Too Many Actions

Let's look at some of the most troublesome powers:

Duplicate, Animate Objects, Summon

THe big problem with these powers is in combat.

One one hand- the ability to grant +2 to damage rolls via team attack makes you easily able to break damage limits to an unbeatable degree. 3rd edition solved this somewhat by limiting the total increase to +5, whereas 2nd edition allows limitless increases.

On the other hand, if you don't use your minions to team attack, now you could be working out 10 different actions per character. One PC could be bogging down combat with his minions each needing to act.

The heroic extra (+1/ rank) and horde (+1/rank) allow for multiple minions to be summoned at once- all who are about as strong (if not as strong) as the PC who summoned them.

So what can you do? Obviously you can outright ban the powers- but that's not the way a clever GM handles things.

1) Area effects: Most of the time the summoned creatures are minions, and as such they are one-hit kills. Now, for the cost of an extra, this problem can be avoided, but area effects are still useful in crowd control for the PC who summons too much. Even an area effect snare or something can keep those pesky minions out of a fight.

2) Takedown Attack: With minions as opponants, the enemy can attack, drop a summon, then attack the next one. Without minions, there's still one extra melee attack.

3) Complex Tactics: Remember, it's a move action to issue a command. You can command everyone to "attack", but to direct them in any more complex way requires actions just to control everyone- don't forget that. The PC loses his own actions controlling his minions.

4) Nullify/Power Control- Duplicate is personal ranged: so nullify just on the main character nullifies all duplicates. Likewise, power control used on the main character can force him to "banish" his summons or duplicates (or cease animation of objects)- allowing the tide to be turned with one attack- even if the heroic extra is purchased. With summons and animate objects you need an area effect to nullify multiple summons at once- though a power control at the main character can dispel everything.

5) Mind Control- If an enemy mind controls the summoner, by extension he can control all the summons- quickly changing the outcome of a battle.

6) Mimic- Of course, the enemy could always summon, animate, or duplicate himself and have his extras fight the PC's extras. Otherwise he could mimic the power outright and use it.


GOOD USES OF DUPLICATE/SUMMON

From a role-playing perspective, it's handy if a duplicate can help hide a secret identity, or to stay at the player's day job while he's out superheroing. It's when they are used as a personal combat army for the PC.

Hopefuly this helps level the playing field a bit.