Okay, let's say you are designing a superheroes game and must limit yourself to only 10 superpowers to include in the system.  What would those 10 powers be?  In other words, what are the 10 most fundamental powers to the superheroes genre?

Teke
ESP
Flight
Invis
Super Strength
Super Speed
Super Genius
Mimicking an animal's powers
Shooting blasts of energy
Limited invincibility

In one form or another, to one degree or another, the following:

• Strength
• Speed
• Flight
• Invulnerability/Toughness
• Energy projection (ray, arrow, boomerang, etc.)
• Shield/Deflect projectile
• Invisibility
• Genius
• Survive hostile atmosphere (underwater, outerspace, etc.)
• ESP

!i!

The big number one, to me, is ridiculous resilience, toughness, that kind of thing - even if it's played down as "luck", or "extreme skill in defense", or whatever.  Enough of the ability to keep going, alone, makes for superheroes.

Beyond that?  It's all up to style.

Quote from: PseudoephedrineTeke
ESP
Flight
Invis
Super Strength
Super Speed
Super Genius
Mimicking an animal's powers
Shooting blasts of energy
Limited invincibility

That list, but with animal powers removed and replaced with Mind Control. Also, magic a la Dr. Strange would be nice to have as well. If you use Super Genius and Strength as just really high stats, that would free up some space for Magic and Travel. Travel would include teleportaion, space flight, shrinking to the Microverse, opening a portal to the Abyss, etc.

Quote from: Levi KornelsenThe big number one, to me, is ridiculous resilience, toughness, that kind of thing - even if it's played down as "luck", or "extreme skill in defense", or whatever.

"I'm nigh-invulnerable!"

We appear to have forgotten Elemental Control. Maybe fold Mind Control and ESP together to make room for it.

shape-shifting (covers animal powers, or stretching)
Physical enhancement (covers super STR/CON/DEX)
Mental Enhancement
Resilience
speed
blast power (heat vision, big gun, porcupine spikes- whatever)
gadjeteer
perfect tits
super stealth
super presence/ intimidation

Perfect tits isn't a superpower, it's a basic trait of all superheroines.

I'm all about risk, James, but some things can't be left up to chance.

Quote from: James McMurrayThat list, but with animal powers removed and replaced with Mind Control.

I was a little torn on this issue, seeing how I originally placed "Mind Control" under Hypnosis, but it's often treated as a factor of ESP.  I was also considering "the ability to cloud men's minds" or "go un-noticed" as possible facets of Hypnosis.  The whole "powers of the mind" business gets pretty fuzzy around the edges, with one power often being pressed into service for multiple abilities.  I went with just plain ESP, which might even go so far as Telekinesis (eg, Marvel Girl).

I was also torn between Survive Hostile Atmosphere and Shapeshift/Mimic.  Taking the more "iconic" heroes into consideration, I arrived at the conclusion that more of them can survive underwater or in space than can shapeshift or copy others.

!i!

I think invunerability and survive hostile environment should be rolled into one power; that's the way it seems to go in the comics, anyway.

Quote from: BASHMANOkay, let's say you are designing a superheroes game and must limit yourself to only 10 superpowers to include in the system.  What would those 10 powers be?  In other words, what are the 10 most fundamental powers to the superheroes genre?

1. Flight
2. Invisibility
3. Super Strength and Resilience (always go together)
4. Shooting Energy Beams

That's enough right there, I think.  Adding more:

5. Telepathy
6. Shapechanging
7. Super Speed

I'm stumped at this point for powers I consider fundamental.  Looking at other lists, I'd agree with:

8. Genius (abilities of invention and deduction that are effectively a superpower)
9. Telekinesis, I guess (because someone will want it).
10. "Control the elements" -- would cover everything from Storm (wind, more or less) to Pyro and the Human Torch

What about Gadgets?  Or is that too broad a category.  Batman wants to play too...

Gadgets could just be considered a secondary power source for powers. Some people shoot lasres because they're aliens, others do it because of super science.