More Power to the Citizens

While the main PARANOIA rulebook is replete with many interesting and varied powers, there is always room for adding more. Given that mutation relies upon genetic variety, and you could get much more various than the over-engineered gene pool of Alpha Complex, it seems appropriate to offer something new for your players to try, or at least for your non-playing characters to throw at them.

Time Stop

Style: Straight, Classic

The mutant is capable of temporarily stopping the flow of time for approximately 3 seconds. While the positive upshot of this might be that the mutant gets a chance to duck, dive or simply run like heck from a source of danger, the truth is more painful. Due to fancy laws of momentum, stopping everything (including planetary rotation) simply catapults the mutant in the direction the whole place was revolving in up to a moment ago. If the roll is a success (success margin 0 – 4), the mutant flies across the available space and lands awkwardly, then takes more than 3 seconds to pick himself up. If the roll is a notable success (margin 5+), the mutant tumbles and manages to half stand at the end allowing one small action before time commences once more (eg, pulling a laser pistol, ducking into a doorway). With an exceptional success (margin 10+), the mutant takes a dive and manages to regain footing, allowing enough time for a significant action (eg, pulling a gun and shooting, punching someone really hard and ducking out of the way). If the mutant fails to use the power with an competence (failed Power roll), time dilates around the mutant slowing his every action so that he is hardly able to move without it feeling like his working against a wall of treacle.

Physical manifestation: The mutant spontaneously finishes other citizen’s sentences and suffers from a weird version of deja vu that results in him expecting things to be somewhere where they won’t be for a moment or two. A fiendish GM may sprinkle Perversity points on activities that involve co-ordination, as occasionally the mutant will fire at a point three seconds ahead of his target, or make a diving grab for the MNG vase his associate isn’t planning on throwing at him just yet.

Enviro-Control

Style: Classic

While the Alpha Complex benefits from carefully monitored environmental control, this power allows the mutant to manipulate what air movement and moisture there is available to his advantage. There is enough to work with to allow a mutant (success margin 0 – 4) to cause noticeable changes in temperature or change the direction of air flow to mask smoke or smells. With greater effort (margin 5+) puddles or patches of ice can make for slick floors, condensation can haze the view through glass panels or goggles, and a sudden chill and flush of heat can be concentrated on one target. Mastery of the enviro-elements (margin 10+) makes it possible to drench a target or encrust it with ice, make thin or organic materials brittle with frost, and cause sudden pulses of air to knock unwary citizens to the floor. If the mutant attempts to exert his powers unsuccessfully, random changes in local temperature and air movement will target him direct, like a miniature hurricane or a small storm cloud hanging over his head.

Physical manifestation: The mutant has to make somewhat expressive hand movements, very nearly directing air and moisture by the gliding and flapping of his hands. If, for example, he wants the wind to punch into another citizen, then he literally needs to punch the air in front of him.

Omniresilence

Style: Classic, Zap

Under threat of damage the mutant’s skin goes through a molecular shift that quadruples it’s natural density, allowing him to shrug off damage. The result is that the dense skin layer serves as ArmorAll with a rating equal to the margin of success achieved on a Power check, divided by 4 – so a success margin up to 4 is ArmorAll 1, margin 5 – 8 is ArmorAll 2, etc. The result stacks up with any armor the mutant might already be wearing, which may assist with hiding the nature of the mutant power somewhat. While the damage fails to cause physical damage, the skin may still be dented, scraped, grazed or charred. In principle, with a massive success, the mutant might survive the secondary blast of a TacNuke, but he will be covered in raw skin and blisters from head-to-toe and will still suffer the radioactive side-effects. Failed use of this power seems to have its own penalties inherent in the use of the mutation, but as well as suffering terrible damage the mutant will go rigid and scream like a lost 4 year old.

Physical manifestation: The mutant is stiff as a board while the power is in effect, and crampy at best for a minute or so afterwards, depending on how much damage he just ignored. Negative nudges in Perversity may be appropriate during this period for any physical action.

Power Leech

Style: Straight

The mutant is able to drain other citizen’s natural power reserves, reducing their ability to use mutations and recharging his own. The roll for success should be made and the result assessed for Power usage like any normal use of a mutation – the greater the margin of success, the greater the Power loss normally. However, in this instance, the mutant gains that much Power, and the victim targeted loses an equal amount. For the victim this feels rather like a sudden sense of overwhelming fatigue, with drowsiness, aching muscles and dulled senses – and leaves them momentarily Snafued. Failure using this mutation causes normal Power loss to be doubled, and leaves the mutant Snafued for the rest of the Scene.

Power Leech has value within itself – especially for those who follow the Anti-Mutant cause; but, it also makes for a useful secondary power to another mutation. If the GM so chooses, a player may be allowed to roll for a second Mutant Power during character generation after rolling Power Leech for the first. As a result of this choice, the GM may also choose to reduce the character’s base Power attribute by between 2 – 4, depending on how useful the other power rolled is – or modify the roll based on standard evil whim.

Physical manifestation: The mutant needs to physically touch another individual to drain their Power with a contact rather like velcro (ie, pulling them apart is awkward and makes a visceral ripping sound). The mutant skin is flushed after draining another’s Power and their eyes glow around the edges, like phosphorous mascara.