Charecter Design

General Rules and Guidelines

• NPCs and villains use the same rules as the PCs, though they may not be built on the same number of points. Mooks will obviously be much weaker and there are a few very high point ones (such as the three brothers of Terror, Inc who are this settings Dr. Doom) but they have to adhere to the same rules as the PCs.
• Its a Supers game, so expect Limitations and Disadvantages to be ruthlessly exploited.
• PCs should be designed with the group in mind, the game is only good if everyone at the table has fun. So outshining everyone else or being so tough everyone else gets wiped out by anything that challenges your character is a bad idea.
• Mixing Power Sources is generally not allowed, the notable exceptions are Trained (works with anything) and Chi (works with most). Not only is it highly unusual in the comics, there are specific setting reasons for it.
• A super should have one special effect for their powers. This could be pretty varied in allowed abilities but if you cant explain all your powers as tied into one special effect it will probably be disallowed. GURPS Powers has a good section describing special effects.
• Remember the character is supposed to be able to do more than fight super villains. While that level of specialization is allowed if your a MASK member your a general first responder. Even if your not a member of MASK you will be dealing with things like natural disasters, search and rescue, or just after battle cleanup and your level of popularity and income will in part be determined by your capabilities and versatility.
• Know Your Own ST is in effect, Super Effort on ST is not enabled.
• The idea is build a comic book suitable character since its a superhero game. Most characters from the comics should work, just different origins and the power level  is lower than say Superman or Hulk.
• You should have more than one defense, dodge is great but eventually you'll fail then what happens? DR is nice but if its bypassed or you take too much damage how long do you take to heal? IT:DR or 1 level of Regeneration is rather handy.

Super Powers

Abilities that are not realistic should be tied to a power modifier. A limited set of cinematic abilities may be allowed but are discouraged as the setting is less rubbery than most comics, more like The Watchman and extraordinary abilities are primarily from something designed to specifically bend or break the normal rules of mundanity.

One exception (Not really) is Impulse Buys, which are allowed and cost 5/ level for the reserve (regenerates 1 pt per session) or 8/level (10 with a -20% limitation) that regenerates 1 pt per level per session. Not all options will be available, results depend on power source for your abilities and typically your special effects as well.

House Rules

• Contacts can use alternative ability pricing under certain circumstances. They can be alternates of Claim to Hospitality, Contacts, Patron, or Rank if the Contact is part of the same group or organization. You can also have similar Contacts be alternates of each other for the same or a closely related skill.
• Wildcard Powers are allowed on social advantages like Reputation and Status and would allow abilities such as Contacts but they must have frequency of Appearance as constant.
• Rank in MASK can have a modifier - Influential, +50% that adds +1 to AR rolls for each level of Rank its applied to. This represents a well connected or influential member of the organization beyond what would be typical of their official Rank.

Questions/Rulings that Have Come up.

• No Invisibility Against machine for Totem, or Chi Reason: those power sources cant directly affect Machines
• Trained is a Mundane advantage so abilities have to be realistic or moderately cinematic.
• Healing is a high demand ability so unsuitable for Law Enforcement, your expected to be in a medical facility.
•  No Magic unless you are a Reality Shard
• Psi on Power Seed only
• No combination of certain preferred powers unless approved by a cohesive reasoning
• No on most Cosmic unless you are Reality Shard
• No fantasy based origins or origins of powers predating the 60s
• No Mind Control unless evil
• Gadget supers can be Totem (Vixen, Dr. Fate) or Reality Shard, unless mundane or only somewhat cinematic.
• Minimal to no Temporary Disadvantages
• Minimal to no Temporary Attribute Reductions.