Mutants and Masterminds 2E (Alternative Power)

[Starsinger]

So.. Alternative Power seems really impressive, especially through Magic which has a huge list of Alternative Powers. I was putting a character together.. am I correct that each Alternative Power costs 1 point to purchase, and that the only real limitation is that I can only use one power at a time? Does this mean multiple instantaneous powers have little drawback at all?

[Dairun Cates]

So.. Alternative Power seems really impressive, especially through Magic which has a huge list of Alternative Powers. I was putting a character together.. am I correct that each Alternative Power costs 1 point to purchase, and that the only real limitation is that I can only use one power at a time? Does this mean multiple instantaneous powers have little drawback at all?

Pretty much. Although, you have to remember that the original always has to be the most expensive. It certainly can be abused, but there are limits to it. It's also generally frowned on for you to take alternate powers that have little to do with the original. Magic is flexible, but you can't exactly take "Talk to animals" as an alternate fire power. Also, since they all come from one power source, stopping that power stops ALL of them.

[Green Bean]

APs are abusable if you take too many, and just like DnD, Magic arrays will make you like Batman. Personally, the best way to build magic arrays is to take four or five APs, tops, and if necessary you can power stunt the more esoteric spells. It means you'll be Batman when the party needs you, but the rest of the time you're not overshadowing them.

[Starsinger]

APs are abusable if you take too many, and just like DnD, Magic arrays will make you like Batman. Personally, the best way to build magic arrays is to take four or five APs, tops, and if necessary you can power stunt the more esoteric spells. It means you'll be Batman when the party needs you, but the rest of the time you're not overshadowing them.

Power stunt?

[Green Bean]

Power stunt?

You can use Heroic Surge or a Hero point to temporarily gain the benefit of a power feat. This includes alternate powers.

[Starsinger]

That's nifty.. but actually the purpose in having an extensive list of alternate spells is that I didn't want to be Dr. Strange with the Deus Ex Machina spell. I wanted a codified list of what I could do.

[Dairun Cates]

That's nifty.. but actually the purpose in having an extensive list of alternate spells is that I didn't want to be Dr. Strange with the Deus Ex Machina spell. I wanted a codified list of what I could do.

If you didn't want Deus Ex Machina, you're in the wrong system. Hero points and villain points make Deus Ex Machina not only possible but necessary in major fights.

As for power-stunting being a Deus Ex Machina thing, actually, they usually more of represent powers that you don't use often that exert effort. Lina has her Dragon Slave in slayers as her signature move, but she doesn't use it often that she would necessarily take it as a standard spell. It's an extra effort back-up spell.

Edit: The point is that you don't NEED to create a list, and it's often oddly not point efficient to do so. You can save the 2-5 points by not buying the alternate powers that you may use three to four times tops.

[Starsinger]

Hrm... well then, what should I do with my excess points?

[Green Bean]

Hrm... well then, what should I do with my excess points?

Skills! Lots of fun to be the skillful one. Or, you could add to your saves, which is always helpful.

[fireinthedust]

If you didn't want Deus Ex Machina, you're in the wrong system. Hero points and villain points make Deus Ex Machina not only possible but necessary in major fights.

I don't know about that... really, as a DM i'd only allow it for situations where it was really necessary, AND the PC would have to have a particularly good reason why they're doing it: Raistlin could use a hero point to hook into a magical portal network and have a magical battle of wills with the monster inside them; he couldn't just hero point the transformation power if it wasn't on his list.

Hero Points for extra effort during a big battle should be used for things the PCs have created as a special plan; to allow them the use of a device beyond their pp limit ("okay, Batman'll fight the borg with the Enterprise, while Wolverine and Marvel girl sneak into the cube so MG can try to contact Picard with her telepathy...", the HP spent to allow the Enterprise use); to shrug off injury; to allow an extra half-action (first edition, but basically allowing another move action); or some bonus to a particular die roll.

it's not "player fiat", unless the game is Challenge of the Super Friends style (where superman turns back time and batman uses his handy-dandy shark-repellant)


Also: APs have to do with the theme of the character, like if a cyborg can power his force field or power his lightsabre/blaster, or power his sensor array. so if it fits the theme NOT the other powers, you're fine.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Yeah, thematic association of powers is key in M&M. I mean, there's nothing (besides your GM) stopping you from taking every instantaneous power in the book in the same array, really. You just have to know when enough is enough.