Important Game Rules

Ever want to be Spider-Man? The Thing? Mr. Fantastic? Wolverine? Well nows your chance!

Make your characters, trade pithy insults with villains, fight evil, save the world, but remeber--With great power comes great responsibilty.

In the Mutants & Masterminds RPG, you take on the role of a costumed superhero safeguarding the world from threats ranging from marauding super-criminals to alien invasions, hulking monsters, natural disasters, and would-be conquerors.
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eldritchknight
Level 12
Level 12
Posts: 1461

Important Game Rules

Post by eldritchknight » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:08 am

Here is where I will post explanations of particularly important game rules that players can use to alter their die rolls and gain other advantages in-game.
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eldritchknight
Level 12
Level 12
Posts: 1461

Re: Important Game Rules

Post by eldritchknight » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:15 am

Extra Effort
Often, heroes are called upon to perform feats beyond even their amazing
abilities. This calls for extra effort. Players can use extra effort to improve
a hero's abilities in exchange for the hero suffering some fatigue. The benefits
of extra effort are not limited by power level.

Using Extra Effort
Extra effort is a free action and can be performed at any time during the
hero's action (but is limited to once per round). A hero using extra effort
gains one of the following benefits:
Check bonus: +2 bonus on a single ability, skill, or power check.
This does not include attack rolls.
Increase carrying capacity: +5 effective Strength for determining
the hero's carrying capacity for one round.
Increase movement: The hero's speed for all modes of movement
doubles for one round.
Increase power: Increase a power by 2 ranks for one round. This
only increases the power's rank; you cannot apply power modifiers
(but see the power stunt benefit). Permanent powers cannot be
improved in this way.
Power stunt: Temporarily add a power feat to a power. This includes
an Alternate Power of an existing power. The power feat must follow
the normal rules for adding a power feat. The temporary power feat
lasts for the duration of the encounter or until you choose to stop
maintaining it, whichever comes first. This includes turning off the
power or switching to a different Alternate Power. Power stunts cannot
be applied to Permanent powers via extra effort.
Willpower: Gain an immediate additional saving throw against
a power with a Lasting effect, such as Mind Control or Nullify (see
Duration, page 70). You get this save even if the Lasting power has
a Continuous duration (which doesn't normally allow for additional
saves at all). If you're mind-controlled, the fatigue from the extra
effort doesn't affect you until you're free of it.
Surge: Gain an additional standard or move action, before or after
your normal actions for the round (your choice). Using this extra
action does not change your place in the initiative order. You can use
a standard action gained from extra effort to start or complete a fullround
action in conjunction with your normal actions for the round.

Fatigue From Extra Effort
At the beginning of the round immediately after extra effort, the hero
becomes fatigued (see Fatigue, page 167). A fatigued hero becomes
exhausted and an exhausted hero becomes unconscious the round after
using extra effort. If you spend a hero point at the start of the round following
extra effort to shake off the fatigue, the hero suffers no adverse effects.
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eldritchknight
Level 12
Level 12
Posts: 1461

Re: Important Game Rules

Post by eldritchknight » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:53 am

HERO POINTS
Whether it's luck, talent, or sheer determination, heroes have something
setting them apart from everyone else, allowing them to perform amazing
deeds under the most difficult circumstances. In Mutants & Masterminds
that something is hero points. Spending a hero point can make the difference
between success and failure. When you're entrusted with the safety
of the world that means a lot!
Hero points allow players to 'œedit' the plot of the adventure and the
rules of the game to a degree. They give heroes the ability to do the
amazing things heroes do in the comics, but with certain limits, and they
encourage players to make the sort of choices heroes do in the comics, in
order to get more hero points.
Heroes start each game session with 1 hero point. During the adventure
they get opportunities to earn more hero points. Players can use
various tokens (poker chips, glass beads, etc.) to keep track of their hero
points, handing them over to the Gamemaster when they spend them. The
Gamemaster can likewise give out tokens when awarding hero points to
the players. Unspent hero points don't carry over to the next adventure;
the heroes start out with 1 point again.

USING HERO POINTS
Unless otherwise noted, spending a hero point is a reaction, taking no
time. You can spend as many hero points as you have, but only one hero
point on any given benefit per round. You can spend hero points for any
of the following things.
IMPROVE ROLL
One hero point allows you to re-roll any die roll you make and take the
better of the two rolls. On a result of 1 through 10 on the second roll, add
10 to the result, an 11 or higher remains as-is (so the second roll is always
a result of 11-20). You must spend the hero point to improve a roll before
the GM announces the result of your roll. You cannot spend hero points
on die rolls made by the GM or other players without the Luck Control
power (see page 90).
HEROIC FEAT
You can spend a hero point to gain the benefits of a feat (either a regular
or power feat) you don't already have for one round (see Chapter 4). You
must be capable of using the feat and cannot gain the benefits of fortune
feats, only other types of feats. If the feat has another feat as a prerequisite,
you must have the prerequisite to gain the benefit of the more advanced
feat. For feats acquired in ranks, you gain the benefit of one rank of the
feat by spending a hero point. The GM can veto any performance of a feat
acquired with a hero point if considered inappropriate for the game.
DODGE
You can spend a hero point to double your dodge bonus for one round.
This includes any modifiers to your dodge bonus from feats, powers, or
combat actions (such as the total defense action, page 159). The improved
dodge bonus lasts until the beginning of your next round. You can also
spend a hero point whenever you are denied your dodge bonus, but still
capable of action (surprised, flat-footed, etc.). In this case, you retain your
dodge bonus until your next action (this is the same as spending a hero
point to perform the Uncanny Dodge feat).
INSTANT COUNTER
You can spend a hero point to attempt to counter a power used against
you as a reaction. See Countering Powers, page 70, for details.
CANCEL FATIGUE
Any time you would suffer fatigue (including the effects of the Fatigue
power and the use of extra effort), you can spend a hero point and reduce
the amount of fatigue by one level (so you suffer no fatigue from a
fatigued result, are fatigued by an exhausted result, etc.).
RECOVER
You can spend a hero point to recover faster. A hero point allows you to
immediately shake off a stunned or fatigued condition.
If you are exhausted, spending a hero point causes you to become
fatigued. If you have suffered damage, a hero point allows you an immediate
recovery check as a full-round action (see Recovery, page 165). It
takes two rounds for a staggered hero to make a recovery check, since you can only take a standard or move action each round while staggered. This
check is made normally, the hero point just allows you to make it in addition
to your normal recovery checks. If the recovery check is successful, it
turns out the damage wasn't as serious as it first appeared, or your hero is
able to shake it off.
While disabled, you can spend a hero point to take a strenuous action
for one round without your condition worsening to dying. If you spend a
hero point on a normal recovery check for bruised or injured conditions, a
successful check eliminates all of that condition, rather than just one. The
hero point does not improve the recovery check, only its effect.
ESCAPE DEATH
Spending a hero point automatically stabilizes a dying character (you or
someone you are assisting), although this doesn't protect the character
from further damage.
INSPIRATION
Once per game session, you can spend a hero point to get a sudden inspiration
in the form of a hint, clue, or bit of help from the GM. It might
be a way out of the villain's fiendish deathtrap, a vital clue for solving a
mystery, or an idea about the villain's weakness. It's up to the GM exactly
how much help the players get from inspiration.
Gamemasters may even wish to expand the 'œinspiration' facet of hero
points to allow players greater control over the environment of the game,
effectively allowing them to 'œedit' a scene to grant their heroes an advantage.
For example, a hero is fighting a villain with plant-based powers in
a scientific lab. The player deduces the villain may be vulnerable to defoliants,
so she asks the GM if there are any chemicals in the lab she can
throw together to create a defoliant. The Gamemaster requires to player
to spend a hero point and says the right chemicals are close at hand.
How much players are allowed to 'œedit' circumstances is up to the
individual Gamemaster, but generally hero points should not be allowed to
change any event that has already occurred or any detail already explained
in-game. For example, players cannot 'œedit' away damage or the effects of
powers (hero points already allow this to a limited degree). The GM may
also veto uses of editing that ruin the adventure or make things too easy on the players. Inspiration is intended to give the players more input into the
story and allow their heroes chances to succeed, but it shouldn't be used as
a replacement for planning and cleverness, just a way to enhance them.
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eldritchknight
Level 12
Level 12
Posts: 1461

Re: Important Game Rules

Post by eldritchknight » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:09 am

ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
The most common actions are described here.
AID STANDARD ACTION
If you are in position to attack an opponent, you can attempt to aid a
friend engaged in melee with that opponent as a standard action. Make
an attack roll against Defense 10. If you succeed, you don't actually damage
the opponent'€"but your friend gains either a +2 bonus on an attack
roll against that opponent or a +2 bonus to Defense against that opponent
(your choice) on the friend's next turn. Multiple aid bonuses stack.
AIM FULL ACTION
By taking a full action to aim and line up an attack you get a bonus to hit
when you make the attack. If you're making a melee or unarmed attack, or
a ranged attack at melee range, you get a +5 bonus on your attack roll. If
you're making a ranged attack from a greater distance, you get a +2 bonus
on your attack roll. If you aim to hit an immobile object, you hit automatically
with a melee attack and get a +4 bonus on a ranged attack.
However, while aiming you lose your dodge bonus, and if you are
struck or distracted in any way before your attack, you have to make a
Concentration check to maintain your aim (see Concentration, page
44). This tends to make aiming melee attacks'€"or ranged attacks while
adjacent to an enemy'€"extremely unwise.
Once you aim, your next action must be to make the attack. Taking another
standard or move action spoils your aim and you lose the aiming bonus.
ATTACK STANDARD ACTION
With a standard action, you can make an attack against any opponent
within the attack's range.
SHOOTING OR THROWING INTO MELEE
If you make a ranged attack against an opponent engaged in melee with
an ally, you take a '€"4 penalty on your attack roll because you have to aim
carefully to avoid hitting your ally. Two characters are engaged in melee
if they are opponents and adjacent to one another. (An unconscious or
otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he or
she is actually being attacked.)
If the target is two or more size categories larger than any allies in
melee, you ignore the '€"4 penalty.
ATTACKING OBJECTS
Objects are harder or easier to hit depending on several factors:
Held Objects: An object held by a character has a base Defense equal
the holder's Defense + 5 + the object's size modifier.
Carried or Worn Objects: Objects carried or worn by a character have a
base Defense equal the character's Defense + the object's size modifier.
Immobile Objects: Immobile objects have a Defense of 5 + the
object's size modifier. Adjacent attacks get a +4 bonus to hit immobile
objects. (If you take a full action to aim, you get an automatic hit
with an adjacent attack, or a +5 bonus with a ranged attack.)
BEGIN/COMPLETE FULL ACTION STANDARD ACTION
This action lets you start a full action (such as those listed on the Actions
in Combat Table) at the end of your turn, or complete a full action by
using a standard action at the beginning of your turn the round after
starting the action.
If you start a full action at the end of your turn, the next action you
take must be to complete it.
BLOCK STANDARD ACTION
Instead of attacking, you can choose to actively defend yourself against
incoming melee attacks for the round. To block an attack, make an attack
roll against your opponent's attack roll. If your attack roll is higher, you
block or deflect the attack. Each additional attack you block after the first
in a round applies a cumulative '€"2 penalty on your attack roll.
BLOCKING WEAPON ATTACKS UNARMED
The default assumption is characters can block any sort of melee
attack, whether armed with a weapon or not. Gamemasters
wanting a greater level of realism may restrict unarmed characters
from blocking armed attacks (it's more difficult to block
a sword blow with your bare hands than it is with a weapon
or shield). Characters with a high enough Toughness save (say
equal to the weapon's damage bonus) may be able to block
weapon attacks unarmed, at the GM's discretion.
BLOCKING RANGED ATTACKS
Characters with the Deflect power (see page 81) can block
certain types of ranged attacks, this includes Deflect granted
by shields (see page 141). Otherwise, characters cannot block
ranged attacks.
CHARGE FULL ACTION
Charging allows you to move more than your speed and
attack as a full action. You must move at least 10 feet
and may move up to twice your speed. You must stop as
soon as you are within striking range of your target (you can't
run past the target and attack from another direction).
During the surprise round you can use the charge
action, but you are only allowed to move up to your
speed (instead of up to twice your speed). This is also
true in other cases where you are limited to a single attack or
move action per round.
After moving, you may make a single melee attack. You get a +2 bonus
on the attack roll and also take a '€"2 penalty to your Defense for 1 round
(until the beginning of your action the following round).
COMBINED ATTACK STANDARD ACTION
Multiple attackers can attempt to combine their attacks to overwhelm an
opponent's defenses. The attackers must all delay to the same point in
the initiative order (that of the slowest character). Each attacker makes a
normal attack roll against the target. Take the largest save DC modifier
of the attacks that hit, and for each other attack within 5 points of that
attack's bonus that hits, add +2. The attacks must all require the same
type of saving throw in order to combine, for example attacks doing damage
(requiring a Toughness save) can combine, but not with a Mental
Blast or a Stun effect, which do not call for Toughness saves.
Although a combined attack is similar to aiding someone (see page
154) it is not the same, and bonuses applying to aid do not apply to combined
attacks.
Example: Captain Thunder, Lady Liberty, Daedalus, and Johnny
Rocket are fighting Mastermind, whose defenses are too powerful
for any one of the heroes to overcome. So they decide to
combine their attacks against him. They delay until Daedalus'
action (the slowest initiative total among them), then each hero
makes an attack roll against Mastermind's Defense. They all
hit, so the GM looks over their damage bonuses: +13 (Captain
Thunder), +11 (Daedalus), +10 (Lady Liberty), and +2 (Johnny
Rocket). Johnny's damage bonus is too low to combine with the
others, so it is ignored. Daedalus' and Lady Liberty's bonuses are
within 5 points of Captain Thunder's, so they each add +2 to his
total. Masterminds makes a Toughness save against a combined
damage bonus of +17 (13 + 2 + 2) and a second Toughness
save against Johnny's +2 damage attack. He shrugs off Johnny
Rocket's punch, but the combined force of the other heroes'
attacks stuns him.

COMMAND MOVE ACTION
Issuing a command to a minion or a character under the influence of
Mind Control requires a move action. If you want to issue different commands
to different groups of minions, each one requires a move action (so
you can issue two commands per round as a full action).
CONCENTRATE STANDARD ACTION
Concentrating to maintain a particular power or effect, or focusing
intently on a task, count as standard actions, meaning you cannot attack
while concentrating, although you can still take move actions and free
actions. If anything happens that may disrupt your concentration, you
have to make a Concentration check to maintain it. See the Concentration
skill, page 44, for details.
COVERING STANDARD ACTION
Covering is a variation on the Ready action (see page 158). The attacker
takes a standard action to use a ranged attack against a valid target
within range. Make the attack roll normally, however, the attack does not
go off. Instead, the attacker chooses to withhold the attack and 'œcover'
the target. This is like someone with a gun pointing it at a target and
shouting 'œfreeze!' If the initial attack roll is successful, the attacker may
use the readied attack at any time against the target with the normal
result from the initial attack roll. If the initial attack roll was a critical hit,
then the covering attack is also a critical hit, if it is made.
The target can escape from being covered by distracting the attacker
in some way. Most distractions require a Concentration check by the
attacker (see Concentration, page 44). If it fails, the covering attack
is lost. The target can also make a Bluff or Intimidate check against the
attacker to gain a momentary distraction and escape from being covered.
An Intimidate check suffers a '€"2 penalty (since the attacker is clearly in a
superior position).
DELAY FREE ACTION
By choosing to delay, you act at a later point in the initiative order than
your rolled initiative. When you delay, you voluntarily reduce your initiative
for the rest of the combat. When your new, lower initiative count
comes up later in the same round, you can act normally. You can specify
this new initiative total or just wait until some time later in the round and
act then, fixing your new initiative at that point.
Delaying is useful if you need to see what your friends or enemies are
going to do before deciding what to do yourself. The price you pay is lost
initiative. You never get back the time you spent waiting to see what was
going to happen.
DELAYING LIMITS
The lowest you can voluntarily lower your initiative is '€"10 minus your
initiative bonus. When the initiative count reaches that point, you must
act or forfeit any action for the round. For instance, a character with
an initiative bonus of 3 could wait until the initiative count reached 0,
then wait for it to reach '€"10, but would have to act on '€"13 or forfeit any
action for the round. This is primarily an issue when multiple characters
delay.
MULTIPLE CHARACTERS DELAYING
If multiple characters are delaying, the one with the highest initiative bonus
(or higher Dexterity, in case of a tie) has the advantage. If two or more delaying
characters want to act on the same initiative count, the one with the
highest bonus goes first. If two or more delaying characters are trying to go
after each other, the one with the highest initiative bonus gets to go last.
You can also Refocus (see page 158) to move to the top of the initiative
count.
DEMORALIZE STANDARD ACTION
You can make an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent as a standard
action. By taking a '€"5 penalty on the check, you can attempt to
demoralize as a move action. See Intimidate, page 49, for details.
DISARM STANDARD ACTION
As a standard action, you may attempt to knock an item such as a weapon
or device out of an opponent's hand. Make an attack roll against the
defender. If you attempt to disarm with a ranged attack, you are at '€"4
on your attack roll. If your attack succeeds, make an opposed roll of your
attack's damage against the defender's Strength. If you win, the defender
is disarmed. If you attempted the disarm action as an unarmed attack, you
now have the weapon. Otherwise, the defender drops it. If you make a disarm
attempt with a melee weapon and lose, the defender may immediately
make an attempt to disarm you as a reaction, without an attack roll.
DISTRACT STANDARD ACTION
Characters with the Distract feat can make a Bluff or Intimidate check to
distract an opponent as a standard action. See Distract, page 60, for
details.
DROP AN ITEM FREE ACTION
Dropping a held item is a free action (although dropping or throwing an item
with the intention of accurately hitting something is a standard action).
DROP PRONE FREE ACTION
Dropping to a prone position is a free action, although getting up requires
a move action (unless you have the Instant Up feat).
FEINT STANDARD ACTION
You can make a Bluff check to feint as a standard action. By taking a
'€"5 penalty on the check, you can attempt to feint as a move action. See
Bluff, page 42, for details.
GRAPPLE STANDARD ACTION
Grappling is wrestling and struggling hand-to-hand. It's tricky, but it can
be useful to pin a foe rather than simply pummeling him unconscious.
GRAPPLE CHECKS
Repeatedly in a grapple, you need to make an opposed grapple check
against an opponent. A grapple check is like a melee attack roll. Your
attack bonus on a grapple check is:
attack bonus + Strength modifier +
Super-Strength modifier + size modifier

SIZE MODIFIER
Your size modifier for a grapple check is +4 for every size category you are
above Medium-size or '€"4 for every size category you are below Mediumsize.
Like all size modifiers this one cancels out so opponents of the same
size grapple each other normally.
To start a grapple, you first need to grab and hold your target. Make
a melee attack to grab the target. If you don't hit the target, you fail to
start the grapple. Once you hit, you have grabbed your opponent, make
an opposed grapple check. If you lose, the target is not grappled. If you
succeed, you can apply one of the following effects:
'¢ Damage: You deal damage like an unarmed strike.
'¢ Throw: You can pick up and throw your opponent like an inanimate
object (see Throwing, page 36). The throw occurs as a move action
as part of the grapple (grabbing, grappling, and throwing an opponent
is a full-round action). The distance you can throw an opponent
is based on weight like any other object and a throw automatically
ends the grapple.
'¢ Pin: You hold your opponent immobile for one round. You can't
use a weapon on the pinned character or attempt to damage or
pin another opponent while pinning the first unless you have the
Improved Grapple feat or the Additional Limbs power. When an opponent
has pinned you, you are immobile (but not helpless) for one
round. You have a '€"4 Defense modifier and lose your dodge bonus
against attacks while pinned.
'¢ Break: You can break the hold an opponent has over an ally.
'¢ Escape: You can escape the grapple or a pin. If you are grappled and
escape, you are no longer grappling and can take whatever movement
you get as your move action. If you're pinned and escape, you
are still grappling, but no longer pinned. If more than one opponent
is grappling or pinning you, your grapple check result has to beat all
of their checks to escape. You also can make an Escape Artist check
(opposed by your opponent's grapple check) to escape.
While you're grappling, your ability to attack others and defend yourself
is limited. You lose your dodge bonus to Defense against opponents
you aren't grappling. You can still use it against opponents you are grappling.
You can use powers while grappling, subject to the requirements of the
grapple. If you use a power requiring a standard action, you forfeit your
grapple check that round (meaning you automatically lose the opposed
grapple check). This may be worth it if the power helps you get out of the
grapple or otherwise deals with your opponent. The GM may require a
Concentration check (see page 44) to use some powers while grappled,
while other powers (those requiring freedom of movement or the ability to
access a device, for example) may not be usable at all, at the GM's discretion.
MULTIPLE GRAPPLERS
Several combatants can be in a single grapple. Up to four can grapple a
single opponent of the same size. Opponents one size category smaller
than you count for half, opponents one size category larger than you
count double, and opponents two or more size categories larger count
quadruple. So if you're Medium-sized, eight Small, four Medium, two
Large, or a single Huge opponent can grapple you. In the same way, four
Small opponents (counting as two opponents) plus one Large opponent
(counting as two opponents) can grapple you. Additional grapplers can
aid their friends with the aid action, granting a +2 bonus to that
character's grapple checks for the round.
MANIPULATE OBJECT MOVE ACTION
In most cases, moving or manipulating an object is a move action. This
includes drawing or holstering a weapon, retrieving or putting away a stored
object, picking up an object, moving a heavy object, and opening a door.
MENTAL GRAPPLE STANDARD ACTION
Characters with the Mind Reading power (see page 93) can grapple an
opponent mentally rather than physically, a struggle of mind against
mind. Mental grappling uses the same system as physical grappling, with
the following differences:
'¢ A mental grapple requires a successful use of Mind Reading to establish
mental contact. Mental grapples do not require physical contact,
but do require a standard action each round, as usual. This action is
part of the attacker's maintenance of Mind Reading, so mental grappling
is an option even if the attacker's Mind Reading power has a
duration of Concentration. If the attacker stops maintaining Mind
Reading at any time, the mental grapple ends.
'¢ Mental grapple checks are d20 + the character's Will save or mental power
rank (whichever is greater). Size and Strength modifiers do not apply.
'¢ You cannot throw an opponent using a mental grapple.
'¢ Damage inflicted by a mental grapple is based on the attacker's
Wisdom bonus rather than Strength bonus. If the attacker has a damaging
mental power (like Mental Blast) its damage may substitute for
Wisdom bonus.
'¢ Anyone in a mental grapple loses their dodge bonus against all opponents,
even the one they are mentally grappling, due to the distraction.
'¢ Anyone involved in a mental grapple must make a Concentration
check (DC 20) to use another power or do anything else without first
escaping the mental grapple. A character can take a different standard
action by forgoing the mental grapple check for that round, but then
automatically loses the opposed mental grapple check for the round.
'¢ The winner of a mental grapple can choose to break off mental contact,
even if another character established it.
MOVE MOVE ACTION
The simplest move action is moving your speed. Many nonstandard modes
of movement are also covered under this category, including climbing and
swimming (up to one-quarter the character's speed), crawling (up to 5
feet), and entering or exiting a vehicle. Various powers grant additional
movement abilities, with speed determined by the power's rank.
MOVE ALL OUT FULL ACTION
You can move all out as a full action. When you do so, you move up to
four times your speed in a fairly straight line.
You lose your dodge bonus while moving all out, since you can't easily
avoid attacks. However, if you're using a movement power (see Chapter
5) you gain a +2 bonus to Defense per rank in that power; so a hero
with Flight 5 moving all out gets a +10 Defense bonus for his speed (it's
harder to hit a fast-moving target).
You can move all out for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution
score. After that you must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) to
continue moving all out. You must check again each round, and the DC
increases by +1 for each check. When you fail a check, you become fatigued
and must drop to an accelerated or normal pace (see Fatigue, page 167)
OVERRUN STANDARD ACTION
You can attempt an overrun as a standard action following a move
action or as part of a charge. With an overrun, you plow past, or over,
your opponent (and move through his area) as you move. You can only
make one overrun attempt per action.
First, you must move at least 10 feet in a straight line toward your
target. The target chooses to avoid or block you. If he avoids you, you
keep moving, since you can always move through an area occupied by
someone who lets you pass. If he blocks you, make a trip attack against
him (see Trip, page 159). If you are using a movement power, you gain a
+1 bonus per rank on the trip check. If you succeed in tripping your opponent,
you can continue your movement as normal.
If you fail and are tripped in return, you fall prone. If you fail but are
not tripped, you have to move 5 feet back the way you came, ending your
movement there (essentially, you stop directly in front of your opponent).
If that space is occupied, you fall prone as well.
READY STANDARD ACTION
Readying lets you prepare to take an action later, after you would normally
act on your initiative, but before your initiative on your next turn.
Readying is a standard action, so you can move as well.
You can ready a single standard or move action. To do so, specify the
action you will take and the circumstances under which you will take it.
Then, any time before your next action, you may take the readied action
as a reaction to those circumstances. For the rest of the fight, your initiative
result is the count on which you took the readied action.
Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied
action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your
readied action, you don't get to take the readied action (though you can
ready the same action again).
REFOCUS FULL ACTION
Refocus is a full action during which you cannot move. You do nothing
that round except refocus your attention and appraise the
situation. On the following round, you move up in the initiative
order and are positioned as though you rolled a 20 on your
initiative check. The usual modifiers to Initiative checks apply to
your new initiative total.
RUSH STANDARD ACTION
You can attempt a rush as a standard action made after a move
action, or as part of a charge. (You normally can't make a standard
action during a move action; this is an exception.) When you rush,
you attempt to push an opponent straight back instead of damaging
them.
First, you move adjacent to your target. You and the target make
opposed Strength checks, with each rank in Super-Strength providing
a +1 bonus and each rank of your movement power (if you are using
one) providing a +1 bonus. If you and the target are different sizes,
the larger one gets a +4 bonus per difference in size category. The
target gets a +4 bonus for having more than two legs or being otherwise
exceptionally stable (see Additional Limbs, page 75) and may
also get a bonus from the Immovable power (see page 89).
If you win the opposed Strength check, you push the opponent back.
Read the amount by which you won the check as a rank on the Time
and Value Progression Table, that's how many feet you push the target
back. So winning the check by 7 pushes your opponent back 100 feet,
for example. You can't, however, exceed your normal movement speed, so
any additional distance is ignored.
If you lose, you move 5 feet back the way you came, ending your
movement there (essentially, you stop directly in front of your opponent).
If that space is occupied, you also fall prone.
SLAM FULL ACTION
A slam is similar to a charge (see page 155), except you attempt
to use your momentum to slam directly into the target. Your speed
improves your damage, but you may suffer damage from the impact
as well.
You make a slam attack like a charge: take a full-round action, you must
move at least 10 feet in a relatively straight line. You must stop as soon
as you are within striking range of your target (you can't move past the
target and attack from another direction). You can't move all out for a
slam attack.
Make a melee attack against the target. You do not gain the +2 bonus
to hit from a charge, but you do suffer the '€"2 penalty to Defense. Your
damage bonus is +2 for a normal move, +4 for an accelerated move. Use
this in place of your normal Strength damage. If you use a movement
power, add its rank to your damage bonus, provided you move a minimum
distance equal to that rank's speed. So, if you use Flight 5 (speed 250
MPH) to slam, you must move at least 2500 feet or so (a normal move
action at that speed) to add it to your damage bonus. Obviously, confined
quarters limit the speed you can attain for a slam attack.
You suffer damage equal to half the total damage bonus inflicted on
your target (round down). So a slam attack inflicting +13 damage on the
target does +6 damage to you. You make a normal Toughness save against
this damage, and Impervious Toughness protects against it normally.
The Immovable power (see page 89) reduces the damage inflicted by a
slam attack and increases the damage suffered by the attacker.
SPEAK FREE ACTION
In general, speaking is a free action. Some Gamemasters may limit the
amount you can say during your turn, although superheroes and villains
can generally say quite a bit in the midst of combat. Issuing orders to followers
or minions in combat is a move action.
STAND UP MOVE ACTION
Standing up from a prone position requires a move action.
STARTLE STANDARD ACTION
With the Startle feat (see page 64), you can make an Intimidate check to
startle an opponent as a standard action. By taking a '€"5 penalty on the
check, you can attempt to startle as a move action.
SWITCH ARRAY FREE ACTION
You can switch between Alternate Powers in an array, or reallocate points
among dynamic Alternate Powers, as a free action once per round (see
Alternate Power, page 108, for details on how Alternate Powers work).
TAUNT STANDARD ACTION
With the Taunt feat (see page 64), you can make a Bluff check to demoralize
an opponent as a standard action. By taking a '€"5 penalty on the
check, you can attempt to taunt as a move action.
TOTAL DEFENSE STANDARD ACTION
Instead of attacking, you can use your standard action to avoid attacks
that round. You don't get to attack or perform any other standard action,
but you get a +4 to your dodge bonus for the round.
TRICK STANDARD ACTION
You can make a Bluff check (see page 42) to trick an opponent as a standard
action. By taking a '€"5 penalty on the check, you can attempt to trick
as a move action.
TRIP STANDARD ACTION
You can try to trip an opponent as a melee attack. Make a melee attack
roll. If the attack succeeds, make a Strength or Dexterity check opposed
by the defender's Strength, Dexterity, or Acrobatics check (use whichever
ability has the higher modifier in each case). A combatant gets a +4
bonus for each size category exceeding Medium or a '€"4 penalty for each
size category smaller than Medium (these size modifiers cancel out for
opponents of the same size). The defender gets a +4 stability bonus on
the check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a
normal humanoid and a bonus from the Immovable power (see page 89),
if he has it. If you win, you trip the defender. If you lose, the defender may
react immediately by trying to trip you with no need for an attack roll. If
you have the Improved Trip feat (see page 62), the defender doesn't get
an opportunity to trip you.
A tripped character is prone, suffering a '€"4 penalty on melee attack rolls.
Prone characters have '€"4 Defense against attacks from adjacent opponents
and +4 Defense against ranged attacks. Standing up from a prone position
is a move action. A trip attack may have other effects depending on the situation;
for example, tripping an opponent on a narrow ledge or the edge of a
cliff may cause the opponent to fall (the GM can allow a DC 15 Reflex save
to grab the edge of the precipice at the last moment).
TURN OFF A POWER FREE ACTION
You can deactivate a power as a free action. However, you can't activate
and deactivate the same power in the same turn, the power's activation
lasts until your next turn, when you can then deactivate it, if you choose.
You can't turn off Permanent powers.
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
For actions not covered in any of this material, the GM determines how
long the action takes.
'¢ Skills: Most uses of skills in a combat situation are standard actions,
but some might be move or full actions. The description of a skill
provides the time required to use it. See Chapter 3.
'¢ Feats: Certain feats allow you to take special actions in combat.
Other feats are not actions in themselves, but grant a bonus when
attempting something you can already do. Some feats aren't meant to
be used within the framework of combat. The individual feat descriptions
tell you what you need to know about them. See Chapter 4.
'¢ Powers: The description of a power provides the type of action
required to use it. See Chapter 5.
'¢ Recover: You can spend hero points to use a full action to recover
from damage in combat (see Hero Points, page 121).
Meesa take down quote to get in game:)

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