How would you evolve the powers of less powerful mutants?

[Sutekh]

Gen X needed 50% less mutants with powers related to skin. Penance got none. Skin got too much. Paige rips hers off. Ugh. I always called them 'Clive Barker's X-Men.'

They need to hook up with Marrow and Adam the X-Treme, and have all the mutants with powers related to blood, skin and bones in one gory place.

Oh, and Maggott and his detachable stomach-slugs, I guess that's another squeegy bodily function-related power...

Man, an exponential increase in the power level of Marrow would be appropriately gruesome, if she could generate like *walls* of interlocking bones and giant spears of bone that explode out of her at people with tremendous force. Make her a variation on other matter-creator types like Iceman or Krystalin, only she's growing the stuff organically out of her own body. In the age of coronavirus, seeing some mutant girl generating constructs of bone that are ripping out of her body in a spray of blood would probably have people calling in an airstrike...

[BroHomo]

Gen X needed 50% less mutants with powers related to skin. Penance got none. Skin got too much. Paige rips hers off. Ugh. I always called them 'Clive Barker's X-Men.'

They need to hook up with Marrow and Adam the X-Treme, and have all the mutants with powers related to blood, skin and bones in one gory place.

Oh, and Maggott and his detachable stomach-slugs, I guess that's another squeegy bodily function-related power...

Man, an exponential increase in the power level of Marrow would be appropriately gruesome, if she could generate like *walls* of interlocking bones and giant spears of bone that explode out of her at people with tremendous force. Make her a variation on other matter-creator types like Iceman or Krystalin, only she's growing the stuff organically out of her own body. In the age of coronavirus, seeing some mutant girl generating constructs of bone that are ripping out of her body in a spray of blood would probably have people calling in an airstrike...

Ha omg that'd be awesome ...I loooove the body horror that was Generation X

[Veitha]

Gen X needed 50% less mutants with powers related to skin. Penance got none. Skin got too much. Paige rips hers off. Ugh. I always called them 'Clive Barker's X-Men.'

They need to hook up with Marrow and Adam the X-Treme, and have all the mutants with powers related to blood, skin and bones in one gory place.

Oh, and Maggott and his detachable stomach-slugs, I guess that's another squeegy bodily function-related power...

Man, an exponential increase in the power level of Marrow would be appropriately gruesome, if she could generate like *walls* of interlocking bones and giant spears of bone that explode out of her at people with tremendous force. Make her a variation on other matter-creator types like Iceman or Krystalin, only she's growing the stuff organically out of her own body. In the age of coronavirus, seeing some mutant girl generating constructs of bone that are ripping out of her body in a spray of blood would probably have people calling in an airstrike...

That's true about the skin powers hahaha

Marrow kinda did all of that in Spurrier's X-Force.

[danielsan52]

Yeah Gen X did amazing with coming up with unusual powersets or weird powers.

Skin could become able to manipulate his fingernails and hair maybe? Or have him alter the density of his skin to grow an armor etc.

Not to mention the "should have beens" like Vincente (gaseous, liquid forms), and Derrick Beacon (plasma gel).

[marhawkman]

Skin shouldn't just stretch his skin, but his bones, muscles, organs. He should be able to dramatically modify his appearance. Skin should be like Mystique, with a little Mister Fantastic extras. We need more sneaky spy mutants and not combat utilities.

Skin meets the Clan and they share with him the good news that he is a descendant of En Sabah Nur. So they give him a little boost to make him less of a disappointment to his mighty ancestor.

[CRaymond]

Skin meets the Clan and they share with him the good news that he is a descendant of En Sabah Nur. So they give him a little boost to make him less of a disappointment to his mighty ancestor.

So that’s a yes to a Skinstique evolution?

[Sutekh]

So that’s a yes to a Skinstique evolution?

Being able to expand and reshape his own skin into super-tough strips (at least leather-tough, but preferably superhumanly so, practically uncuttable) that entangle and throw people around remotely (much like Medusa does with her hair) could be more unique than building him into more of a Mystique or Mr. Fantastic direction.

There was an Image/Wildstorm character with something similar (a mummy-like dude with animated bandages, IIRC), and it was a pretty neat visual.

Or a modification of his abilities to affect *other people's skins* could fit in a more body horror sort of way. Zap, now your skin is all saggy and droopy and you are tripping over it and can't hold anything in your droopy fingers... But that feels kinda 'Masque,' and we already have a Masque. I like mixing it up (which, I know, silly in a group that has 30 telepaths, but still).

[CRaymond]

My suggestions in this thread are largely facetious. I don't think many mutants need a dramatic power-up, I actually think a lot of them could do with a step down in power. When are we making that thread?

[Sutekh]

My suggestions in this thread are largely facetious. I don't think many mutants need a dramatic power-up, I actually think a lot of them could do with a step down in power. When are we making that thread?

So true, that. Dazzler used to put on a lightshow, and only slowly (with the help of Reed Richards inventing a gizmo for her to store sound) learned to generate lasers, and now it's all pew-pew, lazors! Similarly, Storm has, IMO, regressed as a character, from one that used to generate fogs, chill foes to weaken them, dehydrate people by pulling the moisture out of the air, etc. Now it's all lightning! Problem that can't be solved by a bolt of lightning? Moar lightning!!

Some of the better characters, IMO, have strong limits to their powers, or more limited powers. It's not always the case, but look at the Summers brothers. One is a glass cannon with a strong weakness. He's the most popular. One has equally powerful zaps, *without* the weakness. He's *less popular* than his gimp brother. The last is incredibly powerful and can do all sorts of stuff. He's just sort of there. The same seems to apply to several very powerful mutants. Does anybody miss Mikhail Rasputin? Being the mostest powerful did nothing to make him *interesting.*

Other characters have, IMO, too many powers, or unrelated powers, or some extra baggage that seems to get in between them and their mutant natures. Rogue and Ilyanna spend less time using and developing their own *mutant* powers, it seems, than using Carol Danvers alien powers or using a soul-sword and tapping into their demon sorceress stuff. I see Blink bopping around, and think, 'this should have been Ilyanna, with all the awesome teleport-fu, but no, she's got a bigass sword and doesn't need to actually develop her actual mutant power...' Same with Rogue. She's all flying brick, which is fine, *but it's not her power,* and it seems like she's glossed over a half-dozen different stories / techniques for learning to control *her* power, but as long as she's got 'invulnerable super-strong flying tank' on her fallback list, she doesn't ever seem to *need* to embrace her actual mutancy.

[BroHomo]

This toootally should be Skin...

So true, that. Dazzler used to put on a lightshow, and only slowly (with the help of Reed Richards inventing a gizmo for her to store sound) learned to generate lasers, and now it's all pew-pew, lazors! Similarly, Storm has, IMO, regressed as a character, from one that used to generate fogs, chill foes to weaken them, dehydrate people by pulling the moisture out of the air, etc. Now it's all lightning! Problem that can't be solved by a bolt of lightning? Moar lightning!!

Dazzlers powers grew maybe in part with the reg readers knowledge of light and lasers As for Storm...Yeah I feel ya on that, but in story it makes sense why have a fight last longer than it should just to flex a lil mutant power flexibility, in fight against someone trying to do you bodily harm just knock that fool out. lol

Some of the better characters, IMO, have strong limits to their powers, or more limited powers. It's not always the case, but look at the Summers brothers. One is a glass cannon with a strong weakness. He's the most popular. One has equally powerful zaps, *without* the weakness. He's *less popular* than his gimp brother. The last is incredibly powerful and can do all sorts of stuff. He's just sort of there. The same seems to apply to several very powerful mutants. Does anybody miss Mikhail Rasputin? Being the mostest powerful did nothing to make him *interesting.*

true Its interesting how some chars suffer cause of their limitations, Like Karma, Husk, Tag, some gain more popularity with a wider power arsenal Sunspot, Doug, and still others...are Magma

Other characters have, IMO, too many powers, or unrelated powers, or some extra baggage that seems to get in between them and their mutant natures. Rogue and Ilyanna spend less time using and developing their own *mutant* powers, it seems, than using Carol Danvers alien powers or using a soul-sword and tapping into their demon sorceress stuff. I see Blink bopping around, and think, 'this should have been Ilyanna, with all the awesome teleport-fu, but no, she's got a bigass sword and doesn't need to actually develop her actual mutant power...' Same with Rogue. She's all flying brick, which is fine, *but it's not her power,* and it seems like she's glossed over a half-dozen different stories / techniques for learning to control *her* power, but as long as she's got 'invulnerable super-strong flying tank' on her fallback list, she doesn't ever seem to *need* to embrace her actual mutancy.

Yeah But hadn't Nightcrawler worn that teleporting ass out? + Thats not really 'Yana's teleporting schtick, and I'd say her demon sorcress side is just as part of her mutancy as Wolverines claws were(before the bone reveal )

[CRaymond]

So true, that.

I have ideas.

Skin // just give him the damn stretch trope powers, to do otherwise would be against his image archetype
Dazzler // keep her paired with Banshee or Rictor, otherwise she's useless... which would be comedy
Storm // slower ramp-up time, lightning is dangerous
Cyclops // eyebeams should be psychokinetic
Havok // should be a Brood Queen
Mikhail Rasputin // should be Omega Red
Rogue // should need physical touch to "steal" powers
Magik // her mutation should be corrupted... further, longer, faster ports should result in demonic metamorphoses.
Karma // should be Kwannon
Husk // should only transform into solid elements
Tag // just give him super-speed and call it a day
Sunspot // solarform should make him Superman : superstrong, superspeed, flight, invulnerable, heat blasts... but he's more interesting as AIM and Hellfire overlord
Cypher // should be dead
Magma // should be Firestar
Nightcrawler // should be able to mystique himself into a human form... but can't teleport until he mystiques back into nightcrawler form

[BroHomo]

Cyclops // eyebeams should be psychokinetic

What would be the difference?

Nightcrawler // should be able to mystique himself into a human form... but can't teleport until he mystiques back into nightcrawler form

Lol I love how you describe this

[Beetle]

What would be the difference?

Sounds like Darkseid's Omega beams, zigzaging and following its targets

[Sutekh]

Husk // should only transform into solid elements
Tag // just give him super-speed and call it a day

Just to quickly pick on two of these;

Wow, I'd love a Husk who was more of an Absorbing Man (only not having to touch something, but just being able to 'husk' into a body of steel, or a body of mercury, or a body of chlorine gas...). As it was, she seemed too much like Lifeguard, or Darwin, just sort of ripping away into whatever form was convenient at the time, without her personally having to put much thought into it, since the power was just sort of automatically picking the option for her (which feels lazy, I prefer the character having to actually learn stuff, and not just count on their power to make choices for them).

And Tag, just based on the name, seems like he'd have the sort of power I always envisioned Tempo, of the MLF having, to 'steal time' from other people, slowing and perhaps even trapping them in stasis, and use that time to speed up herself and her allies. It might *appear* that she's got temporary bursts of super-speed, and can grant them to her allies, but she's got to 'charge up' first by slowing down someone else, and robbing them of that 'time' so that she can then grant it to others (or herself). It's a fun limitation to a power that some others (Tempus, Kiden Nixon, Lacuna, Timeslip, Sway) also have, so I think it's key to find ways to make it distinctive and not 'time manipulator #27').

[BroHomo]

Just to quickly pick on two of these;

Wow, I'd love a Husk who was more of an Absorbing Man (only not having to touch something, but just being able to 'husk' into a body of steel, or a body of mercury, or a body of chlorine gas...). As it was, she seemed too much like Lifeguard, or Darwin, just sort of ripping away into whatever form was convenient at the time, without her personally having to put much thought into it, since the power was just sort of automatically picking the option for her (which feels lazy, I prefer the character having to actually learn stuff, and not just count on their power to make choices for them).

Well Husk did come first not sure now but she could only transform after learning the properties of whatever she was husking into + her powers were ill defined her first couple appearances.... someone mentioned turning into a bird.... In the GenX '95 Annual she husked into a glass body (that you could see through!) And in Gen neXt(sniff:/) she shifted only parts of her and into liquids!