardness rating by 2.
  • Easily Repaired: The device features a design that makes it 
  easy to fix. You gain +5 bonus to all Repair or other checks made 
  to mend any damage dealt to it.
  • Instant Deployment: The device springs into your hand with 
  the mere flick of your wrist or even a thought. You never have 
  to spend an action to ready it, such as if you are a construct 
  that hides it with the Storage Compartment feat, and gain a +2 
  bonus to Initiative if you activate the device on your first action 
  of an encounter.
  • Security System: This device requires an access code or a spo-
  ken password. Perhaps it analyzes its user’s DNA. In any case, it 
  fails to work for anyone other than an authorized user. Defeating 
  these security measures requires a Disable Device check with a 
  DC equal to 10 + the Device's highest-ranked power.
  DEVICE POWER STUNTS
  • Power Surge: An emergency overload function built into this 
  device allows it to deliver a single, massive burst of energy. 
  Activating this extra requires a half action. Until your next 
  action, it gains a +2 bonus to the ranks of all its features except 
  hardness. After this time, it automatically shuts down for 5 
  rounds due to the strain on its systems.
  DEVICE EXTRAS
  Device extras can only be added to powers with the Device flaw. 
  They represent modifications that make a power more useful in 
  proportion to its ranks. For example, an attack that can target an 
  area of effect allows the user to damage more than a single tar-
  get. Thus, allowing it to cover an area should make the power 
  more expensive based on its ranks. Device extras 
  apply the same increase in cost (+1 power point 
  per rank) as normal extras.
  • Disguised: The device is particularly hard 
  to notice as a dangerous or useful item with 
  the naked eye or more advanced means. It is 
  designed to resemble an innocent trinket or 
  something equally unobvious, or perhaps spe-
  cial alloys or materials used in its construction 
  foil metal detectors and other tools. Anyone 
  attempting to determine the device’s true pur-
  pose must make a Search check (DC 10 + the 
  device’s ranks). If a power or device with sen-
  sory abilities scans it, it remains concealed by 
  its disguise unless the searcher makes a power 
  check (DC 10 + the device’s ranks).
  • Light: Slim, compact, and easy to carry, you 
  can fight with this device in your off-hand with 
  relative ease. Reduce the attack penalty for 
  your primary and off-hand weapon by 1 when 
  you wield this device in your off hand.
  • Repair Systems: The device incorporates 
  sub-systems allowing it to repair itself. A suit 
  of armor might might shift damaged plates to 
  plug gaps, while a gun can be set to clean out 
  its inner workings. The device grants its user 1 
  rank in Repair for each rank of this extra, so a
  AA
  
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    battlesuit with Armor +10 and this extra would get Repair +10. 
  These ranks can only be used to fix the device and they stack 
  with any Repair ranks the user already has.
  • Weapon: This device is heavy enough to be used as a weapon. 
  A wrench is a good example of this extra. While designed as a 
  tool, in a pinch it is usable as a club. The device functions as if 
  it had the Weapon power as a melee weapon with ranks equal 
  to the ranks in this extra.
  DEVICE FLAWS
  Due to mistakes in the design process, or an effort to cut costs 
  by using inferior materials, devices can sport a number of flaws 
  that hinder their use. The following flaws reduce a gadget’s cost 
  per rank.
  • Bulky: The device is heavier and larger than normal. Weapons 
  with this flaw require both hands to properly wield. Anyone 
  using one hand suffers a –2 penalty to hit. Before you can 
  use the device you must heft it into position, requiring you 
  to spend a half action to position it. If you do anything other 
  than move, use the device, or use a free action, you must 
  spend another half action to ready it.
  • Complex Operation: Activating this device requires more 
  effort than normal. You may have to prime a firing circuit or 
  input a complex series of instructions. Increase the action 
  needed to use it according to Table 2–6: Complex Operation. 
  You can select this flaw more than once. Each time you take it, 
  the action needed to use the item increases. You cannot apply 
  this flaw to powers that have an action of none or reaction.
  TABLE 2–6: COMPLEX OPERATION
  BASE ACTION
  MODIFIED ACTION
  Free
  Half
  Half
  Full
  Full
  1 minute
  1 minute
  10 minutes
  10 minutes
  1 hour
  1 hour
  2 hours
  2 hours
  4 hours
  time in hours
  double time in hours
  • Debilitating Failure: Due to its poor construction or shoddy, 
  incomplete design, this device frequently malfunctions, requir-
  ing repairs before it can function again. Each time you use 
  the device, it gains a malfunction point. You must roll a d20 
  before each use to check for a malfunction. If the result is less 
  than or equal to the device’s malfunction point total, it fails 
  to operate and loses all ranks in its powers and abilities and 
  all of those that are purchased as extras or power stunts. It 
  must be fixed using the repair rules (see Repairing Broken 
  or Damaged Devices on p. 35).
  As a rule of thumb, a device gains a malfunction point each 
  time you activate it or gain the benefits of any of its powers. A 
  suit of armor would gain a point each time its users sustains a 
  successful attack, as its Armor power would come into play.
  • Fragile: This device is made of very delicate parts or was 
  designed for use in a controlled, clean environment such as a 
  research lab. When deployed in the field, it develops frequent 
  breakdowns and other problems as it is jostled, dust clogs its 
  intakes, water vapor condenses inside its housing, or warm or 
  cool temperatures disrupt its electronics. For every hour the 
  device is outside, it suffers a –1 penalty to all of its powers’ 
  ranks and all of those that are purchased as extras or power 
  stunts. You can carry the device in a sealed case to protect 
  it, but you must spend a full action to open this case and 
  prepare the gadget. If you return it to its case after an hour 
  passes, it still suffers the –1 penalty.
  • Inaccurate: This flaw is suitable only for weapons. The device 
  is unwieldy in combat. You suffer a –1 penalty to hit with it, as 
  it is poorly balanced or has a flawed targeting system.
  • Power Fluctuation: Due to a faulty connection with its 
  energy source, this device operates at a limited strength level. 
  Each time you use this device, roll 1d20. On a result of 10 
  or less, the device loses 2 ranks from its abilities until your 
  next action. Note that this flaw is appropriate only for devices 
  requiring some form of power.
  • Unreliable: This device properly functions only part of the 
  time. Due to shorts in its wiring, jams, or other minor, tem-
  porary malfunctions, it fails to activate when used on a d20 
  roll of 5 or less. Make this check each time you attempt to 
  activate the device.
  CHARACTERS AND GADGETS DESIGN
  Characters can only design and use new gadgets if they have 
  free power points to spend on one. Otherwise, a hero or villain 
  should use the invention powers given in Chapter One.
  If a character has the spare power points needed to create a 
  device, she should be allowed to gain it without any additional 
  requirements or excessive hurdles. If you are a player, you should 
  take care to ensure the devices you create make sense within the 
  context of the game. If your hero is a club-swinging, strong but 
  dim caveman, it would be a bit silly for him to invent a giant 
  death laser.
  For GMs, try to remain flexible when dealing with the players’ 
  requests for new gadgets. Part of the fun in any roleplaying 
  game is that a player can create and run the character she wants 
  to portray. If you find yourself saying no too often, the players 
  might lose enthusiasm for the game. Try to compromise. If you 
  don’t want to use a power in the game, make it clear to the play-
  ers why you feel that way. Perhaps you can allow a device on 
  a probationary basis. If the device works out fine, then there’s 
  no harm done. If it proves troublesome, the device might break 
  down, malfunction, or otherwise drop out of the game. In this 
  case, if you are clear with the players from the beginning they 
  are likely to be much more understanding of why certain things 
  don’t work in the game you want to run.
  
  SECTION FOUR
  CHAPTER THREE: TECHNOLOGY AND THE CAMPAIGN 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 26
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  A
  dding gadgets and high tech devices to your campaign can 
  range from as simple as assigning the Device flaw to a power, 
  or as complex as creating an entire range of spaceships, 
  armored mecha, and planet-busting energy weapons as the latest 
  in military hardware. This chapter gives you guidelines for grant-
  ing heroes access to devices. It takes a closer look at tech levels, a 
  concept introduced in Chapter Two, and provides some example 
  levels you can use to create different campaigns. In addition, this 
  chapter provides a variety of rules to cover devices in combat, 
  damage to high tech gear, repairing gadgets, and other important 
  information for gadget-users.
  CHARACTERS AND DEVICES
  Sooner or later in your campaign, a character may try to claim a 
  device from a defeated villain or grab a weapon from an uncon-
  scious thug. In most cases, a character can use a device for a short 
  period of time without causing any problems. However, over the 
  long term, the presence of freely available technology can start to 
  unbalance the game. Imagine a battlesuit character who invests 
  all his points in his devices. Now, compare him to a psychic who 
  grabs a suit of powered armor from a defeated villain and adopts 
  it as his own. The psychic gains the battlesuit’s powers while still 
  retaining his own. It might be realistic for the characters to loot 
  their enemies, especially if the players have experience with heroic 
  fantasy roleplaying games and their emphasis on gathering trea-
  sure. However, comic book heroes rarely, if ever, take and keep 
  their enemies’ technology unless it’s to study it. In addition, a 
  character who grabs a device in essence gains additional power 
  points for free. The level system is meant to ensure a level play-
  ing field for all of the characters. Efforts to get around the limits 
  it places on character power can leave the entire group in one 
  mighty hero’s dust.
  The level system also helps you design threats that pose a good 
  challenge to the PCs. Thus, if one character is significantly stron-
  ger than the rest you might have to create opponents specifically 
  for that mightier hero. This further exacerbates the divide between 
  a character who scavenges devices and one who refuses to.
  With some gaming groups, this poses little to no problem. If you 
  feel the players are still having fun, then you can let them go ahead 
  and do as they wish. Track the hero points a character gains for car-
  rying around tech and design your villains with the PCs’ artificially 
  inflated level in mind. On the other hand, many gaming groups 
  CHAPTER THREE: 
  TECHNOLOGY AND THE CAMPAIGN
  RP
  
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  might become unhappy as one PC outdistances the rest. In that 
  case, you need to consider how the characters can use technologi-
  cal devices and what steps you need to control them.
  FAIR PLAY
  The easiest way to keep devices from getting out of hand is to talk 
  about the issue with your players. If you explain how the rules can 
  go out of whack if they grab devices from villains and use them in 
  every encounter, the reasonable player should be willing to avoid 
  such actions. Point out that characters in comics rarely do so, but 
  be sure to make it clear that using a device for an encounter or 
  two might be appropriate. If a character picks up a laser gun or a 
  suit of armor, never be afraid to take the player aside and explain 
  that he needs to pay power points to hold on to it permanently. 
  You might find the players grow a little gun shy about picking up 
  items, but if you clearly communicate with them your entire group 
  can find a comfort zone. As a rule of thumb, a character should 
  stop using a device after one or two scenes. After that point, it 
  might start to have an effect on the game.
  It’s worth noting that many issues in a gaming group can be 
  resolved by discussion. Remember, everyone plays a roleplaying 
  game to have fun. Mutants & Masterminds shouldn’t be a game 
  where the GM watches the players have fun, or one in which the 
  GM tells a story while the players sit back and listen. Everyone has 
  an equal stake in making the game enjoyable, making open, honest 
  discussion about how the rules work the first step towards making 
  the game work for everyone. If you talk over the issues and the play-
  ers find that artificially limiting their ability to pick up devices rubs 
  them the wrong way, then you can talk over other solutions.
  DESIGN
  If you find the players want to loot technology from their enemies, 
  the simplest way to keep it out of their hands is to avoid giving it 
  to the villains and thugs you design. Alternatively, you can stick 
  to weaker, less effective devices that have less of an impact on the 
  game. Unfortunately, that has the drawback of making it difficult 
  for you to design devices that can pose a threat to the heroes. 
  The Cybertech tech template provides a convenient solution in 
  this case, as such devices are impossible to simply extract from 
  an opponent and use as weapons. In addition, heroic characters 
  might face ethical questions about ripping open an unconscious 
  foe’s body to grab the bionic implants installed within him.
  KEEP AWAY
  If the characters simply cannot use the devices they find, you 
  neatly remove their ability to scavenge. Some of the device extras 
  and features, such as Security Systems, make it more difficult for 
  someone to simply pick up and use a device. You can also rule 
  that when the characters defeated a villain or thug, they inadver-
  tently damaged or destroyed the devices their opponents carried. 
  Weapons can run out of ammo, powered armor might drain its 
  batteries, and any item might need extensive repairs after the 
  heroes are done with knocking around its previous owner.
  BALANCING DEVICES
  If neither of the previous solutions appeal to you, or if you want to 
  make technology and devices an important part of the campaign, 
  you can use the following rules to draw limits on the devices char-
  acters can pick up and use without penalty. In some settings, it 
  makes sense for the heroes to make use of devices. In a game set 
  in World War II, the heroes might be part of a special army unit. 
  They could all be issued rifles, pistols, grenades, and flak jackets 
  to supplement their powers. After all, if the average GI has access 
  to such gear then important, superheroes can surely be afforded 
  the same consideration. In a science fiction campaign, space 
  suits, laser pistols, and advanced armor might be typical pieces 
  of equipment.
  Instead of simply restricting devices or forcing the characters to 
  pay the appropriate power point cost for everything they find, you 
  can establish limits and guidelines on the power, type, and point 
  cost of devices that the characters can carry. In a PL 15 game, a 
  laser pistol that has 5 ranks of Energy Blast is far from a game 
  breaking item. It might prove useful against thugs and mooks, 
  but against powerful villains it’s a poor second choice to a hero’s 
  powers. In addition, a hero has only so many actions in a combat 
  round, so a character is usually better off using his powers rather 
  than a weaker gadget. It’s only when gadgets approach the aver-
  age character’s powers in terms of usefulness that your game can 
  develop problems.
  The following rules, as well as Table 3–1: Gadget Limits and 
  Power Level, give you guidelines for judging which gadgets are 
  appropriate for the characters to carry and use without having 
  to pay points for them. Based on a character’s power level, some 
  devices are simply too weak to have a major impact on the game.
  TABLE 3–1: GADGET LIMITS AND POWER LEVEL
  PL
  MAXIMUM GADGET RANKS
  MAXIMUM GADGET COST 
  (WITHOUT FLAWS)
  1
  –
  0
  2
  –
  0
  3
  –
  0
  4
  1
  8
  5
  1
  10
  6
  2
  12
  7
  2
  14
  8
  3
  16
  9
  4
  18
  10
  5
  20
  11
  6
  22
  12
  7
  24
  13
  8
  26
  14
  9
  28
  15
  10
  30
  16
  11
  32
  17
  12
  34
  18
  13
  36
  19
  14
  38
  20
  15
  40
  
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  By limiting the ranks a gadget can have in a power, you can pre-
  vent them from overshadowing the heroes’ and villains’ powers. 
  Weapon gadgets have only a minor effect on combat, as they 
  can only injure characters who have a bare minimum of defen-
  sive powers or a poor Damage save. The cap on a gadget’s cost 
  makes it more likely a character has to carry around mul-
  tiple gadgets to cover different needs. A single, super 
  gadget, even one with relatively low ranks, could 
  in theory include almost any power. In addition, 
  some powers, such as Super-Speed, must be kept 
  at a level below the maximum ranks, as they grant 
  multiple effects or are useful in a wide number 
  of situations.
  When using these rules, ignore a 
  device’s flaws when determining if 
  it fits beneath the maximum cost. It 
  is relatively easy to build multiple 
  gadgets, each with the same power 
  but different flaws, to gain access 
  to powerful abilities in most situ-
  ations.
  Remember these rules are 
  merely guidelines you can 
  use to judge if a gadget is 
  weak enough to have only a 
  minor or negligible effect on 
  your game. These rules do 
  not give the players carte 
  blanche to carry as many 
  gadgets as possible. As a 
  rule of thumb, a charac-
  ter can carry two or three 
  gadgets that fit within 
  this profile without any 
  problem.
  Of all the devices charac-
  ters are apt to carry under 
  these rules, armor and weap-
  ons are the most useful. Before 
  instituting these rules, consider 
  the effect this would have on your game. Even 
  without flaws counted towards their total cost, these devices can 
  max out their available ranks under these rules. You can usually 
  assume characters will have the maximum listed ranks in armor 
  and weapons, either ranged or close combat, if you allow full 
  use of these rules. Keep in mind the advice about talking to your 
  players about these matters. As long as you do not abuse these 
  rules and assign every last random street punk the maximum 
  allowed gadgets, then the players might not feel any pressure to 
  outfit their heroes. Also, keep in mind these rules are best used 
  in settings where high tech devices and military hardware are 
  fairly common. They are a poor fit for a modern-day-comics game 
  or one set in an earlier era. On the other hand, science fiction or 
  war-time settings are ideally suited to them.
  When using these rules with NPCs, keep in mind these guide-
  lines are a relative measure. The PL 10 heroes might use the 
  level 10 caps on ranks and point cost, but a 3rd-level thug 
  should use the ones listed for his level. Use the thug’s allot-
  ment of points to buy his weapons, armor, and other gadgets. 
  Otherwise, you risk making weaker enemies too powerful. By 
  the same token, higher level opponents should never 
  have free access to devices above the charac-
  ters’ level. If the heroes are power level 10, 
  a 12th-level villain should use the 10th-level 
  limits on device ranks and point cost. If you 
  allow the villain to use higher level tech, he 
  could become too powerful for the characters to 
  handle. As an additional guideline, you can rule 
  certain powers are simply too useful for even low-
  level gadgets to use them. 
  The following powers are best suited 
  for minor gadgets. This list offers 
  some good guidelines, so think 
  carefully about placing other 
  powers on it. The allowable 
  powers are Blending, Combat 
  Sense, Comprehend, Datalink, 
  Deflection, 
  Energy 
  Blast/
  Weapon, Force Field, Healing, 
  Obscure, Protection/Armor, 
  Running, 
  Strike/Weapon, 
  Super-Senses, Swimming, 
  and Telescopic Sense.
  If you use a tech level 
  to simulate the effects 
  of your setting’s scientific 
  development on the cost of 
  powers and gadgets, you 
  can apply any discounts 
  or cost increases before 
  checking to see if a gad-
  get violates the maximum 
  cost. This is the only case 
  in which a flaw or other cost 
  reduction applies to the gadget’s 
  cost when determining if it is too powerful for a character to 
  carry without paying points for it.
  TROUBLESHOOTING TECHNOLOGY
  In both real life and in your Mutants & Masterminds game, tech-
  nology can cause as many problems as it solves. This section 
  looks at the common types of technology and offers advice on 
  how to keep it from overrunning your game. Most of this advice 
  applies if your game’s tech levels draw close to the characters’ 
  power level. In that case, common thugs, cops, and other NPCs 
  might carry weapons and armor that are a match for the heroes’ 
  talents.
  JK
  
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  ADVANCED ARMOR
  In a game with a lot of high-tech armor, some characters might be 
  relegated to the sidelines during combat. If the average thug or 
  robot has Protection or Armor with enough ranks to stop a char-
  acter’s attacks, then that character has little chance to deal an 
  effective attack in combat. There are a few ways to work around 
  this drawback. The character could use extra effort to gain a +2 
  bonus to a power’s ranks (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 105), 
  or you could make high tech weapons available to the characters. 
  However, the first solution can quickly drain a character’s hero 
  points or leave her fatigued for most of an adventure. The second 
  solution may make the players feel odd that their characters have 
  to act like walking arsenals to handle the villains. After all, comic 
  book heroes don’t normally tote guns unless that’s part of their 
  concept. On the other hand, it isn’t fair to essentially force the 
  players to invest points in powers like Energy Blast. There are a 
  few ways you can avoid this problem.
  First of all, keep in mind the relative tech level and power level 
  of your game. If the characters’ power level is five or fewer levels 
  greater than the Armor tech level, there’s a good chance that 
  some of the heroes simply can’t blast through their enemies’ 
  protection. Unless your campaign emphasizes the use of technol-
  ogy and weapons alongside super powers, be sure to keep your 
  game’s Armor tech level relatively low. By the same token, the 
  average thug probably carries a weapon that can seriously hurt 
  a character. Remember, the Armor tech level is usually a point or 
  two behind the Weapon tech level. More about tech levels will 
  be explained later in this chapter.
  ADVANCED WEAPONS
  In a high technology campaign, the characters might regularly 
  face thugs and minions whose equipment packs a tremendous 
  wallop. Not every hero has powers such as Protection or a good 
  Damage save. Subjecting these characters to volleys of heavy 
  laser fire in every fight might force the players to load up on 
  protective abilities regardless of their ideas for superheroes. In 
  some campaigns, this makes sense, but in others it can become 
  a hassle.
  Remember that the tech level rules are balanced so the most 
  common armor types are roughly equivalent to the available 
  guns, melee weapons, and other equipment. While the armor 
  only rarely outmatches its corresponding armaments, it usually 
  helps keep characters going. In a futuristic setting, it makes 
  sense that heroes would don reflective armor or powersuits in 
  hazardous situations.
  You can also provide encounter areas that have plenty of cover. 
  Characters who have less of a combat focus can dive behind 
  walls or slip away from a fight, perhaps using their powers from 
  a distance or sneaking up on their opponents to take them down 
  before they can take a shot.
  Keep in mind that a hero with a lot of protective powers would 
  tend to draw more fire than his teammates. A thug with a gun 
  is far more likely to take a shot at the guy built like a tank than 
  at the scrawny person next to him. When running an encounter, 
  play to the characters’ strengths.
  OTHER ABILITIES
  The key to preventing other common, high tech items from over-
  shadowing the characters’ abilities lies in the revised pricing for 
  powers under each tech level. Keep in mind these changes are 
  meant to prevent these problems. You might choose Super Speed 
  as a power that high tech can reproduce. If a player spends the 
  power points to maximize his characters’ ranks in Super Speed, 
  he has invested a sizeable portion of his talents in an ability 
  that others can duplicate with a common piece of machinery. 
  Reducing the cost for Super Speed opens up other options for 
  a character who takes it. He might have maximum ranks in that 
  power, but he still has power points to spend on other abilities. 
  When he goes against thugs and low-ranking villains who use 
  technology to duplicate that power, he has other powers, feats, 
  and talents that allow him to stand out. Remember to show the 
  players the affect a tech level has on the cost of powers.
  TECH LEVELS AND SETTING DESIGN
  The basics of tech levels are covered in Chapter Two (see pages 
  20–21). While that section included all the rule information you 
  needed to reference when creating a gadget, this section looks at 
  the thought and design that you need to put into crafting a tech 
  level for your campaign. It provides some basic guidelines on how 
  to offer discounts on powers and which abilities you should target 
  for cost modifications in order to model far-future technology.
  Creating a tech level is more involved than simply modifying a 
  power’s cost. You need to consider the feel and tone of your set-
  ting, and also consider the types of devices you want to make 
  common. If you aren’t careful, you might unwittingly make it easy 
  for the characters to overpower the villains. On the other hand, 
  you want to make sure that the tech level has a real, tangible 
  effect on your game. If you want armored mecha to be a common 
  piece of military hardware, you need to make sure you design it 
  and send it against the characters often enough for that aspect of 
  your setting to shine through.
  Creating a tech level involves two steps. First, you must decide 
  what sorts of technology are common in your campaign. Focus on 
  devices that are beyond the modern day level of development. At 
  this point, don’t worry about powers and other rules effects. That 
  step comes later, after you’ve identified the key components of 
  the tech level.
  To help get you started, think about a few common areas of life 
  in the setting you want to design. What types of technology are 
  a part of everyday life? Think about what kind of vehicle the aver-
  age person drives and the level of technology available on the 
  open market. The military is a useful guide, as weapons, armor 
  systems, and similar devices are likely to play an important role 
  in a superhero game. Usually, the army has hardware that is at or 
  near the cutting edge for “normal” technology, devices that are 
  
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  advanced for their time but not necessarily on par with super-sci-
  ence or the sorts of devices that villains are likely to sport.
  In addition to thinking about common technology and military 
  weapons, take time to consider the technology that plays an 
  important role in how you describe the setting. If you expect 
  every hero to have a few similar, basic powers, a tech level can 
  help encourage players to take those abilities. In a game where 
  superheroes do battle against a backdrop of a world where giant 
  monsters from outer space battle armored robots, advanced 
  lasers and robots might not be available to average people or 
  the military, but they are common amongst superheroes and their 
  enemies. In this case, the tech level reflects the common traits of 
  heroes and villains but doesn’t extend to the average person’s life. 
  This situation could still call for a tech level to help emphasize the 
  nature of your game.
  Once you’ve thought over your setting’s level of technology, you 
  should make a list of the key types of devices that are common 
  or are a key part of defining the campaign. Try to design each of 
  them using the system in Chapter Two, paying particularly close 
  attention to the powers and abilities that form the foundation 
  for their abilities. Once you’re done, you should have a reason-
  ably clear list of the powers that could gain a discount via a tech 
  template. At this point, you don’t need to completely finish your 
  designs. Just look through the powers and options and pick ones 
  that are appropriate.
  CHOOSING A DISCOUNT
  As a rule of thumb, a –1 discount to a power’s base cost per rank 
  is usually enough to make it an attractive option. This discount 
  applies after adding extras and flaws to an ability, allowing 
  you to use it with powers with a base cost of 1 point per rank. 
  Otherwise, these abilities would cost the same regardless of the 
  setting. If you want to apply a –2 or –3 discount per rank, you 
  should strongly encourage the players to take the powers you 
  chose to make cheaper.
  Tech levels pose a potential problem in that characters who do 
  not have the discounted powers are at a minor to severe disad-
  vantage. A –1 modifier keeps things reasonable while still making 
  the power a more attractive option. The discount might free up 
  enough points to improve another power, purchase a few feats, 
  or grant a bonus to base attack or abilities. A character who lacks 
  the discounted power has only a minor disadvantage compared 
  to characters of the same level who take the cheaper power. At 
  most, a character can gain a discount equal to his power level. An 
  interesting side effect of tech levels is that this gap increases with 
  power level. Thus, you might want to consider avoiding tech lev-
  els for high-powered games. Mighty characters have less need for 
  technology, as only the most powerful devices have any chance of 
  affecting them.
  A discount of –2 or –3 exacerbates the gap between characters 
  with the discounted powers and those without them. At PL 10, 
  the discount could amount to one or two levels worth of bonus 
  points to characters who select discounted powers. Remember, 
  unless every character in the game takes these powers, you might 
  drive a large gap between the heroes and villains who fit the tech 
  level and those who do not.
  Keep in mind that the tech level discount applies when creating 
  devices and when designing a power. A player might not envision 
  the discounted abilities as part of his hero’s talents, but he can still 
  take them as devices. In a militaristic, science fiction campaign a 
  character with many psionic abilities might take advantage of the 
  tech level discount by carrying a powerful energy pistol and wear-
  ing a suit of advanced power armor. This approach allows a player 
  to design the hero he wants while outfitting him in a manner that 
  makes sense for the campaign. Players who want to make Armor 
  or Energy Blast a key part of their heroes’ abilities can add free 
  extras and other abilities to their repertoire.
  In summary, tech levels are useful tools to represent the effects of 
  technology on super-heroic powers. However, you need to carefully 
  consider their impact while designing and implementing them. 
  Altering the cost of powers serves to fundamentally alter the basic 
  foundation of Mutants & Masterminds. Be sure to consider the 
  advice given here before you add them to your campaign. A tech 
  level is not a tool to be casually tossed into a setting.
  TECH LEVEL QUALIFIERS
  When creating a tech level, you can add qualifiers to the discount 
  to help refine your vision of how your setting works. A qualifier 
  TP
  
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  allows you to attach the discount to specific extras, flaws, and 
  other features of a power. This method is a handy way to use 
  tech levels with powerful abilities, such as Time Control, without 
  turning your campaign upside down. Flaws and extras help make 
  a power’s role in the setting clearer. They also allow you to add 
  additional drawbacks into the technology available to the char-
  acters. For example, energy weapons might be common, but they 
  are notoriously unreliable.
  You can also put caps on the power ranks that qualify for the tech 
  level modifier. This allows you to introduce relatively weak super 
  powers as common in the game, but the most powerful versions 
  are still the purview of heroes and mighty villains.
  TECH LEVELS WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY
  For some campaigns, tech levels can simulate the inherent abili-
  ties and talents of an alien race. You might set a game on an alien 
  planet where everyone has minor Telepathy and Postcognition 
  abilities. These talents are natural, inherent abilities, perhaps 
  reflecting a species’ highly developed psionic potential. In this 
  case, you can assign modifiers to any power, not just those that 
  are commonly used with gadgets or those that have the Device 
  flaw.
  BALANCING TECH LEVELS
  One of the key issues to keep in mind is that tech levels could 
  potentially cause imbalance between different characters in 
  your game. If you want to run a game where blasters and power 
  armor are common, the player who takes Armor and Energy Blast 
  has a higher net total of points to spend than one who chooses 
  Super-Speed and Precognition. If a character has multiple pow-
  ers that receive discounts, the gap widens.
  In some games, and for some groups, this isn’t a problem. Your 
  players might be comfortable with this discrepancy, or you might 
  run you game so that the affected powers play only a minor 
  role in adventures. Other times, it can become a problem. The 
  characters with discounted abilities steal the limelight time and 
  again, particularly if they take a variety of powers that make it 
  hard for other heroes to stand out. In a setting where advanced 
  technology is ubiquitous, you might expect the players to spend 
  points on specific powers or gadgets, such as armor and weap-
  ons. They might not be happy with such dictates on how they 
  must spend their points.
  If the tech level becomes an issue in your game, you can solve 
  it in a number of ways. First, always remember you should talk 
  to the players about any problems in an open manner. Don’t be 
  afraid to just come out and say what’s on your mind. You might 
  need to be diplomatic, especially if you don’t want to appear 
  to blame the players who took advantage of the tech level you 
  designed.
  If you are in the middle of an existing game and want to fix an 
  ongoing problem, consider awarding the characters some bonus 
  power points to improve their heroes. Allow a character to add 
  a new power to let him stand out from the rest of the group, or 
  give him a bonus level to improve the abilities he already has. 
  Be careful when using this advice. The other players might think 
  you are playing favorites. Usually, it is best to have a player 
  spend the bonus points to pick up abilities that are discounted 
  by the tech level. You can also create a pool of points that exist 
  outside of a character’s total for purposes of determining his 
  level. For example, you might give a hero 10 points to buy a suit 
  of armor because every other villain, thug, and hero in the game 
  wears some sort of protection, and after four game sessions it 
  has become a problem. Rather than allow those points to bump 
  a PC’s level up, you can set them aside in a different pool, keep-
  ing the character’s level the same and balanced against the rest 
  of the group.
  At the start of a game, you can give the characters a basic set 
  of powers that they receive, or you can allow them to purchase 
  equipment with a pool of bonus points. These points could rep-
  resent an actual cash budget, such as a grant given to the PCs’ 
  super team to help fund their quest for justice and peace. As a 
  group, the players can design or select weapons, vehicles, and 
  armor from Chapter Four to fill out the characters’ arsenal.
  Another way you can ensure that tech levels remain under con-
  trol is to give each character a pool of points to spend on the 
  powers and abilities that receive discounts. In essence, you 
  ensure that the characters have one or more powers that play 
  a key role in the setting. For example, you might decide to com-
  bine supers with giant robots straight out of anime. In this case, 
  you might expect each character to be a super-powered robot 
  pilot. Each character might receive a set of points independent 
  of their power point total to construct their personal mecha. You 
  can add certain restrictions to this process, such as requiring the 
  machines to be at least a certain size or to feature specific flaws 
  or extras.
  In the same way, you can bring focus to a few powers without 
  forcing the players to spend their allotment of points by simply 
  granting them a set of powers at a rank of your choosing. This 
  might seem like a heavy handed approach, but it gets the job 
  done.
  As a final option, you can restrict the tech level benefits to 
  devices. As mentioned above, you can require that powers fea-
  ture certain flaws and extras in order to qualify for the tech level 
  modifiers. In this case, you can specify that while some types 
  of technology are cheaper and easier to use, superpowers still 
  remain the same. This option works best in games where you 
  expect the heroes to carry a fair amount of equipment with 
  them at all times.
  SAMPLE TECH LEVELS
  To give you some idea of how tech levels can work this section 
  presents two examples, each tied to a briefly described sample 
  setting. Remember that tech levels should reflect your game 
  world’s unique features and distinct flavor. They aren’t an excuse 
  to hand out discounts on powers, and you should only use them 
  if your game is sufficiently unique and different from the base-
  
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  line Mutants & Masterminds setting. In many cases, you can run 
  a game in a far future setting or an ancient world without any 
  alterations to the world. The keys to a tech level lie in how tech-
  nology should affect each character and what sorts of technology 
  should play a role in every game session. If there is some talent or 
  ability that you expect every character to have, then chances are a 
  tech level might help highlight its importance.
  Each sample tech level includes a description of a setting and a 
  summary of the powers it discounts. Note that these tech levels 
  use a variety of approaches, including many of the optional and 
  variant ones discussed above. These examples are built primarily 
  to show you how you can use tech levels, not simply as example 
  game settings that you can set up and run.
  TECH LEVEL: FAR FUTURE
  From laser pistols to starships, the common images of the future 
  form an amalgam that you may want to draw on when creating a 
  Mutants & Masterminds game. If superheroes can operate in the 
  modern day, there’s no reason to assume that their power sud-
  denly wanes as technology marches forward. Perhaps if heroes 
  and villains with Super-Intelligence and similar powers devel-
  oped technologies that allow for a great leap into the future, 
  mankind is then able to colonize the stars and meet a stagger-
  ing array of alien races. Personal force fields, powered armor, 
  and energy weapons replace firearms and bulletproof vests. In 
  this campaign, the advanced tech that you might expect to show 
  up in a hero or villain’s hand is everywhere. Many powers might 
  be replicated through common devices. Every household might 
  have a tool that uses the Telekinesis power to make it easy to 
  rearrange furniture, while personal gravity belts grant commut-
  ers a few ranks in Flight.
  The far future setting is the most flexible of the tech levels pre-
  sented here. You can easily modify it to match your particular 
  view of a science fiction supers game. The setting described here 
  conforms to the typical visions of the future from TV, movies, 
  and books. Rather than dwell on scientific accuracy, it highlights 
  flashy devices and catchy tech.
  The key to modeling this setting lies in looking at the powers 
  that are most likely to be commonly used as devices on a flex-
  ible, every day basis. Society might develop gravity machines, 
  but if they are rarely used outside of keeping passengers and 
  cargo stuck to a starship’s floor, they aren’t common enough to 
  demand a tech level modifier. Beam weapons and heavy armor, 
  on the other hand, might be as close as the nearest department 
  store.
  The far future setting assumes that interstellar travel is not 
  only possible, but common. The typical family’s vacation might 
  consist of a jaunt to a nearby star system. Moving around an 
  inhabited planet is relatively easy, thanks to supersonic mass 
  transit. Shuttle flights between planets in a system are as com-
  mon as airline flights today, perhaps more common. Aliens from 
  a dozen worlds mingle, while laser blasters, energy swords, and 
  plasma cannons are the weapons of choice.
  Each power that receives a discount based on the tech level is 
  listed below. In addition, each has a description that explains 
  why it receives a discount. This process is meant to show you 
  how and why you can use a tech level to sculpt your game’s 
  setting.
  • Armor: As weapons improve in efficiency, armor technology 
  always seems to lag slightly behind. In most far future set-
  tings, heavy body armor is restricted to elite troops or special 
  cadres. Thus, the Armor power does not normally receive a dis-
  count. Power armor and mecha are special cases that deserve 
  their own tech level.
  • Energy Blast: With the wide array of powerful energy weap-
  ons available to criminals, space pirates, soldiers, and even 
  civilians, the Energy Blast power loses some of its punch. The 
  ability to project energy is less impressive if every combat 
  capable person has an energy weapon. This ability receives a 
  –1 discount per rank.
  • Protection: While the Armor power might not be worthy 
  of a discount, Protection does qualify for one. Armor is not 
  common enough to make the power any cheaper, but it does 
  make the Protection power a bit less useful. This ability is easy 
  to gain by raiding a military compound or even purchasing a 
  high-end set of protective gear. Thus, it qualifies for a –1 dis-
  count per rank.
  • Space Flight: Starships and other craft capable of providing 
  a reliable way to travel between planetary systems make this 
  power less useful to heroes. As with Energy Blast, machines 
  that can duplicate this power are relatively common. It 
  receives a –1 discount per rank.
  • Other Powers: In crafting your setting, you might find that 
  other powers also qualify for a discount. If transporters and 
  similar devices that can beam a person to a distant location 
  are commonly used on spacecraft, then Teleportation loses 
  some of its utility. In essence, the –1 modifier per rank puts 
  a power at the same price as a device. A hero can take the 
  Device flaw to further reduce the cost, reflecting that a person 
  who can use a machine to replicate that power is not particu-
  larly noteworthy or powerful within the setting. The key lies in 
  remembering that tech levels should be used with powers that 
  are common and easy to gain access to, not simply ones that 
  technology can duplicate.
  Defensive powers all fill the same role in Mutants & Masterminds 
  campaigns. Because the mechanics vary slightly from power 
  to power, you may choose to reduce the cost of some or all 
  defensive powers. Armor may be very common in a setting and 
  because of that a GM may reduce the cost of Amazing Save 
  (Damage), Force Field, and whatever other powers appropriate 
  to the campaign.
  TECH LEVEL: MECHA
  A staple of anime and military science fiction, mecha includes 
  any human-piloted robots used as weapon systems. They can 
  range in height from slightly above a man’s head to towering war 
  
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  machines that stand alongside skyscrapers. In a mecha setting, 
  these machines are the most powerful military hardware avail-
  able. Their heavy armor, formidable array of weaponry, speed, and 
  agility combine to make them the ultimate war machines.
  In anime, mecha can range from a few, unique prototypes to mass-
  produced, armored fighting vehicles. In the former case, mecha 
  fills the same role as any other superhero. It might be an ultimate 
  weapon, but the armored suits and robots are too few in number 
  to represent a broadly based, fundamental change in how society 
  works. Civilian vehicles might resemble current designs, while the 
  armed forces still rely on tanks and infantry for most situations. 
  In this case, you’re best off designing mecha just like any other 
  construct superhero. Use the vehicle creation rules from Chapter 
  Four (p. 74) to create them. Unless you want to run a campaign 
  where the characters are all mecha pilots, a tech level is probably 
  inappropriate. A giant robot is just as remarkable as a superhero 
  soaring through the sky.
  If mecha are ubiquitous, your campaign takes on a different 
  feel. The police may respond to a call in mobile, armored suits 
  that can handle a modern day armored battalion. Construction 
  workers operate robots equipped with digging tools, plows, and 
  cranes. While designed for civilian use, these machines can pack 
  a wallop with their industrial equipment strong enough to punch 
  through tank armor. Advanced military hardware might make the 
  typical, mecha-equipped soldier the equivalent of a superhero. A 
  mecha’s great strength, tremendous firepower, and mobility make 
  it a match for many heroes. Super-Strength and Flight lose some 
  of their luster if any reasonably trained pilot can gain them via a 
  common piece of military hardware.
  In this type of game, the characters might be the most talented 
  mecha pilots on the planet or have some other powers or skills that 
  set them apart. Mecha use the rules for vehicles given in Chapter 
  Four (p. 74). The characters might have two different power levels, 
  one for their characters to reflect their training and another that 
  represents their mecha’s weaponry, armor, and other systems. In 
  this case, the PCs might all have superpowers that are directly use-
  ful for a mecha pilot. Abilities such as Energy Blast and Protection 
  are covered by their vehicles’ abilities while Super-Dexterity, 
  Combat Sense, Precognition, and similar abilities are possessed by 
  the heroes and make them stand out above others of their kind. 
  The characters’ mecha could be experimental prototypes or highly 
  advanced machines that allow them to stand out from the typical 
  military and industrial models. These machines should be at least 
  two or three power levels above the most common mecha, with 
  a five level gap a good medium between making the PCs’ robots 
  powerful without making them overwhelmingly so.
  In a mecha campaign, the characters’ enemies can range from 
  giant monsters sent to menace Earth by a conquering, galactic 
  empire, to heroic battles against a power-mad despot’s legion of 
  robotic soldiers. The characters could even be mundane police 
  AA
  
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  officers or other government agents who use their high tech 
  equipment to keep super villains and other threats under con-
  trol. Imagine a world in which supers are common or at least 
  exist in large enough numbers to prove difficult to keep track 
  of. In this case, the government may need to develop high tech 
  armor and weapons that can grant law enforcement the same 
  level of strength, firepower, and speed as the typical PL 10 hero 
  or villain.
  MECHA TECH LEVEL RULES
  Implementing a tech level for a mecha-based supers game can 
  follow a few different paths. This section summarizes one of 
  them. If you find that your game is significantly different from 
  the ideas given here, you might need to modify these guidelines 
  to fit your vision for the game.
  In this tech level, all of the heroes are mecha pilots. The char-
  acters each pilot a unique robot and use their super powers to 
  improve their piloting abilities. They might also have minor pow-
  ers allowing for adventures outside of their machines.
  When creating characters, the players build their characters and 
  mecha seperately. Use the vehicle creation rules from Chapter 
  Four (see p. 74) to create mecha. In addition, since everyone in 
  the campaign is expected to handle vehicles, you can give the 
  characters (power level) ranks in Drive and Pilot for free. This 
  allows players to develop the unique aspects of their characters 
  while still having some room to customize their vehicle skill ranks, 
  since the maximum rank is (power level +3) and they have the 
  option of taking the Skill Focus and Talented feats.
  The characters should be at least three or four levels below their 
  mecha. However, allow them to purchase skills and powers with 
  ranks up to their mecha’s level. In essence, the mecha serves as 
  a big pool of points that the characters use to purchase their 
  primary powers. If the characters can purchase their personal 
  abilities to the same level, you ensure that they are equally use-
  ful when handling action in and out of the cockpit. You might 
  want to place a limit on the powers that can be purchased 
  above the character’s level. As a rule of thumb, any ability that 
  can be used to directly injure an opponent should be limited to 
  the characters’, rather than the mecha’s, level.
  When creating NPCs and villains, use the same system as out-
  lined above. Keep in mind that you need to focus on increasing 
  the level of a villain’s mecha in order to keep battles balanced 
  and interesting. When designing scenes that take place while 
  the characters are outside of their mecha, use their PCs’ level 
  as a guide. Usually, combat serves as a better challenge while 
  the characters are in their machines. The characters’ can rely 
  on their mecha’s armor to protect them from attacks, and they 
  can probably sustain a few serious hits before risking defeat. 
  With the lower power levels for the characters, they are much 
  more fragile outside of their machines. Most players might avoid 
  powers such as Protection, Strike, and Energy Blast, since their 
  mecha duplicates them. Focus on roleplaying, character devel-
  opment, problem solving, and similar issues when the PCs are 
  separated from their mecha. A fight scene can serve to spice up 
  an adventure in that situation, but if you use too many of them 
  the players might feel a bit short changed. Most importantly, 
  be sure to change the scale of the battles when the characters 
  are in and out of their mechas. On their own they should face 
  adversaries that can challenge them without the abilities of 
  their mechas. While piloting their mecha you can really ramp up 
  the scale and give them some real knock-down, drag-out fights 
  worthy of increased power level.
  POWER COST MODIFICATION
  You can simply use the standard tech level guidelines to create the 
  same campaign. Since the players will have to spend the majority 
  of their points in their mecha’s abilities to have a viable role in the 
  campaign, you should use the following discounts to encourage 
  them to create appropriate PCs.
  POWER DISCOUNT
  The cost for a mecha has a –2 discount per rank. Apply this 
  modifier after deciding on its features and abilities. This heavy 
  reduction reflects the prime importance placed on mecha in this 
  style of game. Note that abilities and features that have a flat 
  cost, such as power stunts, gain no benefit from this modifier. 
  Note that in this case, individual powers receive no special dis-
  counts or modifiers. A character with Energy Blast or Telekinesis 
  can still fight against giant robots, and he can easily handle police 
  or industrial mecha providing that his power’s ranks are equal to 
  or above his opponent’s rating.
  ADDITIONAL RULES FOR GADGETS
  Using gadgets in your game is more involved than simply design-
  ing equipment and assigning it to the villains. Invariably, a 
  situation comes up that requires additional rules to cover devices. 
  A hero might try to smash a villain’s suit of power armor, or the 
  characters might need to repair a broken down vehicle or mend a 
  shattered time machine. The following rules cover a variety of situ-
  ations involving gadgets.
  ATTACKING DEVICES
  With death rays, powered armor, and gravity cannons unleashed 
  on your campaign, sooner or later one of the characters will try to 
  smash the villain’s super device. The Atomic Brain’s armor might 
  be too strong for Minotaur to punch through, so our resourceful 
  hero tears a few holes in the Brain’s defenses before sending him 
  to the ground with a mighty uppercut. These rules allow heroes 
  and villains to wreak havoc on technological items. They provide 
  some more details to the rules for attacking objects (see Mutants 
  & Masterminds, pages 138–139). Use those rules for objects that 
  lack ranks or powers. These rules apply to any gadget that has 
  ranks in any powers.
  Striking an object follows the standard Mutants & Masterminds 
  rules. High tech devices have a hardness either based on the 
  table from Mutants & Masterminds (see Table 8–11: Substance 
  Hardness on p. 139) or equal to the power rank of their best abil-
  
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  ity. As a rule of thumb, use the former option 
  when the device’s materials are obvious 
  based on its manufacture. Strange, alien, 
  or ultra-high tech devices should use the 
  latter option to reflect their advanced 
  manufacture.
  A device’s abilities degrade as they 
  take damage in much the same way an 
  attack reduces an object’s hardness. If 
  it fails a Damage save, reduce the ranks 
  of all its abilities and its hardness by 1. If 
  it fails this save by more than 5, reduce 
  the ranks of all its abilities and its hard-
  ness by 3. If it fails the save by more 
  than 10, reduce the ranks of all its abil-
  ities and its hardness by 5 and choose 
  a random ability, extra, or power stunt 
  it provides; it loses that ability. Any fea-
  tures reduced to +0 or less are rendered 
  inoperative.
  These rules make it more likely that a 
  gadget loses its effectiveness with a suc-
  cessful hit, but there is less of a chance 
  of destroying a device outright.
  REPAIRING BROKEN OR 
  DAMAGED DEVICES
  Repairing a device takes time and effort. Each 
  check takes one hour. Each successful Repair check restores +1 to 
  each ability and hardness or brings a destroyed capability, such as 
  an extra or power stunt, back on line. The player may choose which 
  ability is being repaired when making the skill check. A character 
  can repair a power with ranks by restoring its bonus to +1 or higher. 
  If the device is an ability that the character bought with power 
  points, he can make Repair checks to fix it using his ability’s origi-
  nal bonus as his Repair check ranks. If the character also has ranks 
  in Repair, add the two together. This reflects the hero or villain’s 
  intimate knowledge of the item. It also allows you to trash a hero’s 
  equipment without rendering him powerless until he can find a 
  skilled technician.
  JURY-RIGGING
  You can also attempt jury-rigged, or temporary, repairs. Doing this 
  reduces the DC by 5, and allows you to make the Repair check as 
  a full-round action.
  However, a jury-rigged repair can only fix a single problem, and 
  the repair only lasts until the end of the current encounter. The 
  jury-rigged item must be fully repaired thereafter, and cannot be 
  jury-rigged again until it is fully repaired.
  You can also make a Repair check to hot-wire a car or jump-start 
  an engine or electronic device. The DC for this is at least 15, and 
  can be higher depending on the presence of security devices.
  DEVICES AND EXTRA EFFORT
  You may or may not be able to use extra effort (Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 105) to improve the performance of your equip-
  ment. Trying real hard isn’t going to make your gun do more 
  damage or your car drive any faster. You can improve your own 
  ability to use the equipment, but not the equipment’s capabilities. 
  Some devices, on the other hand, like magical talismans or cosmic 
  weapons channeling willpower, do work in conjunction with extra 
  effort.
  When you acquire a device choose whether or not you can 
  enhance it normally with extra effort, depending on the type of 
  device it is. If you cannot, then you can use a Repair check in 
  place of extra effort to enhance the device’s powers. You can jury-
  rig your own device as a full-round action. The Difficulty Class 
  of the Repair check is 10 + the device’s power point cost, so it’s 
  easier to jury-rig simple, low-cost devices than it is more elaborate 
  and powerful devices.
  If the check is successful, you can apply the benefits of extra effort 
  to the device. The “extra effort” you squeeze out of the device 
  lasts for one use, just like normal extra effort. The device suffers 
  a level of “fatigue” after the extra effort unless you spend a Hero 
  Point to negate it. Three total levels of fatigue render the device 
  inoperative. One level of a device’s fatigue can be repaired with a 
  DC 10 Repair check taking an hour.
  JK
  
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  F
  rom robots towering above a city’s skyline to bombs the size 
  of your thumb, comics feature a staggering array of inven-
  tions, enchanted artifacts, and other gadgets. This chapter 
  uses material from the previous sections of this book to catalog 
  everything from guns and armor to starships and motorboats. 
  It breaks the gadgets down into several basic types, with each 
  type receiving optional rules, powers, features, and other mate-
  rial in addition to sample devices.
  This chapter is designed to provide you with the foundation for 
  creating devices for your game. The Mutants & Masterminds rules 
  are simple enough that creating devices is a relatively simple task. 
  For example, you can create almost any type of gun simply by 
  assigning ranks to the Energy Blast power and giving it the Device 
  flaw. Thus, this section provides more support for granting devices 
  new capabilities and features. Rather than provide a catalog of 
  devices, most of which would consist of a few powers, it provides 
  you with new extras, flaws, features, and even new powers for 
  heroes who specialize in the use of a single type of gadget.
  The final section of this chapter lists a wide variety of miscel-
  laneous devices. Use this section if you need a device to equip a 
  villain. The devices listed in the individual sections are created 
  with an towards providing you with ideas for adventures or to 
  give you a framework from which you can build your own inven-
  tions.
  • Arcane: This section expands on the options available to 
  magical devices. It includes new extras, flaws, and features. 
  (Begins on p. 37.)
  • Armor: This category covers everything that is designed to 
  protect its user. Armor might offer secondary abilities, such 
  as a suit of powered armor that enhances a wearer’s strength. 
  (Begins on p. 39.)
  • Biotech: Drawing on the concept of living technology, this 
  section presents new features, extras, and flaws for devices 
  made from biological material. (Begins on p. 44.)
  • Computers: Computer systems offer a wide range of util-
  ity to heroes. They can store and analyze data, while highly 
  advanced ones include artificial intelligences that can serve 
  as advisors and aides. This section includes complete rules for 
  using computers. (Begins on p. 45.)
  CHAPTER FOUR: 
  GADGETS AND GEAR
  RP
  
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  • Cybertech: Bionic devices, artificial organs, and similar 
  implants are a natural byproduct of advances in computer 
  and biotechnology. This section allows you customize cyber-
  netic characters with new features, extras, and flaws. (Begins 
  on p. 58.)
  • Robots: This category covers any sort of artificial being cre-
  ated via magic or high technology. It includes mecha, robots 
  driven by human pilots, along with golems, androids, and 
  other manufactured creatures. (Begins on p. 62.)
  • Spytech: Pen-sized microphones that can pickup conversa-
  tions from hundreds of feet away, scanners that can pick out 
  the guns hidden on an assassin, and similar information-gath-
  ering devices receive detailed rules in this section. (Begins on 
  p. 70.)
  • Vehicles: From tanks to skateboards, this section covers 
  any sort of device that transports its user. This section covers 
  expanded rules for everything from simple carts to starships. 
  (Begins on p. 74.)
  • Weapons, Melee: Clubs, axes, energy blades, and similar 
  weapons are given a complete set of expanded design rules 
  here, in addition to a new power that sword-wielding heroes 
  can use to reflect their talents. (Begins on p. 82.)
  • Weapons, Ranged: The bread and butter of many 
  super-heroic characters, this weapon category covers 
  everything from primitive crossbows to advanced sniper 
  rifles. If it’s designed to hurt people or wreck property at a 
   distance, you can design it with the rules given here. (Begins 
  on p. 85.)
  • Miscellaneous Devices: This section presents an array of 
  devices for every power listed in the Mutants & Masterminds 
  core rulebook. If you need a device to fill a specific need, you 
  can look here to find one. The devices have a per-rank cost 
  to make it easier to customize them, and are all classified by 
  their tech template. (Begins on p. 92.)
  ARCANE DEVICES
  The idea of an arcane device clashes with images of advanced 
  technology, cybernetic enhancements, and other products of the 
  modern age. Most of the time, we think of spells, charms, hexes, 
  and enchanted swords as relics of the past. Yet, in comics many 
  heroes use such powers to defeat the villain and save the day. 
  From Norse gods who operate as heroes to masters of the arcane 
  arts who use their knowledge to banish demonic monsters and 
  protect the innocent from the machinations of the greedy and 
  ambitious, magical talents and devices have a long history in 
  comics.
  This section presents new features, extras, and flaws that you 
  can use with arcane devices. While any device can qualify as a 
  magical item simply by adding colorful details and using powers 
  and features appropriate to an arcane gadget, these options are 
  given rules and background material to give a device a magical 
  feel.
  ARCANE FEATURES
  Spells and magic can provide for abilities that might appear 
  strange or nonsensical with a technological background. Use 
  these features to give a magical item a more distinctly arcane 
  feel or set of abilities.
  • Arcane Flame: With a simple command word or phrase issued 
  as a half action, this device sheds a bright, arcane glow. You 
  can illuminate an area with a radius of up to 60 feet, with 
  double the distance beyond gaining partial illumination that 
  grants one-quarter concealment. You can choose to diminish 
  this radiance to a less than 60-foot radius. Changing the area 
  it lights is a half action.
  • Slayer: Appropriate for weapons, this feature represents a 
  special blessing or enchantment laid upon an item to imbue 
  it with a baneful aura against a particular type of creature or 
  opponent. Pick a single class of creature or construct, such 
  as robots, mutants, or animals. Against that chosen foe, your 
  weapon gains a +2 bonus to hit and a +1 bonus to its damage 
  modifier. You can choose this feature multiple times, selecting 
  it for use against a different type of foe each time.
  • Spellbane: When used against a creature that has the Sorcery 
  power or the mystical power source, this item gains one of 
  the following benefits depending on its nature. It either gains 
  a +1 bonus to any damage modifier it has, a +2 bonus to 
  power or skill checks, or it gains an effective +1 bonus to its 
  power ranks. The first option is best for offensive items, such 
  as weapons, the second one works well with general utility 
  devices, while the final one is a good pick for defensive gad-
  gets. You can select this feature more than once, gaining a 
  different option from the list of three each time.
  ARCANE EXTRAS
  • Arcane Lock: Only one who is trained in the art of sorcery 
  can use this item. Anyone who lacks ranks in the Sorcery 
  power who attempts to use it must make a Fortitude save with 
  a DC equal to the item’s highest ranked power. On a failed 
  check, he suffers a Stun attack with a damage modifier equal 
  to 10 + the rank of the item’s highest-ranked power. This is 
  categorized as an extra, rather than a flaw, because it is useful 
  for sorcerous characters who do not want others to take their 
  items and use them against them. Your GM may opt to clas-
  sify this as a flaw if heroes with Sorcery are rare in his game.
  • Eternal: This device can never be fully destroyed. Over time, 
  it slow re-forms and once again gains the full range of its 
  power. If damaged, it automatically regains 1 rank in all dam-
  aged abilities per day. If it is destroyed, it fully repairs itself 
  after a month. It appears in its owner’s hands or, if the owner 
  is dead, manifests somewhere in which a worthy new bearer 
  might find it.
  • Spirit Bond: The magical aura that surrounds this device 
  allows it to attune to its user’s arcane signature. After you 
  have carried this device for a week, you become its formal 
  
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  owner. If you lose the device, it appears in your hands one 
  hour after it is taken from you. You can sense this device’s 
  relative distance and direction by concentrating and spending 
  a half action.
  ARCANE FLAWS
  • Arcane Signature: This device’s magical power has a par-
  ticularly noteworthy tone and aura. Whenever you activate 
  it, anyone within 10 miles per rank they have in the Sorcery 
  power may sense your presence. They may make power checks 
  with a DC equal to 20 – the item’s highest ranked power. On 
  a successful check, the sorcerer knows your exact location and 
  gains a vivid image of where you stand, your allies, and what 
  you are currently doing.
  • Corrupting Influence: This device was forged with the 
  essence of an evil spirit, such as a demon, devil, or similar 
  malevolent entity. While you carry it, you must fight the urge 
  to commit foul deeds, while heroic actions require far more 
  resolve than normal. While you use or carry this device, you 
  must spend double the normal amount of hero points when 
  attempting to use them. You gain the normal benefits, but go 
  through points twice as fast.
  • Cursed: Whether by a flaw in its creation or the grim echoes 
  of its past deeds, this device’s users have all met with ill ends. 
  In some cases, this flaw represents a strange flux in magical 
  energies that simply draws bad luck near the device. Other 
  times, it is possessed by evil spirits that actively seek to do 
  harm against the person who bears it. This flaw might not 
  apply to just anyone. Perhaps only the device’s chosen user 
  can wield it without harm. The curse inflicts a –1 penalty 
  per rank in the flawed power to one saving throw (Damage, 
  Fortitude, Reflex, or Will).
  • Mystic Knowledge: Activating this device is no simple mat-
  ter. Each time you try to use it, you must make a Knowledge 
  (occult) check with a DC equal to the device’s highest ranked 
  power + 10. This check is a free action, and if you fail you can 
  choose to do something other than activate the device. The 
  device simply fails to function for you this round. You can retry 
  the check each round until you succeed. Some magical items 
  require a trained wizard to unlock their secrets, while others 
  activate only with a proper command word or some symbolic 
  action. The check might represent an attempt to complete a 
  short ritual or some other action to bring the device to life.
  • Willful Personality: The spirits that grant the device is 
  magical nature sometimes take actions contrary to their user’s 
  desire. A magic wand might blast the wrong target with a bolt 
  of energy, while a sword may suddenly prove heavy, unbal-
  anced, and difficult to wield. Before each scene, you must make 
  a Charisma check with a DC equal to the item’s highest rank + 
  5. If you fail, the GM may have the device malfunction in some 
  manner as the spirits within, angered at some perceived slight, 
  or simply out of boredom, ignore your commands. It may refuse 
  to function, it could have the opposite of the intended effect, 
  TP
  
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  or it might twist its power around to place you in danger. This 
  happens once during the encounter. For example, if the device 
  fails to work it fizzles on one of your actions, not for the entire 
  battle. Your GM should pick a dangerous or climactic point to 
  use this flaw. GMs may also work this flaw into ongoing plot 
  lines, using it to reflect the device’s desire to have its wielder 
  pursue or give up on some course of action.
  ARMOR
  Supervillains, invading aliens, monsters from the depths of the 
  Earth, all of these threats have advanced laser blasters, savage 
  claws and fangs, and other weapons that can reduce even the 
  bravest hero to a battered heap. Without armor to hold such 
  attacks at bay, the heroes would be quickly overwhelmed. Armor 
  and similar abilities are perhaps the most important powers in 
  Mutants & Masterminds. A staggering array of mighty attacks and 
  abilities means little if the first attack you face sends you sprawl-
  ing to the floor. A few ranks of Protection or Armor can mean the 
  difference between victory and defeat.
  This section presents new rules for armor, including extras, flaws, 
  features, and examples of advanced armor. In comics, armor is 
  only rarely a purely defensive measure. It usually includes built-in 
  laser blasters, flying jets, and other abilities. Armor can enhance 
  its wearer’s physical abilities, improve his fighting talents, and 
  even grant him super-human strength and agility. Armor is one of 
  the most likely of all powers to include a wide variety of extras to 
  model the abilities it confers to its user.
  Armor also includes any protective gear designed for a specific 
  environment or situation. For example, a fire-proof suit would 
  count as a specialized type of Armor. A new virtual power, Power 
  Suit, covers outerwear that doesn’t protect its wearer from physi-
  cal attacks but otherwise grants the use of extras, features, and 
  other abilities normally associated with armor.
  NEW FEATURES FOR ARMOR
  You can add features to armor at the cost of 1 power point each. 
  These features represent the minor benefits or abilities that a suit 
  grants its user. In addition, you can grant feats to armor to model 
  its special abilities, targeting abilities, and other talents it grants 
  its user. The armor must usually meet the standard prerequisites 
  for the feat, though your GM can choose to waive this require-
  ment. For example, a suit of armor with vision magnification and 
  a targeting computer might grant Far Shot without also possess-
  ing Point Blank Shot.
  Note that some features are poor choices for armor that doesn’t 
  include a helmet, computer system, gauntlets, or other parts. Your 
  GM has the right to overrule a feature selection if it does not fit 
  the armor’s style or form.
  • Climbing Spikes: Spurs and sharp spines in your armor’s 
  boots and gauntlets grant you a +2 bonus to all Climb checks. 
  In addition, you can use these spikes to claw or rend an oppo-
  nent. They count as having Weapon +2.
  • Concealed Weapon: If your armor includes Weapon, Energy 
  Blast, or a similar power that can be used to attack as an 
  extra, your suit is designed to conceal the armament until 
  you use it. It pops out of a hidden compartment or looks like 
  a harmless piece of equipment. The first time you use this 
  weapon during an encounter, you can make a Bluff check as 
  a free action against your target. If you win, your opponent is 
  considered flat-footed against the weapon’s first attack. Your 
  GM can judge that opponents you have faced before expect 
  the attack, denying this bonus against them.
  • Hard Point: Your armor includes a stable firing platform for 
  a weapon. One attack power purchased as an extra for your 
  armor gains a +1 bonus to hit due to the stability and rugged 
  construction of its mount.
  • Reactive Armor: This armor can absorb damage, causing it 
  to slowly degrade over time as it soaks up attacks that would 
  normally pierce it. When you suffer a hit that penetrates the 
  armor (an attack that has a damage save modifier greater than 
  or equal to the armor’s ranks), before making your Damage 
  save against that attack you may gain a +4 bonus to your 
  Damage save. This bonus allows you to exceed the normal, 
  level-based cap on a power’s ranks. After gaining this bonus 
  versus an attack reduce your ranks in Protection by 2 for all 
  future attacks. You can only use this feature once before you 
  must restore it. You need at least a four hours in a workshop 
  or repair bay in order to bring your armor’s protection back up 
  to its original level and restore the use of this ability.
  • Reflec Armor: Designed with a shiny, reflective coating, your 
  armor is particularly resistant to laser beams and other light-
  based attacks. It gains a +2 bonus to its ranks when you are 
  struck by such attacks. This bonus allows you to exceed the 
  normal, level-based cap on a power’s ranks.
  • Sloped Armor: Your armor has been designed to deflect 
  kinetic and physical attacks. Bullets, axe blows, and even fists 
  strike your sloped armor and are channeled away from you. 
  You gain a +1 bonus to your armor’s ranks to resist damage 
  when struck by physical objects or kinetic attacks. This bonus 
  allows you to exceed the normal, level-based cap on a power’s 
  ranks.
  • Stable Firing Mount: This armor can deploy struts and sup-
  ports to help steady its user’s aim and strengthen his footing 
  in the face of a bull rush attack. As a half action, you can 
  deploy this system. You cannot move, but you gain a +1 bonus 
  to hit with ranged attacks and a +4 bonus to all Strength 
  checks to avoid being knocked prone or moved from your cur-
  rent spot by any effect. It takes a half action to return the 
  struts and supports to your armor so you can move again.
  • Storage Compartments: You have enough space in your 
  armor to securely hold up to four items, each of which can be 
  no larger than your hand, pistol, or other Small item. You can 
  secure these compartments, forcing thieves to make an Open 
  Locks check (DC 10 + the armor’s highest ranked power) to 
  open them.
  
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  • Voice Modulator: Your armor incorporates a sound system 
  that alters your voice, making it impossible to identify you and 
  giving you a more majestic, commanding tone. While wearing 
  this armor, you gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks and may 
  boost your volume so that others can hear you clearly from up 
  to a mile away. 
  ARMOR EXTRAS
  Armor tends to incorporate other powers as extras, particular abili-
  ties that can be used as weapons. Extras that improve armor are 
  usually best suited to high-tech devices that use a combination of 
  powered motors and computer systems to grant a suit of armor 
  expanded abilities.
  • Auxiliary Power: When heavily damaged your armor can tap 
  into a secondary reserve of power, allowing it to continue to 
  function despite the battering it suffers. You can immediately 
  repair one rank of damage suffered by your armor or any of 
  its extras, including powers purchased as extras, by spending 
  a rank from this ability. You automatically recover ranks in 
  Auxiliary Power at the rate of 1 per day.
  • Close Quarters Defense System: Your armor is covered 
  with sharp spines, electrical outlets, and similar hazards that 
  can burn, cut, or impale anyone who comes too close to you. 
  Anyone who attempts to grapple or grab you automatically suf-
  fers a hit with a damage modifier equal to your armor’s ranks. 
  Your opponent continues to suffer this damage if he maintains 
  a grapple against you.
  • Modular: Your armor can break apart into smaller pieces, 
  allowing you to lend its protection to others. You can reduce 
  your armor to half its total ranks and grant one other person 
  the ranks you lost. You cannot grant any extras, power stunts, 
  or features in this manner, nor can you get rid of flaws. It takes 
  1 minute to change your armor in this manner, and another 
  minute to restore it. If you somehow lose the donated section of 
  armor, you can repair it as normal.
  • Recovery System: This extra can prove useful, but at times it 
  can place you in grave danger. It consists of a simple computer 
  and a heart and brainwave monitor. If you are knocked uncon-
  scious, the armor’s systems activate an autopilot that attempts 
  to return you to a point you previously chose. The Recovery 
  System can only store one location at a time. Note that your 
  foes might believe that you are still active, perhaps causing 
  them to attack and injure you further. You can toggle this fea-
  ture on and off as a free action. Your armor uses the full range 
  of its movement abilities to move you to safety.
  ARMOR FLAWS
  While a suit of armor can protect you from a villain’s lethal energy 
  blast, sometimes you must sacrifice speed, mobility, or flexibility 
  in the name of protection.
  • Anchor Weight: While your armor may ward off attacks, its 
  weight and bulk makes it difficult to complete many common 
  physical tasks while wearing it. With this armor on, you cannot 
  move as fast, nor can you leap, swim, or jump as well as normal. 
  Your normal ground movement speed is cut in half and you suf-
  fer a penalty equal to the Armor or Protection power’s ranks to 
  all Strength and Dexterity-based skills.
  • Overbearing Load: This armor presents a staggering weight. 
  While you can fight and act as normal as long as you remain 
  on your feet, it makes it difficult for you to get up if you are 
  knocked prone. If you are knocked prone for any reason, stand-
  ing up requires a full-round action rather than a half action.
  • Penetrable: Your armor is designed to ward off attacks, but 
  sometimes even relatively weak strikes pierce it. Your armor 
  might consist of a mesh weave that, while capable of deflect-
  ing attacks, always lets some of their force through. If you are 
  struck by an attack that your Armor or Protection would nor-
  mally negate because the attack power’s ranks are less than 
  that defensive ability, you might still suffer injury. You must 
  make a Damage save against DC 15. If you fail, you suffer a hit 
  regardless of your margin of failure.
  • Power Source: Your armor relies on an external source of 
  power and must be recharged on a regular basis. You can 
  use you armor for 12 hours before it needs fuel or additional 
  energy. It must spend one hour collecting power for three hours 
  of operation. (So it takes four hours to fully charge the armor.) 
  Your armor can incorporate the equipment it uses to build up a 
  charge, such as solar panels, a power cord, or a similar device. 
  If your armor runs out of power, it provides the benefits of the 
  Armor or Protection powers but otherwise loses all of its extras 
  and features.
  • Stiff: The armor’s heavy layers of metal, plastic, or leather slow 
  and inhibit your motions. You cannot react quickly to attacks, 
  and your armor drags down your reflexes and agility. You lose 
  your Dexterity and Dodge bonuses to Defense while wearing 
  this armor and suffer a penalty equal to its ranks divided by 4 
  to Defense and Reflex saves.
  • Vulnerable Point: A single spot on your armor is fragile or 
  offers an unprotected attack against you. It might be a space 
  where joints meet, or it simply could an old crack or dent that 
  you have been unable to repair. When you suffer a critical 
  hit, you lose half your ranks in the Armor or Protection power 
  against that attack.
  ARMOR POWERS
  The new power outlined here, Power Suit, is a virtual power. Alone, 
  it provides no benefits. It grants you the option to construct some 
  form of clothing or protective gear that, while not stout enough 
  to reduce the damage you may take from physical attacks, does 
  allow for other useful features. For example, the hero Blast Havoc 
  might have an enormous cannon set on a stabilized, shoulder-
  mounted platform. While this rig offers him no protection, it does 
  grant the benefits of extras such as Auxiliary Power or the Stable 
  Firing mount feature.
  
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  POWER SUIT
  Cost: 0 (see below)
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  A power suit is an otherwise mundane set of clothing or protective 
  equipment incorporating other powers and abilities. It has a base 
  cost of 0 points per rank. However, a Power Suit cannot have more 
  ranks than its highest ranked extra. A Power Suit with no powers, 
  only extras or features, has ranks equal to its highest ranked extra 
  or half its number of features, whichever is higher.
  Power Suits usually incorporate features, such as the Immunity 
  feat, or Armor extras that aid the powers it takes as extras. It 
  also gives you access to Armor extras and feats without using the 
  Armor power. For example, a flame retardant suit might provide 
  safety against fire damage but offers no protection against bul-
  lets, knives, and other physical attacks. If you want to buy several 
  powers and organize them into a Power Suit, it may make more 
  sense to choose one of those abilities and use the rest as extras 
  based on it.
  For example, Chris wants to create a Power Suit with stealth capa-
  bilities. He chooses Incorporeal and Invisibility as its powers, both 
  at rank 8, which makes the Power Suit rank 8 as well. Since both 
  powers are extras of Power Suit, they have a –1 cost modifier. So 
  the “stealth suit” costs 2 pp per rank total or 16 power points (for 
  8 ranks in both powers).
  Power Suit already has the Device flaw factored into its cost, so 
  that flaw applies automatically to all extras of the suit, with no 
  further reduction in cost. 
  POWERS AND ARMOR
  The Armor power is a natural fit for a wide range of powers. Many 
  comics depict heroes who are otherwise ordinary people until they 
  don a powerful suit of armor. Weapons, detection gear, and even 
  psychic powers can all be included in a suit of armor as high tech 
  devices. Since almost every power is a good match for Armor, this 
  section focuses on the general roles that extras can fill, rather 
  than providing advice on each one separately.
  Not every suit of armor should include powers as extras. Archaic 
  protective gear, such as chain mail armor, does nothing more than 
  provide a shield against harm. Usually, technologically advanced 
  armor or suits enchanted with magical power have powers as 
  extras. Most mundane armor does not.
  ATTACKS
  Adding an offensive ability to a suit of armor can be as simple as 
  incorporating sharp spikes to its gauntlets and arm guards. Energy 
  Blast, Weapon, Natural Weapon, and Strike are the obvious choices, 
  but Energy Control and Element Control also serve as convenient 
  attacks. Give some thought to how the armor incorporates a weapon. 
  Does its use a shoulder-mounted cannon? Are there built-in claws? Is 
  there a rifle or similar weapon included as part of its design?
  KS
  
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  DEFENSIVE ABILITIES
  While it might seem strange for a suit of armor to include addi-
  tional defensive abilities, there are more ways to avoid harm than 
  simply soaking a hit. Super-Skill (Hide) or Invisibility can represent 
  a suit of armor’s stealth capabilities, while Deflection or Energy 
  Field might serve as back-up defensive abilities. Combat Sense 
  might represent an early warning system included as part of the 
  armor’s computer, while Illusion or Obscure can give you cover 
  from an opponent’s attacks.
  ICONIC POWERS
  In addition to attacks and defenses, many suits of armor from 
  comic books offer a few common powers. Flight, Running, and 
  Tunneling allow a suit’s user to traverse difficult terrain with ease, 
  while Super-Strength and other super-abilities transform a normal 
  person into a super-heroic figure.
  One of the things to keep in mind when creating a suit of armor is 
  that most of the time it is put together with an eye towards a specific 
  task. If there is a popular or well-known hero in your game’s setting, 
  suits of armor might be devised to mimic her powers or to counter 
  her talents. A suit of armor devised to allow for deep-sea exploration 
  will have much different abilities than one created to serve the mili-
  tary. However, the deep-sea armor might still offer Super-Strength, 
  Swimming, and Natural Weapon (in the form of tools built into its 
  arms) that could make it a viable option for a would-be superhero. 
  It’s easy to fall into a rut when designing armor for heroes and vil-
  lains. Adding a twist by creating armor for a task other than battling 
  supers can give a familiar concept a new feel.
  SAMPLE ARMOR DESIGNS
  The armor presented here ranges from common, mass-produced 
  gear, such as flak vests and ancient armor, to specialized equip-
  ment that a particular villain, hero, or group might use.
  TABLE 4–1: MUNDANE ARMOR
  TYPE
  ABILITIES
  POINTS
  Leather Armor
  Armor +2
  2
  Chain Mail
  Armor +3
  3
  Plate Mail
  Armor +4
  4
  Flak Vest
  Armor +3
  3
  Riot Gear
  Armor +4
  4
  Deep Sea Diving Suit
  Power Suit +3, Immunity (cold, 
  pressure, suffocation)
  3
  Environmental Suit
  Power Suit +3, Immunity 
  (disease, poison, radiation)
  3
  Fire Suit
  Power Suit +1, Immunity (fire)
  1
  GENERIC POWERED ARMOR
  This armor represents the common mass-produced, powered armor 
  that you may see in a military science fiction movie or comic book. 
  It is designed to augment the average soldier’s abilities, transform-
  ing him into a stronger, faster, and tougher warrior. It includes the 
  Leaping power to improve the user’s mobility and features a suite 
  of abilities to aid in foiling an enemy’s detection gear.
  In a science fiction setting, this armor might be the standard issue 
  given to the average infantryman. In a current or near-future game, 
  this powered armor represents the cutting edge of technology. It 
  might be in the experimental stages, making it a valuable target 
  for any villain interested in equipping a super-powered legion of 
  soldiers. In some areas, police officers and soldiers trained to cope 
  with supers might use this armor.
  GENERIC POWERED ARMOR
  PL 8: Armor +8 [Extras: Energy Blast, Super-Skill (hide), Super-
  Strength (Extra: Leaping); Flaws: Power Source; Features: Immunity 
  (suffocation); Cost: 6 pp; Total: 49 pp].
  BULLDOG COMBAT ARMOR
  This highly experimental suit of armor is designed for use by the 
  super-villain Mechanus’s thugs and followers. The Bulldog armor, 
  like its namesake canine, is designed to fight with a tenacious, 
  relentless style. Unlike many other forms of powered combat 
  armor, the Bulldog is built to harass and hinder its opponents 
  rather than kill them. Mechanus, an intelligent robot that oper-
  ates out of a base hidden in Antarctica, ran a statistical analysis 
  of super-villains who have drawn the most attention from heroes 
  and law enforcement during their careers. The one link his study 
  TP
  
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  unearthed between these villains was that they were destructive, 
  murderous, and vicious. Other criminals may have committed 
  crimes that had a greater economic impact, such as diamond 
  heists and similar thefts, but murder or rampant violence drew 
  a far greater response. In Mechanus’s view, the public was far 
  more likely to overlook a criminal who stole merely for profit, as 
  opposed to those who committed violent crimes.
  With this analysis in mind, Mechanus began recruiting minions 
  and designing their tools. He carefully screened out potential 
  agents who showed a tendency towards violence and anger. 
  Instead, he offers an unrivaled share of the take from any robbery 
  to criminals who are driven merely by greed or ambition. These 
  subjects, his tests indicated, were much less likely to lose their 
  cool or engage in shoot-outs with police and heroes.
  With his foot soldiers hand-picked for ambition, emotional stabil-
  ity, and an aversion to violence, he then designed a suit of battle 
  armor that would fit his profile of a useful but relatively benign 
  system. The Bulldog is equipped with non-lethal weapons. It stuns 
  or hinders heroes, leaving them unable to pursue the Bulldogs’ 
  operators as they make a getaway. The Bulldog’s outer chassis is 
  designed with rounded corners, hidden weapons, and an almost 
  toy-like appearance. Many of them are painted purple, blue, and 
  other soothing colors, while an audio modular installed in each 
  gives their users’ voices a pleasant, calming tone.
  These modifications have had their intended effect. While the 
  Bulldog armor has drawn more than its share of media atten-
  tion, government agencies have been too busy with other, more 
  violent criminals to allocate extensive resources against them. In 
  some circles, the Bulldogs are seen as cult heroes who steel from 
  the rich and, at least in the rumors, give to the poor. Seizing on 
  this opportunity, Mechanus has designed several artificial intel-
  ligences to spread rumors and half-truths on the Internet of his 
  Bulldogs’ benign intentions. He has even gone so far as to market 
  t-shirts and toys based on his minions, though he is careful to set 
  up these deals through front corporations.
  Of course, while Mechanus operates behind a benign façade, he 
  is anything but charitable. His thugs steal to help line his coffers 
  and place him in a position to slowly create a global monopoly. 
  By laundering his plunder through several companies he owns, he 
  plans to use industrial espionage, sabotage, and a steady stream 
  of crime to launch a global, monopolistic megacorporation.
  BULLDOG COMBAT ARMOR
  PL 10: Armor +10 [Extras: Dazzle, Fatigue (Flaws: Only +5), 
  Flight (Flaws: Only +8), Paralysis, Slow, Snare; Features: Improved 
  Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot; Cost: 5 pp; Total: 66 pp].
  JETSTAR ALL-ENVIRONMENT EXPLORER
  A joint project of American and European space agencies, the 
  Jetstar is designed as a multi-purpose tool to aid in the explora-
  tion of environments from outer space to the deepest areas of the 
  ocean. It has excellent mobility, as it can fly and tunnel, and its 
  defensive abilities allow it to absorb the crushing pressure at the 
  ocean floor or the searing heat of a volcano’s heart.
  While the Jetstar offers tremendous utility to science, its durability 
  and toughness have been noticed by a small cabal of super-villains. 
  Known as the the Guild, these villains are a group of low-powered 
  thieves who specialize in robberies and other crimes. Led by the 
  super-genius known as the Architect, they have managed to avoid 
  any super-heroic interference in their work by carefully disguising 
  their true abilities. However, The Architect has grown weary of 
  simple bank robberies, scams, and other minor crimes. While he 
  and his compatriots live in comfort, their greed continually pushes 
  them towards greater schemes.
  The Jetstar offers them the tool they need to make it to the big 
  time. Its defensive abilities and other features make it ideal for 
  their uses. While The Guild’s members possess powers, none of 
  them are capable of going toe-to-toe with Protonik or a similar 
  hero. With several Jetstars, though, the odds swing to their favor. 
  To this end, The Architect used his talent for computers to infiltrate 
  the Jetstar project’s mainframe and insert several rogue programs 
  into it. When the first prototype Jetstars are to be shipped out, 
  they will be mis-routed across the world. The Guild knows to wait 
  in a Guatemalan town for their armor to arrive. Meanwhile, the 
  other suits will spread far and wide to the addresses of several 
  minor super-criminals that the Architect once worked with, while 
  the research center set to test the Jetstars will receive crates of 
  spare parts, junk, and other material. Via a simple loophole in a 
  shipping program, the Guild will unlock its true malevolent poten-
  tial. The characters may have to step in to avert a global wave of 
  crime, as the Jetstars’ owners flex their newly found powers. In 
  the confusion, the Guild hopes to commit a massive heist on Fort 
  Knox to destabilize the world economy and set themselves up for 
  a lifetime of luxury.
  Note: If you follow this plot thread, the Jetstar is best used against 
  PL 10 heroes. Its defensive abilities make it difficult for such 
  heroes to overcome the Guild through combat. Instead, the PCs 
  must use guile and cunning to overcome the villains. Sooner or 
  later, the Architect and his lackeys have to leave the armor. The 
  problem the heroes face is in luring them out in the open without 
  this powerful weapon.
  JETSTAR ALL-ENVIRONMENT EXPLORER
  PL 18: Armor +18 [Extras: Auxiliary Power, Datalink (Flaws: Only 
  +8), Flight (Flaws: Only +15), Regeneration (Flaws: Only +5), 
  Super-Strength (Flaws: Only +10), Tunneling (Flaws: Only +5); 
  Features: Immunity (cold, disease, energy (electricity, fire, mag-
  netic, radiation, sonic, vibration), poison, pressure, suffocation); 
  Cost: 2 pp; Total: 110 pp].
  BIOTECH
  While the words “technology” or “device” conjure up images of 
  metal, plastic, and glass, biology has provided many of humanity’s 
  tools across the ages. A horse or ox is really nothing more than 
  an organic engine when you look at it in terms of how society 
  puts it to use. As science explores the mysteries of DNA and maps 
  out the genetic map of creature after creature, it may one day be 
  possible to engineer creatures that serve a specific, tool-like role. 
  
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  Already, researchers have produced rabbits with luminescent fur 
  or animals that grow skin that can be harvested for use in human 
  patients. With enough research into the fundamental workings of 
  biology, it may be possible to sculpt living things from scratch, 
  spawning entire new species of animals that live to serve their 
  creators.
  Biotech is best reserved for games where advanced technology 
  is common or at least within the bounds of the tone and feel. 
  It provides a change of pace from the standard technology, and 
  its strangeness when compared to manufactured devices makes 
  it a good choice for aliens, evil geniuses, or secretive government 
  agencies. If your game draws more on a gritty, realistic approach, 
  biotech might be out of place. From a manufacturing point of 
  view, biological constructs require more energy, time, and effort 
  to produce than technical ones, despite what movies and video 
  games may show. It will always be easier to manufacture rather 
  than grow weapons and tools, but that doesn’t mean that biotech 
  can’t find a place as a weird change of pace in your Mutants & 
  Masterminds game.
  BIOTECH FEATURES
  The following features are available for the standard cost of 1 
  power point. Use these features to make biotech devices more 
  unique and more reflective of their strange origin.
  • Devourable: Biotech devices invariably have systems and func-
  tions that allow them to repair the everyday damage they take 
  during the course of their use. Chemicals synthesized within 
  its body allow it to maintain its operating condition. Due to 
  the nutrient-rich structure of these chemicals, this device can 
  provide healing if its user damages it in order to ingest its com-
  ponents. In exchange for inflicting 1 point of damage to the 
  device, its user can heal one lethal or stunning hit. This process 
  takes 10 minutes to disassemble the device and ingest its heal-
  ing components.
  • Feeding: The device can cannibalize its user’s body, drawing 
  small quantities of blood and flesh (or whatever the user is 
  made of) into its systems to synthesize ammo or repair its struc-
  ture. The user suffers a lethal hit. In return, the device either 
  refills its ammo stores or it repairs 1 point of damage to its 
  ranks and/or hardness. This process takes 10 minutes for the 
  device to consume and process its meal.
  BIOTECH EXTRAS
  Biotech devices can develop abilities that are normally difficult or 
  expensive for more traditional devices to incorporate. These extras 
  also serve to produce a marked difference between how a biotech 
  device operates when compared to a standard weapon or suit of 
  armor. Use them to demonstrate how biotech gadgets differ from 
  other devices.
  • Active: This device can move under its own power, though its 
  mind and nervous system are too simple to allow it to act like a 
  truly independent device. However, it can take a limited number 
  of actions. Its user can ready it as a free action, as the device 
  wriggles from its holster or pouch for its owner to activate it. 
  It can also move 30 feet per round towards its user as long as 
  it is within 200 feet of him and has an open path. Finally, if 
  anyone other than its user attempts to use the device it refuses 
  to operate and it bites or claws him with a base attack bonus 
  equal to the ranks in this extra. Its damage modifier equals 
  its ranks divided by 5. A device is imprinted to a single user 
  when created, but its user can train it to accept other masters 
  by spending a day with its new ally. Only a single potential user 
  can train with the device each day.
  • Biological Affinity: By analyzing its user’s DNA and inte-
  grating itself into his body, either by forging a direct, physical 
  connection to him or altering its shape to adapt to his habits 
  and preference, this device is easier to handle and use than 
  normal. When using this device, its user gains a +1 bonus to 
  any attacks or power checks made with it. By spending a hero 
  point, he can activate the device as a free action.
  • Cultivated Link: Some biotech devices have enough cog-
  nitive ability to learn from their users and adapt to their 
  preferences and tastes. When using this device, its user may 
  use his Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifiers rather than 
  Strength or Dexterity to modify his attacks. In addition, he may 
  apply his Charisma modifier to any power checks made with 
  the device, though the device’s ranks remain the same for deter-
  mining the scope and raw power of its abilities. The user must 
  carry the device with a Cultivated Link for at least 24 hours to 
  allow it to adapt to him. Until that time passes, he does not 
  gain its benefits.
  • Enforced Evolution: This extra allows a device to alter its 
  genetic code, changing its features and abilities to match its 
  user’s changing needs. Given six hours to recombine its compo-
  nents, absorb organs, and spawn new ones, the biotech device’s 
  owner can create a new device using the original one’s points. 
  The only restriction on this ability is that it must include the 
  biotech template and this extra. Otherwise, it can produce any-
  thing that its user may normally design.
  • Implanted: This biotech device functions similar to a cybernetic 
  implant. It is added to its user’s body via a complex, invasive 
  operation. This device provides all of its standard benefits, but 
  it no longer suffers the drawbacks of the Device flaw. Either add 
  points for this extra to compensate for the points subtract by 
  Devices or remove that flaw.
  BIOTECH FLAWS
  As biotech devices often interlink with their user’s own organs 
  and systems, they can provide for a variety of nasty side effects. 
  Perhaps biotech devices are outlaws in your game precisely 
  because they hold such a potential for havoc.
  • Addictive: The device is addictive to users over the long term. 
  Perhaps it must pierce its user’s skin to draw nourishment, and 
  the pain killing serum it synthesizes to keep its bearer comfort-
  able is habit forming. In any case, every day the device’s user 
  carries it, he must make a Fortitude save with a DC of 20 + 
  
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  the number of days he has used it. On a failed 
  save, he develops an addiction. He must carry 
  the device for at least six hours of every day 
  or suffer a –1 penalty to all attacks, checks, 
  and saves for each day he goes without it. The 
  user develops tremors, endures agonizing pain, 
  and otherwise experiences withdrawal symp-
  toms. After 14 days of symptoms, the penalty 
  reduces by 1 each day until it reaches zero, at 
  which point he recovers from his addiction. 
  Note an addict can draw on a general model 
  of device, not a specific item, to satisfy his crav-
  ing. For example, a hero addicted to the neural 
  serum used to link with an organic gun can get 
  a fix from any gun of that model, not just the 
  specific item that sparked his dependence.
  • Rebellious: This biotech device has a distinct 
  personality, complete with a set of foibles that 
  make it difficult to use unless you spend sev-
  eral days training to use it. Even then, it can 
  at times prove difficult to handle. Until you 
  have used the device for at least one week, you 
  suffer a –4 penalty on all skill checks, attacks, 
  and power checks made with it. Even after that 
  time, this penalty drops to –2 until six months 
  pass and –1 after a year. This penalty never 
  drops below –1.
  • Draining: The biotech device can place a strain on your physi-
  ology. Each day you carry the item, you must make a Fortitude 
  save with a DC of 20 + the consecutive days you have carried or 
  used the item. If the save fails, you suffer a point of damage to 
  one of your abilities (chosen when you take this flaw). You can 
  heal this ability damage normally (at a rate of 1 point per day), 
  but you cannot recover from it while still using the Draining 
  device.
  COMPUTERS
  From scheming AIs to CPUs that are smaller than a wristwatch 
  but can process terabytes of data in seconds, computers play a 
  role in many comic books. They can serve as useful tools, particu-
  larly when they are used to analyze data and investigate strange 
  events. In some cases, they can take on a role similar to a side-
  kick, as they develop personalities and aid in tracking down and 
  defeating criminals, even if they remain back at headquarters.
  This section provides complete rules for creating advanced com-
  puters. It gives you all the rules you need to construct anything 
  from a simple device that stores data and can connect to the 
  Internet, to highly advanced machines that possess a true artifi-
  cial intelligence. In between those extremes, computers can fill a 
  wide variety of roles.
  Computers work just like any other device, though they tend to 
  fill a narrow range of uses. Usually, they are designed to process 
  and analyze large amounts of data. A computer programmed to 
  break down data on crimes might find patterns that indicate gang 
  activities or the presence of a supervillain in the city.
  COMPUTERS: CREATION RULES
  A computer’s ability to manage, store, and collate information 
  depends on its speed, disk space, and other factors that don’t 
  necessarily translate into the typical attributes used for heroes, 
  vehicles, robots, and other devices. This section gives you the 
  basic information on how to assign ability scores to a computer 
  and what those values mean in terms of its performance.
  Unless otherwise noted, a computer uses an ability, power, or feat 
  in the same manner as a normal character. 
  Many of the abilities and references given here will make more 
  sense once you read the rules for cracking computer systems and 
  using the Computers skill. In summary, the expanded rules for 
  intrusion, writing viruses, and using computers treats a machine 
  similar to a character. Virus attacks can stun a computer, taking it 
  off-line for a time, or damage it, wearing away at the integrity of 
  its files and programs.
  LEVEL
  A computer’s level is a measure of the technology used to con-
  struct it. A higher level computer is built with advanced tech. It 
  might use processors based on undreamed of technology, allow-
  ing it to compute the entire history of the cosmos in the time it 
  takes a modern day computer to figure out the average person’s 
  AA
  
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  taxes. A computer’s level otherwise works just like a character’s 
  level. It determines the maximum rank it can have in a power or 
  skill.
  As with levels for robots, guns, and other devices, this is a purely 
  optional measure you can use to keep a device in balance with the 
  nature of technology in your game. If you want to create a simple 
  desktop computer or a digital behemoth that dwarfs today’s best 
  technology, you can use levels to ensure that the machine you 
  design fits the idea you have for it. Otherwise, you can simply 
  purchase powers and features as you wish and worry about the 
  point total later.
  Computers receive 12 points per level to spend on powers and 
  features. They require far fewer attributes and abilities to per-
  form than characters or even robots, but their abilities start 
  lower. If you want to build a mobile, active computer, you are 
  better off using the rules for robots. These rules assume that 
  you want to build an immobile machine, one that is possibly too 
  large for others to easily transport it, that focuses on processing 
  data.
  TABLE 4–2: COMPUTER POWER LEVEL
  COMPUTER LEVEL
  CONSTRUCTION POINTS
  1
  12
  2
  24
  3
  36
  4
  48
  5
  60
  6
  72
  7
  84
  8
  96
  9
  108
  10
  120
  11
  132
  12
  144
  13
  156
  14
  168
  15
  180
  16
  192
  17
  204
  18
  216
  19
  228
  20
  240
  SIZE
  Computers use the size attribute for devices (see p. 23). Size is 
  a useful way to cut down on a computer’s cost, as many of the 
  most powerful ones are designed to remain in a secure installa-
  tion, such as a superhero team’s headquarters. Use a computer’s 
  highest ranked program to determine the total cost reduction or 
  increase based on its size. 
  ABILITY SCORES
  All computers have the following abilities. These abilities are usu-
  ally important when using the expanded rules for the Computers 
  skill given later in this section. The new abilities use the same 
  scale for modifiers as Strength, Dexterity, and other abilities. Like 
  other abilities, they cannot be increased above 20.
  TABLE 4–3: COMPUTER ABILITIES COSTS
  ABILITY
  STARTING VALUE
  COST
  Interface
  1
  1 point per point
  Processor
  10
  3 points per point
  Security
  1
  1 point per point
  Storage
  1
  1 point per point
  If you want a computer to feature an artificial intelligence, 
  complete with Wisdom, Charisma, and Intelligence scores, use 
  the Independent Intelligence item power (see p. 21). This abil-
  ity grants a device the ability to think and act just like a living 
  creature.
  INTERFACE
  Some computers are easier to use than others. They provide a 
  simple, easily accessed list of commands or they allow a user to 
  manage several tasks at once with only a slight delay. Computers 
  with a poor Interface may crash or freeze if their commands are 
  counterintuitive.
  A high Interface score provides a bonus to your Computers skill 
  checks, while a low one inflicts a penalty. The harder a computer 
  is to use, the more difficult it is for you to make full use of your 
  abilities. Apply the modifier for a computer’s Interface score to all 
  Computers and other skill checks made while using it.
  Interface provides a modifier for a computer’s Will saves. A good 
  interface signals problems within a computer’s systems in eas-
  ily-understood alerts that a user, or the system, can use to halt 
  intrusions.
  PROCESSOR
  This ability covers a computer’s speed. Computers with a high 
  Processor score get work done faster. They can also spawn and 
  maintain programs better than slower machines. In the expanded 
  rules for the Computers skill, computers with a good Processor 
  score can take more actions per round than slower ones.
  When you spend a half action to use a computer, you gain bonus 
  half actions for purposes of using the computer equal to its 
  Processor modifier. If the computer has a penalty, you gain no 
  bonus actions.
  Processor, rather than Dexterity, modifies a computer’s Reflex 
  saves.
  SECURITY
  This ability measures the strength of a computer’s security sys-
  tems. A computer with a high score can resist attacks with greater 
  ease, while one with a poor rating is much easier to break into. 
  Security represents a combination of software, hardware, and 
  configuration. Some computer designs are inherently more secure 
  than others.
  Security provides the modifier for a computer’s Damage and 
  Fortitude saves.
  
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  STORAGE
  Some computers are designed to hold tremendous amounts of 
  data, while others are specialized devices that are built around a 
  small package of specialized applications. The higher a comput-
  er’s Storage score, the more applications it can hold and the more 
  complex they can be. Each program stored on a computer has a 
  memory rating. When the machine’s programs have a total mem-
  ory rating equal to its Storage score, it cannot gain new programs 
  until it deletes some of its current ones.
  ATTACK BONUS
  Computers can purchase an attack bonus, though most of them 
  lack weapon systems and similar items that can make use of it. 
  The bonus represents the quality of the computer’s targeting 
  system and is limited by level as normal, if the computer has a 
  level. As mentioned earlier, if you want to make a mobile, high-
  tech device capable of independent action use the rules for robot 
  creation.
  DEFENSE BONUS
  As an inanimate object, a computer obviously cannot dodge 
  actual physical attacks. Instead, it purchases a Defense bonus for 
  use against crackers and others who attempt to penetrate its sys-
  tems. See the expanded rules for the Computers skill later in this 
  section.
  SAVES
  A computer uses its saving throws when it faces an attempt at 
  intrusion, a virus attack, or a similar threat. It does not normally 
  gain saving throws against physical threats. A computer uses 
  the same set of saves in digital combat as a normal character: 
  Damage, Fortitude, Reflex, and Will. (See Expanded Computer 
  Rules on p. 48.)
  SKILL RANKS
  Computers can purchase 5 skill ranks at the cost of 1 power 
  point. Due to their ability to catalog and track a tremendous 
  range of information, computers are much more adept at gaining 
  knowledge of a skill than living creatures or robots and similar 
  constructs. A computer cannot normally purchase ranks in skills 
  based on Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Charisma. If a com-
  puter lacks an Intelligence or Wisdom score, it counts as having 
  a +0 modifier when making skill checks modified by them. In this 
  case, the computer simply searches its databases to provide an 
  answer. It cannot reason or deduce an answer, but it can retrieve 
  one.
  In addition to the standard uses for skills, computers use some 
  of them in a different manner than normal. For example, a com-
  puter can use Gather Information to scour the network for scraps 
  of data relating to a particular topic. As long as a hero has access 
  to a computer, he gains the benefits of the skill ranks it possesses. 
  However, it takes a minimum of 10 minutes to use a computer to 
  make a skill check.
  A computer can make use of some of its skills depending on its abili-
  ties and function. For example, a computer that controls the security 
  cameras at a bank could use Spot to notice intruders, but probably 
  not Listen unless it’s equipped with some unusual sensors.
  POWER RANKS
  A computer can purchase a variety of powers, though not all of 
  them are available for their use. The following powers are avail-
  able to all computers, with any changes noted along with the 
  power:
  AMAZING SAVE
  This power applies to saves the computer makes as part of its 
  operations and against physical attacks.
  ARMOR
  This power applies only against physical attacks made against a 
  computer, such as a laser blast or punch.
  COMPREHEND
  The computer can translate languages. It must be supplied a sam-
  ple of a language, such as a scanned piece of text or an audio file, 
  that it can study.
  DATALINK
  A computer with Datalink allows its user and any programs 
  installed on it to interface with other systems at a distance.
  HEALING
  A computer with this power has a mechanical surgeon installed 
  on it. It can use this power to restore a patient’s health.
  SUPER-SKILL
  This power works as per its description. It grants a computer a 
  bonus to any checks it may attempt.
  In addition, computers have access to Super-Interface, Super-
  Processor, Super-Security, and Super-Storage. These powers cost 2 
  power points per rank. They add their ranks to any modifiers or 
  checks that those abilities effect.
  SOFTWARE
  Computers have different applications, databases, and other tools 
  installed on them. Software works much like powers. It provides a 
  specific ability to a computer, with a rank that measures its rela-
  tive power and utility (see Computers and Software starting 
  on p. 51). 
  FEATS AND FEATURES
  A computer can purchase any feat, though whether it can use 
  it or not is another question. Feats such as Power Attack offer 
  little utility to a CPU, as it is unable to make physical attacks. 
  However, a computerized surgeon might make good use of Skill 
  Focus (Medicine), while a system designed to analyze crime 
  scenes with a set of sensors could gain tremendous benefit from 
  Darkvision.
  
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  EXTRAS AND FLAWS
  A computer does not have an overall rank. Rather, it has a col-
  lection of powers, features, and programs that determine what it 
  can do. Its level serves as a cap for its abilities, if you choose to 
  assign one. Assigning a flaw to the computer as a whole would 
  be like trying to assign one to a character rather than one of 
  her powers. However, you might want to use extras and flaws, 
  particularly the cost modifiers associated with size. A gigantic 
  computer might be immobile, but if you’re designing a main-
  frame for your superhero group’s headquarters, that’s of little 
  concern.
  For any extras or flaws that can affect a computer but have no 
  direct bearing on any of its powers or programs, use the vir-
  tual Computers power to model this. A CPU automatically has 
  Computers with ranks equal to its highest ranked program or 
  power. It has a base cost of 0 power points per rank. You can 
  reduce this to –3 points per rank, but it can go no lower. It can 
  increase with no overall limit. Thus, you can assign overall flaws 
  and extras to a computer and account for this in its overall cost.
  EXPANDED COMPUTER RULES
  In some games, you may want to use more complex, option-rich 
  rules for infiltrating computer networks. The current rules for 
  the Computers skill allow for a simple check to enter a system 
  and steal its files. However, if computer systems, digital intru-
  sions, and similar tropes are an important part of your game, 
  you might want to use the expanded rules to add more options 
  and tension to the process of breaking into a computer. If you 
  expect computerized systems to play a major role in your game, 
  these rules help emphasize them and give the characters plenty 
  of opportunities to show off their talents.
  These rules are not meant to reflect a fanciful picture of comput-
  ers and networks. While they are far from a rigorous presentation 
  of the realities of computer security and the process behind 
  cracking a system, they do not venture into virtual realms or 
  computer systems that allow a user to project his consciousness 
  into a digital network. While options for such elements of sci-
  ence fiction are possible with these rules, and notes and ideas 
  for implementing them are given, they are not the focus of these 
  rules.
  USING COMPUTERS: THE BASICS
  The Computers skill allows you to modify or create programs, oper-
  ate a computer, and break into secure systems. As a trained only 
  skill, it prevents characters that lack ranks with it to make use of 
  an advanced computer’s full potential. However, many systems 
  require only a minimum of experience or training to make use of 
  their basic options. As operating systems have developed, they 
  have become easier for lay people to use. While a neophyte might 
  not be able to program a computer to decrypt an alien race’s lan-
  guage, he can use its software to balance his checkbook, read 
  email, or write a report.
  All computers offer a variety of features and abilities, many 
  of which are usable by anyone with a modicum of experience 
  with personal computers. For example, the North American 
  Crusaders may have an advanced computer in their headquar-
  ters that has records on supercriminals, advanced software that 
  can coordinate the team’s satellite array, and basic Internet and 
  productivity applications. Any member of the team will know 
  how to use the Internet, might be able to search the criminal 
  database, but only the team’s scientific genius, Dr. Apollo, can 
  make full use of the orbital sensors and communications devices 
  linked to it.
  Computer software has two types of functions: basic and 
  advanced. Basic features are usable by characters who do not have 
  the Computers skill but who hail from a modern culture where 
  computers are a part of everyday living. Some basic functions may 
  have a check DC required to properly use or access them. For this 
  check you may use either your Computers skill, if you have it, or 
  you can make an Intelligence check.
  Advanced features require special training. Even features that do 
  not have a Computers DC listed are usable only if you have one 
  or more ranks in Computers. Obviously, if a feature lists a DC you 
  must make a Computers check to use it correctly. These functions 
  presume that you are an expert computer operator, one capable of 
  delving into an operating system’s guts, deciphering a programming 
  language, or tinkering with hardware to achieve the desired result.
  KS
  
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  Some computer software and options require you to make a 
  Computers check to gauge how well you complete at that task. 
  For example, while attempting to break into a system you need to 
  make a skill check to see if you can bypass the security systems. 
  Sometimes, you might make it past them but trip an alarm, giving 
  you a limited amount of time to work before the system tracks 
  your location.
  The specific rules for whether a software package is basic or 
  advanced, any Computers or Intelligence DCs needed to use it, 
  and the rules and abilities for it are given later in this section (see 
  Computers and Software on p. 51). Like powers, each type of 
  software provides a unique set of abilities and rules that govern 
  its use.
  USING COMPUTERS
  Normally, when you use a computer you can work on a single 
  task. However, fast or well-designed computers allow you to man-
  age multiple programs at once. When you spend 5 minutes using 
  a computer, you can gain the following number of computer 
  actions:
  1 + the computer’s Processor modifier
  You always gain a minimum of 1 computer action every 5 min-
  utes. It doesn’t matter how you connect to a computer. Whether 
  you are at a terminal or you connect via the Datalink power, you 
  gain the same number of actions.
  In essence a computer round, or a single time period that allows 
  everyone using a CPU to make their actions, lasts 5 minutes, as 
  compared to 6 seconds for a combat round.
  If more than one person is logged on to a system, all users can roll 
  for initiative to determine who gets to act first. Computer initia-
  tive is resolved by making a Computers check with a bonus equal 
  to the user’s computer’s Processor modifier.
  COMPUTER ACTIONS
  You can use actions to activate software packages, though you 
  can only make use of a single piece of software once per round. 
  Software works a lot like powers. Each type of software has spe-
  cific rules and abilities that cover its user. They are all explained 
  under Computers and Software (see p. 51). Most pieces of soft-
  ware augment the following actions, offering bonuses to them  or 
  changing how they work, or grant you new actions you can take.
  Some programs take a long while to finish using. For these pro-
  grams, you must spend one action every 5 minutes to keep them 
  going. You can stop a process at any time and start it up later 
  on. Unless an event or action specifies otherwise, subtract the 
  time you already put into it from the total time needed. For 
  example, Hyperbit the computer whiz is running a program to 
  analyze a strange weapon. It takes him 2 hours to complete the 
  data extraction and analysis. After an hour of work, someone 
  tries to break into his system. Hyperbit stops his current process 
  and deals with the interloper. Later on, if he goes back to the 
  weapon analysis he needs to spend only an hour to finish it.
  OFFENSIVE ACTIONS
  Offensive actions allow you to enter a foreign system, defeat its 
  security measures, and wreak havoc with its systems. You could 
  seize control of a security system, forcing the cameras inside of a 
  secure area to shut down and the automated guns to ignore your 
  friends and attack the guards. You might steal files, or trash the 
  machine’s programs and any data stored on it, or any number of 
  other options available to a computer hacker.
  ENTER FOREIGN SYSTEM
  As a single action, you can initiate a connection to a server or other 
  computer. To enter a computer, you must make a Computers check 
  with a DC equal to the target computer’s Defense. Determine the 
  computer’s total Defense using the formula below:
  Computer Defense = 10 + Security mod. + software mods
  Many software packages that improve a computer’s security add a 
  modifier to its Computer Defense, making it more difficult for an 
  intruder to enter it. Some computer flaws impart a penalty.
  If you miss this check or only beat it by a small margin, you might 
  be the target of a counter-attack from the system. If they notice 
  you, some software packages attempt to run a trace on you, allow-
  ing it to track down your location and infiltrate your machine.
  Once you have successfully entered a foreign system, you can take 
  the actions listed in the following paragraphs. If you fail in an 
  attempt and can continue to use your computer as normal, you 
  may try again. However, many systems are designed to shut down 
  or launch countermeasures against intruders once they detect an 
  attempted break-in. The section on software outlines the defen-
  sive options available to systems.
  DAMAGE A SYSTEM
  Once you have successfully broken into a system, you can attempt 
  to damage its components. You delete files, unleash viruses that 
  hide in the system and overwrite files, and otherwise raise havoc 
  with it. You may make a Computers check to attack a system. The 
  target computer opposes this attack with its Damage save. If your 
  check succeeds, determine the damage you inflict according to 
  Table 4–4: Computer Damage Saving Throws.
  TABLE 4–4: COMPUTER DAMAGE SAVING THROWS
  SAVING THROW . . . 
  RESULT
  Succeeds
  No effect.
  Fails
  Target computer loses 1 rank from each 
  program and power, 2 points from each 
  ability.
  Fails by more than 5
  Program or power of attacker’s choice 
  disabled or reduce one ability by 6, plus 
  as above result.
  Fails by more than 10
  Computer knocked out. All programs and 
  powers disabled, abilities are reduced to 0.
  You can always choose to pull your punch, inflicting less damage 
  to avoid drawing suspicion. The result of your attack represents 
  the most damage you can wreak on a system. If you choose, 
  you can spare programs, reduce the damage they sustain, leave 
  
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  abilities intact, or inflict less than the listed damage. You might 
  choose this option if you want to disable a specific program, such 
  as defensive software, while leaving the rest of the computer’s 
  operations intact.
  HIJACK A SYSTEM
  You can gain control of the programs and features installed on 
  a computer that you have entered. Make a Computers check 
  opposed by the target system’s Will save + the ranks in the target 
  program. If you succeed, choose one of the computer’s programs. 
  You may now control it. The target computer’s user or any agents 
  installed on it may attempt to regain control of the hijacked 
  system with a Computers check opposed by your own check, as 
  described under Defensive Actions (see below).
  While you control the software, you count as its operator and can 
  issue commands and use its feature as if you were in complete 
  control of the target computer. You could order security guns to 
  attack guards or disengage.
  You can take control of processes that are currently running under 
  the watch of an agent or even one run by an intelligent user. 
  In this case, you must make a Computers check opposed by the 
  agent’s program check (d20 + its ranks + 5 bonus) or the user’s 
  Computers check with a +5 bonus. The bonus reflects the difficulty 
  in tampering with a process under the control of an active user. If 
  your check succeeds, you control the process and may make any 
  skill checks or decisions in its operation. However, when resolving 
  a skill check you can choose to reduce your check by any amount. 
  Make this decision after rolling the die and totaling your result. 
  This represents any willing sabotage you may make. For example, 
  you could feed incorrect data into a computer running the combat 
  simulator program, causing anyone training on it to suffer a pen-
  alty in future combats.
  When hijacking a program in this manner, you must operate it as 
  normal. This includes taking the time to complete the program’s 
  operation and make any necessary Computers or other skill 
  checks.
  INSERT A PROGRAM
  You can install a program on a remote system, placing it as a spy, a 
  security loophole, or even an added ability that could somehow work 
  to your favor. The wide variety of poison pills, backdoors, viruses, 
  and other nasty programs are detailed under the program descrip-
  tions (see pages 52–57). These programs offer different advantages 
  and abilities summarized in their descriptions. Installing one of 
  these programs requires a Computers skill check with a DC equal to 
  the target system’s computer defense rating (10 + Security modifier 
  + software modifiers). You gain a bonus to this check equal to the 
  ranks of the program you want to add. In addition, the target com-
  puter must have enough space to hold the program. You may have 
  to launch an attack to destroy programs, thus freeing up Storage, to 
  make room for the one you want to add.
  Once you add a program, you do not gain any special access to it 
  unless you leave behind a Trojan horse or backdoor program. The 
  specialized programs you can install in this manner offer the abil-
  ity to leave a system open to future intrusions.
  Anyone using the computer you infiltrated and to which you 
  added software might notice the presence of foreign software. A 
  computer may make a Fortitude save each day with a DC equal to 
  10 + the installed program’s ranks. If it succeeds, its on-board virus 
  scanners and similar software detect the intruder and remove it. 
  Otherwise, the computer’s user can make a Computers check (DC 
  20 + the rogue program’s ranks) to notice it. The user gains a +5 
  bonus to this check if he specifically looks for unwanted files, and 
  another +5 bonus if you had to damage programs to fit your new 
  software.
  STEAL FROM A SYSTEM
  The classic reason for breaking into a system. In this case you 
  seek out files and attempt to gather useful data from a com-
  puter. The full results of this action depend on your GM’s ruling. 
  Either the computer has the files you need, or it lacks them. In 
  either case, you must make a Computers check (DC 25) to find 
  the files you want in a single action. You can keep trying until 
  you find the files or give up. Your GM may make this check in 
  secret, especially if you are not sure if the files you want are 
  actually on the system.
  Some of the defensive software available for computers can 
  increase the Computers DC, create fake data that you might acci-
  dentally download, or encrypt data and require you to decode the 
  information found within.
  DEFENSIVE ACTIONS
  While anyone who manages a major computer system must worry 
  about intruders, there are some actions you can take to foil their 
  efforts. Some defensive actions can only be taken if you’re aware 
  of an intruder’s presence. You must first use the detect intruder 
  action to uncover an outsider’s interference. Other actions, such 
  as shutting down a system, are severe but effective methods for 
  forcing an invader out of a computer.
  Intruders can also use these actions to counter the efforts of any-
  one fighting to keep a computer intact. For example, a skilled 
  cracker might seize control of a system and kick its owner off the 
  machine, preventing him from taking any measures to halt the 
  sabotage.
  DETECT INTRUDER
  You run a scan of a system to see if any unauthorized users are con-
  nected. You must make a detection check using your Computers 
  skill opposed by your opponent’s own Computers check. If you 
  succeed, you uncover his presence and can take actions against 
  him. Otherwise, you are unable to uncover his presence.
  LOCK USER
  You can use this action against any user who is not currently on 
  the system and who normally has access to it. Make a Computers 
  check. If your target wants to regain access to the system and 
  normal, he must make a Computers check with a DC equal to 
  your check’s result or he must break into the system. Anyone can 
  remove this lock with a DC 20 Computers check as long as they 
  have access to the system.
  
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  REPEL INTRUDER
  Using your system’s diagnostic tools and defensive programs, you 
  can force an intruder to sever his connection. Make a Computers 
  check opposed by your opponent’s Computers check. If you suc-
  ceed, he loses his connection and must try to penetrate your 
  system’s defenses to regain his foothold. Any process or programs 
  he was using are shut down, though if he planted any programs 
  — and you don’t discover them — they continue to function until 
  you find and delete them.
  SHUT DOWN SYSTEM
  You can use this action in two different ways. The first version 
  is a soft shut down. You use the computer’s operating system 
  or software to power it down. Anyone connected to the system 
  is allowed one more set of actions before the computer goes 
  offline. An intruder can use an action to make a Computers 
  check opposed by your own. If he succeeds, your attempt to 
  shut down the computer fails. If you are faced with a skilled 
  opponent, he might be able to forestall your shut down attempt 
  indefinitely.
  The second version is a hard shut down. In this case, you pull 
  the computer’s plug or otherwise physically remove its power 
  source. Everyone connected to the system is kicked off, and all 
  programs running on it are stopped and must be restarted from 
  scratch. The computer must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or it 
  loses one rank from each program due to the damage it suffers 
  from the sudden, catastrophic shutdown.
  TERMINATE NETWORK CONNECTION
  You can physically remove the computer’s network connection or 
  shut down the software that allows it to communicate with other 
  machines. This action work just like the shut down system action, 
  except instead of powering down the computer loses many capa-
  bilities once it is removed from the network. Programs that lack the 
  Isolated extra lose half their ranks, rounded down. You can choose 
  between a soft or hard network termination, with anyone else on 
  the system given one last set of actions before the computer drops 
  off the net. An intruder can attempt to counter a network termina-
  tion just like a shut down system command.
  TRACE AN INTRUDER
  You can try to find a cracker’s system on the network or trace his 
  signal back to its source. Make a Computers check opposed by 
  the intruder’s Computers check. If you succeed, you may connect 
  to his computer and launch a counter-attack. You also learn his 
  physical location.
  MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
  While attacking a computer system and patrolling it to ward off 
  the depredations of intruders, most of the time you will use a 
  computer to complete simple tasks, run its software, compose 
  an email, and so forth. You can use your actions to make use 
  of a software package’s abilities as described in the following 
  section.
  COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE
  Most computers are designed around a few fundamental abilities. 
  A computer can accomplish a wide range of tasks, but the more 
  specialized a machine the more effective it is at its jobs. However, 
  highly advanced machines might be able to manage a broad 
  range of tasks.
  All software has the following statistics:
  • Complexity: A software package is rated as either basic or 
  advanced, depending on how easy it is to use.
  • Memory: Complex, powerful software requires more space on 
  a computer’s disk. A computer can hold software whose total 
  memory rating is less than or equal to its Storage ability score. 
  Some programs, usually simple ones that fulfill a limited, mun-
  dane purpose, have a memory rating of 0. Other programs have 
  a memory cost on a per rank basis. The memory cost applies for 
  every full or partial allotment of the listed ranks. For example, a 
  program that has a memory listing of 1 per 5 ranks takes up 1 
  memory if it has 1 to 5 ranks, 2 memory if it has 6 to 10 ranks, 
  and so forth.
  • Cost: The construction point cost per rank to purchase this soft-
  ware package.
  • Rank: Not all software is created equal. Some packages are 
  better designed than others. Rank allows you to compare the 
  strength and power of two software packages. For example, 
  an infiltration software package with a +10 rank has a better 
  chance of punching through +6 defense software than +12 
  defense programs. Some simple applications do not have ranks, 
  like feats, you either have them and gain their benefits, or you 
  do not.
  SOFTWARE CATEGORIES
  Software comes in a few, basic categories related to its uses. The 
  following paragraphs list the basic functions that computer soft-
  ware can fulfill. These are broad categories meant to give you 
  an idea of the specific tasks that software can fulfill and to help 
  organize the software presented here.
  All computers come with the Standard Software Suite, described 
  under the basic computing software category.
  • Basic Computing: This software covers almost everything the 
  standard, home computer can accomplish. A user can employ 
  this function to file his taxes, check email, search the Internet, 
  or create a simple spreadsheet. As a rule of thumb, if you can 
  accomplish a task with the average home computer it belongs 
  under this header. Basic computing software never has ranks. 
  Instead, it costs 1 point to purchase one of these software pack-
  ages for a computer.
  • Agents: Agents are programs that move through the network 
  in search of specific pieces of information, patterns of data, and 
  other potentially useful finds. They can also be designed to 
  carry out automated tasks, such as launching successive attacks 
  on a site or tracking down an infiltrator’s location. Their primary 
  
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  strength is that they operate independent of a user, allowing 
  you to give an agent broad criteria for action and embark on 
  a thorough, self-managed task. Agents usually work with other 
  programs to complete their tasks.
  • Data Processing: Computers are useful tools for finding 
  patterns in information that might otherwise be impossible 
  to notice. A specialized application might be able to predict 
  a criminal’s next move by analyzing his previous moves. A dif-
  ferent data processor might aid in the design and construction 
  of vehicles or weapons, as it can build virtual models that help 
  speed up the development process or test prototypes in simula-
  tion without having to construct a real one from scratch.
  • Data Storage: From a simple database that lists the con-
  victed felons from across the world, to a highly specialized 
  set of development notes, prototype models, and diagrams of 
  armored vehicles, the data management category covers all 
  methods of information storage and retrieval. Superior data-
  bases can retrieve useful data based on only a few, board 
  search criteria.
  • Defense: Any computer kept on the Internet is at risk of attack. 
  This category of functions includes anything that makes it more 
  difficult to penetrate a computer’s systems or active software 
  that launches counterattacks and other measures.
  • Infiltration: This category of function includes any software 
  used to infiltrate secure systems. It includes the ability to steal 
  files, plant information on a distant computer, or destroy the 
  contents of a database.
  • Miscellaneous Applications: This category is a catch all for 
  anything that doesn’t fit into the ones given above. Some com-
  puter programs are unique or too specialized to fall under a 
  general classification.
  BASIC COMPUTING SOFTWARE
  The basic computing software options represent a collection of 
  related applications.
  STANDARD SOFTWARE SUITE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 0 pts.
  The standard software suite allows for the most basic computer 
  operations, including email, Web browsing, writing simple text 
  files, viewing data, and so on. As a rule of thumb, this software 
  package can be used for any tasks that a new, out-of-the-box per-
  sonal computer is capable of.
  MATHEMATICS SUITE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 2 pts.
  The Mathematics Suite of tools comes with advanced software to 
  aid in solving advanced mathematics, such as calculus, differen-
  tial equations, and so on. This package is a common feature on 
  machines configured for scientific use. As long as you have access 
  to this computer, you gain a +2 bonus to all Knowledge and Science 
  checks that would benefit from advanced mathematical analysis.
  OFFICE SUITE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 2 pts.
  This package represents the typical array of business tools, such 
  as an advanced word processor, spreadsheet, slide show creator, 
  and similar utilities. This package grants you a +2 bonus to all 
  Profession checks.
  PROGRAMMING SUITE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 2 pts.
  A key tool for anyone interested in crafting their own software, 
  this suite includes a compiler, text editor, debugger, and other 
  tools critical to writing programs. You must have this feature on 
  a computer in order to create your own software (see Writing 
  Software on p. 58).
  SCIENCE SUITE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 2 pts.
  The Science Suite comes with a variety of tools and applications 
  designed to aid in scientific research, such as software designed 
  to analyze data or produce physics models. This software grants 
  you a +2 bonus to all Science checks.
  AGENTS
  Some agents need access to some other program that they use 
  to carry out a task. Without these tools, they are almost useless. 
  Other agents include all the software they need to carry out their 
  appointed tasks. These agents act like limited artificial intelli-
  gences, and many of them carry out their tasks as soon as they 
  detect a particular event or combination of circumstances.
  ACTIVE AGENT
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 2
  Cost: 3 points per rank
  An Active Agent is a minor, though useful, artificial intelligence 
  that watches over a computer system and manages its daily oper-
  ations. It counts as a computer user who has a total bonus in the 
  Computers skill equal to its ranks.
  The Active Agent can take actions to detect and thwart intruders, 
  run software, and so on. Any software it uses gains the benefits 
  of its ranks up to the agent’s total ranks. For example, an Active 
  
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  Agent +8 would use a Database +12 as if it was a Database +8. 
  The agent simply lacks the complexity needed to make the most 
  of the program.
  You make all decisions for the Active Agent, and can direct it to 
  repel attackers. However, an Active Agent cannot use any of the 
  offensive actions described above. While advanced, it is designed 
  to maintain and monitor its home system, not seek out and 
  destroy intruders. It can use the full range of defensive actions as 
  normal.
  If an Active Agent is destroyed, such as by having its ranks reduced 
  to 0 or less, the system spawns a replacement with full ranks after 
  5 minutes.
  HUNTER-KILLER
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 2
  Cost: 3 points per rank
  This vicious little program is designed to track down an intruder, 
  analyze the computer he is using, and then destroy as much of 
  it as possible. While quasi-legal in most societies, as there is no 
  guarantee that the hunter-killer finds the right target, this agent 
  is effective at deterring attacks and silencing an assault before 
  it can inflict much damage.
  The hunter-killer triggers when an intruder enters a secured sys-
  tem. If the intruder activates any alarms, the hunter-killer springs 
  into action. It launches an attack on the intruder’s system if it 
  makes a successful trace check using its ranks opposed by the 
  intruder’s Computers check. The hunter-killer uses its ranks as 
  its Computers skill bonus. It can be attacked and destroyed just 
  like any other program, but redundancies included in its design 
  allow it to come back and attack again. If it is destroyed its 
  host computer spawns another one that immediately attacks in 
  5 minutes.
  Otherwise, use the standard rules for systems intrusion, destroy-
  ing files, and tracing an attack as per the Computer Actions 
  section on p. 49.
  PASSIVE AGENT
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This simple but useful agent can take over tasks and free you 
  to take care of more pressing business. A Passive Agent can 
  operate any other program, though it can only use ranks in a pro-
  gram equal to its own. If a program has more ranks, the agent is 
  unable to use them. For example, a Passive Agent +5 would run 
  a combat simulator +12 as if it had only +5 ranks.
  The agent must receive a set of initial directions from a user. In 
  essence, the user starts a process then leaves it to run with the 
  agent in charge. The agent may record the user’s actions, or it 
  might require a script or program. In either case, you can start a 
  program and leave it for the agent to complete it rather than use 
  the computer for the full duration of the program’s operation. In 
  this case, you make all decisions for the agent, but it can only 
  pay attention to a single program. For example, an autonomous 
  agent couldn’t stop running a security camera to work against 
  an intruder.
  DATA PROCESSING
  The software under this category allows you to solve crimes, 
  track down criminals, and perhaps make predictions about 
  future events based on the data you provide.
  COMBAT SIMULATOR
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 2 ranks
  Cost: 3 points per rank
  This software program allows you to produce a convincing, real-
  istic simulation of combat situations. By inputting data collected 
  about a particular opponent, this program creates a computer 
  simulation that allows you to gain insights into your opponent’s 
  tactics.
  In order to use this software, you must spend one day preparing 
  it with collected data and working your way through simula-
  tions. Make a Computers check with a bonus equal to the ranks 
  in this software. In addition, this check gains a bonus or penalty 
  based on the data you provide it.
  TP
  
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  TABLE 4–5: DATA QUALITY PENALTIES AND BONUSES
  DATA QUALITY
  COMBAT SIMULATOR CHECK MODIFIER
  News reports, second hand info
  –4
  Fought target once
  –4
  Fought target twice
  +0
  Fought target three times
  +2
  Fought target four or more times
  +4
  Target’s powers changed or hidden
  –10
  The result of this check provides you with a bonus or penalty to 
  your attacks and power checks the next time you face the super-
  villain you attempted to analyze.
  TABLE 4–6: COMBAT SIMULATOR RESULT MODIFIERS
  COMBAT SIMULATOR RESULT
  MODIFIER
  1 – 10
  –2
  11 – 20
  –1
  21 – 30
  +0
  31 – 40
  +1
  41 – 50
  +2
  51 – 60
  +3
  You can only use this program against a single villain or other 
  individual. Your GM may rule that you can apply the result 
  against a specific class of robot or other construct that uses a 
  limited range of tactics.
  While this program has an advanced complexity rating, heroes 
  without the Computers skill can still gain its benefits. If you 
  spend one day setting up the program, you can run others 
  through the combat simulator. You make a Computers check 
  with the modifiers listed above on their behalf. You and the sub-
  ject of this training must spend a full day going through the 
  simulations.
  The bonuses granted by this program apply only to your next 
  encounter with the target villain. You can only gain a bonus 
  against one foe at a time from this program. After you use this 
  program, you must accept its results until you either train against 
  a different opponent or fight your target.
  Your GM may decide to keep the results of this training secret 
  until the modifier comes into play. Training is always a tricky 
  thing. A hero who uses this program might be convinced that 
  he has learned a useful trick or two, but faulty data or a mistake 
  in the program might set him up for failure. If the players know 
  they have been saddled with a penalty, they may use metagame 
  thinking to avoid it.
  CRIME PATTERN ANALYSIS
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 5 ranks
  Cost: 2 points per rank
  By drawing on a detailed database of criminal tendencies, an 
  exhaustive collection of crime data, and detailed plans and maps 
  of the world’s economic, social, and political geography, this pro-
  gram can make educated predictions of a criminal’s next move. 
  This program confers the benefits of the Precognition power with 
  ranks equal to its rating. You can only use this ability to predict 
  a villain or criminal’s next crime. You must have information on 
  a criminal in order to make predictions about his actions. This 
  includes basic data on his powers and at least four crimes he has 
  committed in the past year.
  Using this software requires a Computers check to determine how 
  long it takes the software to produce useful results. This check 
  measures your ability to enter the data you have recovered and 
  interpret the results. Normally, it takes three days to complete an 
  analysis. Divide your Computers check by 10, round down, and 
  subtract the result from three to determine how many days it 
  takes for this software to process the data. If the result is less than 
  one, it takes 12 hours.
  DESIGN TOOLS
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 5 ranks
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This software is designed to allow you to build prototypes of new 
  devices, weapons, tools, and other items in a virtual environment. 
  Before you create a physical device, you can test its model in high 
  wind, arctic cold, searing desert, rocky terrain, vacuum, and other 
  exotic locales. The software shows you how the device functions, 
  including any potential bugs and system failures that you may 
  need to correct.
  You may make a Computers check with a bonus equal to the ranks 
  in this program. Divide your result by 10 and round down. Subtract 
  the result from the number of days needed to create a device from 
  scratch. If the result is 0 or less, it takes you 12 hours to produce 
  a gadget rather than a full day. Note that this software gives you 
  the best proportional reduction in time for complex, time-consum-
  ing projects. Simple devices gain less of a benefit from extensive 
  modeling.
  OBJECT ANALYZER
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 5 ranks
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This complex computer program usually requires the use of some 
  sort of object scanner. The computer might come with a device 
  that looks like a glass tube with a hinged panel. You can place an 
  item into the tube, and the program uses sensors to break down 
  the object’s composition and inner workings. A mobile unit might 
  use a hand scanner or similar tool. This item is included in the 
  program’s cost.
  The object analyzer can attempt to determine how a device works, 
  analyze the chemical composition of a soil, rock, or air sample, or 
  make similar deductions based on an item’s physical character-
  istics. A computer must spend one hour analyzing an object to 
  provide useful data on it. After this time is up, you may make a 
  Computers or a relevant Knowledge or Science check with a bonus 
  equal to this program’s ranks. You learn information based on the 
  DCs you meet or exceed.
  
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  TABLE 4–7: OBJECT ANALYZER RESULTS 
  CHECK RESULT
  INFORMATION LEARNED
  10
  List of terrestrial elements, compounds, and 
  materials present
  15
  Basic purpose and age of an object
  20
  Information on how to use a device and its purpose
  30
  Identification and analysis of alien compounds and 
  materials
  DATA STORAGE
  This class of programs covers the ability to gather, organize, and 
  search complex bodies of information. Its primary purpose is to 
  provide additional information for other purposes, but in some 
  cases raw data is a useful tool on its own.
  DATABASE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 1 per 2 ranks
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This program represents a local collection of data on a particular subject, 
  such as supervillains, weapons, space, aliens, or some other subject. By 
  accessing this database, you can learn more about anything contained 
  within it, allowing you to research a villain or other topic.
  When you select a database, you must select a Knowledge skill 
  topic that it is linked to. Anyone who has access to the computer 
  gains a bonus to those Knowledge checks equal to this program’s 
  ranks. In addition, if you lack ranks in the relevant Knowledge 
  you can make a check as if you had ranks in it equal to half this 
  program’s ranks, rounded down.
  If the computer has the relevant Knowledge skill, it gains a bonus 
  to its check equal to the database’s rank.
  ENCRYPTION
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  An encryption program can make it harder to steal files from a 
  computer. All the data files kept on a computer with this program 
  must be decoded before they can be read. Thus address lists, blue-
  prints, images, and other information that an intruder might steal 
  have an additional layer of security. Anyone who attempts to read 
  an encrypted file must make a Computers check with a DC equal 
  to 10 + the Encryption program’s ranks. It takes you 30 minutes for 
  every rank in this program to crack the encryption on a file. You must 
  decrypt each file separately. You cannot tell what sort of data is in an 
  encrypted file without analyzing it. This takes 10 minutes and requires 
  a Computers check with a DC equal to the Encryption rating.
  DEFENSE
  Defensive software ranges from programs that keep intruders out, 
  to those built to attack or disrupt a user identified as a rogue 
  agent.
  ACTIVE DEFENSE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 1 per 2 ranks
  Cost: 2 points per rank
  An active defense is a program that aggressively scans a system in 
  search of intruders. It monitors files, keeps a close log of processes 
  and applications that are running, and records the commands 
  issued by users. An intruder must take care to avoid this program, 
  as it can activate an alarm that rouses the system’s full array of 
  defensive software.
  Each round, an intruder must make a Computers check with a 
  DC equal to 10 + the Active Defense program’s ranks + the num-
  ber of rounds he has spent in the system. If this check fails, the 
  Active Defense uses an alarm to bring any defensive software and 
  agents on line.
  BOUNCER
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 2
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  A bounce program pushes an unauthorized user out of a system, 
  forcing him to halt his actions and make another attempt to break 
  into the computer. When activated, the Bouncer makes 1 action 
  each computer round (5 minutes) to attempt a repel intruder 
  action against anyone identified as an unwanted operator. The 
  Bouncer acts as if its ranks were its Computers skill bonus. If the 
  Bouncer succeeds, it then uses the lock user action to keep an 
  intruder from returning.
  FAIL SAFE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This simple but useful program is designed as a last resort measure 
  against intruders. It can be set to activate when an unauthorized 
  user is detected via an Active or Passive Defense. In either case, 
  when activated the Fail Safe tries to shut down the computer 
  or sever its network connection, as per the appropriate actions 
  described above. The Fail Safe must use the soft shut down or net-
  work disconnection. Obviously, as a program it cannot reach out 
  to pull a wire from a computer. It counts as having a total bonus 
  in Computers equal to its ranks.
  LOCKSMITH
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This program monitors the ports and connections made to a 
  computer. It attempts to intercept intruders before they can gain 
  entry to a system, using something similar to a firewall to block 
  out unwanted traffic or foil any intrusion attempts. A computer 
  with this software gains its ranks as a bonus to its Computer 
  
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  Defense rating, the Computers DC an intruder must defeat in 
  order to enter a system.
  PASSIVE DEFENSE
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  A Passive Defense is the opposite of an active one. Rather than 
  scan the system for intruders, it remains inert until it receives 
  any damage. If an intruder copies a file or damages any soft-
  ware, not just the Passive Defense, it may sound an alarm. Each 
  time an intruder damages the system or steals a file, he must 
  make a Computers check with a DC equal to 10 + this program’s 
  ranks. If he fails this check, the Passive Defense activates and 
  causes any other defensive software to take action against the 
  intruder.
  INFILTRATION
  Software cataloged under this category falls into two basic 
  forms. Some of these programs are useful in penetrating systems 
  and defeating their security systems. They confer bonuses to 
  Computers checks made to destroy or copy files, wreck programs, 
  and so on. Other programs listed here are Trojan horses and poi-
  son pills. An intruder can secretly install them onto a computer in 
  order to make future visits easier, to spy on the target computer’s 
  users, or to hijack the machine at a later date.
  BACK DOOR
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  You install this program on other systems, making it easier to 
  infiltrate them. It has no effect on your own computer unless you 
  choose to activate it.
  While a Back Door remains on a system, you do not need to make 
  a Computers check to infiltrate it. Instead, you automatically enter 
  the system through the Back Door. This program might create a 
  login and password for you to use or a similar method to clear 
  your path of entry.
  BATTERING SCRIPT
  Complexity: Basic
  Memory: 2
  Cost: 2 points per rank
  A battering script is a relatively simply program that attempts to 
  enter a system through a variety of methods. Usually, it draws on 
  reported security loopholes and common tricks to overwhelm a 
  system’s defenses. The chief advantage it offers is that anyone can 
  make use of it. However, its simple tactics are relatively easy for a 
  well-protected computer or experienced operator to overcome.
  A Battering Script allows you to use any of the offensive actions. 
  You count as having ranks in Computers equal to half this script’s 
  rating for purposes of breaking into a system. You cannot use 
  these ranks for any other actions.
  DATA TORRENT
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 5 ranks
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This program is designed to reside on your machine, where it 
  works to help you enter a system. By hiding copies on insecure 
  machines across the network, such as personal computers and 
  other systems unlikely to have heavy duty security measures, the 
  Data Torrent produces a flood of traffic that overwhelms the tar-
  get system. Each computer round, the target system must make a 
  Reflex save (DC 10 + the Data Torrent’s ranks) or be overwhelmed 
  with data. All processes on the computer operate with a –2 pen-
  alty to their ranks, while legitimate users suffer a –2 penalty to 
  their Computers checks.
  A Data Torrent program can attack one system at a time. Once 
  you choose a target, it continues to attack until you spend a com-
  puter action to stop it.
  The target of a Data Torrent can attempt to track its source. This 
  requires a Computers check with a DC of 20 + this program’s ranks.
  PENETRATOR
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1 per 4 ranks
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  Cost: 2 points per rank
  This attack script aids you in piercing a computer system’s 
  defenses. When making a Computers check to infiltrate a system, 
  you gain a bonus equal to this program’s ranks.
  SPYWARE
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This program is designed for installation on a secure system. It 
  monitors a computer and reports back on the programs run on the 
  machine, including any results they produce. For example, a super-
  villain could use this program to follow what his rival is up to. This 
  program reports once per day at a time chosen by its user. Once 
  installed, this time cannot be changed until you enter the system 
  and use an action to reset it.
  TROJAN HORSE
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 0
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  You can install this program on secure systems, making it more 
  difficult for others to notice any software you have added to a 
  system. The Trojan horse makes destructive software look like a 
  system’s normal resources or components. As long as your Trojan 
  horse remains in place, anyone making checks or saves to note 
  the presence of foreign software suffers a penalty equal to the 
  Trojan horse’s ranks.
  MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS
  Computers can serve a wide variety of purposes, from control sys-
  tems and monitors to catalogs of vital data. Any program that 
  doesn’t fit into the categories above is listed here.
  CONTROL SYSTEM
  Complexity: Advanced
  Memory: 1
  Cost: 1 point per rank
  This program allows a computer to maintain control over a sen-
  try gun, a machine, or some other device. The computer uses any 
  abilities, skills, attack bonuses, or other stats it has that are appli-
  cable to the device’s functions. Otherwise, it requires some basic 
  instruction on how to operate the device. For example, a computer 
  could be programmed to fire a gun at anyone who does not bear 
  a security pass.
  This program’s ranks determine how well the computer can con-
  trol a device. It cannot use skill ranks or a base attack bonus 
  above the program’s ranks. Anything above that total does not 
  count to attacks, checks, or other rolls. For example, a computer 
  with a base attack bonus of +8 and Control System +5 would 
  only count as having a base attack bonus of +5 when running an 
  installation’s defensive guns.
  PROGRAM EXTRAS
  Any program can use these extras to improve their functions. 
  Some of these extras represent large, complex machines or devices 
  that connect to a computer. Your GM may judge that a computer 
  must be a minimum size to use it. For example, the Holographic 
  Chamber requires a small room to set up, making it unlikely to 
  work with a laptop or similar device.
  Only programs that purchase an extra gain its benefits. In the case 
  of a Holographic Chamber or a similar extra, only a few programs 
  on a computer may be capable of interfacing with it or gaining 
  the benefits it offers.
  DATA BACK-UP
  By committing a program and its data to a CD or tape, you can 
  ensure that you always have a replacement copy should some-
  thing happen to your computer. A program with this extra can 
  restore any damage it suffered as a standard computer action.
  HOLOGRAPHIC CHAMBER
  This room-sized device allows a computer to create a virtual, three-
  dimensional interface for a program or simulation. For example, 
  you could craft a hologram of a device prototype that you want 
  to create, allowing you to “handle” the object and watch it oper-
  ate. A combat simulator might create holographic foes for you to 
  battle and study. When using a program that has this extra, you 
  gain a +4 bonus to all Computers and other skill or ability checks 
  you make as part of the program’s operation.
  IMMERSIVE INTERFACE
  This program may use a direct neural hookup, a virtual real-
  ity control system, or some other interface that allows its user 
  to react faster than normal. When using this program, you roll 
  2d20 for any Computers checks and use the higher of the two 
  rolls.
  ISOLATED
  A program with this extra does not need a network connection 
  to operate. It may have a complete database of the information 
  it needs, or it simply does not need live data to operate. You GM 
  may rule that certain programs automatically gain this extra.
  REPAIRING A COMPUTER
  Fixing a computer’s physical structure, or hardware, works just like 
  repairing any other broken device. The computer counts as having 
  ranks equal to the sum of its attributes before they suffered any 
  damage.
  Damaged programs and abilities are repaired using the Computers 
  skill instead of Repair. In addition, you must have access to the 
  computer and it needs to be in working order before you can 
  begin repairs. Otherwise, use the standard rules for repairing a 
  device.
  
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  WRITING SOFTWARE
  The Computers skill allows you to modify programs and create 
  software from scratch. Building applications takes time and effort. 
  It is not something that you can do in a matter of seconds.
  To write a new program, pick one of the types given previously 
  in this chapter and decide how many ranks you want your new 
  program to have. Determine its total cost in points. This is the 
  Computers skill check DC you must succeed at in order to write 
  the program. It takes a number of days equal to the program’s 
  ranks to complete it. You make your Computers check half-way 
  through the process. You may take 10 on this check.
  Modifying a program with malicious intent uses the rules given 
  earlier under offensive computer actions. Otherwise, if the action 
  you want to take doesn’t fit those guidelines, you must clear your 
  plans with your GM. If he approves them, follow the rules given 
  for creating software from scratch, except that the DC and time 
  are based on half the existing program’s current ranks. If you want 
  to increase a program’s total ranks, you must follow the rules for 
  writing it from scratch.
  COMPUTER GENIUS
  Cost: 2
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You have an intuitive sense for computers. You might be able to 
  directly interface with hardware, using pure mental energy to shift 
  binary data and alter programs, or you could simply be able to 
  manipulate a CPU with inhuman speed. In any case, your mind is 
  the equal of even the fastest processor. In a matter of moments, 
  you can complete tasks that would take normal programmers 
  hours or even days.
  You gain a bonus to all Computers skill checks equal to your ranks 
  in this ability. In addition, you can divide the time needed to write 
  a program by your ranks in this power. When using a computer, 
  you gain one bonus action for every 5 full ranks you have in this 
  power. You are so adept at manipulating programs that you can 
  use these bonus actions to activate a program more than once. 
  Normally, you cannot use a program multiple times during a sin-
  gle, 5-minute, computer round.
  CYBERTECH
  As the medical sciences advance, humanity might one day learn 
  to produce machines designed to directly interface with muscles, 
  nerves, and other organs. Already, artificial organs provide replace-
  ments for the old and infirm. It doesn’t take much of a stretch to 
  think that if we can replace faulty body parts, science can produce 
  wholly new ones that improve on the ones with which we’re born.
  Cybertech covers devices that are installed into a user’s body. They 
  become a permanent part of his anatomy, granting him increased 
  strength, superior reflexes, the ability to see in the dark, and just 
  about any other ability you can imagine. Cybertech is a common 
  trope of science fiction, particularly near-future stories. In comic 
  books, many heroes born of technology have artificial limbs, 
  bionic eyes, and other mechanical improvements. This section cov-
  ers such technology and includes a number of features, feats, and 
  flaws to further customize them.
  NEW FEATURES FOR CYBERTECH
  Cybertech’s primary advantage lies in its integration with its 
  user. While a pistol can be knocked out of one’s hand, lost, or 
  stolen, an energy weapon grafted into a soldier’s forearm is 
  proof against such threats. A weapon that directly interfaces 
  with a warrior’s nervous system can project a targeting crosshair 
  directly into the nerve bundles that link her eyes to her brain. 
  Bionic implants might allow a futuristic detective to analyze the 
  chemicals present in the air with a single sniff. Their close ties 
  to a hero’s body allow them to confer several secondary benefits 
  in addition to their standard powers. The following features are 
  available for the standard cost of 1 power point per feature.
  • Biometrics Monitor: You can exercise a level of control over 
  your body’s ability to heal itself. Even while you are uncon-
  scious, this computer system uses chemicals to improve your 
  natural healing. You recover from hits in half the normal time: 
  1 bruising hit every 5 rounds and 1 lethal hit every 30 minutes. 
  This effect stacks with Rapid Healing and similar effects.
  • Neural Computer: The computer systems responsible for mon-
  itoring and administrating your cybertech are directly integrated 
  into your cerebral cortex. It projects status reports and system 
  updates directly into your visual nerve center, allowing them to 
  appear like a heads up display on your eyes. If it detects any 
  anomalous activity in the area, it alerts you. When you pass 
  near any hidden objects or people that you could detect with 
  Listen, Search, or Spot, your GM automatically makes a secret 
  check for you. If you succeed, your computer alerts you to the 
  hidden threat or clue automatically. In addition, you gain a +2 
  bonus on all Repair checks to fix your cybertech.
  • Physical Sculpting: The installation of your cybertech has 
  allowed you to improve your body’s natural capabilities. 
  You gain a +1 bonus to an ability of your choice, though 
  you cannot increase your scores above 20. You may have 
  grown stronger as you adjusted to carrying several pounds of 
  cybertech in your body or perhaps they’ve further strength-
  ened your body in their own way. The modifications to your 
  nervous system may even allow you to think clearer or faster 
  than before.
  • Plastic Surgery: The surgical skill and technology needed 
  to implant artificial organs or make computerized additions 
  to your brain renders simple cosmetic surgery a trivial pro-
  cess. You gain a +2 bonus to all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Gather 
  Information checks. In addition, when you take this feat you 
  can so thoroughly change your appearance that it is impos-
  sible to link you to your old identity with anything short of 
  psychic probing or interrogation. You may take this feat more 
  
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  than once. While the bonus does not stack, you do gain a new 
  identity each time.
  • Sub-dermal Defense: The cybertech installed in your body 
  provides, as an offshoot of its design, an added layer of pro-
  tection. A set of artificial muscles include titanium joint braces 
  that make your bones more difficult to damage. You gain a +1 
  bonus to defense from the accumulated protection offered by 
  your cybertech.
  • Synaptic Integration: A power with this feature is closely tied 
  to its owner’s nervous system. It functions just like any other 
  organ or muscle. With a thought it activates. You gain a +2 
  initiative bonus when using this power. This feature can only be 
  applied to powers that have a range other than personal.
  EXTRAS
  • Cyber Link: This extra works only with devices that do not use 
  the cybertech template. This device is equipped so that it may 
  be connected to you and your cybernetic parts, but isn’t actu-
  ally built into your body. The device with this extra may be used 
  with the Weapon Link and Device Link powers described below.
  • Reflexive Systems Control: In addition to the normal com-
  puter systems required to maintain your cybernetic implants, 
  this mechanism allows you to maintain fine control over a 
  range of your body’s smooth muscles and other processes you 
  normally cannot control. You can cause your pupils to widen, 
  your breathing to remain steady despite stress, and so on. You 
  gain a bonus to Bluff checks equal to your rank in the power 
  this extra applies to. In addition, you add your ranks in this 
  power to any checks or saves to resist gas attacks, suffocation, 
  starvation, poison, or exhaustion.
  FLAWS
  • Implant Rejection: Due to a conflict between your immune 
  system and some element of this piece of cybertech, you suf-
  fer a continuous, allergic reaction. Each time you activate this 
  power, you must make a Damage save with a DC equal to 10 
  + this power’s ranks. If you fail, you suffer a bruising hit. Note 
  that this effect does not use the standard injuries based on the 
  margin by which you missed your save. This flaw cannot be 
  applied to powers with a continuous duration.
  • Inhuman Appearance: This cybertech is obvious to even the 
  most casual inspection. Bionic eyes might simply be miniature 
  cameras or sensor panels mounted in your eye sockets, while 
  bionic limbs are plain metal, pistons, and artificial muscle. You 
  suffer a penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, 
  and Sense Motive checks equal to half your ranks in this power 
  rounded up. In addition, your opponents can attack this piece 
  of cybertech as if it were a power with the Device flaw.
  • Upkeep: Your cybertech requires constant maintenance. 
  Otherwise, it degrades over time. At the end of any combat 
  encounter, this power loses 1 rank. You must spend 1 hour of 
  work to repair it, regardless of how many ranks it loses to this flaw.
  CYBERTECH POWERS
  The integration of cybertechnology into the human body can pro-
  duce a range of benefits and abilities. The following powers allow 
  you to model several common cybernetic implants that do not 
  exactly fit into the rules.
  COMPUTER LINK
  Cost: 2
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You have an external, physical link that allows you to directly con-
  nect to a computer via your nervous system. You can manipulate 
  computer systems with inhuman speed and skill, as your thoughts 
  materialize as computer code and interact with the network.
  This power gives you two abilities. You may add your ranks in it 
  to all Computers skill checks you make, providing that you are 
  able to physically connect to a computer or a network on which it 
  resides. The computer does not need any special hardware for you 
  to connect to it.
  In addition to this increased talent with computers, you can also work 
  much faster than normal. For every 5 ranks you have in this power you 
  may make an additional check when you make a Computers check. 
  This represents your ability to work on one goal single-mindedly or on 
  multiple tasks at one time. For example, Dr. Digital has Computer Link 
  +10. He can make 3 Computers checks for different tasks at the same 
  time, or he can use them to make multiple attempts at the same task. 
  In the later case, he uses only the best of his results.
  DEVICE LINK
  Cost: 2
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You have ports and other inputs that allow you to directly interface 
  with devices that have the Cyber Link extra. You can use such items 
  with increased skill and speed. You gain a bonus to any skill checks 
  related to the device equal to your ranks in Device Link. You gain 
  a bonus to any power checks made with the device equal to half 
  your ranks in this power, rounded down. This bonus stacks with the 
  power’s rank, up to your power level limit. In addition, by spending 
  a hero point you can activate the device as a free action.
  This power works only with devices that have the Cyber Link extra. 
  Any device that can be used to make attacks must interface with 
  you via a Weapon Link. A Device Link lacks the targeting capabili-
  ties needed to make attacks.
  WEAPON LINK
  Cost: 3
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  
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  You have a computer link that allows you to directly interface with 
  any weapon equipped with a Cyber Link. This cybernetic system 
  integrates with a suite of smart weapon sensors and components 
  already installed within the weapon. When you wield a cyber 
  weapon, you gain a bonus to hit with it equal to this power’s rank. 
  This power works only with weapons that have the Cyber Link 
  extra.
  INCOMPATIBLE POWERS
  Not every power listed in the core Mutants & Masterminds rules 
  is a good match for the cybertech template. Generally, abilities 
  that you can gain via synthetic implant provide a narrow range 
  of benefits. Talents such as Sorcery or Luck are not generally the 
  sort of powers that appear in movies or comics that present bionic 
  implants. While that doesn’t mean you can’t use them in your 
  game, your GM might not approve them.
  The following list of incompatible powers is meant to give you an 
  idea of the sorts of powers that make sense for bionic implants 
  and those that might be a better fit for a different tech template. 
  If you apply the cybertech template to one of these powers, 
  increase its cost by 1 point. Your GM may allow you to waive 
  this cost. Remember, this list is meant more as a guide for creat-
  ing cybertech that fits with its depiction in comics and the logic 
  behind it, even if it is make-believe science.
  Most of the restricted powers involve creating or altering large 
  quantities of matter. Cybertech is generally subtle, designed to 
  augment or replace its user’s natural functions. Remember, as 
  long as you can justify a power you are free to ignore the cost 
  increase. Your GM has final say in this situation.
  The Armor and Weapon powers make no sense for cybertech, as 
  the template removes the penalties normally associated with the 
  Device flaw. You can create them as cybertech, but their cost can-
  not include that flaw.
  TABLE 4–8: INCOMPATIBLE CYBERTECH POWERS
  Alternate Form
  Postcognition
  Armor
  Precognition
  Astral Projection
  Shapeshift
  Cosmic Power
  Sorcery
  Create Object
  Telekinesis
  Dimensional Travel
  Teleportation
  Duplication
  Time Control
  Growth
  Time Travel
  Incorporeal
  Transformation
  Luck
  Transmutation
  Mimic
  Weapon
  Possession
  Weather Control
  DESIGNING CYBERTECH
  In many ways, cybernetic implants work just like any other power. 
  A character with muscle implants simply has Super-Strength, 
  while one who has a computer system integrated into his brain 
  might possess Super-Intelligence. Almost any power can benefit 
  from the use of the cybertech template. This section does not 
  list powers that can be used with cybernetic implants. Instead, 
  cybertech simply mimics a power that a superhero would pos-
  sess. In game terms, the only real change is the source of the 
  power.
  Still, there are a few powers that are classic models for how cyber-
  netic implants work in comics and science fiction. Anything that 
  enhances a skill or an ability is an ideal choice for cybertech. 
  The Super-Abilities (Super-Constitution, Super-Charisma, Super-
  Dexterity, etc.), Super-Senses, and Super-Skill are perfect fits for 
  cybernetic implants that improve a hero’s natural abilities. A nor-
  mal person can gain the talents and abilities of a superhero with 
  the correct mix of implants.
  SAMPLE CYBERTECH ITEMS
  The following entries list a variety of sample cybertech devices that 
  you can use to equip villains, thugs, or even heroes. The devices 
  are broken down by parts of the body. All of these devices have 
  the cybertech device template. This removes the Device flaw from 
  them, though you can use the full rules for creating devices and 
  the gadget extras, flaws, and features to design them.
  ARMS
  Bionic arms or cybernetic limbs can offer features beyond the 
  obvious enhanced strength and toughness. Some artificial 
  limbs might incorporate weapons and other devices into their 
  designs.
  TP
  
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  BIONIC ARM
  Natural Weapon +6 [Extras: Disguised, Super-Strength; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 6; Total: 36 pp].
  WEAPONIZED LIMB
  Energy Blast +5 [Extras: Disguised; Features: Synaptic Integration; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 16 pp].
  EARS
  Cybernetically-enhanced hearing offers a better chance to hear 
  things around you, but can also include peak limiters to protect 
  you from sonic attacks, radio reception, and more.
  CYBER EARS
  Super-Skill (Listen) +8 [Features: Immunity (sonic), Radio Hearing, 
  Ultra-hearing; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 11 pp].
  EYES
  Cybernetic eyes can offer an obvious enhancement to a user’s 
  sight, but they can also provide data retrieval abilities or links to 
  weapons and other devices. A neural implant can allow a device 
  to display information and virtual constructs, such as a targeting 
  guide, directly into a user’s visual cortex.
  This basic cybernetic model grants its user keen sight and the abil-
  ity to sense heat, radiation, and energy sources that allow him to 
  see in the dark.
  CYBER EYES
  Super-Skill (spot) +5 [Features: Darkvision; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 6 pp].
  A set of datalink eyes links a computer system to the user’s visual 
  cortex. He can simply look at a computer and call up an interface 
  that appears as an overlay across his vision. In addition, his com-
  puter records everything he sees for future reference.
  DATALINK EYES
  Datalink +8 [Features: Photographic Memory; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 17 pp].
  The rare and expensive hypnotic eyes treatment installs a device 
  that can produce an array of lights and patterns on its user’s eyes. 
  Anyone looking into them may slide into a hypnotic trance, allow-
  ing the eyes’ user to influence their actions.
  HYPNOTIC EYES
  Mind Control +4 [Flaws: Restricted – Gaze; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 4 pp].
  TORSO
  Torso modifications usually encompass a broad set of devices and 
  implants that provide an overall improvement in a user’s strength, 
  agility, and toughness. They also include modifications to specific 
  organs, such as a filtration unit added to the digestive tract that 
  neutralizes poisons.
  A durability package consists of a bio-plastic weave inserted 
  beneath its user’s skin, protecting him against attacks, and a set 
  of filters that provide immunity to disease, gasses, and other envi-
  ronmental threats.
  DURABILITY PACKAGE
  Protection +6 [Extras: Super-Constitution; Features: Immunity (crit-
  ical hits, disease, poison, suffocation); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  5 pp; Total: 34 pp].
  Through the use of drugs delivered via cybernetic systems, the 
  recipient of a health package can heal wounds and experience 
  brief but tremendous surges in physical strength and toughness.
  HEALTH PACKAGE
  Boost +8 [Extras: All Attributes (physical), Regeneration; Features: 
  Immunity (disease, poison); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; 
  Total: 34 pp].
  LEGS
  Bionic legs grant increased speed, strength, and increased leap-
  ing abilities. While cybernetic arms might seem to offer superior 
  abilities in combat, enhanced legs offer a broader range of capa-
  bilities.
  CYBER LEGS
  Leaping +8 [Extras: Natural Weapon, Running; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 32 pp].
  ROBOTS AND OTHER CONSTRUCTS
  Robots are a favored weapon of super villains because they’re 
  tough, determined, and utterly loyal minions. These rules cover 
  the creation of robots and other constructs that are not truly inde-
  pendent characters. As a rule of thumb, if a robot would qualify 
  as a minion or if it lacks free will, use these rules to create it. 
  Otherwise, use the standard character creation rules.
  In addition to options and abilities for robots, this section also 
  expands on the rules for using robots in Mutants & Masterminds. 
  It gives optional rules for robots in combat, allowing you to use 
  them with the expanded rules for damaging objects (see p. 35).
  ROBOTS: CREATION RULES
  At their core, robots work just like other characters. They have a 
  level to represent their relative strength, as well as abilities, feats, 
  and powers. However, robots treat a few of these abilities differ-
  ently than normal characters. For example, since robots lack free 
  will they never have Wisdom scores. Their Intelligence represents 
  the information they have stored within their data banks, though 
  many simple robots or those designed for a limited range of tasks 
  lack an Intelligence score.
  LEVEL
  A robot’s level determines the number of points you can spend to 
  design its powers and abilities. As with vehicles and gadgets in 
  
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  general, use level as a guide for the robot’s general power level 
  and how it relates to the player characters’. You can either pick a 
  level and design a robot to match that level, or simply pick abili-
  ties that fit your vision of the robot and retroactively assign a level 
  based on the final cost of the abilities you selected.
  Robots have 12 points per level, compared to 15 points for heroes 
  and 10 points for mecha and vehicles. As independent machines, 
  they are normally equipped with more advanced weapons and 
  systems. In addition, they require independent, artificial intelli-
  gences in order to guide them. Compared power level to power 
  level they are nearly a match for heroes, but they are still at a 
  disadvantage due to lack of true intelligence. Since robots do not 
  have to purchase Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, they 
  can function almost as well as a hero even though robots have 
  fewer points to spend. If you conceive of a robot as a supervil-
  lain or other independent character, use the standard character 
  creation rules along with the guidelines for construct characters 
  from Chapter One.
  TABLE 4–9: ROBOT POWER LEVEL
  ROBOT LEVEL
  CONSTRUCTION POINTS
  1
  12
  2
  24
  3
  36
  4
  48
  5
  60
  6
  72
  7
  84
  8
  96
  9
  108
  10
  120
  11
  132
  12
  144
  13
  156
  14
  168
  15
  180
  16
  192
  17
  204
  18
  216
  19
  228
  20
  240 
  SIZE
  Since robots are designed and built for a variety of purposes, they 
  can range in height from insect-sized to building-sized. A robot’s 
  size grants it defense and attack modifiers as normal. In addition, 
  larger robots gain a few benefits from their tremendous girth. 
  In addition to the changes listed under Growth and Shrinking, 
  a robots size also modifies its strength, Hide checks, and its 
  base speed. See Table 4–10: Robot Size Chart for complete 
  information on the modifiers. Apply the Strength modifier after 
  purchasing a robot’s Strength score, though remember that the 
  maximum ability score is 20.
  In order to create a larger or smaller robot purchase Growth or 
  Shrinking. The robot gets the benefits listed on Table 4–10: 
  Robot Size Chart when it purchases enough levels to reach that 
  size.
  TABLE 4–10: ROBOT SIZE CHART
  SIZE
  STR
  HIDE
  BASE SPEED
  Miniscule
  –10
  +32
  5 ft.
  Fine
  –8
  +16
  5 ft.
  Diminutive
  –6
  +12
  10 ft.
  Tiny
  –4
  +8
  15 ft.
  Small
  –2
  +4
  20 ft.
  Medium
  0
  0
  30 ft.
  Large
  +2
  –4
  30 ft.
  Huge
  +4
  –8
  40 ft.
  Gargantuan
  +6
  –12
  50 ft.
  Colossal
  +8
  –16
  60 ft.
  Awesome
  +10
  –32
  80 ft.
  ABILITY SCORES
  A robot can purchase abilities just like a character, but its starting 
  scores are, in some cases, lower. Robots do not normally have the 
  same cognitive abilities as a living creature. Only truly advanced 
  constructs, such as those that use the standard character creation 
  rules, have human-level Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma as a 
  default.
  Robots must pay 1 point to increase an ability by 1, just like a 
  character. They can increase an ability to a maximum of 20. For 
  scores beyond that, the robot must purchase Super-Strength, 
  Super-Dexterity, or any of the other super-ability powers.
  A robot with a score of 0 in an ability does not have that abil-
  ity. Its programs or other computer systems lack the capability 
  to simulate a living mind in some way. It counts as having a +0 
  modifier when making checks related to it, determining save and 
  check modifiers, and so on. However, the robot cannot normally 
  attempt such actions. It cannot purchase ranks in skills based on 
  those abilities. However, a robot can purchase powers that grant 
  it a bonus to the relevant skills. For example, a robot without a 
  Wisdom score could buy ranks in Super-Senses in order to improve 
  its Spot and Listen checks. In this case, that power represents 
  advanced audio and optical sensors.
  TABLE 4–11: ROBOT FEATURE COSTS
  ABILITY
  STARTING VALUE
  COST
  Strength
  10
  1 point per point
  Dexterity
  10
  1 point per point
  Constitution
  n/a
  n/a
  Intelligence
  0
  1 point per point
  Wisdom
  1
  1 point per point
  Charisma
  1
  1 point per point
  Skills
  0
  1 point per rank
  Powers
  0
  normal cost
  ATTACK BONUS
  A robot’s attack bonus represents its combat programming. Its 
  attack bonus costs 3 points per +1 bonus.
  
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  DEFENSE BONUS
  Most robots rely on heavy armor and other defensive measure 
  to protect them, but some are small and quick enough to avoid 
  attacks. A robot’s defense bonus costs 2 points per +1 bonus.
  SAVES
  A robot’s saves are based on its abilities and power as normal. 
  Note that if a robot lacks a Wisdom score, it gains a +0 ability 
  modifier.
  SKILL RANKS
  Robots purchase skills at a cost of 1 point per +1 rank. A robot 
  cannot purchase ranks in skills based on ability scores it does not 
  have. Otherwise, a robot can purchase skills without restriction.
  POWER RANKS
  From graviton cannons to flame throwers, robots possess a variety 
  of weapons, tools, and other gadgets that function much like pow-
  ers. A robot does not automatically gain the Device flaw for its 
  powers unless the ability is a rifle or other tool that it could drop 
  or lose.
  A robot can have a tech template to indicate how it was created, 
  but it does not gain all of the benefits of the template. It can 
  purchase powers and feats that are specifically allowed for its 
  tech template at their discounted powers, but it gains none of the 
  other benefits of the template.
  Robots have a list of incompatible powers given later in this sec-
  tion. Some abilities simply do not work with some sorts of robots. 
  A robot with the arcane tech template can use magic, though only 
  if it has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. See Robot 
  Options and Powers for more information.
  FEATS
  A robot’s feats represent specialized programming, minor devices 
  it can use, and other abilities. A robot may select any feat and use 
  it just like any other character. A robot can even gain bonuses to 
  skills it cannot normally use. In this case, the feat represents a spe-
  cialized program that gives the robot a database of information, 
  or a limited AI that allows the robot to attempt that skill.
  ROBOTS IN PLAY
  In most cases, a robot acts just like any other character or minion. 
  They can be classified as minions, or you can use the standard 
  damage rules to reflect their greater importance and toughness.
  ROBOT OPTIONS AND POWERS
  Since robots are constructed from scratch, they sometimes take on 
  forms and options that make them well suited to a specific task or 
  a narrow band of uses. Robots also come in a wide range of forms, 
  such as humanoid combat robots or spider-like designs built to 
  explore alien terrain.
  CHASSIS SHAPE
  In addition to purchasing powers for a robot and determining its 
  ability scores, feats, and skills, you can assign one a unique shape 
  and form. A robot with many legs is faster and more agile than 
  one with two. A robot can use the construct feats (see Construct 
  Feats on pages 12–13) to model a non-humanoid shape. For 
  robots that have an animal or alien shape, use the appropriate 
  powers to model their abilities. For example, a canine robot should 
  have Natural Weapon to cover its bite, while a robotic insect might 
  have Flight and Clinging. To help you design a robot that has a 
  non-humanoid shape, the following examples serve as packages 
  of feats and powers. Use them as a foundation for a new design.
  TABLE 4—12: CHASSIS SHAPE
  SHAPE
  NOTES
  Aquatic
  Skills: Swim; Powers: Swimming
  Canine/animal
  Feats: Alternate Movement System (multiple legs); 
  Powers: Natural Weapon, Running, Leaping. 
  Insect
  Powers: Clinging, Flight, Super-Dexterity
  Spherical
  Feats: Alternate Movement System (hover); 
  Extras: Disguised
  Tank
  Feats: Alternate Movement System (treads), 
  Swivel Sight; Powers: Protection, Energy Blast
  Walker (4 legged)
  Feats: Alternate Movement System (multiple 
  legs); Powers: Running
  BASIC SYSTEMS
  All robots gain the following abilities.
  • Communications: Unless otherwise noted a robot can speak 
  with other creatures, though its limited Intelligence may pre-
  vent it from saying anything interesting. 
  • Immunities: As constructs, all robots gain the Immunity feat 
  against the following effects: aging, critical hits, disease, energy 
  (cold, heat), exhaustion, poison, starvation, and suffocation.
  • Natural Weapons: A robot can make unarmed attacks as per 
  a human of its size and Strength. A robot inflicts lethal damage 
  against an opponent that is two size categories smaller than 
  itself. 
  • Sensors: Robots have all the standard human senses.
  • Speed: A robot’s size determines its speed. It can gain alternate 
  movement modes by purchasing Tunneling and similar powers.
  FEATS
  Robots can purchase any of the construct-only feats (see 
  Construct Feats on pages 12–13). Otherwise, they gain feats 
  just like a character or device.
  INCOMPATIBLE POWERS
  While robots can usually purchase any power, there are some that 
  are off-limits depending on their nature. A technological robot 
  cannot normally use magic, but one with the arcane tech tem-
  plate could. The following list of powers indicates abilities not 
  
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  normally associated with robots. They either suffer an increase in 
  price for constructs or they can only be purchased by robots with 
  certain tech templates.
  Note that the restrictions and cost adjustments listed here also apply 
  to mecha. If an ability requires a minimum ability, use either the 
  mecha’s or the pilots to determine if it is usable, whichever is higher.
  Powers that have a minimum score, usually Intelligence, Wisdom, 
  or Charisma, continue to function if the robot’s ability score 
  is somehow reduced. As long as its original base score is high 
  enough, the robot can continue to use the power. A robot’s non-
  physical ability scores represent not only its raw talent, but also 
  its potential. Even when damaged, a robot with Intelligence 10 
  can think in ways that one with Intelligence 8 cannot hope to 
  understand.
  • Animation: A robot must have an Intelligence of 10 or higher 
  to use this ability. Otherwise, it lacks the cognitive talents 
  needed to control and command the items it animates.
  • Astral Projection: Since robots lack free will and an astral 
  form, they cannot normally take this power. Only robots created 
  with the arcane tech template may select it. In this case, the 
  robot’s magical nature allows it to manifest in astral space.
  • Create Object: A robot must have an Intelligence score of at 
  least 10 in order to understand and use this power. Otherwise, 
  it lacks the processing power needed to invent and create 
  objects.
  • Luck: A robot must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 
  to use this ability. Otherwise, it lacks the independent nature 
  needed to employ it.
  • Mind Control: As this ability requires a fair degree of indepen-
  dence and creativity, a robot must have an Intelligence score of 
  at least 10 in order to use it fully. A robot with an Intelligence 
  below 10 may take this power, but it can only give simple, pre-
  programmed instructions.
  • Possession: As robots lack souls, they cannot gain this ability.
  • Sorcery: Only robots with the arcane tech template can gain 
  this power, as they have a natural affinity for magic that allows 
  them to work simple spells. In addition, the construct must have 
  an Intelligence score of at least 10.
  • Super-Charisma: A robot must have a minimum Charisma 
  score of 10 to gain this power.
  • Super-Intelligence: A robot must have a minimum Intelligence 
  score of 10 to gain this power.
  • Super-Wisdom: A robot must have a minimum Wisdom score 
  of 10 to gain this power.
  • Telepathy: A construct must have Intelligence, Wisdom, and 
  Charisma scores of at least 10 to gain this ability.
  SAMPLE ROBOTS
  This section presents several robots that you can use as NPCs, 
  enemies, and minions in your game. They each list a power level 
  to help you balance them against the characters’ abilities. Each 
  robot also includes a background story that is meant to spur 
  your imagination. Use a design’s history and notes to create 
  adventures, add flavor to your game, or bring the robots to life. 
  Otherwise, you can ignore it and simply use the stats to represent 
  giant robots, mechanical assassins, and other threats the heroes 
  may face. Think of the background as an example of how a robot 
  can become part of your campaign.
  ARES MODEL VII ASSASSIN ROBOT
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  The Ares Model VII robot poses a difficult problem to the world’s 
  governments. Over the past few years, several of these constructs 
  have struck at key figures to disrupt efforts to bring about peace 
  and stability in different parts of the world. In South America, a 
  leading reformer who managed to bring the right-wing govern-
  ment and leftist guerillas to the bargaining table was killed by 
  his trusted lieutenant. In the subsequent investigation, his aide 
  was discovered to be a robot in disguise. The resulting battle lev-
  eled several square blocks of the city, and only the timely arrival 
  of the superhero El Caballero prevented widespread destruction. 
  Destroyed in the melee, the robot left behind few clues as to its 
  identity and purpose. A little more than a year later, a similar 
  strike left several American diplomats assigned to Saudi Arabia 
  dead. Again, the killers were revealed as robots and only defeated 
  when local heroes became involved.
  Thus far, clues to this robot’s manufacturer have been difficult to 
  unearth. Working from the wreckage left behind, the authorities 
  have managed to read some of their programming and deter-
  mine that the robots are apparently seventh-generation assassin 
  androids from the Ares series. Unfortunately, much of the evi-
  dence from both instances was destroyed or stolen soon after it 
  was gathered. Officials suspect that a rogue corporation, a single 
  determined inventor, or perhaps even alien invaders, might gain 
  from fomenting unrest and instability across the planet through 
  the judicious use of these deadly killers.
  The Ares Model VII is a top-of-the-line killer. Even in a high tech or 
  science fiction campaign it has unparalleled cognitive and social 
  abilities for an android. Though still beholden to its master, it can 
  operate for extended periods of time without contact. A group 
  with the resources and technical proficiency needed to use an Ares 
  can point it towards its target, sit back, and wait for it to complete 
  its mission. By carefully doctoring the Ares’ databanks, its user 
  can ensure that it holds nothing that could trace its origin.
  The Ares is impossible to spot by sight. Its outer hull is disguised 
  by a layer of organic skin, complete with hair, teeth, and eyes. As 
  an intelligent machine, it is capable of observing a target, learn-
  ing its tendencies, and replacing it for a short period of time. The 
  Ares’ preferred method of operations is to insert itself into its tar-
  get’s trusted circle of friends and advisors. Usually, its victim has 
  extensive security measures, but such protections rarely extend to 
  advisors, secretaries, and even bodyguards.
  The Ares Model VII incorporates highly advanced servomotors, 
  artificial fibrous muscles, and dense, titanium bones that allow 
  
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  it to punch through steel and absorb tremendous pun-
  ishment. In addition to its combat adaptations, it also 
  incorporates a sophisticated array of movable dermal 
  plates, skin and hair dye dispensers, and configurable eye 
  and voice modules to help it mimic a target. It can even 
  adjust its height to match its target, though its weight 
  remains constant despite its outer appearance. These 
  abilities make it a particularly competent infiltrator and 
  assassin.
  ARES MODEL VII ASSASSIN ROBOT 
  PL 14 construct (robot); Init +5 (Dex); Defense 21 (+6 
  base, +5 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Atk +8 melee (+10 S/L/5’ 
  reach/crit 20, strike); SV Dmg +5, Fort —, Ref +5, Will 
  +1; Str 14, Dex 20, Con —, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16.
  Skills: Bluff +4, Disguise +10, Move Silently +4, Open 
  Lock +4.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, critical 
  hits, disease, energy (cold, heat), exhaustion, poison, 
  pressure, starvation, suffocation), Improved Initiative, 
  Organic Façade.
  Powers: Hardness +5 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 
  pp; Total: 5 pp], Super-Skill (Disguise) +12 [Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 12 pp], Super-Strength 
  +8 [Extras: Leaping, Protection; Power Stunts: Lethal; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 pp; Total: 50 pp]. 
  Totals: Abilities 87 + Skills 22 + Feats 4 + Powers 62 = Total 
  175 pp.
  GLADIATOR COMBAT UNIT
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  The Gladiator is a combat robot, the typical unit designed for 
  use on a large scale as part of military operations such as coun-
  ter-insurgency, assault, and defense. It relies on its thick armor 
  and heavy weapons to withstand attacks and blast enemy units 
  to pieces. It is capable of participating in ranged or close com-
  bat, armed as it is with a rail gun, a riot cannon, and titanium 
  combat spikes that spring from its chassis. Gladiators are usually 
  deployed via aerial drop or transported into a combat theatre via 
  APCs and similar vehicles. Its relatively small size for a combat 
  unit – the Gladiator is roughly the size of a tall human – allows 
  it to maximize the terrain for cover against armor and air units, 
  while it can infiltrate dense terrain with the same ease as an 
  infantryman.
  Gladiators have an impressive reputation due to their efficiency. 
  While designed to take on heavy units, they also incorporate 
  weapon systems that allow them to engage infantry without using 
  lethal force. Unfortunately, the Gladiator’s targeting system some-
  times accidentally uses heavy weapons against light targets. In 
  addition, the locks incorporated into their design are notoriously 
  easy to break, allowing an unscrupulous programmer to command 
  the Gladiator to always use explosive, anti-armor weaponry against 
  infantry or even civilians. (Many black market robot engineers make 
  a steady income re-programming Gladiators to ignore such restric-
  tions.) Human rights activists claim that the Gladiator is popular as 
  an anti-insurgency weapon precisely because it can slaughter large 
  numbers of civilians and guerilla fighters in a messy, bloody man-
  ner. The Gladiator’s manufacturer, Harmon-Grossman Industries 
  (HGI), claims that they are not responsible for any modifications 
  that the end user makes to their product. It is worth noting, though, 
  that HGI has recently moved their headquarters to Bellosistan, a 
  tiny but oil-rich nation ruled by cabal of ruthless generals who were 
  amongst HGI’s first customers for the Gladiator.
  In a modern day setting, the Gladiator is an important, much 
  heralded advance in the field of robotics. Not only can it walk 
  on two legs, but it can move with the same speed and agility as 
  a star athlete. The heavy weapons it carries on a relatively small 
  frame could revolutionize warfare, though its limited cognitive 
  abilities force it to serve under the direct, constant supervision 
  of a commanding officer. 
  In a futuristic setting, the gladiator is the average fighting unit. 
  Corporations may use them to defend their holdings against 
  attackers, such as pirates or hostile aliens. While military units 
  may use more advanced hardware, the Gladiator can still pres-
  ent a challenge if deployed in large numbers.
  KS
  
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  As for HGI, it appeared out of nowhere, a small company that 
  suddenly raked in billions in the arms trade. Unafraid to wield 
  its burgeoning power to political ends, HGI’s founder and CEO, 
  Grace Harmon-Grossman, takes a personal interest in shepherding 
  dictators and strongmen who are beholden to her corporation’s 
  interests. Rumor has it that HGI’s labs have recently developed a 
  nuclear weapon system, but to what purpose none can say. The 
  CIA and MI5 have both had little luck in penetrating HGI’s ranks. 
  Could Grace Harmon-Grossman be on the verge of setting herself 
  up as a pan-global dictator?
  GLADIATOR COMBAT UNIT
  PL 11 construct (robot); Init +5 (Dex); Defense 19 (+4 base, 
  +5 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Atk +7 melee (+10 S/L/5’ reach/crit 20, 
  spikes), +9 ranged (+10 S/100’ range/crit 20, energy blast or 
  stun); SV Dmg +7 (Protection +10), Fort —, Ref +5, Will +0; Str 
  16, Dex 20, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —.
  Skills: Listen +8, Spot +8.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, critical hits, 
  disease, energy (cold, heat), exhaustion, poison, pressure, 
  starvation, suffocation), Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, 
  Precise Shot, Toughness.
  Powers: Hardness +5 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 
  5 pp], Protection +10 [Extras: Energy Blast (Flaws: Full Power), 
  Natural Weapon, Stun (Extras: Area, Shapeable); Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 7 pp; Total: 70 pp]. 
  Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 16 + Feats 8 + Powers 75 = Total 
  135 pp.
  HOUND DOG SECURITY ’BOT
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  The Hound Dog is one of the most popular security drones 
  developed by the Benshen Corporation. Engineered to 
  resemble a robotic dog, it specializes in perimeter defense, 
  light combat duty, and security details. Its finely honed 
  senses and whiplash reflexes allow it to pounce upon 
  intruders before they can enter sensitive areas. For non-
  military customers, the Hound Dog features an array of 
  weaponry designed to incapacitate, rather than injure and 
  risk a lawsuit.
  In a modern-day game, the Hound Dog represents the 
  first generation of independent robots. Its programming 
  is relatively simple, as it is designed to seek out human-
  sized targets, query them for a security badge or similar 
  pass, and neutralize those who fail to produce autho-
  rization and refuse to leave the area. A radio system 
  embedded within the Hound Dog allows it to dispatch 
  one of several alerts to local police or supers, depend-
  ing on the situation. In a high tech setting, the Hound 
  Dog is a common feature of after hour security at most 
  major shopping centers, office buildings, and other pub-
  lic places. Its emphasis on stopping, rather than injuring, 
  potential criminals combined with its cheap price makes 
  it a popular choice for security companies.
  The Hound Dog has an outer shell of durable, heavy-duty plastic. 
  It can stop many conventional small arms, but energy weapons 
  and explosives tear it apart. As additional protection this model is 
  equipped with an efficient combination of high-end processors and 
  lightning-fast servo motors, all of which makes the Hound Dog very 
  fast and hard to effectively target. Built into the Hound Dog’s back 
  is a Benshen light taser designed to drop criminals at a distance. 
  Finally, no watch dog would be complete without sensors, and the 
  Hound Dog’s outer chassis incorporates a variety of inputs and 
  monitors that allow it to detect intruders with relative ease.
  HOUND DOG SECURITY ’BOT
  PL 7 small construct (robot); Init +5 (Dex, Super-Dex); Defense 
  18 (+1 size, +2 base, +2 Dex, +3 Super-Dex); Spd 20 ft.; Atk +5 
  melee (+10 S/L/5’ reach/crit 20, spikes), +5 ranged (+10 S/100’ 
  range/crit 20, energy blast or stun); SV Dmg +3 (Protection +5), 
  Fort —, Ref +5, Will +0; Str 14, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —.
  Skills: Hide +6 (from size), Listen +5, Spot +6.
  Feats: Alternate Movement System (multiple legs), Immunities 
  (due to robot construct–aging, critical hits, disease, energy 
  (cold, heat), exhaustion, poison, pressure, starvation, suffoca-
  tion), Radio Broadcast.
  Powers: Hardness +3 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 3 
  pp], Protection +5 [Extras: Stun, Super-Dexterity (Flaws: Only at 
  +3 ranks), Super-Senses; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 
  29 pp], Shrinking +3 [Extras: Duration – Permanent; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 12 pp].
  AA
  
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  Totals: Abilities 25 + Skills 11 + Feats 4 + Powers 45 = Total 85 pp.
  Note: Modifiers for size are included for all abilities and skills.
  HUNTER-KILLER
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  Designed by an unknown alien race and imported to Earth by 
  Landenius Rex, a megalomaniacal super criminal from a planet 
  located somewhere in the galactic core, the robot known simply as 
  a hunter-killer has defeated many heroes. Though relatively easy 
  to destroy, its ability to blend into the background and deliver a 
  deadly, unexpected attack makes it a threat to supers of all types. 
  While Landenius was defeated and presumed dead, he sold the 
  technology behind this fiendish creation to several other villains, 
  most notably the Atomic Brain.
  A hunter-killer consists of a tube-like structure that houses a tiny, 
  anti-gravitational engine. By manipulating the gravity around it, 
  it can fly at incredible speeds and maneuver with unprecedented 
  agility. Worst of all, its weapons are specifically designed to inca-
  pacitate or kill supers. Apparently, Landenius had tangled with 
  mighty heroes in his past as a would-be galactic conqueror. The 
  hunter-killer served him well as a terror weapon, as he used it to 
  strike at heroes while they were at their weakest. Several times, 
  he staged disasters, such as fires or train wrecks, to flush out his 
  enemies and attack them while they were occupied with more 
  pressing concerns.
  In a modern day game, the hunter-killer is feared weapon used by 
  super villains who are determined to best the heroes who stand 
  against them. This robot serves little purpose other than neutral-
  izing individuals with mighty powers, making it a poor choice to 
  attack politicians, military leaders, and other mundane people 
  who might stand against a madman’s ambitions. The hunter killer 
  could also be developed by the government to cope with the 
  threat of rogue or destructive supers. With its ability to neutralize 
  powers and its many immunities, it can stand up to a variety of 
  opponents and come out on top. These robots are expensive and 
  rare, but when all else fails the government deploys them.
  In a far future setting, the hunter-killer might be a part of every 
  city’s police force, especially if supers, or aliens with the equiva-
  lent of superpowers, are common. Civilizations that have mastered 
  the art and science of robotics might deploy hunter-killers along-
  side police officers walking the beat, or they might keep three or 
  four of them on stand by in every precinct.
  The hunter-killer is armored in a sheath of thick plastic that can 
  deflect bullets, energy beams, and Super-Strength punches. Its 
  alien manufacture allows it to perform better than steel or the 
  most advanced, terrestrial materials. The core of the hunter-killer’s 
  weaponry is an energy analyzer/NULL projector, this device allows 
  it to analyze the energy patterns that surround a hero and then 
  disrupt them with a focused burst of NULL energy. NULL energy 
  does not normally interact with matter or other types of energy, 
  but it can be manipulated to form an exact match of other, spe-
  cific types of power. When the NULL energy meets its opposite, it 
  cancels it out. In addition, the projector can bathe a living crea-
  ture or object in enough NULL energy to maintain its effects over 
  time. While it eventually decays, the NULL energy lingers long 
  enough to disrupt a hero’s abilities. In practical terms, this device 
  causes a hero to temporarily lose her powers. By concentrating 
  NULL energy into a single, focused burst, the Hunter-Killer can 
  temporarily disrupt an opponent’s powers. While the NULL surge 
  passes in a moment, it is usually enough to leave a hero vulner-
  able to an assault or prevent him from completing an attack.
  HUNTER-KILLER
  PL 10 construct (robot); Init +2 (Dex); Defense 19 (+7 base, 
  +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Atk +7 melee (+10/5’ reach/crit 20, neu-
  tralize), +10 ranged (+10 S/100’ range/crit 20, neutralize); SV 
  Dmg +0 (Protection +10), Fort —, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 
  14, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, critical hits, 
  disease, energy (cold, electricity, heat, radiation, sonic), exhaus-
  tion, poison, pressure, starvation, suffocation).
  Powers: Drain +10 [Extras: All Attributes (powers), Ranged, 
  Neutralize (Extras: Neutralizing Block); Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 6 pp; Total: 60 pp], Hardness +2 [Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 2 pp], Protection +10 [Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp]. 
  Totals: Abilities 38 + Feats 6 + Powers 82 = Total 126 pp.
  KARTHASIAN INFILTRATOR 
  (BIOTECH)
  The Karthasian Empire has long enjoyed an iron grip on its home 
  dimension. Utilizing advanced biotech weapons, such as mon-
  strous beetles engineered to function as tanks and dragonfly-like 
  insects that serve as their aerial forces, the Karthasians quashed 
  all opposition to their rule. In time, they began to look outward for 
  new territories to conquer. They experimented with dimensional 
  travel, and through long years of work and trial and error investi-
  gation, they built a series of portals that lead to Earth. Intrigued 
  by this potential target but awed by the might of Earth’s super-
  heroes, they have decided to use their proficiency with biotech 
  to produce infiltrator units. These robots have highly advanced 
  computer brains installed within humanoid bodies. They can pass 
  as human without effort, and when injured they bleed and feel 
  pain just like as a human does. However, they are utterly loyal to 
  their alien masters. Once their missions are completed, they return 
  home through their gates to download their memories into the 
  Karthasian bio computers. The Karthasians plug themselves into 
  these computers, flooding their brains with a staggering knowl-
  edge of Earth, including languages, geography, and, of course, 
  military objectives.
  However, the Karthasians’ plan has suffered a major setback. The 
  process of dimensional travel sometimes damages the infiltrator’s 
  mind. Some of them suffer amnesia. They may try to survive on the 
  streets or in the wilds, but a few are picked up by police and treated 
  as missing persons. A few of these unfortunates have found jobs 
  and work on building lives, unaware of their true nature. Others 
  
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  have been rendered insane, it is only pure luck that such victims 
  have not been killed, brought in for an autopsy, and their true 
  nature uncovered. While the infiltrators can go through most medi-
  cal exams without discovery, their brains are obviously artificial.
  An infiltrator’s highly advanced, computerized brain allows it 
  to contact and modify terrestrial computer systems. Infiltrators 
  usually use this talent to break into networks and seek out sen-
  sitive information that could prove useful to their masters. With 
  its vat grown body specially designed for service in an alien envi-
  ronment, an infiltrator is stronger, faster, and tougher than the 
  normal human. It is biologically engineered to absorb punishment 
  through its thick bones, tough muscles, and resilient immune sys-
  tem.
  A few of Karthasian infiltrators mutated and developed super 
  powers after traveling through the gates. A few of the supervil-
  lains who recently appeared under mysterious circumstances 
  could be insane infiltrators who lash out at the world with their 
  abilities. A few of the amnesiac infiltrators also have powers. 
  They could emerge as heroes, or they may choose to keep their 
  talents hidden. In any case, the characters might find that their 
  new friends and enemies are puppets of an invading power. If the 
  Karthasians grow impatient with their spies, they may choose to 
  reclaim them . . . or write them off as lost and invade.
  KARTHASIAN INFILTRATOR
  PL 8 construct (biotech); Init +2 (Dex); Defense 16 (+4 base, 
  +2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; Atk +3 melee (+1 S/5’ reach/crit 20, 
  strike); SV Dmg +6, Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +0; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 
  14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
  Skills: Profession (office work/service industry) +6.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, disease, energy 
  (cold, heat), poison, pressure, starvation, suffocation), Organic 
  Facade.
  Powers: Datalink +8 [Source: Alien; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 16 pp], 
  Super-Constitution +4 [Source: Alien; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 16 pp]. 
  Totals: Abilities 56 + Skills 6 + Feats 2 + Powers 32 = Total 96 pp.
  ROAMING EYE SPYBOT
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  A favorite aid for spies, criminals, and others who use illicit or 
  quasi-legal means to gather information, the Roaming Eye is a tiny 
  drone less than an inch long on each side. It hovers in the air, rely-
  ing on its highly advanced avionics and stealth systems to evade 
  detection as it observes a particular person or area. Designed to 
  resemble a beetle, moth, spider, or other insect native to the area 
  in which it operates, the Roaming Eye is a top-of-the-line model for 
  its intended purpose. Criminal cartels have been known to deploy 
  hundreds of these robots over a city block, using them to keep 
  a continuous watch over the drug dens, brothels, and gambling 
  houses they control. A hero may arrive on the scene to find his 
  quarry long gone, his approach noticed and reported by one of 
  the dozen Roaming Eyes observing the area.
  In a modern-day game, the Roaming Eye is the stuff of super-spies 
  and cutting-edge science. A wealthy villain may use them to keep 
  tabs on his friends and enemies, while the government could 
  develop them as experimental reconnaissance drones. In a game 
  with advanced technology, the Roaming Eye is a common feature 
  of security systems. It serves a mobile camera and sentinel that 
  can call for support in the face of intruders or other suspicious 
  activity.
  The Roving Eye has four omni-directional turbine fans installed 
  within its frame, allowing it to fly with both great speed and agil-
  ity. As the Roving Eye is meant to evade detection, even when 
  penetrating highly secured areas, it incorporates stealth tech-
  nologies in both its frame and the servomotors that allow it to 
  fly without sound. As a monitor and spy, the Roving Eye comes 
  equipped with several monitors and sensors to help it gather 
  data.
  ROAMING EYE SPYBOT
  PL 15 miniscule construct (robot); Init +4 (Dex); Defense 
  33 (+16 size, +3 base, +4 Dex); Spd 30 ft./fly 30 ft.; Atk +13 
  melee (–5 S/0’ reach/crit 20, strike); SV Dmg +0, Fort —, Ref 
  +4, Will +0; Str 0, Dex 18, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —.
  Skills: Hide +36 (from size), Listen +10, Move Silently +10 
  (includes Super-Skill), Spot +10.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, disease, energy 
  (cold, heat), poison, pressure, starvation, suffocation).
  TP
  
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  Powers: Flight +6 [Extras: Super-Senses, Super-Skill (Move 
  Silently); Source: Alien; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 24 pp], Shrinking +15 
  [Extras: Duration – Permanent; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 60 pp].
  Totals: Abilities 30 + Skills 20 + Feats 0 + Powers 84 = Total 134 pp.
  Note: Modifiers for size are included for all abilities and skills.
  WORLD CRUSHER 
  (ADVANCED TECH, CONSTRUCT)
  The World Crusher was originally developed by the famed super 
  criminal Dr. Ironside. He planned on unleashing this mechanized 
  beast to level New York City and set himself up as the totalitar-
  ian ruler of North America. Luckily, his efforts were defeated by a 
  band of heroes. To the public and the press, a dangerous menace 
  had been defeated. Those on the inside, though, knew the real 
  story. Dr. Ironside’s plans had only just begun.
  While the good doctor languishes in a penitentiary, the fruits of his 
  mad genius lie hidden in secret laboratories scattered throughout the 
  world. As the world’s preeminent thinker, Dr. Ironside calculated that 
  his defeat was at hand long before the heroes penetrated his isolated, 
  island fortress. Diverting his resources from a doomed attempt to 
  fend off the attackers, he instead spent his days and nights devel-
  oping a new class of robot, one capable of extracting ore, building 
  production facilities. He then ordered his robotic minions to hide 
  these new robots across the globe. When the heroes burst into his lair, 
  he ingested a drug that apparently gave him amnesia. He could func-
  tion well enough to survive, but he could recall nothing of his plans, 
  the great scientific discoveries he had made, or the terrible seeds of 
  destruction that he had planted. Attempts to probe his mind proved 
  fruitless. After a short trial, Dr. Ironside was sent to spend the rest of 
  his life in a high security prison for super villains.
  Thus, his plan had worked to perfection. Rather than risk capture, 
  the doctor sent his mind forward in time. In the decades since his 
  defeat, the security measures have grown increasingly lax. The gov-
  ernment believes that Ironside destroyed his own brain rather than 
  suffering the humiliation of defeat. In truth, his scattered, robotic 
  minions have begun to put his plan into motion. After laboring 
  for years in secrecy, they have completed the factories needed to 
  produce the minions that will rescue the doctor just in time for his 
  mind to return to the present. With a legion of World Crusher robots 
  awaiting his command, he plans to unleash a single, devastating 
  attack across the globe that will bring the world to its knees.
  Aside from serving as the tool of vengeance for a foiled super-
  genius, the World Crusher is a model for a gigantic robot. At 
  modern-day levels of technology, it is a wonder of the age. It tow-
  ers over small buildings, yet it can soar through the air and even 
  reach outer space. Its great strength and thick armor allows it to 
  treat tanks and jet fighters as little more than toys. Without the 
  aid of superheroes, the world’s governments would face tremen-
  dous difficulty in defeating one of these monstrosities.
  In a science fiction game, the World Crusher is a formidable weapon 
  system that might from the centerpiece of an invading army, but at 
  times its size and notoriety can work against it. Smaller but equally 
  well-armed units can gang up on it, whittling away its defenses to 
  slowly but surely defeat it. Still, on a backwater world or against a 
  civilization that has not yet developed high tech weapons the World 
  Crusher could form a one robot army of conquest.
  The World Crusher is capable of crumpling heavily armored tanks 
  and smaller robots like empty aluminum cans. It can leap over 
  buildings, while the thick layers of steel fiber muscles that sur-
  round its inner frame allow it to shrug off all but the mightiest 
  attacks. The World Crusher was never meant as a subtle weapon. 
  Rather, it knocks over skyscrapers and grinds entire civilizations 
  beneath its feet. The World Crusher is too big and expensive to 
  manufacture in large numbers. Thus, it must be fast and mobile in 
  order to deploy over a wide area. It has a set of wings and high-
  powered, atomic rockets set in its back that allows it to fly.
  WORLD CRUSHER
  PL 18 colossal construct (robot); Init +1 (Dex); Defense 5 (–8 
  size, +2 base, +1 Dex); Spd 70 ft./fly 40 ft.; Atk +15 melee (+25 
  S/25’ reach/crit 20, strike); SV Dmg +10 (Protection +20), Fort 
  —, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 20, Dex 13, Con —, Int —, Wis —, Cha —.
  Feats: Immunities (due to robot construct–aging, disease, energy 
  (cold, heat), poison, pressure, starvation, suffocation), Power 
  Attack, Takedown Attack.
  Powers: Flight +8 [Extras: Space-Flight, Super-Flight; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 32 pp], Growth +16 [Extras: 
  Continuous; Flaws: Limited-No Protection, Limited–No Super-
  Strength, Permanent; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 
  32 pp], Hardness +5 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 5 
  pp], Super-Strength +20 [Extras: Leaping, Protection, Shockwave; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 7 pp; Total: 140 pp].
  Totals: Abilities 47 + Feats 4 + Powers 214 = Total 260 pp. 
  Note: Modifiers for size are included for all abilities and skills.
  SPYTECH
  This category covers devices that you can use to eavesdrop on 
  conversations, uncover information about a target, or track a vil-
  lain as he flees an area. Spytech is the realm of secret agents, 
  detectives, and espionage. The tools here allow a hero to uncover 
  secrets and find the information he needs to avert a threat to the 
  city. From infrared goggles to satellites that can record a conversa-
  tion in the midst of a busy metropolis, spytech covers anything 
  that enhances or provides new senses.
  The most basic spytech devices allow you to see, hear, or otherwise 
  perceive things that would normally be impossible to notice. For 
  example, a spytech microphone might allow you to project an invis-
  ible field of energy around a building that allows you to pick up 
  and record every noise made within it. Many items of spytech are 
  designed to look like mundane gear, primarily to avoid tipping off 
  the subjects of observation. A seemingly normal tuxedo might con-
  ceal dozens of sensors embedded in its cloth, allowing the wearer 
  to record visual and audio data in a 360 degree arc around him.
  
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  As with the other sections in this chapter, spytech presents new 
  feats, features, and abilities that you can use to invent spytech 
  devices.
  NEW FEATURES FOR SPYTECH DEVICES
  The following features are all designed specifically for use on spytech 
  devices, though you might find some of them useful for other types 
  of gear. Adding a feature costs 1 point1 regardless of the device’s 
  ranks. You can grant a spytech device any feat normally available 
  to characters for the standard cost. At your GM’s discretion, you can 
  ignore a feat’s prerequisites when adding it to a device.
  The following feats from the Mutants & Masterminds rulebook are 
  particularly useful for spytech devices: All-Around Sight, Blindsight, 
  Darkvision, Detect, Penetration Vision, Psychic Awareness, Radio 
  Hearing, See Invisibility, True Sight, and Ultra-Hearing. These feats 
  all improve a character’s sensory abilities, and they can grant a 
  device many useful abilities that you would expect to find in bugs, 
  sensors, and other spying devices.
  NEW EXTRAS FOR SPYTECH DEVICES
  • Additional Sense: Aside from the standard human senses 
  – hearing, touch, taste, sight, and smell – devices can perceive 
  other phenomenon such as motion, radioactivity, and ultravio-
  let light. This feature can also include sonar, radar, and other 
  “senses” that can operate in the dark or other restricted condi-
  tions. Each time you select this feature, pick a different stimulus 
  or sensory type for it. You can use you skills and powers with 
  this sense as you could with any other sense.
  • Computer Analysis: This device includes a computer pro-
  grammed with a few data analysis algorithms. Rather than rely 
  on your own ability to look at incoming data and draw conclu-
  sions, you can set this program to sort through your spytech 
  device’s findings and pull out important data. When using this 
  spytech device, you count any Listen, Search, Spot, or Sense 
  Motive checks as having a result of 10. In addition, you can 
  take 20 in half the time normally required for the attempt. You 
  must dedicate this device to a specific task to gain its bonus, so 
  a set of audio detectors might help you notice the sound of a 
  rogue cyborg before it attacks, but if you have targeted them to 
  spy on a nearby phone booth they cannot help you detect the 
  approaching menace.
  • Recording: As the device gathers information, it stores it on a 
  tiny memory card or similar device. For each rank of this extra, 
  the device can store up to 2 hours of data.  You can replay 
  the recordings in order to study the data, allowing you to take 
  10 or even 20 on Spot, Listen, and Sense Motive checks while 
  studying the recordings in order to interpret the information 
  provided.
   Unlike many other extras, you do not have to purchase this 
  ability for every rank in the power it modifies. When studying 
  recorded data, you only gain the benefit for the device’s ranks 
  equal to the ranks of this extra you purchased. You cannot 
  use any powers to study the information aside from the ones 
  installed on the device. Your GM can allow exceptions to this 
  rule, but in general a device records data that allows for analy-
  sis by the powers it has. For example, a cheap camera cannot 
  supply images that have the resolution an advanced spying 
  device needs to produce hints or added information from it.
  • Remote: You can spawn a sensor capable of using the power 
  this extra modifies. The sensor is the size of a fingernail. You may 
  perceive from the perspective of the remote as a half action (only 
  using the sense(s) for which this extra is purchased). Only passive 
  abilities may be used through the remote, you cannot channel 
  powers that require an attack roll or force its target to make a 
  saving throw. The sensor lasts a number of days equal to your 
  ranks in the power. It can be discovered with a successful Search 
  check against a DC of 10 + the ranks in this power. Anyone may 
  take a half action to destroy a sensor. You can spawn a number of 
  sensors equal to half your ranks, rounded down (minimum of 1). 
  You may immediately destroy one of your own sensors as a free 
  action. The sensor is not mobile, so you must place the sensor in 
  whatever location you would like spy upon.
   You must be within normal range as determined by your pow-
  er’s rank in order to look through or communicate with a sensor. 
  If the power has a range of personal, use the ranges listed by 
  power rank under Tracking (see p. 71).
  • Subtle: The core Mutants & Masterminds rules present this 
  extra. It is particularly useful for spytech devices. Many of them 
  are designed to blend in with the environment, keeping their 
  targets unaware of any observations taking place.
  NEW FLAWS FOR SPYTECH DEVICES
  • Immersive: A device with this flaw is designed to deliver an 
  immersive sensory experience, you are unable to perceive the 
  area around you with any senses the device augments. For 
  example, you might have to hold a visual scanner up to your 
  eyes like a pair of binoculars. While looking through the device, 
  you can’t see someone sneaking up on you because your vision 
  is focused on a distant object. You cannot make Listen or Spot 
  checks to notice anything outside of the device’s targeted area. 
  This flaw cannot be used on devices that would not normally 
  hinder your ability to observe your surroundings, such as con-
  tact lenses or glasses. In general, this flaw is restricted to devices 
  that have a range other than personal.
  • Limited Sensor: A spytech device with this flaw can only use 
  its powers to find a specific class of object or creature, such as 
  mutants, weapons, certain types of metals, and so forth. It is 
  unable to detect objects or creatures that fall outside of this 
  flaw’s category.
  NEW SPYTECH POWER
  Spytech allows you to design bugs, sensors, and other devices 
  used to monitor a subject’s or object’s location. This new power 
  can be used to simulate those abilities as well as psionic hunters, 
  brilliant detectives with a nose for following a suspect, and others 
  with a gift for pursuing their targets.
  
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  TRACKING
  Cost: 2
  Action: Half
  Range: Normal
  Duration: Continuous
  Saving Throw: Special
  You can touch a target and mark it so that you can sense its loca-
  tion across a great distance. This power can take the form of a 
  psychic signature, a homing beacon, or some other unique marker. 
  You can determine the location of this beacon as a half action, up 
  to a range as determined by your ranks in this power. You do not 
  learn anything about the target’s physical surroundings. Instead, 
  you learn how far away and in what direction the target is from 
  you.
  You must make a touch attack against the target of this ability 
  to apply your tracker. You can have a number of trackers active at 
  one time equal to your ranks in this power. Anyone hit with this 
  ability doesn’t notice it unless they sense you touching them. 
  Every hour that a person is under the effect of this ability, he 
  makes a Spot check with a DC equal to 10 + your ranks in this 
  power. If he succeeds, he notices the presence of your tracking 
  signature and may remove it regardless of the form your power 
  takes. For example, a psionic tracking link could be broken if the 
  victim merely concentrates on it, while a high-tech bug could be 
  easily crushed.
  Your beacon persists for a number of days equal to your ranks in 
  this ability. After this time, it stops functioning. If you are able 
  to target the subject again you may extend its effects or re-start 
  it. The duration begins at the time you apply your latest tracking 
  attack.
  TABLE 4–14:  TRACKING RANGES
  TRACKING RANKS
  RANGE
  1
  1 mile
  2
  2 miles
  3
  4 miles
  4
  8 miles
  5
  16 miles
  6
  32 miles
  7
  64 miles
  8
  128 miles
  9
  256 miles
  10
  512 miles
  11
  1,024 miles
  12
  2,048 miles
  13
  4,096 miles
  14
  8,192 miles
  15
  16,384 miles
  16
  32,768 miles
  17
  65,536 miles
  18
  131,072 miles
  19
  262,144 miles
  20
  524,288 miles
  POWER STUNTS
  • Bloodhound: You are particularly good at tracking one particu-
  lar species or type of object, such as cars or planes. You gain 
  a +1 bonus to your power’s ranks against such targets when 
  determining the range of this ability.
  • Dimensional Tracker: You can track creatures into other worlds. 
  While your link cannot give you an exact position, you do know 
  the world that the target traveled into when you lost contact.
  • Stealthy Tracker: Your tracking signature is particularly dif-
  ficult to notice. The DC for your target’s Spot check to remove 
  your tracking ability receives a +2 bonus.
  EXTRAS
  • Clairvoyance: You can gain a vision of your target’s current 
  location if he fails a Will save with a DC of 10 + your ranks in 
  this ability. You see the area in a 10-foot radius around the tar-
  get. You gain the full benefit of your visual powers and abilities. 
  Using this extra requires a half action, and for each round you 
  spend watching the target he may make a Spot check (DC 10 
  + your ranks in Tracking) to notice your activities, if he does he 
  automatically notices the “bug” you’ve planted on him and may 
  break contact as outlined previously.
  • Share Tracking Sight: When you target a creature with this abil-
  ity, you can place the ability to track the target into a physical 
  object. Anyone who grasps this instrument can intuitively note the 
  target’s direction and distance within the limits of your ability.
  TP
  
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  FLAW
  • Interference: A common substance, such as iron, lead, or 
  water, breaks your contact with the person or object you are 
  tracking. You cannot determine the target’s distance and loca-
  tion when at least 1 inch of the chosen material is between the 
  two of you. You re-gain contact when you or the target moves 
  so that the barrier no longer interferes with your contact.
  SPYTECH DEVICES AND SKILLS
  Spot, Listen, Sense Motive, Gather Information, Search, and other 
  skills form the basis of many attempts to find and analyze infor-
  mation. A spytech device can provide ranks in these abilities as 
  per the standard rules for creating a device. Remember that a 
  character’s total ranks in a skill are still limited by his level. The 
  bonus ranks from a device combined with a character’s ranks can-
  not equal more than his level + 3. If you want a device to grant a 
  bonus to an already skilled character, use features along with the 
  Super-Skill power to do so.
  DESIGNING SPYTECH DEVICES
  Most spytech devices draw on a limited range of powers, partic-
  ularly those that enhance a character’s senses. The powers you 
  need to create high-tech microphones, cameras, and other devices 
  are all available in the core rules. Usually, the key to creating 
  them lies in picking the right power and modifying it with the 
  right flaws and extras. Obviously, the device extra is a given for 
  any gadget. The new extras and flaws in this section help distin-
  guish spytech from other devices. 
  • Blending and Invisibility: These powers can be used as 
  extras to make a spytech device more difficult to find. As a 
  half action, you can activate this power on a gadget, giving 
  the device enhanced ability to evade detection. 
  • Comprehend: This power makes a great extra for any eaves-
  dropping device, as it allows you to cut through language 
  barriers with ease. You can also use it to translate speech that 
  you record to a device.
  • Datalink: A necessity for any device built to interact with com-
  puters, Datalink can also prove useful as an extra that allows 
  data gathering devices to upload information to a network. 
  You could equip your sidekick or followers with devices that use 
  Datalink as an extra, allowing you to dispatch a wide number 
  of spies over a broad area while reporting back to base.
  • ESP: While normally associated with psychic heroes rather 
  than technological devices, this ability is useful for tools that 
  allow you to broadcast from a bug or tap into a wide net-
  work of cameras or drones. The Tracking power can cover the 
  ability to trace a person’s location, but you can create bugs 
  and similar devices by using the Remote extra as a flaw for 
  ESP. Remote usually extends the utility of a personal-ranged 
  AA
  
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  power. When used with ESP, it reduces that power’s flexibility 
  and counts as a flaw.
  • Microscopic Vision: The ability to perceive tiny objects can prove 
  useful while investigating crime scenes or seeking out hidden 
  objects. At your GM’s discretion, this power may provide a bonus 
  to any Search check that would benefit from its ability to find evi-
  dence that a character might otherwise be unable to notice.
  • Obscure: This power can be used to create gadgets that coun-
  ter snooping devices by producing static, jamming signals, or 
  other forms of interference that devices cannot penetrate. As a 
  flaw, you may limit Obsure’s effects to powers with the device 
  flaw. It can otherwise block sight and other senses as usual.
  • Sensory Protection: Listening devices and other spytech 
  gadgets might be equipped with buffers to shield them from 
  attacks and other attempts to block them. Note that this 
  power is useless against Obscure, but it does prevent Dazzle 
  from ruining a device.
  • Super-Senses: This power forms the basis of most devices 
  that are built to augment the user’s ability to perceive his sur-
  roundings. Combine it with feats such as Blindsight and you 
  can create anything from infrared goggles to a motion sensor.
  • Super-Skill: Spot and Listen are ideal candidates for this 
  power, as are Sense Motive and Search. A computerized 
  device could analyze its user’s field of vision and point out 
  anomalous sights and sounds, while a lie detector could grant 
  a Sense Motive bonus.
  • Telepathy: With the advanced technology featured in comic 
  books, devices could use psychic energy to contact or monitor 
  the minds of others. Telepathy is also a good choice for bio-
  tech devices that use spores or microscopic drones to infest a 
  target’s mind and plunder it for information.
  • Telescopic Sense: From simple telescopes to cameras with 
  magnification to parabolic mics, this power is handy for a 
  number of spytech devices.
  SAMPLE SPYTECH DEVICES
  As with the devices presented elsewhere in this chapter, use these 
  examples as equipment in your game or as the basis for building 
  your own creations.
  EAVESDROPPER
  This device looks like a standard ballpoint pen, but it in fact contains 
  a sophisticated suite of sensing devices. The eavesdropper can project 
  a field of invisible energy that resonates when sound passes through 
  it. These waves of energy funnel back down to the eavesdropped and 
  can be reproduced, allowing this device’s user to listen in on conversa-
  tions or even filter out and track dozens of noises over a wide area.
  EAVESDROPPER
  Telescopic Sense (hearing) +10 [Extras: Area, Disguised, Recording, 
  Super-Skill (listen); Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 40 pp].
  LIE DETECTOR
  This lie detector is a portable device used to sense the emotional 
  state and mood of a single subject.
  LIE DETECTOR
  Telepathy +8 [Extras: Super-Skill (sense motive); Flaws: Device, 
  Limit – Empathy; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 8 pp].
  TRACKING BUG
  This small gun fires a tiny transmitter that allows its user to follow 
  a target with unerring accuracy.
  TRACKING BUG
  Tracking +10 [Extras: Share Tracking Sight, Super-Skill (spot); 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  VISUAL SENSOR SUITE
  This bulky, black helmet is designed to enhance its user’s sensors, 
  allowing him to pick out even the finest details of his surroundings.
  VISUAL SENSOR SUITE
  Super-Senses +10 [Extras: Microscopic Vision, Sensory Protection, 
  Telescopic Sense (vision); Flaws: Device; Features: Dark Vision, See 
  Invisibility, True Sight; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 43 pp].
  WEAPON SCANNER
  This device resembles a snub-nosed hand gun attached to a 
  power pack that can attached to a belt or strapped to the user’s 
  upper arm or thigh. It scans an area for the presence of metals, 
  plastics, and other materials normally used to create weapons. A 
  sophisticated computer attached to the device translates the data 
  it receives and, based on the composition and size of an object, 
  determines if it is a weapon.
  WEAPON SCANNER
  Super-Senses +10 [Flaws: Device, Limited Sensor (weapons); 
  Features: Penetration Vision (1 pts.); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  1 pp; Total: 11 pp].
  VEHICLES
  Spaceships, automobiles kitted out with gadgets and weapons, 
  and other vehicles play a role in many comics. In particular, most 
  teams of heroes or villains have a few helicopters or jet-cars on 
  hand to shuttle them from one side of the planet to the other. 
  This section presents new rules for creating vehicles, with options, 
  devices, extras, and flaws designed specifically for them. In addi-
  tion, a new power and a few feats improve your character’s ability 
  as a pilot or drive.
  NEW FEAT: VEHICLE
  You possess an extraordinary vehicle. This may be a product of 
  magic, advanced technology, or an unfathomable combination of 
  
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  the two. Regardless of origins or specifics, the vehicle in question 
  is quite special, and would be difficult to replace or rebuild.
  Benefit: You possess a vehicle constructed from a pool of points 
  equal to 5 times your power level. So a power level 5 character can 
  have a vehicle built on a total of 25 power points, for example. At 
  the GM’s discretion, this pool of points may be split up among 
  multiple vehicles, so long as the total number of points does not 
  exceed the pool total established by your power level.
  Special: You can acquire this feat multiple times, each time, you 
  gain a pool of points for vehicles equal to your power level times 
  5. However, no single vehicle can be built on more points than 
  your (PL x 5).
  VEHICLES: CREATION RULES
  A vehicle is essentially a big gadget that lets you move faster. It 
  may provide a number of other benefits. Its armor can protect you 
  from harm, allowing you to travel into space or speed through a 
  mob of gunmen without fear. As covered in the main rulebook, 
  vehicles are defined by their size, movement, hardness, Protection, 
  and any other features they have. These rules provide some addi-
  tional detail and options to those rules.
  Creating a vehicle works much like building any other gadget, 
  though all vehicles must have a movement mode and speed. This 
  is the defining trait of all vehicles. Everything else builds on top 
  of that function.
  HARDNESS
  A vehicle’s hardness is used as its Damage save bonus. It reflects 
  the durability of the materials used to create it, and it equals its 
  highest rank. A vehicle’s base hardness is free.
  You can increase a vehicle’s hardness beyond this limit at a cost of 
  1 power point per point of hardness. 
  MOVEMENT
  A vehicle’s ranks in movement determine its overall speed 
  (see Table 7–5: Vehicle Movement Ranks on Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 114) for tactical and hourly speeds based on 
  rank. One rank of movement costs 1 point.
  In addition, a vehicle must have a movement mode, a game 
  mechanics description of how it gets from point A to point B. 
  A vehicle’s mode also determines what it can travel through or 
  on. For example, a boat can speed across the water but it’s ren-
  dered immobile on dry land. A movement mode also determines 
  a vehicle’s maximum ranks in movement and its minimum move 
  per round. A jet fighter can’t stop in place to shoot at a target, 
  while a helicopter or boat could. A vehicle’s first movement mode 
  is free.
  MANEUVERABILITY
  A movement mode determines how the vehicle moves, but it also 
  determines its maneuverability. Maneuverability measures how 
  RP
  
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  easily a vehicle can turn. An agile craft can make rapid turns, 
  while a clumsy one makes wide maneuvers and is difficult to con-
  trol with precision.
  Like movement, a vehicle’s maneuverability is measured on a scale 
  of 1 to 20. However, unlike movement it provides a modifier like 
  an ability, such as Strength or Dexterity. The higher this rating, 
  the more agile the vehicle. Maneuverability modifies Pilot checks 
  made to control a vehicle or attempt dangerous maneuvers.
  A vehicle has a base maneuverability according to its movement 
  mode. You can increase a vehicle’s maneuverability by one rank 
  for 2 points. Maneuverability has a maximum value of 20.
  MULTIPLE MOVEMENT MODES
  A vehicle can have more than one movement mode, representing 
  a design that has multiple engines or is capable of transforming 
  to cover multiple terrain types. An additional movement mode 
  costs 1 point. In addition, you must purchase a movement rat-
  ing for the alternate mode and create a separate maneuverability 
  score for it.
  AIR MOVEMENT
  A vehicle with an air movement mode is capable of flying. In 
  addition, a vehicle’s air movement mode determines its maximum 
  speed and minimum forward speed.
  AIR MOVEMENT MODE ABILITIES
  • Maximum Speed: Not all aerial movement modes are created 
  equal. A helicopter is far more agile than a jet fighter, but it 
  cannot match the jet’s maximum speed. You must purchase a 
  movement at least equal to this minimum. Otherwise, the vehi-
  cle cannot take off.
  • Minimum Forward Speed: If a flying vehicle fails to maintain 
  its minimum forward speed, it stalls and must land at the end of 
  its movement. If it is too high above the ground to land, it falls 
  straight down. If it hits the ground that round, it takes falling 
  damage. If the fall doesn’t bring the aircraft to the ground, it 
  must spend its next turn recovering from the stall. Its pilot must 
  make a Reflex save (DC 20) to restart the vehicle and regain 
  control. Otherwise it continues to fall until it hits the ground or 
  the pilot manages to regain control.
  AIR MOVEMENT MODES
  • Glider: This mode of movement relies on wind to carry a vehi-
  cle aloft, making it relatively slow and cumbersome. However, 
  gliders are much quieter than other types of vehicles because 
  they don’t require an engine. A glider’s pilot gains a +4 bonus 
  on all Hide and Move Silently checks to conceal the glider’s 
  movement. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 5; Base Maneuverability: 6; 
  Minimum Forward Speed: 1.
  • Helicopter: A helicopter’s greatest strengths are its agility and 
  its ability to take off and land vertically, rather than requiring a 
  long air strip. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 8; Base Maneuverability: 12; 
  Minimum Forward Speed: 0.
  • Jet: A jet relies on a rocket engine for its forward thrust. While 
  fast, most jets lack agility. Instead, they rely on their speed to 
  escape attacks, maneuver from a distance, and attack from 
  an unexpected direction. A high tech jet can gain tremendous 
  maneuverability, but it is usually expensive. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 12; Base Maneuverability: 2; 
  Minimum Forward Speed: 7.
  • Propeller: A prop plane relies on one or more propeller engines 
  for its movement. While slower than a jet, it can achieve a 
  lower minimum forward speed and is usually more agile. Thus, 
  prop planes are useful in some situations where a jet would be 
  unable to maneuver. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 9; Base Maneuverability: 6; 
  Minimum Forward Speed: 4.
  LAND MOVEMENT
  The land movement modes determine what sort of terrain a 
  vehicle can cover. For example, a wheeled vehicle may become 
  swamped in a river and swept away, while a hover tank could 
  easily ford it.
  LAND MOVEMENT MODES
  • Hover: Because it floats a few feet off the ground on a 
  cushion of air, a hover vehicle can cross almost any terrain. 
  Nothing aside from a wall or similar physical barrier can slow 
  them. Hover vehicles tend to be faster but less agile than 
  other ground transports. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 12; Base Maneuverability: 4.
  • Legs: A walking vehicle uses two or more legs to make its way 
  over terrain. A walker can move through most terrain, though 
  it cannot cross water or similar liquids that are deeper than it 
  is tall. A walker moves at half speed through difficult terrain, 
  such as craters or uneven ground. While they have a low maxi-
  mum speed, walkers are quite agile. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 5; Base Maneuverability: 10.
  • Rail: Trains, subways, and similar vehicles follow a predeter-
  mined path of rails, allowing them to haul huge loads over 
  great distances. This vehicle cannot venture off its rails. If it 
  does so, it loses half its speed each round until it collides with 
  an object or its speed drops below 10 feet per round, at which 
  point it stops. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 10; Base Maneuverability: 14.
  • Treads: Found on tanks and other heavy duty vehicles, treads 
  can cross almost any ground, though they do so at the cost 
  of speed and maneuverability. A vehicle with treads can cross 
  anything but deep water or other liquids that could flood it. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 5; Base Maneuverability: 6.
  • Wheels: The most common class of vehicle, wheeled transports 
  offer good speed and solid maneuverability at the cost of off-
  road capabilities. A wheeled vehicle moves at half its maximum 
  
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  speed on rough terrain. In addition, extremely tough terrain, 
  such as uneven ground or steep slopes, is impassable to it. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 10; Base Maneuverability: 8.
  SPACE MOVEMENT
  Movement in outer space is a relatively easy. Without terrain or 
  gravity to worry about, the average space craft can execute intricate 
  maneuvers without difficulty. Booster jets, engines positioned to 
  provide thrust in any direction, are the most common way vehicles 
  move in space. In addition, rockets allow a craft to escape a planet’s 
  gravity and enter orbit. Use the Space Flight power for interplan-
  etary travel. Boosters are designed for tactical maneuvering.
  SPACE MOVEMENT MODES
  • Boosters: A ship’s boosters allow it to make simple maneuvers 
  in space, such as docking with a space station or moving into 
  position for a jump into hyperspace. Even the simplest boosters 
  provide for a high speed and agile maneuvers. This movement 
  mode is unusable within a planet’s atmosphere. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 20; Base Maneuverability: 10.
  • Rockets: Rockets allow a craft to reach a planet’s orbit. 
  Otherwise, they are rarely used once a ship reaches outer space. 
  A vehicle without this movement mode cannot reach space. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 15; Base Maneuverability: 0; 
  Minimum Speed: 10.
  WATER MOVEMENT
  The water movement modes allow for several types of propulsion. 
  In addition, the submarine mode allows you to design craft that 
  can venture beneath the waves.
  WATER MOVEMENT MODES
  • Motor: This category covers any sort of powered, water move-
  ment. It ranges from a speedboat’s engines to the nuclear 
  power plant aboard a state of the art aircraft carrier. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 9; Base Maneuverability: 4.
  • Oars/Sails: While simple compared to a modern motorboat, a 
  sail or rowboat does have the advantage of never running out 
  of fuel, as long as the weather obliges or the crew is ready to 
  work. These primitive boats are ponderously slow even under 
  the best conditions, though they can be agile. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 5; Base Maneuverability: 4.
  • Submarine: Capable of descending beneath the waves, sub-
  marines serve best as spies or stealth vehicles. Even against 
  advanced sonar, a quiet sub can remain hidden for hours at a 
  time. Submarines tend to be a bit slow but are typically more 
  agile than surface ships. 
   Maximum Speed: Movement 7; Base Maneuverability: 8.
  SIZE
  A vehicle’s size works different from the modifiers used for other 
  devices. In many ways, a larger vehicle is better than a smaller 
  one. It can hold more passengers and cargo, making it more effi-
  cient. On the other hand, larger vehicles are less agile than smaller 
  ones. Size has no effect on speed. Refer to Table 4–8: Vehicle Size 
  Attributes for complete information.
  Choosing a size has no effect on a vehicle’s point cost, nor does 
  it affect anything other than a vehicle’s Defense, capacity, and 
  maneuverability. While it may seem like it would be more difficult 
  to damage a larger vehicle that’s not necessarily true, because 
  the larger the vehicle is, the larger and more vulnerable its impor-
  tant components become. Unlike creatures, a vehicle’s size has no 
  effect on its attacks.
  A vehicle’s carrying capacity refers to the number of human-sized 
  creatures that can board it. A craft is capable of haling 300 lbs. 
  per slot of capacity. Larger creatures count as two or more human-
  sized ones, while smaller ones might count as half or less, at the 
  GM’s discretion. It may help to create a simple floor plan of a 
  vehicle to show where passengers and the pilot sit as well as how 
  much cargo space is available.
  An Awesome-sized vehicle, theoretically, has no upper limit in size. 
  Thus, you could design a ship that could hold thousands of pas-
  sengers. 
  Some of the extras and features available for vehicles reduce their 
  capacity. For example, a recreational vehicle might count as a 
  Large vehicle, but its kitchen and living areas reduce its capacity. 
  In all cases, common sense and a general layout or blueprint of 
  the vehicle can help. 
  TABLE 4–15: VEHICLE SIZE ATTRIBUTES
  SIZE
  CAPACITY
  MANEUVERABILITY
  DEFENSE
  Small
  2
  +4
  +1
  Medium
  8
  +2
  +0
  Large
  16
  +0
  –1
  Huge
  64
  –2
  –2
  Gargantuan
  128
  –4
  –4
  Colossal
  256
  –6
  –8
  Awesome
  512+
  –8
  –16
  DEFENSE BONUS
  A vehicle’s bonus to Defense represents its agility, size, and design. 
  Sleek vehicles have a better chance of avoiding attacks, while 
  blocky, ponderous ones are easy targets. You can pay 3 points to 
  improve a vehicle’s Defense bonus by +1.
  SAVES
  If a vehicle must make a save for anything other than Damage, 
  its pilot or driver makes a save on its behalf. Remember that, as 
  inanimate objects, vehicles are immune to poison, disease, and 
  similar effects. You do not have to pay points for these immuni-
  ties.
  A vehicle uses its hardness rating as its Damage save bonus, just 
  like any other object. The rules for damaging objects undergo a 
  slight revision in this book (see p. 35 for more information). The 
  
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  rules for exploding vehicles still apply (see Mutants & Masterminds, 
  p. 117).
  VEHICLES AND SKILLS
  With the help of advanced technology, vehicles can gain the 
  equivalent of ranks in several skills. It costs 1 point to purchase 
  1 rank in a skill for a vehicle. You can only purchase ranks in the 
  skills listed in this section. Each skill has notes that describe how 
  it functions when used with a vehicle.
  A pilot may use a vehicle’s skill ranks in addition to his own 
  when attempting to make a skill check while piloting. If he does 
  so, a character can use a total number of ranks up to his power 
  level + 3. For example, Blackjack is a PL 10 hero with 8 ranks in 
  Spot. He uses the scope on Mariner’s sub to scan the docks for 
  suspicious activity. The sub has 6 ranks in Spot. Since Blackjack 
  is level 10, he can gain the use of no more than 13 ranks. You 
  can only combine your skill ranks with a vehicle’s if the skill’s 
  description given in this section explicitly allows it.
  Not all vehicle skills work in this manner. A vehicle with Hide 
  does not gain the benefits of its pilot’s Hide ranks. The skill 
  descriptions that follow provide full details. If a skill is not listed, 
  you cannot purchase ranks in it for a vehicle.
  Each skill lists an ability after its name, sometimes one that is 
  different from the ability normally used to modify it. In this case 
  use the pilot’s or driver’s relevant ability modifier instead. It’s a 
  different matter for a character to use a skill than it is for a char-
  acter to use a skill while operating a vehicle, hence the changes 
  to the skills and their linked abilities.
  Some skills list Driver/Pilot as their relevant attribute. In this 
  case, treat the character’s ranks in whichever of those two skills 
  he uses to control the vehicle as an ability to determine its modi-
  fier. For example, a character with 10 ranks in Drive would have 
  a Drive modifier of +0. In these cases, a character’s ability to 
  control a vehicle plays an important role in executing the skill 
  check.
  Note that for skills such as Spot and Search, you should purchase 
  Telescopic Senses and similar powers for a vehicle. Otherwise, it 
  is limited to the normal, human range for such skills.
  A vehicle’s skills can gain the benefits of any feats or powers, 
  such as Super-Skill, as normal.
  DISGUISE (INT)
  This vehicle can modify its appearance, allowing it to pass through 
  crowded areas without drawing any attention. It might have guns 
  or devices that slide into hidden compartments or, perhaps, its 
  “paint” is a digital pattern that you can modify by pressing a few 
  button. Your vehicle maintains its basic shape and type, but you 
  can alter cosmetic details. 
  HIDE (DRIVER/PILOT)
  Due to stealth technology, camouflage, and other features, you can 
  attempt to conceal this vehicle from onlookers. The vehicle’s size 
  counts as one size larger for purposes of making Hide checks, as 
  shown below. It takes at least 1 minute to attempt to Hide a vehi-
  cle. You can never attempt to hide a vehicle in plain sight unless it 
  has a feature or extra that allows it. Normally, you need to maneu-
  ver a vehicle out of sight or into cover in order to hide it.
  TABLE 4–16: HIDING VEHICLES
  VEHICLE SIZE
  HIDE MODIFIER
  Small
  +0
  Medium
  –4
  Large
  –8
  Huge
  –12
  Gargantuan
  –16
  Colossal
  –20
  Awesome
  –24
  JUMP (DRIVER/PILOT)
  Some vehicles have superior suspension systems, lower weight, 
  and other features that make them better at taking jumps than 
  other ground vehicles. You can use this skill in place of a Driver 
  skill to attempt to jump a gap.
  LISTEN (WIS)
  This skill covers any sound sensors installed on a vehicle, such 
  as microphones, sonar, and similar devices. You can combine the 
  vehicle’s skill ranks with your own when making a check.
  MOVE SILENTLY (DRIVE/PILOT)
  With the aid of sound dampers, specially designed mufflers, and 
  other equipment, this vehicle can move with barely a whisper. Use 
  this skill as per its description. A vehicle’s size modifies a Move 
  Silently attempt, reflecting the larger, bulkier, and noisier equip-
  ment on board larger vehicles. Of course, moving quietly doesn’t 
  prevent anyone from spotting a vehicle. An Awesome-sized space 
  cruiser needs to find a cloud or mountain range to hide behind if 
  it wants to completely escape notice.
  TABLE 4–17:SILENT VEHICLE MOVEMENT
  VEHICLE SIZE
  MOVE SILENTLY MODIFIER
  Small
  +0
  Medium
  –2
  Large
  –4
  Huge
  –6
  Gargantuan
  –8
  Colossal
  –10
  Awesome
  –12
  SEARCH (INT)
  This skill represents sensors, data analysis equipment, and similar 
  devices aboard a vehicle. You can use it to scan an object or area 
  immediately adjacent to the vehicle. The Telescopic Senses power 
  allows you to extend this skill’s range. You can combine your own 
  ranks in Search with the vehicle’s when making checks. 
  
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  SPOT (WIS)
  Most technologically advanced vehicles, particularly military ones, 
  have some form of sensors used to detect approaching targets. 
  The Spot skill represents a suite of scanners, computers, and other 
  equipment. You can combine your own ranks in Spot with the 
  vehicle’s.
  POWERS AND VEHICLES
  When creating a vehicle, there are several powers that offer imme-
  diately obvious utility. The most common abilities for vehicles are 
  Protection, Energy Blast, and Strike, particularly when you want to 
  design a military vehicle. Space Flight, Super-Speed, and Running 
  are also useful for ultra-fast vehicles or highly advanced cars or 
  ships.
  Powers added to a vehicle count as extras linked to its movement 
  rating. 
  Most powers added to a car require a character to activate and 
  use them. When a driver uses a vehicle’s power, use the character’s 
  base attack bonus, abilities, and any other relevant statistics that 
  affect what the power can do. The powers’ benefits usually apply 
  to the vehicle and anyone inside it – but only if the passengers 
  are being targeted by others outside the vehicle. For example, 
  a car with Invisibility also renders its occupants invisible to an 
  observer, but anyone in the car can still perceive normally. A jet 
  with Protection protects its pilot from attacks made from outside 
  the aircraft, but it would provide no protection against an oppo-
  nent who snuck inside the jet.
  Otherwise, use common sense when applying a power’s effects to 
  a vehicle and anyone inside of it. As a rule of thumb, a character 
  should never gain a vehicle power’s benefits or drawbacks when 
  he steps outside of it.
  Common vehicle powers include the following:
  • Blending: This power is an excellent choice for vehicles 
  designed for stealth.
  • Combat Powers: Any power used as an attack, whether 
  designed to injure or incapacitate, is a good choice for a super-
  hero or villain’s vehicle.
  • Flight: A vehicle with this power must take a movement mode 
  that allows for it. In essence, it costs the same to purchase a 
  movement mode as this power. The two abilities have the same 
  effect.
  • Obscure: Smokescreens make perfect additions to getaway 
  cars. This power is ideal for spy cars.
  • Protection: Military vehicles and anything designed for com-
  bat should feature this power. Without it, a vehicle might 
  be quickly reduced to scrap metal due to its relatively poor 
  Defense.
  • Slick: Another gimmick pulled from spy movies; the oil slick.
  • Tunneling: Any vehicle designed for burrowing into the earth 
  should use this power.
  DAMAGE AND VEHICLES
  A vehicle takes damage just like any other gadget, causing them 
  to lose ranks in their powers as they suffer hits. A vehicle’s move-
  ment rating works just like a power. It can be damaged along with 
  any weapons and features a vehicle has.
  CREW AND VEHICLES
  Normally, one person aboard a vehicle serves as a pilot or driver. 
  In addition, the person controlling the vehicle can fire one of its 
  weapons. Additional crewmembers can control other weapons 
  mounted on the vehicle. It is best to create a list of, or draw a 
  layout for, a vehicle and note the location of different weapon’s 
  firing systems. All of the weapons might be accessible from the 
  driver’s seat, or there could be seats for gunners set throughout a 
  larger war machine.
  VEHICLE FEATURES
  Features grant bonuses to a vehicle’s abilities, such as an improved 
  control system, or they offer benefits to the vehicle’s pilot. They 
  have a flat cost of 1 point per feature. You can select feats nor-
  mally reserved for characters as vehicle features. For instance, a 
  digging machine designed to tunnel through the earth might 
  offer protection against extreme heat and a supply of breathable 
  air for its occupants. Thus, it has Immunity (heat, suffocation) as 
  features. When you purchase a feature for a vehicle be sure to 
  designate who or what area gains the benefits of that feature, 
  if it is limited to the pilot, the passengers, the cockpit, the cargo 
  area, or whoever or wherever else you decide. Usually, a hero must 
  make use of a vehicle’s hardware or systems to gain a feature’s 
  benefits. You might assign Point Blank Shot to a tank to simulate 
  its targeting computer, but only a hero who uses the tank’s weap-
  ons gains the feat’s benefits. A soldier who fires a pistol from the 
  tank’s open hatch would not use that feat. As usual, your GM has 
  final say in whether a vehicle grants its features to a passenger.
  • Booster Jets: This disposable, limited fuel rocket booster 
  grants a vehicle a temporary, but significant, increase in speed. 
  When you activate the Booster Jets, a vehicle immediately 
  receives a +2 bonus to its current movement ranks. This bonus 
  can increase a vehicle’s speed above its maximum. This bonus 
  lasts for 10 rounds (1 minute). You can purchase this feature 
  more than once. Each time you take it, you gain an additional 
  use of this ability. Note that since Booster Jets provide a bonus, 
  you cannot activate several of them at once to stack their 
  effects. It takes two hours of work and a DC 10 Repair check to 
  replenish all of a vehicle’s Booster Jets.
  • Escape Capsule/Ejector Seat: The vehicle is equipped with 
  an emergency escape pod, ejector seat, or similar device that 
  can launch a pilot or passenger clear of a crash or explosion. 
  This system automatically activates when a vehicle is destroyed. 
  The driver or passenger must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or 
  suffer a damaging hit equal to the attack that destroyed the 
  vehicle. Subtract the vehicle’s Protection from the attacks rank 
  
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  to determine the strength of the hit to apply to the ejected 
  character. You can then apply any protective abilities that the 
  character has. Each time you purchase this feature, you add 
  one escape capsule or ejector seat for one additional passenger 
  or crewmember. An escape capsule can provide any Immunity 
  feats the vehicle had for one week before its power fails. It 
  has ranks in movement equal to half the vehicle’s rating but 
  provides no means of control. Instead, it merely seeks out the 
  nearest safe landing point (an escape capsule) or floats to the 
  ground (an ejector seat), decided when purchased. Otherwise, it 
  has none of the vehicle’s powers.
  • Immunities: By using protective gear, such as an independent 
  air supply and a heat-resistant hull, a vehicle can grant its pas-
  sengers any Immunity super-feats it has. Only characters who 
  are inside of the vehicle gain the benefits of these Immunities. 
  If the craft’s hull is ruptured or if a hatch is left open, your GM 
  may rule that the passengers lose the benefits of one or more of 
  the vehicle’s Immunity feats.
  • Ram Plate: Due to a heavy-duty armor plate, spikes, and simi-
  lar additions, this vehicle inflicts more damage when it rams 
  targets and suffers less damage in return. A vehicle with a ram 
  plate gains a +2 bonus to its ramming damage and a +4 bonus 
  on damage saves to resist any ramming damage it suffers. The 
  damage and save bonus applies only if the vehicle initiates a 
  ram, unless the GM rules otherwise or it’s a head-on collision.
  • Superior Handling: This vehicle’s control system is easy to 
  use and highly responsive. It grants its pilot a +2 bonus to all 
  Pilot or Drive skill checks. This bonus applies to only one of 
  the vehicle’s movement modes. If it has multiple modes, you 
  may purchase this feature for each of them individually. If you 
  select it for one of them, you do not have to buy it for all of 
  them.
  • Turret: A turret allows a vehicle’s weapons to move from side 
  to side, independent of the vehicle’s heading. Each time you 
  select this feature, group one or more of the vehicle’s weapons 
  into a single turret. They gain a +1 bonus to hit due to their 
  ability to move and track a target. Each time you purchase this 
  feature, you add another turret to the vehicle. Mounting weap-
  ons in multiple turrets gives you the advantage of firing at a 
  single target from multiple angles. If more than one turret from 
  TABLE 4–18: SAMPLE VEHICLES
  VEHICLE TYPE
  SIZE
  MOVEMENT
  HARDNESS
  PROTECTION
  MANEUVERABILITY
  COST 
  FEATURES
  GROUND VEHICLES
  Bicycle
  Small
  3 (wheels)
  3
  0
  12
  3
  None
  Motorcycle 
  Small
  5 (wheels)
  5
  0
  16
  13
  None
  Car 
  Medium
  5 (wheels)
  5
  0
  10
  5
  None
  Sports car 
  Medium
  5 (wheels)
  5
  0
  16
  17
  None
  Armored Car
  Medium
  5 (wheels)
  5
  5
  10
  20
  None
  Truck 
  Large
  5 (wheels)
  5
  0
  8
  5
  None
  Truck (18-wheeler) 
  Huge
  5 (wheels)
  5
  0
  6
  5
  None
  Train 
  Colossal
  6 (wheels)
  6
  0
  10
  6
  None
  Tank 
  Large
  5 (treads)
  5
  10
  6
  45
  Energy Blast +10
  APC
  Large
  5 (treads)
  5
  8
  6
  31
  Energy Blast +5
  Hover Cycle
  Small
  6 (hover)
  6
  0
  12
  14
  None
  Hover Car
  Medium
  7 (hover)
  7
  0
  10
  15
  None
  Hover Tank
  Large
  6 (hover)
  6
  8
  10
  54
  Energy Blast +10
  War Walker
  Medium
  3 (legs)
  3
  10
  16
  47
  Energy Blast +8
  Explorer
  Large
  3 (legs)
  3
  5
  12
  21
  Immunity (fire, suffocation)
  WATER VEHICLES
  Rowboat
  Small
  2 (oars/sails)
  2
  0
  8
  2
  None
  Speedboat 
  Small
  5 (motor)
  5
  0
  10
  9
  None
  Sail Boat 
  Medium
  3 (oars/sails)
  3
  0
  10
  11
  None
  Cruiser 
  Large
  5 (motor)
  5
  10
  6
  49
  Energy Blast +10
  Battleship 
  Colossal
  4 (motor)
  4
  15
  0
  64
  Energy Blast +15
  Submarine
  Huge
  5 (submarine)
  5
  12
  10
  64
  Energy Blast +12, Immunity (suffocation, pressure, cold)
  AIR VEHICLES
  Hang Glider
  Small
  3 (glider)
  3
  0
  12
  7
  None
  Helicopter 
  Medium
  6 (helicopter)
  6
  0
  14
  6
  None
  Plane 
  Medium
  8 (propeller)
  8
  0
  10
  12
  None
  Fighter jet 
  Medium
  12 (jet)
  6
  5
  14
  58
  Energy Blast +8
  Passenger jet 
  Huge
  9 (jet)
  8
  0
  6
  21
  None
  SPACE VEHICLES
  Shuttlecraft 
  Huge
  15 (rockets)
  8
  4
  0
  25
  Immunity (suffocation, vacuum, cold)
  Space fighter 
  Large
  14 (boosters)
  10
  10
  20
  77
  Energy Blast +10, Immunity (suffocation, vacuum, cold)
  Space Cruiser 
  Huge
  16 (boosters)
  14
  15
  14
  91
  Energy Blast +15, Immunity (suffocation, pressure, cold)
  Space Battleship 
  Colossal
  18 (boosters)
  18
  20
  10
  109
  Energy Blast +20, Immunity (suffocation, pressure, cold)
  
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  0.0080.01
  the same vehicle aims at a single target, the attacker gains a 
  +1 bonus to hit for each turret beyond the first, these bonuses 
  stack to a maximum additional bonus of +5. 
  • VTOL: This feature is available for any vehicle with an air move-
  ment mode. A VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft 
  doesn’t need an airstrip to launch or land. Instead, it can ease 
  to a landing and take off much like a helicopter.
  EXTRAS
  Vehicle extras grant added attributes, usually in the form of 
  improvements to their ability to travel. These extras should all be 
  applied to a vehicle’s movement as if it was a power that cost 1 
  point per rank.
  • Chassis Blades: This option is available only for ground vehi-
  cles. It consists of heavy duty cutting spikes and blades mounted 
  on a vehicle’s chassis, allowing the driver to make attacks by 
  driving by an opponent. Chassis blades deliver an attack with 
  a damage modifier equal to a vehicle’s current movement rank, 
  based on its speed. Anyone in a space adjacent to a vehicle 
  as it moves suffers this damage unless they make a successful 
  Reflex save with a DC equal to the vehicle’s current movement 
  rank +5.
  • Tire Spikes: This option is available only for ground vehicles. 
  Tire spikes are blades and other weapons designed to wreck 
  other vehicles’ wheels. To use them, the driver must move paral-
  lel to the target vehicle and make a Drive check opposed by 
  the target’s Drive check. If you succeed, you damage the target 
  vehicle’s tires. The vehicle immediately loses 2 ranks from both 
  its current and maximum speed. A vehicle reduced to 0 or fewer 
  movement ranks is immobilized.
  SAMPLE VEHICLES
  Many heroes are defined by their favored mode of transportation 
  as much as their super powers. This section gives several exam-
  ple vehicles that can be used as written, or as the basis for new 
  designs. Use these sample vehicles to gauge the relative strength 
  of new designs or as equipment for a villain’s henchmen.
  MUNDANE VEHICLES
  The Mutants & Masterminds rulebook has stats for a variety of 
  mundane vehicles, from cars to tanks (see Mutants & Masterminds, 
  p. 117). That table is updated on Table 4–18: Sample Vehicles 
  to reflect the expanded rules given in this section. Use these 
  examples as a foundation for your own designs.
  APOLLO SMART CAR
  This highly advanced vehicle is designed to resemble a sleek sports 
  car. To the casual observer, it could be any one of several famous, 
  expensive models, though a closer inspection reveals that it is a 
  unique brand. The Apollo was designed by Dr. Sandra Mavis, a 
  brilliant research scientist who specialized in artificial intelligence. 
  Mavis worked for the ArcTech Corporation, a company with a low 
  profile but surprisingly deep pockets to fund intense research 
  and design efforts. Mavis assumed that her employer was a shell 
  company held by a major, multi-national corporation. Her work 
  on intelligent cars was too radical and expensive for a small start-
  up to handle, but her superiors hinted to her that ArcTech’s real 
  owner wanted to keep the company’s work under wraps until it 
  was ready to hit the market.
  Unfortunately, the truth was far more sinister. 
  ArcTech is owned by Atlas Arms, a major 
  defense contractor that regularly pro-
  vides weapons to volatile regions 
  around the globe, profiting from 
  the misery of others. Dr. Mavis’s 
  intelligent car design was 
  destined to serve as 
  the 
  prototype 
  for 
  an 
  independent 
  fighting 
  vehicle. 
  Shocked that her 
  creation 
  could 
  be subverted to evil 
  ends, Dr. Mavis 
  programmed the 
  six 
  prototypes 
  with 
  a 
  strong 
  moral code and let 
  them loose before 
  her superiors could 
  pluck them from 
  her grasp. While the 
  KS
  
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  Apollo prototypes escaped, Dr. Mavis is now a prisoner of Atlas 
  Arms. Her creations are harmless, and in some cases they have 
  acted to foil criminals or help people in need. However, ArcTech 
  has issued a multi-million dollar reward to anyone who can 
  return one of the cars to their labs. They claim that they were 
  stolen, and that Dr. Mavis was in league with the thieves. This 
  explanation provides a convenient cover story for her disappear-
  ance, and already ambitious bounty hunters, a few greedy super 
  criminals, and even some minor heroes have spread across the 
  country to track down the cars.
  The Apollo serves as an example of artificial intelligence 
  research applied to a car. The vehicles have a few devices that 
  make them more versatile than a simple car, such as armor and 
  a few devices that allow them to escape from tight situations. 
  You can also use this design as a hero or villain’s intelligent car 
  sidekick. To flesh out their personalities, you can use the rules 
  given under the Independent Intelligence power or create one 
  from whole cloth.
  APOLLO SMART CAR
  PL 13 wheeled vehicle; Defense 10; Capacity: 8; Maneuverability 
  +10; Spd 40 ft./Leap 50 ft.; Atk +0 ranged (+10S/50’ range/crit 
  20, energy blast); SV Dmg +10 (+5 Protection), Fort —, Ref +5, 
  Will —; Str —, Dex —, Con —, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.
  Skills: Drive +10 (from Independent Intelligence).
  Powers: Hardness +10 [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 
  10 pp], Independent Intelligence +10 [Intelligence 10, Wisdom 
  10, Charisma 8; Extras: Drive, Energy Blast, Leaping, Obscure; Slick; 
  Features: Booster Jet, Superior Handling; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 7; Total: 91], Maneuverability +10 [Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp], Movement +8 (wheels) [Extras: Protection 
  (Flaws: Only +5); Cost: 1 pp; Total: 13 pp].
  Totals: Abilities 4 + Powers/Equipment 124 = Total 128 pp.
  WEAPONS, MELEE
  Swords, clubs, energy blades, and enchanted weapons all appear 
  in the arsenals of comic-book heroes. A martial arts hero may 
  rely on his tonfa or nunchacku to pummel villains into submis-
  sion, while Gorth the Barbarian, a mighty warrior from a parallel 
  dimension, wields an enchanted blade gifted to him by Rorthak, 
  legendary demon of battle.
  A hero who fights with an axe crafted from pure energy has an 
  array of tricks and talents that require more depth than Weapon 
  +10. This section gives you new features, powers, feats, and 
  options for creating and using melee weapons. 
  FEATURES FOR MELEE WEAPONS
  While many weapons are designed simply to inflict pain and 
  injury, some have specialized features that make them useful for 
  other purposes. For example, a sai is designed to parry attacks 
  and catch blades on its tined guards. Features cost 1 power point 
  each.
  • Accurate: Due to exquisite balance and fine workmanship, 
  this weapon is exceptionally easy to handle. You gain a +1 
  bonus to hit when using this device to attack.
  • Brace: As a full action you can brace this weapon against a 
  charge. You get a +2 bonus to damage against the next oppo-
  nent to charge you.
  • Daunting: This weapon was designed to intimidate others. 
  It has spikes, serrated edges, a larger than normal barrel, or 
  some other feature that suggests it his overwhelming stop-
  ping power. While carrying this weapon, you gain a +3 bonus 
  to all Intimidate checks.
  • Disarming: This weapon has a curved blade, hooks, or per-
  haps it incorporates a chain similar to a flail. In any event, it 
  can wrap around or tug on an opponent’s weapon. It grants a 
  +2 bonus to attacks made to disarm.
  • Double-Ended: This feature for melee weapons allows a 
  single armament to be used as if its wielder held two of the 
  same weapon, granting him an extra attack at a penalty (see 
  Table 8–5: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties in Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 133). The weapon has blades on both ends, 
  or whatever it’s equipped with to cause damage. A skilled 
  fighter using this weapon can strike an opponent twice, once 
  with both end. If used to make a single attack as normal, this 
  weapon confers no special bonuses or penalties.
  • Energy Damage: This weapon causes damage of a certain 
  type, you can choose to have the weapon cloaked in a wreath 
  of fire, forged from pure darkness, or expertly crafted chunk 
  of Venusian ice. It draws its damage not only from the type of 
  weapon it is, but also from what it’s formed from. Pick a single 
  type of energy from the following list: cold, darkness, electricity, 
  fire, gravity, kinetic, light, magnetic, radiation, sonic, or vibra-
  tion. The damage the weapon deals is of the chosen type.
  • Parrying: This weapon was created to ward off attacks. Due 
  to its design, it provides a +1 bonus to Defense against melee 
  attacks. 
  • Reach: This is a long weapon designed to strike opponents 
  before they can close to melee range. A weapon with this fea-
  ture can be used to attack opponents up to 10 feet away. You 
  can take this extra more than once. Add 5 feet to the range at 
  which it can be used each time you select it.
  • Tripping: Due to its hooks, curved blade, or its flexible mate-
  rial, this weapon can latch on to or wrap around a foe’s legs, 
  making it easier to trip him. Trip attacks made with this 
  weapon gain a +2 bonus to hit. If the trip attempt fails, the 
  weapon’s user can opt to drop it rather than suffer his oppo-
  nent’s trip.
  EXTRAS
  Extras are typically abilities that prove more useful the more 
  powerful the weapon is. Extras expand a weapon’s capabilities 
  in a significant way or offer a greater bonus as a weapon’s ranks 
  increase.
  
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  • Barbed: Designed to inflict vicious wounds and hold an oppo-
  nent in place, a barbed weapon has hooks and flanged blades 
  designed to impale a foe. Anyone hit by a barbed weapon 
  must make a Strength check with a DC equal to the ranks in 
  the power that has this extra. On a failed check, the victim is 
  caught on the barbs. He cannot move until he succeeds in 
  an opposed Strength check with the barbed weapon’s user. 
  This weapon cannot be used to attack anyone other than the 
  trapped victim. The wielder can choose to release the victim 
  as a free action.
  • Laced Power: This weapon deals damage twice. Some weap-
  ons are designed to deliver an additional effect when they 
  strike an opponent. The Laced Power automatically hits if the 
  primary power hits and must be used in conjunction with the 
  primary power. If the Laced Power and the weapon’s normal 
  damage can be used separately, increase the cost of the extra 
  by 1 power point per rank. You must purchase the power that 
  is laced to this device as well as this extra.
  • Pair: This “weapon” is actually a pair of two small weapons 
  that are designed to be wielded together. When fighting with 
  a Pair weapon, you suffer the standard penalties for attacking 
  with two weapons (see Table 8–5: Two-Weapon Fighting 
  Penalties in Mutants & Masterminds, p. 133). Feats such 
  as Two-Weapon Fighting can help reduce these penalties. 
  However, you also have the option to use a half action to make 
  two strikes with your weapons. When you use this option, you 
  suffer a –4 penalty to hit with your first attack and a –8 pen-
  alty with your second one. You do not gain the benefits of 
  Two-Weapon Fighting, Ambidexterity, or other feats that make 
  using two melee weapons easier. You strike with such speed 
  that you do not have the time to properly set yourself and 
  make use of your training. However, you use your base attack 
  bonus, ability modifiers, and other bonuses and penalties as 
  normal.
  • Shockwave: You can slam this weapon to the ground, creat-
  ing a wave of force that can knock your enemies prone. This 
  ability works just like the Super-Strength extra of the same 
  name, except that you count the weapon’s ranks as Super-
  Strength ranks to determine this attack’s effectiveness. If you 
  have Super-Strength with the Shockwave extra, you can stack 
  the two ranks but their total cannot exceed your power level.
  FLAWS
  • Awkward Balance: Due to a heavy blade, blunt end, or poor 
  design, this weapon is difficult to wield. When you swing it, 
  its poor balance ruins your aim and threatens to topple you. 
  Resolve your attack with a –2 penalty to hit. After resolving 
  this strike, you must make a Strength check with a DC equal 
  to the weapon’s ranks +5 or fall prone. You gain a +2 bonus 
  to this check if your attack hits.
  • Fragile Edge: While sharp and deadly, this weapon quickly 
  loses its cutting edge. It suffers a –1 penalty to damage each 
  time it is used to make an attack. This penalty disappears if 
  you spend 5 minutes sharpening its edge or recharging its 
  batteries, as appropriate. 
  • Power Fluctuation: This weapon requires a few moments to 
  power up. For the first two rounds of combat, it suffers a –2 
  penalty to its ranks in all abilities. Abilities that have 0 or 
  fewer ranks because of this penalty are unavailable until the 
  weapon is fully powered. In addition, on any natural attack 
  roll of 1 the weapon fails and cannot re-activate until 5 rounds 
  pass.
  • Short Reach: Daggers and other small blades that lack the 
  reach of a sword suffer this disadvantage. When you attack 
  with a short reach weapon it confers a –2 penalty to your 
  Defense against melee attacks, as you must step into an 
  opponent’s reach in order to use it. This penalty lasts until 
  your next action. You do not suffer this penalty if you do not 
  attack with the short reach weapon.
  MELEE WEAPON POWER
  A skilled fencer can knock his opponent’s weapon into the air and 
  catch it with his off hand in a single move. The deadly martial art-
  ist cracks an assault rifle in half with his tonfa. These heroes have 
  turned their mastery of a melee weapon into a super power. Their 
  skill and ability transcends the normal limitations of feats and is 
  more flexible than a high base attack bonus. The Weapon Master 
  power allows you to build a character who is an expert with his 
  chosen weapon.
  TP
  
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  WEAPON MASTER
  Cost: 5
  Action: Half
  Range: Normal
  Duration: Instant
  Saving Throw: Damage
  Your talent with melee weapons transcends the usual limitations 
  of mortal beings. You fight with unbelievable skill and unparal-
  leled talent, allowing you to attempt maneuvers and attacks that 
  would be impossible for lesser warriors.
  When fighting with a melee weapon, you gain an attack bonus 
  equal to your power rank. This is a power bonus to your attack 
  rolls and stacks with other power bonuses, up to your power level. 
  In addition, your damage bonus with a weapon equals the normal 
  damage for the weapon, or your ranks in this power, whichever 
  you choose to use. Your skill is such that even a simple, mundane 
  weapon is a deadly tool in your hands.
  You can attempt heroic attacks in combat, allowing you to gain an 
  edge on a foe by making a successful power check with this ability 
  as a half action. The action’s DC depends on the action you wish to 
  attempt. In general, your action must have a direct effect on your 
  attack. For example, you couldn’t use Weapon Master to run along 
  a wall or jump a great distance, but you could use it to gain an 
  advantage over an opponent, such as denying him his Dexterity 
  bonus to AC by attacking from an unexpected direction. After mak-
  ing the power check you must use your next half action to attack in 
  order to gain the benefits of your heroic action. If your power check 
  attempt fails, you can use your next half action as you wish. A list of 
  options for the heroic action and their DCs follow.
  By spending a hero point, you can gain the benefits of a single feat 
  that improves your fighting ability for a number of rounds equal to 
  your ranks in Weapon Master. Your GM determines if the feat is a 
  valid choice, and you must meet its prerequisites as normal.
  TABLE 4–19: WEAPONS MASTER HEROIC ACTIONS
  HEROIC ACTION DC
  BENEFIT
  15
  Ignore a target’s cover.
  20
  Turn while charging to attack
  25
  Ignore concealment.
  30
  Deny a target’s Dexterity and dodge bonus 
  to defense.
  POWER STUNT
  • Swashbuckler: You gain a +2 bonus on all heroic action 
  attempts.
  FLAW
  • Limited Weapon: You gain the benefits of Weapon Master 
  only with one, specific type of weapon, such as swords, dag-
  gers, clubs, or some other weapon type. Your GM has final say 
  on whether a weapon you choose is too broad or too narrow for 
  this flaw.
  DESIGNING MELEE WEAPONS
  Obviously, the Weapon power is the best foundation for any sword 
  or similar weapon. Unlike other types of devices, melee weapons 
  have few other choices when it comes to the weapon that it rep-
  resents. In general, any ability that has a range of touch can be 
  given the Device flaw to make it a weapon. In addition, ranged 
  powers can receive the Range flaw to make them touch powers. 
  Thus, almost anything is available for use as a melee weapon. 
  Listed below are a few powers that are especially easy to convert 
  to melee weapons, along with advice and ideas on how to use 
  them.
  • Deflection: While normally reserved for shields and similar 
  items, this power can also model a sword designed to knock 
  aside energy bolts and other attacks. You can also purchase this 
  skill to represent an expert swordsman’s phenomenal parrying 
  abilities.
  • Drain: Some weapons can sap a target’s strength and vitality 
  via toxins, magical abilities, or the terrible wounds they inflict.
  • Fatigue: Weapons that weaken their target in some way can 
  use this power. It could be a magical weapon that feeds on the 
  life force of the victims it strikes.
  • Snare: This power is good for weapons such as the whip or 
  a net, but it needs an additional flaw for it to make sense for 
  some armaments. As written, a hero can use his snare against 
  multiple targets. A hero with a whip wouldn’t be able to Snare 
  an opponent and then entangle a second opponent while 
  his first struggles to escape. Use the Limited flaw (Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 98) to reflect this limitation.  
  • Stun: From handheld tasers to stun batons, this power can be 
  used to represent a wide variety of non-lethal hand weapons.
  • Swinging: A whip or a similar long, flexible weapon is an ideal 
  candidate for this power as an extra.
  • Super-Strength: While this may seem like an odd choice for 
  a melee weapon, energy gauntlets and similar devices could 
  boost a user’s strength, allowing him to punch through rock 
  and steel.
  SAMPLE MELEE WEAPONS
  Use the devices in this section as models for your own creation or 
  as a convenient weapons locker for thugs and villains. 
  Melee weapons all use the Weapon power with a range of touch, 
  but allow the user to add Strength bonuses to damage.
  Note that basics are covered in the core rulebook (see Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 112).
  NECROBLADE (ARCANE)
  Forged in the pits of Hell’s darkest corner, these weapons are gifted 
  to diabolic champions of evil who spread terror and fear across the 
  world. The demonic supervillain Malfareus, a mighty sorcerer and 
  traveler across strange dimensions, constantly seeks out budding 
  
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  psychopaths, killers, and marauders. He grants them one of these 
  weapons to help aid them in their unholy crusade against all that is 
  good. This weapon invariably pulls its wielder closer to Malfareus’s 
  goals, setting him along the path to damnation and a place in the 
  demon’s burgeoning army of fanatical, murderous cohorts.
  A necroblade is forged from a foul combination of flesh, bone, 
  and black steel. It seems to absorb light, and shadows seem to 
  grow longer and deeper in its presence. When it strikes a target, it 
  drains his life force in addition to dealing a grievous injury, leaving 
  it weakened and feeble. It also offers its user protection against a 
  variety of attacks, as Malfareus is eager to shield his minions from 
  harm. Malfareus does this because he knows that crafting these 
  weapons is no small task and that the longer his followers survive, 
  the more havoc they can create.
  Malfareus is invariably drawn to areas wracked with violence and 
  misery. He may seek out a particularly sadistic soldier in a local 
  warlord’s army, infusing him with the power a demonic beast and 
  granting him one of these weapons. Other times, he seeks out 
  mid-tier supervillains, particularly those with a murderous bent 
  and offers to grant them mighty power in return for fealty. The 
  characters might find a previously defeated, minor villain has 
  gained unspeakable power through this unholy pact.
  NECROBLADE
  Weapon +12 [Extras: Fatigue +12, Laced Power – Fatigue, may be used 
  separately, Shockwave; Source: Mystical; Cost: 5 pp; Total: 60 pp].
  POWERBLADE (ADVANCED TECH)
  When deactivated, this weapon is little more than a long handle 
  set with a hand guard and a wide barrel at one end. An inexperi-
  enced user might mistake it for a strange pistol. When activated, it 
  emits a controlled beam of energy that extends four feet from the 
  handle’s end. This energy blade can chop through steel, deflect 
  energy bolts, and cut down opponents by the dozens, though like 
  any weapon its user’s skill determines its ultimate effectiveness.
  While this model is presented at level 8, these weapons come in a 
  wide variety of power levels.
  POWERBLADE
  Weapon +8 [Extras: Deflection, Energy Damage; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 24 pp].
  SAI (MUNDANE)
  This pair of weapons looks like two daggers with long extensions 
  from their guards, making them resemble a three-pronged fork with 
  a middle prong that is at least twice as long as the outer ones. Sai 
  are defensive weapons. Their blades and guard extensions are blunt. 
  They are used to catch and deflect attacks rather than stab or slash, 
  though many comic book ninjas and martial artists sharpen them.
  SAI
  Weapon +3 [Extras: Pair; Features: Disarming, Parrying; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 8 pp].
  WEAPONS, RANGED
  From a primitive crossbow to a high-tech rifle capable of firing 
  bullets through walls, ranged weapons have played an important 
  role in combat throughout history. After all, it is much easier, and 
  safer, to keep far away from an opponent rather than move up 
  close to him. Whether you face a rampaging supervillain who 
  can punch through concrete or a horde of gun-toting criminals, a 
  handy ranged attack lets you keep out of harms way while dishing 
  out justice. 
  This section covers any weapon with a ranged attack. The Energy 
  Blast or Weapon power serves as the basis for most of these devices, 
  though powers such as Disintegration and Slow also prove useful 
  for high-tech weapons or those that have multiple uses. 
  In addition, this section also covers different ammunition types, 
  enhancements that you can add to a gun to improve its perfor-
  mance, and other new rules for ranged weaponry.
  FEATURES FOR RANGED WEAPONS
  The following features can be added to most types of guns, though 
  your GM can opt to overrule any nonsensical combination. For 
  example, a bow might not benefit much from a laser sight. On the 
  other hand, a bow developed and used by a high-tech archer hero 
  might be designed to incorporate one. Again, your GM is the final 
  authority on whether a feature works with a specific weapon.
  In addition to the features listed here, you can also add feats to a 
  weapon to represent special abilities that are added to its design. 
  Point Blank Shot is useful for a well-balanced pistol designed for 
  close quarters fighting, while Far Shot is a good selection for a 
  sniper rifle. At your GM’s discretion you can ignore a feat’s prereq-
  uisites when adding it to a device.
  As with other devices, features cost 1 point each to add to an 
  item.
  • Breakdown: A weapon with this feature is designed to be 
  easily taken apart and put back together, making it easy to 
  transport and hide. When separated into its component pieces, 
  it is almost impossible (DC 30 Search check) to recognize as a 
  weapon. Taking the weapon apart is a full action, while putting 
  it back together requires 5 rounds of work.
  • Close Quarters: Designed with a thick stock, built from excep-
  tionally durable materials, or created with a bayonet mount, a 
  Close Quarters weapon can be used as a club or spear without 
  penalty. It counts as having Weapon +2 as an extra.
  • Gas Venting: Designed to channel a gun’s kick-back energy, 
  this weapon is easier to handle while firing bursts. This fea-
  ture is available only to weapons with the Multifire extra (see 
  Mutants & Masterminds, p. 97). It reduces the penalty for using 
  multifire to –3.
  • Heavy Recoil Compensation: Via a specially designed har-
  ness, advanced gas vents, or a heavy-duty brace, this weapon is 
  exceptionally easy to handle when emptying a clip at a target. 
  This feature can only be added to weapons with the Autofire 
  
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  extra (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 96). It reduces the pen-
  alty for using the autofire action to –5.
  • Laser Sight: By incorporating a laser pointer into its barrel, 
  this weapon is easier to aim. It grants a +1 bonus to hit when 
  you take a half action to aim. Your GM may rule that the laser 
  sight fails to function in areas with smoke, fog, and other air 
  particles that could prevent it from focusing on a target.
  • Lock System: This weapon verifies its user’s identity in some 
  way before functioning. The weapon checks a user as a free 
  action, allowing you to draw and use it without spending any 
  additional actions. If someone other than you tries to use it, 
  they must overcome the device’s security system. Defeating this 
  system requires Disable Device check with a check equal to 10 
  + the weapon’s rank. You can take this feature more than once, 
  increasing the Disable Device DC by +2 each time.
  • Silencer: A weapon with this feature makes little noise when 
  fired. Anyone who might hear this weapon when it is fired may 
  make a Listen check against a base DC 10 before accounting 
  for distance and walls, doors, or other obstructions.
  • Spring-Loaded: With the slightest move, you can cause this 
  weapon to spring into your hand, ready to fire. Drawing this 
  weapon is a free action.
  EXTRAS
  These extras are available only to devices that are designed to pri-
  marily function as ranged weapons. Your GM has final judgment 
  on whether a device is eligible for them. Devices with Energy 
  Blast and Weapon are the two most common examples of ranged 
  weapon devices.
  Note that a weapon does not have to feature the Uses flaw to 
  use ammo. Many heroes in comics use guns or devices that never 
  seem to run out of ammunition. The hero reloads between panels, 
  or he always happens to have bullets on hand.
  • Boomerang Mechanism: This extra allows you to call a 
  weapon back to your hand. A hurled weapon, such as an axe 
  or dagger, might soar through the air and return to you after 
  you throw it. A pistol or rifle might be designed to fly or tele-
  port back into your hand if you drop it or otherwise lose it. The 
  weapon returns to its users grasp at the beginning of his next 
  half action. If he loses the weapon on his first half action, he 
  has it back in his grasp for his next one. If he drops it at the end 
  of his action, he regains it at the beginning of his next action.
  • Heads-Up Display (HUD): This extra includes a helmet and 
  visor that transmits data to and from the weapon. It includes 
  targeting information, shot paths, and other useful information. 
  A weapon with this extra grants you a +1 bonus per missed 
  shot against a single target until you hit. Once you hit, you 
  maintain that bonus until the end of the current encounter. If 
  you change targets, your bonus resets to 0, though you may 
  build one up against your new target if you miss it.
  • Indirect Fire: This weapon can strike targets that its user can-
  not see or trace a direct line to. There must still be a clear path 
  between the weapon and its target, but this route could be from 
  any direction. The weapon’s user must have some way of know-
  ing his target’s location. He can either guess or he can receive 
  information via radio, psychic link, or some other means. 
   When using the weapon, the attacker targets a spot within 
  range. He then makes an attack against Defense 20. On a hit, 
  his attack lands in the spot he targeted. Otherwise, it scatters 5 
  feet times the difference between your attack result and 20. For 
  example, if you rolled a total of 18, the shot scatters 10 feet. A 
  shot can never scatter more than half the distance between the 
  attacker and his target.
   To resolve a scattered attack, roll 1d20 to determine the direc-
  tion the shoot scatters. To find the direction, pick out a 5-foot 
  square next to the intended target and count in the nine spaces 
  around the target until you reach the result of the 1d20 roll. 
  Pick the square you want to count as one before rolling. You 
  can re-roll any result of 19 or 20 to ensure that all the squares 
  have the same chance of being selected.
  • Multi-Ammo: The ranged weapon is designed to accept differ-
  ent types of ammunition, from bullets that explode into thick 
  banks of fog to bullets modified to punch through heavy armor. 
  A Multi-Ammo weapon can use any of the ammunition types 
  described later in this section. For each rank in this extra, you 
  can select a single use of one type of ammo. You can choose 
  a single ammo type more than once to gain more than one 
  use of it. You replenish you ammo supply when you are able 
  TP
  
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  to return to your headquarters or between game sessions. Your 
  GM has final authority on whether you have the opportunity to 
  restock. Since this ability is limited and costs a fair number of 
  points, your GM should be liberal in allowing you to replenish 
  your stock of bullets, arrows, or whatever ammo you use.
   Once you have chosen the ammunition you want to use, you 
  cannot later change them unless your GM allows you to do so. 
  Your weapon has the ability to use the specific types of ammo 
  you select, and while you can acquire more you do not have 
  any special ability to make new types. Use the Master Gunsmith 
  ability to simulate heroes who can invent and use new types of 
  ammo.
  • Scatter Gun: This weapon delivers a spread of fire across a 
  wide area, much like a shotgun or similar weapon. It could 
  use a spread of pellets, or it might project a dispersed screen 
  of energy, whatever fits your weapon best. When fired, this 
  weapon projects a cone that is 5 feet x the attack power’s ranks 
  in length. Normally, you cannot choose to change between a 
  cone and a normal attack. If you increase this extra’s cost to 2 
  points per rank, you can change between firing modes as a free 
  action.
  • Specter Targeting: You can use your weapon to ignore a tar-
  get’s cover bonus to Defense. As a half action you can aim at a 
  target and opt to ignore his cover bonus to Defense. However, 
  you suffer a penalty to your attack’s damage equal to the cov-
  er’s hardness.
  • Targeting Scope: This weapon allows you to make even the 
  most difficult shots with ease, provided that you have enough 
  time to line up your shot. For each consecutive half action you 
  spend aiming at a specific target, you gain a +1 bonus to your 
  next shot against your chosen foe. You can gain a maximum 
  bonus equal to the ranks you have in this extra. While aim-
  ing, you lose your dodge and Dexterity bonuses to Defense. If 
  you do anything that requires a half or full action other than 
  aim, such as move, attack using a different weapon, or use a 
  skill, you lose the bonus granted by this extra. You can use free 
  actions as normal, as they do not distract you.
  • Tracking System: By acquiring and locking on to a single 
  target, your ranged weapon helps you aim. If you spend a 
  full action aiming at a single target, you gain a +2 bonus to 
  all attacks against him. However, you suffer a –4 penalty to 
  attack anyone or anything else, as you must struggle with your 
  weapon to train it on a different target. You can deactivate the 
  targeting computer as a half action. If you turn off the tracking 
  system you do not gain the bonus it provides but you do not 
  suffer the penalty.
  • Visual Sensor Array: This weapon incorporates a series of 
  visual sensors which allow it to sense potential targets before 
  its user notices them. As a free action the GM may allow the 
  weapon to make a Spot check to notice an opponent indepen-
  dent of its user. For the purposes of this check, the weapon has 
  1 rank in Spot per rank in this extra. If it succeeds, the weapon 
  warns the user, who may spend a half action to gain the ben-
  efits of the successful check. 
  FLAWS
  • Dispersed Firepower: This weapon requires a steady stream 
  of fire to achieve maximum effect. It might discharge a weaker 
  energy bolt before unleashing its full charge, or it might rely on 
  a heavy volume of light shells or bullets to achieve its effect. 
  If you try to fire it more than once during a round, such as by 
  using autofire or both of your half actions to shoot, it suffers a 
  –2 penalty to damage.
  • Faulty Sights: Due to poor design, the weapon’s sights are 
  poorly aligned. Anyone attacking with it suffers a –2 penalty to 
  hit.
  • Heavy Recoil: When fired, this weapon’s recoil hammers its 
  user with tremendous force. The weapon’s user must make a 
  Strength check with a DC equal to 10 + the weapon’s ranks in 
  its attack power. If the weapon has more than one attack mode, 
  use the highest ranked one unless this flaw is specifically linked 
  to one ability. For example, a laser rifle might have Energy Blast 
  +10 and Stun +5. If only the Stun +5 attack has this flaw, the 
  Strength DC is 15 (10 + Stun’s 5 ranks). On a failed save, the 
  recoil knocks the weapon’s user prone.
  • Long Barreled: This weapon is difficult to handle in close com-
  bat. It might be heavy and unwieldy, or it could be too large to 
  easily swing as a club. It can be used to deliver melee attacks, 
  but its wielder suffers a –6 penalty to hit with such attacks and 
  inflicts damage with a –5 penalty.
  • Loud: This weapon has a thunderous report, making it diffi-
  cult to conceal its use. Anyone who attempts a Listen check 
  to notice the weapon’s use gains a +10 bonus to his check. 
  In addition, you suffer a –5 penalty to all Listen checks in any 
  encounter during which you use the weapon.
  • Muzzle Flash: A flaw suitable for energy and ballistic weap-
  ons, muzzle flash indicates that a weapon produces a blinding 
  flicker of light as it discharges, giving away your position and 
  making it difficult to spot hidden threats. Others gain a +10 
  bonus on Spot checks against you while you use this weapon, 
  and you suffer a –10 penalty to Spot checks to notice hidden 
  threats.
  • Slow Fire: After firing this gun, you must spend a half action 
  resetting its cooling system, loading its next shot, or allowing 
  its power system to recharge. You can take other actions as nor-
  mal, but you cannot fire the weapon again until you spend a 
  half action readying it.
  • Temperamental: The weapon is quirky and unpredictable or 
  sensitive to dirt and dust. On any attack roll of a natural 1, it 
  jams. Clearing a jammed weapon requires a minute of work.
  AMMUNITION TYPES
  Ammunition alters how a weapon works. It only works with weap-
  ons that have the Multi-Ammo feature, as most guns and other 
  ranged weapons are designed to work with specific types of ammo. 
  Keep in mind that most ranged weapons must draw on some sort 
  
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  of supply, be it arrows, bullets, or energy packs. For penetrating 
  ammo, a laser might use a power cell that temporarily boosts its 
  intensity while a bow might use arrows made of titanium.
  Ammunition works much like a feature. It provides a bonus to an 
  attack balance out by some penalty, such as a bonus to hit with 
  an attack that deals reduced damage. Other ammunition types 
  give your attack some other effect, such as creating a smoke cloud 
  at the point of impact. You must purchase the Multi-Ammo extra 
  in order to use the ammunition types given here. In addition, the 
  Marksman power allows you to simulate a hero who specializes in 
  a specific type of weapon, such as the bow, and supplements it 
  with an array of trick shots and unique arrows or bullets.
  Note that your GM may rule that certain types of ammo are 
  impossible to use with the type of weapon you want to use. If you 
  cannot reasonably describe how the weapon functions with an 
  ammo type, it might not be a good fit for it.
  • Alternate Effect: This ammunition is designed to have some 
  effect other than simply injuring your target. It might be a 
  blunt, heavy arrow that can stun a target, or it could explode 
  in a bright flash that blinds your opponents. The exact effect 
  depends on the power you select. Unless otherwise noted, the 
  power operates as if it had a number of ranks equal to the 
  device’s attack mode.
  • Dazzle: The shot produces a flash of light, a sonic burst, or 
  some other effect to overwhelm the target’s senses.
  • Disintegration: This attack eats away at the target with a 
  spray of acid or strange harmonics to shake an inanimate object 
  to pieces.
  • Slick: This ammunition targets an area within range with a 
  projectile that bursts into a pool of oil, grease, or a similar sub-
  stance.
  • Slow: This ammunition bursts into a thick glue or similar sub-
  stance, hindering its target’s movement.
  • Piercing: This ammunition is designed to punch through 
  armor. The effect is the same as the Penetrating Attack feat. 
  Targets of this attack must make a Damage saving throw even 
  if the attack’s damage bonus is less than the target’s Protection 
  bonus. Impervious Protection (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 
  97) works normally against this attack.
  • Binding: When this ammo strikes its target, it bursts into a 
  grasping set of wraps or mechanical arms, allowing it to grap-
  ple an opponent and hold him in place. This ammunition works 
  like the Snare power (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 82).
  • Cloud: When this shot hits, it bursts into a thick cloud of smoke. 
  The shot deals no damage. It lingers for a number of minutes 
  equal to the attack power’s ranks. This ammunition otherwise 
  works like the Obscure power with the Partial flaw (see Mutants 
  & Masterminds, p. 77).
  • Disarming: This ammunition is specifically designed to knock 
  a weapon from an opponent’s hand. You may use it to make 
  ranged disarm attacks. You must make an attack to hit your tar-
  get. If you succeed, follow the rules for disarming (see Mutants 
  & Masterminds, p. 140). If he fails, he is disarmed. His weapon 
  falls to the ground in his current space.
  • Energy Shift: This class of ammunition allows a weapon to 
  deliver a variety of damage effects. Each time you select it 
  you may pick a different energy type from the following list: 
  cold, darkness, electricity, fire, gravity, kinetic, light, magnetic, 
  radiation, sonic, and vibration. Your attack deals this damage, 
  perhaps circumventing an opponent’s invulnerabilities or tak-
  ing advantage of his weaknesses.
  • Monkey Wrench: Designed to defeat mechanical devices, 
  this ammunition has no effect on non-machine targets. Choose 
  one of the tech templates presented in this book (see Tech 
  Templates on pages 19–20), if you attack a device that uses 
  the chosen template, you gain a +2 bonus to damage with this 
  ammo.
  • Stapling: This ammo traps a target in place. It might pin his 
  arm to a nearby wall or skewer through his foot to prevent him 
  from moving. Alternatively, it could spray an area with glue to 
  trap the target. This ammunition works like the Snare power 
  (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 82).
  • Tranquilizer: Coated with powerful sedative or poison, these 
  shots are capable of weakening or befuddling a target. This 
  ammunition works like the Fatigue power (see Mutants & 
  Masterminds, p. 71).
  RANGED WEAPON POWERS
  Comics frequently include characters who have mastered the art 
  of the gun. From a dashing archer who can put an arrow down 
  the barrel of a gun to a deadly assassin capable of shooting a fly 
  out of the air at 100 paces, a wide range of heroes rely on mixing 
  their superhuman talents with otherwise mundane weaponry to 
  overcome villains.
  MARKSMAN
  Cost: 5
  Action: Half
  Range: Normal
  Duration: Instant
  Saving Throw: Damage
  You have an incredible talent for ranged weapons of all types. You 
  can pick up anything from a musket to a laser pistol and wield it 
  with the same, unparalleled level of talent. When using a ranged 
  weapon, your Marksman ability grants you several benefits.
  Your damage bonus equals either the weapon’s normal damage or 
  your ranks in Marksman, whichever is greater. Even with relatively 
  primitive weapons, your phenomenal shooting ability allows you to 
  consistently hit weak points on your target. When you wield a gun, 
  your talent rather than its hitting power determines its damage. You 
  still gain the benefits and drawbacks that the gun offers.
  You gain a bonus to your attack rolls equal to your ranks in 
  Marksman when making ranged attacks with Devices. This is 
  a power bonus, so it stacks with your normal attack bonus and 
  
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  other power bonuses (but your total bonus from powers cannot 
  exceed your power level). 
  You may attempt trick shots, exceptionally difficult attacks that 
  are impossible for anyone who lacks your super-human shooting 
  ability. You can bank bullets off walls, shoot someone’s hat off to 
  scare them away, or hit a target in pitch-black conditions. 
  You can attempt any sort of trick shot, but they all fall into two 
  categories. The first allows you to attempt to ignore environmen-
  tal conditions that would normally make it impossible for you to 
  attack a target, such as shooting around a corner. A trick shot to 
  ignore an environmental condition requires a power check as a 
  full action. The DC for this check depends on the difficulty of your 
  trick shot, at your GM’s discretion.
  TABLE 4–20: TRICK SHOTS
  TRICK SHOT DC
  BENEFIT
  15
  Ignore a target’s cover.
  20
  Bank a shot around a corner, make a ranged trip or 
  disarm attack.
  25
  Ignore concealment.
  30
  Deny a target’s Dexterity and dodge bonus to 
  defense.
  If your check succeeds, you may then make an attack normally. 
  The attack’s range equals the distance the attack would have to 
  travel to hit the target, which may include turning around corners.
  If your Marksman power check fails, your attack automatically 
  misses.
  The second use of a trick shot is as a substitute for a skill check 
  or to temporarily gain the benefits of a feat. As a full action, you 
  can make an Intimidate check with your ranks in this power as 
  a bonus to the attempt. To gain this bonus, you must make an 
  attack against your target. If you hit, you deal no damage but 
  gain the Intimidate bonus. Otherwise, resolve you Intimidate 
  check normally. 
  By spending a hero point, you can gain the benefits of a single 
  feat that improves your shooting ability for a number of rounds 
  equal to your ranks in Marksman. Your GM determines if the feat 
  is a valid choice, and you must meet its prerequisites.
  POWER STUNT
  •  Trick Shooter: You gain a +2 bonus to all trick shot attempts.
   DESIGNING RANGED WEAPONS
  Creating a ranged weapon is a relatively simple process. 
  The powers, extras, and flaws featured in the core Mutants & 
  Masterminds rulebook are 
  enough to simulate 
  PAGE 88
  If your check succeeds, you may then make an attack normally. 
  The powers, extras, and flaws featured in the core 
  Masterminds rulebook are 
  enough to simulate 
  AA
  
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  most basic firearms. If you need a simple pistol, bow, or laser 
  blaster, you can use the Weapon power with enough ranks to 
  simulate the attack. A slingshot might only have a couple of 
  ranks, since even a weakling could take a few hits from one 
  without risk of death, while a heavy blaster rifle might vaporize 
  even a heavily armored soldier.
  Table 4–21: Ranged Weapons gives you a baseline to work 
  from when assigning ranks to a weapon’s primary attack power. 
  However, this chart is by no means definitive. The table gives you 
  examples that you should use as guidelines for creating weapons 
  rather than as a list of your only options. Usually, the ranks you 
  assign to a weapon should be determined by the role it will play 
  in your game. 
  TABLE 4–21: RANGED WEAPONS
  WEAPON DAMAGE
  EQUIVALENT
  +1
  Knife, thrown rock
  +2
  Dagger, shuriken, sling stone
  +3
  Light pistol
  +4
  Bow, SMG
  +5
  Crossbow, heavy pistol
  +6
  Grenade blast
  +7
  Assault rifle
  +8
  Blaster rifle, heavy machine gun
  +9
  Light missile
  +10
  Artillery shell
  +11
  Tank cannon
  +12
  Missile
  +13
  +14
  Battleship cannon
  +15
  +16
  Heavy bomb
  +17
  +18
  Plasma cannon
  +19
  +20
  Nuclear warhead
  POWERS AND RANGED WEAPONS
  The easiest way to create a ranged weapon is to choose a single 
  power to serve as its main attack and then select extras and power 
  stunts that reflect its unique traits. The basic ranged weapon pow-
  ers are listed below. Powers marked with an asterisk (*) have a 
  range of less than normal as a default. You need to give them 
  the Range extra (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 97) one or more 
  times to use them in a pistol or similar weapon.
  • Corrosion*: This power could see a lot of use with tools and 
  weapons designed to overcome constructs or destroy structures.
  • Dazzle: Use this ability for weapons designed to incapacitate 
  rather than injure. A system designed for riot control might tem-
  porarily blind its targets to make them easier to control.
  • Disintegration: Weapons specifically designed to destroy 
  constructs, or industrial mining tools adapted to combat could 
  use this ability. Diabolic villains might use the Disruption 
  extra to equip their followers with a terrifying weapon.
  • Drain*: The perfect weapon for anti-super troops or law 
  enforcement officers, a ranged weapon with Drain allows a 
  large number of soldiers to neutralize a super’s talents in a 
  single volley. With his powers gone, the super can be over-
  come with conventional weapons.
  • Element Control: All three versions of this power can prove 
  useful as a weapon. Element Control – Air could prove useful 
  as a crowd control weapon, Element Control – Water might be 
  a high-tech firefighting device that could be used as a defense 
  against fiery creatures, while Element Control – Earth would 
  work as a gravity gun designed for a specific, limited use.
  • Energy Blast: This power, along with Weapon, is the most 
  common foundation for ranged weapons. Its stunts and extras 
  make it a good choice for a wide variety of effects.
  • Energy Control: From flamethrowers to cold beams, this 
  power is the best choice for weapons that rely on a specific 
  substance or energy type to deliver damage.
  • Fatigue: Weapons designed to use non-lethal means can get 
  a lot of mileage from this power. They could be used to sedate 
  wild animals or calm panicked crowds. Alien civilizations that 
  eschew violence might use weapons with this ability as their 
  primary armament.
  • Mental Blast: Technology that draws on psychic energy 
  might feature this attack from, especially strange or alien 
  tech.
  • Mind Control: As with Mental Blast, this power is a good 
  choice for civilizations or groups that have researched psi 
  tech.
  • Paralysis: Like Fatigue, this is a good choice for non-lethal 
  weapons that can take a variety of forms.
  • Shrinking*: This power is an excellent choice for weapons 
  designed to overcome giant monsters or heroes with Super-
  Strength.
  • Slow: Police and other law enforcement agencies might use 
  weapons with this power to apprehend criminals. It can bring 
  a speeding car to a gentle halt, or stop a criminal without 
  harming innocent bystanders.
  • Stun: Another power useful for non-lethal weapons, it can 
  also serve as a secondary function on more lethal weapons. 
  Soldiers could use sabot rounds or set their weapons to stun 
  when they need to take prisoners or capture someone without 
  running the risk of killing them.
  • Weapon: This power is the default selection for creating a 
  ranged weapon. You can use it to model pistols, rifles and 
  other weapons that don’t fit the other powers listed here. This 
  power automatically has the Device flaw built into its cost.
  OTHER POWERS
  In addition to a weapon’s basic capabilities to harm or incapaci-
  tate a target, it can also feature enhancements that allow it to 
  function well in specific circumstances. The following powers are 
  all good selections as extras for a ranged weapon.
  
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  • Secondary Attacks: Any weapon can be made more versatile 
  by giving it additional attack powers. An assault blaster rifle 
  could include Weapon as its main attack, along with Stun to 
  take captives without hurting them and Disintegrate to destroy 
  robots and tanks.
  • Super Senses: Some weapons may come with targeting sys-
  tems that allow their user to see with greater clarity. In addition, 
  an advanced gun could incorporate feats such as Darkvision or 
  Blindsight. The weapon may work with a helmet linked to its 
  targeting system, improving the user’s accuracy while boosting 
  his senses.
  • Telescopic Sight: This power is an excellent choice for sniper 
  weapons and similar arms, as it allows a shooter to attack tar-
  gets from a great distance. You can add the Range extra to the 
  base power, allowing the weapon’s user to shoot anything he 
  can see with this ability.
  SAMPLE RANGED WEAPONS
  Each sample weapon listed in this section includes its name and 
  cost, so you can use it as-is or customize it to your campaigns 
  Power Level. 
  ASSASSIN SNIPER RIFLE
  Designed for covert use, the Assassin is the favored weapon of hit 
  men and killers across the world. Its long range, excellent targeting 
  abilities, and stealth features allow its users to eliminate a target 
  from such a great distance that they are rarely apprehended.
  ASSASSIN SNIPER RIFLE
  Weapon +10 [Extras: Targeting Scope, Telescopic Sight (sight); 
  Features: Far Shot, Point Blank Shot; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 32 pp].
  BAZOOKA
  The bazooka is presented as a generic anti-tank weapon. It could 
  cover anything from a simple, disposable rocket launcher to an 
  advanced missile system.
  BAZOOKA
  Weapon +9 [Extras: Area; Flaws: Slow Fire; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 9 pp].
  FLAMETHROWER
  The typical flamethrower is designed to flush out infantry and 
  sweep through armored emplacements.
  FLAMETHROWER
  Energy Control +5 [Extras: Scatter Gun; Flaws: Device, Slow Fire; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 5 pp].
  MORTAR
  Mortars are designed as light support weapons. They lob explo-
  sive shells in an indirect arc, allowing them to drop fire support 
  in the midst of thick cover such as jungle, ridges, and fortifica-
  tions.
  MORTAR
  Weapon +6 [Extras: Area, Indirect Fire; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 18 pp].
  PLASMA CANNON
  This massive weapon is over 6 feet long and almost 2 feet wide. 
  It is cylindrical in shape, with a massive barrel wide enough to fit 
  a man’s arm. The plasma cannon was originally designed as part 
  of an anti-ballistic-missile system. A highly experimental weapon, 
  the plasma cannon has seen its first action in the hands of gov-
  ernment-sponsored supers. Its recoil is legendary, as even the 
  strongest heroes have trouble handling it without the kick knock-
  ing them to the ground. Still, this drawback is a small price to pay 
  for the plasma cannon’s impressive firepower.
  While the plasma cannon is a useful weapon, it has proven equally 
  adept at wreaking collateral damage as neutralizing supervillains. 
  A recent battle between a government-funded team of heroes and 
  the Destroyer saw the plasma cannon touch off several fires and 
  demolish an apartment building and shopping plaza.
  PLASMA CANNON
  Weapon +15 [Extras: Multifire (15 pts.); Flaws: Heavy Recoil; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 15 pp].
  NULL RIFLE
  Developed by a joint United States-European Union initiative to 
  research anti-supers weapons technology, the NULL rifle manip-
  ulates energy to cancel out a super’s abilities. NULL power is a 
  strange, only recently discovered, force that seems to cancel out 
  specific manifestations of energy. The rifle emits a focus beam of 
  NULL energy that flashes across a multitude of spectrums in an 
  attempt to counter an energy souce – usually a villain – through 
  sheer luck. Thus far, it has proven effective in bringing super-crimi-
  nals to justice.
  The NULL rifle consists of a bulky backpack that connects to a 
  long, black, wand-like weapon set with a stock, handle, and a set 
  of controls. The rifle can be set to project NULL energy, a deadly 
  laser beam, or an electrical shock. The rifle is designed to first 
  negate a villain’s powers, then subdue him with the stunning 
  shock. The laser is meant as an emergency back-up for dealing 
  with hostile minions, robots, and other threats.
  NULL RIFLE
  Drain (powers) +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Range, Stun; Flaws: Device, 
  Long Barreled; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  RAZOR DISK LAUNCHER
  The razor disk launcher fires a stream of razor sharp, metal discs 
  that can cut through steel, flesh, and bone with frightening ease. 
  The launcher’s primary claim to fame is its ability to lay down a 
  ferocious hail of fire. Dr. Ironside was known to employ henchmen 
  
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  who compensated for their poor training with trigger-happy tac-
  tics and overwhelming storms of tiny, deadly disks.
  RAZOR DISK LAUNCHER
  Weapon +8 [Extras: Autofire, Multifire; Flaws: Uses; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 16 pp].
  TEMPORAL DISPLACEMENT PISTOL
  This strange weapon scrambles an individual’s temporal sense, 
  causing him to see time as if it moves at a snail’s place. To observ-
  ers, the target seems to move at half his normal speed. Several 
  security agencies that specialize in protecting sites targeted by 
  supervillains make use of this weapon.
  While the temporal displacement pistol has proven useful, it has 
  a hidden, potentially disastrous drawback. Each time the weapon 
  fires, it tugs and twists the flow of time in the immediate area. 
  Nearby items, and sometimes creatures, hurtle backwards or 
  forward along the time stream. Even worse, objects and people 
  pushed through time in this manner disappear from the world’s 
  memory, altering history without causing any concern. Luckily this 
  has happened only twice over the years. However, if this weapon 
  manages to make it into mass production it could unknowingly 
  shred the fabric of history. Fortunately, the inventor, the retired 
  hero known as Hourglass, can repair the flaw—but someone must 
  first uncover its existence. Meanwhile, the world continues to shift 
  and change without anyone noticing.
  TEMPORAL DISPLACEMENT PISTOL
  Slow +5 [Flaw: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 
  5 pp].
  TRI-BARRELED POWER GUN
  This highly experimental weapon was developed by the Genesis 
  Corporation as part of its research into energy weapons. It consists 
  of a long, three-barreled gun designed to function as a man-porta-
  ble, anti-tank weapon. It can lay down enough firepower to chew 
  through the heaviest armor, ably filling its role. 
  TRI-BARRELED POWER GUN
  Weapon +15 [Extras: Heads Up Display, Multifire, Scatter Gun 
  (Extras: May fire normally or as a cone); Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 5 pp; Total: 75 pp].
  POWERS AND DEVICES
  One of the tricky parts of designing devices lies in selecting a 
  power that most closely models the item’s core abilities. This sec-
  tion summarizes the powers from the Mutants & Masterminds, 
  rulebook that aren’t covered in-depth elsewhere in this book and 
  gives you ideas on how they can be used as gadgets. Many pow-
  ers include a sample gadget. Some of the powers list mundane 
  and primitive rank limits. Use these as a guideline when creating 
  everyday technology, the sort of devices that you could purchase 
  at the average department store.
  The cost for each device is given to make it easier to modify for a 
  particular villain or scene. Many of the devices come with descrip-
  tive background that gives you some adventure ideas, but more 
  importantly they grant some insight into how a device with a 
  given power might affect the game world.
  Following that are new device-specific features you can use to cus-
  tomize your creations.
  ABSORPTION
  This power works best as an energy shield or suit of armor. Since it 
  always has some sort of secondary effect, as the energy it absorbs 
  powers an ability, consider how the design uses the energy it 
  stores.
  MEDALLION OF KERTHEROS (ARCANE)
  A relic of ancient Atlantis, the medallion resembles a wedge-
  shaped shield affixed to a chain crafted from an unknown, silvery 
  metal. It absorbs physical attacks and transfers their power into 
  bolts of searing energy. Supposedly, Kertheros was an ancient sor-
  cerer who never resorted to violence unless his opponent attacked 
  first.
  MEDALLION OF KERTHEROS
  Absorption +10 (Energy Blast) [Extras: Spirit Bond; Flaws: Device; 
  Source: Mystical; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  PSYCHIC BUFFER (ADVANCED TECH)
  This mesh weave helmet resembles a chain mail coif. It absorbs 
  mental energy and forms a psychic barrier around its wearer, 
  strengthening his resistance to mental attacks and infulence.
  PSYCHIC BUFFER
  Absorption +5 (Boost – Will save) [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 15 pp].
  ALTERNATE FORM
  Compared to other powers, Alternate Form is tricky to render as 
  a device. A phase field generator could allow its user to partially 
  enter a parallel dimension. To observers, the user appears as a 
  shadow, liquid, or gaseous cloud. It’s probably best used as part of 
  a magical device.
  DIMENSIONAL BORER (ADVANCED TECH)
  The dimensional borer looks like a simple, leather harness with 
  a multitude of small, black knobs set into its surface. When acti-
  vated, the borer creates a dimensional field that allows its user to 
  slip into the space between dimensions. While the borer is acti-
  vated the user looks like a shadow. This device is a favored tool of 
  spies and thieves.
  DIMENSIONAL BORER
  Alternate Form +8 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 32 pp].
  
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  AMAZING SAVE
  There are a number of options for making Amazing Save part of 
  a device; a suit of armor or some similar protective system could 
  improve a user’s reflexes or endurance; neural implants or a psionic 
  visor might shield a wearer’s mind; drugs or chemicals that grant 
  a temporary save bonus as they dull the effects of pain or boost 
  the brain’s cognitive abilities.
  SERUM PACK (BIOTECH)
  This device looks like a green, leather belt with fist-sized bulges 
  studding its length. These pockets contain specially engineered micro-
  scopic organisms that can mend bones, heal cuts, and otherwise tend 
  to injuries in a matter of seconds. When the belt senses an injury, it 
  injects its user with a dose of these tiny, living creatures. The belt is 
  actually a slug-like creature that wraps around its user’s torso, using 
  an anesthetic to gently pierce its user’s major organs and arteries with 
  tiny, microscopic spikes that can deliver its life-saving fluids.
  SERUM PACK
  Amazing Save (Damage) +6 [Extras: Fortitude, Biological Affinity; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Alien; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 12 pp].
  ANIMATION
  At first glance, this might seem to be a difficult power to translate 
  into a device. However, a highly advanced gravity manipulator 
  could allow you to lend motion to inanimate objects. The device 
  might have a simple AI that directs the items as they move, reflect-
  ing the ranks they may gain in abilities and skills.
  SPIRIT WHISTLER (ARCANE)
  This strange, wooden mask is crafted to resemble a whistling 
  human face. It was recovered from an ancient tomb hidden in 
  the Amazon almost a century ago, and it has drifted from the 
  hands of one owner to the next. At least twice a supervillain has 
  appeared using the mask for nefarious purposes. Supposedly, 
  the mask calls upon the spirits that live within all objects, even 
  inanimate or manufactured goods. Its wearer can command these 
  spirits to do his bidding. However, the mask has a notorious repu-
  tation for leading those who use it to ruin.
  SPIRIT WHISTLER
  Animation +10 [Extras: Horde; Flaws: Cursed, Device; Source: 
  Mystical; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  ARMOR (MUNDANE LIMIT +5, PRIMITIVE LIMIT +3)
  This power is already a device, but it can serve as the basis for 
  many packages of abilities. Examples of this power are given in 
  the Armor section in this chapter (see p. 39).
  ASTRAL PROJECTION
  This is another unusual power for a device, but this could be a 
  machine capable of producing an energy ray that separates the 
  body and the soul. In addition, this ability is ideally suited to mag-
  ical gadgets that have the arcane tech template.
  PSIONIC EXTRACTOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  This gigantic machine is the brainchild of Dr. Barnabas Garrison, 
  a respected psychologist who specializes in treating the criminally 
  insane. Dr. Garrison believed that by separating a criminals mind 
  and body for short periods of time, he could produce a therapeu-
  tic state for his patients. Unfortunately, his criminal patients simply 
  slipped away in astral form. Garrison conducted these experiments 
  in secret, and he believes that he has inadvertently placed all three 
  criminals he subjected to this treatment into a coma. Unfortunately 
  for the doctor, his subjects have managed to contact their old cro-
  nies and plan to steal the machine, return to their bodies, and use 
  it to wreak havoc.
  PSIONIC EXTRACTOR
  Astral Projection +10 [Flaws: Device, Huge size; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  BLENDING (MUNDANE LIMIT +5, PRIMITIVE LIMIT +2)
  A cloak, suit of clothes, or armor system could be designed with 
  an imaging system that analyzes the surrounding terrain and 
  reproduces it on the suit’s outer layer. Simple reflective materials 
  can also fill this power’s abilities, as could face paint or similar 
  camouflage.
  SMART DYE (CYBERTECH)
  This strange device requires extensive treatments to acquire. It con-
  sists of a tiny computer mounted with a direct neural connection 
  to its user’s brain. This computer activates dozens of microscopic 
  visual scanners in the user’s skin. These scanners absorb images 
  from the surrounding environment and replicate them using a set 
  of dyes and flexible video displays embedded beneath the user’s 
  skin. In addition to blending into the environment, the user can 
  also use the sensors to boost his sight, allowing him to scan a 
  360 degree arc and notice details others would miss.
  SMART DYE
  Blending +8 [Extras: Super-Skill (spot); Features: All-Around Sight; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 17 pp].
  BOOST
  Possibly a cybernetic implant allows you to control the flow of adren-
  aline through your body. This power also makes a good extra for 
  other gadgets. A suit of powered armor might be able to temporarily 
  enhance its user’s strength, or any gadget might be able to increase 
  its power for a short time by burning through its power source.
  NEURAL SNAKE (BIOTECH)
  Developed in the labs of the notorious Atherton Biomedical labs, 
  the neural snake is thumb-sized creature that consumes the psychic 
  energy of its host and converts it into adrenaline and other hor-
  
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  mones that grant exceptional strength, speed, and 
  toughness for short periods of time. Unfortunately, 
  the psionic dampening caused by the snake proves 
  addictive over time. Many of the snake’s test sub-
  jects enjoyed the dull contentment brought on by 
  the device, but in time over-use lead to paranoia, 
  uncontrolled outbursts of rage, and psychotic 
  impulses. Sadly, several top-ranking government 
  supers were given this device even though it had 
  not yet been fully tested. A trusted NPC, or perhaps 
  even one of the PCs, might slowly descend towards 
  disaster unless this device can be removed.
  NEURAL SNAKE
  Boost +10 [Extras: All Attributes (physical), 
  Implanted; Flaws: Addictive, Device; Source: Alien; 
  Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  CLINGING (MUNDANE LIMIT +2)
  Gloves and boots could be designed to incorporate 
  a sticky substance or industrial strength suction 
  cups. Highly advanced devices might alter gravity 
  or even produce a limited gravitational field that 
  allows its user to walk on walls and ceilings.
  GRAVITY BELT (ADVANCED TECH)
  This silver, metallic belt is set with a pair of flat, 
  round metallic panels on the sides. When worn, the 
  belt bends and twists gravity to create a relative gravitational field 
  around its user. Rather than fall towards the ground, the wearer 
  “falls” up or sideways as the belt alters how gravity affects him. 
  This effect sometimes fails, as the gravitational attraction it pro-
  duces is only slightly stronger than whatever force it draws on, 
  but it is enough to allow the gravity belt’s user to walk up walls 
  or ceilings. In addition, the belt’s wearer can modify his personal 
  gravity to grant his physical attacks greater force while knocking 
  aside his opponent’s strikes. A bullet fired at him skids off the 
  belt’s gravitational field.
  GRAVITY BELT
  Clinging +8 [Extras: Deflection, Strike; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 16 pp].
  COMBAT SENSE
  A specially designed combat helmet that includes sensors and 
  warning buzzers to alert its wearer of danger. While the user still 
  has to rely on his natural reflexes to save him, the helmet gives 
  him the moment’s warning he needs to avoid danger.
  NANITE SCOUT CLOUD (ADVANCED TECH)
  An array of tiny sensors forms a cloud around its user. Directed by 
  a small control box mounted on a belt or backpack, the sensors 
  spread over the surrounding area and provide detailed data scans 
  that the cloud’s user can access via a set of goggles connected 
  to the system’s control box. The nanites alert their user to a hid-
  den attacker or reveal details about an area that might normally 
  escape mundane senses. Since the cloud spreads several feet in 
  all directions, the person using it has a few, critical seconds to 
  respond to hidden dangers.
  NANITE SCOUT CLOUD
  Combat Sense +10 [Extras: Super-Senses; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  COMPREHEND
  Science fiction is filled with examples of highly advanced, palm-
  sized computers that can analyze and translate languages on the 
  fly. This ability can also be duplicated with cybertech or a complex 
  computer implanted in the user’s brain, working with his natural, 
  organic language skills.
  THRODAR’S STONE (ARCANE)
  This purple gem is mounted on a silver chain. When worn, the 
  gem establishes a mental link between the spirit trapped within 
  it and its wearer. This spirit is Throdar, an ancient Atlantean 
  scribe who freed a godling trapped within a pocket dimension 
  and received a wish as his reward. Throdar, an accomplished 
  linguist in his time, asked for an immortal life and the ability 
  to understand any language. The godling, perhaps amused at 
  AA
  
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  Throdar’s attempt to wrangle two wishes out of one, bound his 
  soul into this amulet. Throdar actually enjoys his current state, 
  but the years have worn away his sanity. He translates any lan-
  guage he hears without error, and can guide his wearer into 
  speaking any tongue he hears. However, he provides editorial 
  suggestions and interjections into his translations, usually urging 
  his wearer to bring up topics and ideas that would give Throdar 
  the chance to fully analyze a language. For instance, the PCs 
  might want to use the amulet to negotiate a peace settlement 
  with a strange monster from another dimension. Throdar would 
  provide unerring translations, but he might urge the characters 
  to ask the creature about the weather simply because he wants 
  to hear the words for rain or snow. Regardless of his encroaching 
  senility, Throdar is a genius who readily provides his talents to 
  whoever dons him.
  THRODAR’S STONE
  Comprehend +8 [Extras: Super-Intelligence; Flaws: Device, Willful 
  Personality; Source: Mystical; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 8 pp].
  CORROSION
  This ability could simulate anything from a short-ranged stream of 
  acid to a pair of gloves that emit a field capable of breaking down 
  the forces that bind matter together.
  POWER BORER (ADVANCED TECH)
  Developed by the Vulcan Corporation, a company bent on uncov-
  ering veins of gold, iron, and other valuable ores deep within the 
  earth, this is a massive machine designed to tunnel holes through 
  solid rock in a matter of moments. While the Vulcan Corp. makes 
  a show of digging towards the Earth’s center, their activities are a 
  cover for its plans to tunnel into vaults of cash, gold, and art trea-
  sures scattered across the world and pull off the greatest heists 
  in world history. Vulcan Corp. is actually a front company owned 
  by a consortium of supervillains led by the Hypnotist, a master of 
  bending and molding the will of others. The Hypnotist has man-
  aged to subvert Vulcan Corp’s board of directors and many of its 
  key officers. After the robbery, he plans to leave, set them up to 
  take the fall, and escape with his minions to enjoy the spoils of 
  their crime.
  Note that the power borer’s massive size gives it a total cost of 0. 
  It serves best as a plot device or as a tool the villains use during a 
  major confrontation, such as the climactic battle of an adventure, 
  not as a recurring opponent’s vehicle.
  POWER BORER
  Corrosion +18 [Extra: Energy Blast, Force Field; Flaws: Device, Size 
  (Colossal); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 18 pp].
  COSMIC POWER
  While it’s possible to place this power in a suit of armor or even 
  a small trinket that manipulates cosmic energy, it is best suited 
  to arcane items. A magical staff that summons the power of a 
  TP
  
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  god, or a suit of armor forged in the fires of hell constructed with 
  the physical essence of demonic beings. The supernatural power 
  trapped in these items bleeds over to its bearer or wearer.
  CLOAK OF KINGS (ARCANE)
  This ancient device looks like a battered, shredded scrap of cloth. 
  While its physical form has decayed, its magical strength remains. 
  When worn, the cloak of kings grants its wearer almost unparalleled 
  cosmic power. However, this power comes with little understand-
  ing of its repercussions. Several times, the cloak has corrupted those 
  who have used it, turning them into scheming, power-hungry con-
  querors who seek to strike down all who stand against them. The 
  cloak’s power slowly erases its user’s personality, ensuring that even 
  the most benevolent person who dons it slowly succumbs to its 
  influence. The cloak doesn’t have an evil origin or sinister history, 
  instead the power of the cloak transforms its wearer into something 
  other than a human being. Over time, the wearer comes to see other 
  people as simpletons, weaklings, and fools who need his protection 
  and iron-fisted rule to keep them safe from themselves.
  Needless to say, the cloak has the potential to turn anyone into 
  a terrible menace who’s capable of defeating even the combined 
  might of the world’s mightiest heroes. If it surfaces, the heroes can 
  only hope that they can recover it and lock it away before any-
  one makes the mistake of wearing it. Still, the power it offers has 
  proven too great a temptation for even the noblest hearts.
  CLOAK OF KINGS
  Cosmic Power +18 [Extras: Regeneration; Flaws: Corrupting 
  Influence, Device; Source: Mystical; Cost: 7 pp; Total: 126 pp].
  CREATE OBJECT
  Nanites, tiny machines invisible to the naked eye, can theoreti-
  cally be made to manipulate the atomic structure of air and water, 
  turning them into solid elements in a matter of seconds. An item 
  with this ability could feature a control rig that allows a user to 
  remotely control the nanites and direct their efforts.
  DR. FARRAD’S MATTER REPLICATOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  The notorious counterfeiter Dr. Emil Farrad crafted this machine 
  in the course of his research into creating perfect duplicates of 
  anything from ID cards to cash. His initial design required proper 
  raw materials, such as paper, metal, wood, or plastic, but his alli-
  ance with the mysterious, alien villain known as Creator led him 
  to develop a nanotech system that can create any sort of mat-
  ter from any sort of raw material. Dr. Farrad and his allies aim to 
  produce massive amounts of counterfeit currency and other valu-
  ables, destabilizing the world’s economy and placing them in a 
  position to become an economic juggernaut through synthesized 
  gold, silver, and other precious metals.
  DR. FARRAD’S MATTER REPLICATOR
  Create Object +12 [Extras: Continuous, Realistic; Flaws: Device, 
  Size (huge); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 24 pp].
  DATALINK (MUNDANE LIMIT +5)
  This power is easy to duplicate by creating a computer or similar 
  device that uses a wireless connection. A mystical, arcane version 
  of this ability might commune with the spirits or elementals of 
  technology.
  DATA GRABBER (ADVANCED TECH)
  Developed for use by agents engaged in industrial sabotage, this 
  device scans the local area for data transmissions and archives 
  everything it finds. While it ends up with a tremendous backlog of 
  information of dubious quality, if introduced into the right situa-
  tion it can produce a gold mine of information. The data grabber 
  is best suited for agents who can infiltrate research facilities dur-
  ing prototype testing and similar operations.
  DATA GRABBER
  Datalink +8 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; 
  Total: 8 pp].
  DAZZLE (MUNDANE LIMIT +5)
  There are many special effects that allow you to duplicate the 
  effects of this power; a chemical spray that renders a creature 
  blind or ruins its sense of smell, a bright flash of light that dazzles 
  a creature’s eyes, a biotech weapon that introduces a microbe 
  specifically engineered to attack parts of a victim’s cerebral cor-
  tex, shutting them down or scrambling them for a short time. The 
  mundane version of this ability can only affect sight, hearing, 
  taste, and smell.
  FLASH BATON (ADVANCED TECH)
  So named because of the burst of light it emits when activated, a 
  flash baton pours energy into its target’s nervous system, scram-
  bling his senses and leaving him unable to fight effectively. Flash 
  batons are favored by prison guards who must handle supervil-
  lains and similar charges, while criminals who plan on tangling 
  with powerful heroes sometimes steal these devices or buy them 
  on the black market as a handy offensive measure. Thompson 
  Tech, the flash baton’s manufacturer, frequently hires superpow-
  ered guards to watch over shipments. If several of these devices 
  fell into the hands of a vengeful enemy, the characters could face 
  a deadly ambush or worse.
  FLASH BATON
  Dazzle (sight) +15 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 
  pp; Total: 15 pp].
  DEFLECTION (MUNDANE LIMIT +3, PRIMITIVE LIMIT +3)
  A shield can easily duplicate this power, though in high tech envi-
  ronments it could take the form of an energy sheath or a gravity 
  field that changes an object’s weight to alter its trajectory.
  
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  SHIELDS (MUNDANE AND PRIMITIVE)
  From steel shields carried by medieval warriors to advanced ver-
  sions used by riot police, a simple piece of stout wood or metal 
  fitted with a handle can provide the Deflection power.
  WATCHDOG DEFENSIVE ARRAY (ADVANCED TECH)
  This system consists of a circular, defensive shield set with an anti-
  gravitational motor and a control belt used to command it. The 
  shield floats around its user, flying to intercept attacks and even 
  extending its protection to allies of the user’s choice. The brilliant 
  super-inventor known as Gizmo produced several of these items for 
  fellow heroes, and the U.S. secret service, along with intelligence 
  agencies from several European nations, has commissioned mod-
  els for use by VIPs in dangerous areas. Unfortunately, the amoral 
  mercenary group FIST kidnapped Gizmo’s nephew and forced 
  him to add a set of remote disengage codes into the system. FIST 
  hopes that overconfidence in the Watchdog’s capabilities could 
  lead to easily-exploited gaps in the protection afforded to world 
  leaders, giving them the opportunity for kidnappings and assas-
  sinations. All they await is a high bidder to make such an attack 
  worth their while.
  WATCHDOG DEFENSIVE ARRAY
  Deflection +12 [Extras: Automatic, Deflect Others; Flaws: Device; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 36 pp].
  DENSITY CONTROL
  In the same way that a phase field generator would allow a char-
  acter to assume new forms, it could also allow a character to 
  change his density. 
  GRAVITY DISK (ADVANCED TECH)
  The mercenary organization known as FIST specializes in extor-
  tion, corporate espionage, and other dirty ploys to gain the 
  technology they need for their schemes. Their latest effort 
  resulted in the gravity disks, devices that look something like 
  hockey pucks with a few buttons and a lit readout on one side. 
  While the gravity disk may not seem like a threat, it can be 
  attached to any object, even a living creature, and set to increase 
  or decrease its weight as appropriate by bending and altering 
  the effect of gravity. The object’s size remains the same, but its 
  weight increases or decreases, causing a corresponding change 
  in its effective density. Thus far, FIST has used these devices to 
  steal heavy items such as statues or other large objects of art. 
  Their current ploy involves using a remote control or timer. FIST’s 
  field agents ship a box containing a gravity disk while its com-
  puter operatives alter flight records and shipping manifests to 
  ensure that the disk ends up on the same airplane as several 
  crates full of valuables. While the cargo plane is in the air, the 
  device activates, forcing the plane to make an emergency land-
  ing right into the hands of waiting FIST operatives. FIST has 
  used this ploy to steal one-of-a-kind prototypes and emergency 
  shipments of rare vaccines, turning this device into a gold mine 
  of extortion and black market goods. Several of FIST’s ringlead-
  ers have used these devices to get the drop on superheroes that 
  weren’t ready for a seemingly normal person to suddenly exhibit 
  super-human strength and toughness.
  GRAVITY DISK
  Density Control +10 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 40 pp].
  DIMENSION TRAVEL
  A gateway that opens a portal between two worlds by manipulat-
  ing cosmic energy is a good option for a technological version of 
  this power. Dimension Travel is particularly apt for arcane gad-
  gets, such as a magical doorway or a flying carpet that can go to 
  other planes of existence.
  GATE OF LENG (ARCANE)
  High in the Himalayas, the ancient gate of Leng provides a pas-
  sageway to forbidden dimensions and strange, dangerous lands. 
  In the ancient days of the world, when Atlantis still stood above 
  the waves, the sorceress Demonara used the gate of Leng to con-
  jure a mighty army of demons, ghosts, and other horrors. While 
  she was eventually defeated, she escaped death by placing her-
  self in a deep trance. For thousands of years she’s waited. All that 
  remains is for curious explorers to stumble upon her cave, awaken 
  her, and once again set in motion her dreams of conquest.
  KS
  
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  GATE OF LENG
  Dimensional Travel +20 [Extras: Arcane Attunement, Portal; Flaws: 
  Device, Size (Large); Source: Mystical; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 40 pp].
  DISINTEGRATION
  In addition to the obvious use of a phaser or other advanced, 
  ranged pistol or rifle, this ability could take the form of a cloud 
  of nanites that deconstructs an object on a molecular level. When 
  not in use, the nanites are kept in a special, magnetic jar. The 
  user controls them with a digital wand that he uses to send them 
  orders.
  PHANTOM SUIT (ADVANCED TECH)
  This form-fitting, black suit includes a pair of thick gauntlets set 
  with dozens of tiny electrodes and a belt-mounted power source. 
  A favorite tool of cat burglars with the money or backing to afford 
  advanced tech, a phantom suit incorporates advanced molecular 
  disruptors that allow its user to disintegrate matter. These same 
  disruptors can, when combined with the suit’s containment field, 
  allow its wearer become incorporeal. Thieves slip into areas while 
  incorporeal, allowing them to pluck gems and other valuables 
  from inside of a safe or lock box without fear of detection. If 
  needed, the suit can turn any defense systems into dust, while 
  re-integrators built into the suit allow it to repair any damage they 
  may not want to leave behind. The suit’s wearer can slip into and 
  out of a secure facility with barely a trace. Many times, robber-
  ies committed with the help of a phantom suit go undetected for 
  days, weeks, or even years.
  PHANTOM SUIT
  Disintegrate +10 [Extras: Continuous, Disruption, Incorporeal, 
  Restoration, Power Suit; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  5 pp; Total: 50 pts].
  DRAIN
  This power is of special consideration for campaigns where 
  superheroes and villains are relatively common or powerful. The 
  government in such campaigns may have devoted a significant 
  sum to the research and development of a weapon that can 
  neutralize supers. A gun that scrambles a target’s metabolism 
  or wherever his powers come from, make it impossible to use his 
  powers. The Limited – One Source flaw is particularly useful for 
  this type of weapon. For example, an enchanted sword designed 
  to slay demons might drain mystical abilities, while a gene-scram-
  bler might use bio-feedback to drain mutant powers.
  ENERGY LASH (ADVANCED TECH)
  This energized whip delivers a barrage of electrical shocks that 
  wreak havoc on its target’s nervous system, causing an array of 
  tics and spasms that ruin his coordination and strength. The 
  victim is left barely able to move, as his muscles spasm, lock 
  rigid with paralysis, or is rendered utterly limp. The alien slavers 
  known as the Tradesmen use these weapons to capture and pac-
  ify their victims before dragging them off to their hellish prison 
  ships.
  ENERGY LASH
  Drain +10 [Extras: All Attributes (physical), Duration (concentra-
  tion), Range, Snare; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 5 
  pp; Total: 50 pp].
  DUPLICATION
  This power is perhaps best reserved for arcane devices, as they 
  capable of using magic to generate perfect copies of a character. 
  It’s possible to give this power a technological origin by manipu-
  lating the time stream – this may cause vexing questions about 
  what happens when a duplicates dies, however. A biotech device 
  might use a genetic seed code to rapidly copy someone’s DNA 
  and produce adult versions of him, along with nanites to generate 
  appropriate equipment. Such devices would be highly valued for 
  their ability to instantly multiply an army’s numbers.
  TEMPORAL HELIX (ADVANCED TECH)
  The villain known as Replay first employed this device, and after 
  he suffered a crippling injury during an attempted heist he turned 
  to producing them for anyone who could pay him enough for the 
  parts, time, and labor. The temporal helix warps and bends time 
  and space, drawing copies of its user from alternate but closely 
  related timelines. Their deaths and actions have no effect on 
  the originals, all of whom have no knowledge of the duplication 
  that took place. The strain this device places on the space-time 
  continuum is immense, and sometimes dinosaurs or bizarre crea-
  tures from the far future materialize near the point where it is 
  activated.
  TEMPORAL HELIX
  Duplication +8 [Extras: Mental Link, Survival, Time Travel; Flaws: 
  Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 32 pp].
  ELASTICITY
  Rather than stretch a user’s body, a gadget with Elasticity could 
  take the form of an extendible frame that can reach for long dis-
  tances. The user sits within the frame, or perhaps it remains stored 
  within a backpack or belt until it extends outward. Options for this 
  sort of gadget include long, robotic arms, or a mass of ultra-thin, 
  thread-like fibers that move and grasp at their user’s command.
  HYDRA COMBAT SUIT (ADVANCED TECH)
  Created in response to the escape and subsequent efforts to re-
  capture the incredibly strong supervillain Piledriver, the HYDRA 
  combat suit is designed to engage powerful opponents at a dis-
  tance and keep them there. It incorporates a set of extendible 
  limbs that allow its user to grasp and hold an opponent in place. 
  Once grappled, the target receives powerful shocks from a set of 
  tasers embedded in the suit’s robotic hands. HYDRA’s creator, Dr. 
  Jacob Samuels, is eager to see his creation tested, particularly since 
  the government may cut funding on this expensive development 
  
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  program. Perhaps if Piledriver or some other villain escaped from 
  prison, the HYDRA would prove its worth and save Dr. Samuels’s 
  research grants. . .
  HYDRA COMBAT SUIT
  Elasticity +10 [Extras: Protection, Stun; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 5 pp; Total: 50 pp].
  ELEMENT CONTROL
  This ability is difficult to picture as a technological device. The 
  concept of earth, air, and water as elements is a better fit for 
  arcane devices. Chances are, tech devices that have these abilities 
  are developed for specific uses that do not directly translate into 
  a superheroic power. A device with control earth might be used to 
  excavate pits, while one that can manipulate air and winds could 
  be installed at an airport to keep the weather calm.
  JP-22 WIND JAMMER (ADVANCED TECH)
  Originally designed as powerful jet pack for use by government 
  agents who regularly tangled with super-powered criminals, 
  the JP-22 Wind Jammer proved a versatile piece of equipment, 
  capable of evening the odds in an engagement with its ability 
  to create and manipulate powerful jets of air. A complex set of 
  baffles and tubes allow the Wind Jammer to produce a protective 
  shield of buffeting winds or knock a villain to the ground with a 
  single, concentrated jet. Unfortunately, a recent series of deregu-
  latory reforms have allowed the JP-22 to fall into civilian hands. 
  While this device lacks the firepower to transform a person into a 
  supervillain, a tabloid “news” show that makes a habit of dogging 
  superheroes, Behind the Mask, has purchased several of these 
  devices for its reporters and camera crews. The characters might 
  find a news crew blundering into a dangerous situation with the 
  help of this equipment.
  JP-22 WIND JAMMER
  Element Control (air) +6 [Extras: Elemental Movement (flight), 
  Elemental Shield (protection); Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 3 pp; Total: 18 pp].
  ENERGY CONTROL
  A sufficiently advanced device could control specific types of 
  energy. A gadget that controls darkness might absorb, bend, and 
  alter light. As with elemental control, some of these devices could 
  be designed to fulfill a variety of roles, from a sonic control device 
  used to amplify noise, to a fire control device with the drain energy 
  power stunt to be used for high-tech fire-fighting.
  FLAME BLADE (ARCANE)
  This enchanted weapon is imbued with the life force of a pow-
  erful being of elemental fire. Not only can it summon sheets 
  of flame, it can also command them to extinguish. Flame Blade 
  was originally crafted to cement an alliance between a power-
  ful sorcerer and the beings of a dimension of pure fire. He who 
  bears this weapon can command the fealty of those beings, as 
  the fire creatures owe a great favor to the long-dead sorcerer. 
  If a villain gets his hands on this weapon, he could exploit this 
  debt should he learn of it.
  FLAME BLADE
  Energy Control (fire) +12 [Extras: Energy Absorption, Energy Field, 
  Weapon (melee); Flaws: Device; Features: Drain Energy; Source: 
  Mystical; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 49 pp].
  ENERGY FIELD
  This power has an obvious uses as a force field. An advanced 
  security fence might use it to keep intruders out or trap prisoners 
  within. Since the field injures anyone who touches it, chances are 
  it sees limited, or exclusively military, use.
  FORCE BUBBLE (ADVANCED TECH)
  The force bubble was designed as the last line of defense for VIPs, 
  government leaders, and others who may come under attack by 
  supervillains. When activated, it surrounds its user in a crackling 
  sphere of blue energy that can zap an attacker who comes too 
  close. A seemingly helpless target can suddenly transform into a 
  deadly threat by activating this device. Not only does it protect 
  him from harm, but it serves as a vicious weapon.
  FORCE BUBBLE
  Energy Field +10 [Extras: Immunity (cold, darkness, electric-
  ity, fire, gravity, kinetic, magnetic, radiation, sonic, vibration), 
  Protection; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; 
  Total: 30 pp].
  ESP
  Scanning a person or a place from a long distance is made possible 
  with a device that sees into dimensions beyond our own. A magi-
  cal reflecting pool that allows a sorcerer to view distant places, 
  while a technological device might teleport a tiny, advanced sen-
  sor to the location. Since this power provides full sensory input, a 
  user may have to enter a trance or don a helmet that blocks his 
  hearing and sight in favor of the data it reports. This standard 
  limitation on ESP that user can only perceive the target location 
  while using it, is included in these designs.
  GLOBAL SATELLITE LOCKSMITH (ADVANCED TECH)
  This gadget resembles a set of goggles with black plastic in place 
  of clear lenses. The data line runs from the goggles, with the 
  antenna mounted on them, to a small, belt-mounted computer. 
  The goggles are equipped with an advanced decryption and com-
  munications system that allows them to break into the world’s 
  satellite network. Not only can a user access computer networks, 
  but he can also temporarily hijack spy satellites and view high-
  resolution images of any outdoor location on the planet. The 
  mercenary organization known as FIST makes extensive use of 
  these devices to plan and coordinate their strikes.
  
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  GLOBAL SATELLITE LOCKSMITH
  ESP +10 [Extras: Datalink; Flaws: Device, Limited – Outdoors Only; 
  Features: Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 12 pp].
   FATIGUE
  This attack can take a number of forms, from a poisoned dart fired 
  from a simple gun, to a biotech weapon that uses a fast acting 
  parasite that invades and cripples a victim’s body.
   PSYCHIC LEECH (ADVANCED TECH)
  This strange weapon bombards its target with an array of pulsing 
  lights and subsonics, using a combination of draining energy and 
  hypnosis to physically and mentally 
  exhaust the target. The alien sla-
  vers known as the Tradesmen use 
  this device to capture heroes who 
  have flashy combat powers and 
  an aggressive demeanor. Once 
  neutralized, the Tradesmen drag 
  their captives to their saucers 
  and take them to the war world 
  of Kentares III, a planet of gladi-
  atorial matches and blood sports. 
  There, captive heroes are forced 
  to fight for their freedom. The 
  Tradesmen are heartless beings 
  who have little use for gladiators 
  who cannot win matches and 
  make them a good profit.
  PSYCHIC LEECH
  Fatigue +15 [Extras: Energy Blast, 
  Paralysis; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 45 
  pp].
   FLIGHT
  Flight is relatively easy to envision as a 
  device. It’s a perfect choice for devices that 
  act as vehicles, such as hover skateboards or 
  flying carpets. This ability makes a good foun-
  dation for a gadget, with other powers taken as 
  extras. For example, a jet pack that incorporates 
  a Force Field with the Immunities extra to protect 
  its user from the environment.
   TALON WING (ADVANCED TECH)
  Developed by the power-mad Duke Strysia of the tiny, Eastern 
  European county of Strysiavania, the Talon Wing is a small, V-
  shaped airframe that the duke’s elite Night Falcon commandos 
  use on their raids against his enemies. While the duke is one of the 
  richest men in the world, he is also ambitious and utterly amoral. 
  He thirsts for power, and dreams of vaulting his tiny nation to 
  the top of the world’s economic order. To this end, he dispatches 
  his Night Falcons on missions across the world. He dreams of 
  developing a nuclear arsenal capable of putting his land on equal 
  footing with the world’s powers. Thus, his men strike at a uranium 
  mine here, a train loaded with rocket parts there; anything to get 
  ahead. Individually, these crimes seem unrelated, but taken as a 
  whole they point to the chilling reality that the duke is months 
  away from developing a deadly array of nuclear weapons.
  TALON WING
  Flight +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Protection; Flaws: Device; Source:
  Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
   FORCE FIELD
  In a super-heroic setting it’s reasonable to have advanced civiliza-
  tions that rely on energy shields as their primary means of defense. 
  This power makes a good extra for 
  gadgets that take the form of exo-
  skeletons or other large devices. Not 
  only does a Force Field protect its 
  user, it can also keep a device safe 
  from harm. Valuable or experimen-
  tal gadgets might incorporate one 
  to keep it intact in dangerous 
  situations.
   SPHERE SHIELD 
  (ADVANCED TECH)
  This device generates a shimmer-
  ing field of red energy around its 
  user in the shape of a sphere. A 
  control panel, usually mounted 
  on a set of gauntlets or a wrist-
  strap computer, allows the 
  shield’s user to exercise a high 
  degree of control over its shape 
  and function. Not only can the 
  shield absorb attacks, but it 
  can spawn small force bubbles 
  capable of wrapping around a 
  foe’s head and choking him. The 
  sphere shield was originally cre-
  ated by order of the billionaire 
  industrial Theo Griggs after his 
  son was caught in the midst of a 
  duel between supers and was crippled during the battle. Griggs 
  publicly developed the sphere shield as a personal defense sys-
  tem, but had his scientists insert its attack abilities in secret. Since 
  then, sphere shields with this modification have turned up in the 
  hands of anti-supers vigilantes and activists. A number of heroes 
  and villains have been ambushed and assassinated by vigilantes 
  and fanatics armed with this device, as Griggs blames all supers 
  for his son’s condition.
  TP
  
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  SPHERE SHIELD
  Force Field +12 [Extras: Energy Field, Mental Shield, Suffocate; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 48 pp].
  GADGETS
  A power that produces devices might seem like a strange choice 
  for a gadget, but it is possible. If you use this power as presented 
  in the Mutants & Masterminds, rulebook (see p. 72), you can cre-
  ate a compact, nanite-driven tool system that can forge the object 
  you need in a few moments. (See Chapter One for more informa-
  tion on Gadgets.)
  BAG OF TRICKS (ARCANE)
  This silk bag was once the prized possession of a mighty sorcer-
  ess, but she lost it long ago in a wager with a mortal. Through 
  the centuries, the bag has passed from one owner to the next, its 
  magical powers sometimes used for good, other times for evil. The 
  bag’s owner can pull almost anything out of it (within the bounds 
  of the Gadgets power) by reaching in and wishing for a tool or 
  device. The item lasts for 24 hours. It’s current owner is the villain 
  Remnant, who uses the bag to produce trinkets and items that 
  the victims of his scams want or need. Once he has their money in 
  his hands, he leaves town fast enough that he is long gone when 
  the item fades. Note that the Gadgets power already includes the 
  Device flaw. Thus, it is not listed below.
  BAG OF TRICKS
  Gadgets +10 [Extras: Create Object; Source: Mystical; Cost: 2 pp; 
  Total: 20 pp].
  GROWTH
  A dimensional field capable of warping and twisting space around 
  a character’s body, proportionally increasing his size, strength, 
  and durability is one option for granting this power’s effects. This 
  device might see use with cranes, bulldozers, and similar industrial 
  equipment to modify them for use with heavy loads or massive 
  building projects.
  THE GOLIATH RING (ADVANCED TECH)
  This strange device was recovered from the wreckage of a crashed 
  UFO by agents of the fearsome mercenary organization known as 
  FIST. It looks like ring studded with buttons, When activated, it 
  transform its wearer into a towering colossus, granting him super-
  human strength and endurance. FIST has managed to duplicate 
  this item and has distributed it to a number of its agents, giving 
  them yet another weapon that can transform a seemingly mun-
  dane person into a super-powered threat. 
  The Goliath rings were developed by a race of tiny aliens called 
  the Dimunons. Their ship was damaged when it entered Earth’s 
  atmosphere, and the crew was forced to use a shuttle to escape. 
  The Dimunons are barely four inches tall, and the Goliath “rings” 
  are actually belts they planned to use to help establish contact 
  with humanity. Stranded on an alien plant, surrounded by titanic 
  creatures, and convinced that FIST’s thieves represent typical 
  humans, the Dimunons plan to find some way to contact their 
  home world and request help. Unless the PCs can somehow inter-
  vene, the Dimunons dispatch a fleet. While tiny, these aliens have 
  access to tremendously powerful technology.
  THE GOLIATH RING
  Growth +8 [Extras: Continuous, Leaping; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 7 pp; Total: 56 pp].
  HEALING
  Clouds of nanites, a cybernetic system that delivers healing 
  serum, or even a highly advanced robotic surgeon all duplicate 
  this ability. If you combine Healing with the Triggered extra, you 
  can create an emergency first aid system that can activate when 
  its user is stunned or knocked out.
  DANCORP HEALING PACK (BIOTECH)
  This fist-sized, plastic case contains a viscous, green healing fluid 
  and a small, starfish-like creature suspended in a bag of protein 
  rich fluid. This creature synthesizes the chemicals and hormones 
  that make up the healing fluid, allowing it to provide an almost 
  limitless supply as long as it is fed and cared for. Produced by 
  the DanCorp, a leading biotech firm, this device is being tested 
  in third world countries as an emergency medical tool. In areas 
  that lack doctors and proper medical facilities, the healing pack 
  can mean the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, 
  DanCorp has been victimized by industrial sabotage. The super-
  villain Eradicator, an ambitious tyrant with designs on setting 
  himself up as a dictator, used his unsurpassed scientific skills to 
  infiltrate DanCorp’s computers and modify the healing pack’s 
  design to introduce an addictive, synthetic narcotic known as 
  Spike. By creating his own supply of this drug, he hopes to turn 
  the population of several African countries into his slaves while 
  making billions in Spike trafficking.
  DANCORP HEALING PACK
  Healing +6 [Extras: Regrowth; Flaws: Addictive, Device; Source: 
  Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 12 pp].
  ILLUSION
  Illusion is an uncommon power that can fit a number of differ-
  ent special effects, from a holographic project, to a device that 
  manipulates light, to a biotech device creates a cloud of infec-
  tious agents that induce custom-tailored hallucinations.
  PHANTASM GENERATOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  This wrist-mounted energy projector is capable of producing 
  a bewildering variety of holographic images. By accessing the 
  world’s computer networks, it finds and draws information from 
  a staggering number of videos and images, allowing it to ren-
  der its images in minute detail. This device was first created for 
  use in film and TV, but its images prove to be blurry and dull 
  when captured on film. It was abandoned in favor of traditional 
  
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  computer-generated images, and the prototype eventually disap-
  peared from the studio’s prop house. Soon thereafter, a local gang 
  went from pick-pocketing and mugging to much grander schemes. 
  They rob a bank or store and use the device to create an image of 
  a normal scene as they ransack shelves and loot vaults. The crooks 
  have no idea that their actions are still caught on camera, but a 
  corrupt official at the security company passed along the tapes to 
  several supervillains, all of whom are eager to take the phantasm 
  generator and use it for their own ends. Any heroes dispatched to 
  stop the gang might find themselves fighting off villainous attack-
  ers to protect the gang.
  PHANTASM GENERATOR
  Illusion +10 [Extras: Area, Damaging, Selective; Flaws: Device, 
  Limited – Only Creatures; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 
  40 pp].
  IMMOVABILITY
  This power is the ideal extra for any devices that would normally 
  be anchored in place. For example, a dimensional gate might be 
  kept in place by a series of titanium chains and other anchors or 
  by a device that generates a localized gravitational field.
  STALWART ANTI-THEFT DEVICE (ADVANCED TECH)
  This simple device has a powerful adhesive on it so that it can be 
  attached to any item. When activated, it imparts its Immovability 
  power to whatever it’s attached to, making it difficult for anyone 
  other than a hero or villain with Super-Strength to carry it away.
  STALWART ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
  Immovability +10 [Extras: Protection; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  INCORPOREAL
  This versatile power makes it easy to slip into even the most secure 
  areas, allowing you to slip through security systems and evade 
  alarms with relative ease. An advanced tech device might turn its 
  user into a gas-like state, while a magical one could allow him to 
  slip into another plane.
  PHASE CLOAK (ADVANCED TECH)
  Crafted from metallic fibers and linked to an advanced power sup-
  ply, the phase cloak creates a limited disruptor field that allows 
  its user to phase out of existence and pass through solid objects. 
  Early versions of this device suffered catastrophic failures, strand-
  ing their users in the strange energy realm that the cloak’s user 
  enters. These poor victims have been twisted and deranged by 
  their experience and have been known to stalk anyone who uses 
  the tested, fully functioning model. In their eyes, anyone enter-
  ing phased space is an unwanted intruder. As several of these 
  stranded victims had superpowers, they pose a threat to anyone 
  who uses this device. Over time, they might even grow aggressive 
  enough to attack anyone they perceive as a threat, not simply 
  those who use the cloak.
  PHASE CLOAK
  Incorporeal +10 [Extras: Float, Ghost Touch, Phase Attack, 
  Scramble Electronics; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 5 
  pp; Total: 50 pp].
  INVISIBILITY
  The ideal stealth technology, Invisibility is an excellent power for 
  cloaks, armor, and other protective gear. It also works as a power 
  tied to a force field generator that bends light. Invisibility is also a 
  good defense method for large machines or traps lie an invisible, 
  automated sniper gun. Such a device could keep heroes pinned 
  down while the villain’s minions move forward to attack.
  SNEAK SUIT (ADVANCED TECH)
  This jet-black, skin-tight suit is designed to muffle heat signa-
  tures, absorb sound, and warp light to render its user invisible. 
  The mercenary group FIST uses these items to infiltrate factories 
  and research facilities to commit industrial sabotage, though 
  they have also been known to insert operatives into bases used 
  by superhero teams to spy on them for whoever can afford their 
  rates. An otherwise mundane spy equipped with this device and 
  a few other spytech gadgets could wreak havoc with a hero’s 
  plans.
  SNEAK SUIT
  Invisibility +10 [Extras: Power Suit, Super-Skill (hide), Super-Skill 
  (move silently); Flaws: Device; Power Stunts: Extra Sense (infrared, 
  radar, sonar, scent); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 38 
  pp].
  LEAPING
  This power can take the form of a short-distance jump jet, a rocket 
  pack that lacks the power of true flight but does allow its user to 
  make short jaunts through the air. 
  SPRING BOOTS (ADVANCED TECH)
  First created by the supervillain, Leaper, and reproduced by sev-
  eral other would-be criminals when his blueprints where leaked to 
  the Internet. This device looks like a pair of long, metal-reinforced 
  platform boots. Gravitronic sensors embedded in the boots’ heels 
  allow anyone wearing them to soar through the air and land 
  without harm, while their sturdy construction and gravity manipu-
  lators make it possible even for a relative weakling to kick a hole 
  in a tank’s armor. When used as a weapon, the boots’ gravitronics 
  exponentially increase their weight, packing an enormous punch 
  that can send opponents tumbling. Finally, the boots’ ability to 
  bend gravity also allows anyone wearing them to run at incredible 
  speeds.
  SPRING BOOTS
  Leaping +10 [Extras: Running, Natural Weapon; Flaws: Device; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  
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  LUCK
  This power is best reserved for arcane devices, such as a lucky 
  charm or some other trinket imbued with good fortune. A tech-
  nological device that has the same basic effect might include an 
  advanced computer that calculates probabilities and gives its user 
  advice on the best course of action.
  PROBABILITY GUN (ADVANCED TECH)
  This strange weapon discharges a shimmering beam of golden 
  energy that re-writes the laws of probability. Based on the highly 
  controversial work of Dr. Sandra Bethesda, this gun alters an 
  invisible energy that she claims surrounds every living being. This 
  energy, dubbed the “wild card effect”, is supposedly a psychic 
  shadow that determines a person’s luck in life. Someone with 
  positive energy finds that the actions and outcomes they hope for, 
  even subconsciously, come to pass due to the influence of their 
  positive wild card energy. Those with bad luck find the opposite 
  happening because of their neutral wild card energy. Most people 
  have a mix of the two energy forms, a situation that causes them 
  to experience alternating runs of good and bad luck. The prob-
  ability gun tears apart its target’s wild card field, granting him 
  negative energy while channeling their good luck to the firer. If 
  luck doesn’t prove to be enough, the probability gun can also be 
  used to fire a deadly laser beam.
  PROBABILITY GUN
  Luck +10 [Extras: Jinx, Fortune, Energy Blast (ranged); Flaws: 
  Device; Power Stunt: Counter Luck; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 7 
  pp; Total: 71 pp].
  MENTAL BLAST
  This ability is perfect for weapons that generate psychic energy 
  to injure their targets. A high-tech gun designed to incapacitate 
  rather than kill, leaving the target stunned or unconscious.
  MIND TASER (ADVANCED TECH)
  This weapon was developed to defeat physically powerful, but 
  mentally stunted, supervillains. The Genome Corporation first 
  developed the mind taser, though the true origins of its develop-
  ment are shrouded in secrecy. Genome has attempted to create 
  a species of strong, tough, but easily-controlled super-soldiers. 
  Unfortunately, time and again their creations have escaped from 
  their testing centers and wreaked havoc on nearby cities and 
  towns. Genome has evaded any attempts to connect them to 
  such outbreaks, and their gracious move to donate over a hun-
  dred mind tasers to military and law enforcement teams charged 
  with defending the public against super-threats has earned them 
  tremendously positive media coverage. If Genome’s role in the 
  experiments ever comes to light, they’ll be able to deal with it, 
  what they’re afraid of people learning is that their subjects rebel 
  because of their strict military-style training and are usually 
  pushed to violence by their cruel training techniques.
  MIND TASER
  Mental Blast +10 [Extras: Mental Assault, Psychic Sedation, Power 
  Stunt: Energy Blast; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 41 pp].
  MENTAL PROTECTION
  This power can take the form of cybernetic implants designed to 
  shield the brain from outside influence, or possibly a high-tech 
  helmet or magical crown that produces energy shields capable of 
  deflecting psychic interference.
  PSI DEVOURER (BIOTECH)
  A psi devourer is a snake genetically engineered to soak up harm-
  ful mental energy. Dozens of specially-designed synaptic bundles 
  nested along its skeletal structure create an active, constant field 
  of mental white noise. This psychic cloud drowns out aggressive 
  energy, protecting its user from harm. The snake usually coils 
  around its user’s head and remains docile, though if disturbed it 
  can defend itself.
  PSI DEVOURER
  Mental Protection +8 [Extras: Active; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 16 pp].
  MICROSCOPIC VISION
  A set of goggles could duplicate this power, while a biotech device 
  might integrate with the user’s eyes to improve their ability to see 
  tiny objects.
  SENSORIUM (ADVANCED TECH)
  This steel helmet looks like a miniature bathysphere, and while 
  bulky and unwieldy, it is unparalleled as an investigative tool. The 
  sensorium amplifies and protects its user’s sight, allowing him to 
  pick out minute details that even the most dedicated investiga-
  tor might overlook. This tool is common amongst investigators 
  who must deal with crime scenes involving supers, as explosions 
  and Super-Strength brawls usually leave behind little physical evi-
  dence.
  SENSORIUM
  Microscopic Vision +10 [Extras: Super-Senses, Sensory Protection; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  MIMIC
  Biotech is a good match for this power. The device could consist 
  of a layer of organic material woven into a suit. When the user 
  touches an opponent, the organic system activates, copying the 
  target’s genetic code or analyzing and forming into a copy of any 
  weapons. In either case, the system interfaces with its wearer’s 
  body to allow him to use whatever abilities it’s copied. A non-bio-
  tech version could rely on nanites to do the same.
  
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  PRIME ENERGY MANIPULATOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  The brilliant though erratic researcher Dr. Thurston Everest 
  advanced a theory that super-human abilities, from incredible 
  strength to the ability to project energy beams, all derived from 
  a single, primal source. Throughout his work, he claimed that he 
  could create a machine capable of analyzing this energy and 
  duplicating its effects in the physical world. In practical terms, 
  he would be able to duplicate any power that he was able to 
  observe. Dr. Everest’s work was cut short when he perished while 
  attempting to secretly observe the maniacal supervillain Bone 
  Flayer. 
  Dr. Everest’s research lab was looted shortly thereafter, the fruits 
  of his work carried off by unidentified thieves. Oddly enough, 
  Bone Flayer turned up murdered a few days after the robbery. 
  The autopsy revealed that he died from wounds exactly like the 
  ones inflicted by his toxin-laced claws, though the angle of the 
  cuts made it clear that the injuries were not self-inflicted. The 
  police paid little attention to this finding, as most were happy 
  to see Bone Flayer’s murderous spree come to an end. The truth 
  behind his killer is truly disturbing; wracked by anger and rage 
  over his father’s death, Dr. Everest’s son, Christopher, stole the 
  prime energy manipulator, used it to kill Bone Flayer and plans 
  to mete out justice as he sees fit against all costumed supers. 
  Unfortunately, his grief and inflexible sense of justice could set 
  him against heroes who violate his strict moral code.
  PRIME ENERGY MANIPULATOR
  Mimic (powers) +15 [Extras: Additional Attributes (ability scores), 
  All Attributes (powers), Expanded Powers (4 pp per rank or less), 
  Neutralize, Range (normal); Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 7 pp; Total: 105 pp].
  MIND CONTROL
  This is an ideal power for arcane devices, as the ability to con-
  trol minds is often associated with magical or psionic talents. A 
  technological item might be a highly advanced computer that 
  hypnotizes targets with dazzling displays of color and sound that 
  scramble their senses.
  DICTATOR RAY (ADVANCED TECH)
  This pistol-like device looks like a snub-nosed revolver attached to 
  a belt-mounted computer via a thick, flexible power cord. When 
  fired, it emits waves of psi energy that render a target vulnerable 
  to mental suggestion. The dictator ray’s computer is a psychic 
  broadcast unit. Its user need only think commands in order to 
  compel his victims to perform acts at his whims. The amoral mer-
  cenary organization known as FIST uses these devices to subvert 
  and control politicians and government agents. They use mind 
  control to force victims to commit murder or some other crime 
  that sets them up for long-term extortion at FIST’s hands. In the 
  aftermath of the mind control, the victim wakes with no memory 
  KS
  
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  of the incident and plenty of physical evidence that could convict 
  him. When a FIST agent shows up soon after to arrange for a 
  team to clean up the evidence, he usually finds the target ready 
  to make a deal.
  DICTATOR RAY
  Mind Control +10 [Extras: Mental Blast, Mind Blank; Flaws; 
  Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 40 pp].
  NATURAL WEAPON
  Biotech and cybertech are logical candidates for this power. A bio-
  tech version might allow a user to grow claws or fangs via a small, 
  symbiotic creature that nests within his fingers or jaw. A cybertech 
  implant could consist of retractable claws mounted on a user’s 
  bones.
  KILLING HANDS (CYBERTECH)
  These lethal body modifications are the perfect concealed 
  weapon. The user’s flesh and bone hands are replaced with 
  titanium duplicates that are then covered with a layer of living, 
  human skin. In addition, tiny gravitronic disks are inserted into 
  these artificial hands. Anyone touching or inspecting his hands 
  may fail to note anything out the ordinary. In combat, the hands 
  make deadly bludgeons, but with a thought, a person equipped 
  with killing hands can grant them tremendous weight via the gra-
  vitronic controls. A simple computer installed in the hands gauges 
  this change so that when the hands’ bearer makes an attack, his 
  hands gain tremendous weight just as they strike a target.
  KILLING HANDS
  Natural Weapon +12; Extras: Disguised; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 3 pp; Total: 36 pp].
  NEUTRALIZE
  Like Drain, this ability sees major use in devices built to counter 
  superheroes or villains. Versions of this power with the Limited 
  – One Power flaw might be used to short circuit force fields and 
  similar obstructions.
  BULL’S EYE RIFLE (ADVANCED TECH)
  This deadly weapon was developed by the technologically sophis-
  ticated mercenary group FIST for use against super-powered foes. 
  It delivers a blast of energy that can temporarily render armor and 
  other protective gear useless. Even powers such as Protection are 
  vulnerable to its effects. Once the hero’s defenses are gone, the 
  bull’s eye rifle delivers a deadly hail of bullets. In emergencies, 
  FIST’s foot soldiers use this weapon to nullify a hero’s strength 
  and other powers. They prefer to keep things simple and pair it 
  with the rifle’s heavy firepower, but a flying hero or one forced to 
  lift a tank with telekinesis might prove too tempting a target.
  BULL’S EYE RIFLE
  Neutralize +10 [Extras: Nullification (no concentration), Energy Blast; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 40 pp].
  OBSCURE (MUNDANE LIMIT +5)
  Smoke grenades and similar weapons all fit this power, as do fog 
  machines. High-tech versions produce thicker banks of smoke in a 
  much shorter periods of time.
  FLASH BOMB
  Obscure +5 [Extras: Dazzle; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 2 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  SMOKE GRENADE
  Obscure +5 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; 
  Total: 5 pp].
  CHAFF GRENADE (ADVANCED TECH) 
  This sophisticated grenade releases a combination of smoke, 
  radar-defeating chaff, and a burst of electromagnetic energy to 
  scramble almost any sort of sensing device.
  CHAFF GRENADE
  Obscure +10 [Flaw: Device; Power Stunts/Features: Extra Sense 
  (hearing, psionics, radar, scent); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; 
  Total: 14 pp]. 
  PARALYSIS (MUNDANE LIMIT +4)
  Tasers, poisoned darts, and similar devices can all be used to over-
  whelm a target’s nervous system, leaving him helpless. 
  FOAM CANNON (ADVANCED TECH)
  The foam cannon is a favored weapon of researchers and gov-
  ernment agents who want to take a rogue super alive. The foam 
  cannon coats its target in a thick layer of a bioactive foam con-
  taining a powerful paralytic agent, inducing immediate paralysis. 
  The cannon can also project a short burst of concentrated foam, 
  slowing a target rather than causing complete paralysis.
  FOAM CANNON
  Paralysis +10 [Extras: Duration (Continuous); Power Stunts: Slow; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 22 pp].
  PLANT CONTROL
  A futuristic device with this ability might be as simple as an ultra-
  high-tech gardener’s tool. The item might be able to manipulate 
  chlorophyll or similar biological substances found only in plants, 
  allowing it to lend them motion from a distance.
  ROOT SEEKER (BIOTECH)
  This strange device looks like a gnarled, dried tree branch. When 
  activated, it fires a tiny seed pod at its target plant. These pods 
  are filled with tiny parasites that respond to the psychic com-
  mands relayed through the seeker’s psychic matrix. On command, 
  the parasites swarm into a plant’s physical structure and cause 
  it to move, attack, or otherwise take action. Many top-secret gov-
  
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  ernment installations use this device as a defensive measure by 
  infesting the trees and bushes around them with root-seeker pods, 
  then bringing the plants to life to grab or attack intruders when 
  they need to.
  ROOT SEEKER
  Plant Control +10 [Extras: Plant Elementals; Flaws: Device; Source: 
  Alien; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  POSSESSION
  Mind control rays are a common tool of villains who want to 
  manipulate heroes, though this power’s drawback that the user’s 
  body disappears might seem a bit strange for a technological 
  device. The Mind Switch or Mind Transfer limitations help give this 
  ability a slightly more technological feel. On the other hand, this 
  power can be used without any extras or flaws if it’s a mystical 
  device.
  CROWN OF DOMINATION (ARCANE)
  This simple, iron circlet is covered with indecipherable, ancient 
  runes. When worn it allows its user to overwhelm another’s per-
  sonality, temporarily swapping personalities between the bodies 
  of the crown’s wearer and his victim. The target’s personality is 
  held in stasis, leaving his body under the control of the crown’s 
  wearer, whose own body in turn collapses to the ground as if in a 
  coma. The crown’s current owner is a petty thief 
  named Richard Highstreet. He uses the item to 
  inhabit the body of others, carry out crimes, and 
  swap himself back into his own body before the 
  police can track him down. Already, several of 
  his victims have been arraigned on what seem 
  like open-and-shut cases, though as the pattern 
  of “criminals” who remember nothing of the rob-
  beries and assaults they committed pile up, the 
  PCs might be able to track down Highstreet.
  CROWN OF DOMINATION
  Possession +10 [Extras: Mental Blast; Flaws: 
  Limited – Mind Transfer; Source: Mystical; Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  POSTCOGNITION & 
  PRECOGNITION
  A complex, highly-advanced computer sys-
  tem supplemented by a wide array of sensors 
  that thoroughly analyzes a location or gath-
  ers streams of data from a variety of sources, 
  allowing it to construct the past or future 
  based on physical evidence. The power check 
  result simulates the device’s ability to find 
  clues and properly analyze them.
  PROJECT CRYSTAL BALL (ADVANCED TECH)
  The Crystal Ball project is a classified government venture into 
  the realm of predicting the future. By creating the world’s most 
  advanced computer system and giving it a continuous feed to 
  a variety of global news sources, financial databases, and other 
  streams of data, the government hopes to create a system that 
  can make useful predictions of stock market fluctuations, politi-
  cal developments, and even weather patterns. However, the head 
  of this project, Dr. Simon Tiberius, is in truth the villainous super-
  genius known as Destructor. The good doctor has thus far kept his 
  identity secret, and he hopes that his work on Project Crystal Ball 
  can make up for his past crimes. Tiberius long ago reformed his 
  ways after he accidentally killed several innocent civilians during 
  an attempt to steal an advanced military prototype. Unfortunately, 
  his past is about to catch up with him. Several U.S. senators plan 
  to reveal Tiberius’s past and demand that the project be shelved. 
  Unknown to anyone, Tiberius’s old partner in crime, Maleficator, 
  used blackmail and bribery to force the senator’s hands. When the 
  Crystal Ball project is cancelled, he plans to seize the computer 
  system once it is transferred from its highly-secure location and 
  removed from active use.
  PROJECT CRYSTAL BALL
  Precognition +20 [Extras: Postcognition; Flaws: Device, Size 
  (huge); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 60 pp].
  JK
  
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  PROTECTION
  This ability is the preferred option for any device that provides 
  defense against attacks. This power may be given the Device flaw, 
  unlike Armor, which already has it included in its cost. 
  REGENERATION
  A cybertech system might inject drugs and healing agents into 
  its user’s system when it detects an injury, while a high-tech 
  Regeneration device could consist of a tiny robot kept in its user’s 
  belt. When the belt’s sensors notice that the user is hurt, the tiny 
  robot springs in to action to treat the injury.
  KRESSLER DEVICE (BIOTECH)
  A Kressler device is named for its creator, the once-famous 
  researcher Marie Kressler who disappeared several years ago just 
  as this device reached the final stages of its research. The Kressler 
  device is a coil-like creature that its user wraps around his arm. 
  When activated, it injects a series of hormones, drugs, and serums 
  to rapidly heal its wearer’s injuries. However, these serums have 
  proven unstable at best. At times, the healing they provide causes 
  organs and limbs to mutate and deform. Dr. Kressler was a victim 
  of this process. She tested her prototype on herself and trans-
  formed into the rampaging menace known as Onslaught. Luckily, 
  the Kressler device no longer transforms its users into 10-foot tall, 
  heavily-muscled behemoths, but no one has yet made the con-
  nection between Kressler’s disappearance and Onslaught’s first 
  attacks. Kressler’s company covered up evidence of the dramatic 
  mutations the device caused to help soothe investor worries. Even 
  with the mutations it causes, the device has saved countless lives. 
  Perhaps if someone can capture and cure Onslaught, the device 
  could finally be perfected by the woman who first invented it.
  KRESSLER DEVICE
  Regeneration +10 [Extras: Back from the Brink, Regrowth, Super-
  Constitution; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 pp; 
  Total: 60 pp].
  REINCARNATE
  With sufficiently high enough technology, even death becomes a 
  mere obstacle to overcome. A nanite swarm could use ambient 
  material to construct a new body, while a number of clones or 
  robot duplicates kept in storage could spring in to replace a slain 
  user.
  CLONE BANK, INC. (ADVANCED TECH)
  Clone Bank, Inc. produces clones of its clients along with digital 
  reproductions of their brains. By copying this computerized map 
  into a clone’s organic brain, Clone Bank’s technicians can create 
  a duplicate of a deceased person drawing on DNA samples. This 
  process is far from foolproof, but it allows key government offi-
  cials, important heroes, and the fabulously wealthy the chance 
  to avoid death. Of course, the presence of genetic material, clon-
  ing machines, and neural data makes Clone Bank, Inc. a prime 
  target for supervillains. A criminal could highjack the company’s 
  machines and use the files to produce brainwashed, evil dupli-
  cates of the world’s heroes, spawning a legion of followers that 
  could overwhelm even the greatest superheroes.
  CLONE BANK, INC.
  Regeneration +10 [Extras: Resurrection; Flaws: Device, Resurrection 
  Only; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  RUNNING
  This power is a good base for a variety of movement abilities, from 
  a hover skateboard to jet-powered roller blades. You can use it as 
  an extra for larger, self-propelled devices or those that enhance 
  the user’s speed, such as power armor.
  PERSONAL SCOOTER (ADVANCED TECH)
  This two-wheeled device is just wide enough for a single person 
  to stand on. A user shifts his weight to turn, slow down, or accel-
  erate. Personal scooters might be common pieces of equipment 
  for law enforcement in urban areas that are too densely packed 
  for cars and trucks. Their small size and great agility allow grants 
  the equivalent of the Running power. Small-time criminals might 
  make extensive use of these devices to commit hit-and-run crimes, 
  such as robberies or muggings.
  PERSONAL SCOOTER
  Running +5 [Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; 
  Total: 5 pp].
  SENSORY PROTECTION (MUNDANE LIMIT +5)
  Reflective goggles, ear plugs, and other devices all fall under this 
  power. Since Sensory Protection provides a defense against all 
  forms of Dazzle, its low cost makes it difficult to model protection 
  for a single sense. Subtract 1 point from this power’s total cost if it 
  protects only one sight or hearing.
  TABLE 4–22: SENSORY PROTECTION
  DEVICE
  NOTES
  COST
  TOTAL
  Protective Goggles
  Sensory Protection 
  (sight) +5
  1 pp
  4 pp
  Sound Dampeners
  Sensory Protection 
  (sound) +5
  1 pp
  4 pp
  Welder’s Mask
  Sensory Protection +5
  1 pp
  5 pp
  SHAPE MATTER
  This power has a number of options as a device, depending on the 
  what it can shape and what flaws you select for it. If it works on all 
  types of matter, perhaps it manipulates local gravity, bending and 
  twisting it to produce upright columns of sand or water. Gadgets 
  that function against a specific material are probably attuned to 
  arrange molecules or atoms of that element or material.
  
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  METROPOLIS BOX (ADVANCED TECH)
  This device serves as a lesson in the perils of allowing advanced 
  technology to fall into the wrong hands. First conceived by the 
  superpowered genius Thinker as a solution to a housing shortage 
  in Third World nations, this shoe box-sized device manipulates 
  gravity and matter to quickly forge habitable shelter from any sort 
  of material, from sand and scrap wood to bricks and even scrap 
  metal. However, a group of superpowered mercenaries led by the 
  villain Razorback struck the UN team entrusted with these devices. 
  Razorback and his cohorts now use the box’s ability to alter and 
  manipulate matter to their own ends. They have opened holes in 
  bank vaults, destroyed streets and dams to create catastrophes that 
  serve as a cover for their crimes, and even used the boxes to hinder 
  heroes who have tried to stop them. The gang has also modified 
  the box so that it provides its user with a sturdy, protective shield 
  of metal, rock and other materials. Sadly, this won’t be the last time 
  that a device created for a peaceful purpose is turned to evil ends.
  METROPOLIS BOX
  Shape Matter +10 [Extras: Protection; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  SHAPESHIFT
  It’s easy to imagine a magical talisman that uses this power, but a 
  technological device is a bit more difficult to justify. Other options 
  include a suit of armor that transforms into a limited range of 
  shapes, while a biotech device might alter the user’s genetic code 
  to change shape.
  DIGITAL VEIL (ADVANCED TECH)
  This device is a nearly invisible, incredibly thin layer of advanced 
  plastic studded with tiny holographic projectors. When worn, it 
  stretches over its user’s clothes and equipment. It produces a 
  convincing replica of anyone whose physical details or image has 
  been entered into the veil’s database, making this item the per-
  fect disguise for a spy.
  DIGITAL VEIL
  Shapeshift +10 [Extras: Continuous; Flaws: Device, Limited – One 
  Type (humanoids); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 1 pp; Total: 10 pp].
  SHRINKING
  A shrinking device not only allows its user to sneak into installa-
  tions or slip into a machine’s inner workings, when you add the 
  Range extra and the Others Only flaw, it can also make large loads 
  easy to carry. A shrink ray could also work as an offensive weapon, 
  reducing opponents to a much more manageable size.
  INFILTRATOR SUIT (ADVANCED TECH)
  This mesh suit was perfected by an old KGB program given the 
  task of infiltrating Western Europe with several battalions of elite 
  operatives in advance of an invasion. While the end of the Cold 
  War made the project obsolete, the fruits of its research remained. 
  In the aftermath of Russia’s move towards a market economy, 
  the infiltrator suits, along with many other pieces of military 
  technology, made their way into the hands of private owners, mer-
  cenaries, and rogue supers. An elite band of super-spies, called 
  The Operatives, make extensive use of these devices. They special-
  ize in tailing supers of all types, and have in the past worked for 
  (and against) many well-known heroes and villains.
  INFILTRATOR SUIT
  Shrinking +10 [Extras: Mighty Mite, Power Suit, Super-Skill (hide); 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  SLICK
  This power is an ideal defensive extra for a suit of armor or a 
  similar device. The slick could be dispersed through built-in hoses 
  or vents built into the legs so that it leaves a trail of nearly-friction-
  less liquid in its user’s wake. On its own, this power makes sense 
  for a character that needs a quick getaway. A super criminal might 
  strap a Slick device to his shoes and activate it after robbing a 
  bank, sending anyone who chases him tumbling to the ground.
  SLICK SHOES (ADVANCED TECH)
  This mysterious device first surfaced on the east coast of the USA, 
  since then it has appeared all over the world. It consists of a seemingly 
  normal pair of shoes that, when activated, spray a stream of slick, clear 
  liquid in their wearer’s wake. The shoes have foiled several attempts to 
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  apprehend criminals, and have even proven their worth against supers. 
  According to the several slick-shoe users who were eventually appre-
  hended, a shadowy figure known as Malachai sells these devices. 
  Rumor has it that Malachai is so pleased with his device’s success 
  that he plans to make heavy weapons, powered armor, and far more 
  destructive weaponry available to any criminal who can afford his fees. 
  Unless Malachai is stopped, he could escalate street violence so high it 
  would make World War III seem like a picnic.
  SLICK SHOES
  Slick +10 [Extras: Disguised, Slide; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-
  Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  SLOW
  Slow makes sense as a power for a gravity device built to hinder a 
  target’s motion and make him easier to chase down. It could also 
  represent a device that turns the surface below a hero’s feet into a 
  quagmire that slows the target.
  TIME SLIP FRAME (ARCANE)
  The villain called Sketcher has the power to bring his drawings to 
  life, and his talents brought him a measure of success as a thief 
  and drug trafficker until he ran afoul of the criminal mercenary 
  syndicate known as FIST. The mercenaries captured Sketcher and 
  soon set him to work on a series of new devices and weapons 
  that their agents can use in action against superheroes. Sketcher’s 
  devices can violate the laws of physics, as they are magical in 
  nature, allowing FIST’s diabolic leaders to dole out a stagger-
  ing variety of gadgets. The first in their new series of weapons is 
  the time slip frame. This device looks like a fold-up picture frame 
  made of plain paper. In reality, it is an arcane construct drawn by 
  Sketcher that slows down time. Anyone caught inside the frame 
  slows down to a snail’s pace, allowing FIST’s operatives to dis-
  patch the target with ease or flee the area safely. As long as FIST 
  hold’s Sketcher’s mother captive, they can look forward to more 
  sinister devices such as this one.
  TIME SLIP FRAME
  Slow +10 [Extras: Disguised; Flaws: Device; Source: Mystical; Cost: 
  2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  SNARE (MUNDANE LIMIT +5, PRIMITIVE LIMIT +3)
  From a simple net to an energy bubble that forms a web of force 
  around a target, the Snare power can take on a variety of forms. 
  It could consist of energy fields that trip up a target, a physical 
  device that clamps in place, or a robotic device that chases a tar-
  get and wraps around it like a python.
  TABLE 4–23: SNARE
  DEVICE
  POWERS
  COST
  TOTAL
  Net
  Snare +3
  1 pp
  3 pp
  Lasso
  Snare +5
  1 pp
  5 pp
  ENERGY NET (ADVANCED TECH)
  This versatile weapon is a small, fist-sized disk that projects a net of 
  pure force in a circular area centered upon it. The net’s energy sys-
  tem can also be set to deliver powerful laser blasts, or it can project 
  cutting beams that can be used to chop through steel and armor.
  ENERGY NET
  Snare +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Energy Field; Flaws: Device; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  SORCERY
  Generally speaking, this power is a poor choice for technological 
  devices. Arcane ones are more likely to use it. For example, a wiz-
  ard’s staff or a sorcerer’s wand might use this power to simulate 
  the spells they can cast.
  THE BOOK OF THE DAMNED (ARCANE)
  This battered, ancient tome contains the formulas needed to cast 
  dozens of arcane spells. The intense magical aura that surrounds 
  it also grants its bearer a variety of mystical powers, such as pro-
  tection from attackers and the ability to cast bolts of pure energy. 
  Many powerful demons, mortal wizards, and even those whose 
  ambition compensates for their lack of mystical knowledge seek 
  this book. According to legend, it can be found somewhere in 
  Egypt. Its last bearer, the Nazi mystic known as Baron Hex, sup-
  posedly made use of it during World War II, but in the aftermath 
  of his death at the hands of a mysterious Arab mystic the book 
  disappeared. Several expeditions have been mounted to recover 
  the book, but each has met with bad luck, accidents, and murder. 
  Supposedly, a secretive brotherhood of sorcerers fights to ensure 
  that the book remains out of mortal hands, but some claim that 
  these protectors merely want the book for themselves.
  THE BOOK OF THE DAMNED
  Sorcery +10 [Spells: Mind Control, Force Field, Telepathy, Invisibility, 
  Energy Blast, Incorporeal, Teleportation; Extras: Eternal; Flaws: 
  Device; Source: Mystical; Cost: 7 pp; Total: 70 pp].
  SPACE FLIGHT
  This power is best reserved as an extra for Flight or for use with 
  large vehicles designed to travel between planets or stars. On its 
  own, it offers little utility unless a device is already in space.
  SPINNING
  While this power’s description mentions that the hero using it 
  spins around at incredible speed, a device does not necessarily 
  have to operate in this manner. You can use this power to simu-
  late a specialized force field that knocks aside attacks. This field 
  would also allow access to Spinning’s power stunts and extras. If 
  a device physically spins its user around, it could be incorporated 
  into a suit of armor. An arcane device might transform its user 
  into a small tornado.
  
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  HURRICANE BATTLE ARMOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  This suit of armor works much like any other advanced power armor 
  system, save that it has a powerful attack mode in addition to its arm-
  mounted lasers and rockets. The Hurricane’s pilot can pull his arms 
  and legs into the armor’s torso compartment and activate its “twister 
  attack” mode. The US military reviewed this design and although 
  this attack proved effective, several high-ranking officials judged it 
  a ridiculous concept that would prove useless in the field, awarding 
  the power armored contract to an arms company notorious for giv-
  ing cushy, high-paying jobs to retired Pentagon officials. Angered and 
  rendered nearly bankrupt by this decision, the Hurricane’s inventor, 
  Tyrone Amaris, now sells the armor on the black market.
  HURRICANE BATTLE ARMOR
  Spinning +10 [Extras: Protection, Flight, Energy Blast; Flaws: 
  Device; Features: Whirlwind Attack; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 
  pp; Total: 41pp].
  STRIKE
  This power serves as the basis for melee weapons (see Weapons, 
  Melee on pages 82–85).
  STUN
  Weapons that inflict non-lethal damage use this as their core 
  power (see Weapons, Ranged on pages 85–92).
  SUFFOCATE
  This deadly power serves best as the basis for strange, frightening 
  weapons that control the flow of air, driving breathable oxygen 
  away from its target. Another version might produce a force field 
  that prevents air from reaching the target’s lungs.
  GARROTE (MUNDANE)
  This simple but deadly weapon consists of a length of strong, thin 
  rope, wire, or twine. Assassins use garrotes to attack foes from 
  behind, wrapping the cord around the victim’s throat.
  GARROTE
  Suffocate +5 [Flaws: Device, Range (touch); Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 1 pp; Total: 5 pp].
  SUPER-CHARISMA
  A device that incorporates Super-Charisma might project phero-
  mones or psychic energy over the area, causing others to look 
  upon you in a more favorable light. An arcane gadget could cloud 
  the minds of those around you, while a cybertech version could 
  cover extensive plastic surgery.
  PHEROMONE BRACELET (ADVANCED TECH)
  This plastic and metal ring is set with a variety of sensors, several 
  tiny vials of chemicals, and complex, though miniscule, computer 
  capable of analyzing the biochemical makeup of anyone who 
  comes within range. By releasing specially-formulated neuro-
  chemicals, the bracelet produces an effect similar to pheromones. 
  Anyone who draws close to the bracelet’s wearer is effected by the 
  chemicals, granting the wearer the ability to easily manipulate 
  or sway others. As an added benefit, the computer installed in 
  the bracelet can sense hormonal and chemical changes in others, 
  allowing its wearer to easily read moods and intentions.
  PHEROMONE BRACELET
  Super-Charisma +10 [Extras: Super-Skill (sense motive); Flaws: 
  Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  SUPER-CONSTITUTION
  A suit of powered armor equipped with bio sensors and syringes 
  that help maintain its user’s health, granting the equivalent of this 
  power. Cybernetic implants, such as reinforced bones, internal armor 
  plating, and other improvements could also grant this power.
  REINFORCED SKELETON (CYBERTECH)
  The product of an extensive series of treatments, implants, and 
  surgeries, a reinforced skeleton grants superior toughness and 
  endurance. Even the strongest blow poses little risk of breaking 
  the metal- and plastic-laced bones. Not only does the skeleton pro-
  vide protection against physical harm, but the massive suite of 
  drugs and bio-monitors required to prevent the body from reject-
  ing it also serve to counter disease, infections, and poisons. In 
  addition, the increased bone density and superior anchoring for 
  muscles, tendons, and ligaments grant anyone who receives this 
  implant superior strength and agility.
  REINFORCED SKELETON
  Super-Constitution +10 [Extras: Super-Dexterity, Super-Strength; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 10 pp; Total: 100 pp].
  SUPER-DEXTERITY
  The cybernetic version of this power could consist of adrenaline 
  dispensers and reflex boosters along with a highly advanced com-
  puter that interfaces with the user’s brain. A suit of powered armor 
  with reflex amplifiers is also a good option for this power.
  REFLEX FRAME (ADVANCED TECH)
  This light-weight exoskeleton is compact enough to fit under a set 
  of clothes. When activated, it amplifies its wearer’s reflexes and 
  grants him increased reaction times. The frame’s computer allows 
  it to gauge its wearer’s movement so that it improves his speed 
  significantly. In addition, the frame includes a proximity sensor 
  that allows it to react for the wearer in order to avoid sudden 
  attacks, explosions, ambushes, and other hazards.
  REFLEX FRAME
  Super-Dexterity +10 [Extras: Combat Sense, Power Suit; Flaws: 
  Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 40 pp].
  
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  SUPER-INTELLIGENCE
  This ability may seem like a strange choice for a device, but it 
  doesn’t have to represent a direct boost to the user’s cognitive 
  abilities, instead, it could represent a thorough, highly-indexed 
  knowledge database or artificial intelligence that provides advice 
  and analysis to the user. This power makes a good extra for the 
  Independent Intelligence device ability. 
  INTELLISYSTEM 5000 (ADVANCED TECH)
  This handheld computer taps into an advanced, privately-held network 
  of databases, information systems, and government data vaults. With 
  a few moments of processing, it can answer almost any question, pro-
  vide valuable advice for a wide variety of situations, and create and 
  execute mathematical and physical models. The Intellisystem 5000’s 
  primary strength derives from its AI-powered interface that deciphers 
  and interprets its user’s intentions, allowing even the densest person 
  to gain the benefits of its features. Unfortunately, this computing 
  power comes with a hidden price; the Intellisystems Corporation 
  maintains close tabs on all its models. It has a global satellite link to 
  all of its units, allowing it to pinpoint their location at any time.
  INTELLISYSTEM 5000
  Super-Intelligence +10 [Extras: Super-Skill (computers, plus any 5 
  knowledge or science skills); Flaw: Device; Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 7 pp; Total: 70 pp].
  SUPER-SENSES
  A suit of powered armor might include a sophisticated array of sen-
  sors that enhance its user’s perception. A helmet could improve 
  hearing and sight, while cybertech implants might improve the 
  brain’s ability to process sensory data. You could use this power as 
  an extra with a weapon to simulate an advanced targeting system.
  OPTIC NET (BIOTECH)
  While sickening to behold, this crude biotech device proves useful in 
  hostile areas rife with hidden threats. The optic net earned its moniker 
  from its appearance as a network of ropey, sinuous tentacles that each 
  end with a beady eye or a slimy, ear-like organ. One tentacle terminates 
  with an array of fibrous nerves that allow it to form a psionic bond 
  with its user. The optic net is worn around its user’s neck, allowing it to 
  form a mental connection with its wearer and relay everything it sees 
  and hears. Optic nets were first introduced to the planet by a group of 
  interstellar black-marketeers who crash-landed in the South American 
  jungle over a decade ago. Eager to forge a comfortable existence for 
  themselves, they sold biotech goods to a variety of guerilla and insur-
  gent groups. Soon, the aliens came were contacted by representatives 
  from a drug cartel. Since these criminals have far more money and 
  resources to offer, the aliens have gone to work for them in their labs, 
  producing designer drugs and biotech weapons.
  OPTIC NET
  Super-Senses +10 [Extras: Super-Skill (intimidate), Super-Save 
  (Will); Flaws: Devices; Source: Alien; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  SUPER-SKILL (MUNDANE LIMIT +5, PRIMITIVE LIMIT + 3)
  This power presents a wide range of possibilities, from padded 
  boots that grant a bonus to Move Silently to an advanced set of 
  tools that improve the Repair skill.
  HIGH QUALITY
  Not all tools or items are created equal. Any device that is so well 
  crafted that it improves its user’s performance can grant the equiv-
  alent of the Super-Skill power. After accounting for the Super-Skill 
  power and Device flaw, it costs 1 power point per +1 bonus that a 
  high-quality device provides.
  SUPER-SPEED
  This power is probably best represented as a suit or vehicle of 
  some sort. Cyberlegs might grant a character a few ranks in this 
  power, but it’s hard to imagine an otherwise normal human body 
  coping with the strain of a lot of Super-Speed. This power could 
  also represent a device that can alter time so that the user speeds 
  up while everything else slows down.
  DIMENSION FRAME (ADVANCED TECH)
  This device resembles a sleek, light space suit. It provides its 
  wearer with an oxygen supply and protection against a variety 
  of environmental factors. More importantly, it includes a phase 
  field generator that allows the wearer to enter a gap between 
  dimensional space. The wearer slides between time and space, 
  allowing him to move in physical space while remaining almost 
  perfectly still in time. To outside observers, he appears to move at 
  an incredible speed.
  DIMENSION FRAME
  Super-Speed +10 [Extras: Sonic Boom; Flaws: Device; Features: 
  Immunity (heat, pressure, suffocation); Source: Super-Science; 
  Cost: 6 pp; Total: 63 pp].
  SUPER-STRENGTH
  This ability is likely to show up in any suit of powered armor, par-
  ticularly because the extras it offers are useful in many combat 
  situations. In addition, a magical bracelet or similar artifact could 
  grant a user mighty strength, while cybernetic enhancements 
  could allow a person’s muscles to grow much larger than normal. 
  A biotech device might take the form of symbiotic creatures that 
  lend their strength to the user.
  POWER CIRCLET (ADVANCED TECH)
  This strange device can turn a puny weakling into a mighty war-
  rior capable of punching through concrete. When worn, the power 
  circlet has two psionic boosters that rest on its user’s temples that 
  transform its wearer’s psychic energy into physical power. The cir-
  clet uses the energy to create an aura around the user that allows 
  him to commit amazing feats of strength. He can pick up bus-
  ses, throw boulders hundreds of feet, and leap through the air. In 
  
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  addition, the power circlet’s user can emit blasts of raw psychic 
  energy and wrap himself in a telekinetic field that allows him to 
  fly. The mercenary agents of FIST draw on this item as one of their 
  primary weapons because it’s easily concealed and they can hide 
  it in a pocket or suitcase when on missions.
  POWER CIRCLET
  Super-Strength +10 [Extras: Flight, Leaping, Mental Blast, 
  Protection, Size (small); Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  8 pp; Total: 80 pp].
  SUPER-WISDOM
  Similar to Super-Intelligence, this power could take the form of 
  a computer integrated into a character’s brain along with a set 
  of neural inhibitors that help fortify the user’s willpower. Arcane 
  devices may be the perfect fit for this power.
  POWER HELM (ADVANCED TECH)
  This elaborate device is covered with wires, sensors, and read-outs. 
  When worn, it generates a field of psychic energy that grants its 
  user a variety of mental powers. Not only does it strengthen his 
  willpower and sharpen his perception, but it hones his mental 
  acuity and unlocks his psychic potential. The first power helms 
  were created by the hero Matrix as part of his attempts at improv-
  ing his own latent mental talents. Over time, his experiments in 
  designing devices that interfaced with his mind drove him mad. 
  He now believes that his powers are a gift from a divine being 
  and that he is destined to lead a chosen few to the promised land. 
  His small cadre of followers is utter fanatic to his cause. In his 
  increasing paranoia Matrix has come to see other heroes and the 
  government as enemies. Holed up in his compound in the wilds 
  of South Dakota, he plots to unlock his followers’ psi talents, turn 
  them into an elite team of psychic warriors, and bring about the 
  apocalypse that he grows bored waiting for. The power helm is a 
  common tool of the foot soldiers who aid him in his cause.
  POWER HELM
  Super-Wisdom +10 [Extras: Force Field, Mental Blast, Telekinesis; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 pp; Total: 60 pp].
  SWIMMING (MUNDANE LIMIT +5)
  From something as simple as a pair of swimming fins that strap 
  to your feet to a biotech manta cloak, rationalizations for a 
  device that provides Swimming is easy. The vehicle rules cover 
  submarines, boats, and similar craft, but this power is useful in 
  simulating personal devices and tools.
  SEA ROCKET (ADVANCED TECH)
  This small, cylindrical device combines a variety of capabilities 
  to make it a deadly weapon for undersea operations. Originally 
  AA
  
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  combatants threaten populated areas, the graviton gun is brought 
  to bear on them. Overzealous commanders have no qualms about 
  using this weapon against heroes or villains, especially if they are 
  charged with defending a valuable or important person or loca-
  tion.
  GRAVITON GUN
  Telekinesis +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Grapple; Flaws: Device; 
  Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  TELEPATHY
  The power to read minds is valuable in almost any situation. A 
  technological device with this ability might analyze a subject’s 
  movements, tics, and other subtle indicators, process the data 
  through an advanced computer system, and make a reliable 
  forecast of the subject’s thoughts. A cybertech version might 
  incorporate this gear into an implant that projects data into the 
  user’s visual cortex, while a biotech one could use microscopic, 
  psionic spores that land on a subject’s skin and burrow into his 
  nervous system.
  MIND SEEDS (BIOTECH)
  This device consists of a small, pistol-like weapon with a throbbing, 
  organic sac mounted beneath its barrel. When fired, it launches a 
  tiny seed-pod filled with hundreds of microscopic psionic organ-
  isms at its target. A creature affected by this weapon becomes 
  mentally linked to the weapon’s user, who has a psionic bond with 
  the weapon that allows it to serve as a relay between the firer and 
  his target. In addition to forging a bond between two people, the 
  mind seed gun can also deliver a violent jolt of disrupting psychic 
  energy or a blast of pure mental energy.
  MIND SEEDS
  Telepathy +10 [Extras: Mental Blast, Mind Control; Power Stunt: 
  Energy Blast; Flaws: Device, Cultivated Link; Source: Alien; Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 32 pp].
  TELEPORTATION
  A teleportation device could range from a personal item, such as 
  belt that generates a field capable of sending its wearer across 
  vast distances, to a large, cumbersome portal or transporter sys-
  tem. 
  BLITZ DEVICE (ADVANCED TECH)
  This energy projector creates a field of power that shifts its user 
  into a fold in space, allowing him to instantly move from one place 
  to another across great distances. First developed during the Cold 
  War by East German scientists, the blitz device was meant to rap-
  idly ferry troops into Western Europe in the event of war. However, 
  the device never functioned properly. Machines and material sent 
  through it came out on the other end warped, twisted, and melted. 
  In the aftermath of the Berlin Wall’s collapse, many experimental 
  technologies were decommissioned. Such was the fate of the blitz 
  device . . . until a young researcher named Hans Wiese uncov-
  developed for use by commando teams sent on aquatic missions, 
  the sea rocket is now a favored weapon of terrorists, industrial 
  saboteurs, and the rogue mercenary group FIST. The rocket’s han-
  dles allow its user to hang on and guide it as it jets through the 
  water. Panels on the side of the rocket conceal a micro-torpedo 
  launcher, sonar system, and sophisticated stealth system capable 
  of countering sonar and radar. In emergencies, the sea rocket can 
  produce a cloud of black ink to provide cover for a quick getaway. 
  FIST makes extensive use of these devices in executing kidnap-
  pings, piracy, robberies in coastal cities, and industrial sabotage.
  SEA ROCKET
  Swimming +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Obscure, Super-Senses, Super-
  Skill (hide, move silently); Flaws: Device, Size (large); Features: 
  Immunity (suffocation); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 5 pp; Total: 
  51 pp].
  SWINGING
  A grappling hook and launcher is a good option for simulating 
  this ability. Biotech tentacles that wrap around the user’s arms 
  and extend out to grab on to anchor points also make for an 
  uncommon take on a fairly common power.
  HOOK HORDE (ADVANCED TECH)
  The hook horde is kept in a large, bulky backpack. When activated 
  it deploys a dozen long, ropey tendrils made of a tough, flexible 
  material. These tendrils can reach out to grasp objects and pull 
  the user toward it, allowing him to swing from place to place, eas-
  ily scale sheer walls and cliffs, and even pummel an opponent. A 
  computer system mounted within the horde’s backpack allows it 
  to identify anchor points. The hook horde’s user is also supplied 
  a set of goggles and a control-studded gauntlet he can use to 
  manipulate the system.
  HOOK HORDE
  Swinging +10 [Extras: Natural Weapon, Super-Skill (climb); Flaws: 
  Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 20 pp].
  TELEKINESIS
  A device that produces or alters gravity in an area could move 
  objects around as per this power. The objects do not fly, but rather 
  “fall” up or sideways as the gadget changes how gravity affects it. 
  Other options include a wand of telekinesis, a skillfully controlled 
  force field device, or even a tractor/presser beam.
   GRAVITON GUN (ADVANCED TECH)
  Developed for the military as a tool to help defeat incredibly 
  strong supers, mutants, and other threats, the graviton gun wraps 
  a target in a powerful field of force that pulls him into the air, 
  pushes him back, or pins him in place. If necessary, it can deliver 
  a deadly blast of raw force strong enough to punch a hole in 
  tank armor. These devices are commonly deployed when multiple 
  supers meet to do battle. Often, the military is happy to let several 
  powerful supers pound each other into the dirt, but if any of the 
  
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  ered blueprints for it while cataloging a mountain of old, East 
  German records. In a flash of insight brought on by his emerging 
  super-intellect, he determined the design’s flaws and built a work-
  ing prototype. Hans initially tried to sell the device on the black 
  market, as he knew that the German government would claim 
  ownership of the machine if they were to learn of it. However, 
  he didn’t count on the number of supervillains who would try to 
  wrest the device away from him rather than pay for it. Hans is now 
  on the run from a number of pursuers, perhaps including heroes 
  who want to prevent the device from falling into the wrong hands. 
  As Hans can teleport vast distances, he has proven maddeningly 
  difficult to capture.
  BLITZ DEVICE
  Teleportation +10 [Extras: Blink, Portal; Power Stunt: Extended Teleport, 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 3 pp; Total: 32 pp].
  TELESCOPIC SENSE
  This power can be incorporated into any sensory device. It can 
  represent refinements and additional signal boosting that allow 
  a device to pick up sound or sight over a long distance. Note that 
  this power gives no special ability to target an opponent from a 
  long range. It only allows you to notice details, but it does not 
  provide a perfect picture as would a sniper scope.
  Devices that make use of this ability are given under the spytech 
  section (see p. 69).
  TIME CONTROL
  In essence, this power combines the advantages of Super-Speed 
  and Slow. A device that manipulates time, perhaps encasing its 
  user in an energy bubble that allows him to slip through the time 
  stream on different pathways, depending whether you want time 
  to speed up or slow down.
  CHRONONAUT SUIT (ADVANCED TECH)
  This device looks like an armored battle suit that has a plain, steel 
  faceplate. The rest of the armor has smooth, rounded edges, giv-
  ing it an almost bulbous appearance. The chrononaut suit was 
  initially designed to protect its user when he passed through 
  an experimental time portal created by a small group of French 
  researchers. However, the first person through the portal was 
  replaced at the last moment by an agent of the mercenary group 
  FIST. At the last moment, the FIST infiltrator seized control of the 
  portal and sent himself to the far future. There, he gathered as 
  many high tech devices as possible, particularly weapons, before 
  slipping back into our time period. FIST’s commandos struck the 
  research center just as he returned, destroying the time portal and 
  killing many of the scientists who worked on it. With the advanced 
  tech in their hands, FIST went on to develop a daunting array of 
  devices to commit murders, robberies, and other crimes, for any-
  one that could pay their price.
  The chrononaut suit now incorporates many of the mechanisms 
  incorporated into the original time portal. It serves as the pri-
  mary weapon for FIST’s elite soldiers. In addition to its abilities to 
  manipulate time, it also incorporates a pair of energy blasters and 
  clawed gauntlets that can shred steel.
  CHRONONAUT SUIT
  Time Control +10 [Extras: Energy Blast, Natural Weapon, Temporal 
  Fugue, Time Travel; Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 12 
  pp; Total: 120 pp].
  TIME TRAVEL
  The ability to manipulate time is powerful, dangerous weapon 
  that shouldn’t be used lightly. GMs should be sure to take into 
  account how they want to treat time travel in their campaigns 
  (see Mutants & Masterminds, p. 89 for options on how to GM 
  time travel). A device with this ability might take the form of a 
  battle suit, vehicle, immobile portal, or even a pistol-like device 
  that can generate a tunnel through time’s fabric.
  The chrononaut suit detailed under the Time Control listing 
  gives an example of a time travel device in action.
  TRANSFER
  This power may seem like an odd choice for a device, but it could 
  operate in a number of ways; an arcane item imbued with a 
  versatile spell that allows it to mimic a target’s abilities, or a tech-
  nological device that can analyze the target and draw on that 
  data to recreate powers using force fields, radiation, and other 
  effects.
  KARMA GAUNTLETS (ARCANE)
  These strange, magical items are a pair of black, silk gloves stud-
  ded with tiny diamonds. According to legend, the diamonds have 
  the ability to steal a person’s soul, allowing the wearer to become 
  more powerful. In actuality, when the wearer touches someone 
  with powers, they’re stripped away and given to the wearer. Only 
  in recent years have the true abilities of the gloves been discovered 
  and put to use . . . in a most unusual way. Billionaire Henderson 
  Guzman currently possesses the gloves and he offers sizable pay-
  ments to anyone with superpowers, hero or villain, that will let 
  him “borrow” his or her abilities for a short time. This transaction 
  usually takes place at Guzman’s island resort, far from civilization. 
  This “rental arrangement” has helped fund many villainous plots. 
  Guzman can’t be held responsible for what his clients do with the 
  money he pays them, so thus far, he hasn’t come to the attention 
  of anyone who might feel differently. Guzman cooperates with 
  heroes, though usually he demands the chance to “rent” one of 
  their more interesting powers before he imparts any information. 
  His compound is heavily guarded by robots and power-armored 
  mercenaries, making him confident that he can cope with any 
  supers who wish to do business with him.
  KARMA GAUNTLETS
  Transfer (powers) +10 [Extras: All Attributes (powers), Slow Recovery; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Mystical; Cost: 4 pp; Total: 40 pp].
  
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  TRANSFORMATION
  This gadget might shape and sculpt a target’s flesh and bone, forc-
  ing it into another shape while the target’s internal organs remain 
  unchanged. This device could also create an army of powerful crea-
  tures, as its shapes normal creatures into powerful monstrosities.
  INFILTRATION DEVICE (ADVANCED TECH)
  Most weapons pose a direct, physical threat. The infiltration 
  device employed by the agents of FIST is a far deadlier weapon 
  than any physical threat, even if it cannot directly injure anyone. 
  The shadowy cabal that manages FIST has inserted agents into 
  almost every spy agency, government ministry, and military post 
  at one time or another thanks to this device, which allows its user 
  to alter his appearance. Spies have walked through retinal scans, 
  DNA analyzers, and other advanced security measures with ease 
  thanks to the infiltration device. Even heroes have faced invasions 
  into their headquarters thanks to it.
  An infiltration device is disguised to look like a wristwatch. The 
  buttons and knobs mounted on it allow its user to adopt differ-
  ent forms. The digital display shows information and can project 
  a transmutation beam that can alter an opponent’s form. One of 
  FIST’s favorite strategies is to seize a person, copy his form, then 
  change the victim to look like the FIST agent. In a few cases, secu-
  rity teams have seized and imprisoned the wrong person for weeks 
  before the mistake became apparent.
  INFILTRATION DEVICE
  Transformation +10 [Extras: Exact, Mimic, Movement, Shapeshift; 
  Flaws: Device; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 pp; Total: 60 pp].
  TRANSMUTATION
  A swarm of nanites that alter an item’s basic building blocks is a 
  good option for a technological version of this power. A biotech 
  device with Transmutation could cover the target in a thin film of 
  mucous that excretes chemicals that alter its make up.
  PEACEMAKER (ADVANCED TECH)
  This strange weapon was developed by the superhero Amity, a 
  crusader against violence in all of its forms. In addition to his abil-
  ity to calm emotions and control others’ actions, he relied on this 
  weapon to transform guns, knives, and other armaments into use-
  less rubber, ice, or other materials. Unfortunately, the design for 
  this weapon was stolen by a computer hacker and later sold to 
  several gadgeteering supervillains. Technologically adept thieves 
  and bank robbers like this weapon, as courts in the US have never 
  classified it as a deadly weapon. In several cases, insurgent and 
  political groups have used these devices without incurring charges 
  for using weapons. Several environmental groups employ it to 
  destroy bulldozers, tractors, and other heavy machines.
  PEACEMAKER
  Transmutation +10 [Extras: Continuous, Shapeable; Flaws: Device, 
  Limited – One State (solids to solids); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  TUNNELING
  Any drilling device could mimic this power, incorporating some sort 
  of beam weapon to clear away the earth and stone that it pushes 
  aside. This power makes an excellent addition to a vehicle, allowing 
  it to delve through rock and stone (see Vehicles on p. 74).
  WEAPON
  This power is used to create a wide range of devices. See 
  Weapons, Melee (p. 82) and Weapons, Ranged (p. 84) for 
  numerous examples 
  WEATHER CONTROL
  A high-tech version of this device might monitor the local atmo-
  spheric conditions and make subtle changes in pressure, wind 
  speed, and other factors to alter the conditions. A more advanced 
  device might even incorporate a form of teleportation, drawing 
  storms and wind from across the world to lash the targeted area.
  ATMOSPHERIC AGITATOR (ADVANCED TECH)
  The mercenary group known as FIST sells their skills to the highest 
  bidder, often running afoul of law enforcement and superhe-
  roes. It remains in business thanks in large part to the use of the 
  atmospheric agitators, backpack-sized devices that can alter local 
  weather conditions. The agitators can call down tornadoes, cre-
  ate droughts, or summon torrential rains. Several of the African 
  nations in which the bases are located have made secret agree-
  ments with FIST, allowing them to operate in safety in return for 
  improved weather. Several recent droughts can be traced to the 
  mercenaries’ actions, and the few governments that tried to pre-
  vent FIST from settling in their region faced catastrophic storms 
  and droughts which caused starvation and revolt amongst their 
  people. Until FIST’s hold over these regions is broken, the group 
  and its high-tech spies will continue to plague the world.
  ATMOSPHERIC AGITATOR
  Weather Control +20 [Extras: Fatigue, Fog; Power Stunt: Lightning; 
  Flaws: Device, Size (huge); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 
  42 pp].
  
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  APPENDIX I:
  NEW RULE COMPENDIUM
  damage. As a rule of thumb, this bonus 
  only applies to mechanisms that have mov-
  ing parts, require electrical power, or are 
  fueled by a chemical reaction.
  RESURRECT DEVICE
  With a length of baling wire, duct tape, 
  and a few dollops of super glue, you can 
  patch together a shattered device.
  Prerequisite: Repair 4 ranks, Lightning 
  Repair.
  Benefit: You can spend a hero point to 
  immediately repair a destroyed or badly 
  damaged device, construct, or other gad-
  get with a successful Repair check. This 
  item’s ranks are restored to half their maxi-
  mum value. Obviously, you gain a better 
  value for your hero point if the device has 
  sustained more damage.
  TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
  Your scientific training allows you to 
  quickly determine how a device functions.
  Prerequisite: Science (any) 4 ranks.
  Benefit: With a half action, you can study 
  a device or an opponent and make an 
  Intelligence check. You learn the abilities 
  and ranks of every device or power that 
  has the super-science source as long as the 
  result of your check equals or exceeds that 
  device’s ranks + 10. You make the check 
  once, but you may learn about some or all 
  of the target’s devices with that one roll.
  You can use this feat once per encounter 
  per device or opponent.
  WEAPON FOCUS
  Choose one type of weapon. This weapon 
  must be a specific type of pistol, sword, or 
  a similar armament.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack 
  rolls you make using the selected weapon.
  Special: You can gain this feat multiple 
  times. Its effects do not stack. Each time 
  F
  or ease of reference, the most com-
  monly used new feats, powers, and 
  rules in Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets 
  are gathered here for quick and easy 
  reference. These rules are used by many of 
  the gadgets and characters in this book and 
  you’re welcome to use them in your games 
  if the Gamemaster agrees to allow them.
  NEW FEATS
  JAM THE SYSTEM
  You have a talent for rendering technology 
  inoperable. You do not destroy a device. 
  Rather, you tweak a switch, stuff a wad of 
  paper in a heat sink, or otherwise disrupt 
  its ability to function for a short period.
  Prerequisite: Monkeywrencher.
  Benefit: As a full action, you can make 
  an attack against a device. The device’s 
  Defense is its user’s total defense +5. If 
  you succeed, the device’s current ranks are 
  cut in half, rounded down, until your next 
  action. A device can only suffer this effect 
  once per round. You cannot use this feat 
  against a device already damaged by this 
  feat.
  LIGHTNING REPAIR
  You can fix things much faster than nor-
  mal.
  Prerequisite: Repair 4 ranks.
  Benefit: You can make Repair checks in 
  half the normal time. Before you make 
  your Repair roll you may spend a hero 
  point to reduce the time even further. Each 
  hero point you spend cuts the repair time 
  in half. If your Repair check fails, you lose 
  the points spent.
  MONKEYWRENCHER
  You have a knack for destroying techno-
  logical items.
  Benefit: If you choose to attack an item, 
  such as a suit of power armor, a rifle, or a 
  similar item, you gain a +2 bonus to your 
  you take the feat, it applies to a new type of 
  weapon. This feat does not stack with Attack 
  Focus. You can only apply this feat to powers 
  with the Device flaw.
  WEAPON SPECIALIZATION
  You have closely studied the workings of 
  a specific weapon, such as a pistol, sword, 
  or other weapon. You deal extra damage 
  when using that weapon.
  Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5, 
  Weapon Focus with chosen weapon.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to damage 
  when using the selected weapon.
  Special: You can gain this feat multiple 
  times. Its effects do not stack. Each time 
  you take the feat, it applies to a new type 
  of weapon. You can only apply this feat to 
  powers with the Device flaw.
  CONSTRUCT FEATS
  The feats in this section are only available 
  to constructs. They draw on their artificial 
  nature to create special tricks and abili-
  ties.
  ALTERNATE MOVEMENT SYSTEM
  You have treads, wheels, a hover system, or 
  some other form of locomotion. You can-
  not gain the ability to fly with this feat 
  (that requires the Flight power) but you 
  can improve your ability to move over dif-
  ficult terrain.
  Benefit: You gain bonuses to movement in 
  certain situations, depending on the form 
  of movement you use. When you select this 
  feat, choose one of the following modes:
  • Hover: You can move over any flat sur-
  face you would normally sink into, such 
  as water, lava, or quicksand. You can 
  avoid hazards relying on tripwires or 
  pressure plates.
  • Multiple Legs: You have an additional 
  pair of legs. You gain +5 feet to your 
  speed and a +4 bonus on all checks 
  or saves to resist being knocked over, 
  
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  0.00116.01
  pushed, or otherwise moved against 
  your will.
  • Treads: Your heavy-duty treads allow you 
  to cruise over the most difficult terrain. 
  You are never slowed due to uneven 
  ground, such as dirt, potholes, and simi-
  lar obstacles.
  • Wheels: Your wheels grant you superior 
  mobility and maneuverability. You can 
  make one turn when making a charge 
  or sprinting, as your wheels allow you 
  to change direction with relative ease. 
  You can charge around corners, but you 
  must be able to see or be aware of your 
  opponent when you start your charge.
  Special: You can select this feat more 
  than once, taking a different mode each 
  time. In this case, you have a configurable 
  transportation system or multiple systems 
  you can engage and disengage as you 
  wish. You can only gain the benefits and 
  drawbacks of one movement mode at a 
  time, and switching to a new one is a half 
  action.
  BACKUP POWER
  You have a secondary, temporary source 
  of power you can access for a few brief 
  moments when your primary systems are 
  offline.
  Benefit: When you are knocked uncon-
  scious, stunned, or otherwise put out of 
  action, you can take your next action 
  as normal. After you take your turn, you 
  then suffer the condition you temporarily 
  avoided.
  COLD ROBOTIC MIND
  Your artificial nature makes it extraordi-
  narily difficult for mental powers to affect 
  you.
  Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on all 
  saves against powers and effects that can 
  directly affect your mind regardless of their 
  power source. If a power does not allow a 
  saving throw, your opponent suffers a –4 
  penalty to his attack roll or power check, as 
  appropriate. Note this ability only applies 
  to mind-affecting powers. It has no effect 
  on mental powers with a physical effect, 
  such as Telekinesis or Energy Blast.
  CONFIGURABLE CHASSIS
  You have the ability to shift plates on your 
  outer hull, reconfigure your appearance, or 
  morph your form, allowing you to change 
  your appearance and alter your defenses 
  to deflect incoming attacks.
  Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on Disguise 
  checks. You can spend a half action to 
  gain a +2 bonus on Damage saves until 
  your next action.
  FEARSOME DESIGN
  Your outer chassis is designed to resemble 
  a fearsome monster, or your features are 
  exaggerated and distorted to give you a 
  daunting appearance.
  Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Intimidate 
  checks. If an opponent strikes you and fails 
  to damage you, you can immediately make 
  an Intimidate check against that foe. If this 
  check succeeds, your opponent is shaken 
  for one round (–2 to attack, defense, and 
  all checks), as your terrifying design and 
  seemingly invulnerable armor strike fear 
  into him. You can use this ability once per 
  encounter per opponent, and you cannot 
  use it against enemies who have success-
  fully damaged you.
  IRON BODY
  You feel no pain, allowing you to turn an 
  opponent’s seeming advantage into a vul-
  nerability. You absorb a strike, catching 
  your foe’s weapon or fist in your chassis 
  and leaving him vulnerable to a counter 
  attack.
  Benefit: When a foe strikes you in melee 
  combat, you can opt to grant him a +1 
  bonus to damage to gain a +1 bonus to 
  hit on your next action against him. You 
  must choose to grant this bonus after your 
  opponent’s attack hits but before resolving 
  the result of your Damage save.
  ORGANIC FACADE
  Your outer hull or exterior body resembles 
  a living creature’s form, allowing you to 
  pass for a human, animal, or some other 
  creature.
  Benefit: A casual observer mistakes you 
  for a living creature. Seeing through this 
  disguise requires a Spot check opposed by 
  your Disguise or Charisma check. Observers 
  only make Spot checks if they have reason 
  to suspect something out of the ordinary.
  RECHARGE
  You can draw energy from electrical outlets 
  or some other source, allowing you to tem-
  porarily ignore damage you have taken.
  Benefit: Select a single type of energy or 
  fuel such as electricity, heat, or even water. 
  By spending a full action to recharge your 
  systems, you can remove up to 5 stun 
  or lethal hits for a period of 10 minutes. 
  After this time, you immediately suffer the 
  effects of those hits. You can use this feat 
  once every 6 hours.
  RECONFIGURATION
  Your weapon systems, bionic implants, 
  or the materials that form your body are 
  capable of adopting new forms. By alter-
  ing how a few key systems function, you 
  can turn a weapon into an energy scanner. 
  These changes take time, but they make 
  you more adaptable than other heroes.
  Benefit: You can reallocate your power 
  points from one ability to a different one, 
  or you can create a new power from the 
  spare points. You can move up to 10% of 
  your total power points in this manner. 
  This process takes 24 hour to complete. 
  During the time of this changeover, you 
  lose the benefits those points provided. 
  You can’t change more than 10% of your 
  total power points at a time from your nor-
  mal statistics.
  STORAGE COMPARTMENT
  A hollowed portion of your chassis allows 
  you to keep a weapon, device, or some 
  other piece of equipment from view.
  Benefit: You can store a device of up to 
  Medium size or hide one of your powers 
  from plain sight. Anyone looking studying 
  or searching you may make a Spot check 
  opposed by your Bluff check to notice 
  the hidden item. You gain a +2 bonus to 
  this Bluff check. Deploying a stored item 
  requires a half action. Any powers that 
  grant enhanced senses automatically see 
  through this deception unless the device 
  has the Disguised extra (see p. 25).
  
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  PAGE 117
  TELESCOPING ARMS
  Your arms are designed to extend away 
  from your body. You can increase the dis-
  tance you can reach.
  Benefit: Each time you take this feat, you 
  increase the reach of your melee attacks 
  by 5 feet.
  TELESCOPING HEAD
  You can extend your head or other sensor 
  array away from your body, allowing you to 
  peak around corners or over obstacles.
  Benefit: You can extend your head a dis-
  tance from your body equal to your height. 
  This distance can be above, below, or in a 
  direction to the side. You gain no bonus to 
  Spot checks, but you can look around barri-
  ers and over walls.
  TOUGH AS STEEL
  Your subsystems and backup power sys-
  tems allow you to battle on even after 
  your chassis has absorbed a tremendous 
  amount of damage.
  Benefit: By spending a Hero Point, you can 
  downgrade the result of a failed Damage 
  save by one category. You can count a 
  bruise or injury as no effect, stunned result 
  as a bruise or injury, or unconscious or dis-
  abled as stunned.
  TURN THE TABLES
  Your artificial body can sometimes absorb 
  an attack in such a way as to put your foe 
  at a disadvantage. A hero might punch 
  through your chassis, damaging you but 
  leaving his hand caught on the pistons 
  and jagged metal.
  Prerequisites: Immunity (critical hits), 
  Iron Body.
  Benefit: When you are hit with a melee 
  attack, you can spend a hero point to 
  make the attack become stuck on your 
  chassis. Your opponent must either discard 
  his weapon or make an opposed Strength 
  check against you to pull free. While he 
  is trapped, he loses his dodge bonus to 
  defense.
  NEW POWER 
  SCIENTIFIC GENIUS
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You are a master of a variety of sciences, 
  from biology to physics. Your work stands 
  far ahead of the efforts of other research-
  ers, allowing you to possibly produce 
  gadgets, machines, and computers more 
  advanced than any in the real world. When 
  you embark on a mission, you always have 
  a number of completed tools on hand that 
  could prove useful.
  Note this power might not always produce 
  high tech items exceeding the level of 
  technology in your GM’s campaign. With 
  few ranks in this ability, you can create 
  relatively simple items. As you gain more 
  ranks, you can produce lasers, powered 
  armor, and other advanced items.
  You cannot have more ranks in Scientific 
  Genius than the total of your Intelligence 
  and Super-Intelligence bonuses. For each 
  rank in this ability, you gain 4 power 
  points to spend on gadgets using the con-
  struction rules in Chapter Two. You can 
  spend these points to represent devices 
  you have invented. At any given time, you 
  can have gadgets on hand whose point 
  cost equals your ranks in this ability. Thus, 
  when designing items you should keep in 
  mind you cannot have all of those items 
  in your possession at the same time. Some 
  may need maintenance, while others mal-
  function in testing. If you have six hours 
  to work in your lab, you can exchange the 
  items you have on hand for items from 
  your pool of inventions. You can take the 
  same item more than once to fulfill the 
  point allotment you have on hand.
  For example, Gimmick has 10 ranks in 
  Scientific Genius. This means she has 40 
  points to spend on inventions and she can 
  have up to 10 points of devices on hand. 
  Thus, from her pool of 40 points of equip-
  ment she must select 10 points of goods 
  that are currently functioning and useable 
  at the start of a game session. Her inven-
  tions are an 8-point suit of armor, a 5-point 
  sonic pistol, a 5-point jet pack, and a 5-
  point teleport belt in addition to others. 
  At the start of a game session, her player 
  decides to take along her jet back and the 
  teleport belt. During the adventure, she 
  realizes her sonic pistol would come in 
  handy against the Shadowlurker. She heads 
  back to her lab, spends six hours working, 
  and emerges with two sonic pistols.
  The pool of designs you create remains static 
  until you have sufficient time and resources 
  to create new ones. If you have three days 
  to spend tinkering in your lab, you can real-
  locate the points in your pool of inventions 
  as you wish. You can keep any items already 
  there, rewrite them, or remove them entirely 
  and create new ones.
  Regardless of an item’s cost, you cannot 
  add features that have more ranks than 
  your power rank. Your GM may allow some 
  exceptions to this rule based on the tech 
  level of his campaign.
  If an item is damaged or destroyed, you 
  can repair it with six hours of work.
  In addition to a pool of inventions, you also 
  gain a bonus on checks with Computers, 
  Repair, and three specialties of the Science 
  skill equal to half your rank in this power 
  (rounded down).
  Note the Device flaw has already been fac-
  tored into Scientific Genius and cannot be 
  applied to it again.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Frenetic Worker: You can do eight 
  times the work of a normal scientific 
  genius through dedication, tremendous 
  effort (and possibly copious amounts 
  of caffeine). Reduce the time needed 
  to create new inventions, swap out your 
  current gadgets for new ones, or con-
  struct new inventions for your pool by 
  half. You may take this power stunt more 
  than once, each time you take it halves 
  to time it takes to swap out gadgets.
  • Tech Specialty: Pick a single power you 
  can duplicate with a device. Reduce the 
  total cost of any gadgets you invent using 
  that power (and only that power) by 2.
  EXTRAS
  • Clever Inventor: You gain +1 point of 
  inventions you can have on hand and +2 
  points to your invention pool per power 
  
  SECTION SIX
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  PAGE 118
  0.00118.01
  rank. You can take this extra more than 
  once, each time increases your on hand 
  and pool points by +1 and +2 per rank, 
  respectively.You gain +1 point of inven-
  tions you can have on hand and +2 
  points to your invention pool per power 
  rank. You can take this extra more than 
  once, each time increases your on hand 
  and pool points by +1 and +2 per rank, 
  respectively
  • Expanded Knowledge: You have 
  a broader knowledge of science and 
  technology. You gain bonus ranks in 
  Computers, Repair, and one form of 
  Science equal to your ranks in this power 
  instead of half your ranks.
  • Utility Belt: You have a knack for 
  bringing the right invention along on 
  with you. If a villain drops you into a 
  shark-filled tank, you just so happened 
  to have your canister of shark repellent 
  on hand. With this extra, you never have 
  to determine the items you carry with 
  you. Instead, you can pull an invention 
  from your pool of designs and spend 
  the points from your pool on the fly. In 
  essence, you reach into your utility belt 
  and happen to have the item you need. 
  You can use this ability only with items 
  that are no larger than a pistol. Note 
  you can use the gadget design rules to 
  make collapsible or micro-sized items 
  you can carry with you. The additional 
  cost balances the benefits you gain from 
  designs with this extra.
  SPONTANEOUS INVENTOR
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You are skilled at using mundane items to 
  produce highly effective gadgets and gear. 
  Using baling wire, duct tape, circuit boards, 
  and a TV, you could produce a laser rifle, a 
  hologram projector, or some other gadget.
  If you have sufficient raw materials on 
  hand, you can produce an item duplicating 
  a single gadget or piece of high tech gear 
  with a point cost equal to half your ranks. 
  This item lasts for a short time before its 
  jury-rigged construction fails. The TV you 
  use to project an illusion burns out from 
  the strain placed on it, or your crude laser 
  pistol’s barrel melts. The items you make 
  require attention, care, and constant 
  upkeep. As soon as you use this ability to 
  make something else, the previous item 
  stops working. It lasts only one hour after 
  you begin work on another item. 
  The time needed to create an item depends 
  on its total point cost. It takes 10 minutes 
  per point to complete the item. In addi-
  tion, you must make a power check with 
  a DC equal to 10 + the item’s total power 
  point cost. If you fail, the items gathered 
  are not sufficient to complete the design. 
  The GM can assign a bonus or penalty to 
  this check depending on the applicabil-
  ity of the materials you have. As a rule of 
  thumb, this modifier should range from +5 
  to –5. Your GM can rule you have enough 
  material to automatically succeed. He can 
  also decide you simply lack the raw materi-
  als needed.
  Your invention cannot have any power 
  with a rank greater than your Spontaneous 
  Inventor rank.
  You also gain a bonus on Repair checks 
  equal to half your power rank (rounded 
  down).
  Note the Device flaw has already been 
  factored into Spontaneous Inventor and 
  cannot be applied to it again.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Technological Mastery: Pick a single 
  gadget power. When producing items 
  using that power, reduce their total cost 
  by 2 points.
  EXTRAS
  • Technological Genius: In addition to 
  your talent for invention, you also have 
  thorough training in scientific and tech-
  nological fields. You gain ranks in two 
  Science skills of your choice equal to 
  your ranks in this power.
  • Talented Inventor: When you build a 
  gadget, you can spend points on it equal 
  to your ranks in this power. Normally, 
  you gain points equal to only half your 
  ranks.
  • Versatility: You have a knack for turn-
  ing even the most useless items into a 
  finely honed machine. You can multiply 
  the time needed to produce an item by 
  10, but never fail an attempt for lack of 
  resources. As long as you have something 
  to work from, even coconuts or bamboo, 
  anything is possible. If you choose not 
  to take the added time to produce an 
  item, you can make a power check and 
  take the listed time as normal.
  REVISED POWER
  GADGETS
  Cost: 1
  Action: None
  Range: Personal
  Duration: Continuous
  You have the ability to come up with the 
  right device for any situation. You can allo-
  cate your ranks in Gadgets and use a half 
  action to produce any item or invention 
  you need. This piece of equipment can cost 
  up to 2 times your ranks in this power and 
  lasts until you choose to create another 
  gadget. You become fatigued when you 
  create a new gadget unless you spend a 
  Hero Point. GMs may wish to require you 
  to spend a Hero Point to use the gadget 
  rather than applying a fatigue result, 
  depending on the device’s special effects.
  Note the Device flaw has already been fac-
  tored into Gadgets and cannot be applied 
  to it again.
  NEW POWER STUNTS  
  AND EXTRAS
  POSTCOGNITION
  POWER STUNT
  • Read Opponent: If you succeed in 
  a power check against an opponent’s 
  Defense, he must make a Will save with 
  a DC equal to your power check. If it 
  fails, you gain a temporary insight into 
  the target’s fighting style in the form of 
  a +1 bonus to attack rolls and defense 
  against that opponent until the end of 
  the encounter.
  EXTRA
  • All Knowing: You can use your ability 
  to read the past to seek out information 
  or knowledge concerning a particular 
  subject. You can make any Knowledge 
  
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  PAGE 119
  or Science check using half your ranks 
  in this power as your ranks in the appro-
  priate skill. Using Postcognition in this 
  manner taxes your intellect and requires 
  tremendous concentration. It takes an 
  hour to use your power in this manner, 
  and you cannot take 10 or take 20 on 
  the subsequent skill check.
  SUPER-INTELLIGENCE
  POWER STUNTS
  • Mathematical Genius: While a mun-
  dane person with an affinity for math 
  can do simple sums, multiplication, and 
  division in his head, you can crunch 
  through massive quantities of large 
  numbers. You compute square roots, 
  work through quadratic equations, and 
  otherwise complete any mathematical 
  operation that can be normally com-
  pleted with a calculator or computer. You 
  can process a math problem of any kind 
  as fast as a top of the line computer.
  • Eidetic Memory: You have perfect, 
  photographic memory. You can recall the 
  smallest details of things you have read, 
  places you have visited, and people you 
  have met.
  • Speed Reader: You can absorb entire 
  books worth of information in a matter 
  of moments. You can read a volume in 
  1% of the time it would take a normal 
  person.
  EXTRAS
  • Expert: Pick a single skill based on an 
  ability other than Intelligence. You gain 
  your Super-Intelligence bonus when 
  using it due to your intense training and 
  study of methods used with it.
  • Master Linguist: For each rank in 
  Super-Intelligence that includes this 
  extra, you are fluent and literate in an 
  additional language.
  FLAWS
  • Idiot Savant: Your Super-Intelligence 
  bonus only counts towards Knowledge 
  and Science skill checks. You do not gain 
  it for general Intelligence checks or for 
  other Intelligence-based skills.
  SUPER-WISDOM
  While super-human insight and awareness 
  might seem better suited to a martial art-
  ist, gadgeteers and inventors who work 
  with mystical devices might find this power 
  useful. Super-Wisdom denotes an inhuman 
  willpower and the ability to perceive things 
  that escape the typical person’s notice. It 
  makes an excellent fit for heroes who use 
  magical powers or devices as well as people 
  who are hyper-aware of their surroundings 
  and are able to interpret information as 
  quickly as they perceive it.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Intuitive Awareness: Your uncanny 
  ability to perceive your surroundings 
  allows you to gain insight into the peo-
  ple you met and the places you visit. As 
  a full action, with a successful power 
  check (DC 20), you can gain a keen 
  insight into your current situation that 
  grants you a +1 bonus to all attacks and 
  checks for the rest of the current encoun-
  ter. You might notice something about 
  the layout of the area that gives you an 
  advantage in a fight, or you may gain 
  an intuitive sense of a person’s mood 
  during a negotiation.
  • Mystic Sight: Your keenly honed senses 
  can detect the presence of magical 
  auras. You see them without any special 
  effort, allowing you to note enchanted 
  items, people who have abilities with 
  the mystical power source, and so on.
  TELEPATHY
  A hero who develops an intellect extending 
  far beyond the normal, human limits might 
  have gained his abilities through muta-
  tion, intense training to improve his mind, 
  or some form of super evolution. The same 
  processes might also grant telepathic abili-
  ties. In many comics, super-evolved humans 
  are depicted as gaining prodigious psychic 
  powers, making Telepathy a logical choice 
  for such heroes.
  POWER STUNTS
  • Psychic Bond: You can forge a deep, 
  intuitive link with a willing ally by con-
  centrating for 5 minutes. While the two 
  of you are linked, you gain a +3 bonus to 
  hit if the two of you flank an opponent 
  rather than +2. You can also choose to 
  act on the lower of your two initiative 
  scores. In this case, you gain a +1 bonus 
  to hit if you both attack or target the 
  same opponent with powers and effects. 
  Finally, you each gain a +1 bonus to Spot 
  and Listen checks as you draw on each 
  other’s senses. You can only create and 
  maintain one Psychic Bond at a time and 
  it lasts as long as you sustain it.
  • Transmit Knowledge: You can trans-
  fer some of the knowledge you possess 
  to a person with whom you’re actively 
  using the Telepathy power to contact. 
  This transference lasts for as long as 
  you sustain contact. You can transfer 
  one of your skill ranks to your target 
  per Telepathy rank. The recipient uses 
  these ranks as normal, though you may 
  not use them while you’re transmitting 
  knowledge.
  NEW SUB-SKILLS
  KNOWLEDGE SUB-SKILLS
  • Culture: This version of Knowledge 
  reflects familiarity with how a particular 
  nation or ethnic group conducts itself. 
  This includes etiquette and similar rules 
  governing everyday interactions. You 
  select one culture as the primary basis 
  for this skill. When using it with other 
  cultures on the same planet, you suffer 
  a –2 penalty on checks. For cultures on 
  different planets, the penalty is –4. For 
  those found on other dimensions, the 
  penalty becomes –6. While you might 
  not have direct contact with these cul-
  tures, you can draw on many of the 
  general trends of civilized discourse to 
  make an educated guess or approxima-
  tion. You can add a new category to this 
  skill by spending 1 power point.
  • Current Events: You have a grasp on 
  important news and events that took 
  place during your lifetime. You can 
  only use this skill to reflect events on 
  your home planet or the place you have 
  called home for at least one month. If 
  you travel to a different world and then 
  return home, you need to spend a week 
  taking in the latest news. Until then, you 
  suffer a –2 penalty to your checks.
  
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  0.00120.01
  • Geography: You have an understanding 
  of the layout of natural terrain, cities, 
  and even highways. You can find the 
  nearest gas station when on a highway 
  or when driving around a city by look 
  at the businesses nearby and studying 
  the layout of streets. When dealing 
  with alien landscapes or cultures on 
  other planets or different dimensions, 
  you suffer a –2 penalty to this skill.
  • History: This sub-skill covers events and 
  people beyond the scope of your life-
  time or 25 years, whichever is shorter. 
  You have a general knowledge of criti-
  cal episodes from your home world’s 
  history, and with some thought or 
  research you can uncover specific facts.
  • Occult: From magical practices to folk-
  lore and traditions, you have a working 
  knowledge of the various bodies of 
  knowledge dealing with spells, extra-
  dimensional beings, and other strange 
  events. This skill works the same even 
  on other worlds and dimensions, as 
  magic remains the same unless your 
  GM rules otherwise. In a world where 
  magic does work in markedly different 
  manner, you suffer a –2 penalty to your 
  checks.
  • Religion: You have studied a broad 
  range of religions, from Christianity, 
  Judaism, Islam, and other sets of 
  beliefs. As a rule of thumb, any reli-
  gion practiced in the modern world 
  falls into this category. Other faiths are 
  categorized under Knowledge (occult). 
  You can use this skill on alien worlds 
  at a –2 penalty. Many of the principles 
  of religion follow familiar patterns, but 
  unique cultural and psychological dif-
  ferences make it difficult to gain the 
  full benefit of your skill.
  • Science: This sub-skill does not cover 
  the specific knowledge included in the 
  Science skill. Instead, it reflects famil-
  iarity with the people, advances, and 
  commercial applications surrounding 
  scientific development. For example, 
  this skill would apply to your ability to 
  recall a specific scientist or to remember 
  the name of a company that developed 
  a man-portable laser weapon.
  • Trivia: You have a deep knowledge 
  and appreciation of pop culture, hob-
  bies, and fringe activities. This sub-skill 
  applies in most cases where none of 
  the others fit a question or check. You 
  cannot use this skill on an alien planet 
  unless you have spent at least a month 
  living there on a full-time basis while in 
  contact with its popular culture, TV pro-
  gramming, or similar facets.
  SCIENCE SUB-SKILLS
  • Archaeology: This Science sub-skill 
  covers the investigation and study of 
  ancient cultures. You know how to orga-
  nize a dig, and you have a knowledge 
  of the cultures and traditions of civiliza-
  tions that have passed into history.
  • Biology: You have studied the basic 
  components if life and understand 
  anatomy. This Science skill also includes 
  genetics, xenobiology, botany, and all 
  other similar topics related to living 
  creatures.
  • Chemistry: You know how elements 
  and chemicals interact. In a labora-
  tory setting, you can conduct tests to 
  determine the nature and origin of an 
  unknown substance.
  • Engineering: This skill covers a broad 
  range of subjects, from building a 
  bridge to designing an engine. As a 
  rule of thumb, engineering applies to 
  any machines or artifacts built by an 
  intelligent being. You can also judge 
  the structural integrity of a building, 
  bridge, or similar edifice.
  • Geology: From the study of rocks, min-
  erals, and metals to the analysis of 
  earthquakes, landslides, and similar 
  catastrophic events. You can also use 
  this skill to navigate a cave or deter-
  mine if it is structurally sound.
  • Mathematics: With this skill you can 
  use advanced math, such as calculus, 
  differential equations, and so on. You 
  might need the help of a computer or 
  an hour or so to solve a problem, but 
  you have the educational background 
  needed to utilize such techniques.
  • Physics: You understand the basic, physi-
  cal laws of the universe and many of the 
  highly advanced, theoretical ones. From 
  the physics of stars and galactic cultures 
  to quantum mechanics, you have broad 
  grounding in the physical sciences.
  • Psychology: You have studied the func-
  tion of the human mind, allowing you 
  to gain insight into inner workings of 
  a patient’s personality. You understand 
  how people work and can draw connec-
  tions between their actions and their 
  internal, mental processes. You can only 
  use this skill in cases regarding your 
  own species or those that you have had 
  extensive contact with.
  APPENDIX II:
  ARCHETYPES
  The following pages present five new Mutants & Masterminds character archetypes, like the archetypes found on pages 11–17 of the 
  rulebook. Each archetype is built as a starting power level 10 character based on 150 power points and features material presented 
  in this book. The archetypes offer examples of how to use some of the ideas (new feats, powers, and so forth) found in this book. You 
  can use the archetypes as ready-made heroes or villains, depending on the background details you create for them. You can also use 
  them as a starting point for new characters; just modify a few skills, feats, or powers, and you’ve got an entirely new variation on the 
  archetype for your game.
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  APPENDIX: ARCHETYPES
  SECTION SEVEN
  0.00121.01
  PAGE 121
  14 16 14 14 18 18
  CHA
  +2
  +8
  MELEE
  ATTACK BONUS
  DAMAGE
  SAVE
  WIS
  +2
  +3
  +4
  WILL
  SAVE
  REFLEX
  SAVE
  FORTITUDE
  18/15
  DEFENSE
  (FLAT-FOOTED)
  SAVE
  INT
  CON
  DEX
  STR
  +2
  +3
  +2
  +2
  +4
  +4
  Melee: +1S/reach 5’/crit 20, punch
  Ranged: +5S/range 50’/crit 20, weapon
  ATTACKS
  THE  AGENT
  POWER LEVEL 10
  Heroic Surge, Improved Initiative.
  FEATS
  TOTALS: ABILITIES 62 + SKILL 35 + FEATS 4 + POWERS/EQUIPMENT 49 = TOTAL 150 PP.
  AA
  A
  lthough the Agent has no “super-powers” as such, it would be a 
  mistake to write her off or otherwise assume she isn’t a match 
  for super-powered opponents. While she may not be able to fly 
  or ignore gunfire, she has a wide range of talents and a selection of 
  equipment to match. The Agent’s specialty is stealth: going where 
  she shouldn’t be to find out things she isn’t supposed to know. Given 
  time, she can find out all of a target’s secrets, and use them to her 
  advantage. The Agent is the ideal member of a team to infiltrate a 
  target’s headquarters, scout out the area, and disable the defenses 
  for her teammates. She’s also quite effective at working behind the 
  scenes. While flashier characters grab all the attention, the Agent 
  gets the job done.
  5
  HERO
  POINTS
  "007? don't make me 
  laugh, Darling."
  QUOTE:
  Invisibility +5 [Extras: Super-Skill (hide), Super-Skill (move 
  silently); Flaws: Device; Power Stunts: Extra Sense (hearing); 
  Cost: 3 pp; Total: 17 pp], Telescopic Sense (hearing) +5 [Extras: 
  Area, Recording, Super-Skill (listen); Flaws: Device; Cost: 3 pp; 
  Total: 17 pp], Tracking +5 [Extras: Disguised; Flaws: Device; 
  Power Stunts: Stealthy Tracker; Cost: 2 pp; Total: 12 pp], Weapon 
  +5 [Cost: 1 pp; Total: 5 pp].
  EQUIPMENT
  Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +7, Hide +8 (from 
  Invisibility), Listen +9 (from Telescopic Sense), Move Silently +8 
  (from Invisibility), Open Lock +8, Sense Motive +9.
  SKILLS
  30
  SPEED
  (RUNNING)
  +9
  RANGED
  ATTACK BONUS
  +7
  BONUS
  INITIATIVE
  
  SECTION SEVEN
  APPENDIX: ARCHETYPES 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 122
  0.00122.01
  10 12 12 18 14 10
  CHA
  +1/+10
  +4
  MELEE
  ATTACK BONUS
  DAMAGE
  (PROTECTION)
  WIS
  +11
  +3
  REFLEX
  SAVE
  FORTITUDE
  SAVE
  INT
  CON
  DEX
  STR
  +5
  RANGED
  ATTACK BONUS
  +1
  INITIATIVE
  BONUS
  +0
  +1
  +1
  +4
  +2
  +0
  THE  INVENTOR
  POWER LEVEL 10
  N
  eed gizmo capable of tracking faint exotic background radiation across an entire city so you can find an alien bomb before it 
  wipes a million people off the map? No problem. Want a gun able to neutralize a villain’s cosmic levels of power so you can take 
  him on without getting fried? Sure thing. Power nullifying manacles? Virtual reality cyber-suit? Interdimensional wormhole? All 
  no problem for the Inventor. He’s the super-genius everyone else comes to for technological solutions to their problems, and he’s more 
  than willing to provide them, as long as it doesn’t cut into his own research time. Given a little time, the Inventor can come up with 
  almost anything. He’s most effective in a well-stocked lab, but can work wonders in the field with just some simple equipment. The 
  trick is usually to keep things together long enough for him to pull another technological marvel out of his hat.
  TOTALS: ABILITIES 34 + SKILLS 0 + FEATS 8 + POWERS/EQUIPMENT 108 = TOTAL 150 PP
  AA
  Protection +10 [Extras: Amazing Save 
  (Fortitude); Flaw: Device; Cost: 2 pp; 
  Total: 20 pp].
  EQUIPMENT
  *Note: Skill modifiers from Scientific Genius and optional subskill rules are 
  included in the skill rank totals. Skill ranks add up to +27, but the bonus is limited to 
  +14 due to the Power Level and Max Skill Rank rules (see Mutants & Masterminds page 20).
  "If I can just increase the 
  capacity of the interface..."
  QUOTE:
  AA
  *Note: Skill modifiers from Scientific Genius and optional subskill rules are 
  included in the skill rank totals. Skill ranks add up to +27, but the bonus is limited to 
  +14 due to the Power Level and Max Skill Rank rules (see Mutants & Masterminds page 20).
  +4
  WILL
  SAVE
  14/13
  DEFENSE
  (FLAT-FOOTED)
  30
  (LEAP)
  SPEED
  HERO
  5
  POINTS
  Scientific Genius +10 [Extras: Clever Inventor (x2; 
  Effect: Invention pool 80 pp, 30 pp on hand), Utility 
  Belt; Power Stunts: Frenetic Worker; Cost: 4 pp; 
  Total: 42 pp], Spontaneous Inventor +10 [Extras: 
  Technological Genius (chemistry, physics);  Cost: 
  2 pp; Total: 20 pp], Super-Intelligence +10 [Power 
  Stunts: Eidetic Memory, Mathematical Genius, Speed 
  Reader;  Cost: 2 pp; Total: 26 pp].
  Expertise, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (science).
  POWERS
  FEATS
  Science +27* (biology, chemistry, geology, mathemat-
  ics, physics, robotics).
  SKILLS
  Melee: +0S/reach 5’/crit 20, gadget
  Ranged: +10S/crit 20, gadget
  ATTACKS
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  APPENDIX: ARCHETYPES
  SECTION SEVEN
  0.00123.01
  PAGE 123
  12 18 14 10 10 10
  CHA
  +2/+8
  +11
  MELEE
  ATTACK BONUS
  DAMAGE
  (PROTECTION)
  WIS
  +2
  FORTITUDE
  SAVE
  INT
  CON
  DEX
  STR
  +15
  RANGED
  ATTACK BONUS
  +4
  INITIATIVE
  BONUS
  +1
  +4
  +2
  +0
  +0
  +0
  THE  SNIPER
  POWER LEVEL 10
  Protection +8 [Extras: Flight; 
  Power Stunts: Blindsight, 
  Radio 
  Broadcast, 
  Radio 
  Hearing; Flaws: Device; Cost: 
  2 pp; Total: 22 pp], Weapon 
  +10 [Extras: Targeting Scope, 
  Telescopic Sight (sight); Cost: 
  3 pp; Total: 30 pp].
  EQUIPMENT
  TOTALS: ABILITIES 52 + FEATS 16 + POWERS/EQUIPMENT 82 = TOTAL 150 PP.
  AA
  Marksman +6 [Cost: 5 pp; Total: 30 pp]. 
  POWERS
  Accurate Attack, Far Shot, Multishot, Point Blank 
  Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Ricochet Attack, Quick 
  Draw.
  FEATS
  Melee: +1S/reach 5’/crit 20, punch
  Ranged: +10S/100’ range/crit 20, weapon
  ATTACKS
  "One shot. One Kill."
  QUOTE:
  S
  ilent, deadly, efficient, the Sniper strikes from the shadows and his tar-
  gets never know what hit them—whether they’re criminals beyond the 
  reach of the law or people with hefty prices on their heads. Although incredibly 
  effective in ranged combat in general, the Sniper prefers to strike from surprise: one shot to take 
  a target down. When things don’t go as planned, he’s likely to slip away so he can set up another 
  shot. He only fights when he has to, but even then he’s a foe to be reckoned with. No one’s accuracy or skill 
  is greater, and if you doubt that, he’s more than willing to prove to you. Even lacking any real super-powers, 
  a Sniper is capable of taking out powerful targets, especially when given the opportunity to line up a shot. 
  The Snipers may even seek out such targets for the challenge of proving he can take down anyone he gets 
  in his sights.
  +4
  REFLEX
  SAVE
  +0
  18/14 30/50
  5
  (FLIGHT)
  POINTS
  (FLAT-FOOTED)
  SAVE
  WILL
  DEFENSE
  SPEED
  HERO
  
  SECTION SEVEN
  APPENDIX: ARCHETYPES 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 124
  0.00124.01
  10
  "POWER CELLS AT FULL...
  lOCKED AND LOADED!"
  QUOTE:
  10 10 16 14 10
  CHA
  +0/+10
  +6
  MELEE
  ATTACK BONUS
  DAMAGE
  (PROTECTION)
  WIS
  +0
  +0
  REFLEX
  SAVE
  FORTITUDE
  SAVE
  INT
  CON
  DEX
  STR
  +8
  RANGED
  ATTACK BONUS
  +0
  INITIATIVE
  BONUS
  POWERS AND DEVICES
  +0/+10
  +0
  +0
  +3
  +2
  +0
  ATTACKS
  THE  WARMACHINE
  POWER LEVEL 10
  Equipment: Protection +10 [Extras: Datalink, Energy 
  Blast (Extras: Heads Up Display, Indirect Fire, Multifire; 
  Power Stunts: Gas Venting), Flight, Leaping, Super-
  Strength (Power Stunts: Shockwave); Power 
  Stunts: Concealed Weapon, Darkvision, Hard 
  Point, Point Blank Shot, Stable Firing Mount, 
  Voice Modulator, Weapon Focus (energy blast), 
  Weapon Specialization (energy blast); Flaws: 
  Anchor Weight, Device, Overbearing Load; 
  Cost: 9 pp; Total: 110 pp].
  Melee: +10S/reach 5’/crit 20, punch
  Ranged: +10S/reach 100’/crit 20, energy blast
  +0
  WILL
  16/16
  DEFENSE
  15/25
  SPEED
  5
  HERO
  SAVE
  (FLAT-FOOTED)
  (LEAP)
  POINTS
  L
  ike a modern knight, the War-
  Machine comes armed and armored 
  for battle. Outside his powered armor, 
  he (or she) is just an ordinary person, but 
  inside, the War-Machine lives up to his name: a 
  walking tank with the power to match. Unlike the 
  Battlesuit archetype (Mutants & Masterminds), the 
  War-Machine is built for heavy combat. It has stealth and 
  movement capabilities, too, allowing it to get around 
  more easily than any armored vehicle. A single soldier 
  can wield all power of an entire batallion, enough 
  to even take on super-powered foes. In fact, the War-
  Machine may be a soldier, whether working for the 
  government, or a rogue who took the experimental armor 
  and never looked back. Perhaps a government program is look-
  ing to create armored soldiers who can take on supervillains, or 
  even preparing for the day when superheroes go rogue...
  TOTALS: ABILITIES 40 + EQUIPMENT 110 = TOTAL 150 PP.
  AA
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  APPENDIX: ARCHETYPES
  SECTION SEVEN
  0.00125.01
  PAGE 125
  20 16 20 10 12 10
  CHA
  +13
  +9
  MELEE
  ATTACK BONUS
  DAMAGE
  SAVE
  WIS
  +11
  +3
  +1
  WILL
  SAVE
  REFLEX
  SAVE
  FORTITUDE
  19/16
  DEFENSE
  (FLAT-FOOTED)
  SAVE
  INT
  CON
  DEX
  STR
  +7
  RANGED
  ATTACK BONUS
  30
  SPEED
  (RUNNING)
  Computers +9, Disable Device +9, Repair +5, Science (cyber-
  netics) +4, Spot +4
  SKILLS
  +5/+11
  +3
  +5/+11
  +0
  +1
  +0
  Melee: +9/+11S damage/5-ft. reach/crit 20, punch
  Ranged: +8/+8L damage/40-ft. increment/crit 20, blast
  ATTACKS
  THE  CYBORG
  POWER LEVEL 10
  Darkvision, Durability, Immunity (disease), Point Blank 
  Shot, Precise Shot, Talented (Computers, Disable Device), 
  Toughness
  FEATS
  (all Source: Super-Science) Datalink +2 [Cost: 2pp], Energy 
  Blast +8 (laser eye) [Cost: 2 pp], Super-Intelligence +2 
  (computer brain) [Power Stunts: Mathematic Genius, Eidetic 
  Memory. Cost: 2 pp], Super-Strength +6 [Extras: Leaping, 
  Super-Constitution; Cost: 8 pp]
  POWERS AND DEVICES
  Disturbing (cybernetic parts)
  WEAKNESSES
  TOTALS: ABILITIES 52 + SKILLS 18 + FEATS 14 + POWERS 76 
  – WEAKNESSES 10 = TOTAL 150
  S
  ome people luck into super-powers: either they’re born with a genetic quirk or they 
  get hit by lightning, doused in chemicals, or bitten by some radioactive bug. Not the 
  Cyborg, he got into an accident but didn’t get any powers out of the deal, just a world 
  of hurt, and a future as a hopeless invalid, until science came along with a better offer. 
  Technology rebuilt him, better and stronger than ever before. If he lost some of his human-
  ity in the process, well, what makes a person human is really on the inside, even if some 
  of those insides are plastic and silicon. The Cyborg has a new lease on life, and intends 
  to make the most of it. He has the power to make a difference, for good or ill, and 
  intends to use it.
  "I am the best of both 
  man and machine!"
  QUOTE:
  5
  HERO
  POINTS
  +0
  INITIATIVE
  BONUS
  
  SECTION EIGHT
  INDEX 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 126
  0.00126.01
  A
  Absorption  91
  Accurate  81
  Active  44
  Addictive  44
  Additional Sense  70
  All Knowing  16
  Alternate Form  91
  Amazing Save  92
  Ammunition Types  86
  Analysis  16
  Anchor Weight  40
  Animation  92
  Apollo Smart Car  80
  Arcane Devices  37–39
  Extras  37
  Features  37
  Flaws  38–39
  Arcane Flame  37
  Arcane Lock  37
  Arcane Signature  38
  Archetypes  120–125
  Agent  121
  Cyborg  125
  Inventor  122
  Sniper  123
  Warmachine  124
  Armor  39–43, 92
  Bulldog Combat  
  Armor  42
  Defensive Abilities  42
  Extras  40
  Generic Powered  42
  Iconic Powers  42
  Jetstar All-Environment 
  Explorer  43
  Mundane  42
  Powers  40
  Powers and  41
  Sample Designs  42–43
  Assassin Sniper Riﬂe  90
  Astral Projection  92
  Atmospheric Agitator  114
  Attacking Devices  34
  Auxiliary Power  40
  Awkward Balance  82
  B
  Bag of Tricks  100
  Barbed  82
  Bazooka  90
  Biological Afﬁnity  44
  Biometrics Monitor  58
  Bionic Arm  61
  Biotech  43–45
  Extras  44
  Features  44
  Flaws  44–45
  Blending  92
  Blitz Device  112
  Bloodhound  71
  Book of the Damned  108
  Boomerang Mechanism  85
  Boost  92
  Brace  81
  Breakdown  84
  Bull’s Eye Riﬂe  104
  C
  Chaff Grenade  104
  Chrononaut Suit  113
  Clairvoyance  71
  Clever Inventor  7
  Climbing Spikes  39
  Clinging  93
  Cloak of Kings  95
  Clone Bank, Inc.  106
  Close Quarters  84
  Close Quarters Defense 
  System  40
  Combat Sense  93
  Comprehend  93
  Computers  45–58
  Actions  49–52
  Creation  45–49
  Repairing  57
  Using  49
  Computer Genius  58
  Computer Link  59
  Concealed Weapon  39
  Corrosion  94
  Corrupting Inﬂuence  38
  Cosmic Power  94
  Create Object  95
  Crew and  78
  Crown of Domination  105
  Cultivated Link  44
  Cursed  38
  Cybertech  58–61
  Extras  59
  Features  58
  Flaws  59
  Incompatible Powers  60
  Powers  59
  Sample Cybertech  60
  Cyber Ears  61
  Cyber Eyes  61
  Cyber legs  61
  Cyber Link  59
  D
  DanCorp Healing Pack  100
  Datalink  95
  Datalink Eyes  61
  Data Grabber  95
  Daunting  81
  Dazzle  95
  Deﬂection  95
  Density Control  96
  Devices
  Features  24
  Flaws  25
  Levels  19
  Power Stunts  24
  Size  22
  Device Link  59
  Devourable  44
  Dictator Ray  103
  Digital Veil  107
  Dimensional Borer  91
  Dimensional Tracker  71
  Dimension Frame  110
  Dimension Travel  96
  Disarming  81
  Disintegration  97
  Dispersed Firepower  86
  Double-Ended  81
  Dr. Farrad’s Matter  
  Replicator  95
  Drain  97
  Draining  45
  Duplication  97
  Durability Package  61
  E
  Eavesdropper  73
  Eidetic Memory  17
  Elasticity  97
  Element Control  98
  Energy Control  98
  Energy Damage  81
  Energy Field  98
  Energy Lash  97
  Energy Net  108
  Enforced Evolution  44
  ESP  98
  Eternal  37
  Expanded Knowledge  7
  Expert  17
  F
  Fatigue  99
  Faulty Sights  86
  Feats  11–12
  Jam the System  11
  Lightning Repair  11
  Monkeywrencher  11
  Resurrect Device  11
  Technical Analysis  11
  Weapon Focus  12
  Weapon Specialization  12
  Feats, Construct  12–13
  Alternate Movement 
  System  12
  Backup Power  12
  Cold Robotic Mind  12
  Conﬁgurable Chassis  12
  Fearsome Design  12
  Iron Body  13
  Organic Facade  13
  Recharge  13
  Reconﬁguration  13
  Storage Compartment  13
  Telescoping Arms  13
  Telescoping Head  13
  Tough as Steel  13
  Turn the Tables  13
  Feeding  44
  Flamethrower  90
  Flame Blade  98
  Flash Baton  95
  Flash Bomb  104
  Flight  99
  Foam Cannon  104
  Force Bubble  98
  Force Field  99
  Fragile Edge  82
  Frenetic Worker  7
  G
  Gadgets  7, 100
  Garrote  109
  Gas Venting  84
  Gate of Leng  96
  Global Satellite  
  Locksmith  98
  Goliath Ring  100
  Graviton Gun  112
  Gravity Belt  93
  Gravity Disk  96
  Growth  100
  H
  Hard Point  39
  Heads-Up Display  85
  Healing  100
  Health Package  61
  Heavy Recoil  86
  Heavy Recoil Compensa-
  tion  84
  High Quality  110
  Hook Horde  112
  Hurricane Battle Armor  109
  HYDRA Combat Suit  97
  Hypnotic Eyes  61
  INDEX
  I
  Idiot Savant  17
  Illusion  100
  Immersive  70
  Immovability  101
  Implanted  44
  Implant Rejection  59
  Independent Intelligence  21
  Indirect Fire  85
  Inﬁltration Device  114
  Inﬁltrator Suit  107
  Inhuman Appearance  59
  Intellisystem 5000  110
  Interference  72
  Intuitive Awareness  17
  Invisibility  101
  J
  JP-22 Wind Jammer  98
  K
  Karma Gauntlets  113
  Killing Hands  104
  Knowledge  13–15
  Kressler Device  106
  L
  Laced Power  82
  Laser Sight  85
  Leaping  101
  Lie Detector  73
  Limited Sensor  70
  Limited Weapon  83
  Lock System  85
  Long Barreled  86
  Loud  86
  Luck  102
  M
  Marksman  87
  Master Linguist  17
  Mathematical Genius  16
  Medallion of Kertheros  91
  Mental Blast  102
  Mental Protection  102
  Metropolis Box  107
  Microscopic Vision  102
  Mimic  102
  Mind Control  103
  Mind Seeds  112
  Mind Taser  102
  Modular  40
  Mortar  90
  Multi-Ammo  85
  Muzzle Flash  86
  Mystic Knowledge  38
  Mystic Sight  17
  
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS 
  INDEX
  SECTION EIGHT
  0.00127.01
  PAGE 127
  N
  Nanite Scout Cloud  93
  Natural Weapon  104
  Necroblade  83
  Neural Computer  58
  Neural Snake  92
  Neutralize  104
  Notice Opportunity  16
  NULL Riﬂe  90
  O
  Obscure  104
  Optic Net  110
  Overbearing Load  40
  P
  Pair  82
  Paralysis  104
  Parrying  81
  Peacemaker  114
  Penetrable  40
  Personal Scooter  106
  Phantasm Generator  100
  Phantom Suit  97
  Phase Cloak  101
  Pheromone Bracelet  109
  Physical Sculpting  58
  Plant Control  104
  Plasma Cannon  90
  Plastic Surgery  58
  Possession  105
  Postcognition  16, 105
  Powerblade  84
  Power Borer  94
  Power Circlet  110
  Power Fluctuation  82
  Power Helm  111
  Power Source  40
  Power Suit  41
  Precognition  105
  Prime Energy 
   Manipulator  103
  Probability Gun  102
  Project Crystal Ball  105
  Protection  105
  Psionic Extractor  92
  Psi Devourer  102
  Psychic Bond  17
  Psychic Buffer  91
  Psychic Leech  99
  R
  Razor Disk Launcher  90
  Reach  81
  Reactive Armor  39
  Read Opponent  16
  Rebellious  45
  Recording  70
  Recovery System  40
  Reﬂec Armor  39
  Reﬂexive Systems  
  Control  59
  Reﬂex Frame  109
  Regeneration  106
  Reincarnate  106
  Reinforced Skeleton  109
  Remote  70
  Repairing Devices  35
  Robots  61–69
  Creation  61
  Sample Robots  64–69
  Robots and Constructs
  Ares Model VII Assassin 
  Robot  64
  Gladiator Combat  
  Unit  65
  Hound Dog Security 
  ’Bot  66
  Hunter-Killer  67
  Karthasian Inﬁltrator  67
  Roaming Eye Spybot  68
  World Crusher  69
  Robot and Construct  
  Characters  8–11
  Cyborg  11
  Golem  9
  Metal Man  10
  Robot  10
  Techno-Creature  8
  Root Seeker  104
  Running  106
  S
  Sai  84
  Scatter Gun  86
  Science  13–15
  Scientiﬁc Genius  7
  Sea Rocket  111
  Secondary Attacks  90
  Sensorium  102
  Sensory Protection  106
  Serum Pack  92
  Shapeshift  107
  Shape Matter  106
  Share Tracking Sight  71
  Shields  95
  Shockwave  82
  Short Reach  82
  Shrinking  107
  Silencer  85
  Slayer  37
  Slick  107
  Slick Shoes  107
  Sloped Armor  39
  Slow  108
  Slow Fire  86
  Smart Dye  92
  Smoke Grenade  104
  Snare  108
  Sneak Suit  101
  Software  52–57
  Active Agent  52
  Active Defense  55
  Back Door  56
  Battering Script  56
  Bouncer  55
  Categories  51
  Combat Simulator  53
  Control System  57
  Crime Pattern  
  Analysis  54
  Database  55
  Data Torrent  56
  Design Tools  54
  Encryption  55
  Fail Safe  55
  Hunter-Killer  53
  Locksmith  55
  Mathematics Suite  52
  Object Analyzer  54
  Ofﬁce Suite  52
  Passive Agent  53
  Passive Defense  56
  Penetrator  57
  Programming Suite  52
  Science Suite  52
  Spyware  57
  Standard Software  
  Suite  52
  Trojan Horse  57
  Writing  58
  Sorcery  108
  Space Flight  108
  Specter Targeting  86
  Speed Reader  17
  Spellbane  37
  Sphere Shield  99
  Spinning  108
  Spirit Bond  37
  Spirit Whistler  92
  Spontaneous Inventor  8
  Spring-Loaded  85
  Spring Boots  101
  Spytech  69–73
  Designing  72
  Extras  70
  Features  70
  Flaws  70
  Powers  70
  Sample Devices  73
  Skills  72
  Stable Firing Mount  39
  Stalwart Anti-Theft  
  Device  101
  Stealthy Tracker  71
  Stiff  40
  Storage Compartments  39
  Strike  109
  Stun  109
  Sub-dermal Defense  59
  Sub-Skills
  Knowledge  15
  Science  15
  Subtle  70
  Suffocate  109
  Super-Charisma  109
  Super-Constitution  109
  Super-Dexterity  109
  Super-Intelligence  16, 110
  Super-Senses  110
  Super-Skill  110
  Super-Speed  110
  Super-Strength  110
  Super-Wisdom  17, 111
  Super Senses  90
  Swashbuckler  83
  Swimming  111
  Swinging  112
  Synaptic Integration  59
  T
  Talented Inventor  8
  Talon Wing  99
  Targeting Scope  86
  Technological Genius  8
  Technological Mastery  8
  Tech Level
  Far Future  32
  Mecha  32
  Tech Levels  20, 29–34
  Tech Specialty  7
  Tech Templates  19–20
  Advanced Tech  19
  Arcane  19
  Biotech  19
  Cybertech  20
  Mundane  20
  Primitive  20
  Telekinesis  112
  Telepathy  17, 112
  Teleportation  112
  Telescopic Sense  113
  Telescopic Sight  90
  Temperamental  86
  Temporal Displacement 
  Pistol  91
  Temporal Helix  97
  Throdar’s Stone  94
  Time Control  113
  Time Slip Frame  108
  Time Travel  113
  Tracking  71
  Tracking Bug  73
  Tracking System  86
  Transfer  113
  Transformation  114
  Transmit Knowledge  17
  Transmutation  114
  Tri-Barreled Power Gun  91
  Trick Shooter  88
  Tripping  81
  Tunneling  114
  U
  Upkeep  59
  Utility Belt  8
  V
  Vehicles  73–81
  Air Movement  75
  Damage and  78
  Defense Bonus  76
  Extras  80
  Features  78
  Land Movement  75
  Powers and  78
  Sample Vehicles  80
  Size  76
  Skills  77
  Space Movement  76
  Water Movement  76
  Versatility  8
  Visual Sensor Array  86
  Visual Sensor Suite  73
  Vulnerable Point  40
  W
  Watchdog Defensive  
  Array  96
  Weapon  114
  Weaponized Limb  61
  Weapons, Melee  81–84
  Designing  83
  Extras  81–82
  Features  81
  Flaws  82
  Power  82
  Sample Melee  
  Weapons  83–84
  Weapons, Ranged  84–91
  Designing  88
  Extras  85–86
  Features  84
  Flaws  86
  Powers  87
  Sample Ranged  
  Weapons  90
  Weapon Link  59
  Weapon Master  83
  Weapon Scanner  73
  Weather Control  114
  Willful Personality  38
  
  SECTION NINE
  LICENSE AND CONTRIBUTORS 
  GIMMICK'S GUIDE TO GADGETS
  PAGE 128
  0.00128.01
  CONTRIBUTORS
  Attila Adórjány, Art: Comicbook creator 
  and sci-fi/fantasy artist Attila Adórjány 
  was born in Canada. He spent many years 
  in Australia before returning to Canada to 
  attend OCAD. Since 1995 He has worked 
  as an illustrator, conceptual artist, graphic 
  designer and sculptor. He has worked in 
  all areas of the print and entertainment 
  industries from magazines, gaming and 
  comicbooks to film, TV and Video Games. 
  His credits include work for Dungeon 
  Magazine, Wizards of the Coast, Image 
  Comics, Udon Entertainment, White Wolf, 
  Warner Bros, Mirimax, Sony Entertainment, 
  EA Games, and BBDO. His upcoming comic 
  projects include Breathe, and the Night. 
  Attila collaborates regularly with his friends 
  Tom Fowler, Eric Kim and Ramon Perez in a 
  group called the Hive. They can be reached 
  at www.enterthehive.com. Attila’s website 
  can be found at www.600poundgorilla.
  com.
  Dennis Callero, Art: Dennis Calero has 
  contributed art and stories to Wizards of 
  the Coast, White Wolf, Marvel Comics, and 
  DC Comics. The son of a government opera-
  tive and the only living female (former) KGB 
  agent, he currently lives in the New York 
  with his lovely wife and handsome dog.  
  Hal Mangold, Graphic Designer: Hal 
  has been involved with roleplaying games 
  since he was 9 years old, and shows no sign 
  of stopping now. His graphic design skills 
  have been applied to over well over fifty 
  gaming products, and he's written material 
  for Pinnacle Entertainment Group, White 
  Wolf Publishing, Atlas Games, Twilight 
  Creations, and Green Ronin Publishing. Hal 
  resides in Alexandria, VA. 
  Mike Mearls, Game Design, Writing: 
  Mike Mearls has been a freelance RPG 
  designer since 1999. His love affair with 
  RPGs started in 1981 with the ancient blue 
  book D&D basic set. He has worked on d20 
  system products, Vampire: the Masquerade, 
  Unknown Armies, Feng Shui, and The Lord 
  of the Rings RPG. While he is neither a 
  mutant nor a mastermind, he doesn’t look 
  half-bad in a cape.
  Jake Parker, Art: Jake Parker dropped out 
  of school to pursue a career in the anima-
  tion industry, and he now works as an art 
  director for Reel FX Creative Studios. He 
  lives in Dallas with his wife Alison and 
  two children, Tate and Lucy. His freetime 
  is spent working on projects like FLIGHT 
  (www.flightcomics.com) and his website 
  (www.agent44.com) 
  Steve 
  Kenson, 
  Game 
  Design, 
  Development: Steve is the author of the 
  award-winning Mutants & Masterminds, 
  Roleplaying Game and the Freedom City 
  campaign setting, as well as a lifetime fan 
  of comic books. Steve has been an RPG 
  author and designer since 1995, having 
  worked on dozens of products. He maintains 
  a website at members.aol.com/talonmail. 
  Steve lives in Merrimack,New Hampshire 
  with his partner, Christopher Penczak.
  Jonathan Kirtz, Art:  Jonathan is a new 
  freelance illustrator in the roleplaying game 
  industry, and his current portfolio consists of 
  many images created for Green Ronin prod-
  ucts. He enjoys both black & white and color 
  work, and his website can be reached at 
  www.jonathankirtz.com. Jonathan currently 
  resides in Columbus, OH ,and consumes an 
  unhealthy amount of caffeine. 
  Jon Leitheusser, Editing: Jon edited the 
  book you’re holding and he enjoyed every 
  minute of it. He’s worked in every tier of the 
  gaming industry, plays a lot of games, and 
  reads a lot of comics. He currently lives in 
  Bellevue, Washington and works at WizKids 
  as the Director of Game Design and the 
  HeroClix Game Designer. He likes to keep 
  busy.
  Tony Parker, Art: who has worked in the 
  fields of RPG illustration, graphic novels, 
  card art and book cover art.  His work has 
  appeared in publications from Mongoose 
  Publishing, Fast Forward Entertainment, 
  RPGObjects, Kenzer & Co., Green Ronin 
  Publishing, Inner Circle games, and Black 
  Industries. He enjoys giving hugs. 
  Ramón Pérez, Art: Ramón K. Pérez was 
  born prematurely (dislikes overstaying his wel-
  come) on June 4th, 1973 to immigrants of the 
  Great White North. Ramón laid about for the 
  first three months of his life un-named (this is 
  why he responds quite well to “hey you!”) till 
  his parents agreed upon making him a “jr,” 
  Ramón for dad and Krzysztof for mum. Over 
  time little Ramón grew up (somewhat) and 
  learned many things, like what an ottoman is. 
  Though his body has never quite caught up to 
  the size of his head, luckily the size of his face 
  caught up with the size of his nose, allowing 
  him to lead a somewhat normal life.
  Kevin Stokes, Art: Kevin Stokes has been 
  published under various small press comic 
  companies along with a short series under 
  Image called Shut Up and Die!. He has 
  assisted with the inks on Batman books 
  while working on his own projects and car-
  toons for a  local newspaper. 
  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, modifica-
  tion, 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 oth-
  erwise 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 deriva-
  tive 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, depic-
  tions, 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 registered 
  trademark clearly identified as Product iden-
  tity 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 terms 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 terms of this 
  License. You must affix such a notice to any 
  Open Game Content that you Use. No terms 
  may be added to or subtracted from this 
  License except as described by the License 
  itself. No other terms or conditions may be 
  applied to any Open Game Content distrib-
  uted using this License.
  3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open 
  Game Content You indicate Your acceptance 
  of the terms of this License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consider-
  ation for agreeing to use this License, the 
  Contributors grant You a perpetual, world-
  wide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with 
  the exact terms of this License to Use, the 
  Open Game Content.
  5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: 
  If You are contributing original material as 
  Open Game Content, You represent that 
  Your Contributions are Your original creation 
  and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the 
  rights conveyed by this License.
  6.Notice of License Copyright: You must 
  update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of 
  this License to include the exact text of the 
  COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game 
  Content You are copying, modifying or dis-
  tributing, and You must add the title, the 
  copyright date, and the copyright holder’s 
  name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any origi-
  nal Open Game Content you Distribute.
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to 
  Use any Product Identity, including as an indi-
  cation as to compatibility, except as expressly 
  licensed in another, independent Agreement 
  with the owner of each element of that Product 
  Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibil-
  ity or co-adaptability with any Trademark or 
  Registered Trademark in conjunction with a 
  work containing Open Game Content except 
  as expressly licensed in another, independent 
  Agreement with the owner of such Trademark 
  or Registered Trademark. The use of any 
  Product Identity in Open Game Content does 
  not constitute a challenge to the ownership of 
  that Product Identity. The owner of any Product 
  Identity used in Open Game Content shall 
  retain all rights, title and interest in and to that 
  Product Identity.
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game 
  Content You must clearly indicate which por-
  tions of the work that you are distributing are 
  Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its desig-
  nated Agents may publish updated versions 
  of this License. You may use any authorized 
  version of this License to copy, modify and 
  distribute any Open Game Content originally 
  distributed under any version of this License.
  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include 
  a copy of this License with every copy of the 
  Open Game Content You Distribute.
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not mar-
  ket or advertise the Open Game Content using 
  the name of any Contributor unless You have writ-
  ten permission from the Contributor to do so.
  12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for 
  You to comply with any of the terms of this 
  License with respect to some or all of the 
  Open Game Content due to statute, judicial 
  order, or governmental regulation then You 
  may not Use any Open Game Material so 
  affected.
  13 Termination: This License will terminate 
  automatically if You fail to comply with all 
  terms herein and fail to cure such breach 
  within 30 days of becoming aware of the 
  breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termi-
  nation of this License.
  14 Reformation: If any provision of this 
  License is held to be unenforceable, such 
  provision shall be reformed only to the extent 
  necessary to make it enforceable.
  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document, Copyright 2000, 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc., Authors Jonathan 
  Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on 
  original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave 
  Arneson.
  Modern 
  System 
  Reference 
  Document 
  Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, 
  Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich 
  Redman, Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David 
  Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins, Rodney 
  Thompson, and JD Wiker,  based on mate-
  rial by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip 
  Williams, Richard Baker, Peter Adkison, Bruce 
  R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD 
  Wiker.
  Mutants & Masterminds, Copyright 2002, 
  Green Ronin Publishing; Author Steve Kenson.
  Algernon Files, Copyright 2004, Blackwyrm 
  Games; Authors Aaron Sullivan and Dave 
  Mattingly.
  AA
  DC
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  TP
  RP
  KS
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Super Hero Games/Mutants & Masterminds/1st Edition/Mutants & Masterminds - 1st Edition - Green Ronin - Sourcebook - Gimmicks Guide to Gadgets.pdf