Related Stat: Intellect
Related Powers: Power Duplication

This risky Power allows your character to steal superhuman Powers and Stats. Only innate Powers and Stats can be assimilated, as artificial abilities are beyond the scope of the Power.

To steal a target's Powers, the character simply must make a touch attack. This "attack" may be intentional or accidential and deals damage equal to the Power's intensity. After doing so, your character gains all the Stats, Skills, and Powers of the opponent, while retaining any scores higher that those of the opponent (i.e., if the character has 16 Strength and steals the Powers of someone with 10 Strength, the character retains the 16 Strength). The character cannot use any of these new characteristics for a few seconds after theft. The characteristics remain for approximately 60 times longer than the time of contact.

Unlike with Power Duplication, the victim is seriously hurt by the attack. Not only does Health disappear, but the victim's Powers and Stats are reduced by the intensity of the Power Theft. If this reduces any Stat to 0, the victim falls unconscious and cannot reawaken until the Health returns. Regardless, all Powers and Stats function at the reduced intensities and scores, and all Skill are lost until the Power ends.

Though effective, this is a highly dangerous Power for a character to use. When the character steals Powers, he or she must have a Willpower of 16+ to avoid having the mind of the victim override his or her own. This is not Mind Control, so the victim doesn't get to control the character's actions, but the character will certainly behave as though he or she is the victim. If the character was in contact with the victim for more than a few seconds, the character must possess a Willpower score of 20+ to avoid permanently draining the victim's mind.

If this occurs, anything goes. Such a permanent transfer reduces the character's Health to 0, at least temporarily. When the character is under stress, the stolen persona will most likely take control of the character. This can be dealt with over time, but there will always be mental scars.

Characters with this Power usually take on some physical characteristics of the target of the theft. This Power can never be used to steal Health or Resource Rank.

Limit--Stats Only: Your character can steal only basic Stats, not Skills or Powers. This Limit may be further restricted by reducing the Power's influence to only one Stat.
Limit--Override: Your character's Stats, Skills, and Powers (including Power Theft) are replace by those stolen from the target. None of those traits can be used until the stolen traits fade.
Limit--Powers Only: Your character can steal only superpowers, not Skills or Stats. This Limit may be further restricted by reducing the number or type of Powers that can be stolen.
Limit--Skills Only: Your character can steal only Skills, not Stats or Powers. This Limit may be further restricted by reducing the number or type of Skills that can be stolen.
Stunt--Imitation: Your character gains Imitation, which can be used only with Power Theft.
Stunt--Mechanical Absorption: Your character can gain artificial traits in addition to innate ones. This Stunt can affect robots, computers, and powered armor, among other items.