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Mutants & Masterminds - [Review] Power Profiles #11: Luck Powers


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Power Profiles #11: Luck Powers

Vitals: Published By Green Ronin • 6 pages • $0.99 • full color PDF

Descriptors, Countering & Features

Three descriptors, countering, a sidebar optional rule and three features fill out this section. The descriptors lay a foundation on various permutations of luck with overt luck on one side and subtle luck via extreme skill on the other. The optional rule expands on the standard Luck Advantage allowing ranks to perform functions beyond the current standard re-roll, emulating other aspects of Hero Points. I like this rule, as it expands on the limited Luck Advantage without being overpowering as it had been in the prior edition of the game. The features are all interesting, providing good ideas on how to further develop a luck based character.

Offensive Powers

Five powers covering just about one page. Catastrophe is a luck based damage effect designed to twist fate in the favor of the character and cause harm to his/her enemies from a variety of "accidental" sources. Find Weakness and Lucky Shot show us two effects that are built primarily off of the idea of "naked extras", that is, extras not attached to a specific base effect; it's a nice thing to add to our tool kits as players and GMs. Jinx covers the general "bad luck curse" is a way that will alleviate the need for a luck based character to spend all of their Luck and Hero Points forcing negative re-rolls on the opposition. Overall these are all solidly built powers that show some effects that are not obvious and expend on current build methods. The only issue is that the description for Catastrophe mentions a Dodge roll for half damage that is not supported by the effect and extras of that power's build.

Defensive Powers

Five powers with 6 effects covering three quarters of a page. Of the five the two real winners here are Lucky Escape which, as discussed, is something that can even be given all NPC villains as part of the superhero genre. The other is Fortunate Failure, which is an interesting use of the Nullify base effect as a personal catch all counter for incoming effects.

Movement Powers

The two effects here are short, covering only a quarter page. Perfect Timing is a feature, and relies heavily on the GM and the creativity of the player to determine just how it will come into play. This power is a rare example where the description and effect just aren't quite enough, an example would have been nice.

Utility Powers

Five effects covering about three-quarters of a page. These fill in the spaces, with an obligatory mention of the Luck Advantage, and a pair of luck oriented sensory effects. The Reality Control power, which is a luck descriptor based Variable effect, has the same potential for abuse that more Variable effect based powers have. Any GM would be well advised to require a good description and/or explanation of how the effects take shape to avoid balance issues.

Complications

Seven Complications fill out the final section of the profile. The Accident, Fame, and Power Loss complications provide the most interesting story options in my mind, with Accident and Power Loss potentially lending themselves to larger story arcs for the GM to mine for ideas.

Closing Thoughts

Overall this profile ranks well. There are a few spots where examples would be very useful and an error with the Catastrophe power description do bring this down. The introduction of the Expanded Luck rule option is a nice one for GMs and players alike, as are the introduction of Enhanced Extras; expanding on the core rules is always welcome.

Rating: 85%, While a cut above in many areas, minor errors and a need for examples in a couple of spots may limit some of this profile's utility.

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