Number of Power Sets/Powers

[OppR2nist]

Are there any limits on these kinds of things? I know you usually don't see more than two Power Sets, but is it possible/reasonable to have three or more? The issue comes into play for me when a hero that's already got two Power Sets picks up another character's Gear (say if Spider-Man picks up Captain America's shield). What I see possibly happening is Spider-Man picks up Cap's shield, and uses a die from his Spider Powers, Web-Slinging, and the Vibranium-Alloy Shield. Does this work?

I haven't seen anything that puts a limit on the number of Powers in a Power Set either. Sentry seems to be the heavy hitter here with 6 in his Power of a Million Exploding Suns set.

Do these limitations exist? Can someone give me a page number in case I missed it? I'm really curious about this.

[mocachild]

treat something like that as an Asset: Captain America's Shield D12 or something of that nature.

the book just says that most characters have one power set and that some may have two. it says that having more than two is extremely rare (so technically there isn't a limit). However, picking up someone's gear isn't adding a power set it's just adding a Gear Asset/Resource that you can use.

[Mouse]

There isn't any real limit on the number of powers a given character has. You give them the powers they need, and then you stop. Although it's pretty likely to provoke funny looks and some questions, a single character could conceivably have every single power in the game.

Power sets should generally stop at two. You start to be able to add sort of ridiculous numbers of dice if you hit three or more, especially if you have some of the SFX that let you add even more (Versatile, Mulit-Power, etc). That said, you could have more than two if you had the Mutually Exclusive Limit to prevent you from using more than two at a go.

[blaster219]

a single character could conceivably have every single power in the game.

If I saw that, I'll use the quote I use in almost every similar situation. "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

[OppR2nist]

Ok, let me outline a couple of scenarios.

1) Thor couldn't possibly wield his hammer and Cap's shield as weapons in the same action, so if Thor picked up the shield, he'd have to make a choice. That much is fine.

2) Let's say there's an alternate universe where Spider-Man happens upon the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak (which, by the way, you can find a writeup for here: http://wp.me/p2gNim-70, written by yours truly). He still has his Spider-Man powers, but now he is also the Avatar of Cyttorak with the powers of the Juggernaut. He'd have three Power Sets essentially. the implications of what things would look like in that universe are staggering, but you see where I'm going. There's not any huge reason to restrict Spider-Man because of this. The Watcher could whip something up (Cyttorak's powers are mutually exclusive from the Spider abilities because Cyttorak is afraid of spiders, Peter Parker's wrists are too big to wear web-shooters, etc.), but it might feel a little wonky, especially if a player has the image of an oversized Spider-Man charging up the side of a building like a freight train.

[Mouse]

a single character could conceivably have every single power in the game.

If I saw that, I'll use the quote I use in almost every similar situation. "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

Well, yeah. My point being that there isn't anything in the rules to stop you from doing it.

1) Thor couldn't possibly wield his hammer and Cap's shield as weapons in the same action, so if Thor picked up the shield, he'd have to make a choice. That much is fine.

He could do it up as an Asset if he wanted. He'd get the benefits of both.

Or, if it was some part of the plot where Cap died, and Thor took up his shield on a long term basis, you'd just redo his Power Sets to make more sense. So he'd still have two, but the one with just Mjölnir in it would be redefined.

2) Let's say there's an alternate universe where Spider-Man happens upon the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak (which, by the way, you can find a writeup for here: http://wp.me/p2gNim-70, written by yours truly). He still has his Spider-Man powers, but now he is also the Avatar of Cyttorak with the powers of the Juggernaut.

I'd just redefine his Power Sets a bit. The web shooters would get sucked into the Set with the rest of his normal powers, and his Cyttorak powers would be the other.

That's how I'd do it anyhow.

[Doc Hydrogen]

Ok, let me outline a couple of scenarios.

1) Thor couldn't possibly wield his hammer and Cap's shield as weapons in the same action, so if Thor picked up the shield, he'd have to make a choice. That much is fine.

Totally could. As mentioned, it could be an asset. It could also be a resource or a stunt. It's a very flexible system.

2) Let's say there's an alternate universe where Spider-Man happens upon the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak (which, by the way, you can find a writeup for here: http://wp.me/p2gNim-70, written by yours truly). He still has his Spider-Man powers, but now he is also the Avatar of Cyttorak with the powers of the Juggernaut. He'd have three Power Sets essentially. the implications of what things would look like in that universe are staggering, but you see where I'm going. There's not any huge reason to restrict Spider-Man because of this. The Watcher could whip something up (Cyttorak's powers are mutually exclusive from the Spider abilities because Cyttorak is afraid of spiders, Peter Parker's wrists are too big to wear web-shooters, etc.), but it might feel a little wonky, especially if a player has the image of an oversized Spider-Man charging up the side of a building like a freight train.

Well, as per the basic game, you can have three power sets, it's just really rare. If you're Spider-Man with Juggernauts powers why would you need web-shooters in the first place? Hell, those webs are tough, but they probably couldn't hold Spider-Naut's weight while swinging. Hell, Spidey can't hold Juggs with his webbing most storylines as is.

Worst case scenario you're adding a d8 to a dice pool that already has a few d10s and d12s by having a third power set. You're also going to have to narrate how all three power sets come into play for those actions-reaction too. It's not too hard, but they won't always be a factor.

[Cam]

Extra Power Sets are generally represented as Unlockables you spend XP on, and the acquisition of them is worked into the narrative of play. You wouldn't just say "here's 10 XP for Cap's Shield, thanks" you'd have to establish that you're the current bearer of that shield and justify the Power Set.

Picking up somebody else's gear is an asset, not a free Power Set. While it's no different in the actual narrative, for the purposes of the game your hero doesn't have the Power Set for it so you don't enjoy the same benefits.

One way of looking at the game is to think of everything of significance being attached to a die or some other trait. If something doesn't have a die or trait, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means it doesn't bring anything to the resolution of actions and reactions. If you'd like something to be established in the game, use the tools of the game to create it that way (using PP for stunts or resources, effect dice for assets or complications, XP for new Power Sets, Distinctions, Specialties, or power traits).

Cheers,
Cam

[MidnightBlue]

So basically, just because you are holding Cap's shield, doesn't mean that you also pick up the years of training and familiarity that Cap has invested into that gear.

You probably won't get as much out of having the shield as Cap does. For him it's an extension of his body. For character "X" it has as much usefulness as a cafeteria tray or some other object that you might hold in front of you to block something...if you can even manage the skill to block the incoming attack.

Makes sense.

[OppR2nist]

Thanks for the input, Cam, and everyone else.

I was considering the idea that somebody picking up Cap's shield wouldn't necessarily have the training to use it at d12 efficiency. Looking at it from that perspective, I'd probably let the player use an action to create the shield as an asset.

I'm guessing by the rules that there's no way to add a Power Set, really. I see that you can spend 15xp to trade one for another. I guess if Spider-Man became Your Friendly Neighborhood Unstoppable Force, the player would have to spend the xp and give up his Web-Slinging. Am I right?

Admittedly, Spider-Man as the Juggernaught swinging through the city could be a ridiculous example, but let's say Wolverine gains a Venom/Carnage Symbiote. He wouldn't need to lose Powers necessarily, but then there'd be this other layer. I'd even make the player shell out 15xp for it, but I don't know how I or the player could explain Wolverine losing his mutant abilities or his skeleton.