Worst powers to have...

[Al Blotto]

We're playing a teen hero game that has some really cool characters cycling through it. There is the psychic girl with a psi-sword and a force field, the bee girl, the time-stopping super-agile skateboarder, the hulk like persian fire god, and lots more... And then there was Mikki. He was the guy with a whole bunch of powers, none of which were used to potential and honestly, you'd have to work pretty hard to make them a good combo. Let's see... he had:

Item Reduction
Infrared/Ultraviolet Vision
Clock Manipulation
Alter Physical Body
Unnoteworthy/Forgettable

He did a lot of shrinking things like chainsaws and bricks, but for him to do anything in game took about a full melee. He had to expand the flammable substance, expand the baseball bat, expand the whatever it was and then HOPE that he managed to hit whatever he was throwing it at. Which didn't happen very often. He used Alter Physical Body to get people in school in trouble and Infrared/Ultraviolet Vision to look at gross stains. I think the only time Clock Manipulation was used was to get out of class early. And Unnoteworthy/Forgettable just made his team mates forget he was even there. All in all, totally boring use of what COULD have been pretty awesome powers.

[Iczer]

super power punch.

Really. The ability to do your full normal damage in one hit rather than in all your hits (not more damage, the same damage) combined with only being able to use it once per minute, taking all attacks, and rendering you an imobile blob for the rest of the round.

Hardly a major power. It doesn't even give you a bonus to hit. supernatural PS does all of the above and more.

Batts

[acreRake]

Easily the worst power is Heightened Sense of Time.

I noticed two (heh, three since i started typing) people list Clock Manipulation, and i agree that is a pretty lame power (except for the unlimited range)... But apparently it wasn't crappy enough for Carmen, because he took a SUBPOWER OF CLOCK MANIPULATION and made it into a minor power in it's own right.

This "power" seriously makes me angry.

Okay. Maybe i could see a superhero with the ability to always know what time it is. But let's see how this power actually works. Our hero "Countdown" has the power to tell time, so he is tasked with making sure the heroes' rocket jumps into hyperspace one second before the space station explodes.
"Don't worry guys the bomb goes off in 7-6-5-f..." BOOM!

Yep that's right folks. The guy with the SUPERPOWER TO KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS, IS ALWAYS WRONG!!!! He can never get closer than 1D4 seconds to the correct time. At least the guy with Super Taste has a chance of correctly identifying the poison he shouldn't have tasted and the one with "impervious to fear" is always actually immune to fear (for the rare instances that comes up [rare at least until Armageddon Unlimited comes out])
/rant

Luckily it's easy enough to write "nano-" in before "seconds" and at least make it seem a little super...

[Reagren Wright]

Copy Animal Attributes . You have to be within 600 feet (183 m) and line of sight of the
animal your copying. So unless you combat bad guys in or around a zoo, the power is pretty
much worthless. The only powers your going to have if you operate in a major city is domestic
cats, domestic dogs, pigeons, rats (at night and in some alleys), and squirrels. And you have to
drag the animal around with you.

Most of the minor powers have a "lame" nature to them, thankfully you just don't get one minor
power. Now if you combine Heighten Sense of Time with Extra PP, Lightning Reflexes, and
Extraordinary Speed, now the power doesn't appear so lame. Now a Major Power like Copy
Animal Attributes that's pretty lame all the time. If a woman is trapped in a car about
to go over a cliff and you need an elephant to just happen to walk by in order pull the car to
safety that's pretty lame.

[NMI]

Invulnerability!!!!
Try cutting your invulnerable hair!
Try shaving!
or trimming your fingernails/toenails! (dont want to think about "whiping" after a visit to the bathroom)
or popping a pimple/zit!

[ScottBernard]

what about the fact that powers only affect you and not your costume? So if youve got APS fire then youre going to be captain naked.

[Senator Cybus]

Karmic Power sucks if you're a villain. Or, you know, anyone who doesn't want his super power telling him how to live his life.

Control Radiation sucks for a hero. Look at the description: you constantly emit damaging radiation, unless you sacrifice one action per round to keep it contained. Meaning that it must take conscious effort to keep it contained. Meaning that if you fall asleep, or just get knocked out in a fight, you start irradiating everyone around you! Bunk down next to Captain Fission for the night, and wake up with no hair and bleeding eyeballs...

[Dolcet]

Animal Metamorphosis: All

Hey i made use of the power several times & it is almost broken being any animal is nasty for getting arround traps, out of things, or just plain sneaking up on people not to mentions the damage from droping on someone from the ceiling an a polar bear or even a elephant.

I unitentionally ruined a gm's game with that power. He spent 3 weeks designing an elaborate trap filled maze in an old incan temple & turned in to a blue tailed skink (a small lizard about 4" long) & walked on the walls avoiding every trap & even when i couldn't, i wieghed to little to set off the preasure plates.

He was very upset & wouldn't run the Heros game any more any other palladium yes but not Heros.

[The Baron of chaos]

well actually all powers have an "awesome" side and a more or less closet "lame" side.
Superpower punch does not seem great, but make sense once one realize one melee round is roughly 15 seconds...not an eternity. Is the last attack of battle(many melee rounds), the final strash, the ultimate burst of kick wearing your fav kisentite boots wiht darkmetal spikes, the extreme energy glowing fist of pain, HADO-RYU-KEN up-diagonal-back-down-up+A-B-A-B(oddly enough took pretty much the same time to perform...is kinda powerful attack, but the side effect are, hmm quite lame yes.
Spit Spikes is quite weak power. Even for a minor! Plus I would have preferred was not spitting!

[acreRake]

...Now if you combine Heighten Sense of Time with Extra PP, Lightning Reflexes, and Extraordinary Speed, now the power doesn't appear so lame...

No, now the character doesn't seem so lame because he has some of the best minor powers in addition to his craptastic one.

Now a Major Power like Copy Animal Attributes that's pretty lame all the time. If a woman is trapped in a car about to go over a cliff and you need an elephant to just happen to walk by in order pull the car to safety that's pretty lame.

It's not lame if you happen to be a gestalt made from lots of animals.

[Captain Shiva]

We're playing a teen hero game that has some really cool characters cycling through it. There is the psychic girl with a psi-sword and a force field, the bee girl, the time-stopping super-agile skateboarder, the hulk like persian fire god, and lots more... And then there was Mikki. He was the guy with a whole bunch of powers, none of which were used to potential and honestly, you'd have to work pretty hard to make them a good combo. Let's see... he had:

Item Reduction
Infrared/Ultraviolet Vision
Clock Manipulation
Alter Physical Body
Unnoteworthy/Forgettable

He did a lot of shrinking things like chainsaws and bricks, but for him to do anything in game took about a full melee. He had to expand the flammable substance, expand the baseball bat, expand the whatever it was and then HOPE that he managed to hit whatever he was throwing it at. Which didn't happen very often. He used Alter Physical Body to get people in school in trouble and Infrared/Ultraviolet Vision to look at gross stains. I think the only time Clock Manipulation was used was to get out of class early. And Unnoteworthy/Forgettable just made his team mates forget he was even there. All in all, totally boring use of what COULD have been pretty awesome powers.

Except for the Clock Manipulation, most of those powers could serve an NPC assassin very well. Item Reduction could be used for concealing weapons, Alter Physical Body for disguises, Unnoteworthy to blend in, even the vision power would help in the dark.If you traded Clock Manipulation for Manipulate Kinetic Energy, this character could kick a fair amount of booty.

[Steeler49er]

super power punch.

Really. The ability to do your full normal damage in one hit rather than in all your hits (not more damage, the same damage) combined with only being able to use it once per minute, taking all attacks, and rendering you an imobile blob for the rest of the round.

Hardly a major power. It doesn't even give you a bonus to hit. supernatural PS does all of the above and more.

Batts

I couldn't be in more agreement...
1000%
I've HATED this power fer soooo long and it was the "Straw that broke the Camels Back" reason that I returned PU2 to the store <this was the First time I'd Ever done so for ANY RPG> and I did so because, after reading through it, I came to feel that it was just a Rehash of Rifter materials with a lotta nothing, but THAT power made me feel like PB wasn't even trying anymore... Thank Goodness fer PU3 which had 50% original matterial.

As to the power itself...
Unless your are using "My" U.P. score AR system which relies/depends on your PC's & NPC's doing a pre-set amount of damage in order to do "Any" amount of damage period (IE: the Palladium M.D.C. system in which you do 1 MD per 100sdc), OR you are a person with JUST this power fighting a Glitterboy/AlphaBeta that crossed over from Rifts/Robotech <respectively> this power is otherwise Utterly worthless.

The ONLY other usage fer this power is when used in tandum with that Knock Back power found in PU3!
And lets faces it, that's Only good fer putting on a show.



RATTS

[Steeler49er]

I believe Grant Powers has a pretty lame draw-back. I'm assuming it's not from your base HP, but you lose 7-12hp for granting someone a super power for 3 minutes? really? Hopefully you rolled high on your PE attribute. And it's not like bestowing the power will make them righteous fighters of crime. They might fight if their city is being destroyed, otherwise you're gonna need some Cape Groupies. I'm sortof a realist when it comes to superpowers so I see superheroes having to develop their powers over time. The more they use their powers and train, the more powerful they become. What's a guy gonna do with 3 minutes of Sonic Speed suddenly? Run into a wall because he can't control it just yet. Or better yet: give a police officer Cyclops power and watch him blast everything in sight (no pun intended) because he doesn't have glasses or a visor to shield it. It reminds me of Ando on Heroes when he got his power and trying to squint to time travel when it wasn't the power he got.

True, This power is Lame on it's own for one Other reason you didn't mention... Those powers you mentioned are RANDOM and Minor only AND all level One powers (Never Higher).
True, if you've got another power than you can grant THAT power to another... But only at ½ Power.
Lets hope that the other power you rolled isn't; Bio-aura, Clock manipulation, or Super Power Punch

This power has Sooooo many draw backs (Like APS: Copy)
Lets list em...
<Viable for those with ONLY this power>
►Only 3miniutes Per level
►Uses HP (if other than this power you're normal- that mean 1-2 uses every TWO to Three days.)
►HP is NEEDED in a fight AND is Very slow to recover
►Both you and the person you give power to has NO idea what that powers gonna be... Meaning that you can Not give them help nor instruction in its use...Also
►Since neither of you know what he power is going to be, neither of you can know What that power Is (unless its overt) when you get it... You may likely end up with powers and Never know it.
►Because of the limited nature of this power (in uses per day) your Never gonna see grow in this power Nor your level of experiance since... your gonna be to sickly (loss nearly ALL HP each day) to fight And....
►This power can can ONLY be used on a limited number of super classes, all of which either see it's effects reduced or (due to being a fighting class) will see you as more of a liability in the field, thus your not even good for being a "Side-Kick".
►The power never seems to grow and has no uses in ANY other manor other than granting of powers on Non-supered humanoids,,, It doesn't even work on animals.
So in NO WAY does it have ANY utility usages, as it is TOTALLY dependant (Making you a Co-dependant) on Humans being around, and being desierable to giving the power to.


Add in a power Like Regeneration Though, and This power combined would make you the BEST healer of Normals on the planet... (Screw Divine Healing ).
This combo would make you a god to people... You'd have as many followers as someone with Divine Aura... PLUS, on top of Healing & Curing 1000's of people of their woes everyday, you could Finally make great usage of the Grant SP power as you'd have constantly recovering HP, and thusily you could grow in level.


RATTS

[Steeler49er]

I refuse to believe that Kevin actually came up with Super Power Punch by himself...he's better than that.

Here's to hope









RATTS

[Rimmerdal]

Invulnerability!!!!
Try cutting your invulnerable hair!
Try shaving!
or trimming your fingernails/toenails! (dont want to think about "whiping" after a visit to the bathroom)
or popping a pimple/zit!

I know your probably joking...But yeah I would say this one. Not just on the part you mentioned. but any threat that can hurt is going to be powerful or have a means of damage directly to hit points. and if you did get injured healing could problematic.

Difficult to injure, difficult to heal.

[Rimmerdal]

...Now if you combine Heighten Sense of Time with Extra PP, Lightning Reflexes, and Extraordinary Speed, now the power doesn't appear so lame...

No, now the character doesn't seem so lame because he has some of the best minor powers in addition to his craptastic one.

Now a Major Power like Copy Animal Attributes that's pretty lame all the time. If a woman is trapped in a car about to go over a cliff and you need an elephant to just happen to walk by in order pull the car to safety that's pretty lame.

It's not lame if you happen to be a gestalt made from lots of animals.

Dumb question a teammate of mine can change into say a grizzly bear...Can I copy HIS animal attributes?

[Smlawrence8]

I actually rolled up a horrible character with no good abilities, BUT the worst was his x-ray vision...Not a bad power in and of itself. however he was an experiment and his side effect was "Vulneral to Radioactivity (reduces all attributes to half while exposed)". So basically ever time he had his eyes open he was a sitting duck

[Malakai]

For those of you who keep on citing Clock Manipulation, I once thought so too . . . . . . . . . . until my brother (a computer-person) had it for a character.

See, all, and I do mean ALL items that rely on anything as simple as just a microcontroller (simple circuit / computer chip) require clock signals to function properly. That means anything electronic is at the mercy of a clock - no clock cycle, no output - congratulations, you've just inherited a piece of plastic and silicon. Any time-lock safe is available to you, with no problem what so ever. Need to buy yourself more time while hacking or otherwise busy in a time-sensitive situationand automated security is a problem? looks like that sweep for unauthorized users is going to be late. Cameras can be delayed, motion and laser sensors (which require being able to register the difference in time of signals) can be ignored, Alarms can be negated (guess that timing device to send out a signal is on a perpetual "wait") and since it doesn't have a range (and if your GM is allowing it), GPS systems can be severely messed up as well - they thought they could track you via the GPS device in the bag - there really is a lot of potential for it


But, for my own worst - Energy Expulsion: Particle Beam, because the absurd 3 Attacks per use, it never increasing in level, and can't be divided. I mean, come on, even the Plasma one is better (which was my vote until PU3 came out). Coming in for the Bronze is Bio-Aura - really, this should be a given unless the player states otherwise - I mean, how many super-heroes does palladium want walking around nekkid cause they didn't have a Minor Power slot?

[Steeler49er]

Wow dude, atsa helluva lotta cool uses fer Clock Manipulation... Danka fer the headzup.

As to Partical beam, I'd rather give it to that "Rot Flesh" power, that one Only works on Organic matterial, Never gets much better, Can't kill you, does alot less damage than EE: Partical Beam, and Less range (touch I think)!

Sure it doesn't take 3 AtPM's but, man this one is anouther example of PB's skiddishness for when it comes to Directly harming living beings!!! (never Ever mind the fact that Guns & EE: Power <nottomention EX PS and Higher> can all KILL YOU DEAD ANY WAYS!).

Why is PB sooo freaked out by Acids, Drugs, Mind & Flesh Control, and powers like "Rot" when you got FAR more damaging powers that get NO save are running around?

Has anyone else noticed this very odd writers behavior? I mean/intend No bash, It's always been alittle odd to me why this is, or as Arsenio Hall & C&C Music Factory usedta say "Things that make ya go Hummmm..."

[Iczer]

Not to mention that all Robotics and Bionics characters are dependent on clock and timing signals. Imagine the many ways these types of heroes (or villains) can be messed up with this one little minor power. Systems don't function. Weapons don't fire. Heck - artificial intelligence no longer functions, rendering true robots and androids completely useless.

Or at least, their watches.

Truth be told, if a player tried disabling complex robots, cyborgs or other machinery by saying 'the clock's broken ergo the machine is' is in for a rude shock, and they vastly overestimate the functionality of the clock mechanism inside these things. All the power does is control the clock. anything not dependant on the clock is immune. heck anything with a seperate system (AI, or a human controller) can ignore the changes. Just because something works as a timer doesn't mean the whole system relies on the timer.

Next up: can we control sand with this power, under the assumption that sand timers are clocks. On the same topic, can we control the sun also due to sundials?

Batts

[Captain Shiva]

Not to mention that all Robotics and Bionics characters are dependent on clock and timing signals. Imagine the many ways these types of heroes (or villains) can be messed up with this one little minor power. Systems don't function. Weapons don't fire. Heck - artificial intelligence no longer functions, rendering true robots and androids completely useless.

Or at least, their watches.

Truth be told, if a player tried disabling complex robots, cyborgs or other machinery by saying 'the clock's broken ergo the machine is' is in for a rude shock, and they vastly overestimate the functionality of the clock mechanism inside these things. All the power does is control the clock. anything not dependant on the clock is immune. heck anything with a seperate system (AI, or a human controller) can ignore the changes. Just because something works as a timer doesn't mean the whole system relies on the timer.

Next up: can we control sand with this power, under the assumption that sand timers are clocks. On the same topic, can we control the sun also due to sundials?

Batts

I agree with pretty much all of what Iczer said. Computers have clocks as timers but they aren't required for all systems to function (heck, probably even most; remember Y2K anyone?). I'd say the most practical use of the power is to keep VCR's from flashing 12:00 all the freaking time, as the character might be the only one besides a Hardware: Electrical character that can program the damn thing!

actually I was thinking (so take that for what it's worth...) that if you try it on a VCR, Camcorder date stamp, GPS, or other non sentient machines, then it should work as advertised. if you're doing this to a (N)PC bot/andriod, even one of the AIs, the bot should get a save (12 or better for standard, 15 or better for advanced & transferred).

This is sort of like the Telemechanics powers, that work best on "dumb" machines.

[Malakai]

Not to mention that all Robotics and Bionics characters are dependent on clock and timing signals. Imagine the many ways these types of heroes (or villains) can be messed up with this one little minor power. Systems don't function. Weapons don't fire. Heck - artificial intelligence no longer functions, rendering true robots and androids completely useless.

Or at least, their watches.

Truth be told, if a player tried disabling complex robots, cyborgs or other machinery by saying 'the clock's broken ergo the machine is' is in for a rude shock, and they vastly overestimate the functionality of the clock mechanism inside these things. All the power does is control the clock. anything not dependant on the clock is immune. heck anything with a seperate system (AI, or a human controller) can ignore the changes. Just because something works as a timer doesn't mean the whole system relies on the timer.

Next up: can we control sand with this power, under the assumption that sand timers are clocks. On the same topic, can we control the sun also due to sundials?

Batts

I agree with pretty much all of what Iczer said. Computers have clocks as timers but they aren't required for all systems to function (heck, probably even most; remember Y2K anyone?). I'd say the most practical use of the power is to keep VCR's from flashing 12:00 all the freaking time, as the character might be the only one besides a Hardware: Electrical character that can program the damn thing!

Well, here's the thing - we're NOT talking about the clock in the bottom right corner of your screen - we're talking about the system clock - the one that governs the various chips that process the raw data. You know that wonderful speed you have listed on your processor - something like 2.4 Ghz - well that's how many clock cycles your computer processes per second. Slow or stop the clock, and the system's going to lag or freeze, respectively. Every, and I do mean EVERY electronic system has it - it's how the chips know to process the next line of code. The Clock Cycle tells them when it's time to process the next line - no signal, no processing. No processing, no output/effect. So yes, in this case (electronics) the entire systems DOES rely on the clock. Depending on how dependant upon those electronics the system is, it may be severely or mildly hindered.

Now, personally, I would rule that AIs, due to their nature, get a saving throw - they can recognize and attempt to correct the "error", though I would have it affect them (they get other bonuses from their electronic nature (such as increased resistance to Psychic abilities) that it is justifiable.

[Steeler49er]

After everything said about it's many uses, And the fact that "Super Power Punch" truly ruly suck...
Yer joking right?

[Overlord Rikonius]

My problem with clock manipulation isn't that it's worthless (it's far from it). My problem with it is it makes no sense as a super power.
"I can control clocks! See that clock, I can turn its gears however I want!"
"OK cool, now help us open this safe?"
"No can do, I can only turn gears if they're in a clock!"
"OK that makes.... wait WHAT?!"

The only way this power could ever be logically justified is if it's mystically bestowed by some god of time. Or if the character really has a much more encompassing TK/speed manipulation power and a mental block that makes his think he can just control clocks. But that's an asterisk special note for a specific character power, not a distinct super ability, damnit!
As a mutant/experiment/alien native ability type thing it's completely nonsensical.

[Captain Shiva]

My problem with clock manipulation isn't that it's worthless (it's far from it). My problem with it is it makes no sense as a super power.
"I can control clocks! See that clock, I can turn its gears however I want!"
"OK cool, now help us open this safe?"
"No can do, I can only turn gears if they're in a clock!"
"OK that makes.... wait WHAT?!"

The only way this power could ever be logically justified is if it's mystically bestowed by some god of time. Or if the character really has a much more encompassing TK/speed manipulation power and a mental block that makes his think he can just control clocks. But that's an asterisk special note for a specific character power, not a distinct super ability, damnit!
As a mutant/experiment/alien native ability type thing it's completely nonsensical.

Yes, but what if it's a time controlled lock safe?

[Captain Shiva]

My problem with clock manipulation isn't that it's worthless (it's far from it). My problem with it is it makes no sense as a super power.
"I can control clocks! See that clock, I can turn its gears however I want!"
"OK cool, now help us open this safe?"
"No can do, I can only turn gears if they're in a clock!"
"OK that makes.... wait WHAT?!"

The only way this power could ever be logically justified is if it's mystically bestowed by some god of time. Or if the character really has a much more encompassing TK/speed manipulation power and a mental block that makes his think he can just control clocks. But that's an asterisk special note for a specific character power, not a distinct super ability, damnit!
As a mutant/experiment/alien native ability type thing it's completely nonsensical.

Yes, but what if it's a time controlled lock safe?

[Overlord Rikonius]

My problem with clock manipulation isn't that it's worthless (it's far from it). My problem with it is it makes no sense as a super power.
"I can control clocks! See that clock, I can turn its gears however I want!"
"OK cool, now help us open this safe?"
"No can do, I can only turn gears if they're in a clock!"
"OK that makes.... wait WHAT?!"

The only way this power could ever be logically justified is if it's mystically bestowed by some god of time. Or if the character really has a much more encompassing TK/speed manipulation power and a mental block that makes his think he can just control clocks. But that's an asterisk special note for a specific character power, not a distinct super ability, damnit!
As a mutant/experiment/alien native ability type thing it's completely nonsensical.

Yes, but what if it's a time controlled lock safe?

But if it's not, then the guy suddenly can't control gears? The power makes no sense.

[Overlord Rikonius]

As a mutant/experiment/alien native ability type thing it's completely nonsensical.

So is Swing Line, but nobody's brought that up yet. Think about this for a moment:

GM - "Ok, Captain Plant, what are you going to do?"
PC1 - "I'm going to use my vines and try to entangle the bad guy."
GM - "And you, Swinging Hipster?"
PC2 - "I'm gonna swing to the next building and take pictures."
GM - "Um, ok, I guess?"

Actually I think Swing Line is a very useful power. It can propel a character far for diving flips as well as being used to rappel from buildings, can be used to nab opponents with an already existing rope (and if the character knows Hojo-Jutsu, the Swing Line becomes even more useful).

Also, there's not really anything inherently nonsensical about swingline is there? You can make these lines, maybe it's web shooting, maybe it's a psionic projection like a more rudimentary version of the power Backlash had. But there isn't all that much logical inconsistency to it from what I recall.

[Steeler49er]

Overlord has hit the nail on the head with this power (Clock manipulation) and why it doesn't sit to very well with many people here on the boards... It makes No sence!
How does one link the (seemingly telekinetic) control over gears, cogs, and sprockets to a control over a single, Small aspect of electronics (nothing else, just the clock)?

Most likely though is that it is only really One power (localized Time Control/Dilation) and not two (Mechano Link & TK or matter control) and that it is just limited somehow...
So the Answere is-Themes! It'sa themed power and Not an Outgrowth power...
See this Thread response for a better example, but otherwise the power is also what in known as a Flavor power and in No way should make any sence.

The best way to explain this power is that the possesor of it is MUCH more powerful than they know but is either got mental blocks that prohibit the powers full usage (Insanity) or, like you "OL-Rikonius" said about the powers being "Mystically bestowed", which would than imply a Conscience intent to limit the powers by either the god who gave/bestowed the power on it's current user, Or by the originating source of power from where the god/deity/entity who bestowed the power initially got it.

Themed powers are a common thing to see in comic books and fantasy lititure and often comes about from people with little (to no) education or understanding on the subject from whence they are deriving the powers from, bother to create it anyways. Someone with No understanding (for instance) as to the Massive differances betwixed a mechanical clock and a digital clock would just assume (a$$-U-me) that they are the same without question, and thus make the power anywho in the belief that "Yeah, that sounds Cool". When (infact) palladium first put this power in the books, it WAS a listed sub power of a time control ability "Slow-Mo-Control" and therefor made sence, but it was also listed, in that same book, as a separate "Major Power".... Later that was fixed-5+YEARS LATER!


I hope this helps you out some Overlord.
And PS, this power was/has been a staple power in comic books fer ever, and That is why PB put it into the books (it's in there fer those who are going after that Classic "Golden Age" comic book feel).

[Overlord Rikonius]

Here's something funny I thought of regarding clock manipulation.
"Can I control this wind up car?"
"No, it's not a clock"
"But I drew little millisecond tick marks on the wheels"
"OK, you can control it"

[acreRake]

So, to sum up:

Heightened Sense of Time is better than Clock Manipulation because they took out the ability to control clocks.

[Steeler49er]

Here's something funny I thought of regarding clock manipulation.
"Can I control this wind up car?"
"No, it's not a clock"
"But I drew little millisecond tick marks on the wheels"
"OK, you can control it"

Nice.

Seriously, this is where the power is messed up. You can control the mechanics of a watch or other timepiece, but not the gears of anything else. You can mess up the electronic timing mechanism of a bank vault, but not a combination lock. You can screw up (according to the power description) the timing mechanism of a computer, but you can't screw up its internet connection.

The power isn't all bad on its own, it just doesn't make much sense on its own. Although, I would assume that most people who end up with this power also end up with other related powers that make this one blend in and enhance the other stuff they can do (say, pairing this with Mechano-Link or the one that allows you to disassemble machines).

Yuppers, again it'sa THEME power and doesn't Need to make sence, even if you apply logic to it...
IE: Localized Temporal control over JUST the gears, servos and or digital time keeping portions/aspects of a machine...
Call it a "Psychological" limit or call it an "AI level-Inbuilt" limitation of the power, SOMEthing is hamstringing it!

[Overlord Rikonius]

Here's something funny I thought of regarding clock manipulation.
"Can I control this wind up car?"
"No, it's not a clock"
"But I drew little millisecond tick marks on the wheels"
"OK, you can control it"

Nice.

Seriously, this is where the power is messed up. You can control the mechanics of a watch or other timepiece, but not the gears of anything else. You can mess up the electronic timing mechanism of a bank vault, but not a combination lock. You can screw up (according to the power description) the timing mechanism of a computer, but you can't screw up its internet connection.

The power isn't all bad on its own, it just doesn't make much sense on its own. Although, I would assume that most people who end up with this power also end up with other related powers that make this one blend in and enhance the other stuff they can do (say, pairing this with Mechano-Link or the one that allows you to disassemble machines).

Yuppers, again it'sa THEME power and doesn't Need to make sence, even if you apply logic to it...
IE: Localized Temporal control over JUST the gears, servos and or digital time keeping portions/aspects of a machine...
Call it a "Psychological" limit or call it an "AI level-Inbuilt" limitation of the power, SOMEthing is hamstringing it!

And theme powers can make sense in special cases. But then, there is already precedent for HU material powers being listed in some NPC's stats under a "(SPECIAL!)" header.
You put a power in the general rollup section, it should make sense without specialized quirks like that. I mean, they wouldn't have a power listing for "Energy Expulsion: Energy, but you can't stop the beams unless you close your eyes or wear a visor" or "Force Field That Protects You From Non-Yellow Stuff"