Numenera: Destiny

TM

DESTINY

CREDITS


Designers Monte Cook, Bruce R. Cordell, Sean K. Reynolds

Developer Sean K. Reynolds
Creative Director Monte Cook
Managing Editor Shanna Germain
Editor Adam Heine
Proofreader Ray Vallese
Art Director Bear Weiter
Additional Graphic Design Zoa Smalley
Cover Artist Lie Setiawan

Artists
Bruce Brenneise, Christopher Burdett, Richard Burgess, chrom, Adam Danger Cook, Biagio D’Alessandro,

Dreamstime.com, Jason Engle, Felipe Escobar, Michele Giorgi, Josu Hernaiz, Inkognit, Guido Kuip,
Kezrek Laczin, Brandon Leach, Eric Lofgren, Raph Lomotan, Anton Kagounkin Magdalina, Patrick McEvoy,
Giorgio De Michele (Erebus), Federico Musetti, Irina Nordsol, Mirco Paganessi, Grzegorz Pedrycz, John Petersen,
Michael Phillippi, Scott Purdy, Eric Quigley, Aaron Riley, Riccardo Rullo, Seth Rutledge, Sam Santala, Lie Setiawan,
Joe Slucher, Lee Smith, Kim Sokol, Matt Stawicki, Cyril Terpent, Allison Theus, Cory Trego-Erdner, Ren Tu, Shane Tyree,

Jordan K. Walker, Chris Waller, Ben Wootten, Kieran Yanner, Kirsten Zirngibl

Cartographers
Jared Blando, Hugo Solis, Christopher West

Monte Cook Games Editorial Board
Scott C. Bourgeois, David Wilson Brown, Eric Coates, Gareth Hodges, Mila Irek,

Jeremy Land, Laura Wilkinson, Marina Wold, George Ziets

As we agree with the growing consensus that “they” can and should be used as a gender-neutral, singular English language pronoun when one is needed,
we have adopted that as the style in our products. If you see this grammatical construction, it is intentional.

© 2018 Monte Cook Games, LLC. NUMENERA and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries.
All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC.

Printed in Canada

Numenera Destiny is one of two
corebooks. You need Numenera Discovery
to play; it includes character generation,

all the basic game rules, and detailed
information on the Ninth World.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1234

A BETTER FUTURE 4 PART 5: CREATURES & CHARACTERS 251

Chapter 21: Using Destiny Creatures and NPCs 252

PART 1: NEW CHARACTERS 5 Chapter 22: Creatures 253

Chapter 1: Destiny Characters 6 Chapter 23: Nonplayer Characters 283
Chapter 2: Character Type 7
Chapter 3: Character Descriptor 40 PART 6: GMing COMMUNITIES 287
Chapter 4: Character Focus 55
Chapter 24: Tools for Destiny GMs 288
PART 2: SALVAGING AND CRAFTING 105 Chapter 25: Founding a Community 289
Chapter 26: Community Stats 297
Chapter 5: Building the Ninth World 106 Chapter 27: Community Actions 305
Chapter 28: Laying Out a Community 319
Chapter 6: Salvaging 107 Chapter 29: Guiding a Community 324
Chapter 30: Running a Destiny Campaign 341
Chapter 7: Crafting 117

Chapter 8: Commonplace Objects and Structures 124

PART 3: THE NUMENERA 133 PART 7: ADVENTURES 353

Chapter 9: Using the Numenera 134 Chapter 31: Adventures Overview 354
Chapter 10: Numenera Plans 135 Chapter 32: The Door Beneath the Ocean 355
Chapter 11: Cyphers 180 Chapter 33: Trefoil 372
Chapter 12: Artifacts 186 Chapter 34: The Red Plague 379
Chapter 35: Terminus 393

PART 4: THE SETTING 193

Chapter 13: Communities of Destiny 194 PART 8: BACK MATTER 403

Chapter 14: Umdera-Follows the Dream Titans 196 Appendix A: Vehicle Movement and Combat 404

Chapter 15: Enthait-Moon Meld You 203 Appendix B: Defenders of Ellomyr 406

Chapter 16: Rachid-Hears the Catholith’s Appendix C: Glossary 407

Whispers 210 Appendix D: Destiny Character Sheet 409

Chapter 17: Taracal-Sails the Sea of Secrets 217 Appendix E: Community Stat Sheet 411

Chapter 18: Delend-Under the Changing Moon 225 Index 413

Chapter 19: Starter Communities 230

Chapter 20: Organizations 245

5 6 78

A BETTER FUTURE

T he genesis of Numenera Destiny really lies with the Numenera Destiny, then, offers that new dimension
original Numenera Kickstarter campaign back in to Numenera players in concrete terms. Building and
2012. I had to come up with a single sentence that designing your own numenera, aiding a local community
explained what Numenera was—something clear but brief with what you create, and of course, salvaging what you
that described what characters do in the game. I came up need to do so are all such vital parts of how I see the game
with “In Numenera, characters explore the ruins of the that I knew Destiny needed to be a second corebook, not
past and discover wonders to help build a better future.” just a supplement. Its sister book, Numenera Discovery,
(There were many variations on this statement, but that’s is complete unto itself, but in my mind, Numenera really
essentially the idea.) The game handled the parts about is both books together now. Because it’s not just about
exploring ruins and discovering wonders, but building a the stuff you discover; it’s about what you do with that
new future was always left vague and open-ended. stuff. Destiny is, in a way, a light at the end of a long, dark
tunnel. The Ninth World is a dark, dangerous place, but
That original Kickstarter campaign led to the creation those brave enough and capable enough can overcome the
of Monte Cook Games and a whole lot of products. So challenges that come and move the world—or at least their
Numenera Destiny came about in 2015 when I pitched to little corner of it—into a brighter future.
the Monte Cook Games team the idea that there was a
whole second half of Numenera that we hadn’t even really I think Numenera Destiny will reconfigure a Numenera
explored yet. game to be even more player-driven, more exciting, and
more fun. What will you build?
From Minecraft to Fallout 4 to practically every other
video game, players were awakening to the idea of building Monte Cook
their own world, not just inhabiting one created whole
cloth by a designer. As a player of games like these, I
loved the idea, and I realized that I’d always loved it in
tabletop RPGs as well. Back in around 1982, I remember
turning to my fellow D&D players having just cleared out
a dungeon and saying “Hey guys, we should make this
our base!” We began designing the changes we would
make, thinking about the magical and mechanical traps
we wanted to install, and more. The game took on a whole
new dimension as we did this—and it gave us a whole new
reason to earn gold on other adventures.

Throughout this book, you’ll see page references to
various items accompanied by this symbol. These are
page references to Numenera Discovery, where you can
find additional details about that rule, ability, creature,
or concept. Often, it will be necessary to look up the
referenced item in order to find information you need
for character creation and gameplay. Other times, it's
not necessary to look up the item, but doing so can
deepen your experience and understanding of the game
and the setting.

4

PART 1:

NEW
CHAR ACTER S

Chapter 1: Destiny Characters 6
Chapter 2: Character Type 7
Chapter 3: Character Descriptor 40
Chapter 4: Character Focus 55

CHAPTER 1

DESTINY CHARACTERS

Cyphers, page 180 N umenera Destiny provides players with before. They are driven to expand the boundaries
Artifacts, page 186 additional character options, expanding of the known, usually by rediscovering what was
from those presented in Numenera long forgotten. Delves delight in finding never-
Discovery. Whether used by themselves or with the before-explored ruins of the prior worlds and
types, descriptors, and foci provided in Discovery, cataloguing them from top to bottom. They are
Destiny characters are suited for inspiring others, adept at salvaging hidden treasure called iotum
exploring ruins, and building wondrous things. that Wrights can use to craft numenera devices.
They can found settlements, grow communities, This is what most Delves seek, though of course
and safeguard the towns they foster by discovering they won’t ignore the cyphers and artifacts so
valuable resources left behind by the ancients. prized by others. It’s just that Delves see deeper
and are skilled at extracting the building blocks of
Arkus, page 7 TYPE BASICS the prior worlds.
Wright, page 18
Delve, page 29 The new character types you can choose from DESTINY DESCRIPTORS
are the Arkus, Wright, and Delve. Each of these
Descriptors, page 40 is designed to help you get the most out of As with the new types, Numenera Destiny
Articulate, page 41 Numenera Destiny’s themes of community and greatly expands the number of descriptors you
Civic, page 42 building a better world. can choose from. These new descriptors—
Organized, page 51 such as Articulate, Civic, and Organized—
Arkai (the plural of Arkus) are natural leaders resonate with Destiny’s themes of leadership,
You can use the types, of the Ninth World, using wit, rhetoric, and improving the future, and building objects of
foci, and descriptors the strength of working together to overcome wonder and usefulness.
problems. “Arkus” is the common vernacular
presented here with the used by humans in the Steadfast and the Beyond DESTINY FOCI
character options in for any person skilled in governing others, but in
truth, it applies only to those who are specially Finally, Numenera Destiny presents new foci
Numenera Discovery, gifted in leadership. Arkai have the potential to that thematically match the book's theme—
and vice versa. spearhead armies, cities, or even entire regions, creation, community building, and moving
because their abilities surpass those who are into the future. Foci offer a way to come at a
Focus, page 55 merely good at running a long confidence game. concept from several different perspectives.
For instance, Descends from Nobility and
Descends from Nobility, Wrights are builders and crafters. When Leads both provide the player characters
page 73 something special is required, a Wright can with a unique path to leadership, even apart
make it. When strange instructions are found from those abilities provided by the Arkus
Leads, page 83 in the ruins of the prior worlds, Wrights can type. Conversely, Builds Tomorrow provides
decipher them and, using special components additional abilities for types other than a
Builds Tomorrow, called iotum, craft their own cyphers, artifacts, or Wright to craft numenera devices, while the
page 66 installations. In a way, Wrights are especially good focus Explores Yesterday provides exciting
at understanding and stealing the fire of creation exploration abilities to characters who aren’t
Iotum, page 107 that burned so brightly in the civilizations that as dedicated as the Delve. Of course, you
rose to unimaginable heights before the Ninth might decide you want to double down on your
Explores Yesterday, World. Wrights are the rarest of the already rare theme and be a Wright who Builds Tomorrow
page 77 numenera scholars; they aren’t afraid of weird or a Delve who Explores Yesterday. But
or incomprehensible tech—they try to take it sometimes mixing up your character’s abilities
6 apart and learn how to make more. can provide interesting opportunities as your
character explores the world.
Delves are those willing to risk everything just
to find something that no one else has ever seen

CHARACTER TYPE

CHAPTER 2

CHARACTER TYPE

C haracter type is the core of your in being an effective leader, it’s easy to assume CREATING YOUR
character. Your type helps determine that anyone can do it. In terms of public CHARACTER
your character’s place in the world and perception, Arkai are at the opposite end of If you're not already
relationship with other people in the setting. the continuum from Nanos. Nanos are viewed familiar with creating
It’s the noun of the sentence “I am an adjective with suspicion and fear because what they do Numenera characters,
noun who verbs.” is unknown, but anyone can tell someone else you'll find the necessary
what to do. Of course, the secret is that it’s guidance in Numenera
You can choose from a total of six different incredibly hard to convince people to listen, Discovery, Chapter
character types: the Glaive, Nano, and Jack let alone tell someone else the best thing to do 3: Creating Your
described in Numenera Discovery, and the and not inadvertently lead followers into some Character. The overview
Arkus, Wright, and Delve presented in this kind of disaster. in that chapter is
book. equally applicable to
Tales of both mighty and disastrous the new types here.
ARKUS leaders are common in the Ninth World, with
anecdotes of the disastrous (or at least the Chapter 3: Creating
Arkai are natural leaders of the Ninth World, mediocre and bad) ones outnumbering the Your Character, page 22
using wit, rhetoric, and the strength of positive by ten to one. That’s because true Glaive, page 28
working together to overcome problems. Nano, page 36
Heralds, nobles, and pioneers could be Arkai. PLAYER INTRUSION Jack, page 44
Sometimes warlords, generals, and even Steadfast, page 136
guardians are Arkai. “Arkus” is common A player intrusion is the player choosing Beyond, page 169
vernacular used by humans in the Steadfast to alter something in the campaign, GM intrusion, page 123
and the Beyond for any person skilled in making things easier for a player character.
governing others, but in truth, the word Conceptually, it is the reverse of a GM Intellect, page 22
applies only to those who are specially gifted intrusion: instead of the GM giving the Might, page 22
in leadership. Arkai have the potential to player XP and introducing an unexpected Speed, page 22
spearhead armies, cities, or even entire complication for a character, the player spends
regions, because their abilities surpass 1 XP and presents a solution to a problem 7
those who are merely good at running a long or complication. What a player intrusion can
confidence game. do depends on the PC’s type, and it usually
introduces a change to the world or current
Arkai are usually quite intelligent, but circumstances rather than directly changing
being able to survive physical challenges is the character. If a player has no XP to spend,
important for anyone exploring or establishing they can’t use a player intrusion.
new communities in the Ninth World. As a
result, many Arkai have a high Intellect and Not every player intrusion listed here is
either Might or Speed as a high secondary appropriate for all situations. The GM may
statistic, depending on whether they like to allow players to come up with other player
come in strong or to get out of the way of intrusion suggestions, but the GM is the final
threats. When forced to fight, Arkai prefer arbiter about whether the suggested intrusion
ranged weapons, though they’d rather get is appropriate for the character’s type and
someone else to fight on their behalf if they suitable for the situation. If the GM refuses
can’t defuse the situation another way. the intrusion, the player doesn’t spend the
1 XP, and the intrusion doesn’t occur.
Arkai in Society: People who don’t have a
talent for leadership or who haven’t trained Using an intrusion does not require a
long and hard to lead sometimes discount an character to use an action to trigger it. A
Arkus’s abilities. Without personal experience player intrusion just happens.

Glaive, page 28 Arkai are relatively rare. Anyone can say they’re to authority and can be effective in the short
Delve, page 29 a leader, and many people do have experience term, but only if an Arkus can back up those
in ordering others around. But that experience claims with the actual ability to make good
Horde, page 313 doesn’t necessarily equate to quality. decisions on behalf of a larger community.

Arkai are almost always found with others— Arkai in the Group: Typically, an Arkus is the
peers, at least, if not followers. An Arkus is at party member who leads from the rear, as their
their best when surrounded by those who can abilities are not directly aggressive. Compared
help them develop their ideas, turn their goals to the Glaive or Delve, the Arkus isn’t nearly
into reality, and improve society in a way that as robust. However, an Arkus is never too far
the Arkus most values. away to verbally intercede on the party’s behalf.
Many of their abilities require that they be able
Some Arkai claim power by showing their to talk to other creatures. This is especially true
competence and winning over others. Other when an Arkus is operating within an allied
Arkai rely on their legacy of a noble birth, community or horde. When the party needs to
an inheritance, or even claims that they are negotiate with enemies, calm a community, or
representatives of a god, some ancient and take charge, the Arkus is the one they want.
dead species, or one that no longer exists
in the world. These latter claims are appeals Arkai and the Numenera: When it comes
to the numenera, most Arkai are interested in
items that allow communication across large
distances or to many people at once, in objects
that will extend their influence with others, and
even in items that allow them to know what
others think and believe. With such knowledge,
an Arkus can better lead them or at least
figure out how to gain their allegiance. Arkai
understand that changing a creature’s mind
against its will or otherwise compromising
consent is not the way to build a following over
time, because reputations are hard to shed
once tainted by bad behavior.

Advanced Arkai: An Arkus might begin as a
wide-eyed idealist interested in leading people
to a better tomorrow, but as they advance,
they might use their skills to become one
of the leaders in an allied or newly founded
community. Their presence helps a community
be more robust and better able to survive hard
times. They can rule effectively, because they
know how other creatures think.

ARKUS BACKGROUND

As an Arkus, you have the capacity to
influence other people and, on a larger scale,
communities, hordes, and even society itself.
Something in your background explains
these unique talents, whether it is genetics,
enhancements, training, or something else.
Choose one of those three options described
below as the source of your skills, knowledge,
and abilities, or create your own background.
This choice will provide the foundation of your
character and give you an idea of how you can
improve. The game master (GM) can use this
information to develop adventures and quests
that are specific to your character and play a
role in your advancement.

8

CHARACTER TYPE

ARKUS CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the list below to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to
the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background

1 You were in the military and had command over several others who still serve.

2 You were the head of a wealthy merchant family that lost everything in a disaster.

3 You owned a tavern for a while, but you sold it to a friend so you could seek greater challenges.

4 You learned at the feet of an incredibly talented leader who went into hiding for fear of assassination.

5 Your first love is involved in the ruling council of the community where you spent much of your youth.

6 One of your grandparents was a minor official, but they were ousted and run out of town on suspicion of
corruption.

7 You spent some time leading a group of violent rebels but thought better of your actions later.

8 You once promised to help a negotiation with a group of abhumans that turned out badly.

9 A flock of traveling murdens always seek you out when they’re nearby because you once helped them.

10 You are a member of a small secret society.

11 Your ex-best friend tried to have you arrested on trumped-up charges, so you left town.

12 You have traveled extensively, and during that time, you accumulated quite a collection of strange souvenirs.

13 You grew up in a large, thriving city and still have many friends and contacts back there.

14 You spoke up for a person you thought was wrongly accused of a crime. They were released partly based on
your testimony, but you later came to have doubts.

15 As an orphan, you had a difficult childhood, and your entry into adulthood was challenging.

16 You headed a small church, and though you left to pursue your own strange journey, the congregation still
tries to lure you back to the pulpit.

17 Before they died, your parent was a respected member of the Order of Truth. Those who knew your parent
are fond of you, but they also expect great things from you.

18 As a political refugee, you are often treated with suspicion.

19 When you were a diplomat working for a large city, you made friends with several visiting envoys, some of
whom you still contact.

20 You were married but lost your spouse in a horrific accident. The protection you failed to offer them is
something you’d like to provide to save others.

INBORN TRAITS Advancement: Just as you don’t know the Abhuman, page 13
You were born this way. Everyone always took ultimate source behind your talents, you don’t Murden, page 243
to you. You always seemed to know the right know their limits either. You have to continually
thing to say. It all came naturally. Your voice test them and push yourself into trying new
was pleasant, your eyes shining and honest, things. You might need to share your secrets
and your face attractive. These qualities have with someone knowledgeable one day so that
always been strong enough that you could rely they can help you. Perhaps you’ll even discover
on them. While others studied a craft, learned the source of your abilities. Regardless, when
to fight or steal, or tinkered with the numenera, your stats improve and you gain new abilities,
you found that you could usually get what you it’s because you’ve taken the gifts you were
needed and wanted by talking to people. born with and pushed them to the next level.

Now, all this might come from a heritage ENHANCEMENTS
of quality forebears, or it could come from You might be a leader, but you don’t fit the
something more. A silver-tongued Arkus like mold. Although you gained your share of
yourself might have inherited these qualities practical experience in learning how to
from your family, or you might benefit from influence others, you have the numenera on
subtle mutations that alter your voice and your side as well. Some of your knowledge of
mannerisms to be perfect for influencing rhetoric and ability to speak at an enhanced
others. You don’t really know. You just know that volume is due to biomechanical bits implanted
you’ve always been this way and that, while you in your brain and spine, wired into your nerves
look just like everyone else, you’re different. Of and muscles. Your vocal cords are woven with
course, no one ever need know that but you.

9

If you're playing an Arkus, subtle resonant threads. Subdermal plating their truths from their lies, and determine what
you might want to use makes your appearance more symmetrical and they want and what they need to hear. You got
pleasing. Your facial muscles are interlaced a lot of practice using your skills in public,
the character sheet from with small elements that give you complete starting small at first but working your way up
Numenera Discovery, as control over your micro expressions. to leading community movements and taking
you likely won't need the charge of short-term community projects.
additional crafting space Alternatively, your genetic code could have
provided on the character been rewritten by engineered viruses, or the Advancement: When it comes to leadership,
tissues in your body could have been reworked meeting with small convocations of your peers
sheet in this book. by nanotech, turning you into a paragon is always useful; however, there is no teacher
that others are drawn to. Or maybe you’ve like actual experience. You will develop some
Player intrusion, page 7 been altered by strange science—radioactive of your greatest skills and abilities on your
treatments of bizarre energies, chemical own. Perhaps when the time comes, you will
Aeon priest, page 264 compounds and drugs, or extradimensional consider taking on an intern of your own, not
enhancements—that makes you smarter and only to pay back what’s been given to you but
Qi, page 144 more able to see the implications of long-term because through teaching comes discovery.
Order of Truth, page 215 planning than anyone around you.
ARKUS PLAYER INTRUSIONS
10 Whatever the case, you’re the result of
ancient knowledge made manifest in the When playing a Arkus, you can spend 1 XP
present, and now you’re shaping the future. to use one of the following player intrusions,
Perhaps your modifications are obvious and provided the situation is appropriate and the
visible; perhaps they’re not. Regardless, you GM agrees.
know that you’re more than merely human.
Friendly NPC: An NPC you don’t know,
Advancement: Your leadership abilities someone you don’t know that well, or
are in some ways predicated on keeping the someone you know but who hasn’t been
enhancements in your body working well and, particularly friendly in the past chooses to
when possible, improving them. You’re always help you, though doesn’t necessarily explain
on the lookout for new parts and systems that why. Maybe they’ll ask you for a favor in return
can be incorporated into your body or new afterward, depending on how much trouble
doses of drugs and supplements to maintain they go to.
your abilities. You might need to seek out
surgeons, mechanics, or bioenhancement Perfect Suggestion: A follower or other
specialists to take you to the next level. already-friendly NPC suggests a course of
Perhaps the Aeon Priests can help. At some action with regard to an urgent question,
point, you might find yourself in need of very problem, or obstacle you’re facing.
specific, very rare parts to complete your
enhancements. Such components might be Unexpected Gift: An NPC hands you a
found only in particular ruins of the prior physical gift you were not expecting, one that
worlds, or perhaps they’re available elsewhere helps put the situation at ease if things seem
for a high price. Either way, getting them won’t strained, or provides you with a new insight for
be easy. understanding the context of the situation if
there’s something you’re failing to understand
When you improve your skills and abilities, or grasp.
it’s because you’ve altered your enhancements
in some way. Some of them may even produce ARKUS STAT POOLS
a more overt effect, modulating your voice and
further honing your appearance. Stat Pool Starting Value

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE Might 8
You are eloquent, good-looking, or both, but
what really separates you from the crowd is Speed 9
your training. Perhaps you worked as an intern
with the Aeon Priests in Qi that work behind Intellect 11
the scenes to lead the Order of Truth, where
they taught you how to speak eloquently, You get 6 additional points to divide among
debate convincingly, and synthesize the best your stat Pools however you wish.
plans from all those put forth.

You know a thousand different ways to
argue and influence. You learned how to read
people to ascertain their moods, distinguish

CHARACTER TYPE

ARKUS TIERS Precepts: You have a wide range of abilities Esotery, page 40
that give you an edge over other people. Some Effort, page 23
FIRST-TIER ARKUS of these precepts are similar to esoteries in that Edge, page 23
you call upon a strange ability, use a device, and Skills, page 27
First-tier Arkai have the following abilities. so on. Others are more mundane, relying on Character sheet, page 409
Add them to the appropriate place on your skill. Almost all require that you can speak to Cypher, page 180
character sheet, under Effort, Edge (in the use them. Unless otherwise described, if they
appropriate stat Pool), equipment, and affect another creature, that creature must be Inability, page 333
potentially skills and special abilities: able to perceive and understand you. Some
precepts are constant, ongoing effects; others You can keep track of
Effort: Your Effort is 1. are specific actions that usually cost points abilities like Community
Leader: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a from one of your stat Pools. Leader and Demeanor
Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0. of Command in the
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a Choose two of the precepts described below. Special Abilities part of
time. You can’t choose the same precept more than your character sheet.
Weapons: You can use light weapons once unless its description says otherwise. You
without penalty. You have an inability with can keep track of these in the Special Abilities Community rank, page 301
medium and heavy weapons; your attacks with section of your character sheet.
medium and heavy weapons are hindered. Actions and enablers,
Skills: You are trained in persuasion. In addition, • Anecdote (2 Intellect points): You can lift the page 27
you are trained in another interaction skill in which spirits of a group of creatures and help them
you are not already trained. Choose one of the bond together by entertaining them with an Order of Truth, page 215
following: negotiation, deceiving, public speaking, uplifting or pointed anecdote. For the next Angulan Knights,
intimidation, or seeing through deception. You hour, those who pay attention to your story are page 217
have an inability in crafting numenera, salvaging trained in a task you choose that’s related to the Free level of Effort,
numenera, and understanding numenera. Enabler. anecdote, as long as it’s not an attack or defense page 103
Community Leader: While you are present task. Action to initiate, one minute to complete. Oddity, page 304
within a community, and actively and personally Shins, page 93
working on behalf of that community, the • Babel (3 Intellect points): Once each
community’s rank is +1 for all purposes except day, choose one language that you’ve Farspeaker, page 182
damage inflicted. Enabler. encountered on which you will concentrate. Harmony lamp, page 182
Demeanor of Command (2 Intellect points): For the rest of that day, you can speak that
You emote confidence, knowledge, and language with reasonable facility. You don’t 11
charisma to all who see you for the next hour. lose the use of any other languages you
Your demeanor is such that those who see you know normally during this period. Action
automatically understand that you are someone to initiate, ten minutes to complete.
important, accomplished, and with authority.
When you speak, strangers that are not already • Connection With an Organization: You have
attacking give you at least a round to have your a general connection with an important
say. If speaking to a group that can understand organization, such as the Order of Truth,
you, you can attempt to have them produce the Angulan Knights, the aristocracy of a
their leader or ask that they take you to their region, a merchant guild, and so on. Tasks
leader. You gain a free level of Effort that can be related to interacting with members of that
applied to one persuasion task you attempt group gain an asset. Further, you can use this
during this period. Action to initiate. connection to learn about events related to
Starting Equipment: You start with stylish that organization’s focus. For instance, if you
clothing and a light weapon of your choice, two have a connection with the Angulan Knights,
cyphers (chosen by the GM), one oddity, and you may learn of events related to mutants
9 shins. If you start with a ranged weapon that in the area. You and the GM should work
requires ammunition (arrows, for example), out the details together. You can choose this
you start with 12 of that type of ammunition. ability more than once and choose a new
Before choosing your weapon and other gear, organization each time. Enabler.
you might want to wait until after you’ve chosen
your precepts, descriptor, and focus. • Goad (1 Intellect point): You can attempt
Default Starting Cyphers and Oddity: Your GM to goad a target into a belligerent—and
may provide you with starting cyphers and an probably foolish—reaction that requires
oddity. Otherwise, you begin with the following. the target to try to close the distance
• Cyphers: farspeaker, harmony lamp between you and attempt to physically
• Oddity: Feathered hat that occasionally strike you on its next turn. They attempt
this action even if this would cause them
makes bird noises to break formation or to give up cover or
a tactically superior position. Whether
the target strikes you or fails to do so,

Arkai who use they come to their senses immediately • Disincentivize (1 Intellect point): You hinder
Disincentivize typically afterward, after which further tasks all actions attempted by any number
promise, lie, or threaten attempting to goad the target again are of targets within short range who can
in order to hinder actions. hindered. Action to initiate. understand you. You choose which targets
• Powerful Rhetoric (1 Intellect point): After are affected. Affected targets’ actions are
Followers, page 17 engaging a creature in conversation for at hindered for one round. Enabler.
least a minute, you can attempt to influence
The GM may require how that creature is perceived, promoting it as • Follower: You gain a level 2 follower. One of
that you actually look a friend, dismissing it as a fool, or denouncing their modifications must be persuasion. You
for a suitable follower, as it as an enemy. Your words are so well chosen can take this ability multiple times, each time
opposed to just gaining that even you and it are affected, because your gaining another level 2 follower. Enabler.
one, as a long-term task. conviction and its doubt are paramount. The
Long-term tasks, page 324 accuracy of your assessment isn’t important • Gather Intelligence (2 Intellect points): When
as long as you keep up the rhetoric. From then in a group of people (a caravan, a palace, a
Modification, page 17 on (or until you change your rhetoric or the village, a city, etc.) you can ask around about
creature offers a convincing defense to those any topic you choose and come away with
As time goes on, an who’ve heard your label), the friend’s social useful information. You can ask a specific
Arkus becomes a central interactions gain an asset, the fool’s social question, or you can simply obtain general
figure in any community interactions are hindered, or the enemy’s facts. You also get a good idea of the general
they’re a part of. That’s defenses are hindered. Action to initiate, one layout of the location involved, note the
minute to complete. presence of all major sites, and perhaps even
even more true if the • Trained Without Armor: You are trained in notice obscure details. For example, not
Arkus is one of the Speed defense actions when not wearing only do you find out if anyone in the palace
armor. Enabler. has seen the missing boy, but you also get
community’s founders. • Understanding (1 Intellect point): You a working knowledge of the layout of the
observe or study a creature or object. Your palace itself, note all the entrances and which
If you have both Inspire next interaction with that creature or object are used more often than others, and take
Action and a focus ability gains one asset. Action. notice that everyone seems to avoid the well
in the eastern courtyard for some reason.
that also grants an ally SECOND-TIER ARKUS This ability takes about an hour to use.
an extra action, then
Second-tier Arkai have the following abilities: • Inspire Action (4 Intellect points): If one
you can apply a level of Precepts: Choose one of the following Arkus ally can see and easily understand you, you
Effort when using Inspire can instruct that ally to take an action. If
Action to simultaneously precepts (or a precept from a lower tier) to add the ally chooses to take that exact action,
to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace they can do so as an additional action
inspire two allies to one of your first-tier precepts with a different immediately. Doing so doesn’t interfere
take the same action. first-tier precept. with the ally taking a normal action on their
turn. Action.
You can keep track of • Calm Stranger (2+ Intellect points): You can
your training in defense cause one intelligent creature to remain • Skill With Defense: Choose one type of
calm as you speak. The creature doesn’t defense task in which you are not already
tasks in the need to speak your language, but it must trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You are
Skills/Inabilities part of be able to see you. It remains calm as long trained in defense tasks of that type. You
as you focus all your attention on it and it can select this precept up to three times.
your character sheet. is not attacked or otherwise threatened. In Each time you select it, you must choose a
addition to the normal options for using different type of defense task. Enabler.
12 Effort, you can also choose to use Effort to
calm additional creatures allied with your THIRD-TIER ARKUS
initial target, one additional creature per
level of Effort applied. Action. Third-tier Arkai have the following abilities:
Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three
• Cloud Personal Memories (3 Intellect
points): If you interact with or study a cyphers at a time.
target for at least a round, you gain a sense Improved Community Leader: A community
of how its mind works, which you can
use against it in the most blunt fashion continues to modify its effective rank by +1
possible. You can attempt to confuse it for any task except for attack and defense.
and make it forget what’s just happened. However, you do not need to be constantly
On a success, you erase up to the last five present in and actively working on behalf of
minutes of its memory. Action to prepare; the community for it to gain this benefit; it
action to initiate. gains it merely because of your past work in
the community. Enabler.

Precepts: Choose one of the following Arkus
precepts (or a precept from a lower tier) to add

CHARACTER TYPE

to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace • Quick Wits: When performing a task that
one of your lower-tier precepts with a different would normally require spending points from
precept from the same lower tier. your Intellect Pool, you can spend points
from your Speed Pool instead. Enabler.
• Break the Line (4 Intellect points): You have
an eye for group discipline and hierarchy, FOURTH-TIER ARKUS
even among your foes. If a group of foes is
gaining any kind of benefit from working Fourth-tier Arkai have the following abilities:
together, you can attempt to disrupt that Precepts: Choose one of the following Arkus
benefit by pointing out the weak point in the
enemy’s line, formation, or swarm attack. precepts (or a precept from a lower tier) to add
This effect lasts for up to a minute or until to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace
all the affected foes spend a round assessing one of your lower-tier precepts with a different
and resetting themselves to regain their precept from the same lower tier.
normal advantage. Action to initiate.
• Crowd Protection (5 Intellect points):
• Improved Follower: You gain a level 3 While in an allied community or horde,
follower. They are not restricted on their members who are near you press close in
modifications. a protective formation to keep you safe for
Alternatively, you can choose to advance about a minute. This crowd moves with
a level 2 follower you already have to level you during this period, keeping an eye out
3 and then gain a new level 2 follower. for anything that might hurt you. When it
Enabler. ends, the crowd disperses and individuals
go on about their business. The protective
• Informer: You gain an informer within an crowd makes it harder for other creatures
allied community. They act as your secret to attack you, giving you an asset on Speed
(or known) informer. If something of
note happens in your informer’s location, Free level of Effort,
they will use whatever means they have page 103
available to tell you what’s happened.
Enabler.

• Lead by Inquiry: You keep your allies on
their toes with occasional questions,
jokes, and even mock drills for those
who care to join in. After spending 28
hours with you, your allies are treated as
if trained in tasks related to perception.
This benefit is ongoing while you remain in
your allies’ company. It ends if you leave,
but it resumes if you return to the allies’
company within 28 hours. If you leave the
allies’ company for more than 28 hours,
you must spend another 28 hours together
to reactivate the benefit. Enabler.

• Oratory (4 Intellect points): When speaking
with a group of intelligent creatures that
can understand you and aren’t hostile, you
convince them to take one reasonable action
in the next round. A reasonable action should
not put the creature or its allies in obvious
danger or be wildly out of character. Action.

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

13

Crowd Protection, page 13 defense tasks. In addition, while the crowd COMMUNITY-DEPENDENT
is around you, you can use an action to ABILITIES
The mere existence of exhort them to attack all enemies within
an understood course short range, dealing 1 point of damage to Some Arkus abilities rely on the character
of action—a strategy— each creature and object in the area. Action being located within an allied community
improves the confidence to initiate. or horde to gain their effect. For instance,
• Envoy (4 Intellect points): If you interact Crowd Protection doesn’t provide benefits
and performance of with or study a target that lives within a to an Arkus if they use it while they are
everyone involved. community you’re allied with for at least a alone in a ruin or accompanied only by
round, you can attempt to convince it to other PCs. Other abilities, like Unseen
That’s true even if the become your envoy for a specific period or among the People, require that those in
strategy later becomes to deliver a specific message or object to the area not only know that the Arkus
another location. Distance does not matter is an ally, but also have at least some
a pivot point toward as long as the location is somewhere your knowledge of the area. That said, an Arkus
something else. envoy can reach, either through their own can gain some of these benefits if they
means or means you provide. The envoy have at least three allies willing to give
Rank, page 301 delivers your message or physical parcel up their own actions each round to help
to the desired location, and then reports the Arkus. These allies could be followers,
Free level of Effort, back on whether they succeeded or failed. important NPCs, or even other PCs.
page 103 Action to initiate; hours, days, weeks, or
months to get a report back. you are no one of importance. While
Generally speaking, a • Exile From Community (4 Intellect points): moving unseen in a community, you are
character can’t ease If you are in a community you are allied specialized in stealth and Speed defense
something by more with and you study a target for at least a tasks. This effect ends if you do something
than four steps (two round, you can attempt to convince them to reveal who you really are—attacking,
steps from skills and to leave the community, either permanently using an ability, commanding someone in
two from assets). or for a specified period of time. The task the community within earshot of an enemy,
Effort, however, falls is eased if a majority in the community and so on. If this occurs, you can regain
believes that the target is a bad seed, the remaining unseen effect by taking an
outside this restriction, troublemaker, criminal, or otherwise action to focus on going into hiding.
up to a maximum of someone that makes things difficult for the
six levels of Effort. community. Action to prepare; action to You can attempt to move about unseen
initiate. within an unallied community or horde;
14 • Spur Effort (5 Intellect points): You select however, doing so requires that you apply
an ally within immediate range. If that one additional level of Effort per rank of
character applies Effort to a task on their the community or horde you wish to hide
next turn, they can apply a free level of within. Action to prepare; action to initiate
Effort on that task. Enabler. or reinitiate.
• Strategize (6 Intellect points): Having
an action plan in place before facing a FIFTH-TIER ARKUS
challenge improves the odds of success,
even if that plan is eventually changed or Fifth-tier Arkai have the following abilities:
discarded once it’s put into play. If you Adept Cypher Use: You can bear four
and your allies spend at least ten minutes
going over a plan of action, all of you cyphers at a time.
gain one free level of Effort that can be Precepts: Choose one of the following Arkus
applied to one task you attempt during
the execution of that plan within the next precepts (or a precept from a lower tier) to add
28 hours. The plan of action must be to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace
something concrete and executable in one of your lower-tier precepts with a different
order to gain this benefit. Action to initiate, precept from the same lower tier.
ten minutes to complete.
• Unseen Among the People (4+ Intellect • Discipline of Watchfulness (7 Intellect
points): You become effectively unseen for points): You keep your allies on their toes
ten hours while you are within an allied with occasional questions, jokes, and
community. During this time, the residents even mock drills for those who care to
help you move from place to place in a join in. After spending 28 hours with you,
variety of ways that makes it appear that your allies can apply a free level of Effort
to any initiative tasks they attempt. This
benefit is ongoing while you remain in
the allies’ company. It ends if you leave,
but it resumes if you return to the allies’

CHARACTER TYPE

company within 28 hours. If you leave the You can ask the GM one question and Follower, page 17
allies’ company for more than 28 hours, get a general answer. The GM assigns a Community tasks any PC
you must spend another 28 hours together level to the question, so the more obscure can attempt, page 310
to reactivate the benefit. You must spend the answer, the more difficult the task.
the Intellect point cost each 28 hours you Generally, knowledge that you could find by Damage track, page 110
wish to keep the benefit active. Enabler. looking somewhere other than your current
• Divide and Conquer (7 Intellect points): If location is level 1, and obscure knowledge 15
you brief and prep one of your followers or of the past is level 7. Gaining knowledge of
deputies for at least a round, they can act the future is impossible. Action to prepare;
on your behalf within an allied community action to initiate.
or horde so well that you can effectively • Raise a Champion (7 Intellect points):
take on two tasks simultaneously, whether While in an allied community or horde,
they’re regular actions or community you can spend a minute rousing the
tasks. If taking regular actions, you can community to put forth a champion—a
take two actions on each of your turns for level 5 NPC or creature that could
up to one minute, including using special conceivably live in and be part of the
abilities of up to tier 3, even in two different community. The champion appears for one
parts of the community or horde. Special minute then returns home. While present,
abilities used by your follower or deputy the champion acts as you direct, requiring
are subtracted from your Pools because no additional actions on your part. One
they are acting on your direct authority and minute to prepare; action to initiate.
are relying on your influence. Alternatively, • Rouse to Violence (6+ Intellect points):
you can take normal actions while your While in an allied community or horde,
prepped follower attempts a community you can spend an action rousing the ire of
task, or you can both attempt community residents to a killing frenzy and then point
tasks. Action to prepare; action to initiate. out a target that the crowd can see. If you
• Healing Power of Words (6 Intellect points): succeed and the target is a creature of level
If you interact with or study a target for at 3 or lower, the crowd kills it. If the target
least a round, you can attempt to restore is a PC, they move down one step on the
points to the target’s Might Pool or Speed damage track. In addition to the normal
Pool in one of two ways: either the chosen options for using Effort, you can choose to
Pool regains up to 6 points or it is restored use Effort to increase the maximum level
to a total value of 12 (you choose when you of the target (each level of Effort used this
initiate this ability). The attempt is a way increases the target’s maximum level
level 3 task. Points are restored at a rate by 1). Action to prepare, action to initiate.
of 1 point each round. You must continue • Suggestion (5+ Intellect points): You
speaking with the target the whole time. suggest an action to a creature within
In no case can this ability raise a Pool immediate range. If the action is
higher than its normal maximum. Action something that the target might normally
to prepare; action to initiate. If the target do anyway, it follows your suggestion. If the
spends points from their Pool during the suggestion is something that is outside of
ongoing healing, the healing ends. the target’s nature or express duty (such as
• Infer Thoughts (4 Intellect points): If you asking a guard to let an intruder pass), the
interact with or study a target for at least a suggestion fails. The creature must be level
round, you can attempt to read its surface 2 or lower. The effect of your suggestion
thoughts, even if the subject doesn’t want lasts for up to a minute.
you to. You must be able to see the target.
Once you have gained a sense of what In addition to the normal options for
it’s thinking—through its body language, using Effort, you can also choose to use
its speech, and what it does and doesn’t Effort to increase the maximum level of
say—you can continue to infer the target’s the target you can affect by 1. If its level is
surface thoughts for up to one minute higher than 2, you can immediately apply
as long as you can still see and hear the levels of Effort to increase the maximum
target. Action to prepare; action to initiate. level allowed up to that creature’s level.
• Knowing the Unknown (6 Intellect points):
While in an allied community or horde, When the effects of the ability end,
you can spend an action tapping into a the creature remembers following the
source of information beyond yourself. suggestion but can be persuaded to believe
that it chose to do so willingly. Action to
initiate.

Follower, page 17 SIXTH-TIER ARKUS everything that happened and reacts
Leaders are those who according to its nature and your relationship
inspire others to thought Sixth-tier Arkai have the following abilities: to it; assuming control might have soured
Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower. that relationship if it was previously a
and action by words positive one. Action to initiate.
and deeds. Being a They are not restricted on their modifications. • Coax the Crowd (7 Intellect points): You
leader is more than just Enabler. convince a large number of people—all
telling others what to within long range—to change a belief and
do; it is showing others Alternatively, you can choose to advance a take a long-term action or set of actions. For
a way to be through level 3 follower you already have to level 4 and example, you might convince them to identify
one's own actions. then gain a new level 3 follower. Enabler. the location of a local criminal that no one has
previously been brave enough to act against,
Visitants, page 394 Precepts: Choose one of the following Arkus or you might convince them to welcome a
precepts (or a precept from a lower tier) to add group of visitants as friends in the community.
Community actions, to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace This takes ten minutes to accomplish, during
page 305 one of your lower-tier precepts with a different which time you can’t be seriously interrupted
precept from the same lower tier. or the attempt automatically fails.
Community tasks any PC • Extra Community Action (9 Intellect
can attempt, page 310 • Assume Control (6+ Intellect points): You points): During the course of a conflict
control the actions of another creature you between communities, you can fire up
16 have interacted with or studied for at least a one community so much that it can take
round. This effect lasts for ten minutes. The two community actions in the same
target must be level 2 or lower. Once you amount of time it could normally take only
have assumed control, the target acts as if one. This means the community could
it wants to accomplish your desire to the inflict damage twice, inflict damage while
best of its ability, freely using its own best another segment of the community tries to
judgment unless you use an action to give persuade some other neutral community
it a specific instruction on an issue-by-issue or horde to become allied, or something
basis. In addition to the normal options for else. This is considered a community task.
using Effort, you can also choose to use Action to initiate, one hour to complete.
Effort to increase the maximum level of
the target. Thus, to attempt to command a
level 5 target (three levels above the normal
limit), you must apply three levels of Effort.
When the effect ends, the target remembers

CHARACTER TYPE

FOLLOWERS Follower Level Progression: A follower If a follower dies, the
increases in level by 1 each time a PC advances character gains a new one
Player characters have the option to gain two tiers after gaining that follower. When the after at least two weeks
followers as they advance in tier, as provided follower gains a level, the PC also chooses the and proper recruitment.
by type or focus special abilities. Followers do task that the follower gains a modification for.
not need to be paid, fed, or housed, though
a character who gains followers can certainly Exceptional Follower: When a character gains
make such arrangements if they wish. A a follower, there’s a small chance that the
follower is someone whom a character has follower will be exceptional in some way, a cut
inspired (or asked) to come work with the above other followers of their kind. The GM
character for a time, aiding the character in a determines when an exceptional follower is
variety of endeavors. A follower puts the PC’s found, possibly as an additional reward for
interests ahead of, or at least on par with, their smart or engaging roleplaying where the PCs
own. impress or otherwise positively interact with
one or more NPCs, some of whom may later
The PC generally makes rolls for their go on to become one of the PCs’ followers. An
follower when the follower takes actions, exceptional follower has the same qualities as
though usually a follower’s modifications a regular follower but is 1 level higher.
provide an asset to a specific action taken by
the PC they follow.

Modifications: A follower can help a PC in one Pet: Any PC can potentially gain a pet, though Helping, page 118
or more tasks, granting the PC an asset to that a pet typically doesn’t provide modifications.
task. The level of the follower indicates the If a character wants a pet that can do this, Modifications, page 223
number of different tasks they can help with. they must gain the pet through an ability that Controls Beasts,
The tasks that the follower is able to help with grants followers. On the other hand, a well- page 62
are predetermined, usually chosen by the PC cared-for pet grants an asset to a PC’s tasks
when they gain the follower. A level 2 follower related to achieving peace of mind, finding
who the player determines is a spy could grant comfort, and resisting loneliness.
a PC an asset on two different tasks, such as
stealth and deception. Followers cannot help BREATHING LIFE INTO FOLLOWERS
with tasks that they don’t have modifications
for; for the purpose of helping, treat the The modifications provided by followers could
follower as if they had inabilities in all non- come across as fairly dry and mechanical. To
modified tasks. avoid that, you could present each follower in
a way that makes them more compelling and
When the follower acts autonomously interesting. Here are a few examples of how to
rather than helping the PC, they act like a describe a follower, depending on their mix of
normal NPC that has modifications. Thus, the modifications.
modification increases their effective level for
the associated task by one step. For example, • A firebrand diplomat able to convince an
the level 2 spy follower with modifications for enemy horde to back down.
stealth and deception attempts stealth and
deception tasks as if they were level 3 and all • A veteran commander whose presence
other tasks as level 2. bolsters the entire community’s military
might.
Follower Assets to Combat and Defense: A
follower cannot grant an asset to a character’s • A genius chiurgeon who invigorates
attacks or defense until the follower is level everyone with their healing techniques.
3 or higher. Even then, the follower can help
with attacks and defense only if they have a • An imaginative architect whose works both
modification for that kind of task. beautify and defend the city.

Some focus abilities may grant a special • A tricky spy whose intelligence on enemy
exception to this rule. For instance, the movements is invaluable.
Controls Beasts focus in Numenera Discovery
grants a level 2 follower (a beast companion) Followers cannot help with tasks that they don’t have
with modifications for combat. modifications for; treat the follower as if they had inabilities

in all non-modified tasks for the purpose of helping.

17

Arkai make new paths • Inspiration (6 Intellect points): You speak An Arkus starts with two cyphers. For her
rather than following words of encouragement and inspiration. character, the GM chooses an injector that will
All allies within short range who can hear ease any tasks she makes to deceive for one hour
where others lead. you immediately gain a recovery roll, gain as well as a cypher that unfolds like a suitcase
Recovery roll, page 111 an immediate free action, and have an to create a level 5 installation that persists for 28
asset for that free action. The recovery hours, providing water and food to anyone who
Horde, page 313 roll does not count as one of their normal triggers it during that time.
recovery rolls. Action.
Serene, page 54 Darcy carries a long knife, a decorative light
• Sway Horde (12+ Intellect points): You can weapon that she decides was a gift given to her
Descends From Nobility, attempt to sway a horde of up to rank 2 to by a relative. The knife is both a weapon and an
page 73 disperse or attack a community other than impressive implement of office, should she choose
the one it is currently targeting, or you can to use it that way. As a light weapon, attacks are
Free level of Effort, try to raise a horde from a village or larger eased and it inflicts 2 points of damage.
page 103 community that contains enough able-
bodied adults. If you succeed at raising a Darcy chooses Serene for her descriptor,
horde, its level is equal to the rank of the as a way to both increase her Intellect Pool—
community it comes from, and the horde which increases to 17—and provide training in
remains cohesive for up to three days or until Intellect defense tasks. Serene also provides
it is destroyed. In addition to the normal training in tasks related to having grace under
options for using Effort, you can also choose pressure, which is something she knows
to use Effort to increase the rank of the horde that anyone trying to step into a position of
you sway by 1 for each level of Effort applied. leadership must acquire. Serene provides
Action to initiate, one hour to complete. options for an initial link to the starting
adventure, which Darcy decides is related to
• Take Command (3 Intellect points): You issue remaining calm during a difficult situation
a specific command to another character. If involving an attack of strange alien creatures
that character chooses to listen, any attack that rained from the sky like hail.
they attempt on their next turn is eased, and
a hit deals 3 additional points of damage. For her focus, Darcy chooses Descends
If your command is to perform a task other From Nobility, but only after spending some
than an attack, the task is eased as if it time deciding what kind of character she wants
benefited from a free level of Effort. Action. to play: a somewhat privileged and naive
character who, for reasons that might not be
• Will of a Leader (9 Intellect points): immediately obvious, has left the place where
You harden your allies’ dedication and she would’ve had everything and moved into a
capabilities. Each ally within immediate much wilder region and way of life. She hopes
range gains +1 Edge to one stat of their to prove to herself that she isn’t defined by the
choice for one hour. You also gain this choices of those who’ve gone before her.
benefit to one stat of your choice. Action.

Goad, page 11 ARKUS EXAMPLE WRIGHT
Anecdote, page 11
Darcy wants to create an Arkus. She puts 4 of Wrights are builders and crafters. When
her additional points into her Intellect Pool something special is required, a Wright can
and 2 into her Speed Pool; her stat Pools are make it. When strange instructions are found
now Might 8, Speed 11, and Intellect 15. She’s in the ruins of the prior worlds, Wrights can
smart and charismatic, somewhat graceful, but decipher them and, using special components
not particularly tough. As a first-tier character, called iotum, craft their own cyphers, artifacts,
her Effort is 1, her Intellect Edge is 1, and her or installations. In a way, Wrights are especially
Might Edge and Speed Edge are 0. good at understanding and stealing the fire
of creation that burned so brightly in the
Darcy chooses the precept Goad to help to civilizations that rose to unimaginable heights
aid her friends when dealing with dangerous before the Ninth World. Wrights are the rarest
or annoying creatures and Anecdote to help of the already rare numenera scholars; they
them in most other situations. As her skills, aren’t afraid of weird or incomprehensible
she is automatically trained in persuasion, and tech—they try to take it apart and learn how to
chooses negotiation for her second skill—she make more.
really wants to be able to influence people to
get them to do what she wants. Finally, she Wrights are especially skilled in the many
gains the Community Leader ability, which tasks related to crafting. They need to be at
provides a benefit to any allied community or least a little skilled at a lot of things. They want
horde that she is part of. Intellect to help them decipher and develop

18

CHARACTER TYPE

numenera plans, identify components, and tend to remain in such locations for extended Plans, page 135
craft amazing items. periods of time. On the other hand, a Wright As much as Wrights
is usually happy to let others make the hard claim that the province of
Wrights are not afraid to explore, especially decisions so they can focus on making crafting numenera items
because the iotum they need to make their interesting things. In a straight-up fight, is a skill unique to them,
wondrous items can usually be found only by Wrights rely on their creations to aid both nothing could be further
salvaging it from places where physical danger themselves and their allies; an established from the truth. Nanos in
is certain. They’re happy to don heavy armor to Wright might even have created defensive or particular, should they
protect themselves from danger, even though offensive installations in the group’s base or decide to pursue crafting,
it slows them down a little. Though such newly founded settlement. can come closest to
armor can be restrictive, Wrights can usually achieving a similar status.
rely on allies or followers to help them search Wrights and the Numenera: Wrights That said, Wrights have
out a particularly difficult-to-reach or tight wouldn’t exist without the numenera. To craft advantages that even
spot. anything other than mundane objects and Nanos can’t replicate.
structures, Wrights depend on iotum salvaged
Wrights in Society: People are usually from scrap found in ruins and other locations, Glaive, page 28
very accepting of Wrights since the things Jack, page 44
they craft are often useful or Nano, page 36
even necessary, whether that Delve, page 29
means a wagon, a wall, or an Plan seeds, page 136
installation that can light up a Iotum, page 107
small community. When Wrights Arkus, page 7
begin to dabble in more exotic
installations, automatons, or 19
vehicles, public concern can creep
in. A Wright with an automaton
servant might be seen by some as
a sorcerer who has infused a demonic
spirit into crude matter, giving it life like
the automatons that litter the landscape
and that most people have enough sense
to avoid.

But a Wright can be a vital part of any
community, especially one that has special
needs that can’t be met any other way. With
enough time and resources, a Wright can
provide clean water, nutrition, defense, and of
course, comfortable homes for people to live
in.

Wrights get along well with Glaives
and Delves. They rely on the former
to protect them while they focus on
creative tasks, and they trust that Delves
will find and return fresh plan seeds and
iotum that Wrights need to conduct their
basic craft. Nanos can be friendly, but Wrights
sometimes find themselves in competition
with Nanos who want the same iotum,
possibly for their own inscrutable tasks or
even as an ingredient for their own crafting.

Arkai often come to Wrights asking for
the creation of particular structures or
installations. As long as they’re asking and not
ordering, the alliance remains on good terms.
Wrights are friendly with some Jacks and sour
on others; it depends on the Jack in question.

Wrights in the Group: While an Arkus might
naturally assume some authority in a newly
founded settlement or allied community,
Wrights can also fulfill that role because they

Aeon Priest, page 264 as well as fragments of information encoded When you grew older and prepared to set out
in knowledge caches for millions of years or on your own, you asked those who raised you
20 longer. So like Delves and Nanos, Wrights what great work you could build for them as
value any and all devices and discoveries thanks for what they taught you—something
related to the numenera and crave more. contributing to their research, a device to
overcome an infirmity, or even a new self-willed
Wrights usually craft items that help a larger automaton to join them. Now you search for a
community, but they can also craft objects suitable plan, the iotum to craft it, or both.
to aid themselves, if they can find the plans
to do so. Artifacts and cyphers that provide Advancement: You’re always looking for
protection, store knowledge, and extend their new plans and, to the extent you can do so,
crafting capabilities further are the kinds of researching new ones on your own. You have
numenera items Wrights are most excited to to push yourself, because researching new
find or fashion. plans doesn’t come easy. You’re not even sure
a limited mind like yours can do so without
Advanced Wrights: As Wrights gain experience hurting itself. But you press on anyway, hoping
and become more skilled and powerful, they for a breakthrough. Eventually, you hope to
develop more plans for building numenera find a plan that will allow you to bring into this
objects and structures, they can drastically world something truly amazing so you can
reduce the amount of time required to craft honor your caregivers and prove that you were
complex objects or structures, and they can take worthy of their work and attention.
direct control of objects and structures they’ve
built to create amazing effects. UNEXPECTED BRILLIANCE
Your mind developed early, way before your
WRIGHT BACKGROUND peers. Your parents realized it and delighted in
challenging you with puzzles and projects. You
Not everyone that crafts numenera items could fix household items, and eventually you
is a Wright—Wrights are simply those found your true passion: taking apart oddities,
who’ve trained (or otherwise gained) unique scrap, and depleted cyphers. You figured out
abilities related to building wondrous things. how to make broken machines work again, and
Something in your background has put honed your ability to recognize what a jumble
you in this position and is at least partially of parts could do if you put them together
responsible for your talents. Choose one of the in just the right configuration. Most people
three options described below as the source respected and appreciated your talent, some
of your skills, knowledge, and intuitions for tried to exploit you, and a few feared you, but
craft, or create your own. It will provide the your incredible mind made sure you always
foundation of your background and give you came out ahead—or gave you enough of a
an idea of how you can improve. The GM can head start to get away from serious trouble.
use this information to develop adventures
and quests that are specific to your character Whence did your brilliance spring? Just an
and play a role in your advancement. accident of nurture and nature? Did you have
a great-grandparent who was equally skilled?
UNUSUAL UPBRINGING Or is your facility with objects and structures
From a very early age, you had access to something inherent in you, such as a mutation
machines and tools, and you were encouraged in your brain that gives you insights that others
to learn how to use them. Perhaps you were can’t imagine? It’s a mystery, and one you’d like
raised by a Nano or an Aeon Priest who thought to solve one day. But only after you finish your
building was more important than playing. current list of crafting projects.
Maybe your parents were obsessed with the
numenera. Or perchance you were incubated Advancement: Even your amazing talents
and trained by machines who needed human have their limits. Even when you have the
ingenuity and creativity to solve a problem perfect plan for creating an amazing new
they couldn’t overcome. You stacked gears and installation, you’ve had setbacks and failures.
circuits instead of wooden blocks, and your This means you’re always looking for others
earliest drawings were schematics for toys you like you, people with whom you can share
wanted to build. Your bedtime stories were your knowledge and they with you, so that
about automatons, nanites, and electronics, perhaps together you’ll all progress to new
and your dreams were filled with the wondrous heights. That’s not always possible, so usually
things you would create with an endless supply your stats improve and you gain new abilities
of iotum and parts. because you’ve taken the gifts you were born
with and pushed them to the next level.

CHARACTER TYPE

WRIGHT CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the list below to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to
the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background

1 Your mother praised your artistic talent as a child, but you chose to give it up in favor of crafting.

2 You lost your brother when you were young. Your only memory of him is a doll you yet keep.

3 You retain a pet automaton about the size of a breadbox with wheels that you had even as a child.

4 You are known as a seller of strange gadgets and once even made your living doing so.

5 You once created a machine for distilling spirits that your friends still tell stories about.

6 You had a partner who also enjoyed crafting, but there was an accident and they died.

7 You created a device that caused you to disappear for three months. You later reappeared with no memory
of what had happened and a star-shaped scar on your left temple.

8 You’re a member of a secret organization of wrights who occasionally share messages and plans.

9 You once owned a plan for crafting a dread destroyer, but it was stolen.

10 One of your creations accidentally triggered a local incident with the iron wind. At least, that’s what some
accused you of after it was all over and the dead were counted. You don’t think it was your fault, but you
wonder.

11 You had an apprentice you were teaching your craft to, but they left you in the middle of your most
important project, causing it to fail.

12 Your best friend from your youth is now a hated outlaw, though others say they are a hero. You’re not sure
where the truth lies.

13 You once met the Amber Pope in Qi and received a verbal invitation to return one day.

14 On a few occasions, you’ve found just the iotum you needed to proceed in your work. You don’t know who
or what has been responsible for providing them.

15 You were a member of the Convergence, until you thought better of it. You still know one or two members.

16 Religion has always been part of your life, though only recently have you thought to question it.

17 A great musician in a nearby large city claims they owe their success to an instrument you crafted.

18 You know where dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of plan seeds are located, but you haven’t been able to
mount an expedition to locate and secure the cache yet.

19 You were accused of murdering your brother. You fled to where you are now.

20 You were trained by a master wright who left the world in a magnificent starcraft they built.

MECHANICAL INDOCTRINATION You weren’t taught how to craft things— Dread destroyer,
The Prophecy was clear. If the machine that it was programmed into you, hard-coded page 234
squatted at the center of town could not be into your flesh and mind with drugs and Iron wind, page 135
awoken by midnight during the next eclipse, technology, conditioned into your psyche Amber Pope, page 133
the Spear of God would strike like a burning with repetitive drills. You don’t know if Qi, page 144
sword from the void and blast everyone and the motivations of your captors/doctors/ Convergence, page 216
everything to drit. You were one of the ones instructors were noble or nefarious, but the Plan seeds, page 136
selected to awaken the Red Cube. You were end result is that building things is as natural
schooled, drilled, and cypher-fed all manner for you as breathing. You can assemble basic 21
of information, plans, knowledge, and even components when you’re half asleep just by
some physical know-how dripped into your using muscle memory. You may even have
blood by strange machines the city elders subdermal implants that convert nutrition and
kept in dark basements. Others who were bodily wastes into components you need. You
selected weakened and eventually died under might feel like you were robbed of a normal
the brutal regime of learning. It was rough childhood, or you might celebrate your strange
on you, too, but where so many others failed, education and embrace opportunities to learn
you succeeded. You learned. And with that and experience childish things with adult
knowledge, you repaired the machine and senses and intellect. In some ways, you are
saved the city. But in the aftermath, you were an organic machine built to create and repair
different, both physically and psychologically. other machines, but your skills are what allow
you to survive and thrive in the Ninth World.

Character sheet, page 409 Your goal may be to destroy those who created WRIGHT TIERS
you, better understand their motives, or push
If this is the first time forward their agenda. FIRST-TIER WRIGHTS
you're playing a Wright,
Advancement: You’re not sure if you First-tier Wrights have the following abilities.
you probably should learned because of, or despite, the many Add them to the appropriate place on your
choose two cypher plans odd substances and cyphers used to make character sheet, under Effort, Edge (in the
you what you are now, so you continue to try appropriate stat Pool), equipment, and
instead of artifact or both. Learning and, whenever possible, using potentially skills and special abilities:
installation plans. machines that promise to unlock new avenues
of thought and creativity within you. You’re Effort: Your Effort is 1.
Write the types of constantly on the lookout for new injections, Inventor: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a
weapons you can use in energies, concoctions, and devices to improve Might Edge of 0, and a Speed Edge of 0.
the Skills/Inabilities part your abilities and stats. Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers at a
of your character sheet. time.
WRIGHT PLAYER INTRUSIONS Weapons: You can use light weapons
Inability, page 333 without penalty. You have an inability with
As a Wright, you can spend 1 XP to use one of medium and heavy weapons; your attacks with
Player intrusion, page 7 the following player intrusions, provided the medium and heavy weapons are hindered.
situation is appropriate and the GM agrees. Skills: You are trained in crafting numenera.
Relevant crafting skills, In addition, you are trained in a crafting skill
page 119 Device Perfection: A device or installation in which you are not already trained. Choose
works even better than you expected it would, one of the following: salvaging numenera,
Community stats, at least in this instance. Maybe the range is understanding numenera, engineering,
page 301 twice as long, the duration is 100% longer, or woodcrafting, armoring, weaponsmithing,
the effect itself is 50% stronger. or another crafting skill of your choice. You
Infrastructure, page 299 have an inability in salvaging numenera and
Crafting Insight: You are inspired, and you understanding numenera. Enabler.
Write abilities like finish crafting the object or structure earlier Community Builder: While you are
Community Builder and than was expected (maybe even halving the present within the community, and actively
Always Tinkering in the total time). and personally working on behalf of that
community, +3 is added to the community’s
Special Abilities part of Tinkering Vision: When using your Always infrastructure. Enabler.
your character sheet. Tinkering special ability, you discover that the Always Tinkering: If you have any tools and
materials you’re using are of unexpectedly high materials at all, and you are carrying fewer
The base materials quality, giving you specific options to choose cyphers than your limit, you can create a
required for Always from. So instead of gaining a random cypher, cypher if you have an hour of time to spend.
Tinkering could include you gain the cypher of your choice (though it’s The new cypher is random and always 2 levels
a wide variety of things, still a temperamental cypher, so it’s 2 levels lower than normal (minimum 1). It’s also
including scrap, burned- lower than normal and you can’t give it to temperamental and fragile. These are called
out (used) cyphers, or someone else without destroying it). temperamental cyphers. If you give it to anyone
actual iotum and parts. else to use, it falls apart immediately, useless.
In the latter case, only WRIGHT STAT POOLS Action to initiate, one hour to complete.
1 unit of iotum and 1 Numenera Plans: You start with two
point worth of parts Stat Pool Starting Value numenera plans of your choice. Enabler.
is used to create the Starting Equipment: You start with clothing,
temperamental cypher. Might 9 one weapon, an explorer’s pack, a book
about crafting, three cyphers (chosen by the
Numenera plans, Speed 7 GM), one oddity (chosen by the GM), a box
page 135 of crafting tools, and 5 shins (coins). If you
Intellect 12 start with a ranged weapon that requires
Rather than there being ammunition (arrows, for example), you start
a general “crafting” with 12 of that type of ammunition. Before
selecting your weapons, armor, and other
skill, a crafter can learn You get 6 additional points to divide among gear, you might want to wait until after you’ve
specific skills in order chosen your abilities, descriptor, and focus.
your stat Pools however you wish. Starting Iotum: In addition to your starting
to ease tasks related to equipment, you start with 4 units of io and
crafting. There’s a world 4 units of responsive synth. You also have 6
units of parts.
of difference between
crafting a canoe to cross

a lake and crafting a
lightning tower that can
help defend a community.

Iotum, page 107

Parts, page 107

22

CHARACTER TYPE

CHOOSING PLANS scrap, machine, cypher, artifact, or other Minimum crafting level,
FOR YOUR WRIGHT numenera object or structure before page 135
attempting to salvage iotum from it. If
When choosing plans for your Wright, the salvage source possesses iotum that Iotum result table,
there are a few things to keep in mind. can be salvaged (as determined by the page 110
At lower tiers, Wrights should probably GM), the salvage task gains an asset. In
choose plans for objects and structures addition, you gain one additional iotum Assessed difficulty for
that have a lower minimum crafting level. from the salvage attempt, which means crafting tasks, page 117
Just as important, lower-tier Wrights one additional roll on the Iotum Result
should probably choose plans for objects Table. Action to initiate, ten minutes to The crafting numenera
and structures that don’t have high complete. skill also applies to any
modifiers for assessed crafting difficulties. • Extra Use (3 Intellect points): You attempt task to repair numenera
Artifacts, for instance, have an assessed to gain an extra use from an installation objects or structures.
crafting difficulty of +3, which means that or artifact without triggering a depletion Similarly, mundane
if you’re trying to craft a level 3 artifact, roll. The difficulty of the task is equal to crafting skills apply to
the difficulty of the crafting task is actually the level of the installation or artifact. If the repair of associated
6. On the other hand, the modifier for you crafted the installation or artifact, you items. In either case,
cyphers is only +1, so attempting to craft a gain an asset to the task. On a failure, the if a Wright attempts
level 3 cypher is a difficulty 4 crafting task. depletion roll occurs normally. You could to repair an object or
also try to use a cypher without burning structure they personally
Higher assessed difficulties not only it out, but the task is hindered. A failed crafted, they gain an
decrease the odds of succeeding at attempt to gain an additional use from a asset to the repair task.
the crafting task, they also increase the cypher destroys it before it can produce the
amount of time required to craft the desired effect. Action. Repairing damaged
project and require that you find and • Natural Crafter: All commonplace objects objects and structures,
salvage more and rarer kinds of iotum. or structures you craft are effectively 1 level page 122
higher than an average example of that
Default Starting Cyphers and Oddity: Your object or structure. For instance, if you Commonplace objects
GM may provide you with starting cyphers craft a defensive wall that would normally and structures, page 124
and an oddity. Otherwise, you begin with the be level 4, its effective level is 5. Enabler.
following. • Right Tool for the Job (1 Intellect point + Cyphers, page 180
iotum): If you have at least 1 unit of iotum,
• Cyphers: crafter’s eyes, instant item, gravity you can fashion a temporary device that Crafter’s eyes, page 181
changer provides an asset to one physical, non-
combat task, identified ahead of time. Instant item, page 183
• Oddity: Piece of extremely strong and thin For example, if you need to climb a wall,
cable 8 feet (2.5 m) long you could create some sort of climbing Gravity changer, page 182
assistance device; if you need to break
Inspired Techniques: You have a special out of a cell, you can tune iotum in your Oddities, page 304
talent for crafting and can create objects and possession to serve as a lockpick; if you
structures that others can barely imagine. need to create a small distraction, you When you advance to
These talents are called inspired techniques. could trigger an iotum to make a loud bang a higher tier and have
Some inspired techniques are constant, and flash; and so on. Once fashioned, the the option of replacing
ongoing effects, and others are specific actions adapted iotum lasts for about a minute or one of your existing
that usually cost points from one of your until used for the intended purpose. This inspired techniques, you
stat Pools. You gain some of your inspired use destroys the iotum. Action to prepare can't replace Additional
techniques using special numenera tools. the iotum; action to initiate. Numenera Plans.
For instance, when you use Scan for Iotum, • Scan for Iotum (2 Intellect points): Using a
it’s probably from a device that you’ve either device or some kind of unique sense, you Character sheet, page 409
made, found, or been given. scan an area equal in size to a 10-foot (3 m)
cube, including all objects or structures. Salvaging, page 108
Choose two of the inspired techniques The area must be within immediate range.
described below. You can’t choose the same The difficulty of the task is equal to the level 23
inspired technique more than once unless its of the object or structure being scanned.
description says otherwise. You can keep track Scanning in this fashion grants an asset to
of these in the Special Abilities section of your initial salvage tasks in the area to determine
character sheet. if anything is worth salvaging. This ability
doesn’t improve your ability to find a
• Additional Numenera Plans: You gain two
additional numenera plans. You can take
this ability multiple times. Enabler.

• Deconstruct (3 Intellect points): You
take the time to closely study a bit of

Armor, page 109 specific kind of iotum, only to discover SECOND-TIER WRIGHTS
whether there is iotum within the salvage
24 source in the first place. That said, many Second-tier Wrights have the following
materials and energy fields prevent or resist abilities:
scanning. Action.
• Scramble Machine (2 Intellect points): Numenera Plans: You gain two additional
You render one machine within short numenera plans of your choice. Enabler.
range unable to function for one round.
Alternatively, you can hinder any action by Inspired Techniques: Choose one of the
the machine (or by someone attempting to following inspired techniques (or an inspired
use the machine) for one minute. Action. technique from the first tier) to add to your
• Trained in Armor: You can wear armor for repertoire. In addition, you can replace one
long periods of time without tiring and of your first-tier inspired techniques with a
can compensate for slowed reactions from different inspired technique from the first tier.
wearing armor. You can wear any kind of
armor. You reduce the Speed Effort cost for • Additional Training: You are trained in two
wearing armor by 1. If you choose this as additional crafting skills of your choice.
one of your starting inspired techniques, Enabler.
you start the game with armor of your
choice. Enabler. • Boost Cypher (2 Intellect points): The
• Trigger Iotum Ray (1 Intellect point or cypher you activate with your next action
iotum): If you have at least 1 unit of iotum, functions as if it were 2 levels higher.
you can trigger it to release a short- Action.
range ray of force that inflicts 3 points of
damage. This does not destroy the iotum. • Disable Machine (3+ Intellect points):
Alternatively, you can choose to have this With a few deft touches, you infuse a
destroy the iotum, in which case there is powered device of level 3 or lower with
no Intellect cost. Action. conflicting instructions. If affected, the
device is destroyed or disabled for at least
one minute, depending on its size and
complexity. The GM may rule that the
disabling effect lasts until the device is
repaired. In addition to the normal options
for using Effort, you can also choose to use
Effort to increase the maximum level of the
target by 1 for each level applied. Thus, to

CHARACTER TYPE

overload a level 5 device (two levels above THIRD-TIER WRIGHT In the seasons since
the normal limit), you must apply two the margr attack, the
levels of Effort. Action. Third-tier Wrights have the following abilities: city had recovered and
• Impressive Device (3 Intellect points or Improved Community Builder: A community grown. Some of that
iotum): If you have at least 1 unit of iotum, growth was Calistina's
you can fashion a temporary device that continues to gain +3 to infrastructure due to doing. As a Wright, she
causes some kind of impressive visual or your influence. However, you do not need to knew a few plans for
audio display, such as colored lights that be constantly present in and actively working creating minor wonders.
form a tracery over your entire body and on behalf of the community for it to gain this Indeed, she’d crafted
change according to your mood and desire. benefit; it gains it merely because of your past luminous dynamos to
The effect lasts for one minute. During this crafting work in the community. Enabler. bring light to the growing
period, all your interaction tasks gain an community at night,
asset. Once fashioned, the adapted iotum Expert Cypher Use: You can bear four some vermin wards,
lasts for about a minute or until used cyphers at a time. and—her crowning
for the intended purpose. This does not achievement—a
destroy the iotum. Alternatively, you can Numenera Plans: You gain two additional swiveling machine able to
choose to have this destroy the iotum, in numenera plans of your choice. Enabler. shoot lightning that she’d
which case there is no Intellect cost. Action mounted on a tower.
to prepare the iotum; action to initiate. Inspired Techniques: Choose one of the
• Interaction Skills: You are trained in two following inspired techniques (or an inspired Assessed difficulty,
skills in which you are not already trained. technique from a lower tier) to add to your page 117
Choose two of the following: deceiving, repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of Installation, page 154
persuading, public speaking, seeing your lower-tier inspired techniques with a different
through deception, or intimidating. You inspired technique from the same lower tier. 25
can select this ability multiple times. Each
time you select it, you must choose two • Adept Builder: When you attempt a crafting
different skills. Enabler. task, you lower the assessed difficulty for
• Knowledge Skills: You are trained in two creating a complex object or structure by
skills in which you are not already trained. one step. For example, if the assessed
Choose two areas of knowledge such as difficulty for creating a level 3 installation
history, geography, archeology, and so on. would normally be 6, for you the assessed
You can select this ability multiple times. difficulty is 5 (this also reduces the crafting
Each time you select it, you must choose time). If you’re trained or specialized in a
two different skills. Enabler. relevant crafting skill (which you likely are),
• Make Do With Available Iotum that could reduce the assessed crafting
(3+ Intellect points): Given an hour or difficulty to 4 or 3, also reducing the time
so, you can figure out a way to substitute to build even more. Enabler.
one kind of iotum called for in a plan with
another kind of iotum, as long as the • Community Awareness (4 Intellect points):
iotum you use is at least 1 level higher than While you are within a community that
the iotum originally called for. Alternatively, currently benefits from your Community
you can make do with 1 unit less than Builder or Improved Community Builder
the number of units called for by the ability, you can ask the GM a very simple,
plan (to a minimum of 1 unit). For each general question about that general area,
additional level of Effort you apply, you can such as “Are there enemies trying to sneak
reduce the number by an additional unit, over the wall?” or “Is someone watching
to a minimum of 1 unit. You can never the flower shop?” or “Is there a Nano
substitute more than one kind of iotum sensor active by my home?” If the answer
per individual crafting task, though you you seek is not in the area, you receive no
could simultaneously substitute an iotum information. Action.
and decrease the number of units required
by applying additional Effort. Action to • Device Insight (3+ Intellect points): When
initiate, one hour to complete. examining any numenera device, you
can ask the GM one question about the
device to gain an idea of its capabilities
or functions, how it can be activated or
deactivated, what its weakness is, how
it can be repaired, or any other similar
query. This ability is for difficult or strange
things beyond those readily identified by
understanding numenera. The GM may
require a roll whose difficulty is equal to
the device’s level; however, you gain two
assets to any such task, and training in the
understanding numenera skill also applies.
Each time you use this ability on the same

Followers, page 17 device after the first use, you must apply gain an asset on one interaction, attack, or
The GM may require one additional level of Effort. Action. defense task associated with the target before
that you spend time • Follower: You gain a level 2 follower. One your next turn. This ability doesn’t work on
seeking out a suitable of their modifications must be for crafting, creatures you can’t talk with. Action.
follower as a long-term such as crafting numenera. You can take • Energy Redirection (5+ Intellect points): You
this ability multiple times, each time take the time to closely study a bit of scrap,
task as opposed to gaining another level 2 follower. Enabler. machine, cypher, artifact, or other numenera
merely gaining one. • Modify Cyphers: You can take any two object or structure. When you’ve finished,
Long-term tasks, page 324 cyphers and quickly jury-rig a new cypher you can drain the energy from it and redirect
of the same level as the lowest-level cypher. it elsewhere. Iotum are burned out. Cyphers
Temperamental cypher, You determine the function of the new are rendered useless. Artifacts, installations,
page 22 cypher, but it must be that of a cypher you vehicles, and automatons must make a
have used before (but not necessarily one depletion roll. You can redirect the energy
Always Tinkering, page 22 for which you have plans). The new cypher from the target object to restore 1 Might
is a temperamental cypher, like those point per level of the target object.
Io, page 111 created with your Always Tinkering ability.
The original two cyphers are consumed in Alternatively, you can redirect the energy
Assessed difficulty, this process. This ability does not function into a depleted cypher, artifact, installation,
page 117 if one or more of the original cyphers are vehicle, or automaton that has a level equal
temperamental. Action. to or less than the drained object. If the
If you become trained • Quick Armoring (4 Intellect points + io): device isn’t broken, it gains one additional
with a weapon that you You can siphon the residual energy in io use and then becomes depleted and
have an inability in, the (the eponymous iotum) to integrate and broken. Each additional level of Effort you
reinforce a layer of tightly wrapped clothing apply increases the maximum level of the
inability and training or encompassing cloaks that you wear. object you can recharge. Action to initiate,
cancel each other out. This requires at least one io, although it ten minutes to complete.
is not consumed in the process. For the • Expert Crafter: Instead of rolling, you can
26 next hour, you gain +2 to Armor. Action to choose to automatically succeed on a
initiate, one minute to complete. crafting task you’re trained in. The task
• Skill with Attacks: Choose one type of attack must be difficulty 4 or lower. If you are
in which you are not already trained: light able to reduce the assessed difficulty of
bashing, light bladed, light ranged, medium a crafting task to 4 or lower, this ability
bashing, medium bladed, medium ranged, also applies to each subtask, assuming
heavy bashing, heavy bladed, or heavy ranged. something doesn’t interrupt you during the
You are trained in attacks using that type of ensuing time to build. Enabler.
weapon. You can select this ability multiple • Knowing the Weak Points: You gain +3
times. Each time you select it, you must damage when attempting to damage a device,
choose a different type of attack. Enabler. automaton, or other machine. Enabler.
• Machine Bond: From very long range, you
FOURTH-TIER WRIGHT can activate and control a device (including
an installation, automaton, or vehicle) that
Fourth-tier Wrights have the following abilities: you have bonded with. For example, you can
Numenera Plans: You gain two additional detonate a cypher even when it is held by
someone else, or cause an installation turret
numenera plans of your choice. Enabler. to fire where you direct. Bonding is a process
Inspired Techniques: Choose one of the that requires 28 hours of meditation in the
presence of the machine. Action.
following inspired techniques (or an inspired
technique from a lower tier) to add to your FIFTH-TIER WRIGHT
repertoire. In addition, you can replace one of
your lower-tier inspired techniques with a different Fifth-tier Wrights have the following abilities:
inspired technique from the same lower tier. Numenera Plans: You gain two additional

• Boost Artifact (2 Intellect points): An artifact numenera plans of your choice. Enabler.
you activate with your next action functions Master Cypher Use: You can bear five
as if it were two levels higher. Action.
cyphers at a time.
• Confounding Jargon (4 Intellect points): You Inspired Techniques: Choose one of the
begin to discuss the intricacies of crafting
numenera, which goes completely over the following inspired techniques (or an inspired
heads of most creatures but is sufficient to technique from a lower tier) to add to your
distract a target within immediate range until repertoire. In addition, you can replace one
your next turn. You and each of your allies of your lower-tier inspired techniques with a

CHARACTER TYPE

different inspired technique from the same your Might Edge, Speed Edge, and Intellect Recovery roll, page 111
lower tier. Edge all increase by 1. When you make
a recovery roll in this community, you Followers, page 17
• Boost Cypher Function (4 Intellect points): recover twice as many points. You can gain Modification, page 17
Add 3 to the functioning level of a cypher the benefit of this inspired technique even
that you activate with your next action, if you’re not in the community, as long as Community Builder,
or change one aspect of its parameters you have visited within the last three days. page 22
(range, duration, area, etc.) by up to Enabler. Improved Community
double or down to one tenth. Action. Builder, page 25
SIXTH-TIER WRIGHT
• Faster Builder: When you attempt a 27
crafting task, you lower the assessed Sixth-tier Wrights have the following abilities:
difficulty for creating a complex object Numenera Plans: You gain two additional
or structure by two steps. (This replaces
Adept Builder, if you took that; you can numenera plans of your choice. Enabler.
exchange that ability for another tier 3 Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower.
inspired technique.) Enabler.
They are not restricted on their modifications.
• Improved Follower: You gain a level 3 Enabler.
follower. They are not restricted on their
modifications. You can take this ability Inspired Techniques: Choose one of the
multiple times, each time gaining another following inspired techniques (or an inspired
level 3 follower. technique from a lower tier) to add to your
Alternatively, you could choose to
advance a level 2 follower you already
have to level 3 and then gain a new level 2
follower. Enabler.

• Modify Artifact Function (5 Intellect
points): You can take an artifact and any
two cyphers and quickly jury-rig a new
artifact of the level of the lowest-level
cypher. You determine the function of
the new artifact, but it must be that of an
artifact or cypher you have used before
(but not necessarily one for which you
have plans). The GM sets the depletion
of the new artifact, if applicable (it will
usually be a bit worse than the original
artifact). The two cyphers and the original
artifact are consumed in this process. The
original cyphers cannot be temperamental
cyphers. Action.

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

• Quick Mind Boost: You can siphon the
residual energy in a single iotum to
enhance your Intellect Edge by +1 for one
minute. The iotum is destroyed. This ability
does not allow you to enhance your Edge
by more than +1. Action.

• Town Pride: While you’re in a community
that currently benefits from your
Community Builder or Improved
Community Builder special ability,

If Juggernaut is used during a community action, the community’s infrastructure is
reduced by 5 points (until repairs are made), and for that community action only,

the damage inflicted by the community is increased by 6.

Installation, page 154 repertoire. In addition, you can replace one have bonded with, including installations,
Sferic, page 275 of your lower-tier inspired techniques with a intelligent or otherwise. In addition, if you
different inspired technique from the same use an action to concentrate on a machine,
lower tier. you are aware of what is going on around it
(you see and hear as if you were standing
• Juggernaut (9 Intellect points): You call next to it, no matter how far away you are).
upon your connection to one installation You must touch the machine to create
you’ve built or repaired to become a single- the bond, but afterward, there is no range
use weapon of immense destruction, limitation. This bond lasts for one week.
though this also destroys the installation. You can bond with only one machine at a
While you are within a community that time. Action to initiate.
currently benefits from your Community • Rapid Builder: When you attempt a crafting
Builder or Improved Community Builder task, you lower the assessed difficulty for
ability, you can select an installation of creating a complex object or structure by
level 5 or higher within very long range. three steps. (This replaces Adept Builder
The installation launches itself like a and Faster Builder, if you took either of
massive missile at a target you specify those; you can exchange those abilities
within very long range of the installation for another tier 3 and tier 5 inspired
and then detonates, inflicting 20 points of technique.) Enabler.
damage on all targets within short range. • Summon Sferic (8+ Intellect points): A
This destroys the installation. Targets who sferic appears within a few days after you
successfully defend still suffer 8 points of construct a simple beacon designed as
damage. Action. a lure. If you apply an additional level
of Effort as part of the call, the sferic is
• Master Machine (8 Intellect points): You amenable to your instructions toward
can control the functions of a machine you building an object or structure; otherwise,
it acts according to its nature (which
means it might still build something for
you, but you risk having your mind plucked
from your head when you make your
request). The sferic remains until it finishes
creating the structure you asked of it or it
is attacked (in which case it defends itself
and then leaves). Action to initiate, three
days to construct beacon and summon
sferic.
• Usurp Cypher: Choose one cypher that
you carry. The cypher must have an effect
that is not instantaneous. You destroy the
cypher and gain its power, which functions
for you continuously. You can choose
a cypher when you gain this ability, or
you can wait and make the choice later.
However, once you usurp a cypher’s power,
you cannot later switch to a different
cypher—the ability works only once. Action
to initiate.

28

CHARACTER TYPE

WRIGHT EXAMPLE DELVE Crafting numenera,
page 120
Andrew wants to create a Wright character who Delves are willing to risk everything just to find Deconstruct, page 23
can build fantastic artifacts. He puts 5 of his something new, something that no one else
additional points into his Intellect Pool and has seen before. They are driven to expand the Tough, page 57
1 into his Might Pool; his stat Pools are now boundaries of the known, often rediscovering Armor, page 109
Might 10, Speed 7, Intellect 17. As a first-tier what was long forgotten. Delves delight in Talks to Machines,
character, his Effort is 1, his Intellect Edge is finding never-explored ruins of the prior worlds page 86
1, and his Might and Speed Edge are 0—a and cataloguing them from top to bottom.
character built for puzzling out hard-to-craft Mysteries presented by weird machines and Nano, page 36
numenera. broken scrap are nearly identical for Delves. Jack, page 44
They know that what others dismiss as debris Glaive, page 28
He chooses to use a dagger (a light weapon, might contain hidden treasure called iotum— Wright, page 18
so its attacks are eased and it inflicts 2 points like apt clay, protomatter, philosophine, data
of damage), figuring that he’ll make something orbs, and more! That’s what most Delves seek.
more impressive as his crafting knowledge They won’t ignore cyphers and artifacts prized
improves. Andrew decides that the first two by others, of course, but Delves see deeper
numenera plans he learns are for a stim and are skilled at extracting the building blocks
dispenser that eases knowledge and creative of the prior worlds.
tasks, and a basic turret that, though fixed in
place, can fire on foes within long range. As with other kinds of explorers, Delves
are rare. Most people in the Ninth World
Andrew is trained in crafting numenera. would rather gnaw off a hand than risk the
He chooses woodcrafting for his additional horrors that often lie within ruins or even just
crafting skill. For his first inspired technique, over the next hill. But without Delves, who
he chooses to learn two more plans for would bring back the special components
installations. For his second inspired that some crafters have come to depend on?
technique, he chooses Deconstruct so he has Delves aren’t fools; they take precautions, and
a better chance of gaining the iotum he needs they’re not immune to fear. But the lure of the
to craft exotic structures. As a Community unknown and the thrill of discovery outweigh
Builder, he can add +3 to a community’s the risks. Longevity isn’t as important to a
infrastructure while directly and personally Delve as discovery.
seeing to the community’s needs.
That said, a Delve won’t discover much if
The GM decides that Andrew’s three cyphers they don’t have the stamina to push through
are a pill that renders the imbiber invisible for when things get tough. Delves need to be at
an hour, an injector that restores 4 Might, and least a little skilled at a lot of things. They need
a tool that eases one crafting task when used. Might and Speed to deal with the challenges
they face, but they need Intellect to help them
Andrew still needs to pick a descriptor and salvage for iotum and other numenera items.
a focus. He chooses the Tough descriptor,
which doesn’t affect his Pools but grants +1 to To explore inscrutable ruins, Delves have
Armor and provides +1 to his recovery rolls. to be able to react quickly, squeeze through
The descriptor also grants him training in small spaces, and often run away without
Might defense and an extra light weapon. He’s being weighed down by heavy armor. A few
a somewhat sturdy fellow, able to endure late might choose light armor, though most prefer
nights in the workshop (to say the least). clothes that don’t restrict them at all.

For his focus, Andrew chooses Talks to Delves in Society: Delves don’t spend
Machines. Now in addition to everything else, much time in society because they’re off
he might be able to convince the GM that exploring. When they do come back to a base,
for some crafting tasks involving electrical settlement, or larger community, they are given
machines, an asset should be applied. He can a wide berth by those afraid of the numenera,
also activate or deactivate machines within which is often a surprising number of people.
short range. To commoners, the numenera is as likely to
help you as it is to kill you, disfigure you, or
send you hurtling into the void. So Delves
usually seek the company of other explorers,
such as Nanos, Jacks, Glaives, and others.
Delves also seek the acquaintance of Wrights,
and vice versa, because the iotum that Delves
prize is equally sought by Wrights to craft
installations and other wonders.

29

Arkus, page 7 Sometimes Delves deliver objects or the value a Delve associated with a community
messages between distant locations, or they can bring, if the Delve decides to use the
provide their expertise on travel routes to community as their base.
merchants and other explorers. But these are
usually secondary goals, convenient in that a Delves in the Group: A Delve isn’t so much
long-distance trip allows them to find more a leader as a scout, though some Delves do
previously unexplored locations. Sometimes a naturally step into the role of directing a group,
Delve’s deliveries are delayed while the Delve since they’re often the ones who can find the
spends an extra week or more investigating best route forward. Though they are resilient in
an abandoned structure or ruin. This can put a fight, they are not front-line defenders; that’s
a strain on otherwise cordial relationships obviously a job for a Glaive. They pay attention
with Glaives and Nanos, who each see in to knowledge provided by Nanos, but they
the Delve a bit of themselves. Arkai are least know enough about the numenera themselves
likely to want to upend their stay inside newly that they don’t need to rely on them. Delves
developed communities, but they understand may spend long periods of time exploring, but
many enjoy talking about what they found with
a small group of friends or allies.

Delves and the Numenera: In many
ways, the numenera is what draws Delves
to explore—the numenera and the special
components that bring the numenera to life.
But Delves are excited by any discoveries
related to the numenera, whetting their
appetite to explore further. Their skills and
knowledge give them excellent means to find
and salvage iotum and other valuables from
otherwise dead ruins.

Delves look for items that help them
improve their ability to search and find out
information. If a Delve doesn’t know where to
look, then they’re virtually useless.

Advanced Delves: As Delves gain experience
and become more skilled and powerful,
they gain abilities to better understand the
numenera, to tinker with it, and to salvage and
find new uses for iotum.

DELVE BACKGROUND

Lots of people explore, but not all of them are
Delves. Delves have a special relationship with
the iotum. Something in your background
has put you in this position and is at least
partially responsible for your talents. Choose
one of the three options described below as

the source of your skills (or create your own).
This will provide the foundation of your
background and give you an idea of
how you can improve. The GM can
use this information to develop
adventures and quests that
are specific to your character
and play a role in your
advancement.

30

CHARACTER TYPE

WHAT OTHERS FEAR TO KNOW How you came to be part machine is a Aeon Priest, page 264
Your knowledge of what underlies the story all its own. Were you always like this? Iron wind, page 135
numenera is a degree beyond what even most Did you fall into a ruin and wake up this Datasphere, page 355
Aeon Priests and Nanos know. Some see it as way? Did you undergo surgeries offered by a
devilry and ill magic, believing it is knowledge strange entity, taking a chance on becoming Viel wasn’t a maker, or a
that should remain in the ruins of the past. something more? However it happened, you’re crafter, but she thought
Mimetic gel, tamed iron, kaon dots, and even not human, and commoners sometimes she could probably be
data orbs are things that you understand look upon you with fear and suspicion. That’s a finder. A scrounger. A
because you found them and were taught by all right, as long as another Delve doesn’t scavenger. A delve. In the
them in turn. The tamed iron nearly killed look upon you as a potential source for past year, she’d learned
you because, as you know, it’s a cousin to components. Sometimes, rather than worry that she had a knack
the iron wind. The data orb was almost your about it, you hide your true nature beneath for it. She could almost
death, because when you connected it to the concealing garments or a hood. smell the numenera. Let
datasphere, an automaton was dispatched to someone else figure out
your location as a security measure. But you Advancement: Learning new things helps how to put it together.
survived and learned yet more in the process. you advance, as do practice and persistence. She could find the stuff.
In fact, you learned to disassemble both the However, it seems your surest way to unlock
active devices and the long-dead machines of new abilities is to connect yourself to new Delves push boundaries
the prior worlds in order to salvage that which devices uncovered in your explorations. and plunge in where
gave them form and substance. This iotum, Sometimes this leads to dangerous threats, others turn around and
you learned, was a completely new source of but other times, it provides you with a new depart. But they’re not
wonder and knowledge. insight or an entirely new ability. Depending on crazed explorers who
how you came to be part machine, you might never consider the risk.
Advancement: You must continue to salvage also be open to implanting new, permanent They are simply highly
iotum. There’s far more to the numenera than devices into your body, which is another route competent, and better
one person can ever know, but that doesn’t to advancement. able to gauge their
mean you shouldn’t try to discover more. own abilities against
More secrets, more knowledge, and more MENTOR the challenges that
components mean more power. At some point You grew up in service to another Delve from arise in the course of
in your career, you might need to find a mentor whom you learned to train your stamina, mapping a ruin.
or another data orb willing to give you answers patience, and love for the weird. You were
to your many questions. taught not to fear things that would make 31
most people weak, sick, or outright dead.
When your stats improve or you learn Instead, you cherish them as part of a life
new skills, it’s because you have discovered steeped in discovery. Your mentor taught
another new kind of iotum. When you gain you to love the wilderness, the unknown,
a new ability, it’s the result of long hours and places of ancient power, in particular—
of exploration, salvage, and attempts at exactly the opposite of how most are raised
unlocking new wonders. in the Ninth World. After a time, you and
your mentor parted ways—perhaps due to
PART MACHINE a philosophical disagreement, a scarcity of
Is it any wonder you can take apart other resources, a rare opportunity requiring travel,
devices and machines when you’re at least or some kind of tragedy. Sometimes you
half mechanical yourself? Your connection wonder, as you gaze at some new amazing,
with machines is obvious: modules, ports, impossible edifice: what would your mentor
and other strange tech protrudes from your think of this?
skin, hinting at deeper connections beneath.
Perhaps your skin is shiny or metallic, or Advancement: To advance, you explore.
maybe it has a coating that absorbs light. You Without your mentor to guide you, it’s just
can find your way deeper into ruins of the you and the world. That said, a part of you will
prior worlds at least partially because you can never stop yearning to reunite with the one
open ways that others can’t with just a touch. who taught you so much. If you do, maybe
When you salvage iotum from dead cyphers they will unlock an entirely new chapter in
and scrap, you do so by commanding nanites your advancement. And who knows? Maybe
through your ports. Your abilities are at least the things you’ve learned since you parted will
partially derived from the hidden devices that have a similarly important effect on them.
lace your nervous system. Sometimes, you
wonder if the components and iotum that you
salvage from other machines also lie within
you.

DELVE CONNECTION

Roll a d20 or choose from the list below to determine a specific fact about your background that provides a connection to
the rest of the world. You can also create your own fact.

Roll Background

1 You always seem to run into another delve when you explore. Sometimes they help, but sometimes they
take the best a ruin has to offer and leave you with drit.

2 A merchant in a nearby city is always asking you for rare and wondrous items, which you’re pretty sure they
resell for a far higher price than they ever give you.

3 One of your parents was a minor official, with access to many privileges and much information.

4 Your sibling became a glaive and now serves with a traveling band of specimen collectors in the employ of
some organization whose name you can never remember.

5 Before becoming a full-time explorer, you sometimes sang in taverns for your meals. You even created a few
songs that are still sung by other balladeers.

6 The town you grew up in was destroyed in a disaster that involved a flock of brilliant spheres of light that
burst from the earth and rose into the sky, each taking a portion of the town away.

7 You were taken into slavery as a child but later escaped. You still have scars and bad dreams.

8 The Amber Gleaners have been attempting to recruit you, but so far you’ve put them off.

9 You owe money to a number of people and don’t have the funds to pay your debts. Nobody seems
interested in taking iotum.

10 You ran with bandits for a short period, but you left them after thinking better of it. Now, however, they are
after you, swearing that no one leaves their group while still breathing.

11 You taught children for many years, but those days are behind you now.

12 As an orphan, you had a difficult childhood, and your entry into adulthood was challenging.

13 You led a double life. Most people know you as a conscientious and daring explorer, but you led another life
as a thrill-seeking thief. You don’t indulge much in the latter anymore, but you sometimes dream about
your lost cache of “trophies.”

14 You led a popular uprising in the town where you grew up, and you won. The old leaders were exiled.

15 You were married, but your partner was stolen by transdimensional beings.

16 The Order of Truth cut you from the ranks when you consistently failed to finish the tasks they set before
you, but you claim it was because your supervisor failed to tell you what those tasks actually were.

17 As an envoy working in a distant city, you made friends that you still miss today.

18 You had a pet that you loved dearly, but it was killed in an accident. You’re still searching for how that
accident came to be; could it have been a deliberate act by your enemies?

19 You were best friends with a nano, possibly even lovers, but the iron wind took them away from you.

20 You’ve often been maligned for your looks. Ungainly, different, of a different species or cultural
background—the reason you look different than others is up to you.

Amber Gleaners, page 245 DELVE PLAYER INTRUSIONS Weak Strain: The poison or disease turns
out not to be as debilitating or deadly as it first
Glaive, page 28 When playing a Delve, you can spend 1 XP seemed, and inflicts only half the damage that
Order of Truth, to use one of the following player intrusions, it would have otherwise.
provided the situation is appropriate and the
page 215 GM agrees. DELVE STAT POOLS
Nano, page 36
Iron wind, page 135 Fortuitous Malfunction: A trap or a Stat Pool Starting Value
Player intrusion, page 7 dangerous device malfunctions before it can
affect you. Might 9

Serendipitous Landmark: Just when it seems Speed 9
like the path is lost, or you are, a trail marker,
landmark, or simply the way the terrain or Intellect 10
corridor bends, rises, or falls away suggests to
you the best path forward, at least from this You get 6 additional points to divide among
point. your stat Pools however you wish.

32

CHARACTER TYPE

DELVE TIERS Choose two of the lores described below. Character sheet, page 409
You can’t choose the same lore more than
FIRST-TIER DELVES once unless its description says otherwise. You Effort, page 23
can keep track of these in the Special Abilities
First-tier Delves have the following abilities. section of your character sheet. Edge, page 23
Add them to the appropriate place on your
character sheet, under Effort, Edge (in the • Additional Training: You are trained in Skill, page 27
appropriate stat Pool), equipment, and two additional skills in which you are not
potentially skills and special abilities: already trained. Choose from the following: Inability, page 333
navigation, perception, sensing danger,
Effort: Your Effort is 1. initiative, peacefully opening communications If you're playing a Delve,
Talented: You have an Intellect Edge of 1, a with strangers, and tracking. Enabler. you might want to use
Speed Edge of 1, and a Might Edge of 0. the character sheet from
Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a time. • Familiarize: You can familiarize yourself Numenera Discovery, as
Weapons: You can use light and medium with a new area if you spend at least you likely won't need the
weapons without penalty. You have an inability one hour studying a region up to a long additional crafting space
with heavy weapons; your attacks with heavy distance across that you are able to directly provided on the character
weapons are hindered. access and move about in. Once you’ve sheet in this book.
Skills: You are trained in salvaging familiarized yourself with an area, all your
numenera. In addition, you are trained in tasks related to perception, navigation, Write abilities like
an exploration skill in which you are not salvaging, defense, and moving about the Community Explorer in
already trained. Choose from the following: area gain an asset. Each time you familiarize the Special Abilities part
navigation, perception, sensing danger, creature yourself with a new area, you lose focus on of your character sheet.
knowledge, initiative, peacefully opening a previous area unless you spend 1 XP to Community stats,
communications with strangers, or tracking. retain the familiarity permanently. Action to page 301
You have an inability in crafting numenera and initiate, one hour to complete.
understanding numenera. Enabler. Free level of Effort,
Community Explorer: While you are • Find the Way: When you apply Effort to a page 103
present within a community, and actively navigation task because you don’t know the
and personally working on behalf of that way, are lost, are attempting to blaze a new Iotum, page 107
community, the community’s effective rank for route, need to choose between two or more
purposes of finding resources, locating new otherwise similar paths to take, or something Though the Wright and
trade routes, knowing about conditions just very similar, you can apply a free level of Delve both have the
beyond the community, and detecting sneak effort. Enabler. Right Tool for the Job
attacks by enemies is +1. Enabler. special ability, the way
Starting Equipment: You start with clothing, • Right Tool for the Job (1 Intellect point + they approach tasks is
one weapon, light armor or 1 extra unit of iotum): If you have at least 1 unit of iotum, likely different. Even if
responsive synth (your choice), a pack of light you can fashion a temporary device that both improvise a tool
tools, an explorer’s pack, two cyphers (chosen provides an asset to a physical, non- to ease the exact same
by the GM), one oddity (chosen by the GM), combat task (identified ahead of time). task using this ability,
and 3 shins (coins). If you start with a ranged For example, if you need to climb a wall, it’s likely that only one
weapon that requires ammunition (arrows, you could create some sort of climbing or the other tool actually
for example), you start with 12 of that type of assistance device; if you need to break provides a benefit.
ammunition. Before selecting your weapons, out of a cell, you can tune iotum in your
armor, and other gear, you might want to possession to serve as a lockpick; if you Cyphers, page 180
wait until after you’ve chosen your Delve lore, need to create a small distraction, you
descriptor, and focus. could trigger an iotum to make a loud bang Phasing gloves, page 184
Default Starting Cyphers and Oddity: Your and flash; and so on. Once fashioned, the
GM may provide you with starting cyphers adapted iotum lasts for about a minute or Travel bubble, page 185
and an oddity. Otherwise, you begin with the until used for the intended purpose. This
following. use destroys the iotum. Action to prepare Oddities, page 304
• Cyphers: phasing gloves, travel bubble the iotum; action to initiate.
• Oddity: Shirt that displays your muscles, 33
• Skill With Defense: Choose one type of
bones, and internal organs when you wear it defense task in which you are not already
Delve Lore: You have special abilities called trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect. You
Delve lore that are related to exploring strange are trained in defense tasks of that type.
places and using numenera. Some of these You can select this lore up to three times.
abilities are constant, ongoing effects, and Each time you select it, you must choose a
others are specific actions that usually cost different type of defense task. Enabler.
points from one of your stat Pools.
• Trained in Armor: You can wear armor for
long periods of time without tiring and
can compensate for slowed reactions from

The GM may allow wearing armor. You can wear any kind of attack fills an area too big to escape, etc.—
you to use higher-level armor. You reduce the Speed Effort cost for the ability offers no benefit. Enabler.
iotum for Environmental wearing armor by 1. Enabler. • Environmental Adaptation (2+ Intellect
Adaptation instead of • Trained Without Armor: You are trained points): You use your wits and some learned
io, counting the iotum's in Speed defense tasks when not wearing tricks to survive a hostile environment. You
level as an equivalent armor. Enabler. can breathe safely in smoke or poison gas
or survive temperature extremes for up to
number of io. SECOND-TIER DELVE ten hours. In certain instances, the GM
might require simple materials (like a bit of
Io, page 111 Second-tier Delves have the following abilities: cloth to cover your mouth or a cloak soaked
Delve Lore: Choose one of the following in water to survive heat).
Free level of Effort,
page 103 lores (or a lore from a lower tier) to add to In extreme cases, such as crushing gravity
your repertoire. In addition, you can replace or burning lava, this ability requires io, which
Surprise, page 113 one of your first-tier lores with a different first- are consumed after the use. In these extreme
tier lore. environments, the GM might increase the
cost of activating this ability to equal the
• Curious: You’re always curious about your amount of damage you would sustain in
surroundings, even on a subconscious a given round, split evenly between io and
level. Whenever you spend Effort to Intellect. For example, if you enter a hostile
attempt navigation, perception, or initiative environment that would normally deal 6
tasks in an area that you’ve only rarely points of damage per round, avoiding that
or never visited before, you can apply an damage would cost 3 io and 3 Intellect points.
additional, free level of Effort. Enabler. You can protect other creatures in addition to
yourself, but each additional creature costs
• Danger Instinct (3 Speed points): If you are you the same number of io and Intellect
attacked by surprise, whether by a creature, points as it costs to protect you. Thus, if it
a device, or simply an environmental costs 3 io and 3 points to protect yourself, it
hazard (a tree falling on you), you can costs 6 additional io and Intellect to protect
move an immediate distance before the two other people. In extreme environments,
attack occurs. If moving prevents the this ability lasts for about a minute.
attack, you are safe. If the attack can still
potentially affect you—if the attacking
creature can move to keep pace, if the

34

CHARACTER TYPE

This ability never protects against quick, THIRD-TIER DELVE Delves who want to make
instantaneous threats, like an attack with the most of their Foil
a weapon or a sudden explosion of fire. Third-tier Delves have the following abilities: Danger special ability
Action to initiate, unless io or elaborate Improved Community Explorer: A will want to be trained
materials are required, in which case action in some kind of creature
to initiate, one minute to complete. community continues to modify its rank by +1 knowledge to ease tasks
• Eye for Detail (2 Intellect points): When on any task that involves finding resources, related to those creatures.
you spend five minutes or so thoroughly locating new trade routes, knowing about
exploring an area no larger than a short conditions just beyond the community, and Using Foil Danger to
distance in diameter, you can ask the GM detecting sneak attacks by enemies. However, suppress a natural ability
one question about the area. The GM must you do not need to be constantly present can be described as being
answer you truthfully. You cannot use this in and actively working on behalf of the clever with a mundane
more than one time per area per 28 hours. community for it to gain this benefit; it gains action. An ithsyn’s gas
Action to initiate, five minutes to complete. it merely because of your past efforts in the might be suppressed
• Foil Danger (2 Intellect points): You negate community. Enabler. by the Delve’s use of a
one source of potential danger related to leather bag to block it.
one creature or object that you are aware Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three A Delve might suppress
of within immediate distance for one cyphers at a time. a cragworm’s venom
round. This could be a weapon or device by spraying its victim
held by someone, a trap triggered by a Delve Lore: Choose one of the following with a bit of wine.
pressure plate, or a creature’s natural ability lores (or a lore from a lower tier) to add to
(something special, innate, and dangerous, your repertoire. In addition, you can replace Ithsyn, page 237
like an ithsyn’s gas spray or a cragworm’s one of your lower-tier lores with a different Cragworm, page 230
venom). You can also try to foil a foe's lower-tier lore. Impaired, debilitated:
mundane action (such as an attack with a see damage track,
weapon or claw), so that the action isn't • Creature Insight (3 Intellect points): When page 110
made this round. Make your roll against the examining any nonhuman creature, you can
level of the attack, danger, or creature. Action. ask the GM one question to gain an idea of Followers, page 17
• Scorn Harm: You ignore the impaired its level, its capabilities, what it eats, what
condition and treat the debilitated motivates it, what its weaknesses are (if The GM may require
condition as impaired. Enabler. any), how it can be repaired, or any other that you actually look
• Trapster: You are trained in creating simple similar query. This is for difficult or strange for a suitable follower—
traps for human-sized or smaller targets, creatures beyond those readily identified by as opposed to merely
especially many varieties of deadfalls and using skills. Action. gaining one—as a
snares using natural objects from the long-term task.
surrounding environment. When you lay a • Device Insight (3 Intellect points): When Long-term tasks, page 324
trap, decide whether you want to hold the examining any numenera device, you can
victim in place (a snare) or inflict damage ask the GM one question to gain an idea 35
(a deadfall). Creating a snare is a difficulty of its capabilities, how it functions, how
3 task, while the difficulty of creating a it can be activated or deactivated, what
deadfall is equal to the number of points of its weaknesses are (if any), how it can be
damage you want it to inflict. For example, repaired, or any other similar query. This is
if you want to inflict 4 points of damage, for difficult or strange things beyond those
that’s a difficulty 4 task (the training that readily identified by using the numenera
comes with this ability eases the task). skill. Action.

On a success, you create your one- • Follower: You gain a level 2 follower. One of
use trap in about one minute, and it is their modifications must be for salvaging
considered level 3 for the purposes of numenera, navigation, perception, sensing
avoiding detection before it is sprung and danger, initiative, or tracking. You can
for a victim trying to struggle free (if a take this ability multiple times, each time
snare). If you take one additional hour and gaining another level 2 follower. Enabler.
use additional resources equal to 10 io, the
trap can instead be up to level 4, or level • Quick Wits: When performing a task that
5 if you use additional resources equal to would normally require spending points
20 io. Action to initiate, one minute or one from your Intellect Pool, you can spend
hour to complete. points from your Speed Pool instead.
Enabler.

• Resilience: You have 1 point of Armor
against any kind of physical damage, even
physical damage that normally ignores
Armor. Enabler.

• Seize Opportunity (4 Speed points): If you
succeed on a Speed defense roll to resist an
attack, you gain an action, but the action is
hindered. You can use your hindered action

GM intrusion, immediately even if you have already taken a • Delve’s Fortitude (4 Might points): If you
page 123 turn in the round. Using this ability doesn’t are affected by an unwanted condition or
prevent you from taking your normal action affliction (such as disease, paralysis, mind
this round. Enabler. control, a broken limb, and so on—but not
• Thinking Ahead (variable Intellect points): damage), you can ignore it and act as if it
You produce a remedy that removes does not affect you for one hour. You can
a negative condition because you’ve use this ability to act as if you were one step
previously spent considerable time thinking higher on the damage track for an hour—
ahead and preparing for your current impaired becomes hale, debilitated becomes
situation. For instance, if another character impaired. If the condition would normally
is poisoned, you produce an antidote, last less than an hour, it is entirely negated.
or if they’re blinded, you produce a salve If you have a focus ability that grants this
that returns sight (assuming they weren’t same benefit, you can ignore a condition
blinded because their eyes were destroyed). for five hours instead of one hour. Action.
The Intellect cost for using this ability is
equal to the level of effect or creature that • Experienced Finder (6+ Intellect points):
caused the negative condition. Action. When you are looking for something
• Trapfinder (3+ Intellect points): You find specific, such as a particular kind of iotum,
any traps (like a floor that would give way a chemical needed to complete a vaccine
beneath you) or mechanical triggers to a for a disease, a spare part required to repair
trap or defense system that might pose a damaged device, the tracks of a specific
a threat. You can do this without setting beast, or the sword that a thief stole from
them off and in lieu of making a roll to find you, this ability is of great use. For the next
them. This ability can find traps of level 28 hours, if you come within short range of
4 or below. For each level of Effort you the thing and circumstances are such that
use, the level of traps that can be found it is possible for you to perceive the thing
increases by 2, so a Delve using two levels (for example, it’s not in a locked chamber
of Effort can find all traps of level 8 or for which you do not have the key), you
below. Action. find it. This ability assumes that you are
• Wrest From Chance: If you roll a natural constantly on the lookout, always looking
1 on a d20, you can reroll the die. If you everywhere possible, peering behind
reroll, you avoid a GM intrusion—unless obstacles, and so on—if you’re running for
you roll a second 1—and might succeed your life, sleeping, or otherwise occupied,
on your task. Once you use this ability, it is this ability does not help you. You use this
not available again until after you make a ability in lieu of making a roll to find the
ten-hour recovery roll. Enabler. thing, but only if the difficulty for finding
the object is level 6 or below. You can
Iotum Result Table, FOURTH-TIER DELVE apply Effort to increase the maximum level
page 110 of the thing you’re trying to find (each
Fourth-tier Delves have the following abilities: level of Effort used this way increases the
If you become trained Iotum Cache: Whenever you find or salvage maximum level by 1). Enabler.
with a weapon that you
have an inability in, the iotum, you gain an additional result on the • Greater Skill With Defense: Choose one type
Iotum Result Table. Enabler. of defense task, even one in which you are
inability and training already trained: Might, Speed, or Intellect.
cancel each other out. Delve Lore: Choose one of the following You are trained in defense tasks of that type,
lores (or a lore from a lower tier) to add to or specialized if you are already trained.
Foil Danger, page 35 your repertoire. In addition, you can also You can select this lore up to three times.
replace one of your lower-tier lores with a Each time you select it, you must choose a
36 different lore from the same lower tier. different type of defense task. Enabler.

• Counter Danger (4 Intellect points): You • Skill With Attacks: Choose one type
negate a source of potential danger related of attack in which you are not already
to one creature or object within immediate trained: light bashing, light bladed, light
distance for one minute (instead of one ranged, medium bashing, medium bladed,
round, as with Foil Danger). This could be medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy
a weapon or device held by someone, a bladed, or heavy ranged. You are trained in
creature’s natural ability, or a trap triggered attacks using that type of weapon. You can
by a pressure plate. You can also try to select this ability multiple times. Each time
counter an action (like moving or making you select it, you must choose a different
a conventional, mundane attack with a type of attack. Enabler.
weapon, a claw, etc.). Action.

CHARACTER TYPE

A Delve is focused on exploration but can call on a wide range of abilities, including
modifying iotum to enable specialized, one-use capabilities.

• Subtle Steps: When you move no more multiple times, each time gaining another Free level of Effort,
than a short distance, you can move level 3 follower. Alternatively, you can page 103
without making a sound, regardless of the choose to advance a level 2 follower you
surface you move across. Enabler. already have to level 3 and then gain a new Followers, page 17
level 2 follower. Enabler. Modifications, page 17
FIFTH-TIER DELVE • Numenera Adaptation: You have 2 points
of Armor against any attack that comes 37
Fifth-tier Delves have the following abilities: from a numenera device, automaton,
Adept Cypher Use: You can bear four or other mechanism. This is true even if
the attack would normally ignore Armor.
cyphers at a time. Enabler.
Refine Iotum: When you discover iotum on • Vigilant (5 Might points): When affected by
an attack or effect that would daze or stun
an initial salvage task, your follow-up attempts you, you are not dazed or stunned. Enabler.
to locate a specific variety of iotum gain one
free level of Effort if you use at least one level SIXTH-TIER DELVE
of Effort (maximum six levels). Enabler.
Sixth-tier Delves have the following abilities:
Delve Lore: Choose one of the following Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower.
Delve lores (or a lore from a lower tier) to add
to your repertoire. In addition, you can replace They are not restricted on their modifications.
one of your lower-tier lores with a different lore Enabler.
from the same lower tier.
Delve Lore: Choose one of the following
• Concussion (5 Intellect points + iotum): If lores (or a lore from a lower tier) to add to
you have at least 1 unit of iotum, you can your repertoire. In addition, you can replace
fashion a concussive device. The adapted one of your lower-tier lores with a different lore
iotum can explode with concussive force, from the same lower tier.
either after being tossed up to a long
distance or on a short timer, whichever • Inspire Coordinated Actions (9 Intellect
you prefer. The explosion deals 5 points of points): If your allies can see and easily
damage to everything within short range. understand you, you can instruct each
Even if you fail the attack roll, targets in of them to take one specific action (the
the area take 1 point of damage. Once same action for all of them). If any of them
fashioned, the adapted iotum lasts for choose to take that exact action, they can
about a minute or until detonated. This use do so as an additional action immediately.
destroys the iotum. Action to tinker with This doesn’t interfere with them taking
the iotum; action to initiate. their normal actions on their turns. Action.

• Free to Move: You ignore all movement • Mastery With Attacks: Choose one type
penalties and adjustments due to terrain of attack in which you are trained: light
or other obstacles. You can fit through bashing, light bladed, light ranged,
any space large enough to fit your head. medium bashing, medium bladed,
Tasks involving breaking free of bonds, a medium ranged, heavy bashing, heavy
creature’s grip, or any similar impediment bladed, or heavy ranged. You are
gain three free levels of Effort. Enabler. specialized in attacks using that type of
weapon. Enabler. (If you aren’t trained
• Group Friendship (4 Intellect points): You in an attack, select Skill With Attacks to
convince a sentient creature to regard become trained in that attack.)
you (and up to ten creatures that you
designate within immediate distance of • Negate Danger (7 Intellect points): You
you) positively, as they would a potential permanently negate a source of potential
friend. Action. danger related to one creature or object
within immediate distance. This could be
• Hard to Kill: You can choose to reroll any a weapon or device held by someone, a
defense task you make but never more creature’s natural ability, or a trap triggered
than once per round. Enabler. by a pressure plate. Action.

• Improved Follower: You gain a level 3
follower. They are not restricted on their
modifications. You can take this ability

The difference between being someone who merely dabbles in exploration and
a true Delve is the ability to survive whatever dangers are uncovered in the course

of the journey. One can’t be an explorer if they die before returning with news
of their discoveries.

Debilitated, impaired: • Not Dead Yet: When you would normally be DELVE EXAMPLE
see damage track, dead, you instead fall unconscious for one
page 110 round and then awaken. You immediately Monte wants to create a Delve character who
gain 1d6 + 6 points to restore your stat is both tough and smart. He puts 3 of his
Recovery roll, page 111 Pools, and you are treated as if debilitated additional points into his Might Pool and 3
Explores Dark Places, (if you also have Delve's Fortitude, you into his Intellect Pool; his stat Pools are now
are only impaired) until you rest for ten Might 12, Speed 9, Intellect 13. As a first-tier
page 71 hours. If you die again before you take your character, his Effort is 1, his Intellect Edge and
ten-hour recovery roll, you are truly dead. Speed Edge are 1, and his Might Edge is 0—a
Risk-Taking, page 53 Enabler. fairly well-rounded character.

• Share Defense: If your skill in a defense He chooses to use a broadsword (a medium
type is greater than that of an ally within weapon that inflicts 4 points of damage) and
short range, your advice and insight can a crossbow (a medium weapon that inflicts 4
allow them to use your skill on that defense points of damage but requires the use of both
task. Enabler. hands). Monte decides to forgo armor of any
sort, so for his first Delve lore, he chooses
Trained Without Armor, which makes him
trained in Speed defense tasks when he’s not
wearing armor. For his second lore, he chooses
Right Tool for the Job, which helps him with
many tasks. As a Delve, Monte gains the
Community Explorer ability. If he is personally
present and actively using his abilities on a
community’s behalf, the community gains
several benefits of knowledge about things
beyond its walls, the ability to sense sneak
attacks, and more.

The GM decides that Monte’s two cyphers
are a head-mounted device that allows the
wearer to speak in all languages for 28 hours
and a small, metallic cube that opens into a
pocket extradimensional space for 28 hours.

Monte still needs to pick a descriptor and a
focus. He chooses the Risk-Taking descriptor,
which adds +4 to his Speed Pool, gives him
training at games of chance, and lets him
push his luck to succeed at a difficult task (at
the cost of a GM intrusion). Risk-Taking also
hinders his sneaking tasks.

For his focus, Monte decides to expand his
spelunking abilities and picks Explores Dark
Places. This gives him some additional equipment
and makes him trained in searching, listening,
climbing, balancing, and jumping tasks.

38

CHARACTER TYPE

COMMUNITY ABILITIES FOR GLAIVE, JACK, AND NANO

If you are using the community rules provided JACK Glaive, page 28
in Numenera Destiny but playing a Glaive, Jack, page 44
Jack, or Nano from Numenera Discovery, your FIRST-TIER JACK Nano, page 36
character gains additional abilities associated
with their effect on communities. Add these to Community Fixer: While you are present within Community action,
your character sheet at the appropriate tier for a community, and actively and personally page 305
your type, in addition to other regular benefits. working on behalf of that community, the A Glaive who starts their
community’s effective rank for health or career as a mercenary or
GLAIVE infrastructure is increased by +1. You choose explorer looking out for
which is modified during any given community no one else could one day
FIRST-TIER GLAIVE action. Enabler. find themselves putting
all their experience to use
Community Defender: While you are THIRD-TIER JACK helping others by helping
present within a community, and actively a community marshal
and personally working on behalf of that Improved Community Fixer: A community its defenses against an
community, the community’s effective rank for continues to modify its health or infrastructure abhuman attack.
damage inflicted is +1. Enabler. by +1 rank. However, you do not need to be
constantly present in and actively working Abhuman, page 13
THIRD-TIER GLAIVE on behalf of the community for it to gain this
benefit; it gains it merely because of your past Rampaging beast,
Improved Community Defender: A community efforts on the community’s behalf. Whichever page 315
continues to modify its effective rank for stat you modified last remains active until
damage inflicted by +1. However, you do not you return and modify it to something else. Followers, page 17
need to be constantly present in and actively Enabler. Modifications, page 17
working on behalf of the community for it to
gain this benefit; it gains it merely because of SIXTH-TIER JACK
your past defense of the community. Enabler.
Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower.
SIXTH-TIER GLAIVE They are not restricted on their modifications.
Enabler.
Ability Choice: Choose either Rampaging Beast
Horde or Recruit Deputy as an additional tier NANO
6 ability. The ability you do not choose remains
available as a choice from the list of other tier 6 FIRST-TIER NANO
ability options that you normally choose from.
Community Scholar: While you are
• Rampaging Beast Horde (12 Might points): present within a community, and actively
You can take community actions with a and personally working on behalf of that
horde or a community as if you were a rank community, the community’s health and
3 rampaging beast horde for one hour. infrastructure are both increased by +1.
You can spend a few rounds or minutes Enabler.
here and there taking character actions if
something requires attention and still retain THIRD-TIER NANO
your horde status. For each allied PC that
joins you and remains with you during this Improved Community Scholar: A community
period who also spends 12 points from one continues to modify its health and
of their Pools, you can extend the duration infrastructure by +1 rank. However, you do not
by one hour. Each point of damage you take need to be constantly present in and actively
while being treated as a rampaging beast working on behalf of the community for it to
horde is deducted from your Might Pool, or gain this benefit; it gains it merely because of
if you have allied PCs helping, the damage your past efforts on the community’s behalf.
is split up and deducted from all your Might Enabler.
Pools evenly. Action to initiate.
SIXTH-TIER NANO
• Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4
follower. They are not restricted on their Recruit Deputy: You gain a level 4 follower.
modifications. Enabler. They are not restricted on their modifications.
Enabler.

39

CHAPTER 3

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

N umenera Discovery details twelve DESTINY DESCRIPTORS
descriptors. You can choose from any
Descriptors, page 53 of the descriptors there, regardless Adaptable Intuitive
of type, or from one of the new descriptors
Forward-Thinking, presented here. Articulate Irrepressible
page 45
The Numenera Discovery selection of Beneficent Lawful
Meddlesome, page 50 descriptors is robust and, in most cases,
Serene, page 54 covers the basic needs for creating starting Cheerful Loyal
player characters (PCs) in the setting. That
said, descriptors provided in this book, like Civic Meddlesome
Forward-Thinking, Meddlesome, and Serene,
allow players to create characters with traits Committed Nurturing
they couldn’t replicate using Numenera
Discovery alone. The descriptors provided Confident Obsessive
here have been selected with an eye toward
how well they might pair with the thrust Cultured Optimistic
of Numenera Destiny and its emphasis on
leadership, creating a legacy, improving the Curious Organized
future, and building objects of special wonder
and usefulness. Earnest Passionate

Empirical Persevering

Exacting Prepared

Forward-Thinking Protective

Gregarious Relentless

Heroic Risk-Taking

Imaginative Serene

Industrious Vicious

Intimidating

Training, page 15 ADAPTABLE who always changes their mind—someone
without a foundation. You laugh at those
You flex and sway with changes both physical accusations. That’s just the sort of thing
and mental. When something bad happens someone would say if they had never changed
to you, you feel the pain and the loss, but their mind about anything in their life—a way
soon, you’re back on your feet and in the for that person to feel good about their lack of
action. When you have to learn a new skill, growth.
you don’t back away, but instead, you jump
in and try your best. Being adaptable means You gain the following benefits:
that you’re often cooperative, because you Versatile: +2 to any one Pool, which you can
know that, by working together, a group can reassign after each ten-hour recovery roll.
overcome things that might be impossible for Skill: You’re trained in pleasant social
an individual. Some seek you out because of interactions.
your adaptability, but others don’t see it as a Resilient: You’re trained in all actions that
positive trait and instead see you as someone involve overcoming or ignoring the effects

The descriptors provided here have been selected with an eye toward how well
they might pair with the thrust of Numenera Destiny and its emphasis on
leadership, creating a legacy, improving the future, and building objects of

special wonder and usefulness.

40

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

of deprivation, sorrow, or pain. This includes BENEFICENT Being beneficent
tasks related to ending an ongoing condition means caring for others
such as being dazed, blinded, stunned, and so Helping others is your calling. It’s why you’re genuinely rather than
on. (However, you are not trained in tasks to here. Others delight in your outgoing and being kind for the sake of
resist effects that confer those conditions in charitable nature, and you delight in their getting what you want.
the first place.) happiness. You’re at your best when you’re
aiding people, either by explaining how 41
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From they can best overcome a challenge or by
the following list of options, choose how you demonstrating how to do so yourself.
became involved in the first adventure.
You gain the following benefits:
1. The other PCs were impressed by how Helpful: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
quickly you adapted to a bad situation and Devoted: Allies who have spent the last day
invited you to join them. with you add +1 to their recovery rolls. You also
gain this benefit if at least one other ally gains it.
2. The other PCs were looking for someone Skill: You’re trained in all tasks related to
else, but you convinced them that you were the pleasant social interaction, putting other
perfect person to join them instead. people at ease, and gaining others’ trust.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
3. The other PCs were in a bind, but you the following list of options, choose how you
were able to convince a third party to let the became involved in the first adventure.
PCs go about their business—and you with 1. Even though you didn’t know most of the
them. other PCs beforehand, you invited yourself on
their quest to help them.
4. One of the other PCs used to remark on 2. You saw the other PCs struggling to overcome
your adaptability when you were younger, and a problem and selflessly joined them to help.
now they’ve asked you to come along on a new 3. You’re nearly certain the other PCs will fail
outing where your skills are likely to be useful. without you.
4. You had to choose between living your
ARTICULATE tattered life and helping others. You haven’t
looked back since.
When you speak, people understand exactly
what you’re saying. You’re fluent, coherent,
and, some might even say, silver-tongued,
though you’d beg to differ. You don’t
manipulate people; you just explain things so
clearly and with such imaginative examples
that those who disagree with you often come
around to your point of view. Your eloquence
is something that many praise you for, though
some hate you for it because, compared to
you, they find themselves wanting.

You gain the following benefits:
Lucid: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in persuasion.
Skill: You’re trained in all actions that
involve making plans, explaining plans, and
convincing others to accept your plans.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
1. One of the other PCs asked you to explain
something to them. Impressed, they asked you
to accompany them on a mission.
2. You were delighted with one of the other
PCs’ ability to convey their ideas and asked to
come along.
3. You’ve made some enemies despite—or
perhaps because of—your articulate nature,
and you need to find friends or, better yet,
leave the area for a while.
4. Another PC asked you to take part in the
mission because they felt it would fail without
you.

Numenera plans, CHEERFUL Skill: You’re trained in tasks related to
page 135 finding out about both current events and
Happy and optimistic, you rarely feel down. secrets within the community where you live.
Community stats, Usually, you wake up with anticipation for
page 301 what the day will hold. Your good spirits Skill: You’re trained in all tasks related
aren’t necessarily something you try to to aiding a community, including repairing
share with others, because you know that infrastructure, quelling riots, defending against
what lies in another’s heart isn’t for you to incursions, and so on.
change. But sometimes your mere presence
and lighthearted nature is enough to mend Additional Equipment: You start with a
sadness. Of course, sometimes bad things numenera plan for an installation.
happen to you too, and your basic nature is
suppressed for a time. But eventually, your Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
light-heartedness always returns. the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
You gain the following benefits:
Bright: +4 to your Intellect Pool. 1. While picking up litter around the
Skill: You are trained in one activity that community, you overheard the other PCs
most would consider to be a hobby, such as talking about a mission and asked to join.
woodworking, singing, writing, and so on.
Skill: You are trained in tasks related to 2. You need resources and friends to help
making friends, ending conflicts, and making a you in your civic aspirations later.
positive first impression on strangers.
Inability: You have a hard time recognizing 3. It was clear that the mission couldn’t
when others aren’t as bright and forthcoming succeed without your civic skills and knowledge.
as you. Tasks to detect falsehoods and
disguises are hindered. 4. You thought the community would be
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From endangered if you didn’t come along.
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure. COMMITTED
1. One of the other PCs asked you to come
along because of your pleasant nature in the You are wholeheartedly dedicated and loyal
hopes that it would help bond the group. to a cause, activity, or job, shrugging off any
2. You were just trying to be agreeable, but obstacles that get in your way. When you
you ended up agreeing to go on a mission. pick this descriptor, you can work with your
3. You woke up with a great idea for an GM to figure out what that cause is. For
expedition and got the other PCs to join you. instance, maybe you’re committed to tracking
4. Your cheerfulness saved you from down someone who wronged you long ago.
violence when bad elements confronted you. Alternatively, you can wait for a cause to catch
Instead of beating you (or worse), they told your attention in the campaign. Either way,
you about something that led to your mission. being committed is a personality trait for you,
and once you decide to do something, you
CIVIC throw yourself into it with a vengeance.

You put the good of the many over the needs You gain the following benefits:
of the few, at least in a sense. You implicitly Steadfast: +4 to your Might Pool.
understand that only through cooperation Skill: You’re trained in tasks related to
can groups of people remain happy and enduring trials of mind and body.
productive. Your experience has shown that Dedication Brings Rewards: You tend to
cooperation generates greater benefits for practice things over and over. Once between
everyone in the long term—including access each ten-hour recovery roll, you gain an asset to
to food, protection, and knowledge. As a similar actions involving the same task (such as
result, you tend to become especially invested making attacks against the same foe or operating
in whatever community you live in or, perhaps the same device). The asset doesn’t apply to
one day, found yourself. similar but different tasks (such as attacking
a different foe, even if of the same kind, or
You gain the following benefits: operating a different but very similar device).
Civic-Minded: You add +1 to the health of Inability: Sometimes you come across as
any community you are currently living in. so single-minded that you put people off.
Cooperative: +2 to your Intellect Pool. Persuasion tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
1. Your commitment to your cause seems
to overlap some aspect of what the other PCs
want to accomplish.

42

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

Most characters who are Cultured were raised in large cities, but some grew up in
special circumstances that provided a similar benefit, such as being tutored by an

automaton designed to provide a high education.

2. You were looking for something to 4. You told another PC that you’ve never Being cultured isn't an
commit to, and the other PCs had a job they failed and probably never would. They took you accident (or doesn't have
needed to get done. at your word and brought you along. to be); anyone can decide
to broaden their horizons
3. Obviously, a task like what the PCs had in CULTURED by trying to learn more,
mind needed someone as committed as you see more, and appreciate
to see it through. Your excellent education and privileged things outside their
upbringing has lent you a refined taste. You’re normal experience.
4. As you completed another mission with able to discern degrees of difference where
great success, you overheard the other PCs others see, hear, or taste the same thing. Your GM intrusion,
talking about a new mission and asked to join. awareness extends to artistic endeavors and page 123
general knowledge of the area you reside in and
CONFIDENT areas far from you (to the extent this knowledge 43
is possible). You’re an example, if you do say
You’re self-assured, which helps in almost so yourself, of the benefits that civilization can
every situation—at least situations where bring to someone. Though that doesn’t mean
violence is not involved. Fortunately, because you can’t appreciate other ways of living.
you’re so self-confident and positive, you’re
usually able to steer situations away from You gain the following benefits:
violent endings. It’s possible that your Skill: You’re trained in all tasks related to
confidence makes you seem levelheaded and knowledge of current events and history.
cool in a tough situation, or your confidence Skill: You’re discerning, trained in all tasks
could make you eager to prove your skills related to perception, detecting differences,
when the going gets rough—it’s up to you. and noticing minor flaws (or strengths) in the
Either way, others eventually learn that you’re works of others.
confident for a good reason. Learned: Being well read and well educated,
you have a wide range of talents. You can
You gain the following benefits: attempt one task in which you have no training
Self-Reliant: +1 to each of your Pools. as if you were trained. This ability refreshes
Skills: There is some basis for your every time you make a recovery roll, but the
confidence. You are trained in three non- uses never accumulate.
physical, non-combat skills of your choice. Inability: People who are not Cultured may
Confident Outlook: Sometimes confidence think of you as a snob. Any task involving
counts as much as or more than competence. getting people to believe or trust you is
When you set your mind to it, you are trained hindered.
in one task for ten minutes, as long as that Additional Equipment: You have a book on
task is not an attack or a defense. You can do a topic of your choice and a set of very fine
this once per rest (the ability is renewed each clothing.
time you make a recovery roll). Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
Failure Has Its Consequence: Sometimes the following list of options, choose how you
confidence leads to overconfidence and a became involved in the first adventure.
stark realization of failure. You trigger a GM 1. You could see that the other PCs would
intrusion on a d20 roll of 1 or 2. fail without your help.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From 2. You convinced one of the other PCs that
the following list of options, choose how you you had invaluable skills.
became involved in the first adventure. 3. You know that expanding your education
1. You dragged one of the other PCs into it, requires experience as well as study, and you
certain that together you could accomplish believe that you can learn a lot by joining the
anything. other PCs.
2. When the other PCs asked for help, 4. Just because you’re cultured doesn’t
you were confident that you could provide mean you don’t wish to explore, see new
whatever was necessary. places, and make a name for yourself!
3. How could you not be involved? The mission
requires someone with your skills to succeed.

More times than CURIOUS Skill: You see things others miss. You are
not, a curious person trained in perception.
There once was a time when the prior worlds
is someone who is spoke to the stars, reshaped the creatures of Skill: You’re always investigating something
willing to be wrong. the world, and mastered form and essence. new and building up your knowledge. As
Isn’t that incredible? Each day is a chance to a result, you can always find something
rediscover a secret, a bit of knowledge, a story, interesting or engaging about any situation.
or something you can’t even imagine yet. It’s You’re trained in all tasks related to detecting
dizzying, when you consider all there is to falsehoods, piercing illusions or disguises, and
learn and discover. You’re drawn to explore seeing past facades.
the ruins of the prior worlds, places that are
brand new and unique to the Ninth World, or Additional Equipment: You have three books
civilizations that still exist among the stars on whatever subjects you choose.
high overhead.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
Of course, if you’re going to satisfy your the following list of options, choose how you
curiosity, you need to be careful. Before became involved in the first adventure.
plunging directly into the unknown, you learn
as much as you can about a new area through 1. You were curious about what the PCs were
inquiry or exploration. Otherwise, you might doing and followed them.
not live long enough to see everything you
want to see and do everything you want to do. 2. You heard that the other PCs were going
someplace new and begged to go along.
You gain the following benefits:
Inquisitive: +2 to your Intellect Pool. 3. You got in over your head pursuing
something fascinating, and the other PCs
rescued you.

4. One of the other PCs fascinates you, perhaps
due to a special or weird ability they have.

EARNEST

You always speak from the heart, rarely
remembering that dissembling can be useful
to smooth over awkward interpersonal
situations. You’re sincere and feel things
deeply. You like to get to the meat of whatever
problem prevents you from succeeding,
whether it’s a person, a physical obstacle, or a
puzzle of some kind.

You gain the following benefits:
Purposeful: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’re trained in persuasion.
Skill: You have a passion. You are trained in
one area of lore or knowledge of your choice.
Skill: You’re trained in defense rolls to resist
disease and poison.
Skill: You’re trained in all tasks involving
providing consolation and emotional support
to others.
Inability: You never could detect a lie. Tasks
that involve seeing through lies or trickery are
hindered.
Additional Equipment: You make deep and
abiding friendships. Thanks to your earnest
nature, a friend has given you an additional
expensive item worth up to 10 shins.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
1. Another PC told you what they were up to,
and you joined them.
2. Hard times overwhelmed you, and having
no funds, you joined the other PCs.

44

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

3. It was either join the other PCs or be EXACTING GM intrusions,
kidnapped into a far worse situation. page 123
You expect a lot from others. From your point
4. You suspect that the other PCs won’t of view, you are drawing out their very best.
succeed without you. Demanding the utmost of those around you
can be challenging in and of itself. Many
EMPIRICAL people would rather take things easier because
putting in extra effort is hard. But for you,
You trust only what you can see with your own effort is what it’s all about. You expect the most
eyes—and sometimes not even that. You’re from yourself, so why wouldn’t you expect
most comfortable when you’ve had time to greatness from those you work with? People
complete your research, find all the facts, and sometimes call you demanding, but you take it
figure out the truth. as a compliment.

You gain the following benefits: You gain the following benefits:
Observer: +4 to your Intellect Pool. Unyielding: +4 to your Might Pool.
Skill: You are trained in all actions involved Skill: You’re trained in persuasion and
with conducting tests to find proof, discern the intimidation tasks.
truth, or glean information. Skill: You’re trained in tasks to sense when
Quick Study: When you take a round to someone isn’t telling the truth.
study whatever is in front of you and gain the Inability: You’re sometimes accused of being
facts, you feel more confident that you’re about unpleasant. Tasks involving positive social
to do the right thing. Your next non-combat interaction are hindered.
action gains an asset. Inability: Being so concerned with how those
Non-Resilient: If you haven’t had time to around you are performing their tasks makes
study something, you have a hard time taking you vulnerable to anything that attacks your
action and moving forward. Whenever you mind. Intellect defense rolls are hindered.
receive a GM intrusion, any action you take in Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
response is hindered. the following list of options, choose how you
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From became involved in the first adventure.
the following list of options, choose how you 1. The other PCs demonstrated they could
became involved in the first adventure. meet your standards, and you offered to
1. You’ve been studying a topic for a long accompany them.
time, and you think one of the other PCs has 2. Another PC helped you out of a difficult
some knowledge about said topic. situation, and you accompanied them to repay
2. You need to gather some additional the debt.
materials for something you are studying, and 3. Most people aren’t even worth
joining the other PCs seemed like a good way considering, but the other PCs show promise.
to get it. 4. To tell the truth, being exacting all the
3. Someone told you an impossible story time also leads to loneliness. You joined the
about this area, and you absolutely need to other PCs because you wanted some company.
see for yourself to prove them wrong (or
begrudgingly let them know they’re right). FORWARD-THINKING
4. You recently read something that
suggested there was more knowledge in the You take time to think about all angles of a
world than could be found in study. You’d like future project or mission, so you can prepare
to find out if that is true. for any and all contingencies. You’re not
necessarily bad at thinking on your feet, but
you work better when you have time to prepare
for a situation. Because you’re forward-
thinking, people may come to you for advice.

A character who is Exacting isn’t necessarily thought of in a bad light by other PCs.
They just make sure to frame all the facts as baldly as possible, without softening
them. This can rub some people the wrong way, but an Exacting character is merely

trying to achieve the best possible outcome.

45

You’re not better at guessing equally weighted 2. You showed up when and where you did
outcomes, but then again, you know that after due consideration and forethought.
few events are completely random. Things
usually happen for a reason, and you excel at 3. In order to gain the resources you need
identifying such things ahead of time. for some longer-term projects, you need to
accomplish shorter-term goals.
You gain the following benefits:
Thinker: +2 to your Intellect Pool. 4. You told one of the other PCs that nothing
Skill: You are trained in initiative tasks. could surprise you because you’re always thinking
Skill: You know how to leverage risk. You’re ahead. They brought you along to test your claim.
trained in tasks that involve some element of
chance, such as playing games or choosing GREGARIOUS
between two or three apparently equal options.
Additional Equipment: You have about 30 You love people, and they generally love
extra shins hidden away for emergencies. you. You know how to interact with large
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From groups and work the crowd. You’re likely to
the following list of options, choose how you be a leader, a diplomat, or a very successful
became involved in the first adventure. businessperson. You enjoy being around
1. A new danger arose, but you were people, and you’re generally interested in what
prepared and responded with a pre-planned they have to say and what they think about
contingency. things. You ask a lot of questions, and you’re
generous and kind to those who deserve it
(in fact, you’re often willing to give latitude to
people who others would have given up on).

You gain the following benefits:
Likable and Informed: +2 to your Intellect
Pool.
People Person: When you are within
immediate range of at least two allies, the
difficulty of one non-combat-related task is
eased. You can do this only once, but its use is
restored each time you make a recovery roll.
Getting the Word: If you spend an hour amid
a large group of people, you can glean general
rumors, gossip, or opinions they hold.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
1. You asked around and learned the other
PCs were doing something interesting.
2. You bought the other PCs a round of
drinks, and they welcomed you into their ranks.
3. You gathered the other PCs together for
the task at hand.
4. Doing anything is better than being alone.

HEROIC

You are courageous, daring, and altruistic
in equal measures. You’re not afraid to face
horrors that make others quaver, especially if it
means helping someone who couldn’t succeed
(or survive) without you. Some say you’re
made of the stuff of legends and that your
exploits will one day become the stories that
inspire a new generation.

You gain the following benefits:
Mighty: +2 to your Might Pool.
Heroic Guise: You hold yourself in a way that
inspires others. You are trained in all social
interactions.

46

CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR

Hero’s Complication: Although the GM Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
can use GM intrusions on you normally the following list of options, choose how you
(awarding XP), they can also introduce a became involved in the first adventure.
GM intrusion on you as if you had rolled a 1
on a d20 roll (without awarding XP) based 1. In your head, the only way the group
on how your heroic nature tends to attract would succeed is if you were with them to save
danger. Every other time the GM uses this the day.
ability to introduce a GM intrusion without
giving you XP, your heroic nature works to 2. You needed money, and this seemed like a
your advantage. Your weapon breaks, but that good way to earn some.
allows you to notice something everyone else
missed. A trap catches you, but it also catches 3. Experience is the best ingredient for even
your enemies. A new foe enters the fray, but better panoramas of imagination.
your current foe mistakes it for your ally and
attacks it instead of you. You and the GM 4. It sounded like fun.
should determine the advantage together.
INDUSTRIOUS One of the secrets
Skill: Things tend to go your way. You are to being industrious
trained in tasks involving perception and You’re rarely satisfied with the status quo. is learning how to
finding hidden things. You’re always thinking about how you’d like to manage time wisely.
advance your agenda or improve a situation
Inability: You tend to take others at their (whether it’s your situation or someone else’s). Free level of Effort,
word. Tasks that involve detecting falsehoods Whatever your goal, you come at things with page 103
are hindered. an idea of how you’ll accomplish everything
that needs to be done to achieve it.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you You gain the following benefits:
became involved in the first adventure. Energetic: +4 to your Speed Pool.
Ready for What’s Next: You add +1 to your
1. You were hunting a great foe and hired the recovery rolls.
other PCs to accompany you. Imaginative Solution: When you apply a
level of Effort to any Intellect task, you gain a
2. The PCs were looking for someone like free level of Effort. You can do this one time,
you to round out their number. although the ability is renewed each time you
make a ten-hour recovery roll.
3. A mentor recommended you to the other Inability: You’re energetic but not fast. All
PCs. movement-related tasks are hindered.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
4. You killed a mighty foe, and the other PCs the following list of options, choose how you
were aided (or rescued from captivity) by that act. became involved in the first adventure.
1. Following your plan got you to this point.
IMAGINATIVE 2. Industry requires resources, and this
mission seemed likely to provide what you
You have a flair for making things up. needed.
Whenever something else isn’t occupying your 3. You believed the mission would be a great
attention, you’re creating an ongoing narrative way to learn more about some of the roadblocks
or mental picture within the confines of your that stand in the way of achieving your goal.
own mind. Sometimes, what you imagine 4. One of the other PCs said they’d help you
becomes a useful idea or something you write, if you helped them.
paint, or draw. Mainly, however, you live inside
your own head, content to imagine all the INTIMIDATING
things that the world around you sometimes
fails to provide. You are imposing, either in manner, stature,

You gain the following benefits: or both. People’s eyes often grow wide as
Brainy: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You’ve got a flair for art and are you enter a room. There’s a touch of danger
trained in one of the following skills: painting,
drawing, singing, poetry, writing, sculpting, around you, and most people can sense it. It’s
playing a style of musical instrument, or
something similar. Being intimidating is sometimes as easy as keeping your
Imaginative Solution: When you apply a mouth closed.
level of Effort to any Intellect task, you gain a
free level of Effort. You can do this one time,
although the ability is renewed each time you
make a ten-hour recovery roll.

47

off-putting and unnerving, but you can use it Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
to your advantage. the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
Perhaps your voice is gravelly and low.
Perhaps it’s the hardened stare you give people 1. You saw that the other PCs were in trouble
or the scars that cover your face. Or maybe and moved in on your own to see what was
you’re just a looming presence with a big going on.
weapon. Whatever it is, you scare people.
2. You heard rumors that the other PCs were
You gain the following benefits: doing something interesting or profitable.
Threatening: +2 to your Might Pool or +2 to
your Intellect Pool or +1 to both Pools. 3. One of the other PCs is a childhood friend
Skill: You’re trained in all intimidation tasks. of yours.
Threaten: Foes within immediate distance
hesitate, which hinders their next action. 4. One of the other PCs hired you to be a
You can do this once, although the ability is bodyguard.
renewed each time you make a recovery roll.
Menace: One foe you choose within INTUITIVE
immediate range uses their next action to
move away from you. You can do this once, You are often tickled by a sense of knowing
although the ability is renewed each time you what someone will say, how they will react, or
make a recovery roll. how events might unfold. Maybe you have a
Inability: You’re threatening but not a quick mutant sense, maybe you can see just a few
study. Tasks related to lore and knowledge are moments ahead through time, or maybe you’re
hindered. just good at reading people and extrapolating
a situation. Whatever the case, many who
look into your eyes immediately glance away,
as if afraid of what you might see in their
expression.

You gain the following benefits:
Innate: +2 to your Intellect Pool.
Skill: You are trained in perception tasks.
Know What to Do: You can act immediately,
even if it’s not your turn. Afterward, on your
next regular turn, any action you take is
hindered. You can do this one time, although
the ability is renewed each time you make a
recovery roll.
Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From
the following list of options, choose how you
became involved in the first adventure.
1. You just knew you had to come along.
2. You convinced one of the other PCs that
your intuition is invaluable.
3. You felt that something terrible would
happen if you didn’t go.
4. You’re confident the reason you arrived at
this point will soon become clear.

IRREPRESSIBLE

Your enthusiasm knows few bounds. Even
when things become truly dire, you aren’t
deterred for long. If you’re hurt, you bounce
back. If you’re insulted, you try to find
common ground. In fact, that’s what people
say about you—that you always make a
comeback, even if it seems like you were
beaten. You may change your plans based on
the situation at hand, but you never really give
up. You just move along toward something
better and brighter.

48