GURPS Basic Set: Characters, 4th Edition

Navigation (Hyperspace) skill, you
may substitute it for IQ. -50% if your
effective speed is the speed of light
(every 186,000 miles traveled takes
one second); -25% if you can travel
one light-year (-17 to IQ) per day.
Naked: You can carry nothing
when you teleport! You always arrive
naked. -30%.
Psionic Teleportation: Your ability
is part of the Teleportation psi power
(see p. 257). -10%.
Range Limit: You cannot teleport
more than a certain distance per hop.
Choose a range and find its distance
penalty above. The limitation is worth
-5% ¥ (10 + penalty); e.g., 10 yards (-0)
would be -50%, while 100 miles (-6)
would be -20%. A range limit of
more than 100,000 miles is not a
meaningful limitation.

Wealth
see p. 25 weapon skill at DX+1. Add +2 per die incur any default penalties, but situa-
tional and equipment modifiers apply
if you know that skill at DX+2 or bet-
Above-average Wealth is an advan- ter. You also have half the usual penal- normally, as do any modifiers for
tage, and should be noted on your ty to make a Rapid Strike (see Melee advantages or disadvantages. Tech
character sheet. Attack Options, p. 369), or to parry level is irrelevant: a TL3 monk could
Weapon Master 2 more than once per turn (see Parrying, make an IQ roll to use Computer
p. 376). None of these benefits apply
Programming/TL12!
Variable to default use. Wild Talent does apply to skills that
You have a high degree of training You are familiar with – if not profi- normally have no default, provided
or unnerving talent with a particular cient in – every weapon within your you meet any advantage require-
class of muscle-powered weapons class. This gives you an improved ments. For instance, you could cast
(swords, bows, etc. – not guns). default: DX/Easy weapon skills default unknown magic spells provided you
Available classes are: to DX-1, DX/Average ones to DX-2, had Magery, or use unknown cine-
and DX/Hard ones to DX-3. Note that matic martial-arts skills provided you
All muscle-powered weapons. 45
points. these skills are no easier to learn, and have Trained By A Master.
may not be “bought up” from the
Wild Talent has no effect on skills
A large class of weapons. improved defaults in order to save you already know.
Examples: all bladed weapons, all one- points.
handed weapons. 40 points. Finally, you may learn any cine- Special Enhancements
A medium class of weapons. matic skill that names this advantage Retention: You can learn the skills
Examples: all swords, all ninja as a prerequisite (see Chapter 4) – e.g., you use! To do so, you must have one
weapons. 35 points. Blind Fighting and Power Blow – if unspent character point available
A small class of weapons. you could reasonably use that skill when you attempt the skill roll. On a
Examples: fencing weapons (main- with your weapons of choice. The GM success, you may buy the skill at the
gauche, rapier, saber, and smallsword), is the final arbiter in all cases. one-point level. You cannot improve a
knightly weapons (broadsword, This trait is best suited to a “cine- skill learned this way for one month,
mace, shield, and lance). 30 points. matic” swashbuckling game. The GM during which time you use it at -2. On
Two weapons normally used may wish to forbid it in a realistic a critical success, you can start
together. Examples: broadsword and campaign. improving the skill immediately, and
shield, rapier and main-gauche. 25 there is no -2. On a failure, you cannot
points. Wild Talent 25 learn the skill; on a critical failure, you
One specific weapon. 20 points. also lose your unspent character
20 points/level point! Regardless of success, if you
In all cases, if a weapon can be You can simply do things without lack any of the skill’s prerequisites,
thrown, the benefits of this advantage knowing how. Once per game session your skill is at -4 until you acquire
also apply when throwing that per level of this advantage, you may them, and you cannot improve the
weapon. attempt a roll against any skill, using skill in the interim. This enhancement
When using a suitable weapon, add your score in the appropriate does not let you learn skills from a TL
+1 per die to basic thrust or swing attribute: IQ for IQ-based skills, DX higher than your own. +25%.
damage if you know the relevant for DX-based skills, etc. You do not


ADVANTAGES 99

Special Limitations Focused: You can only use (and if contain no evidence of your existence.
Emergencies Only: Your Wild you have Retention, learn) one specif- You must provide a reason for this;
Talent only works in life-threatening ic class of skills. Options include e.g., your parents hid you away at
situations, such as mortal combat. To Mental (mundane skills based on IQ, birth, you are legally dead, or you
use it, you must ask for a particular Perception, or Will), Physical (mun- somehow managed to destroy all the
result related to your predicament. dane skills based on ST, DX, or HT), records (explain how!).
Your request must be specific (e.g., Magical (spells), and Chi (cinematic To maintain this status, you must
“Get him away from me.”), but you martial-arts skill). -20%. deal strictly in cash or commodities.
cannot specify a skill (e.g., “Use Judo” Credit and bank accounts must be
or “Cast the Command spell”). The Xeno-Adaptability blind (keyed to pass-code, not a per-
GM will then choose a skill that could see Cultural Adaptability, p. 46 son – the “Swiss bank account”) or set
bring about the desired result. He is up through a Temporary Identity (see
not limited to mundane skills; he may Zeroed 4 p. 31).
choose a spell if you have Magery, a 10 points If the authorities investigate you,
cinematic martial-arts skill if you have they will initially assume that there
Trained By A Master, and so forth. You do not officially exist. Even the has been an error. They will become
Once the GM has chosen, roll against highest authorities in the land know increasingly concerned as no informa-
the governing attribute, as usual. If the nothing about you. In a fantasy set- tion can be found about your life.
GM feels you already have skills equal ting, you are a “mysterious wanderer”; Eventually, they will attempt to appre-
to the task, he will advise you on magical divination cannot discover hend you. If they can’t find you, then
which skill to use. This still counts as conclusive details about your past or they’re likely to give up. But if they
one of your uses of Wild true identity. In a high-tech world, you catch you, you are in for a thorough
Talent! -30%. don’t appear in the public interrogation, possibly involving tor-
records – and if computer ture, mind probes, or worse. After all,
databases exist, they
a nonperson has no rights . . . and it
will be very difficult for your allies to
prove that you are being held, as you
don’t officially exist!

PERKS
A “perk” is a very minor advantage,
worth only 1 point. Perks cannot be
modified with enhancements or limi-
tations, and they can be added in play
without upsetting game balance.
Otherwise, perks use the same rules as
other advantages.
The GM is encouraged to create
new perks. No perk should provide
wealth, social standing, or combat
bonuses. A perk can provide a modest
bonus (up to +2) to an attribute, skill,
or reaction roll in relatively rare cir-
cumstances. The GM may allow more
generous bonuses, if they apply only
in extremely rare situations.
Accessory 31
Your body incorporates a tool or
other useful gadget (e.g., a siren or a
vacuum cleaner) that provides minor,
noncombat benefits not otherwise
covered by a specific advantage.
Alcohol Tolerance 3
Your body metabolizes alcohol
with remarkable efficiency. You can
drink steadily for an indefinite period
with no major detrimental effects.
Binging affects you as it would anyone
else. You get +2 on all HT rolls related
to drinking.


100 ADVANTAGES

Autotrance 2 Honest Face 3 their Hearing roll. At the GM’s option,
You can enter a trance at will. This You simply look honest, reliable, or you get +1 to Intimidation rolls if you
requires one minute of complete con- generally harmless. This has nothing surprise someone by yelling or roaring.
centration and a successful Will roll, to do with your reputation among Sanitized Metabolism 31
at -1 per additional attempt per hour. those who know you, or how virtuous You are totally clean. Your body
This trance gives +2 on rolls to contact you really are! People who don’t know produces minimal, sanitized waste
spirits, etc. You must make a Will roll you will tend to pick you as the one to products, and you never suffer from
to break your trance. If you fail, you confide in, or not to pick you if they bad breath, excessive perspiration, or
can try again every five minutes. are looking for a potential criminal or unsightly skin problems. This gives -1
Deep Sleeper 3 troublemaker. You won’t be spot- to attempts to track you by scent and
You can fall asleep in all but the checked by customs agents and the +1 to reaction rolls in close confines
worst conditions, and can sleep like unless they have another reason to (cramped spaceships, submarines,
through most disturbances. You never suspect you, or unless they are truly elevators, etc.).
suffer any ill effects due to the quality choosing at random. You have a +1 to Shtick 2/3
of your sleep. You get an IQ roll to trained Acting skill for the sole pur- You have a cool move or slick fea-
notice disturbances and awaken, just pose of “acting innocent.” ture that sets you apart from the mass-
like anyone else; success is automatic No Hangover 3 es. This provides no combat or reac-
if you have Combat Reflexes. No matter how much you drink, tion bonuses, and you can’t use it to
Fur 31 you will never get a hangover. This earn money, but it might occasionally
You have fur. This prevents sun- does not mitigate the effects of intoxi- give you some minor benefit in play
burn. Thicker fur might justify 1-3 lev- cation – it just eliminates the unpleas- (GM’s discretion). Example: your
els each of Damage Resistance (p. 46) ant aftereffects. clothing is always spotless, even after
and Temperature Tolerance (p. 93), Penetrating Voice 3 combat or swimming the Nile; you
while spiky “fur” might grant Spines You can really make yourself can run, climb, fight, etc. while wear-
(p. 88). You must buy these other heard! In situations where you want to ing high heels without suffering any
traits separately. be heard over noise, others get +3 to special penalty for bad footing.

MODIFIERS


A modifier is a feature that you can Modifiers adjust the base cost of a You can apply any number of mod-
add to a trait – usually an advantage – trait in proportion to their effects. ifiers to a trait. Total them to find the
to change the way it works. There are Enhancements increase the cost, net modifier, and then apply this mod-
two basic types of modifiers: enhance- while limitations reduce the cost. ifier to the base cost of the trait.
ments and limitations. Adding an This is expressed as a percentage. Round the resulting cost up to the
enhancement makes the underlying For instance, a +20% enhancement next-highest whole number. For
trait more useful, while applying a would increase the point cost of an example, a +10% enhancement, a
limitation attaches additional restric- advantage by 1/5 its base cost, while +40% enhancement, a -30% limita-
tions to your ability. a -50% limitation would reduce it by tion, and a -45% limitation would give
half its base cost. a net modifier of -25%. This would
reduce the cost of a 10-point advan-
tage to 7.5 points, which would round
up to 8 points.
Special Modifiers Modifiers can never reduce cost by
Many advantages, and some disadvantages, offer “special enhance- more than 80%. Treat a net modifier
ments” and “special limitations.” These modifiers are generally applicable of -80% or worse as -80%. Thus, no
only to the specific trait(s) with which they are described. However, the matter how many limitations you
GM may choose to extend the special modifiers of one particular trait to take, you cannot lower the cost of a
other, very similar traits. trait to less than 1/5 its base cost.
The GM has the final say as to
Range, Area, and Duration for Advantages which traits you can modify, and in
When applying modifiers, you occasionally need to know the range, what ways. Some combinations make
area of effect, or duration of an advantage for which one or more of these no sense (imagine Unaging with the
quantities is not specified – for instance, when applying an enhancement Limited Use limitation!), others have
that gives a range to an ability that normally has none. Assume that range potential for abuse, and still others
is 100 yards, area is a circle 2 yards in radius (and 12’ high, should volume might not suit the campaign.
matter), and duration is 10 seconds, unless the advantage specifies other- Percentile modifiers can also result in
wise. Exceptions will be noted. a lot of extra math. GMs who prefer to
keep things simple may wish to pro-
hibit modifiers altogether.


ADVANTAGES 101

For many more enhancements and Note to GMs: This enhancement is Armor Divisor 6
limitations, see GURPS Powers. very powerful. It lets insubstantial Variable
characters affect the material world Your attack can pierce more armor
ENHANCEMENTS with little fear of retribution. Feel free than its base damage would indicate.
to disallow it, restrict it to NPCs, or to
You can apply enhancements to make sure that lots of foes have the Armor Divisor Modifier
advantages, and more rarely to basic Affects Insubstantial enhancement! (2) +50%
attributes and secondary characteris- (3) +100%
tics. The GM might even permit spe- Area Effect 6 (5) +150%
cific enhancements on certain skills, +50%/level (10) +200%
but this is difficult to justify unless Your ability works as an area
the skill functions much as an advan- power instead of affecting a single tar- Only Innate Attacks and Afflictions
tage (which is sometimes true of get. Everything in the area suffers the can have this enhancement. Armor
racially innate skills possessed by attack’s damage or other effects. On a Divisor is a “penetration modifier”;
nonhumans). you cannot combine it with other pen-
miss, use the scatter rules (p. 414) to etration modifiers, such as Contact
Accurate 6 see where the area is centered. Active Agent (p. 103) and Follow-Up (p. 105).
defenses don’t protect against an area
+5%/level attack, but victims may attempt to dive Aura 6
Your attack is unusually accurate. for cover or dodge and retreat to leave
Each +1 to Accuracy is a +5% the area. For more information, see +80%
enhancement. Area and Spreading Attacks (p. 413). Your attack takes the form of a
malefic aura that affects anyone you
Affects Insubstantial Radius Modifier touch (reach C) or who touches you. If
+50%
+20% 2 yards +100% a weapon strikes you, your aura
4 yards
Your ability affects insubstantial 8 yards +150% affects the weapon. You can switch
targets in addition to normal, 16 yards +200% the aura on or off at the start of your
substantial things. turn (if not, take Always On, p. 110).
You must take Aura in conjunction
with Melee Attack (p. 112) at the -30%
level (reach C), and you cannot claim
the extra -5% for “cannot parry” – an
aura cannot parry in the first place.
Attack Enhancements and Limitations The classic example of an Aura is
Some enhancements and limitations are intended only for Affliction, the sheath of flame surrounding a fire
Binding, and Innate Attack, and for advantages modified with the Ranged elemental. See Body of Fire (p. 262) for
enhancement (p. 107). They are called “attack” modifiers. Certain of these how to write this up.
have additional restrictions; e.g., Armor Divisor applies only to Affliction
and Innate Attack. Attack enhancements and limitations are marked 6. Based on (Different
Attribute) 6
+20%
Turning Enhancements Off and On This enhancement is only available
When you use an enhanced trait, you must use all of its enhancements for abilities that allow a resistance roll
unless a particular enhancement – or the underlying ability itself – explic- against ST, DX, IQ, HT, Perception, or
itly allows you to turn an enhancement “off.” (The extended capabilities Will. It moves the resistance roll from
that many enhancements provide might have no effect in certain situa- the usual attribute or characteristic to
tions, but they are still on.) To be able to pick which enhancements are a different one, specified when you
“on” at any given moment, take the Selectivity enhancement (p. 108). buy the ability. This is considered an
enhancement because it lets you fine-
tune your ability to be more
effective against targets with known
weaknesses.
Affects Substantial Further levels continue to double
+40% the radius. If applied to an advantage Blood Agent 6
Your ability affects substantial tar- that already covers an area, each level +100%
doubles the base radius.
gets even when you are insubstantial. Area Effect is a prerequisite for On an attack with Area Effect or
It also affects insubstantial creatures Mobile (p. 107), Persistent (p. 107), Cone, this is an enhancement. See the
normally. (Do not add this enhance- Selective Area (p. 108), Bombardment Blood Agent limitation (p. 110) for
ment to magical or psi abilities; these (p. 111), and Emanation (p. 112). details.
can already affect the substantial
world at -3.)



102 ADVANTAGES

Cone 6
Variable
Your attack spreads to affect every-
one in a cone-shaped area. Cones use
special rules; see Area and Spreading
Attacks (p. 413). Decide on the maxi-
mum width of the cone, in yards, at
the attack’s maximum range. Cone
costs +50% plus +10% per yard of
maximum width.
You cannot combine Cone with
Area Effect, Aura, Jet, Melee Attack,
Rapid Fire, or Emanation.
Contact Agent 6
+150%
On an attack with Area Effect or
Cone, this is an enhancement. See the
Contact Agent limitation (p. 111) for
more information.

Cosmic
Variable
Your ability operates on a “higher
level” than is usual in your game
world. This allows it to work under all
circumstances, and possibly even
ignore opposing powers! The value of
the enhancement depends on the
underlying trait:
Ability other than an attack or a
defense. Your ability is not subject to
the usual built-in restrictions. For
instance, your Healing might cure oth-
erwise “incurable” diseases, your
Insubstantiality might allow you to
penetrate barriers that would block
other insubstantial beings, or your
Shapeshifting might be immune to
negation by external forces. +50%.
Defense or countermeasure. Your
defensive trait provides its usual bene-
fits against offensive abilities modified
with the Cosmic enhancement. +50%.
Attack with a lingering special effect. Mind Control that ignores Mind poison, etc. (For attacks that linger in
Your attack has an enduring effect Shield. The target may still attempt an the environment, see Persistent,
that only another Cosmic power can active defense against the attack, if p. 107.)
counteract; e.g., a burning Innate applicable. You cannot combine this A Cyclic attack damages its target
Attack that sets fires that water cannot enhancement with other “penetration normally – but once the target has
extinguish, or a toxic Innate Attack modifiers,” such as Follow-Up been exposed, the attack damages him
that inflicts Cyclic (below) damage (p. 105). +300%. again each time a set interval passes!
that medical technology cannot halt. All penetration modifiers (e.g.,
This does not negate the target’s pro- Cyclic 6 Contact or Follow-Up) continue to
tection! DR still affects Innate Attack, Variable apply; for instance, a Cyclic attack
a HT roll is still allowed for a with Follow-Up continues to ignore
Resistible (p. 115) attack, etc. +100%. This enhancement is only available DR. Worst of all, the victim cannot
Irresistible attack. Your attack does for Innate Attacks that inflict burning, recover HP or FP lost to a Cyclic
negate the target’s protection; e.g., an corrosion, fatigue, or toxic damage. It attack until the attack stops damaging
Innate Attack that ignores DR, or represents an attack that persists on him!
the victim: acid, disease, liquid fire,


ADVANTAGES 103

You must specify a reasonably or piercing damage. Burning and cor- Fragmentation (frag)
common set of circumstances that rosion attacks enhanced this way +15% per die
halt any further damage from your inflict 1 HP of blunt trauma injury per The attack scatters damaging frag-
attack. For instance, to halt cyclic cor- 10 points of basic damage resisted by ments on impact. Decide on the dice
rosion or burning damage, the victim flexible armor. Cutting, impaling, and of fragmentation damage and note
might have to wash the acid off or roll piercing attacks with this enhance- this in brackets after the attack’s basic
on the ground to extinguish the ment inflict the same blunt trauma as damage. Everyone within 5 yards per
flames, taking one or more seconds a crushing attack: 1 HP of blunt trau- die of fragmentation damage is
and a DX or IQ roll. Fatigue or toxic ma injury per 5 points of basic damage attacked with effective skill 15, modi-
damage might require drugs or med- resisted by flexible armor. fied by range penalties from the point
ical care (use Physician skill). Details of impact; see Fragmentation Damage
are up to the GM. (p. 414).
The base value of Cyclic depends
on the damage interval.
Interval Modifier
1 second +100%
10 seconds +50%
1 minute +40% When you use an enhanced trait, you must
1 hour +20% use all of its enhancements unless a particular
1 day +10%
enhancement – or the underlying ability itself –
Burning or corrosion attacks
shouldn’t have intervals longer than explicitly allows you to turn an enhancement
10 seconds. At the GM’s option, some- “off.”
one taking damage at one-second
intervals might have to make a Fright
Check!
Multiply the base value by the
number of cycles after the first. The
GM should consider limiting large Fragments inflict cutting damage.
numbers of cycles to attacks that do Double Knockback (dkb) If you add Fragmentation to a burning
less than 1d damage. +20% attack or one with the Incendiary
Cyclic attacks are often Resistible enhancement (below), the fragments
(p. 115); if so, an extra resistance roll This lets a crushing or cutting are Incendiary at no extra cost. If you
is allowed for each cycle, with a suc- attack inflict twice as much knock- apply it to an attack with Follow-Up
cess preventing any further damage. If back as usual; see Knockback (p. 378). (p. 105), penetration indicates the
the attack is Resistible, halve the value Explosion (exp) fragments automatically hit the victim
of Cyclic. +50%/level but no one else. Fragmentation often
Some Cyclic attacks are conta- The attack produces an explosion accompanies Explosion (above), but
gious. While affected, the victim can at the point of impact (on a miss, this is not required.
inadvertently infect others, per Illness check for scatter; see p. 414). The tar- Fragmentation costs +15% per die
(p. 442). This increases the final cost get takes damage normally; anything of fragmentation damage. A damage
of the enhancement, after all other nearby receives “collateral damage” of [2d] or [3d] is typical of a grenade-
factors: +20% for a “mildly conta- equal to basic damage divided (3 ¥ the sized blast. Maximum fragmentation
gious” attack or +50% for a “highly distance in yards from the blast). If the damage is [12d] or the attack’s basic
contagious” one. attack also has an Armor Divisor damage, whichever is less.
These factors are cumulative. For (p. 102), it does not apply to this col-
instance, a resistible disease with 31 lateral damage. Hot Fragments: The fragments
daily cycles would cost +10% ¥ 30 ¥ You can take up to two additional inflict burning damage with the mod-
1/2 = +150%. If it were highly levels of Explosion if you desire a blast ifiers Cyclic (Six 10-second cycles) and
contagious, it would cost +200%. that isn’t as affected by distance. The Armor Divisor (0.2) instead of cutting
second level divides basic damage by damage. Cost is unchanged.
Damage Modifiers 6 twice the distance in yards and is Hazard
Variable +100%; the third level divides damage Variable
You may give an Innate Attack one by the distance in yards and is +150%. You may give an Innate Attack that
or more of these modifiers to further Explosion is usually limited to inflicts fatigue damage one of these
qualify the way it does damage. crushing and burning attacks, but the enhancements: Dehydration, +20%;
GM may permit other combinations.
Double Blunt Trauma (dbt) For more on explosions, see Drowning, +0%; Freezing, +20%;
+20% Explosions (p. 414). Missed Sleep, +50%; Starvation,
Available for Innate Attacks that do +40%; or Suffocation, +0%. Treat FP
burning, corrosion, cutting, impaling,

104 ADVANTAGES

lost to the attack identically to FP lost You must select the delay before you sleep it induces or the length of time
to the relevant hazard for all purposes, roll to hit. the cloud persists; to do both, buy this
notably recovery (see Chapter 14). enhancement twice.
Traits that protect the target from Triggered Delay: Instead of a time
the hazard in question also shield him delay, the effects are triggered by a Follow-Up 6
from this damage. For instance, a simple action: a radio signal, touch, Variable
Starvation attack would inflict FP that pressure, a metal object passing with- Your attack’s effects are delivered
could only be recovered by eating a in a yard, etc. Specify the trigger when by a “carrier.” Use this to represent
meal, but someone with Doesn’t Eat you buy the attack. +50%. poison on a dart, an explosive in an
or Drink would be immune.
Drifting 6 armor-piercing shell, etc. Pick a differ-
Incendiary (inc) +20% ent attack as the carrier. This can be
+10% You may add this enhancement to either body weaponry (e.g., Claws or
An Innate Attack other than a burn- any attack with Delay (above) or Teeth) or an Innate Attack (usually
ing attack may be Incendiary. This Persistent (p. 107). The initial attack one that does cutting, impaling, or
gives the damage a secondary flame roll places the effect. It then drifts from piercing damage).
effect that can ignite volatile material that point with the wind, water cur- A Follow-Up attack need only list
(fuel, dry tinder, etc.). rents, solar wind, etc., as appropriate. its damage amount and type. All other
details depend on the carrier attack.
Radiation (rad) Use this for poison gas, ball lightning, The Follow-Up attack only hits if the
+25% or +100% floating mines, and so forth. carrier attack hits. If the carrier attack
The attack irradiates the subject. Extended Duration penetrates the target’s DR, DR has no
Roll damage normally, but whether or effect on the Follow-Up attack’s dam-
not the attack penetrates DR, it inflicts Variable age or HT rolls.
1 rad per point of basic damage rolled. This enhancement increases the If the carrier attack is a natural
See Radiation (p. 435) for effects. For normal duration of your ability. weapon, such as Claws or Teeth,
a toxic attack, this dosage is instead of “Multiple” applies to the original dura- Follow-Up is a +0% enhancement.
regular damage, and the enhancement tion (or changes it to permanent). (Exception: On a passive carrier attack
is worth +25%; this is typical of “ordi- Multiple Modifier such as Spines, Follow-Up is a -50%
nary” radioactivity. For a burning 3¥ duration +20% limitation.)
attack, the radiation dose is as well as 10¥ duration +40% If the carrier attack is an Innate
regular damage, and the enhancement 30¥ duration +60% Attack, the cost of Follow-Up depends
is +100%; use this for particle beams. 100¥ duration +80% on the modifiers on the carrier attack.
Other damage types cannot have this 300¥ duration +100% The cost of Follow-Up equals the sum
enhancement. 1,000¥ duration +120% of the costs of whichever of the fol-
Surge (sur) Permanent* +150% lowing modifiers apply to the carrier
attack: Always On, Aura, Cone,
+20% * You must specify a reasonable Drifting, Emanation, Emergencies
Electronics, including characters set of conditions that will dispel the Only, Extra Recoil, Guided, Homing,
with the Electrical disadvantage effect (or cure it, for abilities such as Increased Range, Jet, Limited Use,
(p. 134), that take over 1/3 HP from Affliction and Mind Control). The Malediction, Melee Attack, Prepara -
this attack must roll vs. HT. Failure GM is the judge of what is “reason- tion Required, Rapid Fire, Reduced
means being disabled for seconds able.” If there is no way to end the Range, Takes Extra Time, Takes
equal to margin of failure; critical fail- effect, the enhancement is +300%. Recharge, Unconscious Only,
ure, until repaired. To keep PCs from granting each Uncontrollable, or Unreliable. If none
other free advantages, the GM may of these modifiers apply to the carrier
Delay 6 wish to forbid this level of Extended attack, Follow-Up costs +0%. Note
Variable Duration on Afflictions with the that the Follow-Up attack itself can-
This enhancement delays the Advantage modifier. not take any of these modifiers. Only
attack’s effects until sometime after To add Extended Duration to an its carrier attack may have them.
you hit the target. This lets you simu- attack, the attack must either have Follow-Up is a “penetration modi-
late time bombs and the like. You Aura, Persistent, or Wall, or specifical- fier”; you cannot combine it with
must specify some way to neutralize ly allow this enhancement. You can other penetration modifiers (although
the effect before it occurs. Work out also add Extended Duration to any the carrier attack can have them).
this detail with the GM. advantage that has the Ranged
A fixed delay (e.g., 2 seconds) is enhancement (p. 107). Guided or Homing 6
+0%. If the modified trait has multiple Variable
A variable delay is +10% if you can facets with separate durations, you You can guide your attack – or per-
set it for any time from “no delay” to must specify which duration you are haps it “homes in” by itself! Use this
10 seconds, or +20% if you can set it extending. For instance, a cloud of enhancement to create guided mis-
for longer (minutes, hours, days . . .).
sleeping gas could have this enhance- siles and supernatural effects such as
ment to extend the duration of the magical javelins that seek your foes.


ADVANTAGES 105

Guided: You steer your attack to If applied to a ranged attack, each Low Signature: The attack is no
the target using your own skill. This level increases 1/2D and Max. You more easily identifiable as an attack
lets you ignore all range penalties to may increase 1/2D or Max individual- than the loud pop of a champagne
hit! If the target is so distant that your ly at half cost (that is, “Increased 1/2D” cork; e.g., a suppressed pistol shot.
attack needs multiple turns to reach it and “Increased Max” are +5%/level). +10%.
(see below), you must take a However, you cannot increase 1/2D No Signature: The attack is almost
Concentrate maneuver each turn. If past Max. At most, you can make 1/2D completely unnoticeable; e.g., a blow-
you lose sight of the target while the equal to Max – this means the attack gun’s dart. Alternatively, it is utterly
attack is en route, your attack auto- has no 1/2D range. For attacks that undetectable by normal means, but
matically misses. +50%. already have no 1/2D range, you can leaves a magical or psionic trace.
Homing: Your attack steers itself. increase Max for +5%/level. +20%.
Decide how it seeks its target: with
ordinary vision or a sensory advantage Jet 6 Malediction 6
such as Detect (p. 48), Infravision +0% Variable
(p. 60), Night Vision (p. 71), Scanning Your attack is a continuous Your attack is not a conventional
Sense (p. 81), or Vibration Sense stream, like a flamethrower. Treat it as ranged attack; it works more like a
(p. 96). The attack uses this sense for a melee weapon with a very long reach Regular spell (p. 239). It lacks Malf.,
the purpose of combat modifiers; e.g., rather than as a ranged weapon. Do 1/2D, Max, Acc, RoF, Shots, and
radar ignores darkness but can be not apply penalties for target range Recoil statistics, and cannot have any
jammed. To “lock on,” you must Aim and speed. enhancement or limitation that modi-
at the target and make an unmodified An attack with Jet has no Acc, and fies those statistics. Most important,
skill roll. Do not roll against your skill has 1/2D 5 and Max 10 instead of its the target’s DR has no effect on the
to hit. Instead, use the attack’s skill of usual range. Increased Range increas- attack’s damage, resistance roll, or
10 – plus Accuracy, if you made your es range by 100% per level instead of other effects!
skill roll – and ignore all range penal- its usual effects. Malediction requires a Concentrate
ties. Homing costs a base +50%, plus Jet is incompatible with Area maneuver rather than an Attack
1% per point the chosen homing Effect, Aura, Cone, Follow-Up, Melee maneuver to use. It can target any vic-
mechanism would cost if bought as an Attack, and Rapid Fire. tim you can see or otherwise clearly
advantage (without any modifiers); perceive. To determine if the attack
e.g., Infravision costs 10 points, mak- Link succeeds, roll against your Will, apply-
ing Homing (Infravision) +60%. +10% or +20% ing the range penalties detailed below.
Ordinary vision uses the base +50%. Your foe may choose to resist; if so,
You can use two or more advan-
If a Guided or Homing attack has a tages simultaneously, as if they were a resolve the attack as a Quick Contest
1/2D statistic, read this as the attack’s single ability. For +10%, your abilities of Will. You must win to affect the vic-
speed in yards/second. The attack can are permanently linked into a single tim.
hit a target at up to its 1/2D range on power, and must be used together – When enhancing an Affliction, the
the turn you launch it. It requires mul- you cannot use them separately. For Quick Contest above replaces the usual
tiple turns to reach more distant tar- +20%, you can also use them sepa- resistance roll. You roll against Will,
gets. Do not halve damage, but defer rately. You must add this enhance- but your target rolls against HT – or
the attack roll until the attack reaches ment to all the abilities you wish to other attribute, if the attack has Based
its target. link. on (Different Attribute) – modified as
For more information, see Guided If you link two attacks into one and usual for the Affliction. For instance,
and Homing Weapons (p. 412). give them identical Malf., 1/2D, Max, an Affliction that allows a HT-1 roll to
Acc, RoF, Shots, and Recoil, you can resist would result in a Quick Contest
Increased Range treat them as a single attack with one of your Will vs. the target’s HT-1.
+10%/level attack roll but separate rolls for dam- The value of Malediction depends
You may add this enhancement to age. This is not the same as the on the range modifiers it uses. If it
takes -1 per yard of range, like a
any advantage that has a range; e.g., Follow-Up enhancement (p. 105)! Regular spell, it costs +100%. If it uses
Innate Attack or Scanning Sense. the range penalties on the Size and
Each level increases range as follows: Low or No Signature 6 Speed/Range Table (p. 550), it costs
+10% or +20%
Range Multiple Modifier +150%. And if it uses the penalties
2¥ +10% An attack normally has a “signa- given under Long-Distance Modifiers
5¥ +20% ture”: a flash of light, a sound, etc. If (p. 241), it costs +200%.
10¥ +30% left unspecified, this is assumed to be Malediction is a “penetration mod-
20¥ +40% similar to a gunshot or a stroke of ifier”; you cannot combine it with
50¥ +50% lightning – that is, a brilliant flash and other penetration modifiers, nor with
100¥ +60% a loud report. This enhancement modifiers that apply only to
makes your attack less obvious.
conventional ranged attacks.
Further levels follow the same “2-5-
10” progression.


106 ADVANTAGES

Mobile 6 Overhead 6 Ranged
+40%/level +30% +40%
You may only add this enhance- Your attack can alter its angle to This enhancement gives range to
ment to an attack that has both Area strike from a different side of the tar- an advantage that normally affects
Effect (p. 102) and Persistent (below). get – usually the top. This bypasses your immediate area, or that requires
The area of effect moves under your any cover that does not provide over- a touch to affect others. By default, it
control. Move equals the level of the head protection, and negates attack has 1/2D 10, Max 100, Acc 3, RoF 1,
enhancement (Move 1 at +40%, Move penalties to hit crouching, kneeling, Shots N/A, and Recoil 1. Duration is
2 at +80%, and so on), and cannot sitting, or prone targets. (If you are 10 seconds, unless the ability lists
exceed the attack’s Max range. already above or below your target, another duration (like Neutralize or
To move the area of effect, you adjust this appropriately.) Use this to Possession) or is instantaneous (like
must take a Concentrate maneuver. represent a rain of fire, a missile that Healing), and you cannot use the abil-
To make the mobile area autonomous, swoops up and then dives down at the ity again until all existing effects have
add Homing (which causes it to attack last moment, an airburst grenade, etc. worn off. You can apply other modi-
the nearest valid target) and possibly fiers to change the ranged combat sta-
Selective Area (so it only seeks out Persistent 6 tistics and duration.
enemies). Buy these enhancements +40% This enhancement is normally
twice if they’re intended to apply to You may only add this enhance- restricted to Healing, Mana Damper,
both the initial attack roll and the ment to an Area Effect (p. 102) attack. Mana Enhancer, Neutralize, Posses -
autonomous area. This causes the area of effect to remain sion, and Psi Static. The GM is free to
Mobile is mutually exclusive with in place for 10 seconds, continuing to allow it on other traits, but it should
Drifting (p. 105). damage (or attack and possibly dam- never modify body weaponry (such as
age, if taken with Bombardment, Strikers or Vampiric Bite) or abilities
p. 111) anyone entering or passing that already have a range.
through it. Use Extended Duration to
increase the duration.

ADVANTAGES 107

Rapid Fire 6 modifier “Usually On.” You can take it Attack that inflicts toxic or fatigue
any number of times. Each level cuts damage, and you must combine it
Variable
the cost to use the ability by 1 FP. If with one of Area Effect (p. 102), Cone
An Innate Attack’s base Rate of Fire you must “maintain” the ability by (p. 103), or Jet (p. 106). Persistent
(RoF) is 1. Consult the table below to spending FP on a regular basis, reduce (p. 107) is common but not required.
find the cost for a higher RoF:
this maintenance cost by a like Respiratory Agent is a “penetration
amount. modifier”; you cannot combine it with
RoF Cost other penetration modifiers, such as
2 +40% Reduced Time Follow-Up (p. 105).
3 +50% +20%/level
4-7 +70% Selective Area 6
8-15 +100% You may only add this enhance- +20%
16-30 +150% ment to abilities that require time to
31-70 +200% activate. You can take it any number You may add this enhancement to
71-150 +250% of times. Each level halves the time any Area Effect (p. 102) or Cone
151-300 +300% required to use the ability (round up). (p. 103) attack. It lets you choose
Once time is reduced to one second, a which targets within your area are
Two special options are available further level of Reduced Time makes actually affected.
for attacks with this enhancement: the ability instantaneous – using it is a
free action. Selectivity
Multiple Projectile: Each shot splits Note that you cannot add Reduced +10%
into multiple projectiles after you Time to attack powers, to traits that This enhancement lets you turn a
attack, like a shotgun blast or forked list any kind of special modifier that trait’s other enhancements off and on
lightning. Express this as a multiplier affects activation time, or to Magery at will. For instance, if you had an
following RoF; for instance, RoF 3¥4 (to reduce casting times). attack with Area Effect, you could
means each of three shots fired turn this enhancement off to affect
divides into four individual projectiles. Respiratory Agent 6 only one other person. You must spec-
Modifier cost is based on the RoF +50% ify which enhancements you wish to
times the multiplier; e.g., RoF 3¥4 Your attack must be inhaled to ignore before you activate the ability.
costs the same as RoF 12. have any effect, but it ignores all DR. The default assumption is that you are
Selective Fire: You may designate a Only Doesn’t Breathe and Filter Lungs always using all of your enhance-
RoF 5+ attack as Selective Fire, allow- protect completely – although a victim ments.
ing it to fire as if it had RoF 1-3. This who makes a Sense roll to notice the By allowing you to select which
costs an extra +10%.
attack in time may hold his breath enhancements you use, Selectivity
Reduced Fatigue Cost (see Holding Your Breath, p. 351). To permits you to have multiple versions
make your attack less noticeable, take of the same ability without having to
+20%/level Low Signature (p. 106). buy the ability multiple times. This
You may only take this enhance- You may only add this enhance- can be extremely useful when creating
ment for abilities that cost FP, and ment to an Affliction or to an Innate comic-book supers!
never in conjunction with the special
































108 ADVANTAGES

Sense-Based 6 Choose the side effects from the An Innate Attack can have multiple
effects described for Affliction (p. 35). Symptoms, representing different
Variable
Valid choices are stunning, Attribute effects that that occur at different
Your attack is channeled through Penalty, Disadvantage, and Incapaci - damage thresholds.
your victim’s senses, allowing it to tation. The cost of Side Effect is a
ignore DR! You must specify the base +50%, plus the cost of Underwater 6
sense(s) affected. Examples include the Affliction enhancements. For +20%
vision, hearing, smell, and exotic sens- instance, stunning would be +50%,
es such as Detect. This is worth while Disadvantage (Blindness) Attacks are assumed to be usable in
+150%, plus an extra +50% per sense would be +100%. air or in vacuum, but ineffective in liq-
after the first; e.g., Vision and You may specify more than one uid. This enhancement lets an attack
Hearing-Based would be +200%. side effect. If the victim gets a single work underwater at 1/10 range.
Your attack only affects someone resistance roll against all of them,
who is using the targeted sense. For treat them as a single Side Effect Variable 6
instance, a Vision-Based attack can- enhancement, totaling their cost. If +5%
not affect a blind subject or someone the victim must resist each effect indi- You can reduce the level of your
with his eyes closed, while a Smell- vidually, take a separate Side Effect attack. For example, if you have an
Based attack doesn’t work underwater enhancement for each effect. Innate Attack that normally does 3d
or on a target with a gas mask. Stunning wears off normally, damage, you could reduce it to 1d or
Advantages (such as Protected Sense, while other effects last (20 - HT) min- 2d damage. You must indicate this
p. 78) and equipment that protect the utes, minimum 1 minute. If before you make your attack roll.
sense in question either negate the Incapacitation is combined with
attack completely or, in the case of other effects, the other effects last for Wall 6
attacks that allow a roll to resist (such another (20 - HT) minutes after the +30% or +60%
as Afflic tions, Maledictions, and Incapacitation wears off. You may only add this enhance-
Resisti ble attacks), give a bonus to the ment to an attack that has both Area
resistance roll. Symptoms 6 Effect (p. 102) and Persistent (p. 107).
The most common Sense-Based Variable For +30%, you can set up your
attack is an Affliction that knocks out Area Effect as a wall filled with the
the sense it is based on; for instance, Symptoms are effects that occur if substance or effect of your ability.
Affliction (Blindness; Vision-Based) the cumulative damage (HP or FP This affects anyone or anything pass-
for a blinding flash. However, Sense- loss) inflicted by the enhanced Innate ing through it. You get a three-yard-
Based attacks can also be deadly, like Attack exceeds a fraction of the vic- long by one-yard-wide wall per yard of
a banshee’s wail or basilisk’s gaze. tim’s basic HP or FP. The victim does radius in your area.
Sense-Based is a “penetration not get a HT roll to resist Symptoms! For +60%, your wall works as
modifier”; you cannot combine it with The GM should consider limiting above, but you can form it into any
other penetration modifiers, such as Symptoms to attacks that inflict 1d shape you choose.
Follow-Up (p. 105). damage or less. You must define your wall as either
Choose Symptoms from the fol-
Exception: You can combine Sense- lowing effects described as enhance- permeable or rigid:
Based with Malediction (p. 106). In ments for Affliction (p. 35): Permeable: The wall is composed of
conjunction with Malediction, or Advantage, Attribute Penalty, Disad - liquid, gas, energy, or an amorphous
when added to an ability that already vantage, Irritant, and Negated Advan - solid (e.g., thorn bushes). It impedes
ignores DR (e.g., Mind Control or tage. If the threshold for the Symptom vision, and inflicts damage on anyone
Mind Reading), Sense-Based becomes is 2/3 the victim’s basic HP, use the who attempts to cross it, but an
a limitation. It is worth -20% if it works cost under Affliction. If the threshold intruder can traverse it provided he is
through one sense, -15% if two senses, is 1/2 basic HP, double this cost. If it’s not stunned, knocked out, killed, etc.
or -10% if three senses. If it works 1/3 basic HP, triple this cost. by its effects. Anything effective
through more than three senses, it is against the substance of the wall will
not a significant limitation. Example: Blindness is worth +50% disperse it; e.g., water or a fire extin-
as an Affliction, but as a Symptom
Side Effect 6 that occurs when the victim has lost guisher could extinguish a wall of fire.
Rigid: The wall is a material barrier.
Variable half his HP to an Innate Attack, it is a This is only possible for Innate Attacks
+100% enhancement.
You may only add this enhance- that deal crushing, cutting, impaling,
ment to an Innate Attack, and you Unlike Afflictions, Symptoms or piercing damage. Each yard of wall
cannot combine it with penetration abate only when the damage that has DR 3 and 1/2 HP per die of damage
modifiers other than Armor Divisor. caused them is healed. In the example (round up); e.g., a 6d attack produces a
If any damage penetrates the target’s above, the Blindness would only end wall with DR 18 and 3 HP. The wall
DR, he must make a HT roll, at -1 per when the victim’s HP healed past the does no damage itself, but the damage
2 HP of injury, or suffer a “side halfway point. type applies to the injury inflicted on
effect.” anyone crashing into it.



ADVANTAGES 109

most settings. “Not on redheads” is Always On
LIMITATIONS identical to “On everyone but red-
You can apply limitations to heads,” and is worth -10%. Variable
almost any trait (although as with The same yardstick applies to limi- You cannot switch your advantage
enhancements, skills are normally off- tations based on the situation. “Only off. You may only add this to an abili-
limits). When you apply a limitation to at day” or “Only at night” is worth ty that can normally be switched off
a disadvantage, you reduce its value as -20%. “Only in direct sunlight” is and that is inconvenient if you can’t
a disadvantage; e.g., a -10% limitation worth -30%. “Only in water” is worth turn it off. It is worth -10% if the
on a -25-point disadvantage would -30% on Earth – but more on a desert effects are social or cosmetic, -20% if
make it a -22.5-point trait, which planet and less on an ocean world. they are physically inconvenient, and
rounds to -22 points. Limited disad- “Only during full moon” or “Only dur- -40% if they are dangerous (to you!).
vantages are worth fewer points ing new moon” is worth -40%. And Always On appears as a “special limi-
because they affect you under more “Useless under stress” is a whopping tation” for most of the traits to which
restricted circumstances. -60%, since it makes the ability worth- it would apply. The GM can add new
Remember that no matter how less in most adventuring situations! costs as appropriate for other abilities.
many limitations you take, you cannot You can also link situational
reduce the cost of a trait by more than Accessibility to your actions. The Armor Divisor 6
80%. That is, when totaling modifiers, more unusual, difficult, or obnoxious Variable
treat net modifiers below -80% the required action is, the greater the Your attack can pierce less armor
as -80%. limitation value. Some examples: than its base damage would indicate.
“Divisor” is the factor by which you
divide. “DR Multiplier” is an equiva-
lent calculation – multiply your oppo-
You can apply limitations to almost any trait. nent’s DR by this number.
When you apply a limitation to a disadvantage, Divisor DR Multiplier Modifier
(0.5) 2 -30%
you reduce its value as a disadvantage. Limited (0.2) 5 -50%
disadvantages are worth fewer points because (0.1) 10 -70%
they affect you under more restricted In addition, if you have any level of
this limitation, targets that have DR 0
circumstances. (e.g., bare flesh) get DR 1 against your
attack.
Only Innate Attacks and Afflictions
can have this limitation. Armor
Divisor is a “penetration modifier”;
Accessibility Only in altered body form you cannot combine it with other pen-
Variable (Invisible, Insubstantial, etc.): -10%. etration modifiers, such as Contact
Accessibility is a catchall limitation Only while playing trumpet: -20%. Agent (p. 103) and Follow-Up (p. 105).
you can use to cover any restriction Only while flying, Only while
not specifically defined elsewhere. swimming, Only in hypnotic trance: Blood Agent 6
Accessibility limitations fall into two -30%. -40%
broad categories: those that limit the Only by one side of split personali- Your attack must reach a mucous
targets your ability can affect and ty: -40%. membrane (eyes, open mouth, nose,
those that limit the situations in which In all cases, if the ability is only etc.) or an open wound to have any
it works. weakened (half power) instead of effect at all. DR always stops it.
If your ability can only affect cer- becoming useless, halve the value of This limitation is intended for
tain targets, the limitation depends on the limitation. Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that
how common the target group is. The GM shouldn’t allow meaning- inflict fatigue or toxic damage. It is
“Only on women,” “Only on men,” or less Accessibility limitations. For especially appropriate for poisonous
anything else that covers about half of instance, buying a helpful ability with spit or spray. In conjunction with
the population is worth -20%. “Only the limitation “Only on friends” gives Aura (p. 102), it can also represent an
on Electrical” or “Only on machines” no cost break. Buying it with “Only on attack that is delivered via intimate
is worth -20% in a technological set- enemies” would be interesting, physical contact.
ting. “Only on sea creatures” is though! Likewise, the GM should
worth -30% – unless the campaign is reject any proposed limitation that is Exception: If the attack also has
set on a world mostly covered with already implicit in the ability. For Area Effect (p. 102) or Cone (p. 103),
water, in which case it isn’t worth instance, “Only while flying” is not an Blood Agent works as described
more than -10%. “Only on aliens” is acceptable limitation for Enhanced above and also when inhaled (like
worth -30% or -40%, depending on the Move (Air). Respiratory Agent, p. 108). This lets it
world. “Only on psis” is worth -50% in ignore all DR. Only targets with the


110 ADVANTAGES

Sealed advantage (p. 82) – or with one
of Doesn’t Breathe (p. 49) or Filter
Lungs (p. 55) and one of Nictitating Optional Rule: Limited Enhancements
Membrane (p. 71) or Protected Vision
(p. 78) – are immune. This powerful If the GM allows, you can add a limitation to an enhancement. This
ability converts Blood Agent into a restricts the enhancement, reducing its value as an enhancement without
+100% enhancement when combined directly affecting the underlying ability.
with Area Effect or Cone! Apply the limitation to the percentage value of the enhancement exact-
ly as if it were a point value. This cannot reduce the value of the enhance-
This is a “penetration modifier”; ment below 1/5 normal. Then apply the cheaper enhancement to the cost
you cannot combine it with other pen- of the ability.
etration modifiers, such as Follow-Up
(p. 105). Example: Your Selective Area (+20%) enhancement has the Vision-
Based (-20%) limitation. You don’t need eye contact to make the attack
Bombardment 6 work, but you must make eye contact with someone in your area of effect
Variable in order to single him out. A -20% limitation on a +20% enhancement
reduces the net enhancement to +16%.
You may only take this limitation
in conjunction with Area Effect A few limitations require a specific enhancement. For instance,
(p. 102) or Cone (p. 103). The attack Emanation (p. 112) always accompanies Area Effect (p. 102). Such limi-
does not automatically hit everyone in tations affect the underlying ability. You cannot use this rule to apply
the area. Instead, it attacks each them to just the enhancement.
potential target in the area at an effec- The GM may choose not to use this option, as it requires extra book-
tive skill, which sets the value of the keeping.
limitation.
Effective Skill Modifier
14 -5%
12 -10% This is a “penetration modifier”; No Blunt Trauma (nbt)
10 -15% you cannot combine it with other pen- -20%
8 -20% etration modifiers, such as Follow-Up An attack that inflicts crushing,
(p. 105). cutting, impaling, or piercing damage
Modify effective skill for target size normally inflicts blunt trauma (see
only – not for range or for any other Costs Fatigue p. 379). Add this limitation if it does
factor. Determine hit location ran- Variable not.
domly. If the target is under cover, the Your ability costs FP to use. This is
cover protects normally against the worth -5% per FP per use. What con- No Knockback (nkb)
damage. stitutes a “use” depends on the under- -10%
This limitation is intended for lying trait. An attack that inflicts crushing or
attacks like electrical or ice storms, For abilities that produce instanta- cutting damage normally inflicts
which could affect some but not all neous effects (e.g., Innate Attack), you knockback (see p. 378). Add this
individuals within a given area. must pay this FP cost every time you limitation if it does not.
trigger the ability. No Wounding (nw)
Contact Agent 6 For advantages that produce con-
-30% tinuing effects (e.g., Flight), you -50%
The attack inflicts basic damage,
Your attack must touch bare skin must pay this FP cost to activate the and may cause knockback and blunt
or porous clothing to have any effect ability for one minute. However, trauma, but its penetrating damage
at all. DR always stops it. once you have paid this initial cost, has no wounding effect (HP or FP
This enhancement is intended for you need only pay half as many FP loss). Apply this limitation to a crush-
Afflictions, and for Innate Attacks that (round up) per minute to keep the ing attack to represent effects such as
inflict fatigue or toxic damage. Taken ability active. If an advantage that a mighty gust of wind or jet of water.
with Aura (p. 102), it can represent a produces continuing effects only Use it with impaling, piercing, or cut-
“contagious” attack that spreads via lasts one second, and you must pay ting attacks that are carriers for
skin contact. the cost to maintain it every second, Afflictions or Innate Attacks (usually
this doubles the value of the limita-
Exception: If the attack also has tion to -10% per FP. those that inflict fatigue or toxic dam-
Area Effect (p. 102) or Cone (p. 103), age) with the Follow-Up modifier
Contact Agent lets it ignore all DR. Damage Limitations 6 (p. 105); this represents small poison
Only targets with the Sealed advan- darts, stings, etc. that can slip through
tage (p. 82) are immune. This power- Variable armor without inflicting grievous
ful ability converts Contact Agent You may add the following wounds.
into a +150% enhancement when limitations to an Innate Attack:
combined with Area Effect or Cone!



ADVANTAGES 111

Dissipation 6 a -5% limitation. You may not reduce If your attack cannot parry, it is
Acc below 0. worth an extra -5%.
-50%
You may only take this limitation Limited Use Mitigator
in conjunction with Area Effect Variable Variable
(p. 102) or Cone (p. 103). The further
the victim is from the center of the You can use your ability only a lim- You may only apply this limitation
area or the apex of the cone, the less ited number of times in a 24-hour peri- to a disadvantage. A particular item or
effective your attack is. See Area and od. For most advantages, each “use” is substance – the mitigator – temporari-
Spreading Attacks (p. 413) for details. 1 minute of activation. For an attack, ly negates your disadvantage. The
each “use” gives shots equal to your more effective the mitigator, the fewer
Emanation 6 RoF, with a minimum one shot per points you get for the disadvantage.
-20% use; for instance, three uses of an Use the following guidelines:
attack with RoF 2 would give six shots.
You may only take this limitation The value depends on the number of Mitigator is vulnerable, and easily
in conjunction with Area Effect uses you get. stolen, broken, or misplaced (e.g., a
(p. 102). It means the effect has no pair of glasses). -60%.
range or Accuracy, but radiates from Uses Per Day Modifier Mitigator is a drug or other treat-
your body (without affecting you, if 1 -40% ment that you must take daily. -60%.
the effect is a bad one). This is incom- 2 -30% Mitigator is a weekly treat-
patible with Melee Attack and ranged 3-4 -20% ment. -65%.
attack modifiers. 5-10 -10% Mitigator is a monthly treat-
ment. -70%.
More than 10 uses per day is not a
Emergencies Only significant limitation. This assumes your treatments are
-30% Two special options are available available at pharmacies. If you require
Your ability is triggered by your for attacks (and optionally, other abil- a special (and possibly expensive) pre-
fear or excitement; you cannot use it ities) that have this enhancement: scription, add +5% to the values
under “routine” conditions. The GM is above; e.g., -70% becomes -65%. If you
the final arbiter. He may rule that Fast Reload: You can replace all can only get your treatments from one
multiple successive failures of your your uses in 3 to 5 seconds simply by specific source, such as an experimen-
power make you angry enough that it replenishing ammunition. The GM tal drug program, add +10%;
begins to work, but this is entirely up determines the weight and cost of the e.g., -70% becomes -60%.
to him. ammunition. This halves the value of
the limitation; e.g., three or four uses Example 1: Bad Sight is worth -25
Full Power in Emergencies Only: If would be worth only -10%. points. Glasses cure Bad Sight while
your ability works at half power under Slow Reload: As above, except if you worn, but are breakable, for a -60%
normal conditions, but at full power have two or more shots (not uses!) you Mitigator limitation. This reduces Bad
under stress, this limitation is not must reload each shot individually Sight to -10 points.
worth as much. For traits that come in (taking 3 or more seconds per shot). If Example 2: Jan has AIDS, and
levels, “half power” means half as you have only one shot, it must take at would die in a month without treat-
many levels. The GM must decide least 6 seconds to reload – possibly ment. This level of Terminally Ill is
what this means for other traits (half longer, if using this limitation to repre- normally worth -100 points. Fortu -
range, duration, bonuses, etc.). -20%. sent a very slow-firing weapon such as nately, Jan is on an experimental drug
a flintlock. This makes the limitation plan that is holding him in remission.
Extra Recoil 6 worth 5% less than usual; e.g., three or The treatments are weekly (-65%) but
-10% per +1 Recoil four uses would be worth only -15%. impossible to find outside his pro-
By default, a ranged attack has gram (+10%), for a -55% Mitigator
Recoil 1, making it virtually recoilless Melee Attack 6 limitation. This reduces Terminally Ill
(see p. 271). You may give an attack Variable to -45 points. As long as Jan stays with
with Rapid Fire (p. 108) a higher Your attack functions as a melee the program, his countdown to death
Recoil (Rcl) as a limitation. weapon. It has no range, but allows is halted.
Recoil (Rcl) Modifier you to parry, use Rapid Strike, Feint, Nuisance Effect
2 -10% etc. It lacks Malf., 1/2D, Max, Acc, Variable
3 -20% RoF, Shots, and Recoil statistics, and
4 -30% may not have any enhancement or Your ability has a “side effect” that
5+ -40% limitation that modifies these statis- causes you serious inconvenience. The
tics. Instead, it has a Reach statistic. GM must approve this limitation and
Inaccurate 6 Reach Modifier determine its value in each case, and
-5%/level C -30% should ruthlessly forbid effects that
are abusive or that do not genuinely
Your attack benefits little from 1 or 2 -25% limit the ability’s value. A few
careful aiming. Most attacks start with C, 1, or 1, 2, or 2, 3 -20%
Accuracy (Acc) 3. Each -1 to Acc is 1-4 (like a whip) -15%

112 ADVANTAGES

guidelines (a given trait can have more Pact (p. 121). These disadvantages give you
than one of these drawbacks): the usual number of points. Should
Variable
• Your ability earns a reaction A Higher Power – god, spirit, etc. – you ever stray from the path, your
ability immediately ceases to function
penalty from those around you. grants your ability under the condi- until you repent. The limitation value
Perhaps it makes you look disgusting, tion that you follow a strict moral is numerically equivalent to the point
or requires you to perform some sort code. This code must take the form of cost of the required disadvantages;
of distressing ritual. -5% per -1 to reac- one or more of the traits listed under e.g., a -10-point Vow gives a -10% Pact
tions (maximum -4). Self-Imposed Mental Disadvantages limitation.
• Your ability makes you obvious,
limiting stealth and attracting ene-
mies. -5%.
• Your ability physically inconven-
iences you – it attracts stinging
insects, causes your armor to rust,
makes you ravenously hungry, etc.
-5%.
You cannot take a valuable power
as a Nuisance Effect. For instance,
“Kills everyone within a mile” is not
an acceptable Nuisance Effect!
Neither can you claim a limitation for
a harmless nuisance. If your Terror
advantage attracts gerbils instead of
frightening them, this is amusing but
not a limitation.

Onset 6
Variable
You must “stack” this limitation
with one of Blood Agent, Contact
Agent, Follow-Up, Malediction, or
Respiratory Agent. It delays the dam-
age or affliction caused by the attack
until some time after exposure. The
delay determines the value of the lim-
itation.
Delay Modifier
1 minute -10%
1 hour -20%
1 day -30%
1 week (or more) -40%

Delays that fall between two values
use the smaller limitation; e.g., 30
minutes is -10%. If you can control the
onset time, take Delay (p. 105) instead.
A variant limitation is Exposure
Time, which is only available for
attacks with Aura or Persistent. Use it
to represent radioactivity, mildly toxic
gases, etc. It works just like Onset,
except that the victim must be
exposed for the entire period to suffer
the effect (or repeat it, if you continue
exposure). This is worth an
extra -20%; e.g., 1 minute is -30%.








ADVANTAGES 113

Preparation Required This limitation is particularly appro- amount of time. You need not specify
Variable priate for supernatural traits such as how you plan to use your ability while
Channeling (p. 41) and Medium you are preparing it, but you must
Your ability requires special prepa- (p. 68). specify which ability you are prepar-
ration before you can use it. Perhaps You cannot use an unprepared ing if you have more than one trait
you have to meditate first, or perform ability. To prepare, take the Con - with this limitation.
some ritual to focus concentration.
centrate maneuver for the required You can use a prepared ability nor-
mally – either immediately or at a later
time. However, you can only have one
advantage with this limitation pre-
pared at a time, and it becomes unpre-
Examples of pared immediately after use, regard-
less of success or failure (but if your
Modified Attacks ability has continuing effects, you can
maintain them once activated).
Banshee’s Wail: Affliction 3 (HT-2; Area Effect, 64 yards, +300%;
Emanation, -20%; Hearing-Based, +150%; Heart Attack, +300%; Limited The value of this limitation
Use, 1/day, -40%; Selective Area, +20%) [243]. depends on the time required to pre-
Dragon’s Breath: Burning Attack 4d (Cone, 5 yards, +100%; Limited pare the ability.
Use, 3/day, -20%; Reduced Range, ¥1/5, -20%) [32]. Preparation Time Modifier
Hand of Death: Toxic Attack 6d (Contact Agent, -30%; Costs Fatigue, 2 1 minute -20%
FP, -10%; Delay, Variable, +20%; Low Signature, +10%; Melee Attack, 10 minutes -30%
Reach C, -30%; Resistible, HT-4, -10%) [12]. 1 hour -50%
Implanted 9mm SMG: Piercing Attack 3d-1 (Accurate +2, +10%; Extra 8 hours -60%
Recoil +1, -10%; Increased Range, ¥20, +40%; Limited Use, 3 uses/30
shots, Fast Reload, -10%; Rapid Fire, RoF 10, +100%) [33]. Weakened Without Preparation:
Lightning Bolt: Burning Attack 6d (Side Effect, Stunning, +50%; Surge, Your ability works if you do not pre-
+20%) [51]. pare it beforehand, but at half dura-
Mind Blast: Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Malediction 2, tion, range, effect, etc. This does not
+150%; Secondary Unconsciousness, +40%; Telepathic, -10%) [30]. make sense for all advantages (GM’s
Poison Bite: Sharp Teeth [1], plus Toxic Attack 2d (Cyclic, 1 hour, 5 decision as to when it does).
cycles, resistible, +40%; Follow-Up, Sharp Teeth, +0%; Resistible, HT- Weakened Without Preparation is
3, -15%) [10]. worth exactly half as much as listed
above.









































114 ADVANTAGES

Reduced Range For abilities that require a Ready therefore, it reduces the cost of Altered
-10%/level or Concentrate maneuver, each level Time Rate by 24 points (to 76 points)
of Takes Extra Time doubles the time and not by 30 points (to 70 points).
You may add this limitation to any required. Activation occurs at the end
advantage that has a range; e.g., of this time. For instance, Takes Extra You may only take Temporary
Innate Attack or Scanning Sense. It Time 1 on an advantage that usually Disadvantages that could logically
comes in three levels, depending on requires a one-second Ready maneu- inconvenience you for the period of
the range divisor. time the advantage is normally on. In
ver would increase the Ready time to
Range Divisor Modifier 2 seconds. the case of mental disadvantages
(Berserk, Lecherousness, etc.), if a
2 -10% For attacks, the first level of Takes failed self-control roll indicates that
5 -20% Extra Time results in a one-second you give in to the disadvantage, you
10 -30% Ready maneuver before you can make will suffer the disadvantage’s effects
your Attack maneuver. Successive lev-
If applied to a ranged attack that els double the Ready time. until the GM rules you have regained
has a 1/2D range, each level reduces your composure – which might be
both 1/2D and Max. You may reduce Takes Recharge long after you deactivate the advan-
1/2D only at half value (that is, Variable tage with this limitation!
“Reduced 1/2D” is -5%/level). You may You can also use this limitation to
not reduce Max independently. Your ability requires “recharging” remove an advantage temporarily.
after each use. It is unavailable during This is worth -1% per point the negat-
Resistible 6 the recharge period. Value depends on ed advantage is worth, and the point
Variable the time between uses: five seconds break cannot exceed 80% of the deac-
(or twice the time required to use the
This limitation is only available for ability, if longer) is -10%, 15 seconds tivated advantage’s cost. Only one of
Innate Attacks that inflict fatigue or (or 5 times the time required to use the involved advantages can take this
toxic damage. You must combine it the ability, if longer) is -20%, and one limitation – you cannot take two
with one of Blood Agent, Contact hour (or 10 times the time required to advantages, both with this limitation,
Agent, Follow-Up, Respiratory Agent, use the ability, if longer) is -30%. each of which negates the other when
or Sense-Based. It represents poison, Longer recharge times are not valid as used.
disease, or a similar effect that a suffi- limitations (but see Limited Use, Trigger
ciently healthy victim can resist or p. 112).
“shrug off.” Variable
The victim gets a HT roll to avoid Temporary Your advantage requires exposure
the effect. A resistance roll against HT- to a specific substance or condition
5 is worth -5%. Each +1 to the roll is a Disadvantage (e.g., a dose of a drug) to function.
worth another -5% (e.g., HT-4 is -10%, Variable One dose or exposure is required per
and HT+4 is -50%). You may add this limitation to any one-minute “use.” Cost depends on
If the attack is also Cyclic (p. 103), advantage that can be switched off the rarity of the Trigger:
the victim rolls before each cycle and on at will, and that takes at least Very Common (available almost
(including the first). Success means one second to switch. When you anywhere): -10%.
the attack ends without further injury; switch on the advantage, you suffer Common (expensive, somewhat
failure means the target takes damage one or more disadvantages until you hard to find): -20%.
normally and the attack continues. switch it off again. This limitation is Occasional (very expensive and
worth -1% per point the temporary hard to find): -30%.
Sense-Based 6 disadvantages are worth, to a maxi- Rare (cannot be bought; must be
Variable mum of -80%. found or made): -40%.
On an attack with Malediction or Example: You can use your feet as
an ability that normally ignores DR hands, but can’t walk while doing so. Multiply the limitation value by 1.5
(e.g., Mind Control), this is a limita- This is Extra Arms 2 (20 points) with if the Trigger is illegal, addictive, or
tion. See the Sense-Based enhance- Temporary Disadvantage: Legless otherwise dangerous.
ment (p. 109) for details. (-30%), for 14 points. Unconscious Only
Takes Extra Time The point break due to Temporary -20%
-10%/level Disadvantage cannot exceed 80% of You may only take this limitation
the value of the original disadvantage. in conjunction with Uncontrollable
You can only apply this limitation
to abilities that require time to acti- Example: You have Altered Time (below). You cannot consciously acti-
vate and that work fast enough to be Rate 1 (100 points) with Temporary vate your ability at all; it can only
useful in an emergency (e.g., combat). Disadvantage: Hemophilia (-30%) – come into play under GM control, as a
This is up to the GM, who is free to you bleed faster, too! Since result of stress. Like Uncontrollable,
restrict this limitation to advantages Hemophilia is worth -30 points nor- you may buy this off later on, as you
that take only 1 or 2 seconds to mally, the most it can be worth as a gain control over your ability.
activate. Temporary Disadvantage is -24 points;


ADVANTAGES 115

Uncontrollable If you cannot activate your ability skill to use. You can’t learn to control
-10% or -30% on your first attempt, you may try your power well. You learn all skills
again once per second after that, at no associated with it as though the rele-
Your ability tends to manifest itself penalty. Each successive attempt costs vant attribute were only 8 (or at one
at undesirable or inappropriate times. one FP. If you are reduced to three or less than its usual value, if already at 8
Whenever the GM rules that you are fewer FP, you must rest until all FP are or worse), and your maximum skill
in a stressful situation – including any regained before you can attempt to level is 10.
situation that requires a Fright Check use your ability again.
or a self-control roll for a mental dis-
advantage – you must make a Will roll
to keep your ability under control,
even if you did not intend to use it!
You need only roll once per stressful Example of Character Creation (cont’d)
situation, but a roll of 14+ always fails, Dai’s main advantage is that he can teleport. This is Warp (p. 97),
regardless of Will. which costs 100 points! But Dai has two special limitations to lower the
On a failure, the GM takes over cost. First, his Warp is psionic, so “anti-psi” can keep it from working. This
your ability, playing it as though it gives the Psionic Teleportation limitation, worth -10%. Second, his ability
were an entity of a prankish or hostile has a very short range: 10 yards. That’s a Range Limit limitation
nature. The actions of your ability will worth -50%. These limitations mean that Dai gets Warp at 60% off, for 40
often reflect your “suppressed points.
desires,” as reflected in your quirks We decide to give Dai another psi ability useful to a thief: a “sixth
and mental disadvantages. sense” that warns him of traps and similar dangers. This is Danger Sense
An ability that cannot inflict dam- (p. 47), with the ESP special limitation. Danger Sense costs a basic 15
age – for instance, Flight or Jumper – points, but the -10% limitation reduces this to 13.5 points, which rounds
will activate unexpectedly. This is up to 14 points.
inconvenient and embarrassing, but Even without his psi abilities, Dai is a gifted thief. His specialty is sec-
not overly dangerous. After each ond-story work, so we add Flexibility (p. 56), for 5 points, because it gives
uncontrolled act, you get another Will a big bonus when climbing; Perfect Balance (p. 74), for 15 points, so he
roll to control your power. This goes won’t lose his balance and fall off; and Absolute Direction (p. 34), for 5
on until you make a Will roll. In this points, to help him negotiate back alleys and rooftops.
case, Uncontrollable is worth -10%. Since we want Dai to be able to disappear into a crowd, we throw in
A harmful ability goes after obvi- the 1-point Honest Face perk (p. 101) – he doesn’t “look like a thief.”
ous foes first, and will never turn on Dai’s advantages total 80 points, raising his current point total to 223
you .. . but nobody else is safe! After points.
each uncontrolled act (or before an
attack on a Dependent or other loved
one), you get another Will roll to con-
trol your power. This continues until
you make a Will roll or destroy every- Activation Number Modifier GADGET
thing around you! For destructive 5 -80%
powers, Uncontrollable is worth -30%. 8 -40% LIMITATIONS
You may buy this limitation off 11 -20% The GM may require you to pay
later on, as you gain control over your 14 -10% points for any “gadget” that grants
ability. traits that usually cost points
Unreliable works differently when (attribute levels, advantages, etc.).
Unreliable applied to attacks which are also gadg- However, he should charge points only
Variable ets or built-in firearms. Instead of for items that even the most advanced
requiring an activation roll, it gives a
Sometimes your ability works and technology could not produce (e.g., a
sometimes it doesn’t! It just comes Malfunction number worse than 17. ring that bestows Luck) – and even
and goes, and you’ve never identified Malf. Modifier then, only if those items are not for
why. This is completely separate from 12 -25% sale at any price in the game world.
any roll normally needed to activate 13 -20% In particular, the GM should never
the ability. You can have skill 20 and 14 -15% charge points for ordinary, manufac-
still have problems making it work! 15 -10% tured equipment – or even for special
Every time you want to use the 16 -5% equipment, if it is for sale – unless it
power, you must roll the activation happens to be Signature Gear (p. 85).
number (see below) or less on 3d. Untrainable Body armor, a rifle, and night-vision
Once you succeed, the ability will -40% goggles effectively bestow Damage
work for that particular use. When You may only apply this limitation Resistance, Innate Attack, and
you cease to use it, you must make to abilities that normally require a Infravision, respectively . . . but since
another activation roll to start it again.



116 ADVANTAGES

anyone could buy these items, they chooses the skill(s) needed to make Easily snatched with an unopposed
have a cash cost, not a point cost. repairs. If you cannot repair it, and it DX roll (e.g., a hat): -40%.
Traits bestowed by items have requires inconvenient time, effort, or Thief must win a Quick Contest of
their usual point cost. You can give expense to replace (GM’s decision), it DX (e.g., a bracelet) or ST (e.g., a
them any logical combination of is worth an additional -15%. wand) with you: -30%.
modifiers, plus one or more of the Size: The item’s Size Modifier Can only by taken by stealth or
special limitations below. affects Vision rolls to identify it out of trickery (e.g., a coin in a pock-
combat and rolls to hit it in combat. et): -20%.
Breakable Must be forcefully removed (e.g., a
Variable SM Modifier suit of armor): -10%.
-9 or less
0%
Your foes can destroy the item. -7 or -8 -5% Halve the value of the limitation if
Once destroyed, it will cease to grant -5 or -6 -10% the gadget will not immediately work
you its benefits until repaired. Add the -3 or -4 -15% for the thief.
following elements together to find -1 or -2 -20%
the final limitation value. 0 or more -25% Unique

Durability: The easier the object is -25%
to break, the greater the limitation. Can Be Stolen You may only take this limitation
Decide on the gadget’s weight and DR. Variable in conjunction with Breakable or Can
Your foes can take this item from Be Stolen. Normally, you can replace
DR Modifier you, depriving you of its benefits. This a broken or stolen gadget – although
2 or less -20% is only a limitation if the item is obvi- this might require significant time and
3-5 -15% ously powerful and likely to be the tar- effort (GM’s decision). If the item is
6-15 -10% get of theft! The value of the limitation Unique, you cannot replace it!
16-25 -5% depends on how hard it is to steal: Character points spent for the item are
26 or higher 0%
lost for good if it is broken or stolen.
If the object is a machine that can
break down (as opposed to a simple
artifact, like a ring or a hat), add The GM is free to add as many new
another -5%. See Damage to Objects advantages as he can think of. Players take note:
(p. 483) to determine HP and the
effects of damage. You may invent new advantages only with the
Reparability: You can normally GM’s permission.
repair your gadget if it breaks; the GM


NEW ADVANTAGES



The GM (no doubt with the enthusi- Rename Vision assumes natural, dark-adapted
astic advice of the players!) is free to The advantage you’re looking for eyes, but you are free to explain it as
add as many new advantages as he can might already exist, but under a ultra-tech implants, if that suits your
think of. What follows are some guide- moniker you dislike or find unintuitive. campaign better.
lines on how to balance the costs of In this case, creating a “new” advantage
such advantages in light of the traits in is just a matter of changing the name! Combine
this chapter. For instance, if you want a Light Still other “new” advantages are
Players take note: these rules are for Intensification advantage that lets combinations of existing traits. If a mix
GMs. You may invent new advantages those who have it see in the dark, just of advantages (possibly with a few dis-
only with the GM’s permission. rename “Night Vision” to “Light advantages, to bring the cost down) col-
Intensification.” lectively provide the effects you want,
MODIFYING just group them together, add their
Redefine costs, and rename the whole thing.
EXISTING Many “new” advantages amount to For instance, you might lump
existing advantages with revised special together Acute Vision 5 [10], Night
ADVANTAGES effects. If an existing advantage pro- Vision 5 [5], and Colorblindness [-10]

GURPS has a lot of advantages. vides the right ability with the wrong as the “Cat’s Eye Mk. V” implant.
Often, one of these is similar to what justification, use the game mechanics Players would just list “Cat’s Eye Mk. V
you had in mind, in which case you can and point cost of the existing trait but [5]” on their character sheet.
“tweak” an existing ability instead of come up with a new explanation for Note that this is identical to the way
inventing a new one. how it works. For instance, Night meta-traits work in Chapter 7.



ADVANTAGES 117

Modify 5 points, but you don’t want to make ultra-tech healing, the point value of
The game mechanics for an exist- the ability to see ghosts a freebie. To the bonus is reduced to 1/10 of nor-
ing advantage will sometimes be justify shaving the cost down to 5 mal, for a net cost of 5 points.
almost, but not quite, what you want. points, you toss in a -1 to Vision rolls 2. Bonuses to skill rolls. In general,
In that case, start with the nearest made in bright daylight. After all, simply work out the equivalent Talent
existing advantage, apply enhance- everyone knows the undead don’t like (p. 89) and add its cost to the advan-
ments and limitations that add the sunlight! tage. If the advantage modifies one
desired effects, and present the final skill, then assume it is worth 2 points
product as an entirely new advantage. per +1 to skill, to a maximum of +3 to
skill for 6 points.
3. Bonuses to reaction rolls. Work
out reaction bonuses as described for
Reputation (p. 26). You may include a
bonus that applies to a very small class
of people (e.g., “anyone with a Ph.D. in
Comparative Anatomy from
Harvard,” unless the campaign hap-
pens to be set at Harvard Medical
School) for free as a “special effect.”
Note that these bonuses need not be
actual Reputations – they could as eas-
ily be due to looks, a psionic aura, or
mind-control lasers.
4. Unique abilities that those with-
out the advantage do not have in any
measure. You should price these abili-
ties by comparison. Examine other
traits in the rules and assign a similar
cost for an advantage that is about
equal in power. Reduce or increase
the cost if the ability is slightly more
or less powerful than the one to which
you are comparing it. For instance,
“automatically makes all normal
Vision rolls” is about as useful as
For instance, suppose undead DESIGNING “automatically makes all Fright
beings in your campaign can see the Checks,” so you might price that abili-
Spectral Plane. This gives them Night ENTIRELY NEW ty along the lines of Unfazeable, for 15
Vision with the side effects that they points.
see ghosts and have glowing red eyes. ADVANTAGES
You could write this as “Night Vision 5 There are times when nothing less Finalizing the Cost
(Affects Insubstantial, +20%; than a totally new advantage will do. To determine the final cost of a
Temporary Disadvantage: Unnatural Advantages in GURPS usually grant new advantage, add up the costs of all
Feature, -5%) [6],” but it would be one of four basic types of abilities the abilities it grants. If the advantage
simpler to write “Spectral Vision [6]” (although a single advantage often is extremely rare, and those who have
on character sheets and leave the qualifies in more than one category). it could reliably use it as a surprise
design details in your notes. tactic or as a means of making money,
1. Situational bonuses to attributes. increase its final cost by up to 100%.
Fine-Tune Handle attribute bonuses by assuming Conversely, if the GM wants it to be
After applying the above processes that each +1 is worth 10 points for ST extremely common, he may reduce its
to achieve the effects you seek, you or HT, or 20 points for DX or IQ, and final cost by as much as 50%. Use fine-
might wish to add some “color” or then modifying the cost downward to tuning (above) to further adjust the
adjust the cost – perhaps by adding reflect how often the bonus applies. cost.
minor side effects, such as small mod- See Accessibility (p. 110) for inspira- The GM is the final arbiter when it
ifiers to certain success rolls. The tion. For instance, Rapid Healing is comes to the cost of new advantages.
guidelines and examples under Perks basically +5 HT (base cost 50 points) He is free to charge an Unusual
(p. 100) and Quirks (p. 162) can be that only applies to rolls to recover Background – over and above the cost
useful here. from damage. Since most people go to of the advantage – for any new advan-
For instance, you might want great pains to avoid damage, and since tage he wishes to restrict to a certain
“Spectral Vision” to cost a nice, round rolls for natural recovery rarely matter class of characters. This is in addition
in settings with magical, psionic, or to any “built-in” rarity modifier.


118 ADVANTAGES

CHAPTER THREE


DISADVANTAGES










A “disadvantage” is a problem or imperfection
that renders you less capable than your attrib-
utes, advantages, and skills would indicate. In
addition to the traits in this chapter, this includes
anything with a negative point cost in Chapter 1:
low Status, below-average Wealth, etc.
You are probably wondering, “Why would I
want to give my character disadvantages?”
There are two good reasons:
1. Each disadvantage has a negative cost in
character points. Thus, disadvantages give you
extra character points, which let you improve
your character in other ways. But note that dis-
advantages limit you in proportion to their cost.
Be sure to read the disadvantage description in
full to know what you are getting into!
2. An imperfection or two makes your char-
acter more interesting and realistic, and adds to
the fun of roleplaying!





Disadvantages for
Heroes

Two kinds of disadvantages are particularly suitable for hero-
ic PCs. Roleplayed well, they might limit the character’s choices,
but they should make the player’s experience more fun.
“Good” Disadvantages
It might seem strange that virtues such as Truthfulness and
Sense of Duty are listed as “disadvantages.” In the real world, we
regard such traits as advantages! Their disadvantage value in
GURPS comes from the fact that these virtues limit your free-
dom of action. For instance, someone with Truthfulness will
have trouble lying, even for a good cause; therefore, within the
framework of the game, he has a disadvantage. This has one
very worthwhile benefit: if you want to create a wholly heroic
character, you don’t have to take any “character flaws” at all.
You can get points by choosing only those disadvantages that
are actually virtuous!
Tragic Flaws
Many of the greatest heroes of history and literature had a
“tragic flaw.” Alcoholism, great ugliness, bad temper, compulsive
behavior, and even drug addiction – all are found in the heroes of
fact and fiction. So don’t assume that your heroes have to be per-
fect . . . try giving them significant problems to overcome.





DISADVANTAGES 119

adventure fiction, so they are included back” points with which to buy abili-
RESTRICTIONS ON in the interest of good NPC creation. ties – they just lower your point value!
DISADVANTAGES Example: If you start out blind, you
Your GM might wish to “cap” the TYPES OF start with an extra 50 points . . . but if
extra points you can gain from disad- an explosion blinds you during the
vantages; see Disadvantage Limit DISADVANTAGES game, you’re just blind and that’s that.
(p. 11). This limit applies to the total Like advantages, disadvantages are Reduce your point total by 50 points
points you can get from all traits with classified according to how they work to reflect your new disadvantage. You
negative point costs, from Chapter 1 in play and who can have them. should not keep the same point total
(reduced attributes, low Status, etc.) and take 50 points of compensating
or the list below. Mandatory disadvan- Mental 2, Physical 3, advantages!
tages assigned by the GM don’t count and Social 4 Physical disadvantages are marked
against this limit. Mental disadvantages originate 3.
Most GMs will want to enforce two from your mind or soul. They stay Social disadvantages are associated
additional restrictions:
with you if your mind ends up in a with your identity. Should it become
new body. This category includes the important to know whether they go
Negated Disadvantages vast majority of “magical,” “psionic,” with mind or body, the GM’s word is
You cannot take a disadvantage and “spiritual” traits. Mental disad- final. Note that this category includes
that one of your advantages would vantages are marked 2. below-average Status, Wealth, and so
mitigate or negate! For instance, if you Physical disadvantages are associ- forth from Chapter 1. Social disadvan-
have Acute Hearing, you cannot take ated with your body. You can escape tages are marked 4.
Hard of Hearing. Contradictory disad- them by moving to a new body! If
vantages, such as Curious and another mind occupies your body, the The GM is the final judge of which
Incurious, are also mutually exclusive. new owner gains your physical category a disadvantage belongs in. It
The GM has the final say as to which disadvantages. is possible to interpret certain disad-
traits are compatible. vantages in more than one way!
Exotic 1, Supernatural
5, and Mundane
Exotic disadvantages are forbidden
to normal humans. Nonhumans may
Secret Disadvantages acquire such traits from their racial
You may give your character a disadvantage unknown both to him and template (see Chapter 7), but they still
need the GM’s permission to take
to you. Choose a point value and tell the GM. The GM will select a disad- additional exotic disadvantages.
vantage and give you its value plus an additional -5 points (e.g., Exotic disadvantages are marked 1.
Unluckiness, normally worth -10 points, gives -15 points as a secret dis- Supernatural disadvantages are the
advantage) . . . but he will not give you any hints as to what it is! When result of divine intervention, magic,
your disadvantage finally becomes obvious in the course of play (GM’s psionics, etc. With the GM’s permis-
decision), you must buy off the extra -5 points as soon as possible. sion, anyone might be cursed in this
The GM must pick a secret disadvantage carefully. It should be some- way – but only if supernatural powers
thing that you could believably not know about. If it is a mental disad- exist in the game world. Supernatural
vantage, the conditions that trigger it should never have arisen (Berserk, disadvantages are marked 5.
Bloodlust, Combat Paralysis, the less-common Phobias, and Split Mundane disadvantages are every-
Personality all work well here). Most physical disadvantages are too obvi- thing else. They are inborn, acquired,
ous – although something like Hemophilia might go unnoticed. or self-imposed handicaps that any-
You can only list one secret disadvantage on your character sheet, but one might have. Mundane disadvan-
this might represent more than one trait. The GM is free to select multi- tages are not marked in any special
ple, related disadvantages worth the appropriate number of points. way. Assume that a disadvantage with
neither 1 nor 5 is available to anyone.

SELF-CONTROL
You can acquire a physical disad- FOR MENTAL
Villain Disadvantages vantage during play, most likely due to
Some disadvantages – Sadism, for accident or combat. In this case, you DISADVANTAGES
instance – are not at all suitable for a immediately suffer the bad effects of Many mental disadvantages do not
“hero,” and the GM is free to forbid the disadvantage. Unlike starting dis- affect you constantly – you may
them to PCs. But they are often found advantages, however, physical handi- attempt to control your urges. An
in the more fiendish villains of caps acquired in play do not “give


120 DISADVANTAGES

asterisk (*) appears next to the point
cost of any disadvantage that offers a
chance to resist. For each disadvan-
tage like this, you must choose a self- Self-Imposed Mental Disadvantages
control number: the number you must Certain mental disadvantages – Code of Honor (p. 127), Disciplines of
roll on 3d to avoid giving in. This mod- Faith (p. 132), Fanaticism (p. 136), Honesty (p. 138), Intolerance (p. 140),
ifies point value as follows: Sense of Duty (p. 153), Trademark (p. 159), and Vow (p. 160) – are not psy-
chiatric problems, but beliefs or codes of conduct. Such “self-imposed
You resist quite rarely (roll of 6 or
less): 2 ¥ listed cost. mental disadvantages” share three features that distinguish them from
You resist fairly often (roll of 9 or other mental disadvantages:
less): 1.5 ¥ listed cost. • They can be “bought off” with earned points at any time. People real-
You resist quite often (roll of 12 or ly do wake up in the morning and resolve to live their lives differently for
less): listed cost. no apparent reason!
You resist almost all the time (roll • They cannot be caused by Afflictions (p. 35), drugs, brain surgery,
of 15 or less): 0.5 ¥ listed cost. and similar “quick and dirty” behavior alteration. Such techniques can
create a pacifist or a maniac, but you need magic, Mind Control (p. 68),
Drop all fractions (e.g., -22.5 points
becomes -22 points). or prolonged Brainwashing (p. 182) to impose anything as complex as a
The “default” self-control number code of conduct.
is 12: you must roll 12 or less on 3d to • They can be used with the Pact limitation (p. 113) as conditions to
avoid giving in to your problem. This which you must adhere to retain certain supernatural powers.
lets you use disadvantage costs as
written. Choose a self-control number
of 15 if you wish to have a tendency
toward a disadvantage instead of a
full-blown case. A self-control number and afflictions can make you more or gone for good, but there will be times
of 9 will regularly limit your options. A less likely to give in. Other disadvan- when staying on the straight and nar-
self-control number of 6 can be crip- tages can make you irritable, reducing row is worth the sacrifice. In this case,
pling (especially with genuine psychi- your odds of resisting. See the disad- the GM should not penalize you for
atric problems). vantage descriptions for details. bad roleplaying, because you are
Note your self-control number in Example: Your self-control number penalizing yourself!
parentheses after the name of the dis- is 15, but you are in a highly stressful Note that high Will helps you make
advantage on your character sheet. situation that gives -5 to your self-con- Fright Checks and resist supernatural
For instance, if you can resist Berserk trol roll. You must roll 10 or less to emotion control, but it does not
on a roll of 9 or less, write this as resist your disadvantage. improve self-control rolls – not even
“Berserk (9).” for disadvantages with effects identi-
cal to these things. Mental disadvan-
tages represent an aspect of your per-
sonality that you cannot simply will
(or reason) away. This is part of what
Many mental disadvantages do not affect you makes them disadvantages!
constantly – you may attempt to control your
urges. “BUYING OFF”
DISADVANTAGES
You may use bonus points to “buy
Self-Control Rolls You never have to try a self-control off” many disadvantages – whether
In circumstances that are likely to roll – you can always give in willingly, you started with them or acquired
trigger your problem, you may opt to and it is good roleplaying to do so. them in play. This costs as many
roll 3d against your self-control num- However, there will be times when points as the disadvantage originally
ber to see whether your disadvantage you really need to resist your urges, gave you. If the GM permits, you may
actually affects you. If you roll less and that is what the roll is for. Be buy off leveled disadvantages one
than or equal to this number, you aware that if you attempt self-control level at a time. Likewise, you can buy
resist your disadvantage – this time. rolls too often, the GM may penalize off those with self-control numbers
Otherwise, you suffer the listed you for bad roleplaying by awarding gradually, by raising the self-control
effects. This is called a self-control roll. you fewer earned points. number. In both cases, the point cost
Like all success rolls, self-control Optionally, the GM may permit you is the difference between your former
rolls are subject to modifiers. to use one unspent character point to level and your current one. For more
Exceptionally mild or severe stimuli “buy” an automatic success on a self- on buying off disadvantages, see
can give bonuses or penalties. Drugs control roll. Points spent this way are Chapter 9.



DISADVANTAGES 121

DISADVANTAGE LIST


Absent-Mindedness 2 Expensive (up to 0.5% of average causes psychological dependency is a
-15 points starting wealth): -10 points. mental disadvantage; withdrawal
Very expensive (more than 0.5% of
You have trouble focusing on any- average starting wealth): -20 points. from such a drug requires a series of
Will rolls, and may result in mental
thing not of immediate interest. You problems. Addiction to a drug that
have -5 on all IQ and IQ-based skill Effects induces physiological dependency is a
rolls, save those for the task you are Minimal or stimulating: +0 points. physical disadvantage; withdrawal is a
currently concentrating on. If no Incapacitating or hallucinogenic: function of your HT, and may cause
engaging task or topic presents itself, -10 points. physical injury. For details, see Drug
your attention will drift to more inter- Highly addictive (-5 on withdrawal Withdrawal (p. 440). Should you suc-
esting matters in five minutes, and roll): -5 points. cessfully withdraw from an Addiction,
you will ignore your immediate sur- Totally addictive (-10 on withdraw- you must immediately buy off this dis-
roundings until something catches al roll): -10 points. advantage.
your attention and brings you back. Legality
Once adrift in your own thoughts, you Illegal: +0 points. Minor Addictions
must roll against Perception-5 in Legal: +5 points. For an Addiction worth only -5
order to notice any event short of per- points, the GM may rule that the
sonal physical injury. Examples: Tobacco is cheap, highly expense, stigma, and detrimental
You may attempt to rivet your addictive, and legal; a chain-smoker long-term effects of use are the whole
attention on a boring topic through has a -5-point Addiction. Heroin is of the disadvantage, and waive the
sheer strength of will. To do so, make very expensive, incapacitating, totally usual withdrawal rules. This is appro-
a Will-5 roll once every five minutes. addictive, and illegal; a heroin addict priate for such drugs as tobacco and
“Boring topics” include small talk, has a -40-point Addiction. caffeine. If forced to go without, you
repetitive manual tasks, guard duty, Non-Chemical Addictions: You can must make a Will or HT roll as usual,
driving on an empty highway . .. take Addiction to an activity instead of but the only effects on a failure are
Absent-minded individuals also a drug – for instance, telepathic con- general anxiety, irritability, or restless-
tend to forget trivial tasks (like paying tact or spending time in virtual reality. ness. This manifests as a temporary -1
the bills) and items (like car keys and If this costs money, price the Addic- to DX, IQ, self-control rolls, or reac-
checkbooks). Whenever it becomes tion based on its daily cost. If it is free tion rolls (GM’s choice) – not as insan-
important that you have performed (e.g., telepathic contact), treat it as ity or injury. Successive failures pro-
such a task or brought such an item, “Cheap” if it you can do it almost any- long the duration of the effects; they
the GM should call for a roll against where (telepathic contact with any- do not increase the size of the penalty.
IQ-2. On a failure, this detail slipped one) or as “Expensive” if restrictive If you can make 14 successful rolls in
your attention. conditions apply (telepathic contact succession, you must buy off your
Example: An absent-minded detec- with one specific person). Such Addic- Addiction.
It is also possible to create a 0-
tive is in a shootout. He was involved tions almost always cause psychologi- point Addiction using these rules.
in gunplay earlier in the day, in which cal dependency (see With drawal, Such Addictions are always Minor
he fired four rounds, so the GM calls below). Addictions, and you may take them
for an IQ-2 roll. The detective fails the Effects of Drugs as -1-point quirks (see Quirks, p. 162).
roll, and discovers too late that he for- A stimulating drug leaves you feel-
got to reload his weapon, so his ing energized . . . until it wears off. Alcoholism 3
revolver has only two bullets left! Then you are depressed and irritable. -15 or -20 points

This is the classic disadvantage for An incapacitating drug renders you You are an alcohol addict.
eccentric geniuses. unconscious (or just blissfully, use- Alcoholism uses the Addiction rules
lessly drowsy) for about two hours. A (above). It is cheap, incapacitating,
Addiction 2/3 hallucinogenic drug renders you use- and usually legal, so it would normal-
Variable less for work or combat, though you ly be a -10-point Addiction. But it is
might be active and talkative. Some
You are addicted to a drug, which drugs (e.g., tobacco) have none of also insidious; therefore, it is worth
you must use daily or suffer with- these effects, while others have unique -15 points – or -20 points if it is illegal.
drawal. The value of this disadvantage effects. Side effects are also possible. Most of the time, you may confine
depends on the cost, effects, and legal- For detailed rules, see Addictive Drugs your drinking to the evenings, and
ity of the drug: (p. 440). therefore function normally (for game
purposes). However, any time you are
Cost (per day) Withdrawal in the presence of alcohol, you must
Cheap (up to 0.1% of average Sometimes, voluntarily or other- roll vs. Will to avoid partaking. A failed
starting wealth): -5 points.
wise, you must try to give up your roll means you go on a “binge” lasting
Addiction. Addiction to a drug that


122 DISADVANTAGES

2d hours, followed by a hangover; see it! Your IQ-based skill rolls are at -2 constant agony. On a critical failure,
Drinking and Intoxication (p. 439). unless the GM feels that memory you take 1d-3 damage and are at -6 DX
Alcoholics on a binge are character- would have no effect at all on the task and -4 IQ. -25 points.
ized by sudden mood swings – from at hand. -25 points.
extreme friendliness to extreme hostil- High Pain Threshold (p. 59) halves
ity – and may attack friends, talk too You can only buy off Amnesia if all DX and IQ penalties (drop frac-
freely, or make other mistakes. there is some reason why you might tions), but does not eliminate them
The other drawback of Alcoholism recover your memory; e.g., meeting an completely.
is that it is hard to get rid of. Should old friend, reliving some fateful event, Bad Grip 3
you manage to “withdraw,” you no or the ever-popular blow to the head.
longer need to drink daily . . . but you In most cases, the cure will be related -5 points/level
must still make a Will+4 roll whenev- to the cause of the memory loss. You have a penalty on tasks that
er you are in the presence of alcohol. A Particularly twisted GMs might enjoy require a firm grip. Each level (maxi-
failed roll does not reinstate the addic- making the cause in question some mum three levels) gives -2 with such
tion, but does set off a binge. (Three form of brainwashing. In this case, tasks. This penalty is overall – not per
binges in a week will reinstate the one of the hidden disadvantages will hand. Affected tasks include melee
addiction.) Thus, there is no normal probably be an Enemy with sufficient weapon use, climbing, catching
way to “buy off” this disadvantage. resources to have arranged the brain- things, and anything else the GM
Continued Alcoholism will steal washing in the first place. deems requires a firm grip (e.g., an
your abilities. You must roll yearly Appearance Acrobatics roll to catch a trapeze).
against HT+2 until you withdraw. This disadvantage is mutually
Failure means you lose a level from see p. 21 exclusive with No Fine Manipulators
one of your four basic attributes – roll Below-average appearance is a dis- (p. 145).
randomly to determine which. advantage, and should be noted as
such on your character sheet. Bad Sight 3
Amnesia 2 -25 points
-10 or -25 points Bad Back 3 You have poor vision. This applies
You’ve lost your memory. You -15 or -25 points to all your visual senses: regular
can’t remember any of your past life, For whatever reason, your spinal vision, Infravision, Ultravision, etc.
including your name. This disadvan- column is in bad shape. During stren- You may be nearsighted or farsighted
tage comes in two levels: uous physical activity, you may – your choice.
“throw your back” and suffer crippling
Partial Amnesia: You, the player, pain or further injury. Whenever you Nearsighted: You cannot read small
can see your character sheet, but the make a ST roll, and whenever you roll print, computer displays, etc., more
GM may reserve up to -30 points of 17 or 18 on an attack or defense roll in than a foot away, or road signs, etc., at
your disadvantage allotment for melee combat, or on a roll for an “ath- more than about 10 yards. You are
“secret” disadvantages of his choos- letic” skill such as Acrobatics, make a at -6 to Vision rolls to spot items more
ing. You know that you can use cer- HT roll as well. than one yard away. When making a
tain skills, but have no idea where you melee attack, you are at -2 to skill.
learned them. You are likely to have Modifiers: Any modifiers to the suc- When making a ranged attack, double
enemies – and possibly friends – that cess roll for the activity that triggered the actual distance to the target when
you can’t remember. If you turn your- the HT roll. For a long task that allows calculating the range modifier. -25
self in to the police, they can perform the luxury of planning, you can try to points.
their standard ID checks . . . but you minimize the strain on your back; a Farsighted: You cannot read text
might turn out to be a wanted crimi- successful IQ-2 or Physiology+4 roll except with great difficulty (triple nor-
nal. Even if you aren’t, finding out gives +2 on the HT roll. mal time). You are at -6 to Vision rolls
your name won’t restore your memo- On a failure, you throw your back. to spot items within one yard, and you
ry! -10 points. Consequences depend on the severity have -3 to DX on any close manual
Total Amnesia: The only traits you of your case: task, including close combat. -25
can specify during character creation points.
are those you could see in a mirror. Mild: You are at -3 DX until you Special Limitations
The GM assigns everything else – and rest or someone helps you; a First Aid- Mitigator: At TL5+, you can acquire
holds onto your full character sheet 2 roll will reset your back. You are also glasses that compensate totally for
until your memory returns! You have at -3 IQ, but during the next second Bad Sight while they are worn. At
no idea of your full abilities. Since the only (for your next turn, in combat). TL7+, contact lenses are available. In
GM knows your quirks and mental On a critical failure, you are at -5 DX both cases, remember that accidents
traits, and you don’t, he will some- and must make a Will roll to perform can happen . . . and that enemies can
times overrule your statements about any physical action. -15 points. deprive you of these items. If you are
what you’re doing. He will also make Severe: The HT roll is at -2. On a starting at a tech level in which vision
all skill rolls for you, because you have failure, DX and IQ are both at -4 until can be corrected, you must take this
no idea what you can do until you try you receive rest or help; you are in limitation. -60%.



DISADVANTAGES 123

Bad Smell 3 take no more than one second). Once avoid doing damage to objects on
your gun is empty, you must either another’s territory. Whether you
-10 points
draw another gun or charge into regard humans as individuals with ter-
You exude an appalling odor that melee combat. ritory rights is an open question! You
you cannot remove, such as the stench • You are immune to stun and might also understand dominance,
of death and decay. This causes a -2 shock, and your injuries cause no and respect or even obey a human
reaction from most people and ani- penalty to your Move score. You make who has proved to be stronger than
mals (although pests or carrion-eating all rolls to remain conscious or alive at you.
scavengers might be unusually attract- +4 to HT. If you don’t fail any rolls, You cannot take an Odious
ed to you!). You can mask the smell you remain alive and madly attacking Personal Habit for your beast-like
with perfumes, but the overpowering until you reach -5¥HP. Then you fall – behavior; that’s included in the cost of
amount needed results in the same dead! Bestial. But if your behavior is
reaction penalty.
• When you down a foe, you may extremely repugnant to humans –
Bad Temper 2 (if you wish) attempt another self-con- equivalent in severity to a -15-point
trol roll to see if you snap out of the Odious Personal Habit – the GM
-10 points* berserk state. If you fail (or do not might rule that Bestial is worth -15
You are not in full control of your roll), you remain berserk and attack points instead of the usual -10. You
emotions. Make a self-control roll in the next foe. Treat any friend who are free to take Odious Personal
any stressful situation. If you fail, you attempts to restrain you as a foe! You Habits unrelated to beast-like behavior
lose your temper and must insult, get to roll again each time you down a (including “eats humans”), however.
attack, or otherwise act against the foe, and you get one extra roll when no Bestial is not necessarily tied to low
cause of the stress. more foes remain. If you are still IQ, but roleplaying a character who is
berserk, you start to attack your both Bestial and remarkably intelli-
Berserk 2 friends . .. gent would be a major challenge
-10 points* Once you snap out of the berserk requiring a lot of thought and effort.
You tend to rampage out of control state, all your wounds immediately The GM may therefore choose to
when you or a loved one is harmed, affect you. Roll at normal HT to see restrict Bestial to characters with IQ
making frenzied attacks against who- whether you remain conscious and scores under 10 (or even under 6!), or
ever or whatever you see as the cause alive. simply reserve it for NPCs.
of the trouble. If you also suffer from Note that the Wild Animal meta-
Bad Temper (above), any stress may Special Enhancements trait (p. 263) includes this disadvan-
trigger Berserk. Battle Rage. You go berserk in any tage.
Make a self-control roll any time combat situation, regardless of
you suffer damage over 1/4 your HP in whether you have been injured. To Blindness 3
the space of one second, and whenev- avoid this, you must make a self-con- -50 points
er you witness equivalent harm to a trol roll when you first enter combat You cannot see at all. In unfamiliar
loved one. If you fail, you go berserk. (even a barroom brawl or a boxing territory, you must travel slowly and
You go berserk automatically if you match). +50%. carefully, or have a companion or
fail a self-control roll for Bad Temper! guide animal lead you. Many actions
You may deliberately go berserk by Bestial 21 are impossible for you; the GM should
taking the Concentrate maneuver and -10 or -15 points use common sense.
making a successful Will roll. Once You think and react like a wild ani- You are at -6 to all combat skills.
you are berserk, the following rules mal. You have no concept of “civi- You can use hand weapons, but you
apply: lized” standards of morality or propri- cannot target a particular hit location.
ety, and no concept of property. You If using a ranged weapon, you can
• If armed with a hand weapon,
you must make an All-Out Attack each fight or flee from those who frighten only attack randomly, or engage tar-
turn a foe is in range. If no foe is in or threaten you. You cannot learn gets so close that you can hear them.
range, you must use a Move maneuver skills that, in the GM’s opinion, rely on All this assumes you are accustomed
to get as close as possible to a foe – “civilized” notions of art or social to blindness. If you suddenly lose your
and if you can Move and Attack, or interaction, and you have no default eyesight, you fight at -10, just as if you
end your Move with a slam, you will. with such skills. were in total darkness. In either case,
• If the enemy is more than 20 You are not necessarily out of con- you suffer no extra penalties for oper-
yards away, you may attack with a trol; you simply react in an animalistic ating in the dark.
ranged weapon if you have one, but manner. You will usually ignore those If you have Blindness, you cannot
you may not take the Aim maneuver. who leave you alone (unless they’re purchase superhuman vision abilities.
If using a gun, you blaze away at your food!), and might even come to dis- If you see in a spectrum other than the
maximum rate of fire until your gun is play affection for those who treat you visible one, you have the 0-point ver-
empty. You cannot reload unless your with special kindness. You cannot sion of Infravision (p. 60) or
weapon – and your Fast-Draw skill – understand property in the human Ultravision (p. 94) – not Blindness and
lets you reload “without thought” (can sense, but (depending on your race) the 10-point version of one of those
you might understand territory and advantages. Note that Scanning Sense


124 DISADVANTAGES

(p. 81) and Vibration Sense (p. 96) are with those who have suffered the con- Cannot Speak: You can make vocal
not vision; you may take either of sequences of your callousness in the sounds (bark, growl, trill, etc., as
these traits in conjunction with past (GM’s decision). As well, past vic- appropriate), but your speech organs
Blindness, at the usual point costs. tims, and anyone with Empathy, will are incapable of the subtle modula-
react to you at -1. But ruthlessness has tions required for language. You may
Bloodlust 2 its perks: you get an extra +1 to still have the Mimicry or Voice advan-
-10 points* Interrogation and Intimidation rolls tage, or the Disturbing Voice disadvan-
You want to see your foes dead. In when you use threats or torture. tage (but not Stuttering). Most animals
battle, you must go for killing blows, have this trait. -15 points.
and put in an extra shot to make sure
of a downed foe. You must make a
self-control roll whenever you need to
accept a surrender, evade a sentry,
take a prisoner, etc. If you fail, you
attempt to kill your foe instead – even
if that means breaking the law, com-
promising stealth, wasting ammo, or
violating orders. Out of combat, you
never forget that a foe is a foe.
This may seem a truly evil trait, but
many fictional heroes suffer from it.
The hero is not a fiend or sadist; his
animosity is limited to “legitimate”
enemies, be they criminals, enemy sol-
diers, or feuding clansmen. He often
has a good reason for feeling as he
does. And, in an ordinary tavern
brawl, he would use his fists like any-
one else. On the other hand, a gladia-
tor or duelist with Bloodlust would be
very unpopular, a policeman would
soon be up on charges, and a soldier
would risk a court-martial.
Cannot Learn 2
Bully 2 -30 points Mute: You cannot vocalize at all.
-10 points* You cannot spend earned charac- All communications with others must
You like to push people around ter points to add or improve DX, IQ, be nonverbal: writing, sign language,
Morse code, telepathy, etc. Time spent
whenever you can get away with it. skills, or mental advantages, nor can communicating this way counts at full
Depending on your personality and you acquire new techniques (see value for study of the related skills (see
position, this might take the form of Techniques, p. 229) or familiarities Chapter 9). No roll is required (or
physical attacks, intellectual harass- (see Familiarity, p. 169) to accompany allowed!) when you try to communi-
ment, or social “cutting.” Make a self- existing skills. You are stuck with your cate with PCs who don’t know your
control roll to avoid gross bullying starting abilities! sign language – roleplay this on your
when you know you shouldn’t – but to You can still increase your ST and own! You cannot have any other
roleplay your character properly, you HT, and add physical advantages voice-related traits. -25 points.
should bully anybody you can. Since (with the GM’s permission). As well,
nobody likes a bully, others react to Cannot Learn doesn’t prevent you Charitable 2
you at -2. from temporarily acquiring skills using -15 points*
the Modular Abilities advantage
Callous 2 (p. 71). Those with computer brains You are acutely aware of others’
-5 points often possess both traits. emotions, and feel compelled to help
those around you – even legitimate
You are merciless, if not cruel. You This trait is most suitable for enemies. Make a self-control roll in
can decipher others’ emotions, but golems, mindless undead, robots, and any situation where you could render
you do so only to manipulate them – other automata. aid or are specifically asked for help,
you don’t care about their feelings or but should resist the urge. If you fail,
pain. This gives you -3 on all Teaching Cannot Speak 3 you must offer assistance, even if that
rolls, on Psychology rolls made to help -15 or -25 points means violating orders or walking into
others (as opposed to deduce weak- You have a limited capacity for a potential trap.
nesses or conduct scientific research), speech. This trait comes in two levels:
and on any skill roll made to interact



DISADVANTAGES 125

Chronic Depression 2 While in pain, reduce your DX and Attack occurs on a roll of 12 or less:
IQ by the amount specified for the ¥2.
-15 points*
severity of your pain (see below). Attack occurs on a roll of 15 or less:
You’ve lost your will to live. You’d Reduce self-control rolls to resist dis- ¥3.
commit suicide, but it seems like so advantages such as Bad Temper and
much trouble. Make a self-control roll Berserk by the same amount – some- Chummy 2
to do anything but acquire and con- one in pain is more likely to lose his -5 or -10 points
sume the minimum necessities for cool. If the GM rules that the attack
survival (for instance, to motivate occurs while you are trying to sleep, You work well with others and
yourself to go to a movie, attend a job you suffer penalties for sleep depriva- seek out company. This trait comes in
interview, or keep a date), or whenev- tion instead of the usual effects of this two levels:
er you must choose between two or disadvantage. Chummy: You react to others at +2
more actions. If you fail, you take the Chronic Pain attacks endure for a most of the time. When alone, you are
path of least resistance. This usually fixed “interval,” after which you may unhappy and distracted, and suffer a
means staying put and doing nothing. attempt a HT roll to recover. If you -1 penalty to IQ-based skills. -5 points.
If your self-control number is suffi- succeed, you have dealt with your pain Gregarious: You usually react to
ciently low, you will find it almost .. . today. If you fail, the attack con- others at +4. You are miserable when
impossible to do anything at all for tinues for another interval, after alone, and use IQ-based skills at -2 – or
yourself, unless someone physically which you may attempt another HT at -1 if in a group of four or less. -10
drags you out of your lair. If some- roll. And so on. points.
body shows up and demands that you
go out and do something with him,
make a self-control roll. If you fail, you
go along with his plan out of apathy.
You may eventually replace this
disadvantage with another one of
equivalent value that is more con- If your self-control number is sufficiently low,
ducive to self-esteem. The GM need you will find it almost impossible to do anything
only allow this evolution if you role-
play it convincingly. The GM may also at all for yourself, unless someone physically
require you to roleplay both disadvan- drags you out of your lair.
tages (the new one constantly, the
Chronic Depression whenever the GM
decides to bring it into play) during
the transition period.
You may also acquire this disad-
vantage in play. If you violate a self-
imposed mental disadvantage (see Find the point cost of Chronic Pain Clueless 2
p. 121), or lose a Dependent, the GM by choosing a severity and then multi-
may replace that disadvantage with plying the given cost to reflect the -10 points
this one. You totally miss the point of any
interval and frequency of attacks. wit aimed at you, and are oblivious to
Chronic Pain 3 Drop all fractions. attempts to seduce you (+4 to resist
Variable Severity Sex Appeal). The meanings of collo-
Mild: -2 to DX, IQ, and self-control quial expressions escape you.
You have an injury, disorder, or ill-
ness that leaves you in severe pain on rolls: -5 points. Sophisticated manners are also
a regular basis – perhaps even con- Severe: -4 to DX, IQ, and self-con- beyond you, giving -4 to Savoir-Faire
stantly. Examples include arthritis, trol rolls: -10 points. skill. You have many minor habits
bone cancer, migraines, and pieces of Agonizing: -6 to DX, IQ, and self- that annoy others (e.g., leaving the
shrapnel embedded in the body (an control rolls: -15 points. turn signal on while driving from
“old war wound”). Interval Chicago to Albuquerque), and may
Roll against the frequency of 1 hour: ¥0.5. take one or two of these as quirks.
appearance for your Chronic Pain 2 hours: ¥1. Most people will react to you at -2.
once per day. If you roll below this 4 hours: ¥1.5. Unlike No Sense of Humor
number, you suffer a bout of pain. The 8 hours: ¥2. (p. 146), you may make jokes – albeit
timing of this attack is up to the GM, Frequency of Appearance lame ones – and you can appreciate
but it usually occurs during waking Attack occurs on a roll of 6 or less: slapstick and written humor. However,
hours – you might wake up with it, or ¥0.5. you rarely “get” verbal humor, espe-
it might be set off by stress (fatigue, Attack occurs on a roll of 9 or less: cially if you are the target (roll vs. IQ-4
exertion, etc.) during the day. roll to realize you’re the butt of the
¥1. joke). And unlike Gullibility (p. 137),



126 DISADVANTAGES

you normally realize when someone is Anything else goes. This is also suit- Temperature Tolerance), you get -1 to
trying to take advantage of you, except able for brigands, bikers, etc. -5 points. Basic Speed and DX per 10° below
in social situations. You are no more Code of Honor (Professional): your “threshold temperature” (see
susceptible to Fast-Talk than normal, Adhere to the ethics of your profes- below). At temperatures below 32°,
save when someone is trying to con- sion; always do your job to the best of you must roll vs. HT or take 1 HP of
vince you that an attractive member of your ability; support your guild, damage. Warm clothing gives +2 to
the appropriate sex is interested in union, or professional association. this roll.
you . .. This is most suitable for lawyers and You regain lost Basic Speed and
This disadvantage is most appro- physicians (Hippocratic Oath), but DX at the rate of one point of each per
priate for ivory-tower geniuses, aliens dedicated tradesmen, merchants, and hour once you return to a warm cli-
from Mars, etc. so forth may have a similar Code. -5 mate. Double this rate in an excep-
points. tionally warm environment.
Code of Honor 2 Code of Honor (Gentleman’s): Never Point value depends on your
-5 to -15 points break your word. Never ignore an “threshold temperature”:
You take pride in a set of principles insult to yourself, a lady, or your flag; You “stiffen up” below 50°: -5
that you follow at all times. The insults may only be wiped out by an points.
specifics can vary, but they always apology or a duel (not necessarily to You “stiffen up” below 65°: -10
involve “honorable” behavior. You the death!). Never take advantage of points.
will do nearly anything – perhaps even an opponent in any way; weapons and
risk death – to avoid the label “dishon- circumstances must be equal (except Colorblindness 3
orable” (whatever that means). in open war). This only applies -10 points
You must do more than pay lip between gentlemen. A discourtesy
service to a set of principles to get from anyone of Status 0 or less calls You cannot see any colors at all
points for a Code of Honor. You must for a whipping, not a duel! -10 points. (this is total colorblindness). In any
be a true follower of the Code! This is Code of Honor (Soldier’s): An officer situation requiring color identification
a disadvantage because it often should be tough but fair, lead from the (e.g., gem buying, livery identification,
requires dangerous – if not reckless – front, and look out for his men; an or pushing the red button to start the
behavior. Furthermore, you can often enlisted man should look out for his motor), the GM should give you
be forced into unfair situations, buddies and take care of his kit. Every appropriate difficulties. Certain skills
because your foes know you are soldier should be willing to fight and are always harder for you. In particu-
honorable. die for the honor of his unit, service, lar, you are at -1 on most Artist,
Code of Honor is not the same as and country; follow orders; obey the Chemistry, Driving, Merchant,
Duty (p. 133) or Sense of Duty “rules of war”; treat an honorable Piloting, and Tracking rolls.
(p. 153). A samurai or British enemy with respect (a dishonorable Combat Paralysis 3
grenadier marches into battle against enemy deserves a bullet); and wear the
fearful odds out of duty, not for his uniform with pride. -10 points. -15 points
personal honor (though of course he Code of Honor (Chivalry): As Code You tend to “freeze up” in combat
would lose honor by fleeing). The risks of Honor (Gentleman’s), except that situations, and receive -2 to all Fright
you take for your honor are solely on flags haven’t been invented. Respond Checks. This has nothing to do with
your own account. to any insult to your liege-lord or to Cowardice (p. 129) – you may be
The point value of a particular your faith. Protect any lady, and any- brave, but your body betrays you.
Code of Honor depends on how much one weaker than yourself. Accept any In any situation in which personal
trouble it is liable to get you into and challenge to arms from anyone of harm seems imminent, make a HT
how arbitrary and irrational its greater or equal rank. Even in open roll. Do not roll until the instant you
requirements are. An informal Code war, sides and weapons must be equal need to fight, run, pull the trigger, or
that applies only among your peers is if the foe is also noble and chival- whatever. Any roll over 13 is a failure,
worth -5 points. A formal Code that rous. -15 points. even if you have HT 14+. On a success,
applies only among peers, or an infor- you can act normally. On a failure,
mal one that applies all the time, is Cold-Blooded 31 you are mentally stunned (see Effects
worth -10 points. A formal Code that -5 or -10 points of Stun, p. 420). Make another HT roll
applies all the time, or that requires Your body temperature fluctuates every second, at a cumulative +1 per
suicide if broken, is worth -15 points. with the temperature of the environ- turn after the first, to break the freeze.
The GM has the final say! Some ment. You are less susceptible to dam- A quick slap from a friend gives +1 to
examples: age from high or low body tempera- your cumulative roll.
ture (+2 HT to resist the effects of tem- Once you unfreeze, you will not
Code of Honor (Pirate’s): Always perature), and require only 1/3 the freeze again until the immediate dan-
avenge an insult, regardless of the food needed by a warm-blooded being ger is over. Then, in the next dangerous
danger; your buddy’s foe is your own; of equal mass, but you tend to “stiffen situation, you may freeze once again.
never attack a fellow crewman or up” in cold weather. This trait is the opposite of Combat
buddy except in a fair, open duel.
After 30 minutes in cold conditions Reflexes (p. 43). You cannot have
(or one hour if you have any level of both.


DISADVANTAGES 127

Compulsive Behavior 2 crash the party; if there is no party, Compulsive Generosity: You are too
you attempt to liven things up. Money open-handed. If a beggar asks for
-5 to -15 points*
is no object! If you have it, you will cash, you give – and where others give
You have a habit – often a vice – spend it. You try almost any mind- copper, you give silver. You always lis-
that wastes a good deal of your time or altering substance without a second ten to larger requests for financial aid,
money. You must indulge at least once thought, never refuse a social drink, if they are even remotely plausible,
per day, if at all possible, and do so and aren’t particularly picky about and you must make a self-control roll
any time you have the opportunity your romantic partners. You get +1 to whenever you hear a good hard-luck
unless you can make a self-control reactions from like-minded extroverts, story (if you are broke when asked,
roll. You seek to avoid any situation but -1 or worse from sober-minded you apologize profusely). You aren’t a
where you know you will be unable to citizens – and -4 in puritanical set- complete sucker – you just feel guilty
indulge for more than a day. You must tings. -5 points* (-10 points* in puri- about being better off than others. In a
make a self-control roll to enter into tanical settings). society with a lot of beggars around,
such a situation; if you succeed (or are Compulsive Gambling: You cannot increase your cost of living:
forced into the situation), you suffer pass up an opportunity to gamble.
from Bad Temper (p. 124) the whole Bets, wagers, games of chance, and Self-Control Cost of
time, with the same self-control roll as even lotteries hold an uncanny fasci- Number Living Increase
your Compulsive Behavior. It’s bad nation for you. If there is no game of 6 20%
roleplaying to try to avoid your com- chance or bet going, you will start one. 9 15%
pulsion regularly! You try any gambling game proposed 12 10%
The point value of this disadvan- to you, whether you know it or not. 15 5%
tage depends on how much your habit You do not have to have the Gambling This may earn you a +1 reaction
costs and how much trouble it is like- skill, but if you don’t, you will need a bonus from pious folk; if you are poor
ly to get you into. The GM is the final steady source of wealth! If you are pre- yourself, the reaction bonus may be
judge. Examples include:
vented from gambling – for instance, even higher. This trait is incompatible
Compulsive Carousing: You cannot by traveling with nongamblers – you with Miserliness. -5 points.*
resist the urge to party! Once per day, will quickly earn a reaction penalty (-1 Compulsive Lying: You lie constant-
you must seek out a social gathering per -5 points in this disadvantage, ly, for no reason other than the joy of
and lounge around – feasting, drink- after the self-control multiplier) by telling the tale. You delight in invent-
ing, singing, and joking – for at least constantly talking about gambling and ing stories about your deeds, lineage,
an hour. If you are not invited, you attempting to draw others into games wealth – whatever might impress your
or wagers. -5 points.*


128 DISADVANTAGES

audience. Even when exposed as a strange place, or when there’s a com- push buttons, pull levers, open doors,
liar, you cling to your stories tena- motion going on, you must make a unwrap presents, etc. – even if you
ciously, calling your accuser a liar and self-control roll. On a failure, you know it could be dangerous. Good
a scoundrel. Make a self-control roll to freeze up instead of taking decisive or roleplayers won’t try to make this roll
tell the pure, unvarnished truth. If you appropriate action. This often pre- very often . ..
fail, you lie – no matter how dire the vents you from making Tactics rolls In general, you do everything in
consequences. When you roll to tell and engaging in other sorts of long- your power to investigate any situa-
the truth to your fellow party mem- range planning. The GM should adjust tion with which you aren’t 100%
bers, roll out of sight of the other play- the self-control roll in accordance familiar. When faced with a real mys-
ers. Thus, they can never be sure they with the stimuli in the area. To resist tery, you simply cannot turn your
are getting accurate information. -15 confusion from two friends chatting back on it. You try to rationalize your
points.* quietly in a familiar room would curiosity to others who try to talk you
Compulsive Spending: Cash just require an unmodified roll, but a out of it. Common Sense doesn’t help
runs through your fingers! You enjoy nightclub with flashing lights and – you know you are taking a risk, but
being seen as a big spender, are too pounding music might give -5, and a you’re curious anyway!
fond of luxury, or find the experience full-scale riot or battle would give -10!
of buying to be fun – perhaps all three. If this disadvantage strikes in com- Cursed 25
Make a self-control roll whenever bat, you must take the Do Nothing -75 points
someone offers you a purchase that maneuver each turn. You are not Like Unluckiness (p. 160), but
matches any of your quirks or inter- stunned, and if you are directly and worse. When anything goes wrong for
ests, and the cash in your pocket is physically attacked, you can defend your party, it happens to you, first and
more than twice the asking price. If yourself normally. You can even worst. If something goes right, it miss-
you fail, you buy. This raises your cost launch a counterattack against that es you. Any time the GM feels like hos-
of living, and gives you a penalty to one foe. But you never act – only react. ing you, he can, and you have no com-
Merchant skill when you bargain or plaint coming, because you are
haggle: Cowardice 2 Cursed. You can’t buy this off just by
-10 points* spending points – you must determine
Self-Control Cost of Merchant
Number Living Skill You are extremely careful about what has cursed you and deal with it,
Increase Penalty your physical well-being. Make a self- and then spend the points.
6 80% -4 control roll any time you are called on
9 40% -3 to risk physical danger. Roll at -5 if Deafness 3
12 20% -2 you must risk death. If you fail, you -20 points
15 10% -1 must refuse to endanger yourself You cannot hear anything. You
unless threatened with greater danger! must receive information in writing (if
Compulsive Spending is not limit- Cowardice gives a penalty to Fright
ed to the wealthy! A poor farmer can Checks whenever physical danger is you are literate) or sign language.
be a spendthrift. This trait is incom- involved: However, time you spend communi-
patible with Miserliness (it’s the oppo- cating this way counts at full value for
site!), but you can combine it with Fright study of the skills used (Gesture, Lip-
Greed. -5 points.* Self-Control Check Reading, etc.); see Chapter 9.
Compulsive Vowing: You never Number Penalty Debt
simply decide to do something; you 6 -4
must make it an oath. Although these 9 -3 see p. 26
vows are often trivial in nature, you 12 -2
approach them all with the same 15 -1 Decreased Time Rate
solemnity and dedication. You may In some times and places, soldiers, 21
tack extraneous vows onto legitimate police, etc., react to you at a similar -100 points
ones. -5 points.* penalty if they know you are a coward. This is the disadvantageous coun-
Confused 2 Curious 2 terpart to Altered Time Rate (p. 38).
You experience time half as fast as
-10 points* -5 points* normal: one subjective second for
To you, the world seems a strange You are naturally very inquisitive. every two real seconds that pass. You
and incomprehensible place most of This is not the curiosity that affects all only get a turn every two seconds in
the time. You are not necessarily stu- PCs (“What’s in that cave? Where did combat! (Gaming groups that enjoy
pid, but you are slow to pick up on the flying saucer come from?”), but extra detail might wish to give charac-
new facts or situations. the real thing (“What happens if I push ters with Decreased Time Rate “half-
In particular, you respond poorly this button?”). turns” instead: splitting a Move
to excessive stimulation. When alone Make a self-control roll when pre- maneuver across two turns, declaring
in the peace and quiet of your own sented with an interesting item or an Attack maneuver one turn and
home, you function normally. But in a situation. If you fail, you examine it – rolling to hit the next, etc.)




DISADVANTAGES 129

Delusions 2 say hello, that’s a quirk. If you won’t Very Common (available almost
discuss serious matters with purple anywhere): -5 points.
-5 to -15 points
things in the room, it’s a Minor
You believe something that simply Delusion. If you picket the Capitol Add -5 points to these values for
is not true. This may cause others to demanding Civil Rights For Purple items that are illegal in your game
consider you insane. And they may be Things, that’s Major. If you world.
right! If you suffer from a Delusion, attack purple things on sight, that’s Apply a multiplier based on the fre-
you must roleplay your belief at all Severe! quency with which you must receive
times. The point value of the Delusion Regardless of how insane you real- the item:
depends on its nature:
ly are, you may not get more than -40 Constantly: You must carry and use
Minor: This Delusion affects your points, total, from Delusions. the substance at all times – for exam-
behavior, and anyone around you will A GM who wants to shake up his ple, an exotic atmosphere. Lose 1 HP
soon notice it, but it does not keep you players can have a Delusion turn out to per minute without the substance. ¥5.
from functioning more-or-less nor- be true. This does not suit all Delusions. Hourly: Lose 1 HP per 10 minutes
mally. Those who notice your Of those listed above, for instance, the after missing an hourly dose. ¥4.
Delusion will react at -1. Examples: ones about squirrels, ice cream, and Daily: Lose 1 HP per hour after
“Squirrels are messengers from God.” Napoleon seem unlikely. But the missing a daily dose. ¥3.
“The Illuminati are watching me con- Illuminati might really exist, or Gypsies Weekly: Lose 1 HP per six hours
stantly – but only to protect me.” “I am might really have stolen the heir to the after missing a weekly dose. ¥2.
the rightful Duke of Fnordia, stolen at throne of Fnordia . . . Have fun! Monthly: Lose 1 HP per day after
birth by Gypsies and doomed to live If your Delusion turns out to be missing a monthly dose. ¥1.
among commoners.” -5 points. true, you don’t have to buy it off until Seasonally: Lose 1 HP per three
Major: This Delusion strongly the other players realize it’s true. (And days after missing a seasonal dose (a
affects your behavior, but does not remember: the GM won’t tell you that “season” is three months for this pur-
keep you from living a fairly normal you are not really crazy. You can be pose). ¥1/3 (drop all fractions).
life. Others will react at -2. Examples: right and still be crazy . . .) Yearly: Lose 1 HP per two weeks
“The government has all phones after missing a yearly dose. ¥1/10
tapped.” “I have Eidetic Memory and (drop all fractions).
Absolute Direction.” -10 points.
If you need to touch an object or
spend time in an environment, you
must do so for time equal to your
A GM who wants to shake up his players can damage interval in order to avoid
have a Delusion turn out to be true. (And damage. For instance, to avoid losing
1 HP per hour to a daily Dependency
remember: the GM won’t tell you that you are on rest in your coffin, you must spend
not really crazy. You can be right and still be at least one hour per day in your cof-
fin. To avoid losing 1 HP every two
crazy . . .) weeks to a yearly Dependency on visit-
ing your home planet, you must visit
your home planet for at least two
weeks per year.
Severe: This Delusion affects your Dependency 31 With the GM’s permission, normal
behavior so much that it may keep humans may take this disadvantage to
you from functioning in the everyday Variable represent the special requirements of
world. Others react to you at -3, but You must regularly ingest a sub- certain chronic illnesses.
they are more likely to fear or pity you stance (e.g., a drug or magic potion), Not every life-support requirement
than to attack. A Delusion this severe touch or carry an object (e.g., a holy qualifies as Dependency. Use
can keep you from participating shrine or magical amulet), or spend Maintenance (p. 143) if you require
meaningfully in the campaign; there- time in an environment (e.g., your cof- skilled care – not a substance, object,
fore, you should always clear it with fin or your home country, planet, or or environment – to avoid HT loss (not
the GM first. Examples: “I am plane) in order to survive. If you fail to injury). Use Restricted Diet (p. 151)
Napoleon.” “I am immortal.” “Ice do so, you start to lose HP and will for special dietary requirements that
cream makes machines work better, eventually die. Point value depends on result in slow starvation as opposed to
especially computers. Spoon it right the rarity of the item you depend on: rapid HP loss when you are forced to
in.” -15 points. Rare (cannot be bought; must be do without.

Depending on your behavior, the found or made): -30 points. Special Enhancements
same Delusion could be a quirk (-1 Occasional (very expensive or hard Aging: You age unnaturally without
point) or worth -5, -10, or -15 points. to find): -20 points. the item you depend on. For each HP
Consider “Everything colored purple Common (expensive, somewhat lost, you also age two years (even if
is alive.” If you pat purple things and hard to find): -10 points.
you are normally Unaging). +30%.


130 DISADVANTAGES

Dependents 4 Ally, he manages to be helpful and change. Children grow up, adults earn
take care of himself. If he appears as money, and everyone learns new
Variable
both, he is helpful and troublesome at skills. Dependents who spend a lot of
A “Dependent” is an NPC for whom the same time; for instance, he uses time around you might become
you are responsible; e.g., your child, his skills to assist you, but also wan- adventurers in their own right. You
kid brother, or spouse. You must take ders off, is singled out by the enemy, are free to suggest reasonable
care of your Dependents. or otherwise causes problems equal to improvements for your Dependents,
Furthermore, your foes can strike at the assistance he offers. but the GM’s word is final.
you through them. (If you have both If your Dependent is killed, or so
an Enemy and a Dependent, and the Importance seriously injured that the GM decides
dice indicate that both appear, then The more important your he is effectively out of the campaign,
the GM can build an entire adventure Dependent is to you, the more you you must make up the bonus points
around this theme!) multiply his intrinsic “nuisance value” you got for him. You have three
If your Dependent ends up kid- and worth in points. options: buy off the amount by spend-
napped or otherwise in danger during Employer or acquaintance: You feel ing earned character points, take a
play, you must go to the rescue as a responsibility toward this person, new disadvantage (e.g., Chronic
soon as possible. If you don’t go to his but you may weigh risks to him in a Depression, p. 126), or get a new
aid immediately, the GM can deny you rational fashion. ¥1/2. Dependent. New Dependents are usu-
bonus character points for “acting out Friend: You must always try to pro- ally inappropriate, but a mental dis-
of character.” Furthermore, you never tect this person. You may only risk ability brought on by the loss is a
earn any character points for a game harm to him if something very impor- good solution. (Ever since the octopus
session in which your Dependent is tant (such as the safety of many other got Amy, you’ve been afraid of the
killed or badly hurt. people) is at stake. ¥1. ocean . . .)
Three factors determine the disad- Loved one: The Dependent is a rel-
vantage value of a Dependent: his ative or a lover. You may not put any- Examples of Dependents
competence, his importance (to you!), thing before his safety! ¥2. • For anyone: elderly relatives,
and his frequency of appearance. teachers, friends, children, younger
Frequency of Appearance brothers or sisters, lovers, husbands
Competence Choose a frequency of appearance, or wives.
Specify the number of points your as explained under Frequency of • For crimefighters: young side-
Dependent is built on. The more points Appearance (p. 36). This should fit the kicks, reporters, or wards.
you use to “build” your Dependent, the “story” behind the Dependent. If the • For wizards: apprentices.
more competent he will be, and the Dependent were your infant child, for • For ship captains (ocean- or
fewer points he will be worth as a dis- instance, it would be odd for him to space-going): ensigns or cabin boys.
advantage. “Point Total” is the appear “quite rarely”! • For soldiers: orphans or new
Dependent’s point total as a fraction of recruits.
the PC’s, except for the last line, which Multiple Dependents • For criminals or mad scientists:
is absolute; “Cost” is the number of You cannot earn points for more incompetent henchmen.
character points the disadvantage is than two Dependents. However, if you
worth. have a group of Dependents, you may Destiny 25
count the entire group as your two
Point Total Cost Dependents. Work out the value of an Variable
No more than 100% -1 point average member of the group as a A disadvantageous Destiny func-
No more than 75% -2 points Dependent, and then claim twice this tions identically to an advantageous
No more than 50% -5 points point value. one (see p. 48), save that it always
No more than 25% -10 points leads to something bad – but perhaps
0 or fewer points -15 points Example: A vigilante who is a not immediately, and not without a
schoolteacher by day could have chance to gain honor by dealing with
The same person can be both a “generic dependents”: all pupils. They
Dependent and an Ally (p. 36)! Add the are young (-10 points), around “quite it well. A fated, tragic death can be an
cost of Ally and Dependent together, often” (¥2), and count as “friends” (¥1), end worthy of a hero! This kind of
and treat the combination as a single for -20 points each. However, the two- Destiny comes in three levels:
trait: an advantage if the total point Dependent limit lets the hero claim -40 Minor Disadvantage: You are fated
cost is positive, a disadvantage if it is points’ worth of Dependents. (And if to play a small part in a larger story,
negative. You must use the same point one gets hurt, there are always others.) and you will not come off so well. You
total for him in both cases, but fre- Dependents in Play are guaranteed at least one tragic
quency of appearance can differ. Roll experience or embarrassing failure –
separately for his appearance as a As you earn points, the GM will although these things are unlikely to
Dependent and as an Ally. If he scale your Dependent’s abilities pro- result in your death except under the
appears as a Dependent, he shows up portionally to keep his point total a most desperate and heroic of
in a way that causes you trouble (e.g., fixed percentage of your own. Thus, circumstances. -5 points.
he’s captured). If he appears as an his value as a disadvantage will not




DISADVANTAGES 131

Major Disadvantage: You are fated and in any event cannot have above- Divine Curse can take any form the
to play a key role in a sorry turn of average Wealth, or Status beyond that GM desires. It can be a continuing
events. For instance, you might be late granted by your Religious Rank (if commandment (e.g., “You may never
with a message that could save the day any). -15 points. sleep at night,” -10 points), a misfor-
.. . or execute the only competent gen- Monasticism: You lead a life apart tune (e.g., “Every child born to you
eral in a threatened province, causing from worldly concerns. You are com- will die young,” -5 points), or even a
its loss to barbarian invaders. Still, pletely devoted to religious pursuits, particularly nasty disadvantage such
you will survive. -10 points. which often involves the denial of ego as Berserk, Blindness, or Epilepsy (at
Great Disadvantage: Death stalks and self. You must spend at least 75% the usual cost). What makes it distinct
you. Something out there has your of your time sequestered from the from other disadvantages is the poten-
name on it. It knows where you are world, and cannot have above-average tial for removal. The curse was given
and it’s getting closer all the time. You Wealth, or Status beyond that granted for a reason, and you can try to uncov-
will either die or be ruined, and your by your Religious Rank (if any). -10 er this reason and atone in play, there-
fall will have terrible repercussions for points. by lifting the curse.
others. This kind of Destiny is not suit- Mysticism: You engage in deep The GM should judge the point
able for every campaign! The GM does meditation and trance-like contempla- value of Divine Curse on a case-by-
not have to allow it – and if he does, he tion, with the aim of obtaining a clos- case basis, using existing disadvan-
should plan on letting the campaign er union with the divine. You spend tages as guidelines: the more encom-
take a radical turn, or end, when the most of your time engaged in these rit- passing or debilitating the curse, the
Destiny is fulfilled. -15 points. uals, complete with chanting and any higher its value. Curses that result in
other necessary trappings. Individuals standard disadvantages should never
You must buy off a disadvanta- other than devout co-religionists will be worth more points than those dis-
geous Destiny as soon as it is fulfilled. consider you a bit mad, and will react advantages. Price commandments as
This is automatic if the outcome strips at -2. -10 points. if they were Vows. The terms of atone-
you of Allies, Status, Wealth, etc. Ritualism: You adhere strictly to ment will often be nearly as bad as the
worth the same number of points. If elaborate rituals regarding every curse itself, or require great effort to
you lack the points to buy off your aspect of life – from waking to eating discover and satisfy. Halve the point
Destiny, you gain Unluckiness to bathing to sex. Each ritual has its value if this is not the case.
(p. 160), regardless of the point value proper place, time, words, trappings,
of the Destiny. It is up to the GM and ceremony. Your fundamental Draining 35
whether you can buy off the belief is that, through the perfect per-
Unluckiness! Alternatively, the GM formance of these rituals, you bring Variable
might assign you a new bad Destiny, each aspect of your life closer to the Once per day, at a specific time –
Divine Curse (below), or other super- divine. -5 points. sunrise, noon, sunset, midnight, etc. –
natural disadvantage. you take 2 HP of damage. You can do
nothing to prevent this, and cannot
Disciplines of Faith 2 Disturbing Voice 3 heal the damage naturally (even if you
-5 to -15 points -10 points have Regeneration!), technologically,
Your voice is naturally unpleasant
You live by a strict set of rules in or obviously artificial. Details can or supernaturally. The only way to
regain your lost HP is to receive a
order to achieve a greater understand- vary. You might be a robot, or use a daily dose of a particular substance.
ing of your faith. This might be a per- technological aid to mitigate the Mute Point cost depends on the rarity of this
sonal decision or a requirement of disadvantage. Your voice might be substance:
your religion. Such rules are optional raspy, hollow, or squeaky, or your
in many faiths, though – indeed, some speech might be monotonous and Rare (e.g., a special potion): -15
religions might forbid them as excess- without inflection. The game effects in points.
es! Disciplines of Faith are often a pre- all cases are identical to those of Occasional (e.g., virgin’s blood): -10
requisite for abilities that channel Stuttering (p. 157), although you do points.
divine power: Power Investiture, True not necessarily stutter. Common (e.g., human blood): -5
Faith, etc. This trait is the opposite of the points.
Some examples of Disciplines of Voice advantage (p. 97); you cannot
Faith: Add -5 points to these values for
have both. items that are illegal in your game
Asceticism: You have renounced world.
the comforts of society to lead a life of Divine Curse 25 This is not the same as
self-denial and self-discipline. This Variable Dependency (p. 130). You can have
often involves some sort of isolation in You suffer from a curse placed by a both!
bleak, austere settings. It might even god or similar supernatural force. The
involve sporadic bouts of severe self- curse might be on just you, on your Dread 25
punishment to excise the mortal taint entire family, or even on your nation Variable
of earthly desire. You must try to tran- or race. You suffer from a supernatural
scend all need for worldly possessions, aversion that compels you to keep a




132 DISADVANTAGES

certain, minimum distance from a
particular item or substance. If out-
side forces bring you and the item you
dread closer together than that, you
must move away as fast as you can, by
the most direct route possible. You
may do nothing else until you are
beyond the range of your Dread. If you
cannot put at least that much distance
between yourself and the object of
your Dread, your Dread will render
you helpless!
You can instantly sense the pres-
ence of the dreaded substance as soon
as you enter the forbidden radius. You
do not know exactly where it is, but
you know what direction it lies in and
are compelled to go exactly the other
way.
Base value of Dread is -10 points,
which prohibits you from coming
within one yard of the dreaded sub-
stance. A larger radius gives an addi-
tional -1 point per yard, to a maxi-
mum of -20 points at 11 yards. Find
the final disadvantage value by multi-
plying the point value for your range
to reflect the rarity of the substance, as
described for Weakness (p. 161).
Special Limitations
Cannot Be Trapped: You cannot
enter the forbidden zone of your own
volition, but if carried there by an out-
side force, you no longer feel your
Dread. You can act normally in the
forbidden zone until you leave the
substance’s presence, at which time
the prohibition reactivates. -50%.

Duty 4
Variable
If your occupation and social situ-
ation saddle you with a significant
personal obligation toward others,
and occasionally require you to obey
hazardous orders, you have a “Duty.”
Duty most often accompanies Rank
(p. 29), a Patron (p. 72), or one of the
traits discussed under Privilege (p. 30).
A particularly arduous job might
qualify as a Duty, but most ordinary
jobs would not. A wholly self-imposed
feeling of duty is not a Duty, either
(but it can still be a disadvantage; see
Sense of Duty, p. 153). Finally, you
cannot claim points for a Duty toward
Dependents (p. 131); the points you
get for Dependents already reflect your
obligations in this regard.




DISADVANTAGES 133

The GM may restrict the Duties Examples Easy to Kill gives -1 to HT rolls made
allowed in a campaign, or even forbid for survival at -HP or below, and on
them entirely, if he feels they would Example 1: A mayor is indebted to any HT roll where failure would mean
unduly disrupt the flow of the adven- the crime lord who got him elected. instant death (e.g., heart failure). This
ture. His benefactor rarely calls on him for does not affect most normal HT rolls –
If you have a Duty, the GM rolls at favors (-2 points), but since the mayor only those to avoid certain death. You
the beginning of each adventure to see faces blackmail or violence if he refus- may not reduce your HT roll below 3.
whether it comes into play. Being es to comply, his Duty is Involuntary. For instance, if you have HT 10, you
“called to duty” could delay your plans Duty (Crime Lord, 6 or less; are limited to Easy to Kill 7.
.. . or be the reason for the adventure! Involuntary) is worth -7 points.
Alternatively, your master might give Example 2: A commando is always Easy to Read 2
you a secret agenda to pursue, or his on duty (-15 points). He might see -10 points
associates might harass you while you only a handful of combat assignments Your body language betrays your
are officially “on leave.” If you try to in his whole career, but these will be true intentions. This is not the same as
avoid your Duty, your GM is within deadly. And his daily routine calls for Truthfulness (p. 159). You have no
his rights to penalize you for bad role- him to jump out of planes, hike moral problem with lying, and may
playing. through snake-infested jungles, and even possess Fast-Talk at a high level,
The basic point cost of a Duty train with live ammo. A commando but your face or stance gives the game
depends on the frequency with which has Duty (Army, 15 or less; Extremely away.
comes up in play: Hazardous), for -20 points. Easy to Read gives others +4 on all
Almost all the time (roll of 15 or Dwarfism Empathy, Body Language, and
less): -15 points. At this level, the GM see p. 19 Psychology rolls to discern your
may rule that you are always on duty. intentions or the truth of your words.
Quite often (roll of 12 or less): -10 Dyslexia 2 As well, they get +4 to their IQ, Detect
points. -10 points Lies, and Gambling rolls in any Quick
Fairly often (roll of 9 or less): -5 Contest with your Acting, Fast-Talk,
points. You have a crippling reading dis- or Gambling skill when you try to lie
Quite rarely (roll of 6 or less): -2 ability. Even simple maps and road or bluff. (If you also have
points. signs are beyond you. You start with a Truthfulness, your Fast-Talk skill is
written comprehension level of at -5 on top of this.) This is a crippling
This cost is for an occasionally haz- “None” in your native language. This disadvantage for a would-be spy, con
ardous Duty imposed through normal is included in Dyslexia; you get no man, or gambler!
social means. If this does not describe extra points for it. Furthermore, you This is a mental disadvantage,
your Duty, you should modify the cost: may never improve your written com- despite its physical manifestations;
prehension level beyond “None” in with enough practice, you can “buy it
Extremely Hazardous: You are
always at risk of death or serious any language. For more on language off.”
injury when your Duty comes up. comprehension, see Language (p. 23).
There are significant penalties if you You can learn “book-learned” skills Electrical 31
refuse to take these risks: dismissal in at normal speed if you have a teacher -20 points
disgrace, imprisonment, perhaps even to substitute for your inability to use Your body contains unshielded
death. The GM has the final say as to texts. Attempts to learn such a skill electronics, or relies on electrical
whether a given Duty is “extremely without a teacher progress at 1/4 power for its vital energy. This makes
hazardous” in his campaign. -5 points. speed – if the skill is one you can teach you susceptible to attacks that only
Involuntary: Your Duty is enforced yourself without books. The GM’s affect electrical systems, such as
by threats to you or your loved ones, word is final in all cases. In tradition- spells, advantages, and ultra-tech
or is imposed by exotic mind control, al fantasy settings, magic is a book- weapons that drain power or produce
a curse, etc. This is unrelated to how learned skill, and Dyslexia prevents “surge” effects, and the electromagnet-
hazardous the Duty is when you carry you from ever becoming a wizard. ic pulse from a nuclear blast. A critical
it out – the danger here lies in what Note that this is a severe case. Mild hit from an electrical attack causes
will happen if you don’t carry it out! A dyslexia is not significant in game you to “short-circuit,” rendering you
Duty can be Involuntary and either terms, except possibly as a quirk. unconscious in addition to any other
Extremely Hazardous or Easy to Kill 3 damage effects.
Nonhazardous. -5 points. This disadvantage usually accom-
Nonhazardous: Your Duty never -2 points/level panies the Machine meta-trait
requires you to risk your life. This You have a health problem or struc- (p. 263), but this is not required.
option is mutually exclusive with tural weakness that leaves you prone to Afflictions and Innate Attacks that
Extremely Hazardous. +5 points. (If catastrophic system failure if you suf- only affect those with this trait are
this raises the cost of your Duty to 0 fer enough damage. Each level of possible. Apply the -20% Accessibility
points or more, the obligation is too limitation “Only on Electrical” to all
trivial to qualify as a Duty.) such attacks.



134 DISADVANTAGES

Enemies 4 Evil Twin: Your Enemy looks and detectives out to arrest a suspected
sounds like you, and perhaps even criminal. ¥1.
Variable
uses your name, but acts completely
An “Enemy” is an NPC, group of opposite. Often, others will think you Frequency of Appearance
NPCs, or organization that actively suffer from Split Personality (p. 156), Choose a frequency of appearance,
works against you, personally, on your and react appropriately (-3 to reac- as explained under Frequency of
adventures. Some Enemies want to kill tions). You might never meet your Appearance (p. 36). Roll at the begin-
you . . . others have more devious goals. Evil Twin, but you will hear about him ning of each adventure, or at the start of
Determine the nature of your – usually when you’re taking the each session of a continuing adventure.
Enemy when you create your charac- blame for something you didn’t do. Limits on Enemies
ter, and explain to the GM why the Normally, an Evil Twin has exactly the You may not take more than two
Enemy is after you. The GM is free to same skills and abilities as you, but his Enemies, or claim more than -60
fill in additional details as he sees fit. mental disadvantages are opposite or points in Enemies. (If the whole U.S.
Three factors determine the disad- skewed. This makes him an even government is out to get you, the fact
vantage value of an Enemy: its power, match: a -10-point Enemy. If he is that your old college professor has lost
its intent, and its frequency of more capable than you, he is worth his mind, and is also after you, pales to
appearance. insignificance.)
extra points, because he is better
Power equipped to make you look insane, Enemies in Play
The more powerful the Enemy, the and you are less able to predict and If the dice indicate that an Enemy
more points it is worth as a disadvan- thwart his actions. should show up, the GM must decide
tage. The GM sets this value. Note that Evil Twin is more skilled than you how and where the Enemy becomes
when your Enemy is an organization, or possesses abilities that you do not involved. If an Enemy is very power-
the point value is based on the num- (GM decides): -5 points. ful, or if a number of different Enemies
ber of individuals who are after you – Evil Twin is more skilled than you show up at the same time, this may
not on the total size of the group! influence the whole adventure.
and possesses abilities that you do not
One person, less powerful than the (GM decides): -10 points. If you take an extremely powerful
PC (built on about 50% of the PC’s Unknown: You know you have an Enemy, you are likely to be jailed or
starting points). -5 points. Enemy, but you have no idea who it is. killed before long. So it goes. You can
One person, equal in power to the Tell the GM the power level of your get a 60-point bonus by taking Enemy
PC (built on about 100% of the PC’s Enemy. He will create the Enemy in (FBI, 12 or less; Hunter), but your
starting points), or a small group of secret and give you no details whatso- every adventure will be that of a hunt-
less-powerful people (3 to 5 people). ever! The advantage of surprise ed criminal. Even with an extra 60
Examples: A mad scientist, or the four increases your Enemy’s effective points, your career may be short.
brothers of the man you killed in a power level, and hence its disadvan- If you start with a weak Enemy, or
duel. -10 points. tage value. -5 points. play cleverly, you might manage to
One person, more powerful than eliminate your foe or permanently
the PC (built on at least 150% of the Intent change his attitude toward you. But as
PC’s starting points), or a medium- The more unpleasant the Enemy’s the saying goes, “There ain’t no such
sized group of less-powerful people (6 intentions, the more you multiply its thing as a free lunch.” If you get rid of
to 20 people). Examples: a single worth in points. an Enemy, you have three choices:
superhuman or a city police depart- Watcher: Your Enemy stalks you or 1. Pay enough character points to
ment (which numbers in the hun- spies on you. This is annoying, and buy off the original bonus you got for
dreds, but they’re not all after you at makes it hard to keep secrets, but it is that Enemy.
once). -20 points. rarely more than a minor inconven- 2. Take a disadvantage to make up
A large group of less-powerful peo- ience. Examples: an aggressive jour- for the point bonus. For instance, you
ple (21 to 1,000 people), or a medium- nalist dogging a politician, detectives might have been kicked in the head
sized group that includes some formi- shadowing a suspected criminal. ¥1/4. during the final battle, leaving you
dable or superhuman individuals. Rival: Your Enemy wishes to partially deaf. Or a giant spider might
Examples: the FBI or the Mafia. -30 have attacked you, leaving you with
points. upstage or inconvenience you, or arachnophobia. The new disadvan-
plays cruel practical jokes on you (this
An entire government, a whole is typical of most Evil Twins), but tage should have the same point cost
guild of powerful wizards, an organi- stops short of anything that would do as your former Enemy (or less, if you
zation of supers, or some other utterly lasting harm. Examples: a politician’s want to buy off part of the disadvan-
formidable group. -40 points. tage). If you cannot think of a good
bitter political rival, detectives harass-
Special Cases ing a suspected criminal. ¥1/2. substitute disadvantage, the GM will
There are two special cases for Hunter: The Enemy intends to be more than happy to supply one!
which you should adjust the costs arrest, bankrupt, injure, or otherwise 3. Take a new Enemy of equal
given above before multiplying for harm you in some lasting way – or value. You might have destroyed the
intent and frequency of appearance: simply wants to kill you. Examples: an fiendish Dr. Scorpion – but his
assassin gunning for a politician, brother is continuing his evil work.


DISADVANTAGES 135

Epilepsy 3 Fanaticism does not make you less, you have a flashback. The GM
mindless or evil. A glaring priest of will roll whenever you miss a Fright
-30 points
Set, brandishing his bloody dagger, is Check or make the roll exactly, and
You suffer from severe epilepsy. a fanatic. But so is a kamikaze pilot, whenever you fail a self-control roll
You are subject to seizures during exchanging himself for an aircraft car- for another stress-related disadvan-
which your limbs tremble uncontrol- rier. And so is a patriot who says, tage. The flashback occurs in addition
lably and you cannot speak or think “Give me liberty or give me death!” to any other results!
clearly. Fanaticism is a state of mind; it is Point value depends on the severity
Make a HT roll whenever you are what you are fanatic about that makes of the flashback:
in a stressful situation (especially if the difference.
your life or the life of a friend is threat- Mild: Duration is 2d seconds. The
ened). If you have any sort of Phobia, Extreme Fanaticism: This is an attendant hallucinations give -2 on all
exposure to the object of your fear advanced case of Fanaticism. You get skill rolls, but they are minor – you
counts as a stressful situation; roll vs. +3 on Will rolls to resist Brain - realize that you are experiencing a
HT once every 10 minutes. On a fail- washing, Interrogation, and supernat- flashback. -5 points.
ure, you suffer a seizure that lasts 1d ural mind control in any situation Severe: Duration is 1d minutes. The
minutes and costs you 1d FP. You can where failure to resist would lead to hallucinations give -5 on all skill rolls,
do nothing during that time. betrayal of your cult or organization. and seem real. -10 points.
You may attempt to induce a On the other hand, you will not hesi- Crippling: Duration is 3d minutes.
seizure through autohypnosis. This tate to die for your cause, and will The hallucinations are so severe that
requires one minute of concentration undertake suicide missions “matter- they preclude all skill use. The flash-
and a successful Will or Autohypnosis of-factly.” This is still worth -15 points. back seems completely, 100% real,
roll. Seizures near areas charged with Your willingness to die is offset by the and can be potentially fatal, as you are
supernatural energies might produce significant bonus to Will (which will receiving no input from the real
visions. Whether these are useful is up apply a good deal of the time, if you world. -20 points.
to the GM. are roleplaying properly).
Low-tech individuals who do not Fragile 31
understand “fits” may be awed by Fat Variable
them, and perhaps even believe your see p. 19 You are susceptible to wounding
seizure represents a communication effects that do not apply to normal
from the gods. Make a reaction roll at Fearfulness 2 humans. Attacks do not injure you any
+1. A reaction of “Very Good” or bet- -2 points/level more than usual (that’s Vulnerability,
ter indicates religious awe! “Poor” or p. 161), but enough penetrating dam-
worse causes the observers to flee – You are nervous and timid. age can trigger results more cata-
not to attack (unless they had other Subtract your Fearfulness from your strophic than stunning, unconscious-
provocation). Will whenever you make a Fright ness, or bleeding. Possibilities include:
Check, and whenever you must resist
Extra Sleep 3 the Intimidation skill (p. 202) or a Brittle: You are brittle (like a crea-
supernatural power that causes fear. ture of ice or crystal) or rotten (like a
-2 points/level
As well, add your Fearfulness level to decaying undead monster). Whenever
You need more sleep than most all Intimidation rolls made against an injury cripples one of your limbs or
people. A normal human requires 8 you. extremities, it breaks off. If you can
hours of sleep per night. Each level You may not reduce your Will roll make a HT roll, it falls off in one piece;
(maximum of four levels) means you below 3. For instance, if you have Will otherwise, it shatters or liquefies
need one additional hour of sleep. 11, you are limited to Fearfulness 8. irrecoverably. Furthermore, should
Thus, you must go to bed early or This trait is the opposite of you fail any HT roll to avoid death,
sleep in for a few hours each day. This Fearlessness (p. 55); you cannot have you are instantly destroyed – you shat-
gives you less time each day in which both. ter, melt, decay to goo, etc., and
to study or work on other projects. instantly go to -10¥HP. -15 points.
Flashbacks 2
Combustible: Your body burns
Fanaticism 2 Variable more easily than flesh. Perhaps it is
-15 points You tend to experience “flash- dry, resinous, or made of wood. Make
You believe so strongly in a coun- backs” when under stress. These are a HT roll to avoid catching fire when-
try, organization, philosophy, or reli- vivid hallucinations, full-participation ever you receive a major wound from a
gion that you put it ahead of every- replays of memories, or similar phe- burning or explosive attack. You catch
thing else. You might even be willing nomena. You should choose the type fire automatically if such an attack
to die for it! If the object of your of flashback you experience when you inflicts 10+ HP of injury. Once aflame,
Fanaticism demands obedience to a take this disadvantage. The content of you suffer 1d-1 injury per second until
code of behavior or loyalty to a leader, each episode is up to the GM. you extinguish the fire by immersion
you oblige willingly and unquestion- In any situation that the GM feels in water, rolling on the ground (takes 3
ingly. You must roleplay your is stressful, he will roll 3d. On a 6 or seconds), etc. -5 points.
unwavering dedication.


136 DISADVANTAGES

Explosive: Your body contains If your disadvantage is due to Guilt Complex 2
explosives, compressed gas, or some- lycanthropy, vampirism, or a similar -5 points
thing else unstable. On any critical trait, observers get +1 on all rolls to
failure on the HT roll for a major deduce your secret! You feel personally responsible for
wound, you explode! You also explode those who play a significant role in
if you fail any HT roll to avoid death G-Intolerance 3 your life. This includes adventuring
by 3+. Treat this as a 6d¥(HP/10) -10 or -20 points companions, employers, subordi-
crushing explosion. The blast instant- You function well under a narrow nates, Allies, Dependents, and those
ly reduces you to -10¥HP, regardless range of gravities. For a normal toward whom you have a Duty or a
of the damage it inflicts. -15 points. human, the penalties for non-native Sense of Duty. If anything bad hap-
Flammable: Your body contains gravity accrue in increments of 0.2G; pens to someone like this, you will be
something highly flammable: gaso- see Different Gravity (p. 350). An incre- wracked by anxiety and guilt – even if
line, hydrogen gas, etc. Make a HT roll ment of 0.1G is worth -10 points. An there was nothing you could have
to avoid catching fire, with effects as increment of 0.05G is worth -20 done to avert the disaster.
per Combustible, after a major wound points. If the mishap was not your fault,
from any kind of attack. Roll at -3 for This disadvantage is only allowed you will suffer the effects of Chronic
a burning or explosive attack, -3 if the in campaigns that feature regular Depression (p. 126) for (15 - Will)
attack struck the vitals, and -6 if both. space travel. days, minimum one day. Use your
Once you are burning, a critical fail- Will as your effective self-control
ure on any HT roll to avoid death Gigantism number. If the mishap was your fault,
means you explode as described for see p. 20 the effects of Chronic Depression will
Explosive. You may be Combustible last (20 - Will) days, minimum two
as well. If so, any burning or explosive Gluttony 2 days, and your effective self-control
attack that inflicts either a major number is Will-3.
wound or 10+ HP of injury automati- -5 points* Others may attempt to help you
cally sets you ablaze. -10 points. You are overly fond of good food overcome your feelings of guilt by
Unnatural: You are summoned, and drink. Given the chance, you must making Fast-Talk or Psychology rolls.
conjured, or a magical or weird-sci- always burden yourself with extra pro- The GM is free to modify their rolls,
ence “construct” (e.g., demon, golem, visions. You should never willingly depending on how convincing they
or undead). You automatically fail the miss a meal. Make a self-control roll sounded. Roleplay it!
HT roll to stay alive if reduced to -HP when presented with a tempting Gullibility 2
or below, as that much damage severs morsel or good wine that, for some
your ties with the force that animates reason, you should resist. If you fail, -10 points*
you. -50 points. you partake – regardless of the conse- There’s one born every minute, and
quences. you’re it. You believe everything you
It sometimes makes sense to take hear. You’ll swallow even the most
more than one of the above (in partic- Greed 2 ridiculous story, if it’s told with con-
ular, Explosive and Flammable often -15 points* viction. Make a self-control roll, mod-
occur together). The GM must person- ified by the plausibility of the story,
ally approve any combination of You lust for wealth. Make a self- whenever you are confronted with a
Fragile with Injury Tolerance (p. 60), control roll any time riches are offered lie – or an improbable truth, for that
as these traits are in many ways oppo- – as payment for fair work, gains from matter. If you fail, you believe what
sites. adventure, spoils of crime, or just bait.
If you fail, you do whatever it takes to you were told!
A lie well told, or involving some-
Frightens Animals 25 get the payoff. The GM may modify thing you have no familiarity with
-10 points this roll if the money involved is small (“My father is the chief of police in this
relative to your own wealth. Small
Animals react to you with fear and sums do not tempt you much if you town, and he won’t stand for this!”)
aggression. Horses do not permit you are rich, but if you are poor, you get -5 gives -6 to the self-control roll. A lie
to ride them, dogs shy away from you or more on your self-control roll if a concerning a topic you are familiar
or attack savagely, and your mere rich prize is in the offing. If you have with (“Didn’t you know they bred
scent is enough to panic most crea- Honesty (p. 138), your self-control roll ducks in your village, Torg?”) gives -3.
tures. You get -4 on all reaction rolls is at +5 for a shady deal and +10 for You believe even a totally outlandish
made by animals. Anyone who sees outright crime. However, it is almost a tale (“Of course the Eskimos are
how animals react to you – and those foregone conclusion that you will descended from Spanish conquista-
with Animal Empathy – reacts to you eventually do something illegal. dors; everyone knows that!”), if you
at -1. Note that guards or police with fail an unmodified self-control roll.
guard animals, “sniffer” dogs, etc. Gregarious You also suffer a -3 penalty on any
decide how to deal with you based on see Chummy, p. 126 Merchant skill roll, or in any situation
the animal’s reaction roll, not their in which your credulity might be
own! exploited. You can never learn the
Detect Lies skill.



DISADVANTAGES 137

Ham-Fisted 3
-5 or -10 points
You have unusually poor motor
skills. You suffer a penalty to any DX-
based roll to do fine work using the
skills listed under High Manual
Dexterity (p. 59), and to Fast-Draw
skill. For -5 points, the penalty is -3;
for -10 points, it is -6. This does not
affect IQ-based tasks or large-scale
DX-based tasks, nor does it modify
combat-related die rolls other than
Fast-Draw.
You are also a messy eater, can’t tie
a necktie properly, and so on. At the
GM’s option, you get -1 per level of
this trait on any Influence or reaction
roll where being tidy or well-groomed
would matter.
This disadvantage is mutually
exclusive with High Manual Dexterity.

Hard of Hearing 3
-10 points
You are not deaf, but you have
some hearing loss. You are at -4 on
any Hearing roll, and on any skill roll
where it is important that you under-
stand someone (if you are the one talk-
ing, this disadvantage doesn’t affect
you).

Hemophilia 3
-30 points
You are a “bleeder.” Even a small
wound will not heal unless well-band-
aged – and you may bleed to death.
Any untreated wound bleeds at a rate
equal to its original damage every
minute. For instance, an untreated 3
HP wound bleeds for 3 HP of damage
per minute until stanched.
First Aid is enough to staunch most
wounds, but an impaling wound to
the torso causes slow internal bleed- Hidebound 2 In an area with little or no law, you do
ing. It does damage every minute, as -5 points not “go wild” – you act as though the
above, until you receive First Aid. You find it difficult to come up laws of your own home were in force.
Furthermore, it continues to do dam- with an original thought. You have You also assume that others are hon-
age equal to its original damage once a -2 penalty on any task that requires est unless you know otherwise (make
per day until properly treated. Only a creativity or invention, including most an IQ roll to realize someone might be
Surgery roll or supernatural healing rolls against Artist skill, all Engineer dishonest if you haven’t seen proof).
can stop internal bleeding or restore rolls for new inventions, and all skill This is a disadvantage, because it
HP lost to it. If proper treatment is not rolls made to use the Gadgeteer often limits your options! Make a self-
available, you will soon die. advantage. control roll when faced with the
If you suffer from this disadvan- “need” to break unreasonable laws; if
tage, your HT score may not exceed Honesty 2 you fail, you must obey the law, what-
10. -10 points* ever the consequences. If you manage
to resist your urges and break the law,
You must obey the law, and do make a second self-control roll
your best to get others to do so as well.



138 DISADVANTAGES

afterward. If you fail, you must turn position, usually resulting in a notice- trait is appropriate for normal
yourself in to the authorities! able hump or lump on one or both humans who have a build of
You may fight (or even start a fight, shoulders. This reduces height by 6” Overweight or heavier (see Build,
if you do it in a legal way). You may without changing weight or build. p. 19), or the Gluttony disadvantage
even kill in a legal duel or in self- Normal clothing and armor will fit (p. 137).
defense – but you may never murder. badly, giving you -1 to DX; to avoid
You may steal if there is great need, this, you must pay an extra 10% for Increased Life Support
but only as a last resort, and you must specially made gear. 31
attempt to pay your victims back later. Most people find you disturbing to Variable
If you are jailed for a crime you did not see and react at -1. This penalty is
commit, but treated fairly and assured cumulative with regular appearance Your environmental requirements
of a trial, you will not try to escape. modifiers (see Physical Appearance, in a life-support situation are greater
You always keep your word. (In a p. 21), and you may have no better than those of a normal human. Some
war, you may act “dishonestly” against than Average appearance. Your examples:
the enemy, but you will not be happy appearance is also distinctive, which Extreme Heat/Cold: You require a
about it!) However, you are allowed to gives you -3 to Disguise or Shadowing temperature above 200° or below
lie if it does not involve breaking the skill, and +3 to others’ attempts to 0°. -10 points.
law. Truthfulness (p. 159) is a separate identify or follow you. Massive: You require more than a
disadvantage. Realistic hunchbacks should have ton of additional weight in order to
Honesty has its rewards, of course. the Bad Back disadvantage (p. 123) as survive aboard a spacecraft or a sub-
If you stay alive and in one place long well, but this is not required. marine, or in any other setting where
enough for your honesty to become resources and space are limited. If you
known, the GM should give you +1 on Impulsiveness 2 can wear an environment suit, this
any noncombat reaction roll – or +3 if -10 points* always weighs at least a ton. -10
a question of trust or honor is You hate talk and debate. You pre- points.
involved. This is essentially a free fer action! When you are alone, you Pressurized: You require a separate
Reputation (see Reputation, p. 26). act first and think later. In a group, pressurized compartment to sur-
Horizontal 31 when your friends want to stop and vive. -10 points.
Radioactive: You are radioactive or
discuss something, you should put in
-10 points your two cents’ worth quickly – if at all require a radioactive environment. -10
You have a horizontal posture, like – and then do something. Roleplay it! points.
a cat. You can stand on your hind legs Make a self-control roll whenever it The GM may allow other kinds of
for short periods, but find this very would be wise to wait and ponder. If Increased Life Support. These should
uncomfortable. You can use one hand you fail, you must act. worth no more than -10 points apiece
(if you have hands) while standing on unless they are extremely exotic. Add
your other limbs, or two hands while Increased Consumption together the value of multiple special
sitting on your haunches; in both 3 requirements, but note that the total
cases, your ground Move is 0 while -10 points/level disadvantage value cannot exceed -40
doing so. You can carry but not use an points.
object in one hand if moving at half One “meal” keeps you going for a Increased Life Support represents
Move. If you are human-sized, you much shorter period of time than it the logistical inconvenience of special
take up two hexes on a battle map. would a normal human. This is suit- life-support requirements, while
A horizontal build does not let you able for small creatures that must eat Dependency (p. 130), Maintenance
put your full weight behind a kick. As often, or for machines that rapidly (p. 143), and Restricted Diet (p. 151)
a result, your thrusting damage is at -1 exhaust their fuel or energy supply. all reflect the health effects of doing
per die when you kick. Ignore this Increased Consumption 1: You without such requirements. The same
penalty if you have Claws (p. 42) – that must eat six meals a day. If you have requirement can qualify in both cate-
trait includes the necessary adapta- the Machine meta-trait (p. 263), you gories if it has consequences for both
tions to strike at full power. The penal- have a 4-hour endurance. health and logistics. But note that a
ty does apply if you have Hooves, how- Increased Consumption 2: You Dependency you can satisfy with a
ever. must eat 12 meals a day. If you have one-ounce inhaler of a drug does not
Do not take this disadvantage if the Machine meta-trait, you have a 2- let you claim Increased Life Support
you are Aerial or Aquatic (see No Legs, hour endurance. for a pressurized cabin full of the
p. 145). If you are fully adapted to a Increased Consumption 3: You stuff! The GM’s word is final.
three-dimensional environment, body must eat 24 meals a day. If you have With the GM’s permission, normal
posture is irrelevant. the Machine meta-trait, you have a 1- humans may take this disadvantage to
hour endurance. represent the special requirements of
Hunchback 3 certain chronic illnesses.
-10 points .. . and so on, doubling consump-
tion and halving endurance for each
You have a spinal deformity that additional level. A single level of this
forces you into a twisted or hunched


DISADVANTAGES 139

Incurious 2 Innumerate 2 You may be prejudiced on the basis of
class, ethnicity, nationality, religion,
-5 points* -5 points
sex, or species. Victims of your
You hardly ever notice things unre- You have little or no grasp of math- Intolerance will react to you at -1 to -5
lated to the business at hand. Make a ematics. You cannot learn – and get (GM’s decision). Point value depends
self-control roll when confronted with no default with – Computer Program - on the scope of your Intolerance.
something strange. If you fail, you ming, Economics, or any of the skills If you are thoroughly intolerant,
ignore it! You react at -1 to new things. that benefit from Mathematical you react at -3 toward anyone not of
Ability (see Talent, p. 89). You effec- your own class, ethnicity, nationality,
Indecisive 2 tively have Incompetence (p. 164) in religion, or species (pick one). On a
-10 points* those areas. This has many frustrating “Good” reaction, you tolerate the per-
You find it difficult to make up side effects: you must use your fingers son and are as civil as possible (but are
your mind. As long as there is a single to count or perform arithmetic, you stiff and cold toward him). On a
path before you, you are fine, but as have no idea if the results computed “Neutral” reaction, you still tolerate
soon as there is a choice, you begin to by calculating machines are correct him, but make it plain in words and
dither. Make a self-control roll when- (making them basically useless), and deeds that you don’t care to be around
ever a choice confronts you, modified you are easily cheated by dishonest him and consider him inferior or
downward by the number of alterna- merchants (-4 to rolls to notice you’ve offensive. On any worse reaction, you
tives you can see: -2 if there are two been had). attack or refuse to associate with the
choices, -3 if there are three, etc. If you In “innumerate” cultures, includ- victim. Total Intolerance of this kind
fail, you do nothing. Roll again every ing many cultures at TL4 or below, is worth -10 points.
minute (or every second in combat or this disadvantage is widespread, and Intolerance directed at only one
a similar high-stress situation) until the GM should not count it against the specific class, ethnicity, nationality,
you make up your mind, after which campaign disadvantage limit (if any). religion, sex, or species is worth
you may act normally until the next In societies that prize technological or from -5 points for a commonly
time you face a decision. mercantile ability, Innumerate indi- encountered victim to -1 point (a nasty
If you are Indecisive and Confused viduals are liable to have a Social quirk) for a rare victim.
(p. 129), you must roll as described Stigma as well. This is worth an addi-
above to decide on a course of action. tional -5 points and gives -1 to reaction Invertebrate 31
When you finally succeed, you must rolls. -20 points
make another self-control roll – this You have no spine, exoskeleton, or
one for Confused – to see whether you Insomniac 3 other natural body support. Use your
can act on your decision immediately. -10 or -15 points full Basic Lift for the purpose of push-
You go through periods where ing, but only 1/4 your BL to calculate
Infectious Attack 35 falling asleep is very difficult. During the weight you can lift, carry, or pull.
-5 points such an episode, you must make a HT- This trait has a small side benefit,
You have an infectious supernatu- 1 roll once per night. On a success, however: you can squeeze through
ral condition. This works identically to you fall asleep easily, ending that much smaller openings than your size
the Dominance advantage (p. 50), episode of insomnia. On a failure, you might suggest!
except that you do not control those lose two hours of sleep that night (and Note that this trait differs some-
you infect and cannot add them as suffer all the usual effects; see Missed what from the biological term “inver-
Allies. This is a disadvantage, because Sleep, p. 426) and the episode contin- tebrate.”
enemies who survive (or don’t sur- ues for another night. On a critical
vive!) violent encounters with you failure, you get no sleep that night. Jealousy 2
become stronger through the “gift” of Point value depends on severity: -10 points
supernatural powers, and are com- Mild: The GM secretly rolls 3d for You react poorly toward those who
pletely free to use their new abilities to the number of days between seem smarter, more attractive, or bet-
seek vengeance for what you have episodes. -10 points. ter off than you! You resist any plan
done to them. Severe: The GM rolls 2d-1 for the proposed by a “rival,” and hate it if
To prevent PCs with this trait from number of days between episodes. -15 someone else is in the limelight.
turning their friends into powerful points. (Jealousy goes well with
monsters for free, the GM should con- Megalomania.) If an NPC is jealous,
sider making infected PCs pay points Regardless of severity, whenever the GM will apply a -2 to -4 reaction
for supernatural racial templates you suffer prolonged stress, the GM penalty toward the victim(s) of his
gained this way. If they cannot afford can require a HT roll. Failure means jealousy.
such a template, the GM is free to bal- an episode starts immediately.
ance its point cost with supernatural Killjoy 3
drawbacks such as Cursed, Dread, Intolerance 2
Revulsion, and Weakness. Variable -15 points
You dislike and distrust some (or Your brain’s pleasure center is
all) people who are different from you. burned out or absent. You cannot


140 DISADVANTAGES

appreciate the taste of good food, the Lame 3 use of your legs. Using crutches or a
joy of sex, the savage beauty of combat, -10 to -30 points peg leg, you can stand up and walk
and so on. You might not even remem- slowly. You must reduce Basic Move
ber what these pleasures were like! You This disadvantage assumes that to 2, but you get full points for this.
can “go through the motions,” but you you are a member of a race with legs. You can still kick, but between the
have -3 on all Carousing, Connoisseur, If your entire race is legless, see No standard -2 for a kick and the -6 for
Erotic Art, and Gambling rolls. Others Legs (p. 145). this disadvantage, you do so at DX-8!
react to you at -1 to -3 in any situation
where your lack of appreciation
becomes obvious (GM’s decision). A
bad reaction indicates ridicule from
cultured folk, rejection by a lover, etc. –
not violence.
Some ultra-tech societies might
use surgery to inflict this state as a
form of punishment! If so, you won’t
plot your revenge . . . because there
won’t be any pleasure in it.
Kleptomania 2
-15 points*
You are compelled to steal – not
necessarily things of value, but any-
thing you can get away with. Make a
self-control roll whenever you are pre-
sented with a chance to steal, at up
to -3 if the item is especially interest-
ing to you (not necessarily valuable,
unless you are poor or have Greed). If
you fail, you must try to steal it. You
may keep or sell stolen items, but you
may not return or discard them.
Klutz 3
-5 or -15 points
You have an uncanny affinity for
gross physical blunders. You do not
necessarily have a low DX (you may
have up to DX 13 and still select this
trait) but you are more awkward than
your DX would suggest. This disad-
vantage comes in two levels:
Klutz: Make a DX roll to get You have some degree of impaired Without your crutches or peg leg, you
through the day without doing a prat- mobility: cannot stand, walk, or kick. -20 points.
fall, dropping books, or knocking over Legless: You are missing all of your
shelves filled with fragile items. This is Crippled Legs: You have all of your legs, no matter how many you started
rarely life-threatening, but it is incon- legs, but some of them are damaged. out with. You are at -6 to use any skill
venient and often expensive. The GM For a human, this means one bad leg. that requires the use of your legs, and
should be creative in inventing minor You are at -3 to use any skill that you cannot stand, kick, or walk at all.
torments. You should especially avoid requires the use of your legs, including You must reduce Basic Move to 0, but
laboratories, explosives, china shops, all Melee Weapon and unarmed com- you get full points for this. -30 points.
etc. -5 points. bat skills (but not ranged combat Paraplegic: You have all of your
Total Klutz: As above, but in addi- skills). You must reduce your Basic legs, but they are paralyzed. The
tion, any failure on a DX roll or DX- Move to half your Basic Speed (round effects and point value are identical to
based skill roll is considered a critical down), but you get full points for this Legless. Unlike a Legless character,
failure for you! -15 points. (see Basic Move, p. 17). -10 points. you can be struck in the legs for dam-
Missing Legs: You have lost some, age. This is balanced by the fact that it
This trait might seem silly, but it but not all, of your legs. For a human, isn’t inconceivable that you could
need not be. Most realistic TL7-8 this means you have one leg. You are regain the use of your legs (a Legless
robots have this disadvantage! at -6 to use any skill that requires the character is out of luck). -30 points.



DISADVANTAGES 141

Technological Assistance Lifebane 25 over your shoulder, etc. If you fail, you
A muscle-powered wheelchair or -10 points lash out at that person just as if you had
wheeled platform has ground Move Bad Temper (p. 124). Loner NPCs
equal to 1/4 your ST (round down), You have a supernatural aura of always react to others at a penalty.
but cannot pass through narrow door- death about you. Grass dies in your Self-Control Reaction
ways, negotiate staircases or steep footprints and will never grow there Number Penalty
curbs, enter most vehicles, etc. again, larger plants wilt instantly in 6 -4
If you have advanced prosthetics your presence, and insects and other 9 -3
that cancel this disadvantage while tiny creatures die if they get within a 12 -2
worn, apply a Mitigator limitation yard of you. Your aura has no effect on 15 -1
(p. 112) to Lame and any reduced animals that weigh more than a few
Basic Move. If surgery or ultra-tech ounces, on very large plants such as Low Empathy 2
replacement parts eliminate this dis- trees (but the leaves closest to you
advantage completely, you must pay might die, and a tree you pass daily for -20 points
back the points you received for Lame years will eventually be affected), on You cannot understand emotions
and reduced Basic Move. ordinary life forms controlled by at all. This doesn’t prevent you from
supernatural means (e.g., insect having and showing emotions of your
Laziness 2 swarms conjured up using magic), or own (unless you have something like
-10 points on supernatural entities of any kind. No Sense of Humor) – your problem is
Lifebane gives -2 on reaction rolls
You are violently averse to labor. made by anyone in a position to notice that you don’t really understand them.
As a result, you have difficulty inter-
Your chances of getting a raise or pro- it. If it stems from demonic powers, acting socially.
motion in any job are halved. If you vampirism, etc., observers get +2 on You may not take the Empathy
are self-employed, halve your monthly all rolls to deduce your secret! This advantage, and suffer a -3 penalty on
pay (see Jobs, p. 516). You must avoid trait makes it difficult to use stealth- all skills that rely in whole or in part
work – especially hard work – at all or invisibility-related abilities out- on understanding someone’s emotion-
costs. Roleplay it! doors, too: +2 on rolls to locate you in al motivation, including Acting,
most outdoor environments. It has its Carousing, Criminology, Detect Lies,
Lecherousness 2 side benefits, however. For instance, Diplomacy, Enthrallment, Fast-Talk,
-15 points* you need never buy insect repellent! Interrogation, Leadership, Merchant,
You have an unusually strong Politics, Psychology, Savoir-Faire, Sex
desire for romance. Make a self-con- Light Sleeper 3 Appeal, Sociology, and Streetwise.
trol roll whenever you have more than -5 points You can still have these skills – you
the briefest contact with an appealing You do not sleep as soundly or as just aren’t as good at them as someone
member of the sex you find easily as most people. Whenever you without this disadvantage.
attractive – at -5 if this person is must sleep in an uncomfortable place, Low Empathy is common in
Handsome/Beautiful, or at -10 if Very or whenever there is more than the androids, demons, golems, the
Handsome/Very Beautiful. If you fail, slightest noise, you must make a HT undead, and some aliens. It is also
you must make a “pass,” using what- roll in order to fall asleep. On a failure, appropriate for certain humans! This
ever wiles and skills you can bring to you can try again after one hour, but trait is mutually exclusive with the
bear. You must then suffer the conse- you will suffer all the usual effects of somewhat similar disadvantages
quences of your actions, successful or one hour of missed sleep (see Missed Callous (p. 125) and Oblivious
not: physical retribution, jail, commu- Sleep, p. 426). (p. 146), both of which assume some
nicable disease, or (possibly) an ador- You usually wake up if there is understanding of emotions, however
ing new friend. activity going on around you (but you flawed.
Unless the object of your affection are stunned unless you have Combat
is Very Handsome/Very Beautiful, Reflexes). If you wish to continue Low Pain Threshold 3
you need not roll more than once a sleeping, you must fail a Sense roll. If -10 points
day to avoid making a pass. If some- you wake up, you must make HT rolls You are very sensitive to pain of all
one turns you down very firmly (e.g., to get back to asleep, as above. This kinds. Double the shock from any
a black eye, or an arrest for sexual can occasionally be to your advantage, injury; e.g., if you take 2 HP of dam-
harassment) the GM may give you a but the most likely effect is that you age, you are at -4 to DX on your next
bonus to future self-control rolls miss sleep whenever inconsiderate turn. You roll at -4 to resist knock-
regarding that individual . .. companions trade watches or return down, stunning, and physical torture.
Note that you are likely to change from a night on the town. Whenever you take a wound that does
your standards of attractiveness if no more than 1 HP of damage, you must
truly attractive members of the Loner 2 make a Will roll to avoid crying out.
appropriate sex are available!
-5 points* This can give away your presence, and
You require a great deal of “person- may earn you a -1 reaction from
al space.” Make a self-control roll when- “macho” individuals.
ever anyone lingers nearby, watches


142 DISADVANTAGES

Low Self-Image 2 Magic Susceptibility, and its pre- The frequency with which you
cise level, can be recognized by any require maintenance modifies this
-10 points
mage who looks at your aura or by base cost.
You lack self-confidence and anyone who casts a spell on you. You
underrate your abilities to such a may have no more than five levels of Maintenance
degree that it interferes with your per- Magic Susceptibility. Interval Multiplier
formance. You are at -3 to all skill rolls You can combine Magic Monthly 1/5
whenever you believe that the odds are Susceptibility with Magery but not Bi-weekly 1/3
against you or others expect you to fail with Magic Resistance. Weekly 1/2
(GM’s judgment). For instance, if Every other day 3/4
you’re a mechanic, you have no penal- Maintenance 3 Daily 1
ty to repair an engine in your shop . .. Variable Twice daily 2
but you are at -3 to make the same Three to five times daily 3
repairs on the road, in the rain, with You require skilled attention at reg- Constant 5
only a portable tool kit, and an enemy ular intervals to avoid HT loss.
hot on your trail – on top of the usual Examples include a robot that needs a If you miss a maintenance period,
modifiers that would apply in that sit- mechanic, a chronically ill person who your HT attribute drops by 1 and you
uation! needs a doctor’s attention, or a god must make a HT roll. Failure results in
that requires devout prayer. some additional incapacity of the
Low TL Decide on the care you require and GM’s choosing. Critical failure means
see p. 22 the skill needed to provide it. a potentially fatal outcome; e.g., a
Possibilities include electronic main- human might suffer a heart attack, or
Lunacy 2 tenance (use Electronics Repair), a vehicle’s brakes might fail while it is
mechanical
(use
maintenance
moving.
-10 points Mechan ic), medical care (use To restore lost HT and capabilities
The moon has a dramatic and Physician), and physical repairs (use requires suitable intervention and skill
inconvenient effect on your personali- Carpentry, Electrician, etc.). You may rolls (repairs if you’re a machine, sur-
ty. During the full moon, you are specify an advantage or disadvantage gery if you’re a living being, etc.). If
extremely emotional and volatile (-2 to instead; e.g., a god might require wor- you require an unusual form of main-
all Will and self-control rolls), while shippers with Disciplines of Faith. tenance, this might call for exotic
on nights of the new moon, you are You can split Maintenance between measures!
very passive (you temporarily suffer multiple skills; for instance, a robot
from the Laziness disadvantage, might require Electronics Repair and Manic-Depressive 2
p. 142). While the moon is waxing, Mechanic. -20 points
you are focused and pleasant; while it Those who maintain you must Your moods are on a seesaw. You
is waning, you are apathetic and a lit- have access to the appropriate facili- bounce back and forth between bub-
tle touchy. Roleplay it! ties: a mechanic needs tools, worship- bling enthusiasm and morose with-
pers must pray at a temple, etc. No drawal. At the beginning of each play
Magic Susceptibility 25 resources are consumed, however; for session, roll 1d. On 1-3, you are in
-3 points/level that, take Dependency (p. 130). your manic phase; 4-6 indicates
Magic is more likely to affect you. Each installment of maintenance depression. Every five hours of game
Add your Magic Susceptibility to the takes one hour. The base point value time thereafter, roll 3d. A 10 or less
skill of anyone casting a spell on you, depends on the number of people indicates that you begin a mood
and subtract it from your roll to resist needed to perform it: swing. Over the next hour, you shift
any spell that you can resist. For from your current phase to the oppo-
instance, if you have Magic Number of Point site one. You remain in the new phase
Susceptibility 4, wizards have +4 to People Value for at least five hours, after which you
cast spells on you and you get -4 to 1 -10 must again roll 3d.
resist. 2 -20 In the manic phase, you suffer the
Magic Susceptibility only makes 3-5 -30 effects of Overconfidence (p. 148) and
you more vulnerable to spells cast 6-10 -40 Workaholic (p. 162). You are friendly,
directly on you. It does not affect 11-20 -50 outgoing, and excited about whatever
Missile spells, attacks by magic 21-50 -60 it is you’re doing. In the depressive
weapons, or information-gathering 51-100 -70 phase, you suffer the effects of
spells that aren’t cast directly on you. It Chronic Depression (p. 126). You are
also has no effect on supernatural Add another -10 points per full not interested in doing anything but
powers other than magic; e.g., divine doubling of the number of people lying in bed, sitting in a dark room
miracles, psionics, or the innate pow- required; e.g., a god that requires and moping, etc. Your effective self-
ers of spirits. Magic Susceptibility 10,000 worshippers would have a base control number for these effects is
works normally against Area spells; do -130-point disadvantage. Extra man- equal to your Will.
not double its effects as you would hours of maintenance may substitute
those of Magic Resistance (p. 67). for extra people, if the GM approves.


DISADVANTAGES 143

Emergencies can also cause mood automobile, train, airplane, balloon, would be apparent (GM’s deci-
swings; in that case, the switch is ship, or spacecraft. You may never sion). -15 points.
immediate. On a roll of 10 or less on learn any vehicle-operation skill. You Severe: You find it difficult to func-
3d, you change phases. This can be must roll vs. HT as soon as you are tion in normal society. You are at -4 to
good (an emergency jars you into aboard a moving vehicle. On a failure, tasks that involve fine manipulation,
action) or bad (a problem triggers you vomit and are at -5 on all DX, IQ, and such tasks take four times as long.
depression and you become and skill rolls for the rest of the jour- Your DX and Basic Move cannot
worthless). ney. On a success, you are merely exceed your racial average (DX 10 and
miserably queasy and at -2 on DX, Move 5 for a human), and might be
Megalomania 2 IQ, and skill rolls. Roll daily on long lower. You get -4 to social skills when-
-10 points journeys. ever your condition becomes appar-
You believe you are a superman, ent. -35 points.
that you have been chosen for some Mundane Background 2 Crippling: You find it almost
great task, or that you are destined to -10 points impossible to function in normal soci-
conquer. You must choose a grand You have a complete lack of expe- ety. You are at -6 to tasks that involve
goal – most often conquest or the rience with the supernatural and the fine manipulation, and such tasks take
completion of some fantastic task. weird. When you first enter play, you six times as long. Your DX and Basic
You must let nothing stand between can only have mundane skills and Move cannot exceed 80% of your
you and this goal. equipment. Magic spells, cinematic racial average (DX 8 and Move 4 for a
You may attract followers with skills, etc. are off-limits. So are Hidden human), and might be considerably
Fanaticism, but nobody else enjoys Lore and Occultism! You can have lower. You get -6 to social skills most
hearing you talk about your brilliance supernatural advantages, but you can of the time. -55 points.
and great plans. Young or naive char- neither use them nor learn any skills Many other symptoms are possi-
acters, and fanatics looking for a new that would allow you to use them. In ble, including gross motor impairment
cause, react to you at +2; others will fact, you have no idea that you possess (buy down DX or Move), involuntary
react at -2. such talents, save perhaps for the odd vocalizations (treat as Noisy, p. 146),
This is a better disadvantage for dream now and then. You must buy and facial contortions (reduce appear-
NPCs than it is for PCs. off this disadvantage if you wish to use ance level; see Physical Appearance,
supernatural advantages actively or p. 21). Violent tics and profane invol-
Miserliness 2 learn any skill related to the supernat- untary vocalizations might qualify as
-10 points* ural or the weird. Odious Personal Habits (p. 22).
You are preoccupied with conserv- Mundane Background is only
ing your wealth. You must always available in settings with supernatural Night Blindness 3
hunt for the best deal possible. Make a or weird elements! It is not a valid dis- -10 points
self-control roll any time you are advantage in perfectly mundane game You have poor night vision. If the
called on to spend money. If the worlds. vision or combat penalty for poor light-
expenditure is large, this roll may be ing is between -1 and -4 for most peo-
at -5 or worse (GM’s decision). If you Mute ple, your penalty is the worse of double
fail, you refuse to spend the money. If see Cannot Speak, p. 125 the usual penalty or -3. If the usual
you absolutely must spend the money, penalty is -5 or worse, you function as
you should haggle and complain inter- Neurological Disorder though you were completely blind (see
minably. Note that you may have both 3 Blindness, p. 124). If you have Acute
Greed (p. 137) and Miserliness! Vision (p. 35), it only applies in situa-
Variable
Missing Digit 3 You suffer from one of several neu- tions with no darkness penalty.
This trait is mutually exclusive
rological disorders that cause tremors,
-2 or -5 points with both Night Vision (p. 71) and
involuntary movements, facial contor-
You are missing a finger or thumb. Dark Vision (p. 47).
tions, etc. Point value depends on
Missing Finger: Gives -1 DX with severity: Nightmares 2
that hand (only). -2 points. Mild: Your condition is obvious to -5 points*
Missing Thumb: Gives -5 DX with anyone who observes you for more
that hand (only). -5 points. You are tormented each night by
than a few seconds. You are at -2 to horrible nightmares. Sometimes
Mistaken Identity tasks that involve fine manipulation they’re so harrowing that they affect
(see High Manual Dexterity, p. 59), and
see p. 21 such tasks take twice the normal time. your efficiency during waking hours.
Make a self-control roll each morning
You also have -2 to social skills such as
Motion Sickness 3 Acting, Leadership, Performance, upon awakening. If you fail, you suf-
fered nightmares; this costs you 1 FP
-10 points Public Speaking, and Sex Appeal in that you can only recover through
You are miserable whenever you any situation where your condition sleep. On a roll of 17 or 18, you are left
are in a moving vehicle, be it an



144 DISADVANTAGES

shaking, and are at -1 to all skill and No Manipulators: You have no Bounces, Rolls, or Slithers: You
Perception rolls for the entire day. limbs. The only way for you to move on land without using legs, like
These nightmares can be so vivid manipulate objects is to push them a snake or a wheel-form robot. Work
that they’re indistinguishable from around with your body or head. You out Basic Move and use it as your
reality. The GM might choose to play can still move, and are capable of ground Move, just as a legged charac-
them out in the game, starting out like rolling, wriggling, bouncing, etc. at ter would. 0 points.
a normal scenario and steadily becom-
ing more horrible. The victim should
only gradually come to suspect that he These nightmares can be so vivid that they’re
is dreaming. Such dreams can have a
dramatic effect on the dreamer’s wak- indistinguishable from reality. The GM might
ing life, such as temporary Obsessions choose to play them out in the game, starting
or Phobias, or even a psychosomatic out like a normal scenario and steadily
loss of HP or attribute levels.
If other PCs are involved in the becoming more horrible.
nightmare, they’re completely unaf-
fected by anything that occurs there
(but if the nightmare takes a long time your Basic Move unless you buy it Semi-Aquatic: You “walk” on flip-
to play out, the GM might wish to down to 0. -50 points. pers, like a seal. Use Basic Move as
reward the players with a bonus char- your basic water Move and 1/5 this as
acter point as a token of appreciation Note that this trait is limited to non- your ground Move – that is, reverse the
for their time – maybe two points if humans and supers. Either level quali- normal relationship between ground
they roleplayed the dream-situation fies you to buy ST and DX with and water Move. You suffer standard
particularly well). It’s the GM’s option the -40% No Fine Manipulators limita- skill penalties in the water. 0 points.
whether to let the other players know tion. Sessile: Your base is anchored
in advance that the scenario is a No Legs 31 where you sit, like a tree or a building.
dream. Either way can lead to unique You can’t move under your own
and fascinating roleplaying. Variable power in any environment, and lack
This disadvantage assumes that the option of using a moving platform
No Depth Perception 3 your race lacks legs. If your race has (although you can be moved, with
-15 points legs, but you are missing yours, see considerable effort). Your Basic Move
You have two eyes, but you lack Lame (p. 141). is automatically 0, and you get no
effective binocular vision and cannot You are a member of a legless race. extra points for this. You can still have
visually judge distances. This might be There are several different forms of manipulators. If so, you wield
due to a vision disorder or a quirk of this trait, but in all cases, you cannot weapons at no DX penalty, because
your racial neurology. The game kick, cannot be struck in the legs in unlike those with the Lame disadvan-
effects are identical to One Eye combat, and need not wear leg armor. tage, you have a very stable base! -50
(p. 147); you may not take both disad- The point costs below assume that the points.
vantages. benefit of having no legs for foes to Tracked or Wheeled: You have
target in combat balances the draw- tracks or wheels instead of legs.
No Fine Manipulators back of being unable to kick. Specify how many – one to four, or
31 Aerial: You cannot move on land, any higher even number. If using hit
locations, treat each track or wheel as
-30 or -50 points but you can hover, glide, or fly. You if it were a leg. You can neither jump
Your body lacks hands and possi- must purchase the Flight advantage nor negotiate obstacles that require
bly limbs. Point value depends on the (p. 56). Calculate Basic Speed as usual arms and legs working together (e.g., a
extent of your limitation: and use twice this value to determine ladder or rope). You always leave a
your basic air Move, as described visible trail (giving others a Tracking
No Fine Manipulators: You have no for Flight. Your ground Move is 0. bonus: +1 for Wheeled, +2 for
body part more agile than paws or 0 points. Tracked). Tracks are also noisy (+2 to
hooves. You cannot use your limbs to Aquatic: You cannot move on land, all Hearing rolls to detect you), but let
make repairs, pick locks, tie knots, but you are adapted to movement on you handle rough terrain more easily.
wield weapons, etc., or even to grasp or in water, like a ship or a fish. Tracked and Wheeled do not reduce
firmly. You may only select this trait if Calculate Basic Move and use this as Move; in fact, you may buy up to three
you have nothing approaching the your basic water Move. Your ground levels of Enhanced Move (Ground).
human hand in terms of overall versa- Move is 0. You suffer no skill penalties This disadvantage usually accompa-
tility. If you have a beak, tongue, pre- for working in or under water. 0 nies the Machine meta-trait (p. 263).
hensile tail, etc. that is as good as a points. If your mobility depends on -20 points.
hand, you do not have No Fine fins, masts, paddles, or sails that you
Manipulators! -30 points.
can’t armor, or you can’t dive: -5
points. If both: -10 points.



DISADVANTAGES 145

No Manipulators level gives +2 to Sense rolls to hear you First Aid on yourself if you can’t see
see No Fine or -2 to your Stealth rolls, as the situa- the injury.
Manipulators, p. 145 tion warrants. In some circumstances Oblivious 2
(e.g., at the opera), each level might
also give -1 to reactions! You may not -5 points
No Sense of Humor 2 take more than five levels of Noisy You understand others’ emotions
-10 points without the GM’s permission. but not their motivations. This makes
You never get any jokes; you think you awkward in situations involving
everyone is earnestly serious at all Non-Iconographic 2 social manipulation. You are the clas-
times. Likewise, you never joke, and -10 points sic “nerd”! You have -1 to use or resist
you are earnestly serious at all times. You are incapable of processing Influence skills (see Influence Rolls,
Others react at -2 to you in any situa- abstract images and symbols. p. 359): Diplomacy, Fast-Talk,
tion where this disadvantage becomes Graphical computer interfaces, maps, Intimidation, Savoir-Faire, Sex
evident. heraldic devices, and magical runes Appeal, and Streetwise.
are completely meaningless to you.
No Sense of Smell/Taste Like Dyslexia (p. 134), this is a struc- Obsession 2
3 tural shortcoming of your brain; you -5 or -10 points*
-5 points cannot normally buy it off. Your entire life revolves around a
This affliction – known as anosmia You cannot learn Cartography, single goal. Unlike Compulsive
– prevents you from smelling or tast- Heraldry, Symbol Drawing, or any Behavior (p. 128), this is not a daily
ing anything. Thus, you are unable to similar skill used mainly to design or habit, but an overpowering fixation
detect certain hazards that ordinary arrange patterns and symbols. You that motivates all of your actions. And
people spot quickly. However, the dis- also cannot use graphical computer unlike Fanaticism (p. 136), this does
ability has its advantages . . . you need interfaces; you are limited to text not necessarily imply a set of philo-
never worry about skunks, and can interfaces and immersive virtual reali- sophical beliefs.
always eat what is set before you. ties. Finally, since you cannot grasp You must rationalize all of your
magical symbols, you cannot learn actions as an attempt to reach your
Nocturnal 31 magic save through oral tradition. goal. Make a self-control roll whenev-
Note that you can process text
-20 points without difficulty, and may learn writ- er it would be wise to deviate from
You can only be active when the ten languages normally (see Language, your goal. If you fail, you continue to
sun is below the horizon. This repre- p. 23). pursue your Obsession, regardless of
sents more than a preference for night the consequences.
over day! As soon as dawn starts to Numb 3 Point cost depends on the time
break, you become lethargic – and -20 points needed to realize your goal. A short-
when the sun clears the horizon, you term goal (e.g., assassinating some-
fall paralyzed and comatose until the You have no sense of touch. You one) is worth -5 points, while a long-
sun goes down again. have a limited degree of pressure term goal (e.g., becoming President) is
Note that this is not the same as the sense – enough to feel your weight and worth -10 points. In both cases, modi-
biological term “nocturnal.” stand up and walk without falling over fy the base cost to reflect your self-
– but you cannot distinguish textures control number. If your Obsession
Special Enhancements by touch at all. Feats that depend on causes others to react badly, take
Permanent Paralysis: You turn to touch alone (e.g., touch-typing, or Odious Personal Habit (p. 22) or
stone or suffer some other permanent untying your hands behind your back) Delusion (p. 130) as well.
incapacitation if struck by the sun’s are impossible for you. Should you ever reach your goal,
rays. Only one specific power or item When performing a task that you must either substitute a new goal
– most often a powerful magic spell – requires hand-eye coordination, you or buy off your Obsession.
can reverse this effect. Details are up suffer all the effects of one level of
to the GM. +100%. Ham-Fisted (p. 138) unless you take Odious Personal Habits
twice as long to perform the action see p. 22
Noisy 3 and can clearly see what you’re doing.
-2 points/level If you also have Ham-Fisted, add its On the Edge 2
You make a lot of noise! Perhaps effects. -15 points*
you’re a ghost with clanking chains, a You experience pain, temperature, You take grossly unreasonable risks
cyborg with a rasping ventilator, or a and shock as acutely as anyone else, in the face of mortal danger. Make a
machine with a loud engine . . . or per- unless you also have High Pain self-control roll whenever you face a
haps you’re absurdly inept at stealth. Threshold (p. 59), but you won’t know life-threatening situation: piloting a
You make noise constantly – even where you were injured without look- burning vehicle, staring down an
when standing still – unless you are ing. Instead, you feel pain as general- entire street gang while armed only
comatose (for animate beings) or ized shock throughout your entire with a toothbrush, etc. If you fail, you
powered down (for machines). Each body. As a result, you cannot perform



146 DISADVANTAGES

may not back down from the One Arm 3 need not be an arm at all – it can be
challenge – but you may roll again -20 points any appendage capable of fine manip-
after every success roll or reaction roll ulation. For instance, a parrot that
relating to the situation. This might be You have only one arm. You can- used its beak and tongue would have
once per second in a potential combat not use two-handed weapons, wield One Arm (and not No Fine
situation but only once per day on a two weapons at once (or a weapon Manipulators).
dangerous space mission. and a shield), or perform any task that If you have advanced prosthetics
In combat, make a self-control roll requires two arms. You get -4 on tasks that cancel One Arm while worn,
every time you take your turn. If you that are possible with one arm but that apply a Mitigator limitation (p. 112).
fail, you must make an All-Out attack are usually executed with two (e.g., Should you ever eliminate One Arm
or engage in some other kind of near- most Climbing and Wrestling rolls). completely through surgery or an
insane, suicidal behavior. You have no penalty on tasks that ultra-tech replacement limb, you must
Most people think you’re crazy if require only one arm. In all cases, the pay back the points you received for it.
they witness this behavior, giving -2 GM’s ruling is final. When in doubt,
on reaction rolls. Individuals who try a quick reality check if possible! One Eye 3
value bravery over self-preservation If you originally had two arms, -15 points
(GM’s decision) will react at +2. assume that you lost the left arm if You have only one eye. Either you
you were right-handed, or vice versa.
If you are a nonhuman who only are missing an eye (in which case you
had one arm to begin with, your “arm” may wear a glass eye or cover the
missing eye with a patch) or you have
only a single, cyclopean eye. You suf-
fer -1 to DX in combat and on any task
involving hand-eye coordination,
and -3 on ranged attacks (unless you
Aim first) and on rolls to operate any
vehicle faster than a horse and buggy.
Some cultures regard those who
are missing an eye as unattractive. If
this is generally true in your game
world, losing an eye will also reduce
your appearance by one level (see
Physical Appearance, p. 21). If you
start with this trait, assume that it is
already factored into your appearance
– do not apply an additional reaction
modifier.

One Hand 3
-15 points
You have only one hand. For the
most part, use the rules under One
Arm (above). The difference is that
you may make unarmed parries with a
handless arm, and possibly strap
something to it (e.g., a shield).
Good-quality prosthetic replace-
ments use the rules under One Arm.
Not all prosthetics are good enough to
count as Mitigators, though. A low-
tech mechanical replacement gives
you -2 (for a grabber) or -4 (for a hook
or claw) on tasks involving that hand.
A hook or claw also counts as an
undroppable large knife in combat
(use Knife skill), and gives +1 to
Intimidation skill if waved at your
foes. In some societies, such crude
replacements will reduce appearance
as described under One Eye (above).




DISADVANTAGES 147

Overconfidence 2 just can’t do the killing yourself. -5 at -2. A paranoid NPC reacts at -4
points. toward any stranger, and any “legiti-
-5 points*
Cannot Harm Innocents: You may mate” reaction penalty (e.g., for an
You believe that you are far more fight – you may even start fights – but unfriendly race or nationality) is dou-
powerful, intelligent, or competent you may only use deadly force on a foe bled. Paranoia goes very well with
than you really are. You may be proud that is attempting to do you serious Delusions (p. 130), which of course
and boastful or just quietly deter- harm. Capture is not “serious harm” have their own disadvantage value!
mined, but you must roleplay this unless you are already under penalty
trait. of death or have a Code of Honor that Phantom Voices 2
You must make a self-control roll would require suicide if captured. You -5 to -15 points
any time the GM feels you show an never intentionally do anything that
unreasonable degree of caution. If you causes, or even threatens to cause, You are plagued by whispered
fail, you must go ahead as though you injury to the uninvolved – particularly phrases that only you can hear. These
were able to handle the situation! if they are “ordinary folks.” This trait voices might be unintelligible, or they
Caution is not an option. is especially appropriate for crime- might repeat the same words over and
You receive +2 on all reaction rolls fighters, supers, etc. -10 points. over. Eventually, your sanity (such as
from young or naive individuals (who Cannot Kill: You may fight – you it is) will start to erode.
believe you are as good as you say may even start fights – but you may In any situation that the GM feels
you are), but -2 on reactions from never do anything that seems likely to is stressful, he may roll 3d. On a 6 or
experienced NPCs. kill another. This includes abandoning less, you hear voices. The GM will
Overconfidence is like Mega lo - a wounded foe to die “on his own”! always roll whenever you miss a
mania (p. 144) on a smaller scale. You must do your best to keep your Fright Check or make the roll exactly,
Robin Hood was overconfident – he companions from killing, too. If you and whenever you fail a self-control
challenged strangers to quarterstaff do kill someone (or feel responsible roll for another stress-related disad-
duels. Hitler was a megalomaniac – for a death), you immediately suffer a vantage. The voices occur in addition
he invaded Russia! Heroes are nervous breakdown. Roll 3d and be to any other results!
rarely megalomaniacal but often totally morose and useless (roleplay Point value depends on the nature
overconfident. of the voices:
it!) for that many days. During this
time, you must make a Will roll to Annoying: You hear voices, but you
Overweight
offer any sort of violence toward any- are reasonably sure that they are not
see p. 19 one, for any reason. -15 points. real, and they do not harm you direct-
Self-Defense Only: You only fight to ly. Still, most people who see you
Pacifism 2 defend yourself or those in your care, responding to unheard noises will
Variable using only as much force as necessary react at -2. -5 points.
You are opposed to violence. This (no pre-emptive strikes allowed!). You Disturbing: As above, but in addi-
can take several forms. Choose one of must do your best to discourage oth- tion, the voices can drown out normal
the following: ers from starting fights. -15 points. sounds, and may even startle and
Total Nonviolence: You will not lift frighten you (possibly requiring a
Reluctant Killer: You are psycho- a hand against another intelligent Fright Check). -10 points.
logically unprepared to kill people. creature, for any reason. You must do Diabolical: The voices tell you to
Whenever you make a deadly attack your nonviolent best to discourage kill – yourself or others – or perform
(e.g., with a knife or a gun) against an violent behavior in others, too. You other terrible deeds. If you are already
obvious person whose face is visible to are free to defend yourself against under stress, or under the influence of
you, you are at -4 to hit and may not attacks by animals, mosquitoes, drugs, you might need to make a Will
Aim. If you cannot see the foe’s face etc. -30 points. roll to avoid carrying out the “orders”
(due to a mask, darkness, or distance, (GM’s discretion). -15 points.
or because you attacked from behind), In a high-realism campaign, the
the penalty is only -2, save in close GM might require all PCs to start out Phantom Voices are usually due to
combat. You have no penalty to attack with Reluctant Killer or even Cannot mental problems, but they may also be
a vehicle (even an occupied one), an Kill, giving them extra points but symptomatic of some form of super-
opponent you do not believe is a per- putting them at a disadvantage when natural possession. If so, psychothera-
son (including things with Horrific or facing hardened foes. py cannot reveal the cause, much less
Monstrous appearance), or a target cure the problem. If you manage to
you can’t actually see (e.g., a set of Paranoia 2 exorcise the evil spirits, you are cured
map coordinates or a blip on a radar -10 points and must buy off this disadvantage.
screen). If you kill a recognizable per- You are out of touch with reality,
son, the effect on you is the same as and think that everyone is plotting Phobias 2
for Cannot Kill (see below). You have against you. You never trust anyone Variable*
no problem with your allies killing; except old friends . . . and you keep an You are afraid of a specific item,
you may even supply ammo, loaded eye on them, too, just in case. Most creature, or circumstance. Many fears
weapons, and encouragement! You people, understandably, react to you are reasonable, but a Phobia is an



148 DISADVANTAGES