Abilities

In M&M3, all abilities have the same cost but they are not all created equal. Worse, I've seen a lot of character builds where a lot of the abilities have values of zero! To start, let's look at what the abilities do:

Abilities

Strength - Strength gives each character two things, a Close range Damage effect. And a Close range Move Object effect. Damage costs 1 PP per rank. Move Object costs 2 PP per rank reduced to 1 PP per my changing it to Close range instead of its default range of Ranged. Strength is also the base value for the Athletic skill. So Strength is actually slightly under priced for its value.

Stamina - Stamina also gives each character two things. One rank of Toughness and one rank of Fortitude. There is almost no reason not to set Stamina to the lessor of these defenses and then buy up the other defense when you are making a character.

Agility - Agility gives each character one rank of Dodge. It is also the basis of two popular skills: Acrobatics and Stealth. But not all characters conceptually need these skills. Each rank of Agility is also one-quarter of a rank of initiative. Spending 2 PP on Agility is not always points well spent depending on the character concept.

Dexterity - Dexterity gives each character one rank of range combat attack bonus. It is also the basis for two less popular skills: Slight of Hand and Vehicles. Any character that can fly or leap or just run fast has less need for Vehicles. And Slight of Hand is like Acrobatics. It just isn't appropriate for some character types.

Fighting - Fighting is the basis of Parry Defense and close combat attack bonuses. These two items mean buying Fighting pays for itself.

Intellect - This one is heavily dependent on the character concept. The only thing it affects in the game is skills. For a character taking Technology and/or Investigation and two or three Expertise skills, Intellect will pay for itself. And additional Expertise skills are basically free. For character concepts lighter on expertise, Intellect is less useful.

Awareness - Awareness is the basis for Will defense. And it controls two of the most useful skills in the game: Insight (who is lying to me?) and Perception (what dangers lurk nearby?). Most character concepts in a superhero game will gravitate toward improving both of these skills and when you do so, each rank of Awareness can pay for itself.

Presence - Like Intellect, Presence is only used as the basis of skills in the game. And there are only three of those skills: Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion. And, generally, few character concepts require one to excel at all three of those skills. Most character concepts will focus on only one or two of those skills and, if necessary, use Advantages to cover the remaining skills. Presence lacks bang for the buck.

So, out of eight abilities, only four are generally cost effective, Strength, Stamina, Fighting, and Awareness. One is cost effective for a narrow group of character concepts, Intellect. And the remaining three are rarely if ever cost effective.

So what are the PP costs of abilities in 4th edition rules?

Strength, Stamina, Fighting, and Awareness - 4 PP.
Agility, Dexterity, Intellect, and Presence - 3 PP.

Intellect might seem like a problem here. But remember assumption number 2, combat is the focus of power point costs. In most combats, Doctor Skill Monkey having 6 ranks of Intellect at a cost of 24 PP or having 8 Intellect ranks for the same cost probably won't matter. And being able spend more on Expertise skill for Doctor Skill Monkey won't generally help him stay conscious in combat. It might allow him to modify the phase inverter of Death Gloom's death raygun though. Is that such a bad thing?

Presence is also an issue. I'm tempted to price it at 2 PP. Superheros should have Presence. They should command a room with their presence. Making it cheaper might make someone toss a few extra ranks into it just "because". There is a common house rule where for each rank of Presence the character receives a free Interaction Skill based Advantage rank. Essentially, that house rule sets Presence at 1 PP per Rank. The real problem with Presence is there are lot of combat uses for Presence that most people never use. But when they are used, the character in question specializes in one of the three Interpersonal Skills: Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion and uses Advantages to make the other two Interpersonal Skills unnecessary. Of course, some characters want all three forms of interpersonal action, and now buying Presence at breaks even on the cost of buy all three skills.

Aren't you undervaluing skills?

Yes. And no. But mostly yes. Most skills, beyond expertise can be simulated or obsoleted by powers and advantages. Who needs Athletics to jump across the pit when most characters can fly, leap, wall crawl, teleport and who knows how else bypass the pit without trying to figure out the Jumping rules under Athletics? Acrobatics allows you to stand up from prone as a free action with a DC 20 check. So does the Stand Up Advantage that costs 1 PP and needs no check roll.

But, for Awareness, I consider the skills it is the basis for very valuable. Perception and Insight are important pre-combat and during-combat skills for a variety of reasons.

Absent Abilities

This whole subsection of the game goes away. -5 is the lowest an ability can go. If you want a creature that cannot move, use a complication. If you want a mindless machine, use a complication. If you want an attack that makes someone mindless, use an Affliction. If you want you character to be a construct, take the appropriate immunities. If normal healing cannot heal your construct, take a complication.

Summary

Strength, Stamina, Fighting, Awareness: 4 PP per Rank

Agility, Dexterity, Intellect, Presence: 3 PP per Rank

Optionally, Presence: 2 PP per Rank
There are no absent abilities.

So that's my justification. Defenses are probably next.