ZeroSpace 3e EN:Gifts

Contents

Gifts are exceptional abilities that a normal sentient can have, but that most sentients 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. Each gift costs one character point. We suggest spending no more than 5 character points total on esoteric powers, gifts, and alien traits.

Typical Gifts

This is a list of typical gifts found in a ZeroSpace game. This list is not exhaustive. A character may well have a gift not listed here, subject to GM approval. However, any new gifts should be approximately as useful as these gifts, in order to maintain a sense of fairness with other characters.

Would you like to randomly generate a character's gifts? You can!

Table: Random gifts

Roll 1d6	Number of gifts
1	Roll once on Typical gifts
2-5	Roll twice on Typical gifts
6	Roll three times on Typical gifts

Count the number of gifts, and subtract that number from your pool of character points.

Table: Typical gifts

Roll 1d6	Roll 1d6	Gift	Benefit
1	1	Blindfighting	The character incurs fewer penalties when unable to see or hear
	2	Cybernetics	The character has one or more artificial limbs or organs
	3	Connected	Get a favor from people with influence or authority
	4	Elusive	May base defense value (DV) on Agility rather than Brawn in close combat
	5	Exceptional Beauty	Get attention, and perhaps favors, from admirers
	6	Famous	Get attention, and perhaps favors, from strangers
2	1	Hard Target	May base defense value (DV) on Brawn rather than Agility in ranged combat
	2	Headquarters	The character has one or more bases of operation
	3	Indefatigable	The character does not incur a penalty die when exhausted
	4	Leadership	Spend plot points for others on the same team
	5	Lightning Strike	May use Agility for Close Combat rolls
	6	Linguist	Learn new languages with minimal effort
3	1	Master Plan	Gain a tactical benefit if there is time to prepare for an encounter
	2	Mental Calculator	Solve complex mathematical operations by thinking about them
	3	Mind Shield	Resistant to mental attacks and unnatural coercion
	4	Minions	Minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness
	5	Perfect Recall	Remember something perfectly with a Reason roll
	6	Pro From Dover	The absolute best in their field, whatever that is
4	1	Secret Identity	The character has a second, completely legitimate identity
	2	Sharpshooter	Use weapons at longer than usual range
	3	Team Player	Gain a bonus die when working with others
	4	Tenacious	May base defense value (DV) on Presence rather than on Agility or Brawn
	5	Underwater Combat	Fight underwater with ease
	6	Unsettling	Make people nervous for no real reason
5	1	Wealthy	Solve problems with money
	2	Zero-G Combat	Fight in weightlessness with ease

Blindfighting

Normally, if an attacker can't see the defender, the attacker incurs a penalty die, and if a defender can't see the attacker, the defender incurs a penalty die. If an attacker has the Blindfighting gift, they do not incur a penalty die when they are unable to perceive the defender. If a defender has the Blindfighting gift, they do not incur a penalty die when they are unable to perceive their attacker.

Cybernetics

The character has one or more artificial limbs or organs. Under ordinary circumstances, these serve as ordinary replacements for the character's original biological parts. However, the character begins each game with one extra plot point. Cybernetics are a particularly good justification for a bonus die, a power boost, a power stunt, or even a retcon. (Who would have suspected that you had thought to store a tracking device in your cybernetic hand?)

Cybernetics can be obvious, but they do not have to be. The primary purpose of cybernetics is to be a prosthesis, and most people do not want to look like androids -- except, of course, actual androids, who may also buy this gift.

Connected

The character is on a first-name basis with people who have influence or authority. For example, perhaps the character is a college buddy of a regional Commissary's and is a childhood friend of a major player in an organized crime syndicate. From time to time, the character can ask these people for favors and have a reasonable chance of having the favor granted. The likelihood of having the favor granted will be much greater if the character does favors in return from time to time. On the other hand, having friends in high places may mean that the character attracts the attention of the friends' enemies.

Elusive

A character with the Elusive gift is fast on their feet and good at rolling with the punches. When attacked by a Close Combat attack, the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Agility rather than on their Brawn, even if the character does not have the Close Combat skill. Equipment, traits, and esoteric powers which would add to the character's Brawn to determine their defense value may add to the character's Agility, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Exceptional Beauty

The character is naturally, effortlessly attractive. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because they will be the focus of attention in nearly any circumstances. People who are swayed by appearance may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from admirers. If this is the case, the character gains a bonus die on relevant Presence rolls.

Famous

The character's name and likeness are widely known, perhaps due to their exploits or achievements, or possibly because they are from a noble or notorious family. It is difficult for the character to pass unnoticed, because paparazzi are often nearby. People who are impressed by celebrity may be more likely to cooperate with the character, and the character can sometimes gain favors from strangers. If this is the case, the character gains a bonus die on relevant Presence rolls.

Hard Target

When attacked by a Ranged Combat attack, a character with the Hard Target gift may base their defense value (DV) on their Brawn rather than on their Agility, even if the character does not have the Ranged Combat skill. This can reflect the character's genetically superior physiology, their superhuman healing ability, the harnessing of the character's chi, or some other effect. Equipment, traits, and esoteric powers which would add to the character's Agility to determine their defense value may add to the character's Brawn, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Headquarters

The character has one or more bases of operation, equipped with supplies and equipment reasonable for the character's background and skills. If the character is a member of a team, the base(s) 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, and is mainly used for flavor and a setting for roleplaying. For example, a high-tech base might have an air-tight security system, complete with laser turrets and knockout gas, but this won't keep the base from being broken into by pirates or taken over by a sentient computer virus.

Indefatigable

Normally, a character who has lost more than half of their Endurance can speak and take roleplaying actions, but any other action, including combat, incurs a penalty die. A character with Indefatigable is just as close to defeat, but they do not incur a penalty die for this condition.

Leadership

A character with the Leadership gift excels at bringing out the best in others, and other people are more effective with the character than they are alone. A character with Leadership can spend their own plot points on behalf of their teammates and allies. For example, this could be to help an ally do something the character with Leadership is not in a position to do, or to provide support for a teammate who is in trouble.

Lightning Strike

A character with Lightning Strike can deal devastating blows using speed and finesse rather than brute force. When making a Close Combat attack, the character may substitute their Agility for their Brawn when determining their attack value (AV). The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis. This can reflect the character's advanced advanced martial arts training, their superhuman speed, the harnessing of the character's chi, or some other effect.

Linguist

Universe, an artifical language created thousands of years ago, is the official language of the Imperium. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it. Additionally, every alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves: some civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages. No one but a robot will even attempt to learn more than a dozen of the most common languages.

Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know. A character with the Linguist gift is fluent in over six million forms of communication, and is capable of quickly deciphering new forms of communication when they encounter them.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this gift: the benefits do not stack.

Master Plan

With sufficient time and preparation beforehand, a character with the Master Plan gift is able to gain a tactical benefit during an encounter at a time chosen by the player. The form this takes can vary, and should be negotiated between the player and the GM, but a relatively typical use of a Master Plan would be similar to the use of a plot point. The amount of time needed to formulate a Master Plan should be long enough to be believable, but not so long that it renders the gift useless. Generally speaking, a character should only be permitted to concoct one Master Plan per game session, unless the GM makes an exception.

Mental Calculator

The character can perform complex mathematical calculations in their head in the same amount of time that a skilled mathematician could perform the same calculations on a powerful computer. 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.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this gift: the benefits do not stack.

Mind Shield

A character with Mind Shield is resistant to mental attacks and unnatural coercion. When targeted by an attack which normally bases the target's defense value (DV) on the target's Presence, the character's effective Presence is doubled.

Mind Shield does not need to be activated: it is always active, as long as the character is alert.

Minions

The character has one or more minor, mostly nameless lackeys of marginal usefulness. Such minions might be mooks, agents, armed guards, administrative staff, or technicians to keep the character's equipment in proper working order. 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. For example, if a character has just three minions -- an administrative assistant, a chauffeur/auto mechanic, and a computer expert, for example -- they might be reasonably competent at their respective assignments (3 in their most relevant attributes, with relevant skills). If the character has dozens of minions, however, the best among them would have 2 in their relevant attributes, and none of them would have any skills requiring advanced education or technical expertise.

Minions are primarily a fun asset for the character. They are not generally useful in combat, and are mainly used for flavor and as a foil for roleplaying. Minions should never steal the limelight from a player character.

Perfect Recall

The character may perfectly remember any event, document, recording, or picture which the character has taken the effort to study and memorize. The character does not need to understand the items to be memorized, because the information memorized is not stored as text; it is in the character's memory as a picture. As such, the information is not subject to instantaneous retrieval, but the character may mentally "scroll down" or "fast forward" looking for a specific bit of data.

If the character already has this as an alien trait, there is no benefit to purchasing this gift: the benefits do not stack.

Pro From Dover

The character is the best in their field, whatever that field is. They may or may not be famous for it -- if not, then they have either taken some effort to conceal their extraordinary knowledge, or perhaps there is a conspiracy to deny them the acclaim that they deserve. A character with the Pro From Dover gift may choose a specific, narrowly-defined professional, scholarly, or technical field in which they are the undisputed expert. When answering a question or performing research related to their specialty, they gain a bonus die.

A character may only be the Pro From Dover in a single narrowly defined specialty, and each player character with the Pro From Dover gift must choose a different specialty.

Secret Identity

The character has a second, completely legitimate identity. The character's second identity is completely documented and 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 from every database, everywhere.

Sharpshooter

Weapons, traits, and powers that are useful at a distance have an effective range given in their description. Attacking more distant targets is normally more difficult or impossible (at the GM's discretion). If the GM declares that the attack is possible, the attacker normally incurs a penalty die. With the Sharpshooter gift, the effective range of weapons, traits, and powers is doubled. Short range (10 m) weapons, traits, and powers have an effective range of 20 meters, medium range (50 m) weapons, traits, and powers have an effective range of 100 meters, and long range (500 m) weapons, traits, powers have an effective range of 1000 meters.

Team Player

A character with the Team Player gift excels at working with others, and is more effective with others than they are alone. A Team Player gains a bonus die when combining their effort with others as part of a task or in combat.

Tenacious

The character refuses to admit defeat when others would fall by the wayside. When attacked, the character may base their defense value (DV) on their Presence rather than on their Agility or Brawn, even if the character does not have the relevant combat skill. Equipment, traits, and esoteric powers which would add to the character's Agility or Brawn to determine their defense value may add to the character's Presence, instead. The player may choose which attribute to use on a case by case basis.

Underwater Combat

Unless the character has the Underwater Combat gift, engaging in combat underwater imposes an attack penalty. With this gift, the character does not incur a penalty for that circumstance.

Unsettling

The character is able to put off a disturbing vibe that makes people nervous for no discernible reason. Strangers will find themselves disliking the character without knowing why, and normal animals will avoid the character unless forced to approach by a trainer or some other circumstance. On the other hand, the character may find it easier to intimidate others, providing a bonus die to relevant Presence rolls.

Wealthy

If a problem can be solved by throwing money at it, a character with the Wealth gift can probably solve that problem. Food, clothing, and shelter cease to be concerns for a character with Wealth, but they are still plagued by the same interpersonal issues that are behind the serious problems most people face. In addition, sometimes wealth itself can be a source of problems. The character may have responsibilities related to their source of income, or they might need to fend off attempts to deprive them of their inheritance.

Zero-G Combat

Unless the character has the Zero-G Combat gift, engaging in combat while weightless imposes an attack penalty. With this gift, the character does not incur a penalty for that circumstance.