Mutants & Masterminds 3e - Power Profile - Sonic Powers
Mutants & Masterminds 3e - Power Profile - Sonic Powers
Mutants & Masterminds 3e - Power Profile - Sonic Powers
Sonic Descriptors
The following descriptor is key to sonic powers.
Sound: Sonic powers are based on sound, a pressure
wave transmitted through a medium like air, water,
or solid matter. The structures of the ear translate
that pressure wave into what we perceive as sound.
Sound waves travel more easily through water
than air, but need a medium to propagate, and so
do not travel at all through a vacuum (and poorly
through a thin atmosphere). The GM may take the
environment into account when considering the
effects of sonic powers, and encountering conditions
where they do not work at all may be considered a
complication (see Sonic Complications).
Because of their reliance on sound, some sonic
powers may be Sense-Dependent (Heros Handbook, page 150). However, sensory effects and
powers targeting the sense of hearing (Afflictions
like Deafening Shriek, for example) are already
Hearing-Dependent and do not qualify for the
flaw.
Sonic powers tend to be noticeableclearly
heard, if not seenand sonic effects may also cause
Sonic Features
Some potential Feature effects associated with Sonic
Powers include the following:
2
Jonathan Lotzer (order #3835472)
Offensive Powers
Offensive sonic powers use sound and vibration to inflict
damage or to deafen, stun, or otherwise inconvenience
their targets.
Buzzsaw
You vibrate your hands at a high frequency, or surround
them with a high-frequency sonic field, turning them into
powerful cutting implements.
Buzzsaw: Penetrating Damage (cutting, vibrational) 2 points
per rank.
Deafening Shriek
You hit targets with a blast of sound intense enough
to temporarily deafen them. A common variant of
this power substitutes the Burst Area or Perception
(Hearing) Area modifier for Ranged, or applies both a
Ranged and Area modifier for a power affecting an area
at a distance.
Deafening Shriek: Ranged Cumulative Affliction (Resisted
and Overcome by Fortitude; Hearing Impaired, Hearing
Disabled, Hearing Unaware), Limited to One Sense 2
points per rank.
Hypnotic song
You emit sound able to influence the minds of all able to
hear it, ranging from an enchanting song to mind-altering
hypersonics. Once the sound stops, however, the targets
quickly recover. Apply the Insidious modifier for a subliminal mind-altering sound and the Subtle modifier for an
ultrasonic signal beyond the normal hearing range. If the
effect lasts beyond the initial sound, remove the Instant
Recovery flaw.
Hypnotic Song: Cumulative Hearing Area Affliction
(Resisted and Overcome by Will; Entranced, Compelled,
Controlled), Concentration Duration, Instant Recovery 3
points per rank.
Shatter
An intense beam of ultrasound can shatter crystalline
objects and even liquefy solid matter. If Limited to only
crystalline objects, apply a 1 flaw to the power.
Shatter: Ranged Weaken Toughness, Affects Only Objects 2
points per rank.
Sonic Blast
A focused blast of sound can smash solid objects and
do considerable damage to foes. A common modifier
on this power is a Burst Area or Auditory Area extra in
place of the Ranged extra (for a blast originating from
you) or along with it, for a sonic blast that spreads
from a target point. The Cone Area modifier in place
Vertigo
Your emit sound waves that upset the inner ear, causing
dizziness and disorientation. A Burst or Cloud Area version
(replacing the Ranged modifier) is good for a close radius
effect, while an Auditory Area version (replacing both
Ranged and Hearing-Dependent) increases cost to 4
points per rank, but affects a wider area.
Vertigo: Ranged Progressive Affliction (Resisted and Overcome
by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Hearing-Dependent
3 points per rank.
Defensive Powers
Defensive sonic powers provide protection against sound
attacks and use sounds vibrational properties to shield
against physical attacks as well.
Protected Hearing
Your hearing is shielded against harmful effects, making it
easier to resist and recover from them.
Protected Hearing: Immunity 5 (harmful Hearing-Dependent
effects), Limited to Half Effect 3 points.
Sonic Absorption
You absorb the energy of incoming sound waves, converting it to enhance one of your existing traits. This power is
often coupled with a degree of Sonic Immunity (following).
Sonic Absorption: Enhanced Trait, Fades, Limited to rank of
absorbed sonic effect 1 point per 3 ranks.
Sonic Immunity
Your powers make you immune to either damage from
sonic attacks or completely immune to all sonic effects.
Immunity to Sonic Damage: Immunity 5 (sonic damage)
5 points.
Sonic Immunity: Immunity 10 (sonic effects) 10 points.
Sonic Shield
A thin field of intense vibratory energy or solid sound
surrounds your body, protecting you from harm.
Sonic Shield: Protection, Sustained 1 point per rank.
Movement Powers
Sonic powers primarily provide ways of removing obstacles
to movement, but can also provide a kind of propulsion.
Sonic Drilling
You can use sound to bore through solid material like a
vibratory drill.
Sonic Drilling: Burrowing 1 point per rank.
Sonic Flight
You are borne aloft on sound waves. This form of flight
produces a lot of noise, making it more noticeable than
usual. If you need some type of parasail or glider to catch
and reflect the vibrations to fly, apply the Platform or
Wings flaw to the power.
Sonic Flight: Flight, Noticeable 1 point for rank 1, + 2 points per
additional rank.
Sound Wave
You can transform momentarily into sound, pass through
a medium, and reform at a distant point, moving almost
instantly across up to distance rank 7 (about half a mile).
Further than that should take longer than a move action,
given the speed of sound, so the GM may wish to limit this
power to a maximum rank of 7.
Sound Wave: Teleport, Medium (sound) 1 point per rank.
Utility Powers
Sonic utility powers involve various means of enhancing,
manipulating, dampening, or canceling sound waves for
various effects.
Enhanced Hearing
You can pick up on distant sounds more easily. A common
enhancement to this power is the Penetrates Concealment effect for hearing (4 ranks), allowing you to ignore
muffling physical barriers (like walls and doors) when
making hearing Perception checks.
Enhanced Hearing: Senses (Extended Hearing) 1 point per
rank.
Phase Cancellation
A counter-wave or suppression field nullifies sonic
effects in the targeted area. As a default, this power only
nullifies sonic powers manipulating sounds or creating
sound over a certain threshold; it does not, for example,
silence all sound in the area. For that, Link the Silence
power (previously) to this one. Apply the Sustained modifier to maintain this power as a free action. If you can
only create a white sound field around yourself, apply
the Close flaw.
Phase Cancellation: Burst Area Nullify Sonic Effects,
Concentration, Simultaneous 4 points per rank.
Silence
A counter-wave or suppression field blocks out sound in
an area, leaving it completely silent. This does not necessarily nullify sonic powers in the areasee Countering
under Sonic Descriptors and White Sound, later in this
section, for details.
Silence: Burst Area Auditory Concealment Attack 6 points + 2
points per +1 distance rank to area.
Solid Sound
You can project sound as solid force fields, which you
can shape into different forms. The default version of the
power assumes the solidified sound is visible, perhaps as a
glowing or shimmering colored field. If it is invisible, apply
the Subtle modifier.
Sound Analysis
Like a sophisticated analysis program, you can break down
any sound you hear, analyzing its component elements.
Amongst other things, you can determine a sounds likely
origin, match voice-prints and other sound waves, and
possibly pull clues from background noises on recordings
or auditory broadcasts. If you have additional hearing capabilities (like Ultra-Hearing), you can take an additional
rank to apply this power to them as well.
Sonar
Sound Creatures
Sonic Form
You can transform into a being of pure sound, giving you
the ability to move through different mediums like sound
does and to strike with a powerful vibrational force. The
default version of this power assumes your sound body
is still visible. If it is not, add Concealment 4 (Visual) as well.
Sonic Form: Damage 1 (sonic), Flight 8, Immunity 10 (life
support), Insubstantial 3 42 points +1 point per +1 rank of
Damage + 8 points for Visual Concealment.
Sonic Masking
You can suppress or mask your own sound emissions,
making yourself completely silent, although the effects of
your actions can still be heard; so your footfalls and breathing, for example, are masked, but knocking over a garbage
can in an alley still creates noise when it hits the pavement.
Sonic Masking: Concealment 2 (auditory) 4 points.
Sonic Projection
You can re-create different sounds, with the difficulty of
determining they are not the original based on your rank
(Perception check, DC 10 + rank).
Additionally, you can manipulate existing sounds. In the
same way a visual illusion might change the appearance
4
Jonathan Lotzer (order #3835472)
Sound Creatures
PL8 MR5
Ultrasonic Hearing
Your hearing is sensitive to frequencies much higher than
the normal human range, allowing you to hear ultrasonic
tones like dog whistles and certain ultrasonic remote
signals.
Ultrasonic Hearing: Senses 1 (Ultra-Hearing) 1 point.
White Noise
You create countervailing noise or dampen existing
sound in the area, making it difficult to hear and impos-
Fame
Sonic powers often tie-in with performance skills like
singing, so a sonic-powered character might also be quite
famous, with or without using any powers for added
special effects! Famous characters deal with overeager
fans, stalkers, and hangers-on looking to exploit their
fame, and may encounter complications keeping their
super and civilian lives separate.
Obsession
For those who discover or invent their sonic powers rather
than gaining them by accident or birthright, a particular
obsession with the science of acoustics or the art of music
(and perhaps the mystical aspects of it) are common complications. This is particularly true for musically themed
characters with sonic powers.
Power Loss
Lacking a medium sound can travel through can effectively negate most sonic powers and count as a Power Loss
complication (see Descriptors for details).
Sonic powers can be destructive, disruptive, and distracting, and they depend on certain conditions, creating their
share of complications for users.
Accident
Rivalry
The unleashed power of things like sonic blasts and shattering waves of ultrasound can do considerable collateral
damage, shattering crystalline structures from glass to
many metals to inflicting damage on innocent bystanders.
This damage can lead to further accidents due to broken
glass, shattered containers, smashed pipes, and the like.
Sonic-powered heroes may need to demonstrate restraint
in crowded conditions or places with a lot of vulnerable
materials, such as a museum or a scientific lab.
With the association between sonic powers and performance (see Fame) a degree of rivalry between characters
with sonic powers is not unusual, particularly if they are
also artistic or professional rivals.
Sonic Complications
Disability
Given their connection to the power of speech and the
sense of hearing, sonic powers sometimes cause (or compensate for) disabilities in those areas. For example, a character endowed with powerful mutated vocal cords able to
produce sonic blasts might lose the ability to speak without
emitting dangerous sound waves! Similarly, exposure to
ultrasonics might cause damage to a characters hearing,
resulting in a sonic controller who is actually deaf or reliant
upon artificial hearing aids. Perhaps the characters sonic
powers compensate for hearing loss, but without those
powers, the character is deaf, making the Disability an occasional complication coupled with Power Loss.
Weakness
Sonic powers may lead to particular weaknesses beyond
just the Power Loss associated with being unable to emit
sound without a medium. For example, for a being made
of sound (see Sound Form), the lack of a medium might
actually be fatal rather than forcing the character out
of sound form, particularly for those with Permanent or
Innate modifiers on the power.
The precise right frequency of sound might strike a weak
spot for some sound-users, especially if their powers use
some kind of resonant or vibrational component, causing
them pain, injury, or other conditions.
6
Jonathan Lotzer (order #3835472)
M&M, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
The following is designated as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License,
Version 1.0a: hero points, power points. All characters and
their associated images, descriptions, backgrounds, and
related information are declared Product Identity.
The following text is Open Gaming Content: all game system
rules and material not previously declared Product Identity.
Green Ronin Publishing
3815 S. Othello St., Suite 100 #304
Seattle, WA 98118
Email: [email protected]
Web Sites: www.greenronin.com
www.mutantsandmasterminds.com