Ideas for a character's super modes

I'm writing a manga, and I need some ideas for a character's super modes. Ideally, the character will have three super modes.

This looks better-suited for Writer's Block Moving.

Uhh, seriously? That's all you're going to give people?

Okay, here we go.

1. Turns into a vat of superconducting petroleum jelly.

2. Turns into their normal human form, only palette swapped.

3. Becomes a walking EMP that distrupts all electronics in a five mile radius.

Ideally you'd want this stuff to lead naturally from their characterisation (and also be consistent with whatever magic you have going on in the story).

For a (slightly lame) example: they have an angry, violent personality; so when in a fight they burst into magical flames. That sort of thing.

So uh... you'll have to give more information if you want any kind of useful help.

Umm... power type/source, emotional base, male or female?

These are all things that you could give us.

Sorry, should have given more info. He's basically a mad scientist who has psychic abilities. His super forms basically act as restriction-lifters, each form allowing him to use more power than the last.

And, as you'd expect, each form becomes more monstrous than the last.

Since you're writing a manga, it's appropriate to look at some existing stuff.

I'd recommend you watch Akira and Paprika, two Japanese cartoons that handle psychic stuff (and are generally pretty good films). They can give you an idea. If you don't mind spoiling Akira for yourself, watch this [1] - it's a transformation of someone losing control of psychic powers.

Otherwise, stuff like the character deliberately shaping his body with his powers, maybe? Transforming an arm into a shield to block a gunshot, that sort of thing.

Well, I was going to suggest some kind of Multiform Balance system at first — Mighty Glacier, Fragile Speedster, etc — but since these are more like ascending levels of power, that might not work out so well.

So how about this: if he's a scientist, his super forms should reflect that. Of course it all depends on his basic skill set (for example, if he plays with fire, his super mode would turn that up a notch), but let's play with hypothetical situations for a minute.

When I think "science" I think technology. Machines. Lots of lightning and metal. So when he has to use his Level 1 super mode, he should integrate those powers into himself — he becomes a cyborg of sorts, and builds machines almost instantaneously using his body as a base. Need to shoot an enemy? Arm Cannon! Need to find a weak point? Stat-O-Vision! Granted it probably wouldn't be an...aesthetically pleasant transformation (if you so choose), but it'd be the least monstrous of the three.

Level 2, on the other hand, is where things get complicated. If he's removing his limiters, that means he's getting more desperate. More instinctual. He's like an animal getting backed into a corner. So I say that his L2 should allow him to have machine control, but also biological transformations — taking on the characteristics of animals to suit his needs. Think of it as a mash-up between two camps; the intelligent designs of his machines, combined with the raw power and speed of the animal parts he starts taking on...though again, if you so desire, those parts could be a messy biological approximation. To say nothing of the mental issues that arise.

Level 3 takes that one step further. He loses access to his machine abilities, and solely relies on biological mash-ups. Because he's no longer using a fusion of the two, the purity of his beast powers causes a massive increase in overall effectiveness. Power, speed, defense, you name it, he's got it in a blink. However, the transformations prove to take a toll on his body and mind; if he lets it go on for too long, he'll just start mutating rapidly, and...well, I'll refer you to Akira for that one.

That's my idea, more or less. Still, I want to stress that it's important for the super mode(s) to be an extension of your character. It should either capitalize on his strengths — in battle and out of it — or cover for his weaknesses. Do that, and you'll be well on your way.