At the start, Champions lets you choose whether you want a character's powers to all be in the same framework (framework=powerset or "class" in CO) as a cookie-cutter build, or if you want to mix-and-match with a custom
framework.  Trust me, go custom - the real joy in this game is getting to make the hero you want with the selection of powers that appeals to you. The only thing you need to keep in mind for custom frameworks is how the
power selection is handled.  In each framework, powers exist in tiers - Tier 0, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3.  Everyone can always select any power that's in any framework's Tier 0 (provided you are at a level that you can choose
new powers), but to progress up the tiers to the "better" powers means that you have to fulfill one of two requirements:

- Tier 1: That you already have 1 power from that framework, or 2 non-energy builder powers from any other framework
- Tier 2: 3 powers from that framework, or 5 non-energy builders from any other framework
- Tier 3: 5 powers from that framework, or 8 non-energy builders from any other framework

So basically, if you devote yourself to getting powers within one framework, you're going to be able to access the top tiers of that framework more quickly than if you're more mix-and-match - BUT after a certain point in the
game, when you have 8 non-energy building powers of any kind, all tiers in all powersets will be open to you.  The only question is how quickly do you want to get to the tier 3 goodies. (Monk's note: I ALWAYS go custom, even if
I plan on staying in one framework, JUST in case I want to branch out at some point.)