Basic Action Super Heroes!

In the posts on a topic thread ("Alter Ego /Shapeshift" in BASH Ultimate Edition Rules), Sunslinger mentioned using a house rule for a Super Stat power. I thought this was an interesting idea and, not to highjack the thread discussion over there decided to post this here:

HouseRulePowerIdea wrote: SUPER STAT
2 or 4 pts, Personal

This power increases one of your stats by 1 or 2 levels (at a cost of 2 or 4 points). These higher ranks in the stat are a result of your characters powers and, while open to modification by enhancements and limitations, are also vulnerable to the Copycat, Nullify, and Weaken powers. This power can be taken up to three times, but each separate Super Stat must apply to different ability (Brawn, Agility, or Mind).

I held off giving the power a 6pt version as that puts it outside the 1 to 5 range that nearly all BASH powers are constrained to fit within. Any comments on how to better word the description? Any thoughts on the ramifications of a Super Stat power? [Remember is just a house rule idea.]

hmm

could you not argue that any stat, especially brawn and agility, that are 3 or over should be vulnerable to copycat/nullify etc anyway as they're considered super human levels?

Is this for justifying levels over 5?

I would not mind having higher levels of Super Stats than 2 but that is a matter of taste I think.

Whether Copycat works on Super Stats can be debated. Regarding Nullify I think I prefer going with Weaken.

Feel free to offer it in a 6point maybe even 8 point flavor (with the explicit statement that the affected stat cannot exceed 5). There are a couple powers already that break the 5 point cap.

AngryGhost wrote:hmm

could you not argue that any stat, especially brawn and agility, that are 3 or over should be vulnerable to copycat/nullify etc anyway as they're considered super human levels?

Is this for justifying levels over 5?

In BASH, Stats and Powers are different. Some supers game would treat Mr. Incredible's (Pixar) physical might as a power, but with BASH they are treated separately. Thus, Copycat-Man wouldn't be able to touch his amazing Brawn stat. If the great strength came from Boost (Brawn), or in this case Super Stat (Brawn), then Copycat-Man could toss tanks by copying that power.

Sunslinger wrote:I would not mind having higher levels of Super Stats than 2 but that is a matter of taste I think.

Whether Copycat works on Super Stats can be debated. Regarding Nullify I think I prefer going with Weaken.

Yes, I too prefer Weaken as a Stat reducing power.

BASHMAN wrote:Feel free to offer it in a 6point maybe even 8 point flavor (with the explicit statement that the affected stat cannot exceed 5). There are a couple powers already that break the 5 point cap.

Thanks for that endorsement. I had felt it was a little out of place to offer a power that was outside the usual 1 to 5 rank range of most others. Here is the modified Super Stat description:

HouseRulePowerIdea wrote: SUPER STAT
2, 4, 6 or 8 pts, Personal

This power increases one of your stats by 1, 2, 3, or 4 levels (at a cost of 2, 4, 6, or 8 points). Levels bought with this power cannot increase a Stat beyond 5. These higher ranks in the stat are a result of your characters powers and, while open to modification by enhancements and limitations, are also vulnerable to the Copycat, Nullify, and Weaken powers. This power can be taken up to three times, but each separate Super Stat must apply to different ability (Brawn, Agility, or Mind).

I like it I particularly like that the power is effected by both weaken and nullify. I think that's a key difference to normal stats.

Also, would you allow normal if the player only had their super stats in their super form (like Captain Marvel)?

Would allow the variable advantage to change the stat effected?

Also, would you allow normal if the player only had their super stats in their super form (like Captain Marvel)?

Absolutely. I'd allow him to have it anyway, since he spends at least some of his time as an ordinary person with no powers at all. Same goes for Marvel's Thor. It also applies to people like Batman and Iron Man whose powers are the result of gadgets and training.

I've suggested that all Stats 3+ automatically be considered as powers and thus, subject to stunting and copycatting. Just makes sense (comic-book sense, I mean) to me that anyone with Brawn 5 could try the Shockwave bit or be vulnerable to the Absorbing Man. If it really mattered to a concept that the stat is NOT a power, but, rather, the norm for the charcter's species, you could add an Enhancement (called something like Inherent) for an extra point per level, specfically shielding it.

DrSamsara wrote:I've suggested that all Stats 3+ automatically be considered as powers and thus, subject to stunting and copycatting. Just makes sense (comic-book sense, I mean) to me that anyone with Brawn 5 could try the Shockwave bit or be vulnerable to the Absorbing Man. If it really mattered to a concept that the stat is NOT a power, but, rather, the norm for the charcter's species, you could add an Enhancement (called something like Inherent) for an extra point per level, specfically shielding it.

This. I've done it before in game to let a Brawn 5 guy crush coal into a diamond, etc, before.