Character Creation
Ability, you may reroll your attempt to
hit. You must take the results of the
reroll, even if they are worse.
Brick
Prerequisites: Corporate DNA Strand, Meat Monkey
Strength 4, and must later select the
Super Strength Hereditary Power or There is very little out there that can
Colonized Musculature Nanotech. put you down. +15 maximum Hit
Points.
Bulletproof
Skilled Brawler
Something in the retroviral
conditioning you inherited or the Once per Scene, you may reroll a failed
nanotech infusion you received ended attempt to hit a target with an unarmed
up changed the tensile properties of attack or melee weapon. You must
your skin. You have +5 Protection to take the results of your second roll,
all Hit Locations, and specially even if it is worse.
reinforced needles (or else darts fired
from a tranq rifle) are needed to inject Thunderpunch
anything through your skin.
You put a bit more oomph into your
Dirty Fighter barehanded strikes. When you hit
someone with an unarmed attack, they
If the other guy didn’t want a pair of must make a Strength Saving Throw
thumbs in his eyes, he shouldn’t have (TN 7 + 3d6). For every point they fail
tried to fight you. You get a -2 TN the Saving Throw by, they skid back
bonus to hit with all unarmed, melee, one yard. If skidding back this way
or thrown weapon attacks and you get causes them to crash into a person or
+3 to your Melee Damage Bonus. object, they (and the person or object)
take the yards remaining in the skid as
Leapfrog points of damage.
You can choose to double the distance Wrestling Pro
of your leaps. This stacks with
Superhuman Abilities that affect your Sure, Monday Night Mayhem might be
jumping. popular these days, but you grew up
on the old stuff. You get a -4 TN bonus
to grappling and you deal +2 damage
when you’re grappling and you have
The Advantage.
50
Character Creation
Gun Bunny
Prerequisites: Reflexes 4, and must Practiced Shot
later increase your Pistol, Rifle, Heavy
Weapons, or Primitive Ranged Weapon You have spent a lot of time on the
Skill to at least 1d10. gun range and rarely have issues
hitting your target. Once per Scene you
Backup Piece may reroll your attempt to hit with a
firearm or primitive ranged weapon.
You always have a backup piece. Once You must take the second result, even
per game session, you may produce a if it is worse.
fully loaded Light Pistol or Medium
Pistol. You may do this even if you Sharp Shooter
have been searched and all your
weapons have been confiscated. Your penalty for hitting specific Hit
Locations is reduced by 2. Once per
Fatal Bullet session, before rolling, you may
declare that your attack with a firearm
You make every shot count. Once per or primitive ranged weapon simply
Scene you may reroll your damage hits. If you do this, it hits the Torso
with a firearm or primitive ranged location.
weapon. You must take the results of
the second roll, even if they are worse. Trick Shot
Long Range You can pull off some fairly ridiculous
trick shots. All penalties to your Pistol,
You can reach out and touch Rifle, Heavy Weapons, and Primitive
someone. All of your range penalties Ranged Weapons rolls are reduced by
for your weapons are reduced by one, 3, and you can bounce bullets off of
and all of your range increments for walls to hit targets around corners.
your weapons are doubled. However, when you are using either of
these benefits, your damage is
Move and Shoot reduced by 3.
You do not suffer penalties for moving
and attacking with a ranged weapon.
Martial Artist
Prerequisites: Corporate DNA Strand, or the Somatic Rehearsal Node
Reflexes 4, and must later select the Nanotech.
Unarmed Superiority Hereditary Power
51
Character Creation
Limitations: You cannot develop the Hard to Hit
Super Strength Hereditary Power or
Colonized Musculature Nanotech. You never sit still. Once per Scene,
before dice have been rolled, you may
Force of Will simply declare that an attack missed
you. Furthermore, any ranged attack
You have honed not just your body but against you suffers a +2 TN penalty.
also your mind. You receive a -3 TN
bonus on all Willpower and Health Iron Fists
Saving Throws.
You know exactly where to land your
Furious Assault strikes so that each hit counts. You
deal +4 damage with all unarmed
Multiple opponents means nothing to attacks.
you. On your turn in combat, once per
Round, you may make an attack Skilled Combatant
without spending an Action. This
attack must be with your body, with a You can slip past your opponent’s
melee weapon, or with a thrown guard with ease. Once per Scene, you
weapon. It is not subject to Multiple may reroll your attempt to hit with any
Action Penalties. unarmed, melee, or thrown weapon
attack. You must take the second
Hardened Body result, even if it is worse.
You’ve learned how to take a lot of Street Fighter
abuse. You get 3 points of Damage
Resistance to all Hit Locations and a Your mind may be serene, but the
-2 TN bonus on all Health and world your body inhabits is not, and
Willpower Saving Throws. you have made the necessary
adaptations. You receive a -3 TN
bonus to hit and add +2 to your Melee
Bonus Damage.
Mentalist
Prerequisites: Corporate DNA Strand, Ahead of the Game
Intelligence 3, and must later select
the Super Intelligence Hereditary You’ve exploited your considerable
Power or the Colonized Gyri Nanotech. mental powers to get ahead in life. You
start the game with a hideout in the
nice part of town (work with the GM to
determine the specifics of your
52
Character Creation
hideout) and an extra 1000 credits in I Read That Somewhere
income at the start of each adventure.
You’ve devoured a lot of books in your
Alert quest to keep your mind sharp. Once
per Scene, when you would default on
You’ve always got one eye open. You a Skill, you can instead roll it at
get a -4 TN bonus on all Observation 1d8+Attribute.
rolls.
Mental Defense
Danger Sense
You know how to gird the walls of your
No one gets the drop on you. You can’t mind against intrusion. You gain +5
be ambushed, and you gain +3 Damage Resistance vs mental attacks
Initiative. to all Hit Locations and you get a -4 TN
bonus on all Saving Throws to resist
Hunch attempts to influence your mind.
You know how to play a hunch. Once Skilled Mentalist
per Scene, you may ask the GM a yes
or no question and they must answer it You have honed your mind to
truthfully. perfection. Once per Scene, you may
reroll any Skill Test, Saving Throw, or
Opposition Roll that involves the
Intelligence or Willpower Attribute.
Mover
Prerequisites: Reflexes 4, and must Can’t Touch This
later select the Super Speed
Hereditary Power or Synaptic You know how to bob and weave. All
Overclock Nanotech. attempts to hit you are at a +2 TN
penalty.
Accelerated Healing
Faster
Your metabolism keeps pace with you.
Double your Heal Rate, and double all You treat the sound barrier the same
healing from other sources (i.e. First way you treat stop signs. At the end of
Aid, Physician, the Heal Hereditary any Round where you’re moving under
Power, etc). your own power fast enough to deal
Velocity Damage [p. 254], you may
increase your speed for the next
Round by 50 MPH. You may do this
53
Character Creation
multiple times in a row, up to a See Attacking During High-Speed
maximum of double your top speed. Clashes [p. 255] in the combat chapter
for more information about this.
You also increase the range of your
teleports (if you can teleport) by 15 Lightning Quick
yards.
Somehow, in the long, branching chart
Fly By/Zoom By of quantum possibilities, you always
end up in the reality where you chose
You’ve learned how to clip someone, to act first. Any time you roll your
minimizing the damage that you take Initiative, you may choose to reroll it
in a high-speed collision. You only and take the better of the two results.
take half of the usual Velocity Damage
[p. 254] (round up) when you’re the one
who causes a collision.
54
Character Creation
Passenger Speeding Fists
You’re used to helping with the evac You know how to strike someone a
effort. When you use the Grab And second time while sprinting past them.
Carry [p. 257] maneuver, you reduce the On your turn in combat, once per
penalty to knock down or carry Round, when you cause someone to
oversize targets by 1 point, you take Velocity Damage [p. 254], you may
increase the bonus to grab smaller immediately make an unarmed attack
targets by 1 point, and you reduce the without spending an Action. This
penalty you suffer for maneuvering attack is not subject to Multiple Action
while carrying a person by 2 points. Penalties, however it does not deal
Velocity Damage.
Mutant
Prerequisites: Corporate DNA Strand, desire. You also gain 3 TLR and may
1st or 2nd Generation. select Cybertech if you wish.
Limitations: May not have a Charisma You still may not acquire Nanotech.
higher than 3. May not develop
Hereditary Powers, Cybertech, or Mutant Network
Nanotech. Have no legal rights, and
may be exterminated without You have a strong connection to a
repercussions. community of other mutants or mutant
sympathizers. These people are allies
Special Bonus: May select Mutations. you can call upon Charisma+2 times
per game session.
Deadened Nerves
Off the Grid
Your body is a little bit burnt out on
suffering. You get +2 Damage Out of necessity, you know how to
Resistance to all Hit Locations, and cross town without running into other
you receive a -3 TN bonus on all people.
Saving Throws to resist pain, torment,
or physical deprivation. You get a -3 TN bonus on all
Navigation rolls, and three times per
Leaked Thru DNA session when you are in an area with
few people you can find a safe spot to
Your experiment almost worked. lay low for 1d4-1 hours. The safe spot
does not have any supplies, and it only
You can spend your Metahuman has room for 1d6+2 people.
Points to learn a single Hereditary
Power, and you may keep spending
them to raise it to whatever level you
56
Character Creation
Powerful Mutation Resistant
One of your mutations is more potent Whatever the opposite of clean living
than the others. Pick a Mutation and is, you have perfected it. You receive a
work with the GM to increase one of its -4 TN bonus on all Saving Throws to
values. For example, you might select resist the effects of toxins or diseases.
Regeneration and have it restore your
Heal Rate + 5 Hit Points, instead of Scanner Invisible
just your Heal Rate.
Scanners and security cameras
If you discover during play that your dismiss you as a sensors glitch or a
improved Mutation is unbalancing the stray animal. You can still trigger
game, you may either work with the things like laser tripwires, however,
GM to change your Mutation, or you and you can still be spotted by
may lose the improvement and replace sentries.
this Talent with a different Talent.
Non Powered
Prerequisites: None. Charming
Limitations: May not develop Silver tongued devil is one way to
Hereditary Powers, Mutations, or describe you. Once per game session,
Nanotech. you may automatically succeed with a
social Skill. In addition, you gain -2 TN
Special Bonus: Select a free General on all social Skill rolls.
Talent. This Talent does not count
towards your total number of Talents. Dumb Luck
Action Hero Increase your maximum Scene Points
by 2. You still do not carry over surplus
You are cool under fire, bullets miss Scene Points to the next session.
you by a mile, and you stroll slowly
away from explosions. Gain +5 Hit Privileged
Points and pick a combat Skill. You
always roll that Skill at a -1 TN bonus. You were either born into privilege or
Furthermore, once per game session, managed to come into it during life.
you may declare after the dice have Gain 4,000 starting credits and
been rolled that an attack has simply increase your income by 1,000 credits.
missed you.
57
Character Creation
Resistant one non-combat Skill and raise it to
3d10 at no point cost.
You’ve learned to weather harmful
effects on your own, without relying on Slippery
powers. Gain a -3 TN bonus on all
Saving Throws. You’re all but impossible to pin down.
You roll Brawling at a -1 TN bonus, you
Skill Expert roll any attempt to break a grapple or
avoid being grabbed with a -4 TN
Even though you might not have bonus, and your Movement increases
powers, you’re still very talented. Pick by +2 yards.
Odd Ball
Prerequisites: None. Second Special Bonus: Pick a Skill.
Once per Scene you may reroll that
Special Bonus: Instead of getting two Skill, although you must take the
Archetype Talents unique to this results of your reroll, even if they are
Archetype, select an Archetype Talent worse.
from one other Archetype, and then
select a General Talent.
Skulker
Prerequisites: Reflexes 4, Intelligence Get In Get Out
3, and must later increase your Stealth
Skill to at least 1d10. A ten-foot high wall topped with
barbed wire is a challenge. A Do Not
Blindside Enter sign is an invitation. Once per
session, when you are attempting to
Some would call this a cheap shot, you break into or break out of a location
just call it an opportunity. You deal +4 and the GM calls for a Skill Test or
damage and get a -2 TN bonus to hit Opposition Roll, you may either set the
during your free turn when ambushing. Difficulty of the Skill Test to Average
(7 TN) or gain a -6 TN bonus on the
Fleet of Foot roll—whichever is better.
You know when to beat feet. You get In Plain Sight
+3 Movement and +3 Initiative.
You can attempt to hide
anywhere—even in the middle of an
open, brightly-lit room. You ignore 4
58
Character Creation
points of penalties whenever you roll Well-Stocked Hideaway
Stealth.
Better than just a safe-house, this
Ninja surprisingly spacious hideaway has
the works: luxury foods, alcohol,
You are the night. Once per Scene, you medical supplies, guns, and whatever
may reroll a Skill Test or Opposition other useful surprises the GM is willing
Roll that involves your Stealth Skill. to throw in. On top of that, it’s secure.
You must take the results of the reroll, Unless your enemy is in hot pursuit,
even if they are worse. once you reach your hideaway, you’re
safe for the next 12 hours. If you bring
Urban Explorers your team with you, the hideaway is
safe for 12 hours from the moment the
You know a network of other B&E first person steps inside.
enthusiasts. Three times per session,
you can call on one of your contacts to Once per game session, you can
guide you somewhere. Your contact declare that you have one of these
will lead you and your team to the hideaways nearby. Work with the GM
location safely, but will not risk their to establish the details.
own life getting inside.
General Talents
While these Talents aren’t tied directly have almost your level of power or
to your Archetype, General Talents are influence. They will help you, even at
another way to enhance your character risk to themselves, but they also might
with a unique knack, asset, or ability. ask you for help in return. If your ally is
killed or otherwise removed from the
If a player passes up one of their picture, you may replace them at the
Archetype Talent picks, they can take start of the next scenario.
a General Talent Instead.
Alternate ID
Regardless of whether their Talents
are Archetype or General, no character You have a series of alternate
may have more than 4 Talents total. identifications complete with a
detailed histories and backgrounds,
Allies including plausible Genetic IDs. These
will stand up to even rigorous
You have an ally in your line of work or examination. Once per game session
in a related field. Work out the details you can produce an ID that is relevant
of who they are and why you know to the situation at hand.
them with the GM, but they should be
someone (or several someones) who
59
Character Creation
Ambidextrous Extra Hit Points
You do not suffer a penalty for You’re a little hardier than average.
attacking with your off-hand. You still You get +10 to your maximum Hit
suffer penalties for attacking with two Points.
weapons at the same time and take
penalties for multiple Actions as Fast Draw
normal.
You can clear a holster faster than
Bad Ass most people can think. You suffer no
penalty for drawing a weapon and
You are the stuff legends are made of. attacking in the same Action. You also
Destroying the enemy is more than a gain +1 Initiative.
job; it’s an art form and you’re an
artist. You gain +5 to your maximum Fast Healer
Hit Points and a -3 TN bonus with
Brawling or with any Melee combat You bounce back from things that
Skill of your choice. would leave other people in the
hospital for weeks. You heal by your
Contacts/Snitch Heal Rate every 12 hours, instead of
every full day. You also do not need to
You have made it a point to collect rest in order to heal this way.
contacts, snitches, and a network of
other people that can be made use of. Fast Runner
Generally these people want
something in return for their services, You’ve got get-up-and-go on tap. You
but you can call on them without a gain +2 Initiative and add +2 yards to
cost once per game session. your Movement.
Eagle Eyes Fine Looks
Your ability to pick out objects at a Whether you’re conventionally
distance is exceptional. Reduce any beautiful or more striking, one thing’s
penalty that you would suffer for for sure: you are easy on the eyes. You
attacking at range by 2. get -2 TN on all social Skill rolls where
the other party can see you.
Educated
Improved Defense
You are filled with bits of knowledge
that can be useful in a pinch. Once per You’ve made it through barroom
game session, you can use a Skill you brawls without a scratch. Attempts to
have no training in at 1d6. hit you suffer a +2 TN penalty. You
60
Character Creation
may want to remind the GM of this might as well be broad daylight. You
when combat breaks out. no longer take a penalty for poor
lighting.
Intuition
Pain Resistant
You have an innate sense of what the
right play is, even if you don’t always You could undergo major surgery
understand why at the time you’re without anesthesia and, at worst, it
making it. Once per session, you can would only be kind of annoying. You
ask the GM what the best thing to do in get a -2 TN bonus on all of your Health
the current situation is. The GM will Saving Throws.
tell you, although they won’t tell you
why. Photographic Memory
Lucky Bastard Everything you’ve ever seen is logged
somewhere in the back of your head.
Some people can never seem to catch You can ask the GM for detailed
a break. You, on the other hand, could descriptions of things you’ve glimpsed
probably make a living playing for only a moment, and in situations
Roulette. Increase your maximum where your photographic memory
Scene Points by +1. comes in handy, the GM may award
you a bonus on your rolls.
Natural Criminal
Rank
Maybe it’s from careful study, or
maybe it’s from practice, but you make You’ve worked in a position of
a better career criminal than most influence, and you still have some pull
other career criminals. Twice per with anyone who respects your rank.
game session, you can reroll any Your training has also given you a -3
criminal-related Skill Test. You must TN bonus on Leadership rolls.
still take the results of the second roll,
even if it is worse. You don’t have to spend more points
to be a higher rank (i.e. a Commander
Natural Linguist instead of an Ensign), but there is an
implicit tradeoff. While the average
You have a real gift for picking up civilian will probably just respect you
languages. Gain +6 Language Fluency for having served, people in your
points. organization are more likely to respect
you if you outrank them.
Night Vision You are also more recognizable if you
have a higher rank, and a shooting
You may not be able to see in absolute incident downtown where witness
blackness, but anything short of that reports match a retired CEO will
61
Character Creation
probably be more trouble if the news +2 TN penalty. You also get +2 on
gets a hold of them than if you were a Initiative.
regular wage slave.
Safe House/Cache
On top of that, certain duties and
standards of behavior may be required You’re like a squirrel, but with caches
of you based on your rank. of gear and weapons instead of
acorns. Once per session, you can
Corporation* work with the GM to establish a
safehouse nearby, including stocking
CEO, Vice President, Director, it with any reasonable supplies or
Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor amenities. You must pay for any gear
you add to the safe house.
Security
Commissioner, Commander, Captain, Scientific Mind
Lt., Detective
You paid attention in school. Your
Criminal Organization science-related rolls all have their TN
reduced by -2.
Boss, Made Man, Enforcer
Scout
Rapid Fire
It’s not trespassing if no one knows
You’ve trained with taking multiple you were there. 3 times per session,
shots in quick succession. Your you can add a -2 TN bonus to a Stealth
second shot in a Round does not roll that you are making or one that is
increase your Recoil penalty. The being made in your presence. You may
penalty from your first shot, and from add all of these bonuses at the same
any additional shots, still applies. time if you choose, stacking up to a -6
TN on a single roll.
Example: you fire 3 times with +1
Recoil. Your total penalties from Secure Job
Recoil on the three shots are +1, +1,
and +2. In this economy it is hard to find work,
much less a steady job with decent
Read Person money and benefits. Lucky you, you’ve
got one of those. Even better, your
You can cold-read somebody, detect a work can either be done remotely, or
lie, or figure out someone’s motives by with a lot of labor on just a few days a
making an Observation roll at an month. You receive 500 credits at the
Average Difficulty (TN 7). A target that start of each adventure.
knows they’re being observed can try
to contest your roll, but they suffer a
62
Character Creation
You may not take this Talent if you Tough S.O.B.
have the Brokeass Complication.
You don’t have time to bleed. Gain a
Sex Appeal Damage Resistance of 2 to all
locations.
Some people struggle just to flirt. For
you, the art of seduction is effortless. Warrior’s Sense
You get a -2 TN bonus on all social
Skill rolls where you have the other You start to react almost before you
party’s interest. realize you’re in danger. Gain +3
Initiative.
Sharp Senses
Wealth
You can look at an area and
automatically figure out where the You’ve got a nice nest-egg put aside.
good strategic locations would be for Triple your starting wealth.
snipers, traps, etc. Furthermore, you
can evaluate a combat situation just You Jerk!!
by listening to the gunfire, and you can
accurately guess the guns involved. You can be a bit of a dick—particularly
On top of that, you gain +3 to your in combat, where you do +2 damage
Initiative. with a particular type of weapon. Write
down which type of weapon that is.
Spray and Pray
No one’s quite sure how you do it, but Zero ID
you always seem to be able to put an
extra round in your targets. When you No record remains of your original
hit with a short or long burst, treat your identity. It’s as if you never existed.
attack as if one more bullet had hit the
target. Anyone who tries to conduct research
on you can only find out basic
Strong Willed information (where you’ve been seen
lately, who you associate with, what
Other people might call you hard- line of work you’re in) and, even then,
headed. You get a -2 TN bonus on all you know about their digging before
Willpower Saving Throws, and they’re done.
attempts to hit you with mental attacks
suffer a +3 TN penalty. The GM will describe what they look
like and tell you where they can be
found, giving you a chance to pay
them an unexpected visit.
63
Character Creation
Complications
Throw based on the severity of the
temptation.
Atypical Replacement Response
You’ve missing either a limb or an eye,
and you’ve got a neurological disorder
that interferes with the function of any
prosthetic you replace it with. This
means that you’ve had to go low-tech,
settling on a hook, a peg, or an
eyepatch.
If you’re missing an arm, you can only
carry things in one hand, and objects,
vehicles, doors, etc designed for two-
handed people (which is nearly
everything) are a problem for you.
Complications are the vices, flaws, and If you’re missing a leg, you must pass
bits of pure bad luck that make your a Tough Reflexes Saving Throw (TN
life more difficult. Taking a 12) or fall down any time you try to
Complication gets you an extra Talent. move more than half your Movement
in a turn.
It is possible to work off a
Complication, but it takes time, effort, If you’re missing an eye, any time you
Experience Points (see the Gaining make an Observation Skill Test that
Experience [p. 287] chapter), and the relies on vision, the TN is increased by
consent of the GM. +2. Enemies also have a -2 TN to hit
you on that side.
You may not take more than one
Complication unless the GM gives you If you mount a prosthesis that can
explicit permission to do so. read your nerve inputs onto the
missing limb, you lose these penalties,
Addiction but twice per Scene the GM can have
that prosthesis go rogue, injuring—at
You have a problem, whether you’ve minimum—your dignity, and possibly
admitted it or not. Pick a vice. Any also passers by.
time your temptation shows itself, you
need to make a Willpower Saving
Throw in order to resist indulging. The
GM decides the TN of this Saving
64
Character Creation
Bad Reputation income are both reduced by half
(round down).
Deserved or not, you have a bad
reputation. Skill Tests or Opposition You may not take this Complication if
Rolls to get someone to trust you or you have the Secure Job Talent.
work with you suffer a +2 TN penalty,
and you may be subject to rumors, Chronic Ailment
exclusion, or even attacks purely
because of your reputation. You need constant medical attention.
This could get costly. Once per
Bloodthirsty scenario, the GM may call for a Tough
Health Saving Throw (TN 12). If you
Letting your opponent live isn’t exactly fail, you suffer a +4 TN penalty on all
high on your list of priorities. As a Skill Tests, Opposition Rolls, and
matter of fact, you tend to find any Saving Throws for the rest of the day.
way possible to make sure they meet
their maker. This can be a real Coward
problem if you need to bring someone
in for questioning. At heart, you’re a coward. Any time you
are startled, put in danger, or put
Any time a fight breaks out, you need yourself in danger, make an Average
to make a Challenging Willpower Willpower Saving Throw. If you fail,
Saving Throw (TN 9) to resist killing you suffer +3 TN on all Skill Tests,
your opponents the first time you have Opposition Rolls, and Saving Throws
a chance to do so. If your opponent is for the rest of the Scene. If you
a personal enemy, the Saving Throw is critically fail, you get to choose: either
instead Tough (TN 12). If you you faint on the spot, or you flee in
genuinely like your opponent or have blind terror. Unless a situation gets
reason to believe that they’re innocent, drastically more scary, you only need
your Saving Throw is Average (TN 7). to make this roll once per Scene.
The trail of bodies you tend to leave Cyber Rejection
behind also means you make peaceful
social Skill Tests and Opposition Rolls You have a genetic condition that
at +1 TN. mobilizes your immune system
against certain bits of cybertech. You
Brokeass cannot take Cybertech. You can still
take Nanotech.
You’ve got something that you have to
spend a portion of your income on. If you are a Mutant, you may not take
Maybe you’re in deep with a loan this Complication.
shark. Maybe you’re trying to keep
your family’s business solvent. Either
way, your starting credits and your
65
Character Creation
Debt Fat
You owe someone, and you owe them Try as you might, it’s hard to keep the
big. Work with the GM to determine weight off, but you’ve let things slide
what you owe and who you owe it to. and now you’re out of shape as well.
One catch: your debt-holder is not the You suffer -2 to Initiative, your
forgiving sort, and they don’t have your Movement suffers -2 yards, and when
best interests in mind. Your GM will traveling long distances or doing
make this Complication relevant. strenuous physical activity you must
make a Challenging Health Saving
Delusions Throw (TN 9) or stop midway through
due to exhaustion.
Many people think you’re nuts…and
they happen to be right. You believe Fewer Hit Points
something that is fundamentally
untrue, perceive things that are You’re practically built of model glue
absolutely not there, or remember and balsa wood. Treat your Strength
things that plainly never happened. and Health each as being 1 point lower
Work with the GM to figure out your on the Hit Points [p. 45] chart to
specific delusion. determine your new maximum Hit
Points. If either your Strength or
Once per game session, the GM can Health is already at 1, instead reduce
call for a Tough Willpower Saving your hit points by half (round up). If
Throw (TN 12). If you fail, you slip both are at 1, your maximum Hit
completely into your delusion for the Points starts at 4.
rest of the Scene.
Foul Tempered
Enemy
Once per Scene, when someone looks
Along the way, you’ve managed to piss like an easy target or they’re just plain
someone off so bad that they’re getting on your nerves, the GM can call
practically baying for your blood. Work for a Challenging Willpower Saving
with the GM to determine who this is Throw (TN 9). If you fail, you fly off the
and what you did to wrong them. After handle and take +2 TN on Leadership,
that, it is the GM’s discretion where Seduction, and Persuasion rolls for the
and when they strike. These are not rest of the Scene. You also make a bad
average mooks and they are impression in front of any friends,
passionately committed to their cause. romantic interests, or superiors that
If you kill them or convince them to might be watching.
back off, someone else will pick up
their crusade. On the bright side, when you fail that
Saving Throw, you get a -2 TN bonus
on Intimidation and Interrogation rolls
for the following Scene.
66
Character Creation
Glass Jaw with your chosen vice. You must make
a Tough Willpower Saving Throw (TN
When a fight breaks out, you tend to 12) in order to resist this temptation.
take one hit and crumble. If you ever
take 20% of your maximum Hit Points Honor Bound
in one blow, you must make a
Challenging Health Saving Throw (TN You have sworn an oath that is so
9). If you fail, you suffer a +3 TN profound to you that breaking it it
penalty to all actions for your next would cause not only professional
1d3+1 turns. If your roll doesn’t even disaster but would splinter your
beat an Average TN (7), you pass out psyche. Work with the GM to
on the spot. determine the nature and content of
your oath. If your break your sworn
Greed oath, you suffer a +3 TN penalty on all
Skill Tests, Opposition Rolls, and
Greed is good, at least in your eyes. Saving Throws until you have made
When you see something valuable that amends that the GM is satisfied with.
you might be able to get, or when
someone tempts you with the offer of Illiterate
money or other riches, make a
Willpower Saving Throw. The GM sets Whether it’s for neurological reasons
the TN based on how tempting the or simply due to a lack of formalized
object or offer is, and how easy it education, you are unable to read. In
seems to get a quick payday. If you fail the modern age, this can be a huge
your save, you must make an honest problem.
attempt to steal the valuable or accept
the offer, even if it puts you in danger. Jinx
If accepting an offer would cause you
to betray your companions, you must Bad luck seems to follow in your wake,
still accept the offer, but you can affecting everyone around you. 3
change your mind at the last possible times per game session, the GM can
second, after most of the damage has declare that your jinx has struck,
been done. Needless to say, this will increasing every TN for the rest of the
cause the person who made the offer Round by +2. This affects every
to single you out for some very character in the Scene. Only enemy
personal revenge. Lieutenants and Masterminds are
immune to this effect.
Hedonist
To say that you like to party is an Nano Rejection
understatement. If it involves sex,
drugs, and rock and roll, you’re in. You have a parasitic nanite colony that
Once per session, the GM can present interferes with new implants. You
you with an obvious trap that is baited
67
Character Creation
cannot take Nanotech. You can still Poor Perception
take Cybertech.
One of your senses is seriously
If you are a Mutant or have the Non impaired. Observation Tests with that
Powered Archetype, you may not take sense suffer a +3 TN penalty.
this Complication.
Secret
Night Blindness
You’ve got skeletons in your closet.
Operating at night is a problem for Work with the GM to determine your
you. When you take a penalty for Dim secret, but it should be bad enough
Light or Complete Darkness (see that its exposure would completely
Combat Modifiers under Combat), the destroy your way of life. Try not to let
TN is increased by +2. it get out.
Obsession Skinny
You have an obsession that interferes You’re not just thin. You’re practically
with your daily life. Work with the GM malnourished. You may not raise your
to determine what you are obsessed Health above 3, and you suffer -5 to
over. Once per session, the GM can your maximum Hit Points.
call for a Tough Willpower Saving
Throw (TN 12) from you. If you fail, the Slow Healer
TN of all your rolls is increased by +2
until you take time out of your There is something about your healing
schedule to pursue your obsession. process that is just naturally slow.
This penalty can stack. Your Heal Rate is now Health x1, not
Health x2.
Phobia
You are afraid of something, and that Slow Runner
fear runs so deeply that it can cause
you to freeze up or get you killed. Work Maybe you’ve had a bad injury, or
with the GM to determine your specific maybe you never spent much time
fear. Once per Scene, when you are running track, but you’ve got more of a
confronted with it, you will need to mosey than a sprint. Your Movement
make a Challenging Willpower Saving is decreased by -3 yards.
Throw (TN 9). If the situation is
particularly terrifying, the GM may Social Pariah
increase the TN. If you fail, the TN for
all your actions is raised by +2 for the The people you would normally
next 1d6 hours. If you succeed, the TN associate with want nothing to do with
is only raised for 1d12 minutes. This you. Work with the GM to determine
penalty does not stack. why. Using any social Skill against the
68
Character Creation
people who are shunning you is at a +2 Vendetta
TN penalty.
You’ve been carrying a grudge in your
Terminally Ill back pocket for quite some time now.
It’s just about due. Work with the GM
You are on your way out. Work with the to determine who it was that wronged
GM to figure out what you are dying you. Whenever you have a chance to
from and what your life expectancy is. hurt your target, you must make a
It should not be more than a year. Challenging Willpower Saving Throw
(TN 9) to keep your focus.
Unfortunate Looks
Weak Willed
Even a mask doesn’t help much. You
suffer a +2 TN penalty on all in-person You’ve never been particularly good at
social Skill rolls or social Skill rolls resisting peer pressure, or turning
where the other party can see you. away salesmen, or even standing up
for yourself. You’ve probably been
called an easy mark. Your Willpower
Saving Throws suffer a +3 TN penalty.
Skills
Each new player character receives 61 Learning or Practical Usage costs one
Skill Points to spend on Skills. These Skill Point.
don’t all have to be spent on Skills that
match your Archetype. You should All Skills that you purchase must be
pick Skills that fit what you want to do bought at at least the 1d6 level, for 2
with your character and what your Skill Points.
character has done in their life.
If you need to roll a Skill that you do
Skills are measured both in Learning not have any points invested in, treat it
(the size of the dice you roll) and as 1d4 (see Default Skill Rolls [p. 32] for
Practical Usage (how many dice you more information).
get to roll). When you buy a Skill, you
can spend points on its Learning, For a quick look at how many points
Practical Usage, or both. Each level of you need to spend to get a Skill at a
certain level, see the chart below.
69
Character Creation
Points Spent Skill Dice
2 1d6
3 2d6
4 3d6
3 1d8
4 2d8
5 3d8
4 1d10
5 2d10
6 3d10
Levels of Skills Dice
d6
Level of Learning d8
Novice d10
Intermediate
Advanced
Practical Usage Dice
Casual Roll 1 die
Roll 2 keep best one
Intermittent Roll 3 keep best one
Frequent
Athletics
Skills List You can jump, tumble, climb, swim,
and sprint without getting winded.
The following Skills are available in
Dark Times.
70
Character Creation
Blades cultures, ways they conduct business,
and what their place is in the shifting
Deadlier than a fist and quieter than a network of alliances and rivalries that
gun, you’ve learned how to use knives, maps the corporate territories of the
machetes, axes, swords, and a variety Fractured States.
of other edged weapons without
cutting yourself. Cryptography
Brawling You can devise and crack codes, mask
your communications with ciphers,
Maybe you’ve done a bit of street and read through the enemy’s
fighting, or maybe you’ve trained more encrypted messages. You can also
formally in Krav Maga, Capoeira, or figure out slang or shorthand with
Shaolin Kung Fu. Point is: you know ease.
how to use your body as a weapon.
Demolitions
Club
You know what goes into a bomb, how
One of the oldest tools in human to deactivate a bomb, how to make a
civilization, the club has yet to go out bombs, and how to safely detonate a
of style. Some clubs are heavy and bomb without catching yourself in the
unwieldy, but this category also blast. You are either a very good
includes staffs, police batons, and person or a very bad person,
Eskrima sticks. depending on how you act on this
knowledge.
Computer Operation
Disguise
More than just cruising the internet,
Computer Operation covers file You understand the art of passing
architecture, program writing, security, yourself off as something you’re not.
intrusion, and effective research. In You can impersonate a target, vanish
addition to computers, it can be used into a crowd, conceal an object from
for smartphones, tablets, and any casual inspection, and avoid
other sort of electronic, programmable recognition by the kinds of people who
system, and you also know how to might want to pull you into an alley for
bash together a Genetic ID that can a ‘chat’.
stand up to detailed scrutiny.
Dodge
Corporate Knowledge
You can fling yourself out of the way
You know a great deal about the of a spray of bullets. As long as you
various companies that run the world, are aware of the direction a Ranged
including nuances in their corporate attack is coming from, you can spend
71
Character Creation
an Action from your next turn to First Aid
increase the TN needed to hit you. For
a deeper explanation of how this You can patch up a wound, diagnose a
works, see Dodge Attempts [p. 239] in common injury, and keep someone
the Combat section. alive until they can get more
comprehensive medical care—even in
Drive the middle of combat. Using First Aid
on someone restores 1d3+1 plus their
Pick a vehicle type (such as boats, Heal Rate in Hit Points, and you may
motorcycles and ATVs, cars, or big do this once per injury (see Healing [p.
rigs). You’ve learned how to 247] in the Combat section). The GM
comfortably maneuver with that may assign you bonuses on your rolls
vehicle type. You may take this Skill for access to good equipment,
multiple times, selecting a different support, or a safe and sterile working
vehicle type each time. Each version of environment, and you can use First Aid
this Skill must be bought up on yourself in a pinch, although the
separately. GM is advised to raise the TN
accordingly.
Electronics
General Knowledge
You can design and understand the
workings of electrical systems. You You know a wealth of information
know exactly where to cut and where about what the world was like before
to splice to turn off or restore the the United States became the
power to buildings, security systems, Fractured States. You also know a fair
and explosives. bit of local history and geography, and
you’ve gotten very good at digging
Escape through old records.
You can wriggle out of bonds, slip out Heavy Weapons
of handcuffs, and generally Houdini
your way out of situations that the You can operate heavy machine guns,
average person would be trapped in. grenade launchers, and other highly
situational munitions.
Fast Talk
Improvised Weapons
A mix of emotional appeals, clever
wordplay, and misdirection, you can You are never unarmed. You have
quickly convince someone to see learned how to fight with car keys,
things your way for a little while—so pencils, chair legs, beer bottles, and
long as they don’t think too hard about anything else that’s at hand.
what you’re saying.
72
Character Creation
Interrogation Law
Intimidation is fine if you already know You understand the legal system of
what you want, but sometimes you the Fractured States, as well as the
have to dig deeper. Interrogation, more nuanced legal codes used by the
which is not necessarily torture, is the bigger judicial arbitration services
practice of wringing out of someone companies. You also know where the
as much usable information as you gray areas in these laws are and can
can get. Your victim will get an sometimes avoid consequences on a
Opposition Roll using their Willpower technicality.
Saving Throw against your
Interrogation attempt, cracking if they Leadership
fail. Of course, if they don’t actually
have the information that you’re You can coordinate a team, inspire a
looking for, they’ll start making up mob, and take charge when no one
things they think you want to hear. It’s else knows what to do. You get to be
your job to separate truth from fiction. the responsible one. Lucky you.
Intimidation Lock Picking
You know how to coerce a target into You can bypass conventional and
doing your bidding. Typically, this electronic locks, getting into places
involves scaring the crap out of them. you’re not supposed to go.
Your victim will get an Opposition Roll
using their Willpower Saving Throw Mechanics
against your Intimidation attempt, but
you can stack the odds in your favor You understand the inner workings of
with a lot of situational modifiers. An vehicle engines, industrial plants, and
intimidated target is merely someone other complex machines. You can
you have scared into compliance. They diagnose and repair mechanical
are not under your absolute control. problems, and you can fix mechanical
systems so that they last.
Jury Rig
You can jury rig your own creations, Navigation
kludging together working machinery
from inoperative scrap. Jury-rigged You have a good sense of direction
contraptions aren’t built to last, but and, more importantly, you know when
they’ll usually hold out for as long as to stop and get your bearings. You can
you need them. find your way through crumbling
tenement buildings, corporate villa
complexes, and abandoned subway
tunnels without getting utterly lost.
73
Character Creation
Observation When not patching someone up,
Physician can also be used to
Your senses are sharp, you know when transplant organs, biotech, and to
someone is hiding something from install simple prosthetics or
you, and you can read the twitch of a cybertechnology. However, in order to
person’s fingers right before they go get a piece of cybertech working after
for their gun. This Skill covers every it has been installed, another
sense, including taste, although Skill—Tech—is needed to ensure
hopefully you’re not going to be proper synching between the implant
spending a lot of time tasting your and the body’s nerve signals.
surroundings.
Pilot
Persuade
Pick a aerial vehicle type (such as
A heavy hand is not always the best drones, VTOLs, or jets). You’ve learned
approach. You’ve learned to convince how to comfortably maneuver with
other people to come around to your that vehicle. You may take this Skill
point of view. This takes more time multiple times, selecting a different
than Fast Talk, but it genuinely vehicle type each time. Each version of
changes people’s minds and the this Skill must be bought up
results last. separately.
Physician Pistols
If a paramedic’s job is to keep You know the basics of handgun use
someone alive, yours is to make sure and ownership. You can find the
they stay that way. You can diagnose safety, perform routine weapon
and treat a variety of conditions and maintenance, and discharge the gun
you can perform complex medical into the face of an oncoming mutant
procedures with the right equipment as needed. This Skill also covers
and help. You may not roll Physician in submachine guns.
combat (see Healing [p. 247] in the
Combat section) and the GM may Poison
assign you penalties on your roll for a
lack of good equipment, support, or a You know how to brew up and
safe and sterile working environment. administer all kinds of compounds
However, healing someone with that can sicken a living body.
Physician is more effective than
healing them with First Aid, and Police Sciences
Physician restores 2d4+1 plus their
Heal Rate. Like First Aid, healing with You can review a crime scene, deduce
Physician may only be done once per a perpetrator’s motives, anticipate a
injury. LEC or Peacekeeper response, and
74
Character Creation
interact with law enforcement Any bonuses or penalties that you
contractors in a way that does not put would get to your Willpower Saving
them on edge. You also know how to Throw carry over to this roll.
search for evidence, how to tag and
preserve it when you find it, and what Rifle
the politics are like in the local LEC
barracks. A step up from sidearms, longarms are
much less concealable. They also tend
Power Use to hit harder. You know how to
maintain, modify, and fire these
Not all Superhuman Abilities can be weapons. This Skill also covers
used with ease. Some require careful shotguns.
practice to keep them from going
wrong. You may take this Skill multiple Science
times, selecting a different ability each
time. Each version of this Skill must be You have made an academic study of
bought up separately. It is a particular field science. This might
recommended that you invest some be biology, chemistry, nanotechnology,
points in Power Use for each ability robotics, physics, or any other
you have that requires it. scientific field you can think of. You
may take this Skill multiple times,
Primitive Ranged Weapons selecting a different scientific field
each time. Each version of this Skill
You know how to calibrate, maintain, must be bought up separately.
and use bows, crossbows, and other
ancient projectile weapons against Security
game animals—or against larger, two-
legged prey. Hunting science has You know your way around security
come a long way in the past two systems and guard rotations, and you
hundred years, and it is easy to find know how to set them up and how to
bows and crossbows that are foldable, bypass them. You can create traps,
concealable, and thoroughly modern in fortify a location, and identify weak-
their design. points in someone else’s security.
Resist Torture/Interrogation Seduction
Holding out in a tough situation is You have a good sense of the kinds of
more than just a matter of willpower. It motivations that move people, and you
is a skill, and skills can be taught. can use that knowledge to sweep
Resist Torture/Interrogation + WLP someone off their feet, win their
can be used in place of a Willpower affection, or simply distract them while
Saving Throw in any situation where a your friends slip past.
character is being mentally, spiritually,
or physically put through the wringer.
75
Character Creation
Sleight of Hand of tech. This might be weapons tech,
cybernetics, nanotechnology, biotech,
You can palm and plant objects, or you might even have worked on a
perform acts of legerdemain, and strain of the Project Fire virus. You
obscure small movements such as the may take this Skill multiple times,
drawing of a knife or handgun. selecting a different type of
technology each time. Each version of
Stealth this Skill must be bought up
separately.
You’ve learned that the best way to
avoid a fight is simply not to attract The Tech Skill can be used to install
any notice in the first place. You can simple prosthetics or to get cybernetic
fade into the shadows, escape implants up and running after they
detection, and walk softly without have been installed in the body by a
breaking your stride. surgeon. However, the Tech Skill
cannot be used to perform surgery,
Streetwise transplant organs, or cut someone
open and implant a piece of biotech
You’ve gotten very good at thinking into their body—those all require the
like a criminal. This might be because Physician Skill.
you are one. You know basic etiquette
for dealing with criminals, you know Throwing
how different types of criminal
operations work, you know the right You can throw baseballs, bolas,
people to talk to if you need a hookup shuriken, knives, spears, grenades,
or a fix, and you know where to find and other objects with speed and
contacts on the wrong side of the law. accuracy.
You also have a more general sense of
where to go to buy guns, drugs, or Tracking
other gray and black market supplies.
You know how to track, shadow, lay a
Tech false trail, and generally tail or evade a
target through an urban or wilderness
You know how to design, reverse- environment.
engineer, and debug a particular kind
Technology Limit Range
A character’s Technology Limit Range start to overstress the natural
is how much Cybertech and Nanotech biological processes of the body.
their body can accommodate before
pieces of tech start interfering with Generation 0 and 1st Generation
each other, or before the modifications characters have 20 TLR. 2nd
76
Character Creation
Generation characters have 10 TLR. Limit Points are permanent—at least
Mutants have 0. until you remove that piece of
Cybertech or Nanotech. As long as
All pieces of Cybertech and Nanotech your current Limit Points are equal to
force you to take a certain number of or lower than your TLR, nothing bad
Limit Points when you install them. happens.
This Limit Point Cost is the same for
all versions of of that piece of tech, so A character that exceeds their
installing a piece of Cybertech at a Technology Limit Range suffers a +2
Minor level and then upgrading it to a TN penalty on all Skill Checks and
Major level doesn’t cause you to take Opposition Rolls per point they have
more Limit Points. Installing a new exceeded their TLR by. This can make
piece of Cybertech or Nanotech at any it very difficult for a character to
level does cause you to take Limit function, so it is recommended that
Points—but it’s the same amount of you do not let your Limit Points ever
Limit Points, no matter whether you’re exceed your Technology Limit Range.
installing the new piece at a Minor,
Moderate, or Major level.
Hereditary Powers/Cyber/Nano
Every PC gets 20 Metahuman Points For a complete list of Cybertech, see
during character creation. You may the Cybertech List [p. 171].
spend these points on Hereditary
Powers (if you’re a Gen 2), Mutations For a complete list of Nanotech, see
(if you’re a mutant), as well as the Nanotech List [p. 151].
Nanotech and Cybertech (as long as
you’re not a mutant). If you buy a piece of Cyber or
Nanotech with Mutation Points, you do
For a complete list of Powers, see the not have to spend credits on it as well.
Hereditary Powers List [p. 89]. All Cybertech and Nanotech still count
towards your Technology Limit Range,
For a complete list of Mutations, see however.
the Mutations List [p. 129].
Language Fluency Points
As convenient as it would be, not every A character’s Language Fluency points
person speaks the same language. To are equal to INT x4. They do not get
represent this, Player Characters are their native language(s) for free.
given a pool of Language Fluency
points to divide as they choose. Common languages in the Fractured
States include English, Mandarin,
77
Character Creation
Cantonese, Spanish, Portuguese, All language fluencies are rated from 1
Russian, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, – 4 on the following chart.
Farsi, Pashto, and Street. Street is a
relatively recent development, and is 1- You can barely speak the language.
less of a formal language than a series 2- You can follow a simple
of common phrases and gestures that conversation, but you trip over the
have been glued together with the grammar.
vocabulary of whatever is spoken 3- You can get by, although you have
locally. As such, it is very portable, and an accent.
can be spoken almost everywhere that 4- You can pass for a native speaker.
isn’t a corporate boardroom. Other You even know the obscure words like
languages may be in particularly heavy susurrus.
use in specific regions.
Starting Funds
Thirty years ago, the US had one further modified by the background
currency: the dollar. Today, what they rolled up earlier in character
people actually spend is a mix of the creation.
US dollar, corporate scrip, labor bonds,
and digital digital currency in the nicer A character’s starting funds may be
parts of town, and barterable materials spent immediately on equipment, but
like precious metals, antibiotics, and unless a character is supposed to be
insulin in the poorer parts of town. flat broke when the game begins, it
There are also minor currencies that usually makes sense to save at least a
only have regional value, like chits little bit to use during play.
certifying immunity to a particular
gang’s protection racket until the end If you have multiple modifiers
of the month, but these rarely ever affecting your starting funds or
spread outside of a couple blocks’ income, such as from your
radius. Background and Talents, add those
modifiers together first, then apply
Altogether, this hodgepodge is called them. If some of those modifiers add a
credits. flat value (i.e. +500 credits) and some
of them add a percentage (i.e. +50%
Every Dark Times PC starts with credits), apply the flat values first.
(Intelligence x4) x100 credits. This is
Adjustment Points
Like Scene Points, Adjustment Points world. Unlike Scene Points,
are another little edge that Player Adjustment Points are spent just
Characters have over the rest of the
78
Character Creation
once—during character creation—for may not have more than 4 Talents
permanent bonuses. total).
• Decide your Background instead of
Every player gets 3 Adjustment Points, rolling it (you may choose this after
and can spend them to do any of the rolling if you do not like the results).
following:
More Adjustment Points will not be
• Raise an Attribute by 1 point (up to a given out by the GM during gameplay,
maximum level of 5.) and Adjustment Points do not refresh.
• Get 4 more Skill points. If a Player needs just one more Talent,
• Buy 1 General or Archetype Talent they should consider taking
Complications [p. 64] if they haven’t
(only one Talent may be purchased already.
with Adjustment Points, and you
79
Superhuman Abilities
Superhuman Abilities
There have been stories of people with traumatic, and their presence seems to
extraordinary powers for as long as somehow block the expression of
there have been people and stories. Hereditary Powers. They also render a
Only recently, however, has the body unfit for even a small amount of
technology been developed to turn cyber or nanotech, and come with a
those stories into fact with viral serious social stigma. This stigma is
injections, surgery, and millions of tiny partially supported by colonies of feral
robots. mutants that do, in fact, live in the
abandoned parts of town and eat
There are four different kinds of people, so there is some justification
Superhuman Abilities that people can for the laws that allow anyone to kill a
acquire. mutant without legal
consequence—but not much.
Hereditary Powers manifest in Gen 2 Mutations are purchased with
and later children of the original Metahuman Points or Experience
Project Fire test subjects. Caused by Points.
dormant genes that were installed by
the virus suddenly switching on, they Nanotechnology, like Hereditary
usually appear during puberty and can Powers, is considered to be the explicit
have a wide range of powerful, almost property of the companies that created
supernatural effects. Under controlled it. Unlike Hereditary Powers, Nanotech
laboratory conditions, they have can be safely installed in any non-
occasionally broken the laws of mutant, and corporations often exploit
physics in small—but scientifically this by mentally conditioning subjects
worrying—ways. Hereditary Powers to serve them first, and then injecting
are considered the property of the them with a stable nanocolony. This is,
corporations they were developed by, in fact, the process for creating a
but—as in most cases—possession is Peacekeeper. Nevertheless, a certain
nine tenths of the law. Hereditary amount of nanocolony material has
Powers are restricted by a character’s trickled out into the black market,
Archetype, as certain variants of the allowing people without conditioning
Project Fire virus only introduced to acquire it. Nanopowers are
certain sets of dormant genes. generally slightly weaker than
Hereditary Powers are purchased with Hereditary Powers, but have other
Metahuman Points or Experience benefits. They also come with a
Points. drawback befitting of their mechanical
nature. The human body can only
Mutations can manifest in anyone who sustain so much nanomaterial inside
has been exposed to the Project Fire of it, so each piece of Nanotech counts
virus. Their onset is usually fast and towards a person’s Technology Limit
81
Superhuman Abilities
Range. Nanotech powers and organs surplus tech acquired through
are purchased with Metahuman Points specialized clinics that operate
or Experience Points. somewhat outside the scope of
corporate product warranties. Illegal
Cybertechnology comes in two forms. cybertech is far more common than
The first type consists of simple Nanotech, and is punished much less
prosthetics, organ replacements, or severely—generally with forcible
minor cosmetic surgeries. These are recruitment into Saturday Night
legal, although they often remain the Gladiatorum or Monday Night
property of the company that created Mayhem. Cybertechnology is more
them after they have been implanted, limited in what it can accomplish than
requiring a series of monthly Nanotech, and it also counts towards a
payments to keep them functioning. person’s Technology Limit Range.
The second type of cybertech is black Cybertech can be purchased with
market, homegrown, and military either credits or Metahuman Points.
Reading Superhuman Abilities
Each Superhuman Ability is written without spending an Action—even in
using the following terms. response to something that happens
during someone else’s turn. If an
(P): if the heading for a Superhuman ability’s Activation is Passive, that
Ability is marked with a (P), that means it is always on and can never
means using the ability requires a be turned off.
Power Use Skill.
Minor/Moderate/Major: Many
Power Usable By: Hereditary Powers Superhuman Abilities can be acquired
are each linked to specific versions of at different levels. When a
the Project Fire virus, and thus are Superhuman Ability has different
only usable by certain Archetypes. levels, you can use it at the level you
Each Hereditary Power lists the have purchased it at, or any level
Archetypes it can be used by, and to lower.
what extent each Archetype can use
them. For more information about this, Add-Ons: Many Superhuman Abilities
see the Hereditary Powers List [p. 89] have optional add-ons that can
chapter. enhance how they work. You can’t take
these add-ons without first acquiring
Activation: An ability’s Activation tells the ability, but you don’t have to buy
you what you need to do to turn it on. them if you do acquire the ability
If an ability’s Activation says “Action”, either.
that means you must spend an Action
during your turn to activate it. If an Energy Point Cost: If an ability requires
Activation is Reflexive, that means the Energy Points to activate it, that cost
ability can be activated at any time will be listed under this heading. If an
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Superhuman Abilities
ability is always on, or if activating it Metahuman Point Cost: This is the
does not require any energy, the cost in Metahuman Points needed to
Energy Point Cost will be listed as N/A. acquire an ability. If the ability can be
acquired at different levels, the cost
Duration: Some abilities have effects will be written as X/Y/Z. The cost
that only last for a certain period of given for each level is the cost to
time, such as until the end of the acquire it from scratch, so if an
Scene. If an effect triggers instantly ability’s cost is written as 1 Minor / 2
and then is done (such as the damage Moderate / 3 Major, buying that ability
from an Energy Blast), the Duration from zero all the way up to Major costs
will say Immediate. If an effect lasts you 3 Metahuman Points total. If you
forever, the Duration will say already had that ability at Moderate
Permanent. and wanted to buy it up to Major, it
would only cost you 1 Metahuman
Range: Abilities can be used at one of Point to do so. Abilities bought with
six ranges. Self, Touch, Range: X, Line Metahuman Points do not cost credits.
of Sight, Earshot, and Area of Effect.
An ability with a range of Self can only Credits: If an ability can be bought on
be used on the user. An ability with a the street, it will have its cost in credits
range of Touch can be used on anyone listed here. Abilities that are bought
the user can touch. An ability with a with credits do not cost Metahuman
range of Range: X can be used on any Points.
target within the given range. An
ability with a range of Line of Sight can Limit Points: This is the number of
be used on anyone with an unbroken Limit Points that acquiring a piece of
line of sight between them and the Nanotech or Cybertech causes you to
user. This is true even for blind take. If your Limit Points go over your
users—a blind user still has line of Technology Limit Range, you begin
sight with someone if that person is in suffering steep penalties on all actions
visual range and there are no as your various pieces of cyberware
obstructions between them and the and nanotech begin to interfere with
user. Earshot works on any target that each other. It costs the same flat
can hear the original sound the ability number of Limit Points to acquire a
makes—recordings don’t count. The piece of cyber or nanotech, regardless
final range, Area of Effect, effects of what level you acquire it at. A Mild
everyone within the radius given. piece of tech costs the same number
Some abilities (and grenades) have a of Limit Points as the Moderate
range of Range: X and then a range of version of that tech, which costs the
Area of Effect—meaning they travel in same as the Major version of that tech,
a straight line, up to the limits of the etc.
Range: X, and then detonate in an Area
of Effect. Notes: Any other important
information about an ability will be
listed here.
83
Superhuman Abilities
Using Superhuman Abilities
In order to use a Superhuman Ability, probably not in the way you wanted it
you must first possess the ability. If to.
the ability has a cost in Energy Points,
you must also pay that cost to activate The exception to this rule is if the
it. Superhuman Ability is being used to
attack a target. In that case, you do not
If the ability is marked with an asterix, need to roll Power Use to activate it.
controlling it requires a Power Use: You roll Power Use (That Ability) as
(That Ability) Skill Test at an Average part of an Opposition Roll instead.
difficulty (TN 7). On a failure, the What your target rolls to resist you will
Energy Points you spent are still lost, depend on the ability, and is listed in
and your ability fails to activate. On a the ability’s notes.
critical failure, it does activate, but
Defaulting On Superhuman Abilities
You may not Default on Superhuman If you do not have a Superhuman
Abilities. Ability, you may not use it.
Taking Superhuman Abilities Multiple Times
Unless a particular ability says
otherwise, each ability may only be
learned once.
Stacking Superhuman Abilities With Themselves
Unless a Superhuman Ability You cannot use Super Strength several
specifically says that you can use it times in a row to stack your Melee
multiple times in a row to stack its Damage Bonus into the stratosphere.
bonuses, penalties, or other
miscellaneous effects on top of This rule is also important with
themselves, you cannot do this. abilities that require an Action to
activate. For example, you cannot
This supersedes the general rule about stack the same Force Field on top of
stacking bonuses and penalties. itself several times before wading into
battle with a barrier that is it
This rule is especially important when impossible to breach.
it comes to Reflexive abilities, such as
Super Strength.
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Superhuman Abilities
Extending Durations On Superhuman Abilities
When the effects of a Superhuman explore the inside of a vacuum
Ability that you control are about to cleaner. He is still inside the vacuum
expire, you can pay that ability’s when the Scene ends, and he doesn’t
Energy Point cost again to extend the want to return to his original size yet
Duration. (since that would be painful and bad
for both him and the vacuum cleaner).
You do not have to spend an Action, Ted spends the Energy Point cost for
even if the ability normally requires Alter Size and stays tiny for another
one, to extend its Duration. Scene.
Example: Ted has used Alter Size to
shrink himself down so that he can
Touch Abilities If the user succeeds, the ability strikes
the target.
In some cases, using a Superhuman
Ability against a hostile target means NOTE: A defender may defend
having to touch them. themselves with a Reflexes Saving
Throw instead of using their Brawling
To do this, the user spends Energy if they wish.
Points, uses an Action, and makes an
attack (see [Unarmed and Melee])
using Brawling + REF against the
target’s Brawling + REF.
Ranged Abilities
Some abilities work at range. An ability if they wish (see Dodge Attempts [p.
with a Range marked with anything 239]).
other than Self or Touch can still be
used as a touch ability (see above), but If the user succeeds, the ability strikes
it can also be delivered as a [Ranged] the target.
attack.
If a ability is being used on a specific
To do this, the user spends their spot (such as into a vent, into the
Energy Points, uses an Action, and middle of a room, etc) rather than a
makes a ranged attack using their person, the GM provides the TN to hit.
Power Use + Reflexes against the The standard difficulty for this is
target. usually Easy (TN 4).
If the ability is launching a physical
projectile, the target may try to dodge
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Superhuman Abilities
Multi-Target Abilities
If you use an ability that affects a 14. Next, each civilian rolls a
multiple targets, you only roll once to Willpower Saving Throw against
hit with the ability, trigger its effects, Rache’s 14. Every civilian that fails
and deal damage. Everyone you are falls under her sway, and she cranks
targeting rolls individually to resist up their fear, sending them running
you. away from the fight.
*Example: Rache is using Emotion Unfortunately, one of the civilians gets
Control on a crowd of civilian gawkers, a 15 and succeeds, shrugging off her
hoping to get them out of the area influence somehow. Now there’s a
before her fight with the Peacekeepers little old man standing all by himself
really gets serious. She makes an right in the approach-path of a group
Opposition Roll using her Power Use: of heavily armored Peacekeepers.
Emotion Control + Charisma and gets
Effects That Increase Your Maximum HP/EP
Some abilities, items, or other effects This cannot reduce your Energy Points
will raise your maximum Hit Points or below 0.
maximum Energy Points. When this
happens, you also gain that many Hit It can, however, reduce your Hit Points
Points or Energy Points. below zero. For more about this, see
Damage And Death Saves [p. 248] in the
When the effect ends, lose that many Combat chapter.
Hit Points or Energy Points, and then
return your maximum to its original
level.
Effects That Increase Your Attributes
Some Superhuman Abilities can If a Attribute is increased, your Derived
increase your Attributes. These Attributes also change. If a Attribute
abilities may increase your Attributes returns to its original value, so do the
over 5, but no Superhuman Ability can Derived Attributes.
increase an Attribute over 9.
Effects That Reduce Your Attributes And/Or Derived Attributes
No effect can reduce your Attributes However, your Derived Attributes can
below 1. be reduced to 0. If your Movement is
reduced to 0, you cannot move under
your own power. If your maximum Hit
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Superhuman Abilities
Points are reduced to zero, you pass No effect can reduce a Derived
out until they are restored. Attribute below zero. Anything that
would do so instead reduces that
Derived Attribute to zero.
Effects That Let You Move In Miles Per Hour
In combat, characters’ Movements are +100 yards of Movement. The reverse
generally written in yards. is also true: +100 yards of Movement
is +100 mph.
Out of combat, characters often move
in miles per hour—for example, when In Dark Times, there is really only one
they’re driving a vehicle. difference between Movements given
in yards and Movements given in mph.
Some Superhuman Abilities boost a Movement given in yards allows you to
character’s speed in miles per make sharp turns without a problem.
hour—which is useful if you want to
use them out of combat to chase down If you have an ability that gives you
a vehicle. However, if you get into Movement in miles per hour and you
combat and want to use one of these want to turn on a dime midway
abilities that boost your speed in miles through that movement, the GM is
per hour, your entire group potentially allowed to call for an Athletics Skill
has a huge mathematics headache on Test or Reflexes Saving Throw for you
their hands. to keep your feet.
Luckily, the math of yards per two If you have both Movement in mph and
seconds vs miles per hour is really Movement in yards, you can make
simple. It’s almost one-to-one. sharp turns safely up until you’ve
exhausted your Movement in yards for
So if you have an ability that lets you the turn. Any movement beyond that is
move in miles per hour and you want Movement in mph, and the GM can call
to use it during combat, just treat for a roll to keep your feet if you use it
those miles per hour as yards of to turn sharply.
Movement. +100 mph is the same as
Flight Speed vs Ground Speed
If you have abilities that give you a flight speed do not affect your regular
flight speed, your flight speed and Movement.
ground speed are two seperate things.
You are either flying or you are
Bonuses to your regular Movement (in running. You are not flying and
yards or in mph) do not affect your running at the same time.
flight speed. Similarly, bonuses to your
87
Hereditary Powers List
Hereditary Powers List
Hereditary Powers are abilities that are If a Hereditary Power is available for
generally unlocked when the children your Archetype, it will use one of the
of Project Fire test subjects hit following annotations in its text.
puberty.
• Br = Brick
Hereditary Powers are available only • Me = Mentalist
to Generation 2 characters, and certain • Ma = Martial Artist
Hereditary Powers are only available • Gb = Gun Bunny
to specific Archetypes. • Sk = Skulker
• Bl = Blaster
Hereditary Powers may be acquired by • Mo = Mover
spending Metahuman Points, or during • Ob = Odd Ball
character creation by spending
Experience Points.
Absorption
You can absorb incoming damage and the remaining damage. When you
convert it into something more helpful. absorb damage, you may convert it
into either Hit Points or potential
Power Usable By: Br, Me (Minor), Ma damage. If you convert it into Hit
(up to Moderate), Bl, Mo(up to Points, you immediately heal by that
Moderate), Ob amount. If you convert it into potential
Activation: Reflexive damage, you bank whatever amount
Minor: Absorbs 1d8 damage. you absorbed and, the next time you
Moderate: Absorbs 2d8 damage. hit a target with an attack, you may
Major: Absorbs 3d8 damage. add the damage from your bank to the
Energy Point Cost: 2 EP for the first damage you deal. You may not bank
attack, 3 EP for the second, 4 EP for more total damage than you can
the third, etc until the start of your next absorb in a single Action.
turn when the cost resets back to 2 EP.
Duration: Immediate When you absorb damage, you absorb
Range: Self it before applying your Protection and
Metahuman Point Cost: 2 Minor, 3 Damage Resistance against it.
Moderate, 5 for Major
Notes: Spending an Action from your next
turn incurs Multiple Action Penalties.
When you are dealt damage by any For a more detailed breakdown of how
source, you may spend an Action from spending an Action from your next
your next turn and absorb a portion of
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Hereditary Powers List
turn works, see Dodge Attempts [p.
239].
Acid Control: Acid Attack (P)
You can sweat, spit, or vomit acid. Duration: Immediate
This is not popular at parties. Range: 8 yards
Metahuman Point Cost: 2 Minor, 3
Power Usable By: Sk (up to Moderate), Moderate, 5 Major
Bl, Ob Notes:
Activation: Action
Minor: 1d8+1 damage, AP Half Target must also be within Line of
Moderate: 2d8+2 damage, AP Half Sight.
Major: 3d8+2 damage, AP Half
Energy Point Cost: 1 EP for the first Any Hit Location that is struck with
attack, 2 EP for the second, 3 EP for Acid Attack suffers Corrosion [p. 249].
the third, etc until the start of your next
turn when the cost resets back to 1 EP. You are not harmed by your own acid.
Acid Control: Acid Defense
You can open up your pores and exude anyone who hits you with a melee
an unpleasant, highly caustic liquid. It attack suffers Corrosion to their
smells like someone dumped a gallon weapon.
of vinegar on the floor, gently
encouraging people not to touch you. If you are in a grapple with another
person and your Acid Defense is on,
Power Usable By: Sk, Bl, Ob they suffer Corrosion to 1d4-1 random
Activation: Action Hit Locations at the end of every one
Energy Point Cost: 2 of their turns until the grapple ends.
Duration: Scene
Range: Self You are not harmed by your own acid,
Metahuman Point Cost: 3 but your Acid Defense does not make
Notes: you invulnerable to other people’s
Corrosion-inflicting attacks either.
While this ability is active, anyone who Your body is immune to your own acid
hits you with an unarmed attack powers, but every Enhanced’s abilities
suffers Corrosion [p. 249] to whichever are calibrated a little bit differently.
part of the body they hit you with, and
Acid Control: Body of Acid
You can transform into a roving puddle Power Usable By: Sk, Bl, Ob
of acid. Activation: Action
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Hereditary Powers List
Deactivation: Action gets Protection and Damage
Energy Point Cost: 3 Resistance from your Talents and
Duration: Scene Hereditary Powers. It cannot be
Range: Self covered by equipment. It can be
Metahuman Point Cost: 3 damaged by attacks from weapons,
Notes: abilities, and unarmed strikes, just as
your body can.
While transformed, your Movement is
cut in half (round up). Anything you You may make unarmed attacks while
are carrying or wearing transforms transformed, dealing +1d6 damage, AP
with you and transforms back when Half, and inflicting Corrosion [p. 249] if
you are done. You may rear up your you hit. While transformed, anyone
fluid body, stretching to twice your who hits you with an unarmed attack
original height, you may climb up suffers Corrosion] to whichever part of
surfaces, and you may pass through the body they hit you with, and anyone
gaps in walls/cell bars/etc by oozing who hits you with a melee attack
through them. suffers Corrosion to their weapon.
While transformed, you have one Hit
Location, The Goop. The Goop only
Adaptation
You can exist comfortably in an decompression, intense cold, intense
extreme environment. heat, intense radiation, unbreathable
atmosphere, toxic chemicals. You do
Power Usable By: Br, Sk, Bl, Mo, Ob not take damage from or suffer
Activation: Passive penalties due to the effects of that
Add-Ons: May adapt to additional environment.
environments for 1 Metahuman Point
each Strangely, this ability does not protect
Energy Point Cost: N/A you against attacks that match the
Duration: Permanent environment type. You can still be
Range: Self frozen, irradiated, decompressed, or
Metahuman Point Cost: 1 poisoned by deliberate, intentional
Notes: attacks, even if you are Adapted
against environments of those types.
Pick one of the following Quite a number of corporate labs are
environments: highly acidic, highly working to correct this issue, but thus
basic, extreme pressure, extreme far none have succeeded.
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Hereditary Powers List
Alter Size
You can increase or decrease your density. You do not become more
size. dense by shrinking or less dense by
growing. Anything you are carrying or
Power Usable By: Br, Ob wearing transforms with you.
Activation: Action
Deactivation: Action Being bigger or smaller can affect
Minor: Increase/decrease by one step what happens when you run into
on the chart people at high speed. For more about
Moderate: Increase/decrease by up to this exciting phenomenon, see
two steps on the chart Oversize Damage [p. 256] in the Combat
Major: Increase/decrease by up to chapter.
three steps on the chart
Supermajor: Increase/decrease by up Increasing in size while you are in a
to four steps on the chart cramped environment is bad for you. If
Energy Point Cost: 5 you become bigger than your
Duration: Scene environment, the GM will give you a
Range: Self Strength Saving Throw once per
Metahuman Point Cost: 4 Minor, 5 Round to burst out of it. For every
Moderate, 6 Major, 7 Supermajor Round that you do not pass this
Notes: Strength Saving Throw, you take 3d8
Drain damage.
When you take this ability, you must
choose whether you can increase your Otherwise, refer to the following charts
size or decrease it. If you would like to for stat adjustments while you are
do both, you must purchase this ability size-changed.
twice.
Shrinking
Changing sizes does not cause
interesting fluctuations in your
Size Mods
Child or Large
-10 max HP, -2 Movement, +1 TN penalty to be hit with
Dog ranged
Cat or Rabbit
-13 max HP, +1 Ref, -4 Movement, +2 TN penalty to be hit
Squirrel or Rat with ranged
Praying Mantis -18 max HP, +2 Ref, -6 Movement, +3 TN penalty to be hit
with ranged
-20 max HP, +3 Ref, -8 Movement, +4 TN penalty to be hit
with ranged
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Hereditary Powers List
Growing
Size Mods
Gorilla
+10 max HP, +2 Movement, -1 TN bonus to be hit with
Rhinoceros ranged
Wooly
+13 max HP, -1 Ref, +4 Movement, -2 TN bonus to be hit
Mammoth with ranged
Blue Whale
+18 max HP, -2 Ref,+6 Movement, -3 TN bonus to be hit with
ranged
+22 max HP, -4 Ref, +8 Movement, -4 TN bonus to be hit
with ranged
Armor
Parts of your body are clad in barriers up to five times.
of invisible force. Energy Point Cost: N/A
Duration: Permanent
Power Usable By: Br, Mo, Ob, Ma (only Range: Self
up to level two), Gb (only up to level Metahuman Point Cost: 3
two) Notes:
Activation: Passive
Add-Ons: +3 Metahuman Points for +4 You receive +4 Protection to all Hit
Protection. You may buy this Add-On Locations.
Animal Abilities
You are able to manifest specific deal +1d4 damage on all unarmed
animal traits in your body. attacks.
• Fur/Hide (2 Metahuman Points):
Power Usable By: Br, Ma, Gb, Sk, Ob You receive +4 Protection to your
Activation: Action Torso, Arms, and Legs Hit
Energy Point Cost: N/A Locations.
Duration: Permanent • Senses (1 Metahuman Point): Pick a
Range: Self sense. You get a -2 TN bonus to all
Metahuman Point Cost: See below. attempts to use that sense. You may
Notes: take this ability individually for
different senses, and you may take
Choose one or more of the following this ability up to two times for each
abilities: sense, stacking the bonus.
• Amphibious (2 Metahuman Points):
• Claws (2 Metahuman Points): You You can breathe underwater, and
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Hereditary Powers List
you receive a -2 TN bonus on all It may be wise to keep them hidden
swimming attempts. around other people, to keep them
from mistaking you for a mutant.
You can manifest or dismiss your
animal abilities by spending an Action.
Animal Control (P)
You can call and control animals of a always ask before you use this ability
particular type, even sharing their “do I sense any animals I can influence
senses if you wish. in the area?” and the GM will answer
you honestly.
Power Usable By: Me, Ma (Minor only),
Gb (Minor only), Sk (up to Moderate), Calling a swarm costs an Action, and
Ob the swarm doesn’t coalesce until the
Activation: Action to call a swarm. start of the next Round.
Additional Actions to give orders to the
swarm. Once you’ve called a suitable swarm
Minor: Call and control up to 5 lbs into the area, you can see through its
worth of creatures eyes for free, and you can give it
Moderate: Call and control up to 20 lbs orders by spending an Action. If you
worth of creatures don’t give it orders, or if its orders
Major: Call and control up to 100 lbs become invalid, or if it leaves the
worth of creatures power’s Range, the swarm will act on
Supermajor: Call and control up to its own Initiative in combat and serve
1000 lbs worth of creatures its own interests. However, a swarm
Energy Point Cost: 2 for Minor, 3 for that is following your orders acts on
Moderate, 4 for Major, 5 for your Initiative, and it will keep
Supermajor performing the same behavior (i.e.
Duration: Scene “guard this doorway, attack anyone
Range: Charisma x 10 yards radius who comes through it”) until given a
Metahuman Point Cost: 2 for Minor, 3 new order or your control ends. You
for Moderate, 4 for Major, 5 for may change its order at any time
Supermajor during your turn by spending another
Notes: Action.
Choose one of the following animal If you wish, you may control multiple
types: Avian, Aquatic, Insects, Strays swarms at the same time (up to your
Charisma -2, minimum 1), but you
You can call one or more animals of must pay the Energy Point cost to
that type from the local area, forming summon each.
them into a swarm that serves you.
The GM is the ultimate authority on You may take this ability multiple
whether there are animals of the times, each version of it giving you
chosen type in the area, but you can control over a different animal type,
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Hereditary Powers List
but you must level up each version Control + Willpower, as long as you are
individually. able to control the size and type of
swarm that you’re trying to hijack.
You may use this ability to snatch
away control of an enemy’s swarm by See Swarms [p. 277] in the Adversaries
spending an Action and making a chapter for stats on different kinds of
Power Use: Animal Control + swarms you can summon.
Willpower vs Power Use: Animal
Animal Speech
You can speak with and understand You can communicate with animals.
animals. Your words come out in your They aren’t obligated to do what you
language, but the animal you’re want them to, but most animals are
speaking with understands your intent. happy to bargain if you can give them
something they want and they can be
Power Usable By: Any reasonably confident that you won’t
Activation: Reflexive hurt them. Of course, animals don’t
Energy Point Cost: 1 think like people do, so they may have
Duration: Scene trouble understanding concepts such
Range: LoS / Earshot as what different weapons look like,
Metahuman Point Cost: 2 what color an object is, or what a
Notes: person’s face looks like.
Darkness (P)
You wrap an area in darkness. Natural Metahuman Point Cost: 4
or man-made light cannot penetrate it. Notes:
Power Usable By: Me, Ma, Gb, Sk, Ob You fill a 20 yard radius with unnatural
Activation: Action darkness, which only you can see in.
Add-Ons: +1 Metahuman Point to Other characters may try to dispel the
increase the Area of Effect by 5 yards darkness with any Superhuman Ability
(a Skulker may buy this Add-On three that creates light. To do this, they
times, everyone else may only buy it must make a Power Use + Willpower
once). vs your Power Use: Darkness +
Energy Point Cost: 3 Willpower. On a success, the darkness
Duration: Scene in that particular area dissipates
Range: Line of Sight wherever their light touches it.
Density Control: Increase Density
You can increase your body’s density, Power Usable By: Br, Ob, Bl (up to
becoming mildly impervious to harm. Moderate), Ma (Minor only), Gb (Minor
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Hereditary Powers List
only) (minimum -4)
Activation: Action Energy Point Cost: 3 Minor, 5
Minor: +1 Str, +4 Damage Resistance Moderate, 8 Major
to all Hit Locations, -10% Movement Duration: Scene
(minimum -1) Range: Self
Moderate: +2 Str, +6 Damage Metahuman Point Cost: 2 Minor, 4
Resistance to all Hit Locations, -20% Moderate, 7 Major
Movement (minimum -2) Notes:
Major: +4 Str, +8 Damage Resistance
to all Hit Locations, -40% Movement N/A
Drain Hit Points (P) Metahuman Point Cost: 4
Notes:
You can siphon the wellness out of a
living being and use its lifeforce to If this ability hits, make an Opposition
patch your own wounds. Roll using your Power Use: Drain Hit
Points + Willpower vs their Health
Power Usable By: Me, Sk, Ob Saving Throw. If you succeed, they
Activation: Action take 3d8 Drain damage and you heal 1
Energy Point Cost: 3 Hit Point for every 2 Hit Points they
Duration: Immediate lose this way.
Range: Touch
Drain Energy Points (P)
You can steal the bioelectric energy Metahuman Point Cost: 5
from another living being, using it to Notes:
fuel your own abilities.
If this ability hits, make an Opposition
Power Usable By: Me, Sk, Ob Roll using your Power Use: Drain
Activation: Action Energy Points vs your target’s
Energy Point Cost: 3 Willpower Saving Throw. On a
Duration: Immediate success, drain 2d6 Energy Points from
Range: Touch your target and restore your own
Energy Points by the same amount.
Emotion Control (P)
Although this isn’t mind control, you overwhelming them with unchecked
can grab a hold of someone’s feelings.
emotions and yank, biasing them
towards a specific course of action or Power Usable By: Me, Ob
Activation: Action
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Hereditary Powers List
Add-Ons: Mentalist only, may spend If you affect their emotions savagely,
+3 Metahuman Points for +7 yards, +3 pick either joy/despair or fear.
Metahuman Points to add an Area of
Effect with a 10 yard radius, +5 If you pick joy/despair, they must
Metahuman Points to add an Area of make a Willpower Saving Throw
Effect with a 15 yard radius. against your Power Use: Emotion
Energy Point Cost: 7 Control + Charisma at the start of their
Duration: Scene next turn or else waste their first
Range: 7 yards Action laughing or crying.
Metahuman Point Cost: 5
Notes: If you pick fear, they must make a
Willpower Saving Throw against your
If this ability hits a target, make an Power Use: Emotion Control +
Opposition Roll using Power Use: Charisma at the start of their next turn
Emotion Control + Charisma vs their or else immediately move their full
Willpower Saving Throw. If you Movement away from whatever person
succeed, once per Round, on your turn, or object you are making them afraid
you can affect their emotions subtly or of.
savagely by spending an Action.
You may also use this ability in other,
If you affect their emotions subtly, you more creative ways with the GM’s
can cause them to feel warmly permission.
towards you and coldly towards other
people, giving you a -1 TN bonus on
rolls to manipulate them.
Energy Blast (P)
You can form and direct energy, each blast do AP Half.
wielding it with devastating efficiency. Energy Point Cost: 1 for Minor, 2 for
Moderate, 3 for Major
Power Usable By: Ma (Minor), Sk Duration: Immediate
(Minor), Bl, Ob (up to Moderate) Range: 15 yards
Activation: Action Metahuman Point Cost: 4 for Minor, 5
Minor: 1d12 damage for Moderate, 7 for Major
Moderate: 2d12 damage Notes:
Major: 3d12 damage
Add-Ons: +3 Metahuman Points for Your target must also be within Line of
+65 yards range, +4 Metahuman Sight for you to attack them with this
Points to increase the Energy Point power.
cost for each blast by +2 but have
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Energy Defense
You can encase yourself in a defensive Once this ability has been activated,
field of damaging energy. any time during the rest of the Scene
that someone targets you with an
Power Usable By: Bl, Ob (up to unarmed or melee attack, you may pay
Moderate) Energy Defense’s Energy Point cost
Activation: Action again. If you do, your attacker takes
Minor: 1d10 damage the appropriate damage for whatever
Moderate: 2d10 damage level you are manifesting your Energy
Major: 3d8 damage Defense at.
Energy Point Cost: 2 Minor, 3
Moderate, 4 Major This ability does not block attacks. It
Duration: Scene simply damages people who attack
Range: Self you.
Metahuman Point Cost: 2 Minor, 3
Moderate, 4 Major
Notes:
Entangle (P)
You can spray vines, webbing, or other turn, they can spend any number of
entangling material at your foes. Actions trying to break free. For each
Action they spend, they can make an
Power Usable By: Sk, Ob Opposition Roll using their Strength
Activation: Action Saving Throw vs the entangling
Minor: Entangling Strength of 4, 15 Hit material’s Strength Saving Throw. On
Points of material a success, they burst out. On a failure,
Moderate: Entangling Strength of 7, 20 nothing happens.
Hit Points of material
Major: Entangling Strength of 9, 30 Hit Characters may also destroy
Points of material entangling material by attacking it. If
Energy Point Cost: 2 Minor, 4 they are attacking it with a melee
Moderate, 5 Major weapon or unarmed attack, they do not
Duration: Scene need to roll to see if they hit. However,
Range: 7 yards Minor, 10 yards any time they strike the entangling
Moderate, 17 yards Major Metahuman material with a melee or unarmed
Point Cost: 2 Minor, 3 Major, 5 attack, they must make an Opposition
Moderate Roll using their Strength Saving Throw
Notes: vs the entangling material’s Strength
Saving Throw or else have their
When you hit a target with this ability, weapon or limb become stuck in the
they are immediately entombed in a entanglement.
mess of entangling material. On their
98
Hereditary Powers List
This ability may also be used to material apply when it’s been used this
temporarily wall off passageways or way.
create traps. The same rules for
interacting with the entangling Any target you use this ability on must
also be in Line of Sight.
Fire Control: Flame Body
You can turn your body to fire. While transformed, you have one Hit
Location, The Bonfire. The Bonfire
Power Usable By: Bl, Ob only gets Protection and Damage
Activation: Action Resistance from your Talents and
Minor: +1d6 damage, victim Ignites for Hereditary Powers. It cannot be
1d6 damage for 1d6 Rounds covered by equipment. It does not take
Moderate: +2d6 damage, victim Ignites damage from fires or heat in the
for 2d6 damage for 1d6+1 Rounds environment around you, but it can be
Major: +3d6 damage, victim Ignites for damaged by attacks from weapons,
3d6 damage for 1d6+2 Rounds abilities (even fire abilities), and
Energy Point Cost: 1 Minor, 2 unarmed strikes, just as your body
Moderate, 3 Major can. Attacks that would extinguish fire
Duration: Scene are treated as dealing Drain damage
Range: Self when they hit The Bonfire.
Metahuman Point Cost: 1 Minor, 2
Moderate, 3 Major You may make unarmed attacks while
Notes: transformed, dealing damage and
inflicting Ignition [p. 249] as appropriate
Anything you are carrying or wearing for whatever level you have bought
transforms with you and transforms this power at.
back when you are done.
Fire Control: Flame Flight (P)
You can turn into a burning human You can fly at 50 miles per hour. If you
missile. deal Velocity Damage to someone
while using this power, you inflict
Power Usable By: Bl, Ob Ignition [p. 249] for 2d6 damage for the
Activation: Action next 1d3 Rounds.
Add-Ons: +2 Metahuman Points to
increase flight speed by +50 mph Flight speed from this power stacks
Energy Point Cost: 2 with flight speed from other
Duration: Scene Superhuman Abilities.
Range: Self
Metahuman Point Cost: 2
Notes:
99
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The year is 2049 and the world is no longer the same place it was at the turn of the millennium.<br>Twenty six years ago, in the distant past of 2023, a doctor named Anton Valasakis made a series of remarkable advancements in the field of medicine at the head of his own pharmaceutical company, Prometheus Medical. The doctor had a grand design to see the world turned into a better place, and he had decided that he would be the one to usher in that change.
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