So looking through the preview chapters, there seems to be a pretty big hole in the traditional comics archetypes. I'm speaking of course of the power mimic, a hero or villain who can copy or steal powers from other characters: Rogue and Mimic from the X-Men, AMAZO from DC Comics, and the like. I don't know anything about Sentinels canon, but I've heard that Guise is a sort of power mimic? If that's the case, are we going to have to wait for the Guise book to see how power mimicry works in SCRPG? How in the heck would you even represent power mimicry as a thing in SCRPG? Any help would be great, thanks.
The Wild Card Arctype has a copy ability but that would not really be enough to build an entire Mimic around
I think the other 20 printed archtypes are more classic than "Mimic"
They will be adding more options in latter books so it might be in The Guise Book or Dark Watch or future unnamed books
Setting Lore wise Guise is a short range reality warper that thinks he is a shape shifter ( he also thinks he is a comic book character )
So he could look like a dog and run and track like a dog or he could look like "that super hero over there" and do what ever that person can do
I fully expect Guise either has unique character creation that could be used to recreate him or it will be stated he chose to use the secret third option because he’s the best.
I agree that it's a missing power, but not that it's a missing archetype.
Rogue has been a Physical Powerhouse (with Ms Marvel's powers as a long term copy) or a Blaster (when she'd swapped out Ms Marvel for Sunfire).
Amazo is Robot/Cyborg.
Just add the power "power mimic" to the Self Control powers list. If I had to make specific rules for it, I'd say that to copy a power, they have to Overcome with Power Copy. Or possibly make it a Boost and link it to an Ability that says something like "Boost with Power Mimic. Use your power mimic die for the copied power. This Boost is Persistent and Exclusive."
I have a number of thoughts about a Mimic type character which I will try to articulate here (though it may take a little refinement to make something both balanced and playable).
1) I would make Mimics into an Archetype. This allows the Character to access special Abilities that will allow them to use the Powers and/or Qualities of other Heroes and Villains to create dice pools for them to use.
2) Absorption would probably be a required Power (in that they would need to assign a die brought from the previous step to this power if they don't already have it or switch the die it has for one they brought from the previous setp). I know that Absorption isn't usually used in this manner, but the taking power from another does seem to at least thematically fit, which is why I decided to use it.
3) They gain the Halmark Powers of Copy Power and Copy Quality (at least one die from the previous step must be assinged to each if possible; might allow the characters to choose at least one of these if they want to limit themselves to just powers or qualities). I have placed these into the Halmark category as it appears that all created powers fall into this category). Copy Quality is considered a Power, even though it allows you to copy another's Quality to use that die for the Quality portion of a die pool. While both Copy Power and Copy Quality will have a die assigned to them, this will represent the normal maximum they can Copy a Power or Quality at, but if the Power or Quality being copied is lower, they use that lower value.
Example: If a character had Copy Power D10 and tried to copy Absolute Zero's D12 Cold power, they would only be able to do so at D10 (the limit of their Copy Power Ability. However, if that same caracter tried to copy Headlong's D6 Speed power, they would use it at D6 since that is as powerful as they could get it from Headlong.
4) Copy Power and Copy Quality can only copy a single Power or Quality from another Hero or Villain for any single Action they perform. Switching out Powers/Qualities for others can be done at any time (It is considered Innate when the target of the Copy is within Close range, but might be considered a Reaction if they are further away). Copied Powers and Qualities are not Permanent (though a Detail Change or Rewrite of the Character could be used to justify the permanent acquisition of such powers) and will fade away at the end of the Scene.
5) The Mimic doesn't normally prevent the Hero or Villain from accessing the powers they copy, but this might be simulated through the use of a Persistent Hinder (Mimics will likely have access to an Ability that provides such an Action should they choose to take it).
It will probably take a while for me to come up with a list of Additional Powers and Qualities that a Mimic can select from (if they have any dice remaining to do so) as well as specific Abilities. Any suggestions for what you would like to see?
[quote=Shadowstripe]
3) They gain the Halmark Powers of Copy Power and Copy Quality (at least one die from the previous step must be assinged to each if possible; might allow the characters to choose at least one of these if they want to limit themselves to just powers or qualities). I have placed these into the Halmark category as it appears that all created powers fall into this category). Copy Quality is considered a Power, even though it allows you to copy another's Quality to use that die for the Quality portion of a die pool. While both Copy Power and Copy Quality will have a die assigned to them, this will represent the normal maximum they can Copy a Power or Quality at, but if the Power or Quality being copied is lower, they use that lower value.
quote] . . . . . . . . I would not make people take both. Some characters can only copy skills not powers and some characters don't understand or know how to use the powers they copy. Also they would probably be extra Green Archetype abilities not powers, possibly requiring a super short list of mandatory poweroops format error hope it's not confusing
I could see modifying the rules for a Form-Changer for a Power Mimic: You choose which powers get swapped out in place of a power the target has, you "assume that form" or rather, you powersteal with an ability to get that process started.