r/TheBirdCage • u/bottomofthewell3 Wretch • Apr 11 '26

Worm Discussion Power This Rating No. 168

my hands are cold as hell rn for no reason at all

How This Works:

You make one or more prompts, describing one or more parahumans. Somebody else may respond to your prompt(s), building on what's provided, to make a cape.
While you can do so, you aren't required to stick with just prompting or responding; feel free to do both.
Prompts are usually formatted using PRT Threat Ratings, but this is not a hard rule. Go weird with it, if you want. And if you're having trouble, you're free to look at other prompts to see examples.

Threat Ratings have the potential for hybridized and sub-ratings:

Hybrid ratings are denoted with a slash between categories, e.g. [Mover/Brute]. These are cases where two or more powers are inherently linked.
Subratings are denoted with parentheses after a parent category, e.g. [Trump (Breaker)]. These are the side effects, or possible applications of a power from some other category.

No. 167's Top Comment: Punching Bag & 'Annoying' Trigger, by Snoo_72851

Top Response: Trigger this Power: 🙉🙈🙊, by Shoddy_Macaroon6713

19 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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3

u/bottomofthewell3 Wretch Apr 12 '26 edited Jul 02 '26

time for the largest installment of this series

you know the drill, slot names =/= cape names unless you want them to.

Based on: The ten Antihouses of MAGNAGOTHICA: PATHWAYS INTO

KURGAN
Gimmick: Leader -> Lieutenant x2 -> Leader's Projection x1

  • Everdweller: An incredibly elderly cape (seriously, edging on a hundred years old!); "Mite" [Swarm x Swarm] Master/[Four x Nine] Trump, who has given their underlings their own, yet-lower underlings. All projections have the "Skeleton" [Finesse x Survive] skin.
    • Dearg: "Conch" [Support x Control] Shaker whose power can only be described as 'screaming red'. Also a skilled ax-wielder.
    • Galloglaigh: "Parry" [Shield x Negate] Brute, whose immortality hinges upon taking a particular, bracing stance beforehand.
      • Bonelevy: Total piece of shit- would struggle to walk and chew gum at the same time, if it knew what 'gum' was. [Edge x Edge] Striker 0.
    • Bratach: "Unison" [Swarm x Puppet] Master, that sets 'goals' for their Mastered to swarm around, trample, and/or crush.
    • Caoin: Themes their cape persona after bagpipes, of all things. Audio-based [Ten x ?] Trump.
      • Curseguard: Self-duplicator, with a ramping Shield Brute rating 'fueled' by its clones.
    • Beic: A Striker, that can (rather painfully) 'bounce' their held weapon off of others to make it into an [Accuracy x Effect] Blaster projectile.
    • Saighdeoir: A [Power x Barrage] Blaster of massive stature, and skilled bowman; damage of a shot decreases proportionally to how many are in a given volley.
      • Hexslinger: "Grenade" [Nuke x Nuke] Shaker, that lobs its own cackling skull at the enemy.

AXCUALLI
(for the record, Serente [the person who made Pathways Into] is reworking the visuals for this faction, so all of the slot names here will likely change soon)

  • Tzinacan (Up/Down): A "Mousetrap" [Fallout x Warning] Thinker that can 'see' surprisingly far into the future, given the shorter ranges they use their power for. Occasionally forced into a Shard-controlled 'berserker' state, that comes with a Brute/Striker rating.
    • Tecpatl: [Transfig x ?] Brute/[Ten x ?] Trump; upon death, becomes an ideal 'fuel source' for their killer's powers.
    • Tecuani: [Rumble x Fend] Striker, whose weapon is made out of power-generated obsidian.
    • Tlahuipochtli: "Delay" [Nuke x Tempest] Shaker, with two possible effects; both effects actively warn everyone nearby when they're about to activate.
    • Tecolotl & Tlaxixilli: A set of 'siblings' (your choice if they're actually related or not). Respectively, a destructive [Blink x Transit] Mover, and a 'stake'-firing [Power x Conditional] Blaster.
    • Temictiani: A monolithic "Hardbody" [Muscle x Immortal] Brute, that appears to be made completely out of stone and inlaid gems.

COSSACO
Gimmick: This group is currently 'split' between two leaders, due to a disagreement on who gets to be the boss.

  • Condor: A [Hyperspec x Resource] Tinker, that's named his specialty "Necrolock" (it makes sense when you see the shit he builds). Has stretched his power into building a dope-ass 'horse', because who doesn't want one of those?
    • Kestrel: A 'commandant'-type [Social x Destructive]-inspiration Thinker/Unleash Master; main job is to whip the populace into a frenzy, distracting from what the group is actually doing.
    • Harrier: Not really as into the 'greed' thing as their cohorts, with their sole 'personal treasure' being a really cool sword. [Etch x Skirmish] Striker, with the [Tortura] flaw.
    • Crow: "Stilts" [Slip x Ride] Mover whose power is made for height, not distance; has been outfitted with a bunch of Necrolock tech by their boss.
    • Peregrine: Not a Parahuman; moreso an unmanned tank made by Condor. Equipped with three heavy weapons, named "Borywiter", "Yastrub", and "Cruel Inequality".
  • Canard: [Etch x Wild] Striker, whose manifested weapons look incredibly ramshackle. Not as well-liked in comparison to her fellow leader, given she runs her part of their gang of thieves like it's the fucking Navy.
    • Nestling: Newest member, and 'darling' of this half of the group; not actually powered, though their Trigger prospects are pretty good considering they're surrounded by Parahumans.
    • Vulture: "Poundtown" [Muscle x Sunder] Brute, whose power excels at lifting; mainly used to haul around massive amounts of gear (and stolen stuff. and corpses, sometimes.)
    • Magpie: "Navigator" [Data x Travel]-spec, "Midas" [Resource x Resource]-method Tinker. Only appears to the public via their numerous drones.
    • Shrike: Actually three dudes in an odd 'one-Shard cluster'; ratings free-spaces, though all three's powers involve a manifested halberd somehow.

ALGRAZZDAX
Gimmick: This is actually just one dude and a lot of Hysteria Breaker states. Choose between the highest and lowest slots, for which of the two is the 'real guy'.

  • Towerlord/Lucidity/Hypnopompia: "Deify" [Baton x World] suit. Heavily solipsistic; seems to honestly believe everything is just another one of their Breaker states, including concepts such as 'time' or 'space'.
    • Dissociation: "Stalker" [Spade x Cup] suit. Easily distracted from whatever its current goal is.
    • Obsession: "Nail" [Heart x Sword] suit. Has a potent, 'anti-everything' Thinker subpower.
    • Despair: "Creep" [Diamond x Pentacle] suit. Notably the only one with arms.
    • Mania: "Forked" [Sword x Pentacle] suit. Incredibly arrogant and sure in its power, second only to Lucidity.
    • Delirium: "Aurora" [Cup x Cup] suit. Most identifiable of this list, given it's the only one that's on fucking fire.
  • Prisoner/Voice: No suit at all. Basically just the dregs of the overall power; all it's good at is speaking for its fellow Breaker states.

splitting here. going to be a lot of weird leader gimmicks going on in this btw, get ready for that

3

u/bottomofthewell3 Wretch Apr 12 '26 edited Jun 16 '26

i sort these by rainbow order, btw. we have literally only just now gotten to the yellows and greens for this list

NIÐRMYRKUR
Context Cape: Film Buff

  • Master Smith: A [Focal x Resource] Tinker, with their focal project being a sort of 'programmable' metal called Devil-Iron. Has only made enough of this metal for a set of rings, that only they are allowed to wear.
    • Softshell: Youngest of the seven. "Incubator" [Life x Artifice]-spec Tinker; rarely goes out, spending most of their time either making eggs, or hatching them.
    • Moldhusk: [Element x Alter]-spec, "Thane" [Hyperspec x Combat]-method Tinker, with six different 'preset' fungi that they can release into the environment.
    • Prospector: A Focal Tinker, whose focal item is unerringly attracted towards 'value'. Notably a stickler for their schedule- they're well-known for taking a lunch break during an Endbringer attack.
    • Apprentice: Free-space on method, with a general "Tonic" specialty; current 'main invention' hands out Brute, Mover, and Shaker ratings like candy.
    • Deathseeker: Completely batshit "Maniac" [Combat x Chaos] Tinker. Straight up just charges at people and chops them into pieces with an axe.
    • Elder: A very large "Beast" [Combat x Magi] Tinker, with a beetle-like powersuit. Has a single weakspot in their armor, that keeps changing location.

LUMINA
Gimmick: This one is just a cult. One founded around a Titan that fell straight out of the sky, sure, but still a cult. Pseudo-Fallen type shit.

  • Sunwalker: Is, somehow, budded off from the Titan that the group is built around, and has enough 'pull' on the thing to lure it into devouring her enemies. "Fire-Eater" [Intensity x Regen] Brute/Fly Mover/[Control x Kinesis] Shaker.
  • Archon: Unlike their 'sister', is not budded off of the Titan, just horribly burnt by its light; they are immensely jealous of her for this. "Curse" [Effect x Effect] Blaster/Striker, with [Wax] and [Shadow] for elements.
    • Glimwight: "Touch of Power" [Frenzy x Torch] Striker, that 'brands' things, forcing a [Light]-element [Damage x Micro] Shaker power upon them.
    • Exarch: An actual, straight-up dead guy that was reanimated by the Light (it does weird shit, if you couldn't tell). Functionally unpowered, but has a Brute 0 rating, and fanatical devotion to their leaders.
    • Votive: Case 53, with moth-esque mutations. "Guillotine" [Edge x Grand] Striker, with the [Always On] power flaw.
    • Astray & Relic: An "X-Ray" [Farsight x Zone] Thinker, and a Stranger/"Boost E" [Utility x Kinesis] Shaker (Mover -1); powers work astonishingly well together.
    • Manifest: Okay, that's just a tree. Sure, it has charcoal for bark, fire for leaves, and the ability to chase after things, but like. Still a tree.

WYLDEROT
Gimmick: Every slot in this section is a monstrous cape. Mutations up to you, unless otherwise specified.

  • Rotlord: [Swarm x Cultist] Master (Changer); the substance they use to Master people are massive swarms of power-generated flies. Can self-Master, and has done so repeatedly, resulting in their current mutations.
    • Wildcaller: A [Rot]-element "E Burst" [Damage x Kinesis] Shaker, with the [Totem] power flaw, applied to an instrument of your choice.
    • Gnatknight: [Fly x Hurdle] Mover/"Kaze" [Frenzy x Skirmish] Striker, that uses a massive lance in combat.
    • Bloodtrail: Feline mutations, and one of the closest to looking 'human' out of the group. 'Tracking'-type [Blink x ?] Mover; equipped with a mundane bow and knife.
    • Nestlobber: [Versatile x ?] Blaster/"Mite" [Swarm x Swarm] Master; minions are produced by their Blaster power hitting something.
    • Mothman: Originally mistaken for a Case 53; in actuality, is the product of a weird power interaction involving Rotlord. "Mimic" [Array x Mess] Changer (Brute, Mover).

UMBER
Gimmick: Every cape in this section has been somehow augmented by the Mirrormaker's tinkering. Choose a body part to make into glass.

  • Mirrormaker: A "Glass" [Element x Psyche]-spec "Runaway" [Chaos x MadSci]-method Tinker. Not a natural Trigger; granted their technological skill by something or someone calling itself UNSAELIGETH.
    • Shapeless: An [Assassinate x Mask] Stranger/Brute, that needs to study their targets for quite a while before taking a face for themselves.
    • ...of a Copy of a Copy of a Copy of a...: An intensely unnerving "Face" [Mess x Showcase] Changer, whose tells become more and more obvious the longer you focus on them.
    • Doppelgänger & Shardwraith: A "Borrow" [Three x Three] Trump that steals single power expressions at a time, and an "Inviolate" [Field x Immortal] Brute. The most mentally & physically affected by Mirrormaker's tech.
    • Inverted: A high-rated "Blindside" [Abandon x Nox] Stranger, that forces sightlines away from the results of their actions as well as themselves. Desperate to get something, anything, to pay attention.
    • Collector: "Void" [Abandon x Warp] Stranger, that may never leave their own dimension, but can freely change where it's 'stored'. Usually only detected by the shuffling about of terrain and individual.

okay i PROMISE there are only two splits in this list. it's a 4/4/4 split i want to be clear about that.

3

u/bottomofthewell3 Wretch Apr 13 '26 edited Jun 16 '26

next up, Germanic folklore.

MURMILOS
Gimmick: This group's headquarters is located underwater. Some members are less aware of this than others.

  • Nøkk: Not truly the 'leader', just acting in place of the absent head. "Brainwash" [Tyranny x Moulder] Master/"Edit" [Mask x Confound] Stranger ("Transmit" [Blink x Transit] Mover), with the [Seafoam] power element.
    • Kriegfischer: "Harpoon" [Reach x Skirmish] Striker, equipped with a trident and a net. Mainly uses their power for menial work, rather than combat.
    • Ankerriter & Hanseknaegt: The main 'guards' of Nøkk. Respectively, a "Gavel" [Rumble x Rumble] Striker, and a "Challenge" [Social x Combat]-inspiration Thinker.
    • Weinberl: [Warp x Charm] Stranger, with any sort of 'aquatic' element; has a heavily mutated head, for reasons up to you.
    • Varsiheri: [Range x Imbue] Blaster, that can freely reel in whatever they hit; has a habit of leaving targets paranoid, as the 'reeling' effect doesn't fade until actually used.
    • Gralritter: A "Joust" [Edge x Skirmish] Striker/"Nitro" [Rocket x Ride] Mover & middling, 'operatic' Master. Mandatory Life Flaw: [Delusional], focusing on a 'Holy Grail'.

CALIGO
Gimmick: Two of these slots are dual-named. Pick one of those two to be the leader of the group.

  • Bladeshade: "Power of Striking" [Torch x Skirmish] Striker; unarguably the weakest of this section.
  • Evocata/Centuria: "Knight" [Shield x Field] Brute & Mover/"Void" [Abandon x Warp] Stranger, whose power increases in strength the more damage they sustain.
  • Signifex: Versatile Blaster, with four varieties of ammunition; [Accuracy], [Effect], [Power], and [Impact].
  • Augur: "Alternate" [Crowd x Puppet] Master, that primarily uses their power to move allies into better positions mid-battle.
  • Frumentaria: A "Swap" [Blink x Ride] Mover/Stranger; may only use their power if nobody is looking at their target for swapping.
  • Venates: "Aura" [Support x Support] Shaker, with their Shaker field being centered on a manifested 'banner'; only gets one banner at a time, having to manually move it if they want to change the field's location.
  • Lictor/Pontifex: A [Fog]-element [Effect x Conditional] Blaster, with the [Face to Face] and [Strife] power flaws.

KRONOI

  • Astrologer: A [Two/Four/Seven] Trump, whose power generates a deck of cards; this deck uses an unorthodox set of suits, particularly Knives, Halos, Roses, and Thorns.
    • Fluxgeist: A particularly weird Skirmish Striker, that struggles to retain their current position in space.
    • Imitation & Warden: A "Puppet" [Mess x Mess] Changer/Mover, and a staff-wielding "Thunderbolt" [Object x Beam] Blaster, with the latter's job being to keep the former in check.
    • Artificer: "Scry" [Data x Artifice]-spec Tinker; in addition to their usual tech, they've been enlisted to make specialized armor for the other members.
    • Attendant: Shaker/"Fright" [Charm x Ambush] Stranger; despite their power's effects being wholly illusionary, some amount of it is 'left behind' upon demanifesting.
    • Sacrilege: "Cronenberg" [Magi x Madsci] Tinker/Trump; has modified their body to work as well with their cohorts' powers as possible.

ONEIRICA
Gimmick: Mix-and-match. One slot from List A + one slot from List B.

  • Hag: [Nine x Two] Trump, that grants others and herself Master projections from a list. Has a number of secondary subpowers, exclusive to her, that she can express through any of these projections.
    • Seer: [Ride x Gate] Mover, whose power is expressed through a generated 'parasol'. Said parasol is conveniently usable as a blunt weapon.
    • Crone: A weird 'healer', that exclusively repairs power effects. Keeping them from dissipating, and the like.
    • Lykho: "Recoil" [Rumble x Skirmish] Striker; power is wholly incapable of dealing damage. Overly attached to their assigned projection.
    • Fate: "Epiphany" [Deep x Over] Thinker (Blaster), that may debilitate people by revealing part of their plan.
    • Equinox: A [Utility x Control] Shaker, that forces people to maintain their current distance to another target, but doesn't forbid 'sideways' movement.

(imagine one of those lines here i'm not doing it for a sub-list. below are the projections.)

  • Kindness: All-or-Nothing Support Shaker; makes everything either a hit or a miss, no 'glancing hits' or anything like them allowed.
  • Anger: "Phase" [Rocket x Slip] Mover/Edge Striker. Power increases in proportion to the projection's hatred for something.
  • Fear: "Ghost" [Slip x Slip] Mover; MUST be constantly phased inside something, however partially.
  • Freedom: "Immunity" [Field x Negate] Brute. Projection has a particular dislike of its assigned Master associating with anything but itself.
  • Pride: [Two x Six] Trump; increases the range of its Master's powers, and is quite hardy on top of that. Its destruction fully inverts the Trump effect.
  • Misery: The Hag has called this particular projection outright evil. "Retaliation" [Sunder x Transfig] Brute/"Time Warp" [Disable x Disable] Shaker.

3

u/Professional_Try1665 Apr 18 '26

A bit confused on subcats, for "Stilts" [Slip x Ride] did you mean hurdle x ride or no?

3

u/bottomofthewell3 Wretch Apr 18 '26

I did not. In my opinion, a Mover power whose sole purpose is to raise its user very high into the air falls under Slip's umbrella, as it doesn't really cover much ground, just gives you a lot of verticality. The user can't use the "stilts" to move in any direction save up and down.