Power Shifts

Superheroes can do things that other people cannot. As a superhero, you might be able to throw a car, blast through a brick wall, leap onto a speeding train, or cobble together an interdimensional gateway device. A power shift is one way to enable these incredible effects. A power shift might mean you're incredibly strong, durable, agile, or smart, or it might improve some other aspect of your character beyond the norm for a tier 1 character.

In most cases, a power shift is like a permanent free level of Effort that is always active for certain tasks. It doesn't count toward your maximum Effort use. For example, for a power shift that affects an attack, each shift eases the attack roll. For a power shift that affects an ability's damage, each shift adds +3 damage.

The following are some example power shift categories. Shifts marked with an asterisk (*) have special rules and don't act like a free level of Effort.

• Accuracy: All attack rolls.
• Dexterity: Dodging, Speed defense rolls, movement, acrobatics, gymnastics, initiative.
• Flight*: Can fly as fast as a regular human's ground speed; not particularly maneuverable; can carry a creature of your size or smaller.
• Healing*: One extra one-action recovery each day.
• Increased Range*: Increases the range of one ability; touch or immediate becomes short, short becomes long, long becomes very long.
• Intelligence: Intellect defense; all knowledge skills, science skills, and crafting skills.
• Power: Effects and damage of one of your character abilities, but not attack rolls with it.
• Prodigy*: Trade one of your tier 1 abilities for a tier 2 focus ability, or trade two tier 1 abilities for a tier 3 focus ability. (This skips earlier abilities in your focus flow chart.)

• Resilience: Blocking, Might defense rolls, tasks requiring hardiness and endurance.
• Savant: Two specific skills (other than an attack skill, defense skill, or a character ability that requires an attack roll), such as history, perception, or persuasion. You can assign this shift to an ability that treats your roll as a minimum number, such as Incredible Instinct.
• Single Attack: Attack rolls and damage for one specific kind of attack, such as pistols, punches, swords, or an attack special ability like laser eyes or a psychic blast.
• Strength: Athletics, noncombat strength rolls, melee damage, thrown weapon damage.

Every superhero type includes at least two power shifts. When you create your character, assign your power shifts however you want, but place no more than three in any one category.

For example, if you're playing a superstrong Powerhouse character, you might put three of your shifts in Strength. Whenever you lift something heavy, smash through a wall, or throw an object, you ease the task by three steps before applying Effort, skill, or assets. Therefore, any strength-based task of difficulty 3 or lower becomes routine for you. If you put your other two shifts into Resilience, you ease blocking tasks by two steps.

As another example, if you're playing a masked Enhanced Hero with great acrobatic skills and a utility belt full of gadgets, you might put one shift in Accuracy and two in Dexterity. Whether you're actually superpowered or just tough and well trained is up to you.

Power Shift Advice

When it comes to enhancing attack combat abilities, assigning your power shifts is usually a "pick any two" situation: attack roll, effect, or damage. Which choice makes sense for you depends on your idea for your character.

• If you want to ease your attack roll and improve your damage with one specific attack (such as guns), choose Single Attack. Think of this as your character being one of the best at this kind of attack overall.
• If you want to be strong and improve all your strength-based damage but not attack rolls for strength-based attacks, choose Strength. Think of this as your character being strong, but not necessarily someone who is skilled at fighting.
• If you want to improve the effect of a special ability and its damage, choose Power. Think of this as your character having an ability that's especially powerful but still figuring out how to be accurate with it.

You also can assign your power shifts among these three options so they overlap and give you the exact result you want. For example, if your character is a brawler with a very big punch, put a shift in Single Attack for your punches and another shift in Strength; you'll ease your punch attack roll and get bonus damage from Single Attack and also from Strength (for a total of +6 damage). If you have a psychic blast that can add an extra effect when you use Effort (like a stun or knockback), put one shift in Single Attack and one in Power; you'll ease the attack roll with your blast, get the special effect on every attack, and get extra damage from both shifts.

Superhero Types