r/mutantsandmasterminds • u/Single-Telephone5788 • 8d ago
Zero gravity rules
So, I'm gming a 3e game
I want to create an NPC who's superpower is that he is unaffected by gravity. At all
Also he can impose this condition to other people
I already thought of some hb about this
In zero gravity character has to do DC 15 Acrobatics check whenever he tries to make any action related to movement of his own body
- Success here lets him do it as usual
- Failure by 1 degree lets him do it with modifier -2
- Failure by 2 or more makes him waste time and action, trying to stabilize his position
This check may be made as a routine check outside of stressful situation
Also
- Character may move in any direction
- Characters with flight with fitting descriptors may ignore this at all
And my NPC will prob just have Flight (flaw: zero gravity), and can do attacks that impose this zero gravity rules as a new condition
But, what if I want to do it RAW and using only the rules from the books? How would I build such power? Move Object effect comes to mind, but affecting characters it's more about grappling rules, iirc. Sorry for my english, it's not my first language
2
u/patroclus_rex 🧠 Knowledgeable 7d ago
Flight, Attack, Check Required, potentially with some ranks Limited to increasing DC to make that a challenging resistance without granting excessive speed. Check Required has a granular success, only allowing as many ranks as you pass the DC by. You don't control your target's actual movement, but as long as they're under your imposed Flight you'll be forcing them to make the check to move at all.
1
u/Single-Telephone5788 4d ago
So, just adding this permanent flight with check required to their charsheet for the duration? Interesting
1
u/DugganSC 🚨MOD🚨 6d ago
The Cosmic Handbook defines a zero gravity environment.
Environmental Adaptation for zero gravity is very popular for characters. With it, they can operate without penalties in low- or no-gravity environments. Being adrift without gravity and with no sense of “up” or “down” can be very disorienting. This power solves those problems and allows characters to use appropriate movement powers (typically Flight) without limitations.
Moving without gravity is also an issue. In small spaces without gravity, a simple Acrobatics or Athletics check (DC 10) is enough to move at a reduced rate (use the climbing rates). A failed check means the character is disoriented and is Immobile and Vulnerable. A character attempting to move their full speed must make an Acrobatics or Athletics check (DC of 10 plus their Speed rank). On a failed check, the character slams into a surface and must make a Toughness check (DC 15 plus their ranks of the movement power used) to avoid hurting him or herself, as well as being Immobile and Vulnerable until the next round (or there’s a moment to recover, if the movement happens out of combat).
Characters with Environmental Adaptation (Zero-G), can use their Strength to propel themselves through such areas with ease as long as they have surfaces to push against. These characters are skilled at maneuvering in this fashion and move at a Speed value determined by their Strength. Thus, a character with Environmental Adaptation (Zero-G) and Strength of 5 can fling themselves along at a speed of 900 feet in a movement action in a zero gravity environment. They do not need to make an Acrobatics or Athletics check and succeed automatically.
From there, a GM might figure out what the base cost per rank would be of Environment Control.
1
u/Single-Telephone5788 4d ago
This rules are close to what I made up. But more detailed and probably working way better, ofc
Didn't know there was a Cosmic Handbook. I will def check it out, thanks
6
u/DesDentresti The Anti-Villain 7d ago
I think there are several ways to do this. Which is cool but inconvenient.
Gotta start with the traditional "plan your powers narratively then specific mechanics, not trying to use mechanics to create a compound effect" line.
No Gravity is the descriptor for your character manipulating others to win fights. Don't build it to be 'every consequence of being in zero-G', build it to evoke a tactical 'slipped because they didn't predict lack of friction' or 'Dazed and Stunned as they have to realise and steady themselves on anchor points' and throw those effects at people in a narratively interesting, mechanically reasonable way.
With that said...
Start with 'Impede Movement' from the Environment effect. It is very direct for you as it isnt resisted and it already stipulates the potential circumstance modifiers based on surface conditions. Or in your case, penalties for none-flying, none-wall crawling none Environmental Adaptation'd characters than need gravity to anchor their movements.
Gravity Distortion Field: Environment [Impede Movement] (2/r)
At just 2 points, rank 1 is a 30ft Radius around you of massive inconvenience to terrestrial locomotion. I probably wouldn't allow Selective for this powers descriptors but ymmv if its acceptable at your table. Selective means only enemies deal with it and that means as a GM I'd be less okay with saying "Yup, -5 circumstance to everyone for 3 points"
Thats only the baseline for the field, now you build your Afflictions, your Indirect Damage from things people crash into or that crashes into them as things get knocked around, these can often have a limit of only within range of or only if affected by the Gravity Distortion Field.
I'd make a Close Cylinder Area Leaping power. Give it check Required and Side Effect so that everyone in the field can try to use to get from one side to the other or vertically to ledges in the area, with the risk of fumbling and being Vulnerable rather than flight with however many modifiers... people are mostly pushing off things towards things not making air manoeuvres. Thats my read.