Rules FAQ - Hero Games Company

POWERS
Page 118 — General Rules
Q: If a character has a Power like Flash, Drain, or Dispel with the Advantage Does Knockback,
and the target lacks the Sense or ability the Power affects, does the target still take Knockback?
A: No. As noted on APG 54, an Adjustment Power with a secondary effect (such as Does
Knockback, which is specifically cited) doesn’t have that secondary effect if the target doesn’t
have the Characteristic/Power/whatever that the Adjustment Power affects. For example, a Drain
Blast, Does Knockback, if used against a target with no Blast attack, has no effect at all — it
doesn’t cause Knockback.
Generally speaking, this reasoning extends to other powers, including Dispel (which is
similar to Adjustment Powers in many ways), Flash, and the like. If the target cannot be affected
by the power because he lacks what it targets (e.g., a blind person hit with a Sight Group Flash; a
person without Flight hit with Dispel Flight), then the secondary effect (such as Does
Knockback) also cannot apply. Note, however, that having a lot of defense against an attack (e.g.,
enough Sight Group Flash Defense to totally block a Flash) or being temporarily immune to a
power (e.g., a character being protected from Sight Group Flashes because he was just affected
by one and is now temporarily blind) does not qualify as “cannot be affected” — as used above,
that term generally means it’s impossible for the character ever to be affected, not just
temporarily impossible.
As always, the GM should apply these rules with an eye toward common sense, dramatic
sense, special effects, and game balance.
Q: If a character Pushes a Constant power (or a power with the Advantage Costs END To
Maintain), does he have to pay the Pushed END cost each Phase as well as the standard cost, or
only when he activates the power?
A: If a character wants to Push a Constant power, he must pay the extra END cost for Pushing
every Phase that he wants the Push effect to enhance the Constant power in addition to the
power’s standard END cost to maintain. If the Constant power only costs END to maintain, a
character who wants to maintain a Pushed effect must pay the END cost for Pushing every Phase.
Page 124 — Sensing Powers And Special Effects
Q: What’s the perceivability of a Skill used as a Power?
A: A Skill bought as a Power is considered Obvious in the same sense that Body-Affecting
Powers and Size Powers are (i.e., they don’t typically produce a visible glow or anything like
that, but their effect on the user, target, and so on is Obvious). Of course, if common sense
dictates otherwise for a particular Skill (e.g., Stealth as a Power would be useless if it were
Obvious), the GM can easily make a ruling.