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Power Profile - Death Powers PDF
Power Profile - Death Powers PDF
Power Profile - Death Powers PDF
Perhaps the most feared—and most sought—power on unliving targets (since they cannot be killed, only
is over death itself, the ability to inflict it at will, and the damaged or broken).
power to hold it at bay in one form or another. Death
powers do all this and more. Although often associated • Necromantic: Originally, “necromancy” was the
with evil, many of these powers can be used for good, mystical art of communicating with the spirits of the
and those gifted—or burdened—with them can choose dead, using techniques like seances and divination.
whether to serve death or seek to master it. In modern usage—particularly in fantasy fiction and
gaming—it has come to mean all magic dealing
with death and the undead. Necromantic powers are
Death Descriptors death powers, but have the additional connotation
of involving spirits or souls and creating, command-
The following are important descriptors associated with ing, or communicating with undead beings. Necro-
death powers: mantic powers are usually magical in nature, but they
• Death: In M&M game terms, “dead” is a specific may also have the divine, preternatural, or even other
condition that follows dying. Like other conditions, descriptors, such as undead reanimated through a
there are circumstances where it may be removed: virus or technology.
the Immortality effect allows for recovery from • Soul: Death powers often associate the life force
death, for example, as does the Resurrection modi- with the soul or spirit (used interchangeably). Death
fier of Healing. Death in the comic books is rarely usually separates the soul from the physical body,
permanent, especially for major characters, so it is sending it on to some kind of afterlife, although
often easier to consider death a more difficult-to- various means may allow for communication with
treat condition. the souls of the departed or their return. Likewise,
Powers with the death descriptor may have an “anti- some souls become trapped in the world of the
life” quality: directly draining, removing, or destroy- living (or “in-between” the worlds of the living and
ing vital life force rather than inflicting harm on the the dead) becoming ghosts or other types of spectral
body. (See the Life Powers profile for a discussion of undead.
life force.) This is significant for other effects protect-
ing against particular descriptors. A target immune • Undead: The undead are creatures that are not
to kinetic and energy Damage, for example, is not alive (having no Stamina rank, vital life-force, or vital
immune to death Damage. signs) but still capable of awareness and action.
Because it directly attacks life force, death effects Some undead are just constructs, also having no In-
are often resisted by Fortitude rather than Tough- tellect. Others are intelligent beings with their own
ness, bypassing external armor, but having no effect thoughts and motivations. Powers affecting non-
Disability Reputation
Trafficking with the forces of death may cause a variety of Given the prejudice towards death powers (see the pre-
strange and difficult conditions, ranging from not having vious), it is not difficult to develop a sinister reputation.
a shadow or reflection (like the classical vampire) to an in- Indeed, some death-wielders cultivate such a reputa-
imical relationship with nature: animals and even plants tion, since it makes them more intimidating to their foes.
disliking the character and reacting negatively to his pres- However, it can work against them by imposing circum-
ence. stance penalties for other interaction checks and gener-
ally making the public and the authorities less willing to
Obsession cooperate with—or even tolerate—the character.
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