New power I'm working on: Mega-Mutant Necromancy

[Rimmerdal]

It needs something..not sure what. the toughest bit is I'm worried how to manage it with PPE to act as fuel. That aside I'm concerned it may need something to keep from being abused. If i had I could raise a trio of super villains and wreak havoc.

Necromancy
Major Power

This power has several aspects to it. some good some evil. The rarity of it makes Mutant Necromancers and popularity of raising the fallen from the dead makes not so eager to be known. Many do not even hint they have such power for fear of being captured for experiments. this has many lead lonely lives in the shadows of the public heroes and worse makes some turn to villainy.

1) Raise dead:
This aspect raises a person to life fully. the effort of doing so is energy taxing. A mega-hero or villain can raise one person a week/3 levels. the use of this power more than the allotted times a week will weaken the mutant's SDC and hit points by 30% and reduce power effects by 25% after each additional use beyond the normal number of weekly uses.

2) Animate Intelligent undead (Heroes/Villains):
The animation of the dead allows the being is raised as in power 1, but is not completely raised. the necromancer can with draw the energy they use to animate them. This is a means of control unwilling minions but they are unable to influence direct action or read the thoughts of their undead minion and allies. This power can be used 1/week per 3 levels and the subject may choose to not accept the raise. the Mega villain may only animate 3 people + 1/3 levels.
the animated dead take on most the qualities of the Zombie flesh power:
PC undead do not feed on PPE or blood. They need to sleep or rest in a place with ambient PPE or in graveyards and allow themselves to absorb PPE for 4-8 hours every day or two to focus there minds. This keeps them from degenerating mentally into mindless dead. It is also recommended they get into hobbies, keep mentally active and write journals or similar activities to further reinforce there own humanity.

- Immune to the effects of most physical injuries as per standard operation of Zombie power.
- While immune to most physical damage they are still able to be damaged by other attack forms as normal Zombie flesh, except for poison, toxins, gases and diseases. which may only slow down this undead hero. they take quarter damage and effects only last 1/2 the duration.
- Bio-regeneration: 1d6 SDC/1d6 Hitpoints per round. limbs and lost body parts will regrow over night or can be attached.
- +30% vs Coma
- being dead they are immune to most Death effects, lethal poisons and drugs.
- there PS for purposes of lifting is consider Supernatural


3)Sense/read spirits:
the Necromancer is able to see and communicate with spirits of the deceased. The necromancer uses this to determine if the soul is worthy of being raised and learning their history.


Grave Walking:
Major Power
Allows the mega hero to teleport from one graveyard/place of the dead to another. this range is not limited as teleport. The hero/villain must know of and have been to the destination at least once. He may take all his animated dead (Including willing spirits the necromancer wishes to take) and up to 3 others +1 per 3 level.

(Updated the powers)

[NMI]

Interesting concept, though it should be a "Major" super ability... not a "Mega" power.
You dont see "Mega" Energy Expulsion Powers or "Mega" APS abilities.
You do see "Major" Super Energy Expulsions, etc...

[Rimmerdal]

Interesting concept, though it should be a "Major" super ability... not a "Mega" power.
You dont see "Mega" Energy Expulsion Powers or "Mega" APS abilities.
You do see "Major" Super Energy Expulsions, etc...

If weren't raising and animating intelligent undead it would have been Major..but I see way too many chances for abuse as a major power in most games. In a game where high powered or one where powers are rare it would be a major. Simply put there is LOTS of potential to use this power and break a game.

Although toned down it could be a major...might do that and have the Undead be non-intelligent.. Good point, NMI.

[NMI]

Interesting concept, though it should be a "Major" super ability... not a "Mega" power.
You dont see "Mega" Energy Expulsion Powers or "Mega" APS abilities.
You do see "Major" Super Energy Expulsions, etc...

If weren't raising and animating intelligent undead it would have been Major..but I see way too many chances for abuse as a major power in most games. In a game where high powered or one where powers are rare it would be a major. Simply put there is LOTS of potential to use this power and break a game.

Although toned down it could be a major...might do that and have the Undead be non-intelligent.. Good point, NMI.

So then this is a "MEGA" power? as in the sub-table of mega-abilities that Mega Heroes/Villains get? Is it a Major Super Ability that only Mega PC's can select?

[Rimmerdal]

Interesting concept, though it should be a "Major" super ability... not a "Mega" power.
You dont see "Mega" Energy Expulsion Powers or "Mega" APS abilities.
You do see "Major" Super Energy Expulsions, etc...

If weren't raising and animating intelligent undead it would have been Major..but I see way too many chances for abuse as a major power in most games. In a game where high powered or one where powers are rare it would be a major. Simply put there is LOTS of potential to use this power and break a game.

Although toned down it could be a major...might do that and have the Undead be non-intelligent.. Good point, NMI.

So then this is a "MEGA" power? as in the sub-table of mega-abilities that Mega Heroes/Villains get? Is it a Major Super Ability that only Mega PC's can select?

Ya its meant for the Mega's. Raising dead with out PPE or magic is a big deal I can see GM's going nuclear over. A lesser form of Necromancy for majors would make sense. the mega version (or Mega-Necromancy) works on mutant/powered and Non-powered people as well so it had to be a Mega.

the Major version (Will call it Major Necromancy) would not affect mutants or other powered only non-powered individuals. The Major power will raise Hardware specialist, special training and other skilled humans so it will have use. Will need to work on that once I get my back log of ideas finished.

[NMI]

I just dont see it fitting as a Mega Power. None of the mega powers in the main book really focus on the "external".. and more reflect the internal of mega being himself.

Just my 2 thoughts. As an ability itself, it works. Just not the placement.

[Rimmerdal]

I just dont see it fitting as a Mega Power. None of the mega powers in the main book really focus on the "external".. and more reflect the internal of mega being himself.

Just my 2 thoughts. As an ability itself, it works. Just not the placement.

Problem is I just don't feel safe making it an easy power to get..and a major power is not so tough to get. Maybe an external version of the Mega hero would fit it..

[Rimmerdal]

I just dont see it fitting as a Mega Power. None of the mega powers in the main book really focus on the "external".. and more reflect the internal of mega being himself.

Just my 2 thoughts. As an ability itself, it works. Just not the placement.

Problem is I just don't feel safe making it an easy power to get..and a major power is not so tough to get. Maybe an external version of the Mega hero would fit it..

Okay a fellow player of mine made a few suggestions. and I like better. besides that Zombie flesh is also a major power so that three majors in total.

[eliakon]

So what if you call it a Major power....but then say that it requires two or three major selections to take?

[Rimmerdal]

So what if you call it a Major power....but then say that it requires two or three major selections to take?

one major for animate, one major to raise. not all can do both, most can only do one or the other. plus it is Raising the dead..so it should have a price tag.

[Stone Gargoyle]

I think you should drop the teleporting between graveyards thing. It takes the power way beyond what it should be and there is no need for it.

[Tor]

The graveyard teleport thing could really be done by using existing powers (like Gateway or that Mystic Portal copy thing) and just having the person have a mental block on how they use it, much like mages often have.

Definitely agree it shouldn't be Mega. Requiring corpses is a pretty big limitation, when we compare it to other powers that allow people to generate minions out of nothing like Animate Shadows or Energy Doppleganger or Mirror Powers.

[Rimmerdal]

The graveyard teleport thing could really be done by using existing powers (like Gateway or that Mystic Portal copy thing) and just having the person have a mental block on how they use it, much like mages often have.

Definitely agree it shouldn't be Mega. Requiring corpses is a pretty big limitation, when we compare it to other powers that allow people to generate minions out of nothing like Animate Shadows or Energy Doppleganger or Mirror Powers.

Fair enough and another GM I know said the same. But reminded the GM still has say on if the power is available or not so its a major (costing two, one to raise and on to animate.) I'll probably drop the graveyard walking and give my NPC an item that teleports him. so that will solve that.

thanks for the tips and if you have the urge to use it..feel free to.

[GlitterKnight]

I like the idea! The question of mega or major seems to be a thorny one, because I think it comes down to resources. How powerful a power armor character is depends on how much cash have they got for their armor. The power of Necromancy, especially when applying to super powered zombies, comes down to a similar question: just how many dead super heroes have you gotten a hold of?

If supers are a new thing to the campaign world, and are very rare, finding any to make your power useful is going to be hard. If they have a nearly century old tradition and you can break into the Shady Capes Super Hero Cemetary and come out with three generations of Captain Awesome as your zombie servants...then suddenly it's a much more potent ability. You need the "raw materials" to work with.

The power seems very rough sketch right now, I would definitely elaborate it a bit more. Maybe a sample stat block of a zombie super, to show just what they do. I take it this is meant to be a "heroic" power; necromancy without the negative connotations which that unfortunate school of magic tends to carry. The zombies have to be willing to return to living world. That might be problematic to run; your character gives orders to a team of undead supers while the rest of the party controls their own. I assume it's written so that the GM controls the zombies and you give them orders? I guess you would work out a pact with them to get them to agree to serve you as zombies, holding out the carrot of true resurrection with the stick of taking back the animating power, and returning them to being moldering corpses if they don't obey. Could be pretty nasty and make for interesting roleplaying. I would personally change the restriction on true resurrection to a costly price in permanent HP, SDC and/or attribute point loss. Permanent effects should have permanent costs, and bringing the dead back to life doesn't seem like something you can do a few times a week before it tires you. Each use should be a terrible and permanent strain. For precedence I would see the psychic power which lets you erase memories; you can permanently wipe someone's mind blank with a permanent loss of like six MA.

I would also take a look at Apocalypse Unlimited if you have it; there's a demon summoning power in there which gives you a progression of how many demons you can control at a time. A progression from one at 1st level to like nine at 15th might work. Starting off with 3 is a tad too strong, I think.

[Rimmerdal]

I like the idea! The question of mega or major seems to be a thorny one, because I think it comes down to resources. How powerful a power armor character is depends on how much cash have they got for their armor. The power of Necromancy, especially when applying to super powered zombies, comes down to a similar question: just how many dead super heroes have you gotten a hold of?

If supers are a new thing to the campaign world, and are very rare, finding any to make your power useful is going to be hard. If they have a nearly century old tradition and you can break into the Shady Capes Super Hero Cemetary and come out with three generations of Captain Awesome as your zombie servants...then suddenly it's a much more potent ability. You need the "raw materials" to work with.

The power seems very rough sketch right now, I would definitely elaborate it a bit more. Maybe a sample stat block of a zombie super, to show just what they do. I take it this is meant to be a "heroic" power; necromancy without the negative connotations which that unfortunate school of magic tends to carry. The zombies have to be willing to return to living world. That might be problematic to run; your character gives orders to a team of undead supers while the rest of the party controls their own. I assume it's written so that the GM controls the zombies and you give them orders? I guess you would work out a pact with them to get them to agree to serve you as zombies, holding out the carrot of true resurrection with the stick of taking back the animating power, and returning them to being moldering corpses if they don't obey. Could be pretty nasty and make for interesting roleplaying. I would personally change the restriction on true resurrection to a costly price in permanent HP, SDC and/or attribute point loss. Permanent effects should have permanent costs, and bringing the dead back to life doesn't seem like something you can do a few times a week before it tires you. Each use should be a terrible and permanent strain. For precedence I would see the psychic power which lets you erase memories; you can permanently wipe someone's mind blank with a permanent loss of like six MA.

I would also take a look at Apocalypse Unlimited if you have it; there's a demon summoning power in there which gives you a progression of how many demons you can control at a time. A progression from one at 1st level to like nine at 15th might work. Starting off with 3 is a tad too strong, I think.

the power is at present NPC only and meant for heroes and villains. I do like the notion of the zombie being needing to be willing. And ya this power gets nasty if you find a hero like Apex or a few other members the centurions. there pretty formidable already make them undead with a mix Undead/immortal Mega-power (I went with a modified version of that for the initial test of the powers) you have a very nasty team.

I will add an HP and SDC loss. probably HP or SDC since the hero or villain can level up to get more back. The other option could be the power on raises those willing and the raised hero loses something too. The SDC and HP losses will last a week. I'll need to set a number but that should be sufficient.

I'll look at the number of undead again. and that willing will work for villains too via threats and intimidation.

[MrDisturbed]

Id say its a major power, theres another power with a resurrection affect so I dont see where the issue is. Also is the sdc and power drain permanent or only temporary?

[Rimmerdal]

Id say its a major power, theres another power with a resurrection affect so I dont see where the issue is. Also is the sdc and power drain permanent or only temporary?

Thnking temp unless said healer reaches zero HP at which point he'll need a res himself. the HP and SDC will restore over time and only over time. So no quick heal to get back up to strength.