So, this is an idea that I’ve been playing around with for the last couple of days. It’s genesis was essentially the question, “What if there were twists that were of a greater magnitude than even Major Twists?”
Basically, what I have in mind is a twist that would severely handicap a hero for quite some time — i.e. a whole Collection — in exchange for a very powerful but temporary effect.
Narratively, it represents a Hero pushing the limits and performing an extreme feat of power, but burning themself out in the process.
Here are a couple of examples of said long-term handicaps. They would last around six issues. The GM and player could, of course, adjust that number up or down a smidge to fit the story.
Handicaps
Burnt Out: You completely lose access to one of your Powers or Qualities.
Weakened: Reduce several of your Powers and/or Qualities by one die size.
Demoralized: Reduce all of your Status Dice by one die size.
Wounded: On each of your turns in combat, take irreducible damage equal to your Min die.
Here are some examples of beneficial effects that a hero could use in exchange for taking one of the above handicaps. They all take the form of Abilities that the Hero temporarily gains. They would last until the end of the current scene.
Benefits
Paragon Action (A): Take [Basic Action or Recover] and use your Max+Mid+Min dice.
Mass Effect (A): Take [Basic Action or Recover], targeting any number of targets in the scene. Use your Max die.
Permanent Modification (A): [Boost or Hinder] using your Max die. That mod is exclusive and permanent; it remains in play for the remainder of the scene and cannot be removed in any way.
Deus ex Machina (I): Gain a
lieutenant. Select two of the Abilities on page #88 of the Core Rulebook. The lieutenant gains those Abilities. It acts at the start of your turn.
Create Swarm (A): Create a number of
minions equal to your Max die.
Stabilize (A): Do not advance the scene tracker this round. Take
irreducible damage.
Empowered (I): Increase all of your [Power or Quality] dice by one size.
Newfound Ability (I): Gain a new
Power or Quality.
Annihilate (A): Destroy one minion or lieutenant of any die size.
Reality Control (A): On the environment’s next turn, you may choose what twist it activates and who it targets with that twist.
Double-Time (R): On your turn, you may take one additional action of any sort.
Crowd Control (A): Gain control of a number of minions in the scene equal to your Mid die.
Neutralize (A): One Villain loses access to one of their Powers or Qualities of your choice until the end of the scene. You may only use this Ability once per target.
Epitome of Perfection (R): Your may reroll any number of dice in your dice pool.
Extreme Effort (A): Boost yourself. When you use that bonus, maximize all dice used in that action.
Potent Specialty (I): Whenever you take an Action involving [Basic Action], gain a +3 bonus to that Action.
Battle Rage (I): You act as being in the Red zone for purpose of Status dice and Abilities.
Reactive Action (R): Whenever you or a nearby ally is Attacked or Hindered, you may take an Action, provided that it targets the Attacker or Hinderer.
Instantaneous Transformation (I): You may switch between available form or modes for free at any time.
Shared Minds (R): At the start of your turn, you and one nearby allied Hero may transfer any number of Powers, Qualities, and/or Abilities between yourselves.
Absorbed Essence (I): Whenever you destroy a minion or lieutenant, take its die. When you take an action, you may add any number of taken dice to the result.
Of course, I have absolutely no clue how balanced any of these options are. It is incredibly likely that several of them are game-breaking one way or another.
I just did all this as a thought-experiment — I don’t actually intend to use it in any games anytime soon.
Nonetheless, what are y’all thoughts on this? How absurdly unbalanced actually is it?