Power Armor

Superpower (Item)

EFFECT

Discount 1 JP per 5 JP (or 20%)
Activate as power
Sustain as power
Range as power

DESCRIPTION

Power Armor is a body-mounted frame that the superhero can install Gadgets into and that is covered in armor plating. The frame contains control systems that integrate all his Gadgets’ functions so that the superhero can use them all simultaneously, just like having powers.

 

Power Armor Discounts
Total Cost of the Powers	Discount
5 JP	1 JP
6 — 10 JP	2 JP
11 — 15 JP	3 JP
16 — 20 JP	4 JP
21 — 25 JP	5 JP
26 — 30 JP	6 JP
31 — 35 JP	7 JP
36 — 40 JP	8 JP
41 — 45 JP	9 JP
46 — 50 JP	10 JP

 

The superhero purchases his suit’s Gadgets, as well as enhancements and limitations for them, just like he would regular Gadgets, but with two exceptions. First, calculate the Gadget discount as a total of the whole suit, not per Gadget. Second, the superhero cannot apply the enhancements and limitations listed under Gadget. Power Armor has its own enhancements and limitations. Remember that Gadgets can’t be loaded with traits or other items, so neither can Power Armor. A gadget that is Medium-sized takes up 2 slots.

The superhero must actually wear his Power Armor to access its powers. To activate and/or sustain a suit’s powers, the superhero consumes his own PPs, just like Gadgets. The PP costs of those powers are unaltered.

 

Power Armor Gadget Locations
Helm	1
Chest Plate	2
Back Plate	3
Left Pauldron	4
Right Pauldron	5
Left Vambrace	6
Right Vambrace	7
Left Gauntlet	8
Right Gauntlet	9
Belt/Cod Piece	10
Left Cuisse	11
Right Cuisse	12
Left Boot	13
Right Boot	14

 

The superhero can load up to 14 Gadgets into his suit and each one is housed in a particular piece of the armor: helm (head), chest plate (chest), back plate (back), left and right pauldrons (shoulders), left and right vambrace (arms), left and right gauntlet (hands), belt/cod piece (waist), left and right cuisse (thighs), and left and right boots (feet) (see table, above).

The superhero can don his Power Armor in 4 rounds, or 2 if someone helps. A disassembled suit fits into a suitcase or large backpack. The material nature of the suit doesn’t change (it’s still the size of a suitcase when not worn and takes 4 rounds to don).

Power Armor behaves mostly the same way as standard, masterwork light armor. It has an armor bonus of +2 and incurs an Armor Check Penalty of -1, a Maximum Dexterity bonus of +8, and weighs 25 lbs. The superhero is proficient in his own power armor. The Armored enhancement (see below) can increase the armor bonus but it also increases the penalties for wearing armor.

Unlike other kinds of armor, Power Armor has its own HPs; it is designed to absorb incoming damage so that the superhero doesn’t have to. Suits of Power Armor start with 50 HPs. Physical damage that would normally affect the superhero, instead reduces the HPs of the suit. That includes anything that would do the superhero physical harm: energy strikes, physical attacks, falling, explosions, etc. Exceptions include anything that normally bypasses armor, such as poisons. In addition to that, critical hits split their damage between the superhero and the suit.

Suits that take significant damage can start to malfunction. When an attack reduces his suit’s HPs to 1/4th their total, his attacker rolls 2d8-2 (minimum of 1) and the corresponding Gadget has a 50% chance of no longer functioning. This is the result not of damaging the Gadget directly, but damaging the integrated systems that allow the superhero to control his Gadgets.

If the roll indicates a Gadget that has already been rendered non-functioning, roll again. If the roll indicates an unoccupied Gadget slot, then the superhero is a lucky bastard because nothing happens. If a single attack reduces the suit to half and 1/4th, both at once (taking it from 80 HPs down to only 15), then his attacker rolls twice and up to 2 corresponding Gadgets have to roll for a malfunction.

When a suit reaches 0 or fewer HPs, three things happen. First, it stops absorbing damage. Incoming damage goes directly to the wearer, although the suit does retain its armor bonus. Second, individual Gadgets on the suit can now be Sundered just like objects that are worn or carried. Sunder attempts that reduce a Gadget to 0 HPs cause the Gadget in question to cease functioning until repaired. Third, all his Gadgets must make a 50% failure check.

Gadgets that are individually sundered must be individually repaired (see the Gadget description). Gadgets that are knocked out by damaging the suit are not individually damaged, as noted, thus, the way to return them to functioning is to repair the suit itself. When a suit is brought up to 1/4th its HPs, one Gadget comes back online, and another one comes back when the suit is brought back to half its HPs. When a suit is brought up to full HPs, all Gadgets begin to function again, unless they were rendered non-functional by a Sundering attack.

To fix a suit of Power Armor requires a check to the appropriate skill (again, see Gadgets for more information on repairing them). Subtract 10 from the results of the check. This number equals the number of HPs restored to the suit. This requires an appropriate workspace (a machine shop, chemical lab, an attuned crystal vault, etc.) and takes one hour. If the superhero repairs zero or fewer HPs (i.e., the skill check is a modified 10 or less), then he cannot do any more work for the day, although the suit is not any more damaged by such a failed attempted. If his skill check result is 5 or less, he accidentally causes an extra 2d6 damage to the suit. The superhero can Take 10 on this check if circumstances permit.

Enhancements and limitations

Levels	Armor Bonus	Check Penalty	Max Dex Bonus	Spell Failure	Speed
None	+2	-1	+8	0%	—
1 (3 JP)	+4	-2	+6	10%	—
2 (6 JP)	+6	-3	+4	20%	—
3 (9 JP)	+8	-4	+2	30%	-10 feet
4 (12 JP)	+10	-5	+0	40%	-10 feet

• Enhancement: Armored (Cost: 3 JP per level): His suit is outfitted with heavier armor plating which grants an armor bonus to AC, but the resulting weight and bulkiness also increases the penalties. For every level of this enhancement, add a +2 armor bonus, increase the Armor Check Penalty by 1, reduce the Maximum Dexterity Bonus by 1, and add 10% to the Spell Failure rate. At level 2, thus armor becomes classified as medium armor. Finally, at level 3, this armor becomes classified as heavy armor and subtracts 10 feet from his speed. The superhero can take this enhancement up to 5 times for a total armor bonus of +10.
• Enhancement: Fast Donning (Cost: 1 JP): The superhero can, miraculously, don his Power Armor in a single, full-round action.
• Enhancement: Hardened Armor (Cost: 3 JP per level): Each level of this enhancement grants the power armor a hardness of 1.

Ability Point Range	Cost per Point
Normal: 0 to 18	1 JP
Super: 19 to 34	2 JP
Extreme: 35 to 54	3 JP
God-Like: 55+	4 JP

• Enhancement: Increased Dexterity (Cost: varies): His Power Armor now grants the superhero an increased Dexterity score. For the sake of game balance, the cost of the increase is on the same sliding scale as raising ability scores and follows all the same rules regarding metapowers and Super attacks. This enhancement applies directly to the suit, not to the superhero, thus it ignores the Maximum Dexterity limits of his armor. For example, if the superhero starts with a Dexterity of 19 and wants his Power Armor to grant a Dexterity of 32, that would be a total of +13 and would cost 26 JP (from 19 to 32, the difference is 13, which costs 26 JP at 2 JP per point). The superhero can take this enhancement multiple times. The superhero must calculate his new JP cost based on the current total ability score every time.
• Enhancement: Increase Hit Points (Cost: 1 JP per level): For every level of this enhancement, the superhero adds 5 HPs to his Power Armor. The superhero can take this enhancement multiple times. Its effects stack.
• Enhancement: Increased Strength (Cost: varies): His Power Armor now grants him an increased Strength score. The cost of the increase is on the same sliding scale as raising ability scores and follows all the same rules regarding metapowers and Super attacks. For example, if the superhero starts with a Strength of 14 and wants his Power Armor to grant a Strength of 27, that would be a +13 and would cost 20 JP (from 14 to 18, the difference is 4, which costs 4 JP, and from 19 to 27, the difference is 8, which is 16 JP at 2 JP per point). The superhero can take this enhancement multiple times. The superhero must calculate his new JP cost based on the current total ability score every time.
• Enhancement: Power Points (Cost: 2 JP per level): For every level of this power, his suit of Power Armor gets +5 PPs of its own. These points can be used only to fuel the suit’s powers. The superhero can take this enhancement multiple times. Its effects stack.
• Enhancement: Really Fast Donning (Cost: 2 JP): Activate: 1 PP. Sustain: none (instantaneous). The superhero can don his Power Armor in a single standard action. Prerequisite: The superhero must have the Fast Donning enhancement to buy this enhancement.
• Enhancement: Power Armor Resurrection (Cost: 4 JP): His Power Armor continues to self-repair even after it’s been brought to 0 HPs or below, although the Rate of Healing is halved (1 HP every hour for 2 JP, 1 HP every round for 5 JP, etc.). As long as the bulk of the parts are within 1 foot of each other, they will eventually reform into the Power Armor the superhero knows and loves. Prerequisite: The superhero must have the Self-Repairing enhancement to buy this enhancement.

Rate of Self-Repair	JP Cost
1 HP / hour	2 JP
1 HP / minute	3 JP
1 HP / round	5 JP
2 HP / round	10 JP
3 HP / round	15 JP
4 HP / round	20 JP
5 HP / round	25 JP

• Enhancement: Protective Armor (Cost: 2 JP): Whenever a superhero is inside his power armor, he gains a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on his saving throws.
• Enhancement: Robotic Immunities (Cost: 4 JP): A superhero, while wearing his power armor, is immune to Fatigued, Exhausted, and Sleep status effects, and is immune to fear and emotion-based spells and effects.
• Enhancement: Self-Repairing (Cost: varies): This enhancement grants his Power Armor the ability to repair itself, as per the table. It can self-repair only if it is at 0 HPs or more.
• Limitation: Fragile Armor (Value: 2 JP): If an attacker rolls 2d8-2 and strikes an empty Gadget slot, she rerolls the dice until she hits an occupied slot. In addition, Gadgets have a 75% chance of being rendered non-functional at 1/4th HPs, though they are not all rendered non-functional when the suit reaches 0 HPs or lower. Prerequisite: The superhero must have at least 10 JP worth of Gadgets to gain credit from this limitation.