Rappanui wrote:prior to PU, the only way for a superhero to have 700 MDC like a glitterboy is to play with Invulnerability, or Force field powers.
Not exactly.
Part of it depends on how your GM allows powers to stack. For example, if you have 100 MDC from Extraordinary PE, and the GM allows that to stack with the 600 MDC from APS: Metal, that would be 700 MDC right there.
Due to the wording, I could see a GM ruling that the 600 MDC from APS: Metal as replacing the normal MDC while transformed (although I've never seen a GM rule that way), but even in that case, you're left with a character that has 600 MDC, and regenerates 1d4x10 MDC per minute for free... as opposed to the Glitter Boy, which can only be repaired in certain high-tech locations, and which costs CR 8,000-40,000 per 10 MDC repaired (depending on whether your GM counts it as a robot or as power armor).
And there are other combos you could use to beat 700 MDC. The Growth power could get insane if you concentrated on maxing your PE, for instance.
Prior to 2nd Edition, there were HUGE caps on attributes that meant most pcs saw no benefit past 30.
Got an official page number and quote for that?
He still has to spend money on repairs (unless he plans to fight naked all the time).
Who does? A guy with super powers?
That depends on the powers.
IF he's invulnerable, he CAN fight naked. Or wearing a cheap loincloth.
IF he's got Control Force Fields, then he isn't going to get his armor hurt even if he does wear it, and even if he has to get it repaired, body armor is cheaper to repair than power armor or robots (whichever the GB qualifies for in your game).
IF he's got APS: Stone or Metal, again, no real repair bills. Automatic regeneration.
IF he's got Copy Physical Structure, same thing.
IF he's got Bio-Armor, same thing.
IF he's got Force Aura, same thing.
The repair bills for somebody with decent powers vs. a Glitter Boy are going to be drastically lower.
He still has to eat, Drink, ****, Sleep, (unless hes' a mega without those abilities).
So?
He still Suffers from Technological or social penalties.
Not if they're indigenous to Rifts Earth.
But yeah... if they're from HU Earth, then their Mechanical Engineer and Electrical Engineer skills will suffer.
Scary.
I get the impression that you're trying to post evidence to support the unwritten argument of "Yeah, well.... Guys with super-powers aren't completely unstoppable!", but nobody ever said that they were completely unstoppable. That's not the discussion.
The discussion is how they stack up to the characters of Rifts Earth, and as a rule, they are significantly more powerful.
Even with your Glitter Boy comparison, you neglect the very important factor that many characters with super powers could ALSO end up piloting a Glitter Boy. Especially if they have Mechano-Link.
I mean Seriously. How unbalancing is ANY super when another super is playing an ADAROK FLYING MOUNTAIN. or any other RCC or PCC or OCC from Atlantis?
Instead of breaking this comparison down just yet, I'll answer your question with a question:
Can an Adarok Flying Mountain nova for 10,000 MD to everything in a 100' radius?
take a look at the Golgans, with their "mutants" with all Heightened hearing, seight, Vision and touch poiwers, are no longer the top dog species in phaseworld.
Phaseworld is a different setting from Rifts Earth.
Most SUPERS are only as effective as a regular Super soldier by rifts standards aka crazy and Juicer.
1. Do you have a link to the survey you did to determine the average super-powered character's power level in Rifts?
2. Even assuming that your statement is correct, I'll point out that Juicers DIE to get that powerful, and Crazies go insane. Their power comes at a price- super powers generally don't. And even when they do, the price isn't nearly as steep.
Most APS characters are only as scary as a highly skilled dragon type pc.
Again, can a dragon explode for 10,000 MD to everything in a 100' radius?
Because I'm not really seeing the comparison.
And, again, dragons are actively hunted by a number of powerful forces on Rifts Earth. Beings with super powers generally aren't, and they can't be tracked by psi-stalkers like dragons can.