Superpower (Power)
EFFECT
Cost 8 JP
Activate 4 PP; full-round action
Sustain 2 PP per round
Range 300 feet
Save Will negates; Power Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
This power allows the superhero to mentally dominate and control animals at a distance. The superhero can control any number of animals within range, as long as their total Hit Dice do not exceed his freelancer level. Each affected animal is allowed Will save to resist his domination. The superhero cannot control insects or any animals with an Intelligence greater than 2. Familiars and other enhanced animals are also immune to this power. The superhero can, at a distance, mentally command any animal he successfully dominates.
The commands must be simple, and the animal must be able to understand and perform them. Thus, the superhero can command a dog to guard or fetch, but commanding a budgie to dig a tunnel is futile. Likewise, a nightingale might be able to sing well, but the superhero cannot get it to sing a complicated song because it does not understand that concept. The animal remains in control of its actions, but will obey commands without hesitation or dispute. If not actively commanded, an animal will fall back on the last general command it was given, that it can continue to do, such as “guard me” or “attack him.” If it can’t do so, it will act of its own accord, which might include leaving the area of control. If dominated animals move out of range, the domination immediately ends.
Using Dominate Animals is a difficult task, requiring a great deal of concentration. As a result, the superhero loses his Dexterity bonus to AC, and the superhero can take only a single standard or move action each round. Any skill checks the superhero might be called upon to make also suffers a -4 penalty.
If the superhero and another character both attempt to control the same animal, he makes an opposed test using his Will saves. Whomever rolls higher takes control of the animal for a number of rounds equal to the margin by which she won the opposed roll.
Enhancements and limitations
- Enhancement: Easy Domination (Cost: 5 JP): With this enhancement, the superhero is more capable of sustaining his dominion over animals. After spending a full round action to dominate, he is able to act freely for as long as he sustains the domination, no longer limited to just one standard action or move action. When giving new orders, the superhero must spend a move action that turn.
- Enhancement: Expanded Domination (Cost: 6 JP per level): The creatures that the superhero can control are expanded on. He may now affect familiars, vermin or animals with the mindless trait, or magical beasts. Such creatures are harder to control and have a +4 to the Will save. This power can be gained three times, once for each new creature type.
- Enhancement: Extended Range (Cost: 2 JP): Triple the range at which the superhero can control animals (900 feet).
- Enhancement: Increased Domination (Cost: 1 JP): For each JP invested in this enhancement, the superhero can control 1 additional Hit Die of animals beyond his freelancer level. Additionally, the superhero gets a +1 bonus on opposed Will saves to contest control of an animal. The superhero can take this enhancement up to 8 times. Its bonuses stack.
- Limitation: Limited Animal Types (Value: varies): The superhero can Dominate only into a limited kind of animals. The GM has the final call on what qualifies as a Wide, Limited, Tiny, or Specific form. This limitation is not compatible with the Expanded Domination enhancement.
- 1 JP: Wide Group. The superhero can Dominate a single kingdom of animals (mammalian, aviary, reptilian, aquatic, or insectoid).
- 2 JP: Limited Group. The superhero can Dominate a specific group of animals within a kingdom, such as bovines or birds of prey.
- 3 JP: Tiny Group. The superhero can Dominate a particular kind of animal, like cats, or hawks.
- 4 JP: Specific Creature. The superhero can Dominate one particular animal, like a specific bread of domesticated animal, like a Siamese cat or a Doberman, or a particular sub-set of a species, like a Canada goose.