43 replies to this topic

[Courier]

Let's look at a few things... this flaw denies you nine attributes and (now) the enhancements that go with them. Now that's a pretty good handicap. Most enhancements are more useful than q-powers anyway.

Agreed, especially with the removal of enhancements.

Jonny Storm is a good example though. No Mega-Atts, just bodymorph, flight and that's it.

For the most part I agree.  He's usually pretty normal other than his powers.  Occassionally a dot or two of Mega-Stamina and/or Mega-Dex creep in there, but that's sloppy writing or dramatic editing.


On a side note there's a lot of so-called "Mere Mortals" out there in comics who are nothing of the kind.  In order to build Captain America and have him do what we see he'd need low levels in a number of megas.  Ditto Daredevil, ditto Batman, ditto lots of others.

[Ravenshire]

I'm running a character that's almost the opposite of this flaw.  I considered it more of a theme than something that should be considered for a flaw.  The character is all skills and Megas, but no powers.  He's kind of "More Human than Human" than "Mere Mortal".

I think that like most merits and flaws, it is something that the ST and Player should work out.  What good is Intolerance if it never comes up in game?   I think Mere Mortal can have a powerful impact in the game in its current incarnation, if its played up.  I guess I worry that it is just a vehicle for some extra bonus points.

[johntfs]

Originally Posted By: Ravenshire

I'm running a character that's almost the opposite of this flaw.  I considered it more of a theme than something that should be considered for a flaw.  The character is all skills and Megas, but no powers.  He's kind of "More Human than Human" than "Mere Mortal".

I think that like most merits and flaws, it is something that the ST and Player should work out.  What good is Intolerance if it never comes up in game?   I think Mere Mortal can have a powerful impact in the game in its current incarnation, if its played up.  I guess I worry that it is just a vehicle for some extra bonus points.

Well, consider that Aberrant isn't strictly a "superhero" game and that most powers are strictly defined and pretty obvious.  A Mere Mortal with Flight, Q-blast, Strobe and Force Field might be a real badass in a fight, but that stuff isn't likely to help him much in the Amp Room dealing with various Mega-Social novas.

A human with a 5 Appearence is still something of a "plain Jane" compared to even 1 dice of Mega-Appearence, even without Enhancements coming into play.  Despite his powers, a Mere Mortal could easily be disdained by more "complete" Novas, attracting pity and contempt from some and unwelcome attention from nova bullies looking for "easy meat."  

For that matter, he might get attention from Utopian or Teragen researchers looking to subject him to painful, dangerous experiments designed to "help" him unlock his full potential.  Or from Directive researcher looking for a way to weaponize his Flaw for use against other novas.  

Just a couple of thoughts there.

[Dave ST]

Aberrant is a game about political intrigue.  Didn't you read the discalaimer "This isn't Super Friends"?  

[SkyLion]

Aberrant is a game.  It can be anything the participants want it to be up to and including super friends.  note the author's disclaimer to his disclaimer.

[Dave ST]

The joke was obviously lost on you...

Not that I'm suprised.

[SkyLion]

My!  Was that a dig, Dave?

[johntfs]

Originally Posted By: Dave ST

Aberrant is a game about political intrigue.  Didn't you read the discalaimer "This isn't Super Friends"?  

I know (and know you're at least half-way joking) but many of the objections lodged against the Flaw were couched in terms of "this doesn't seem to give the taker an immediate, obvious disadvantage or threat in combat."  I wanted to note that there are other areas of play aside from combat.

[Ravenshire]

Johntfs, I agree with most of your points, but remember, the Combat Monster vs. Mega-Social Monsters is a fight that happens anyway.  The difference being the Mere Mortal will NEVER win.

I'm not sure how much other novas are going to bully a Mere Mortal who just happens to have Disintergrate.  That stings.  The Mere Mortal will never win the Arm Wrestling contest, but then neither will the Flying Gun.

Being recognized as someone with a flaw is a tough thing, seeing how unique most novas are.  In the Quantum Lottery, some is bound to end up without Mega-Stats.  Now, if there is something "lacking" in their quantum signature ...

[Rorschach]

I find the idea of the flaw very good, bur I also think it's not really a flaw at last.
Why not a Flaw forbidding Mega Attributes AND making the character more vulnerable (or even totally vulnerable) to poison, unable to heal fast, etc... Such a character wouldn't have classic novas' immunities, and maybe not even Resistance and Endurance 3.

[johntfs]

Originally Posted By: Ravenshire

Johntfs, I agree with most of your points, but remember, the Combat Monster vs. Mega-Social Monsters is a fight that happens anyway.  The difference being the Mere Mortal will NEVER win.

I'm not sure how much other novas are going to bully a Mere Mortal who just happens to have Disintergrate.  That stings.  The Mere Mortal will never win the Arm Wrestling contest, but then neither will the Flying Gun.

Being recognized as someone with a flaw is a tough thing, seeing how unique most novas are.  In the Quantum Lottery, some is bound to end up without Mega-Stats.  Now, if there is something "lacking" in their quantum signature ...

There would in fact be something lacking in their Quantum Signature that Novas with the Mega-Perception Enhancement, Quantum Attunement would be able to sense.

Originally Posted By: Rorschach

I find the idea of the flaw very good, bur I also think it's not really a flaw at last.
Why not a Flaw forbidding Mega Attributes AND making the character more vulnerable (or even totally vulnerable) to poison, unable to heal fast, etc... Such a character wouldn't have classic novas' immunities, and maybe not even Resistance and Endurance 3.  

Every Nova with a write-up in the Aberrant Books that I remember has at least one Mega-Attribute or power that doesn't require Quantum to use.  Many have more than one Mega-Attribute.  To my mind, being denied a suite of abilities and powers to which every other nova has access is sufficient to be counted as a Flaw.

That said, here's the newest write-up for the Flaw.

Mere Mortal -5 or -7 Quantum Flaw.

At -5 points whether through psychological rejection of your Nova status, botched eruption or something else, your character is denied many Nova abilities.  While you do possess the three dots of Endurance and Resistance that all Novas get, you may never possess Mega-Attributes, Enhancements or any permanent Body Modifications.  All powers that you take must have a Duration of Maintainence or less (You may, of course trade the level of weakness you gain for a level of strength in some other area of the power).  In addition, all Nova-specific drugs affect you as though you were a baseline (Mox affects you as a deadly poison in addition to lowering your Nova abilities.  Soma gives you only the baseline effect and will also kill you should you fail a Stamina roll at +1 difficulty.  Any other drugs affect you as though you were a baseline).  In addition, anyone with the MegaPerception Enhancement, Quantum Attunement will be able to sense your deficiency with a successful roll.

At -7 points, your character doesn't even get the three free dots in Resistance and Endurance and the only sign of his Nova status (aside from his powers, etc.) is that his stats are at 7/5/3 instead of 6/4/3.  

[Rorschach]

I think this new write-up is just great.
Gonna use it.

[johntfs]

Cool.  I'm glad you like and hope your players "enjoy" it as well.

[johntfs]

So, has anyone else used this Flaw in their games and if so, how did it work out?