New Power: Power Reserve

[Sijo]

Many character can boost their powers without extra effort or hurting themselves (which are done with Hero Dice or by Pushing in BASH, respectively) though often there is some condition to it (a special energy source, extra concentration etc.) This Power is meant to reflect that.

Alternate Name: Power Boost
Based on: any Power
Cost: 1-5 points
This Power can be used to raise the level of one other Power (chosen when the Power Reserve is acquired) by up to a number of levels equal to this Power's level. This cannot exceed existing limits (ex. Telepathy cannot be raised above 3). You can raise a Power on the same Panel you use it as long as you don't Attack (or use any other ability requiring concentration) first. The boost lasts until the user turns it off, the user is knocked out, or an opponent nullifies it (with X-Mastery for example.)
Common Enhancements: Linked (ex. to Absorption), Overcharge
Common Limitations: Situational (ex. when exposed to X), Concentration

Note: the difference between this and Gradual is that the Power does not need to start at 0.

Example: Invincible Man is battling the Jade Giant and getting his iron butt handed to him. He has Special Attack (Force Beams) level 4 but it isn't quite doing the job. He also has Power Reserve (Force Beams) level 1 /Situational: must have an electric source\. He plugs in to a live wire and fires off a level 5 blast, and hopes that's enough!

[MrJupiter]

Interesting concept, Sijo. Power Boost is sort of the Boost power, but applied to another power instead of a Stat. Because powers only cost 1 point per level, there is no need to build in a 'situational' modifier for balance (though you could add one if you wish). Since some powers go up to 10 levels (such as Teleportation and Copycat), having 5 levels for this ability is justified.

In another way, it behaves much like an enhancement, yet can have separate enhancements, limitations, and alterations applied to it, further adjusting how that named power operates when Power Boost is enacted. For instance, Power Boost 2, applied to an Armor 1 power ('tough skin'), might be Linked to Damage Aura 2 so that when this boost is activated, the hero's flesh immediately grows/manifests hardened, bone-like plates with thick, sharp spines for extra protection. The Armor power doesn't have the Damage Aura, the Power Boost power has that feature (and will cost the player 4 character points -- 2 pts for Power Boost and 2 more for the Linked enhancement).

I can't help but feel like Power Boost needs some kind of limiting factor built into it. I think that I'm worried that a power-gamer will just want to have Power Boost only as an excuse to add even more features to a power that can be called upon anytime, and all day (if needed). That's probably irrational thinking on my part because, for the most part, there are limits (maximum level for one, and the fact that many of these extras could have been just added to the target power to begin with).

Still, what if you had Power Boost as having levels 1-5, as you indicated previously, but granting 1 plus your level (up to all the maximums you described)... however, you must apply some kind of situational restriction to it (just like the normal Boost power). Power Boost 1 would grant you 2 levels to add to your Whatever power (okay, the Armor 1 power I mentioned above), but now it only activates when your character has been hit by a physical attack causing 30+ Hits in damage (or maybe your hero can only sustain it while holding their breath, or taking a Panel to consciously activate the Power Boost, or whatever).

[Sijo]

Thanks for your feedback Mr. Jupiter, it is appreciated as always. And yes, Power Reserve (I picked that name to avoid confusion with Boost) is basically extra levels bought separately so they can have their own modifiers. I feel this gives more design options.

I also considered building it like regular Boost eg. with limitations like Situational built-in, but as my comments show there are many other possible variants.

[MrJupiter]

Sorry, Power Reserve. I seen the "Power Boost" in bold, under the Alternate Name heading, and it stuck in my head. Please accept my apologies.

[Sijo]

There isn't much difference between just buying extra levels normally and with Power Reserve, except that the latter gives you the option of modifying only part of the Power.

Another example: Mercury is a Speedster with Super Running 2 and Power Reserve (Super Running) 1 with the Overcharge Enhancement ("Turbo Charge"). An emergency requires Mercury to run as fast as he can, so he activates his Reserve; the Overcharge raises its by 2 levels to 3, for a total of Super Running 5! But this only lasts for one use; then the Overcharge side effect kicks in, reducing the Reserve by 2 (to 0) meaning he no longer can use it for the rest of the scene. But at least he can still use his regular Super Running.