GeoforceThe hero can detect and control geological forces. These include plate movement, stress, faults, and vulcanism. This Power only applies to natural rock and semi-natural materials such as concrete, cement, and asphalt. Radically altered material (steel, plastic) is not directly affected by the Power.
This Power has 2 ranges, both based on the Power rank. The ability to detect forces and materials within the earth has a range shown on Column C. The ability to actually control those forces is more limited and is determined on Column B. For example, a hero with Rm Geoforce can detect forces 12 miles distant but can only control those forces within 1 mile of her location.
The Detection aspect of this Power enables the hero to sense a variety of earth-related things. These include ground temperature (green FEAT), general mineral composition (green), specific minerals (red), locate caves (green), locate beings moving within the earth (yellow), identify faultlines and stress points (yellow), and communicate with beings made of rock (red).
The active aspect of this Power enables the hero to accelerate, slow, or alter the direction of natural geological forces. The hero can affect plate movement; this can create Power rank tremors or reduce the intensity of existing tremors by the Power rank number. The hero can accelerate erosion by decreasing the Material Strength of exposed rock. The flow of magma within the earth can be redirected to anywhere the hero wants an instant baby volcano to erupt. By magnifying existing faults and decreasing the rock's Material Strength, the hero can create openings in the earth. These can be instant pits, valleys, caves, or tunnels.
The effects of the Power are permanent alterations to the landscape. Baby volcanoes don't last very long, though, if the area didn't have a previous history of vulcanos. For example, during her tenure with the New Mutants, Magma has created baby volcanoes in such places as Rio de Janeiro's harbor, the living room of Professor Xavier's mansion, and an apartment in Manhattan. Such freakish volcanoes immediately cool down once the Power is no longer supporting their existence; heat is lost at a rate of -1CS per hour. For example, the volcano in the X-Mansion was cool enough to sit on by the time Professor X came home a few hours later. It is assumed that the cooling effect extends all the way down back through the ground to where the magma came from in the first place; otherwise all these baby volcanoes would act as conduits for later, normal vulcanism.
The amount of matter the Power can effect is awesome. The Power can affect a maximum amount of rock equivalent to 10 tons for each point of the Power rank number. For example, Magma's Mn(75) Geoforce can affect 750 tons (1.5 million pounds!) at a range of up to 6 miles.
The Power can be expanded into a variety of Power Stunts, such as induced avalanches and sculpting chambers in the earth. The latter example is also a way for the hero to make some money on the side by creating "secret underground headquarters" on commission. The giant caves that litter the pages of comic books do not occur in real life, people.
A curious use of the Power is to communicate with beings who are themselves composed of natural rock. The Power provides the hero with a seismic equivalent of Telepathy. Such beings include Golems, Earth Elementals, and planetary beings such as Ego the Living Planet. Is Mother Earth alive in your campaign? If she is, then this Power will let your hero talk to her.
The Nemeses for this Power include itself, Disintegration, and Phasing.
Range: See Above.