Old Gus' Daft Drafts

version 1.17t (2024-11-03)

• Full Rules: OG-CSRD
• Player's Guide: OG-CSPG
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Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • Chapter 1: CSOL
  • Chapter 2: Foreword
  • Chapter 3: On Fey
• Part 1: Character Options
  • Chapter 4: Descriptors
  • Chapter 5: Flavors
  • Chapter 6: Foci
  • Chapter 7: Cantrips and Abilities
  • Chapter 8: Gritty Rules Modules
• Part 2: Cyphers
  • Chapter 9: Cyphers
  • Chapter 10: Artifacts
  • Chapter 11: Oddities
• Part 3: Running the Game
  • Chapter 12: Exploration Tables
  • Chapter 13: NPC Tables
  • Chapter 14: Conditions
  • Chapter 15: Mechs

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Introduction

Chapter 1 Cypher System Open License

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Chapter 2 Foreword

This is a living document, and all mechanics listed in are in the early drafting stages. These draft set of rules and character options will frequently link to Old Gus' Cypher System Reference Document (OG-CSRD).

Contributors: Old Gus (throughout, editing), Synth (descriptors), Saki (cyphers), AlphaDean (mech rules), Da_Gut (cantrips)

Thanks for reading! I hope this document helps you play a great game.

—Old Gus

Contact the Author:

• partario.flynn@gmail.com
• @oldgus@dice.camp

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Chapter 3 On Fey

Before you read further, consider the nature of your setting, how you want magic—especially interplanar magic—to function, and how much bleed there is between fey realms and the mortal realm—this material is intended to be used as readily in a modern fantasy as it is a traditional high-fantasy setting. Either way, consider the two following aspects when developing your setting. These ideas are not mutually exclusive: indeed, one might lead directly into the other. A game might be set squarely in a fairy tale setting, or fairy tale elements might intrude upon a more mundane fantasy, modern, or historical setting.

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Part 1 Character Options

Chapter 4 Descriptors

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Standard Descriptors

Your descriptor defines your character—it provides a sort of "roleplaying toolkit"—placing your character in the game alongside the other PCs, and providing your PC a mode and motivation.

Hopeless

You say you're a good-for-nothing. It's not necessarily true, of course—you just don't believe in yourself. Even when you do manage to scrounge up some determination, it never seems to last long. You probably have only a few close friends who are always there when you need them, but you avoid burdening them.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Support System: When another helps character helps you, the task is eased two steps (in addition to any assets the help provides).

• Skill: You are trained in one area of knowledge (probably related to an unusual interest or hobby of yours).

• Better You Than Me: When you accept a proposed GM intrusion, you must give both XP away to other PCs.

• Inability: All tasks related to pleasant social interaction are hindered.

• Inability: All tasks related to concentration, willpower, or discipline are hindered.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Another PC—one of your precious few friends—dragged you along in the hope it would be good for you.
2. One of the other PCs conscripted you, against your will. Yhey must see something in you that you don't.
3. This is just the kind of thing that happens when you leave the house. Every. Single. Time.
4. You indulged an infrequent desire to get out there and do something with yourself.

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Fantasy and Fairy Tale Species Descriptors

Boggle

Most boggles resemble monstrous, gnarled gnomes with at least one prominent wart on their face, but they can display a staggering variety: some boggles are hirsute, some are completely bald. Some boggles have monstrous features—wild pigmentation, horns, teeth, or claws—which make them look quite fearsome—at least to a child. Naturally jealous creatures, boggles that lack these ornamentations adopt a monstrous persona through trickery, and even those that do have them are not above a little enhancement to their appearance.

Petty mischief delights and even nourishes boggles, who frighten and bedevil folk—such pranks are always annoying, but usually harmless. The most unseelie of boggles frighten mortal children, hiding under their beds or in their closets, feeding on their victims' fear. As with all boggle mischief, their behavior is usually an expression of deep self-loathing. A defeated boggle might offer its services in recompense if cornered, although precious few are strong-willed enough to truly get the best out of a boggle's mischievous compulsions in the long-term.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Mischievous: +2 to your Speed Pool, or +2 to your Intellect Pool.

• Skill: You are trained in deception, disguise, and hiding.

• Contortionist: You gain the Contortionist (121) ability. Enabler.

• Prankster: When you surprise a creature with an action that does not inflict damage, you gain an asset on the task. Enabler.

• Schadenfreude: Once after each ten-hour recovery roll, when you make someone laugh inappropriately, frighten someone, or cause someone to feel humiliation, you can make a free recovery roll, and do not need to eat or drink that day.

• Bogart: When you reach tier 3, you gain the Unstealable Charm (IOM, 76) ability.

• Inability: Your small size makes some physical tasks difficult. Might-based tasks are hindered.

• Inability: You are suggestible. Your Intellect defense tasks are hindered.

• Inability: Your distinctive scent eases tasks to locate you by smell within a short distance. Roll a d10 on the boggle scents table, or create your own scent. The scent is so pungent that you have an inability on all pleasant social interactions with those are not acclimated to your scent.

• Additional Equipment: You have a personal disguise kit, which you can use to adopt the appearance of a nondescript individual your size, or a monster of your own design.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Pick one other PC. They saved you from a group of people with no sense of humor and have been stuck with you since.
2. Pick one other PC. Your life has grown stale. What you need is someone new to torment.
3. Pick one other PC. No matter what you do, they seem to see you as redeemable. It's horrifying.
4. You've caused too much trouble where you were, and so are on your own. Again. Misery loves company, so here you are.

Centaur

Centaurs are hardy folk with a human-like torso attached to four horse-like legs. Most of their kind are nomadic folk who prefer to roam rolling hills and open plains. Urban centaur are less frequent, since accommodations for their comfort are not frequently met.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Strongback: +1 to your Might and Speed Pools.

• Quadrupedal: Your horse-like legs are an asset in any task involving running, carrying, and avoiding being knocked down or moved against your will. You can comfortably carry one adult human as a passenger. Your passenger gains an asset to any tasks made to stay mounted on your back.

• Hooves: You can make unarmed strikes using your hooves as a light or medium weapon. You are practiced with this attack, even if you have an inability with other medium weapons.

• Poison Resistance: Your Might defense tasks to resist the effects of nonmagical poisons, venoms, and particulate toxins are eased (but not viruses, bacteria, or radiation).

• Bulky Frame: Tasks involving climbing, hiding, and squeezing through tight spaces are hindered.

• Treacherous Injuries: When performing movement tasks over difficult terrain, your GM intrusion rate is increased by 1.

• Centaur Advancement: You can choose the following abilities in place of a type ability:

• Athlete (111)
• Bash (112)
• Enhanced Speed (135)
• Fleet of Foot (141)
• Surging Confidence (188)
• Wilderness Life (199)

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. You and another PC have been friends since childhood, and they've spend more time on your back than anyone.
2. Your clan has sent you to find help. You're hoping to ingratiate yourself to the PCs.
3. You were hired as a guide.
4. You've gotten yourself in debt, and are the pay seemed worth the risk.

Gwaloth

Most gwaloth have the appearance of wiry dwarves made of wood, although adults can stand up to 12 feet (4 m) tall. They travel unshod, with a thick coating of raw earth around their root-like feet. Most live in areas dense with other plant life—sun-dappled forests, whispering pines, buzzing jungles, and teeming swamps. A precious few live in mountainous scrublands, and fewer still in deserts—hermits in places with limited sunlight, water, and fertile soil.

Most gwaloth are unbridled optimists who advocate for peaceful coexistence with others, a virtue they inherit from native gardens. Only those who take a vow a strict pacifism are considered for the rites of adulthood. Gwaloth leaders literally put their roots down—never leaving their planting positions as a sign of their dedication to the garden.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Grounded: +4 to your Might Pool.

• Skill: You are trained in healing and herbalism.

• Long-Lived: Your natural lifespan (unless tragically cut short) is thousands of years. Enabler.

• Photosynthetic: You gain nutrients from sunlight and fertile soil. You don't need to eat or breathe if you have daily exposure to sufficient sunlight. Enabler.

• Put Down Roots: You gain Summerbloom Cantrip (OG-DD), and you can pay its point cost with your Might Pool instead. When you reach tier 3, you gain the Tap Currents (IOM, 59) ability. Enabler.

• Timberskin: Your skin produces a pattern of exterior enchanted wood-like bark that grants you +1 to Armor if you do not wear physical armor—this armor also shields your mind against mental attacks that would inflict damage to your Intellect Pool (even if you are wearing physical armor). Your timberskin provides no protection from fire, however, and your stiff limbs are ill suited for agility—you have an inability in running, jumping, swimming, and Speed defense tasks. Enabler.

• Put Down Roots: When you make a defense roll and you are standing on fertile ground, you can plunge your roots into it. Until the end of your next turn, you cannot move, but gain an asset on all defense rolls you make. At that time, you can make a free recovery roll. Enabler.

• Give Fruit: When you make a recovery roll, you can divide points into a fruiting instead of your stat Pools. The fruiting sprouts from your body in the manner of your choosing. A creature—other than you—that uses an action to eat a fruiting can divide its points among their stat Pools however they wish. Any fruiting you produce spoils at the end of your next ten-hour recovery roll. Enabler.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Pick one other PC. You see so much potential in this person. You will do anything to help foster their growth.
2. Pick one other PC. This person has spent too much of their life in the shade, and needs to step into the light.
3. It sounded like a good cause.
4. Your garden is destroyed, so you have become scattered seed.

Ikwiikwii

Ikwiikwii resemble bipedal owls with no wings and short, talon-fingered hands. They are short, stocky and display powerful musculature for their diminutive frame. Most live in mountains and boreal forests, and are capable hunters. Rarely farmers, ikwiikwii consider it a point of pride to hunt for their own dinner, even encouraging their small children to fend for themselves.

Mated ikwiikwii do so for life. Family groups rarely exceed four individuals at a time. If a family grows too large, the eldest child is encouraged to leave the nest. Leaving the nest marks adulthood in their lives, and parents make a great display, showering gifts and well-wishes upon their departing child, or throw a party attended by friends and extended family.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Savage Cunning: +2 to your Might Pool and +2 to your Intellect Pool.

• Skill: You're trained in perception and tracking.

• Night Vision: You can see in extremely dim light as though it were dim light. You can see in dim light as if it were bright light. However, you are temporarily overwhelmed by unexpected bright lights. When blinded in this way, all your tasks are hindered. Enabler.

• Vicious Build: Unarmed strikes you make with your claws or beak inflict 1 additional point of damage. When your hands are unoccupied, you can run on all fours, gaining an asset to climbing, running and jumping tasks. Enabler.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Pick one other PC. You were out hunting and accidentally attacked them. You're friends now, but they still have a scar.
2. Pick one other PC. You were injured and they nursed you back to health.
3. Pick one other PC. They take themselves as your rival. Ridiculous. You have no rival.
4. It's time for you to leave the nest and make your own way. You've always been curious about others.

Pixie

Pixies vary in appearance, and it can change dramatically as they age. While most folk picture a miniature elf with the wings of an insect, pixies can share features with most any kind of animal, plant, monster, dragon, or other creature one could imagine. At auspicious moments, murmurations of pixies gather in these areas in a function known as an eisteddfod where they dance, play games, tell tales, wrestle, and copulate with one another in dazzling displays of light and flight.

Prestige is everything to a pixie: their short seasons and long years are an endless game of acquisitions and losses played among their troop. They are taught to defend pride and territory with ferocity, know when a tactical retreat will serve them best, and to exact just vengeance upon those who have done them wrong. Throughout this education, a strong sense of fair play is stressed, but cunning and creativity are considered virtues.

Just as mortals caution their children against wee folk, so wee folk caution their children about mortals—"they seem amusing playthings, but are dangerous." Yet still, adventurous young pixies visiting the mortal world to attempt something that will make a worthy tale at the next eisteddfod, and a few of them find kindred spirits in dreamers, idealists, musicians, poets, and hopeless romantics, and an intense, long-lasting—even dangerous—bond between the two might form. A mortal bonded to a pixie companion might be spurred to new heights of heroism and mischief…or they die, as all things must do one day. Then again—as the pixie elders say—a life lived in fear is a life half-lived.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Nimble: +2 to your Speed Pool, and +2 to your Intellect Pool.

• Skill: You're trained in Intellect defense rolls to resist mental effects.

• Tiny Size: You are small enough to fit places many cannot, and hide behind common objects. Your tiny size is an asset on hiding and escaping tasks. Enabler.

• Pixie Wings (2 Intellect points): You can fly up to a short distance each round for up to 1 hour. While flying, you emit a flickering, dim light and emit a soft noise, which hinders all stealth tasks and eliminates your asset to stealth tasks from Tiny Size. Enabler.

• Pixie Dust: You can alight on a willing creature larger than you by moving into their space. While alighted, you or your ally gain an asset to a defense roll. Each round, you decide which of you gets the asset, and to which type of defense rolls it benefits: Might, Speed, or Intellect. Enabler.

• Inability: While you have endless willpower, you're not very smart. Task involving knowledge or figuring out puzzles are hindered.

• Inability: Your tiny legs prevent you from keeping up with others. Your climbing, running, jumping, and swimming tasks are hindered.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Pick one other PC. You find them inspiring and just want to help.
2. Pick one other PC. They'd be lost without you. Not the other way around. Definitely not.
3. Pick one other PC. You're worried they'll somehow replace you, so you came along to prove yourself.
4. You have to run away from something—and fast.

Siren

Most sirens resemble aquatic elves from the torso up, with a lower body that resembles a sea creature—usually iridescent scales and the tail of a fish.

Among mortals, sirens are blamed for floods, storms, shipwrecks, drownings, and the occasional tragic romantic tryst. Sirens tend to be driven and passionate, and for some, those passions lead them onto land and into dramatic events.

You gain the following characteristics:

• Charming: +4 to your Intellect Pool.

• Skill: You're trained in singing, swimming, and crafting items from natural materials.

• Enchanting Voice: Your voice inspires awe, and serves as an asset in all interaction tasks. Enabler.

• Natural Affinity: You gain one of the following abilities: Aquatic Combatant (110), Calm Stranger (118), or Critter Companion (123).

• Child of the Sea: You are an aquatic creature. You can breathe both air and water, and your body is an asset to all swimming tasks. If you do nothing but swim on your turn, you gain an asset to Speed defense tasks. While underwater, you can see in extremely dim light as though it were bright light, and total darkness as if it were extremely dim light. Enabler.

• Visitor's Legs: When your body is dry (a process that takes an average of 10 minutes), you can use your action to split your tail into two legs and assume the form of a human or elf. However, you are unpracticed with your legs, and all your movement tasks that require their use are hindered. If you are doused with water, your body immediately reverts to your aquatic form. In this form, you can only crawl no more than an immediate distance on land. Enabler.

• Inability: Land dwellers are strange to you. While among their kind, any task that involves seeing through deceptions or determining someone's secret motives is hindered.

• Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure.

1. Pick one other PC. You saw them from afar and became fascinated.
2. Pick one other PC. You've known them a while, and have not told them who you are. It's gone on long enough that now you're afraid to.
3. You're running away from home.
4. You've always longed for adventure.

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Science Fiction Species Descriptors

This section provides a brief overview of the biology, history, and culture of several starfaring peoples. This is by no means a complete list of who—or what—is out there: for every major starfaring civilization, there are a dozen species who leave their world of origin with far less fanfare or acclaim, not to mention escapees from less technologically advanced civilizations.

The GM might use these peoples—or species, if you prefer—to generate NPCs or to populate a science fiction or space opera setting. A loose set of cultures and histories are provided for each, with plenty of mysteries left unanswered, and futures unwritten.

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Asgardian

Dweenle

Elowarin

Gazurtoid

G'nunk

Humna-humna

Kaillerian

Mechan

Nekros

Nirrex

Olnosi

Qhil

Queeg

Scro

Spemin

Tabriz

Thrynn

Veloxi

Yloi

Near-Human

Create a New Species

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Chapter 5 Flavors

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Crafter Flavor

You're a maker. You make things.

Fey Flavor

You—or an ancestor of yours—crossed into the fey realm and its indelible mark is upon you. Either way, there's always been a touch of the otherworldly about you.

Improbability Flavor

You seem to be a magnet for the strange and unusual. You turn up at odd times, in unexpected places, bear unexpected company, do unexpected things, and you disappear just as unexpectedly.

Psionic Flavor

Your latent psionic abilities have manifested, guiding you toward an uncertain future. Some use their gifts to develop incredible physical skill, and others hone their mind.

• Psionics and Psi Abilities: This flavor is a good match for the optional psionics rule. Psionic characters might learn additional psionic abilities by spending 3 XP, as a character advancement, as rewards for completing character arcs (for example, Growth, Join an Organization, Learn, or Master a Skill), or rising through the ranks of a psionic cults. In rare instances, a foe might demonstrate an psionic power that inadvertently teaches a talented psionic something new.

• Psionics in the Setting: The GM might decide some of the abilities on the psionic flavor's lists can't be gained any other way. Depending on the setting, characters with psionic powers might perform power stunts, gain power shifts with their psionic gifts. Alternatively, the GM might decide characters can only manifest psionic powers as a technological process or posthuman upgrade.

Ritualist Flavor

You have developed an affinity for the deep magic of the world. Your magic is slow, reliable, and deeply spiritual. It ties you to the world and its denizens, and you can lead them to discover their own ties to it. Ritualists expand their vocabulary of powers by contracting with great spirits of the world.

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Chapter 6 Foci

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Chapter 7 Cantrips and Abilities

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Daft Drafts Cantrips

• Amaneusis Cantrip (1 Intellect points): You cause writing from one source (such as a book) to be copied onto parchment (or into some other appropriate object) you provide. This ability copies approximately 250 words per minute for up to an hour, creating a perfect transcription of the original. The ability only copies mundane text, ignoring illustrations, diagrams or supernatural inscriptions, leaving empty spaces where excluded items appeared in the original. Alternatively, you can also use this ability to dictate verbally, and have your dictation transcribed as if written in your own hand.

  The ability automatically turns to the next blank page and continues its transcription until it completes the transcription, or it runs out of available pages. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Burp Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You touch a creature and they release a loud belch, potentially aiding digestion. Action.

• Candy Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You produce up to three unwrapped small candies, with a color, shape, flavor, and texture of your choice. The candy provides no nourishment, but if another creature eats one, you gain an asset on your next social interaction with them for one day. You can only affect a creature in this way once. Unconsumed candies disappear after one hour. Action. (OG-DD)

• Float Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You touch up to 50 pounds (23 kg) of loose objects or material, which become buoyant enough to float in water for ten minutes. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the weight affected by an additional 50 lbs. (23 kg). Action. (OG-DD)

• Glue Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You attach two touching objects or surfaces with level 2 bond up to 1 foot (8 cm) in diameter. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of the bond by 1. Action. (OG-DD)

• Glamour Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You touch a target's visage, and its features you deem unsightly—for example, growths, acne, burns, or scars—are replaced with smooth, featureless skin (and any make-up of your choosing) for one hour. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by one hour. You can affect up to two creatures at a time with this ability. Action.

• Massage Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You create an invisible force that kneads your aching muscles and massages the joints (or those of another creature of your choice). If target remains within short range of you, it can add +1 to a one-hour or ten-hour recovery roll. Alternatively, the cantrip can perform soothing actions, for example, scratching the back, or massaging the scalp, which provides an asset to attempts to remain calm or fall asleep. Action to initiate, 1 hour to complete.

• Messenger Bird Cantrip (1 Intellect point): When you learn this cantrip, choose a type of bird as your messenger, for example, ravens, owls, or pigeons. You can use this cantrip in multiple ways:

  • Establish Rookery. You establish a rookery in a safe, unobstructed location. Action to initiate, 1 hour to complete.

  • Record Destination. You conjure a bird, which records the location to memory and flies home to a rookery. Action.

  • Deliver. While at a rookery, you send a bird to its recorded destination. You can instruct it to remain there for up to an hour before returning home. While there, anyone can retrieve any items the bird carries, and if given anything by anyone, the bird returns to the rookery with it. Alternatively, you send a bird to home at different rookery (but maintain its recorded destination). Action. (OG-DD)

• Pair Cantrip (1 Intellect point): While holding an unpaired, nonmagical object—for example, a glove, sock, or shoe— you know the direction (but not distance) to it's matched pair. If no pair exists—for example, a gold earring that had been melted down and reforged into something else—or if the pair is located on another plane of existence, this ability has no effect. Action. (OG-DD)

• Perfume Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You touch a creature or object, surrounding it with an illusory odor of your choice for one hour. For complex or unfamiliar smells, the GM might require an Intellect task to successfully create the smell. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by one hour. You can only create two perfume effects at a time. Action. (OG-DD)

• Plug Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You touch the circumference of a hole or portal up to 1 foot (30 cm) in diameter and 3 inches (8 cm) deep, creating a seal over the area. The seal appears as a dull material of your choice, for example, wood, stone, metal, or opaque glass. The plug remains in place for up to 24 hours. Creating a plug is difficulty 2 Intellect task, and creating another simultaneous plug raises the difficulty of the task by 1. While waterproof and airtight, the seal is otherwise a level 1 barrier. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of the seal by 1. Action. (OG-DD)

• Polish Cantrip (1+ Intellect point): You touch an object or surface up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter, causing it to become highly reflective for one hour. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by 1 hour.The shape, texture, and other material properties of the area are unchanged. Action. (OG-DD)

• Pour Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You cause up to 1 gallon of mundane liquid—for example, dirty dishwater, milk, beer, or wine—within short range to move up to an immediate distance (usually into another container). Action. (OG-DD)

• Read Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You touch a mundane book, scroll, document, poster, or sign, and a face with an appearance and voice of your design appears and reads the text aloud. You can use an action to command the face to stop, start, skip ahead, or reread something. The face's ability to read is informed by your own, so it mispronounces words you don't know or understand just as you would. The face dismisses itself if you move more than a short distance away from the reading material. Action to initiate, action to complete. (OG-DD)

• Spook Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You cause the border between the spirit world to tremble, causing your to voice to boom, flames to flicker, harmless tremors to move through the environment, or nearby unlocked windows and doors to fly open or slam shut. This effect lasts for up to 1 minute. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Summerbloom Cantrip (1 Intellect point): You create one of the following effects:

  • You create a trinket in your hand that predicts what the weather for the next 24 hours. The trinket does not account for supernatural interference with the weather.
  • You touch a plant of your size or smaller, providing it with enough nourishment for one day. If you wish, it flowers, blooms, fruits, or opens its foliage.
  • You create a harmless display of life's great tapestry within a short distance and in an immediate area—a shower of cherry blossoms, a warm breeze, the sounds of birdsong, or similar effect.

  Action. (OG-DD)

• Winterchill Cantrip (1 Intellect point): A plethora of icy formations weave together at your command. Choose one of the following effects:

  • You snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire within long range.
  • You a flurry of snowflakes, a shower of sleet, or a harmless spray of icy mist in an immediate radius within short range.
  • You chill or freeze up to 3 cubic feet (1 cubic m) of nonliving material you can touch for 1 hour.
  • You cause frost to appear on up to 10 feet (3m) diameter of the surface of an object or a surface you touch for 1 minute.
  • You create a flickering image made of ice or snow that fits in your hands and lasts for 1 minute.

  Action. (OG-DD)

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Daft Drafts Abilities

Abilities are presented in alphabetical order.

• Animate Flying Servantor: You give life an object, which becomes a level 3 follower of your size or smaller. It accompanies you and follows your instructions. You and the GM must work out the details of your servantor. You'll probably make rolls for it when it takes actions. In combat, the servantor usually doesn't make separate attacks, but helps with yours. On your action, if the servantor is next to you, it serves as an asset for one attack you make on your turn. If the servantor is destroyed, you can repair the original with a few days' worth of tinkering, or build a new one with a week's worth of half-time labor. The servantor can fly a long distance each round. It can carry you, but only for up to an hour between each of your ten-hour recovery rolls. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Apparition: If attacking (or interacting) from a hidden vantage, with surprise, or before an opponent has acted in combat, you gain an asset on the attack or interaction. If you succeed on the task, you can inflict 3 additional points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Bad Attitude: You are trained in negative social interaction, including intimidation and coercion, but your demeanor and the grim appearance of your mouth hinders any pleasant social interaction you attempt. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Chef's Temper: You are trained in cooking and all related tasks, for example, identifying, sourcing, and determining the quality and nutritional qualities of ingredients. While you are cooking, you gain an asset to intimidation tasks. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Conjure Familiar (1 Intellect points): A level 1 creature accompanies you and follows your instructions. This creature is no larger than a large cat (about 20 pounds, or 9 kg). You and the GM must work out the details of your creature, and you'll probably make rolls for it in combat or when it takes actions. The familiar acts on your turn. As a level 1 creature, it has a target number of 3 and 3 health, and it inflicts 1 point of damage. Its movement is based on its creature type (avian, swimmer, and so on). If your familiar is reduced to 0 health, it becomes banished until you conjure it again. Action to initiate, 10 minutes to complete. (OG-DD)

• Craft Arcana: You gain two skills from one arcana of your choice. can choose this ability multiple times, but you must select a different arcana each time.
  • Wands. Climbing, jumping, running, swimming, carpentry, cooking, glassblowing, jewelry making, leatherworking, masonry, pottery, weaving, or woodcarving.
  • Cups. Brewing, fishing, healing, a musical instrument, perception.
  • Swords. Botany, history, metalworking, persuasion, or scrimshaw.
  • Pentacles. Calligraphy, cartography, philosophy, or tracking.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Curse of Stone: You are petrified when exposed to sunlight, becoming a solid stone statue. Roll a d6 on the Curse of Stone Provisions table to determine the nature of your curse, or work out more exact details ahead of time with the GM.

  While petrified, you gain +5 to Armor against damage of (including mental attacks), you cannot act, and you can't sense what's happening around you—until the curse's provisions allow you to awaken. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Eat Anything: Over the course of 1 minute, you can devour an object or a dead or otherwise incapacitated creature, which must be smaller than you. At the end of your meal, you can make a free recovery roll. You can do this one time, although the ability renews each time you make a ten-hour recovery roll. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Eidetic Epicurean (2 Intellect points): For the next 24 hours, gain two assets to track anything you have eaten before by scent alone to a distance of 1 mile (1.5 km). If a source is within long range of you, you know it and the general direction toward it. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Entropic Touch (1 Intellect point): Your hands become wreathed in a distortion of time that the next time you touch a creature, you inflict 3 points of damage. Alternatively, you can use this ability when you attack with a weapon, and for ten minutes, it inflicts 1 additional point of damage. Action for touch; enabler for weapon. (OG-DD)

• Entropic Withering: You can apply a level of Effort to attacks you make with your Entropic Touch in a new way, adding one of the following properties to the attack. If you apply multiple levels of Effort, you can add multiple such properties:

  • Your attack ignores Armor, up to an amount equal to your tier.
  • You can immediately end one ongoing effect (such as an effect created by a character ability) within immediate range upon the target.
  • The next action (including to defend) the target takes is hindered.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Ethereal Jaunt (1 Intellect point): You can move through walls and solid objects at half your usual speed. At the end of your next turn, you return to your corporeal form. If are inside a solid object when this happens, you are ejected to the nearest available space, taking 1 damage for every 3 feet (1 m) you are moved. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Evil Eye (4 Intellect points): You place a hex on a creature within short range, and inflict one of the following disabilities:

  • The target's tasks are hindered for 1 minute.
  • The target becomes clumsy. Their movement is halved.
  • The target can take no action for one round.
  • The target inflicts 2 fewer points of damage (minimum 1 point) for one minute. If the target cannot hear you and understand your language (or intent), the difficulty of your curse attack is one step higher.

  This ability cannot affect creatures that are not alive, for example, robots and the undead. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Flash Petrification (1+ Intellect or Speed points): You can use your curse to petrify parts of yourself at strategic moments. When your Might Pool would be damaged, you can pay this ability's cost from your Speed or Intellect Pool. The cost is equal to the damage inflicted (after accounting for Armor). Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Gargoyle Physique: Your transformed body brings advantages and challenges:

  • Gargoyle Weaponry. You bear claws, hooves, horns, wings, talons, and a long, forked tail—all of which you can use as light or medium weapons (your choice). You are practiced in attacks you make with your gargoyle weaponry.
  • Great Strength. You gain +1 to Armor, +1 to your Might Edge, and 3 additional points to your Might Pool.
  • Special Climbing. You are trained in climbing, and your unique physiology is an asset when climbing up structures made of concrete, brick, plaster, or stone.
  • Heavy. You are twice as heavy as a human of your size and shape. While petrified by your Curse of Stone, your weight doubles again.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Ghostly Nature: As an undead spirit, you gain the following benefits:

  • You cannot be poisoned or become diseased.
  • You don't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
  • You do not age, and can persist indefinitely until dispersed.
  • When you make a recovery roll, you must spend it in the land of the dead, inert, and completely unaware of the goings-on on other planes. You cannot leave your inert state of your own volition until you complete your recovery roll, at which time you return to the same location you began your rest.
  • If you die, your essence is dispersed, leaving behind no body.
  • You can see in very dim light as though it were bright light. You can see in total darkness as if it were very dim light.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Ghostly Shroud (3 Might points): For the next ten minutes, you attach yourself to an ally, taking the form of a ghostly shroud. In this state, you are invisible, although if a creature is aware of your presence, it has no difficulty attacking you. You cannot move, but can otherwise perceive and act normally in this state.

  Moreover, you automatically inflict 4 points of damage to anyone who tries to touch your ally or strike them with a melee attack. All tasks your ally makes to evade the perceptions of others are eased. Action to initiate. (OG-DD)

• Ghostly Terror (6 Intellect points): You create a horrific and twisted visage of yourself, growing to twice your usual size. For the next minute, you gain an asset on intimidation tasks. Creatures within short range may become frightened; make a separate Intellect attack roll for each creature. You decide if the target is frozen in fear or compelled to flee. Either way, they cannot take actions other than to move away from you unless you allow it. The effects on a target end if they are attacked. Action. (OG-DD)

• Haunt (3+ Intellect points): While using Ethereal Jaunt, you can either become invisible or fly up to a short distance. If you spend a level of Effort, you can gain both benefits. While you remain invisible, your stealth and Speed defense tasks are eased by two steps. Your invisibility ends if you attack a creature. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Handy Hold-All: You create a follower—the handy hold-all is a level 2 creature with two modifications for carrying. It accompanies you and follows your instructions, including retrieving any items it is carrying upon your request. If the hold-all dies, you can create a new one the next time you make a ten-hour recovery roll, provided you have some spare junk to use in its creation. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Improved Hold-All: Your Handy Hold-All's level increases by 1. Additionally, choose one of the following modifications:

  • Cypher Pod. The handy hold-all can carry and activate one extra manifest cypher for you. Enabler.
  • Climb. The handy hold-all can climb natural steep and near-vertical surfaces, including carrying you with it. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Improved Psychometric Bond: Your Psychometric Bond with your object deepens. Depending on the object's function, you gain the following benefits:

  • Weapon. You are trained in attacks you make with it.
  • Armor or Shield. While wearing it, you gain +1 Armor and reduce any Speed Effort Additional Cost the armor imposes by 1.
  • Tool. You are trained in tasks you perform with it.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Joy of Movement: You are trained in your choice of three of the following skills: balancing, climbing, dancing, jumping, running, or swimming. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Just Desserts: (6 Intellect points): You produce something you've been saving for just the right occasion and present it to an ally. Choose one of the following effects: The creature's Might, Speed, and Intellect Pools are restored to their maximum values, and they move one step up on the damage track. A single creature can benefit from this ability only once each day. Additionally, the creature gains an asset to one task of their choice in the next 24 hours. Action. (OG-DD)

• Knife Skills: You are trained in butchery, and attacks made with cookware, for example, knives, cleavers, and cast iron pans. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Lucky Charm: You find a lucky object, which contains a Pool called Luck that begins with 3 points, and it has a maximum value of 3 points. When spending points from any other Pool, you—or anyone else you give the charm to—can take one, some, or all of the points from the item's Luck Pool first. When you make a recovery roll to recover points to any other Pool, the object's Luck Pool is also refreshed by the same number of points. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Master Chef: The number of subtle cyphers you can carry increases by one, and you can prepare a second snack when you use your Secret Ingredient ability. The second snack's cypher can be the same cypher as the first, or a different one. If you choose the same cypher, the cypher's duration begins when either snack is eaten—however, a creature can still gain the cypher's effects if they eat the remaining snack while the cypher's effects persist. When the cypher's effects end, an uneaten snack becomes a normal foodstuff. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Maw: You are trained in all attacks you make with your bite, and they inflict 1 additional point of damage. Additionally, your jaw widens: you can fit anything up to 2 feet (61 cm in diameter) into your mouth, and swallow it. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Muse: The number of subtle cyphers you can bear at the same time increases by one. When you make a recovery roll, you can fill one open cypher slot with a subtle cypher chosen randomly by the GM. As part of this process, you can discard a subtle cypher you carry to make room for a new one. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• On Leather Wings (4 Might points): You unfurl your wings, and for the next ten minutes, you can fly a short distance each round and still take another action. Carrying another creature with you counts as this additional action. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Packrat Pocket (2+ Intellect points): You connect a physical portal—a door, pocket, flap, cubby, or other opening no larger than 1.5 feet (46 cm) in diameter—to an object—usually a pocket on a piece of your clothing, a pouch, or bag. The opening leads to a space that is out of phase and moves with the object. The space can hold up to 3 cubic feet (1 cubic m) and up to 20 pounds (9 kg). For each 2 additional Intellect points you spend when you use this ability, the pocket's size adds an additional 3 cubic feet (1 cubic m) and 20 pounds (9 kg) to its capacity.

  Anyone can reach into the space, although it is likely that only you are practiced in locating and retrieving its contents. If you end this ability's effects as an action, create a new pocket with this ability, or the pocket's opening is compromised, all its contents spill forth harmlessly. Action to initiate, one minute to complete. (OG-DD)

• Packrat Pocket Link: While your Packrat Pocket, and Handy Hold-All are within 1 mile (1.5 km) of each other, the contents of each can be retrieved through the other. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Perfect Hold-All: Your Handy Hold-All's level increases by 1. Additionally, choose one of the following modifications:

  • Clamoring Conveyance. You can convert your hold-all into a carriage. In this form, the hold-all can't perform other actions other than to move or retrieve items from its contents, but it can travel up 48 km/h (30 mph) during long-distance travel (double movement on paved surfaces). You can perform a similar procedure to restore it to its usual form. Action to initiate, one minute to complete.
  • Scrap Monstrosity. The hold-all summons forth everything it is carrying, doubling in size and gaining 2 levels for the next minute. You can do this one time, although the ability renews each time you make a ten-hour recovery roll. Action to initiate.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Perfect Psychometric Bond: Your Psychometric Bond with your object deepens even further. Depending on the object's function, you gain the following benefits:

  • Weapon. You gain the Attack and Attack Again (111) ability while holding the weapon.
  • Armor or Shield. You gain the Ultra Enhancement (194) ability while wearing it.
  • Tool. You gain the Effective Skill (133) ability when you perform a task with it.

  Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Psychometric Bond: You are trained in identifying objects of historical significance, and have the ability to sense the presence of strong memories from ages past from objects you touch.

  You can form a psychometric bond with certain objects that have a strong connection to an powerful story. The item might be a weapon, armor, or tool (including musical instruments, gaming sets, or other objects approved by the GM). Once the bond is formed, you gain some knowledge of an individual associated with the tale, and their history with the object (determined by the GM). If you form a psychometric bond with second object, the first bond breaks. Action to initiate, one hour to complete. While holding an object with a psychometric bond, you gain the following benefits:

  • Psychometry (1 Intellect point). You can search the memories attached to the objects questions. Answering simple questions usually have a difficulty of 3, but extremely technical questions or those that involve facts meant to be kept secret can have a much higher difficulty. Action.
  • Tongues. You can speak, read, and write one language spoken by someone who once possessed the object (assigned by the GM). Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Read Blood (2+ Intellect points): You focus your mind on a sample of blood, gaining insight into the creature it was spilled from. Choose two of the following pieces of information, which the GM provides:

  • The creature's surface thoughts at the time the blood was lost.
  • If the creature was diseased, poisoned, or suffering some other malady.
  • If the creature originated from a world other than the one the blood was spilled on.
  • How closely any another creature within 60 feet of you is related to the creature the fluid came from (for example, they might be the same creature, or a close relative, or of the same species). This sense fades after 1 minute.

  Action. (OG-DD)

• Redundant Organs: You have an asset to Might defense rolls you make to resist the effects of poisons and diseases, and your body fights off the effects of such maladies in half the usual amount of time. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Secret Ingredient: At the end of each one-hour and ten-hour recovery roll, you can transfer the effects of a subtle cypher in your possession into a snack you have prepared. For the next 24 hours or until it is activated, the food item continues to count against your cypher limit. Another creature can use an action to eat the snack, activating the cypher and gaining its effects. Action. (OG-DD)

• Slapstick (3 Speed points): You make a hindered melee attack against a target with the intent to impair one of its senses. If the attack is successful, it inflicts 1 less points of damage than normal. Choose which type of task to hinder: vision, hearing, smell, taste, or touch (movement). The effect lasts for 10 minutes. Immediately after you use this ability, you can move up to a short distance, but there is a 50% chance the target makes a melee attack against you if you do. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Sous Chef: You gain a level 2 follower. One of their modifications must be cooking. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Spirited: You can apply a free level of Effort to a task. You can't use this ability again until after you complete a one-hour or ten-hour recovery roll. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• True Omnivore: You can use your bite as a light or a medium weapon, and are practiced in attacks you make with it. You can fit objects up to 1 foot (30 cm) inches in diameter into your mouth and swallow them without difficulty. If you have the time, you can eat almost anything. Your teeth are brutally flat and as hard as steel, and your digestive system (thankfully) remains a mystery. So long as you can put your mouth around something, for the most part, you can eat and subsist on it.

  If you swallow something, you can use an action to retrieve it later, up to a number of hours equal to the level of the object or creature. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Unmaking (7+ Intellect points): You unmake a creature within immediate range. If the target is level 4 or lower, its body is destroyed, leaving behind only a fine dust. Its equipment and other possessions clatter to the ground. For each additional level of Effort you apply, you can increase the level of the target by 1. Action. (OG-DD)

• Vittles: For 24 hours after eating a meal you have prepared, your friends can add a +3 bonus to one recovery roll they make. You choose the Pool the bonus restores points to when you prepare the meal. Enabler. (OG-DD)

• Worldly Wiles: You're trained in repairing broken objects, determining the value of objects, and negotiating better prices for goods. Enabler. (OG-DD)

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CSRD Abilities

Abilities are presented in alphabetical order. For more information about these abilities, see Chapter 9: Abilities of Old Gus' Cypher System Reference Document (OG-CSRD).

• Able Assistance: When you help someone with a task and they apply a level of Effort, they get a free level of Effort on that task. Enabler. (108)

• Absorb Energy (7 Intellect points): You touch an object and absorb its energy. If you touch a manifest cypher, you render it useless. If you touch an artifact, roll for its depletion. If you touch another kind of powered machine or device, the GM determines whether its power is fully drained. In any case, you absorb energy from the object touched and regain 1d10 Intellect points. If this would give you more Intellect than your Pool's maximum, the extra points are lost, and you must make a Might defense roll. The difficulty of the roll is equal to the number of points over your maximum you absorbed. If you fail the roll, you take 5 points of damage and are unable to act for one round. You can use this ability as a defense action when you're the target of an incoming ability. Doing so cancels the incoming ability, and you absorb the energy as if it were a device. Action. (108)

• Absorb Kinetic Energy: You absorb a portion of the energy of a physical attack or impact. You negate 1 point of damage you would have suffered and store that point as energy. Once you have absorbed 1 point of energy, you continue to negate 1 point of damage from any incoming blow or impact, but the residual energy bleeds off with a flare of harmless light (you cannot store more than 1 point at a time). Enabler. (108)

• Acrobatic Attack (1+ Speed points): You leap into the attack, twisting or flipping through the air. If you roll a natural 17 or 18, you can choose to have a minor effect rather than deal extra damage. If you apply Effort to the attack, you get a free level of Effort on the task. You can't use this ability if your Speed Effort costs are reduced from wearing armor. Enabler. (108)

• Action Processor (4 Intellect points): Drawing upon stored information and the ability to process incoming data at amazing speeds, you are trained in one physical task of your choice for ten minutes. For example, you can choose running, climbing, swimming, Speed defense, or attacks with a specific weapon. Action to initiate. (108)

• Adaptation: Thanks to a latent mutation, a device implanted in your spine, a ritual performed with dragon's blood, or some other gift, you now remain at a comfortable temperature; never need to worry about dangerous radiation, diseases, or gases; and can always breathe in any environment (even the vacuum of space). Enabler. (108)

• Adroit Cypher Use: You can bear four cyphers at a time. Enabler. (108)

• Again and Again (8 Speed points): You can take an additional action in a round in which you have already acted. Enabler. (109)

• Advanced Command (7 Intellect points): A target within short range obeys any command you give as long as they can hear and understand you. Further, as long as you continue to do nothing but issue commands (taking no other action), you can give that same target a new command. This effect ends when you stop issuing commands or they are out of short range. Action to initiate. (108)

• Answering Attack (3 Speed points): If you are struck in melee, you can make an immediate melee attack against that attacker once per round. The attack is hindered, and you can still take your normal action during the round. Enabler. (110)

• Applying Your Knowledge: When you help another character undertake any action that you're untrained in, you are treated as if you are trained in it. Action. (110)

• Alleviate (3 Intellect points): You attempt to cancel or cure one malady (such as disease or poison) in one creature. Action. (109)

• Alley Rat (6 Intellect points): While in a city, you find or create a significant shortcut, secret entrance, or emergency escape route where it looked like none existed. Doing so requires that you succeed on an Intellect action whose difficulty is set by the GM based on the situation. You and the GM should work out the details. Action. (109)

• Always Tinkering: If you have any tools and materials at all, and you are carrying fewer cyphers than your limit, you can create a manifest cypher if you have an hour of time to spend. The new cypher is random and always 2 levels lower than normal (minimum 1). It's also temperamental and fragile. These are called temperamental cyphers. If you give one to anyone else to use, it falls apart immediately, useless. Action to initiate; one hour to complete. (CTS, 48)

• Amplify Sounds (2 Might points): For one minute, you can amplify distant or small sounds so that you can hear them clearly, even if it's a conversation or the sound of a small animal moving through an underground burrow up to a very long distance away. You can attempt to perceive the sound even if interceding barriers block it or the sound is very slight, though this requires a few additional rounds of concentration. To discriminate the sound you wish in a noisy environment might also require a few additional rounds of concentration as you audibly explore the surrounding soundscape. Given enough time, you could pinpoint every conversation, every breathing creature, and every device creating noise within range. Action to initiate, up to several rounds to complete, depending on the difficulty of the task. (109)

• Annoy Electronics (1 Intellect point): You interfere with the operations of an electronic device. The device must be within short range and you must be able to see it. Your interference is limited to things you could do in a few seconds if you were directly using the device. For example, you could make a person's phone start playing a loud video, type one or two commands on a computer's keyboard, hit a bunch of buttons in an elevator, or change the station or volume on a television screen. You must succeed at an Intellect-based task against the device or its bearer (whichever level is higher). If you have never interacted with the particular device before, the task is hindered by two steps. Action. (IOM, 74)

• Arc Spray (3 Speed points): If a weapon has the ability to fire rapid shots without reloading (usually called a rapid-fire weapon, such as a crank crossbow), you can fire your weapon at up to three targets (all next to one another) at once. Make a separate attack roll against each target. Each attack is hindered. Action. (110)

• Aquatic Combatant: You ignore penalties for any action (including fighting) in underwater environments. Enabler. (110)

• Artifact Scavenger (6 Intellect points + 2 XP): You've developed a sixth sense for searching for the most valuable items in the wasteland. If you spend the time required to succeed on two scavenging tasks, you can exchange all the results you would otherwise obtain for a chance to gain an artifact of the GM's choosing if you succeed on a difficulty 6 Intellect task. You can use this ability at most once per day, and never within the same general area. Action to initiate, several hours to complete. (110)

• Artifact Tinkerer: If you spend at least one day tinkering with an artifact in your possession, it functions at one level higher than normal. This applies to all artifacts in your possession, but they retain this bonus only for you. Enabler. (110)

• As Foretold in Prophecy: You accomplish something that proves you are truly the chosen one. The next task you attempt is eased by three steps. You can't use this ability again until after you've taken a one-hour or a ten-hour recovery action. Action. (110)

• Assassin Skills: You are trained in stealth and disguise tasks. Enabler. (110)

• Athlete: You are trained in carrying, climbing, jumping, and smashing. Enabler. (111)

• Attack and Attack Again: Rather than granting additional damage or a minor or major effect, a natural 17 or higher on your attack roll allows you the option of immediately making another attack. Enabler. (111)

• Attack Flourish: With your attack, you add stylish moves, entertaining quips, or a certain something that entertains or impresses others. One creature you choose within short range who can see you gains an asset to its next task if taken within a round or two. Enabler. (111)

• Autodoctor: You are trained in healing, performing surgical procedures, and withstanding pain. You can perform surgeries on yourself, remaining conscious while you do so. Enabler. (111)

• Awareness (3 Intellect points): You become hyperaware of your surroundings in order to better locate your target. For ten minutes, you are aware of all living things within long range (including their general position), and by concentrating (another action), you can attempt to learn the general health and power level of any one of them. Action. (111)

• Bash (1 Might point): This is a pummeling melee attack. Your attack inflicts 1 less point of damage than normal, but dazes your target for one round, during which time all tasks it performs are hindered. Action. (112)

• Battlefield Tactician (2+ Intellect points): You scrutinize your surroundings, learning whatever facts the GM feels are pertinent about attacking, defending, maneuvering, and dealing with environmental hazards within a short distance. For example, you might notice a pile of rubble you can stand on for an advantage in melee, a sheltered corner to help protect against enemy attacks, a less-slippery part of a frozen lake, or a place where the poison gas is thinner than elsewhere. If you (or someone you tell) move to that location, you (or they) gain an asset on tasks related to that optimal position (such as attack rolls from the high ground, Speed defense rolls from the sheltered corner, balance rolls on the frozen lake, or Might defense rolls against the poisonous cloud). Instead of gaining an advantageous location, you might learn of a disadvantageous location that you could use against your enemies, such as maneuvering them into an awkward corner that hinders their melee attacks or a weak spot on the frozen lake that will break if they stand on it. You can apply Effort to learn one additional good or bad location within range (one location per level of Effort), increase the range of this ability (another short distance per level of Effort), or both. Enabler. (112)

• Beast Call (5 Intellect points): You summon a horde of small animals or a single level 4 beast to help you temporarily. These creatures do your bidding for as long as you focus your attention, but you must use your action each turn to direct them. Creatures are native to the area and arrive under their own power, so if you're in an unreachable place, this ability won't work. Action. (112)

• Beast Companion: A level 2 creature of your size or smaller accompanies you and follows your instructions. You and the GM must work out the details of your creature, and you'll probably make rolls for it in combat or when it takes actions. The beast companion acts on your turn. As a level 2 creature, it has a target number of 6 and 6 health and it inflicts 2 points of damage. Its movement is based on its creature type (avian, swimmer, and so on). If your beast companion dies, you can hunt in the wild for 1d6 days to find a new one. Enabler. (112)

• Betrayal: Any time you convince a foe that you are not a threat and then suddenly attack it (without provocation), the attack deals 4 additional points of damage. Enabler. (113)

• Better Living Through Chemistry (4 Intellect points): You've developed drug cocktails specifically designed to work with your own biochemistry. Depending on which one you inject, it makes you smarter, faster, or tougher, but when it wears off, the crash is a doozy, so you use it only in desperate situations. You gain 2 to your Might Edge, Speed Edge, or Intellect Edge for one minute, after which you can't gain the benefit again for one hour. During this follow-up hour, every time you spend points from a Pool, increase the cost by 1. Action. (113)

• Biomorphic Detonation (7+ Might points): You radiate a pulse of biomorphic energy up to a short distance away, but you tune it to disrupt life in an area an immediate distance across. All within the detonation take 5 points of damage that ignores Armor (unless it is Armor provided by a force field effect). If you apply additional Effort to increase the damage, you deal 2 additional points of damage per level of Effort (instead of 3 points); targets in the area take 1 point of damage even if you fail the attack roll. Action. (113)

• Biomorphic Healing (4+ Might points): You consciously send out a pulse of your biomorphic field (a strange energy your body generates) and focus it on a living creature within short range. The target gains a free and immediate one-action recovery roll. You can't use this ability again on that creature until after its next ten-hour rest. Action. (113)

• Blackout (3 Intellect points): You issue a disruptive ripple of energy within short range, creating an area where the electrical power grid fails. All devices relying on being plugged into the grid stop working. Battery-powered devices still work. Any standby generator connected in this area functions normally, activating emergency power within a few rounds. The blackout otherwise lasts for one minute. Action. (IOM, 65)

• Blessing of the Gods: As a servant of the gods, you can call up blessings in their name. This blessing depends on the god's general demeanor and area of influence. Choose two of the abilities described below.

  • Authority/Law/Peace (3 Intellect points). You prevent a foe that can hear and understand you from attacking anyone or anything for one round. Action.
  • Benevolence/Righteousness/Spirit (2+ Intellect points). One level 1 demon, spirit, or similar creature within short range is destroyed or banished. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target. Thus, to destroy or banish a level 5 target (four levels above the normal limit), you must apply four levels of Effort. Action.
  • Death/Darkness (2 Intellect points). A target you choose within short range withers, suffering 3 points of damage. Action.
  • Desire/Love/Health (3 Intellect points). With a touch, you restore 1d6 points to one stat Pool of any creature, including yourself. This ability is a difficulty 2 Intellect task. Each time you attempt to heal the same creature, the task is hindered by an additional step. The difficulty returns to 2 after that creature rests for ten hours. Action.
  • Earth/Stone. You are trained in climbing, stonecraft, and spelunking. Enabler.
  • Knowledge/Wisdom (3 Intellect points). Choose up to three creatures (potentially including yourself). For one minute, a particular type of task (but not an attack roll or defense roll) is eased for those creatures, but only while they remain within immediate range of you. Action.
  • Nature/Animals/Plants. You are trained in botany and handling natural animals. Enabler.
  • Protection/Silence (3 Intellect points). You create a quiet bubble of protection around you to an immediate radius for one minute. The bubble moves with you. All defense rolls for you and all creatures you designate within the bubble are eased, and no noise, regardless of its origin, sounds louder than a normal speaking voice. Action to initiate.
  • Sky/Air (2 Intellect points). A creature you touch is immune to airborne toxins or contaminants for ten minutes. Action.
  • Sun/Light/Fire (2 Intellect points). You cause one creature or object within short range to catch fire, inflicting 1 point of ambient damage each round until the fire is extinguished (requiring an action). Action.
  • Trickery/Greed/Commerce. You are trained in detecting the deceptions of other creatures. Enabler.
  • War (1 Intellect point). A target you choose within short range (potentially yourself) deals 2 additional points of damage with its next successful weapon attack. Action.
  • Water/Sea (2 Intellect points). A target you touch can breathe water for ten minutes. Action. (114)

• Blinding Attack (3 Speed points): If you have a source of light, you can use it to make a melee attack against a target. If successful, the attack deals no damage, but the target is blinded for one minute. Action. (115)

• Block (3 Speed points): You automatically block the next melee attack made against you within the next minute. Action to initiate. (115)

• Blood Fever: When you have no points in one or two Pools, you gain an asset to attacks or defense rolls (your choice). Enabler. (115)

• Blood Magician: When you wish it, you can use points from your Might Pool rather than your Intellect Pool to activate a magical ability (including applying Effort to that ability). If you use your Might Pool this way, you use your Might Edge instead of your Intellect Edge. Enabler. (IOM, 65)

• Blurring Speed (7 Speed points): You move so quickly that until your next turn, you look like a blur. While you are blurred, if you apply Effort to a melee attack task or Speed defense task, you get a free level of Effort on that task; you can move a short distance as part of another action or a long distance as your entire action. Enabler. (115)

• Body Morph (3+ Intellect points): You alter your facial and bodily features and coloration for one hour, hiding your identity or impersonating someone. If you apply a level of Effort, you can imitate a specific person accurately enough to fool someone who knows them well or has observed them closely (including fingerprints and voice prints, but not their retina print or DNA). You have an asset in all tasks involving disguise (this is in addition to the asset from Face Morph). You must apply a separate level of Effort to be able to impersonate a different species (such as a human morphing into a humanoid alien). Action. (CTS, 49)

• Bolts of Power (5+ Intellect points): You blast a fan of lightning out to short range in an arc that is approximately 50 feet (15 m) wide at the end. This discharge inflicts 4 points of damage. If you apply Effort to increase the damage rather than to ease the task, you deal 2 additional points of damage per level of Effort (instead of 3 points); targets in the area take 1 point of damage even if you fail the attack roll. Action. (115)

• Boost Manifest Cypher (2 Intellect points): The manifest cypher you activate with your next action functions as if it were 2 levels higher. Action. (CTS, 51)

• Boost Manifest Cypher Function (4 Intellect points): Add 3 to the functioning level of a manifest cypher that you activate with your next action, or change one aspect of its parameters (range, duration, area, etc.) by up to double or down to one tenth. Action. (CTS, 51)

• Bound Magic Familiar: You have a magic familiar bound to you through a magical mark on your body (a tattoo, rune, scar, or something as mundane as a freckle or mole). Normally, the familiar remains sleeping in its spiritual form. When you use an action to manifest them, they appear next to you as a creature with a specific form (such as a cat, hawk, homunculus, tiny dragon, or other suitable magical creature) and can communicate with you telepathically. The familiar is friendly toward you but has its own personality determined by the GM.

  The familiar can remain physically manifested for up to one hour, after which they return to their sleeping spiritual form and cannot manifest again until after your next ten-hour recovery roll. While manifested, they accompany you and follow your instructions. The familiar must remain within an immediate distance of you; if they move farther away, they are yanked back into their magical mark at the end of your following turn and cannot return until after your next ten-hour recovery roll. The familiar doesn't make attacks, but they can use their action to grant you an asset for any one attack you make on your turn. Otherwise, they can take actions on their own (though you'll likely roll for them).

  If the familiar is reduced to 0 health, they dissipate into their spiritual form and cannot manifest again until 1d6 + 2 days have passed.

  Action to manifest the familiar. (IOM, 65)

• Brainwashing (6+ Intellect points): You use trickery, well-spoken lies, and mind-affecting chemicals (or other means, like magic or high technology) to make others temporarily do what you want them to do. You control the actions of another creature you touch. This effect lasts for one minute. The target must be level 3 or lower. You can allow it to act freely or override its control on a case-by-case basis as long as you can see it. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target or increase the duration by one minute. Thus, to control the mind of a level 6 target (three levels above the normal limit) or control a target for four minutes (three minutes above the normal duration), you must apply three levels of Effort. When the duration ends, the creature doesn't remember being controlled or anything it did while under your influence. Action to initiate. (116)

• Break Their Mind (7+ Intellect points): Using your clever words and knowledge of others, and given a couple of rounds of conversation to gain a few specific pieces of context regarding your target, you can utter a sentence designed to cause your target immediate psychological distress. If the target can hear and understand you, it suffers 6 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor) and forgets the last day of its life, which might mean it forgets you and how it came to be where it currently is. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to attempt to break the mind of one additional target who can hear and understand you. Action to initiate, action to complete. (116)

• Break the Ranks (6 Speed points): You move up to a short distance and attack up to four different foes as a single action as long as they are all along your path. Any modifiers that apply to one attack apply to all the attacks you make. If you have another special ability that allows you to move and take an action, when you use Break the Ranks, you gain an asset to attacking these foes. Action. (116)

• Breaker: You are trained in tasks related to damaging objects with the goal of breaking, piercing, or demolishing them. It is a Might action to damage an object, and on a success, the object moves one step down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeds the difficulty by two steps, the object instead moves two steps down the object damage track. If the Might roll exceeds the difficulty by four steps, the object moves three steps down the object damage track and is immediately destroyed. Brittle material reduces the effective level of the object, while hard material like wood or stone adds 1 to the effective level or 2 for very hard objects like those made of metal. Enabler. (116)

• Brute Strike (4 Might points): You deal 4 additional points of damage with all melee attacks until the end of the next round. Enabler. (116)

• Buddy System (3 Intellect points): Choose one character standing next to you. That character becomes your buddy for ten minutes. You are trained in all tasks involving finding, healing, interacting with, and protecting your buddy. Also, while you stand next to your buddy, both of you have an asset on Speed defense tasks. You can have only one buddy at a time. Action to initiate. (116)

• Burst of Escape (5 Speed points): You can take two separate actions this round, as long as one of them is to hide or to move in a direction that is not toward a foe. Enabler. (116)

• Bypass Barrier (6+ Intellect points): You get past a door, force field, or other barrier up to 3 feet (1 m) thick that is blocking your way. Depending on the barrier, this might involve finding a weak spot you can push through, pressing the right button by luck, just breaking through, or even weirder explanations like touching a thin place between dimensions or an unexpected interaction with your equipment. The difficulty of the task is the level of the barrier. This ability allows you alone to pass through, not anyone else, and the way through closes at the end of your turn (which might mean you're trapped on the far side). You have an asset in any attempts to get through it again. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum thickness of the barrier, each level adding 3 feet (1 m). Action. (116)

• Call Otherworldly Spirit (6 Intellect points): You summon a spirit creature that manifests for up to a day (or less, if it accomplishes something important to it before then), after which it fades away and cannot be summoned again. The spirit is a creature of level 6 or lower, and it can be substantial or insubstantial as it wishes (using an action to change). The spirit is not beholden to you, and it does not need to stay near you to remain manifest. Action to initiate. (117)

• Calm (3 Intellect points): Through jokes, song, or other art, you prevent a living foe from attacking anyone or anything for one round. Action. (118)

• Calm Stranger (2+ Intellect points): You can cause one intelligent creature to remain calm as you speak. The creature doesn't need to speak your language, but it must be able to see you. It remains calm as long as you focus all your attention on it and it is not attacked or otherwise threatened. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to calm additional creatures allied with your initial target, one additional creature per level of Effort applied. Action. (118)

• Capable Warrior: Your attacks deal 1 additional point of damage. Enabler. (118)

• Captivate or Inspire: You can use this ability in one of two ways. Either your words keep the attention of all NPCs that hear them for as long as you speak, or your words inspire all NPCs that hear them to function as if they were one level higher for the next hour. In either case, you choose which NPCs are affected. If anyone in the crowd is attacked while you're trying to speak to them, you lose the crowd's attention. Action to initiate. (118)

• Captivate With Starshine: For as long as you speak, you keep the attention of all level 2 or lower NPCs who can hear you. If you also have the Enthrall ability, you can similarly captivate all level 3 NPCs. Action to initiate. (118)

• Careful Shot: You can spend points from either your Speed Pool or your Intellect Pool to apply levels of Effort to increase your gun damage. Each level of Effort adds 3 points of damage to a successful attack, and if you spend a turn lining up your shot, each level of Effort instead adds 5 points of damage to a successful attack. Enabler. (118)

• Cast Illusion: You can increase the range at which you create and maintain your immediate-range illusions (such as from Minor Illusion) to anywhere within short range that you can perceive. Enabler. (118)

• Castigate (4 Intellect points): You intimidate any opponent within long range who understands speech (even if it is not your language) so much that they lose their next action and all the rest of their actions are hindered for one minute. Each additional time you attempt this ability against the same target, you must apply one more level of Effort than you applied on the previous attempt. Action. (118)

• Change the Paradigm (6+ Intellect points): You sway the worldview of a creature you spend at least one round speaking to, as long as it can understand you. The creature changes its mind on a significant belief, which could include something as straightforward as helping you instead of trying to kill you, or it could be something more esoteric. This effect lasts for at least ten minutes, but it can last longer if the creature wasn't previously your foe. During this time, the creature takes actions in accordance with the wisdom you have imparted to it. The target must be level 2 or lower. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target by one for each level of Effort applied. Action to initiate. (119)

• Cloak of Opportunity (5 Intellect points): You set small objects from the environment (rocks, broken items, clumps of dirt, and so on) swirling about you for up to ten minutes, which grants you +2 Armor. Action to initiate. (119)

• Cloud Personal Memories (3 Intellect points): If you interact with or study a target for at least a round, you gain a sense of how its mind works, which you can use against it in the most blunt fashion possible. You can attempt to confuse it and make it forget what's just happened. On a success, you erase up to the last five minutes of its memory. Action to prepare; action to initiate. (119)

• Coaxing Power (2 Intellect points): You boost the power or function of a machine so that it operates at one level higher than normal for one hour. Action to initiate. (119)

• Cognizant Offense: During combat, your brain shifts into a sort of battle mode where all potential attacks you could make are plotted on vector graphs in your mind's eye, which always provides the best option. Your attacks are eased. Enabler. (119)

• Control Weather (10 Intellect points): You change the weather in your general region. If performed indoors, this creates minor effects, such as mist, mild temperature changes, and so on. If performed outside, you can create rain, fog, snow, wind, or any other kind of normal (not overly severe) weather. The change lasts for a natural length of time so that a storm might last for an hour, fog for two or three hours, and snow for a few hours (or for ten minutes if it's out of season). For the first ten minutes after activating this ability, you can create more dramatic and specific effects, such as lightning strikes, giant hailstones, twisters, hurricane-force winds, and so on. These effects must occur within 1,000 feet (300 m) of your location. You must spend your turn concentrating to create an effect or maintain it in a new round. These effects inflict 6 points of damage each round. If you have this ability from another source, the cost for the ability is 7 Intellect points instead of 10. If you already have the Storm Seed ability, you can immediately replace it with a new ability of the same tier. Action to initiate. (122)

• Combat Challenge: All attempted tasks that draw an attack to yourself (and away from someone else) are eased by two steps. Enabler. (120)

• Combat Prowess: You add +1 damage to one type of weapon attack of your choice: melee weapon attacks or ranged weapon attacks. Enabler. (120)

• Comfort and Encouragement (2+ Intellect points): You speak to a non-hostile creature within short range, telling them exactly what they need to hear to have a better day. You don't know what these words are until you say them, but you know they will help the creature's attitude. If the creature spends a round or two thinking about what you said, they gain an asset on one task of their choosing within one hour. Alternatively, if the creature has an ongoing penalty to tasks (such as having a hangover, sadness from a recent fight with their romantic partner, an injury, or a stressful situation at work), they can ignore that penalty for the next hour. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can use Effort to affect more creatures; each level of Effort affects one additional creature. Action to initiate; up to one minute to complete. (IOM, 71)

• Command (3 Intellect points): Through sheer force of will, you can issue a simple imperative command to a single living creature, who then attempts to carry out your command as its next action. The creature must be within short range and able to understand you. The command can't inflict direct harm on the creature or its allies, so "Commit suicide" won't work, but "Flee" might. In addition, the command can require the creature to take only one action, so "Unlock the door" might work, but "Unlock the door and run through it" won't. A commanded creature can still defend itself normally and return an attack if one is made on it. If you possess another ability that allows you to command a creature, you can target two creatures at once as your base effect if you use either ability. Action. (120)

• Command Spirit (3 Intellect points): You can command a spirit or animated dead creature of up to level 5 within short range. If you are successful, the target cannot attack you for one minute, during which time it follows your verbal commands if it can hear and understand you. Action to initiate. (121)

• Communication (2 Intellect points): You can convey a basic concept to a creature that normally can't speak or understand speech. The creature can also give you a very basic answer to a simple question. Action. (121)

• Concussion (7 Intellect points): You cause a pulse of concussive force to explode out from a point you choose within long range. The pulse extends up to short range in all directions, dealing 5 points of damage to everything in the area. Even if you fail the attack roll, targets in the area take 1 point of damage. Action. (121)

• Concussive Blast (2 Intellect points): You release a beam of pure force that smashes into a creature within short range, inflicting 5 points of damage and moving it back an immediate distance. Action. (121)

• Confidence Artist: When you're hacking into a computer system, running a con, picking a pocket, fooling or tricking a dupe, sneaking something by a guard, and so on, you gain an asset on the task. Enabler. (121)

• Confounding Banter (4 Intellect points): You spew a stream of nonsense to distract a foe within immediate range. On a successful Intellect roll, your defense roll against the creature's next attack before the end of the next round is eased. Action. (121)

• Confuse Enemy (4 Intellect points): Through a clever bit of misdirection involving a flourish of your coat, ducking at just the right moment, or a similar stratagem, you can attempt to redirect a physical melee attack that would otherwise hit you. When you do, the misdirected attack hits another creature you choose within immediate range of both you and the attacking foe. This ability is a difficulty 2 Intellect task. Enabler. (121)

• Counter Danger (4 Intellect points): You negate a source of potential danger related to one creature or object within immediate distance for one minute (instead of one round, as with Foil Danger). This could be a weapon or device held by someone, a creature's natural ability, or a trap triggered by a pressure plate. You can also try to counter an action (like moving or making a conventional mundane attack with a weapon, a claw, etc.). Action. (122)

• Countercharm (5 Intellect points): If you are affected by an unwanted ongoing magical condition or affliction (such as a curse, paralysis spell, withering hex, and so on) that gives you additional rolls to end it early, your rolls to end it early are eased by two steps until you break free. Enabler. (IOM, 49)

• Countermeasures (4 Intellect points): You immediately end one ongoing effect (such as an effect created by a character ability) within immediate range. Alternatively, you can use this as a defense action to cancel any incoming ability targeted at you, or you can cancel any device or the effect of any device for 1d6 rounds. You must touch the effect or device to cancel it. Action. (122)

• Continuous Transfer: When you use either Drain Creature or Tap Currents to drain energy, you can transfer it to another creature within short range, restoring points to their Might or Speed Pools (or health for an NPC). This occurs seamlessly, as part of the same action. Enabler. (IOM, 59)

• Contortionist (2 Speed points): You can wriggle free from bindings or squeeze through a tight spot. You are trained in escaping. When you use an action to escape or move through a tight area, you can immediately use another action. You may use this action only to move. Enabler. (121)

• Control the Field (1 Might point): This melee attack inflicts 1 less point of damage than normal, and regardless of whether you hit the target, you maneuver it into a position you desire within immediate range. Action. (121)

• Controlled Fall: When you fall while you are able to use actions and within reach of a vertical surface, you can attempt to slow your fall. Make a Speed roll with a difficulty of 1 for every 20 feet (6 m) you fall. On a success, you take half damage from the fall. If you reduce the difficulty to 0, you take no damage. Enabler. (122)

• Crafter: You are trained in the crafting of two kinds of items. Enabler. (122)

• Create Water (2 Intellect points): You cause water to bubble up from a spot on the ground you can see. The water flows from that spot for one minute, creating about 1 gallon (4 liters) by the time it stops. Action to initiate. (123)

• Critter Companion: A level 1 creature accompanies you and follows your instructions. This creature is no larger than a large cat (about 20 pounds, or 9 kg) and is normally some sort of domesticated species. You and the GM must work out the details of your creature, and you'll probably make rolls for it in combat or when it takes actions. The critter companion acts on your turn. As a level 1 creature, it has a target number of 3 and 3 health, and it inflicts 1 point of damage. Its movement is based on its creature type (avian, swimmer, and so on). If your critter companion dies, you can search an urban or wild environment for 1d6 days to find a new one. Enabler. (123)

• Crushing Blow (2 Might points): When you use a bashing or bladed weapon in both hands and apply Effort on the attack, you get a free level of Effort on the damage. (If fighting unarmed, this attack is made with both fists or both feet together.) Action. (123)

• Cutting Light (2 Intellect points): You emit a thin beam of energized light from your hand. This inflicts 5 points of damage to a single foe in immediate range. The beam is even more effective against immobile, nonliving targets, slicing up to 1 foot (30 cm) of any material that is level 6 or lower. The material can be up to 1 foot thick. Action. (123)

• Cypher Casting: You can cast any of your subtle cyphers on another creature instead of yourself. You must touch the creature to affect it. Enabler. (GF, 29)

• Cyphersmith: All manifest cyphers you use function at one level higher than normal. If given a week and the right tools, chemicals, and parts, you can tinker with one of your manifest cyphers, transforming it into another cypher of the same type that you had in the past. The GM and player should collaborate to ensure that the transformation is logical—for example, you probably can't transform a pill into a helmet. Enabler. (124)

• Damage Dealer: You inflict an additional 3 points of damage with your chosen weapon. Enabler. (124)

• Danger Instinct (3 Speed points): If you are attacked by surprise, whether by a creature, a device, or simply an environmental hazard (a tree falling on you), you can move an immediate distance before the attack occurs. If moving prevents the attack, you are safe. If the attack can still potentially affect you—if the attacking creature can move to keep pace, if the attack fills an area too big to escape, etc. —the ability offers no benefit. Enabler. (124)

• Danger Sense (1 Speed point): Your initiative task is eased. You pay the cost each time the ability is used. Enabler. (124)

• Dark Explorer: You ignore penalties for any action (including fighting) in extremely dim light or in cramped spaces. If you also have the Eyes Adjusted ability, you can act without penalty even in total darkness. You are trained in sneaking tasks while in dim or no light. Enabler. (124)

• Dark Matter Shell (5 Intellect points): For the next minute, you cover yourself with a shell of dark matter. Your appearance becomes a dark silhouette, and you gain an asset to sneaking tasks and gain +1 to your Armor. The dark matter shell works seamlessly with your desires, and if you apply a level of Effort to any physical task while the shell persists, you can apply an additional free level of Effort to that same task. Action to initiate. (124)

• Dark Matter Shroud (4 Intellect points): Ribbons of dark matter condense and swirl about you for up to one minute. This shroud eases your Speed defense tasks, inflicts 2 points of damage to anyone who tries to touch you or strike you with a melee attack, and gives you +1 Armor. Action to initiate. (124)

• Dark Matter Strike (4 Intellect points): When you attack a foe within long range, dark matter condenses around your target and entangles its limbs, holding it in place and easing your attack by two steps. The ability works for whatever kind of attack you use (melee, ranged, energy, and so on). Enabler.

• Datajack (1 Intellect point): With computer access, you jack in instantly and learn a bit more about something you can see. You get an asset on a task involving that person or object. Action. (124)

• Daydream (4 Intellect points): You pull someone into a daydream, substituting a dream of your own creation for the target's reality for up to one minute. You can affect a target within long range that you can see, or a target within 10 miles (16 km) that you have hair or skin clippings from. To all outward appearances, an affected target stands (or lies) unmoving. But inside, the substituted reality (or dream within a dream, if the target was sleeping) is what the target experiences. If the target is under duress, it can attempt another Intellect defense roll each round to break free, though the target may not realize its state. Either the dream unfolds according to a script you prepared when you used this ability, or if you use your own actions (forcing you into a similar state as the target), you can direct the unfolding dream from round to round. Using this ability on a sleeping target eases the initial attack. Action to initiate; if you direct the dream, action to direct per round. (124)

• Dazing Attack (3 Might points): You hit your foe in just the right spot, dazing them so that tasks they attempt on their next turn are hindered. This attack inflicts normal damage. Action. (125)

• Dazzling Sunburst (2 Intellect points): You send a barrage of dazzling colors at a creature within short range and, if successful, inflict 2 points of damage on the target. In addition, the creature's attacks are hindered on its next turn, unless the target relies primarily on senses other than sight. Action. (125)

• Deactivate Mechanisms (5+ Speed points): You make a melee attack that inflicts no damage against a machine. Instead, if the attack hits, make a second Speed-based roll. If successful, a machine of level 3 or lower is deactivated for one minute. For each additional level of Effort applied, you can affect one higher level of machine or you can extend the duration for an additional minute. If you have the Scramble Machine or Disable Mechanisms ability (or an ability that works similarly), when you apply a level of Effort to any of them, you gain an additional free level of Effort. Action. (125)

• Deadly Strike (5 Might points): If you strike a foe of level 3 or lower with a weapon you're practiced with, you kill the target instantly. Action. (125)

• Debate (3 Intellect points): In any gathering of two or more people trying to establish the truth or come to a decision, you can sway the verdict with masterful rhetoric. If you are given one minute or more to argue your point, either the decision goes your way or, if someone else effectively argues a competing point, any associated persuasion or deception task is eased by two steps. Action to initiate; one minute to complete. (126)

• Decipher (1 Intellect point): If you spend one minute examining a piece of writing or code in a language you do not understand, you can make an Intellect roll of difficulty 3 (or higher, based on the complexity of the language or code) to get the gist of the message. Action to initiate. (126)

• Deep Consideration (6 Intellect points): When you develop a plan that involves you and your friends working together to accomplish a goal, you can ask the GM one very general question about what is likely to happen if you carry out the plan, and you will get a simple, brief answer. In addition, all of you gain an asset to one roll related to enacting the plan you developed together, as long as you put the plan into action within a few days of the plan's creation. Action. (126)

• Deep Reserves: When others are exhausted, you can push through. Once each day, you can transfer up to 5 points among your Pools in any combination, at a rate of 1 point per round. For example, you could transfer 3 points of Might to Speed and 2 points of Intellect to Speed, which would take a total of five rounds. Action. (126)

• Defense Against Robots: You have studied your enemy and are trained in anticipating the actions that a robot or machine is likely to take in a fight. Defense tasks you attempt against these foes are eased. Enabler. (126)

• Defense Master: Every time you succeed at a Speed defense task, you can make an immediate attack against your foe. (If you have Dodge and Respond, you can exchange that ability for Dodge and Resist.) Your attack must be the same type (melee weapon, ranged weapon, or unarmed) as the attack you defend against. If you don't have an appropriate type of weapon ready, you can't use this ability. Enabler. (127)

• Defensive Field: Thanks to subdermal implants, a permanent spell, alien modifications, or something similar, you now have a force field that radiates 1 inch (2.5 cm) from your body and provides you with +2 Armor. Enabler. (127)

• Defensive Phasing (2 Intellect points): You can change your phase so that some attacks pass through you harmlessly. For the next ten minutes, you gain an asset to your Speed defense tasks, but during this time you lose any benefit from armor you wear. Action to initiate. (127)

• Define Down (4 Intellect points): The natural gravity within an area a short distance across that you are within immediate range of changes directions so that it flows in the direction you determine (up, up and to the south, west, and so on) for a few seconds, then snaps back. Affected targets could be tossed up to 20 feet (6 m) and take a few points of damage. Action. (127)

• Deflect Attacks (1 Intellect point): Using your mind, you protect yourself from incoming attacks. For the next ten minutes, you are trained in Speed defense tasks. Action to initiate. (127)

• Defuse Situation: During the course of an investigation, your questions sometimes elicit an angry or even violent response. Through dissembling, verbal distraction, or similar evasion, you prevent a living foe from attacking anyone or anything for one round. Action. (127)

• Designation: You assign an innocent or guilty label to one creature within immediate range, based on your assessment of a given situation or a predominant feeling. In other words, someone who is labeled innocent can be innocent in a certain circumstance, or they can be generally innocent of terrible crimes (such as murder, major theft, and so on). Likewise, you can declare that a creature is guilty of a particular crime or of terrible deeds in general. The accuracy of your assessment isn't important as long as you believe it to be the truth; the GM may require you to give a rationale. Henceforth, your tasks to socially interact with someone you designate as innocent gain an asset, and your attacks against those you designate as guilty gain an asset. You can change your assessment, but it requires another designation action. The benefits of the designation last until you change it or until you are shown proof that it is wrong. Action. (127)

• Destined for Greatness: You enjoy uncanny luck as if something was watching over you and keeping you from harm. When you would otherwise descend a step on the damage track, make an Intellect defense roll versus the difficulty set by the level of the foe or effect. If you succeed, you do not descend that step. If the step was because you fell to 0 points in a Pool, you are still at 0 points; you just don't suffer the negative effects of being impaired or debilitated. If you would otherwise descend the final step on the damage track to death, a successful defense roll keeps you at 1 point in one Pool, and you remain debilitated. Enabler. (127)

• Destroyer (6 Might points): If you succeed on a Might task to damage an object, instead of descending one step on the object damage track, the object descends all three steps and is destroyed. Action. (127)

• Detect Life (3+ Might points): You consciously send out a pulse of your life energy. You detect all living creatures within short range, even if they are behind cover, though not if they're behind a force field. When you detect a creature, you detect its general location (to within an immediate range). If you apply two additional levels of Effort, you can increase the range of detection to long. Action. (128)

• Devoted Defender (2 Might or Intellect points): Choose one character you can see. That character becomes your ward. You are trained in all tasks involving finding, healing, interacting with, and protecting that character. You can have only one ward at a time. Action to initiate. (128)

• Disable Mechanisms (3 Speed points): With a keen eye and quick moves, you disrupt some functions of a robot or machine and inflict upon it one of the following maladies:

  • All its tasks are hindered for one minute.
  • Its speed is halved.
  • It can take no action for one round.
  • It deals 2 fewer points of damage (minimum 1 point) for one minute.

  You must touch the robot or machine to disrupt it (if you are making an attack, it inflicts no damage). Action. (128)

• Disarming Attack (5 Speed points): You attempt a Speed task to disarm a foe as part of your melee attack. If you succeed, your attack inflicts 3 additional points of damage and the target's weapon is knocked from their grip, landing up to 20 feet (6 m) away. If you fail, you still attempt your normal attack, but you don't inflict the extra damage or disarm the opponent if you hit. Action. (129)

• Dispel Magic (2+ Intellect points): Choose one magical effect within long range. An effect of up to level 3 ends if you succeed on an Intellect-based attack roll against the level of the effect, or against the level of the creature or object the magical effect affects, whichever is higher. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can apply Effort to increase the level of the effect that can potentially be dispelled. Action. (IOM, 75)

• Divert Attacks (4 Speed points): For one minute, you automatically deflect or dodge any ranged projectile attacks. However, on your next turn after you're attacked with ranged projectiles, all your other actions are hindered. Action to initiate. (130)

• Divine Intervention (2 Intellect points, or 2 Intellect points + 4 XP): You ask the divine to intervene on your behalf, usually against a creature within long range, changing the course of its life in a small way by introducing a major special effect upon it. The major special effect is akin to what occurs when you roll a natural 20 on an attack. If you want to try for a larger effect, and if the GM allows it, you can attempt a divine intervention with a more far-reaching effect, which is more like the kind of GM intrusion initiated by the GM on their players. In this case, Divine Intervention also costs 4 XP, the effect may not work out exactly like you hope, and you may not make another plea for divine intervention for a week. Action. (130)

• Dodge and Resist (3 Speed points): You can reroll any of your Might, Speed, or Intellect defense rolls and take the better of the two results. Enabler. (131)

• Dodge and Respond (3 Might points): If a melee attack misses you, you can immediately make a melee attack in return, but no more than once per turn. Enabler. (131)

• Double Strike (3 Might points): When you wield two weapons, you can choose to make one attack roll against a foe. If you hit, you inflict damage with both weapons plus 2 additional points of damage, and because you made a single attack, the target's Armor is subtracted only once. Action. (131)

• Drain at a Distance: Your Drain Machine and Drain Creature abilities work on a target within short range. Enabler. (131)

• Drain Creature (3+ Intellect points): You can drain energy from a living creature you touch, inflicting 3 points of damage and restoring 3 points to your Might or Speed Pool. Action. (131)

• Drain Machine (3+ Intellect points): You can drain the power from an artifact or powered device you touch. If the target is a robot, you inflict 3 points of damage and restore 3 points to your Might or Speed Pool. If the target is an object, you restore points to your Might or Speed Pool equal to the level of the target. If the target is a manifest cypher, it is fully drained and useless. Artifacts and similar devices must immediately check for depletion (items with a depletion of "—" are either immune to this ability or have a depletion of 1 in 1d10 when attacked with this ability). Action. (131)

• Drain Power (5 Speed points): You affect the main power source of a robot or machine, inflicting upon it all four conditions in Disable Mechanisms at once. You must touch the robot to do this (if you are making an attack, it inflicts no damage). Action. (131)

• Draw Conclusion (3 Intellect points): After careful observation and investigation (questioning one or more NPCs on a topic, searching an area or a file, and so on) lasting a few minutes, you can learn a pertinent fact. This ability is a difficulty 3 Intellect task. Each additional time you use this ability, the task is hindered by an additional step. The difficulty returns to 3 after you rest for ten hours. Action. (131)

• Drawing on Life's Experiences (6 Intellect points): You've seen a lot and done a lot, and that experience comes in handy. Ask the GM one question, and you'll receive a general answer. The GM assigns a level to the question, so the more obscure the answer, the more difficult the task. Generally, knowledge that you could find by looking somewhere other than your current location is level 1, and obscure knowledge of the past is level 7. Action. (131)

• Driving on the Edge: You can make an attack with a light or medium ranged weapon and attempt a driving task as a single action. Enabler. (132)

• Dual Light Wield: You can use two light weapons at the same time, making two separate attacks on your turn as a single action. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action, but because you make separate attacks, your opponent's Armor applies to both. Anything that modifies your attack or damage applies to both attacks, unless it's specifically tied to one of the weapons. Enabler. (132)

• Dual Medium Wield: You can use two light weapons or medium weapons at the same time (or one light weapon and one medium weapon), making two separate attacks on your turn as a single action. This ability otherwise works like the Dual Light Wield ability. Enabler. (132)

• Duel to the Death (5 Speed points): Choose a target (a single individual creature that you can see). You are trained in all tasks involving fighting that creature. When you successfully attack that target, you inflict +5 damage, or +7 damage if the creature is engaging someone else instead of you. You can duel only one creature at a time. A duel lasts up to one minute, or until you break it off. Action to initiate. (132)

• Dust to Dust (7 Intellect points): You disintegrate one object that is smaller than you and whose level is less than or equal to your tier. You must touch the object to affect it. If the GM feels it appropriate to the circumstances, you can disintegrate a portion of an object (the total volume of which is smaller than you) rather than the entire thing. Action. (133)

• Eclipse (2 Intellect points): You drain the light from an immediate area within long range. Bright light (like a sunny day outdoors) becomes dim light, normal light (like inside a well-lit room) becomes very dim light, and anything darker becomes darkness. If you cast this spell on an object, the darkness moves with the object, and can be suppressed if it is enclosed in a light-proof container or wrapping. Action. (IOM, 50)

• Endurance: Any duration dealing with physical actions is either doubled or halved, whichever is better for you. For example, if the typical person can hold their breath for thirty seconds, you can hold it for one minute. If the typical person can march for four hours without stopping, you can do so for eight hours. In terms of harmful effects, if a poison paralyzes its victims for one minute, you are paralyzed for thirty seconds. The minimum duration is always one round. Enabler. (134)

• Echolocation: You are especially sensitive to sound and vibration, so much so that you can sense your environment within a short distance regardless of your ability to see. Enabler. (133)

• Effective Skill: Choose one noncombat skill when you gain this ability. You get a minor effect with that skill when you roll a natural 14 or higher (the d20 shows "14" or more). You get a major effect with that skill when you roll a natural 19 or higher (the d20 shows "19" or higher). You can select this ability more than once. Each time you select it, you must choose a different noncombat skill. Enabler. (133)

• Elusive (2 Speed points): When you succeed on a Speed defense action, you immediately gain an action. You can use this action only to move. Enabler. (133)

• Embrace the Night (7+ Intellect points): You fashion a truly horrifying facade of a creature from swirling ribbons of dark matter and launch it at your foes within long range. Each round, you can attack a target within long range using the creation as your weapon. When you attack, the creature inserts hair-fine tendrils of shadow into the target's eyes and brain. The target takes 3 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor) and is stunned for one round so that it loses its next turn. Alternatively, you can cause the creature to take other actions, as long as you are able to see it and mentally control it as your action. The creature disperses after about a minute. Action to initiate. (133)

• Embraced by Darkness (6 Intellect points): For the next hour, you take on some characteristics of a shadow thanks to a fundamental adaptation of your flesh or a device you've kept secret. Your appearance is a dark silhouette. When you apply a level of Effort to sneaking tasks, you get a free level of Effort on the task. During this time, you can move through the air at a rate of a short distance per round, and you can move through solid barriers (even those that are sealed to prevent the passage of light or shadow), but not energy barriers, at a rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per round. You can perceive while passing through a barrier or object, which allows you to peek through walls. As a shadow, you can't affect or be affected by normal matter. Likewise, you can't attack, touch, or otherwise affect anything. However, attacks and effects that rely on light can affect you, and sudden bursts of light can potentially make you lose your next turn. Action to initiate. (133)

• Emotional Support Pet (3+ Intellect points): You conjure an adorable animal that most people find irresistibly cute, such as a puppy, kitten, or bunny, who is outgoing and friendly and otherwise acts according to its nature. Anyone in short range who can see the animal eases their defense tasks against negative feelings (such as anger, fear, sadness, and worry) for the next hour. Anyone who pets, cuddles, or plays with this animal for at least a round or two (up to four people can do so at once) feels happier for the next hour and adds +1 to any recovery rolls they make during that time. At the end of the spell, the conjured animal curls up, falls asleep, and disappears in a puff of smoke. If the animal is harmed in any way, anyone who saw it happen eases all rolls against the creature responsible for the harm. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can conjure three additional animals for each level of Effort you apply to this ability. Action. (IOM, 72)

• Energize Object: By focusing your Absorb Kinetic Energy ability on an object (like a weapon), you infuse it with your power. The object holds the energy until it is touched by anyone but you, so putting it into your melee weapon or the ammo of a ranged weapon allows the weapon to trigger the energy in combat. The energy inflicts 3 points of damage on the creature touched in addition to any damage the weapon itself might do. You cannot have more than one energized object on your person at a time. Action to initiate. (134)

• Energy Protection (3+ Intellect points): Choose a discrete type of energy that you have experience with (such as heat, sonic, electricity, and so on). You gain +10 to Armor against damage from that type of energy for ten minutes. Alternatively, you gain +1 to Armor against damage from that energy for 24 hours. You must be familiar with the type of energy; for example, if you have no experience with a certain kind of extradimensional energy, you can't protect against it. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to protect more targets; each level of Effort used in this way affects up to two additional targets. You must touch additional targets to protect them. Action to initiate. (134)

• Enhance Strength (3 Intellect points): For the next ten minutes, you gain an asset on tasks that depend on brute force, such as moving a heavy object, smashing down a door, or hitting someone with a melee weapon. Action to initiate. (134)

• Enhanced Body: Your machine parts grant you +1 to Armor, +3 to your Might Pool, and +3 to your Speed Pool. Traditional healing skills, medicines, and techniques work only half as well for you. Each time you start at full health, the first 5 points of damage you take can never be healed in these ways or recovered normally. Instead, you must use repairing skills and abilities to restore those points. For example, if you start with a full Might Pool of 10 and take 8 points of damage, you can use recovery rolls to restore 3 points, but the remaining 5 points must be restored with repair tasks. Enabler. (134)

• Enhanced Intellect: You gain 3 points to your Intellect Pool. Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Intellect Edge: You gain +1 to your Intellect Edge. Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Might: You gain 3 points to your Might Pool. Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Might Edge : You gain +1 to your Might Edge . Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Phased Attack (5 Intellect points): This ability works like the Phased Attack ability except that your attack also disrupts the foe's vitals, dealing an additional 5 points of damage. Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Potential: You gain 3 points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish. Enabler. (135)

• Enhanced Speed: You gain 3 points to your Speed Pool. Enabler. (135)

• Enlarge (1+ Might point): You trigger an enzymatic reaction that draws additional mass from another dimension, and you (and your clothing or suit) grow larger. You achieve a height of 9 feet (3 m) and stay that way for about a minute. During that time, you add 4 points to your Might Pool, add +1 to Armor, and add +2 to your Might Edge . While you are larger than normal, your Speed defense rolls are hindered, and you are practiced in using your fists as heavy weapons.

  When the effects of Enlarge end, your Armor and Might Edge return to normal, and you subtract a number of points from your Might Pool equal to the number you gained (if this brings the Pool to 0, subtract the overflow first from your Speed Pool and then, if necessary, from your Intellect Pool). Each additional time you use Enlarge before your next ten-hour recovery roll, you must apply an additional level of Effort. Thus, the second time you use Enlarge, you must apply one level of Effort; the third time you use Enlarge, two levels of Effort; and so on.

  Action to initiate. (135)

• Entangling Force (1+ Intellect point): A target within short range is subject to a snare constructed of semi-tangible lines of force for one minute. The force snare is a level 2 construct. A target caught in the force snare cannot move from its position, but it can attack and defend normally. The target can also use its action attempting to break free. You can increase the level of the force snare by 1 per level of Effort applied. Action to initiate. (136)

• Enthrall (1 Intellect point): While talking, you grab and keep another creature's attention, even if the creature can't understand you. For as long as you do nothing but speak (you can't even move), the other creature takes no actions other than to defend itself, even over multiple rounds. If the creature is attacked, the effect ends. Action. (136)

• Erase Memories (3 Intellect points): You reach into the mind of a creature within immediate range and make an Intellect roll. On a success, you erase up to the last five minutes of its memory. Action. (136)

• Escape Plan: When you kill a foe, you can attempt a stealth task to immediately hide from anyone around, assuming that a suitable hiding place is nearby. Enabler. (136)

• Evanesce (3 Speed points): You step into shadows or behind cover, and everyone who was observing you completely loses track of you. Although you're not invisible, you can't be seen until you reveal yourself again by moving out of the shadows or from behind cover (or by making an attack). Action. (136)

• Evasion: You're hard to affect when you don't want to be affected. You are trained in all defense tasks. Enabler. (136)

• Eyes Adjusted: You can see in extremely dim light as though it were bright light. You can see in total darkness as if it were extremely dim light. Enabler. (138)

• Expanded Repertoire: The number of subtle cyphers you can bear at the same time increases by one. Enabler. (GF, 31)

• Experienced in Armor: The cost reduction from your Practiced in Armor ability improves. You now reduce the Speed cost by 2. Enabler. (136)

• Expert Crafter: Instead of rolling, you can choose to automatically succeed on a crafting task you're trained in. The task must be difficulty 4 or lower. If you are able to reduce the assessed difficulty of a crafting task to 4 or lower, this ability also applies to each subtask, assuming something doesn't interrupt you during the ensuing time to build. Enabler. (137)

• Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a time. Enabler. (137)

• Explains the Ineffable: Through anecdotes, historical retellings, and citing knowledge that few but you have previously understood, you enlighten your friends. After spending 24 hours with you, once per day, each of your friends can ease a particular task by two steps. This benefit is ongoing while you remain in your friends' company. It ends if you leave, but it resumes if you return to your friends' company within 24 hours. If you leave your friends' company for longer than that, you must spend another 24 hours together to reactivate the benefit. Enabler. (137)

• Extra Recovery: You gain an additional one-action recovery each day. Enabler. (138)

• Extra Use (3 Intellect points): You attempt to gain an extra use from an artifact without triggering a depletion roll. The difficulty of the task is equal to the level of the artifact. If you crafted the artifact, you gain an asset to the task. On a failure, the depletion roll occurs normally. You could also try to use a manifest cypher without burning it out, but the task is hindered. A failed attempt to gain an additional use from a manifest cypher destroys it before it can produce the desired effect. Action. (138)

• Face Morph (2+ Intellect points): You alter your features and coloration for one hour, hiding your identity or impersonating someone. This affects only your face, not the rest of your body. You can't perfectly duplicate someone else's face, but you can be accurate enough to fool someone who knows that person casually. You have an asset in all tasks involving disguise. You must apply a level of Effort to be able to impersonate a different species (such as a human morphing into a humanoid alien). Action. (138)

• Facsimile of Life (3 Intellect points): You give an object limited mobility, awareness, and intellect, allowing it to move about as if it were a small pet. The object must be within immediate distance and no larger than half your size. When animated, the object can perform tasks for you as if it were a level 1 creature, but otherwise is treated as an object of its level (for example, it uses the object damage track instead of health). The animation lasts for an hour or until you and it are at least a long distance apart, at which time the object becomes inert again. Action. (IOM, 66)

• Familiarize: You can familiarize yourself with a new area if you spend at least one hour studying a region up to a long distance across that you are able to directly access and move about in. Once you've familiarized yourself with an area, all your tasks related to perception, navigation, salvaging and scavenging, defense, and moving about the area gain an asset. Each time you familiarize yourself with a new area, you lose focus on a previous area unless you spend 1 XP to retain the familiarity permanently. Action to initiate, one hour to complete. (138)

• Fast Kill (2 Speed points): You know how to kill quickly. When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, you deal 4 additional points of damage. You can't make this attack in two consecutive rounds. Action. (138)

• Fast Talk (1 Intellect point): When speaking with an intelligent creature who can understand you and isn't hostile, you convince that creature to take one reasonable action in the next round. A reasonable action must be agreed upon by the GM; it should not put the creature or its allies in obvious danger or be wildly out of character. Action. (138)

• Far Step (2 Intellect points): You leap through the air and land some distance away. You can jump up, down, or across to anywhere you choose within long range if you have a clear and unobstructed path to that location. You land safely. Action. (138)

• Fearsome Reputation (3 Intellect points): You and those you travel with have earned a fearsome reputation in some parts. If your foes have heard of you, affected targets within earshot become afraid, and all attacks they make against you are hindered until one or more of them successfully inflicts damage on you or one of your allies, at which time their fear abates. Action. (139)

• Feint (2 Speed points): If you use one action creating a misdirection or diversion, in the next round you can take advantage of your opponent's lowered defenses. Make a melee attack roll against that opponent. You gain an asset on this attack. If your attack is successful, it inflicts 4 additional points of damage. Action. (139)

• Field of Gravity (4 Intellect points): When you wish it, a field of manipulated gravity around you pulls incoming ranged projectile attacks to the ground. You are immune to such attacks until your turn in the next round. You must be aware of an attack to foil it. This ability does not work on energy attacks. Enabler. (139)

• Fight On: You do not suffer the normal penalties for being impaired on the damage track. If debilitated, instead of suffering the normal penalty of being unable to take most actions, you can continue to act; however, all tasks are hindered. Enabler. (139)

• Final Defiance: When you would normally be dead, you instead remain conscious and active for one more round plus one additional round each time you succeed on a difficulty 5 Might task. During these rounds, you are debilitated. If you do not receive healing or otherwise gain points in a Pool during your final round(s) of activity, you are subject to the effects of Not Dead Yet. Enabler. (139)

• Find an Opening (1 Intellect point): You use trickery to find an opening in your foe's defenses. If you succeed on a Speed roll against one creature within immediate range, your next attack against that creature before the end of the next round is eased. Action. (139)

• Find the Hidden (4+ Intellect points): You see the traceries of objects as they move through space and time. You can sense the distance and direction of any specific inanimate object that you once touched. This takes anywhere from one action to hours of concentration, depending on what the GM feels is appropriate due to time, distance, or other mitigating circumstances. However, you don't know in advance how long it will take. If you use at least two levels of Effort, once you have established the distance and direction, you remain in contact with the object for one hour per level of Effort used. Thus, if it moves, you are aware of its new position. Action to initiate; action each round to concentrate. (140)

• Fists of Fury: You inflict 2 additional points of damage with unarmed attacks. Enabler. (140)

• Fixer: You've learned enough of the past that you are trained in tasks to repair and build before-times equipment, or equipment made with before-times parts. In addition, repairing and building tasks take you about 20% less time to complete. Enabler. (RR, 123)

• Flamboyant Boast (1 Intellect point): You boastfully describe an act that you will accomplish, and then as part of the same action, you attempt it. If an average person would find the action difficult (or impossible) and you succeed on it, creatures who witnessed it who are not your allies are potentially dazed on their next turn, and all tasks they attempt are hindered. The GM will help you determine whether your boast is something that would impress onlookers so significantly. If you attempt the task you boast about but fail to accomplish it, all your attempts to affect or attack onlookers who saw you are hindered for about ten minutes. Enabler. (140)

• Flash (4 Intellect points): You create an explosion of energy at a point within close range, affecting an area up to immediate range from that point. You must be able to see the location where you intend to center the explosion. The blast inflicts 2 points of damage to all creatures or objects within the area. If you apply Effort to increase the damage, you deal 2 additional points of damage per level of Effort (instead of 3 points); targets in the area take 1 point of damage even if you fail the attack roll. Action. (140)

• Fleet of Foot (1+ Speed points): You can move a short distance as part of another action. You can move a long distance as your entire action for a turn. If you apply a level of Effort to this ability, you can move a long distance and make an attack as your entire action for a turn, but the attack is hindered. Enabler. (141)

• Flight Not Fight: If you use your action only to move, all Speed defense tasks are eased. Enabler. (141)

• Fling (4 Intellect points): You violently launch a creature or object about your size or smaller within short range and send it flying a short distance in any direction. This is an Intellect attack that inflicts 4 points of damage to the object being flung when it lands or strikes a barrier. If you aim the primary target at another creature or object (and succeed on a second attack), the secondary target also takes 4 points of damage. Action. (141)

• Flying Companion: You gain a level 3 companion creature that can fly at the same speed as you; depending on other aspects of your character, this might be a trained bird, a machine drone, or a helpful strange creature such as a familiar. This creature accompanies you and acts as you direct. As a level 3 companion, it has a target number of 9 and 9 health, and it inflicts 3 points of damage. If it's killed or destroyed, it takes you one month to find or create a suitable replacement. Enabler. (CTS, 53)

• Foil Danger (2 Intellect points): You negate one source of potential danger related to one creature or object that you are aware of within immediate distance for one round. This could be a weapon or device held by someone, a trap triggered by a pressure plate, or a creature's natural ability (something special, innate, and dangerous, like a dragon's fiery breath or a giant cobra's venom). You can also try to foil a foe's mundane action (such as an attack with a weapon or claw), so that the action isn't made this round. Make your roll against the level of the attack, danger, or creature. Action. (142)

• Force Bash (1 Might point): This is a pummeling melee attack you make with your Force Field Shield. Your attack inflicts 1 less point of damage than normal but dazes your target for one round, during which time all tasks it performs are hindered. Enabler. (142)

• Force Field (3 Intellect points): You create an invisible energy barrier around a creature or object you choose within short range. The force field moves with the creature or object and lasts for ten minutes. If the target is a creature, they gain +1 to Armor; if the target is an object, attacks against it are hindered. (143)(Errata)

• Force Field Barrier (3+ Intellect points): You create an opaque, stationary barrier of solid energy (a force field) within immediate range. The barrier is 10 feet by 10 feet (3 m by 3 m) and of negligible thickness. It is a level 2 barrier and lasts for ten minutes. It can be placed anywhere it fits, whether against a solid object (including the ground) or floating in the air. Each level of Effort you apply strengthens the barrier by one level. For example, applying two levels of Effort creates a level 4 barrier. Action. (143)

• Force Field Shield: You manifest a small plane of pure force, which takes on a shield-like shape with the barest flicker of a thought. You can dismiss it just as easily. To use the force shield, you must hold it in one of your hands. You are practiced in using your exotic shield in one hand as a light melee weapon; however, if you attack with both your shield and a weapon held in the other hand, both attacks are hindered. When you are unconscious or sleeping, the force field dissipates. Enabler. (143)

• Force to Reckon With: You can break through force fields and energy barriers as if they were physical walls. Enabler. (143)

• Fortified Position (2 Might points): For the next minute, you gain +1 Armor and an asset to your Might defense tasks, as long as you haven't moved more than an immediate distance since your last turn. Action to initiate. (143)

• Free to Move: You ignore all movement penalties and adjustments due to terrain or other obstacles. You can fit through any space large enough to fit your head. Tasks involving breaking free of bonds, a creature's grip, or any similar impediment gain three free levels of Effort. Enabler. (143)

• Frenzy (1 Intellect point): When you wish, while in combat, you can enter a state of frenzy. While in this state, you can't use Intellect points, but you gain +1 to your Might Edge and your Speed Edge . This effect lasts as long as you wish, but it ends if no combat is taking place within range of your senses. Enabler.

• Friendly Help: If your friend tries a task and fails, they can try again without spending Effort if you help. You provide this advantage to your friend even if you are not trained in the task that they are retrying. Enabler. (143)

• Further Mathematics: You are specialized in higher mathematics. If you are already specialized, choose some other sphere of knowledge to become trained in. Enabler. (144)

• Fusion: You can fuse your manifest cyphers and artifacts with your body. These fused devices function as if they were one level higher. Enabler. (144)

• Fusion Armor: A procedure gives you biometal implants in major portions of your body, you grow metal-hard skin, the blessings of an angel protect you, or something similar happens. These changes give you +1 to Armor even when you're not wearing physical armor. Enabler. (144)

• Gain Unusual Companion: You gain a special specimen as a constant companion. It is level 4, probably the size of a small dog, and follows your telepathic commands. You and the GM must work out the details of your creature, and you'll probably make rolls for it in combat or when it takes actions. The companion acts on your turn. If your companion dies, you can hunt in the wild for 1d6 days to find a new one. Enabler. (144)

• Gather Intelligence (2 Intellect points): When in a group of people (a caravan, a palace, a village, a city, etc.) you can ask around about any topic you choose and come away with useful information. You can ask a specific question, or you can simply obtain general facts. You also get a good idea of the general layout of the location involved, note the presence of all major sites, and perhaps even notice obscure details. For example, not only do you find out if anyone in the palace has seen the missing boy, but you also get a working knowledge of the layout of the palace itself, note all the entrances and which are used more often than others, and take notice that everyone seems to avoid the well in the eastern courtyard for some reason. Action to initiate, about an hour to complete. (144)

• Ghost (4 Intellect points): For the next ten minutes, you gain an asset to sneaking tasks. During this time, you can move through solid barriers (but not energy barriers) at a rate of 1 foot (30 cm) per round, and you can perceive while phased within a barrier or object, which allows you to peek through walls. Action to initiate. (145)

• Ghost Car (4+ Intellect points): You create a level 3 ghostly-looking car that can carry two people and a small amount of luggage. You or a creature you designate can drive the car as normal. For each level of Effort you apply to this ability, it can carry two additional passengers and its level increases by 1. The car lasts for an hour, after which it vanishes. Action. (IOM, 66)

• Gift of Appeasement (2+ Intellect points): You conjure a trifle that can fit in one hand and will please a creature within immediate range. The object is impractical and inexpensive, but delightful to the creature. Examples include their favorite kind of cookie, a small crafted coffee beverage, or a paper origami of their favorite animal. You don't know what the spell will create, but you know it will please them if you give it as a gift. If the creature spends one minute appreciating the object (such as eating the cookie, drinking the coffee, or examining the origami), they gain an asset on one task of their choosing within one hour. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can use Effort to affect more creatures; each level of Effort affects one additional creature. Action per target to initiate. (IOM, 71)

• Go Defensive (1 Intellect point): When you wish, while in combat, you can enter a state of heightened awareness of threat. While in this state, you can't use points from your Intellect Pool, but you gain +1 to your Speed Edge and gain two assets to Speed defense tasks. This effect lasts as long as you wish or until you attack a foe or no combat is taking place within range of your senses. Once the effect of this ability ends, you can't enter it again for one minute. Enabler. (145)

• Go to Ground (4 Speed points): You move up to a long distance and attempt to hide. When you do, you gain an asset on the stealth task to blend in, disappear, or otherwise escape the senses of everyone previously aware of your presence. Action. (145)

• Goad (1 Intellect point): You can attempt to goad a target into a belligerent—and probably foolish—reaction that requires the target to try to close the distance between you and attempt to physically strike you on its next turn. They attempt this action even if this would cause them to break formation or to give up cover or a tactically superior position. Whether the target strikes you or fails to do so, they come to their senses immediately afterward, after which further tasks attempting to goad the target again are hindered. Action to initiate. (145)

• Good Advice: Anyone can help an ally, easing whatever task they're attempting. However, you have the benefit of clarity and wisdom. When you help another character, they gain an additional asset. Enabler. (145)

• Grand Deception (3 Intellect points): You convince an intelligent creature that can understand you and isn't hostile of something that is wildly and obviously untrue. Action. (146)

• Grandiose Illusion (8 Intellect points): You create a fantastically complex scene of images that fit within a 1-mile (1.5 km) cube that you are also within. You must be able to see the images when you create them. The images can move in the cube and act in accordance with your desires. They can also act logically (such as reacting appropriately to fire or attacks) when you aren't directly observing them. The illusion includes sound and smell. For example, armies can clash in battle, with air support from machines or flying creatures, on and above terrain of your creation. The illusion lasts for one hour (or longer, if you concentrate on it after that time). Action. (146)

• Gravity Cleave (3 Intellect points): You can harm a target within short range by rapidly increasing gravity's pull on one portion of the target and decreasing it on another, inflicting 6 points of damage. Action. (146)

• Greater Enhanced Intellect: You gain 6 points to your Intellect Pool. Enabler. (146)

• Greater Enhanced Might: You gain 6 points to your Might Pool. Enabler. (146)

• Greater Enhanced Potential: You gain 6 points to divide among your stat Pools however you wish. Enabler. (146)

• Greater Enhanced Speed: You gain 6 points to your Speed Pool. Enabler. (146)

• Greater Frenzy (4 Intellect points): When you wish, while in combat, you can enter a state of frenzy. While in this state, you can't use Intellect points, but you gain +2 to your Might Edge and your Speed Edge . This effect lasts as long as you wish, but it ends if no combat is taking place within range of your senses. If you have the Frenzy ability, you can use it or this ability, but you can't use both at the same time. Enabler. (146)

• Greater Healing Touch (4 Intellect points): You touch a creature and restore its Might Pool, Speed Pool, and Intellect Pool to their maximum values, as if it were fully rested. A single creature can benefit from this ability only once each day. Action. (147)

• Greater Necromancy (5+ Intellect points): This ability works like the Necromancy ability except that it creates a level 3 creature. Action to animate. (147)

• Greater Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack, even one in which you are already trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks using that type of weapon. If you're already trained in that type of attack, you instead are specialized in that type of attack. Enabler. (147)

• Greater Skill With Defense: Choose one type of defense task, even one in which you are already trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are trained in defense tasks of that type, or specialized if you are already trained. You can select this ability up to three times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of defense task. Enabler. (147)

• Guide Bolt (4+ Intellect points): When you make an attack with a metallic bolt or metal-tipped arrow on a target within short range, you can improve the attack's aim and velocity, which grants an asset to the attack and inflicts an additional 2 points of damage. If you apply a level of Effort, you grant the same benefits to a ranged attack made by an ally within immediate range. In any case, you can use this ability only once per round. Enabler. (147)

• Gunner: You inflict 1 additional point of damage with guns. Enabler. (147)

• Hack the Impossible (3 Intellect points): You can persuade robots, machines, and computers to do your bidding. You can discover an encrypted password, break through security on a website, briefly turn off a machine such as a surveillance camera, or disable a robot with a moment's worth of fiddling. Action. (147)

• Hand to Eye (2 Speed points): This ability provides an asset to any tasks involving manual dexterity, such as pickpocketing, lockpicking, games involving agility, and so on. Each use lasts up to a minute; a new use (to switch tasks) replaces the previous use. Action to initiate. (148)

• Hard to Distract: You are trained in Intellect defense tasks. Enabler. (148)

• Hard to Hit: You are trained in Speed defense tasks. Enabler. (148)

• Hard to Kill: You can choose to reroll any defense task you make but never more than once per round. Enabler. (148)

• Hard-Won Resilience: In your explorations of dark places, you've been exposed to all sorts of terrible things and are developing a general resistance. You gain +1 to Armor and are trained in Might defense tasks. Enabler. (148)

• Healing Pulse (3 Intellect points): You and all targets you choose within immediate range gain the immediate benefits of using one of their recovery rolls (as long as it is not their ten-hour recovery roll) without having to spend an action, ten minutes, or one hour. Targets regain points to their Pools immediately but mark off that recovery use. PCs who have already used up their one-action, ten-minute, and one-hour recovery rolls for the day gain no benefit from this ability. NPCs targeted by this ability regain a number of health points equal to their level. Action. (148)

• Healing Touch (1 Intellect point): With a touch, you restore 1d6 points to one stat Pool of any creature. This ability is a difficulty 2 Intellect task. Each time you attempt to heal the same creature, the task is hindered by an additional step. The difficulty returns to 2 after that creature rests for ten hours. Action. (149)

• Hedge Magic (1 Intellect point): You can perform small tricks: temporarily change the color or basic appearance of a small object, cause small objects to float through the air, clean a small area, mend a broken object, prepare (but not create) food, and so on. You can't use Hedge Magic to harm another creature or object. Action. (149)

• Heroic Monster Bane: When you inflict damage to creatures more than twice as large or massive as you, you inflict 3 additional points of damage. Enabler. (149)

• Hidden Reserves: When you use an action to make a recovery roll, you also gain +1 to both your Might Edge and your Speed Edge for ten minutes thereafter. Enabler. (149)

• Higher Mathematics: You are trained in standard and higher mathematics. Enabler. (149)

• Hunter's Drive (5 Intellect points): Through force of will, when you wish it, you grant yourself greater prowess in the hunt for ten minutes. During this time, you gain an asset to all tasks involving your quarry, including attacks. Your quarry is the creature you selected with your Quarry ability. Enabler. (149)

• Ignore the Pain: You ignore the impaired condition and treat the debilitated condition as impaired. Enabler. (150)

• Illuminating Touch (1 Intellect point): You touch an object, and that object sheds light to illuminate everything in short range. The light remains until you use an action to touch the object again, or until you've illuminated more objects than you have tiers, in which case the oldest objects you illuminated go dark first. Action. (150)

• Illusory Disguise (2+ Intellect points): You appear to be someone or something else, roughly of your size and shape, for up to one hour. Once created, the disguise requires no concentration. For each additional Intellect point you spend, you can disguise one other creature. All disguised creatures must stay within sight of you or lose their disguise. Action to create. (150)

• Illusory Selves (4 Intellect points): You create four holographic duplicates of yourself within short range. The duplicates last for one minute. You mentally direct their actions, and the duplicates aren't mirror images—each one can do different things. If struck violently, they either disappear permanently or freeze motionless (your choice). Action to create. (150)

• Immovable: You gain +3 to your Might Pool. You can attempt a Might task to avoid being knocked down, pushed back, or moved against your will even if the effect attempting to move you doesn't allow it. If you apply Effort to this task, you can apply two free levels of Effort. Enabler. (150)

• Impersonate (2 Intellect points): For one hour, you alter your voice, posture, and mannerisms, whip together a disguise, and gain an asset on an attempt to impersonate someone else, whether it is a specific individual (Bob the cop) or a general role (a police officer). Action to initiate. (151)

• Impetus (2 Intellect points): A loose object within short range that you could carry in one hand is drawn to your free hand. If the object is stuck or held by another creature, you must succeed on a Might roll to rip it free, or the object remains where it is. Action. (151)

• Impossible Walk (5+ Speed points): You can walk (or crawl or run) on steep inclines and horizontal surfaces (such as walls and cliffs) for the next minute as if they were flat ground. When using this ability, "down" for you is either the surface you are walking on or the normal orientation of gravity (your choice). If you apply one level of Effort, you can also walk on the ceiling or on a liquid or semi-liquid surface such as water, mud, quicksand, or even lava (although touching a dangerous surface like lava still harms you). If you apply two levels of Effort, you can also walk on air as if it were solid ground. Enabler. (151)

• Improved Designation: When you use Designation, you can designate one additional creature to be innocent or guilty, which means up to two creatures at a time may be innocent, or two guilty, or one innocent and one guilty. Enabler. (151)

• Improved Gravity Cleave (9 Intellect points): You can harm a group of targets within long range by rapidly increasing gravity's pull on one portion of each target and decreasing it on another, inflicting 6 points of damage. The targets must be within immediate range of each other. Action. (151)

• Improved Recovery: Your ten-minute recovery roll takes only one action instead, so that your first two recovery rolls are one action, the third is one hour, and the fourth is ten hours. Enabler. (152)

• Improvise (3 Intellect points): When you perform a task in which you are not trained, you can improvise to gain an asset on the task. The asset might be a tool you cobble together, a sudden insight into overcoming a problem, or a rush of dumb luck. Enabler. (152)

• In Harm's Way (3 Intellect points): When you put your friends before yourself as your action, you ease all defense tasks for all characters you choose that are adjacent to you. This lasts until the end of your next turn. If one of your friends would be damaged, you can choose to take up to half the number of points of damage they would otherwise take, but only if you're not already impaired or debilitated. Enabler. (152)

• Increased Effects: You treat rolls of natural 19 as rolls of natural 20 for either Might actions or Speed actions (your choice when you gain this ability). This allows you to gain a major effect on a natural 19 or 20. Enabler. (153)

• Increasing Determination: If you fail at a noncombat physical task (pushing open a door or climbing a cliff, for example) and then retry the task, the task is eased. If you fail again, you gain no special benefits. Enabler. (153)

• Incredible Recovery (6 Might points): You move up one step on the damage track or shake off any unwanted ongoing condition. Action. (153)

• Incredible Running Speed: You move much farther than normal in a round. This means as a part of another action, you can move up to a long distance. As an action, you can move up to 200 feet (60 m), or up to 500 feet (150 m) as a Speed-based task with a difficulty of 4. Enabler. (153)

• Infer Thoughts (4 Intellect points): If you interact with or study a target for at least a round, you can attempt to read its surface thoughts, even if the subject doesn't want you to. You must be able to see the target. Once you have gained a sense of what it's thinking—through its body language, its speech, and what it does and doesn't say—you can continue to infer the target's surface thoughts for up to one minute as long as you can still see and hear the target. Action to prepare; action to initiate. (153)

• Information Gathering (5 Intellect points): You speak telepathically with any or all machines within 1 mile (1.5 km). You can ask one basic question about themselves or anything happening near them and receive a simple answer. For example, while in an area with many machines, you could ask about the location of a specific creature or individual, and if they are within a mile of you, one or more machines will probably provide the answer. Action. (153)

• Innovator: You can modify any artifact to give it different or better abilities as if that artifact were one level lower than normal, and the modification takes half the normal time. Enabler. (154)

• Insight: You are trained in tasks to discern others' motives and to ascertain their general nature. You have a knack for sensing whether or not someone is truly innocent. Enabler. (154)

• Inspiration (6 Intellect points): You speak words of encouragement and inspiration. All allies within short range who can hear you immediately gain a recovery roll, gain an immediate free action, and have an asset for that free action. The recovery roll does not count as one of their normal recovery rolls. Action. (154)

• Inspire Action (4 Intellect points): If one ally can see and easily understand you, you can instruct that ally to take an action. If the ally chooses to take that exact action, they can do so as an additional action immediately. Doing so doesn't interfere with the ally taking a normal action on their turn. Action. (154)

• Inspire Aggression (2 Intellect points): Your words twist the mind of a character within short range who is able to understand you, unlocking their more primitive instincts. As a result, they gain an asset on their Might-based attack rolls for one minute. Action to initiate. (154)

• Inspire Coordinated Actions (9 Intellect points): If your allies can see and easily understand you, you can instruct each of them to take one specific action (the same action for all of them). If any of them choose to take that exact action, they can do so as an additional action immediately. This doesn't interfere with them taking their normal actions on their turns. Action. (154)

• Interface: By directly plugging into a device, you can identify and learn to operate it as though the task were one level lower. Enabler. (155)

• Inventor: You can create new artifacts in half the time, as if they were two levels lower, by spending half the normal XP. Enabler. (155)

• Investigator: To really shine as an investigator, you must engage your mind and body in your deductions. You can spend points from your Might Pool, Speed Pool, or Intellect Pool to apply levels of Effort to any Intellect-based task. Enabler. (155)

• Invisibility (4 Intellect points): You become invisible for ten minutes. While invisible, you are specialized in stealth and Speed defense tasks. This effect ends if you do something to reveal your presence or position—attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on. If this occurs, you can regain the remaining invisibility effect by taking an action to hide your position. If you have another ability that also confers invisibility, using either one allows you to remain invisible for twice as long as the duration specified. Action to initiate or reinitiate. (155)

• Iron Fist: Your unarmed attacks deal 4 points of damage. Enabler. (155)

• Jaunt (5+ Intellect points): You instantaneously teleport yourself to any location within long distance that you can see. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the distance you can travel; each level of Effort used in this way increases the range by another 100 feet (30 m). Action. (155)

• Juggernaut (5 Might points): Until the end of the next round, you can move through solid objects such as doors and walls. Only 2 feet (60 cm) of wood, 1 foot (30 cm) of stone, or 6 inches (15 cm) of metal can stop your movement. Enabler. (156)

• Jump Attack (5+ Might points): You attempt a difficulty 4 Might roll to jump high into the air as part of your melee attack action. If you succeed at the jump and your attack hits, you inflict 3 additional points of damage and knock the foe prone. If you fail at the jump, you still make your normal attack roll, but you don't inflict the extra damage or knock down the opponent if you hit. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to enhance your jump; each level of Effort used in this way adds +2 feet to the height and +1 damage to the attack. Action. (156)

• Junkmonger (2 Intellect points): You are trained in crafting two kinds of items using scavenged junk. If you have scavenged (or otherwise obtained) at least two pieces of junk in different categories (electronic, plastic, dangerous, metallic, glass, or textile), you have the materials you need to craft a new item in one of your areas of training (unless the GM deems otherwise). Enabler. (156)

• Jury-Rig (5 Intellect points): You quickly create an object using what would seem to be entirely inappropriate materials. You can make a bomb out of a tin can and household cleaners, a lockpick out of aluminum foil, or a sword out of broken furniture. The level of the item determines the difficulty of the task, but the appropriateness of the materials eases or hinders it as well. Generally, the object can be no larger than something you can hold in one hand, and it functions once (or, in the case of a weapon or similar item, is essentially useful for one encounter). If you spend at least ten minutes on the task, you can create an item of level 5 or lower. You can't change the nature of the materials involved. For example, you can't take iron rods and make a pile of gold coins or a wicker basket. Action. (156)

• Improved Machine Companion: The machine from your Machine Companion ability improves, becoming a level 5 creature with the ability either to fly a long distance each round (and carry you) for up to ten minutes at a time, or to carry an extra cypher for you that doesn't count against your cypher limit. Enabler. (152)

• Knock Out (5+ Might points): You make a melee attack that inflicts no damage. Instead, if the attack hits, make a second Might-based roll. If successful, a foe of level 3 or lower is knocked unconscious for one minute. For each level of Effort used, you can affect one higher level of foe, or you can extend the duration for an additional minute. Action. (156)

• Know Where to Look: Whenever the GM obtains a result for you on the Useful Stuff table, you get two results instead of one. If the GM is using some other method to generate rewards for finding valuables, you should gain double the result you would otherwise obtain. Enabler. (156)(RR, 121)

• Knowing the Unknown (6 Intellect points): By accessing the resources appropriate to your character, you can ask the GM one question and get a general answer. The GM assigns a level to the question, so the more obscure the answer, the more difficult the task. Generally, knowledge that you could find by looking somewhere other than your current location is level 1, and obscure knowledge of the past is level 7. Gaining knowledge of the future is impossible. Action. (156)

• Knowledge of the Law: You're trained in the law of the land. If you don't know the answer to a question of law, you know where and how to research it (a university's law library is a good place to start, but you've also got online sources). Enabler. (156)

• Knowledge Skills: You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two areas of knowledge such as history, geography, archeology, and so on. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills. Enabler. (157)

• Lab Analysis (3 Intellect points): You analyze the scene of a crime, the site of a mysterious incident, or a series of unexplained phenomena, and maybe learn a surprising amount of information about the perpetrators, the participants, or the force(s) responsible. To do so, you must collect samples from the scene. Samples are paint or wood scrapings, dirt, photographs of the area, hair, an entire corpse, and so on. With samples in hand, you can discover up to three pertinent pieces of information about the scene, possibly clearing up a lesser mystery and pointing the way to solving a greater one. The GM will decide what you learn and what level of difficulty is needed to learn it. (For comparison, discovering that a victim was killed not by a fall, as seems immediately obvious, but rather by electrocution, is a difficulty 3 task for you.) The task is eased if you take the time to transport the samples to a permanent lab (if you have access to one), as opposed to conducting the analysis with your field science kit. Action to initiate, 2d20 minutes to complete. (157)

• Lead by Inquiry: You keep your allies on their toes with occasional questions, jokes, and even mock drills for those who care to join in. After spending 24 hours with you, your allies are treated as if trained in tasks related to perception. This benefit is ongoing while you remain in your allies' company. It ends if you leave, but it resumes if you return to the allies' company within 24 hours. If you leave the allies' company for more than 24 hours, you must spend another 24 hours together to reactivate the benefit. Enabler. (157)

• Learned a Few Things: You are trained in two areas of knowledge of your choice, or specialized in one area of knowledge of your choice. Enabler. (157)

• Legerdemain (1 Speed point): You can perform small but seemingly impossible tricks. For example, you can make a small object in your hands disappear and move into a desired spot within reach (like your pocket). You can make someone believe that they have something in their possession that they do not have (or vice versa). You can switch similar objects right in front of someone's eyes. Action. (157)

• Lend a Hand: If an ally attempts a magical task and fails, they can try again without spending Effort if you help them. You provide this advantage to your friend even if you are not trained in the task that they're retrying. Enabler. (IOM, 59)

• Lethal Damage: Choose one of your existing attacks that inflicts points of damage (depending on your type and focus, this might be a specific weapon, a special ability such as a blast of fire, or your unarmed attacks). When you hit with that attack, you inflict an additional 5 points of damage. Enabler. (158)

• Lethal Ploy (5+ Intellect points): Long experience has revealed to you that subterfuge is your friend in desperate situations. You push, attack, or distract the target in some seemingly inconsequential way that leads to the target's death. The target must be level 2 or lower. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target by 1. Thus, to kill a level 5 target (three levels above the normal limit), you must apply three levels of Effort. Action. (158)

• Levity: Through wit, charm, humor, and grace, you are trained in all social interactions other than those involving coercion or intimidation. During rests, you put friends and comrades at ease so much that they gain +1 to their recovery rolls. Enabler. (158)

• Library Life: When a problem needs solving, you may not know the solution, but you know where to look. You are trained in research. Enabler. (IOM, 54)

• Link Senses (2 Intellect points): You touch a willing creature and link its senses to yours for one minute. At any time during that duration, you can concentrate to see, hear, and smell what that creature is experiencing, instead of using your own senses. If you or the creature move out of long range, the connection is broken. Action to initiate. (158)

• Living Off the Land: Given an hour or so, you can always find edible food and potable water in the wilderness. You can even find enough for a small group of people, if need be. Further, since you're so hardy and have gained resistance over time, you are trained in resisting the effects of natural poisons (such as those from plants or living creatures). You're also immune to natural diseases. Enabler. (158)

• Living Wall (3 Might points): You specify a confined area—such as an open doorway, a hallway, or a space between two trees—where you stand. For the next ten minutes, if anyone attempts to enter or pass through that area and you don't wish it, you make an automatic attack against them. If you hit, not only do you inflict damage, but they must also stop their movement. Enabler. (158)

• Lost in the Chaos: When faced with several foes at once, you have developed tactics for using their numbers against them. When two or more foes attack you at once in melee, you play one off the other. Speed defense rolls or attack rolls (your choice) against them are eased. Enabler. (159)

• Machine Companion: You create a level 3 animate, intelligent machine that accompanies you and acts as you direct. As a level 3 machine companion, it has a target number of 9 and 9 health, and it inflicts 3 points of damage. If it's destroyed, it takes you one month to create a new one. Enabler. (159)

• Mage Clock: You can mentally connect to a universal magical clock, allowing you to know the local time, down to a tenth of a second. You can have up to three magical timers at once, each of which sounds a mental alarm after an amount of time you specify or at a specific time (such as nine minutes from now, three hours from now, or 8 o'clock in the morning). Action. (IOM, 74)

• Magic Training: You are trained in the basics of magic (including the operation of magic artifacts and cyphers) and can attempt to understand and identify its properties. Enabler. (159)

• Magical Repertoire: The number of subtle cyphers you can bear at the same time increases by two. If you spend one hour preparing your magic, you can fill any of your open cypher slots with subtle cyphers chosen randomly by the GM (this hour can be part of a one-hour or ten-hour recovery action if you are awake for the entire time). As part of this preparation process, you may discard any number of subtle cyphers you carry to make room for more subtle cyphers. Enabler. (GF, 32)

• Magnificent Moment: If you make an attack or attempt a task with the immediate action you gain by using Seize the Moment, the attack or task is eased. Enabler. (159)

• Major Illusion (3 Intellect points): You create a complex scene of images within immediate range. The entire scene must fit within a 100-foot (30 m) cube. The images can move, but they can't leave the area defined by the cube. The illusion includes sound and smell. It lasts for ten minutes and changes as you direct (no concentration is needed). If you move beyond immediate range of the cube, the illusion vanishes. Action to create. (160)

• Mask (5 Intellect points): You transform your body to become someone else. You can change any physical characteristic you wish, including coloration, height, weight, gender, and distinguishing markings. You can also change the appearance of whatever you are wearing or carrying. Your stats, as well as the stats of your items, do not change. You remain in this form for up to a day or until you use an action to resume your normal appearance. Action to initiate. (160)

• Master Crafter: You are trained in the crafting of two kinds of items, or you are specialized in two kinds of items that you are already trained in. Enabler. (160)

• Master Cypher Use: You can bear five cyphers at a time. Enabler. (160)

• Master Identifier: You are trained in identifying the function of any kind of device. Enabler. (160)

• Mastery in Armor: The cost reduction from your Practiced in Armor ability improves. You now reduce the Speed Effort cost for wearing armor to 0. Enabler. (161)

• Matter Cloud (5 Intellect points): Pebbles, dirt, sand, and debris rise into the air around you to form a swirling cloud. The cloud extends out to immediate range, moves with you, and lasts for one minute. When it ends, all the materials fall to the ground around you. The cloud makes it harder for other creatures to attack you, giving you an asset on Speed defense rolls. In addition, while the cloud is around you, you can use an action to whip the material so that it abrades everything within immediate range, dealing 1 point of damage to each creature and object in the area. Action to initiate. (161)

• Maximize Cypher: Choose one subtle cypher you bear. Its level becomes the maximum level possible for that cypher. For example, a meditation aid has a level range of 1d6 + 2, so maximizing that cypher changes its level to 8. You can have only one maximized subtle cypher at a time. You can't use this ability again until after you've taken a ten-hour recovery action. Enabler. (GF, 32)

• Mental Link (1+ Intellect point): You open a pathway to another creature's mind via a light touch, which allows you to transmit thoughts and images to each other. The mental link remains regardless of distance and lasts for one hour. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to extend the duration by one hour for each level of Effort applied. Action to initiate. (161)

• Mental Magic: When attempting a magic-based Might or Speed task, you can instead roll as if it were an Intellect action. This means that if you apply Effort, you spend points from your Intellect Pool and use your Intellect Edge. Enabler. (IOM, 54)

• Mental Projection (6+ Intellect points): Your mind fully leaves your body and manifests anywhere you choose within immediate range. Your projected mind can remain apart from your body for up to 24 hours. This effect ends early if your Intellect Pool is reduced to 0 or if your projection touches your resting body.

  Your disembodied mind is a psychic construct that looks like you, though its frayed edges trail off into nothingness. You control this body as if it were your normal body and can act and move as you normally would with a few exceptions. You can move through solid objects as if you were phased, and you ignore any terrain feature that would impede your movement.

  Your attacks inflict 3 fewer points of damage (to a minimum of 1) and you take 3 fewer points of damage (to a minimum of 1) from physical attacks, unless they can affect transdimensional or phased beings, in which case you take full damage. Regardless of the source, you take all damage as Intellect damage first.

  Your mind can travel up to 1 mile (1.5 km) from your body. Each level of additional Effort applied extends the range that you can travel by 1 mile (1.5 km).

  Your physical body is helpless until this effect ends. You cannot use your physical senses to perceive anything. For example, your body could sustain a significant injury, and you wouldn't know it. Your body cannot take Intellect damage, so if your body takes enough damage to reduce both your Might Pool and your Speed Pool to 0, your mind snaps back to your body, and you are stunned until the end of the next round as you try to reorient yourself to your predicament. Action to initiate. (161)

• Mentally Tough: Staring into the naked weave of hyperspace, warped space, or a similar effect related to faster-than-light travel is hard on the mind, but you've developed resistance. You're trained in Intellect defense tasks. Enabler. (162)

• Mind for Might: When performing a task that would normally require spending points from your Intellect Pool, you can spend points from your Might Pool instead, and vice versa. Enabler. (162)

• Mind of a Leader (6 Intellect points): When you develop a course of action to deal with a future situation, you can ask the GM one very general question about what is likely to happen if you carry out the plan, and you will get a simple, brief answer. Action. (162)

• Mind Reading (2 Intellect points): You can read the surface thoughts of a creature within short range, even if the target doesn't want you to. You must be able to see your target. Once you have established contact, you can read the target's thoughts for up to one minute. If you also have the Mind Reading special ability from another source, you can use this ability at long range, and you don't need to be able to see the target (but you do have to know that the target is within range). Action to initiate. (162)

• Mind Surge: In addition to your normal recovery rolls each day, you can—at any time between ten-hour rests—recover 1d6 + 6 points to your Intellect Pool. Action. (162)

• Minor Illusion (1 Intellect point): You create a single image of a creature or object within immediate range. The image must fit within a 10-foot (3 m) cube. The image can move (for example, you could make the illusion of a person walk or attack), but it can't leave the area defined by the cube. The illusion includes sound but not smell. It lasts for ten minutes, but if you want to change the original illusion significantly—such as making a creature appear to be wounded—you must concentrate on it again (though doing so doesn't cost additional Intellect points). If you move beyond immediate range of the cube, the illusion vanishes. Action to create; action to modify. (162)

• Miraculous Health: When you would descend a step on the damage track, you can attempt a Might task to resist, with a difficulty equal to the level of the foe or effect that harmed you. If successful, you don't descend the step and you regain 1 point in any Pool that is bereft of points. You can't use this ability again until after your next ten-hour rest. Enabler. (163)

• Misdirect (3 Speed points): When an opponent misses you, you can redirect their attack to another target (a creature or object) of your choosing that's within immediate range of you. Make an unmodified attack roll against the new target (do not use any of your or the opponent's modifiers to the attack roll, but you can apply Effort for accuracy). If the attack hits, the target takes damage from your opponent's attack. Enabler. (163)

• Mist Cloud (1+ Intellect points): You create an area of mist an immediate distance across. The cloud lingers for about a minute unless conditions (such as wind or freezing temperatures) dictate otherwise. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the area (one level of Effort to fill a short area, two to fill a long area, or three to fill a very long area). Action. (CTS, 53)

• Modify Artifact Power (6 Intellect points): You permanently add +1 to the level of an artifact of up to level 5. The difficulty of this task is equal to the modified higher level of the artifact. If the task is failed, the artifact makes a depletion roll and is not advanced in level. Once modified, the artifact can't be similarly boosted again. Action. (163)

• Modify Cyphers: You can take any two manifest cyphers and quickly jury-rig a new manifest cypher of the same level as the lowest-level cypher. You determine the function of the new cypher, but it must be that of a cypher you have used before (but not necessarily one you've ever built). The new cypher is a temperamental cypher, like those created with Always Tinkering. The original two cyphers are consumed in this process. This ability does not function if one or more of the original cyphers are temperamental cyphers. Action. (CTS, 54)

• Modify Device (4 Intellect points): You jury-rig a piece of mechanical or electrical equipment to make it function above its rated specs for a very limited time. To do so, you must use spare parts equal to an expensive item, have a field science kit (or a permanent lab, if you have access to one), and succeed at a difficulty 3 Intellect-based task. When complete, using the device eases all tasks performed in conjunction with the device, until the device inevitably breaks. For example, you could overclock a computer so research tasks using it are easier, modify an espresso maker so that each cup of coffee made with it is better, modify a car's engine so that it goes faster (or modify its steering so it handles better), and so on. Each use of the modified device requires a depletion roll of 1–5 on a d20. Action to initiate, one hour to complete. (164)

• Monster Bane: You inflict 1 additional point of damage with weapons. When you inflict damage to creatures more than twice as large or massive as you, you inflict 3 additional points of damage. Enabler. (164)

• Monster Lore: You are trained in the names, habits, suspected lairs, and related topics regarding the monsters of your world. You can make yourself understood in their languages (if they have one). Enabler. (164)

• Moon Portal (6+ Intellect points): You instantaneously transmit yourself to any location on Earth, as long as moonlight is shining on you and on the spot you want to be. Alternatively, you can instantaneously transport yourself from Earth to the moon or back again. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can use Effort to bring other people with you; each level of Effort used in this way affects up to three additional targets. You must touch any additional targets. Action. (IOM, 56)

• Move Mountains (9 Intellect points): You exert a tremendous amount of physical force within 250 feet (75 m) of you. You can push up to 10 tons (9 t) of material up to 50 feet (15 m). This force can collapse buildings, redirect small rivers, or perform other dramatic effects. Action. (164)

• Moving Like Water (3 Speed points): You spin and move so that your defense and attacks are aided by your fluid motion. For one minute, all your attacks and Speed defense tasks gain an asset. Enabler. (164)

• Muscles of Iron (2 Might points): For the next ten minutes, all Might-based actions other than attack rolls that you attempt are eased. If you already have this ability from another source, the effect of this ability lasts for one hour instead of ten minutes. Enabler. (165)

• Necromancy (3+ Intellect points): You animate the body of a dead creature of approximately your size or smaller, creating a level 1 creature. It has none of the intelligence, memories, or special abilities that it had in life. The creature follows your verbal commands for one hour, after which it becomes an inert corpse. Unless the creature is killed by damage, you can reanimate it again when its time expires, but any damage it had when it became inert applies to its newly reanimated state. If you have access to multiple bodies, you can create an additional undead creature for each additional Intellect point you spend when you activate the ability. Action to animate. (165)

• Negate Danger (7 Intellect points): You permanently negate a source of potential danger related to one creature or object within immediate distance. This could be a weapon or device held by someone, a creature's natural ability, or a trap triggered by a pressure plate. Action. (165)

• Negotiate (3 Intellect points): In any gathering where two or more people are trying to establish the truth or come to a decision, you can sway the verdict with masterful rhetoric. If you are given a few rounds or more to argue your point, either the decision goes your way or, if someone else effectively argues a competing point, any associated persuasion or deception task is eased by two steps. Action to initiate, one or more rounds to complete. (165)

• Network Tap (4 Intellect points): You can ask the GM one question and get a very short answer if you succeed on an Intellect roll against a difficulty assigned by the GM. The more obscure the answer, the more difficult the task. On a failed roll, feedback or perhaps some defense from the network you're accessing inflicts 4 points of Intellect damage on you (ignores Armor). Action. (165)

• Never Fumble: If you roll a natural 1 when attacking with your chosen weapon, you can ignore or countermand the GM intrusion for that roll. You can never be disarmed of your chosen weapon, nor will you ever drop it accidentally. Enabler. (165)

• Nightmare (5 Intellect points): You pull a horrifying creature from your worst nightmare into the waking world and sic it on your foes. The nightmare (level 5) persists each round while you use your action concentrating on it (or until you disperse it or it is destroyed). It has one of the following abilities, which you choose when you call it.

  • Confusion. Instead of making a normal attack, the nightmare's attack confuses the target for one round. On its next action, the target attacks an ally.
  • Horrify. Instead of making a normal attack, the nightmare's attack horrifies the target, which drops to its knees (or similar appendages). The target takes 3 points of damage that ignore Armor and is dazed for one round, during which time all its tasks are hindered.
  • Pustule Eruption. Instead of making a normal attack, the nightmare's attack causes rancid, painful pustules to rise all over the target's skin for one minute. If the target takes a forceful action (such as attacking another creature or moving farther than an immediate distance), the pustules burst, dealing 5 points of damage that ignore Armor. Action to initiate, action each round to concentrate. (165)

• Nightstrike: When you attack a foe in dim light or darkness, you get a free level of Effort on the attack. Enabler. (166)

• No Need for Weapons: When you make an unarmed attack (such as a punch or kick), it counts as a medium weapon instead of a light weapon. Enabler. (166)

• Not Dead Yet: When you would normally be dead, you instead fall unconscious for one round and then awaken. You immediately gain 1d6 + 6 points to restore your stat Pools, and you are treated as if debilitated until you rest for ten hours. If you die again before you make your ten-hour recovery roll, you are truly dead. If you also have this ability from another source, your healing from this ability increases to 1d6 + 12. Enabler. (166)

• Nothing but Defend: If you do nothing on your turn but defend, you are specialized in all defense tasks for one round. Action. (166)

• Obstacle Running (3 Speed points): For the next minute, you can ignore obstacles that slow your movement, allowing you to travel at normal speed through areas with rubble, fences, tables, and similar objects that you would have to climb over or move around. This movement might include sliding on a railing, briefly running along a wall, or even stepping on a creature to boost yourself over something. If an obstacle would normally require a Might or Speed task to overcome, such as swinging on a rope, balancing on a rope, or jumping over a hole, you are trained in that task. Enabler. (167)

• One With the Wild (6 Intellect points): For the next hour, natural animals and plants within long range will not knowingly harm you or those you designate. In addition, your Might Edge, Speed Edge, and Intellect Edge increase by 1, and if you make any recovery rolls during this period, you recover twice as many points. Action to initiate. (167)

• Onslaught (1 Intellect point): You attack a foe using energies that assail either their physical form or their mind. In either case, you must be able to see your target. If the attack is physical, you emit a short-range ray of force that inflicts 4 points of damage. If the attack is mental, you focus your mental energy to blast the thought processes of another creature within short range. This mindslice inflicts 2 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). Some creatures without minds (such as robots) might be immune to your mindslice. Action. (167)

• Open Mind (3 Intellect points): You open your mind to increase your awareness. You gain an asset to any task involving perception. While you have this asset and you are conscious and able to take actions, other characters gain no benefit from surprising you. The effect lasts for one hour. Action. (167)

• Opening Statement: You're trained in tasks related to persuasion, deception, and detecting the falsehoods of others. Enabler. (167)

• Opportunist: You have an asset on any attack roll you make against a creature that has already been attacked at some point during the round and is within immediate range. Enabler. (167)

• Outlast the Foe: If you have been in combat for five full rounds, you have an asset for all tasks in the remainder of the combat, and you deal 1 additional point of damage per attack. Enabler. (167)

• Outwit: When you make a Speed defense roll, you can use your Intellect in place of your Speed. Enabler. (168)

• Overcharge Device: You infuse 1 point of energy gained from using Absorb Energy or related ability into a device, such as an artifact, raising its effective level on its next use by three (to a maximum of 10). Action. (168)

• Overwatch (1 Intellect point): You use a ranged weapon to target a limited area (such as a doorway, a hallway, or the eastern side of the clearing) and make an attack against the next viable target to enter that area. This works like a wait action, but you also negate any benefit the target would have from cover, position, surprise, range, illumination, or visibility. Further, you inflict 1 additional point of damage with the attack. You can remain on overwatch as long as you wish, within reason. Action. (168)

• Parry (5 Speed points): You can deflect incoming attacks quickly. When you activate this ability, for the next ten rounds you ease all Speed defense rolls. Enabler. (168)

• Patient Recovery: You gain an extra ten-minute recovery roll each day. Enabler. (GF, 32)

• Perfect Stranger (3 Intellect points): You alter your posture and way of speaking and make a small but real alteration to an outfit (such as putting on or taking off a hat, reversing a cloak, and so on). For the next hour (or as long as you keep up the alteration), even creatures that know you well don't recognize you. All tasks related to hiding your true identity during this period gain one free level of Effort. Action to initiate. (169)

• Permanent Illusion (9 Intellect points): An illusion (or portion of an illusion) that you create using Minor Illusion or related ability that fits within a 10-foot (3 m) cube becomes permanent. You can permanently end the illusion as an action, but others must expend exceptional ingenuity to prevent the illusion from regenerating even if it has apparently been dispersed. Enabler. (169)

• Phase Foe (6+ Intellect points): You gather disrupting energy in your fingertip and touch a creature. If the target is an NPC or a creature of level 3 or lower, it becomes phased as if it had used the Ghost ability. However, unless it can figure out how to control its movement while being phased, which most creatures have no experience with, it begins to sink through solid matter. If it can't control itself or end the effect, it might be gone for good because when it becomes solid again after ten minutes, it's probably deep in the earth. For each additional level of Effort you apply, you can attempt to affect a target of one level higher. Action. (170)

• Phased Attack (3 Intellect points): The attack you make on this turn ignores your foe's armor. The ability works for whatever kind of attack you use (melee, ranged, energy, and so on). Enabler. (170)

• Phased Pocket (2+ Intellect points): You connect yourself for one hour to a small space that is out of phase and moves with you. You can access this space as if it were a convenient pocket or bag, but nobody else can perceive or access the space unless they have the ability to interact with transdimensional areas. The space can hold up to 1 cubic foot. The space is a part of you, so you can't use it to carry more cyphers than your limit, a detonation cypher activated inside the space harms you, and so on. When the connection ends, anything in the space falls out. For each 2 additional Intellect points you spend, the pocket lasts an additional hour. Enabler. (170)

• Physically Gifted: Any time you spend points from your Might Pool or Speed Pool on an action for any reason, if you roll a 1 on the associated die, you reroll, always taking the second result (even if it's another 1). Enabler. (170)

• Play to the Crowd (3 Intellect points): You give a speech that is both rousing and terrifying. Those within short range who can hear and understand you have their next action either eased (an asset) or hindered—you choose, and it can be different for each individual. Action; a few rounds to complete. (170)

• Power Strike (3+ Might points): If you successfully attack a target, you knock it prone in addition to inflicting damage. The target must be your size or smaller. You can knock down a target larger than you if you apply a level of Effort to do so (rather than to ease the attack). Enabler. (171)

• Practiced in Armor: You can wear armor for long periods of time without tiring and can compensate for slowed reactions from wearing armor. You reduce the Speed cost for wearing armor by 1. You start the game with a type of armor of your choice. Enabler. (171)

• Precise Cut: You inflict 1 additional point of damage with light weapons. Enabler. (171)

• Precision: You deal 2 additional points of damage with attacks using weapons that you throw. Enabler. (171)

• Precognition (6 Intellect points): You dimly sense the future for the next ten minutes. This has the following effects until the duration expires:

  • Your defense tasks gain an asset.
  • You can predict the actions of those around you. You gain an asset to seeing through deceptions and attempts to betray you as well as avoiding traps and ambushes.
  • You know what people are probably thinking and what they will say before they say it, which gives you an edge. You gain an asset to all interaction skills.

  Enabler. (171)

• Predictive Equation (2 Intellect points): You observe or study a creature, object, or location for at least one round. The next time you interact with it (possibly in the following round), a related task (such as persuading the creature, attacking it, or defending from its attack) is eased. Action. (171)

• Predictive Model (2+ Intellect points): If you've used Predictive Equation on a creature, object, or location within the last few days, you can learn one random fact about the subject that is pertinent to a topic you designate. If you also have the magic flavor ability Premonition, one use of either ability grants you two random but related facts about the subject. In addition, you can use Predictive Model on the same subject multiple times (even if you've learned a creature's level), but each time you do, you must apply one additional level of Effort than on your previous use. Action. (171)

• Premonition (2 Intellect points): You learn one random fact about a creature or location that is pertinent to a topic you designate. Alternatively, you can choose to learn a creature's level; however, if you do so, you cannot learn anything else about it later with this ability. Action. (171)

• Preternatural Senses: While you are conscious and able to use an action, you cannot be surprised. In addition, you are trained in initiative actions. Enabler. (171)

• Projection (4 Intellect points): You project an image of yourself to any location you have seen or previously visited. Distance does not matter as long as the location is on the same world as you. The projection copies your appearance, movements, and any sounds you make for the next ten minutes. Anyone present at the location can see and hear you as if you were there. However, you do not perceive through your projection. Action to initiate. (172)

• Protector: You designate a single character to be your charge. You can change this freely every round, but you can have only one charge at a time. As long as that charge is within immediate range, they gain an asset for Speed defense tasks because you have their back. Enabler. (172)

• Psychic Burst (3+ Intellect points): You blast waves of mental force into the minds of up to three targets within short range (make an Intellect roll against each target). This burst inflicts 3 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). For each 2 additional Intellect points you spend, you can make an Intellect attack roll against an additional target. Action. (172)

• Psychic Passenger (6 Intellect points): You place your mind into the body of a willing creature you choose within short range and remain in that body for up to one hour. Your own body falls down and becomes insensate until this ability ends.

  You see, hear, smell, touch, and taste using the senses of the creature whose body you inhabit. When you speak, the words come from your defenseless body, and the creature you inhabit hears those words in their mind.

  The creature you inhabit can use your Intellect Edge in place of their own. In addition, you and the creature have an asset on any task that involves perception.

  When you take an action, you use the creature's body to perform that action if they allow it. Action to initiate. (172)

• Psychic Suggestion (4 Intellect points): You attempt to make the target take the action you indicate on its next turn. If the action you wish the target to take would cause direct harm to itself or its allies, your mental attack is hindered. Action. (172)

• Psychokinetic Attack (5 Intellect points): You can use this attack in one of two ways. The first is to pick up a heavy object and hurl it at someone within short range. This attack is an Intellect action, and if successful, it deals 6 points of damage to the target and to the hurled object (which could be another foe, although that would require two rolls—one roll to grab the first foe and another roll to hit the second foe with the first). The second way is to unleash a shattering burst of power that works only against an inanimate object no larger than half your size. Make an Intellect roll to instantly destroy the object; the task is eased by three steps compared to breaking it with brute strength. Action. (172)

• Pull a Fast One (3 Intellect points): When you're running a con, picking a pocket, fooling or tricking a dupe, sneaking something by a guard, and so on, you gain an asset on the task. Enabler. (173)

• Push (2 Intellect points): You telekinetically push a creature or object an immediate distance in any direction you wish. You must be able to see the target, which must be your size or smaller, must not be affixed to anything, and must be within short range. The push is quick, and the force is too crude to be manipulated. For example, you can't use this ability to pull a lever or close a door. Action. (173)

• Push on Through (2 Might points): You ignore the effects of terrain while moving for one hour. Enabler. (173)

• Quarry (2 Intellect points): Choose a quarry (a single individual creature that you can see). You are trained in all tasks involving following, understanding, interacting with, or fighting that creature. You can have only one quarry at a time. Action to initiate. (173)

• Question Past Self (4+ Intellect points): You reach into the past up to a week and mentally ask your past self one or two questions about something you knew or observed at the chosen time. For example, if you've forgotten an important phone number or can't remember if a particular person was in a meeting, you can ask your past self about it while it's still fresh in your past self 's memory. Your past self doesn't perceive this as an intrusive voice—it just seems like an unexpected moment of reflection about the questions your present self asks. This doesn't allow you to remember things your past self didn't actually know at the time, but it can sometimes help your present self (in the form of an asset) learn more about or realize something your past self wasn't really paying attention to at the time (such as seeing part of a password or noting whether there was a red delivery truck nearby). For each level of Effort you apply to this ability, you can reach an additional week further into the past. Action. (173)

• Question the Spirits (2 Intellect points): You can call a spirit to you and petition it to answer a few questions (usually no more than three before the spirit fades).

  First, you must summon a spirit. If it is a spirit of the dead, you must have personally known the creature, have an object that was owned by the creature, or touch the physical remains of the creature. For other spirits, you must know the spirit's full name or have a great deal of an element (such as fire or earth) that the spirit is associated with.

  If the spirit responds, it can manifest as an insubstantial shade that answers for itself, it can inhabit an object or any remains you provide, or it can manifest as an invisible presence that you speak for.

  The spirit may not wish to answer your questions, in which case you must persuade it to help. You can attempt to psychically wrestle the spirit into submission (an Intellect task), or you can try diplomacy, deception, or blackmail ("Answer me, or I'll tell your children that you were a philanderer" or "I'll destroy this relic that belonged to you").

  The GM determines what the spirit might know, based on the knowledge it possessed in life. Action to initiate. (173)

• Quick Block: If you use a light or medium weapon, you are trained in Speed defense tasks. Enabler. (173)

• Quick Death (2 Speed points): You know how to kill quickly. When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, you deal 4 additional points of damage. You can't make this attack in two consecutive rounds. Action. (173)

• Quick Recovery: Your second recovery roll (usually requiring ten minutes) is only a single action. Enabler. (173)

• Quick Strike (4 Speed points): You make a melee attack with such speed that it is hard for your foe to defend against, and it knocks them off balance. Your attack is eased by two steps, and the foe, if struck, takes normal damage but is dazed so that their tasks are hindered for the next round. Action. (174)

• Quick Study: You learn from repetitive actions. You gain a +1 bonus to rolls for similar tasks after the first time (such as operating the same device or making attacks against the same foe). Once you move on to a new task, the familiarity with the old task fades—unless you start doing it again. Enabler. (174)

• Quick Throw (2 Speed points): After using a thrown light weapon, you draw another light weapon and make another thrown attack against the same target or a different one. Action. (174)

• Quick Wits: When performing a task that would normally require spending points from your Intellect Pool, you can spend points from your Speed Pool instead. Enabler. (174)

• Quick Work (3+ Intellect points): One use of any artifact (or one minute of its continuous function) is increased by one level if you use it within the next minute. If you spend 4 additional Intellect points, the use is increased by two levels if you use it within the next minute. Action. (174)

• Rally to Me (2 Intellect points): You cry out, blow a battle horn, or otherwise signal to everyone within very long range that you require aid. All allied creatures who respond by moving to within an immediate distance of you within the next few rounds gain one asset on any one attack or defense task within the next hour that you suggest, such as "Hold the gate," "Charge that group of orcs," or something similar. Action to initiate. (174)

• Range Increase: Ranges for you increase by one step. Immediate becomes short, short becomes long, long becomes very long, and very long becomes 1,000 feet (300 m). Enabler. (174)

• Rapid Attack (3 Speed points): Once per round, you can make an additional attack with your chosen weapon. Enabler. (174)

• Ray of Confusion (2 Intellect points): You project a grey beam of confusion at a creature within short range, inflicting 1 point of damage that ignores Armor. In addition, until the end of the next round, all tasks, attacks, and defenses the target attempts are hindered. Action. (174)

• Read the Signs (4 Intellect points): You examine an area and learn precise, useful details about the past (if any exist). You can ask the GM up to four questions about the immediate area; each requires its own roll. Action. (174)

• Reading Decomposition (3 Intellect points): You gain knowledge about an area by reading energy released by decomposition and decay. You can ask the GM a single, matter-of-fact question about the location and get an answer if you succeed on the Intellect roll. "What was the last ritual performed in this room?"" is a good example of a simple question. "Why was this room used for a ritual?" is not an appropriate question, because it has more to do with the mindset of whoever performed the ritual than with qualities of the room. Simple questions usually have a difficulty of 2, but technical questions or those that involve facts meant to be kept secret can have a much higher difficulty. Action. (IOM, 60)

• Reading the Room (3 Intellect points): You gain knowledge about an area by speaking with dead spirits or reading residual energies from the past. You can ask the GM a single, matter-of-fact question about the location and get an answer if you succeed on the Intellect roll. "What killed the cattle in this barn?" is a good example of a simple question. "Why were these cattle killed?" is not an appropriate question because it has more to do with the mindset of the killer than the barn. Simple questions usually have a difficulty of 2, but extremely technical questions or those that involve facts meant to be kept secret can have a much higher difficulty. Action. (175)

• Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower. They are not restricted on their modifications. Alternatively, you can choose to advance a level 3 follower you already have to level 4 and then gain a new level 3 follower. Enabler. (175)

• Recycled Cyphers: All manifest cyphers you use function at one level higher than normal. In addition, if given a week and at least ten items of junk from the Junk table, you can tinker with one of your manifest cyphers, transforming it into another cypher of the same type that you had in the past. The GM and player should collaborate to ensure that the transformation is logical— for example, you probably can't transform a pill into a helmet. Enabler. (175)

• Regenerate: Your ability to heal (whether from a potent spell, unique mutation, or cybernetic graft) continues to function even if you die from violence, as long as your body is mostly intact. One minute after your death, this ability activates and brings you back to life; however, you come back with a permanent 2-point deduction from your Intellect Pool. Enabler. (175)

• Regenerate Other (9 Might points): You can confer your Regenerate ability on another creature that you touch and attempt to return it to life, as long as its body is mostly intact. (If you don't have the Regenerate ability, you gain it, but can use it only on yourself.) The difficulty of the task is equal to 3 plus the number of days the target has been dead. (If the body has been perfectly preserved in stasis or through some other non-damaging preservation mechanism, no time limit applies.) Enabler. (175)

• Remote Viewing (6 Intellect points): Distance is an illusion, as all space is one space. With great concentration, you can see another place. This ability can be used in one of two ways:

  • Distance and direction. Pick a spot a specific distance away and in a specific direction. You can see from that vantage point as if you had used the Sensor ability there, but only for one minute.
  • Think of a place you have seen before, either conventionally or using the other application of this power. You can see from that vantage point as if you had used the Sensor ability there, but only for one or two rounds.

  Either application takes anywhere from one action to hours of concentration, depending on what the GM feels is appropriate due to time, distance, or other mitigating circumstances. However, you don't know in advance how long it will take. Action to initiate; action each round to concentrate. (176)

• Repeated Rituals: If you've successfully completed a ritual in the past, tasks for performing that ritual again are eased by two steps. Enabler. (IOM, 54)

• Repair Flesh (3 Intellect points): When you touch an impaired or debilitated character, you can move them up one step on the damage track (for example, a debilitated PC becomes impaired, and an impaired one becomes hale). Alternatively, if you use this ability on a PC during a rest, you grant them a +2 bonus to their recovery roll. Action. (176)

• Repair Machine (3+ Intellect points): You automatically repair one broken device of up to level 4 that you touch, restoring it to full working condition. This ability works only if at least 80 percent of the original device is still on hand. The device may still need fuel, oil, or other substances that aid its operation but are not part of the electronics or mechanism. This ability only reliably works on human-crafted devices and tends to fail when used on alien, high-technology, or otherwise mysterious machines. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can use Effort to increase the target level that can be affected by 1. Action. (IOM, 75)

• Resist the Elements: You resist heat, cold, and similar extremes. You have a special +2 to Armor against ambient damage or other damage that would normally ignore Armor. Enabler. (176)

• Resist Tricks: You're trained in solving puzzles and recognizing tricks from years of game playing. Enabler. (176)

• Restful Presence: Creatures who make a recovery roll within short range of you add +1 to their roll. Enabler. (177)

• Restore Life (9+ Intellect points): You can attempt to restore life to a dead creature of up to level 3, as long as the corpse is no more than a day old and is mostly intact. You can also attempt to restore life to a corpse that is much older but is especially well preserved. The difficulty of the Intellect task is equal to the level of the creature you're attempting to restore to life. For each additional level of Effort applied, you can attempt to restore the life of a creature whose level is 1 higher. When first restored to life, a creature is dazed for at least a day, and all tasks they attempt are hindered. Action; one minute to initiate. (177)

• Rewind Rot: Your grasp on life and death energy means that you can heal—even from death—as long as your head, heart, and hands remain intact. One minute after descending a step on the damage track, you regain 2 Pool points. However, if you return from death, it is with a permanent 2-point reduction in your Intellect Pool. Enabler. (IOM, 60)

• Ribbons of Dark Matter (2 Intellect points): For the next minute, dark matter condenses within an area within long range that is no bigger than an immediate distance in diameter, manifesting as swirling ribbons. All tasks attempted by creatures in the area are hindered, and leaving the area requires a creature's entire action to move. You can dismiss the dark matter early as an action. Action to initiate. (178)

• Ritual Guidance: When you participate in a magical ritual with two or more members of your coven, ritual tasks for all participants are eased by two steps. Enabler. (IOM, 58)

• Robot Assistant: A level 2 robot of your size or smaller (built by you) accompanies you and follows your instructions. You and the GM must work out the details of your robot. You'll probably make rolls for it when it takes actions. A robot assistant in combat usually doesn't make separate attacks but helps with yours. On your action, if the artificial assistant is next to you, it serves as an asset for one attack you make on your turn. If the robot is destroyed, you can repair the original with a few days' worth of tinkering, or build a new one with a week's worth of half-time labor. Enabler. (178)

• Robot Fighter: When fighting a robot or intelligent machine, you are trained in attacks and defense. Enabler. (178)

• Ruin Lore: You are trained in scavenging, which means you're more likely to find useful things, and junk that can potentially be turned into useful things in the ruins of what came before. Enabler. (179)

• Safe Fall: You reduce the damage from a fall by 5 points. Enabler. (179)

• Scan (2 Intellect points): You scan an area equal in size to a 10-foot (3 m) cube, including all objects or creatures within that area. The area must be within short range. Scanning a creature or object always reveals its level. You also learn whatever facts the GM feels are pertinent about the matter and energy in that area. For example, you might learn that the wooden box contains a device of metal and plastic. You might learn that the glass cylinder is full of poisonous gas, and that its metal stand has an electrical field running through it that connects to a metal mesh in the floor. You might learn that the creature standing before you is a mammal with a small brain. However, this ability doesn't tell you what the information means. Thus, in the first example, you don't know what the metal and plastic device does. In the second, you don't know if stepping on the floor causes the cylinder to release the gas. In the third, you might suspect that the creature is not very intelligent, but scans, like looks, can be deceiving. Many materials and energy fields prevent or resist scanning. Action. (179)

• Scramble Machine (2 Intellect points): You render one machine within short range unable to function for one round. Alternatively, you can hinder any action by the machine (or by someone attempting to use the machine) for one minute. Action. (179)

• See History (4 Intellect points): You touch an object, read the subtle echoes of its existence through time, ask the GM a question about the object's past, and get a general answer. The answers are often in the form of brief images or sensations rather than specific answers in a language you know. The GM assigns a level to the question, so the more obscure the answer, the more difficult the task. Generally, knowledge that you could find by looking somewhere other than your current location is level 1, and obscure knowledge of the past is level 7. After you use this ability, you have an asset on identifying the object. Action. (180)

• See the Unseen: You can automatically perceive creatures and objects that are normally invisible, out of phase, or only partially in this universe. When looking for things more conventionally hidden, the task is eased. Enabler. (180)

• See Through Matter (3+ Intellect points): You can see through matter as if it were transparent. You can see through up to 6 inches (15 cm) of material for one round. Doing so is a task whose difficulty is equal to the material or object's level. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to see through another 6 inches of material for each additional level of Effort you apply toward that goal. Action. (180)

• See Through Time (7 Intellect points): Time is an illusion, as all time is one time. With great concentration, you can see into another time. You specify a time period regarding the place where you now stand. Interestingly, the easiest time to view is about one hundred years in the past or future. Viewing farther back or ahead is a nearly impossible task.

  This takes anywhere from one action to hours of concentration, depending on what the GM feels is appropriate due to time, distance, or other mitigating circumstances. However, you don't know in advance how long it will take. Action to initiate; action each round to concentrate. (181)

• Seize the Initiative (5 Intellect points): Within one minute of successfully using your Draw Conclusion ability, you can take one additional, immediate action, which you can take out of turn. After using this ability, you can't use it again until after your next ten-hour recovery roll. Enabler. (181)

• Seize the Moment (4+ Speed points): If you succeed on a Speed defense roll to resist an attack, you gain an action. You can use the action immediately even if you have already taken a turn in the round. You don't take an action during the next round, unless you apply a level of Effort when you use Seize the Moment. Enabler. (181)

• Sense Ambush: You are never surprised by an attack. Enabler. (181)

• Sensing Package: You can see in dim light and darkness as if it were bright light, and you can see up to a short distance through fog, smoke, and other obscuring phenomena. In addition, if you apply a level of Effort to perception or searching tasks, you get a free level of Effort on that task. Enabler. (181)

• Sensor (4 Intellect points): You create an immobile, invisible sensor within immediate range that lasts for 24 hours. At any time during that duration, you can concentrate to see, hear, and smell through the sensor, no matter how far you move from it. The sensor doesn't grant you sensory capabilities beyond the norm. If you also have this ability from another source, it lasts twice as long. Action to create; action to check. (181)

• Serv-0: You build a tiny robot assistant. It is level 1 and cannot take independent actions or leave your immediate area. In truth, it's more an extension of you than a separate being. It gains a modification in using machines and other technological devices. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Aim: Your Serv-0 aids you in ranged combat. It gains a modification in ranged attacks. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Brawler: Your Serv-0 aids you in melee combat. It gains a modification in melee attacks. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Defender: Your Serv-0 aids you in combat by blocking attacks. It gains a modification in Speed defense. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Repair: Your Serv-0 aids you in repairing other devices. It gains a modification in repair. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Scanner (2 Intellect points): Your Serv-0 gains the Scan ability. Enabler. (181)

• Serv-0 Spy (3 Intellect points): You can send your Serv-0 up to a long distance away for up to ten minutes and see and hear through it as though its senses were your own. You direct its movement. Action to initiate. (181)

• Share Defense: If your training in a defense task is greater than that of an ally within short range, your advice and insight allow them to substitute your training for that defense task. Enabler. (181)

• Share Memory (3 Intellect points): You share a memory of your choice with a willing creature you touch. The length of the shared memory can be no longer than about five minutes, but you can summarize longer memories (such as how you met, courted, and married your partner) with a "montage" that covers the most important details and underlying sentiment. The target experiences the memory as an instantaneous vision, and is aware that it is your memory rather than their own memory or experience. The memory is as vivid and accurate as you personally remember it. Action. (IOM, 67)

• Share the Power: When you use Drain Creature or Drain Machine to drain energy, you can transfer it to another creature, restoring points to their Might or Speed Pools (or health for an NPC) instead of yourself. You can spend points from your Siphon Pool (from the Store Energy ability) in the same way. You must touch the creature you want to heal, unless you have the Drain at a Distance ability, in which case they can be up to a short distance away. Enabler. (182)

• Sharp Senses: You are trained in all tasks involving perception. Enabler. (182)

• Sharp-Eyed: Because you must always keep an eye out when you're traveling, you are trained in all tasks related to perception and navigation. Enabler. (182)

• Shatter (2+ Intellect points): You interrupt the fundamental force holding normal matter together for a moment, causing the detonation of an object you choose within long range. The object must be a small, mundane item composed of homogeneous matter (such as a clay cup, an iron ingot, a stone, and so on). The object explodes in an immediate radius, dealing 1 point of damage to all creatures and objects in the area. If you apply Effort to increase the damage, you deal 2 additional points of damage per level of Effort (instead of 3 points); targets in the area take 1 point of damage even if you fail the attack roll. Action. (182)

• Shatter Mind (7+ Intellect points): Your words reverberate destructively in the brain of an intelligent level 1 target within short range that can hear and understand you. They destroy tissue, memories, and personality, triggering a vegetative state. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target. Thus, to shatter the mind of a level 5 target (four levels above the normal limit), you must apply four levels of Effort. Action. (182)

• Shield Burst: When you make a melee or ranged attack and hit with your Force Field Shield, it releases an explosion of energy, inflicting an additional 2 points of damage on the target and everything within immediate range of the target. If you applied Effort to inflict additional damage as part of the attack, each level of Effort inflicts only 2 additional points to all targets instead of 3 points. If you use Shield Burst with a melee attack, you and creatures behind you are not affected by this explosion. If you use Shield Burst with a ranged attack, the shield dissipates after the attack and then reforms in your grasp. Enabler. (182)

• Ship Footing (3 Speed points): For ten minutes, all tasks you attempt while on a spaceship are eased. Action to initiate. (182)

• Show Them the Way (6+ Intellect points): Your presence overwhelms a creature that you touch and ask to aid you. Essentially, if the creature fails to defend against your presence, you control its actions for up to ten minutes. The target must be level 3 or lower. Once you have established control, you maintain control through verbal instruction. You can allow the target to act freely or override control on a case-by case basis. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target. Thus, to affect a level 5 target (two levels above the normal limit), you must apply two levels of Effort. When the effect ends, the creature vaguely remembers doing your will, but it's as blurry as a dream. Action to initiate. (183)

• Skill With Attacks: Choose one type of attack in which you are not already trained: light bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in attacks using that type of weapon. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose a different type of attack. Enabler. (183)

• Skill With Defense: Choose one type of defense task in which you are not already trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are trained in defense tasks of that type. Enabler. (183)

• Slippery: You are trained in escaping any kind of bond or grasp. Enabler. (183)

• Slippery Customer: When you apply Effort to tasks involving escaping from bonds, fitting in tight spaces, and other contortionist tasks, you get a free level of Effort on the task. Thanks to your experience, you are also trained in Speed defense tasks while wearing light armor or no armor. Enabler. (183)

• Snap Shot: You can make two gun attacks as a single action, but the second attack is hindered by two steps. Enabler. (183)

• Soothe the Savage (2 Intellect points): You calm a nonhuman beast within 30 feet (9 m). You must speak to it (although it doesn't need to understand your words), and it must see you. It remains calm for one minute or for as long as you focus all your attention on it. The GM has final say over what counts as a nonhuman beast, but unless some kind of deception is at work, you should know whether you can affect a creature before you attempt to use this ability on it. Aliens, extradimensional entities, very intelligent creatures, and robots never count. Action. (184)

• Soul Familiar: You have a soul familiar who accompanies you and follows your instructions. Your soul and their soul are interconnected (or the familiar might actually be a physical manifestation of your soul). The familiar loves and cares for you like the best combination of a pet and a close friend.

  The familiar is no larger than a large cat (about 20 pounds, or 9 kg); a typical soul familiar looks like a bird, cat, rat, lizard, snake, or toad, but more unusual forms (such as a tiny demon, dragon, elemental, fey creature, or floating skull) are also possible. You and the GM must work out the details of your familiar, and you'll probably make rolls for them in combat or when they take actions. The familiar acts on your turn. Their movement is based on their creature type (avian, swimmer, and so on).

  You and your familiar can communicate telepathically within long range, or empathically within very long range. Beyond this range, you can only sense each other's general level of well-being.

  Your familiar's presence within short range counts as an asset for magical tasks that require at least one minute to activate or maintain.

  If your familiar is within an immediate distance of you, you can roll any defense task for them, gaining the benefit of your skills, assets, and Effort (the familiar's Speed defense tasks are eased by two steps due to their size). While within this distance, your familiar also gains the benefit of any ongoing spell you cast on yourself (for example, if you cast a spell on yourself that lets you breathe water, your familiar can breathe water).

  Foes can use your soul familiar's connection to you against you. If a foe is holding or restraining your familiar (or touching it while it is held or restrained by another creature or a device, such as manacles or a cage), the foe's attacks and defenses against you are eased.

  If an attack against your familiar would reduce their health to 0, you can magically intervene so their health is instead reduced to 1 and you move one step down the damage track. If your familiar dies, you move one step down the damage track. If you die, your familiar instantly dies. You can replace a dead familiar (or revive them, if you have their remains) by performing a magical ritual that takes 1d6 days.

  Enabler. (IOM, 68)

• Soul Interrogation (5 Intellect points): You determine the weaknesses, vulnerabilities, qualities, and mannerisms of a single creature within long range. The GM should reveal the creature's level, basic abilities, and obvious weaknesses (if any). All actions you attempt that affect that creature—attack, defense, interaction, and so on—are eased for a few months afterward. Action. (184)

• Speaker for the Dead (2+ Intellect points): You can ask a question of a dead being whose corpse you are touching. Because the answer comes through the filter of the being's understanding and personality, it can't answer questions that it wouldn't have understood in life, and it can't provide answers that it wouldn't have known in life. In fact, the being is not compelled to answer at all, so you might need to interact with it in a way that would have convinced it to answer while it was alive. For each additional Intellect point you spend when you activate the ability, you can ask the being an additional question. Action. (184)

• Spectral Servant (2 Intellect points): You conjure a spectral servant, a semi-real magical construct that resembles the vague nonthreatening outline of a person. It is more of an extension of your will than a separate being, and it automatically assists you in simple tasks like bringing drinks to houseguests and dealing with chores. It cannot attack or defend, and it vanishes if you are ever more than a short distance from it. The servant lasts for one hour before disappearing. Action. (IOM, 72)

• Special Shot: When you hit a target with a gun attack, you can choose to reduce the damage by 1 point but hit the target in a precise spot. Some of the possible effects include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • You can shoot an object out of someone's hand.
  • You can shoot the leg, wing, or other limb it uses to move, reducing its maximum movement speed to immediate for a few days or until it receives expert medical care.
  • You can shoot a strap holding a backpack, armor, or a similarly strapped-on item so that it falls off.

  Enabler. (184)

• Speed Burst (4 Speed points): You can take two separate actions in this round. In the following round, all actions are hindered. You cannot use this ability two rounds in a row. Enabler. (185)

• Spin Attack (5+ Speed points): You stand still and make attacks against up to five foes, all as part of the same action in one round. All of the attacks have to be the same sort of attack (melee or ranged). Make a separate attack roll for each foe. You remain limited by the amount of Effort you can apply on one action. Anything that modifies your attack or damage applies to all of these attacks. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the number of foes you can attack with this ability (one additional foe per level of Effort used in this way). Action. (185)

• Spore Cloud (1 Intellect point): You throw a handful of mushrooms that speed toward a target within long range. The attack inflicts 3 points of damage and envelops the target in a haze of toxic spores, which inflicts 1 additional point of damage per round (ignores Armor) for the next minute or until the target uses an action to wash the spores away. Action. (IOM, 60)

• Spray (2 Speed points): If a weapon has the ability to fire rapid shots without reloading (usually called a rapid-fire weapon, such as a crank crossbow or submachine gun), you can spray multiple shots around your target to increase the chance of hitting. This ability uses 1d6 + 1 rounds of ammo (or all the ammo in the weapon, if it has less than the number rolled). You are trained in making this attack. If the attack is successful, it deals 1 less point of damage than normal. You can also use this ability on multiple thrown weapons (stones, shuriken, daggers, and so on) if you're carrying them on your person or they are all within reach. Action. (185)

• Spring Away (5 Speed points): Whenever you succeed on a Speed defense roll, you can immediately move up to a short distance. You cannot use this ability more than once in a given round. Enabler. (186)

• Spur Effort (5 Intellect points): You select an ally within immediate range. If that character applies Effort to a task on their next turn, they can apply a free level of Effort on that task. Enabler. (186)

• Stalker: You gain an asset to all types of movement tasks (including climbing, swimming, jumping, and balancing). Enabler. (186)

• Store Energy: When you drain energy with your focus abilities, you can store some of it for later in a Siphon Pool. You can spend points from your Siphon Pool as if they were from your Might or Speed Pool, or use an action to spend them to restore an equal number of points to your Might or Speed Pool. Your Siphon Pool can safely store up to 3 points; each point beyond that hinders all of your tasks. Enabler. (186)

• Strategize (6 Intellect points): Having an action plan in place before facing a challenge improves the odds of success, even if that plan is eventually changed or discarded once it's put into play. If you and your allies spend at least ten minutes going over a plan of action, all of you gain one free level of Effort that can be applied to one task you attempt during the execution of that plan within the next 24 hours. The plan of action must be something concrete and executable in order to gain this benefit. Action to initiate, ten minutes to complete. (187)

• Stun Attack (6 Speed points): You attempt a difficulty 5 Speed task to stun a creature as part of your melee or ranged attack. If you succeed, your attack inflicts its normal damage and stuns the creature for one round, causing it to lose its next turn. If you fail, you still make your normal attack roll, but you don't stun the opponent if you hit. If you also have this ability from another source (such as having it as a type ability and a focus ability), using this costs you only 3 points instead of 6 points. Action. (187)

• Subconscious Defense: Your subconscious constantly runs predictive models for avoiding danger. You gain an asset on your Speed defense tasks. Enabler. (187)

• Subsonic Rumble (2 Intellect points): For one minute or until you use some other sound manipulation ability, you emit a subsonic rumble that most living creatures can't hear but which has an effect on them all the same. The effect lasts for one minute and affects all creatures you select within short range. All tasks related to resisting persuasion, intimidation, and fear are hindered by two steps for affected targets. Action to initiate. (187)

• Subtle Steps: When you move no more than a short distance, you can move without making a sound, regardless of the surface you move across. Enabler. (187)

• Subtle Tricks: You can use your skills and special abilities in ways that don't look like you're doing anything. If the skill or ability would normally require an obvious movement, phrase, or other action by you, it instead seems to happen on its own. Instead of using your tools to pick a lock, the lock clicks open as you stand near it. Instead of manipulating a computer screen, the information you want appears on the screen when you look at it. Instead of bluffing your way past some guards, they step aside as you approach and let you through. This ability usually only works up to an immediate distance. You still must spend points and make rolls to use your skills and abilities with Subtle Tricks. Using a skill or ability in a subtle way hinders the task. This ability can't be used to conceal your attack or defense rolls. Enabler. (187)

• Successive Attack (2 Speed points): If you take down a foe, you can immediately make another attack on that same turn against a new foe within your reach. The second attack is part of the same action. You can use this ability with melee attacks and ranged attacks. Enabler. (187)

• Suggestion (5+ Intellect points): You suggest an action to a creature within immediate range. If the action is something that the target might normally do anyway, it follows your suggestion. If the suggestion is something that is outside of the target's nature or express duty (such as asking a guard to let an intruder pass), the suggestion fails. The creature must be level 2 or lower. The effect of your suggestion lasts for up to a minute.

  In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target you can affect by 1. Thus, to affect a level 5 target (three levels above the normal limit), you must apply three levels of Effort.

  When the effects of the ability end, the creature remembers following the suggestion but can be persuaded to believe that it chose to do so willingly. Action to initiate. (188)

• Superb Infiltrator: You are trained in lockpicking and tinkering with devices in an effort to make them work, or at least work for you. Enabler. (188)

• Surging Confidence (1 Might point): When you use an action to make your first recovery roll of the day, you immediately gain another action. Enabler. (188)

• Surprise Attack: If attacking from a hidden vantage, with surprise, or before your opponent has acted, you get an asset on the attack. On a successful hit, you inflict 2 additional points of damage. Enabler. (188)

• Stimulate (6 Intellect points): Your words encourage a target you touch who can understand you. The next action it takes is eased by three steps. Action. (186)

• Storm Seed (3 Intellect points): If outside or in a large-enough enclosed space, you can seed a natural storm of a kind common to the area. Doing so requires at least an hour's concentration as you use your connection to the air (whether this is due to nanobots, elemental spirits, magic, or some other source) to initiate proper conditions, though it could take longer if the GM feels there are additional obstacles at play. Once the storm begins, it lasts for about ten minutes. Once during that period, you can create a more dramatic and specific effect appropriate to that kind of storm, such as a lightning strike, a squall of giant hailstones, the brief touchdown of a twister, a single gust of hurricane-force winds, and so on. These effects must occur within long range of your location. You must spend your turn concentrating to create the effect, which occurs a round later. The effect inflicts 6 points of damage, after which the storm begins to disperse. Action to initiate, an hour or more to complete. (187)

• Swipe (1 Speed point): This is a quick, agile melee attack. Your attack inflicts 1 less point of damage than normal but dazes your target for one round, during which time all tasks it performs are hindered. Action. (188)

• Take Command (3 Intellect points): You issue a specific command to another character. If that character chooses to listen, any attack they attempt on their next turn is eased, and a hit deals 3 additional points of damage. If your command is to perform a task other than an attack, the task is eased as if it benefited from a free level of Effort. Action. (188)

• Tap Currents: You can draw energy from the earth itself into your body. If you concentrate and don't move from where you're standing for one minute, you restore 3 points to your Might or Speed Pool. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you've made a ten-hour recovery roll.

  If you have the Store Energy ability, you can instead use Tap Currents to add 3 points to your Siphon Pool. (This use of this ability is not limited to one use per ten-hour recovery roll.)

  Action to initiate. (IOM, 59)

• Tech Skills: You are trained in two skills in which you are not already trained. Choose two of the following: crafting, computers, identifying, machines, piloting, repairing, or vehicle driving. You can select this ability multiple times. Each time you select it, you must choose two different skills. Enabler. (189)

• Telekinesis (2 Intellect points): You can exert force on objects within short range. Once activated, your power has an effective Might Pool of 10, a Might Edge of 1, and an Effort of 2 (approximately equal to the strength of a fit, capable adult human), and you can use it to move objects, push against objects, and so on. For example, you could lift and pull a light object anywhere within range to yourself or move a heavy object (like a piece of furniture) about 10 feet (3 m). This power lacks the fine control to wield a weapon or move objects with much speed, so in most situations, it's not a means of attack. You can't use this ability on your own body. The power lasts for one hour or until its Might Pool is depleted, whichever comes first. Action. (189)

• Telepathic (1+ Intellect points): You can speak telepathically with others who are within short range. Communication is two-way, but the other party must be willing and able to communicate. You don't have to see the target, but you must know that it's within range. You can have more than one active contact at once, but you must establish contact with each target individually. Each contact lasts up to ten minutes. If you apply a level of Effort to increase the duration rather than ease the task, the contact lasts for 24 hours. Action to establish contact. (189)

• Telepathic Network (0+ Intellect points): When you wish it, you can contact up to ten creatures known to you, no matter where they are. All targets must be willing and able to communicate. You automatically succeed at establishing a telepathic network; no roll is required. All creatures in the network are linked and can communicate telepathically with one another. They can also "overhear" anything said in the network, if they wish. Activating this ability doesn't require an action and doesn't cost Intellect points; to you, it's as easy as speaking out loud. The network lasts until you choose to end it. If you spend 5 Intellect points, you can contact twenty creatures at once, and for every 1 Intellect point you spend above that, you can add ten more creatures to the network. These larger networks last for ten minutes. Creating a network of twenty or more creatures does require an action to establish contact. Enabler. (190)

• Terrifying Gaze (6 Intellect points): You project a chilling gaze at all living creatures within short range who can see you. Make a separate Intellect attack roll for each target. Success means that the creature is frozen in fear, not moving or taking actions for one minute or until it is attacked. Some creatures without minds (such as robots) might be immune to Terrifying Gaze. Action. (190)

• Terrifying Image (6 Intellect points): You use a bit of subtle telepathy to learn which images would appear terrifying to creatures that you choose within long range. Those images appear within that area and menace the appropriate creatures. Make an Intellect attack roll against each creature you want to affect. Success means the creature flees in terror for one minute, pursued by its nightmares. Failure means the creature ignores the images, which do not hamper it in any way. Action. (190)

• Terrifying Presence (2+ Intellect points): You convince one intelligent target of level 3 or lower that you are its worst nightmare. The target must be within short range and be able to understand you. For as long as you do nothing but speak (you can't even move), the target is paralyzed with fear, runs away, or takes some other action appropriate to the circumstances. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target. Thus, to terrorize a level 5 target (two levels above the normal limit), you must apply two levels of Effort. Action. (190)

• There's Your Problem: You are trained in tasks related to figuring out how to solve problems with multiple solutions (like the best way to pack a truck, calm an enraged customer, give a cat a shot of insulin, or find a route through the city for maximum speed). Enabler. (190)

• Third Eye (1 Intellect point): You visualize a place within short range and cast your mind to that place, creating an immobile, invisible sensor for one minute or until you choose to end this ability. While using your third eye, you see through your sensor instead of your eyes using your normal visual abilities. You may perceive the area around your body using your other senses as normal. Action. (191)

• Total Awareness: You possess such a high level of awareness that it's very difficult to surprise, hide from, or sneak up on you. When you apply a level of Effort to initiative and perception tasks, you gain two free levels of Effort. Enabler. (192)

• Totally Chill: Your ten-minute recovery roll takes you only one round. Enabler. (192)

• Tough As Nails: When you are impaired or debilitated on the damage track, Might-based tasks and defense rolls you attempt are eased. If you also have Ignore the Pain, make a difficulty 1 Might defense roll when you reach 0 points in all three of your Pools to immediately regain 1 Might point and avoid dying. Each time you attempt to save yourself with this ability before your next ten-hour recovery roll, the task is hindered. Enabler. (192)

• Tough It Out: Working for a living has toughened you over time. You have +1 to Armor against any kind of physical damage, even damage that normally ignores Armor. Enabler. (193)

• Tower of Intellect: You are trained in Intellect defense tasks. If you are already trained, you are specialized in those tasks instead. Enabler. (193)

• Tower of Will: You are trained in Intellect defense tasks and gain +3 points to your Intellect Pool. Enabler. (193)

• Trained Gunner: You can choose from one of two benefits. Either you are trained in using guns, or you have the Spray ability (which costs 2 Speed points): If a weapon has the ability to fire rapid shots without reloading (usually called a rapid-fire weapon, such as an automatic pistol), you can spray multiple shots around your target to increase the chance of hitting. This move uses 1d6 + 1 rounds of ammo (or all the ammo in the weapon, if it has less than the number rolled). The attack roll is eased. If the attack is successful, it deals 1 less point of damage than normal. Enabler (being trained in using guns) or action (Spray). (193)

• Trained Without Armor: You are trained in Speed defense tasks when not wearing armor. Enabler. (193)

• Trapster: You are trained in creating simple traps for human-sized or smaller targets, especially many varieties of deadfalls and snares using natural objects from the surrounding environment. When you lay a trap, decide whether you want to hold the victim in place (a snare) or inflict damage (a deadfall). Creating a snare is a difficulty 3 task, while the difficulty of creating a deadfall is equal to the number of points of damage you want it to inflict. For example, if you want to inflict 4 points of damage, that's a difficulty 4 task (the training that comes with this ability eases the task).

  On a success, you create your one-use trap in about one minute, and it is considered level 3 for the purposes of avoiding detection before it is sprung and for a victim trying to struggle free (if a snare). Action to initiate, one minute or one hour to complete. (193)

• Traverse the Worlds (8+ Intellect points): You instantaneously transmit yourself to another planet, dimension, plane, or level of reality. You must know that the destination exists; the GM will decide if you have enough information to confirm its existence and the level of difficulty to reach the destination. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to bring other people with you; each level of Effort used in this way affects up to three additional targets. You must touch any additional targets. Action. (194)

• Trick Shot (2 Speed points): As part of the same action, you make a ranged attack against two targets that are within immediate range of each other. Make a separate attack roll against each target. The attack rolls are hindered. Action. (194)

• True Necromancy (8+ Intellect points): This ability works like the Necromancy ability except that it creates a level 5 creature. Action to animate. (194)

• Trust to Luck (3 Intellect points): Sometimes, you've just got to roll the dice and hope things add up in your favor. When you use Trust to Luck, roll a d6. On any even result, the task you're attempting is eased by two steps. On a roll of 1, the task is hindered. Enabler. (194)

• Twisting the Knife (4 Speed points): In a round after successfully striking a foe with a melee weapon, you can opt to automatically deal standard damage to the foe with that same weapon without any modifiers (2 points for a light weapon, 4 points for a medium weapon, or 6 points for a heavy weapon). Action. (194)

• Ultra Enhancement: You gain +1 to Armor and +5 to each of your three stat Pools. Enabler. (194)

• Unarmed Fighting Style: You are trained in unarmed attacks. Enabler. (194)

• Underworld Contacts: You know many people in a variety of communities who engage in illegal activities. These people are not necessarily your friends and might not be trustworthy, but they recognize you as a peer. You and the GM should work out the details of your underworld contacts. Enabler. (195)

• Unmovable (3 Might points): You avoid being knocked down, pushed back, or moved against your will as long as you are upright and able to take actions. Enabler. (195)

• Unraveling Consumption: You can drain energy from a living creature by touching it and concentrating for a minute or more. Each minute you spend in contact with and concentrating on the creature deals it 1 point of damage (ignores Armor) and restores 1 point to your Might or Speed Pool. Because of the extended contact required for this ability, normally you can use it only on a willing or helpless creature. If the creature takes enough damage to knock it unconscious or kill it, it crumbles into ash, dust, or some other inert material. Action to initiate. (195)

• Unstealable Charm (3+ Intellect points): An object you are holding, touching, or wearing becomes more difficult to steal; attempts to remove it from your person without your knowledge or permission are hindered. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can apply Effort to hinder such attempts by an additional step. The charm lasts for twenty-four hours. Action.

• Use Senses of Others (4 Intellect points): You can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste through the senses of anyone with whom you have telepathic contact by using Telepathic or similar abilities. You can attempt to use this ability on a willing or unwilling target within long range; an unwilling target can try to resist. You don't need to see the target, but you must know that it's within range. Your shared senses last ten minutes. Action to establish. (195)

• Using the Environment (4 Intellect points): You find some way to use the environment to your advantage in a fight. For the next ten minutes, attack rolls and Speed defense rolls are eased. Action to initiate. (195)

• Using What's Available (4 Intellect points): If you have the time and the freedom to scrounge for everyday materials in your environment, you can fashion a temporary asset that will aid you once to accomplish a specific task. For example, if you need to climb a wall, you could create some sort of climbing assistance device; if you need to break out of a cell, you can find something to use as a lockpick; if you need to create a small distraction, you could put together something to make a loud bang and flash; and so on. The asset lasts for a maximum of one minute, or until used for the intended purpose. One minute to assemble materials; action to create asset. (195)

• Usurp Cypher: Choose one cypher that you carry. The cypher must have an effect that is not instantaneous. You destroy the cypher and gain its power, which functions for you continuously. You can choose a cypher when you gain this ability, or you can wait and make the choice later. However, once you usurp a cypher's power, you cannot later switch to a different cypher—the usurping ability works only once. Action to initiate. (195)

• Vanish (2 Intellect points): You become invisible for a short amount of time. While invisible, you have an asset on stealth and Speed defense tasks. The invisibility ends at the end of your next turn, or if you do something to reveal your presence or position—attacking, using an ability, moving a large object, and so on. Action. (196)

• Versatile Mind: When you make a Speed defense roll, you can use your Intellect in place of your Speed. Enabler. (196)

• Void Wings (3 Intellect points): Swirling ribbons of weird matter grasp you and lift you up, allowing you to fly for one round as quickly as you can move. Enabler. (196)

• Ward: You have a shield of energy around you at all times that helps deflect attacks. You gain +1 to Armor. Enabler. (196)

• Weapon Master: You inflict an additional 1 point of damage with your chosen weapon. Enabler. (197)

• Weaponization: One light or medium melee weapon of your choice is built into your body, and you are trained in using it. The weapon is concealed until you wish to use it. Enabler. (197)

• Weather the Vicissitudes: Helping your friends means being able to stand up to everything the world throws at you. You have +1 to Armor. Also, you resist heat, cold, and similar extremes and have an additional +1 to Armor against ambient damage or other damage that would normally ignore Armor. Enabler. (197)

• Weight of the World (6+ Intellect points): You can increase a target's weight dramatically. The target is pulled to the ground and can't move physically under its own power for one minute. The target must be within short range. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to affect additional creatures (one per level of Effort). Action. (197)

• Weightless Shot: You have a sixth sense when it comes to lining up trajectories and moving in low-gravity and zero-gravity environments, which also translates to making ranged attacks. When you hit a target with a ranged attack in microgravity conditions, you can choose to reduce the damage by 2 points but hit the target in a precise spot. Some of the possible effects include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • You punch a hole in the target's suit, so it begins to leak air into the vacuum slowly, or all at once (your choice).
  • You hit the reaction mass of the target's maneuvering pack, which means the target can no longer change their trajectory, or they go spinning off in a random direction (your choice).
  • You can shoot a spacecraft, and degrade one ship system by one step (systems include engines, weapons, and atmosphere).

  Enabler. (197)

• Weighty (1 Intellect point): You briefly increase the weight of a target within short range enough to stop them in their tracks, preventing the target from moving and hindering any attempted tasks on their next turn. Action. (197)

• Wilderness Awareness (4 Intellect points): Your connection to the natural world extends to a degree that some would call supernatural. While in the wilderness, you can extend your senses up to a mile in any direction and ask the GM a very simple, general question about that area, such as "Where is the orc camp?" or "Is my friend Deithan still alive?" If the answer you seek is not in the area, you receive no information. Action. (198)

• Wilderness Life: You are trained in two of the following: climbing, swimming, navigation, or identifying plants and creatures. Enabler. (199)

• Will of Legend: You are immune to attacks that would captivate, mesmerize, charm, or otherwise influence your mind. Enabler. (199)

• Willing Sacrifice: When you take an attack meant for another character, you know how to take the attack in a way that minimizes its effect. The attack automatically strikes you, but instead of taking 1 additional point of damage, you take 1 less point of damage (to a minimum of 1 point). Additionally, you can take more than one attack in a given round provided that all the attacks were originally meant for one target. Enabler. (199)

• Wind Armor (1 Intellect point): When you wish it, a cyclone of wind surrounds your body for ten minutes, giving you +1 to Armor and an additional +2 to Armor against physical projectile weapons specifically. While the cyclone is active, you feel no discomfort from the wind, and you can interact with other creatures and objects normally because the wind flow automatically diverts to enable such interaction. Enabler. (199)

• Wind Chariot (7+ Intellect points): You summon winds that pick you up and allow you to fly for up to a long distance each round in combat or with an overland speed of up to 200 miles per hour (320 kph) for up to ten hours. For each level of Effort you apply, you can bring one ally of about your size with you through the air or increase the duration of the effect by one hour. Action to initiate. (199)

• Windrider (4+ Intellect points): You summon winds that pick you up and allow you to fly for one minute at a rate of up to a long distance each round. For each level of Effort you apply, you can carry one ally of about your size with you through the air or increase the duration of the effect by one minute. Action to initiate. (199)

• Word of Death (5+ Intellect points): Your attack is the utterance of a magic word so terrible that it snuffs the life from a living target within short range. The target must be level 1. In addition to the normal options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the maximum level of the target. Thus, to kill a level 5 target (four levels above the normal limit), you must apply four levels of Effort. Action. (200)

• Work the Friendship (4 Intellect points): You know just what to say to draw a little extra effort from an ally. This grants one creature you choose within short range an additional, immediate action, which it can take out of turn. The creature uses the additional action however it wishes. Action. (200)

• Wreck: Using two hands, you wield a weapon or a tool with a powerful swing. (If fighting unarmed, this attack is made with both fists or both feet together.) When using this as an attack, you take a −1 penalty to the attack roll, and you inflict 3 additional points of damage. When attempting to damage an object or barrier, you are trained in the task. Action. (200)

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Chapter 8 Gritty Rules Modules

These rules streamline character creation, and assume the GM is familiar with the skills section in Chapter 4: Creating Your Character, as well as the special abilities in Chapter 9: Abilities. Most of these rules rely on dice to reveal a character in character creation, and develop them through advancement, similar to tabletop role-playing games like MÖRK BORG or Troika!, by defining satisfying parameters defined by the genre and setting.

Gritty PCs

Gritty Skills

Gritty Skills Example: DangerOps

In this example, the GM wants is creating a game that centers the exploits of a gritty team of disposable 80's action movie heroes called DangerOps. The game with have high lethality, so making new characters needs to be quick. To keep it simple, the GM limits the skill list to ten broadly useful skills for completing team missions, and decides each player will roll 3d10 on the DangerOps skill table for their PC.

Gritty Skills Example: Scalawags & Skullduggery

In this example, the GM is preparing a gritty swashbuckling fantasy game setting called Scalawags & Skullduggery. The GM decides PCs in this setting begin as humble sailors with just two skills, determined by randomly rolling a d20 table on a skills table. To populate the table, the GM chooses a mix of skills that are familiar to the players, adding a few nautical skills and something the players can never seem to get enough of—befriending exotic beasts and obtaining pets. The GM names each skill with some pirate flair, but is careful to define what each skill means until the players catch on to the lingo.

The GM also decides that while learning new languages is best put off for character advancement, but every PC is able to speak at least one other language in addition to the arkant—a common tongue spoken across the endless archipelago. The GM also decides PCs should roll a d100 on a languages table, so that some languages are more commonly spoken than others.

Gritty Skills Example: London 2166

In this example, a GM is preparing a game set in London in the year 2166. The GM decides that PCs begin the game in a way that reflecting the setting's many inequities, with 1d6 + 1 random skills determined by rolling a from d6.d6 table of skill groups. The GM also includes a set of "elite skills", and decides players who are not trained in these skills have an inability with them.

Gritty Abilities

Gritty Abilities Example: DangerOps

After reviewing the DangerOps skills, the GM creates two tables. The "Danger" table includes abilities that will lead each agent to develop their own combat style. Next, the GM creates the "Operations" table, which features non-combat abilities that help the agents plan and support their missions. The GM decides to allow players to choose either table whenever they roll for a new ability, allowing them to direct the advancement of the PC. The GM populates each table with low-tier abilities that work well in a modern setting, with a few mid and high-tier abilities toward the end of each table's results.

Gritty Abilities Example: Scalawags & Skullduggery

After reviewing the Scalawags & Skullduggery skills, the GM decides to create a single d100 table that favors swashbuckling combat, with cyphers intended to create and manage most of the game's magic, and the driving the remainder of gameplay. The table also provides significant chance of obtaining pets and companions as the game goes on.

Gritty Abilities Example: London 2166

After reviewing the London 2166 skills, the GM decides to create similar tables of abilities to roll from. The GM decides to allow players to choose which table they want to roll their abilities from. The GM is careful to add a variety of combat skills, melee and ranged attacks, stealth, cybernetic implants, netrunning, and social abilities to help drive the gameplay.

Gritty Advancement

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