Kalos Mechanism 4e EN:Gifts

Contents

Gifts are exceptional abilities that a normal person can have, but that most people do not have. The details of each gift are highly dependent on a character's background, so the player should work with the GM to flesh out these details. Gifts which impact the setting directly, such as Headquarters and Wealthy, should receive more than the usual amount of GM consultation.

Each gift costs 1 character point.

Example: Buying three gifts costs 3 character points. Buying a fourth gift costs 1 character point.

Typical Gifts

These are the typical gifts found in a Kalos Mechanism game. A character may have a gift not listed here, subject to GM approval. Any new gifts should be approximately as useful as these gifts.

Table: Gifts

Gift	Type	Description
Animal Empathy	Noncombat	The character can use Diplomacy and Manipulation skills on animals
Attentive	Combat	The character is unaffected by attempts to distract them
Bag Of Tricks	Noncombat	The character carries a bag, a belt, or a backpack with a number of small, ordinary items (Equipment Level 2)
Blindfighting	Combat	The character can engage in combat while blinded without the associated penalties
Connected	Noncombat	The character has a wide ranging network of useful friends, rivals, and former associates
Disarming Expert	Combat	The character can make disarming attacks without the associated penalty
Escape Artist	Combat	The character receives a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS DV) when attempting to break out of a grapple or the Hold power
Expert Reputation	Noncombat	The character can sometimes gain favors from strangers who are familiar with their work
Famous	Noncombat	The character can sometimes gain favors from strangers who recognize them
Fascinating	Noncombat	The character can sometimes gain favors from admirers
Headquarters	Noncombat	The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies and workshops reasonable for the character's background and skills
Iron Fists	Combat	The character's unarmed hand-to-hand normal attacks deal points of Health damage equal to the character's Athletics
Linguist	Noncombat	The character is fluent in dozens of languages, and they are capable of quickly deciphering new languages when they encounter them
Mental Calculator	Noncombat	The character can solve complex mathematical equations by thinking about them briefly
Minions	Noncombat	The character has an assortment of minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness
Perfect Recall	Noncombat	The character can perfectly remember any event, document, or recording which the character has clearly seen or heard
Quick Change	Noncombat	The character can change their entire outfit with a quick action
Ranged Disarm	Combat	The character can make a disarming attack with a ranged weapon, with the usual associated penalties
Scrounger	Noncombat	The character can find shelter, food, and personal essentials enough to provide for themselves and a small number of friends
Second Identity	Noncombat	The character has a second, completely legitimate identity which will withstand even the most focused scrutiny
Sense Auras	Noncombat	The character can see the invisible emanations around people
Sharpshooter	Combat	The character may ignore cover in ranged combat, as long as they can see part of the target
Team Player	Combat	Once per scene, the character can grant a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV) to all of their allies
Unsettling	Noncombat	The character can gain a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV) on Manipulation skill rolls pertaining to intimidation and interrogation
Vehicles	Noncombat	The character has an assortment of vehicles at their disposal
Wealthy	Noncombat	The character can solve problems by throwing money at them
Weightless Combat	Combat	The character can fight or perform tasks while weightless without the associated penalties

Animal Empathy

The character can use Diplomacy and Manipulation skills on animals. Normal animals are more likely to be calm around the character, although a dangerous, hostile animal might require a moderately difficult (DV 9) Diplomacy or Manipulation roll to keep the animal from attacking.

Once per scene, the character can befriend an animal which is not hostile to the character. The animal will always remember the character and treat them as a friend.

A character's Animal Empathy might be limited to a specific type of animal, such as cats or sea creatures. If this is the case, the character gains a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS DV) when interacting with that animal type.

Attentive

The character is unaffected by attempts to distract them.

Bag Of Tricks

The character carries a bag, a belt, or a backpack with a number of small, ordinary items (Equipment Level 2). The character can use a quick action to pull any needed item from their bag, as long as the item is small enough to fit in the palm of their hand and can be purchased from an ordinary retail shop.

Blindfighting

Normally, a character who can't perceive their opponent has great difficulty in combat. A character with the Blindfighting gift can engage in combat while blinded or otherwise unable to perceive their opponent, without the associated penalties. This gift could be granted by keen hearing, training, or some form of alternate perception.

If the character has the Blindsight power, this gift is superfluous.

Connected

"I know some people." The character has a wide ranging network of friends, rivals, and former associates. From time to time, the character can contact one of these people, and have a reasonable chance of getting a favor from them. When the character wants to get a favor from someone, the player names the NPC and briefly describes how their character knows this contact. When the character meets their contact, they must attempt a moderately difficult (DV 9) Diplomacy roll to see how their contact receives them.

Expert Tip: Failure should never make the game less interesting.

Disarming Expert

Normally, a character making a disarming attack incurs a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). A character with the Disarming Expert gift can make disarming attacks without the associated penalty.

Escape Artist

A character with the Escape Artist gift receives a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL MAJOR BONUS DV) when attempting to break out of a grapple or the Hold power. If the character has the Mental Combat skill, they also receive a skill bonus when attempting to break out of the Mind Hold power.

Expert Reputation

The character is an acknowledged expert in a specific, narrowly-defined professional, scholarly, or technical field. Among their peers in that field, the character's name and reputation are widely known. People who respect that reputation may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from strangers who are familiar with their work.

Note that it is possible to have an Expert Reputation without actually being an expert.

Famous

The character's name and likeness are widely known, perhaps due to their exploits, or possibly because they are from a notorious family. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because paparazzi are often nearby. People may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from strangers who recognize them.

Fascinating

The character is naturally, effortlessly compelling. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances. People may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from admirers.

Headquarters

The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies and workshops reasonable for the character's background and skills. If the character is a member of a team, the headquarters might be shared with the other team members, at the player's discretion. A headquarters is primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat.

Additionally, the character can make a moderately difficult (DV 9) Survival roll to remember a "safe house" or a cache of supplies nearby, wherever they happen to be.

Iron Fists

Normally, an unarmed hand-to-hand attack deals points of Endurance damage equal to the character's Athletics. The unarmed hand-to-hand normal attacks of a character with the Iron Fists gift deal points of Health damage equal to the character's Athletics. Making an unarmed normal attack requires a successful Hand-to-hand Combat roll against 7 + Hand-to-hand Combat of the target. If the attacker succeeds at this roll, then the attacker's damage is equal to their Athletics. The target subtracts their Damage Resistance from the amount the attacker rolled. The target's Health is reduced by the remaining amount.

Linguist

The character is fluent in dozens of languages, and they are capable of quickly deciphering new languages when they encounter them.

The Linguist gift is not required for a character to know the languages they would reasonably be expected to know based on their background. Such languages are simply part of the character's background.

Mental Calculator

The character can solve complex mathematical equations by thinking about them briefly. Also, the character has an intuitive understanding of higher mathematics, and is able to comprehend and remember intricate formulae and equations after examining them briefly.

Minions

The character has an assortment of minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness. Such minions might be guards, administrative staff, or technicians to keep the character's equipment in proper working order. Minions are primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. They are not generally useful in combat.

There is no set limit to the number of minions a character might have, subject to the GM's approval, but the more minions there are, the less competent they are.

Perfect Recall

The character can perfectly remember any event, document, or recording which the character has clearly seen or heard, even if they were not paying particular attention to it at the time.

Quick Change

The character can change their entire outfit with a quick action. This could be made possible by super-speed, a costume stored in a ring, or just by wearing a different outfit underneath street clothes. A character with Quick Change and the Alternate Form power can change forms once per round with a quick action.

Ranged Disarm

The character can make a disarming attack with a ranged weapon. A ranged disarming attack requires a successful Ranged Combat roll against 7 + Ranged Combat of the target. As with hand-to-hand disarming attacks, the attacker incurs a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV).

Scrounger

The character can always find useful items by asking around and keeping their eyes open, whether they are in the wilderness or in an urban environment. The character can find shelter, food, and personal essentials enough to provide for themselves and a small number of friends.

Second Identity

The character has a second, completely legitimate identity which will withstand even the most focused scrutiny. Alternately, at the player's choice, the character has no documented identity at all: any and all records of their existence have been erased.

Sense Auras

The character can see the invisible emanations around people. Sensing the aura of a person requires a standard action.

If the character makes a successful Investigation roll against 7 + Deception of the target, they can sense whether the aura is "warm" (positive, life affirming) or "cold" (negative, life negating). If the character fails this roll, they may not attempt to read that person or object again during that scene. A typical person's aura is slightly "warm".

The aura of a character with Mental Resistance can't be read. Objects do not generally have auras.

Table: Typical aura colors

Color	Temperament
Red	In a positive light, red indicates a healthy ego: someone powerful, sensual, passionate, and energetic. In a negative light, red indicates anger, an unforgiving nature, or anxiety.
Orange	In a positive light, orange indicates productivity and creativity: someone sociable, detail oriented, and courageous. In a negative light, it can indicate stress and addictions.
Yellow	Indicates optimism, and easy-going nature, inspiration, and intelligence.
Green	Indicates balance, growth, and a willingness to change. It is a strong indication of a love of people, animals, and nature.
Turquoise	Indicates a sensitive, compassionate nature, that of a healer or a counselor.
Blue	Indicates calm and focus. It is a strong indication of clarity, truthfulness, and an intuitive nature.
Indigo	Indicates deep feeling: someone of profound intuition and sensitivity.
Violet	Indicates a sensitive nature and greater than average psychic potential. May also indicate an artistic temperament.
Lavender	Indicates great vision and imagination.

Sharpshooter

The character may ignore cover in ranged combat, as long as they can see part of the target.

Team Player

The character works well with others. Once per scene, the character can grant a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV) to all of their allies, to use on their next skill roll or their next defense (Team Player's choice).

Unsettling

The character is able to put off a disturbing vibe that makes people and animals nervous. The character can gain a skill bonus (+Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, +Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV) on Manipulation skill rolls pertaining to intimidation and interrogation.

Vehicles

The character has an assortment of vehicles at their disposal. If the character is a member of a team, the vehicles might be shared with the other team members, at the player's discretion. A vehicle is primarily a convenience for the GM and a fun asset for the character. It is not generally useful in combat.

Additionally, the character can make a moderately difficult (DV 9) Survival roll to remember a vehicle they have stored nearby, wherever they happen to be.

Wealthy

If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, the character can probably solve that problem. Food, clothing, and shelter cease to be concerns for a character with Wealth.

Weightless Combat

If a character is underwater or in a zero-gravity environment, they normally incur a skill penalty (-Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS AV, -Template:KM4 SKILL BONUS DV). A character with the Weightless Combat gift can fight or perform tasks while weightless without the associated penalties.