Superpower (Trait)
EFFECT
Cost 3 JP per appendage
DESCRIPTION
The superhero has one or more additional prehensile appendages attached to his body. These can be arms, tails, tentacles or even animated hair (see the Concealed Appendage enhancement for rules regarding animated hair).
Standard appendages have the same Strength and reach the superhero has, but they have nothing as articulate as a hand, so he cannot use them to manipulate objects with any fine skill, just hold them. The superhero can use his appendages to make unarmed strikes for 1d2, non-lethal damage, though he does not gain any additional attacks. The superhero can also use them to make entangling attacks. However, both his unarmed strikes and entangling attacks suffer a -5 penalty to hit and damage due to the clumsiness of the additional appendages.
Although a heavy coat or cloak might conceal his extra appendages at a medium distance, there is no way for him to hide his extra appendages from scrutiny at close range. Furthermore, the superhero must purchase or make customized armor and clothing that fits his unusual appendages, unless they are located on his body in such a way that they do not reasonably interfere with that armor or clothing.
The physical shape and appearance of his appendages is up to the superhero. They could be cybernetic tentacles, ectoplasmic arms, monkey tails, or whatever the superhero likes.
The superhero must purchase enhancements for each appendage individually. The superhero can mix and match different enhancements and build various appendages. For example, the superhero can have an arm with a hand and a separate retractable tail with reach.
Enhancements and limitations
- Enhancement: Balance Aid (Cost: 1 JP): The appendage helps the superhero to keep his balance; it grants +3 to Acrobatics checks. The superhero can take this enhancement, and gain its bonus, once per appendage.
- Enhancement: Climbing Aid (Cost: 1 JP): The appendage aids the superhero when he climbs; it grants +3 to Climb checks. The superhero can take this enhancement, and gain its bonus, twice per appendage.
- Enhancement: Combat Appendage (Cost: 1 JP): His appendage is now an “off-hand” limb for combat purposes. This eliminates the -5 penalty to attack (see above) and allows the superhero to deal his normal unarmed damage with it. Additionally, the superhero gains a +1 bonus on all grapple checks for each appendage that has this enhancement.
- Enhancement: Concealed Appendage (Cost: 1 JP): His appendage is not normally noticeable unless it’s in action. While the superhero can pass without needing customized clothing or armor, he will not be able to put those appendages to use if they are covered with clothing. This is a required enhancement for Animated Hair because it’s already “concealed” (in plain sight). If his appendage has Reach, then it must also have the Retractable Appendage enhancement in order for the superhero to conceal it.
- Enhancement: Hand (Cost: 1 JP): His appendage now has all the Dexterity and functions of a hand, though it need not literally have a hand on the end. It can hold and manipulate objects just as well as one of his normal hands. This enhancement could represent actuators on the end of a tentacle that can manipulate objects like a hand, for instance, or perhaps represent his hair’s ability to separate into finger-like strands.
- Enhancement: Reach (Cost: 2 JP per level): His appendage is unusually long, and thus has extended reach in combat. While the superhero does not threaten a larger area than normal, he can strike opponents up to 5 feet further away than usual in mêlée per level of this enhancement.
- Enhancement: Retractable Appendage (Cost: 1 JP): The superhero can now retract his lengthy appendage back into his body, making it the same size as a normal limb. Retracting or extending an appendage is a free action. Prerequisite: The superhero must have the Reach enhancement to buy this enhancement.
- Limitation: Weak Appendage (Value: 1 JP): His appendage lacks Strength and power. It only has an effective Strength of 8, or half his normal Strength, whichever is less. Additionally, the superhero cannot perform slam attacks or entangling attacks with it.