Mimic:
A) Powers: The character can mimic the powers of others as though they have the power themselves.
B) Abilities/Skills: The character can mimic the abilities and skills of others.

*Note: The exact number of powers and abilities that can be mimicked is left up to the individual GM to determine. I’d suggest that characters be limited to no more than six abilities and/or powers at a time. If a player has additional abilities, I’d suggest that the PC still be limited to a maximum or eight to ten powers and/or special abilities, including the mimicked abilities.

GMs may also wish to impose specific requirements on the use of this power, such as the character must come into physical contact with the person who’s abilities the character is trying to mimic. Sound reasonable?

The characters aren't actually absorbing anything, they're just copying a power or ability they've seen in use. Say someone like Task Master (mimic abilities), or Sync (mimic powers).

Basically, the character would have to see the power or ability, in action, to be able to successfully mimic it.

In the original V&V rules, there was a superpower called Power Copy. The character could absorb 1-4 powers that had a zero power cost (like Heightened Defense and Invulnerability), plus additional powers up to his or her own power score (Lightning Control would be 4 points, Light Control would be 1 point, Mind Control would be 20, etc.). It didn't cost anything to mimic powers (just to use them after they were duplicated)--but the character's basic Power score simply indicated how much could be stored.

My cuz is running a game where one of the guys has absorbtion he asked for ideas. I suggested he could have a power pool of powers that were limited to a set number. 1-4 that he could hold for a set time like one day, until he absorbs another or whatever. This was the characters main power so he was trying to spice it up a little for the player. He decided on 1.      He can absorb any mutant power he sees used, no devices or magical items, and it can not change him physically (he doesn’t grow wings, extra arms, etc…)
2.      He can hold on to any powers he sees used for 24 hours at which time the memories fade and he loses them.
3.      He gains the same bonus that whoever he absorbs the power from has (so if they are very strong, he gets very strong)
4.      He can only have one power active at a time, and it takes an action to “switch” powers.

Bump, bump, bump. So, what do some of the new guys think of this.

TaskMaster just has to see and study someone to mimic them does he not?

dsumner wrote on Apr 5^th, 2010 at 8:45pm:

So, how would that translate to a character, how would you write that up?

I was thinking of Taskmaster's power and here is what I came up with.

Body Power: Photographic Reflexes;  After observing someone in motion,  the character can then make a save Ad20 to copy it.   If the player wishes to copy a super powered skill then they can spend an inventing point and pretty much have that power.
   They can only copy non "super" powers.  Things like heightened defence,  heightened attack,  natural weaponry ( due to fighting skills, not natural claws), webswinging, etc...
   When in doubt,  look to the Marvel character Taskmaster and see if he can do it.    Photographic reflexes will not give you lazer vision no matter how many inventing points you spend.

The primary difference between Absorption, and Mimic, is that it doesn't require you to touch anyone, or absorb residual power, etc.

Just to clarify again, though, absorption asa power doesn't have to require touch. The rules say it usually requires touch, but not always. And some of the characters with absorption in the gamebooks have absorption w/out touch.

Not trying to pick a fight. Just showing how mimic could work under the existing powers.

I'd give the "old" X-Man known as Mimic the power Absorption with Low Self-Control, as he automatically absorbed/imitated the powers of mutants who were nearby.

I like John's body power option too. 

dsumner wrote on Apr 6^th, 2010 at 12:44pm:

So you see Lenny, it's like Absorption meets Weakness Detection!
<Insert sleazy movie director with hands framing a movie>

I've always thought that was an interesting concept, utilizing one power through the action of another. This is somewhat represented by Carrier attacks, but not all the way. I wonder what other examples are out there as well.

I can't remember, does Absorption state that it usually requires a carrier HtH attack?

Bumping this up, as I'm gathering up feedback, as I work on an updated new powers PDF. It'll be done up the same way as the last one.