Mutants and Masterminds-alternate power

[Daz]

I'm just getting into mutants and masterminds, and I am fairly confused about the alternate powers feat. How does it work? what are the advantages/disadvantages that it provides?

 

[Sketchpad]

In a nutshell, APs are bought as Feats (1pp) and may be any power that costs the same as the base power. So, taking a Blast 10 (20pp) an AP: Snare 10 (20pp) would actually only cost 21pp total (20 for the base power + 1 for the AP). APs are used instead of the main power (unless you have Dynamic APs, which then draw off the same pool of pts in combinations).

 

[MatthewJHanson]

The main disadvantage is that you cannot alternate powers in the same round that you use the main power, so for example putting blast as an alternate power to forcefield is probably a bad idea (because you drop your forcefield for a round every time you shoot a blast).

 

[Daz]

Thanks a lot. I have a couple other questions though.

1. How do you figure out the base speed for a hero with the super speed or time control powers?

and

2. would it be okay to adjust the heavy handgun so that it did +5 damage and had a 19-0 critical if I increased the cost to 10 points?

 

[ValhallaGH]

1. How do you figure out the base speed for a hero with the super speed or time control powers?

The Time and Value Progression chart around page 71. Start at the value 10 and move one line further down the chart for each power rank after the first. That's the character's base speed in mile per hour. Multiply this number by 10 to get the number of feet per round that is their base speed (approximate).
So a character with Super Speed (or Time Control) 5 would have a speed of 250 mph, or 2 500 feet per round. As a move action.

2. would it be okay to adjust the heavy handgun so that it did +5 damage and had a 19-0 critical if I increased the cost to 10 points?

Not really, because at that point it is better than the blaster pistol for the same cost. It should probably be 11 equipment points if you're going to make it that nice. But, it's your game so do what you want to do.

Though I don't know why the character isn't simply using a Blast power (maybe from a device) instead of buying a Hand Gun of Doom!

 

[Daz]

Thanks. The handgun was motly for style purposes (my character was a super hunter who became one of the enemy in a tragic accident). I didn't want him to have very many powers. I changed the concept around a little, so now he fights in melee. Thanks anyway though!!!

 

[ValhallaGH]

Thanks. The handgun was motly for style purposes (my character was a super hunter who became one of the enemy in a tragic accident). I didn't want him to have very many powers. I changed the concept around a little, so now he fights in melee. Thanks anyway though!!!

Well, he could still fit the concept and have a device (Gun) that does a lot more damage than a normal gun. It's just a custom made, super-powerful weapon for killing super powered beings.
So he might have a weapon similar to a Bolter from warhammer 40k.

Heck, that's how all the guns were statted up, as generic devices with the blast power.

This works equally well for a melee character. He might have something very exotic like a lightsaber, chain sword, or power sword; very powerful but just another tool in his aresenal, as far as he is concerned.

Good Luck!

 

[Krolik]

2. would it be okay to adjust the heavy handgun so that it did +5 damage and had a 19-0 critical if I increased the cost to 10 points?

There is nothing wrong with fiddling with the basics to create exotic Equipment. In this case increasing the Damage and adding Improved Critical would cost 11 Equipment Points: Blast 5, Improved Critical 1, 11 points. The important distinction is to decide when something should be built and bought as Equipment and when it should be handled as a Device.

 

[coyote6]

A pistol with +5 damage & Improved Critical might be feasible -- a large caliber pistol like a .454 Cassul or .50 AE Desert Eagle, for instance.