Basic Action Super Heroes!

This is an update to a topic I have covered before.

The Normal disadvantage is effectively two distinct ones: you are Normal either part of the time, or all of the time. I believe it should count as two, then. This is what I propose:

Normal (Updated): A character with this Disadvantage can only buy Intense Training Powers, or Powers with the Gadget Limitation. Stats above 2 and certain Advantages [such as Immortality or Unliving] are also off-limits.

Super Form (New Advantage): A character with this advantage has two forms: a Normal one (as above) and a Super Form; any superhuman ability bought must be assigned to it. Changing forms takes one Page (during which the character may attack or otherwise act normally) unless the character has Instant Change as well (see below) The difference between this and the Power Shape Shift 1 is that the latter can be any single form, not just a human form.

Super Form may be bought more than once. In this case, the Player may assign different abilities to each form. Example: Fantastic Man has an Air Form, an Earth Form, a Fire Form, and a Water Form. He buys Super Form 4 times, and assigns Invisibility to the Air form, Armor to the Earth form, Damage Aura to the Fire Form, and Ghost Form 1 to the Water Form.

Other Options:

-Instant Change allows changing between your forms in one Panel (before you attack) If you have a costume, then this Advantage also allows you to switch between sets of clothing instantly.

-An Alter Ego Advantage could represent a personality that takes over when forms are changed.

-The Disadvantage Involuntary Change would mean the character cannot control when he changes, or that something changes them against their will. Example: If Migthy Mortal is hit by Ligthning, he changes back into his normal form.

Sijo, this is brilliant! I always imagined Mr. Jupiter as transforming from a 'Normal' person to his super form (which is a near, 10' tall giant as his base mode and further growing up to 50' tall, if the situation warrants). This parsing of the Normal disadvantage into 'Normal' (still a disadvantage) and 'Super Form' (a new advantage) is perfect.

Thanks Ben!

While I see merit in the idea, what I don't get is what is "advantageous" in taking the Super Form advantage.

Let us imagine two 40-point heroes with identical powers. Hero A has Normal and Super Form, but Hero B has neither. What is the benefit to Hero A that Hero B doesn't get? There has to be something beneficial from having an Advantage. If we can brainstorm what that extra edge might be, I think we'll have something here.

Regarding having several super forms, Shape-Shifting, especially with Augmented Shifting, would probably handle that. You'd just have a pool of points that get used for different things by the different forms, and then you'd probably also have some powers that can be used by any and all of the forms outside that pool.

I originally considered making Super Form a Disadvantage, but then I wondered, "what's so bad about having powers only in one form?" Yes, it's not as convenient as having powers all the time, but what's to stop the character from simply giving up its civilian ID? For this to be a Disadvantage a special requirement of some sort, such as being able to speak, a costume, etc. would be needed.

And isn't Shape Shift 1-3 a number of specific *existing* forms? People, animals, or objects? Only SS4 would really let you mix stats and Powers freely. Sure this could still be a way to have super forms if you are say, Nightwolf, who uses SS1 to become a werewolf with specific lycanthropic powers. But turning into another human form, should not give you Powers by default because humans don't have any [and you still have to do the point-rearrangement thing]- Someone with Super Form just buys powers and assigns them to his forms at will.

I don't think Shape-Shift requires that you turn into some sort of animalistic form; that was just offered as an example. It also suggested transforming into metal, etc. as other ways it could work, but it also says "Regardless of the explanation, the power lets you rearrange your points..."

So if you had Shape-Shifting 3, you could have an Earth Form, Wind Form, and Fire Form as three separate forms. But you would need to amplify this with Augmented SHifting to get much mileage out of it; otherwise, you only slightly change your stats around. You could take some powers with limitations of Situational: Only in Earth Form, or Only in Fire Form, etc. as well; possibly putting those into a multi-power to keep the cost from being too expensive.

Regarding Super Form as a Disadvantage, I can think of something that might work. Maybe you *must* spend a certain amount of time each day in your 'Normal" form for whatever reason-- like your "normal" body only gets sleep, food, water, etc. when you consume it in that form. Or, maybe you can only spend a certain limited time in your Super Form per day (like only 5 hours a day, or only at night, etc.).

Using Super Form as an Advantage, one thing I can think of might be regressing to your Normal Form ends status conditions and restores your Hits back to max-- but you cannot transform back to your Super Form until after the scene ends.

I am liking this concept. A character like Billy Batson would have Normal and Super Form, while a character like Batman would only have Normal.

Super form could be useful in having a normal form that can interact without being noticed. Billy Batson for instance could change into Captain Marvel and fight bad guys but change back to Billy when he needs to sneak in some where or just be a fly on the wall.

In the old Shazam Saturday morning live action show Captain Marvel could only be summoned when he was absolutely needed. He had to do most of his stuff as Billy, or course that was probably because of budget constraints than anything but there you go.