Force Fields

Doctor Doom, demonstrating how annoying projected force fields can be.

Force Fields are a common form of defense encountered in combat, and range from the personal to the projected. Force Fields protect as Body Armor, but are primarily effective against Energy attacks at the listed level, and are – 10 against all other attacks.

Force fields in combat:

A Force Field takes the damage instead of the hero.
A Force Field can be overloaded by damage exceeding that of the Power rank, treating that Power rank as the material strength of the wall. What happens if the Force Field is overloaded depends on the type of Force Field.

  • If the Force Field is personal in nature, the system switches off or overheats. The hero is affected by excess damage, and may be stunned or slammed.
  • If the Force Field is projected in nature, the user must make a Psyche FEAT roll against the intensity of the attack or become unconscious. The Force Field hangs around long enough to protect those within.

A character with Force Field and Body Armor may use one or the other against any attack, but not benefit from both at the same time.
If a Force Field is projected by a third party in front of the character with Body Armor, the Force Field takes damage and, if it collapses, full damage is inflicted on those within. In this case Body Armor is applicable to reducing damage.

If the accumulated amount of damage incurred in a round from all forms of attack is greater than the rank number the force field is breached. If there is a Monstrous (75) force field, then up to 75 points in a turn may be absorbed. At 76 points the force field fails.

Claws and other sharp instruments do not affect Force Fields with their material strength.
They only inflict their normal damage in overloading that Force Field.

A single character may be unable to pierce an enemy’s Force Field or Body Armor, but two or more individuals striking at the same spot may be able to affect the foe.
As with combined material Strength FEATs, the two must inflict damage within in points of each other. The higher total is raised to the next rank of damage, at the lowest point (88 for Unearthly, etc.) providing the individual with the lower damage ability makes an Agility FEAT (the one with the higher FEAT must score a normal hit). This applies to Slugfest, Charging, and Energy and Force Powers.

Force fields as a Power:

Force Field Generation: The hero with this Power can create force fields that will protect himself and possibly other allies. The source of the power varies depending on the hero. The hero with this Power can generate a force field that covers an area equal to the “tens” place of the rank number. A character with a rank number of 70 may cover 7 areas. For every area covered beyond the first, the strength of the force field is reduced by one rank. A force field encompassing 7 areas would reduce the effects by – 6CS. A hero may choose to have a personal force field at +1CS instead of being able to project force fields. This choice is made at the start of play, and as such cannot be changed.

Force Field Generation may be used for Power Stunts only if the force field is projected.
Personal force fields cannot be used for Power Stunts. Power Stunts using a projected force field include:

  • Force missiles of -1CS range and damage, attacking on the Force column. Forming a “cushion” of invisible force. resilient enough to absorb up to Power rank damage from a fall or crash for all those involved.
  • Enhanced movement by means of forming a column of force and allowing it to topple and elongate in a given direction. The ability may rise a number of floors per round equal to the Power rank – 2CS as Levitation, or Fly at a maximum of Typical speed.
  • Entrap others in the force field, as if protecting one’s self, up to the limitations of the Power.
  • Make a Grabbing attack up to Power rank range away (use Power rank as Strength for determining success).
  • Create a bubble of force inside a small opening and expand it to inflict up to Power rank damage, avoiding the effects of Body Armor resulting from battle suits. The suit must have some opening, and this would not be recommended against living targets.
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