You have the ability to absorb the material properties of characters and objects, transforming your molecular structure to match that of the material absorbed. Using this command will cause you to approach them and trigger a power effect, after which you permanently gain the material property of the object.
Unlike previous versions of this Attribute, using any close-range attack (either a melee attack or using a projectile or beam up close) on another character will NOT cause you to gain their properties automatically. You can only trigger this power through the ABSORB commands.
The commands that you get when targeting an object or character will depend on the material the target is made of. For instance, garbage cans will have ABSORB_METAL while trees will have ABSORB_WOOD. Some objects can have more than one material. Cars and Trucks have ABSORB_METAL and ABSORB_RUBBER, Fountains have ABSORB_STONE and ABSORB_LIQUID. If a character is targeted, the command that appears will depend on their material type OR the material subtype in their m25ai file. Characters can be made of more than one material using material subtypes. Also, material subtypes override the material type so you can choose a certain material in hero file creation if its resistances and vulnerabilities match the ones you want your character to have but you want the character to really be made of another material. See the New Subtypes page for more info.
The materials you can absorb are: Metal, Stone, Rubber, Air, Wood, Concrete, Frozen, Cloth, Flesh, Liquid, Acid, Sand, Gas, Diamond, Adamantium, Divine Metal, Super Alloy and Alien Mineral.
To make a character made of sand, you need to add ‘sand’ to the subtype in the m25ai file. You can assign any built-in material during character creation to simulate the characters resistances but since you have ‘sand’ in their subtype, they’ll only have an ABSORB_SAND command on them for a Material Absorber and not ABSORB_FLESH or ABSORB_STONE if that’s what you gave them. If you want them made of ice, and want the resistances and vulnerabilities the built-in Frozen Material provides, then simply give them the built-in Frozen Material and don’t add anything to the subtype.
Material Absorbers can also absorb the material properties of incoming attacks. If a target has ‘pierce_weapon’ in their subtype and has a Ranged Piercing Power, then an ABSORB_METAL_ATTACK command will appear on them when targeted. It’s up to the player to execute the command when the Absorber is hit by the appropriate attack from the target. If the target has ‘liquid_powers’ in their subtype then an ABSORB_LIQUID_ATTACK appears on them.
Material Absorbers look for a special hero file when they use this power based on the characters name plus the material type in parentheses afterwards. This allows you to customize this ability to the Nth degree. When a Material Absorber triggers an absorption, the game looks for a hero file name based on their original name with a material tag such as '(stone)' for stone. If this hero file exists, the character will morph into it. For example, when copybot absorbs a stone enemy, he'll turn into copybot (stone), if that hero file exists. If copybot (stone) then absorbs an energy opponent he'll turn into copybot (energy). You can make the alternate forms with any abilities and powers you wish as you’re really just making another hero file the Material Absorber ‘shapeshifts’ into. If there is no hero file to morph into then the Absorber’s material changes and they acquire certain abilities or changes, depending on the material absorbed.
See the Customisation Guide for an explanation of Commands, FX and Dummy Powers.